"In My Day, The Internet Was Called 'Books!'"

Okay, so maybe I paraphrased Peter Falk's statement from The Princess Bride, but in this case, I feel it's appropriate.

I don't really know what spawned the idea in my head.  I think it's because my cousin's kids (who are really the closest thing I have to a niece and nephew) are getting older, and will soon have homework that will include written reports, which reminds me of that time in my own life.

It occurred to me that when I was their age (maybe a year older), I was writing reports without using the internet.  The closest thing I had to the internet was this new program they called "Encarta."

That got me thinking.  With the recent, and exponentially growing innovations in technology, we are in fact, dumbing ourselves down as a society.  Let me state for the record that I am NOT dissing the internet.  I LOVE the internet.  I'm all over the internet.  I mean, come on.  I have a blog. 

However...

There are basic skills that I learned as a kid that I think should still be taught today.  How to write a research report without the use of the internet, for example.  And it worries me to think that institutions like the public library will die out.

Much in the way my friends down in San Diego are trying to "reach a younger generation of theatre-goer," I think it would be great if elementary school students were required at some point early in their education to write a report using only hard copy sources.  And by hard copy, I mean books, not a printout of an internet source, reputable or otherwise.

Not only would it prepare them for any event in which the internet may crash, but I also believe it would teach them associated life lessons.  It would give them a new kind of respect for those who came before them.  To know that before information was readily available to anyone with two hands and a computer, there was a time when if you wanted information, you had to actually leave the house and look for it.

And no, a field trip to the library to learn how it works, doesn't count.  The only real way to learn how to use a public library, is to actually have to use it.

I realize this notion goes against the grain in this "green" and "paperless" world, but I do think that knowing how to use a public library is a really good skill for everyone to have.  There's something very grounding about holding an actual book in your hands and copying down information on a separate piece of paper.  It's all very academic, and I, for one, feel smarter for having done so.

I suppose this fits in with my last rant on television.  And it definitely plays into my love of the movie Idiocracy.  Seriously, watch it.  Society is being sucked into the virtual world, and we are losing our grip on reality.  So as I step down from my soap box, I'll leave you with this bit of wordplay.  A last little rant on our slowly stupefying society.

Watch the beginning of Idiocracy.  The devolution of Fuddruckers.  Then take a look at this place.

LA's newest restaurant addition, branching from the Vegas food truck:  Fukuburger

*credit*

Japanese inspired burgers.  But tell me you didn't read it the way I did.  Yeah, and their slogan is "Get Lucky."

Don't even get me started on all the things they can do with Pho restaurants.

It's happening, ladies and gents.  Idiocracy... is upon us.

Some really great quotes...

I would not have stumbled across these quotes if I had not been having a chat (okay, more of a soap-boxy rant) about television with my parents this morning.  We actually had a discussion that allowed me to hold the floor for a whole hour while the television was paused on a football game (what else?) and talk about a number of different subjects, and there is another post to follow. 

I have already explained to Ashley that I am feeling "Blogolicious" today.

So on with it.

I was explaining to my parents my feelings about television.  Don't get me wrong, I love television.  I even have shows that I can't live without.  But I also hate television.  I miss having conversations with people.  And having conversations with people while the the TV's on is often very difficult.  Much the way it is when someone whips out their smart phone mid-conversation.  And even I'm guilty of that.

I think the Art of Intelligent Conversation should be practiced more often, lest we all make ourselves dumber, Idiocracy style.  I don't wan't my future children to go to law school at Costco and watch shows like "Ow, My Balls!" *Do yourselves a favor and watch this movie.  The humor may be sophomoric comedy, riddled with gratuity and bathroom humor, but the message is actually pretty important, and well executed in its dichotomy.

I once had a syllabus for a theatre class with a cover page that read "Theatre is Life.  Cinema is Art, Television is Furniture."  That has stuck with me for years.  I just think it's so interesting, and accurate in it's abstraction.

So I looked up the quote to see who had said it, and found this page of other quotes about television from some very prominent people (whose names, even if you don't know who they are, will likely sound familiar anyway). 

The Quote Garden

I'll leave you with one of my favorites on the page:

When television came roaring in after the war (World War II) they did a little school survey asking children which they preferred and why - television or radio.  And there was this 7-year-old boy who said he preferred radio "because the pictures were better." 

~Alistair Cooke

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Make an Arnold Palmer! 

Lately, I've been realizing that my attitude has been getting bogged down by all the challenges I'm facing in my life.  For those keeping track, I still have no job, I still live in my parents' house, I still have no money, my car just cost another arm and a leg to repair, my computer is in and out of commission, and I have a fake tooth in the front of my face, which throws off my diet and makes chewing even semi-soft foods a little more difficult.  And that's not including the drama in my personal life.

So I decided (at least today) to try and find the positive any which way I can.  This brilliant idea of mine came to me as I was preparing to switch out my twin bed for my full bed.  I was cleaning out some space and I found an old diary (we're talking mid-90's) that someone had given me as a gift.  There were several quotes and literary passages throughout the book, and I saw one that really spoke to me:

"The most thoroughly wasted of all days is that on which one has not laughed."

Sébastien-Roch Nicolas Chamfort

Upon reading this, I made an executive decision to laugh at, or about, at least one thing every day.  If that means I have to watch a certain movie, or talk to certain people, or just imagine myself into a laughing fit, so be it.  I will find a reason to laugh, or at least smile about something.

And now, for your enjoyment, I present to you my latest, big-laugh-inducing anecdote (and video).

Last night, I spent my evening hanging out with my friend Brandon (I'm sure he'll get a nickname too eventually... we have been spending increasing amounts of time together) and with champagne-induced curiosity we searched through his instant Netflix for a movie with talking animals.  So after deciding to watch The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer (a poorly computer animated children's movie with Christian undertones... and also some overtly sexual innuendo, if you have a gutter brain like me) we found ourselves rewinding several scenes.  The scene you are about to see is... well... I'll let you decide for yourself.  But I definitely needed a rewind after the double take I did the first time.




Yeah.  That really just happened. 

Bonus factoids about this movie:

• That blue baby dolphin (whose name is Sparky), while absolutely adorable, is definitely an undiagnosed narcoleptic.
• There's a song.  Something about Fly, Daniel Dolphin, Fly... you can YouTube it.
• Even though the animation is reminiscent of Nintendo64, and the dialogue is bad, and it's a movie for children... it's actually pretty hilarious.  As long as you're not sober.  Be in a happy, giggly place.  I promise you won't regret it.

I want to "Mystery Science Theater 3000" the crap outta this movie.

Music Challenge - Day 15

Sorry for the little hiatus.  Life got a little bit busy in the last few weeks.  I'm not making excuses (...okay, maybe I am a little bit) but in any case, I'm back for now.  So let's get the show on the road...

A song that describes me... hmm... well, I have gone through a number of songs which I think could describe me.  At the very least, there will never stop being songs that I deem personally identifiable.  I could tell you that pretty much anything by Simple Plan could describe my all-too-depressing side... "Welcome To My Life" anyone?  Or maybe "Addicted."  If you know me personally, I'm sure I've pronounced that song my theme song at least once in your presence.  Or perhaps "Hopelessly Devoted to You" from "Grease" would be more appropriate in my particular predicament.  Avril Lavigne has a few good ones that are also right up my alley.  "My World," "Anything But Ordinary," "The Things I'll Never Say..." they were all contenders.  And let's not forget Green Day's "Basket Case," or "Crazy" by Patsy Cline.  At this late hour, I'm sure I'm leaving out other potential (and likely, more positive) songs that could have been songs that describe me.  Perhaps those songs will find their way into the comments section some day...

But for today, I have, indeed narrowed it down to a song that I believe actually encompasses who I am, under normal circumstances, every day of the week.  Tell me if maybe you agree...

Day 15 - A Song That Describes You

Darren Criss.  I get away with this one because even though he's on Glee, and even though I've already used Glee in this list (and I may just bring it back again, despite being repetitive) this is a song by Darren himself on his LP. EP? Whatever.

"Why do I have this incredible need to stand up and say 'please, pay attention?'"  Yup.  A dumb human.  Like you.  Makes perfect sense to me.

And yes, maybe I am just a little bit obsessed with Darren Criss.  He plays a gay, yet totally still drool-worthy character on TV (definitely one of my favorites on the show), he sings, and he's cute.  I mean, come on.  Who wouldn't want to run their fingers through that mess of curls?  I am after all, only *obligatory eye-roll* Human.  Ha.


day 01 - your favorite song
day 02 - your least favorite song
day 03 - a song that makes you happy
day 04 - a song that makes you sad
day 05 - a song that reminds you of someone
day 06 - a song that reminds you of somewhere
day 07 - a song that reminds you of a certain event
day 08 - a song that you know all the words to
day 09 - a song you can dance to
day 10 - a song that makes you fall asleep
day 11 - a song from your favorite band
day 12 - a song from a band you hate
day 13 - a song that is a guilty pleasure 
day 14 - a song that no one would expect you to love