The Lost Generation Crossover

I've read articles that have begun calling my generation, a lost generation. We are not the first to be trapped by the status of an ailing economy, and we will not be the last. Not because the world will always ruin your day and screw you over, but because that is the flow of life--good and bad take place. Sometimes you win and other times you lose. Because it isn't fair, by rule.

As I sit in my classroom, talking about cultural notions, myths, and theories, there is nothing but the moment of discussion. Speculation, thinking out loud. It's rather easy to talk out your ass, but some do submit worthy topics and ideas. Once I get home the typical conversation of "how was your day? How was class tonight?" comes. From time to time my dad asks me what I want to do after gradation. My answer is always the same--like many other students,. Frankly I have no idea. Hope for fulfilling employment. Somewhere nice with good pay, enough to move out and begin true adult life away from home. Simple wishes really. But my own outlook on this becoming a reality is bleaker than it used to be. Maybe it's the times, or what is called a life crisis. Or maybe I aim to be like an audience member going into the film with low expectations, if I think it'll be terrible then it may pleasantly surprise me. Who knows. He asks what others are thinking of doing for jobs after they finish school as well. That's slightly easier to answer because being a major within the humanities and social sciences does give the option of credential programs and future teaching. Though I do mention that most of us don't actually want to teach. Teachers should have a passion for their job, with a will to inspire the stubborn student. I wouldn't want to teach on the basic reason of being in charge of other peoples' children--parents are nuts. If I were to follow the path of the credential program, I'd want to teach at the university level. Here there is the ability to talk as adults, each student responsible, no parents to deal with. Now I've gotten off my topic, as usual.

I intended to simply post this excerpt from a Depression era book observing the time's youth culture to point out the similar environment facing our young people today. Perhaps you won't see the similarities, or you will. Either way I will have gotten you thinking about the future. We all want the same things: success, security, enjoyment. That never changes.

"As naturally as their voices broke and depended, our young men grew up in the assurance that education and hard work were the Open Sesame to respectable jobs secured by reliability and perseverance, to homes of their own, and to honored places in the eyes of their fellow-men. In the past few years many of them who are out of school today have no work, through no fault of their own.
Many others are engaged on slim part-time jobs so trifling in the time they fill and the money they produce as to have little or no meaning to the young workmen.
Bleakly our youth has been marking time while the clock ticks away its bright years, the good years of plowing and sowing and sweating. They are runners, delayed at the gun. They have lost so much time at the start that only the exceptional can challenge the finish. (4)
…..They have seen people who wanted to work--and could not--and people who did not want to work--and would not--living on the same level of government bounty" (5)"
--- Maxine Davis, The Lost Generation

Any of it sound familiar? There are generally three options when faced with class consciousness. Keep telling everyone that it'll get better, redefine success, or violent revolution. I would hope that if there is a revolution that it won't be violent. But at this stage in our country's troubles, something has to happen. Occupy Wallstreet, Tea Party groups, recession, wars....there's a lot going on. Nobody knows the future--but we do make the future, one decision at a time. And for godsakes people, if you can't afford something do not buy/lease it. We all need to stay within our means, and that goes for the country itself. Be accountable. Alright, signing off. Have a lovely evening.

World War Z

Just received my order from Amazon and I'm excited. Apparently it's organized into entries from different people, therefore an oral history as the title suggests. I've yet to read a zombie book so this should be interesting!
Also, I just finished Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. It was a good mix of history and fantasy, with an awesome ending twist :)
Both of these are currently in the process of becoming feature films. Tim Burton is directing the Lincoln film; and apparently Brad Pitt is signed onto World War Z as a main character.

08/07/2011

This is a draft that was never published following Rocksie's death. I can still read it now and feel the sadness that had weighed on me. I felt so guilty for not saying goodbye, but there was no way of knowing that there would be an accident. It was the first day of our family vacation at the lake when we got the call. She took a fall on the stairs and had to be put down at the emergency vet clinic by some friends. This was the only time in my entire life that I've seen my dad cry. He was the one who came to tell me she was gone. Coming home and walking back into the house was misery.

She was almost 13 years old and had a good life. We couldn't make her stay with us and hurt still. I like to think of her now as my angel puppy. I see her in the expressions of our new dogs, Olive and Oakley. But they're so differentfrom her. Dogs are really just furry children, each with their own personality.

Courtney

08/22/2013

****************

She's been gone for a week and it feels like forever. Given, we were on vacation at the time of her passing so I never had to see her in any pain. But the fall on the stairs was likely painful since it was the final straw for those poor wobbly back legs. Surgery wasn't an option, especially with no guarentee of her walking on her own again. I don't think she'd be happy if she couldn't scamper around n play like always.

Onto Book #9!

I've just finished book #8 in the Southern Vampire Mystery Series, aka the "True Blood" books. So far each book has been strong and I'm hoping to feel the same about Dead And Gone (book #9). Rather not say much about what's going on plot-wise or give away any spoilers. But if you like the HBO show and like to read, I'm sure you'll enjoy the books. Of course you must remember that television shows are commonly altered versions of whatever literature they've been "based on". So don't get pissed when the two aren't exactly the same.
As of right now, I'm about a third of the way through Dead And Gone. I like it better than the previous already, probably because there's more Eric. By the way, if you're a Bill fan...sucks for you. It seems like Bill is becoming a less important character since no longer being romantically involved with Sookie. Perhaps you can blame it on the fact that it's from her point of view? Anyways...
Once next week hits, I should be done with this one and onto the next (Dead in the Family). So hopefully if time permits I can pick up a few books for vacation! Hooray vacation!
Has anyone heard about any light/fun books for me to bring along? Oh god, what will I read once I finish this series? Oh right, school will be in session by then and it'll all be lecture related---booo.

Kids and Social Sites

You log onto your social networking site to check for comments or other notifications. All clear for now except a slew of "likes" on a status. But you see that rare little pop up notification, "new friend request!" A bit excited you click to see who wants to hop on the friendmobile with you. The picture appears to be some random 7-11 year old with sunglasses on. To be fair you check out their full page to be sure. Yep, they're 9 years old and wants to be your friend. I've had this happen on MySpace, Facebook, etc. Not only is it creepy but it makes you wonder how this child got onto the site in the first place.

My first issue with kids on the internet is not the obvious go-to that a parent might pull out like, "there's pedophiles online!" Because that's true and if you were a good parent, you'd simply teach your kids not to talk to strangers whether it's in real life or online.

Reason number one: My big issue with these random kids trying to be cool and friend a million unknown people is that honestly, it's against the rules. There are age restrictions on many sites like Facebook, for example is 13 & up. I'd recommend staying off Facebook until the age of 16 just because of the ridiculous drama and hormonal rollercoaster that affects everyone from age 11 to 16.

Personally, I grew up in what I see as the last generation of playing outside and calling your friends' home phones. I had no internet til I was in 9th grade, then it was so slow that the only thing to do was use AOL Instant Messenger. I clearly remember the advent of cellphones for all, i.e. everyone and their mother wanted a Motorolla Razor. No one in my family had a cellphone until about...2006. I got my first cellphone during my junior year of high school, it only made calls (gasp!). So I've made my point with that one....technology plus children, not the best idea til they have emotional control over themselves. It'll save them and their parents a lot of trouble.

Reason number 2: go outside and play with your friends, you'll miss it when you're older. As I get older I come across things that make me stop and think. "Why did we all want to grow up so fast? Seriously?" The simple life of calling your friend's house and walking over is likely dead but I think kids today can retain the little bit that's left. Avoid living on the internet, it's so easy to get caught up in posting what you're doing and taking pictures FOR your page. I mean come on, really? You're destroying your self-worth in the end by making it based on what others see on your page. You're a person, not a webpage. Having your "friends" post on your page does give you a little dose of happiness from the interaction but unfortunately you shouldn't rely on it. Logging on to find out that gossip was spread about you and "everybody" hates you, or even some kid discovered how to photoshop your picture inappropriately (typically dick drawings or fat jokes). The possibilities are endless online.

Overall, finding out you've been friend requested by a child makes you feel like a pedophile even though you fancy people your own age. Do kids under the age of 16 NEED a page? No, it's strictly optional for all of us. Hell, do we even need a page? No, but it makes life easier for keeping up with old friends and planning get togethers--or Facebook stalking. The internet has it's good and it's bad. There's photo sharing with relatives but there's viruses, there's fun games to play but there's also creepers. It's ultimately up to the person in charge of the computer, that should be the parent.

Complaints Against Me

Tonight there were 2 complaints made. Here are what I've come up with as my possible factors or reasons.

"You never want to do anything"
1. When I try to plan something, nobody has money for it or they have work (broke college students)
2. When I plan things, nobody shows up (ex- my 20th birthday everyone bailed)
3. Severely different music tastes for concerts (ex- Tom Petty)
4. Money. Fun costs money most of the time
5. I don't want to play WoW
6. Heavy drinking is not on my fun list (puke)
7. Talking n sitting doesn't count as fun for most people anymore for some reason.

"You've been so irritated lately"?
1. Hot, sweaty, disgusting weather
2. Being ignored often
3. Lack of time with friends
4. Losing my ring at work
5. Suddenly having to pay $300 for car registration after having my hours cut
6. The downstairs of my house is still under construction aka annoying
7. Paranoid about my dog not being able to walk.

If there are any other complaints, please tweet them to me.

Unfortunate Fools

There's always a sad story once in awhile about some poor kid who dies of a drug overdose at a party or a big event. Of course it happened to a 15 year old last year at the Electric Daisy Carnival and the company (Insomniac) ended up having to go through all sorts of problems with the Los Angeles police, etc. Basically they moved this year's EDC out to Vegas. An obvious choice for a massive three day carnival/ electronic music festival.

I went to EDC in 2008 before it grew into a multi-day massive and had the time of my life. Granted, everyone around me was 'rolling' (E), on mushrooms, or 'candy flipping' (both). I was completely aware of this by the size of their puils, nonetheless everyone was happy and friendly. There wasn't a single random person that couldn't appreciate a smile and a hug. Well, except the kid on acid who was scared by our friend making dolphin noises....

Massives are by definition, massive. Literally. The 2008 EDC that I attended had about 70,000 participants. This led to horrible cellphone reception and delay, as well as crowding. If you had AT&T your call wouldn't go through and text messages took an average of five minutes to receive. This made meeting up with friends difficult.

Now back to my starting point--the kids who overdose. It's very easy for someone on drugs with little experience to end up in a bad place. All it takes is one person to take the wrong pill, or too many. Some dealers actually sell laced pills or fake pills to unsuspecting teenagers. This happens because dealers like money and teenagers tend to be stupid. Simple equation there. I've heard stories of people getting meth-laced pills, and it wasn't a happy story though no one died. Not having enough water or drinking too much water can also cause complications.

All this combined into one situation for a 'rolling' teenager can be difficult to sort through. Losing track of your friends, getting lost, losing your phone or money. Honestly I don't understand how anyone goes into an event with +70,000 other people and thinks, "yea I can do this." I know a bunch of people who did it somehow, but my cautious personality doesn't allow me to go there. I stayed on the safe side and always went sober.

EDC was my first rave, and my favorite. You could feel the vibes of expressive freedom and though it sounds super cheesy, love. At that time there were still people going (most on drugs) to experience the music and have a good time. As my rave days progressed I saw this slipping away and gradually it wasn't fun anymore. More douchebags looking for a high, more young girls dressing up like Rainbow Brite hookers. My last trip to a massive ended with friends taking bad pills and getting sick while I limped around with bloody knees in the cold 3am temperatures of January. I had seen better days, for sure. Those on drugs percieved me as a downer or a party pooper, not realizing that I'd been hurt thanks to a security gaurd running into me as he chased someone. In fact, the scars are still visible on my feet from skidding across pavement---not cute.

What's my point? It's not the event coordinators or companies that are to blame for such problems and deaths of anyone in attendence. They provide a venue to enjoy music, go on rides, and have fun. There is also generous security at the gates that pats you down worse than any airport security member would. "Shake out your bra please....we have to check your pants, thank you." Everything is done correctly, but the problem is the consumer. Many are just fools who don't stop to think. Those that manage to get in with intent to sell or consume E, mushrooms, acid, etc. It happens because people do what people do, whether they're responsible human beings or not.

If you die from it, it's your fault. I won't feel bad or pity someone who chose to partake. I just read about a similar case this year at the EDC taking place in Texas. There were so many calls for health emergencies that they were forced to shut down the whole place. It is an individual's responsibility to be aware of and chose to put something into their own body. Food or drugs, it's a choice. Apparently most the people attending weren't thinking or readily prepared.

Reminds me of the teenager who drowned in Lake Mission Viejo a few years ago. He was on acid and apparently he and his friends failed to think about being around the water. Some said, "poor guy, he was such a great guy" I'm sorry but a 'great guy' isn't fool enough to take a bunch of illegal substances to the point of incoherence.

All in all, I enjoyed the good times throughout 2008-2009 before giving up on the deteriorating rave environment. Maybe I'm just lucky enough to be able to live without needing any substances to enjoy life. i'd say I'm proof that none of those people needed to take pills to have a good time. It was their choice, a foolish one for many.