Hi 2010,
I'm Matt. Hopefully we can be better friends than I was with 2009.
Nice to meet you.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Circumstance, happenstance, and all sorts of other stances
The ability to accept chaos as a natural part of life is something I still need to come to terms with.
"Anything is indeed possible. A world containing phenomena as astounding as tornadoes should never be underestimated for its ability to startle one's expectations."
All throughout Tony Vigorito's "Nine Kinds of Naked,"(above quote) the idea that chaos and the ability to accept it as a facet of life comes into play in almost every character interaction. The idea that life's events are uncontrollable and something to build from is an idea that I would like to be able to accept. From chaos comes structure, and structure returns to chaos, sooner or later. Adapting to such is an admirable trait, and building off of each event is even more so. Seeing wonder in disaster is what the author is describing.
Someday.
Loosely related, build(ings)
Roller coasters are pretty chaotic.
"Anything is indeed possible. A world containing phenomena as astounding as tornadoes should never be underestimated for its ability to startle one's expectations."
All throughout Tony Vigorito's "Nine Kinds of Naked,"(above quote) the idea that chaos and the ability to accept it as a facet of life comes into play in almost every character interaction. The idea that life's events are uncontrollable and something to build from is an idea that I would like to be able to accept. From chaos comes structure, and structure returns to chaos, sooner or later. Adapting to such is an admirable trait, and building off of each event is even more so. Seeing wonder in disaster is what the author is describing.
Someday.
Loosely related, build(ings)
Roller coasters are pretty chaotic.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Rantving; ranting and raving.
My chest hurts, my kidneys hurt, my head hurts, and a number of other things hurt.
That's ok though, I've got books which give me a reason to sit, a camera which gives me a reason to walk, and a fairly bitter attitude that gives me a reason to update this thing so somebody can read it every so often.
Does anybody read this?
If you do, you should look at my photos while you're at it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattburda/
I've tried to stick with posting a picture of my making with each blog post, hoping that they somewhat relate. I guess that is my theme.
I have my glasses too, those are pretty important.
Yay?
That's ok though, I've got books which give me a reason to sit, a camera which gives me a reason to walk, and a fairly bitter attitude that gives me a reason to update this thing so somebody can read it every so often.
Does anybody read this?
If you do, you should look at my photos while you're at it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattburda/
I've tried to stick with posting a picture of my making with each blog post, hoping that they somewhat relate. I guess that is my theme.
I have my glasses too, those are pretty important.
Yay?
Monday, December 28, 2009
Was he right?
As per a crazy old homeless man's requests; I will not be a cocksucker, but most certainly have made my way to hell. Eternal damnation, here I come.
The amount of resentment I have been receiving from customers regarding christian practice is getting to be ridiculous.
"I'm glad you have C.S. Lewis' books on christianity. Are you a Christian?"
"Nope."
The customer snatches her credit card and leaves in a hurry.
Listen; I don't care about christian literature, I like science fiction.
I'm sorry I don't know what day of the week Christmas falls on, I'm Jewish.
Self righteousness clearly knows no bounds, as the bookstore has lost two whole sales due to the fact that I am a heathen.
I'm not complaining about christianity in general, just these specific occurrences with a few raging assholes that happened to be raging christians. Imposing ideals on people and then refusing to communicate when they disagree is borderline disgusting, and it's bad for their entire argument in these specific cases.
The whole time before C.S. Lewis was brought up, I thought I was being hit on.
Oh, what a wonderful day.
The amount of resentment I have been receiving from customers regarding christian practice is getting to be ridiculous.
"I'm glad you have C.S. Lewis' books on christianity. Are you a Christian?"
"Nope."
The customer snatches her credit card and leaves in a hurry.
Listen; I don't care about christian literature, I like science fiction.
I'm sorry I don't know what day of the week Christmas falls on, I'm Jewish.
Self righteousness clearly knows no bounds, as the bookstore has lost two whole sales due to the fact that I am a heathen.
I'm not complaining about christianity in general, just these specific occurrences with a few raging assholes that happened to be raging christians. Imposing ideals on people and then refusing to communicate when they disagree is borderline disgusting, and it's bad for their entire argument in these specific cases.
The whole time before C.S. Lewis was brought up, I thought I was being hit on.
Oh, what a wonderful day.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Christmas shopping, read "destruction of humanity."
"My hands are covered in shit, his pants are covered in shit, the car is covered in shit."
"I don't fucking care."
This was a conversation between a husband and wife customer duo, regarding their toddler, who was presently ripping books off of shelves and falling over and hitting his head without his parents noticing.
It seems that buying presents for one's children has suddenly taken precedence over the actual raising and care of the child. Nothing is more important than children having lots of things to play with, right? Clearly not their well being.
The way the parents of this child showed their parenting ability, it seemed like they had a kid simply to buy it things. The process of buying things also entails setting a good example by being incredibly rude to any menial worker, my book-shelving self included.
"I don't fucking care."
This was a conversation between a husband and wife customer duo, regarding their toddler, who was presently ripping books off of shelves and falling over and hitting his head without his parents noticing.
It seems that buying presents for one's children has suddenly taken precedence over the actual raising and care of the child. Nothing is more important than children having lots of things to play with, right? Clearly not their well being.
The way the parents of this child showed their parenting ability, it seemed like they had a kid simply to buy it things. The process of buying things also entails setting a good example by being incredibly rude to any menial worker, my book-shelving self included.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Life in a bookstore
It's hard not to laugh when a 50 something year old homeless man that looks like Santa Claus tells you to respect him because he's old enough to be your father while waving a fat and sweaty finger in your face, then calls you a cocksucker.
In front of customers nonetheless, after very politely telling me to go to hell.
It's pretty funny when a drunken man who likens himself to British Monarchy absolutely "knows that there are spies browsing the espionage section," and reminds me not to tell the CIA that he was in my bookstore.
Oh, downtown Sunnyvale.
It all goes down right here.
In front of customers nonetheless, after very politely telling me to go to hell.
It's pretty funny when a drunken man who likens himself to British Monarchy absolutely "knows that there are spies browsing the espionage section," and reminds me not to tell the CIA that he was in my bookstore.
Oh, downtown Sunnyvale.
It all goes down right here.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
I'm not really sure.
“I can see that you’re concentrating on the two, quarter shaped holes around eight centimeters in front of your face. If you look 34 inches behind them, you will see the letters
‘S-M-I-T-H-&-W-E-S-S-E-N.’
These letters, in this very situation, should be read as 'I am your god, and you have arrived at your judgment.' If all of this was made for you, and me, then it is ours to take.”
‘S-M-I-T-H-&-W-E-S-S-E-N.’
These letters, in this very situation, should be read as 'I am your god, and you have arrived at your judgment.' If all of this was made for you, and me, then it is ours to take.”
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Letter to a business man
Dear Anonymous Business man,
Thank you. Thank you for taking twenty minutes in the bathroom this morning. As you come out with an open laptop, open briefcase, on your cellphone, and drinking a cup of coffee, I realize that the bathroom had briefly become your workstation. I commend you for being able to juggle all of those activities at once, keeping me waiting for 20 minutes, and still being unable to wash your hands; forcing me to open the inside door handle with a paper towel to avoid germ transfer.
Despite all of the aforementioned facts, god bless you, anonymous business man. In the twenty minutes that you were in the restroom, you managed to avoid doing three things that have become vital to my bathroom experience, post somebody's shit.
You managed to not stink up the place. Thank you for not eating disgusting food that I had to smell. That is fairly minor, but still. Thank you. It makes my restroom experience slightly more bearable after your fact.
You also managed to accomplish the amazing feat of warming up the toilet seat, and staying in the bathroom for just enough time to let it cool to a nice room temperature. I was not disgusted by your ass-warmth left on the seat, yet I was not cold upon planting myself down. Thank you. I appreciate this one the most out of all of the post-shit checklist.
Last, but definitely not least, for fucks sake, thank you for not pissing on the seat and leaving it to me to wipe up. Thank you.
Despite the 20 minute workstation atrocity you committed this morning in lieu of myself having to use the restroom, for those 3 things you did (or avoided doing, I suppose,) thank you. God bless you, lukewarm piss free seat leaving business man, god bless you!
Thank you. Thank you for taking twenty minutes in the bathroom this morning. As you come out with an open laptop, open briefcase, on your cellphone, and drinking a cup of coffee, I realize that the bathroom had briefly become your workstation. I commend you for being able to juggle all of those activities at once, keeping me waiting for 20 minutes, and still being unable to wash your hands; forcing me to open the inside door handle with a paper towel to avoid germ transfer.
Despite all of the aforementioned facts, god bless you, anonymous business man. In the twenty minutes that you were in the restroom, you managed to avoid doing three things that have become vital to my bathroom experience, post somebody's shit.
You managed to not stink up the place. Thank you for not eating disgusting food that I had to smell. That is fairly minor, but still. Thank you. It makes my restroom experience slightly more bearable after your fact.
You also managed to accomplish the amazing feat of warming up the toilet seat, and staying in the bathroom for just enough time to let it cool to a nice room temperature. I was not disgusted by your ass-warmth left on the seat, yet I was not cold upon planting myself down. Thank you. I appreciate this one the most out of all of the post-shit checklist.
Last, but definitely not least, for fucks sake, thank you for not pissing on the seat and leaving it to me to wipe up. Thank you.
Despite the 20 minute workstation atrocity you committed this morning in lieu of myself having to use the restroom, for those 3 things you did (or avoided doing, I suppose,) thank you. God bless you, lukewarm piss free seat leaving business man, god bless you!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Financial Appropriation?
May 14, 2009:
"To date, $356 million has been authorized for the new CIC. The original project was designed to provide 1,408 beds which were projected to meet the CDCR’s condemned inmate population needs through 2037, but unless CDCR determines it can double-cell the inmates, the CIC will hit capacity just three years after it opens.
The state deficit is currently projected to be $15 billion. In the event the measures fail on the ballot next Tuesday, the Governor predicts the budget deficit will reach $21 billion. San Quentin is estimated to be worth upwards of $2 billion."
According to the DPIC (Death Penalty Information Center); "Using conservative rough projections, the Commission estimates the annual costs of the present (death penalty) system to be $137 million per year... The cost of a system which imposes a maximum penalty of lifetime incarceration instead of the death penalty would be $11.5 million per year."
Putting those facts together;
The California Budget Administration proposed a $215 million dollar a year budget cut for community colleges last year. Governor Schwarzenegger authorized $356 million for facilities for prisoners condemned to death row, in a system of capital punishment that is already costing the state $137 million a year.
I don't see how it makes sense to force students to drop out of college due to insufficient space, yet spend almost twice as much in a single year on death row.
How can this be allowed to happen? Where executions have taken financial precedence over education?
"To date, $356 million has been authorized for the new CIC. The original project was designed to provide 1,408 beds which were projected to meet the CDCR’s condemned inmate population needs through 2037, but unless CDCR determines it can double-cell the inmates, the CIC will hit capacity just three years after it opens.
The state deficit is currently projected to be $15 billion. In the event the measures fail on the ballot next Tuesday, the Governor predicts the budget deficit will reach $21 billion. San Quentin is estimated to be worth upwards of $2 billion."
According to the DPIC (Death Penalty Information Center); "Using conservative rough projections, the Commission estimates the annual costs of the present (death penalty) system to be $137 million per year... The cost of a system which imposes a maximum penalty of lifetime incarceration instead of the death penalty would be $11.5 million per year."
Putting those facts together;
The California Budget Administration proposed a $215 million dollar a year budget cut for community colleges last year. Governor Schwarzenegger authorized $356 million for facilities for prisoners condemned to death row, in a system of capital punishment that is already costing the state $137 million a year.
I don't see how it makes sense to force students to drop out of college due to insufficient space, yet spend almost twice as much in a single year on death row.
How can this be allowed to happen? Where executions have taken financial precedence over education?
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Homeless man quote of the day
"I'm a faithful child, but how can death be the word of god? It doesn't make sense, but then again, look around us. None of it makes sense."
This homeless man was telling me about a book involving a number of dead women in a church. He followed the description with that quote, as calm as can be, and then left the store.
I thought faith was intended to remove the need of sense? To explain the inexplicable with the simple idea that faith is all one needs for sense. It's unfortunate that faith has lost that touch. Although I don't believe, I imagine its comforting to feel that something can make sense out of nonsense. It's a shame that it doesn't anymore.
This homeless man was telling me about a book involving a number of dead women in a church. He followed the description with that quote, as calm as can be, and then left the store.
I thought faith was intended to remove the need of sense? To explain the inexplicable with the simple idea that faith is all one needs for sense. It's unfortunate that faith has lost that touch. Although I don't believe, I imagine its comforting to feel that something can make sense out of nonsense. It's a shame that it doesn't anymore.
Let me begin with my thought of the day, or now, of the morning as it is 3 A.M.
California needs to appropriate more funding for our universities. When accepted students are being driven to the community college system for an education that may be by no means sub-par, is depressing as all shit and feels like an infinite loop, it creates a lack of drive for the students that are stuck there in the first place. Students that didn't get accepted into universities in the first place, or students that may need that extra income and financial aid, which is no longer available to some, to get into said universities. This may create a rift in the ideal community college pursuit – a second chance. I feel that when those who received and honest first chance are being denied; then those who seek the second cannot compete. Students who rightfully made their way into college and had the backing funds to do so are being denied. Those of us who didn't cannot continue living a second rate lifestyle, there are too many of us.
Being unable to receive an education to due the cuts, many are forced to live a 'second-rate' lifestyle. What happens with second rate lifestyles? Crime and sex. It's simple. When one cannot afford pleasantries the only thing to do is to fuck. When money is tight, unprotected sex is abundant. When money is tight, crime, too, is abundant. All of the money taken away from the university system will have to be re-appropriated through pregnancy/health programs and gun control. This attempt to save money by cutting budgets, which is now removing education, can only lead to more expensive problems in the long run. While the 5% savings may help now, in the state's future, it will only be detrimental.
Just a thought.
California needs to appropriate more funding for our universities. When accepted students are being driven to the community college system for an education that may be by no means sub-par, is depressing as all shit and feels like an infinite loop, it creates a lack of drive for the students that are stuck there in the first place. Students that didn't get accepted into universities in the first place, or students that may need that extra income and financial aid, which is no longer available to some, to get into said universities. This may create a rift in the ideal community college pursuit – a second chance. I feel that when those who received and honest first chance are being denied; then those who seek the second cannot compete. Students who rightfully made their way into college and had the backing funds to do so are being denied. Those of us who didn't cannot continue living a second rate lifestyle, there are too many of us.
Being unable to receive an education to due the cuts, many are forced to live a 'second-rate' lifestyle. What happens with second rate lifestyles? Crime and sex. It's simple. When one cannot afford pleasantries the only thing to do is to fuck. When money is tight, unprotected sex is abundant. When money is tight, crime, too, is abundant. All of the money taken away from the university system will have to be re-appropriated through pregnancy/health programs and gun control. This attempt to save money by cutting budgets, which is now removing education, can only lead to more expensive problems in the long run. While the 5% savings may help now, in the state's future, it will only be detrimental.
Just a thought.
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