A(n) (Election) Day To Remember
I'm shaking uncontrollably, but only on the inside. My hands remain still and dry, but underneath my skin I am hot and, basically, freaking the fuck out. I raise my Best Man mug to my lips and take a gulp. Killian's Irish Red tastes so sweet. I never needed a reason to drink a beer but I still always gave myself one: to forget a bad day or a heartache, to relax my overactive imagination, to help me sleep, cuz I like the taste, or just cuz it's there and I'm alive and well. But today I find myself drinking for a new reason entirely, and one that I never in my wildest dreams thought possible. Because I am sitting, neigh, living on the edge of one of the most important days in American History and I have no idea how to handle it. To be fair, this is number 2 of famous historical days for my generation and I don't know about you, but growing up and reading boring American history, I never thought anything remotely exciting or momentous would occur in my lifetime. Which reminds me...
Man, I see in fight club the strongest and smartest men who've ever lived. I see all this potential, and I see squandering. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. ~Tyler Durden, "Fight Club"
Nearly a decade ago that movie debuted and we all watched it, loved it, believed it. Looking back, maybe we should have taken that as a warning to get off our lazy asses and be more vigilant, find some purpose in this life. But instead, we just named it a Hollywood Blockbuster and went on with our boring lives. Now look at us. The STILL Greatest Country in the world (in my opinion) is stuck in a War On Terrorism, or a Fight For Oil, or a Battle For Middle Eastern Democrazy, I mean, Democracy, or a Stubborn Skirmish or Whatever The Hell It Is (I don't know or care anymore) and we are teetering on the brink of a 2nd Great Depression... I wonder if they called it a "Financial Crisis" before a "depression" back in the 20s before?
So here it is, Election Day 2008 and I am writing just because I can't think about anything else and I don't want to think about this. I've never considered myself politically savvy (or interested, for that matter) but not even my impressively massive amounts of apathy can shun what is happening in this country. It is all intensified, I'm sure, by my year of living in another country... especially a country like France (no offense, I love France but they are fucking weird!). Politics aside, America is falling apart at the seams. And not just the country as a whole, but people in general. I look at all my friends, most of us having just finished college and trying to hold our own in the Real World, and we are constantly struggling to stave off misery, depression, loneliness. I listened to a man at work today complain for half an hour about how he hates his contracting business and all he wants to do is travel and teach martial arts, but he can't. Dating has become a necessity, not a choice, as everyone desperately wants to fall in love. Standards are dropping, careers are changing, sacrifice after sacrifice eats away at one's well-being. Money has become plastic, theoretical and scarce. Skepticism is rampant and all anyone can do is hope. Hope for the best.
I don't care about politics, I really don't. And I'm sorry if that makes me a fool, but I am not ignorant. I have read and listened to both sides of the political debate and I do believe that Senator Barack Obama is ahead of the game, but that is not why I support him. I support him because America, no, AMERICANS need somebody who can motivate them! Somebody who can speak and make you listen, even if they are saying the same thing you've heard a thousand times before. It's like when your parents give you advice, you brush it off cuz they're your parents. But hear that same advice from a friend, mentor, or even a stranger and suddenly it resonates with you. Presidents over the past couple decades have been like parents. The give you your allowance (tax returns/breaks) and a few chores to do (pay taxes, insurance, work, etc), occasionally scold you for making a mistake (fines, prison) and repeat the same trite advice (campaigning) year after year, election after election. But Obama is like that friend. When he asks you a question, you feel like he really listens to your answer. And what's more, he actually ASKS you questions rather than assuming he knows what's best, as parents often do. Well I'm a grown man and I don't need my hand held anymore. I need someone intelligent to help me as I find my own way. I need someone in touch with reality, my reality. The reality that shit is bad and it's not going to get better anytime soon but that does not mean it is hopeless. It's gonna take time and hard work, but I can get where I want to be... I just need a little help and advice.
That old, white guy is old and white. But it's not even about his race. I'm not so shallow or stupid as to support a person simply because he can't tan, same as me. In fact, I don't think John McCain can tan either -- look at his pasty ass! Gross!!! But how can you lead a nation to the future when most of your life is in the past? How can you carry someone over the hill when you're already there? Yes, I am admittedly bias against old people. Not that I don't like them, I just think they don't like me and I KNOW they don't understand me. Hell, most of you bastards reading this don't understand me, but you get it. He doesn't. My biggest problem with John "Maverick" McCain and Sarah "The Hotness" Palin is that they lack empathy. Empathy is what I think we all need right now. Empathy is the only way we will get through this or any problem without going crazy. Where would any of us be without our friends and family to understand/listen to us? So tell me... who the fuck is Joe the Plumber and Joe Six-Pack? How the fuck can you empathize with anyone when your generalizations of them are an overweight, ass-crackin sewage monkey and an alcoholic (or is it a body builder, I dunno)? Who else is in that family? Sue Sew-My-Pants and Silly Billy the Booger Eater? I'm sorry, but you... are a goddamn idiot! And honestly, if you could understand where I am coming from then I would gladly jump in my spaceship and go back home with Kanye West.
Alright, I'm gonna end this rant, having no real purpose than to distract myself from what is going on right now. I'll watch the Election Coverage later and probably be a little tipsy so I don't lose my mind, regardless of the results. I tried to write this late enough in the day so that everyone has already voted and it is not considered propaganda. That is not my intention. Vote how you want, a republican vote is better than no vote at all. A vote at least shows that you recognize there is a problem and you care enough to solve it. I believe it was Vanilla Ice who said...
"If there was a problem, Yo, I'll solve it. Check out the polls while my VP revolves it."
It's too cold...
Man, I see in fight club the strongest and smartest men who've ever lived. I see all this potential, and I see squandering. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. ~Tyler Durden, "Fight Club"
Nearly a decade ago that movie debuted and we all watched it, loved it, believed it. Looking back, maybe we should have taken that as a warning to get off our lazy asses and be more vigilant, find some purpose in this life. But instead, we just named it a Hollywood Blockbuster and went on with our boring lives. Now look at us. The STILL Greatest Country in the world (in my opinion) is stuck in a War On Terrorism, or a Fight For Oil, or a Battle For Middle Eastern Democrazy, I mean, Democracy, or a Stubborn Skirmish or Whatever The Hell It Is (I don't know or care anymore) and we are teetering on the brink of a 2nd Great Depression... I wonder if they called it a "Financial Crisis" before a "depression" back in the 20s before?
So here it is, Election Day 2008 and I am writing just because I can't think about anything else and I don't want to think about this. I've never considered myself politically savvy (or interested, for that matter) but not even my impressively massive amounts of apathy can shun what is happening in this country. It is all intensified, I'm sure, by my year of living in another country... especially a country like France (no offense, I love France but they are fucking weird!). Politics aside, America is falling apart at the seams. And not just the country as a whole, but people in general. I look at all my friends, most of us having just finished college and trying to hold our own in the Real World, and we are constantly struggling to stave off misery, depression, loneliness. I listened to a man at work today complain for half an hour about how he hates his contracting business and all he wants to do is travel and teach martial arts, but he can't. Dating has become a necessity, not a choice, as everyone desperately wants to fall in love. Standards are dropping, careers are changing, sacrifice after sacrifice eats away at one's well-being. Money has become plastic, theoretical and scarce. Skepticism is rampant and all anyone can do is hope. Hope for the best.
I don't care about politics, I really don't. And I'm sorry if that makes me a fool, but I am not ignorant. I have read and listened to both sides of the political debate and I do believe that Senator Barack Obama is ahead of the game, but that is not why I support him. I support him because America, no, AMERICANS need somebody who can motivate them! Somebody who can speak and make you listen, even if they are saying the same thing you've heard a thousand times before. It's like when your parents give you advice, you brush it off cuz they're your parents. But hear that same advice from a friend, mentor, or even a stranger and suddenly it resonates with you. Presidents over the past couple decades have been like parents. The give you your allowance (tax returns/breaks) and a few chores to do (pay taxes, insurance, work, etc), occasionally scold you for making a mistake (fines, prison) and repeat the same trite advice (campaigning) year after year, election after election. But Obama is like that friend. When he asks you a question, you feel like he really listens to your answer. And what's more, he actually ASKS you questions rather than assuming he knows what's best, as parents often do. Well I'm a grown man and I don't need my hand held anymore. I need someone intelligent to help me as I find my own way. I need someone in touch with reality, my reality. The reality that shit is bad and it's not going to get better anytime soon but that does not mean it is hopeless. It's gonna take time and hard work, but I can get where I want to be... I just need a little help and advice.
That old, white guy is old and white. But it's not even about his race. I'm not so shallow or stupid as to support a person simply because he can't tan, same as me. In fact, I don't think John McCain can tan either -- look at his pasty ass! Gross!!! But how can you lead a nation to the future when most of your life is in the past? How can you carry someone over the hill when you're already there? Yes, I am admittedly bias against old people. Not that I don't like them, I just think they don't like me and I KNOW they don't understand me. Hell, most of you bastards reading this don't understand me, but you get it. He doesn't. My biggest problem with John "Maverick" McCain and Sarah "The Hotness" Palin is that they lack empathy. Empathy is what I think we all need right now. Empathy is the only way we will get through this or any problem without going crazy. Where would any of us be without our friends and family to understand/listen to us? So tell me... who the fuck is Joe the Plumber and Joe Six-Pack? How the fuck can you empathize with anyone when your generalizations of them are an overweight, ass-crackin sewage monkey and an alcoholic (or is it a body builder, I dunno)? Who else is in that family? Sue Sew-My-Pants and Silly Billy the Booger Eater? I'm sorry, but you... are a goddamn idiot! And honestly, if you could understand where I am coming from then I would gladly jump in my spaceship and go back home with Kanye West.
Alright, I'm gonna end this rant, having no real purpose than to distract myself from what is going on right now. I'll watch the Election Coverage later and probably be a little tipsy so I don't lose my mind, regardless of the results. I tried to write this late enough in the day so that everyone has already voted and it is not considered propaganda. That is not my intention. Vote how you want, a republican vote is better than no vote at all. A vote at least shows that you recognize there is a problem and you care enough to solve it. I believe it was Vanilla Ice who said...
"If there was a problem, Yo, I'll solve it. Check out the polls while my VP revolves it."
It's too cold...