Working for the Weekend

The trailer below is for a movie called Office Space (perhaps you've heard of it). Give it a look. Go ahead, I'll explain in a sec.



This trailer opens with a statement that resonates with me. If money wasn't one's principal concern, what would one do? What do you want to be? It is, of course, a philosophical quandary so ridiculous only a high school guidance counselor would ever pose it (Sub Item A: high school guidance counselors should be shot... then outlawed).

An astronaut. There, does that answer satisfy? No, of course not. One must be realistic. But when you think about it, "astronaut" is as realistic as any other answer a 16-year-old is likely to produce. Doctor? Sure, little Billy. I know you like to dissect frogs but med school might require a bit more of you then the propensity to cut up dead amphibians. Asking anyone under the age of 25 or 30 what they want to do with their lives is a bit like asking an amoeba why it wants to have kids.

When I was at Savannah High School, they put on these "Career Days"*. One moved around to different class rooms where someone would speak about what they do and recruit (basically). I always went to a lot of different classes just to see what was up. I thought this whole exercise was ridiculous but I got out of class (which was something I did NOT want to do with my life).

When asked this question by adults I gave whatever silliness I had in my head at the time (and this changed a lot)... Doctor, paleontologist, writer, artist (I'm noticing a downward spiral in job prospects here). I'm 27 this summer and I finally have an answer although my guidance counselor wouldn't approve. What do I want to be: a good person. What do I want to do with my life: good things. I'm not sure how realistic this is either.

*Ironically, these "Career Days" didn't happen at the Savannah Arts Academy (my alma mater). Probably because the decision to attend an art school at any academic stage meant that "employment" was not something to which we were that committed.

We're Gonna Turn On the Power!

I found this awesome bit of clever design via Gizmodo.com, was thoroughly impressed, and thought I might share it with you. It's a multi-tab power strip by Yanko Design. It is completely modular and expandable. Now that I've seen this, I kinda wonder why it human civilization so long to develop the mutli-tab power strip. Check out the image and video below. The company's website can be found here.

I Would Like to Thank You

Dear Internet,

Thank you. Thank you for knowing everything. You're kinda like the ridiculously diverse, terribly disorganized library I've always wanted (even though your "cute baby animal videos" section is a little too extensive).

Thanks for always being there and, in fact, everywhere. You never stop to eat, sleep, or bathe (and neither do a great many of your denizens). I can always find you when I need you (which is constantly).

Thanks for never judging me. We both know I should be reading about the terrible suffering of the peoples of where ever or the latest headlines instead of Space Ghost Coast-to-Coast episodes. But you don't ask, don't tell, and don't care. That's the sign of a true friend.

Yours,

The Meister

Time After Time

The day religious zealots have always warned us about has come: science has finally run amok! Scientists (obviously of a "mad" sort) have devised a "quantum logic clock" that is 100,000 times more precise than standard atomic clocks. What madness! What hubris!

"The quantum logic clock, which detects the energy state of a single aluminium ion, keeps time to within a second every 3.7 billion years. The new timekeeper could one day improve GPS or detect the slowing of time predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity." -Tia Ghose (2010.02.08 Wired.co.uk)

Sure, that all sounds fine and dorky and seems perfectly harmless but I'm appalled. I, for one, don't want to know the time to the second for the next 3.7 billion years! Quite honestly, pocket watches are too accurate for me. This new (il)logic clock is an outright abomination! What sane person needs this level of punctuality? Resist, comrades!

You gotta fight... for your right... to be tardy!

Random Thought #388038

Random Thought #388038: Live Music Mixing

I think it would be awesome to have music mixed live. Not by a live DJ (that's not particularly awesome or rare really). No, I mean live performers being mixed like albums by a DJ.

The idea is two or more separate performers or sets of performers would (appropriately enough) perform simultaneous, unrelated pieces of music. The pieces played could be as similar or as disparate as the artists choose. Then, a DJ of sorts (or DJs, I suppose) would mix the performances as well as any other elements on the spot. The piece could then be somewhat spontaneous as long as the performers do not have any part or input in the mix. The performers, therefore, become parts of the mixer's performance.

It could be interesting, anyway.