The Great Depression

You remember those goofy mix tapes we used to make back in the good old days--you know, the 80s--filled with sappy love songs or bootleg crap that would uncurl our mom's curly perm?

The Girl is taking World History 2, and for a fun assignment, her instructor paired up people at random (they have no say) in order to create a CD depicting an event in history. Pick an event, any event, from WW2 to 9/11 (but please, no more 9/11s--too many have chosen that already). Then select popular music (or any music) that "speaks" to the event.

The girl mentioned a debate in class of the definition of "war," that her instructor shared his opinion that the current so-called war would be very much like Viet Nam by the end, and that like Korea, Viet Nam wasn't technically a "real war." My first comment on that was, "Not a real war? Tell that to my dad."

So we got to talking about why Viet Nam happened in the first place, what happened along the way, and how it ended. I told her that we have truckloads of music not only from that era but also tribute songs written afterwards, and that slapping together a fake CD would be a snap. She agreed, provided I help her out.

Help her? WTF? Then she drops the other shoe: her partner will most likely be getting suspended from school this week, thanks to some particularly bad behavior that went unmentioned. At the time of the assignment discussion, the boy was already in the principal's office. And so, not having anyone else available, she was given permission (!) to do the project on her own.

As a compromise, I told her I would make her a playlist and print out lyrics. She had to listen to each song, review the lyrics, and then write one or two sentences about why or how the song relates to the Viet Nam Conflict. She has to design the CD cover herself with no help from me, either. Plus, she has to endure my random quizzing her on general history questions.

So I've put together the playlist, and I gotta tell you, it's pretty damn depressing. It's also agitating, because it brings forward a lot of emotions regarding the ongoing military situation into which our current administration has engaged us.

For your consideration, the playlist:

Star Spangled Banner; Hendrix
Traveling Soldier; Countdown Singers
For What It's Worth; Buffalo Springfield
Imagine; John Lennon
War; Edwin Starr
The Times, They Are A-Changin'; Dylan
Ohio; Neil Young
Give Peace A Chance; John Lennon
Paint It Black; The Stones
Turn! Turn! Turn!; The Byrds
War Pigs; Black Sabbath
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place; The Animals
Veteran Song; 'Native US'
Taps; US Air Force Band
19; Paul Hardcastle
Goodnight, Saigon; Billy Joel
Still in Saigon; Charlie Daniels Band

I would like to mention that when the idea about a war event as the focus of a music CD was verbalized, The Boy blurted out, "Hey, how about 'War Pigs'?"

I do believe I've raised my kids appropriately. Yay, me!

Captain Obvious Strikes Again!

The headline proclaims "Number of troops diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder jumped roughly 50 percent in 2007."

Clicky to read

Huh. Makes you wonder that maybe there's a war on or something. I mean, you can't really tell with all the coverage of this year's political primordial soup.

Buffalo blues

Today I had lunch at a new chainstaurant called "Buffalo Wild Wings." It's just another sports grill, but with a metric assload of wing flavors available, including a few that seemed, well, unpossible.

While walking through the parking lot towards the building, I saw an average car with a pretty blue paint job. In admiring the color, I noticed the car was one of those Chevy Cobalts. I thought, "Finally! A Cobalt that's really cobalt!"

Although this was the first time I'd ever seen a cobalt Cobalt, it wasn't the first time I'd wished I'd had some business cards that merely said, "You. Are. Awesome." so that I could leave one under the windshield wiper. I've also thought about making other cards that say things like, "Congratulations! You win the 'Biggest Asshole in the Parking Lot' prize!" "Please remove your trailer hitch before entering The Big City," and "Clearly, your mother did not raise you right."

the one in which I lose geek points

This past Sunday, I attempted to fall into an online video game. This would have been a fantastic way to hang out with friends with whom I had developed an excellent relationship over the past few years. Unfortunately, the day was mostly full of fail, and I have slipped in my geek rating.

How could I possibly slip? Stupidity, with a smattering of laziness.

I've spent so long just building and tinkering, content to be a slave to the Microsoft God, that I've forgotten some of the basic tenets of programming. Like a noob, I blindly downloaded and re-downloaded, deleted and reinstalled, until I wanted to just put a boot straight through my brand-spanking new laptop. The lame-o geek in me forgot to actually install the damn patches after downloading.

Obviously, I need to get a brian, because I'm a moran. Or drink less kool-aid. It's a toss-up.

Sometimes, All I Want To Be Is A Missing Person

Warning: Totally and completely Not Safe For Work.

Or reality, for that matter.

Unfortunately for many, I am easily made to feel uncomfortable. For example, graphic depictions of sexual relations in movies and television programs make me want to hide my eyes. Sometimes I am outright offended, as I was while watching the most recent episode of Family Guy.

Today, however, I laughed and said to myself, "Oh, that was so wrong." I may need therapy again.

Thanks, Fark, for abusing my brain with this:


This was posted in comments forum after Fark linked to a Wheaton blog post in which Wheaton shares his view of the Democrat primary candidates, particularly Mrs. Clinton.

I'm not sure exactly what prompted Meatzilla to post this. Perhaps those smarter than me might help me out a little.

I can has tattoo?

WayBack, I had the urge to get a tattoo: a cute little Sonic, The Hedgehog, with flaming shoes. Part of this was because I was healthy for the first time in a long time and able to run more efficiently than ever before, but mostly this was because I was seriously into Sonic, The Hedgehog. I chickened out, which is fine, because Sonic, The Hedgehog obsessions are pretty lame.

So I'm cruising Fark, and found a new reason to get a tattoo: Hello Kitty as Darth Vader!

Click the link and enjoy! From what I can see, it's pretty SFW.