I bought a watch this weekend.  Not the most provocative of things, I know, but I haven’t worn a wrist-based timepiece in years.  Why?  Because, who needs one?!  I decided, years ago, that my computer, my cell phone, my cable box, and my car have all the clocks that I need.  They keep me on time, or remind me when I’m late.

Let me stress the decision to abandon a watch was made years ago.  Recently, I had a revelation; I, again, need a watch.

Learn the way of the Watch

Years ago, I simply had a cell phone; now, I have a BlackBerry.  Years ago, I had a computer with email and a by-request internet connection; now, I have constant internet connectivity plus instant messenger.  We have evolved to that connect-me-to-everyone-right-now stuff and instead of living in the moment, we are living outside the moment.  I have become so busy responding to the immediate requests of others immediately, that I completely ignore the people I’m with and the actual conversation we’re having.  To put it bluntly, I’ve become an anxious, rude, half-listener with attention deficit tendencies.

How many of you can say the same?  Do you hang out with one group of people, but spend all of your time with them communicating with other people?  Catch up with friends at the bar, and you’re all standing around texting friends who aren’t with you?  Sitting in your living room with your family, but completely distracted from your kids conversation because you’re too busy updating your Facebook status?

Part of the problem is, when I go to check the time, I am sucked in to my email, my voicemails, my alerts, messages, tweets and the like.  And, damn the moment and what I may be doing, I must reply immediately. I’m guilty if I don’t respond and I’m guilty if I do.  Stress Recipe 101.

Hence, the watch and my new commitment to bringing myself back into the moment.  I’m hoping it tell me what time it is – literally and figuratively. Looking at my wrist will unplug me from the device-dependant ridiculousness that has been so overwhelmingly distracting.  Maybe you should consider conquering your time differently, too.

~pp

I’m posting this not because I find Mel Gibson especially compelling as a person or actor, but I have to say the man knows how to rant!  I could just hear him doing this from horseback with his face painted blue a la Braveheart.  Mel you are an inspiration!

WARNING: This audio contains graphic and profane language.

The only format that Prince is releasing his new album on

I’m sure I don’t need to remind you but Prince is bat-shit crazy!  In a rare interview with a UK newspaper, he had the following pearls of wisdom: 

“The Internet is completely over,” Prince told the Mirror. “I don’t see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else. They won’t pay me an advance for it and then they get angry when they can’t get it.” 

Riiiight, Mr. Symbol.  If Prince had his way, all modern technological advances would suddenly cease to exist.  So, the Internet is over like the airline industry is over.  He would prefer we travel to other regions of our expansive country via horse and buggy while panning for gold and trying to avoid being scalped by Indians.  Oh, and please make sure that you purchase his new album only on 78rpm vinyl record or reel-to-reel tape.  In order to listen to his new album ingeniously entitled “20Ten” you’ll need to scour ebay for a Gramaphone player or a rare Tascam tape player like the one picture here.  Better yet, you could always rev up your Model T and meet him in Minneapolis to hear him strum his lyre live. 

Or maybe the poor economy is effecting even Prince!  I understand he has demolished his lavish houses, so maybe he is just posturing for a big record company advance so he can move out of his purple car.  Someone should clue him in that dramatically limiting the distribution of your album by eliminating all electronic methods (the only way “the kids” buy music these days) will probably not make the most financial sense.  I’ll volunteer…. “Prince, gimme a call, we need to have a word or two about you’re career (or what’s left of it)!” 

Read the full article on Billboard Magazine’s site here.

The Slacker Factor Podcast, Episode 12:  Quality Otter Haircuts and the Pirated Music of Bjorkestra (not necessarily in that order)

Tune in to see just how the words in the title actually combine to form a coherent episode of The Slacker Factor.

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Links:

Meandering Rant: Business and Competition by Christian

Book Report: Music Piracy by Rob

Music Segment:  Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra

The Slacker Factor Podcast, Episode 11:  Crazy like Patty (or Snooki)

Your crack team of Slackers explores what’s real and what’s faux and Patty decides she’s cooler than Snooki in her “Reality is
Overrated” rant. Christian ponders the future of the suprising long-time coming electric car. And we feast our ears on the alt-pop of Draz. Now that’s a show! (or is it?)

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Links:

Meandering Rant: Reality Is Overrated by Patty

Book Report: Electric Cars by Christian

Music Segment:  Sunday Rain by Draz

Ticket Donations

Ok, this is nothing new but I think it’s something that is worth saying again.  The summer is here and with it come the fun things we all enjoyed as kids and would like to do the same with our children.  I remember going to baseball games as a kid and concerts (as I got a bit older) every summer.  It’s a right of passage.  Well, it’s a right of passage if you are wealthy anyway.  Have you seen how much it costs to go to a major league baseball game??  And God help you if you want to buy a baseball hat or shirt while you are there!  Rock concerts are no better.  Even has-been bands that are touring, like the powerhouse combination of REO Speedwagon and Pat Benatar, are ridiculously expensive!

I think I need a ticket subsidy.

Here is a great idea from the Hippodrome in Florida.  ”Can’t make your regularly scheduled performance? Can’t exchange tickets? You can donate your tickets back to the Hipp and we’ll make them available for another arts patron to enjoy.”

Before and since that night, I have enjoyed and analyzed comedy. (Admittedly, I analyze everything I enjoy.)  How psyched was I, then, when the May 2010 issue of WIRED magazine featured comedian and Web Soup host Chris Hardwick’s article Crafting a Joke: The Arc of an Act? Completely, and I was completely impressed. Many, many comedy professionals and feigned comedic personalities have attempted to describe their joke processes, but Hardwick, in sharing his approach and the perspective of others, boils it down to the essentials.

Want people to laugh with you instead of just at you?  Read Hardwick’s advice, start thinking funny, right it down, and go.

~pp

oil stain art it ain't

So, its been over a month now since the Deepwater Horizon exploded and sank and from what I have read I don’t think we have made much, if any, progress in containing this mess.  Between BP, the Government, and the ”experts” it seems no one really knows what exactly to do about it or the true impact.  The only thing that we can be sure of is its not a good time to buy BP stock and probably a good time to get into disbursements.

There are many things about this I don’t understand, including who is really to blame.  Initially it seems the blame can all fall on BP and be done with it.  However, how could they be allowed to get themselves into this position?  It’s obvious the technology for safe deep water drilling is not as fool proof as it needs to  be.  Weren’t there government regulations and oversight of this type of drilling?  Shouldn’t periodic testing be done to make sure there are no equipment issues??  After all, the equipment is at the bottom of the ocean!  WTF People???

I really hope we learn from this and big oil doesn’t buy its way out of it in the long run or it gets forgotten.

What a mess.

I have to admit though,  I do feel a bit better about that oil stain on my garage floor.

The Slacker Factor Podcast, Episode 10:  Green Fairy Drink Drink

Absinthe, three ways. Oh, yeah, and there was also some ranting about something..um… Rob invents an economic theory on the fly and some music by Zero 7…the rest remains a bleary, blurred whirl.

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Links:

Meandering Rant:
Rob invents a new economic theory on the fly (slackernomics?)

Book Report:
Absinthe Tasting – the crew downs three different Absinthes: Lucid, Absente, and La Fee, and barely makes it through the rest of the episode.
The Little Green Book of Absinthe by Paul Owens and Paul Nathan

Music Segment:  Zero 7

Borrowed from BT Internet Rangers

I was talking with a buddy of mine who reads the Slacker Factor and he commented that he enjoys the blog and podcast, but he said he thought I was a bit negative at times.  Maybe even bordering on angry on occasion. I certainly don’t view myself as angry.  In fact I know for certain that today the sun came up, a puppy was born, and a baby took his first steps.  So, life is great!

Unfortunately, Glenn Beck still sucks.