hmm

Sometimes random thoughts will trickle across my mind like raindrops roll down hazed over and dull classroom windows where bored schoolchildren watch and wish for excitement to enter and save them as Superman saved Lois Lane.

But that wasn't my point.

When does genius become genius? When I say genius, I mean mere mundane words become accolades of brilliance such as when Milton wrote 'Tis better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven?'? How long was it before someone said "HOLY COW" this is brilliant?

Sometimes I feel like that. I'm not so arrogant as to say my work is on the same level as Milton's; I'm merely wishing for someone to say 'Hey, this guy's work is worth reading'. That's all.

In addition to the above... I had the strangest realization and it may be the inner rumblings of a new poem.....

When you're in the shower you can tell the difference between sweat and hot water?

Just a thought.

-it is what it is-

-joshua-

-here-

-Here-

It’s the complacent accepting way that gunslingers walk down dusty forgotten roads with forgotten names and unserialized shells loaded into their six-shooters just waiting to explode and forever change or damage the recipient of a well placed shot on a dissolved day in the memory of the few townsfolk that had the good fortune, or unfortune, to witness and never let die.

The adrenaline rush that enters boxers and athletes right at the closing moments, the momentum to push them through and the concept of failure merely a distant memory that could never be realized because victory lies so eminent and only the concept of triumph must be conquered before the truth can be realized that this is the moment that all of humanity has been waiting for; this is it.

Rodeo riders that are incessantly trod on by rampant beasts that once again shake the dust from their spurs and mount the bull that will either destroy their souls or drive them into history inject the momentum that is will power, that is belief in one self, that is that idea that one could simply prevail by sheer will power may have a taste of the feeling.

Ancient Roman gladiators that stood in front of thousands and stared death in the face
Primal tribal warriors who battle on the forgotten sacred altars of ancient deities and hope to triumph because to fail means embarrassment and banishment.

To triumph is to conquer.

To fail is to die.

Now read again these words.

-it is what it is-

-joshua-

-bombing downtown-

(As a prelude I got a new skateboard about 3 weeks ago. 3 days after I got it I rolled my ankle and have barely rode it since. And last nite about 9:30 this excitement all began).

Wow... it sounded like a great idea for a not too chilly Sunday afternoon. "Hey Josh, come with us downtown; we're gonna bomb the parking deck".

'Bombing the parking deck' is a fantastically bad idea. If you are running short on bad ideas then there ya go buddy.

It works like this. 'Bombing' involves attempting to take a nasty hill and ride it like someone drops in on a wave. One huge difference though: waves are much more forgiving than concrete parking decks.

On the first run I barely made it 20 feet without jumping off my board. It felt as if I was cruising at about 98 mile an hour and beginners are not designed to do that.

2nd floor I started about half way down and made it to the plateau without DYING.

Finally managed to make it down one floor.

So by now I'm feeling cocky. WOO WOO! The echoes are bouncing off the parking deck walls.

........and it ends badly.

Decided to 'carve' a little bit on the concrete and couldn't make the turn at the end of the hill.
Ate it big time.

....and just when my knee was almost healed from rolling my ankle......

-it is what it is-

-joshua-

one drunken nite

So this is my favorite college story. I was not directly involved with said criminals but I saw the aftermath.

Time: End of Freshman year (It can only end badly after this prelude).
Place: Buies Creek or the edge of Lillington (depending on where you stand)
Time: (Again) Late one nite

Finally finished with exams and feeling invinvcible like Spartans who had just overcome ridiculous odds the wisdom induced warriors went to celebrate with the time tested passage of beer and booze. I, being the samurai scholar chose to seek solace alone, (albeit with beer) and was not seduced by the debauchery to be found in Suite 303.

The myth goes as follows.

Joey, the village idiot, realized in a stupor that just down the road there is a farm. On this farm there are goats. Yes, goats. Joey did not have to struggle long in convincing some of the already inebriated scholars to go down and 'look' at the goats.

They went...


...and came back with a goat. A baby goat, a kid, but nonetheless, a goat. They carried it back in the trunk of a Pontiac Grand Am. Baby goats aren't big but trunks on Grand Ams aren't either.

They put the goat in the dorm lobby.

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad idea.

-it is what it is-

-joshua-

-apocalypse wow-

Just finished watching Apocalypse Now. What a fantastic movie. In an attempt to write something a bit more intriguing than "I made paint today" I will offer this brief insight into my humble thoughts.

Apocalypse Now shows how badly things can go astray. We are fighting a war for some kind of reason or another and the people that are dictating the war cannot even comprehend the situation that the troops are in every day.

"Someday this war's gonna end. That'd be just fine with the boys on the boat. They weren't looking for anything more than a way home. Trouble is, I'd been back there, and I knew that it just didn't exist anymore".

We can't criticize the war because WE are not fighting the war.

Yet... the war may be teaching us something. Are we losing? Are we defeatable?

Could it be possible that the greatest country in the world is not infallible?

We claim to be patriotic yet we can't support our president?

In "V for Vendetta" the 'Voice of London' makes mention that the US falls because of 'ungodliness'. Wow... life does imitate art doesn't it? New Orleans got hit with Katrina... then they got hit with tornados... Call it coincidence if it makes you feel better.

My eyes grow heavier as I sit up late and type this.

"People should not fear their government; the government should fear their people".

Will this blog have the FBI or CIA tracking me down? I hope so. If free speech is a valid trait in the US then this blog should simply be a blip on the radar.

"I lick shots at the brutal charade
As the polls close like a casket
On truth devoured
A Silent play in the shadow of power
A spectacle monopolized
The camera's eyes on choice disguised
Was it cast for the mass who burn and toil?
Or for the vultures who thirst for blood and oil

It has to start somewhere It has to start sometime
What better place than here, what better time than now?"
-Rage Against the Machine-

This post is ridiculously sporadic. Yet I hope my thoughts have not been too jarring as to be lost on my 4.7 faithful readers. We need a collective conscious that agrees on something. Be together on something. Be for or against it all together.

Go see Apocalypse Now. Then criticize the war.

-it is what it is-

-joshua-

happy v-day!

My friend Michelle at work keeps calling today "V.D. Day". Sort of appropriate but closer to nauseating. Anyway, this is my first blog from work. I should be tinting paint but since today has ousted the most depressing day found earlier last month I am not. What a miserable day out. It won't rain, or be sunny, it's just.... blah.

Valentine's for me is work and then class tonite. My wonderful wife made dinner last nite. Stir fry and lots of goodies for me. ;-)

And for everyone going out to eat tonite...


Suckers.

-it is what it is-

-joshua-

V-Day....

Here's a favorite quote to explain Valentine's Day.

"Romance is dead - it was acquired
in a hostile takeover by
Hallmark and Disney,
homogenized,
and sold off piece by piece".
~Lisa Simpson, The Simpsons

In theory Valentine's Day is a great idea. It's a day that people can actually take the time to show how much they care for each other.

But that's definitely not how it goes down. It's more like "How little do I have to put into this thing to get booty?" Don't lie men, you know it's the truth.

The women actually try to put some energy and effort into the day. They want to show they care. (Most) Men want to buy SOMETHING and get lucky.

And let me tell you. Hallmark and florists have got people by the cajones. $85 for a dozen roses? 17.50 for a box of chocolates? BUT PEOPLE PAY IT.

I'm not paying that for flowers. Or chocolates.

There's a cemetary around here somewhere. And I think there's a guy on the corner of Randall and Kerr selling chocolates out of his trunk.

Heh. Nothing but the best for you sweetheart. :-)

-it is what it is-

-joshua-

one joke

Sue's husband passed away at a ripe old age.

So she decided to hire an in-house nanny/butler.

She had a lot of replies and calls about the position.

Sue finally decided on Enrique, a gay dude, because she felt he could take care of her but not threaten her.

After a few months Sue tells Enrique to take the nite off. Go have a good time she says.

When Enrique gets home Sue is tipsy from sitting home and drinking wine.

She looks at him and says "Come here".

'Take off my shoes'

He does

'Takes off my hose'

He does.

Unbutton my blouse.

He does.

'Now slide off my skirt'.

He does.


"The next time you wear my clothes you're fired".

-it is what it is-

super bowl!!!

Finally! The SUPER BOWL is here! Yay!!! (Insert an extreme amount of sarcasm here).

I am a bit excited. I'm involved in a Super Bowl pool with a chance to win anything from 250 to 1000 dollars. I'll settle for the 250.

Do I care who wins? Not particularlly. I'd like to see Peyton Manning get a ring. He deserves it. Other than that fact I have no reason to pull either way.

In other news, I rolled the hell outta my ankle Friday evening on my skateboard. I had to work Saturday too. I had to limp around the store getting paint. Could've been a much better Saturday. The ankle is looking better today though. Hopefully by tomorrow morning I'll be able to creep around without authorities asking what happened.

They've already given me enough grief about my board.

Oh well. Such are the grievances of youth.

Lastly, I'm not having a Super Bowl party but if anyone wants to come over and watch it with me then you're more than welcome.

-it is what it is-

-joshua-