"time present and time past"

I had a thought today, and I'm sure it's one that has been, will be shared by many others; that the reason the days proceeding Halloween seem to disappear so quickly is a result of advertising and consumerism. At the beginning of October (mid-September for many of the superstores) everyone is all but pushing the holidays on to everyone. Wal-mart actually began putting Christmas decorations and wrapping paper on display earlier this week. It's no wonder that by Christmas time people are in such foul moods as they rush (unnecessarily) around trying to prepare their homes and hearths for the family gatherings and feasts that will be. It seeems that time isn't really passing as quickly as everyone claims it is, rather our perception of time has been altered and thus everything seems to be moving faster. I'm not really sure this is an accurate articulation of my thoughts, but this is something I was pondering this morning when I woke up.

*the header is actually a line from T.S. Eliot's Burnt Norton of the Four Quartets series.

a few laughs with my coffee

this morning on the Yahoo News feed I saw that Palin had finished her memoir early. As in it wasn't due to be released until next November, and will now be available in the Spring. Does anyone find this is as hilariously entertaining as I do? If she writes like she talks it's no wonder she finished it early. What is even more entertaining is that it's 400 pages and according to AP "has a title, one fitting for a public figure known for the unexpected. oh dear, is all I have to say lest I unleash a bunch of wasted breath on how I really feel about this woman, or whatever she is. mutant? I imagine it reading like a pathetic redneck fairytale. What is NOT hilarious is that people will actually purchase this so called memoir.

insta-culture

the ridiculousness that is instant coffee isn't anything new, at least not to our European counterparts. However, most recently Starbucks has revealed that they too are jumping on the bandwagon because according to the CEO they "feel very strongly that we are sitting on a very big opportunity." as if the billions of dollars they rake in aren't enough. anyways, Starbucks would like to introduce this "phenomena" to the States. first of all, there are very few things instant that could possibly be considered phenomenal. Furthermore, I've been at the disadvantage of having to resort to this instant coffee. It tastes like ass. Ok maybe at $2.95 per packet Starbucks will actually be able to offer something closer to the real deal, but it still won't be the same. While living in South Korea all the teachers would file in line waiting, not at the coffee maker, but at the water cooler. Those in line would empty their individual packet, and wait patiently (because Asians are good at this) until they reached the front of the line. Once at the water cooler, we'd fill our cups half way and stir with the end of the empty packet. Oh, did I forget to mention that our cups were the same size as those small Dixie cups one buys to put by the sink when you brush your teeth. That's all you needed since there was only a tablespoon (at most) of coffee powder (it's as bad as it sounds) in the packets. Correct me if I'm wrong, but most of the Americans I know are not like the Europeans or Asian in consuming small portions of anything. Coffee is no exception. Have you seen the size of coffee cups at your local coffee shop. Instant coffee does not come in "Grande." Even an average-sized coffee mug is three times as much the amount of coffee (or tea) that our European counterparts are used to. In these tea-drinking nations across the ocean, coffee is ridiculously expensive. Hence the reason my coffee-brewing habits were limited to the weekends when I could enjoy it. Speaking of which, these people who drink this instant coffee do not drink it for the actual coffee. They drink it because it's a jolt of caffeine which could be likened to a line of cocaine. Ok, so I know that is the reason behind drinking coffee for most people anyways. Why else do people stop at McDonald's or Burger King for coffee on the way to their jobs in the morning? It's sure as fuck not the taste.

oh Starbucks, you disappoint me more and more by the year.

I'd write him love letters all day long...

I heart this table, and the flower-drawer knob makes it even lovelier.

everyone is writing

except for me.

how is it, that I've nothing to post? only months ago I was posting (read: mostly bitching) regularly, and just a year ago I couldn't find the time to put down all the things I had to say. this only goes for the blog because otherwise I've plenty to write about. I'm not writing otherwise either though. Of course I could write about the death of a celebrity, but really I could care less. As far as I'm concerned we could put the majority of today's "celebrities" (hannah montana, kanye west, and a few others will be the first in) a large barn and set fire to it. But then there would be weeks of talk about the massacre of all these celebrities on every channel, website, and newspaper page, and THAT would be annoying.

ANYYYYYWAAAAY

I would like to get back to posting, I think about posting a lot of times, I think about how I can articulate myself enough to post a coherant post, I talk about other posts, but still my posting never actually comes to fruition. ok, I'm already tired of looking at the computer screen. til' next time...

in my dreams...

I'm here...

a good book inspires

I was thinking today that it'd be nice to go somewhere. (isn't everyone from time to time?) It'd be nice to pack a small bag, a wad of cash, and my passport, buy a ticket and be off. I'd even settle for just traveling across the country. Of course when I entertain thoughts of my future travel it is accompanied with thoughts of not telling more than two or three people of my plans. I think I'm restless by nature, but on the other hand I'm not a nomad. I love the feeling of having my bed and books in one place, and knowing there is some security in coming back to that at some point. I've read a few books lately on traveling, stories about people traveling to foreign lands, and just foreign lands in general thinking that I could maybe in small way live vicariously through them for a while. I was wrong. I'm currently reading Theroux's Pillars of Hercules, an account of his "grand tour" of the Mediterranean, and really it just makes me want to pack my bags. right now. Aside from it only adding to my desire to get the hell out of here, I certainly recommend picking up the book.