Existential Ennui

~ Searching for Meaning Amid the Chaos

Existential Ennui

Tag Archives: celebrities

Why Am I The Only One Who Knows What to Do?

03 Thursday Dec 2009

Posted by Sherry in Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Entertainment, Essays, Humor, Iowa, Life in the Meadow, Presidency, The Contrarian, War/Military

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

Afghanistan, celebrities, heroes, life in the meadow, Obama, The Contrarian, Tiger Woods, War

Well, I listened to the President’s speech the other night. It was not what I wanted to hear. I’m a product of Vietnam and a seemingly never ending Middle Eastern crisis. I don’t believe in happy endings when it comes to war torn planet earth.

I support the President’s decision however. No, it’s not the knee jerk, anything goes since he’s one of ours. I continue to disagree with Mr. Obama on a number of issues. I want Gitmo closed and now. I’m tired of the delays.

I want the “don’t ask, don’t tell” ended in the military. I wanted that done like January 21, 2009. I wanted a more supportive stance on gay rights in general.

I am sad that Mr. Obama supports the death penalty, and I wish he didn’t. I want this barbaric practice stopped everywhere.

I want universal health care for everyone, period. Perhaps he agrees with me on this, but he’s clearly ready for more compromise than I am.

The point is, is that I can disagree, while overall still supporting Obama because he is heads and shoulders above any alternative. My proclivity to despise my opponent (Bush and McCain for instance) is known. The Contrarian suggests that if GWB discovered a cure for cancer I would refuse it. That might be true. But it doesn’t stop me from objectively concluding that my choice is not without error in his political decisions some times.

President Obama got stuck with a mess not of his creation. That divine honor goes to Bush/Cheney/Rummy/Karl/ and the rest of the crew of incompetents. Mr. Obama is one of the brightest humans around and surrounds himself with top notch advisers. I have spoke my opposition, but I will wish this enterprise well and deeply hope that he knows a good deal more than me about the options and likely results.

Speaking of Tiger, (well, I segue my way), I’ve said that I don’t care about his personal business and it’s none of mine in the end. Yet the question remains to me, exactly when did we determine that our heroes were somehow above the rest of us in virtue? We seem to have come to that conclusion, but I want to know when.

If we look back to the time of Greece and Rome, there is no question that the ancients of that time regarded their gods and heroes as having “feet of clay.” Their limitations and their foibles were well known and alluded to in literature of the time.

Somewhere all the line, we changed and we imbued our “heroes” whether they be silver screen members or sports stars, with some perfection once reserved only to newborns. Somehow we have placed all our failure to live up to our own expectations on the backs of strangers and tried to live the virtuous life through them I guess.

Tiger Woods appears to be an expert at this. He has courted the celebrity spotlight, becoming probably the highest paid endorser of products, all the while, until now, keeping his private life just that, private. But alas, once the genie is out of the jar, well, the dam burst and the torrent of rumor and innuendo seems endless now. And sadly, it’s all so very predictable.

Predictable to us mere mortals who seem to know instinctively that sooner or later media mega stars are going to get caught if there is anything to be caught about. Too many eyes peering at you Tiger, from the housekeeper in the posh hotel to the guy pumping gas at the local station. They are all watching, and once the talk begins, they add their voices to what becomes a crescendo of accusation.

I guess I wonder when we will learn to pick better role models or not expect what cannot be lived by them. It seems mostly a function of ours and their immaturity.

Speaking of the Contrarian, he’s in rare form these days. I suspect you may not have realized it, but the Contrarian specializes in commercial examination. He has done a considerable study and has pondered the evidence with care. He concludes that the Victoria’s Secret commercials remain the standard by which all other commercials should be judged. They somehow have this amazing ability to never get old, never bore, never objectify, never offend.

I leave that to others to decide. I’m his wife after all, and I tend to think he is always right. Well, at least unless I’m more right. Then he’s wrong. But publicly, we keep a strong unassailable front. 

He figures that all his ogling research into scantily clad women certainly puts him him high on the list for his next interest: namely that he has heard that there is a profession known as “sexual anthropology.”

He would like to inquire into becoming one. He offers that he’s amenable to a work study program. I said I would check out the opportunities for him, via the computer. Yeah, and pigs fly and it’s don’t rain in Indianapolis in the summertime.

Oh, just in case anyone is asking, his strength is returning. After a bout with wild eyebrow hair, he’s recovering nicely. Let me just explain briefly.

“I have these hairs from my eyebrow and they are hanging within view, and I need them cut.”

“Go get the spoon dear.”

Yes, yes, the masculine bohemoth I am married to, needs to cover his eye with a spoon as I approach with manicure scissors to clip a couple of stray hairs. With a dose of OCD that would curl the nose of even Howie Mandel, the Contrarian man’s up to the occasion when he must expose his jugular eyebrow, to the ever aging and shaking hands of his wife, the “Butcher of Troy.”

Within moments as I snip away, he is screaming like a girl, “I heard that, I HEARD that, you hit the spoon with the scissors! Be CAREFUL!” I nod, and shake my head, roll my eyes, and comfort him like a child getting his first cavity filled, “There there now, relax, we’re almost done.” Welcome to my world.

***

No post tomorrow since we are shopping. None yesterday since I was in town on Church stuff all day and evening.

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I Want to Ask

29 Sunday Nov 2009

Posted by Sherry in Bible, Creationism, Essays, Evolution, fundamentalism, Health care, Humor, Media, Psychology, religion, social concerns, Sociology, terrorism

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

advertising, celebrities, courts, creationists, evolution, Gitmo, journalism, Madison Avenue, Media, Muslims, pets, rapture, terrorism, Young earthers

It seems an opportune time to rid my brain case of a few puzzling thoughts. Ain’t you glad you stopped by?

I want to ask all those who oppose trying the Gitmo detainees in American civilian courts if they have ever read the Declaration of Independence? I mean, given the fine patriots you all claim to be, I would think it would be something you read regularly at your patriotic meetings. Am I wrong?

There are lots of reasons why the right wingers don’t want the prisoners tried in open American courts. Mostly to keep the dirty laundry in the hamper I believe. Don’t want to let those Muslims use courtrooms as soap boxes to spout their rhetoric and at the same time, report all the sordid things done to them do we?

The one that is utterly ironic to me is the argument, that “they aren’t American and thus not entitled to our rights.” This is where the Declaration comes it. I believe somewhere in that document is says or words to the effect,

All men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, . . . .

Does this mean what I think it means? All as in A L L? Didn’t one Georgie Dubya Bush talk about how it was our Christian duty to export democracy around the world and so that everyone had the wonderful rights we have? Hows come, the flip folks? No what goes around comes around? Enlighten me please.

I want to ask creationists what research they have done that proves their thesis that the earth was created by God around 6,500 (+/-) years ago? I mean scientists do science and offer their results to the world for examination and retesting. For reformulation, rehypothesizing, and new testing. What creationist has done any research at all?

It seems, as has been said by others, that they simply mine the data field, picking and choosing here and there, and then making up arguments without proofs of any kind. You’re beliefs are not testable propositions. Show us the research that proves your claims. Dare ya.

And don’t give me that bull that you aren’t required to be both a creationist and a young earth proponent. Course you are. If you believe in Genesis, creation story one, they you believe the earth is flat. That’s what the text alludes to. Are ya not smart enough to see that?

But of course, you probably aren’t smart enough, cuz if you were, you wouldn’t be a creationist in the first place. It’s why you believe that Stephen Colbert is a conservative too. You don’t have much grasp on the concept of irony do ya? Enlighten me.

I want to ask those ad men and women, just where in the H2O you came from? Why do you continue to run ads that are offensive and counter productive to your presumed cause?

Case in point. There is a ad for a toilet. Yeah, I know, who needs a commercial for THAT in the first place. But watch. The married dude sees a sexy “plumber” and then tries to sabotage his toilet by throwing all manner of crap down it, just so as how he can call the plumber and ogle her I guess. In walks the wifey as he is pouring dog food down the john. This is supposed to entice me to purchase your product?

Or this one: Levi Johnson talking about being protected or something. And then a wise guy banging another’s head onto a table to crack a nut. This to sell pistachios. This is neither humorous nor tells me anything I want to know about nuts. Except that you are one. And the idiot who decided to pay you for this is even more of one. Enlighten me.

I want to ask the media just how long ago it was that they started offering a course in “how to phone it in” at all our major schools of journalism? What you claim as journalism is sophomoric to say the least. Bloggers are making you look silly dudes.

We don’t mean Foxy of course. They are not lazy, they lie on purpose. They have an agenda, and lucky them, a following composed of atrophied brains so useless that said watchers cannot tell the difference between fact and fiction in the first, second and third place.

No, I’m talking about the insipid drivel that passes for journalism virtually everywhere. Every news cycle is dominated by more non-news that news. Tiger had an accident. It may be all innocent, or it may have a lot to do with a marriage gone sour. I don’t know, I don’t care, I don’t have any business knowing. Some celeb wannabe’s crashed the White House gig. Who they are? I don’t care, I don’t CARE!

Same for Letterman, and Oprah, and that Mackenzie had sex with daddy, and that Mike Tyson has grown up, and that Whitney has seen the light. I don’t care. I don’t care. When will you people get that I don’t care? Sigh.

I do care that 1 in 6 people today is applying for food stamps. I do care that our health care system is an immoral morass that caters to those with sufficient income. I do care that the climate is going to hell in a hand basket and nobody is doing much about it. I care you see about what real people are suffering through. I don’t give a rat’s bottom what rich people are “suffering” through mostly through their own stupidity and arrogance.

Can you all get that? I want to ask somebody, anybody. And while your at it, when you have nothing better to do, then at least promote things that are worthy of real consideration. Like this fine piece:

A site called Eternal Earth-Bound Pets, makes the following claims:

You’ve committed your life to Jesus. You know you’re saved.  But when the Rapture comes what’s to become of your loving pets who are left behind?   Eternal Earth-Bound Pets takes that burden off your mind. 

We are a group of dedicated animal lovers, and atheists. Each
Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you’ve received your reward.  Our network of animal activists are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus.

It seems right up the alley of those aforementioned brain leakers. They have so far had 100 takers and operate in 22 states. I guess, I should have something I want to ask them too, but I’ll have to think a while on this one.

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Beam Me Up Scotty!

29 Monday Jun 2009

Posted by Sherry in Entertainment, Essays, Media, Psychology, Sociology

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

celebrities, journalism, Media, Michael Jackson, sensationalism

michael-jackson-is-madmanMichael Jackson is dead. Just in case you have been traveling the outer planets and missed the news. I don’t mean to be cruel or unfeeling by the way. He wrote some great songs, was a great dancer, was a superb showman. He was also filled with self-loathing which translated into some of the worst plastic surgery money can buy. He was probably a child-molester and deeply troubled.

That said, I’m exceedingly tired of the media coverage, which is virtually non-stop. It seems that all our media outlets, but of course especially those who run 24-hours, are at pains to reduce their work load even more than usual, giving us nothing but one insipid “interview” after another with every “hanger-on” they can find, down to the pool boy.

Enough already. The Contrarian is busy trying to tear out what is left of hair on his head, muttering, “Good, God, doesn’t anybody have anything else to talk about?” I explained, “This is all you’re gonna get until at least the funeral. And be ready, there will be full coverage of that, probably even on the major networks.”

This is their chance to take a summer vacation. Just bring out the footage, of which there is a plenty, and the aforementioned “interviewees” and we have a plan. It’s just the usual game plan, with the usual issues, that we have so grown to love and admire in our “super stars,” movie or music or sports.

The “weird” doctor who was the “personal” physician, now cast as the mad enabler of the addictive personality. The legions of family members, who just days ago didn’t speak to one another, all now in loving support of the “tragedy.” The children, subject of endless speculation as to who will raise them, poor things that they are. The money angle, how much, who can get the most, who can turn this into a money maker, all for the kids of course. The autopsy, the toxicology, all dripping with possible causation, but far enough off in the future so that we can speculate with abandon for weeks. The slimy “employees who will inevitably be caught trying to “sell” the inside story, and steal mementos on their way out.

Oh the fun is just getting started. Except that a majority of the freakin’ world doesn’t give a rat’s behind. Yet, we will be forced to imbibe this tripe anyway. BECAUSE THAT’S ALL THEY TALK ABOUT.

wall_e_rubik

I have visions of the future. Earth is trashed, and humans have long gone in search of a new planet to ruin. Aliens stop by and begin wandering through the trash, trying to figure out who these beings were.

I rather think they would assume we had committed mass suicide. That is if they got a look at our data stream from the media.

“If it smacks of sensationalism, and portrays another human as failed, they will come.”

That seems the battle cry of those that pass themselves off as journalists these days. Oh I cry a cry long made. There are innumerable articles, books and so forth decrying the demise of journalism in favor of the slick silly celebrity “breaking news.”

They do it because we watch it. You can’t get away from that. That is of course, contrary to what we claim. We claim we don’t want it. We always, it seems, have loftier allusions about what we will do or say or think than we end up doing. Don’t we? Who hasn’t planned to spend vacation time reading that stack of books we “just must read,” only to find we watched a bunch of junk movies and read a couple of romance novels instead.

We don’t watch PBS news. We do, for a while, then we hunger for less “serious” fare. We miss the fluff. And they read the numbers, and then grin at each other, and sip martinis and nod as one says, “The great unwashed love this trash. They don’t have the intellect for serious journalism.” And the great unwashed are all of us who are not them.

And politicians and other CEO types, and all the hangers-on  K Street types,  nod at the cocktail parties around the Beltway, and agree that they need to do what’s best for the great unwashed, since they are too simple minded to make these decisions themselves. We, the elite, they tell themselves,  are destined to care for the serfs and plebeians. It comes with the territory of  being superior.

And it goes on. We’re way to busy carting kids to soccer games, getting the groceries, trying to make a difference somewhere to someone. So we sit down exhausted and flip on the TV for some diversion, and there it is in all it’s glory. The same old crap. We have enough to argue about, no time for this fight.

Oh, by the way, did you hear that the mother of Michael’s children is claiming she doesn’t want custody? Just want you to keep up with what’s important today. Stay tuned!

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