Pajiba

...GOING, to be?

Hahahahaha...that's just sad, Rowles.

::dies inside::

Posted by: TK at September 22, 2008 5:30 PM
--------------------------------------------

Awww, don't worry, you are not really dead.

But you're gonna wish you were...:)

Moved from Detroit to Smallville in my early teens. The quaintness gets me. The unironic quaintness of it all. Really, you have a green-ass lawn and a white picket fence? There's no shame in it here. A Jack Russell Terrier? Really. Please don't show me your classic car.
There's a main street. An honest Main Street. With pie shoppes. Two P's and an E! It's technically a village! Thank god I'm at school.

btw, you have a Knight Rider ad and a Monster.com ad in your sidebar, so your ode to mediocrity has this tangy sauce of self-parody about it.

It's good.

And the AARP's in the New Improved Adspace too, along with Cadillac. That's just....weird.

Rusty, I'd say actual sellouts deserve to catch some shit, but so do the Authentic people. The Authentic people always have something to hide anyway. And in the words of Jarvis Cocker, "I can't see anyone else smiling in here". Poor's not cool.

I don't especially care for the geographical distances that suburban life gives you (at all), but I'm not afraid of contentment. "She's Having A Baby" was a handy movie to see and think about in my youth, and I decided I'd be pretty happy there too, no matter what Alec Baldwin said. Not that I could if I wanted to yet, but I'm not afraid. "The Day I Turned Uncool" is a very funny book on the subject.

I didn't need to see Jack and Rose again, I just want my own Clementine. But life's a bitch, eh?

Sellouts deserve to catch some shit? Why is that? Am I to think that what I do for a living or where I live define who I am as a person and as a woman?

I work a 9:00 to 6:00 job that has nothing to do with my major. I wear high heels and have to dress up every day. This isn't me at all, but I do it because it's a means to an end. I want to study abroad, and although I could probably persuade my parents to pay for everything, I want to cover the expenses myself. I still have another year left before I can leave, but I'll stick it out. I just have to, because I'm a realist, and I will continue to endure having my friends calling me a sellout behind my back.

I'm not complaining. I just think it wouldn't hurt people to put their pride aside and stop judging those who wanna make something of themselves, even if in the process they have to compromise a thing or two.

My intentions define me, not my shitty job.

My intentions define me, not my shitty job.

Right, that's what I'm talking about. People who have genuinely compromised their intentions and ideals aren't exempt from being called on it, especially if they boasted about them. What I mean by Authentic people is the person who'd say you sold out because of where you happened to find a job (completely unrelated to your education). That's your circumstance, not your intention. Believe me, I'm full of laughable circumstance and devoid of cool, so take no offense, I'm on your side.

In the words of another eccentric Englishman: Everything you say you won't is what you will eventually. Yet another said that he who fucks nuns will later join the church. Anyone proclaiming they'll never go square's an asshole.

"My intentions define me, not my shitty job."

WORD. Simple fact is, not everyone has the means to do whatever they want when they want it. I think we all get caught up in the American ideal and "pursuit of happiness" crap that's shoved down our throats. Don't get me wrong, I think it is valuable to have expections and dreams and goals. However, paying your dues is not necessarily selling out.

Also, the suburbs can be pretty damn great.

Face facts folks if at this point in your life you haven't fulfilled or are not in the process of fulfilling that dream of whoring and debasing yourself while trekking through Europe YOU SOLD OUT!

YOU. SOLD. OUT. you people make me sick.

Genny, I couldn't agree with you more. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to have a comfortable life with the people you love. I certainly do. I am an unashamed suburbanite with a fulfilling job which I sometimes get pissy about, and it suits me fine. I'm not out to conquer the world because I realised I can do more in my own little corner of it and still be a satisfied human bean.

My understanding of dramas such as this movie are basically - those of us who have been blessed with a comfortable upbringing are prone to being concerned about what else there is that we are missing out on. And by 'those of us' I mean my immediate social circle. This isn't a highly scientific sample of people, but hell, it's what I know.

You know, that nagging feeling that 'is this it?'. We all get it, that I'm sure of.

Wow. Folks, I just want to be sure that we all understood that, while I can't speak for Dustin, I was kidding.

My life fucking rocks. For real.

I don't think there's a "right" or "wrong" in surburban living. It all depends on your personality and what you want out of your own life and situation (mixed, of course, as has been mentioned above, with circumstance). As long as you're content enough (nobody's totally content, and if they say they are then they're lying), all the better, I say.

Myself? No thanks to the suburbs. But I like being close to all sorts of things and living in run-down houses and see something different around the corner. There's stupid people everywhere, so pick your stupid. That said, I have awesome friends that live in the Suburbs, and they're not "sellout" surburban types, either. They just happen to live there.

Also, note to Gabster: I like the idea of a human bean. It makes me oddly happy.

Also, Cindy, you just said what I tried to in way less time and managed to post it before me. Everyone, ignore the above post (my oter one, in case there's another post between my last one and this one).

Man, I wanna screw Leo senseless...with his blood diamond accent ofcos.

I have things to sharpen. And lists to make.

Oh, the euphemisms you old people have.

Sarina I totally want one of those sheriff tents. I'll leave TK's mauve carpeting, though.

ghost toast Glad to be of service! It's a little saying I have that makes me smile too!

To think, I was afraid of mudertanks, zombies and godtopus (he sees all) and didn't post here for so long...

I have embraced Lord Godtopus into my life.

Is anyone familiar with "Into the Wild"? The whole idea of getting away from society and disapproving parents. Just working with your hands. No more over-thinking. Just doing what needs to be done to survive. I know there's that certain whiny-rich-kid aspect to the idea but... I dunno, it feels right to me. (Sofia, this applies to our farm. I can't tell my parents it exists. And I'm changing my name to Alexander Supertramp.)

TK, This song's for you:

Down in the basement
(Model citizen)
I've got a Craftsman lathe
(Model citizen)
Show it to the children
(Model citizen)
When they misbehave

I loves me some Warren Zevon.

I know there's that certain whiny-rich-kid aspect to the idea but... I dunno, it feels right to me.

I know what you mean, Optimus, and I'm willing to forgive you for flirting with other Pajibettes during my absence, because the thought of you working the land with your calloused (yet gentle) hands is motivation enough for me to keep going. We'll make whiny-rich-kid love by the crops to bless the land and shall prepare for a most fruitful harvest.

I'm sure I'm going to get flamed for this.

Posted by: Genny (also Rusty) at September 22, 2008 5:28 PM

Not by me you're not. Between figuring out that saving the world is a pain in the ass and finding out that there's not a lot of world worth saving in the first place, it's hard to fault the suburban retirees.

Oh, and that fucking trailer is trite.

"I discovered that even fine hatreds and sheer love of pleasure grow dull under the monotonous onslaught of time."

"You must always get high. Everything depends on it: it is the only question. So as not to feel the horrible burden of Time wrecking your back and bending you to the ground, you must get high without respite."

So, people who have money can't be unhappy, is what you're saying? And money is the cure for existential crises? Or is it that people who aren't poor also aren't allowed to have existential crises? People who live in the suburbs aren't allowed to wonder if that life actually means anything? Particularly in the context of the 1950s?

Is anyone familiar with "Into the Wild"? The whole idea of getting away from society and disapproving parents. ... I dunno, it feels right to me.

You know that guy died after four months, right?

Maybe Krakauer's next book can romanticize someone who follows his principles all the way into sticking a fork into a wall socket.

*phew* thanks, Sofia. I got nervous after I hit "Post" that what I said would be taken the wrong way. That's it exactly. Obviously, money can buy physical comfort; but it does nothing for your soul.

...and also contributing to my soul. Thanks for that, bucdaddy! Whatever kind of beer you like, darlin'!

You know that guy died after four months, right?

Not even remotely true but whatever helps you feel more superior.

Having money knocks the first problem off everyone's list. If you don't have any other problems (health, kids, marriage, family) consider yourself lucky. Or an autobot.

I am SO bored of this conversation. It goes back to (Into the Wild, American Beauty etc.) Fight Club- we are a society with no great war, overly educated and/or stimulated with not enough to do. We create bullshit dramas to make our lives interesting. We pick fights. We pout. We watch stupid(er) people on tv fight about fake tans and boobs and tone of voice (it's the way she said hello). If you can't think of something to do with your free time you are a fool. Life is short and there's lots of things to learn- guitar, a language, the classical books of all history. Almost every town in America has a library. With a lonely but friendly librarian waiting to teach you something. Personally, I'm a big proponent of travel, $20/day to Asia or Africa or heck Haiti. I save change, I get bartending gigs if I have to. I live a smaller life (materially) so I can have more experiences.

If you insist on the biggest house don't complain about the mortgage and the energy bills and the crap you have to buy to fill it and the cars you need to get anywhere and the job you can't leave because of your SELF-IMPOSED lifestyle.

DOWNSIZE. Have your head examined as to what in your childhood drives you to spend 2 1/2 your salary on cars, houses, clothese, weddings that aren't in your salary range. We have given up the pleasure of delayed gratification and are buried in debt and stress. We're not sleeping well. We're overly caffeinated and quick to temper. Road rage shouldn't exist. You don't need to yell at that telemarker. But you do. This whole mortgage crisis is based on the fairy tale that you can buy a house $75k more than your banker said you could afford b/c some other shyster said you could borrow 100% of your mortgage. You didn't read the fine print. You didn't want to. You just want that big house you drove by when you were a child. NOW. Gimme gimme. And the worst thing is that the fiscally responsible now have to clean up your crap. We have to pay more for your child's financial aide b/c you didn't save (I'm pointing at you middle class and up), we have to pay for your auto insurance b/c you can't drive a SUV without a phone attached to your ear, we have to pay for your interest rates on our credit cards b/c you can't pay the minimum, we have to pay for your health insurance b/c you're fat, stressed, lazy and drive everywhere.

I believe there should be a fat tax for the morbidly obese (say 35+ pounds). You should weigh in WITH your luggage at airports and I shouldn't have to pay overage on my bags that are 5 lbs more than a guy who weighs 220. I believe- wha? Oh sorry. This is a movie site. Hee.

*whew, regains consciousness, blood flowing to head again*

Well look at the time, a show starts in 15 minutes. Maybe I'll see that new DiCaprio film. He's pretty cute.

*denigrate

Almost every town in America has a library. With a lonely but friendly librarian waiting to teach you something.

Thanks a lot, asshole!

Not Asshole, AMANDA.

Hey Jay I trying to help you make friends! You have to admit that librarians are pretty happy, some would say overly happy, when you ask them a question. I chalk it up to loneliness. Would you like to teach me something? Male librarians are hot. So is library sex. See now I'm sharing.

Ha Jay your blog is dark. What's your favorite section?

Here I thought you were insulting me. Anyway, no, it's got nothing to do with loneliness actually. More a compulsive information disorder. That just happens to be the place you can get paid for it!

Did we learn nothing from 30 Something all those years ago? It's all cool if:

1. You maintain the pretense of social and environmental consciousness while sneering (in a suburban, neighborly way) at those around you.

2. You turn in to a different kind of douchebag than your boss Miles.

3. You occasionally walk somewhere. Bonus points if you pass a homeless person and don't even feel tempted to yell, "Get a job!"

*sips Dogfish Head 120-Minute IPA*

Was it good for you?

bucdaddy,

the closest they're comin to LR is Nashville, and that's a bit of a trek. Which one you planning on?

Saw them in Memphis last year... changed my life.

Amanda, your rock. Anyone attacking the suburbs as if they were Nazi Germany and anyone defending the suburbs as if they were an especially elite and noble tribe - GET a GRIP. Go volunteer in Darfur. Report back.

if you have in fact, delurked for the first time, Amanda... then my hat is off to you. I forwarded your comment to all my friends, I liked it that much.

congrats and welcome.

Okay, okay...780s and 940s (though at heart I'm an LC man). But you were hitting on me all wrong.

I'm a week late for the show (been out of town) but:
"...just can't buy that Leo is this dude who wants to move to the suburbs with Kate Winslet (who looks like his mom, but I know that she's only a few years older than him or something..."
Posted by: ph at September 22, 2008 7:08 PM

Kate is 11 months younger than Leo. And I am a dork for knowing it.