My clothes (many but not all) are tailored by a master tailor. There are appx. 30 of these treasures in the entire continent of US of A. Yup. His clients (still) include Robert Redford, Robert Di Nero, Al Pacino, and Mr. Gambino. Pure old school. His name is Larry (the tailor). He's been a master tailor since the age of 20. Certified in Sicily, Italy. It's prominently displayed set in a frame in his small space. He had to take Liz Taylor out to dinners while Richard Burton had other "engagements." A sneaky wolf that Burton. Respect to my nigga on that :). Larry is 80 now. When I go to pick up my kitties, we have wine after and he plays the harmonica for me. I listen and laugh. La dolce vita.
He wants to make a suit for me. But he never pushes me. His suits are $7,000 a pop. Entirely impeccable. I see it on the mannequin. It's like a Northern Light. Dispicablly mesmerizing. I ask him if it's new and he tells me that it's 20 yrs. old and that he is altering it because the client lost weight. I say, "no way, that looks new!" He says nothing. I respect his silence. Great composers have been known to use silence in their compositions as a device of meditation. Never busy bee; always, Butterfly. Meditation.
Some of the cuts and fabrics (Emporio Armani) I bring to him confuses him. I have to edit for him. Yeah, the crazy kids. I tell him it's OK and simply that I am Oriental.
He's surprised that I don't wear a microscope when I come to visit him. I listen and instruct him precociously-- but with respect. I pay cash (Benjis). He accepts paper. Old school. Just a smile and a handshake. No reciepts. Never Declasse. Rive Gauche. Done.
A gentleman should always have a dedicated lawyer, a banker, an accountant, a chef, a realtor, a tailor, a doctor, a driver (airborne and ground), and museS.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Polar Bear Milk
Cuddly wuddly little Polar Bear babies. Baby polar bears! So cute. So round. So happy. So big. So rugged. They follow Mommy polar bear around and stay alive and play in the sub zero. So cuddly happy. If my facts are correct, I believe they are the only bears that do not hibernate during the Winter. They make fun all year round. Makes sense in some way because it's pretty much "winter" all the time up there. Like Christmas every fckn day! Btw, I wonder if there are bears in Antartica? Polar sounds exclusively North doesn't it? Anyway, they're cuddly fun and they won't have it any other way!
Ahh.. polar bear milk... for the soul. Sounds cute. Sounds contrived too though hey? What is it? It's Philosophy silly. We have sub zero environments too but it's not weather that we (humans, specifically, thinking humans) must endure but the sub zeros inside our four walls. Changes, winds, rifts, blinding visibility, endurance, etc. Sorrows and disappointments. Well... it's not SO bad. But from time to time, it is and at the very least, we should be thickly insulated even for the possibilties of "sub zero." Dear reader, you know what I mean don't you? Life is beautiful but sometimes it gets alittle chilly. Stupidly willy nilly, no? That's the time when we have to hit the bottle and suckle on zee polar bear milk... philosophy.
Dear reader (btw, I'm mimicing Mr. Cervantes (i.e. Don Quixote's) literary device for those not yet well read nor initiated to literature with this 'dear reader' thing), just like mommie polar bears' milk, philosophy fortifies you and fattens you up to battle the sub zero. Philosophy is especially important for inhabitants of Metropolises around the world. I remember the bitingly funny quote from Crocodile Dundee, "8 million people in Manhattan?! It must be the friendliest city in the world!" Ha. Well, it is and it is not. But more on Manhattan where I prostitute myself later :).
So what's in this metaphoric polar bear milk (for the soul) that fattens one up for Metropolis living where we can play and thrive in sub zero? First of all, I think that living in sub zero is kindda cool. So many other cool polar bears to hang with (#s wise not %wise) albeit there are a lot skunks here too. Smelly, I don't want to see skunk Skunks. And, cool igloos too, like the Cafe Carlyle, Ciprianis Soho, King Cole Bar at the St. Regis, on and on.
Ingredients: 1) Detached involvement (an oxymoron, yes?)-- be involved in your feelings and actions but detach and don't get dragged down when things go wrong. Hey, know that you've done your best but you can't control the whole damn thing, like the weather.. prepare only for how you interpret it. For fck sake! :); 2) Travel light-- "Master, I am sorry to tell you that all of your possesssions have been lost at sea. There was a violent storm and the ships carrying all of your possessions sank and are now lost." Response: "I see. So the gods have granted me to be a less encumbered philosopher." -- Zeno. You are not your possessions but WHO you are-- VK; 3) Set yourself to high standards. "Master, delight, for your worst critic has just past away!" Yogananda Pharamansa: "Shush! for my best critic, my mirror, is no longer." Embrace improvements that makes you a better you... and give the finger to those who criticize for their own pride; 4) Be around Beauty. "Beauty is the only memory of the divine." -- Barcelona, movie. Without beauty. life shrinks, becomes small and uglish; and, 5) Don't put all of your eggs in one basket-- "What delight it is to be like a Sherlock Holmes where one can stumble across a coin on a street and be able to deduce where, how, whom from it got there. Blessed are those who have cultivated every interest and can find everything interesting, even a coin on the sidewalk." -- Bertrand Russell, The Conquest of Happiness. You should have many baskets and some eggs in every basket(s). Again...for fck sake!. Dear reader, heads up. Don't look down when you walk. Look up and see the wonderful city architecture. Observe the embroidery of the metropolis skyline set against the tapestry of the heavens. Men and the gods become one in a snapshot and a breath. Howwl with joy as you walk past the ugly crevice of Starbucks and those cave dwellers digging through their earthly work messages in their Blackberry device. Remain curious and versatile my reader. Remain living, not dying. Style profile.
See again the baby cuddly polar bears? With mommies milk (for us-- philosophy) we can play in the sub zero and grow big. Polar bear milk, make it a part of your daily diet. Philo-sophia (love- of wisdom). Got milk?
Ahh.. polar bear milk... for the soul. Sounds cute. Sounds contrived too though hey? What is it? It's Philosophy silly. We have sub zero environments too but it's not weather that we (humans, specifically, thinking humans) must endure but the sub zeros inside our four walls. Changes, winds, rifts, blinding visibility, endurance, etc. Sorrows and disappointments. Well... it's not SO bad. But from time to time, it is and at the very least, we should be thickly insulated even for the possibilties of "sub zero." Dear reader, you know what I mean don't you? Life is beautiful but sometimes it gets alittle chilly. Stupidly willy nilly, no? That's the time when we have to hit the bottle and suckle on zee polar bear milk... philosophy.
Dear reader (btw, I'm mimicing Mr. Cervantes (i.e. Don Quixote's) literary device for those not yet well read nor initiated to literature with this 'dear reader' thing), just like mommie polar bears' milk, philosophy fortifies you and fattens you up to battle the sub zero. Philosophy is especially important for inhabitants of Metropolises around the world. I remember the bitingly funny quote from Crocodile Dundee, "8 million people in Manhattan?! It must be the friendliest city in the world!" Ha. Well, it is and it is not. But more on Manhattan where I prostitute myself later :).
So what's in this metaphoric polar bear milk (for the soul) that fattens one up for Metropolis living where we can play and thrive in sub zero? First of all, I think that living in sub zero is kindda cool. So many other cool polar bears to hang with (#s wise not %wise) albeit there are a lot skunks here too. Smelly, I don't want to see skunk Skunks. And, cool igloos too, like the Cafe Carlyle, Ciprianis Soho, King Cole Bar at the St. Regis, on and on.
Ingredients: 1) Detached involvement (an oxymoron, yes?)-- be involved in your feelings and actions but detach and don't get dragged down when things go wrong. Hey, know that you've done your best but you can't control the whole damn thing, like the weather.. prepare only for how you interpret it. For fck sake! :); 2) Travel light-- "Master, I am sorry to tell you that all of your possesssions have been lost at sea. There was a violent storm and the ships carrying all of your possessions sank and are now lost." Response: "I see. So the gods have granted me to be a less encumbered philosopher." -- Zeno. You are not your possessions but WHO you are-- VK; 3) Set yourself to high standards. "Master, delight, for your worst critic has just past away!" Yogananda Pharamansa: "Shush! for my best critic, my mirror, is no longer." Embrace improvements that makes you a better you... and give the finger to those who criticize for their own pride; 4) Be around Beauty. "Beauty is the only memory of the divine." -- Barcelona, movie. Without beauty. life shrinks, becomes small and uglish; and, 5) Don't put all of your eggs in one basket-- "What delight it is to be like a Sherlock Holmes where one can stumble across a coin on a street and be able to deduce where, how, whom from it got there. Blessed are those who have cultivated every interest and can find everything interesting, even a coin on the sidewalk." -- Bertrand Russell, The Conquest of Happiness. You should have many baskets and some eggs in every basket(s). Again...for fck sake!. Dear reader, heads up. Don't look down when you walk. Look up and see the wonderful city architecture. Observe the embroidery of the metropolis skyline set against the tapestry of the heavens. Men and the gods become one in a snapshot and a breath. Howwl with joy as you walk past the ugly crevice of Starbucks and those cave dwellers digging through their earthly work messages in their Blackberry device. Remain curious and versatile my reader. Remain living, not dying. Style profile.
See again the baby cuddly polar bears? With mommies milk (for us-- philosophy) we can play in the sub zero and grow big. Polar bear milk, make it a part of your daily diet. Philo-sophia (love- of wisdom). Got milk?
Saturday, March 22, 2008
The Sense of Shame
It's a topic on my deck for later. So more later on this (possibly, depending on my mood). But as a preview, I declare that the Americans have lost the sense of shame. It's an unfortunate sham. Because shame is the beginning of Manners and manners is a prerequisite for a civilized society. Shame applies to and should be criminally enforced on loud people (at movies, bars, restaurants, etc.), ungroomed people, unstylish people, uneducated people (who think that their opinions weigh the same as learned people), to cruelty, to vulgarity without class... to people who breed at will (akin to this mortgage mess that we're in-- in over their heads) without understanding the consequence of their libido and base offsprings upon society.
Manners matter and shame whips manners into shape. To me, math and science in schools is moronic. We will lose in that field of battle. Done. India and China will always win on that field... do the math... billions of them. We need to teach manners and encourage creativity (in addition to math and science). Opera once a month, etiquette classes every week, ballroom dancing once a day, charming conversation(s) (which is the fruit of these activities) every hour. [hmmm... 'charm' that could be an interesting topic for a blog in itself?].
The sense of shame has to be taught daily and rigorously.
Manners matter and shame whips manners into shape. To me, math and science in schools is moronic. We will lose in that field of battle. Done. India and China will always win on that field... do the math... billions of them. We need to teach manners and encourage creativity (in addition to math and science). Opera once a month, etiquette classes every week, ballroom dancing once a day, charming conversation(s) (which is the fruit of these activities) every hour. [hmmm... 'charm' that could be an interesting topic for a blog in itself?].
The sense of shame has to be taught daily and rigorously.
Elevator
I love it when a hot woman/gal (a perfect stranger being the best) walks into the elevator. It gets me hot and if they're hot (especially, with airline stewardessesque legs sheathed in nylons and heels-- Jimmy Choo, Manolo, Moschino, Christian Louboutin, or Nine West (cheap)-- ideal being a $1,000, white real snake skin but 'faux' snake looking, peep toe, Jimmy prom shoes), I naturally fantasize about having sex with her in the elevator.
Hot, steamy, carnal, raw, Serengeti-- howling at the moon, under the waterfall sex.
Fck like an animal then slip my tie back on and walk out with jizz (aka special sauce) on the good ol' zipper and a cigarrette in my mouth. And as I walk away, without looking at her, say 'bravo, bon appetito!'
Hot, steamy, carnal, raw, Serengeti-- howling at the moon, under the waterfall sex.
Fck like an animal then slip my tie back on and walk out with jizz (aka special sauce) on the good ol' zipper and a cigarrette in my mouth. And as I walk away, without looking at her, say 'bravo, bon appetito!'
Gadsden Flag
The Gasden Flag was popular and can be considered one of the original American flags during the Revolutionary war. I don't mean to be sophomoric with this image like some high schooler. But sometimes everyone feels this way-- I'm sure of it. Either at work, at home, in a relationship or in various 'situations' where tyranny and unreason militates.
This snake is a Eastcoast Diamond Back Rattle Snake. It is only found in America. See the rattle tail? The snake only attacks for food and when provoked. It also rattles to warn before it strikes. Ahhh. pretttty snake. But I'm certain that this flag exists in people's hearts, minds, and lives everywhere (from the slums of Gaza to people in 'situations' in Manhattan, Stockholm, Seoul, Tokyo, and Copenhagen etc. (where btw, I accomplished yet another successful multimillion dollar art heist. This time, I used laughing gas grenades! As you can imagine, people were on the floor holding their stomaches bursting with laughter. It was a fun theft and no finger prints. Ha!).
OK... back to serious talk :(). To me, the flag ALSO symbolizes the Nietzschean idea of 'the will to power.' The will to power as I remember from my college reading, is the process of 'becoming' which involves overcoming one's own limitations by constantly trying to improve oneself (overcoming also involves unlimiting yourself... to thy nature be true!) but also overcoming the tyranny of others (i.e. popular opinions, dictates, mores).
I think that it's important to overcome both. Both overcoming one's own weaknesses and also opening oneself up to oneself and not being tread by others. It's hard though, both are quite formidable forces to overcome in the process of becoming. But I think that greatness is found in one's becomings. Metaphor: Slaying the dragons in one's life adventures like St. George slaying the dragon (which symbolized demons internal and external). 'Becoming' is heroic and is a hero's journey... a journey that one must take in order to become a hero for one's own sake.
So, to me, the Gasden Flag is a magnificient and a noble flag, an emblem, that should be emblazened in our mind and heart and in our action's in our daily battles with others or with ourselves. The spoils of these battles is a better and a new and improved you!
"When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things" 1 Corrinthians 13:11
Friday, March 21, 2008
A Blog about Blogs
I noticed that some people blog every day and some blog multiple times a day and some very erratically from time to time or in spurts (myself included). Some people use it as a diary for public consumption and some people use it as a general white space for thoughts or both.
I don't know where I fit into the profile. For instance, today, I'm at work, waiting for some data from other people that I will later review etc. So, I have sometime to kill and I have thoughts on my mind and/or created just out of a level of boredom. So, my blogging I guess is considered spontaneous and thus, I am a spontaneous blogger.
I don't feel guilty if I don't blog everyday since it's mostly for my own amusement and vanity but sometimes I feel bad when I don't blog everyday but my friends do. It's similar to them giving me a gift (of their beautiful thoughts and a piece of their lives to share) on a daily basis and me not returning the favor at the same level of frequency.
Since, a blog is a public platform, I guess there are some public obligations to reciprocate the love and the laughter. But I am who I am, so I'll probably continue to blog spontaneously and not according to a schedule.
Anyway, what's up with the Winter?! It's 35 degrees still. It's been like this since November. 5 months of unyielding Winter (Nov,. Dec., Jan., Feb. Mar.) without a proper blizzard to even make it exciting. I've been living in Manhattan for 21 years now and I can never get used to the 5 months of Winter on this rock. It's 5 months of Winter, 5 months of sweltering Summer. Manhattan basically has 2 seasons, Winter and Summer. Bipolar disorder city. Even the weather is bipolar. No wonder that it's such a crazy city. It's like a selfish prostitute that I prostitue myself to and get lip stick all over myself. Sin city... luv it, hate it, and luv it.
"I came, I saw, I prostituted myself." -- VK
I don't know where I fit into the profile. For instance, today, I'm at work, waiting for some data from other people that I will later review etc. So, I have sometime to kill and I have thoughts on my mind and/or created just out of a level of boredom. So, my blogging I guess is considered spontaneous and thus, I am a spontaneous blogger.
I don't feel guilty if I don't blog everyday since it's mostly for my own amusement and vanity but sometimes I feel bad when I don't blog everyday but my friends do. It's similar to them giving me a gift (of their beautiful thoughts and a piece of their lives to share) on a daily basis and me not returning the favor at the same level of frequency.
Since, a blog is a public platform, I guess there are some public obligations to reciprocate the love and the laughter. But I am who I am, so I'll probably continue to blog spontaneously and not according to a schedule.
Anyway, what's up with the Winter?! It's 35 degrees still. It's been like this since November. 5 months of unyielding Winter (Nov,. Dec., Jan., Feb. Mar.) without a proper blizzard to even make it exciting. I've been living in Manhattan for 21 years now and I can never get used to the 5 months of Winter on this rock. It's 5 months of Winter, 5 months of sweltering Summer. Manhattan basically has 2 seasons, Winter and Summer. Bipolar disorder city. Even the weather is bipolar. No wonder that it's such a crazy city. It's like a selfish prostitute that I prostitue myself to and get lip stick all over myself. Sin city... luv it, hate it, and luv it.
"I came, I saw, I prostituted myself." -- VK
Sports and Class
So, I haven't been out out for about a month now. It's amazing. I used to go out out (meaning some kind of lounge or club) about 2 times a week (in the Fall and Early Winter) and when I was really out, about 4 times a week (during the Summer). Of course, bars and hotel lounges in between... which I don't consider out out but just chilling. So I was roughly out almost every night. I used to worry then, geeez, I'm out alot. Why am I out so much! What is going on? But in the past month, I rarely been out past midnight and I am very happy with it. It's a sign of some normalcy for me and I am proud and happy about it.
But I do go to my neighborhood bar after work for a couple of hours or more and chat with the staff and some other friendly faces there. The whole staff is like a family to me and the place is like "Cheers" (the old sit com series). I go there almost every nite except Fridays and Saturdays when it's a mad house. Amateurs. I get my 3 pints of Harp, Blue Moon, then Stella and in that order then after many fun conversations, I go grab dinner, and veg out. Nothing exciting but it's really comfortable and much needed, after a hard day of work. It provides a nice balance for me. Simply put it's an Oasis for me.
Anyway, yesterday, I walked into my bar and I had forgotten that it was March Madness and the beginning of tournaments. The place was incredibbly loud and I couldn't find a seat. I however hung out for an hour... talking with staff (I consider them actually like my siblings and friends) and had a decent time. I blocked out most of the visual and aural pollution. I guess it's like a survival instinct that kicks in.
But I could not help noticing and being disgusted by the crowd. Out of the roughly 60 people there (8pm), roughly 40 were guys and about 20 girls. Better than the usual ratio where it's usually only like 20% are women. Of course, of the whole batch of 60, 70% were fat (not just overweight) and 90% of the whole batch dressed liked shit. Working class, thick necked, fat, unfashionable, routine, average, boring, and LOUD. It's a guarantee that this is the crowd you'll get at a sports bar and especialy during tournament season.
I don't follow sports but I do watch the playoffs and championship games because by then the truly best are playing eachother and often times, the games can be very entertaining. Plus I want to feel normal-- like I 'fit in'... not a 100% outsider detached from reality like some space alien from a different dimension. But still the crowds... if the Gap made not only clothes but also the people to go with the clothes these people would be it. Miserable, ugly, fat, ungroomed, cookie cutter, unwashed masses. the worst part is that they often hook up and breed eventually and produce numerous facisimiles of themselves. It truly is the Barbarians at the Gates scenario.
These people are to almost the man/woman, sports fans and most of them do not have class. By class, I mean, at the very least some manners, grooming, and a sense of decorum. Style... that would be asking too much.
Why do I go there then? Like I said, the staff there are like family to me and when there are no crowds, I have the most fun and comfortable times there. Plus it's only 2 blocks from my apt. !The sports fcktoids are not going to oust the VonKwon from his own living room. No, fckn wayyyyy baby. I simply have to ignore them or pray to the gods for the gift of compassion. Yeah, I'm not holding my breath on that one.
But I do go to my neighborhood bar after work for a couple of hours or more and chat with the staff and some other friendly faces there. The whole staff is like a family to me and the place is like "Cheers" (the old sit com series). I go there almost every nite except Fridays and Saturdays when it's a mad house. Amateurs. I get my 3 pints of Harp, Blue Moon, then Stella and in that order then after many fun conversations, I go grab dinner, and veg out. Nothing exciting but it's really comfortable and much needed, after a hard day of work. It provides a nice balance for me. Simply put it's an Oasis for me.
Anyway, yesterday, I walked into my bar and I had forgotten that it was March Madness and the beginning of tournaments. The place was incredibbly loud and I couldn't find a seat. I however hung out for an hour... talking with staff (I consider them actually like my siblings and friends) and had a decent time. I blocked out most of the visual and aural pollution. I guess it's like a survival instinct that kicks in.
But I could not help noticing and being disgusted by the crowd. Out of the roughly 60 people there (8pm), roughly 40 were guys and about 20 girls. Better than the usual ratio where it's usually only like 20% are women. Of course, of the whole batch of 60, 70% were fat (not just overweight) and 90% of the whole batch dressed liked shit. Working class, thick necked, fat, unfashionable, routine, average, boring, and LOUD. It's a guarantee that this is the crowd you'll get at a sports bar and especialy during tournament season.
I don't follow sports but I do watch the playoffs and championship games because by then the truly best are playing eachother and often times, the games can be very entertaining. Plus I want to feel normal-- like I 'fit in'... not a 100% outsider detached from reality like some space alien from a different dimension. But still the crowds... if the Gap made not only clothes but also the people to go with the clothes these people would be it. Miserable, ugly, fat, ungroomed, cookie cutter, unwashed masses. the worst part is that they often hook up and breed eventually and produce numerous facisimiles of themselves. It truly is the Barbarians at the Gates scenario.
These people are to almost the man/woman, sports fans and most of them do not have class. By class, I mean, at the very least some manners, grooming, and a sense of decorum. Style... that would be asking too much.
Why do I go there then? Like I said, the staff there are like family to me and when there are no crowds, I have the most fun and comfortable times there. Plus it's only 2 blocks from my apt. !The sports fcktoids are not going to oust the VonKwon from his own living room. No, fckn wayyyyy baby. I simply have to ignore them or pray to the gods for the gift of compassion. Yeah, I'm not holding my breath on that one.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Green Hooligans
I remember when I was a kid just having come to America at age of 8 that there was a day when one was supposed to wear green, something green, may it be a green shirt, pants, or something that showed green. If one weren't wearing green, people would point out that you forgot St. Patrick's day and for shame. That was all innocent and fun.Fast forward a 100 years. Today, walking back home from work, a brisk 10 block walk at 7pm, I saw drunks everywhere or people in groups going to get drunk. They were truly annoying. Even people in their 50s looked like they were drunk. Most of them were in groups and/or were loud. I was abit scared I must admit. Who knows when and if some drunk would decide that I was a Vietcong and just punch me in the face for just the hell of it. People do crazy things when they are drunk and St. Patty's day is hands down the most drunken day of the year. There's nothing wrong about people drinking and getting drunk. But in throngs and groups the profile changes or can change immediately from hey let's party, to hey let's kick some ass... it'll be fun! Maybe I was paranoid.
But from the time I got to my apt. to the time I went to nap 7 to 9pm. There was non-stop, honking, sirens (ambulance, fire trucks, and police), and group yelling off on the streets. I live on 34th and Park Ave. It's usually manageablly quiet in this area. Afterall, it's Park Avenue.
I don't know what's worse in terms of stupid people going stupid, St. Pat's day or Puerto Rican Day. There are bad apples and hooligans in every race. Every race has it's civilized class and the hooligan class. So, I am not inferring anything beyond that. But on days like this I wish their nationalism and sense of pride in their coutry was handled more maturely. So, St. Patrick supposedly kicked out all the snakes out of Ireland. Hey cool. That's a neat trick. Probably unlikely but hey maybe it's true because he performed a miracle. By definition, miracles are improbable events. So, I salute the Irish and their patron saint and I still love my best friends Tom and Scott who have Irish heritage. But the hooligans... how does a race that produces an Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, JFK, etc. produce so many Hooligans? If I were St. Pat, I would be rolling in my grave. For shame for wearing green and going bonkers. How unbecoming for a race that 'Saved Civilization' which they kindda did by being such scholarly people even during the dark ages.
I wonder about the Mexicans in the same way too sometimes when they come to clean my table at a restaurant or bring me deliveries. How did your ancestors build the Mayan pyramids? I climbed one and they were massive and amazing. How did your ancestors build Macchu Picchu? What the fuck happened to you guys?
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Clowns Inc.
"A man of parts is happy in a company of fools (i.e. clowns- VK). But a man who is whole is sufficient onto himself."-- Confucius
Over the past couple of months, people, including some old friends have suggested that I join MySpace, Linked In, and/or Facebook. I succumbed to Linked In for career reasons but I think I may withdraw myself from there. I find that most to all of these social networking sites to be very gauche, very middle class. Everybody's on them. It reminds me of Yogi Berra's comment, "that place is so popular that no one goes there anymore." It's akin to popular clubs in Manhattan where the bridge and tunnel masses bump into eachother and sink to the lowest level of existence...the abyss. I admit that I used to hang out at these places and I do from time to time still and still will if a hot exclusive place opens up. Just to check it out and make sure that I haven't lost "access" to wherever I wish to go. But in a nutshell, these places (clubs, sites) where the masses congregate is not my cup of tea. One can not have a decent conversation nor civilized environment where one can feel civilized. It's a zoo. I feel the same way about MySpace, Facebook, etc. and in fact, I poo poo it and the people in it. It's just a different level of consciousness and I'm not jazzed about that level.
The other aspect that I do not like about these types of places/sites is that it shows how many people are connected to you or know. It infers that more people you have connected means that you are THAT cool and you're obviously all that. Street credit, bling, bling... bullshit. I prefer quality over quantity. Who doesn't say that? Everyone says, I prefer quality too. My answer... go fuck yourself. Everyone has an opinion (and an ass hole too) to go with it. I am not bitter about it, just disgusted by the lip service. If you're quality than what's with the social network bigger than Verizon (commercial). I prefer people with less than 10 friends vs. one with a whole lot of clowns. That to me is some (not sole) indicator of a quality person.
Incidentally, some people are very selective about wines, books, places, food, clothes, etc. and for good reason... we have limited time and we want things to be most worthwhile during that time. So, one would think then, shouldn't friends and relationships be selected most rigorously?
McDonald's... billions served. Clowns Inc. Hey, "Food, folks, and murder! It's fun! Come check out our dollar menu too! Afterall, billions served. That's good!" Ohh puhleeez me nigga, wake me up when it's over-- VK
An anecdote, perhaps appropo for this theme. In the late 80's there was a very high end boutique in Manhattan called Charivaris. It was a chain of 3 small boutiques only in Manhattan. They ONLY carried Gaultier, Matsuda, Comme des Garcons, Issey Miyake, Yamamoto, few $1,000 silk print Versace shirts, and pocket cameras. They went bankrupt. But they had an advertising campaign one year where appx. 80% of the Manhattan public phone stations were covered with their black and white text ads (no pix... just letters centered on white background) that said, "Charivaris, never coming to a mall near you." No lipservice and billions NOT served. Amen.
Over the past couple of months, people, including some old friends have suggested that I join MySpace, Linked In, and/or Facebook. I succumbed to Linked In for career reasons but I think I may withdraw myself from there. I find that most to all of these social networking sites to be very gauche, very middle class. Everybody's on them. It reminds me of Yogi Berra's comment, "that place is so popular that no one goes there anymore." It's akin to popular clubs in Manhattan where the bridge and tunnel masses bump into eachother and sink to the lowest level of existence...the abyss. I admit that I used to hang out at these places and I do from time to time still and still will if a hot exclusive place opens up. Just to check it out and make sure that I haven't lost "access" to wherever I wish to go. But in a nutshell, these places (clubs, sites) where the masses congregate is not my cup of tea. One can not have a decent conversation nor civilized environment where one can feel civilized. It's a zoo. I feel the same way about MySpace, Facebook, etc. and in fact, I poo poo it and the people in it. It's just a different level of consciousness and I'm not jazzed about that level.
The other aspect that I do not like about these types of places/sites is that it shows how many people are connected to you or know. It infers that more people you have connected means that you are THAT cool and you're obviously all that. Street credit, bling, bling... bullshit. I prefer quality over quantity. Who doesn't say that? Everyone says, I prefer quality too. My answer... go fuck yourself. Everyone has an opinion (and an ass hole too) to go with it. I am not bitter about it, just disgusted by the lip service. If you're quality than what's with the social network bigger than Verizon (commercial). I prefer people with less than 10 friends vs. one with a whole lot of clowns. That to me is some (not sole) indicator of a quality person.
Incidentally, some people are very selective about wines, books, places, food, clothes, etc. and for good reason... we have limited time and we want things to be most worthwhile during that time. So, one would think then, shouldn't friends and relationships be selected most rigorously?
McDonald's... billions served. Clowns Inc. Hey, "Food, folks, and murder! It's fun! Come check out our dollar menu too! Afterall, billions served. That's good!" Ohh puhleeez me nigga, wake me up when it's over-- VK
An anecdote, perhaps appropo for this theme. In the late 80's there was a very high end boutique in Manhattan called Charivaris. It was a chain of 3 small boutiques only in Manhattan. They ONLY carried Gaultier, Matsuda, Comme des Garcons, Issey Miyake, Yamamoto, few $1,000 silk print Versace shirts, and pocket cameras. They went bankrupt. But they had an advertising campaign one year where appx. 80% of the Manhattan public phone stations were covered with their black and white text ads (no pix... just letters centered on white background) that said, "Charivaris, never coming to a mall near you." No lipservice and billions NOT served. Amen.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Epicure I (Pleasures)
Epicurus (c. 341–c. 270 BC)
The philosophy originated by Epicurus flourished for seven centuries. It propounded an ethic of individual pleasure as the sole or chief good in life. Hence, Epicurus advocated living in such a way as to derive the greatest amount of pleasure possible during one’s lifetime, yet doing so moderately in order to avoid the suffering incurred by overindulgence in such pleasure (Except for Watermelon Martinis at Bungalow 8-- Von Kwon). The emphasis was placed on pleasures of the mind rather than on physical pleasures. Therefore, for example, according to Epicurus, WITH WHOM (qualitative) a person eats with is of greater importance than WHAT or HOW MUCH (quantitative) is eaten.
The philosophy originated by Epicurus flourished for seven centuries. It propounded an ethic of individual pleasure as the sole or chief good in life. Hence, Epicurus advocated living in such a way as to derive the greatest amount of pleasure possible during one’s lifetime, yet doing so moderately in order to avoid the suffering incurred by overindulgence in such pleasure (Except for Watermelon Martinis at Bungalow 8-- Von Kwon). The emphasis was placed on pleasures of the mind rather than on physical pleasures. Therefore, for example, according to Epicurus, WITH WHOM (qualitative) a person eats with is of greater importance than WHAT or HOW MUCH (quantitative) is eaten.
Stoicism (a good friend told me that I am an Epicure and not a Stoic. I disagreed then agreed.)
Stoicism is often misunderstood because the terms used pertained to different concepts in the past than they do today. The word stoic has come to mean unemotional or indifferent to pain, because Stoic ethics taught freedom from passion by following reason. But the Stoics did not seek to extinguish emotions, only to avoid emotional troubles by developing clear judgment and inner calm through diligent practice of logic, reflection, and concentration.
Borrowing from the Cynics, the foundation of Stoic ethics is that good lies in the state of the soul itself; in wisdom (i.e. learned perspective-- VK) and self-control. Stoic ethics stressed the rule: "Follow where reason leads." One must therefore strive to be free of the passions, bearing in mind that the ancient meaning of passion was "anguish" or "suffering." The idea was to be free of suffering through apatheia (απαθεια) (Greek) or apathy, where apathy was understood in the ancient sense — being objective or having "clear judgment" — rather than simple indifference, as apathy implies today.
Following Socrates, the Stoics held that unhappiness and evil are the results of ignorance.
Borrowing from the Cynics, the foundation of Stoic ethics is that good lies in the state of the soul itself; in wisdom (i.e. learned perspective-- VK) and self-control. Stoic ethics stressed the rule: "Follow where reason leads." One must therefore strive to be free of the passions, bearing in mind that the ancient meaning of passion was "anguish" or "suffering." The idea was to be free of suffering through apatheia (απαθεια) (Greek) or apathy, where apathy was understood in the ancient sense — being objective or having "clear judgment" — rather than simple indifference, as apathy implies today.
Following Socrates, the Stoics held that unhappiness and evil are the results of ignorance.
A Taste of Dandyism I-- Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire, defined the dandy as one who elevates æsthetics to a living religion, that the dandy's mere existence reproaches the responsible citizen of the middle class: "Dandyism in certain respects comes close to spirituality and to stoicism" and "These beings have no other status, but that of cultivating the idea of beauty in their own persons, of satisfying their passions, of feeling and thinking .... Contrary to what many thoughtless people seem to believe, dandyism is not even an excessive delight in clothes and material elegance. For the perfect dandy, these things are no more than the symbol of the aristocratic superiority of his mind."
Dandyism is a perspective, a mode of conduct, a discipline, a practice, and an emanation-- a hearty, rigorous, singular Religion-- VonKwon
Dandyism is a perspective, a mode of conduct, a discipline, a practice, and an emanation-- a hearty, rigorous, singular Religion-- VonKwon
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