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December 22, 2008
Just an update...
... to let you all know I'm not dead.
I realized that I should probably update my blog and let everyone know that I'm still alive and what's going on with me.
It's snowing here. A LOT! We had to start late and close 6 hours early at work yesterday as we were a bit afraid people would get snowed in I think. We're also opening a little today.
I finally got invited to be a Vine Voice on Amazon.com. I'm pretty hyped about that. It's a program that identifies you as a popular reviewer. I had no idea people were actually reading the reviews I created.
I've spent a lot of time in the hospital this year. Something I hope to trend down next year. I think I really ought to start listening to all of those Dr.'s who keep telling me to get out of my house from time to time. Maybe not pledge so much of my life to work.
I'm escaping for my birthday. A week away from here will do me good. I just hope they don't close down the highways in Oregon like they did last week forcing me to turn around and drive 3 hours back to where I started out from and missing a day of work. Stupid Oregon. I should have known though, if you can't pump your own gas what are the chances you'll be able to drive in the snow. And after all of that, when they had cleared the wreckage and reopened the highways, I didn't even need chains or snow tires to get through.
I think people overreact when driving in the snow. They seem to go crazy thinking that snow=ice. That's not necessarily true people. You just have to actually WATCH the road, look for signs of poor conditions, not just do 20MPH on the freeway because it's starting to sprinkle a bit of snow down.
I think the most dangerous part was following the semis which threw rocks at me window like made until it finally cracked my window. That pretty much ticked me off considering my car is brand new. Well, not brand new, but still an 08.
Another new years resolve: never eat at McDonalds again. What a horrible restaurant! I don't dislike it for the health implications they just make really bad food these days. I don't know what it is by I've got like 15 minutes after eating at McDonalds before I'm sick to the point of nausea. I just don't get that from any other fast food place. Perhaps they should take a step back to their unhealthy ways so I can eat with them again LOL.
I'm working on a few things. I've put my band on temporary back burner to pursue a Musical I've been making for quite a while that's finally nearing completion. It's based on the life of the infamous Roman Emperor Nero. I can't help but find the man fascinating. People tend to think Caligula was the height of the decay of Roman. That poor boy had nothing on Nero. Nero had possibly poisoned his father, killed his mother after sleeping with her then learning she plotted to kill him, bankrupted rome with his personal spending, set fire (probably didn't but hey) to the people's portions of Rome to make room for a bigger palace, killed his brother, burned Christian's alive to serve as lighting for his dinner parties, forced a young boy to basically undergo sex change to look like the pregnant wife that he beat to death then married him... yeah. You don't get to shit like this on Springer. He has the distinct honor of being considered the true Anti-Christ, by the Christian's of his time. It's pretty impressive to achieve Anti-Christ WHILE YOU ARE STILL ALIVE.
Whereas Caligula was likely driven to the things he did after having been molested and forced to watch his parents executions by Tiberius... Nero was just born that way. But I guess that's what happens when you make somebody ruler of the known world at 15. What else can you really expect?
Even on his death bed the man was amazing. He cried out as he committed suicide to avoid being flogged to death... not, I'm sorry, not what a horrible life have a I lead... but "What an artist the world loses in me."
Props to the places madness can take you to Nero.
So why am I honoring his memory with a Musical? First of all, what of the above does not lend itself to a musical? Next, I really think he was misunderstood. I know that is probably going to turn your stomach, but here's the deal: It's difficult to even perceive what it would be like to be in his shoes. First of all, there's no such thing as a ruler of the world anymore. Countries have rulers, the US president is as close as you really get, but even he is checked by senate/congress/judiciary branches. In Nero's time, Roman Emperors had been declared living Gods. The only checks on their power were the assassination attempts that they had to essential display ferocity toward to make a display out of each attempt to discourage others.
There is no cultural context for being a Roman Emperor left on earth. And so, we can't truly understand the pressures or expectations of the role. Octavia-Augustus was just about the only Emperor who didn't go mad with power and it was only because he did it all in secret, not on public display.
On top of that, Nero was simply a child. He addressed the senate for the first time at 12-13 years old. Can you imagine a 12 year old leading a session of congress? Poor Al Gore couldn't even stay awake! Further, he became a living God and ruler of the known universe at 15. In the US he wouldn't even be able to drive a car folks! He'd still be almost a decade away from drinking age!
We also don't have much cultural context for Christianity at the time which is what he is most associated with evil and hatred for. According to Roman historians some Christian sects of the time were militant and often lead attacks on Pagan and Egyptian houses of worship. And when the majority of the world is worshipping either Isis or Jupiter, you don't go bombing Jupiter's temple and expect to get away scott free during a time when people were murdered for speculation.
Greeks report the same notions of certain Christian sects at the time, and Greek historians tend to be more respected and reliable I suppose.
At any rate, after his death, they reformed statues and images and basically removed all reference of Nero from the face of Roman history. I think that's sad. You can't build your leaders into failures and just erase them once their gone. America can't just pretend we never had Nixon as a president simply because he broke the law.
So it is. Nero will be remembered if I have to give my life bringing the tyrant back into the spotlight.
At any rate. I think I've started rambling now so I'm done for the day. Late!
Posted by Decemberice at 04:52 AM | Comments (0)
December 17, 2008
lo Saturnalia...
...everybody!
it's once again time for serve the servants, gift giving, and the overall ancient Roman and pagan rite of Saturnalia. Let the games begin, it will be upon us until the 23rd! Since nobody else is currently doing it, I declare Ashley Saturnalicius princep. This is because she rightly remembered something I should have... yet again, my memory fails me.
Many are probably not aware of this holy festival as it was subversively copied in the form of a more popular holiday known as Christmas AD Rome was trying to bury its pagan roots. Too bad, Christmas took away some of the charity of Saturnalia.
At any rate, this is the best time of year for the Carmen Denuo and it's followers... all 2 of us, so enjoy with us if you'd like! Learn more about Saturnalia on Wikipedia
Gifts are customary, as are a nightly feast, and role reversals (IE serve the servants, or work for your workers).
Have fun and lo Saturnalia!
Posted by Decemberice at 08:57 PM | Comments (0)