Dead Space

Is it just me or is there really nothing going on on the Internet anymore?

Yeah, I know: join a network, participate in a forum, play a game, watch some porn.

Yawn.

I have a slew of RSS feeds to sites that I have been losing interest in because it feels like I’ve heard it all before. Sure, there’s some clever wit, some original voices — but doesn’t it all seem like the Internet has become a meme in itself?

It’s like blogging, websites and online apps aren’t so much a means to an end (i.e. news, products, assistance, etc.) but are the ends themselves in terms of their page rank, the modernity of their design, the use of keywords and backlinks (c’mon — does anyone really read Scoble?)

And you forum people: please, put both hands on the desk and push. Get outside, because arguing in a thread over something somebody typed means it’s time to move out of mom’s paneled basement and start dating.

At this point — aside from shopping or looking up questionable answers to queries — is there anything going on out there?

Isaac “The Man” Hayes dead at 65

Grammy and Oscar winner soul man Issac Hayes has died today in Memphis.

From CNN:

Relatives found Hayes, 65, unconscious in his home next to a still-running treadmill, said Steve Schular, a spokesman for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department.

Probably best known the score for the movie Shaft and later as the voice of Chef from South Park, Hayes was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

Damn.

Om

For the past few months I’ve been meditating in the mornings, after a long walk or some time with the weights.

I think it’s made a difference.

Across the Universe

With things in a holding pattern of meaninglessness, I asked the entire universe for a change. It was late one night, I’d had some wine (which usually makes me less self-censoring when it comes to thinking) and I was feeling let-down. So, a couple of weeks ago I asked the universe — not God or whomever you like to anthropomorphisize to be your judgmental magician who lives in the sky — for anything to point me in the direction of path to anywhere.

I was feeling kind of … toxic inside, with perpetual bitterness having eaten away at the best of me after too long. I also had been talking to my mom fairly regularly and tried to convince her to visit; I know it’s a long trip but it would be the best thing she’d have ever done in her whole life.

While I was talking to her, I mentioned that one thing that would make me feel not-so-invisible would be if someone — anyone — from my past contacted me if only to see how I was because they were thinking of me. I know a lot of people couldn’t care less about friends and lovers who’ve come and gone in their lives — mostly because they’re probably content right where they are now — but for some reason it’s always made me feel like if I never existed, it wouldn’t have mattered.

So, in response to this, here’s what happened:

George Orwell’s Diaries

Exactly 70 years after they were first written George Orwell’s diary entries will be published online, old skool blog style. NPR has an audio discussion here.

Search Term o’ the Day

Normally, I dismiss most of the search terms people use to find this little blog, but today’s is blog-worthy.

A few days ago I wrote a piece on the conundrum of trying to write about the world around me while simultaneously purging myself of media overexposure.

Well, someone found that post by searching for “enema long movies”. I could make a lot of comments on this, but I’m too tired right now so the floor is yours, all you would-be comedians.