KTV (Karaoke Television) AKA 'Karaoke' is very popular in China.
People here don't want to be exposed to strangers, so they go to a KTV palace that looks like a 3-5 story hotel.
Then they rent a private room and sing their hearts out.
That room costs about $15 per hour, but these people make $15 PER DAY!!
So it's expensive as all hell.
I want to have the best party E-VAR so I just went out and bought some big speakers and a mixing unit that powers them and mixes in up to three mics at the same time.
Later tonight, I'm going to have a wild and crazy KTV party. FREE.
Except, there won't be much to eat at this party. I pretty much banked myself until my next paycheck :)
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Irritating Christians
OK, I used to be a Christian, but I wasn't irritating other people with it.
So this girl, someone I knew from Childhood adds me on Facebook. We're cool.
Then she finds this thing and reposts it. You've seen it before, 'The Christian Thang' comes in many forms.
It's usually a Facebook status message or an email that talks about affirming your belief in something and then it ends with, "And as a service to humanity, you should dutifully repost this and wave your ass around to ALL of your friends, right in their faces, with serious pride, mmmkay?"
This time 'The Christian Thang' came in the form of affirming support for the pledge of allegiance and focused on the sacred words, "Under god."
And it also talked about having this removed from the pledge of allegiance.
So I chime in and, hell, as the only guy willing to speak up for the hundreds of non-believer friends on her massive Facebook list, I say, "I remember the pledge. First, it felt unnatural like programming. And then second, I knew that my god wasn't the same as everybody else, and some didn't have a god, and it's stupid for a teacher or an educational institution to make people stay non-scientific or non-educational stuff they don't believe in."
Make people say stuff they don't believe in? - Can we get more fucked up? That's not freedom and that's not comfortable or even right to do. We should stop it.
So then she says that she wouldn't be here if not for God and she's so sad to hear that I have troubles believing anymore. I tell her God passed the science test. I prayed and prayed for months, wholeheartedly, seeking a sign. And I always got internal dialog in my head. I used to think that was God I heard talking back to me, but I proved it was just myself.
You know how some Christians tell this faith affirming story of, "One day, I was driving, and then god spoke to me clear as anything and he was like WHAT THE FUCK, PULL OVER RIGHT NOW, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE!!! so I pulled over... and then there was this awful accident, and I'm alive because GOD IS REAL!!!"
Well, I remembered that shit. And one day, actually on multiple days because my brain was fried with Christianity since I was a small boy, that same exact thing happened to me. God was like, "Pull over, biotch!" and I was like, "You know what, this is the PERFECT opportunity to PROVE that this is just in my head."
So, as the troubled one I was... as far as I knew, I was risking my very life to prove god was either right or wrong, either real or not real. And well, I'm still here typing this shit years later, right? There is NO god.
I shared this with her, and she shared back. "I married this guy that was addicted to alcohol and wrong in all the wrong ways, and I stuck with him because he's a man of god and I was TRAINED (by my perfect religion) to never question male authority since men are closer to god." ... ok to make a long story short, she wasn't sure what to do. She left the poor sap. Later on I guess he died or something because she wouldn't be here alive today if not for him..
Oh wait, I remember. She was suicidal when she talked to god, after a long vacation from talking to god, and god finally said to leave, so she left and she's so 1,000% sure she would have killed herself otherwise.
OK, as long as we're deep on derp. I've nearly committed suicide, and I know what it's like not to fuck around with it. I had a cord wrapped around my next and my vision was fading as I rest on my bed, waiting to die. I got the good cord, the one that's over 20 meters long, and I wrapped until I could barely breath even if I tried as hard as I could. I was not shitting around. But my brain never stopped thinking. I was trying to talk myself out of it from the moment I started minutes ago. I eventually thought of who would find me. Well shit, it'd be my dad. And my brother had already offed himself not too long ago... and that would just devastate him. He wasn't ready to handle that, and he shouldn't find me. SO I decided that I would wait one week. And if I still felt the same way, I would go to a hotel and let some maid find me instead.
You know what? I didn't think about god once. He just wasn't my kind of crutch at the time. When people are on the edge, they think of whatever keeps them going. The thing about there's no atheists in foxholes is bullshit. What's true is that there's no men in foxholes who don't have a crutch of some sort. They think of SOMETHING that keeps them going. We all do, and there's proverbial foxholes in life. She was in one of them.
The difference is that when a Christian gets through something (even if they were in no real or serious danger, and were only mildly depressed) they come out of it thinking that God saved them yet again.
Let me tell you. I've been taking every risk ever given to me when God says that I am going to die or suffer unless I listen to him. I don't cower in the field of the unknown, in a nonexistent foxhole, praying to a nonexisting crutch. My crutches are REAL! and I have no faith in god. I am stronger than any Christian will ever be. I have transcended from a weaker form into something much more powerful and capable, and even more fearless for it.
Anyway... I deleted her from Facebook along with another Christian that was too loud and annoying.
The funny thing is what was the last straw, the thing that pushed me over... This was days after the pledge of allegiance thang... She says it's her birthday and she wants huckleberry pie. But not just ANY kind of huckleberry pie, the kind you climb up a mountain and pick the berries yourself, and then take them home. YUMMO!" - yes, she said the word "yummo".
And at that point, I realized that leaving Christianity has made me a far more interesting person, with a much more fulfilling life. I am never going to make a post that has the word "yummo" in it or talk about stuff that's so meaningless as blueberry pie. Well, hell... I'll do meaningless, but I'll make it interesting, dammit.
Instead of "yummo", I am so many much more powerful and interesting words.
I am bitch, cunt, fuck, shit, higgitywiggity-woo-woo... I express myself with the full color range of the linguistic rainbow and that makes me funny, enjoyable, and shit... sometimes I'm so damn funny I even make myself laugh.
I am a happy person, and I make other people happier than I ever would if I had remained a Christian.
I completely renounce the faith. I've done that privately a number of times, but now I do so openly for friends, family, peers, and perfect strangers to stand witness.
I also invite you to stand with me, and I challenge you.
As a Christian, maybe you've been challenged to believe, and just try a prayer and then see if your body feels something since you're praying (guess what, that works with any god, it's called a psychosomatic response and it explains why religion is so believable. It feels very, very real.)
My challenge is to not use my bullshit test, but make up your own bullshit test and make it a good one. See if your god can pass the bullshit test, and be serious about it. Just as serious as when you prayed for the first time and felt something.
Without further adieu, here's something that got me thinking about all this stuff today. I came across a link that shows the Christian crazies are wrong about that "But the founding fathers made those words..." argument. They actually were NOT chosen by the founding fathers for our pledge. Read on.
http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2011/03/24/the-founding-fathers-had-a-national-motto-e-pluribus-unum-2/
By the way, there are some negative side effects of leaving god. You are going to turn into a drug abusing loser like I am and you'll start hitting people for no reason as you become increasingly violent. It's true that it's impossible to be good without the grace of God... you will become the worst, most evil son of a bitch ever since Johnnie Cash... and you'll love every minute of it.
Peace!
So this girl, someone I knew from Childhood adds me on Facebook. We're cool.
Then she finds this thing and reposts it. You've seen it before, 'The Christian Thang' comes in many forms.
It's usually a Facebook status message or an email that talks about affirming your belief in something and then it ends with, "And as a service to humanity, you should dutifully repost this and wave your ass around to ALL of your friends, right in their faces, with serious pride, mmmkay?"
This time 'The Christian Thang' came in the form of affirming support for the pledge of allegiance and focused on the sacred words, "Under god."
And it also talked about having this removed from the pledge of allegiance.
So I chime in and, hell, as the only guy willing to speak up for the hundreds of non-believer friends on her massive Facebook list, I say, "I remember the pledge. First, it felt unnatural like programming. And then second, I knew that my god wasn't the same as everybody else, and some didn't have a god, and it's stupid for a teacher or an educational institution to make people stay non-scientific or non-educational stuff they don't believe in."
Make people say stuff they don't believe in? - Can we get more fucked up? That's not freedom and that's not comfortable or even right to do. We should stop it.
So then she says that she wouldn't be here if not for God and she's so sad to hear that I have troubles believing anymore. I tell her God passed the science test. I prayed and prayed for months, wholeheartedly, seeking a sign. And I always got internal dialog in my head. I used to think that was God I heard talking back to me, but I proved it was just myself.
You know how some Christians tell this faith affirming story of, "One day, I was driving, and then god spoke to me clear as anything and he was like WHAT THE FUCK, PULL OVER RIGHT NOW, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE!!! so I pulled over... and then there was this awful accident, and I'm alive because GOD IS REAL!!!"
Well, I remembered that shit. And one day, actually on multiple days because my brain was fried with Christianity since I was a small boy, that same exact thing happened to me. God was like, "Pull over, biotch!" and I was like, "You know what, this is the PERFECT opportunity to PROVE that this is just in my head."
So, as the troubled one I was... as far as I knew, I was risking my very life to prove god was either right or wrong, either real or not real. And well, I'm still here typing this shit years later, right? There is NO god.
I shared this with her, and she shared back. "I married this guy that was addicted to alcohol and wrong in all the wrong ways, and I stuck with him because he's a man of god and I was TRAINED (by my perfect religion) to never question male authority since men are closer to god." ... ok to make a long story short, she wasn't sure what to do. She left the poor sap. Later on I guess he died or something because she wouldn't be here alive today if not for him..
Oh wait, I remember. She was suicidal when she talked to god, after a long vacation from talking to god, and god finally said to leave, so she left and she's so 1,000% sure she would have killed herself otherwise.
OK, as long as we're deep on derp. I've nearly committed suicide, and I know what it's like not to fuck around with it. I had a cord wrapped around my next and my vision was fading as I rest on my bed, waiting to die. I got the good cord, the one that's over 20 meters long, and I wrapped until I could barely breath even if I tried as hard as I could. I was not shitting around. But my brain never stopped thinking. I was trying to talk myself out of it from the moment I started minutes ago. I eventually thought of who would find me. Well shit, it'd be my dad. And my brother had already offed himself not too long ago... and that would just devastate him. He wasn't ready to handle that, and he shouldn't find me. SO I decided that I would wait one week. And if I still felt the same way, I would go to a hotel and let some maid find me instead.
You know what? I didn't think about god once. He just wasn't my kind of crutch at the time. When people are on the edge, they think of whatever keeps them going. The thing about there's no atheists in foxholes is bullshit. What's true is that there's no men in foxholes who don't have a crutch of some sort. They think of SOMETHING that keeps them going. We all do, and there's proverbial foxholes in life. She was in one of them.
The difference is that when a Christian gets through something (even if they were in no real or serious danger, and were only mildly depressed) they come out of it thinking that God saved them yet again.
Let me tell you. I've been taking every risk ever given to me when God says that I am going to die or suffer unless I listen to him. I don't cower in the field of the unknown, in a nonexistent foxhole, praying to a nonexisting crutch. My crutches are REAL! and I have no faith in god. I am stronger than any Christian will ever be. I have transcended from a weaker form into something much more powerful and capable, and even more fearless for it.
Anyway... I deleted her from Facebook along with another Christian that was too loud and annoying.
The funny thing is what was the last straw, the thing that pushed me over... This was days after the pledge of allegiance thang... She says it's her birthday and she wants huckleberry pie. But not just ANY kind of huckleberry pie, the kind you climb up a mountain and pick the berries yourself, and then take them home. YUMMO!" - yes, she said the word "yummo".
And at that point, I realized that leaving Christianity has made me a far more interesting person, with a much more fulfilling life. I am never going to make a post that has the word "yummo" in it or talk about stuff that's so meaningless as blueberry pie. Well, hell... I'll do meaningless, but I'll make it interesting, dammit.
Instead of "yummo", I am so many much more powerful and interesting words.
I am bitch, cunt, fuck, shit, higgitywiggity-woo-woo... I express myself with the full color range of the linguistic rainbow and that makes me funny, enjoyable, and shit... sometimes I'm so damn funny I even make myself laugh.
I am a happy person, and I make other people happier than I ever would if I had remained a Christian.
I completely renounce the faith. I've done that privately a number of times, but now I do so openly for friends, family, peers, and perfect strangers to stand witness.
I also invite you to stand with me, and I challenge you.
As a Christian, maybe you've been challenged to believe, and just try a prayer and then see if your body feels something since you're praying (guess what, that works with any god, it's called a psychosomatic response and it explains why religion is so believable. It feels very, very real.)
My challenge is to not use my bullshit test, but make up your own bullshit test and make it a good one. See if your god can pass the bullshit test, and be serious about it. Just as serious as when you prayed for the first time and felt something.
Without further adieu, here's something that got me thinking about all this stuff today. I came across a link that shows the Christian crazies are wrong about that "But the founding fathers made those words..." argument. They actually were NOT chosen by the founding fathers for our pledge. Read on.
http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2011/03/24/the-founding-fathers-had-a-national-motto-e-pluribus-unum-2/
By the way, there are some negative side effects of leaving god. You are going to turn into a drug abusing loser like I am and you'll start hitting people for no reason as you become increasingly violent. It's true that it's impossible to be good without the grace of God... you will become the worst, most evil son of a bitch ever since Johnnie Cash... and you'll love every minute of it.
Peace!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
She screamed in horror!
Craziest thing today.
I'm going to the bank to wire money home, and right at the top of the metro station stairs on the way out, my assistant screams. Then she's pointing at this fluffy, dead rabbit. Just there in the middle of the walkway.
So I'm thinking, "Wait a minute, how long has that thing been there.. making people scream and stuff?"
Hundreds of people are walking by.. and I realize that if I don't pick it up, it's just going to keep on going forever. So I toss it in the trash.
If it was like a spider, I would understand nobody picking it up. Man, I wouldn't pick that up either.
But it's this harmless RABBIT!
That leads to my conclusion. Society is so screwed. If we can't even handle stooping to clean up a dead rabbit.... how are we going to stand up for change and things that matter?
And then there's my other conclusion, that came to me halfway through lunch.
It's an awfully nice thing I eat with chopsticks!
I'm going to the bank to wire money home, and right at the top of the metro station stairs on the way out, my assistant screams. Then she's pointing at this fluffy, dead rabbit. Just there in the middle of the walkway.
So I'm thinking, "Wait a minute, how long has that thing been there.. making people scream and stuff?"
Hundreds of people are walking by.. and I realize that if I don't pick it up, it's just going to keep on going forever. So I toss it in the trash.
If it was like a spider, I would understand nobody picking it up. Man, I wouldn't pick that up either.
But it's this harmless RABBIT!
That leads to my conclusion. Society is so screwed. If we can't even handle stooping to clean up a dead rabbit.... how are we going to stand up for change and things that matter?
And then there's my other conclusion, that came to me halfway through lunch.
It's an awfully nice thing I eat with chopsticks!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Recent
I went to a traditional Chinese funeral. It was all that can be expected of a funeral, so I'm not going to write many details. I traveled a long time to show respect and love although the actual time spent taking action was only a few minutes. Someone high in the business came a long too and drove others. Respect and love are big in China. It was a bonding road trip.
Today, I bought a small toy compass for 2 kuai. Supercheap! - But it actually works, so I am very pleased with it and I went back to buy all that were available (3). I will give the other two away to some expat friends. Sometimes someone says, "Go West" and then you're up shit creek without a paddle.
I spent a moment to see the business plan of a young gentleman and I was impressed. Not so young, really. 28. Although he's getting the shaft when he goes to banks or seeks investors. He's on to something and he's done his homework. It WILL be successful. He just needs about 280k RMB to make it possible. My lazy math pegs that at about 50 USD. I'm going to pass on a recommendation to some friends who might be in a position to invest.
In China, you meet exciting, different, and interesting people. A dry and uninteresting sentence like that becomes loaded when 'you've been there' and you 'get it'.
Tomorrow, I get my new assistant. The first was great for the job but didn't want to do personal things like translating gibberish to a dentist when he's got a big drill in my mouth. She preferred office work. Following that, we had a guy who got himself fired within a week because he tried to bribe a few people at work and also threatened one at the same time. Ooh, way to get ahead in the world! - And now I'm on #3 and if anything goes wrong, I'm going to look like a bad boss because I go through assistants like hits of crack.
The assistant makes me happy. Tomorrow, I can go to the bank and prepare to wire some cash home. Desperately needed. I got bills to PAY. And I need my debit card so that I can get a VOIP (internet phone) account going again. It's time to call relatives.
I saw 'Sliding Doors' (a movie) tonight. It made me feel sappy and romantic. I guess it's been about nine months that I've been in Nanjing and stayed single. Sometimes people ask me about that.
Trying to avoid a long story, I told one guy, "I just don't like girls." - You should have seen his FACE!! - Total panic. He for sure thought I was coming out of the closet and was about to lovingly embrace his hand and tell him he'd look cute in a pink tutu... as I moved in for a passionate kiss.
I find girls attractive, but I have this image that friends treat each other way better than lovers treat each other. So the logical thing to do is avoid the drama and just be friends. I'm also not up for the maintenance of a relationship. People develop needs, and they can show some surprising sass if they don't feel those needs are well met.
I could go for a man's best friend. I've been thinking of investing in a Husky or German Shepherd. First, I shall pay my bills. A dog is always a dog. It will never get sassy with me unless I really deserve it.
Today, I bought a small toy compass for 2 kuai. Supercheap! - But it actually works, so I am very pleased with it and I went back to buy all that were available (3). I will give the other two away to some expat friends. Sometimes someone says, "Go West" and then you're up shit creek without a paddle.
I spent a moment to see the business plan of a young gentleman and I was impressed. Not so young, really. 28. Although he's getting the shaft when he goes to banks or seeks investors. He's on to something and he's done his homework. It WILL be successful. He just needs about 280k RMB to make it possible. My lazy math pegs that at about 50 USD. I'm going to pass on a recommendation to some friends who might be in a position to invest.
In China, you meet exciting, different, and interesting people. A dry and uninteresting sentence like that becomes loaded when 'you've been there' and you 'get it'.
Tomorrow, I get my new assistant. The first was great for the job but didn't want to do personal things like translating gibberish to a dentist when he's got a big drill in my mouth. She preferred office work. Following that, we had a guy who got himself fired within a week because he tried to bribe a few people at work and also threatened one at the same time. Ooh, way to get ahead in the world! - And now I'm on #3 and if anything goes wrong, I'm going to look like a bad boss because I go through assistants like hits of crack.
The assistant makes me happy. Tomorrow, I can go to the bank and prepare to wire some cash home. Desperately needed. I got bills to PAY. And I need my debit card so that I can get a VOIP (internet phone) account going again. It's time to call relatives.
I saw 'Sliding Doors' (a movie) tonight. It made me feel sappy and romantic. I guess it's been about nine months that I've been in Nanjing and stayed single. Sometimes people ask me about that.
Trying to avoid a long story, I told one guy, "I just don't like girls." - You should have seen his FACE!! - Total panic. He for sure thought I was coming out of the closet and was about to lovingly embrace his hand and tell him he'd look cute in a pink tutu... as I moved in for a passionate kiss.
I find girls attractive, but I have this image that friends treat each other way better than lovers treat each other. So the logical thing to do is avoid the drama and just be friends. I'm also not up for the maintenance of a relationship. People develop needs, and they can show some surprising sass if they don't feel those needs are well met.
I could go for a man's best friend. I've been thinking of investing in a Husky or German Shepherd. First, I shall pay my bills. A dog is always a dog. It will never get sassy with me unless I really deserve it.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Japan - Big ol earthquake and tsunami
I never felt it, but the Earthquake and Tsunami were really something. I was aware of it within a few hours
because of a site on the internet. I'm surprised that Hawaii was such as mess considering that they had several
hours of awareness.
It seems to me that there must be some kind of big failure in infrastructure if death and terror is 6 hours away in a different country, and everyone in your own country (at least in the path of danger) doesn't get an online notification within minutes.
I saw a picture of an airport where none of the cars had been moved out of the way, etc. Real messy looking.
I believe in the future, countries will begin coordinating their emergency response systems online. It will save so many lives. I wondered at the idea of suggesting that the Microsoft corporation begin to integrate ecological disaster warning systems that function by geography. I think that't the kind of idea that might get listened to.
Windows updates itself, why not warn me of imminent danger?
because of a site on the internet. I'm surprised that Hawaii was such as mess considering that they had several
hours of awareness.
It seems to me that there must be some kind of big failure in infrastructure if death and terror is 6 hours away in a different country, and everyone in your own country (at least in the path of danger) doesn't get an online notification within minutes.
I saw a picture of an airport where none of the cars had been moved out of the way, etc. Real messy looking.
I believe in the future, countries will begin coordinating their emergency response systems online. It will save so many lives. I wondered at the idea of suggesting that the Microsoft corporation begin to integrate ecological disaster warning systems that function by geography. I think that't the kind of idea that might get listened to.
Windows updates itself, why not warn me of imminent danger?
Weekly House Party
http://klancykennedy.com/kk/party/3-13.html
This link shows a slideshow of some of the action at the last party.
We had about 11 people show up, and I cooked pita bread for the first time.
I'm working on learning 'survival cooking' (stuff like bread, sauces, gravy, how to use spices, etc.)
I ran out of chairs, so I'll be buying more soon from Ikea so I can host up to 20 people.
I do this every weekend now.
It takes a lot of time, and I spend most of it just trying to take care of my guests.
Later, I will see about finding a way to make myself less busy so that I can enjoy the party as well.
This link shows a slideshow of some of the action at the last party.
We had about 11 people show up, and I cooked pita bread for the first time.
I'm working on learning 'survival cooking' (stuff like bread, sauces, gravy, how to use spices, etc.)
I ran out of chairs, so I'll be buying more soon from Ikea so I can host up to 20 people.
I do this every weekend now.
It takes a lot of time, and I spend most of it just trying to take care of my guests.
Later, I will see about finding a way to make myself less busy so that I can enjoy the party as well.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Weekly Party Group
http://www.hellonanjing.net/forum/16-social-events/4519-weekend-house-party-with-food#4519
I am having a weekly party for English speakers. It's a way to make friends.
Last week was good, about seven people showed up. This week might be 10-12ish.
Lately, I'm more socially aware. I've not been involved with any girls for about half a year now. It's almost like going without food for a long time. You suddenly are able to vividly smell food from a thousand meters away.
The party is attracting way more boys than girls, that's the opposite of what happened in Shanghai. I like the crowd. We're watching Season One of Weeds.
I am having a weekly party for English speakers. It's a way to make friends.
Last week was good, about seven people showed up. This week might be 10-12ish.
Lately, I'm more socially aware. I've not been involved with any girls for about half a year now. It's almost like going without food for a long time. You suddenly are able to vividly smell food from a thousand meters away.
The party is attracting way more boys than girls, that's the opposite of what happened in Shanghai. I like the crowd. We're watching Season One of Weeds.
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