All Alone

"Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding something to live for, great enough to die for."

An audience is often times your worst enemy, providing you with a social backdrop for your good deeds. Pleasing others to please yourself leaves no room for the good actions taken. It is when you selflessly put yourself in the front and bare your soul that you end up a more complete person and just at that moment society takes it all away; now you are married.

Damn, the first kid popped out. Shit, I wasn't ready for the second one. Fuck, my wife is fat!

And as your tie flaps in your face and the boulders below grow closer, you are once again a complete man.

Guy In Business Class Needs To Shut The Fuck Up

Anyone who has had the displeasure of sharing a business class with Helmet Boy, will appreciate this article from America's most-trusted news source, The Onion.

Guy In Philosophy Class Needs To Shut The Fuck Up

HANOVER, NH—According to students enrolled in professor Michael Rosenthal's Philosophy 101 course at Dartmouth College, that guy, Darrin Floen, the one who sits at the back of the class and acts like he's Aristotle, seriously needs to shut the fuck up.

Floen (inset) is known to make his insufferable comments during class at Thornton Hall.

His fellow students describe Floen's frequent comments as eager, interested, and incredibly annoying.

"He thinks he knows about philosophy," freshman Duane Herring said. "But I hate his voice, and I hate the way he only half raises his hand, like he's so laid back. We're discussing ethics in a couple weeks, but I don't know if I can wait that long before deciding if it's morally wrong to pound his face in."

"Today he was going on and on about how Plato's cave shadows themselves represent the ideal foundation of Western philosophical thought," said freshman Julia Wald moments after class let out Monday. "I have no idea what Plato's ideal reality is, but I bet it doesn't include know-it-all little shits."

Wald added: "If he uses the word 'dialectical' one more time, I'm going to shove my copy of The Republic down his throat."

Although he demonstrated a familiarity with Peter Singer's view on famine relief during a discussion of John Locke's theory of property, Floen is reportedly unfamiliar with the theory of cramming it for a change and giving someone else a chance to speak.

"Just last week Professor Rosenthal was talking about Russell's Paradox, and that jackass starts going off: 'But what about Heraclitus' aphorism: Everything flows, nothing stands still?'" classmate James Luers said. "At first I was like, 'That's totally irrelevant,' but then I was like, 'Well, actually, it does apply to the nonstop flapping of your trap.'"

Among the 40 students who regularly attend Philosophy 101, the one who has endured the most suffering is freshman William Deekes.

"Some people know Darrin as just 'that guy in philosophy class who needs to shut the hell up,'" Deekes said. "I, however, also know him as 'the douche in African history who seriously needs to chill' and 'the a-hole in environmental sciences who could really use a girlfriend.'"

"I enrolled in this course because I was fascinated by the question of God," said sophomore Miriam Blank. "After spending six hours a week in the same room as that unbearable windbag, I think I have my answer. Life is as long as it is cruel."

The outspoken student has not gone unremarked by the course's professor.

"Mr. Floen is a valuable contributor to our in-class discussions," Rosenthal said. "His tendency to question and challenge everything before him captures the very essence of philosophy itself."

Rosenthal added: "Having said that, I do wish he would occasionally do me the valued service of shutting his damn cake hole." "

aloha.

K's

Chappy! Just seeing that goofy kid brings a smile to my face. What are him and Chris up to now? Is Chaps still in Denver working for his dad?

I remember going to the rooftop before my management exam. I had 3 beers and then went to class. It was the longest 3 hr class I have ever endured. No more drinking and going to class for me...Helms, remember..i forget the name now. That complete bullshit science class for b-majors. Ahhh Creative Technology, yes. I believe the challenged kid wearing the helmet in front got an 'A' for asinine. Maybe I should put a picture of him up here...

Summer Days

As opposed to sitting in my office typing and revising my quarterly SPA report I would rather be here:

The Pacific

I took off from Anna's house this morning for a simple jog in Maui's paradise, but before I got too far I looked behind and had no idea the way I had come. Dirt tracks intersected here and there leading to the mountain crisscrossed with houses and the ubiquitous sign "Beware of Dog". Everyone has a dog here, Anna's house has 3, and I was only waiting to find the mean one. After 15 more minutes running uphill I thought this is far enough, im bored, im going back down. And then I preceeded to run in circles for the next 20 minutes, navigating my way through the back roads. Into one's property to jump into someone else's lot. Finally I found myself standing in a grove of trees where the path had dead ended. "Yeah this aint it - Fuck." Running back to the fork where I had obviously gone the wrong way I passed by that house again.

No sooner than I had just run by the barking started, Two dogs. I quickened the pace I did not want to deal with this shit right now. I was already stressed that I couldn't find my way out and it was hot and I was soaked. I turned onto the main path thinking I was out of reach when I heard 4 feet bowling towards me. I looked back and this brown dog was closing in fast. I put my dukes up and stood my ground. Nah, I ran faster and yelled at it "HEY!". For some reason this worked, the dog stopped and went back home. I am one scary dude. Still trying to get down and running down wrong paths I came across a hawaiian working at a water tank. "Hey, how do I get to the main road from here?". He had a sinister smile that I couldn't put out of my head. "You just follow this path for a 1/2 mile and it joins up." That entire half mile I was thinking that they were going to jump this stupid haole from Colorado for trespassing on their land. But I made it back to Anna's house to sit on the front porch, sweat dripping from every pore.

Ahhhh, I'm back in Santa Barbara.... it feels like being home again. Got into town, hit up State Street, and then hit up a bad ass party at a friend's house complete with free booze, a bartender, and the cops coming at the end of the night. The best part is everyone being of age, it's a lot nicer not having to run and hop fences when the cops come eh?

Tomorrow a full day at the Beach, followed by a rich ass wedding at a vineyard. Like my brother, life is rather difficult.

xoxo bitches

HEY!!!!!

I have had enough Renny bashing on this damn blog!!!!!! I give you comedic Genius and all I get in return is remarks on how I am a blackout drunk, a jobless spic and how I use to have a huffy!!!!!

well let me tell all you ninja's something...... actually I am to drunk, so I am gonna go sleep until noon tomorrow and reminisce about how sick that chrome huffy was...... totally tits

Glad to see your still in true form Evan...

I'm heading to Istanbul this evening... should be a blast. On that note, all of you sorry chumps enjoy your day at work (well, except Renny) while I'm cruising around Turkey eating duners and smoking sheesh. Don't worry, I'll post some pictures for you all when I get back

Love,
Eric

saturday night in Denver

what was I saying to those bitches by the hot dog stand saturday night? I think I told some tall chick that she was a WNBA lesbian. Renny, any recolection of this?

"Bitch, you broke my Huffy!"

- Renny

Summer Just Got Even Better

Some of my Roma friends (the Bulgarian version of the brown crew" took me on an hour hike up into the hills around Bratsigovo to this big, secluded lake. We spent the day grilling kebabs, drinking beer and swimming, which is now my plan for every single weekend the rest of the summer. One day at the town pool to keep up the social scene and look at girls of questionable age flaunt around in thongs and bikinis, then one day up in the mountains reading and swimming in the lake... Life in the Peace Corps is tough...

keep believing the things that you tell yourself
everyone needs something they can tell themselves
to hold on to cause after all of it's said and done well you know

confession is stay don't go
ooh it is
ooh let's stay don't go

at times you find that the truth is the best way out
ooh well now sometimes telling the truth is the best way out
and it's the wrong words that make you prick up your ears
when later alone

confession is stay don't go
ooh it is
ooh let's stay don't go

confession is stay don't go
ooh it is
ooh let's stay don't go

stay don't go
stay don't go
stay don't go
stay don't go
don't go
stay don't go
don't go
stay don't go

Yesterday was fantastic by the way. We had an old-school Eagle Ridge Elementary reunion consisting of Pat, Brian McCarthy, Justin Williams, Tarun (Not a true Eagle Ridge student), and me.

BBQing, a selection of delicious white-trash beers, fireworks, attractive 15-year-olds, and drunk hicks at Lodos. It's what makes the U.S. so great!

God bless America.

No Holiday Here

It's the 4th of July... That means all of you should spend the entire day at the pool, grilling hot dogs and hamburgers, listening to classic rock, drinking Budweiser and dangerously lighting off explosives while in an intoxicated state...

I plan on grilling sausages on my balcony, drinking a liter or two of Zagorka, while blasting Lynyard Skynard. This should be quite amusing to the neighbors...

Heat Stroke

roots take hold in the strangling heat. your feet plant, melted rubber on concrete.

Will someone please kill Paris Hilton. If I hear one more exclusive interview, or hear her mention how she found God and wants to inspire little girls one more time, I'm going to throw up. She's a semi-attractive skank who is just taking up space on the earth, she doesn't even have any talents! At least Brittney Spears sings and dances a bit.

damn

Goddamn it got political up in this piece!!!

All i gotta say is I hope Chavez gets some nuclear weapons and attacks Canada, I hate fucking Canadians.....

...Hello Brown

Tarun,

I would hardly call CAFTA and NAFTA an "even hand" by Bill, suffice to say, the only way from the "rut" we find ourselves in due to the Bush Administrations raping of Americans rights and pilaging of foreign resources and money is up and out. The Dems already have the majority in the Congress, Scooter Libby is going to jail, Cheney was Subpoenaed today, and the wrongs that the apathetic and feer-ridden American public have allowed Cheney, Bush, and all of the pathetically obtuse and corrupt Republicans to propogate for the last 7 years are beginning to turn right by the hand of the Dems, and people who actually care. Politics is cyclical, and always has been. The real problem lies in the American people. I don't think that "shouting in the wind" is an accurate description what the liberals and progressives have been trying to do since the war in Iraq. I'm hopeful and optomisitc that change will and is currently taking place in order to right our standing with the rest of the world and restore people's faith in our country as a country of peace and prosperity FOR ALL(not just the elite or members of the Bush family and the Carlyle group). The American people need to have a fundamental change in their axiom of thought. If we don't shout no one will hear us.

The media doesn't help the American people's inherent apathy by it's 24/7 coverage of Anna Nicole Smith's OD, or Paris Hilton going to jail, rather than reporting on real things that actually affect all of us , like the 3,500 dead American soldiers and their families, or the lack of health coverage for Americans, and the growing income gap between the rich and the poor, not to mention the genocide in Darfur...blah blah blah. I think that last time the world had a genocide (Rwanda), after looking back the majority of Americans share great regret for not taking action or encouraging the Clinton administration to do something. Let's hope that Americans grow some balls, and start to care and do. If we don't act, our opinoins mean nothing. We might as well listen to Brittany Spears (see Farenheit 9/11). Yes, the Bush Administration has done so much damage to our Country from a domestic and foreign viewpoint, some irrevocable, and some not, that we all fell like we've been put thru the ringer, but it's never to late to make a change. All I'm saying is that yes, we speak with our vote as a people, but real change initiates from action. I think that we can right the ship so to speak, and I'm not afraid that Putin , or Kim Il-Jong are going to attack us. The Dems don't have it all right, but neither does the structure of American democracy. Real change initiates from within. Grassroots baby! ....now I'm rambling, but you get the point....

I'm getting tired too. Any responses?

Goodbye Tony

As Tony Blair steps down and Brown suites up, the US finds itself a little more lonely in this increasingly paranoid and power hungry world. If Brown cannot help us, nobody can.

Jimi understood it in "Castles Made of Sand", Bill embraced it with his diplomacy and even hand. Cheney and Rumsfield f*cked it all up and sadly the US finds itself in a rut that would have never been if events after 9/11 had been handled with justice and candor. But we cannot go on shouting in the wind and neither can we wait for 2008. We've seen a failed election before and my faith in the American hoi polloi is in a lull. It's upon us to influence and ingratiate our fellow Coloradans. Hell we already got Smith, and Andrew is turning out to be a fine piece of democratic machinery.

The US finds itself in an increasingly hostile environment. Latin America has Chavez, Russia has Putin, North Korea - Kim Jong Il (im so ronery..!), and in the Middle East we are our own worst enemies. An incessed Brown at the British PM and the US will slowly lose its stranglehold over Western Europe. Where do we find ourselves then? With a black president? Another Clinton? Can this country understand and undertake such drastic change that we can effectively mitigate our inflated ego and become an equitable world player?

....shit. I went to lunch and now that I've come back I don't care nor have the energy to finish this. When do we implement nap time Senator Obama for a more productive and well rested working force? Of course, I shouldn't have stayed out till 12 last night with Ria...mmmmm sleep..

holy S

oh poor Bulgarians!!! why must we punish a civilization that was smart enough to forget that horrible horrible decade...... The 80's. I suggest we in the United States follow suit, and strike 80's music, lets learn something from our Bulgarian brothers.
Helms at least play them some sublime, red hot chilli peppers, and some linkin park.
"Just because you dont want them to listen to rap, you shouldnt make them listen to crap" ( thats a line of my new hip hop album "get fat or die frying").

Talking about Bulgarians, check out some of their proverbs....hilarious
http://www.omda.bg/ENGL/ethnography/pogovorki.html

Bring Back the 80's

Bulgarians have absolutely terrible taste in music. Their idea of a classic is "Smack That," anything by 50 Cent, and the newest rubbish from Fergie and Gwen Stefani. Therefore, I have made it my new goal to bring good music to Bulgarians, or at least my jaded version of good music. I have purchased speakers and am now having "theme" days at the office for music. Yesterday was a random shuffle of the top 100 classic rock songs of all time, today a random mix of mostly 80's rock. The playlist so far:

- "Your Love" by The Outfield
- "More Than a Feeling" by Boston
- "The Final Countdown" by Europe
- "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey
- "Can't You See" by Marshall Tucker Band
- "Heat of the Moment" by Asia
- "Carry on Wayward Son" by Kansas
- "Don't Fear the Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult

Beat the Shit out of Bush

Need I say more?

http://www.toddalbert.com/files/images/bushsmack.swf

Colorado Life

HAhaha, the fat guy at the movies story almost had me shitting myself at work. That or the free Chicken fajitas we had for lunch.

Renny, Stop bitching...it is 100 degrees here in Colorado, so suck it up. You're people are from the equator anyways so you should enjoy it while you can.

For all of you wondering about and missing me here is my latest: I am moving again downtown a couple of blocks from the Fillmore with yours truly...Craig and David. I think you all remember these knuckleheads from Gregory Creek, that or a long night of psychadelic inducing drugs. Anyways, our place is sick... granite countertops, stainless steel appliances...blah blah blah, although it may be in the middle of Crackytown USA. Suffice to say, I'm sure going to miss the homeless Mexicans dumpster diving next to my bedroom window and the live filmings of COPS at 3:38 on a Wednesday morning outside my front door.

Also, I saw John Elway at a Colorado Crush game yesterday.
I love you all, don't change.

-Evan

For All You Math Lovers

In other news, it is 102 degrees, I'm am sitting in my office sweating profusely, and my colleague refuses to allow me to open both the door and the window for fear that the draft will make us sick. All fear the "techenie"

movie tragedy

well i dont know how you follow that last post??? (killer crocs the nome is wearing), but I'll do my best...

So I was out on a date tonight (yea yea I know y'all dont believe me, but seriously) at the movie theater. In order to combat the 110 degree Vegas heat we both decided to get ICEE's or slushies, whatever you want to call them. So we both got the cherry flavor and after I made her pay for the drinks because I "forgot my wallet" we proceeded to theater 13 which seemed a little erie, but surely nothing would happen. As we walked into our row my amazingly clumsy date spilled half of her cherry slushy on the ground. I pointed, laughed, the usual reaction of your every day asshole. Then I told her it was ok and got her a new straw, yet neglected to notify any of the theater wokers of the mess we had made.
The commercials before the movie began, and still we though nothing of the slippery trap that laid beside us. Moments later I noticed a three hundred pound guy carrying the usual snacks you would expect from a guy with such a build, nachos, a large drink, and a buncha crunch, walking towards us. Suddenly "BLAOW!!!!!" the big fat ass eats shit.....
It took me a second to realize that we were the ones at fault in this accident, but once I did I hid the ICEE's as quickly as possible and leaned over to help the guy. He almost started crying and made me call the manager because his ankle was "killing him". But to end the story, the two security guards came out and carried this guy since his ankle had blown up to the size of a large orange. Even though I feel horrible, I still found humor in this story as any other asshole out there would...

Why I'm a Democrat

No comment necessary.

ahhhh

I just ate so much fucking rice........ i think i may shit myself again......

Hey Tarun I got one word for you.... strooker

for those of you that dont know what that means, ask him to tell you the story

Helms #1 (as I did come out first)

Ward, you are going to make a great flight attendant some day.

Unfortunately, at this point in my life, at least for a good month, my life is not nearly exciting as that of my evil twin brother Helms.

Yesterday, the highlight of my day was sitting there watching as one of the guests at the hotel I work at yelled at my co-worker who accidentally checked two guests in to the same room. In between his projectile spit and the whimpers of my co-worker, I stood there in my standard Hyatt Place vest and uniform with a large smirk enjoying my stolen Starbucks espresso shot.

The next night, as I was working the bar, I was hit on by a 40-something year old lady who asked me what time I got off, and if employees could hang out with guests in their rooms. I evaded her advances and secured a decent sized tip in the end.

Today I went to the allergist and thoroughly enjoyed a 45-minute conversation discussing the prevalence of allergies in Colorado. Wow, my life is fascinating.

Meanwhile, my brother is hitting on 15-year-old Bulgarian girls and enthusiastically indulging himself in endless alcohol. But I'm not jealous... :)

Vitality

I have a feeling that this blog may last all of 3 days depending on the content written. Not that I can single handedly fix this so.....I have included a diverse group of you to contribute to this blog. So far, and expectedly so, it is the college crowd that has submitted posts. If you know anyone that you want in on this discussion please let me know and I will get them added.

Eric, glad to see you are still an alcolholic.

Renny, I got one word for you....J-O-B

Im in a reckless mood and unfortunately have nothing to lash out against except for co-workers and this blog so let me just start with the grumblings of a chino sitting, dress shirt sticking, watch on my right wrist wearing, 20 year old something with the expectations of more, but the continual contentment with less.

Or perhaps Ill just jet. It is the weekend after all...

Ramblings from the Eastern Front

Life in the Bulgaria is fucking hard... here's the recap of my week

Friday I leave work early at 10:30 and travel 5 hours to the town of Boboshevo where I lived for the first 3 months in Bulgaria. The weekend consisted of spending the day at the pool drinking beer, getting meal after meal stuffed down my throat by my host mom, drinking rakia and beer with my host dad who was ecstatic to have someone to get drunk with again (their new volunteer is a broad who doesn't drink much,) and then going to the disco at night with my Bulgarian buddies.

Sunday afternoon I left and went to Dupnitsa where I sat around in the town garden restaurant with my former teacher Julia, chatting, eating, and drinking beer. After blatantly ignoring a girl in town who wanted to see me (different story for a different time) I headed up to Sofia for the night and crashed in a hostel.

Monday afternoon Tiffany and Stephanie came into town and we headed to a town on the Black Sea coast. This consisted of two days at the beach, jumping off of the pier into the water, drinking rakia and vodka, eating a grip of food, and then heading to the disco and karaoke bar at night.

This adventure was capped off by half a day in Sofia yesterday before they flew to Poland. We walked around a bit and upon running out of things to do, went to a restaurant for a solid day drunk of wine and beer. Upon arriving at work this morning (the only day of work for me this week mind you) I was told that at noon we have a municipal banquet up in one of the nearby villages which will inevitably mean us eating kebaps and grilled meat, drinking absurd amounts of rakia and beer, and stumbling back into town at around seven. It's a tough goddamn life out here but somebody has to do it

damn......

What can I say?? I guess I am pretty lucky individual, at least I feel that way today. For those of you that do not know, I am in a midst of a two month vacation which I call "getting my real estate license in Vegas". Needless to say it doesnt take two months to complete this task, but I am simply not ready for this grown up shit, so I decided to take a summer vacation. Essentially I went to the batting cages today, then snuck into the mirage pool and started drinking margaritas in the 110 degree weather at 1:00 pm. Then after having a wondeful meal at margaritaville, I came home and took a nap.

Yeah, yeah I know its unfair for those of you having to wake up for the daily 9-5 grind, but then again y'all should see my bank account, ouch. The way i look at it its all a tradeoff, I know I need to start thinking more about the future and money and what not, but at what risk!?!?! right now I am more worried about having fun, not growing up, and keeping my tan.... (what a gay ending!)

First question to start shit off.

Have any of us had a "BAD" drink together? I think not. Any drink that has tasted bad has probably been because we were wasted enough to think of the concocktion. Ahh blurry memories.

Flight Training

Today I passed my instrument rating for multi-engine airplanes. I will be starting Crew Resource Management, where I learn to interact with a pilot who is second in comand. Then I will be flying in the friendly skies all across the country. Hope all is well.

Intro

Hello Everyone -

The idea for this blog started a couple of weeks ago when engaged in rabid debate with a couple friends. But now, with everyone spread over a wide area, those conversations we used to have are just not possible. This blog is the cure. Here we can voice our opinions on whatever issue, write stories, and in general, type to contentment. I invite you to join the discussion.

To get write access you will need a gmail account. Email me at tarunbhasin1@gmail.com and I will get you set up.

Enjoy and most of all please write!

Cheers,
Tarun