Dec 24 2008

Just Like Home?

Published by Peter under Thoughts

I’m writing this from Guatemala City, the place where I was born a little over twenty-one years ago. In many trips to visit since my mother and I left in 1989, I had always noticed a few oddities here and there that left me scratching my head, even as a child.

In the 12 years since the end of the Guatemalan Civil War, the country has been making leaps and bounds in economic progress…at least according to Wikipedia. My family members make the equivalent of what would be considered middle- to upper-middle-class wages in the United States; in Guatemala, this allows them to afford nice-sized homes and apartments in heavily guarded areas. If you haven’t been to Central America, the sight of barbed wire fences and broken glass atop garage walls is absolutely commonplace. 

The other thing that is absolutely commonplace now is the gluttonous, flamboyant excesses present on the city’s streets. Continue Reading »

5 responses so far

Dec 18 2008

The Silly Artist

Published by Drew Greene under Writing

Doesn’t really fit in.

Oh well.

Doesn’t really have friends…oh well.

Doesn’t really need a job.

Has a job but doesn’t work it. Walks away or is fired. Oh well.

Doesn’t take the money and run. Takes the inspiration and sleeps in. Continue Reading »

5 responses so far

Dec 15 2008

Death By Digital

Published by Peter under Thoughts

My anthropology professor jokes with us that drawing conclusions about our biological ancestors would be much easier if they would have “had the courtesy to die” in certain positions (locomotion), with things in their hand (tools and other cultural adaptations), or with and kind of physical record of their history. Sometimes, we find fossilized humans who “had the decency” to die in close proximity to clues about how they lead their lives.

Fast-forwarding through time, we arrive at the ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Native Americans (North and South, including the Incas, Mayans, and Aztecs), and a wide variety of other cultures who left us with a tremendous stockpile of various physical media that told us a lot about their lifestyles. Our history as a nation has been documented primarily through printed works, architecture, studio art, photography, theatre, and (more recently) motion pictures.

The advancement of technology over time has given rise to extremely powerful machines that allow for the simulation of experiences that are either too dangerous, too difficult, or require too much energy (yes, we are lazy) to do in “real life”. Computers and televisions can produce billions of words, images, and sounds with the simple click of a button.

So what’s the problem? Continue Reading »

One response so far

Dec 14 2008

A Open Letter to Barack Obama

Published by Peter under Thoughts

Noted activist, author, spoken word artist, former candidate for San Francisco mayor, and former Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra sent an open letter to Barack Obama asking him to follow through on his promises for change. In it he outlines various instances in our country’s history that can be looked to as the sources and causes for many of issues he will face in his years as our president. Here is the letter’s introduction:

Congratulations on your recent victory, and for helping build such a strong mandate for change. In that spirit, please do not forget the other aisle you need to reach across. All the relief and publicity for the middle class won’t do anything for the 40-100 million Americans who are starving, unemployed or just plain poor.

You have gone out of your way to build a bridge to those of us fed up with war, pollution, inequality, corporate lawlessness and business as usual. You have energized a whole new generation who is far ahead of their elders in knowing what urgently needs to be done. I have never seen such an outpouring of heartfelt emotion, hope and support for an American politician in my life, and I remember Kennedy well. You are the first president in my lifetime to have a bona fide grassroots movement behind you and ready to rock. I hope those crowds’ hope and urgency has penetrated deeply enough that you won’t let that bridge be washed away.

I remember another person who had the audacity to exploit and toss aside people’s hope, and his name is Bill Clinton. Democrats fail time and again when they shirk responsibility and settle for being dealmakers instead of leaders. As important as it is to find common ground and build consensus for change, our situation is so dire we cannot afford any more dealmakers. The people voted for a leader. Anything less risks breaking the hearts of an entire galvanized generation who may then decide it is not worth it to get involved and participate any more.

Strong medicine is needed. Here are some ideas:

Click here for the rest of the letter. It’s definitely worth the read, regardless of who you voted for or if you voted at all.

Barack Obama will be shouldering heavier weight come January. Manipulation of hope is equally as damaging to our county’s people as the manipulation of fear. Though his victory is an historic one, it does not exonerate him from his previous failings. Anything less than a stellar performance in the Oval Office will send this country’s morale plummeting since all eyes will be affixed to the White House in the coming years; any mis-steps will cause a media circus much like the one surrounding the presidential race.

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Dec 11 2008

Not so much a different opinion but a different poster.

Published by Drew Greene under Thoughts

I’m more of an imposter than a poster but, for now, you all can refer to me as an (im)poster. In my year, and some change, of reading Late for Life I’ve come to the conclusion that this website has always had some fantastic writers attached to it. Neil, Russell, of course Drew and Peter…not to name names or anything! I walked in here not really considering myself a good writer but maybe someone who really enjoys writing. Well, these fine gentlemen have made this rapidly aging 25 year old brat blush. I feel less-than. I’m not worthy!
 

 

If anyone is really wondering what that was about, well, I was trying to pin the blame for my lack of posting on Drew and Peter’s writing prowess. Never mind the fact that I’m just down right…oh…what’s a good word? Hmmm. How about ‘lazy?’ Now…onto my lazy post.
 

 

 

There has been a lot of talk about the economy on this website lately and rightly so! At this point, I think we’ve done everything but hang ‘for sale’ signs on Wall Street. Hey, at least we have something new to look forward to. Perhaps we’ll import these signs from another blatantly exploited country and sell them for much more money than it cost to produce. Wow! Deja vu! I have a feeling that in the not so distant future those for sale signs might be trendier than the post 9/11 American flags hanging in the curtains of homes. Actually, now that I think about it, hanging them in the windows may be quite appropriate. That is to say, if the good folks in Washington D.C. don’t feel like giving us our bailout. Don’t you guys know that’s how capitalism works?! If you run out of money the government gives you some more. Unless, of course, you have that ‘middle class’ stamp of approval on your forehead. But never fear because our dignified Democrats and Republicans will all denounce something as repulsive as socialism! Especially if we rode a bus to D.C. I mean, how very pedestrian!
 

But in the words of the Larry Sanders show’s Hank KingsleyContinue Reading »

4 responses so far

Dec 10 2008

Sweating as an Oldie

Published by Drew Schimmenti under Thoughts

Like Jack Lalanne, I have always been an active person. I began studying karate at four years old. I trained for six years, 3 to 5 days a week, sometimes taking 2 classes a day. But having broken too many wooden boards, as well as young hearts on the karate tournament circuit, I replaced my black-belt with a football helmet, a basketball jersey, a lacrosse stick, boxing gloves, a surfboard, and a mountain bike. You get the point. These activities recently played out in my head as I watched a commercial sponsored by the NFL, directed at curbing childhood obesity. The aim of the advertisement was to encourage children to “play” 60 minutes a day (the length of an NFL game). Now without bogging you down with statistics about obesity in this country, all of which are gruesome, I’d like to shed light on another demographic that I think is enabling this problem: Lazy Adults.
 
 
We all remember what it was like to “play”, right? Surely some of our childhood routines involved riding a bike to school, hour long gym classes, sports practice, and all kinds of after school activities. I myself was forced to cut out academics entirely to meet the demands of my playful existence. At 14, I remember having a fitness assessment that failed to produce my body fat percentage because it was too low for the electronic device to register. But how much of this can simply be attributed to my age and metabolism? How much can be based on the fact that I took countless hours of karate, juggled 4 sports during the year, and surfed 3 hours a day in the summer? Lastly, how much can be placed on the fact that I had both active and positive adult role models in my life, and in my imagination (Lawrence Taylor and Mike Tyson come to mind…)?
 
 
My mother took karate with my brother and I. I remember her hurting herself kicking a heavy bag in our basement like a maniac. I have photos of her hauling in a huge striped bass and kayaking in a wetsuit. My father regularly took my brother and I swimming, hiking, fishing, and played sports with us at the park. His current routine involves hitting the gym 6 days a week, and he’s missed less than 5 days in the last 3 years. We owned sporting equipment, and it didn’t collect dust. When I moved to Nantucket, the first thing my stepfather bought me was a beat up surfboard. After patching it up together, we spent every evening paddling in the Atlantic Ocean. In the winters, we boxed together at the Boys and Girls Club.
 
 
Sometimes “playing” was fun, but a lot of times it wasn’t. I dreaded sports practice, no exceptions. I hated running wind sprints, showering with my friends, and being told I lacked “pride”. But I showed up, day after day. Back then they actually made you change into gym clothing and participate in gym class. Unlike many adults, I didn’t take days off because I was sore or didn’t “feel” good. I wasn’t an acceptable excuse to say I had a really stressful math class. I can remember throwing up during football practice and continuing to practice afterward on an empty stomach. Fuck it, it’s what we did.
 
 
 
It takes effort to be fit and healthy. But that effort is invaluable in its rewards. It’s no secret that diet and exercise are key components of healthy living, but we fail to realize that “giving a shit” and “doing things you don’t want to do” are the other half of the equation. I could empathize with those who claim that exercise grows harder with age, but that’s disrespectful to people who continue to work hard throughout their years (my grandpa Doug taught me to rollerblade and played lacrosse with me in his late 70s). Perhaps the king of playing though is my stepfather, Ron. At 59, he traded in his hip for a new one, and was forced to replace the surfboard with a surf kayak… Poor guy. Every time we talk, he jokes with me about my weight. He is well aware that many people my age fall prey to the tempations of their new found freedom and disposable income. “So what are you fat these days?” he might ask bluntly. Maybe he’s busting my chops, but what he’s really saying is: “you better not be”.
 
 
 
Obesity, or fatness as we once called it, is a topic that I find extremely important yet difficult to address. It has become increasingly taboo to discuss obesity, for fear of being offensive or insensitive. But the fact that this is because people are becoming increasingly obese should be a concern. I wrestled with this post (it burns more calories than struggling) for fear of hurting my friends and loved ones. But this is my opinion. I think that bad foods are extremely addictive, deadly, and yet, tolerated substances. We are equally dependent on our excuses that insulate us from exercise and play. But as adults, if we can restore our own playful natures, I believe we can set a standard for future healthy and fit generations. If you consider that the possibilities are limitless for your own play, no longer regulated by an oppressive gym teacher or butch cheerleading coach, we can enjoy our playtime like we never have before. Or we can put it off until next week.

2 responses so far

Dec 09 2008

A Nod to the Voiceless

Published by Peter under Unplugged

Several days ago I met with a friend in a Starbucks in a failed attempt at seeing a movie (nothing good on, but what else is new?). We sat at a counter next to a window and traded funny stories about school and work, scratching our heads once again at the grossly materialistic and self-absorbed nature of the people we’d crossed paths with.

A homeless man sat nearby. His faded black sports jacket looked like it had seen many a spin cycle, years of dirt and travel laced into its threads. He wore worn-down red skateboarding shoes and faded slacks. His heavily tanned calloused hands looked like old tree branches, with more caked dirt under his fingernails to match his jacket. His black hair was combed back and he did not smell of showerless weeks. His moustache and beard were long but appeared trimmed. His eyes were calm and dark brown, no furrow in his brow, with few wrinkles permanently etched into his forehead.

As my friend and I continued to talk, I noticed the homeless man moving his hands and face, making conversational gestures towards the window (read: no one). He sipped his coffee slowly like an actor sipping water during a rehearsal.

Closing time came quickly and an employee approached us and asked if we would like a cookie that would be thrown away if we didn’t want it. I took it and thanked her, sneaking a glance at the homeless man who was still having an intense discussion with his reflection. Continue Reading »

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