#5 mortality is your master

There’s a funeral coming up.  It’s yours.  When?  Good question.  It’s sooner than you think though.  How do I know?  I know because most people seem to think they’ll live forever.

They won’t.

You won’t.

How you spend every second of every day should be carefully considered.  Why?  Eleven minutes from now, you could be dead.  Head on collision.  Massive heart attack.  Gunshot wound to the head.  Anything really.  Ex-girlfriends with concealed carry permits can be a real hassle.  Trust me.  So can crossing the street.  Your time is coming.  If not today, eventually.  For me, embracing this concept brings a lot of peace and a lot of pleasure.

It works its magic in three ways.

First, it helps me overcome any aversions to instant gratification (see the Ninth Commandment Of Cash for details on this).  Why put off till tomorrow what I might not live to enjoy today?

Second, it helps me temper long term planning.  Fuck your Read more

“it’s not a joint”

I’m a very generous man.  Ha ha ha.  Only kidding.  Can you imagine?  One way I am in fact generous however is with my lighter.  Anything I can do to help someone else enjoy one of their vices without costing me one of mine (aka bumming a cigarette) I’m happy to do.  The other day, a random loan of my blue Bic had me cracking up for the rest of the day.

16th street mall.  AM smoke break.  Cash basking in the Read more

“our town” & your quality of life

One of the most boring plays in the history of theatre is also one of the most popular.  It’s Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.”  It’s boring and popular (especially amongst high school theatre groups) for the same reason.  It’s the easiest production to stage, ever.  Why?  The set consists of three chairs.  Sometimes a table.  Rarely more.  The story is a long, laborious examination of life, choices, and lasting consequences set in the early 1900’s.

Boooooring, I know.  The play has one saving grace.  A concept so profound every human being on earth should keep it in mind.  Constantly.

In the final act of the play, the protagonist finds himself in the after life.  Sort of.  He’s sitting in a cemetary.  Where he was just buried.  He’s not immediately aware of this fact, but after talking to the one other person there (also recently departed) soon realizes not only this, but something Read more

random delight: sanford and son

For as long as I can remember, the “Sanford and Son” theme song has meant one thing:  “Ghetto”.  This badge of dishonor comes from a dozen years or so of my friend Tracy and I humming it when trying to convey ‘low class’.  It never fails to crack me up, especially when Read more

the space of seven breaths

I’ve never been an indecisive man.  This comes not only from a deep understanding of my motivations and needs (see here), but also from a supreme sense of confidence in my ability to choose wisely.  It also has to do with my thoughts on permanence (see here).

In the Hagakure (see here), one passage explains; Read more

lavazza + ellen von unwerth = sexy

Lavazza has a very special place in my heart.  Second place, actually.  In my opinion, it’s the second best coffee on earth.  Right behind Segafredo.  Both are Italian.  Coincidence?  Nah.  Italy’s had some fine fine exports over the years. ;-)  What I never realized about Lavazza is that in addition to tasting great, it has great taste.  Or at least whoever Read more

breaks don’t break my balls (after all)

There’s this girl I know.  She has excellent taste.  For the most part.  She’s an artist.  An innovator.  I look up to her.  She’s something.  Anyway, one thing that’s always racked my brain about her is this;  she says ‘breaks’ are her favorite style of dance music.  For me, thinking about the word ‘breaks’ always brings to mind another word.  A bad word, in Cash parlance:  “DNB”.  Aka “Drum and Bass”.  I hate this stuff.  It’s all machine gun snares, merciless 180 bpm rhythms, and grating, choppy strangeness for days.  You have to dance to it in slow motion, following only every other beat.  It’s nasty.

Well, I used to think breaks and DNB were the same thing.  Guess what?  They arn’t.  A recent trek through the outer reaches of Imeem’s random play feature opened my eyes.  “Breaks” are like “intelligent DNB”? “Tolerable DNB”?  Something like that.

They’re mysterious.  Kind of sexy.  Atmospheric.  Definitely danceable.  Think David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti - with a sequencer.

Two fine examples (I’d love to learn more, comment away with suggestions);
(click ‘play full song here’ if they’re those dumbo 30 second samples)

Intensify (PMT Remix) - Way Out West

What Sounds Are - Chris Carter

cash labs: the perfect buzz

The most dangerous substance on earth?  It’s not what you think. Not by a long shot.  Ready, fire, aim, fire:  It’s booze.  Good ol fashioned, available at your local kwik-e-mart, booze. Keg beer and single malt scotch.  Peppermint schnapps and juniper infused gin.  Vanilla vodka and Pabst Blue Ribbon by the can.. booze.

Oh, it’s a devious devil alright.

Thinking back over my last few years of, uh, Read more

the good life = sleeping kittens???

My people have interesting lives.  Good lives.  Crazy lives.  A recent text explaining one of their experiences (which they had, surprisingly, stone cold sober), Read more

redken for men - high rise hard wax review

Redken’s promo princesses in NYC recently sent me a puck of their new “High Rise” hard wax for review.  I must say I’m impressed.

The included press release outlines the features (protein / beeswax / humidity resistant / high styling memory / low shine) as well as benefits (strengthens hair, maximum hold, natural finish).

My initial reaction to it was ‘this shit is weeeird’.  Read more

Next Page »