One of the good ones

Following in Brian's example I present a poem by Jeff Nelson. Brian and I have known Jeff now for 7 years. Jeff is one of the best poets in Detroit and is about to head off to a national poetry competition in Miami after winning Detroit.

Good...
God damn it! Stop calling me that!
I hate it when you call me that!
The good Samaritan.

Is that the only story of His you even know?

Stop pulling me out
every time you want some group of little kids
to be "good" or do "good".

You know, He never called me that!

The "good" Samaritan
When you call me that
you act as if I did
something...
unusual

Well, fuck you! Is that good enough for ya'!

I didn't do anything my dad
or my brothers or any of my friends
wouldn't have done.

You think you can get away with calling me that?
Well, you don't even know what you don't even know...
that my mother taught me what her mother taught her
what her mother taught her before that...

See I come from a place
where you could be six blocks from home
doing somethin' you know you weren't
supposed to be doin'
have some lady you've never seen before
catch you doin' it
have her take you by the ear,
march you the six blocks
back to where you came from,
preachin' at you the whole way
about how she knew that your momma,
a woman she did not know,
had raised you to do better
and when she finally got to your house
would knock on your door,
introduce herself to your momma,
who would invite her new found friend
in for coffee and cookies so they could
discuss the situation
before you got the whoppin' of your life
for disgracin' the family name in the neighborhood

So, don't you call me that!
Don't single me out!
Don't make me the exception!
Don't say that I'm "articulate and clean!"
Don't try to explain my actions away
by imagining that I went to some nice school
the kind of school you send your kids to
probably on some scholarship
to play sports you say to yourself

You call me that so you can ignore the rest of us
ignore our suffering...
and let me tell you what we know about suffering
we know what it means to be
patronized, downsized, minimized,
stigmatized, ostracized, marginalized,
victimized, demonized, brutalized...

So, when I saw that poor bastard lying in the ditch
I just bent down to help his sorry ass
that's it!

I didn't help him because
I'm good.
I helped him because... shit, when you've been in the
ditch yourself...

Forget it... just have a "good" day.

Tears, Idle Tears

I would like to share my favorite poem, written by Lord Alfred Tennyson.

Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean,
Tears from the depth of some divine despair

Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes,
In looking on the happy Autumnfields,

And thinking of the days that are no more.


Fresh as the first beam glittering on a sail,
That brings our friends up from the underworld,
Sad as the last which reddens over one
That sinks with all we love below the verge;
So sad, so fresh, the days that are no more.


Ah, sad and strange as in dark summer dawns
The earliest pipe of halfawakened birds
To dying ears, when unto dying eyes
The casement slowly grows a glimmering square;
So sad, so strange, the days that are no more.


Dear as remembered kisses after death,
And sweet as those by hopeless fancy feigned
On lips that are for others; deep as love,
Deep as first love, and wild with all regret;
O Death in Life, the days that are no more!

a response

While Brian and I don't always see eye to eye, we do sometimes. Has Granholm done a great job? No. I think Brian is a little harsh, as former governor Engler set us up for the failure we are experiencing today. Nevertheless, I won't be sad to see Granholm leave (cue Brian's jaw dropping).

Speaking of cueing things, the movie industry is invading Michigan. I am very close to the effects of this, as my girlfriends father started one of the new production studious that has popped up around the state. This is a great thing.

While Granholm has brought this, and encouraged education through the Michigan promise scholarship, I feel like we could have milked the movie industry idea. Offered it to other industries like Brian suggested. If it could work with the movie industry there's no reason to think that it wouldn't work for others.

Right now it looks like the election will be between Sheriff Bouchard, and Lt. Governor Cherry. I don't know how these two will run yet. However, Cherry is already there, he should be able to start making the changes we need to see.

When it comes down to it I may just be voting Republican for the next election.

I always said I was independent.

Change

Unless you were living under a rock last summer and fall you probably know what President Obama's main campaign platform was. Change. Throughout his commercials, speeches, and public appearances he advocated change after change after change. The majority of voters embraced this idea and he soundly defeated John McCain in the election. Michigan was one of the states that clearly supported Obama and the "change" he advocated.

We stand here now in July 2009 with a little over a year before Michigan's gubernatorial elections. Just as Michigan voters embraced change in the recent presidential election, it is time for them to embrace change in the executive branch of government. Michigan is slated to lose 300k jobs this year which will be the biggest single year job loss since the 1950's.

Michigan currently sits at an unemployment rate of 14.1% which is the highest unemployment rate in the country. It is also about 2% higher than the second ranked state (Oregon, 12.4%) and 4.6% higher than the national unemployment rate of 9.5%. It is true that the entire country is experiencing a recession, but Michigan has been hit extremely hard and our governor has been ineffective in raising the state up.

Come November 2010 Governor Jennifer Granholm will have been in power for eight years. In those eight years Michigan has been in a downward spiral with no signs of stopping. Furthermore, during her time in power Michigan has experienced political crises such as an inability to come to an agreement on the budget which led to a shutdown of the state government. Granholm has also shown an inability to capitalize on economic policies that have been proven to work. The state of Michigan has offered numerous incentives and tax breaks to film makers and studios to film in Michigan. These incentives have brought revenue and jobs to a beleaguered state. However, we have not seen similar incentives made for other businesses which could accomplish the same things that the film industry has. Instead Michigan maintains a ridiculous business tax that does not accomplish anything other than drive businesses away from the state.

During Granholm's time as governor the state of Michigan has faltered and stalled. There is no reason to believe that proposed Democratic candidates such as Lt. Governor John Cherry will do anything but continue what their party mate has started. In November 2008 Michigan very willingly embraced change. In November 2010 it will be time for voters to once again embrace change.

We're BaaaAAAaaack!

After a long hiatus your favorite bloggers here at We Aren't Robots are back and ready to take on everything that the world has to offer.

If there is something you'd like to see us write about feel free to leave a comment or shoot us an email, we'd love to hear from you.

Updated artwork

Easier to read title

New We Aren't Robots artwork

Our newest (and only) art work is here! Now Brian needs to make it the header, or
give me full admin rights!

ASB e-mail

Hi,

I grew up on the very same street you will be visiting (Coast Guard Rd.).  Please say hello to all of my relatives when you visit.  My name is Jude Parfait and I live in Gainesville, FL.  Go Gators!!!  Just had to throw that in there.  My cousin Jamie Billiot happens to be the director of the community center you will more than likely see.  My uncle, by marriage, Kirby Verret pastors the UMC on Coast Guard Rd.

I came across your page on Facebook and though it would be neat for you to meet someone from Dulac before you visited.  I want you to know something about what you are doing.  Many times I have seem church groups and ministries come and do the work of God in Dulac.  As a youth during those times I wanted to say many thanks for all the work that was done.  I never really got the chance.  I want you to know that all the good work you will do will not go unnoticed.  As someone who believes in missions, I know of its impact regardless of the type of work that is done.  For me, I was raised in a Christian home and lived a lifestyle that would be seen by many as poor.  I can't tell you enough of the humbling experience that it is.  The impact of the many church groups visiting during the many summers accumulated into a life of hope and growth in was of Jesus Christ for me.  Today, I prosper well enough to know that somewhere a missionary is doing God's work and I must support them the best way I can.

When you visit Dulac remember the work is just not about putting up a two by four piece of wood or hammering a window in place.  It's about the mission that Jesus place on our shoulders to reach out to all with love and hope.  Thank you!

I hope you have a wonderfully fulfilling time and that you accomplish many things.  Please do take care and bring plenty of bug spray.

Yours in Christ,

Jude

Winzy

Cyber Nations

Here is a great online nation simulator game you can check out. Just follow this link...

http://www.cybernations.net

Meditations from Our heart

The world can be the essential model for our lives if we so choose it to be.  Peace and serenity can be found in the waves that we make.  We is not meant to mean people; rather we is an euphemism for every thing that exists.  We is aphorism.  From the ant on the ground to the lion on the plain to the red oak in the forest to the the ground plain and forest themselves. Living or not we all make waves.  

peace

listen; do you hear us?  do you feel us?  we are there; we can be understood' we can be made whole again.

why do you wage these wars?  why do you hide our voice?  this sound; this energy that we are making?  why do you distract us from the Truth?

the Truth?

ahh yes...  you all claim knowledge of the truth.  you wage these wars to defend your truth; but our Truth is universal.  Our Truth is real, and It is palpable.

Why don't you like our Truth?  Why is your truth better for you?  Our Truth is your truth... Don't you see?  We are you and you are we.  Truth is what our noise is.  feel our waves.  It's there; reach out; feel It.

Do you feel It, our noise?  can you smell It?  Taste It?  do you know It?

listen for It; for It is touching you... We are touching you, and you can not help but touch us.  

Meditate

this is essential.  to truly listen you must clear your head of all but Truth.  Find Truth

My God is your god and gods.  Don't you see?  Truth?

Truth is here and it is you.  

Practice what you will but know the Truth.  Truth is free, and cannot be sold or taught.  Truth is an experience.

Do you love me?

Do you love Truth?

I am truth, just as you are.  To love me is to love Truth, and to love Truth is to love me.  This is unchangeable, for we are Truth.  Do  you see?

Do you hear?

We hear you.

I'm a finely tuned machine

Hey Ya

Did you know that popular music can actually be pretty good?  Or that dance tunes can be tweaked to find greater meaning?

"Hey Ya" by Outkast is in fact an example of this.  That's right, the song that proclaims to women that they should "shake it like a polaroid picture" is actually a pretty good song, and not just to dance to.  It only requires a little bit of tweaking.  This tweaking is pretty basic.  It's known in some circles as making the song acoustic.  

That's it.  Take away everything but the acoustic guitar and vocals and you've got yourself one nice song (and change up the notes a little bit).  Don't believe me?  Listen to it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS2PRP89eqM 

That's all I've got... sorry that it's nothing substantial after such a long wait

Ecivda

What is a gift that everybody loves to give but nobody likes to receive?





Advice

Better received?

I don't know what Brian means when he says that Obama's attack ads have been "better received", but I can see a something different between the Obama's and McCain's attack ads.  There are fewer Obama attack ads.  Maybe that's why they're "better received".  On each campaigns official youtube sight, after looking through 7 pages of stuff from Obama, I had decided that I had searched enough.  I had collected 15 attack ads.  After going through the exhaustive search of McCain's campaigns site I came up with 12 attack ads.  This might leave you scratching your head.  Because, obviously, 15 is more than 12, and that means I found more ads on Obama's site.  Well that is true.  Except my exhaustive search of McCain's site was only of the first page...  That's right, I looked through 7 pages of Obama's stuff and 1 page of McCain's.  That means that Obama averages about 2 ads per page, while McCain averages 12, 6 times the amount of Obama.  Better received or just less negative?  You decide

BTW, both campaigns have ads that are false.  Obama's attack on McCain for hurting jobs in Ohio is false, and every ad McCain has against Obama is false.  Look it up at www.factcheck.org 

Elect Obama Day (And Everybody's Celebrating)

The day is coming. Time stops for no mouse and it certainly stops for no country, no matter how great its need might be. This is unfortunate because, at the moment, it is incredibly clear to me that Barack Obama is going to win the upcoming presidential election. Right now he has John McCain outmatched. He is above and beyond a better speaker which gives him an incredible advantage over McCain, especially in the face of the woefully ignorant American public. His attack ads have been better received, although whether they have more merit than McCain's is open to debate. And finally, he has been able to sit back and allow McCain to undermine himself. McCain recently named Alaskan governor Sarah Palin as his vice president nominee, which detracts from his argument that Obama is too inexperienced for office. Maybe something will come up between now and November, but I doubt it. Which leaves one finally rallying point for the republicans. We cannot hold less than 41 Senate seats. If the democrats gain 60 seats the republicans ability to filibuster will be lost, allowing the democrats to pass virtually any legislation that they want. Which is very, very scary. So I implore upon you, republicans and independents, even if you do not like McCain please go out and vote for your local republican congressmen. Otherwise America could be headed down a dark and terrible path.

Organized Stream of Consciousness

If you haven't guessed, I am a big fan of hip-hop/rap music. This music genre is one that has definitely gained a reputation for promoting sex and violence. In fact, one may be led to believe that every rapper is a weapon carrying pimp or even that inner cities like New York and Compton are filled with hustlers and gangstas. Now I cannot claim to have grown up in "the ghetto" or to possess a lot of "street knowledge". However, I would say it is a good assumption that not only are inner cities not filled to the brim with these drug dealers and killers, but many of these rappers who claim to be such people may not really be so "thug". In fact, if rappers made good on all of their claims and boasts record companies would have to make studios in prisons in order to make more records.

It is clear to me that many of these claims are made in the name of entertainment. Just as actors take on new personas when they film a movie, there are artists who take on a different persona when they rap. It is a great idea too, because it sells records. Nobody wants to hear rap music about a desk job, that just isn't exciting. It is commonly said that the biggest market for rap music is white suburban kids. White suburban kids find stories of the thug life exciting. It is a life entirely different from the one they live, and as a result it is incredibly intriguing.

There isn't really a deep message hidden within this post, it is more of an observation to be shared. Perhaps this observation is one that is perfectly obvious to you, and I am a simpleton who just figured out what you have always known. And if that is true, I offer my congratulations. But then again, a blog can allow me to simply make observations without any clear, underlying meaning. So rappers are entertainers who may not really be thugs, okay. What's the point? Well, there isn't one. This is more of a focused stream of consciousness post than anything else. How else can I explain the transition from rappers to what I can do as a blogger? I can't, but I don't care. Nor do I have to, because unlike publications, I answer to nobody. Of course I don't make any money and clearly not many people visit this blog. But maybe someday that will change. And hopefully at that time I will still be able to grab my computer and shift from topic to topic with no reservation. Otherwise I'll be giving up on why I blog in the first place.

Xikkwfw

good title ay?  it says college if you're wondering.  Brian and I have recently endeavored to go to a mysterious institution known as a University.  We shall never be the same again.

After one week at this place known as CMU, I'd say that this is a fairly good thing.  Relationships have been formed, classes have been attended (sometimes in vain), food has been had, and ERS has been played many a time; and yet there are still 31 more weeks in the year.  

I think Brian would agree with me when I say that college has been, and will be, a great experience.  The people that we have met have been interesting and I love them all.  While some do things that I don't believe in, or hold different views than myself, or no views on some things that I consider very important, I would never trade any of them in.  They are some of the coolest people I know, and can really open up their hearts, minds, and souls to someone like me, a near stranger.  So if any of them read this: 

You are awesome

For real

I'm Back

I'm sure all of you devoted fans of We Aren't Robots have noticed that I haven't posted anything substantial in a while. Unfortunately since mid-July I have not had many chances to blog anything worth reading. A two week trip to Hawaii plus another week spent as a camp counselor alongside college preparation and hanging out with all the friends I won't see for a while take up a lot of time. However, college has arrived and I am close to finally finishing my moving in. Once that is done I promise you loyal readers that you will once again be able to read some (hopefully) interesting blog posts from myself.

The Waiting Game

The best things in life are worth waiting for.

I know, way to start off with a cliché, but I did, so get over it.

Anyway, to say that it isn't true is a total lie and you know it.

I, however, digress.  The Olympics are going on, and this weekend Russia invaded Georgia (not the state you nincompoop), and John Edwards admits that he's had an affair... Wow.

The Olympics are clearly something that are worth the wait, and in fact, if there was no wait they would quickly lose their luster.  Russia waits to attack Georgia, and avoids the complaint and the breaking of international law of launching a preemptive war (even if it really was preemptive anyway).  And Edwards waits to tell everyone about his affair.  

The Olympics are generally regarded as a good thing, and therefore I will leave it out of this discussion.

But Russia... Oh Russia...

Russia tried to avoid the whole stickiness of international law by waiting for some of it's soldiers to be accidentally killed so that it could attack Georgia.  They saw what happened to the US in the eyes of the world, and decided that even though the US has set the precedent of getting away with illegal wars, that they would like support and therefore would wait it out.  This is of course merely speculation.  Turns out they misjudged the world and didn't realize that the world doesn't like war anymore.  They are apparently very messy endeavors, of which no one really wins anything, because no one side is completely victorious.  And so Russia is in a mess.  So now the question is "Was it worth it?"  The answer is: probably not.  The world is not going to let Russia keep Georgia, and, let's be honest, that was Russia's ultimate goal in this.  But alas, the best thing is worth waiting for.  Though I wish that it would come now, Russia and our own country, and Israel, and Sudan, and many other countries seem content on making me wait.  By the way, the best thing is in fact peace.  Oh how glorious that would be.

And John Edwards... another man who succumbed to lust.  As many men know, these urges can be... difficult.... to control.  And many men do fall.  Maybe not to an affair, but perhaps to pornography, or just an inability to commit because they want as many women (or men) as possible.  And so men fall.  And it is never pretty.  And it never feels good.  It is said that men have two brains, and only the weaker of the two is high enough on the body to think clearly, but it is in fact the weaker.  Or to put it simply: Men have a one track mind.  This is, in fact, entirely 

False.

If it wasn't then the world would not be what it is today.  After all up until very recently in history, men controlled everything.  If this was true than there would be a whole lot more people in the world and no technology to speak of.

So why do men have this stereotype and why do so many fall?

That's easy... kind of...

Women just don't know how to keep us focused on what matters.  It's terrible in today's society, where many girls wear clothing that leaves very little up to a mans imagination.  But that's not the problem... or at least not all of it.

Let's be honest.  Women are beautiful.  boys are taught now to look for beauty in two very distinct spots, which, ironically, are the hardest parts to actually see without any covering over them.  Boys learn quickly to find a third spot, a.k.a. the face.  Why?  Because women don't like men starring at the other two spots, and so we try to accommodate, if only just a little bit.

This is unfortunate.  If men decided to be less accommodating and more curious, we would find that women are quite surprisingly beautiful.  If you are a man that has come so far that falling is impossible, then you know this.  If not, then you may still know this, you just really like the whole lust factor, or rather you're addicted to it.  You probably actually abhor it and what it has made you.

If I sound crazy then you should try it on for size.  Really look at a woman.  Top to bottom.  Yes, even those two areas that normally receive your attention.  Those areas might be the most sexual areas, but are they really the parts that move you?

Does her hair, and the way it flows and captures light not move you?  Or how about her eyes?  You surely know that her eyes are full of passion, yet are tender and powerful.  How about her ears?  What?  Didn't think to look there?  Well... do.  Her ears are a delicate part of her that allow her to use her lips to speak to you and respond to you.  Oh yes, the ears are indeed a beautiful part to her. 

I could keep going, but I would like for you to figure some of the stuff out for yourself.  Men, we don't need to fall.  I believe that it is a struggle that all men go through, while being unnecessary, it is still something that we deal with.  But, oh the beauty of the female body.  Every part of her should illicit an emotional response.  A Joy if you will.  If you are single then look at women with joy until you find one you can focus on.  If in a relationship, then learn who she is.  Be mesmerized by her.  Learn every part of her, but do it with the intention of finding joy in her.  In every single part of her.

This is far more fulfilling than any fall could ever be.  Let her be your world.  It's O.K., she won't mind, and neither will you.  And the best part is, that you won't have to fall, and you won't have to wait.  You see because waiting to me sounds like you've been wanting something.  But if you do what I've told you to do then waiting is not something that you'll have to do, because you won't want to.  She can sustain you without sex.  And when you're ready, when the "wait" is over it will have been worth it.  

So I guess that since you won't actually be waiting then I must admit I was wrong, because I did not finish what I needed to say.

The best thing in life is worth waiting for, but you don't need to, because the best thing in life is not sex, but the joy of her.

To bad Edwards didn't get the memo.