I promised you that Cultural Oxygen was coming soon, I really did. See above if you don't believe me.
So here it is.
But WHAT is it? That my friend will be post two, maybe even three...
First things first (as opposed to first things last which doesn't really work): a message from Andrew WK courtesy of Andrew WK Archive, sent to me by lifeaccordingtodool.blogspot.com
It is quite the diatribe and being the impatient thing you are (not to mention you're probably reading this from work), you've probably already read further down to see exactly how long a diatribe it is. Stick with it, ye shall be rewarded.
Our Time Has Come
Andrew W.K.
Our time has come! This is our chance, and to let it pass by would be an absolute disgrace! This is our time, and not just our time, but ALL people, it is ALL of our times! We are not just individuals - not each person on their own, but rather the entire human race grouped together - that is who we are! And it is our time! Our time has come! It has arrived, and it's a good thing that it's come now and not a moment later or it would have come too late! We are at the deadline! Today is the time to start doing all the stuff that we've been putting off, or saving for a rainy day - now is that day! This is the moment where all that you've done can been used to achieve all that you'll do! If you give everything you have you will get everything that you want! Everything for everything! It's a fair trade! For the first time we realize that if we don't do it, it's not going to happen! And if we don't do it right now, we won't be able to do it ever! This is it!!! And we also see that it isn't going to be easy! But we don't care! We want it too badly to be lazy! So bring it all on! In one giant overwhelming chunk!!! We are going to be able to do stuff that we never thought we could do before! Life is too short! So much of the time we're thinking about what we've done, and what we're going to do, but we need to think about what we ARE doing! Right now! And how do we feel about it? And do we want it to be something else - something better? And what is better? And what is the whole point anyway? And where do we begin? And why should we start now anyway? Because right now might very well be the last chance we will ever have! Because today might be the last day that we're alive - that any one's alive! Tomorrow might not ever come, and we should work to do everything we can with the day that's given to us - and that way if tomorrow does come we will have earned it! Don't take the easy way out! Don't think about it later! Don't wait until you feel more like doing it! Live right now! Don't feel guilty and let it slow you down! If you do feel guilty then use that to drive you into doing all you can! Never stop trying to do more! The time for resting and taking it easy is over! The time for being easy on yourself is long gone! We no longer have that luxury! We no longer deserve that luxury! For far too long we have done too little with too much! We have taken everything and given nothing! It's not about us and it never has been! It's about everything else! It's not about you! It's about everything! It's not about YOUR world! It's about THE world! We keep on building up and defending this illusion that somehow we have the right to be selfish! We should not indulge in anything that keeps us from realizing that we are all in this together! We should be happy! We are alive - and nothing should get in the way of us being happy about that simple fact. Knowing that fact, and realizing it as truth, and I mean, REALLY realizing it, not just looking at it as some sort of cheesy philosophy that you hear all the time, but living and dying by it - that should keep you happy no matter what - NO MATTER WHAT! We hear it all the time because it's true. It's also pretty intense. And because it's so simple it can be overwhelming - but in the best way! It is not something to be afraid of! And if you're not afraid of it, good! Now go out and put it to use! We say that we know and understand everything - then why aren't we living like it? LIVE LIKE YOU MEAN IT! It's admitting that you're part of something bigger than just you, whether you like it or not. And a lot of the time, we don't want to be part of something bigger. We want to be us. We want to be the one person that is yourself, or myself, and we build our whole lives to fulfill ourselves and to confirm and reconfirm that we exist in this life for us. We are not living beyond ourselves, we pride ourselves on being individuals. And that is appealing and great, but it has so many limits! I don't really know what I'm talking about, and I need to do this as much as anybody! And for all those people out there who say "I know this already!", good, now go spread the word! Because this is not an idea or a concept, this is fact! This is true! So give me a chance! And give everyone else a chance, because this one chance is all we have! What is the point of being human? The point is to push ourselves farther! We should push past the point that seems comfortable and easy! We should aspire to do the stuff that seems completely and totally impossible and insane and work towards it always! And never stop trying! Never settle for less! Be hard on yourself! Demand way more than you feel like doing! Expect all that you have and then some! And never let it go! Never take it easy! Time is really running out! And this time it's for real! It's all coming down to this moment! And it has been for a long time! What are we going to do? Who are we trying to fool? Why are you pretending that today doesn't matter? Do not ignore it! IT MATTERS! What are we trying to prove? These are the actual DAYS OF OUR LIVES! YOU ARE LIVING YOUR LIFE TODAY! Everything you are doing, saying, and thinking! This is not a temporary time that we can mess around with! This is the whole thing! What are you going to do with it? What are you going to do in this crucial moment? This is serious! This is no exaggeration! It sounds dramatic and extreme? THIS IS EXTREME!!! And extreme times call for extreme measures! The human race has never been faced with the set of circumstances that we are faced with now! We can't pretend like this is just another day! This is THE day! This is TODAY! We have never been given today before! We hold it all in our hands! Go find a calendar and look at the date - whatever day it is, realize this: this day will never come again! There will never be another one of today! It is a one shot deal! What are you doing with it? What are you doing with your life? What are you doing TO your life? Imagine what other people would do with your life! Why do we waste our energy on stupid problems that mean nothing? Why do we waste it? Imagine what someone would give if they could live just one day in your life! How are you treating your life? How are you protecting and honoring this crazy miracle that has been placed in your care! You have the responsibility! You have the duty! You have the obligation to live you life for all that it's worth! And this is the time to do it! And we are all being asked to go above and beyond! That is when things happen! As it has often been said: the truest crime is when good people stand by and do nothing! What are you? Are you a good person? What are you doing? Do even more! Take your starting point and push past it! Find something that is really hard and that you don't think you'll ever be able to accomplish - better yet, find something that will benefit more things and people than just you, and devote yourself to it! And don't give up! Stay committed! Stay strong! That is the answer! And it has been all along! And we all know it! The answer is to do everything for everything else! You should come last! And you should be proud too! And that should be how you come first! Bring others up to the levels that you take for granted! Give other people a fair chance at starting from where you start! Use what you've been given to give others what has been stolen from them! Maybe we can't do everything, but we can try! Always trying! It has been said that the only time you really fail is when you stop trying! Do something! As always, something is better than nothing! You can always find a million reasons to say no - to wait - to forget it - to ignore it - when are you going to start? It is too late when it's too late! When you look back and wished that you would have been a little less lazy and a little less scared and a little more driven? Do it because it is the right thing to do! Do it and expect nothing in return - only the satisfaction of knowing that you tried your best! This is why we're alive! This is our potential! This is our mission! This is our time!!! NOW!!! NOW!!! OUR TIME HAS COME!!! LIVE!!! NOW!!! OR NEVER!!!
See you at Meredith Mr. W.K.
Somebody pass me a cigarette...
