Free Thinking Shouldn't Be So Expensive

You know, it's sad really. I know I'm a disappointment to my parents. I'm sure they know it, too. They even probably know that I know it, just as I know that they know that I know it. Still with me? Good.

Anyway, I love my folks, but I can't talk to them. Any time they try to say anything encouraging or talk me up, like tonight's little heart-to-heart, they're just making it plainly obvious how disappointed they are with how things are working out for me. I wish they could be proud of me, but for that to happen, I'd have to do something they'd be proud of.

Sadly, they and I have completely different ideas of what it means to be successful in life. Just the concept of someone living a happy, fulfilling life without a nine-to-five job perplexes them. The idea that money doesn't have to make the world go 'round is completely foreign to them.

Times like this, I'm reminded of Rolling Kansas, yet another movie that proves that every moment of my life that I haven't spent smoking pot was an utter waste, and the fact that I'm not a stoner now completely defies all logic and reason. Anyway, the point I was trying to get to: a line of Dick's from the final part of the movie (I'm paraphrasing, of course):

"My business failed for a lot of reasons, but it was never about money. And if my marriage fails, it's 'cause I didn't try hard enough. We met a guy... who hitch-hikes across Kansas, and he's got to be the happiest guy I've ever met."

You know, I really wish more people could think like that. It's sad the way things have gotten so damn capitalistic. Whoever first said 'money makes the world go round' should be violently beaten with rusty farm implements.

If I could have one wish, it would be to have been born early enough to be a hippie. I'd give my left leg for that lifestyle. Travelling cross-country in some beat-up technicolor winnebago... that's my vision of heaven on earth. I'm a member of a generation that died off before I was born, and it makes me sick to think about.

My only hope is the advent of the Internet will help shake up people's paradigms of how life works. 'Cause if I have to see one more teenager get sucked into the system and spat out into a cubicle, I just might lose what little faith in humanity I have left.

So, that said, I have a proposition for anyone reading this. If you think I'm right, and the world has gone money-crazy and forgotten what it means to really live, email me. I'm going to work on finding a little piece of land where a guy can live in peace without all that crap. I'd love to have company there, so if you're into it, have an idea for where to start, or just have nothing better to do, drop me a line.

Site Review: Zenni Optical

Great Discovery: $8 Prescription Glasses From Zenni Optical

Today, I'm looking at Zenni Optical, a site that sells, and I quote, "stylish prescription glasses". They have a "huge selection of frames with single vision lens, sun-sensor lens, tinted sunglasses lens, bifocal lens and progressive lens available." And, since they sell factory-direct, they can afford to sell their glasses at big discounts, starting at $8 a pair.

Alright, so let's get down to business. First of all, this guy scares the hell out of me:


Aside from that, though, the main page is pretty easy on the eyes. The buttons on the left show all the main categories of glasses, and there's a search bar below that to help you find a specific look.



Here's one pair that caught my eye. They're pretty close to the pair I have now, only way cheaper. There are simple drop-down boxes to choose colors, prescription, and other stuff. I think you have to know something about your prescription to pick out the right type, but otherwise the interface is pretty simple to use. Plus, the form stops you if you make a mistake, so you're not likely to end up accidentally ordering a pair you can't use.

Lastly, there's the shipping cost. The site has a $4.95 flat shipping rate, whether you're ordering one pair or ten. Not bad, considering their offices are in California.

So, all in all, this is a decent site. I'm not in the market for glasses right now, but if I ever accidentally sit on mine and crush them, I'll check this site out. I recommend anyone else needing frames should do the same. Unless you're far-sighted, in which case you probably won't be able to read the screen in front of you without adjusting the text size.

15 F@#king Cents!

Any Dane Cook fans know what that title's about. Anyway, I don't know about you guys, but I always felt bad about the fact that I ignore those 'Sponsor a Child' commercials. It's not because I don't care, though. (I don't, but that's not the main reason). If you add it up, that sponsorship comes to upwards of $20 a month. I can't afford that. As some of you know, I can barely feed myself.

But, good news: I found another way to help the starving kids in Africa, and it doesn't cost a thing. Technically, it'll cost some of your time, but come on. You're on the Internet. You're reading my blog. Can you honestly say you weren't wasting your time already? I didn't think so.

So, as long as you're wasting time, why not put some of it to good use? I found a charitable website with a game online that is also a pretty fun timewaster (once you get past the horrible SAT flashbacks).

http://www.freerice.com/index.php

It's pretty simple: you play a word game, and for every correct guess, they donate more rice, payed for by ad revenue. It's pretty fun, and it's helping do some good in the fight against world hunger.

So, go on. You know you're bored. Start clicking. Feed some starving kids.

(And by the way, this isn't a sponsored post; I'm just doing it for the good karma)

It's 9am in Stockholm

It's been a week, so I figure I should at least post something here.

First off, PT's still going strong. I actually managed to stay on schedule for the past week or so. The Zed Word is starting to wind down, and I'm not sure yet what the next chapter is going to be, so I might miss a week once this story arc is over.

Second, a plea for assistance: If you like this blog, and have a blog or website of your own, please link to me somewhere. I still have a Google rank of absolute zero, which means if I hope to have a steady income, I'll have to, 1) Go back to Price Chopper and beg for more hours, B) Seriously increase traffic here, 4) Do both of those things, or 6) Learn how to count.
(Of course, if you have a site in need of traffic, I'll gladly link to you as well. That sidebar's not just there for gratuitous google ads, after all)

Third, I'm slipping back into the old insomniac habit again. I'm typing this up at 4:30am presently. As much as I love the night, I should probably get back to a normal rhythm. Luckily, I found an easy way to reset my biological clock, should the need arise: around 8pm, take the maximum recommended dosage of allergy meds and Tylenol PM. Then go straight to bed. I'll be in a medicated coma by 9 o'clock, or maybe 10 at the latest. Sleep a straight 12 hours, then wake up at 9am the next day feeling like a million bucks. Of course, if I don't take enough meds, it won't knock me out quickly enough, but if I take too many, there's a chance I won't wake up at all. It's a ballancing act, you see.

Alright, that about does it for now. My next post will probably be another sponsorship deal, assuming I can find one. Otherwise, I might just rant about random crap as usual. Until then, stay loose.

Back on the Wagon

Well, it's been awhile, but I'm finally getting Paradigm Theater moving again. I got a new page of The Zed Word uploaded, and plan on having the next one done in time for an update next week.

http://paradigmtheater.tk/

And if you have any thoughts/suggestions, for God's sake, don't be shy about it!

How Well Do You Know Me?

Well, there's one way to find out. Take the quiz if you think you're up for it. At the very least, you should get a laugh out of it.

Lemme warn you now: the site is kind of a headache, and it's gonna bombard you with spam before you see your results. If that sounds lame, feel free to skip this thing, or just read the questions. Here's the results of whoever's taken it so far:


Create your own Friend Quiz here

Site Review: Ultimate Paintball

If you're anything like me, you've probably thought, "Hey, I wanna shoot somebody, but I don't wanna get arrested." Well, in that case, you might consider taking up paintball. Personally, I've been toying with the idea for years, but never really had the cash to invest in the gear. But, with the holiday season coming to an end, a lot of you probably have some cash lying around from all those cards from aunts and uncles. (I already blew mine on videogames and books, but that's beside the point)

So, the site I'm looking at today is Ultimate Paintball, a company selling all kinds of paintball gear. They sell Tippmann, Spyder, Smart Parts, Dye, Empire, Draxxus and many more brands, which you can find on their website. Their top-sellers are the Tippmann A-5, Tippmann 98 Custom, Smart Parts Ion, and Spyder Pilot ACS.

Layout-wise, the site looks really good. The color scheme isn't too hard on the eyes, the navbar is nicely arranged, and the division of categories and search function in the sidebar make it easy to find what you're looking for. I had my eye on the spyder vs3, but it's a bit out of my price range. Fortunately, there's a nice selection of different guns at reasonable prices, even for a cheap guy like me. The free shipping doesn't hurt, either.

So, all in all, this is a nice resource for the prospective paintball buyer. Whether you're looking for new equipment, or need more ammo or upgrade parts, you'll probably find what you're looking for at Ultimate Paintball.