Are We Just a Bunch of Sisyphuses?

I was listening to Lucky Bitch Radio yesterday and Wanda had as her guest, Lady Bunny. Now I have heard of Lady Bunny, seen the pictures and the various and sundry video clips of this famed drag queen and was expecting something similar.

I was bowled over. Not only is this drag queen deliciously raunchy, indulgent, and tragically fabulous but she is also eloquent and very well read when it comes to current events, analyses of popular culture, and the decline of western civilization, but I digress.

During the podcast the topic of 9/11 came up. I know right, groan groan how many times do we have to discuss that day? Hasn't everything already been said? Well, maybe not. Lady Bunny brought up a question that I have had in my head for a very long time but have never vocalized for reasons of being labeled as a sympathizer with the terrorists, but who am I to care about labels, especially when the couldn't be further from the truth.

So here's the question, the million dollar question that no one seems to want to ask and yet the answer to could possibly hold so many solutions to our current predicament. The question that I think was hastily overlooked and cast aside and replaced with a vicious streak of vengeful bloodlust. A question that I myself overlooked to embrace my carnal desire to seek revenge on those who attacked us but lingered in my head from the start of all of this:

Humans are to a certain extent capable of senseless acts of violence but I have to believe that we have some shred of good left in us as a species, that we do not go around killing people for no reason. With that in mind we have to ask ourselves, as a nation, what did we do to these people to motivate them to want to kill us?

Terrorism is unlike conventional warfare in that it isn't really about land or technological superiority so its almost a distillation of what is at the core of all war, ideology. So why aren't we using our heads as weapons? To write off terrorists as "evildoers" doesn't answer the question, its simply a distraction. One the best teachers I ever had would incessantly yell at us in analytical literature class, "Don't tell me what! Tell me WHY!" You can kill people all you like, but ideas and reasons are beyond bodies and can't be destroyed by bullets and bombs. If we fail to realize that then all of this will happen again and we'll be trapped in a Sisyphean cycle, pushing that boulder up the hill only to have it roll back down again. It would do us more good to use our resources to find and treat the cause of this problem rather than waste time and lives treating the symptoms.

Krebs Cast #38: I am calm

Krebs Cast #38

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I am so calm in this episode. My weekend was so great and thoroughly relaxing and I just recount my experiences and reflect on the trip. Some of the topics range from the fragility of our own bodies to the holistic experience of touching an artifact in an effort to connect to it to the therapeutic advantages of travel. Sit back and relax with me.

Podcasters Unite!

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Maritime
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Houston Photos Part 2

After touring the campus of Rice we decided to head over to a shopping center that was close by to find something to eat. In our exploration we stumbled upon Chloe Dao's boutique, Lot 8.

Eventually we spotted Kahn's, a local jewish deli. We had no knowledge of this establishment but it was such a happy accident that we stumbled onto this place. We had the best hot pastrami sandwiches I have ever had besides Katz's. A hot pastrami sandwich is best accompanied by a Dr. Pepper made with real Imperial Sugar cane sugar, not the kind with the corn syrup, YUCK.

We sat outside and ate our lunch watching the really pretty clouds coming up from the gulf.

After lunch we headed over to the galleria area of Houston. This is where Williams Tower is located and I found my new favorite skyscraper. Skyscrapers are a bit of an obsession of mine and I just love love love Williams tower for the fact that it has an art deco style and is yet still ultra modern. Add it to the list of reasons why I think Philip Johnson was a terrific architect.

Around the galleria area the streets labels are on giant chrome rings suspended over the intersection. Additionally all of the lamp and traffic light posts are chrome and it makes for a very clean, space-like environment, quite suiting for Houston.

At 901 feet (about as tall as the Chrysler building) the Williams tower is by some standards the tallest building in the world that is not in a "central business district." I hope you enjoyed that useless fact. I did.

At the base of Williams tower is another reason to love Philip Johnson, The Water Wall.

From inside the waterwall looking back at Williams tower.

From the back of the waterwall looking towards the tower.

The walk signals look like Cylons.

After the photo buffet at Williams tower Brad took us to The Beer Can House. This house was owned by an old man who basically covered it in old beer cans. He died and the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art has taken it over and are working to restore it.

I love repetition of ordinary elements in design and the fence captivated me.

There's a Bookstop that is in an old movie theatre. I love when buildings get repurposed and I applaud large companies when they do this rather than building new big box stores. In any case the murals inside the old theatre were restored and were quite impressive. Here's the ceiling.

A wall.

Brad at the Waterwall at night.

Waterwall at night, I think this is the best time to see it.

I love House of Pies, aka House of Guys. This is an old 24 hour diner and I love it because the pie is excellent, the decor hasn't changed since it was built, and the waitresses wear uniforms and are super friendly and call everyone "sugar" and "hon." I highly recommend it whether drunk and in need of some sobering late night food or just because you need that slice of pie.

Houston Photos Part 1

Our trip to Houston was great. Its so delightful to leave your familiar surroundings for a couple of days and hit reset and it's something that Brad and I have to do more of. The only issue is that we live in the galaxy of Texas on Planet Dallas and the the only other planets worth visiting are light years away. In any case we headed out of Dallas on Friday to Houston.

There isn't much south of Dallas on I-45. This Whataburger in Ennis was pretty much the last thing until Hunstville, thats where they have the prison and execute lots of people.

The void.

To fill the void eat these.

As you get closer to Houston its quite clear that Texas has piney forests. I was pleasantly surprised and I enjoyed the setting sun through the trees at this rest area.

We got into Houston at around nine on Friday, checked in and drove around some to get our bearings on the city. After some exploration we crashed in our room.

The Houston skyline. I enjoy it greatly.

Also, Houston has many parks, the largest being the foresty Memorial Park, and people use them. It was quite shocked to see people out given how humid it was but was pleased that the city parks were being used. The park in foreground is along the Buffalo Bayou.

After viewing the Body Worlds 3 at the Houston Museum of Natural Science with the lovely Mikey Pod, we headed over to Brad's alma mater of Rice University.

I love the style of the architecture at Rice, its mediterranean but has the perftec touch of whimsy. The campus is shockingly insulated from the city and seems like the perfect place for the pursuit of academics.

All of the capitals of the columns on the main quad at Rice have ornate reliefs on them. Each one of them features what I believe are prominent figures in academics. My guess is that this one is Plato or JoeMyGod.

Brad and the entrance to Rice.

The relief surrounding the arch of the entrance to Rice.

Brad.

On the campus of Rice is the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, so named after the 61st Secretary of State. Because I am a history nerd and I had to take a picture next to this piece of the Berlin Wall that sits outside the institute.

Thats enough photos for now but I promise I have more to show you and I am also going to share my thoughts on Houston, Body Worlds 3, and the trip in general in my next podcast. More to come real soon.

Janice:Faye::Adam:Elmo

Have a great memorial day weekend everyone! If you haven't listened to Krebs Cast #37, I'll be in Houston and will be taking lots of pictures. I hope to be able to post them on the blog as they come in (I heart digital photography).

In the mean time please explore all the other content on the blog and the podcast.

I leave you with a photo analogy to ponder.

Krebs Cast #37: The Other Fox in The City

Krebs Cast #37

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Joining me on this episode is my friend of years gone by, Myka Fox. Myka and I have known each other since high school and therefore have many stories of hijinks and ballyhoo to share. Join us as we recount stories of how we met, awkward sex, breast reduction surgery, and how Myka played the xylophone in marching band.

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Picture of me, Myka, and Co. c. 1999.

Myka's MySpace

Sticky Crows

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HRC

The Shanghai Restoration Project

The Shanghai Restoration Project
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Krebs Cast #36: JayT Redux

Krebs Cast #36

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I'm joined by one of my favorite fellow QPodders, JayT from JayT Online. He joins me again on the Krebs Cast for an afternoon podcast discussing a myriad of topics. Its tea time for geeks as we coalesce the podcasting ether and other forms of post-modern slop. Sit back and enjoy!

My New Favorite Shirt

There are a lot of shirts that are available for purchase on Cafe Press that express political or social sentiment across your chest. I bought this one:

I felt that it clearly stated my opinion on two issues concisely and without any ambiguity....just in case there was any confusion on my stance on either one of those issues.

Moses Supposes His Toeses are Roses

I can't stop watching this. The end is the best part!

Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead

Well its the end of an era. Will & Grace, or as I like to call it Two Women and Their Eunuch Clowns, is over. Well maybe now gay people will reclaim their edge and go retreat to being a fringe group instead of everyone's favorite Thursday night freak show.

Now that this sickly sweet sugar coated neuter festival has been put to bed, so long as you don't channel surf over to Lifetime (now I'm really going to have to get the Golden Girls on DVD), I'm ready to welcome back the mythical days I've heard about from Joe My God and The Farmboyz. The days where being gay was about being yourself with no regrets and not playing into ambiguous hetero-normative roles for the enjoyment and approval of "The Heartland."

Fuck the heartland. I'm fucking tired of playing to the middle, playing it safe and the portrayals in mainstream media that go along with that. If you don't like us or how we live our lives then you don't have to talk to us, you don't have to watch our television, you don't have to buy our clothes, you don't have to buy our shoes, we'll stop designing your homes, you don't have to have us plan your weddings, mitzvahs, sweet sixteens, and all the other fabulous bullshit in your life that makes you feel special. You want us to amuse you? Then you get everything that comes with it.

My whole life I've been subject to the images of man and woman doing all the things that they do normally in life on television and in film. They kiss, hold hands, date, marry, divorce, fuck and its all okay because as long as the story ends with a penis going into a vagina it's a go! To think that that a whole generation of young queers had to grow up with this muppet show as some kind of example of what it is to be gay is sickening. So I hope everyone got a good laugh out of the Eunuchs cause I think its time we changed channels and returned to our regularly scheduled selves replete with snark, sexuality, sensuality, obscenity, fabulousness, excess, self loving, self loathing, self denial, pain, joy, life, death, living with no regret or veils as to who we are, and most of all refusing to play into YOUR version of OUR lives.

So I raise my virtual blogging glass of champagne and say goodye to this craptastic series and...Sean Hayes, you suck.

Krebs Cast #35: Finding your "Fat Girl" with Ash Christian

Krebs Cast #35

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On this episode of The Krebs Cast I interview Ash Christian, the writer, director, producer, and star of the new movie, Fat Girls.

We discuss the movie, Ash's road to where he is now, and what is coming up in the future for this young, burgeoning talent.

Go check out the website for the movie at FatGirlsMovie.com and be sure to keep an eye out for the movie coming to a theater near you.

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We, the Vehicles

Maritime
Flameshovel Records

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Hysteria

Da Vinci Code movie a target for US evangelicals.

I don't understand why there are people coming out of the woodwork over The Da Vinci Code. The book is fiction. If your religion and belief system is so fragile that it can be torn down by the movie adaptation of what is basically a pulp novel starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tatou then I suggest you seek and subscribe to a higher truth.