The Beatles Place in History

Why them? While Then? Why Now?

How are they just seen as probably the most universally lauded band on this earth? Was it just the time period? Was it the music? Or was a lost generation looking for something to give them hope and the Beatles were it?

This is sad because I am going to one day be considered a "historian" and I am already starting to think like one. While the Beatles write absolutely beautiful music that is in itself "timeless", I believe the culture of that period made them the legends that they would be for generations after John Lennon was killed.

When the Beatles were creating music, America was in neckdeep in the turmoil of the communist scare. Father Russia was breathing down our necks and like a teenager, we weren't giving into his demands no matter how horrific the stakes were. This was also the hayday of the Civil Rights Movement and things weren't looking up.

So when the Beatles touched American soil for the first time in 1964, we needed them.

Khaliq Nizami states that, " Once a social idea appears at such a stage of human suffering it grips the masses and becomes a material force. "

While someone could say it is a stretch to think that the Beatles were a social idea, I don't think it is a stretch at all.

It seems that the phrase "All you need is love" isn't dormant on most people's minds.

At that time, people were just looking for love. No War, No Segregation. While you cannot make that general assumption for all strata of society, it was enough of the population to make the entire idea of the 1960's that of uprising and reformation.

The "war" in Vietnam is over. Minorities have the right to vote. Yet the ideas of the Beatles still spark the nations interest. While a familiar tune can go a long way, the idea of hope and love that encompase the Beatles music is timeless as long as we are alive. For there is a new war and the struggle for civil rights is far from over even though it isn't as actively in the limelight.

In the midst of all of this, all we long for is love. All we need is love, even when it seems so out of reach. That is why I believe the Beatles live on to this day and will spark the minds of generations to come.

I am not an expert on anything, if you have any comments or disagree, let me know.

Late Night Dining

Oprah has told countless Americans to not eat before they go to bed. I know that Oprah is broadcast to many nations, but America is the only country stupid enough and sufficiently equip to gorge themselves before bed time. I just had a large burrito and I am not feeling so well. The sad part is that it didn't even seem like a good idea at the time. It is like when you are locking your keys in your car and you are watching yourself close the door. Depressing. Anyway, My botched knowledge/rationalization tells me that if I drink extra coffee in the morning, the little kick the caffeine gives to my digestive track will even me out. I know this doesn't make sense. That is why nobody ever locks their keys in their car just once.

These blogs may make a reader think that my life is coming out of its hinges. It is not. The last blog has helped me put more time into the Bible, yet I still watch Lost. I am not perfect, yet as time goes on I am slowly learning that the scales are tipped in the wrong direction and I just need to take the time to recalibrate.

Life is good. My girlfriend got a blog. She is amazing. I will put a picture of her up here soon. She is soooooo beautiful.

Listening: Mars Volta, Nada Surf

There is Never Enough Time for the Things that Will Pass Away With Me

I don't know what it is. I am sure this transcends all generations, but it seems there is never enough time to do the things that I want to do. "What I want to do" is usually meaningless things that will not advance me in this life. Unless your idea of progress is being able to recite musing facts from ABC's Lost verbatim.

That example hits close to home because as I am sitting at my new job, I am dreaming of finally getting home and watching the third season of Lost. As I dilligently/belligerently look how to stream episodes online, I am careful not to get a glimpse of messageboard spoilers that might give away crucial facts. This would of course would put a damper on the "fun" that I have lined up for this evening.

Why am I dreaming of this crap? I know my life is but a vapor but it seems I have chosen to focus on what Jack and Kate are doing on this Island. I do believe, that the Bible has all the answers and everything that I need to shine in this lifetime, yet I do not give 1/8 of the time to the Bible as I do to trying to find out what the hell is happening on a single episode of that God forsaken show.

This is tonight and tonight will be over. Yet, there is always a chance to get "Lost" lurking over mine and everyone's head. That need to fill and consume. Engage. Consequently, the fantastic people running our nation have found out how to channel our needs for their good.

This is a very Lost blog. It meaning and in importance/coherence. But it still lingers. We cannot seem to put our fingers on these feelings. But they are alive and if we don't strive to break from them, we will always appease them. Which is why I am here right now. Writing to you guys. Just filling myself until I need some more.

Listening to a lot of: Killswitch Engage, Slipknot, Ryan Adams (Odd?)

American Gladiators

I don't really know what to say. I witnessed the rebirth of one of the greatest television events this world has ever seen. I watched the first breathtaking hour of American Gladiators and instead of being completely distraught and aggravated at NBC for destroying one of the best shows ever, I was pleasantly surprised. I loved how they maintained the spirit of the show and stuck with the gaudy attire that housed these muscular beasts. There was muscles flying every which way, water that was temporarily a flame, and.... HELLGA!
Yet... Most of All There was Spirit...Passion...and a new hope for a world ravaged with war and civil discontent.

I think American Gladiators can and will give America the hope to press on... and if it doesn't at least we get to see people in spandex being degraded by people three times their size.

When Bad Ideas Continue to go Bad

When I first started this blog I thought, "Great, not a single person listens to me. So, I need a viable alternative to just talking to myself out loud. After all, I feel as though I am the funniest man alive. Although this ego centric view isn't seen as one of my most loving features according to other people(people not funny enough for me to mention their name), it is still very true. I am my own number one fan.
For Example: I will say a witty remark to someone that will completely change their sense of what they know is funny. This is just second nature to me so I forget that I said it, while the other person is just floored with how inferior they are to my hilarity. They will then try to steal my thunder and recycle my words over and over again just to make themselves feel better. Finally, they will then say it back to me at a later date and I will think it is so funny. However, as soon as I find out that I was the origins of this comedy, I will usually just say, "that makes sense."

For those of you who followed along, thank you for basking in my love for myself. For those of you who couldn't keep up.........I don't know what to say. I feel bad for you now and I don't even know you....This is awkward.

Anyway, When I first started this blog, I thought this would be a great way for me to get my thoughts out into the world. Yet, School and a girlfriend consumed most of my time. This is ok, because I love giving all my time to my education and my girlfriend, I just wish that I had more time to give you what you all want, which is my thoughts.

Just so you know, I am feeling good. I am alive. I am on break. I am filling my time watching the Ken Burns documentary: The War. This...is surprisingly not as funny as I thought it would be. The rest of my time is filled with a lot of Academy Award winning films such as: Psycho (Best Black and White Creepy Film), Santa's Slay (Best Movie Starring Bill Goldberg), Halloween, Hatchet (Not the Gary Paulson book), The Devil's Rejects, House of 1,000 Corpses.... You get the picture.

This is very much an unintentional Rob Zombie break. I have even watched his films with Directors commentary. This has yet to make any impact on my life.

Also, I am reading the distinguished author Dean Koontz. If you haven't read his books, they usually deal with gripping plot lines that include Pulitzer worthy characters such as, Boy, Girl, Giant Spider, Elvis, Another Giant Spider, Alien, Dog-Monkey, Monkey-Dog.

I know what your thinking. "But Reid! Why I am so bored with my life that I am actually reading your blog and posting comments (Which nobody has)?"

This hurts my feelings, but let's pretend you asked.

"Reid, why after a grueling quarter at school, reading intense history books, taking care of friends and family, and keeping up with your band (JRuss&the T's), are you just filling your vacation with mindless crap?"

My answer to this is......yes. Because I don't know how to answer it any other way. I just am.

Love, Greed, Lust, and the Holiday Season,
Reid

Horror Movies

I constantly find myself in this situation. I fight everything that I know can be described as rational thought to stay up late to watch horror movies when I should be getting sleep. I don't really watch movies that much anymore. Which makes it more puzzling to try and understand why only late at night I get a craving to watch some horror movies. This doesn't happen very much, but when it does, I wake up in the morning wondering why my standards of living stoop so low in the late night hours. When I do indulge in a movie, it should be good, educational, and most importantly...guilt free.
When I was younger. The movie child's play terrified me. I remember sleeping on the floor in my brother's room because I kept hearing footsteps in my room. Even though it was all in my head, those little feet tapping across my white carpet nearly ruined any chance of good sleep. What makes it even more bizarre was that I was well on my way to three hundred pounds at the time. (I was really hungry, but that's another story). I didn't seem to realize that the size difference would make quite an immense challenge for the little guy. Although my severe sedentary lifestyle would give him virtually an immobile target, I doubt that whatever sharp object he could muster in his little hands would barely be able to pierce my impenetrable wall of...well...fat.
So when I finally reached the age of realization that one chance encounter with Chucky (His Surname) would end in me slaying him, I embraced horror movies.
I started to watch them and wonder why I was afraid it the first place. I like to see the ways people deal with fear. Whether being chased by a doll, or a man in a mask, or a Kitten named Friskers who has an insatiable thirst for blood, I like to see how people handle scary situations. The uncertainty of Death is the one thing that everyone has in common and remains the one topic that not many really chose to explore. When we explore this "dark side" if you will, it can be a good coping mechanism for an uncertain future.
There are many different reasons why someone may want to watch these films. Whatever my reasons, they certainly aren't reasonable enough to watch some of the crap that I do.
Which brings this little charade full circle. There really is no good reason why I watch this filth. Yet, sometimes I am still drawn to it. I'll try to tone it down, but you know what they say...................Please someone give me a musing anecdote so I don't feel so bad for watching these movies. It's starting to get really depressing.

Little Seahorse

I really don't know why I am doing this right now. I believe that this is more for myself than anyone else. I don't really have any fun or musing things to say on a daily basis. However, I do believe I am very perceptive to human awkwardness or suffering. While that sounds slightly morbid or just plain creepy, I like to people watch. I want to take the time to see why people are the way that they are. Why they do the things that they do. I am part of this life sentence of an observation experiment. I constantly do things that I am like, why the hell did that happen?
All I know is that if it was important enough in my own brain to do something as outlandish as start a blog, then I have something to say. Whether or not you hear it, at least it is out there.
It will be out there.

I will talk about music.
Random things I see in my day to day.
How I am feeling.
Other things that I know really won't be exciting to anyone else but me or my twin brother Garrett Fogaltine, whom I am still convinced exists but probably not under that moniker.

I hope you enjoy random posts about absolutely nothing. Yet, for some reason or another, have importance to me. Its ok, I like me.

Listening: Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon