I’ve been MIA for a long time. I should have bought the domain bloggingisdead.net instead (hey, maybe I will). As a 16-year-old writing egocentric bullshit with no context, I would receive 20 comments per post. As a 20-something student in competition with Facebook, microblogging, and photoblogging, I don’t have a chance in hell. Needless to say, I’m not as motivated to post as I once was. Everything here is abashedly outdated. I haven’t created a new theme in years. Dozens of e-friends seemingly dropped off the face of the internet. Blogs are dead, but I’m not ready to give up. Bear with me while I pull this all together and figure it out.

I love this video, but the real winner is the song and that Billie Jean beat that grabs you in the beginning.

Michael Jackson isn’t the only influence on Angles; every track on this album has a different sound. Two Kinds of Happiness is so David Bowie (obvious example @ 1:40) while Gratisfaction is Billy Joel straight up (obvious example @ 1:12). Despite my general disdain for when bands completely change their sound, I love this record! I haven’t stopped spinning it since my preorder arrived from Amazon! It really grows on you, so even if you’re loyal to that garage sound The Strokes used to have, you can’t help but fall in love with these songs.

The Strokes aesthetic has really changed though. If you notice their, umm, interesting fashion choices… all that remains is Julian’s leather jacket, a throwback to that dirty Rock n’ Roll sound they used to have. Oh 2001, how I miss you so…

It’s so depressing when indie actors sell out. Zooey Deschanel is the latest tragedy. I was reminded of this with her ads for Cotton Inc a couple years ago, but now she has what appears to be a Three’s Company rip-off called New Girl. This just seems like a move an aging actor would make, not a rising star, and especially not someone known for indie movies.

As a preteen, I recall my uncle Jimmy sending me a big coffee table book called Beyond Beauty which is by Jane Pratt of Sassy and Jane magazine fame. The book featured interviews with young stars like Natalie Portman and Kirsten Dunst. I instantly fell in love with Natalie. It’s funny how we attach ourselves to actors or musicians when they are new and feel this sort of ownership or responsibility over them once they become successful. I guess that is why we regret when they make it big; it’s like they’re no longer “ours” and we have to share. There is definitely something flawed with this thought process but we do it anyway. So, when they go from Garden State to No Strings Attached, we feel cheated and wronged.

In the case of Zooey Deschanel, well, she didn’t just make a bad movie for a quick buck. It’s no longer just a matter of artistic integrity. What turns me off is her blatant display of opportunism and a love of money in the form of ads and sitcoms, and both so early on in a promising career. I guess my punk rock ethic just won’t stand for it.

I always thought it was sort of gruesome and morbid to have an “anniversary” for horrific events like Pearl Harbor or 9/11, but it is important we are reminded how we are all connected in this world. The decisions you and I make every day have an impact. As an American, it is easy to feel isolated from things like war, religious conflict, child labor, ecological disaster, and more, but once in a while in a wonderful or terrible way, we are forced to face the reality that we are not living in a bubble. Our decisions have consequences in other parts of the world, be it in sweat shops where our clothing is sewn, or in rainforests where our trendy furniture begins. We are often the antagonist in situations which are out of sight, thus out of mind, but on occasion, we are victims. As victims, we see the world with more clarity. Never forget what that feels like; don’t trade the role of victim for victimizer. Neither wins. Unite.