There is a unbelievable temptation to try to become a geek philosopher. Take established thinking and re-tell it with a techy-vibe and try to present it as something new. A temptation so great, that I am going to do it. Why not. Its not like I’m alone.

“The Permanence of the Water and the Hills”

Its a question of permanence. As you get older (and particularly when people around you start to die) you lose the sense of the infinite you have when you were young. I first really noticed this when my attitude to collecting changed. There was a time when I would have (and did) collect just about anything. Stamps, coins, football programmes, games consoles, CD’s, VHS cassettes, DVD’s, books, the list is a collection in itself. Over time, my temptation to collect has reduced. I think this is partly due to a new ‘what is the point?’ attitude that makes me think that ultimately all this stuff will just be some a big pile of rubbish that my beleaguered descendants will have to dispose of. This is, of course, terrible fatalistic and, while I’m alive I can doubtless benefit from such thing from the sense of ‘having’ that collectors will know well.

In a less tangible way, I began to wonder about the vast amounts of information I have collected in my head. As many who know me will testify, I know a vast amount of garbage and have, over the years, actively set out to learn more stuff and ‘collect’ more garbage to remember. Obviously, this is handy for well, quizzes mainly, but if it makes me feel better than it does no harm. But unlike physical collections, this accumulation of knowledge will disappear in an instance, all 21 grams of it. Viz, I am RAM.

Of course, when I first read “Being and Nothingness” I don’t think I really understood it (and probably wouldn’t now) but I’m sure JPS wouldn’t have of a clue about blogs either. So there.

Therefore, this kind of thinking compels you to look for some degree of permanence that can come from this accumulation of such easily lost knowledge and experience. Its not really about “nothingness” if you don’t want it to be. Clearly, this is one of the central joys of having children. Not only physical creations but hopefully you can give them the tools they need to have a better attempt at life than you have managed.

Maybe this is at least part of why I write, take photos, blog. After all, barring some massive natural disaster like Internet falling apart under the heat of global warming, this is a very small chance that this blog post may exist when I don’t. Viz, this is ROM.

This is it folks, my legacy, my gift to history, the exam submission on which my existence will be graded by future generations.

D-, could try harder.

Website of the Day:
Hey, you can get some lovely Oak Furniture at Chris Sharp Cabinets.

Track of the Day:
The randomiser re-discovered “Lady Grinning Soul” by Bowie tonight for me. A song so good it has its own Wikipedia page. Well done randomiser, must think of a better name for you, cause that’s a rubbish name and you’re not random either.

As those who know me will testify, I’ve never been too fussed with job titles. I’ve had a few and most are generally meaningless. I’ve always been a fan of a job title scheme based around animals Code Monkey, Sales Weasel, that kind of thing.

These may be ridiculous, but I have started to notice and even more ridiculous trend. Trying to make fairly uninteresting jobs sound more exotic by the use of a really over-stated job title. I was in a jewellers recently and was served by a very competent and pleasant person whose name badge proclaimed the title of ‘Sales Executive’.

Now, I’ve worked in a shop before, I’ve stocked the shelves, bashed the till and NEVER, for a single second, did it EVER feel like I was doing anything vaguely ‘executive’ (it might have been that I had a brightly coloured sweatshirt on).

I’ve seen many other examples of this recently (none of which I can remember sadly, yeah, I know, not exactly well researched this post) but you all** know what I mean, I bet you’ve seen it too.

I’d like to think that no one is fooled by this, especially not those with the names on their lapels. Sure, it makes it better when you go home and tell your family what job you’ve just got.

You can see the Royle Family-esque scene were Anthony comes home and says “I’ve got a job as a Sales Executive” and his Mum and Nana both say “Oooh, Executive”.

Thankfully, trusty old Jim would retort with “Executive my arse”. Well said Jim.

I’m not having a go at the people with these silly titles. Far from it. Good luck to them all. I have to take issue with the idiot HR ‘Executives’ that think this kind of thing is a good idea. Are they fooling anyone? “Executive eh? Wonder if I’ll get a car, maybe an M3?”

Sheesh.

Website of the day:
The art and photography of the amazing Laurin Rinder, because its his birthday today. And he’s a bit good too.

Track of the day:
The Private Psychedelic Reel by the Chemical Brothers has stood the test of time well.
I’d also like to give a special pop-tastic commendation to ‘Come Undone’ by Duran Duran which just came on as I was typing.

** ‘all’ – who am I kidding!