This reminds me of a recent episode of "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," that featured a segment in reference to China's horrendous air-pollution problem- I believe the segment was entitled "Things May Be Bad, But At Least We Can't Chew Our Air."

XD okay, I'm interested to hear how this came to mind... <3

Well, as the title of this journal implies, all is NOT well in the kingdom- folks can't find work, we're blasting each other (and our children) apart with guns and we seem to be veering closer to a government that favors the obscenely wealthy... but despite all that suck, we A) still have hope and B) live with the realization that, as bad as things might seem, they can ALWAYS be worse.

So as Jon Stewart said... "Things may be bad, but at least we can't chew our air."

So it relates to the fact that even as I'm facing eviction and potential (let's hope not, still plenty of paths to traverse before laying down and dying) divorce, silly videos of adorable k-pop stars can mean the difference between curling up into a fetal position and dancing a little in my seat? Because I'm totes cool with that.

Unless enduring k-pop IS the "worse" in this scenario... In which case.. I'm super-duper sorry! ;3

Does PSY count as K-Pop? Because I'm all about Gangnam Style.

But yes... it's the little fun-things in life that keep folks like us from blowing their brains out during what seems to be our darkest hour. For you, it's fun K-pop videos... for me, it's spending time with family I normally don't get to see that often coupled with such things as Aquabats! music, making cool new prop-weapons out of old bits and pieces, and the occasional episodes of Kamen Rider Wizard and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.

Eeyup... I'm an uber-nerd.

Honestly, the whole "basement dweller mainstream pop nerd" is like the new standard nerd as far as cool goes. So go on with your bad self.

And yeah, I think PSY counts. *thumbs up* you're golden!

What can I say? I like to let my geek-flag fly.

OPPAN GANGNAM STYLE! *does the pony-dance*

I SAW WUT U DID THAR! XD

*bows* Thank you very much, I'm here all week. Try the veal, don't forget to tip your waittress.

But set her back upright afterward.

*hugs* Have I told you lately that I love you?

WHY have I never heard this!! *_____* love.

I have no idea

wtf? I thought all rational countries outlawed Disco back in the late 70's by international accord via the United Nations because it was a cruel and unusual punishment >.<

besides, I don;t think any of those young ladies was old enough to be legal yet >.<
god I hate being old

I'm 30. So. I feel you.

<3 it wasn't abba, it was a weird Korean cover of duffy's "mercy" and then a new pop/rap single. Thankfully...
My father is a rhythm and blues guitarist who only used his parental influence to convince me of one thing: disco is evil and never should have happened, and I should buck it at every turn. XD not terrible advice.

...but I have my vices, and k-pop is queen amongst them. Save me! Silver bullet!

R&B guitarist, eh? he have any albums or does he just play other peoples stuff?
I enjoy good music

It's always pretty much been covers, you know, Stevie Ray, the Yardbirds, stuff like that. :)

Oh. You'll also love this: my dad used to quiz me about music as a kid. He'd ask me what Johnny Rotten's legal name was and make me tell him all the members of the Traveling Willburys. And he would make me repeat, "disco is not music."

Disco, Gangsta rap, and reggae... the three kinds of "music" I Cannot Stand >.<

I used to have a music teacher that was infatuated with the beetles, and spent an entire quarter having the class analyze the beetles music and lyrics.
I've repeatedly tried to learn how to play an instrument. Trumpet, drums, guitar, keyboards... My Father would never allow me to Practice because he couldn't stand "That infernal noise!"

as you probably Well Know, Almost No One is born with the ability to pick up an instrument and play professionally. the rest of us mortals have to practice, practice, practice! and then practice some more until we don't SUCK.
welp, I cannot even pick up my electric guitar to start to practice without hearing my father berate me and insult me and... I just have to put the dam thing away again and wait to try another day...

*giggles belatedly at "young ladies"* why is that so cute to hear? From your username I'm guessing you're only 8 years older than I am. Somehow that makes it even more adorabubble.

9 years. I'm 39 as of 2 weeks ago
but it's worse than that because I have my grandfathers generation mindset as far as curtsey goes

yes sir, no ma'am, hold the door open for Ladies. that sort of thing

Dude, that's common courtesy.

Maybe it was ten years of being Wiccan after being raised Baptist, but it instilled in me the idea of being good for goodness' sake--putting out into the world what you want to get back. The Golden Rule is actually a lot different from the Threefold Law. Once you see it as an actual rule of the universe it becomes a lot less easy to get discouraged by badness in the world. Silly or not, it trained me to actually be courteous and notice when others were courteous to me.

I open doors for anyone, man, woman, elderly, child, and I know it's partially selfish. Most of the time I barely get a nod, but the few times I've seen the person's face light up like I've made their day has just enforced that behavior. I don't expect anyone to open a door for me because I'm a woman (though I don't take the feminist tack of resenting a male for doing so). I just see it as a kindness that I'm incredibly happy to have offered me, and I offer it to anyone else, any time I can. I was raised in the South but it's not a Southern thing. Believe me, we have plenty of obliviously rude people who never do it, but once you see enough people respond like no one has ever done it for them in their lives, it becomes kind of addictive.

So don't feel old. ;) you're just nice and understand the simple joys of making someone smile when you show them a kindness. A little goes a long, long, long way.

P.S. I'm an atheist now. But I honestly was a shitty little brat before my ten years of Wicca. The philosophy made me a decent person. So when people come to me now interested in it, I support it, because there were a lot of really good lessons I wish I'd learned before my mid-teens. ;) I had always only been as good as I had to be without risking getting into trouble, but after I became a witch even my conservative Christian father noticed the change in me and was forced to accept it. Courtesy is kind of a mainstay in that line of belief.

But. Yeah. Bully for you for being kind to others. It's true it's a dying art (we live in an age where we want to watch rich old women throw wine in each other's faces) but I have a feeling it's going to come back in a generation or so, if not out of just pure frustration alone.

My mother did everything in her power to turn me into a preacher. her fatal flaw was in allowing me to Read.
one day after reading the bible from cover to cover, I noticed that there were other versions... so I asked my mom to get them for me, one at a time of course. I ended up reading 6 different version of the bible, then the Torah, and the Koran (qur'an). after that I decided to read Buddhism, Shinto, Tao, asatru, Celtic pagan, Wicca, druidism, shamanism, and the Gospel of the flying spaghetti monster (may you be touched by his noodley appendage)

I basically decided that IF there is a god kinda like the judeo-christian-muslim god, then he's a FUCKING ASS HOLE.
so I now believe I need a beer =^.^=

(actually, I don't drink much if at all)

http://youtu.be/KsT-6EKJAZ0

Dad would kill me. This song is on my driving playlist.

I need to sleeeeep x.x;; I'm tired of going to bed when daylight's coming through my damn skylight. I'm totally going to look at this and share it with my sister though. K-pop amuses the both of us.

Also, appropriate song? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtdAo3ui3Ys Marching On - One Republic

So sweet ;-;

I play the above song about twelve times a day, though. I'm turrible.

Tell Lime I said hey! I miss her! <3333!!

I shall! ;)

...they have a korean pop channel? ♥___♥

YES. <3_<3 I didn't know, either. Made my week.

*hugs tight* ^__^

<3 it'll be okay! Promise!

Ah yes! I forgot SNSD released new songs, I was gonna show you *_* Check out Flower Power too, it's quite good. The whole color calibration thing was because I just got a new laptop, but it's...kind of fucked up... like, terrible display. so I guess I'm looking into switching it out for something else. Text me sometime. I want to know what's been going on.

I'll fill you in soon. TL;DR: money kept getting worse, I complained a lot, people griped at me, I stopped and analyzed the situation, things are under control and finally getting better very quickly.

And yes. New SNSD songs are all great. I can't love Sunny enough, I can't tell you. I've been making totally random people with no interest in K-pop love it just for Sunny. It's a diseaaaase!