I Can't Live Without My Internet!

I Can’t Live Without My Internet

So I’m about to move and I just got off the phone with an outsourced technical support for AT&T DSL services. I spent a whole day today, roughly an hour and a half trying to cancel my internet service. Apparently, that was a big mistake, since the day before my internet service went down. For that reason alone, they’ve locked my account into a pending stage which doesn’t allow technical support to access any part of my account. So I have no home internet for the next four days. I type this in my Word program and will have to upload later. Very caveman of me.

I wouldn’t be so upset, had I spoken with one person who remotely listened to my issue.

I first reached two Americans. I love Americans. I’m an American. We really give each other sass that no other country (save Germany) can understand. We understand attitude. EVERYONE is so entitled.

Me: You hear what I’m saying

American tech support: Yeah, I hear ya’ but try listening to what I’m telling you.

Me: You’re not telling me anything, I’m gonna tell you how it is.

American tech support: Why don’t you pass it along to my Supervisor, Mr. Eat a Steaming Pile

Me: He a Pollack like you?

And on and on…

Meanwhile I can’t phase “Charles” from Sri Lanka. He doesn’t understand sarcasm, and he certainly doesn’t understand American entitlement. And it is really frustrating. No ups. No downs. Just read from the damn cue card.

Most of the time, it’s just venting. The stupid internet is stupid. This time away has gotten me to think how much we rely on it for entertainment and information. And how easy it could be to manipulate people. If freaks me out more how much I relied on it to numb my brain. How much more work could be accomplished by not searching for porn. Or cyber-stalking. Or even doing research on model trains. Which happens to be the most nerdish, therefore, the most accurate depiction of my life on the ‘net.

Seriously…I have  packed all my belongings and have lived the simple life again. I mean it already looks like nuclear holocaust took my apartment out, why not live like it. I have all the power centralized to my room. All other locations operate on flashlight. Food is scarce and can only be prepared in the oven (okay I eat out). Water is rationed. I unplug what is unnecessary. Somewhat afraid of what is in the dark. I huddle up in my sleeping bag, waiting for the night to break. Anticipating a really horrid move. But it must be done. And things must move forward. A little under a 1/3 of my life has been in this place. If I break up my life a great deal of time was established here. But I’m not even the person who’s been here the longest. People have made this their home. I think about all the money that could’ve gone to invest in a home. It makes me a bit nauseous. But my gut retracts a bit whenever one of my friends complains about a repair to his home. Investing? I suppose. It makes more sense if you see Los Angeles as a permanent home. Otherwise, it’s a money trap…either way really.

I think about when people use to write by candlelight. Man, that must’ve been a really contemplative time. I imagine nowadays there are way too many distractions to invest any real time in that. That saddens me. Pen to paper is fading in many peoples’ memories. I hope technology breaks down every once in a while to remind us that we were fine without it.

And yes, I understand the hypocrisy of typing this out on a laptop. Technology to explain why we don’t need technology. I get it, smartenheimers.

Facial Care For Men

Happy New Year all! Yeah, I know this is going waaaay off the path here, but I wanted to discuss a little bit about face care for men.

People judge you by your face. That's just obvious. They can tell a lot about you by it. 'Cause we're judgmental jerks. At least I am.

I was born with really hideously awful greasy skin. I broke out when someone would even mention Kentucky Fried Chicken. Gawd awful breakouts. My face was a roadmap to a pizza parlor. Just awful. Now if you suffer, like I have, you know that this can really tear your ego a big one. No one looks you directly in the face. Which usually is a prerequisite to get a girl to kiss you. Had a lot of work to get that to happen.

That said, in my adult life, it was pretty rough too. It's not so much the breakouts now than the residual scars. Large pits. Craters. Look, everyone has pimples at some point. It's a strange equalizer. Most everyone can sympathize. Or at the very least pity.

Having this self-conscious awfulness, I tried EVERYTHING. Honey. Lemon. Yogurt masks. Cucumbers. Tomatoes. I pretty much had a salad dressing on my freakin' face. And still...nothing. In fact...blotchy as usual. So I started to think about everything that all these products bring. Vitamin A to replenish dead skin. Vitamin E to seal pores. Lemon, 'cause it's acid...and Blah. Blah. Blah. 

So, for those who suffer, I think I came up with a cheap solution to the problem. Since those other solutions cost...like the budget of Micronesia. As most who know me...cheap is my favorite word. This is something that has cleared up the scars - in a few weeks. And actually gives a natural glow of skin texture. I'm no scientist, so I don't know why. But if you're at wits end with trying to even out skin and sick of blemishes, give this a try:

First you need a small spray bottle:

You can find these at any drugstore like Walgreens or CVS. Usually in the hair department.

Next, add in distilled water. You can find this at your grocery store. Just don't drink it. Pour it into the bottle, I would say 1/2 cup. Depending on how much of this you want to make ahead of time.

Add in 1/4 tsp of baking soda. Arm & Hammer works pretty good.

1 slice of lemon. Squeeze the juice into the bottle.

1 tsp of Rose Hip oil. (this may be your biggest cost. I found it for $6/ for 3ml). Okay, most people don't know where to find this. And all these other blogs who post it don't know either. Well, you can order it cheap online. Or go to your local vitamin store. They have weeeeeeird stuff there. At least here in Los Angeles.

Pour in the Rose Hip oil.

Now, I throw in a capsule of Clindamycin. I have NO IDEA where these prescribed drug came from. But for some reason this prescription bottle had my name on it, but I don't remember how I got it or what it's for. Upon research online, I learn it's an antibiotic. Well, I can definitely have some biotics that need to be anti'd. I break open the capsule and pour in the powder (even though it instructs me to take it internally). For those who don't have access to this it's not a big deal. I think it's just an antibacterial agent. That is also what the lemon juice is for.

Finally add 1 tsp of rubbing alcohol. This is more mild than what these other people are suggesting with hydrogen peroxide.

Okay, so shake the bottle of witch's brew and spray on face. Lightly. You don't want to blind yourself with this ungodly concoction. Use fingers to message. Let sit overnight. It's a refreshing feeling. 

I swear in 2 weeks your face will clear up. If you have a ugly scar, a friend of mine recommended Calendula. Which you can dig up at Whole Foods. It's usually for cuts and burns, but it seems to work on blemish scars.

I hope this helps!