What type of music expresses your emotions?

The weird thing is, there’s a few certain bands I listen to whether I’m upset, excited, or just bored. Disturbed, Amber Pacific, Gym Class Heroes, Rise Against- I could listen to them all day every day and not have a problem in the world.

Let me know your feedback in the comments below.

Peace & love,

Geronimo Jackson [Steve]

Just because you know how to use a computer, doesn’t mean you are a ‘computer geek’ or ‘computer expert’, or an ‘IT guy’. One of my biggest pet peeves is people who think that just because they know about something, they are automatically experts in the area. There are your few humble people who are willing to admit that they know how to use them, but aren’t experts, but it seems like it is the majority’s goal to act like they are superior– and then they turn out to know NOTHING. I’m sorry mister, but if your 14 year old son really knows more than I do, why am I the one with the certifications and he’s not? If your son in law is an IT at ABC company, why is he not here with you? And if he IS a computer engineer, WHY would he recommend something like AVG?! I’ll tell you why- he’s more than likely full of shit. If you think 2gb of RAM and a single-core processor is worth your money, you may as well just get a smart phone.

Just because you play Facebook games and occasionally play Mario Kart or Tekken doesn’t mean you are a ‘gamer’. This is another big one. People who refer to themselves as ‘big gamers’, or even ‘gamers’ in general, yet their gaming exploits do not expand past Farmville and Tetris. When someone is buying a computer and they say they do a lot of ‘gaming’, make sure you find out if they’re actually playing FPS or RPG games, and not just web-app games. This will make picking the computer out so much easier. And also- it will make your life easier if you know the difference between Farmville and World of Warcraft. Yes, there is a difference.

Just because you just now started watching TV shows and listening to music from the 1990s doesn’t mean you are ‘retro’. Or cool, for that matter. You’re just now watching the shows that I grew up on, and listening to the music that influenced me as a child. Please, feel free to enjoy them, but don’t act like you’re all edgy and cool because you listen to 90s music after turning off Ke$ha. And don’t walk around wearing your Angry Beavers t-shirt, acting like its something brand new when its been out for almost 10 years now.

Just because you like Harry Potter and Star Wars after giving people hell about it in high school, doesn’t make you a nerd. Lets face it- being a nerd is now cool. My people were an oppressed people for the longest time, and now the tables are turned! Muahahahaha! But in all seriousness, I’m glad you enjoy ‘nerdy’ things- there’s nothing wrong with it. But don’t tell people ‘Oh yeah, I’m a total nerd’, when in reality, you’ve not even seen the entire Star Wars saga. And seeing the movies of things like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, etc., doesn’t count. Read the books, then we’ll talk. Ultimately, if your goal in life is to reduce world suck and promote awesome- then you are more than welcome to call yourself a nerd.

Just because you shout random words like ‘unicorn’ and ‘cupcake’, and wear your Hot-Topic trendy clothes, doesn’t make you ‘random’. In fact, it makes you a sheep. Today’s youth is tainted with the supposed ‘culture’ of scene and the like. Just because you shop at Hot Topic for every piece of clothing and accessory you own, doesn’t make you cool. I shop at Aeropostale because the clothes are COMFORTABLE. Don’t tell me those knee-high leather boots and that spiked collar are comfortable. Nonconformity is the new conformity.

Just because you have piercings and tattoos doesn’t mean you’re making a political statement. You’re not stating anything except that you think they look cool. Your anarchy symbol tattoo on your forearm doesn’t make you an anarchist (anarchy doesn’t exist- see future post); it makes you a kid who likes a symbol. You’re not trying to defy the government. You’re trying to defy your parents because you think its cool. You are free to put whatever holes you want in your face- other than the select few, good luck getting a job. You’re more than welcome to get whatever ink that you want on your body- but don’t forget it IS permanent. Do you really think that 70 year old you is going to agree that the skull on your knuckles looks awesome? Doubtful. I like tattoos, and certain piercings. There’s no need to go overboard- be tasteful about it.

Just because its free doesn’t mean its a good idea. This social economy has this preset notion that free is the best option. Wrong answer, bub. If a service is free, it is probably not a very good option. Hence as to why it is ‘free’. Unless you paid for something, and you’re getting something in a deal, you may want to reconsider. The best way to explain this is in the idea of an antivirus program. AVG, Avast, Panda, etc.; they all offer free programs. Why? Because they want you to buy their actual product. Well OBVIOUSLY if there’s free option and a paid option, the free option is NOWHERE NEAR as good as the paid. And 9 times out of 10, the company providing a free option isn’t worth going with in the first place. They’re usually overpriced, and equipped with shoddy tech support.

Just because consumer reports says its a bad product, doesn’t mean it is. You’ve got to understand that consumer reports is based on a foundation of REPORTS FROM CONSUMERS. And a lot of the negativity surrounding otherwise good choices is comprised of nit-picking. Do your own homework- ask professionals from different stores/companies/etc., who are willing to offer an unbiased opinion of products to assess your situation. Best Buy is usually a good idea (not just because I work there). As a Best Buy employee, we are trained to support the customer with a solution that best fits their needs, and offer our input. Yes, I do have a brand preference on the Windows side- and I’ve made those recommendations because I’ve done my research and based my opinions on fact. Toshiba > Dell. There’s nothing anyone can say that disproves that Toshiba is in fact better than Dell. Moral of the story- do your homework. Do some research. Ask some trained professionals. Otherwise, you might as well just shop with a magic 8 ball.

And now we get into the touchier side of things.

Just because your church says it, doesn’t mean its true. All religious institutions over the last few hundred/thousand years as a majority have been notorious for spreading their own propaganda and making up their own ‘truths’ to fulfill their agenda. Faith is a wonderful thing to have, but if you go into things blindly (without thinking for yourself) you’re more than likely gonna end up drinking more Kool-Aid than you bargained for. Science is not evil. Thinking is not wrong. And anyone who tells you otherwise needs to reevaluate their position on life. I’m not knocking your beliefs, but sometimes it takes a bit of thought before you jump in blindly. You wouldn’t jump into a pool without knowing how to swim would you?

Just because you’re not religious, doesn’t mean that the others are wrong. There is no scientific proof of a supreme being’s existence. That is why it is called faith.

Just because Fox or CNN says it, doesn’t mean that it is based on fact. Unfortunately, modern media is hard to follow. If you watch Fox News, you’re only going to get the oppressive conservative side of things. If you watch CNN, you’re only going to get the liberal, free-thinking side of things. Neither is a good thing to align yourself with. A healthy medium is probably the most logical- but even then its difficult. Liberals complained about Bush, Conservatives complain about Obama. If a republican makes it into office, the Liberals won’t be happy. If Obama stays- the Conservatives will complain. Do your own research. Compare points, read into things, but most of all, think for yourself.

Finally: Just because you are alive, doesn’t mean you’re living. In the words of the most influential fictional character on my thinking, George Feeney- “Believe in yourself. Dream. Try. Do good.” Lastly, love. Love with all of your being. Find something you believe in, and put yourself into it. You don’t have to be religious to live a life of purpose. Most of all, do good.

As a generality, I wish people would read that last one. Cliche and over-used as it may be, I wish people got along. Peace is a wonderful thing. If people lived for love, we wouldn’t NEED to live for ourselves.

That’s all I have for you. I’m always open to your feedback, so feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at teambenry@gmail.com. Thanks for reading!

Peace, love, and DOUBLE RAINBOW ALL THE WAY!(I wish more people were like that guy.)

Geronimo Jackson [Or simply, Steve]

Its slightly difficult to put my thoughts into words. Not the intellectual ones- those ones flow from me like the smell of skunk from Willie Nelson’s car on 420. (My lame attempt at humor…you likes?) The way that I think could probably classify me as insane- and I say this for good reason. No, not to sound edgy and interesting. And no, I don’t think about killing small animals, or sexually assaulting women- nothing like that. Its more along the lines of how I process my thoughts. See, most people think that I speak freely, and that I have no buffer between my thoughts and my mouth. That is completely wrong. Actually, its quite the opposite. I process every single thought before I speak- but not in the sense that I just censor what I say to what I think- I think of a hundred different ways to word what I’m going to say, and possibly change my chosen verbalization with the drop of a hat. Along with wording and re-wording every thought that goes through my head, I also think of every possible outcome before I speak. Good, bad, neutral, devastating, amazing. All of it. The funniest part of this whole process, is it usually takes place in a split-second; I’m pretty quick on my feet, and a good thinker. And to top it all off, when I go to say something, I try to have some sort of logical basis behind my reasoning. This way, when people oppose or question me, I have something to fall back on. And not to sound conceited, but this is why, when I argue/debate/etc., I’m rarely wrong.

Now take someone like Glenn Beck (alt: here). This guy, who by the way is (and until it is proved otherwise) certifiably a NUTCASE (this may or may not be the politically correct term for his illness) who makes millions and millions of dollars every year by bashing anyone with a slightly progressive view towards life and country, and acting like an over-bearing, spoiled child who doesn’t get his way. This guy doesn’t seem to have the aforementioned buffer between his pea-sized brain and his gaping maw. He spews whatever poisonous garbage comes to mind all over the television- and receives PRAISE for it! Now, I understand that people might fall in line with his general consensus of beliefs, but SERIOUSLY? This guy is about .5 seconds from full-on TREASON, and continues to do it. — This isn’t a political rant. My point is, this guy says whatever comes to mind, and discriminates OPENLY against 3/4 of the United States citizens, and is still living. My question here is, why is someone like myself treated as a joke, when someone like Glenn Beck runs the airwaves? I guess that’s one of life’s little mysteries. All I can say is, I hope that you, my faithful readers see through his garbage and think logically- something he knows nothing about.

And trust me people, I’ve tried the whole ‘say what you think’ douchey-approach; it doesn’t end well for me. Guess that’s just who I’m not.

Other things I think about: physics, the universe, righteousness, humanity, zombies, my girlfriend, music. (Not necessarily in that order.) Those are a few of the things that go through my head on a daily basis. One of my many problems is, I’m never actually at rest. Having legitimate paranoia does that to you. That, mixed with the constant thinking tends to make me jealous, and overly insecure. And let me tell you right now- that is not something easy to overcome. I wouldn’t say that my paranoia is serious to the point where I think the CIA is following me and watching my every move (pfft, I know they are…how ya doin’, Agent Williams?), but it is to the point- and this may sound childish, but if I’m in public by myself, and I see a group of people talking, and laughing and one of the makes eye contact with me, I automatically assume they are laughing about me. That’s not egotistical, that’s insecurity. Mind you, I’ve slightly overcome that, but it is something that I struggle with. I also often think about the not-so-impending ‘Z-Day’ or zombie apocalypse. While it is more just for fun that seriousness, I find myself analyzing buildings and the like to determine their aide to a lengthy survival. (Note: I’m not the only one of my friends who thinks like that.) I think out of that group, the zombie apocalypse might be the most unusual and paranoia-feeding.

Work is another one that I struggle with. I work at Best Buy. I’m a computer sales associate. I absolutely love my job, and I love having the ability to pass my knowledge and opinion on to other people- especially since my opinions [usually] have some logical and factual basis. My only problem is, I tend to get stuck with the under-opinionated customers who think they know what’s going on, but in reality, they don’t. For instance- it seems like every customer that walks into my department (save for a few) either has a degree in computers, or knows someone who has a degree in computers. While this may be true, its more than likely that they don’t know much about anything. For instance, someone tries to tell me that their son-in-law, who is a computer expert working for ABC Company or whatever, recommended AVG because its perfect security. Now, not to go on a geek tangent here, but AVG is most certainly NOT perfect. First reason being, the Free Edition only covers about 10% of the total common viruses in circulation. Secondly, the ‘Pro Edition’ costs 60$- same price as Norton and McAfee- which are just as bad. Finally, AVG is an ANTIVIRUS- more than likely if you use it, you’ll still get loaded with spyware and junk. Protip: Use a non-big name anti-virus, such as Trend Micro or Kaspersky. They tend to have anti-spyware modules integrated, which saves RAM and time. Nod32 is good as well if you can procure a copy for under 50$. /geekrant Mind you, you can do whatever you want. But please, respect my opinion and professional advice, and don’t tell me I’m wrong.

Politics and religion are two things that I won’t get into right now- you’ve probably had enough from my first post, and it would take much too long to explain myself in full (which if I do not do, I’ll seem even crazier). So it is probably better left for another post, on another day.

At least now you get a bit of insight into my mind. Feel free to ask questions to fill in any gaps- I’m sure there’s plenty. QOTD: Tell me one pet peeve you have about people at your job.

Thanks for reading, and if you like what I’ve got to say, check back. I’m sure I won’t disappoint. And if I do- tough.

Peace, love, & happy thoughts-

Geronimo Jackson [Or simply, Steve].

I really loathe those things. For real. Anyways, welcome. I really have no idea what I’m going to do here- maybe use it for more organized posts, instead of random pictures and reblogs like I do on my Tumblr. I’m kind of an e-whore, not going to lie, and its going to only get worse as time goes on I can promise you that. Before I get started, I want to give you a history of my username and blog title. Geronimo Jackson was a band featured in LOST (2004-2010) that played a background, yet connecting part. But the name itself is also a political oxymoron. Geronimo was a prominent Native American leader and hero that fought for Native American rights. Jackson represents Andrew Jackson, who was the president of the United States who put into effect the Trail of Tears- the march that claimed thousands of Native American lives in 1831. The name Zero to 815 is something I thought up. 815, if you didn’t know, is the number most prominent in LOST, having some variation of it featured in almost ever numerically-related situation, along with (4 8 15 16 23 42).

So, on to our first topic– politics. I figure, I might as well get the vast majority of it out of the way so I don’t cloud up my posts with the same crap.

The GOP and the Teabaggers. I really don’t understand those people. They say they stand for socioeconomical growth, and equal rights, and all that jazz, yet not one thing that they do [other than fight against gun control] falls under those categories. 99% of what the GOP does is comprised of character defamation of anyone who opposes their views, trying to make the rich even rich[er], trying to force Chrisitanity and their version of its values on every American citizen. Now, I know what you’re thinking. Steve, you’re a liberal! What is wrong with you? You’re just as crazy as the rest of them! Stop there. I’m not a liberal. I’m not a conservative. I’ve actually coined my own term. Logicist. (And yes, it is actually a term coined by me). Logicism is the act of comprising one’s political opinions and standpoints with a basis of logic and reason.

I guess if I HAD to chose a side, it would be with the liberals (that is, on a spectrum comprised of left and right only). I would much rather go without guns and have people not bitch about equal rights and all that jazz than be even poorer than I already am, and have to worry about being drafted into a pointless war.

There are some things I am conservative on, I guess. The Constitution, for one. I do not believe it is open to interpretation. It is the United States Constitution, and should not be changed or challenged by someone who wasn’t raised here. Also, immigration. I’m all for legal immigration. To be an American citizen:

1. You must speak English.
2. You must have the explicit right to be here defined by my country’s laws.
3. You must be self-sustaining. (In other words, don’t come here and become a citizen just to sit on unemployment and welfare while the American-born citizens work hard).
4. You will not challenge the United States Constitution or the laws governing the United States. (Meaning, don’t come here and bitch because someone bashes Islam. Civil rights issues are another story. You are free to practice your religion, but not free to force everyone into it.)
5. You must realize that your home country’s laws ARE NOT the laws of the United States. Nor are the laws of your religion.
6. You must realize that if you cannot gain citizenship legally, you do not belong here. Travel all you like- I’m glad people want to see the States and experience what we have to offer, but if you are not a legal citizen this is not your home. Remember that, just as I would if I were traveling in your country.
7. If you don’t like it here, fucking leave. I would gladly say that to anyone. The United States isn’t perfect, but its 100 times better than most other countries out there (and I say this with learned honesty). If you have a problem with the way we do things, there’s four exits. Go elsewhere.
8. I. Owe. You. Nothing. (Unless you lent me money, or something of that sort). Do not expect me to conform to your language [see point #1], conform to your religion or its practices [see point #4] , or afford you freedoms that I myself are not granted [see point #3].

All otherwise, welcome to the United States. Land of the free. (If you think otherwise, check out some of the other countries whose citizens are so eager to get in).

And no, I’m not liberal on all other points. For me to go over every single point would take hours to read. I do however, support same-sex marriage (for quite a few different reasons). I have yet to find one person who can give me a non-religion related reason as to why same sex marriage shouldn’t be legal. The reason I say that those people are wrong, is because of the fact that we have the freedom to follow whatever religion we choose. So their religious beliefs are their own, not to be projected onto other people. You might say, well doesn’t it, by allowing same sex marriage, affix those religious beliefs or lack-thereof onto those who disagree with it? My answer for you there is simply, ‘no’. Same sex marriage doesn’t have the same effect on those who oppose it, as the opponents’ belief that it should not be legal. Nobody is taking anything away from you when same sex marriage is legal. But their taking away my right to not have to see two men or two women making out in public. To that, I say you’re a sad, closed-minded individual. Quite the contrary, gay couples aren’t all over each other in public like straight couples are, and show me in the constitution where it says that you have the right to not see homosexuals. Check and mate. If you wish to challenge my points, you’re more than welcome, but be warned- I don’t take kindly to the hick-minded attitude of ‘Them damn fags are an Obamanation against Jaysus, just like them damn neegers and them damn Joos.’ If all you’re going to babble on about is God, you might just wanna go back to your Klan-meeting or something, because I won’t justify your comment with an answer. But I’m all up for intelligent debate and I do [despite what most of what I'm typing says about me] respect your opinion, as long as you realize that it is just that- opinion. –Note, I don’t have a problem with republicans, conservatives, or GOPers personally. I disagree with alot of the drabble they come out with as a whole. Though most are pretty disgusting in my eyes, such as Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, and that plumber guy. There are plenty of liberals I don’t like as well, one mainly being for all intents and purposes, Keith Olbermann. I think he’s an intelligent guy, he just goes about his delivery all wrong, and makes himself look like a clown.–

Religion is another good one. Most people look at my political beliefs and think I’m some sort of heathen or devil worshiper. Cool part is, I’m not. But I’m glad you think I’m that devious. Truth is, I was raised around a non-denominational church, and to this day, believe in God. I do not, however, believe a lot of the stories that people come out with. The Bible, for one, was written by man. Therefore, its hard to take seriously a lot of the contradictions and fantasy-like stories contained therein. All around, I consider myself a Buddhist. There’s a long, complicated story behind that choice, but a lot of it is because Buddhism doesn’t chastise other religions for being wrong, or damned to hell, or full of people who are out to warp your mind.  I don’t think that the Christian view of God is necessarily the exact representation. Over the last millenia, cultures have had severely different views on God and the origins of the Universe. However, the common factor that unites them all is a supreme being oversees their day to day life, and helped or in full, created the Universe.  That is not to say that the Bible is completely wrong, either. See? Its complicated. Lets just say I try to live a good life (good being the common moral definition), and do well by others. One day, maybe my eyes will be opened to believe different. Most would say ‘Then why don’t you create your own religion? It seems like you want to bad enough.’ While that would look good for my finances, I think that requires too much work, and I don’t think people would take me seriously. In all truthfullness though, I do identify mostly with a healthy medium of Christianity and Buddhism. And I really don’t have a problem with religious people. I just like to give closed-minded people a hard time. (Closed minded people are the ones that will become butthurt and insulted by what I said. But luckily, I don’t care. ^_^

So what else is there to talk about- we could talk about the economic expansion in Micronesia, or even the degradation that the Westboro Baptist Church Cult portrays when they bash the United States and its protectors. They cross that line of ‘free to practice whatever religion you wish’ versus ‘pushing your religion unwarrantedly on other people’, and I volunteer them to be the first mission to populate Venus. But even then, they might not agree ’cause Venus is named after a Greek Goddess, and that’s a false idol, so that planet is DOOMED TO HELL.

Feel free to drop me an e-mail at teambenry@gmail.com if you have any questions or information as to what I should talk about next.

Peace & Love & Freedom & Equal Rights,

Geronimo Jackson [or just plainly, Steve]