the Future is Fiction - Latest Comments

Re: Writing the First Chapter of A Novel

Zazoom — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:35:05 -0000

Hi Karma - I like the new chapter much better. Hard to put a finger on it but the sentences and storyline flow better. The scene is set. With the first chapter I had a harder time wrapping my mind around the story. "Where is she going with this?", I found myself saying.

Keep going! Indeed the first chapter is the hardest. Good luck.

Kyle

Re: Fun With the Freelance Calculator

daretoeatapeach — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:41:03 -0000

Thanks, Jacob. You're not the first to recommend Mr Money Mustache to me. I'll hope on over there.

People talk about how freelance rates have to be higher because of the hours you work that you don't get paid for, but I didn't--couldn't--really understand it until I was living the life. It's not surprising you procrastinate on looking for gigs: that's work you have to do that you don't get paid for.

Re: Fun With the Freelance Calculator

JacobAziza — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 11:21:10 -0000

My client yesterday questioned how much I charge per hour (but not to me directly, to my partner)
Which seems a bit odd, given that I charge well under the standard going rate for what I do ($40/hr, as opposed to $60-100).
Given that I have no direct competition - being an independently certified Green Business that does 3 separate services (hauling, delivery and handyman) I suspect I could get away with charging even more, but I don't because I am somewhat anti-capitalist and I don't believe in charging the most one can get away with. I charge what I think is fair compensation for my time, and what I think everyone should make.

I asked my internet friend Mr Money Mustache what he would recommend I do different in order to retire early like he did. He looked over my financial numbers and said that spending-wise, I'm doing better than him, and my rates are good; the one thing I need is hours. I just can't seem to be motivated to search out work. Hypothetically, if I had aggressive advertising and tried to work the American standard 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year, I'd be making about 80k a year, but there is no way in hell I could be convinced to voluntarily work that much. But on the other hand, the 10 or so a week I work now is perhaps a little too far in the opposite extreme. I make plenty enough for rent and food and health insurance and retirement, but not enough for Early retirement (which is what I would call "making it" - financial independence, so that further work becomes voluntary instead of mandatory!). I have to keep reminding myself whenever I get a chance for hours that I'm not enthusiastic about "hours - that is what gets you a step closer to your goals". I still haven't started doing any kind of marketing yet. Maybe having read this will help inspire me.

Anyway, given that you put retirement into category two, (which is good!), but then went on to call making it voluntarily paying higher rent and buying expensive gifts - and given that you are a blogger yourself and therefor probably read them - I'm going to recommend you read MMM too. Its the only blog I read regularly - I started when he was 6 posts in - you will notice my comments throughout.
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com...
Notice the "welcome new readers" on the right sidebar. That's a good place to start.

Re: Best Music of 2011: Best Indie Rock

daretoeatapeach — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:28:55 -0000

Right!? For more on Childish Gambino, here's the post I wrote specifically about him: http://futureisfiction.com/blo...

Re: Best Music of 2011: Best Indie Rock

Kyle Reis — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:32:10 -0000

Enjoying in my mind the subconscious battle happening between my white, anglo-saxon protestant pc guilt as it engages in a losing battle against the wonderfulness of childish gambino's pop deliciousness. lovely.

Re: I Love to Hate LA

Terris Linenbach — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:29:18 -0000

Nice to see you raging again, love, even if I am a little late to the party.

Re: Contact

Karel Bennett — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:02:55 -0000

On September 5, 2005, Mrs. Bush and her husband, former president George Bush, toured the Astrodome complex in Houstan when it was being used as lodging for thousands of citizens displaced by hurricane Katrina. Later that day, Mrs. Bush was a guest on Marketplace, a show on public radio. During that interview she made those remarks [of which you address} about her interactions with the peole quartered in the Astrodome.
Verified through the Associated Press. "White House: Mrs. Bush Comment Personal."
September 7, 2005
and
The New York Times. "Barbara Bush Calls Evacuees Better Off."
September 7, 2005 (p. A22)

Re: Contact

Karel Bennett — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:44:35 -0000

Recently, Lisa, Marilyn and I visited and toured Ft. Augustine. We went in a beautiful Catholic church. We lit candles for people-$1 for a small candle, and $5 for a large one. The candles have to come from somewhere.

I wonder, could I bring my own candles? I can get them at the Dollar Tree....

Re: If SOPA Passes It Will Be the End of Music Streaming/Online Radio

daretoeatapeach — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:45:36 -0000

Poop, did I leave it out? Can reach survey here: http://act.boldprogressives.or...

Re: If SOPA Passes It Will Be the End of Music Streaming/Online Radio

Bakari — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:18:14 -0000

Where is the link to the petition?

Re: I Do Nothing To Stop the Blaze II

Patty Vlasnik — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:33:04 -0000

Once again I am not disappointed instead I leave the story somewhat happy remembering the day I read an earlier story sitting on someones Grandma's sofa. Sure the story was a bit dark and involved kittens and "Grandma" insisted it was true. Grandma looked intensely at me while I neared the end leaning forward waiting for a reaction and I simply said she is gifted and writing is her gift....thank you

Re: We Don’t Need Facebook

Patty Vlasnik — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:57:37 -0000

I love it....hats off to you!!! BRAVO .... I will never want for good reading material again. THANK YOU

Re: Blip.fm versus Turntable.fm

Katiemdesigns — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:54:20 -0000

Please check you twitter and email :)

Re: What is Pop Music?

daretoeatapeach — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:16:35 -0000

It's so funny that you posted that article here because I started reading it the other day and never got around to finishing it! Guess I'll have to now. =)

Re: I Love to Hate LA

Kyle Reis — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:39:12 -0000

There's nothing in this world so sweet as love. And next to love the sweetest thing is hate.
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Re: What is Pop Music?

Lumika — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:09:18 -0000

Hi, this is lumika from blip.fm. For further reading: http://www.negativland.com/alb...

Re: 30 Years of MTV: The MTV is dead, long live the MTV

Azurate — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:37:39 -0000

Dear God, I miss my MTV. The original format, along with the original VJs, is forgotten, like drive-ins and thank you notes. I can still name all the original MTV VJs: Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn and J.J. Jackson. I wanted to BE Nina. She and the other VJs were confident, trendy, but definitely not trashy. Moreover, it was television that both my really young daughter and I could relate to. We kept the TV on and tuned to MTV 24/7; it was even on when we were asleep. Awakening to a new video was vastly more enjoyable than to an alarm clock! It was a different world from our parents, where we felt a kinship with the VJs (whom of our parents wanted Walter Cronkite as a best friend and confidante?)

My icons weren't rappers who were proud to spend time in jail or rehab, or
singers whose followers have no idea they can't sing, due to audio pitch
correction and thousand dollar mics. Madonna was racy; it was only AFTER MTV jumped the shark, that she introduced simulated sex into her performances and videos.!) Do you really want young, impressionable girls to aspire to be an entertainer who can't sing without CG vocal enhancements, can't REALLY dance, but REALLY can come as close as possible to humping or giving head to dancers?

The extent of "reality TV" on MTV extended mostly to contests, actually
available to the general populace. MTV hosted a nation-wide comedy skit
contest. The contest went from city to city, allowing anyone to do a
minute of standup. My daughter and I still have the video MTV made and
gave us free, of our skit. I cherish that as much as my daughter's baby
shoes, another type of relic that no one saves or cares about anymore.

When performers got arrested, it often was in protest of an injustice. How stupid is it to be arrested for having a loaded gun AND drugs in your car while driving erratically? And when someone goes to rehab, something in his or her life has gone wrong. The process of fixing the problem is complex; the recidivism rate is high. What message about rehab are we currently sending?

My daughter is neither prudish nor inhibited. I am a total freak. We both understand anyone can become to what he or she aspires. To quote Malcolm X, "We turned out the way we are because of whom we looked up to, whom we emulated. To understand that of any person, his whole life, from birth must be reviewed. All of our experiences fuse into our
personality. Everything that ever happened to us is an ingredient."

If I want to see a video, I'll go to Blip.fm or YouTube. I'd rather
vomit into my own diarrhea than watch MTV (or VH1) now. Why would I want
to watch "real people" being obnoxious and trashy? These are not the
people I hope frame the current moral compass.

Re: Who is to Blame for America’s Budgetary Woes?

Snoopsister — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 21:19:25 -0000

The Bush administration enacted income tax breaks for the top ten percent of Americans, and they started two unnecessary and immoral wars. Our governments, past and present keep giving money to other countries while our country is going broke.

Re: RIP Gil Scott-Heron

Lonnievcc — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 04:17:48 -0000

thank you again

Re: Unexpected Songs for Your Rapture, End of the World Party Playlist

daretoeatapeach — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:14:05 -0000

So I didn't end up using any of these songs in my actual set list, except Blondie! When the next Rapture date comes, I'll share the playlist I did end up using. Though I'm guessing our next last-days playlist will call for a Mayan theme. There's a challenge for you, kiddos.

Re: One Hundred Year Anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Wade Mallory — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 12:28:11 -0000

The comparison was clearly made to show what unions have done to improve the workplace since the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.

Re: One Hundred Year Anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

JamesP — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:13:51 -0000

Government employees do not need unions. To compare the Triangle tragedy to the overpaid government workers in Wisconsin is an insult to every single Triangle worker who died. None of the Triangle workers had scheduled breaks, nice air-conditioned work spaces, free health care, paid days off, or fat, guaranteed pensions funded by the taxpayers. DMV drones don't deserve to be mentioned in the same article as hard workers who were truly exploited. For shame.

Re: One Hundred Year Anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Klancy — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:33:26 -0000

That was only 100 years ago. A few lifetimes. We aren't as civilized as we ought to be, this can certainly happen again. America is a corporatocracy. Goverment officials ride millions in donations into office, then get paid millions to pass laws that pass power to corporations. It's just business now, no place left for humanity even in self government. The people have lost. Even our media is mostly owned by one man, who has his own views and paid political agendas so our news isn't real. This is mass madness.

Re: One Hundred Year Anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Elaine — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 04:37:16 -0000

Powerful and emotive. It is easy to see why people grouped together to attempt to make sure something of this magnitude could never happen again.

Re: Voting With My Vagina?

dui attorney irvine — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 03:08:58 -0000

Nothing like requiring a rape victim to have a penis-shaped device shoved up her vagina against her will just so she can legally abort her rapist's fetus. ...