Money DOES Buy Happiness! March 30, 2009

I think it is time that I debunk another one of life’s proclamations of deception. Contrary to popular belief, money does buy happiness. Plain and simple folks. Have you ever been handed money and not been happy about it? Are you sad on payday? I think not. A follow up from a couple of post back, I have been having some good fortune this year, and all of it is thanks to money. I didn’t win the lottery or find an untapped oil well, I just find that my bank account has more digits in it then it would normally have. And I am elated about that.

Granted the long held proverb, “money does not buy happiness,” has its own profound meaning that I‘m sure I’m missing. But I find it to be false on the basis of my personal pessimism about old sayings. Just think about for a second, before all of you start to think that I am some sort of gluttonous, self absorbed fool.

If you get some money, and normally you don’t find yourself with a sufficient amount of money to say that you “have money”, you become confidant right? Confidant in knowing you don’t have to sell your favorite guitar to pay the gas bill. Confidence raises your self esteem. You walk around knowing that if you have to buy something on a whim, you can. A higher self esteem makes you happy! The circle is complete. Money buys happiness! But maybe that is what is wrong with this old saying. Maybe it should be changed from, “money buys happiness,” to “money brings about happiness.” Not as catchy, yes I know but if it works it works.

A Crisis At The Office, March 23, 2009

“What a great morning,” I said to myself as I walked out my front door. The birds were chirping, the sun was just turning on the heat, and I felt refreshed after a good morning shower. I made my usual way to work, listening to the same morning talk radio, going by, my usual everyday routine.

I walked into the office, like normal, set my things down at my office, said my traditional good morning’s to all those around me. Walked over the communal coffee maker which I had just seen used by a fellow co-worker, Sanchez, who walked right by me with a large steamy cup of Joe. He passed with a strange smirk on his face which I would later learn to be more devilish than strange.

I reached for the cabinet door in which I keep my commenrative baseball coffee cup, moved to the left a few feet, looked at the coffee machine and smiled. Mind you that this is not your normal coffee machine, with your standard pot and drip funnel. No this is a fancy one, where all you have to do is place your cup under a sensor and you magical juice will pour richly into your heart. I smiled knowing that inside this magical machine lay waiting patiently, a beautifully brewed hazelnut roast. I placed my cup under the sensor, and waited for the goodness to flow out. I waited, and waited some more. Nothing. “This can’t be,” I said to myself, “what is going on,” I asked? “Is it, or is it?” No it can’t be… DAMN YOU SANCHEZ!!!!

Little did I realize that this son of a gerbil left the room knowing he had taken the last drop of coffee goodness from me. He must have did it on purpose, knowing I would be the next one to revive oneself from the Mr. Coffee shrine of the Gods. I uttered a slight whimper, I turned to look and see if my now sworn enemy was there laughing at me, but alas the coward had fled in terror.

My whimper now turned into a shed of tears. “How can I go on?” I asked. “ I have to go home, I can’t make thru out the day!” But a bright shiny light appeared from behind me, a choir was singing in a harmonious conjecture of ear pleasure. And there I saw it. A cup, a beautiful cup of fresh coffee. Holding it was my good friend, my new favorite person… uh…. What’s her name again?

Good Times, March 16, 2009

So yes, I have been extremely naughty I must admit. Two weeks. Two whole weeks without a single post. Fact; I had no internet or computer to work with. Fiction; I had nothing to talk about. But the Prisoner is back, and ready to rant!

Good times are being had my friends. Good times indeed. 2008 was about the worst year in the history of mankind, not only for the rest of the world, but me. I lost many, many things, both meaningless and irreplaceable. Tears were shed, hearts were broken, and money was lost. But why should I dwell on such maladies when life is much more than 2008. Lets us look at 2009, new well new everything! And new is awesome!

I have to laugh at myself when I pass a mirror, because I really can’t believe such fortune is happening to me. ME, yes that same absolute nobody that needs to change the world. That same Prisoner that rants and loves too much. I know where I come from and I know why I am here now, I look around at the different sights of my life, and look forward to the life that will soon come to me. A life that is about as reverse as to the one I am living now. Change is great my friends, bring it on. As I have mentioned before, I need to change, and I have made a huge one.

Moving from hot to cool, high to low, dry to wet. Looking at a place that needs no dramatic or over done use of grammar, but only stillness. Quiet, subtle absorption of the surrounding emotions. A breath of fresh cold air that awakens your lungs. Listen… keep listening, it’s like a dream, except its real.

Luck? Maybe. Will it leave me again? Most likely. But I will live it up, drink it up, all the wonders that this wave of fortune brings and continue to breathe in and out slowly and continue to smile.

Who is the Prisoner?, March 2, 2009

(On a quick rant for a late I Hate Fridays, I really, but really hate people who write blogs or messages UsInG aLtErNaTiNg cApItaL aNd lOwEr CaSe LeTtERS!!!! AND ONLY USING CAPITAL LETTERS FOR THE ENTIRE POST!!! And an over excessive use of exclamation points!!!!!!!!!! Rant over, lets continue.)

So anyhow, I was looking through my past posts, looking over the topics and re-reading what I had written, cringing at all the stupid things and hitting myself for my dumb mistakes. I wondered what I would write next. What great, life altering topic will I traverse next to tutor the minds of all who visit the Chateau, I was stumped, but I searched for inspiration. Clicking the Next Blog button, there at the top of the screen, I was shopping through the different opinions of many different blogs from bloggers around the world. Many of which I could not understand for obvious language barriers, I could not help but notice that aside from a very select few, most blogs consisted of pictures and folks keeping a daily journal. The select view, where those blogs that slightly resembled mine.

“Is this what I am doing?” I wondered. Is the Chateau D’if my journal, my way of expression by written word as opposed to verbal conversation? I have a journal, an actual book of hand written musings, poems, drawings, songs and meaningful things for me. I wonder why I started this blog.

Naturally, it is named from a place of the coast of France. A place made famous by only the greatest book ever written, The Count of Monte Cristo(and if you have never read it, you might as well call my mother a hamster, just go to the book store and buy it, thank me later). I gave myself an identity that added to the theme of Monte Cristo, Prisoner 34. Why? I think maybe to give me some courage, to wear my mask in this masquerade we call the internet. And who uses their real name online anyway!?

I looked for some; I would guess say more intellectualism in my life. A place where I can speak the way I really want to. In my everyday life, I am not able to use words like intellectualism or disincline; people will just look at me as if I was a sea urchin. Not to bring down the people I converse with in my reality, but living in California around valley girls who always talk, “like with a question mark at like the end of every like sentence?” “With an upward inflection?” Its gets old after a while.

So who is the Prisoner? The prisoner is not my alter ego, it is my true self. I called it my mask earlier but I was wrong. The prisoner is me, and I am the prisoner trapped in this reality. It is a reality that constricts my true sentiments and thoughts, a reality where I wear a costume to hide my true identity. Because even though the cage I live in is made of gold, it still remains my prison. I hope one day to break free. And breathe the fresh air.

My Yearning, March 1, 2009

                Lately I have had an extremely strong urge to do something drastic, nothing that would be advantageous towards me, but a lot of other people or possibly the world. Have you ever had that feeling, that feeling to just go out and make a huge difference in the world? I have been looking at a lot of different things going on in the world, issues that people have, problems that plaque the world, and I get the feeling that I can do something to help, if not fix every problem in the world. Is that too egotistical of me, or is that me just feeling secure in what I am able to do?

                Today this feeling that I have been having has actually made me feel a little frustrated, after I came back to reality and realize that I can’t really do much to help the people I want to help, very disconcerting for me. I want to do something about all these people losing their jobs and not being able to feed their families. I want to go to every country in the world and help those in need of medicine or just a hot meal. I want to walk into the Congress and start barking orders, to finally get things done. I want to do something to make everything better for everyone.

                I… I just want problems to just go away. I don’t know what it is that is making me feel this way; I have some problems in my life right now, but not much to drive me to the extent that I want to change the world.

                I… I don’t know.