Metastasio was an Italian poet and librettist who lived in the 1700’s. Being someone who creates poetry and music, I wanted a name to reflect that but with a modern flair, so I swapped “meta-“ for “giga-.”

Also, as “metastasis” translates roughly to “changing states,” “gigastasio” can be taken to mean “billions of states,” which is an apt description for how my mind works.

My pic is just some random pic I took. It’s my kid’s shark stuffie. His name is Chocolate Milk.

lol tit

One druid was like: “Guys! We’re out here shuffling these heavy ass slabs around in the middle of the forest when we could be eating wild mushrooms and fucking!”

Milk, trash bags, and lube.

Oh and I bought my ex a pack of smokes because she sent me a couple nudes.

Large ears, pointy teeth, and the development of something called “The Rules of Acquisition.”

Well dude, I looked over your reply, read up on sarcopenia, and made a few decisions.

I don’t feel the type of severe fatigue or weaknesses that I read about, but I can absolutely agree that doing some resistance exercises and adding more protein to my diet would be wise, so I’ll be doing that.

I’ve got therapy bands at home already, so it’s just a matter of finding a set of exercises to get started on. I appreciate the advice.

At 55 I’m astounded just how quickly my body changed. And not for the better.

My whole life I was one of those hyper kids with the metabolism of a hummingbird. I could rely on seemingly limitless energy to get me through my day. I looked half my age. I could subsist almost exclusively on sugar and caffeine. I’m not sure exactly when, but I feel like I woke up one morning and it was just gone. Like I lost a fucking bet or something.

I loved being skinny, and I’m not “fat” by anyone’s definition, but this absolutely a dad bod now. I need to watch what I eat and take supplements. I get sore for no apparent reason. And I’d be okay with that if I at least had the stamina and energy that I used to, but I don’t even have that anymore. There are days I just feel straight up fucking frail.

I stay active. I work full time in a physically demanding job and I’ve got a 4 year old who keeps me on my toes. I don’t remember my parents complaining about this when they were in their 50’s. Makes me wonder what I’m doing wrong.

My ex wife.

Clearly Dave died, passed into the afterlife, lost a game of chance to a demon and was forced into a deal for his soul, and ended up cursed with immortality.

Relatable

Mass media runs on the idea of selling an idea in as few words as possible. It capitalizes on the fact that we are busy people and will only devote an infinitesimal amount of thought and energy into the idea being sold. So make it short, pithy, and at least on the surface, immune to critical analysis.

I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve composed a multi-faceted point or counterpoint to an opinion, only to be countered with, “I ain’t reading all that.” In that way, people who want to delve into nuance end up getting shut out of the discussion.

It’s out there, but you’re not going to find it on your average social media discussion forum.

At my age, ibuprofen.

Not exactly sci fi, but the TV adaptation of Handmaid’s Tale bears some striking parallels to the current renaissance that extreme right ideologies are currently enjoying. Off the top of my head…

• It shows how quickly and easily street-level enforcement of an authoritarian system can be implemented, and that there is no shortage of people willing to take on that role.

• It shows that the architects of an oppressive system aren’t necessarily “true believers” in such a system, nor are they held to the standards demanded of the average citizen.

• It shows how extremist ideologies bleed beyond the borders of one country and begin to infect others.

You can see examples of all three of these in what’s happening now.

No I’m the problem!

“Space Lord” by Monster Magnet is a classic banger for the ages and it’s a tragedy that it’s been all but lost to time.

Well sir, I have to say I do not like that prospect one bit.

I knew a guy who was, by all objective standards, a musical genius. Brilliant songwriter and lyricist, prolific, could master an instrument in weeks, took to sound production and engineering like a fish to water. In a sane world, he’d have easily flourished in the music business and possibly even made it big, as he had the drive. He had a razor sharp wit and a relentless sense of humor, and in his lucid moments, was a blast to be around.

Except he was an irredeemable and unapologetic pedophile. He had previously done ten years for making and distributing cp by the time I had met him. When I brought it up he vehemently defended himself and his vice as being completely normal and natural, and even bragged about his “work.” He insisted that he did nothing wrong and seemed to genuinely not understand why people didn’t accept it.

Shortly after we parted ways, I learned that he got caught again hoarding thousands of pictures and videos. He’s currently in prison and will spend the rest of his life there.

Honestly, I’m a classically trained musician, so I almost never put on classical music for background noise - I tune in and listen out of sheer habit.

I like Philip Glass. Yeah his name is a punchline but I find his sense of harmony and melody pleasant to listen to. I recommend his violin concerto. If you like vocal music I recommend renaissance motets (anything by Tomás Luis de Victoria for starters).

If you like a challenge take a listen to Stravinsky. If you wanna hear what it’s like to be a combat veteran try Xenakis.

I need to know that their baby Jesus is a Chucky doll. Because that would really improve my day.

I stopped reading the news, and I block any and all feeds that relate to politics.

I know, I know…staying informed and all that. Except I’m hard pressed to name a news outlet that informs. What I see is so driven by the engagement metrics, rage baiting, if-it-bleeds-it-leads mentality that any modicum of facts or truth gets lost. Journalists seem to have forsaken their obligation to hold leaders accountable and have become complicit in the problems they’ve created.

I’m old, I’m jaded, and my activist days are far behind me. I’m just done with that shit. My own mental and physical health are my top priority at my age and switching off the never ending River of Doom has improved both.