Faceless - My 30 Day Detox from Facebook (November 1, 2015)

It’s said that it takes 21 days to develop or break a habit and/or pattern. Whenever I feel like any indulgences are out of control, I choose one to single out every couple of months and commit to a 30 day “detoxification”. October is for Facebook. Why abstinence from Facebook? I find myself checking Facebook several times a day. I became aware of my over-fascination with being in the loop, part of the conversations and trending topics, sharing funny moments with friends, and worst of all, anticipating the feedback. I am curious about my relationship with social media and information consumerism. 

It only makes sense to me to see what life is like without social media, since there was a time in my life when that did not exist (pre-MySpace, so 2002 and earlier). Think about that. 13 years of social media, which I take for granted. Here is my journal-style blog.

Day 1 (October 1) 

It’s one of the first things I do on my walk to work... it sounds sad when I write it out. Since Facebook is deactivated, it doesn’t auto login on my computer either, which makes it easier. There are things I wanted to share today: movie trailer, funny pic, and news that is politically important to me. That feels like a very privileged, first world struggle. I thought about it throughout the day: how can I share these things with people without getting on Facebook?  

That right there is a problem!! Can you reflect on this deep narcissism? How self-absorbed does that sound?? How can I… ME… MYSELF… bestow upon my friends and peers such IMMACULATELY CURATED INFORMATION that will surely bring them PLEASURE or ENLIGHTENMENT, even if it’s for a second. It’s rather vile, when you think about it. I was not missing keeping up with what my friends are up to, but longed to share content. I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!! I feel like a douche. I would love to talk to a few psychologists to dive deeper into what’s happening here. I’ve always thought of myself as someone who never craves attention. But what I am witnessing right now is a social media avatar of a “selfie”, which in itself is the lowest level in hell. 

And, yes, I acknowledge the irony of writing a blog about my Facebook-free adventure, in hopes of finding readership amongst my friends and beyond. Gross, right? 

Week 1 (October 8) 

It’s surprising to me how well my detox is going. I have been surprisingly productive at work, though I need to find that same upswing at home (Damn you, Hulu and Netflix!) What I do find problematic is how much of my digital world is intertwined with Facebook. Once I deactivated my Facebook account, all my other accounts setup using my Facebook profile information stopped working as well. Spotify, Bands In Town, Messenger, Rotten Tomatoes to name a few. 

Takeaway #1: Setup all accounts independently from Facebook, and just link them later on. 

Takeaway #2: My urge to share content really disappeared after Day 2 or 3. Maybe I was reading too much into it on my first day? Or just reflecting on my “flaw” made me calm down. Whichever it was, it’s in a good place now. 

Takeaway #3: There are somethings I am missing about Facebook. Primarily, being in the loop of up-coming events in NYC. When you live in an awesome city where something is always going on, Facebook is an easy way to keep track of forthcoming events and friend's parties. 

Last Day (October 31) 

I am nearly cleansed of any need to be on Facebook. I have not thought about logging on in the past couple weeks. It was been a very successful cleanse for me. I logged back on today because it's Halloween (my favorite day of the year), and I wanted to see people's costumes. My first 5 minutes have been rather disappointing, and not because of Halloween, but all the other 'noise'. Have you ever given up soda for a while, and when you have that first sip after some time has passed, it tastes awful and you can feel the high-fructose corn syrup? That is exactly what like jumping back on Facebook has been like. I am not making a comment about my friend's posts, but just commenting about the cultural norm of bitter editorial statuses, over-sharing patterns, negative and aggressive snark, etc. Mind you, I have participated in such manners too. A detox always makes me self-reflect and hyper-aware, pushing me to progress. 

Initially, I will lower the frequency of news/political editorial posts, keep critical comments to a minimum, unless it's all in the name of pure humor, and push to share productive and positive messages. I want people to call me out if I really derail. I also challenge my friends and peers on a 2 or 4 week Facebook ban. It's rather refreshing. Most importantly, none of this matters! 

I am done here. I have to go post about this.



#blog #journal #Facebook #socialmedia #addiction #digitallife #detox #habits

Well, College Was Useless

I realized that my blog is called THAT ANGRY BROWN GUY. I haven't written in my asshole/'angry brown guy'/dipshit alter-ego. Well, he's back. You are welcome, Umairica.


It’s the first time I have been following the Olympics. I love how passionate and dedicated everyone of these Olympians are. I realize I am not excellent at anything. I am decent at a few things, but not awesomely awesome! 

Lesson? A business (and majority of college degrees) degree will more than likely lead you to working for some chump companies just to make an average life, while some C-levels make crazy money of you and all your fellow subordinates. True, you can eventually be a C-level, if that is a goal, but more than likely, you run a company that doesn’t do anything special or innovative. Yeah, Negative Ned is in town, to show you how horrible your life is. 

You are never going to be a Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, or Mark Zuckerburg. Give up, bitches!! Did you see the Mars landing of CURIOSITY yesterday? Did you see how excited all the people at NASA control center were? You will never feel that accomplished or excited with your job. You will never work in the team that is on the quest for the ‘God-particle’; now that level of ambition is alien to you and all your loser friends!! 

Yeah. Sit down. Talk about sports, watch more TV, buy more things, be more in debt, waste your weekends and money drinking beer. Dream about traveling the world, and making a difference. Dream about making money that you will eventually waste on useless things. 

Hey you. Yeah I am putting you down. Don’t worry. I am there right next to you. 

Fuck this. Things I should do: cancel cable, cut down/out drinking, surround myself with creative-types/solo-entrepreneur/idea-men, etc. 

But that’s not going to happen.  Let’s all shop at Wal-Mart and eat at Chilis. 

(whomp whomp)

The chase is on…

I never really thought about death prior to this year. Leah, a best friend to someone I care about, passed away last month. Famous deaths that stood out for me were MCA from BEASTIE BOYS, and just recently, Tony Sly of NO USE FOR A NAME. Sure, it seems unfair to put two people I have never met up there with someone I did know. But each brings a different experience out to the open.

Why did MCA and Tony Sly effect me, considering I didn’t know them personally?

You know how music works. Sometimes it just cuts to the core. I was 15 (circa 1995) when I really grasped BEASTIE BOYS. That started my obsession with turn-table hip-hop (Tribe Called Quest, Hieroglyphics, Jurassic 5, DJ Krush, etc). Every party I have thrown, I have included my favorite BB tracks in the mix. BEASTIE BOYS were very open of about their positive faith and outlook of humanity, distancing themselves from the ’80s/party version of BEASTIE BOYS. MCA passing was an end of a very important and philosophical band in my life.

My younger brother actually exposed me to NO USE FOR A NAME back in ‘97 (?) with ‘Justified’. Only knowing that one song by NUFAN (and loving it), I had an opportunity to see them live in March of ‘99 with DANCE HALL CRASHERS. Mind blown!! They were the essence of pop skate-punk I was always looking for. I play guitar as well, they molded how I perceived 2-guitar melodies, and also loved Tony Sly’s lyrics.  Those who know me are aware that lyrics are the last things I pay attention to. Melody is most important to me. And fans of punk rock can’t deny how melody driven NO USE was. 

I had opportunity to meet Tony Sly and the rest of the band at the 2004 Warped Tour in Dallas. In fact, I was on stage with them, thanks to my friends in NEAR MISS (Austin punk rock band no longer together). It was huge highlight for me, as a fan and hobby-musician. 

Tony Sly passed away 4 days ago, age 41, and he was a big influence into how I feel and hear music. It bummed me out more, realizing, it took such bad news for me to remember his music again. NO USE has not been in my music radar since 2008… I feel guilty. But it has been awesome re-visiting the songs I realized I still love.

All of the tragic events have brought a new direction to my life. Leah, MCA, and Tony all left this life too early. They have kids and spouses that they loved, and were loved back. As cliche as this sounds, personal / financial / professional success is pointless as a main goal in life. You will be remembered superficially for those qualities. But to be remembered and known as a loving parent/spouse/significant other is incredibly rich, even if it’s a few people. I am not going to fight against that life anymore. While personal/professional success will still be important, it will not be priority #1 anymore. I am going to stop being self-absorbed in life paths, because I have given up too much of who/what makes me happy.

NO USE’s song “Chasing Rainbows” shares a cautionary and protective message against  ’chasing rainbows’ and dealing with the wrong people in this life. It’s one of my favorites. 

Tony, MCA, and Leah. Where ever you are, you don’t have to worry about the wrong people anymore. Start chasing rainbows. Chase away.

Indians win… kinda? And Arnold.

It’s Day #2.  All vegetarian meals and second entry.  I AM 1/15 WAY THERE!! WOOOO!

I need to have more insightful/deeper blogs… because what you are about to read is HORSESHIT!! (Tomorrow, my fellow Umairicans… promise)

See, here is why it’s easy for me to be a vegetarian: All Asian foods. Indian/Pakistani food, Thai food, etc. Even with veggies only, they are delicious. And luckily, I am a fantastic cook.

Now here are 2 reasons why so many Western people have a hard time being vegetarian: 1) regular American vegetarian food is mostly bland. 2) really good American vegetarian food/cuisine is expensive (btw, check out Bliss Raw Cafe in Dallas… so AWESOME!)

Whoa. Expendables 2 trailer on TV. How terrible does that look?  I feel bad for all the washed up actors.  Still going to watch it.  Guilty pleasures. Arnold didn’t age well (he is 65)… but still an amazingly nostalgic actor of the 80s/90s.

Good day all. Successfully completed Day 2. Till tomorrow!!!!

The Year Of Insanity… well, what’s left of it.

My buddy Josh Ness brought up this great idea last week to participate in a 30 day Challenge. There are 6 of Josh’s friends doing this, and they are committing to 30 Days of Blogging.  But one can find anything that they want to commit to everyday, and just do it. Josh also played around with the idea to add a twist by suggesting a new 30 Day Challenge every month for the rest of the year. 

I am in.

So what’s my commitment for August? Well, I am going for a double combo. 30 Days of Vegetarianism and 30 Days of Blogging.

Why not 30 Days of Veganism? Eff that.  I have a soul.

I already did a 80/20 vegetarian/meat stint for 21 days just this past month. Just to see if I can do it.  It turned out to be 95/5 in favor of vegetables and fruit. I really started enjoying vegetarian meals.  By no means am I giving up meat, but turning it down a bit.

The next, what I am going to blog about for 30 days?  Anything.  Anything that is on my mind.  So expect thought provoking essays to mostly quick observations or frustrations of daily life.  

Also.  Feel free to join in on this 30 Day Challenge. I know you would be 1 day behind, but there are 31 days in August ;)

The Best and Worst... My list of 2011

I figured I would do a list of movies, TV, and arbitrary events of the year gone.

Please share if you agree, disagree, what I missed, and even your own mini list, if you must. I always like to know what I missed or how I might be looking at something wrong.

Movies 2011:

Movies were kind of lame this year. There was nothing that just slapped me across the face, or made me Whoa (Keanu-style). Even my top 5 list is comprised of movies that would have just been good average movies in the years before. And those who know me, I rank my movies based on how much fun they were, not artistic value.

Top 5: 50/50, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Battle LA, Our Idiot Brother, Transformers Dark of the Moon

The rest I liked: Horrible Bosses, XMEN First Class, Thor, No Strings Attached, Between Notes, Limitless, Cowboys and Aliens, Hanna, Take Me Home Tonight, Drive Angry, Just Go With It, Source Code, Hall Pass, The Help, Contagion, Harold And Kumar, Drive

Had-so-much-potential-but-sucked Worst 5: Sucker Punch, Hangover 2, Your Highness, Captain America, Super8

The rest of the worst: Paul, The Green Hornet, Bridesmaids, Unknown, Change Up, 30 Minutes of Less

Keep in mind there is a plethora of movies I missed this year, so I have yet to see the following: Sitter, J Edgar, Muppets, Harry Potter, Immortals, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Tin Tin, Shame, The Adjustment Bureau, Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, Tree of Life, Moneyball, Lincoln Lawyer, Midnight In Paris, Crazy Stupid Love, Red State, The Beaver, Another Earth, Melancholia, Ides of March

TV 2011:

TV has just kicked ass as a quality medium for several years now. It seems to bypass movies in many respects.

My faves of 2011: Breaking Bad (best show this year), Dexter, Homeland, New Girl, Parks and Rec, The League, Daily Show, Colbert Report, South Park, Friday Night Lights, Modern Family, Family Guy

Other low-brow faves: Shameless (Showtime), American Horror Story, The Soup, Tosh.0, South Park, Family Guy (both South Park and Family Guy are even stronger than before), G4 Attack of the Show

Video Games 2011:

Batman Arkham City (best game this year... sorry Uncharted 3), Uncharted 3, Assassins Creed Revelations, Gears of War 3, Battlefield 3, Killzone 3, Resistance 3, Infamous 2. Modern Warfare 3 was alright, a "meh", worth a mention.

2012:

Here is to 2012, and a collection of entertainment awesomeness that we hope it provides. I am anticipating: The Dark Knight Rises, Prometheus, The Avengers, The Hunger Games, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Happy new year everyone.  Lets make this a great year!

Back with a bang... kinda (7/10)

I have been absent since last year (around September).  I don't have anything profound to say, but something amazing to show.

It's no secret that I love counter-culture, break-dancing, and badassness.  Where can you find all those in one place? Parkour.  I have been watching parkour videos online since I saw the first Transporter (some of you call it Free Running).

Its a 5 minute video, it really picks up half way through (after the injury bit).  Plus the music is crazy wicked.
Minus the odd guy doing some crazy shit in Hammer/Vanilla Ice pants.  Crazy Croats.

Enjoy.

Croatia Parkour (Vimeo.com)