Thanksgiving Rant

The end of a melody is not its goal: but nonetheless, had the melody not reached its end it would not have reached its goal either. A parable.

-- Friedrich Nietzsche

When I first started the Meme Merchant, my intention was to write for a year and then convert my articles into a book. I don't know whether I'll do that now but I do know that my year is up (it's actually been a year and a month, but who's counting?) and it's time for me to move on to some new projects.

Before we get into that, I'd first like to say thank you to the people who helped, supported, and inspired me over the last year. 

Steven Pressfield: I've been writing on and off for decades but I never had the discipline to write consistently until I read your book, The War of Art. Your take on the writer's path and the obstacles that obstruct it really put things into perspective for me. It's so simple: the most important part of being a writer is writing. I get it now. Every day I wait for the Muse to visit me and she rarely misses our appointments.

Jessica: thanks for giving me some valuable feedback regarding the look and feel of the blog. I hope it isn't too hard on the eyes!

Big Shaq: thanks for giving me feedback on the length of my articles and suggesting that I post on the same days every week. Having a structure and routine really helped me get organized with my writing and I think it's probably helped with my traffic as well. As always, you're a sexy scholar and a gentleman.  

Thanks to Dan Meilleur for his contribution and for letting me read an advance copy of his Atheist's Bible. I look forward to reading the finished product when it's ready and I hope to work with you again in the future.

Thanks also to Tom Ippen for his excellent piece on the role of war in the modern world. It's a must-read and timely reminder, especially in light of recent and ongoing events in the Levant and Ukraine.

Thanks to Stephen Harper for being the worst prime minister in recent memory. You'll be happy to know that you single-handedly shattered my political apathy. Well, that's not quite true: your flunkies helped quite a bit, too. In any case, 2015 will be a historical year for me as it will mark the first time I vote in a federal election. I am eagerly awaiting to do my part in getting you and your Northern Republicans out of office.

David: thanks for putting me onto Alan Watts and the video attached below. I've re-watched it more times than I can count! The perfect balance of truth, beauty, and #pewpew. Greatly appreciated.

Kyle and Aaron: you two are by far my most vocal cheerleaders. No one has shared my work with others as much as you two and I am deeply grateful and humbled by your support. Not sure what I did to earn it but I'll do my best not to lose it.

Thanks to Cyrus the Great for being so goddamn awesome. Yours was a shining example of wit, wisdom, might, and philanthropy. The world desperately needs more leaders like you. October 29th is marked on my calendar, dude. Your life is worth commemorating!

Jason: thanks for suggesting that I write about the teachers' strike. I know our opinions on this topic differ and I hope you weren't offended by my assessment of the situation. That post, by the way, drove more traffic to my blog than anything else I've written and I couldn't of done it without your suggestion!

And Crystal, my little pendeja: your aggressive and shameless promotion of the aforementioned teachers' strike piece made me feel like I was actually part of something greater, like I took a stand and it meant something. Thanks for getting behind it and for pushing it out to your people!

Tarek and Youssef: thanks for putting me onto Paul Hawken's "Ecology of Commerce. Now if only our politicians read it and applied its principles to policy making! Thanks also for showing me that the Law of Attraction does indeed work. How else do you explain the circumstances of our meeting? It's not every day that you meet strangers in the Sheraton hot tub, strike up a conversation about politics and religion, and go out for dinner afterward! You guys are classy as fuck and I wish you both the best. If you're ever up here again, drop me a line!

Almost done.

Thanks to Socrates, Zeno of Citium, Lucius Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius for putting into words what has long resided in my heart. Discovering Stoicism earlier this year was like coming home for the first time. It clicked instantly.

Your collected works and ideas have had a profound effect on how I view the world and operate in it.
You've helped me get off the treadmill and appreciate what I have. You've taught me to regard the universe and my brief time in it with reverence and awe. More importantly, you've confirmed what I always believed: that happiness is a state of mind completely unrelated to the external world and
available to anyone who wishes to grasp it.

Last but not least, thanks to DJ Candy Pants for supporting and believing in me. I'm blessed to have a wife and best friend like you. Your love is like fuel: it drives me to be the best husband, father, and person I can possibly be. I can say without a shred of exaggeration that you are my inspiration and the sole reason I put down the toilet seat. Thanks babe!

Okay, so what's next?

I'm going to shift gears a bit. Instead of writing about all these heavy, confusing topics, I'm going to keep things really casual. I'll update you guys on the projects I'm working on, drop samples, or document my oddball opinions and observations about news, pop culture, or anything else that takes my fancy.

Come to think of it, that sounds a lot like what I'm doing now! Only, I'll be doing a lot less of it going forward. Expect shorter posts and fewer of them.

Thanks to those I mentioned above and everyone else who has taken the time to read my work. I hope you derived some value or benefit from this blog: I know I did!

Cheers,

Oscar