Originally blogged by bda back in 2002. I'm the other half of the conversation and it's suddenly Relevant, so I'm ripping it and injecting it in here.

(16:01:28) harblefu: You need to read Choke by Palahniuk.
(16:01:34) harblefu: There's this scene where the Mommy and the narrator are at the zoo.
(16:01:40) IkonLust: ?
(16:01:43) harblefu: And the monkeys are all masturbating; that's all they do is jerk off.
(16:01:56) harblefu: And the Mommy says "You take away its battle to survive, and this is what you get."
(16:02:02) harblefu: That's how I feel about college students.
(16:02:30) IkonLust: You know.... you're right.
(16:02:33) harblefu: haha.
(16:02:34) harblefu: No.
(16:02:34) IkonLust: I have seen it.
(16:02:36) harblefu: Palahniuk is right.

I've been the monkey lately. Fucking jacked myself raw because there ain't fuckelse to do. A lot of people I know are being the monkey. Jacking their brains raw because there ain't fuckelse to do. Pittsburgh is one big fucking bukake session and sloth is a virtue. Routine and Habit are the new Adventure. The urge to explore and question and actually Fucking Do Something is UnAmerican.

Fortunately, I'm going to the mall tomorrow. And to another district of the city on Sunday- one I've never been to. And I'm leaving this sucking pit of shit for five days starting Thursday. If I had it my way, I wouldn't be coming back. There's a full moon and daylight savings and My First Convention and an ELECTION all within a WEEK and I may even take the TRAIN. Yeah. I'm going to The Mall to look for a book to read on the commute and a cheap cel without a two-year plan and maybe an MP3-capable discman.

And Sunday I'm going to tell some somewhat important people to stick their head in a pig, as my friend Sean will be Gone when I get back from Philly and that's my last chance to see him. Sean leaves and the number of people I met in skool that are still in Pittsburgh will be single digit. My options for sunday are to wallow in sloth and get sucked off by Routine, or Do Something.

Sean's one of the few friends I have in this town. Saying it's a decision is like saying the next president won't be a christian. He's a blast to hang out with. The only person I've ever been completely comfortable barhopping with, with the possible exception of my friend Randy. Difference is the Sean-related drinking stories are a lot funnier.

The next ten days are going to totally rule. I won't even have time to masturbate.

The best thing about my life is that it occasionally wakes the fuck up out of the wet dream of sloth. And I clean the slothspunk off, change my underwear and get something done with my life. When that happens, I feel like there's a point to it, like I'm doing something that somehow Matters to somebody, and I'm not even half as bitchy and contentous as I have been the last few months. Quitting smoking was a solid step in the right direction, but I've faltered on the follow through and now it's causing more problems than it solved- a situation that's about to get a good solid kick in the ass.

'cuz the nine to five or the noon to seven or the whatever it is... unless you love it enough to wear the T-shirt, it ain't life. It's the Living Death.

They call it Adulthood in these parts.