Music Makes Me Feel Old

One of the nice things about the iPod is that I get to drag around lots of music I haven't listened to in a long time and I get an opportunity to reacquaint myself with. I'm listening to U2's Rattle & Hum and it just brings me back to early high school. I forgot how good some of these songs are, man. And I forgot how much U2 meant to me back then. Goddamn those Irish boys were good!

Foot is Good

Ran 19 miles yesterday, a bit over 3 hours with a pee break and a visit with Audrey and Noah for water refills. I felt great for most of the run, although the uphill climb for miles 13-16 are pretty rough. I'm sore today and will probably be more sore tomorrow, but the foot didn't hurt yesterday. My knees were pretty cranky, but they are fine today.

In any case, I think it is safe to say I can do a marathon. It still remains to be seen whether I can do a 3:40, though.

iPod Saga, Part Five

It is about time to wrap up the iPod story. Much email traffic, included automated messages from PayPal and I won't share them all here because it is mostly boring stuff. Mobile PC sent me a replacement iPod, which I didn't get until the last day of the dispute period. That sucker didn't work properly either. I would load up files and all, but it always seemed to hang. On our Mac and on Jon's laptop too. So, despite my desire to resolve this quickly, I had to continue the process and submit a claim for reimbursement. I sent the second iPod back and worked through PayPal, who ultimately refunded all the money back to me. And, while that was working itself out, we went out and bought a brand new video iPod. I can't say I'm happy about that, but we really need a way to take lots of music with us on trips. Noah has a lot of CDs, we have a large music library, and dragging the media with us just isn't an option any more. So, screw it...we gave Apple more of our hard-earned cash. Maybe this stupid thing will last longer than a year.

What did I learn? That you can't trust a damn thing on eBay. That PayPal definitely works. And that iPods are basically throwaway items as far as Apple is considered.

Is This It?

I'm "launching" a new series of posts on this blog called "Is This It?". "Is this it" is what a good friend of mine said to me one night when we were discussing where our lives have taken us and what our futures held. I've been thinking about this a great deal lately; the question of what we are here for or what we are supposed to do with ourselves or what we are trying to accomplish in a general sense. I'm not so concerned with the overall question of why we are here, at least not the spiritual stuff, but I am very interested in what the American Dream is and what we value these days. We say that we should all engage ourselves in the pursuit of happiness, but I just know too many people who seem to be pursuing things that aren't really making them happy. I've been there too and I spend a lot of time thinking and talking about this stuff lately.

What I'd like to do is present a fairly subjective description of someone's life, always a person I know, and pose some questions and see if anyone else has anything they want to say or add to the conversation. Being subjective, I may miss something about another person's situation that helps to make sense of things and you might be the person to point that out. So, with no more delay, let me start off with someone that .

I won't be using real names, of course...

We, the wife and son and I, visited with an old college friend (of my wife's)and her daughter recently. We would have seen her husband, but as is often the case, he had to work this past weekend. I have only seen him three times: at their wedding, at another person's wedding, and once at their apartment for dinner several years ago.

It is pretty clear that they are conservative in their politics and I assume there is a moderately strong religious component, but I can't really say much about it because the friend has basically said that she doesn't like to discuss politics with her friends. That may simply be a nicer way of saying that she doesn't like to discuss politics with her liberal friends because she would find our views detestable and it would permanently damage the friendship. Frankly, if my views on abortion or a living wage or the War in Iraq are enough to devalue a relationship with someone, then maybe there really wasn't much to the relationship.

In any case, the wife is an attorney who recently dropped off the partner track to work more moderately normal hours as general counsel for a large, amoral corporation. Maybe she has gone from 100 hours a week to 60 hours a week. The husband who seems to still work something like 100 hours and doesn't get home many nights until 10PM, works in creative management for a large ad agency. He works long hours to help produce television commercials for things like Mountain Dew and crappy, watered down beers. These long hours make it possible for them to do lots of things, I imagine, but mostly all I can see is that they always have a new and fancy luxury car and a beautiful house in New Jersey filled with nice stuff. Their kid has more toys than any child I've ever met, but they could be the result of gifts or something.

On paper, it is a great life. In photographs, it is a beautiful life. In conversation, it is a very interesting and admired life. But, in reality, is it a happy life? Does this family get to spend enough time together? Are they really enjoying what they do and are the long hours and sacrifice worth a large old house filled with fancy and expensive things? What is driving them?

Is it familial expectations that drive them to this? I have gotten a strong sense that this life they are creating is partly what they want because it is what they know and have come to expect from life. And, it is what their parents may expect of them to achieve. They also may travel in social circles that exist in an elitist arena in which this lifestyle is the the minimum level one must attain to continue to operate.

I know I couldn't do it. I can barely stand a job that needs more than 40 hours of my time at this point in my life. What would I get for an additional 20 hours of effort a week and would it make up for the time I'd lose with my family? In the decades to come, will it matter more that we've got lots of money or that we invested lots of time in our children's lives? Will it matter that I decided to spend my free time running instead of working on a graduate degree or doing additional work in the office?

Don't get me wrong - I like these people. And I'm not looking to judge anyone. I just wonder if they are really getting what they want...and I can't help but start to see in them what it is that I don't want for myself.

Another Marathon Training Update

Short this time. Left foot feels okay, although I sometimes sense something there still. I feel like I am sore all the time and it takes me a good few miles to warm up most days. I am somewhat concerned about the next two weeks. I've got 45 miles this week followed by 50 next week and I didn't recover as much as I had hoped last week, which is what I should have expected considering my "rest" was to run 37 miles. I need to get serious about getting enough sleep and I need to get my eating back on track or I am going to have a hell of a time the next month or so. Frankly, I don't know how I'm going to keep this up if I don't focus my efforts and prioritize a bit better. No more surfing the internet at night to read about cars or advanced physics and I've got to get extremely productive at work so I don't need to continue working after dinner every night.

I can do this. I signed up, I committed to this training, and I'm going to do a 3:40! I could tell you what I would be happy with, but I don't even want to consider anything less than a 3:40 yet. Heck, maybe I can even pull a 3:35. My pace runs have felt rough, but two out of the last three have been fast. Gotta get back to work now.

Marathon Training Update

I'm over 250 miles into my training, but have 600 more miles to go including MCM. These days, I've been having difficulty getting and staying motivated and I find it tough to get myself out of the house for most runs. The weekend runs are a bit easier and are more critical to my training, so I just get up and do it. And, I always feel so good on my long runs that I don't have much trouble getting started. It is the midweek workouts that bore the crap out of me. 4 miles here, 8 miles there...5:30AM on a Wednesday or 6PM on a Thursday just isn't inspiring or exciting. I'm also having trouble with my diet, or whatever you can call it. I can't figure out what I should really be eating and when and I seem to be stuck around 175 lbs. Yes, that is my goal weight, so I should be happy, but I was hoping that I could drop some more weight through this training program. Another 10 pounds would make a big difference in my speed and endurance and would help a great deal in meeting my marathon goal. And, as if motivation and food aren't enough to complain about, I'm still a bit sore from my long run this past Sunday. My left foot didn't feel that great afterwards, nor did my knees, but I can't tell if this is just soreness from hard training or a larger issue. My knees are fine, I think. They usually get sore at the end of a long run and only at the end of the long runs and they usually feel fine by the time I go for my next run. But, the pain in my left foot is similar to the pain I had last November, which ultimately required a visit to the podiatrist, prescription anti-inflammatory drugs, and ten days off from running. My training plan can accomodate a layoff like that, particularly since I am in a "rest" week at the moment, but I'd prefer to not go back to a doctor if I can help it. Foot feels better today, but I should go for a 4 mile run this evening. I think I'll take it easy, maybe a light jog to test the foot, and we'll see what happens. If it hurts, I'll go see a doctor.

Book Review: Ultramarathon Man

Maybe this will become a regular part of the blog. If I ever have an audience larger than three people, it might even be worthwhile to someone. In any case, I recently finished reading "Ultramarathon Man" by Dean Karnazes. Dean is well-known for running ridiculously long distances on his own, but the more non-Dean reading I've done, the more I realized that Dean is just a marketing machine who happens to run a lot. Not to take anything away from the guy. He did run a marathon at the South Pole, completed Western States a few times, and has run a 200 mile relay race by himself several times. But, other people have done crazier stuff, even crazier than his new hype-laden event, the Endurance 50.

In any case, so Dean wrote a book. And, he really did write this himself because it is not very well written. He could have used a better editor, but at least you can hear his real voice...the egotistical, overly happy with himself tone that comes right through on every page. Most of the book is rather boring, but it is such a quick read that it didn't bother me enough to put it down. The descriptions of his physical ailments, particularly how he felt at his worst moments during several of his adventures was the most interesting part. I can't imagine I'll ever run Western States, so maybe Dean's retelling of his first time is the closest I'll come to understanding what it is like to run up and down mountains in the middle of the night, pushing yourself a point where you almost go blind and begin to urinate blood. Nice stuff, right?

In the end, it is good toilet or airplane reading. Pick it up at the library, but definitely do not bother buying it.

iPod Saga, Part Four

Given that I hadn't heard anything, I figured I'd just ship the iPod back. Really, what else can I do at this point anyways? I believe I am on the right side of this dispute and having been the first party to register the issue with Paypal, I think I am in good shape as far as getting a favorable resolution. So, as a show of good faith and an effort to keep things moving, the iPod got packaged up and dropped off at the neighborhood Kinko/FedEx joint.

Oddly enough, on the same day that happens, I get this email from the lovely Dena:

Hello David,

I have spoken with my supervisor and we are going to
go ahead and send you out your replacement despite the
buyer dispute. However, we cannot send you a
replacement until we have received the defective iPod.
You should have already received an RMA# (DS062806)
and a return shipping label via email. Please package
the defective item securely and attach the return
shipping label to the outside of the box. Once we
receive the defective iPod, we will issue you a
replacement. Once you receive the replacement, please
remove the buyer dispute so that we can receive
payment for the item. Please let me know if there is
anything else that I can help you with.

Thank you,
Dena
MobilePC

She needed to talk to her supervisor about this? I'll be keeping an eye on the FedEx tracking information and sending her a reminder email when it looks like my package has been received by them. The sad part is that all I wanted is this kind of response, really. Just work through the dispute, resolve it quickly, and I'll be happy to close it. I'm not looking to hold them over a barrel here, but I don't understand why they never chose to communicate with me through Paypal.

My Marathon Training Program...

This is my hybrid plan, based on Hal Higdon's Intermediate II and a lot of the comments I've read on Runner's World Marathon Forums. Things are going well so far, but I have trouble remembering exactly how many miles I am supposed to run during the workweek.

More Language Acquisition

So, I say to Noah that something is awesome and he says:

"No, Daddy. It's not awesome. It's great."

iPod Saga, Part Three

So, while waiting to hear back from Dena, I get the RMA and shipping information from a new person, Lindsey. Maybe Dena is the "bad" cop and Lindsey is the "good" cop?

Hi,
Sorry you are having problems with your unit and for
any inconvenience this has caused you.  Please follow
these instructions to return the item safely to us.

1.  Please package the item with all accessories
(ac adapter/power cord, CDs, instruction manuals, etc)
in the original packaging.  If the plastic wrap has
been broken, please use bubble wrap and/or foam peanuts
to make sure the item is securely packaged.  Please
note that you are responsible for any damage incurred
during the return shipment due to insufficient
packaging.

2.  Please send the item to:
    MobilePC
    Attn: RMA #
    10225 Barnes Canyon Rd Suite A112
    San Diego, CA 92121

Make sure to include a detailed description of
the problem you have been nencountering.

3.  Please note that this RMA is only valid for
2 weeks.  If your unit is not received back within
2 weeks, this return authorization will be cancelled,
voiding any future warranty coverage through MobilePC.

4.  Print and attach your FedEx return label to your
unit and ship back to us.  Please notify us when you
have sent it out, so we can know when to expect it.

5.  Please allow us a few days to review your item
and duplicate the problem.  If possible, we will
repair the item and return it to you.  If unable to
repair the unit, we will replace it.  If we do not have
any units to replace the defective one, we will issue
a refund.  (If we are not given the opportunity to
repair or replace the unit, we charge a 25% restocking
fee as stated in the auction listing.)

6.  If you would like a replacement unit sent prior to
returning the original, please send us payment for the
full value of the unit.  We will send a replacement unit
out to you once payment has been received.  When we receive
the original unit, we will refund the amount in full.
If unit has been damaged during shipment:

7.  Please make sure to keep all original packaging.
If possible take digital pictures of the damage.  We will
give you instructions on how to file a damage claim with
FedEx.  If you have any other problems or questions,
feel free to contact us.

Thanks
MobilePC

So, I print out the label and figure I can package the iPod up and send it back the following day. Before I get around to doing that, I get another message from Dena and she addresses the Paypal dispute again:

Hello David,

We apologize for the confusion. As you mentioned, the
hold is on the transaction, not the account. While the
transaction is on hold, Paypal has taken the funds
from our account so we currently do not have payment
for this item. However, I am going to issue you a RMA
#DS062906 and a return shipping label so that the item
can be returned to us on our account. The return
shipping label will be sent to your email address.
Simply print out the label, attach it to the package
and drop it off at your nearest FedEx location or
dropbox.  Be sure to package the item securely. We
will ship a replacement after receiving the defective
item; the only thing we request is that you end your
buyer dispute prior to shipping out the replacement.
Please let us know if this is acceptable.

Thank you,
Dena
MobilePC

They still want me to close the dispute prior to any real action on their part. Again, they are giving me an RMA and taking care of shipping, but that is a few extra dollars to them and doesn't exactly compare with the cost of sending me another iPod. Maybe they are just concerned that I am going to stiff them somehow, maybe get Paypal to refund my money while I actually keep the device or something. I guess it is possible to do something like that, but I don't know how effective it would be. And, frankly, I don't know why they continue to choose to not communicate with me through Paypal's dispute process. I can't help but think they want to keep their requests for closure outside of Paypal's purview so it doesn't negatively impact them if we can't resolve this. So, I responded with this:

Dena,

I appreciate what you are requesting and that you are
working with me to resolve this.  But, I have some
concerns about how things have gone so far and I do
not understand why you require me to close the Paypal
dispute.  You have issued an RMA and covered the
shipping expenses, both of which certainly suggest
that you have every intention of honoring your
exchange/return policy.  But, you must know that if I
close the dispute, I have no avenue for recourse
whatsoever.  So, if I do as you ask and then ship the
device, you can collect the funds, never send me a
replacement, and there will be nothing I can do other
than submit negative feedback on eBay, something that
will do nothing to get my money back or to get me a
working iPod.

I will be happy to close the dispute once I've
received a working iPod, but I do not see any valid
reason to do so beforehand.

Sincerely,
Dave

And I haven't heard a peep since yesterday afternoon. I am going to ship the device back because it is no good to me and I am confident that I will be able to resolve this, one way or another, through Paypal. But, I don't think this story is finished yet.

iPod Saga, Part Two

If you are just joining me on this trip, you should probably scroll down and read the prior post to put the following exchange in context.

Within 20 minutes of filing a dispute claim with Paypal, I hear from the seller:

Hello,
We apologize for any inconvenience.  We will gladly
replace your iPod.  We will email you a shipping label
which will cover the cost of return shipping.  Simply
print out the label, attach it to the package and drop
it off at your nearest FedEx location or dropbox.  Be
sure to package the item securely, as any damage
caused during shipping will be your responsibility.
As soon as we receive the defective item we will ship
out a replacement.  For future reference, your RMA# is
DS062806.

Thank you,
Dena
MobilePC

I assume that this email was spurred by having filed the claim, but it sure sounds like they are proactively responding to my original request to the support team, doesn't it? Note that they are choosing to email me directly and to not post messages through Paypal, something Paypal suggests so that there is documented evidence of dispute resolution. Not surprisingly, 12 minutes after this first message, I get the following:

Hello,

According to our records you have a Paypal hold on
your account. You will need to cancel the dispute
before we can issue you a replacement. Please let us
know when you have removed the dispute and we will
then issue you a return shipping label for the
defective iPod.

Thank you,
Dena
MobilePC

Interesting timing, huh? It almost looks as if they were responding to me independently and in the process of taking care of the issue, they realized that I had filed a dispute. Of course they couldn't be staging this process, right? They issued an RMA, but didn't give me a method for actually sending the device back yet. So, I have just enough to feel like this is being taken care of, but I can't actually get it taken care of yet. So, I respond back:

Dena,

There is no hold on the account.  I filed a dispute
with Paypal regarding this purchase.  You, as in
MobilePC, should have received notice not that long
ago.  In fact, you emailed me not long after I filed
the dispute, so I assumed you were contacting me in
response to the dispute itself.

In any case, I don't see any reason why I should close
the dispute until you have satisfactorily resolved it.
I appreciate that you are willing to replace the
device, but I don't have an RMA, have not yet shipped
the device back, and obviously haven't received a
working device.  Closing the dispute prior to getting
a working device cuts off the only method I have for
effectively resolving this issue.

If you are unwilling to process an exchange while the
dispute is open, I am happy to forward this
information to Paypal and request an investigation to
settle the matter.  I would prefer to simply get the
RMA, send the device to you, and get the exchange,
though, and be able to update Paypal that I am
satisfied.

Sincerely,
Dave

And, now I wait. Let's see if there is a FedEx shipping label or if they tell me to shove it. I realize now that I did have the RMA, but that doesn't help me much, does it?

iPod Saga, Part One

A while back, I posted about how our 40GB 4th Generation iPod died and how I couldn't find a good solution to replace or repair it. Well, after looking around and researching prices, we figured that the best option was to eBay a used iPod. I wanted to just replace the hard drive in the 40GB, but getting a new hard drive was more expensive than getting a used 20GB iPod. And, since the hard drive specs have changed for each model, it wasn't going to be that easy to get a drive that I could be sure would fit properly in the iPod we currently owned.

After watching the market for a few weeks and losing several bids, we scored a used 20GB 4th Generation iPod for $112.50, plus an additional $15 for shipping and handling. The auction listing actually said "Apple iPod" and the item description stated "Apple iPod Fourth Gen. (20 GB, MAC/PC - M9282LL/A) MP3 Player". I include this because while it is all loosely true, it isn't exactly true. What showed up was an HP-branded iPod with an entirely different serial number. If I had known that, I wouldn't have bought it since it requires some effort to reformat and restore the device so that it will work with a Mac, a hassle I don't need.

We did try to use it, though. But, it was pretty clear that the device was shot from the beginning. The usual error messages, the dreaded folder icon on the iPod, the Mac having no idea what this thing is and usually not seeing it at all. I tried to make it work, but the hard drive made clicking sounds from the moment we touched it...not a good sign.

So, after trying for a few days, I contacted the support department of the eBay seller, a seller who states a 30 day repair/exchange/refund policy. About a day and a half passes with no answer back. So, in looking for other options for resolving this, I realize I can file a dispute with Paypal. And, that is exactly what I did. In the dispute claim, you can send the seller a message. So I sent this:

Hello,

I recently received a 20GB "used" iPod from you guys,
MobilePC.  What I did not know when I purchased the
device was that it was an HP iPod and not an "OEM"
Apple iPod.  If I had known this was an HP model or
one originally intended for use with a Windows PC, I
would not have purchased the device.  I only own a Mac
and plan to use this iPod with a Mac.  Trying to
switch the iPod to work with a Mac voids the
manufacturer's warranty, assuming that there is any
time left on that warranty in the first place.

Despite this, I did try to find a way to make it work
with my Mac.  The moment I turned it on, I got the
folder icon suggesting that something was wrong.  And,
more ominous was the audible clicking sound and the
feeling of the hard drive needle moving rather harshly
inside the device when I tried to use it.  I believe
that the hard drive is likely bad in this device,
something I am familiar with having had my previous
40GB iPod's hard drive die on me.

I would like to either have this device repaired with
a good hard drive, exchanged for a working iPod that
is native to Mac, or I would like my money refunded to
me.  If I have to ship this back to you, I don't think
it is fair that I have to pick up the shipping tab
twice.  I paid to have this iPod sent to me the first
time in what turned out to be less than stellar
condition.  I don't think I should have to pay to have
it returned to working condition, something that was
guaranteed in the auction.

Thank you,
Dave

And, in the next few posts, I'll share with you the back and forth responses...

First Loves

I think Noah has fallen in love for the first time. And with an older, married woman. Audrey's friend, Kate, came to visit this week and Noah has been absolutely beside himself with interest and affection for her. I can't explain it, other than she is a great person and good with kids. Maybe he has a thing for blondes.

We've never seen him so interested in someone. He has been acting out, in a sense, since she arrived. He has been excited and loud and totally engaged. He wanted to show Kate all his favorite things, wanted her to follow him around, and made a point of telling her all his likes and dislikes. The whole experience has been amazing, but I hope he isn't going to be depressed when he gets home tonight and realizes that Kate is gone and that he won't see her again for some time.

We'll have to get him a girlfriend in the neighborhood.

The Latest Boundary Crossing

One of the measuring sticks we seem to use as parents is to recognize certain boundaries that Noah has yet to cross. That is, we note that there is a line of some form that he hasn't yet gone past. It might be a fear that he conquers or a place he can't yet reach. Or, not getting out of bed and leaving his room despite the fact that there is nothing physically stopping him. After the conversion of his crib to a toddler bed, we figured he'd bust through that line immediately, but he didn't. Visions of Noah standing next to our bed in the middle of the night, or going into the kitchen to get a drink of water from the refrigerator, or falling down the stairs in the dark immediately popped into my head. But, he gave us no reason to worry until recently. First, he sneaks up on me at 5:45AM while I am getting ready to go out for a run. I'm just about to leave and there he is, just standing at the top of the stairs. I took him back to his room, got him settled and back to sleep, and left without any trouble. But, now I think we are cooked. We all slept in this morning, or so I thought. Around 6:45AM, I heard Noah talking, but it sounded like his usual sleepy calls for help finding his binky. He can find it himself and once he does so, he goes back to sleep. I closed my eyes, but woke up about 15 minutes later and got in the shower. Neither Noah, or anyone else for that matter, seemed to be awake. After the shower, I open the bathroom door to peak at the alarm clock to check the time. And, there he is, just standing next to our bed, patiently and quietly waiting for Audrey to wake up.

"Hi Daddy. I'm awake."

Yes, he is...more every day, it seems.

Landlocked, Yet Drowning

Here in Fairfax, we have lots of lakes and some small creeks or "runs" as they are called in these parts, but no major bodies of water. I guess the Potomac isn't too far or the Rappahanock either. In any case, though, not something that means one should be too concerned about floods. Except when the skies open up and won't stop dumping water out on us. We have had somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 inches of rain since last Thursday. This is just getting absurd. A good morning is one in which I don't have to bring my bags of lawn clippings back from where they floated the night before.

I Lost the Battle, but I Will Win the War

I mowed the lawn last night. Normal occurence, usual effort. Actually, it was quick this time, but I don't know exactly why. In any case, it turns out that we have a nest of yellowjackets living in a hole in the front part of our lawn. I aroused them during the mowing. I didn't see them, made my first pass, and clearly pissed them off. Then, because I am rather stupid, I thought it would be a good idea to run the nest over again, since a giant spinning blade should be able to kill any of them that tried to get out. Besides, it is my lawn and I'm not going to concede anything to them. Yeah, well, that second pass ended in me running into the street, cursing from the sting I had just gotten on the back of my right leg.

I left them alone the rest of the night, but I will soon pay them a visit with death on my mind.

Strange Disappearances

So, I leave the house for a run at 6AM this morning. Sitting on the stoop, tying my shoelaces, I drink about half of a sports drink before taking off. I'm gone a bit over an hour.

When I come back, there is a flyer stuff into the handle of our front door for some housecleaning service. I go in and get on with coffee making, breakfast eating, and all the getting ready for work and taking Noah to daycare stuff. As I'm getting ready to leave, I realize that the sports drink is still out on the porch. But it isn't. It has vanished. So, someone put a flyer in my door some time between 6 and 7AM this morning and thought it would be perfectly reasonable to take my half-used sports drink off my hands. Audrey thought maybe they were just cleaning up, but it wasn't in our garbage can.

Would you take a used drink from some stranger's porch and drink it? Would you use a cleaning service that employs people who would?

And So It Begins...

Noah has been rather "bossy" lately. Clearly, he recognizes his verbal abilities and how well he can communicate with us. And, he has a good understanding of many of the nuances and intricacies of language. Add to this the fact that he is becoming very aware of himself in terms of age and relation to other people and you get an interesting mix.

He tells me what to do on a regular basis. Like not to sing with his music or to drive the silver car instead of the red car. The other night, while Audrey is working at the sink and Noah is getting a head start on dinner, I take a moment to replace the lighbulbs in one of the lights in the kitchen. Not a big deal, really. I finish the job and am replacing the light fixture when Noah says "Good job, Daddy".

Just what I need...another person in my house commenting on everything I do.

Talent Kills

I was just wondering why all the great music artists, at least the ones I really like, have to die. Some of the most amazing stuff I have ever heard was made by people that died, either by drugs or suicide or a combination. Hendrix, Elvis, Jeff Buckley, Elliot Smith. Sure, they aren't all in the same category, but my list of favorite artists or albums would be rife with dead people.

How come people like Britney Spears or Toby Keith don't die "young"? Is it that the truly talented have too much and it kills them? Is it that whatever is the source of their creativity is also the source of whatever it is that drives them to behavior that kills them? Kind of like how genius always seems to be separated from insanity by a paper thin margin. Maybe we aren't meant to be very smart or creative or interesting as a species. That would at least explain why the planet is largely populated with halfwits and bores.