Exodus or how Skander Bor got caught on camera.

My ears are still ringing even after four days of complete solitude. Well anything away from Lowlands is quiet I tell you that. I suppose it is my time to write a full report about my experiences on and about Lowlands. First observation: the main act that drew the most people wasn't the Prodigy, Marilyn Manson or Queens of the stone age, but the waiting lines. Two and a half hour waiting in the sun with your bags isn't pleasant. Okay, I probably have no right to complain seeing as I wasn't that heavily packed, but it still was annoying. Once in I thought it would get better, how wrong I was...

But I am getting a bit ahead of myself. The main reason as told in my 'I'm going to Rowlens' story were My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy. Both of those acts were cancelled for obscure reasons, a blow to the neck but it couldn't be helped. And instead of selling my ticket I took a more positive approach and went in smiling like a Clown on steroids. Which in the end I am glad I did, because Lowlands is an experience that must be seen, smelled and most of all heard. The first notable act were the Kaiser Chiefs. A very impressive four-some that dished out some decent music even though I wasn't into them. Granted, I knew two songs of them but not enough to leave the roof a blazing. After that I was quickly dragged to the Bravery. The only band which truly blew me away and whom I proudly now listen to. I really wish I would have known about them beforehand or at least was with them from the start. Sadly we could only hear the last three or so songs.

The amount of people that gathered in the Walhalla of alternative music is impressive to say the least. Even more impressive is the diversity, the amount of witty shirts dazzled me. Not a line was to lame or it was written on a shirt. For example take this obese drunken guy with the line: 'and as the final touch, God created the Dutch' written on his tight orange shirt. Seriously I was looking for the nearest rock and was already transferring myself to another country out of embarrassment. It was also the conglomerate of nerds who found their mother's make-up kit. Yes, you guessed it: Marilyn Manson fans. If you didn't know better you would have said Halloween was in the works with all the black latex suits and mime looks going about. The terrain only needed a few hours before it was transformed in the pigstine where every step you would scoop some garbage around. Invite some third world country children and they could have played soccer with the amount of junk lying around. One thing I must commend the Lowlands organization for is the placement of toilets on the hill near the main tent where all the big acts played. I mean, who wouldn't want to take a whiff at other people's body odors while they are enjoying good music.

But enough about the atmosphere on Lowlands, let us continue to the acts. I saw The Pixies which were the favorite band of a friend of mine, not my slice of pie but not all bad either. They surely drew a crowd and weren't as depressive as Marilyn Manson or Korn. Well okay, Marilyn Manson was more of a good laugh, the whole show was supposed to be amazing as told by some friends. But I think I passed out in-between the laughter at him waving around a chandelier and the paramedics bringing me oxygen. I also saw Mala Vita again, for those who read some other articles that's the band where I went ballistic on. Once again I committed that sin and before I knew it I was put on camera for all to see (picture is included) But I can't be arsed to care, because they were so catchy to dance to. The last memorable act was Alkaline Trio, they succeeded Fall Out Boy in the line-up. A worthy one if you ask me, because they put up a solid show, even though the sound at their stage sucked. I still get shivers of thinking Fall Out Boy had to play on that broken stage.

All in all, Lowlands was well worth my money and I hope to be returning next year.

How indifference became negligence

My mother used to accuse me of putting on an indifferent face whenever I did something wrong in her eyes. I never understood what she meant by that and just looked dazed at her, which in the end only made it worse. Rest assured, I'm not going to proclaim I have no emotions in me and that I care about absolutely nothing just as to look tough. I'm just emotionally rested; tranquility so you will: a care-free guy who gets a kick out of life, even if it is at the expense of others. I never really hesitate to come up front with my thoughts and never let down any ample opportunity to provoke, make a lame remark or be sarcastic about anything that comes about.

To outsiders this behavior is usually type-casted as coldhearted and non-caring. Is it entirely wrong? Well let's just put it so, that I do not believe in a black and white world. So the statement is neither wrong or right. I do have to admit that I take pride in my behavior, not without reason though. The very first reason would be my dad, who has the exact same character and whom I of course respect. The second reason comes from friends who in one way or another contribute to my behavior, be it by laughing about it or complimenting me on a remark I made. Don't get me wrong though, in the end I am responsible for my behavior and I am certainly not looking for a scapegoat. I am merely depicting the background of my personality as it is.

Naturally there has to be a downside, well there are more then just one. It's just that only one has actually caught my eye. Indifference embedded a part of anti-sociality in me that makes me not talk a lot to strangers whom I've just met and this will proceed until I am interested in that person. This might come across as elitist behavior that I close out anyone who wasn't introduced by friends, because those I generally accept a lot more easier. But that's not it, it's just that I am easily content with a few acquaintances/friends, depends in what kind of situation I am residing; work, family, friends or on the street. Which brings me to the stigma that is being put on me, one outsiders usually comment about when I am conveniently not there. Which is that I am seen as dull and boring. I am seen as unfit to exercise the degree of care expected of a person in all kinds of situations. That immediately turns people down, because they are usually looking for a bit of compassion and a desire to be handed some if not many, depends on the kind of person, attention.

A craving which I do not fulfill towards strangers, which is fine till a certain degree. I am just afraid that this indifference turned into negligence is going to backfire on me, leaving me isolated from new contacts that I might need in the end. It's not that I feel like I am chained by my current friends/relationships when I am with them, it's more the times when I am not. Growing up means going in a different direction; we can't all go the same way. Yet I quickly turn foot towards that part of sanctity I am so used to, afraid that I might lose it.

In the end you could sum this up as being afraid to gain more individuality, self-sufficiency and attaching myself to other people or just in general growing up. I guess I should open up a little, but people know all to well to take advantage of that.

Parenthood, rated R for restricted.

Ever had the joy of experiencing that one annoying kid that just couldn't stop screaming or crying and did you also notice how those young and inexperienced parents are baffled and have absolutely no clue what to do? Well I did. Perhaps it is the media highlight that has been brought on this subject and magnified it to abnormal proportions, yet something still doesn't add up. What's happening around us that makes adults discuss matters that are of no concern to a three year old? Even more pathetic is that the parents almost always lose the discussion.

When I look back to my upbringing I notice that I was raised far more strictly than the current generation of infants. There wasn't much room for misconduct; I was almost immediately put back in my place and my parents never hesitated to show me their physical superiority. Not to mention I was given a basic set of ethics and values on which I could build my live on. Nowadays, children got mouths the size of the grand canyon and are not afraid to abuse it. They even turned it into family entertainment by broadcasting on TV how much a parent sucks and needs a 'professional' to set things right. A 'professional' that gives the obvious answers, does in fact have oversight and a bit of common sense. I mean, if you can't control your own child in their early years how good of a parent are you anyway then? Everybody knows that in the relationship between a parent and a child the child needs to be taught discipline and learn to show respect to the elderly. Any deviation of that path should be rectified.

What parents really shouldn't do is listen to those supposed intellects that say hitting your children is bad. Their arguments usually revolve around the kid getting traumatized or learning that physical violence is acceptable. Well I am not an advocate of slapping your child silly, but this is still utter bullshit. How in the hell can a kid get traumatized from authority by force? I don't have a trauma and neither should anyone else for that matter. Having no authority and making them run amok really is an alternative to slapping though. Good going, scientist* better go into a debate with those children, I bet they will enjoy the fact that you can't do shit to them. Because if there is one thing children are good at it is abusing every little bit of freedom they are granted. On top of that the parents of today are so transparent that the roles are turned around which makes it all the more sad.

The other side of it is that people are looking for scapegoats for the obvious flaws they posses. I guess it is human nature to blame someone entirely else for your problems. In this case they picked games, television and bad music as their target. Every now and then when misconduct of infants shows up in the newspaper a discussion starts of about games/music/violent television being the cause. Has it ever occurred to them that the television can be turned off? That Games have an age restriction on the box and music has a big warning sticker on the CD case? They are just too damn cowardly to accept the fact that all these things can be prevented by their own hands. If they would only spent less time on their holy crusade against the morale erosion of society and started actually raising their kids, nothing would be wrong.

Negligence seems to be the source of it all, add to that the creche and you got one big cluster fuck previously known as upbringing. Just drop of your child, because you have better things to do, right? Go on long enough and they will think the employees at the creche are their father and mother. But it's all justified, because you see both parents got to have a job, who else is going to pay for those must-have two cars on their drive-way? Speaking of the house, it needs to be big or else they won't be recognized by the local community. Luckily the charade quickly falls when they see what kind of monstrosities are coming from their gene pool. Being successful is so hard.

I wish upcoming parents wouldn't think that having a child is the same as having a pet turtle. 'Let's feed it some lettuce'. Guess again. I will be the last one to say that being a parent is easy, but these ones aren't even trying.

*I use the term scientist loosely, because in reality they know fuck all.