| What a long, strange trip THAT was! No internet connection or email for a
month! It was a pain-in-the-ass and severely crippling, …and it was also wonderful! I
didn't really realize how dependent I had become to this beast. It was like being blind,
deaf, and dumb. It was also blissfully quiet and my productivity went up by 30%. Anyhow,
we're back online and for all those worried out there, …bless your hearts,
…we're doing fine. The rumors about relocating to Morocco are baseless and, although
some of us still hunt for psilocybin on the weekends, the company as a whole is not
locked-up in some psycho ward down in Austin.
We were being serviced by NorthPoint which went bankrupt or some shit last month with
no warning whatsoever, …a phone call Wednesday afternoon and complete shutdown
Thursday morning. I think, though, there is a deeper, more mystical explanation for this
near-cataclysmic shutdown.
Now, bare in mind that I am a devote atheist and don't believe in too much that I can't
see, taste, smell, touch, or hear, …and things "sensed" while tripping do
NOT count. I do believe in the power of a T-shirt, though, …a black, evil T-shirt
cursed with incredibly bad voodoo.
I got this T-shirt from Rob who, at the time back when we first started Ritual, told me
to never wear it. Rob is from Louisiana and I have always suspected him of practicing
voodoo on his off-hours. For instance, more than once he has borrowed my hairbrush. When
he returns it, it is completely cleaned of all my hair. Don't think I'm not watching, Rob!
Anyways, he gave me this T-shirt and I buffed his warning as Southern gibberish and
wore it to work. This was 5 years ago and I forget all the details, but that very day we
were hit by 3 or 4 major spills, …like the power being shut off for one. Rob said
that he would rip off the shirt from my body if I ever dared wear it again. I couldn't
throw it away, though, because it's the only DOOM T-shirt I have.
Four weeks ago I was straightening my storage room at home and going through the 200+
T-shirts I have amassed over the years, …most of which would now burst at the seams
if I tried to wear them. I came across this doomed T-shirt and tried it on. That's all, I
tried it on and immediately took it off. The next day… …wham!
Again, I don't believe in voodoo and curses and such, but this T-shirt is truly
besmirched. I think I know where the negative power lies in this shirt now. It's the
expression on the back, …"Go To Hell!".
…for some reason, this expression has always had a lot of umph for me. I mean, it
seems to really hit me when someone says it to me and I rarely use it myself. I have never
minded most other verbal slams, even against my mother, but this one is different.
…like "Fuck you!" has never bothered me. …I mean, …thanks!
…I haven't even seen a naughty bit in over a year! …let's go!
…or "Eat shit!", …well, actually, I must have in order for it to
have come out there.
…but "Go to hell!" has always been a serious one for me, …not sure
why, it's just a feeling.
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