Know the Writer

Adam Silver,   head writer

1. If I were a baby, I'd be 246 months old
2. I have an X and a Y Chromosome, so I'm male
3. I am skinny relative to an elephant, and really fat compared to a squirrel
4. I have't lived in my parents house in 3 years
5. I have never been completely independent
6. My favorite drink is Diet A&W Root Beer…recently I tried Diet Mug, and it was a thorough disappointment.
7. I have one brother and one sister, one mom and one dad
8. I have anxiety attacks on a daily basis...Some are more severe than others.
9. I have everything that I need, and most things that I want
10. I have never been arrested, but got really close one time when a buddy and I were caught paint balling cars on Poplar. It was a whole lot of fun until I shot a police car…
11. I'm kinda douchey
12. I have never lost a family member and it terrifies me to even think about it
13. I have a list of fears longer than I care to admit
14. I have a love for movies-- I don't like foreign films that much.
15. I have a scooter and love it
16. I have a Mac and love it
17. I have an Ipod and love it
18. I have a camera and love it
19. I have a drum kit and love it
20. I have every CD I want and every movie I want except for Sin City
21. I have plans to go buy Sin City next check
22. I am overly obsessive about food, relationships, and my long term goals
23. I am very good at handling short term goals
24. I have never had a beer that I loved
25. I have smoked a lot of weed, but never really liked it
26. I have no interest in any mood altering drugs
27. I have slept in a playground tube slide before
28. I have always hated sleepovers
29. I have my headphones in when I walk around campus and my studio so no one talks to me...people still talk to me.
30. My favorite food is Indian
31. My favorite color is Forest Green
32. My favorite font is Helvetica…Arial's for quitters
33. My favorite trilogy is Toy Story
34. My favorite Ensemble is the cast of Arrested Development
35. My favorite restaurant is Rainforest Cafe
36. My favorite musician is Conor Olberst
37. My favorite smell is Christmas
38. My favorite words are "juxtaposed" and "antiquated"
39. My favorite thing to read are blogs…I'm not a bookworm
40. I fail at a whole lot of things I do
41. I'm not my biggest fan
42. I hate vanity and self loathing…I'm guilty of both
43. I have a history of lying. I do still sometimes lie, but I have gotten a whole lot better. I've seen relationships get ruined by lying, and I've come to realize the error of my ways.
44. One time, this guy at my old job referred to the lady with down-syndrom at my table as "the retard". I still fantasize about beating the shit out of him for it.
45. The maddest I've ever been was when my old boss came in drunk 
46. The happiest I've ever been was January 5th-January 10th
47. The saddest I get is when I'm left alone with my thoughts for extended periods of times…As a result, not being able to sleep is more than annoying.
48. I have argued about politics
49. I'm beginning to lose hope in politics
50. I have never argued religion
51. I will never lose hope in the power of faith
52. I don't believe in god, but there are certainly things that I can't explain
53. I don't know everything
54. I don't like seafood, but oddly enough I LOVE gefilte fish…and Swedish fish
55. I don't like breakfast foods or deserts
56. I don't like AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, or Aerosmith 
57. I don't like eating standing up
58. I don't like talking and walking
59. I don't like staying up late
60. I don't like ignorance
61. I've never liked a single extremist
62. I'm pro-peace…who isn't
63. I'm pro-choice
64. I'm pro-gay rights
65. I'm pro-government
66. I'm pro-arts
67. I'm pro-obama
68. I'm anti-isralli/palestinian conflict
69. I'm anti-fox news
70. I'm anti-glee
71. I think facebook does more good than bad
72. I see why texting is good, but wish it didn't exist
73. I like being alone, listening to music, working in the shop
74. I have two tattoos…one I regret
75. I have 4 piercing
76. My favorite store in the mall is Yankee Candle
77. I like going the malls in different cities
78. If I became President, the first thing I'd do is sentence the people who work for U of M parking services to death…then I'd outlaw the death penalty.
79. I shower obsessively because I refuse to be the fat kid who smells bad
80. I still am afraid of the dark
81. I still will revert back to a speech impediment if I blurt out without thinking
82. For the first 11 years of my life, I was "Adam Schilvew"
83. When I get sad, a lump in the back of my throat causes me to choke…The first time I noticed that was when I was playing soccer and I got a red card pulled on my for slide tackling. It still happens, and I've noticed it also happens when I get mad. This leads me to think that, for me, anger is just miscommunicated sadness.
84. I've been accused of being "girly" by kids from grade school because I was always more interested in the arts than in sports.
85. I can name every crush I have had since I was in kindergarten
86. My latest crush is a girl from my english class freshman year….I still have a crush on her 
87. I have no interest in sports, but she does…she must be "boy-y"
88. I love puns
89. I love cats, but would consider myself a dog person
90. I love movie nights
91. I prefer New York style pizza over chicago
92. I prefer cold over hot
93. I prefer acoustic over electric
94. I prefer comedy over drama
95. I prefer post modernism over all other art periods
96. I carry my keys on my belt loop religiously
97. I will never lose my wallet, keys, laptop, or Ipod
98. I don't mind if I lose my phone
99. I always finish what i start, even if I end it horribly
100. I'm a lot like M. Night Shyamalan

Done!

A few quick things

  Hello, and welcome to Silver Dollar Value's first blog post in April. Like many of you, we here at SDV welcome the new month, and hope for it to be even better than the last. I know I personally have nothing but optimism regarding the month ahead as I've used up all my pessimism in January, February, and March.


This is the 9th (or something) post here at SDV, and we couldn't be more pleased by the vast number of responses and comments you guys are leaving for us. As always, your opinions mean so much, and without you, our loyal readers, this blog would all be in vane. As head writer/editor/publisher/sponsor for this blog, I personally would like to extend my deepest gratitude to you for your feedback, both positive and negative…it has all been heard, and has been very much considered with each press on the key board. I am very aware of my eagle eye readers, and I love you all. 


Now to piss you all off--


Lately I've been thinking a lot about the world around me and my role as a student, employee, roommate, boyfriend, son, obsessive doodler, and general human being. I've thought at great length about the human condition and how I can overcome my natural sense of arrogance and entitlement. Whether grocery shopping at Kroger or learning at school, it never fails me that I find tons and tons of examples of someone or something being unfair, cruel, annoying, or otherwise unjust. I am a firm believer in the goodness that exists in all beings, but I have noticed that people are getting further and further away from being genuine, honest to goodness, decent creatures in society. It seems like everyone is starting to abandoned their sense of right and wrong, and gravitate towards an easier, less friendly society. You don't believe me?


Examples:


1. A few weeks ago, I had critique for my sculpture class. It was not unlike any other critique we've had, and as always, I had spent hours and hours on my piece prepping it and making it perfect to be shown. By the time critique had come, I was ready to talk about it and discuss how I think it achieved what I was going for, and how I think it didn't. It was by no means a perfect product of mine, but never the less, it was my art, so I did have a little bit of stake in it. Well, it was finally time. The class had finally gotten to my piece and I was asked to talk about it. 
"This piece is meant to suggest the power media has in how we form our opinions... It is an intentionally angst y  subject matter that I feel like I lost a bit in the over all outcome of the final work... I am not happy with this piece and will be the first one to admit it."
I guess one person heard me say something else because the reactions I got were disgusting. One girl said it was obvious I didn't care about my work and that I shouldn't waste their time like I just did. She said that this was a good example someone (me) not caring about his work, and thussly, not caring about their time. 
Well bitch, you're probably right. The hours I spent in the studio both in class and out proves how much I don't care about my work. I should be more like you and just come to class every other time, spend 20 minutes twiddling my thumbs and smoking cigarettes, and leave. You're absolutely correct in assuming that I don't care about the class' time given my constant disregard for other people's art. I mean, what kind of monster must I be for participating in critiques as a fellow young artist, and not as a snobby, pissy brat like yourself. I'll have to model my art after yours-- stolen "for sale signs" and shitty pictures of a church being torn down. You're pathetic you snotty nosed drunken bitch.
(ps. I spoke with another girl from the class about it, and she agreed. "---------- just seems to hate everything…it's not you.")


2. I was at Shnucks (sp) doing some grocery shopping, and I noticed a great increase in prices. For instance, a pound of Fiji apples are generally $.79. This time, they were $.99. Also, generally a half pint of non dairy creamer is $1.34. This week, $3.49…for the exact same product. Well, I continue my journey through the store, picking out the items I really really need, and finally arrive at the check out. I merrily approach L'tesha, the check out clerk, and asked her how she is. Not only do I get no verbal response, but the one indication I do get is an eye roll. 
Are you kidding, bitch? I have just had a long day at my job where I respond to customers with dignity and respect just to get off and come here to get disrespected by you? I'm willing to spend a little more on groceries, and I definitely realize you have no say in it, but the least you can do is great me with a little less hostility than that. How difficult would it have been for you to say something back? Rather, how hard would it have been for you to not roll your eyes to the back of your head? It's people like you that makes me hate the service industry. You're job isn't to ring up groceries--self check out could easily replace you if that were the case. Your job is to be the last smile a customer sees before leaving your establishment. Your smile and personality are meant to ease a customer's grief about spending so much on simple needs and reassure them that at least they can always count on a positive environment to shop in. Instead, you reflect your shitty, unfulfilled life on me when I say "hello". I now understand why people buy groceries on amazon.com.


3. My brand new awesome apartment is awesome. It has the essential things that I need, and even a little more that I don't need. It suits me wonderfully, and really, I wouldn't change much about it. One thing I would change, however, is the utility bill situation. Get this--the bill is split between all the tenants through out all the building. Sounds good right? Wrong. Our last bill was $122.29. You might say, "oh SDV. That's not bad what with cooking and laundry and all." Oh but wait, we NEVER use the oven, and we don't have a washer and dryer…No apartments do…the laundry room charges $1.50 to wash and $1.00 to dry (*mostly dry).
So what the heck?! How does that work??


4. Hero is a term given to someone who is admired or idealized for courage,outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. With this, is it fare to say Christopher Reeves was a hero? Absolutely. What he did to raise awareness about stem cell research and achieve breakthroughs in modern science concerning other victims of paralysis were paramount. Likewise, I would also consider Michael J. Fox a hero. He has raised awareness about parkinson's and muscular dystrophy, and because of his foundation, preventative medicines now exist.
Both these men were stricken with something disastrous and did something incredible. They are heros.
A list of not heros:

• Captain Sully. Probably a good pilot, not a hero. When disaster struck, he was able to land the plane into the hudson river. That's awesome, but it's his job. I wouldn't take away his bad ass award, that's for sure.
• Every cancer patient. "Little Anne has eye lid cancer and only has a week to live. Please help her and the thousands of other heros like her battling this terrible condition." Do I feel bad? Yes. Do I want to help? Yes. Is she, or the thousand like her, a hero? No. They're victims.
• Soldiers sign up to serve and protect our country from harm. They train for years so that one day they might be able to be at the front lines with a gun in their hands. They are coveted by mostly everyone as heros. Are they? Well, some of them are, sure. Are they all? No. I don't believe you can sign up to be a hero, and I know for damn sure that solider isn't synonymous for hero. The brave men and women serving overseas deserve our respect, and I do support theirjhvjhv

I don't even know what I'm talking about. Life is good. Complaining is futile. If you're not happy about someone or something, you can do something about it or get over it. I believe that being a good person and being positive in the end will pay off. Period.