Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.

It's crazy to think about the future, but I guess that's what I get for going through a Ray Bradbury phase. I love that his stories have this calm, eerie quality to them that makes you feel like you're floating around in his futuristic dreams. The amazing cover art is really just an added bonus. People always tell you not to judge a book by it's cover, but honestly, I can't help but get more excited to read when I see some spectacular cover art.

All this talk about the future reminded me of Walt Disney's vision for a perfect future world, his Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, A.K.A. EPCOT. It always funny for me to think about how the man who created Mickey Mouse would also be so fascinated by ideas of futurism, but it's really not my place to pigeon-hole visionaries.

Reading about Disney's relationship with EPCOT is always something I like to revisit now and then. It's still difficult for me to fully wrap my head around the possibility that people could be living like the Jetsons. What I love most about this story is Disney's passion for the project and the strong element of technological fantasy that went with it. Sadly, Disney's dream was never fully realized, and EPCOT is now just an extension of his sprawling Disney World amusement park campus.

All the ideas about the future floating around in my head eventually lead to thinking about Lady Gaga. Nicknamed for her theatrical personality with reference to Queen's "Radio Gaga", Lady Gaga is best known for her outrageous getups and magnificent performances that combine music, fashion, art, and technology. It took me a while to jump the Gaga bandwagon, but after doing some research, I have come to really respect and admire her work.

Citing David Bowie and Andy Warhol as some of her references, Gaga manages to push the envelope and make viewers squeal and squirm as she makes every moment a part of one larger performance. With the release of her second album, The Fame Monster, more and more people are taking her work on popular culture themes more seriously.

I loved the duet Gaga did with Elton John at the Grammys, it was a near-perfect match in my eyes. This musical coupling made me consider Gaga's sources of inspiration, and I thought about other artists who were just as flamboyant such as Elton John, and Peter Gabriel. When I evaluate the situation, it's hard for me to believe that people give Gaga such a hard time about what she wears when you take a look at what David Bowie, Elton John, and Peter Gabriel wore.

I mean, if you thought Lady Gaga was "wierd", then ...