ABC and I are no longer friends. I don't have a TV but I do occasionally watch shows online. It's nice that way. No commercials.
Anyway, one of the shows I like to watch (and I'm way behind on this season because I haven't had time to zone out in front of the computer lately) is Pushing Daisies. It's a fun little show. I like it.
ABC has canceled it. We're now officially fighting. Daisies was one of the few original and interesting shows on television. Ok, well, it wasn't particularly deep or anything. It's a little (maybe a lot) cheesy and over the top, but I like it. *sigh* I guess it was bound to happen sometime. I was kind of surprised that it even got a second season, truth be told.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Oooooo Sparkly
I was going to go see Twilight on Tuesday. I had two of those little promotional sneak-preview passes that you can pick up around town. They always have more passes than seats available, so it's always a good idea to get to the theater early to get tickets. The movie started at 7. I got there around 4. The actual tickets had been sold out since 11:30. So I missed my chance. Darn.
Twilight is kind of a strange phenomenon. The books (I have read all of them) are mediocre at best, terrible at their worst. I'm not sure I understand why they are so popular. They are not well written at all. The story is kind of awful - the first book all of the action takes place in the very end. Edward is a creepy, possessive, moody, stalker, sparkly vampire. Jacob is better, but still not exactly a great romantic hero. Bella is kind of insipid.
I guess I can't expect too much from a YA novel. But there's really no reason why I shouldn't. The Book Thief, for example, is a YA book that was absolutely brilliant. But it's not nearly as popular as Twilight. I guess I shouldn't really be surprised. In a world where Dan Brown is a best selling author over and over again, it's no shock that another mediocre writer should be just as popular.
I have to say though, Dan Brown may have an atrocious writing style, but his stories are fun and he knows how to tell a story. Stephanie Meyer's vampire saga has a pretty weak story as well as poor execution. I don't get it.
On the other hand, I did read them. All four books. I guess I was suckered in just as much as anyone else. And the books were very engaging. I burned through them very quickly and was entertained the whole time. So I guess there is something to them. Of course, I am also going to see the movie (though I may wait until it hits the dollar theater) because, well, I read the books. Maybe it will actually work better as a movie. Probably not, judging by the trailer. We'll see.
Twilight is kind of a strange phenomenon. The books (I have read all of them) are mediocre at best, terrible at their worst. I'm not sure I understand why they are so popular. They are not well written at all. The story is kind of awful - the first book all of the action takes place in the very end. Edward is a creepy, possessive, moody, stalker, sparkly vampire. Jacob is better, but still not exactly a great romantic hero. Bella is kind of insipid.
I guess I can't expect too much from a YA novel. But there's really no reason why I shouldn't. The Book Thief, for example, is a YA book that was absolutely brilliant. But it's not nearly as popular as Twilight. I guess I shouldn't really be surprised. In a world where Dan Brown is a best selling author over and over again, it's no shock that another mediocre writer should be just as popular.
I have to say though, Dan Brown may have an atrocious writing style, but his stories are fun and he knows how to tell a story. Stephanie Meyer's vampire saga has a pretty weak story as well as poor execution. I don't get it.
On the other hand, I did read them. All four books. I guess I was suckered in just as much as anyone else. And the books were very engaging. I burned through them very quickly and was entertained the whole time. So I guess there is something to them. Of course, I am also going to see the movie (though I may wait until it hits the dollar theater) because, well, I read the books. Maybe it will actually work better as a movie. Probably not, judging by the trailer. We'll see.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Sorry Sorry
The internet gods are conspiring against me. Well, just the ones at my apartment. I don't know if its an issue with my computer or with the wireless, but I haven't been able to get online the last couple days (thus the lack of bog posts). There are several solutions to this problem - if it's not my computer, I could shlep my laptop up to campus or to the library and use the internet there. I can also just use the computers on campus or at the library that are available to whoever. That's what I'm doing now.
Besides the internets thwarting me, the last couple days have been really busy too. The weekend I was home just long enough to sleep. Life is for living, people, not for blogging!
Besides the internets thwarting me, the last couple days have been really busy too. The weekend I was home just long enough to sleep. Life is for living, people, not for blogging!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Hit That Jive
I've had a busy last couple days. On Tuesday I conspired with my friend, Jake, to take over the U Swing Club. Yesterday we talked to the current president and... well, Jake is now officially the president of the U of U Swing Kids and I'm the V.P.
Today we took care of all the official stuff. Paperwork and all with people on campus.
We have big plans. It's going to be awesome!
That is all.
You may call me Madame Vice President.
Today we took care of all the official stuff. Paperwork and all with people on campus.
We have big plans. It's going to be awesome!
That is all.
You may call me Madame Vice President.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Death Becomes Me
I didn't post yesterday, you might have noticed. I had a good excuse though: I was fighting for my life. Yes, your humble authoress was nearly the victim of really terrible poetry.
Anyone who has read the Hitchhiker's Guide knows that bad poetry can be deadly, or at least very very torturous. Last night I was reading two sets of 5 poems for my creative writing class. They were by two different classmates and I had to read them because we are workshopping. Of course, because we're workshopping, I had to read them carefully, closely and more than once. It was literally painful.
These two writers could give to Vogons a run for their money. It was worse than blog -poetry, though I wouldn't be surprised if they would put it on their blogs if they had them. It wasn't even poetry, really. It was fresh dog-shit dressed up in broken lines and declared "poem." It was an amaturish attempt to take the clay block and sculpt it; resulting in a "brilliant" exhibit titled Block. It was the poetic equivilant of the awkward acne riddled teenager drooling on his desk while sitting behind the hot, blonde, popular cheerleader. It was the prattle of an inarticulate idiot whose vocabulary is limited to the drivel picked up in kitchens and back alleyways (bad use of ordinary language, is to me, more vulgar than any profanities that you could throw at me).
I'm having way too much fun with my metaphores, it's getting out of control.
On an interesting, and completely unrelated note, I saw HotFedExBoy on campus today. I didn't talk to him because he was on one side of a window and I was on the other. It was odd seeing him though.
Anyone who has read the Hitchhiker's Guide knows that bad poetry can be deadly, or at least very very torturous. Last night I was reading two sets of 5 poems for my creative writing class. They were by two different classmates and I had to read them because we are workshopping. Of course, because we're workshopping, I had to read them carefully, closely and more than once. It was literally painful.
These two writers could give to Vogons a run for their money. It was worse than blog -poetry, though I wouldn't be surprised if they would put it on their blogs if they had them. It wasn't even poetry, really. It was fresh dog-shit dressed up in broken lines and declared "poem." It was an amaturish attempt to take the clay block and sculpt it; resulting in a "brilliant" exhibit titled Block. It was the poetic equivilant of the awkward acne riddled teenager drooling on his desk while sitting behind the hot, blonde, popular cheerleader. It was the prattle of an inarticulate idiot whose vocabulary is limited to the drivel picked up in kitchens and back alleyways (bad use of ordinary language, is to me, more vulgar than any profanities that you could throw at me).
I'm having way too much fun with my metaphores, it's getting out of control.
On an interesting, and completely unrelated note, I saw HotFedExBoy on campus today. I didn't talk to him because he was on one side of a window and I was on the other. It was odd seeing him though.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Put This in Your Pipe and Smoke It
I'm really excited about a couple things today. I'm not going to blog about them though because I don't want to jinx anything.
Instead, I am going to give you something to ponder. It's from the brilliant Beckett play, Waiting For Godot
Instead, I am going to give you something to ponder. It's from the brilliant Beckett play, Waiting For Godot
Monday, November 10, 2008
This is Just To Say
I was discussing with a friend of mine how I'm kind of stuck for things to write about here every single day. I've decided that I don't like posting every day, and I feel like the quality of my posts goes down when I'm posting just to post, not because I have something to say. But that is beside the point. My friend suggested that I post some of my writing (poems or short stories). It's not like I would be the first blogger to put up his/her own poetry, and it would be a easy, little effort thing to do (as long as I did stuff I've already written rather than write something new each day. Which is what I would do, because I would want to post stuff that's been milling for a while and might actually be good).
I'm not going to post my stuff. I am generally against blog poetry. Why? Because it is almost always completely terrible. And people who don't know any better leave comments on it like "zomg wow that was so amazing and deep your like the best poet ever" which only encourages bad poetry. The logical side of my brain says that just the act of putting a poem on a blog doesn't make the poem bad. The other side of my brain sticks its tongue out and says, "you don't know that for sure. What if it does!" I don't like it when my brains fight.
My friend made the argument that, even if the poetry is not very good, it serves a purpose. It conveys a message to people who know the author really well. It exposes the author in a safe, kind of personal level, to those who he is comfortable exposing himself to (hee hee, exposing oneself). To that I say, why not just write your close friends a letter/e-mail/text message. Or, here's a radical idea, call them if you're Feeling enough to write a poem.
I think the problem is that most people think that poems are all about feeling and/or things that happen. It's an easy mistake to make. Poetry, if it's done right, can be overwhelmingly emotional and can often capture very poignant moments. But, in the words of Stephane Mallarme: "you do not make a poem with ideas, but with words." Poetry is all about the language, the constuction, the process itself. All poetry is, in some ways, just about the poem itself. The subject matter of the poem is irrelevant. True poetry can stand alone without all the background information about the author and what he's been through. I know there are many literary critics who may disagree with that. But a good poem is still a good poem if you take the author out of it. You may not be able to interpret it exactly without some biographical information, but it is still a good poem.
I have never read a blog-poem that was good.
I've read some blog-poems that would make interesting songs for some hipster, obscure indy-band. And that has some merit, but it's a whole different thing. If any of my readers really want to read my stuff... well, let me know. I'm not above sharing my work, and it's always nice to get feedback. I'm just not posting it here.
I'm not going to post my stuff. I am generally against blog poetry. Why? Because it is almost always completely terrible. And people who don't know any better leave comments on it like "zomg wow that was so amazing and deep your like the best poet ever" which only encourages bad poetry. The logical side of my brain says that just the act of putting a poem on a blog doesn't make the poem bad. The other side of my brain sticks its tongue out and says, "you don't know that for sure. What if it does!" I don't like it when my brains fight.
My friend made the argument that, even if the poetry is not very good, it serves a purpose. It conveys a message to people who know the author really well. It exposes the author in a safe, kind of personal level, to those who he is comfortable exposing himself to (hee hee, exposing oneself). To that I say, why not just write your close friends a letter/e-mail/text message. Or, here's a radical idea, call them if you're Feeling enough to write a poem.
I think the problem is that most people think that poems are all about feeling and/or things that happen. It's an easy mistake to make. Poetry, if it's done right, can be overwhelmingly emotional and can often capture very poignant moments. But, in the words of Stephane Mallarme: "you do not make a poem with ideas, but with words." Poetry is all about the language, the constuction, the process itself. All poetry is, in some ways, just about the poem itself. The subject matter of the poem is irrelevant. True poetry can stand alone without all the background information about the author and what he's been through. I know there are many literary critics who may disagree with that. But a good poem is still a good poem if you take the author out of it. You may not be able to interpret it exactly without some biographical information, but it is still a good poem.
I have never read a blog-poem that was good.
I've read some blog-poems that would make interesting songs for some hipster, obscure indy-band. And that has some merit, but it's a whole different thing. If any of my readers really want to read my stuff... well, let me know. I'm not above sharing my work, and it's always nice to get feedback. I'm just not posting it here.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Oh Weekend
I was really looking forward to this weekend. I didn't have anything going on Friday and was really excited to sit around and do nothing for once. It was really nice. I spent most of my time reading and drinking tea. Friday night I went dancing at the Golden Skillet- I've been trying to get out there (some AMAZING dancers go there, so it's a great opportunity to dance above my level) for months and haven't been able to. All in all it was a very relaxing day.
I made up for it yesterday. I got up fairly early, for a Saturday, to go shopping for a bridesmaid dress. Exciting, right. My best friend is getting hitched in August. It may seem kind of early to be shopping for dresses, but it's better to do it now than to wait to the very last minute. I was kind of dreading the whole thing, but it ended up being really fun. There are four of us bridesmaids, we're all wearing different dresses. I think it would have been impossible to get us all in the same dress and had us all look not-hideous. All the dresses will be the same color, and our flowers will match, so it's all going to mesh. I'm strangely actually looking forward to this wedding. Click Here if you want to see the dress I ended up with.
I went straight from shopping to work and then straight from work to my friend, Val's house where I quickly changed clothes and then set off for the Symphony. I have to say that last night was one of the most amazing symphony performances I've been to. They started out kind of weak, with Brahms. Brahms is lovely, but doesn't do anything for me. I find him kind of pretty, but boring. The last two pieces were incredible! The second was Elgar's Cello Concerto with a guest soloist... I can't even begin to tell you how amazing it was. For her encore she played an arrangement of a Piazzolla (I think) that was written literally two days before last night special for her by a composer she met on the plane here from Argentina. How cool is that? The final piece was Ginastera, some Argintine dude. It was incredibly exciting. The piece made me want to stand up and cheer. It was awesome.
After the symphony we went to an after party. I didn't get home until about 2 am. Good times. Today I don't have much going on. I'm going to laze around with friends this afternoon, then it's off to Grandma's for dinner with the family.
I made up for it yesterday. I got up fairly early, for a Saturday, to go shopping for a bridesmaid dress. Exciting, right. My best friend is getting hitched in August. It may seem kind of early to be shopping for dresses, but it's better to do it now than to wait to the very last minute. I was kind of dreading the whole thing, but it ended up being really fun. There are four of us bridesmaids, we're all wearing different dresses. I think it would have been impossible to get us all in the same dress and had us all look not-hideous. All the dresses will be the same color, and our flowers will match, so it's all going to mesh. I'm strangely actually looking forward to this wedding. Click Here if you want to see the dress I ended up with.
I went straight from shopping to work and then straight from work to my friend, Val's house where I quickly changed clothes and then set off for the Symphony. I have to say that last night was one of the most amazing symphony performances I've been to. They started out kind of weak, with Brahms. Brahms is lovely, but doesn't do anything for me. I find him kind of pretty, but boring. The last two pieces were incredible! The second was Elgar's Cello Concerto with a guest soloist... I can't even begin to tell you how amazing it was. For her encore she played an arrangement of a Piazzolla (I think) that was written literally two days before last night special for her by a composer she met on the plane here from Argentina. How cool is that? The final piece was Ginastera, some Argintine dude. It was incredibly exciting. The piece made me want to stand up and cheer. It was awesome.
After the symphony we went to an after party. I didn't get home until about 2 am. Good times. Today I don't have much going on. I'm going to laze around with friends this afternoon, then it's off to Grandma's for dinner with the family.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Let There Be Light
I (apparently) like florescent lights. That was a comment made in my writing journal (yes, we're back to my Creative Writing class). I do like florescent lights though. They have much more personality than regular lights. They flicker when they come on, they slowly gain luminosity, they hum and buzz once they're fully lit. It's odd, I never thought I would be a florescent liking person.
There is a down side too. Florescent lights tend to make people look washed out and occasionally cast a greenish tint on one's skin. To be honest, I do enjoy the personality to be found in them, but I seem to vilify them too. Any wholesome environment ought to have, at the very least, boring, normal bulbs. At best it would have sunlight. Ah sunlight.
There is a down side too. Florescent lights tend to make people look washed out and occasionally cast a greenish tint on one's skin. To be honest, I do enjoy the personality to be found in them, but I seem to vilify them too. Any wholesome environment ought to have, at the very least, boring, normal bulbs. At best it would have sunlight. Ah sunlight.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Here We Go Again
Sorry about yesterday. I was really not in the mood to blog anything. But, since it's nablopomo (still really fun to say!) I felt like I had to do something. That, of course, begs the question: Is it really worth posting if there is nothing to post about?
I guess for the purposes of this month, the answer would be yes. I promise not to do any more like yesterday though. That was a pretty serious cop-out. And, to be fair, I have often posted when there has been nothing to post about. I just usually do it more eloquently than I did yesterday.
So today... what wants to be blogged?
Yesterday my fair city got a decent dusting of snow. It feels kind of early to be starting winter. But I guess it is November, so it was bound to happen sometime soon. Last week the weather was lovely though - in the 70s, perfect fall days - so it's kind of sad to go away from that to snow already. I do love snow though. Watching it fall is a very calming activity. I love the way it makes everything silent and clean.
Besides the weather... I guess I should write about something more than the weather. After all, this is my blog of awesome, not my blog of small talk.
On second thought. I don't want to sit at the computer anymore. I have a book calling my name, and some homework to do. So I'll wait until tomorrow to go on about something more than the snow.
I guess for the purposes of this month, the answer would be yes. I promise not to do any more like yesterday though. That was a pretty serious cop-out. And, to be fair, I have often posted when there has been nothing to post about. I just usually do it more eloquently than I did yesterday.
So today... what wants to be blogged?
Yesterday my fair city got a decent dusting of snow. It feels kind of early to be starting winter. But I guess it is November, so it was bound to happen sometime soon. Last week the weather was lovely though - in the 70s, perfect fall days - so it's kind of sad to go away from that to snow already. I do love snow though. Watching it fall is a very calming activity. I love the way it makes everything silent and clean.
Besides the weather... I guess I should write about something more than the weather. After all, this is my blog of awesome, not my blog of small talk.
On second thought. I don't want to sit at the computer anymore. I have a book calling my name, and some homework to do. So I'll wait until tomorrow to go on about something more than the snow.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Ha Ha!
You thought I was going to miss my blog post for today. But you're wrong. I still have, like, 45 minutes until tomorrow. Take that blogosphere!
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Happy Election Day!
Guess what, I'm not going to say anything about politics today. At least not anymore than what I just said, which really isn't much.
I feel fuzzy today. My sleep schedule is all sorts of skewed right now. I don't know if it's because of the daylight savings thing or because I went to Rocky Horror Picture Show on Saturday at midnight and so didn't get to bed until like 4, or maybe 3, depending on when you changed your clock. One would think that I would be over a weird night like that, but I'm not. I'm having a hard time sleeping early at night. I'm still getting up early for class and stuff. The result is that my brain feels blurry. Does that even make sense?
I'm working tonight. That's going to be interesting. All the libraries are polling places so... I'm not sure what to expect. (By the way, this is not talking about politics, it's talking about work) I imagine it's going to be kind of nuts. Oh well. I'll manage to survive.
That's all for today.
I feel fuzzy today. My sleep schedule is all sorts of skewed right now. I don't know if it's because of the daylight savings thing or because I went to Rocky Horror Picture Show on Saturday at midnight and so didn't get to bed until like 4, or maybe 3, depending on when you changed your clock. One would think that I would be over a weird night like that, but I'm not. I'm having a hard time sleeping early at night. I'm still getting up early for class and stuff. The result is that my brain feels blurry. Does that even make sense?
I'm working tonight. That's going to be interesting. All the libraries are polling places so... I'm not sure what to expect. (By the way, this is not talking about politics, it's talking about work) I imagine it's going to be kind of nuts. Oh well. I'll manage to survive.
That's all for today.
Monday, November 03, 2008
NaBloPoMo
Say the title out loud. It's fun.
I just discovered that November is National Blog Posting Month (that's where the nablopomo comes from... seriously, say it out loud! nablopomo). All blogger people are supposed to post a blog everyday. And this is supposed to promote... um... blogging?
I will tell you right now that I am not going to post every day. Sorry to disappoint everyone, but it's just not going to happen. For one thing, I already missed the first day in November. For another, I know for certain that I will not be able to post at all during Thanksgiving weekend because Dad and I are doing our annual T-weekend camping trip.
Still, it's an interesting challenge. Maybe I'll try to blog every day and just let the camping trip be the exception. Writing every day is good, right. But do you guys really want to read me going on about nothing Every Single Day? If you do, posting every day in November will spoil you and then I'll have to keep doing it every day in December and January and on and on forever and then there will be just way to much of my pointless rambling out on the interwebs and there's enough pointless rambling already on the interwebs without me contributing to it.
I guess what I'm trying to say is this: I'm going to just keep on blogging like I always blog. But if you want to read something silly every day, I recommend going over to Bag's blog. He is posting everyday. In fact, he is posting a MUSTACHE every day. Come on, awesomeness ensues.
I just discovered that November is National Blog Posting Month (that's where the nablopomo comes from... seriously, say it out loud! nablopomo). All blogger people are supposed to post a blog everyday. And this is supposed to promote... um... blogging?
I will tell you right now that I am not going to post every day. Sorry to disappoint everyone, but it's just not going to happen. For one thing, I already missed the first day in November. For another, I know for certain that I will not be able to post at all during Thanksgiving weekend because Dad and I are doing our annual T-weekend camping trip.
Still, it's an interesting challenge. Maybe I'll try to blog every day and just let the camping trip be the exception. Writing every day is good, right. But do you guys really want to read me going on about nothing Every Single Day? If you do, posting every day in November will spoil you and then I'll have to keep doing it every day in December and January and on and on forever and then there will be just way to much of my pointless rambling out on the interwebs and there's enough pointless rambling already on the interwebs without me contributing to it.
I guess what I'm trying to say is this: I'm going to just keep on blogging like I always blog. But if you want to read something silly every day, I recommend going over to Bag's blog. He is posting everyday. In fact, he is posting a MUSTACHE every day. Come on, awesomeness ensues.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Unhappy Happenings
I just got some bad news from a friend of mine. I haven't actually met the guy, but he's one of the most important people in my life. I think of him as my Wegener's buddy. He contacted me on Myspace a few years ago. His story with the disease is not entirely dissimilar to mine, though he's had a little more trouble with it than I have. The important thing is that we both kind of have the same attitude about it. It was an absolute godsend for me to find someone around my same age who knew what I was (am) going through.
One of the worst things about getting diagnosed (for both of us, really) was the mental aspect of the whole thing. Neither of us was particularly comfortable asking for help from our friends and family, but it'shard impossible to deal with the thing alone. It's not that we didn't feel like our friends and family would want to help, it's just.... Well, my family was going through the suckiness right along with me so it was hard to burden them with my own issues. And my friends couldn't (most of them... all of them?... still can't) really truly understand what I was going through.
It was awesome to find someone who really Got IT. I don't actually even talk to him all that often, but it's nice to know that someone is out there who understands exactly what it's all like. I am so grateful that he's out there.
I e-mailed him earlier this month with my good news. He wrote back congratulating me and then he told me that he has relapsed.
That absolutely breaks my heart. He'd been in remission for about for, I think, 6 or 7 years. Now he's back on all the awful meds and....
I'm not sure where I wanted to go with this. I'm just really bummed to hear that he's not doing well. If you do the prayer thing, say one for him. Otherwise, cross your fingers, wish on a star, do whatever you do to send him luck. And take a moment to appreciate how incredibly lucky you are to have good health.
One of the worst things about getting diagnosed (for both of us, really) was the mental aspect of the whole thing. Neither of us was particularly comfortable asking for help from our friends and family, but it's
It was awesome to find someone who really Got IT. I don't actually even talk to him all that often, but it's nice to know that someone is out there who understands exactly what it's all like. I am so grateful that he's out there.
I e-mailed him earlier this month with my good news. He wrote back congratulating me and then he told me that he has relapsed.
That absolutely breaks my heart. He'd been in remission for about for, I think, 6 or 7 years. Now he's back on all the awful meds and....
I'm not sure where I wanted to go with this. I'm just really bummed to hear that he's not doing well. If you do the prayer thing, say one for him. Otherwise, cross your fingers, wish on a star, do whatever you do to send him luck. And take a moment to appreciate how incredibly lucky you are to have good health.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Patriotic Whatever
Hey! Guess what I did today! I voted! Woot!
Yes, I "avoided the lines" and voted early. I stood in line for about half an hour to do it too. Funny thing is the place I usually vote usually doesn't have much of a line at all. All the news people seem to think that there will be tons o' folks voting on Tuesday though, so maybe I did avoid a long wait.
Yes, I "avoided the lines" and voted early. I stood in line for about half an hour to do it too. Funny thing is the place I usually vote usually doesn't have much of a line at all. All the news people seem to think that there will be tons o' folks voting on Tuesday though, so maybe I did avoid a long wait.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Best Laid Plans
So, I'm talking to my friend Meagan on the instant messenger thingy. She's feeling spiteful toward this guy she was dating over the summer... we'll call him Joe. Joe is in Florida, Meagan is not. Anyway, she's a little miffed at him and feeling spiteful.
I mentioned, um, Fred, in my last post. We're slightly annoyed with him. Yesterday Meagan suggested beating him over the head with his own ankles. At first I was hesitant to do any beating of Fred, because, frankly, he's not really worth it. However, the picture of him getting beat over the head with his own ankles was sufficiently comical to persuade me that it was actually a good idea.
Back to the present. We, being in somewhat spiteful moods, formulated a plan. This is it: We are going to go to FL and beat Joe over the head with Fred's ankles. We need the following supplies: 3 plane tickets (the third is not for Fred, but for Celcey, who is our third half), a bag for carrying ankles, new beating-people-over-the-head outfits with matching shoes. We're going to obtain these supplies with magic money that has just now poofed into our bank accounts. Isn't magic convenient?
You might be scratching your head at this point and saying to your computer "But, Cassie, don't you think Fred might be a little upset with you taking his ankles to Florida without him?"
The answer is: yes, I think he might be. If he really wants to come to FL, he may. But only his ankles can go to Joe's house for the beating over the head.
That's all. For now. Have a good night!
I mentioned, um, Fred, in my last post. We're slightly annoyed with him. Yesterday Meagan suggested beating him over the head with his own ankles. At first I was hesitant to do any beating of Fred, because, frankly, he's not really worth it. However, the picture of him getting beat over the head with his own ankles was sufficiently comical to persuade me that it was actually a good idea.
Back to the present. We, being in somewhat spiteful moods, formulated a plan. This is it: We are going to go to FL and beat Joe over the head with Fred's ankles. We need the following supplies: 3 plane tickets (the third is not for Fred, but for Celcey, who is our third half), a bag for carrying ankles, new beating-people-over-the-head outfits with matching shoes. We're going to obtain these supplies with magic money that has just now poofed into our bank accounts. Isn't magic convenient?
You might be scratching your head at this point and saying to your computer "But, Cassie, don't you think Fred might be a little upset with you taking his ankles to Florida without him?"
The answer is: yes, I think he might be. If he really wants to come to FL, he may. But only his ankles can go to Joe's house for the beating over the head.
That's all. For now. Have a good night!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Oh Hi
Remember me? I'm your friendly neighborhood blogger. I just realized how very long it has been since I posted. I'm actually surprised that I haven't had any complaints from the regular rabble rousers. Perhaps they've been just as busy as I and therefore have not missed my silly rambling. Yes, the excuse I am using for my being remiss with the blogging is that my non-digital life is keeping me very busy. What have I been busy doing? Activities include, but are not limited to (in a martini-glassed list):
Attending Plays (My Fair Lady and Hands of Sodom), the Opera (Madame Butterfly), and a symphony concert (not the Utah Symphony for once, but the Sandy City Orchestra. They were quite good. A friend of mine plays the flute and piccolo for them)
Attending a Swing Dance Invitational event thingy - The even included a competition between college swing clubs. Each club sent two couples. I was a back up for the U (one of the girls was having back problems so she wasn't sure she would be able to dance). I didn't end up competing, but I had fun there anyway. Actually (this is totally me just tooting my own horn), I was told by two really good dancers that I really should have been dancing for my school. One of them told me I am the best dancer that the U swing club has. I don't know that I agree with him, but it was awesome to hear. I promise I won't let it go to my head too much.
Kind of, sort of, potentially, starting a flirtation/dating thing with this kid... we'll call him Fred. And by kid, I mean guy. He's actually one year older than me, I think. As of Saturday, things have fizzled with him. I met Fred through a mutual friend, and thought he was kind of cute. After some flirting and a little encouragement from the mutual friend and Fred himself, I was all ready to see where it was going to go, and he seemed not completely uninterested. Things looked promising for a while, but then it all went to shit. Turns out Fred is kind of a flake. He basically stood me up on Friday, and then didn't get why I was upset with him. We don't hate him, though we would be completely justified in doing so. It's kind of sad that nothing came of that, but probably for the best. To be fair, I'm not really rolling in free time, and neither is he, so the whole new relationship thing may have been just burden for both of us. Of course, it could have also been a fun way to revieve some stress. Oh well, in any case, it's done.
Doing the school thing, which is totally kicking my ass. I'm so unused to being in school full time and it's really hard. I'm barely keeping up with my homework, and I'm not really enjoying my classes as much as I would like to be. It's not that they are bad classes, it's just that with the amount of work I have to do for them.... Getting everything done is a little stressful, add that to trying to work enough to have some spending money and still have some semblance of a social life.... It's a little stressful. I also don't seem to be able to convince myself that it is wise to go to bed early when I have class at 8:35 in the morning. So I go to said class very tired which makes paying attention difficult. I'm pretty sure that for Spring I'm going to take 3 classes at the most. It might take longer for me to graduate that way, but at least I wont destroy myself in the process. It's weird, in high-school being a student, and a good one at that, was pretty natural for me. I seem to have lost my touch.
Doing the work thing. I still love my job, but I would really like to get hired on at one of the libraries and stop doing the sub thing. I imagine it's only a matter of time.
Doing the dancing thing. I go swing dancing at least once a week - Thursdays- these days. I usually try to get out on Saturday too. I know that a lot of my friends (the old ones anyway, this doesn't so much apply to my new friends who I've met through dancing) don't understand why I go so much. I can see how it might seem kind of like an obsession, and maybe it is. If I had time, I would go dancing every Friday too. And next month I'm going to make time in my busy schedule to take a 4 week lindy class. The thing is, I really like dancing. I mean, really like it. I can think of few things I would rather do. When you find something you really love doing, doesn't it make sense to do that thing?
And that just about sums up everything that has kept me from blogging lately. I'll try to do better in the future. I know the longer I go without blogging the harder it is to get back in the habit, so I might as well not get out of the habit. That way everybody wins. In other news, I'm totally looking forward to Halloween. It is, after all, my favourite holiday. And it's just around the corner. Next weekend and the weekend after that are already full of festivities. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to have time to pull together the costume I was planning on (I had plans to go as Daria) because I just don't have time to hunt down all the necessary pieces. My back up plan: I'm going to wear a toga (what self-respecting college student does not have a toga?) and go as Cassandra. Get it? Cuz my name is Cassandra. It's funny.
Attending Plays (My Fair Lady and Hands of Sodom), the Opera (Madame Butterfly), and a symphony concert (not the Utah Symphony for once, but the Sandy City Orchestra. They were quite good. A friend of mine plays the flute and piccolo for them)Attending a Swing Dance Invitational event thingy - The even included a competition between college swing clubs. Each club sent two couples. I was a back up for the U (one of the girls was having back problems so she wasn't sure she would be able to dance). I didn't end up competing, but I had fun there anyway. Actually (this is totally me just tooting my own horn), I was told by two really good dancers that I really should have been dancing for my school. One of them told me I am the best dancer that the U swing club has. I don't know that I agree with him, but it was awesome to hear. I promise I won't let it go to my head too much.Kind of, sort of, potentially, starting a flirtation/dating thing with this kid... we'll call him Fred. And by kid, I mean guy. He's actually one year older than me, I think. As of Saturday, things have fizzled with him. I met Fred through a mutual friend, and thought he was kind of cute. After some flirting and a little encouragement from the mutual friend and Fred himself, I was all ready to see where it was going to go, and he seemed not completely uninterested. Things looked promising for a while, but then it all went to shit. Turns out Fred is kind of a flake. He basically stood me up on Friday, and then didn't get why I was upset with him. We don't hate him, though we would be completely justified in doing so. It's kind of sad that nothing came of that, but probably for the best. To be fair, I'm not really rolling in free time, and neither is he, so the whole new relationship thing may have been just burden for both of us. Of course, it could have also been a fun way to revieve some stress. Oh well, in any case, it's done.Doing the school thing, which is totally kicking my ass. I'm so unused to being in school full time and it's really hard. I'm barely keeping up with my homework, and I'm not really enjoying my classes as much as I would like to be. It's not that they are bad classes, it's just that with the amount of work I have to do for them.... Getting everything done is a little stressful, add that to trying to work enough to have some spending money and still have some semblance of a social life.... It's a little stressful. I also don't seem to be able to convince myself that it is wise to go to bed early when I have class at 8:35 in the morning. So I go to said class very tired which makes paying attention difficult. I'm pretty sure that for Spring I'm going to take 3 classes at the most. It might take longer for me to graduate that way, but at least I wont destroy myself in the process. It's weird, in high-school being a student, and a good one at that, was pretty natural for me. I seem to have lost my touch.Doing the work thing. I still love my job, but I would really like to get hired on at one of the libraries and stop doing the sub thing. I imagine it's only a matter of time.Doing the dancing thing. I go swing dancing at least once a week - Thursdays- these days. I usually try to get out on Saturday too. I know that a lot of my friends (the old ones anyway, this doesn't so much apply to my new friends who I've met through dancing) don't understand why I go so much. I can see how it might seem kind of like an obsession, and maybe it is. If I had time, I would go dancing every Friday too. And next month I'm going to make time in my busy schedule to take a 4 week lindy class. The thing is, I really like dancing. I mean, really like it. I can think of few things I would rather do. When you find something you really love doing, doesn't it make sense to do that thing?And that just about sums up everything that has kept me from blogging lately. I'll try to do better in the future. I know the longer I go without blogging the harder it is to get back in the habit, so I might as well not get out of the habit. That way everybody wins. In other news, I'm totally looking forward to Halloween. It is, after all, my favourite holiday. And it's just around the corner. Next weekend and the weekend after that are already full of festivities. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to have time to pull together the costume I was planning on (I had plans to go as Daria) because I just don't have time to hunt down all the necessary pieces. My back up plan: I'm going to wear a toga (what self-respecting college student does not have a toga?) and go as Cassandra. Get it? Cuz my name is Cassandra. It's funny.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Doncha Wish Your Girlfriend was Hot Like Me?
Guess what I did last night! I danced. With a pole. Yep. Pole Dancing. It was girls night out and we all went to a dance studio and learned how to pole dance from a real live stripper!
It was so much fun! And an amazing work out. I can barely move my arms today because they are so sore.
It was so much fun! And an amazing work out. I can barely move my arms today because they are so sore.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Do Your Part
This is a great video that's been going around the interwebs:
If you haven't registered yet, go out and do it now! With the country going to shit, it irresponsible to not pay attention to what's going on in Washington. I'm not the most political person you'll ever meet, but I'm following the news and forming my own opinions. It's time my generation sat up and started to give a damn about our future.
If you haven't registered yet, go out and do it now! With the country going to shit, it irresponsible to not pay attention to what's going on in Washington. I'm not the most political person you'll ever meet, but I'm following the news and forming my own opinions. It's time my generation sat up and started to give a damn about our future.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Getting Ink
I'm blogging about my creative writing class again. The teacher guy recently collected our "writing journals" and today he gave them back, complete with his comments on what we had written.
There was one day I was feeling lazy and simply scribbled all over the page. I justified it as a "poem without language" by adding this quote from a Saussure essay I had to read in another class:
Without language, thought is a vague, uncharted nebula. There are no pre-existing ideas,
and nothing is distinct before the appearance of language.
There was one day I was feeling lazy and simply scribbled all over the page. I justified it as a "poem without language" by adding this quote from a Saussure essay I had to read in another class:
Without language, thought is a vague, uncharted nebula. There are no pre-existing ideas,
and nothing is distinct before the appearance of language.
What makes me laugh a little is the comment left in the margin beside this quote: "You should get this as a tattoo"
Granted, it is a very nice thought. I enjoy the concept and it's very well articulated. It even suits me, I think. As you all probably know by now, I'm a big fan of language and am very interested in finding just the right way to express my thoughts, ideas, feelings etc. I probably wouldn't mind having that tattooed somewhere... maybe on my back? I just think it's funny that it was the first place the prof went.
Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I absolutely love the idea of getting words tattooed somewhere. I like the idea of being able to read a person, literally, like a book. But the problem is, what could you get tattooed that would fit you for the rest of your life? If I picked a poem or a quote that I absolutely love today, that fits my entire philosophy on life and means a great deal to me now, who's to say it would still fit five or ten years down the road? Even if I choose something, wait and think about it for a year or two (which may seem extreme, but I for something that will be on my body for the rest of my life, I think that it's perfectly reasonable to do so) and it still is a perfect as I originally thought it was, I can't know that I will still even like it when I'm 50 and have twice as much life experience as I do now.
It's also possible that the meaning of whatever was inked would be diminished simply by having it with me all the time. To be faced with it every day, and to have to explain it to everyone who got close enough to read me, would leach all the specialness out of the words. Eventually they would start to feel like my own personal cliche. So maybe, to prevent that, it should be something that doesn't really mean much.
I don't know. I'm sure I'm over-thinking this way too much. Like I said, I really like the idea of getting words tattooed. Maybe one day I'll actually go out and do it. I will leave you with a question: If you were to get a quote/poem tattooed, what would you get and where would you put it? Or if you already have something, share that.
Granted, it is a very nice thought. I enjoy the concept and it's very well articulated. It even suits me, I think. As you all probably know by now, I'm a big fan of language and am very interested in finding just the right way to express my thoughts, ideas, feelings etc. I probably wouldn't mind having that tattooed somewhere... maybe on my back? I just think it's funny that it was the first place the prof went.
Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I absolutely love the idea of getting words tattooed somewhere. I like the idea of being able to read a person, literally, like a book. But the problem is, what could you get tattooed that would fit you for the rest of your life? If I picked a poem or a quote that I absolutely love today, that fits my entire philosophy on life and means a great deal to me now, who's to say it would still fit five or ten years down the road? Even if I choose something, wait and think about it for a year or two (which may seem extreme, but I for something that will be on my body for the rest of my life, I think that it's perfectly reasonable to do so) and it still is a perfect as I originally thought it was, I can't know that I will still even like it when I'm 50 and have twice as much life experience as I do now.
It's also possible that the meaning of whatever was inked would be diminished simply by having it with me all the time. To be faced with it every day, and to have to explain it to everyone who got close enough to read me, would leach all the specialness out of the words. Eventually they would start to feel like my own personal cliche. So maybe, to prevent that, it should be something that doesn't really mean much.
I don't know. I'm sure I'm over-thinking this way too much. Like I said, I really like the idea of getting words tattooed. Maybe one day I'll actually go out and do it. I will leave you with a question: If you were to get a quote/poem tattooed, what would you get and where would you put it? Or if you already have something, share that.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Neon Green Chuck Taylors
One of the classes eating up my time this semester is Creative Writing. It's actually pretty cake, it's just intro and is kind of a fun nothing class. For this class I have to keep a "writing journal" - different from my regular journal, or an online journal (which is also known as a blog) - and write in it at least 10 minutes a day. This is probably the most helpful thing the class is doing for me because it's forcing me to get into the habit of writing regularly again. However, because I haven't really been writing, I sometime have a hard time coming up with something to write about. To cure this malady, I went through my old writing journals (they seem pretty standard in Creative writing classes) for inspiration in the form of old prompts/exercises/formulas etc. Among a lot of drivel and some useful bits I found an poem, pasted in, that Sam Clarke wrote about me.
Sam was a kid I met at Writers@Work- a week long writing workshop thing held in the summer. They had a program for regular adult writers and also one for high school students. I went to it at least two summers, as did Sam. The poem he wrote about me was nothing like you would expect (certainly not a love poem) - it was about my hand. We had done a workshop earlier that day in which we were supposed to write about someone's hands in this certain formulaic way. He hadn't written his poem. We were hanging out later that day and I was giving him crap for not writing when that was the point of all of us being there. He said that he couldn't think of a hand to write about. I offered him mine, left it on his ankle and moved on to another conversation.
The poem he wrote (I don't have it with me as I'm writing this) was fairly decent. I was super flattered and amused by it. I asked him for a copy the next year and it still makes me smile when I read it.
Every now and then I wonder what happened to Sam. I don't honestly remember much about him. He was kind of a skinny, pale kid with dark hair. He wore chuck taylor high tops that were bright green. Not kelly green, or grass green, but bright, neon, highlighter green. They looked like they should glow in the dark (they didn't, I asked him). He played the clarinet, I think.
Of all the people I met at W@W, Sam is pretty much the only person I really remember. Maybe it's just because he wrote a poem about me. I recall we got along well though, and I like to think that he was a brief friend from that little sliver of my life. I wonder if I were to track him down if he would remember me at all.
It's kind of funny how some people stick with you. Even if you just knew them for a week or so.
Sam was a kid I met at Writers@Work- a week long writing workshop thing held in the summer. They had a program for regular adult writers and also one for high school students. I went to it at least two summers, as did Sam. The poem he wrote about me was nothing like you would expect (certainly not a love poem) - it was about my hand. We had done a workshop earlier that day in which we were supposed to write about someone's hands in this certain formulaic way. He hadn't written his poem. We were hanging out later that day and I was giving him crap for not writing when that was the point of all of us being there. He said that he couldn't think of a hand to write about. I offered him mine, left it on his ankle and moved on to another conversation.
The poem he wrote (I don't have it with me as I'm writing this) was fairly decent. I was super flattered and amused by it. I asked him for a copy the next year and it still makes me smile when I read it.
Every now and then I wonder what happened to Sam. I don't honestly remember much about him. He was kind of a skinny, pale kid with dark hair. He wore chuck taylor high tops that were bright green. Not kelly green, or grass green, but bright, neon, highlighter green. They looked like they should glow in the dark (they didn't, I asked him). He played the clarinet, I think.
Of all the people I met at W@W, Sam is pretty much the only person I really remember. Maybe it's just because he wrote a poem about me. I recall we got along well though, and I like to think that he was a brief friend from that little sliver of my life. I wonder if I were to track him down if he would remember me at all.
It's kind of funny how some people stick with you. Even if you just knew them for a week or so.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Think Happy Thoughts
This week is a very special week. That's right, kids, it's Vasculitis Awareness Week. As most of my long time readers (what are there, 2 of you?) know, I have vasculitis in the form of Wegener's Granulomatosis.
I already told my story here last year, so I wont go into it again. I gave y'all links if you don't know about it. I do have awesome news though! Last week I went to the doctor for my bi-annual visit, just to make sure nothing scary is coming back. Everything checked out, no surprise there. The good part is that Doc told me that he only needs to see me once a year now.
Ok, that doesn't sound like such a big deal, does it? But that's really just about as close to a clean bill of health that I can get. I'm pretty damn happy to be seeing my doctor 50% less frequently. Not that he isn't nice, but, you know.
Other good news is that I am only about 6 months away from being in full remission for 5 years! Super excited about this! Thus the exclamation points! I mentioned this to my doctor and he said, hesitantly, that it is possible that I won't ever have a relapse. He didn't have any statistics to quote me, but there are some cases with WG that people go into remission and stay there for the rest of their life. It's a slim chance, but it's a chance just the same. Let's hope that I'm one such case.
I already told my story here last year, so I wont go into it again. I gave y'all links if you don't know about it. I do have awesome news though! Last week I went to the doctor for my bi-annual visit, just to make sure nothing scary is coming back. Everything checked out, no surprise there. The good part is that Doc told me that he only needs to see me once a year now.
Ok, that doesn't sound like such a big deal, does it? But that's really just about as close to a clean bill of health that I can get. I'm pretty damn happy to be seeing my doctor 50% less frequently. Not that he isn't nice, but, you know.
Other good news is that I am only about 6 months away from being in full remission for 5 years! Super excited about this! Thus the exclamation points! I mentioned this to my doctor and he said, hesitantly, that it is possible that I won't ever have a relapse. He didn't have any statistics to quote me, but there are some cases with WG that people go into remission and stay there for the rest of their life. It's a slim chance, but it's a chance just the same. Let's hope that I'm one such case.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Buckle your Swash
It be international talk like a pirate day, maties. Hoist the Jolly Roger and bring forth the rum! Arrrr!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Mmmmm Pi
On my way home from school today I was thinking about Ï€ and the arbitrary nature of things. Î is a pretty important number. It pops up over an over in mathematics concerning the relationship of things in nature. It’s also an irrational number. Strange that something so important would be irrational.
But why is it irrational, really? Yeah, it can't be reduced to a simple fraction and has all those non-repeating decimals, but really, what it all boils down to that π is 3.14 blah blah blah because we have arbitrarily assigned our number system to be based on 1.
What if π was our basic unit? How would that change things? If our number system were set up so that π=1, or rather that 1= the Circumference of a circle divided by its diameter. For one thing, circles would be a lot easier. It could be done. Or rather, it could have been done. Once upon a time when whoever was inventing numbers and math, what if they saw that π was an important number and decided to base the entire number system on that?
One only means one to us because that's what we believe. It's what we've been taught, that's the significance that has been assigned to that particular unit by society, by people. It could have just as easily been assigned to π. If π had been assigned as our basic unit, as 1, it wouldn't actually change the world we live in much at all. Ok, it was totally fuck math, but we'd be used to it by now, and we'd have a totally rational number to explain the relationships of circles.
I wonder though, if that's how we saw the world - where π was the basis of our number system, if we would See things differently? I think this is something to think about while staring at the ceiling and just letting my mind wander. It's kind of a mind-fuck. Sadly, I don't have time. I have to do stuff for school.
But why is it irrational, really? Yeah, it can't be reduced to a simple fraction and has all those non-repeating decimals, but really, what it all boils down to that π is 3.14 blah blah blah because we have arbitrarily assigned our number system to be based on 1.
What if π was our basic unit? How would that change things? If our number system were set up so that π=1, or rather that 1= the Circumference of a circle divided by its diameter. For one thing, circles would be a lot easier. It could be done. Or rather, it could have been done. Once upon a time when whoever was inventing numbers and math, what if they saw that π was an important number and decided to base the entire number system on that?
One only means one to us because that's what we believe. It's what we've been taught, that's the significance that has been assigned to that particular unit by society, by people. It could have just as easily been assigned to π. If π had been assigned as our basic unit, as 1, it wouldn't actually change the world we live in much at all. Ok, it was totally fuck math, but we'd be used to it by now, and we'd have a totally rational number to explain the relationships of circles.
I wonder though, if that's how we saw the world - where π was the basis of our number system, if we would See things differently? I think this is something to think about while staring at the ceiling and just letting my mind wander. It's kind of a mind-fuck. Sadly, I don't have time. I have to do stuff for school.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Gardens
When I reach the stage of my life when I need a wheel barrow. It absolutely will not be red.
Furthermore, it will in no way be glazed with rain. And there will certainly not be any white chickens.
Take that William Carlos Williams!
Nothing would depend on a freeking red wheel barrow if he hadn't said that it did. Four bloody words at the beginning of that poem and all of a sudden it's so bloody brilliant that it has to show up in every single English/Writing class.
It's worse than Wallace Stevens and his blackbirds.
Maybe I'm just grumpy because I didn't get to sleep much last night.
Furthermore, it will in no way be glazed with rain. And there will certainly not be any white chickens.
Take that William Carlos Williams!
Nothing would depend on a freeking red wheel barrow if he hadn't said that it did. Four bloody words at the beginning of that poem and all of a sudden it's so bloody brilliant that it has to show up in every single English/Writing class.
It's worse than Wallace Stevens and his blackbirds.
Maybe I'm just grumpy because I didn't get to sleep much last night.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Teach a Man to Fish
I'm pretty sure that my eighth grade English teacher came into the library where I was working today. I didn't talk to him because I was busy helping someone else, but I would have liked to say something.
He wasn't even my actually English teacher. He was a student teacher, or something like that. He basically taught the second half of the class while our actual teacher sat in back of the room doing who knows what. We spent a lot of time reading/studying Watership Down and we also did poetry.
Jeff Baird (that was his name, and I'm totally ok with using it because a- I doubt he'll ever run across this little blog o' mine and b- he deserves some credit) was really the first teacher I had who really influenced the course of my life. Mr. Baird did so by encouraging me to write and making me think that the silly peoms I wrote were any good. It's pretty much soley because of him that I ever thought I could write.
Granted, I'm not some famous authoress or anything. It would be fun to say "I'm a famous poet and it all started with this one great teacher." Who knows, maybe some day I will be able to say that. But Mr. Baird's influence is none the less prevelant. I mean, I am majoring in English with a focus on Creative Writing and I am a published writer, even if it is just in silly little lit mags.
Anyway, seeing him made me think about the impact some teachers have. I'm incredibly grateful for the encouragement I recieved from him. I hate to use a worn out cliche, but I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for that class and this amazing teacher.
He wasn't even my actually English teacher. He was a student teacher, or something like that. He basically taught the second half of the class while our actual teacher sat in back of the room doing who knows what. We spent a lot of time reading/studying Watership Down and we also did poetry.
Jeff Baird (that was his name, and I'm totally ok with using it because a- I doubt he'll ever run across this little blog o' mine and b- he deserves some credit) was really the first teacher I had who really influenced the course of my life. Mr. Baird did so by encouraging me to write and making me think that the silly peoms I wrote were any good. It's pretty much soley because of him that I ever thought I could write.
Granted, I'm not some famous authoress or anything. It would be fun to say "I'm a famous poet and it all started with this one great teacher." Who knows, maybe some day I will be able to say that. But Mr. Baird's influence is none the less prevelant. I mean, I am majoring in English with a focus on Creative Writing and I am a published writer, even if it is just in silly little lit mags.
Anyway, seeing him made me think about the impact some teachers have. I'm incredibly grateful for the encouragement I recieved from him. I hate to use a worn out cliche, but I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for that class and this amazing teacher.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Running, Jumping, Climbing Trees
The problem with going on adventures is that I get busy doing that and can't find time to blog about it. This wouldn't really be a problem (because living life is better than writing about it any day) except my readers seems to get cranky if I don't post often enough. It's both flattering and annoying.
Anyway, this last weekend I was as far from my computer as I can get, sort of. I went camping at Dead Horse Point with a bunch of friends. It was a lot of fun. I learned something about myself: my idea of camping is not exactly compatible with other people.
When I go camping, I like to take as little as possible and spend as much time as I can hiking and exploring. Especially being where we were, with Dead Horse Point, Canyonlands and Arches right at our fingertips, my ideal weekend would have been getting up early, having a quick breakfast, packing a lunch and hiking until I couldn't walk and then doing it again the next day.
I understand that it's a little unreasonable to expect a group of 8 people to really be able to do that, but this weekend was almost the complete opposite of that. We did manage to get up early, but then it took 2 hours for us all to make and eat breakfast each day. Breakfast tended to consist of something elaborate and messy (albeit delicious) that used up every dish we brought. Then some of the people I was with couldn't handle hiking more than about 5 miles a day. I feel like I spent most of the first day hopping from foot to foot waiting to get out hiking and then being disappointed by the silly little walks we went on.
That's a little bit of an exageration, but it really was frustrating. At some point I decided to take a zen approach to it all and just go with what the group wanted to do. I was still a little understimulated, but I managed to have fun anyway. It was sort of neat to do the more touristy side of Arches- we usually don't bother with all that. It was also kind of nice to force myself to sit still for a while and just do nothing while everyone else was dinking around. Plus it's always rejuvenating to get down to southern Utah.
Here's the whole gang:
Anyway, this last weekend I was as far from my computer as I can get, sort of. I went camping at Dead Horse Point with a bunch of friends. It was a lot of fun. I learned something about myself: my idea of camping is not exactly compatible with other people.
When I go camping, I like to take as little as possible and spend as much time as I can hiking and exploring. Especially being where we were, with Dead Horse Point, Canyonlands and Arches right at our fingertips, my ideal weekend would have been getting up early, having a quick breakfast, packing a lunch and hiking until I couldn't walk and then doing it again the next day.
I understand that it's a little unreasonable to expect a group of 8 people to really be able to do that, but this weekend was almost the complete opposite of that. We did manage to get up early, but then it took 2 hours for us all to make and eat breakfast each day. Breakfast tended to consist of something elaborate and messy (albeit delicious) that used up every dish we brought. Then some of the people I was with couldn't handle hiking more than about 5 miles a day. I feel like I spent most of the first day hopping from foot to foot waiting to get out hiking and then being disappointed by the silly little walks we went on.
That's a little bit of an exageration, but it really was frustrating. At some point I decided to take a zen approach to it all and just go with what the group wanted to do. I was still a little understimulated, but I managed to have fun anyway. It was sort of neat to do the more touristy side of Arches- we usually don't bother with all that. It was also kind of nice to force myself to sit still for a while and just do nothing while everyone else was dinking around. Plus it's always rejuvenating to get down to southern Utah.
Here's the whole gang:
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Flush it Down!
Remember when the internet was still kind of novel? You know, before facebook and myspace made it that much easier to spam your friends. Back when it was really cool (or at least it passed the time) to spend hours taking personality quizzes online, and maybe even e-mail them to your friends. No? Oh. Well. Fine. But back in Jr High (or maybe it was early high school) I wasted a lot of time online taking stupid quizzes.
Most of them I don't really remember. They would ask a series of questions and then show a generic profile that omigod was, like, so totally accurate and, like, exactly what I was like. Or some of them would offer you 5 colors or something and tell you what amazing profound thing the color you picked meant. Really dumb stuff like that.
There is one quiz from all those many years ago that has actually stuck with me. You are going to laugh at me when I tell you about it. Basically, showed a diagram of a public restroom with three stalls and asked which one you would usually chose to use, assuming that they are all available and not-gross. Whichever you chose supposedly revealed something rather profound about your personality. I don't remember which I picked or what it said about me, but the idea that bathroom stall preference says something about a person's personality intrigues me.
I'm actually sort of serious about this. Every other time I use a public restroom, I wonder what my choice of stall says about me. Then I briefly ponder if you could use that choice to make behavioral changes.
Say choosing the first stall means you live life in the fast lane, always rushing from activity to activity, doing as much as you can and packing every minute with fast paced excitement, and if choosing the second stall means you think of yourself as pretty average and middling, you don't mind some attention, but your more than happy to step aside and let someone else take the spotlight, and the third stall means you are super easygoing and don't really care what other people think, you roll with the punches and just sort of float through life taking whatever comes with a zen-like sense of calm. What if you are a pretty regular first-staller, but you want to calm down a little. Could conciously making an effort to use the third stall help calm you?
If I had time I could totally make this into some weird metaphor for some philosophical principal or something. Unfortunately, it's kind of late and I still have to read for class. Yep, school has started again, and this fall I'm playing the role of Full-Time-Student again. More on that later. In the mean time, take a moment to ponder what your bathroom habits really say about you, really.
Most of them I don't really remember. They would ask a series of questions and then show a generic profile that omigod was, like, so totally accurate and, like, exactly what I was like. Or some of them would offer you 5 colors or something and tell you what amazing profound thing the color you picked meant. Really dumb stuff like that.
There is one quiz from all those many years ago that has actually stuck with me. You are going to laugh at me when I tell you about it. Basically, showed a diagram of a public restroom with three stalls and asked which one you would usually chose to use, assuming that they are all available and not-gross. Whichever you chose supposedly revealed something rather profound about your personality. I don't remember which I picked or what it said about me, but the idea that bathroom stall preference says something about a person's personality intrigues me.
I'm actually sort of serious about this. Every other time I use a public restroom, I wonder what my choice of stall says about me. Then I briefly ponder if you could use that choice to make behavioral changes.
Say choosing the first stall means you live life in the fast lane, always rushing from activity to activity, doing as much as you can and packing every minute with fast paced excitement, and if choosing the second stall means you think of yourself as pretty average and middling, you don't mind some attention, but your more than happy to step aside and let someone else take the spotlight, and the third stall means you are super easygoing and don't really care what other people think, you roll with the punches and just sort of float through life taking whatever comes with a zen-like sense of calm. What if you are a pretty regular first-staller, but you want to calm down a little. Could conciously making an effort to use the third stall help calm you?
If I had time I could totally make this into some weird metaphor for some philosophical principal or something. Unfortunately, it's kind of late and I still have to read for class. Yep, school has started again, and this fall I'm playing the role of Full-Time-Student again. More on that later. In the mean time, take a moment to ponder what your bathroom habits really say about you, really.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
What Goes Up Must Come Down
Remember how fantastically happy I was last week? It shouldn't be hard to remember, just scroll down. This week has kind of burst my bubble. Not that I'm super bummed now or anything, but the euphoria has definitely worn off. Basically a series of unfortunate events have seriously damaged my happy.
First of all, my car decided to break. It needed a new pump somewhere which set me back $300. That means I am low on teh cashy-monies so I can't go to the San Francisco Lindy Exchange in a couple weeks. This makes me sad, cuz I likes me some lindy.
Second! Last night I really wanted to go dance at the Golden Skillet (yes, it sounds like the name of a restaurant, but it's actually a good place to dance. Mostly because that's where the good dancers are). I haven't made it out there since I got back from Denver, so I feel like I'm losing all my super amazing dance mojo that I gained there. So I really wanted to go last night. But I was doing stuff with my parents until 10:30, which meant I wouldn't get out to the Skillet for another hour (I needed to get gas and visit the ATM before heading out there) and the dancing pretty much ends at 12:00. So I didn't go. Sad day.
Third (and last that I will mention) : I found out today that I didn't get the job I was hoping for. There was a 20 hour regular position open at one of the libraries I like best, and I was really hoping they would hire me. It would be nice with School to have a regular schedule and not have to drive all over the valley to sub at all the different libraries. The thing that really sucks about it all is the only reason they didn't hire me is that they just couldn't make my schedule work with the people they already have. They really tried, but there's only so much flexibility they have because there are a couple other people working there who have school or other jobs, so they work at the times I would be able to. What they need there is someone who can work when I'm in class. Super sad day.
I'm going to go out and have some serious fun tonight to blow off my disappointment with the universe. If you have any positive energy that you don't need, feel free to send it my way!
First of all, my car decided to break. It needed a new pump somewhere which set me back $300. That means I am low on teh cashy-monies so I can't go to the San Francisco Lindy Exchange in a couple weeks. This makes me sad, cuz I likes me some lindy.
Second! Last night I really wanted to go dance at the Golden Skillet (yes, it sounds like the name of a restaurant, but it's actually a good place to dance. Mostly because that's where the good dancers are). I haven't made it out there since I got back from Denver, so I feel like I'm losing all my super amazing dance mojo that I gained there. So I really wanted to go last night. But I was doing stuff with my parents until 10:30, which meant I wouldn't get out to the Skillet for another hour (I needed to get gas and visit the ATM before heading out there) and the dancing pretty much ends at 12:00. So I didn't go. Sad day.
Third (and last that I will mention) : I found out today that I didn't get the job I was hoping for. There was a 20 hour regular position open at one of the libraries I like best, and I was really hoping they would hire me. It would be nice with School to have a regular schedule and not have to drive all over the valley to sub at all the different libraries. The thing that really sucks about it all is the only reason they didn't hire me is that they just couldn't make my schedule work with the people they already have. They really tried, but there's only so much flexibility they have because there are a couple other people working there who have school or other jobs, so they work at the times I would be able to. What they need there is someone who can work when I'm in class. Super sad day.
I'm going to go out and have some serious fun tonight to blow off my disappointment with the universe. If you have any positive energy that you don't need, feel free to send it my way!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Flyin' High
I don't know what it is, but all week I've been in an unshakably good mood.
The best explanation I can think of is that I'm still riding the high from last weekend in CO. Something about spending a couple days really good dancing boosted up my confidence or something. I don't know what it is, but I've felt really great all week.
It hasn't even been that good a week. I've had some car trouble, I haven't been sleeping that well. I've been crazy busy and barely had time to get everything done (in fact, I did have to give a few small things up for lack of time). But all week I've been extremely happy. It's like I can't help but embrace everything that gets thrown at me. If I'm handed lemons, I make the best damn lemonade you've ever tasted.
It's hard to describe my mood. Telling you everything I've been doing wouldn't cut it... But this week is fantastic! And I wanted to get that thought out in the world.
The best explanation I can think of is that I'm still riding the high from last weekend in CO. Something about spending a couple days really good dancing boosted up my confidence or something. I don't know what it is, but I've felt really great all week.
It hasn't even been that good a week. I've had some car trouble, I haven't been sleeping that well. I've been crazy busy and barely had time to get everything done (in fact, I did have to give a few small things up for lack of time). But all week I've been extremely happy. It's like I can't help but embrace everything that gets thrown at me. If I'm handed lemons, I make the best damn lemonade you've ever tasted.
It's hard to describe my mood. Telling you everything I've been doing wouldn't cut it... But this week is fantastic! And I wanted to get that thought out in the world.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Jump, Jive and Wail
Here's the breakdown
Where I was this weekend: Denver CO
When I got there: 1:00 am on Thursday
What I was doing: Lindy on the Rocks
What the hell is that: A weekend of swing dancing. Including classes all day Sat and Sun, plus dances all night.
Hours of Sleep each night: no more than 5
Hours spent dancing Friday: 7 or 8
Hours dancing on Sat (including classes): around 14
Hours dancing on Sun (including classes): around 11
Time I left Denver: 12:00 am Monday (After the Sunday dance. And it was so hard to leave! I would have liked to stay all night and gone to some of the unofficial after parties/dances)
When I had to let someone else drive because I couldn't keep my eyes open: 3:30 am
Number of Perseid meteors spotted: 2 while driving, 6 when we stopped for maybe 5 minutes to change drivers
Time we got back to SLC: 7:45 Monday morning
Lindy Crushes: Too many to count! There was Eric, who was so much fun to dance with. Benjamin, who was just really cute. Peter Strom, who was one of the instructors (this is more of a celebrity lindy crush. He's a brilliant dancer... and a total dream boat)
What I did on Monday: Slept. All day.
Where I was this weekend: Denver CO
When I got there: 1:00 am on Thursday
What I was doing: Lindy on the Rocks
What the hell is that: A weekend of swing dancing. Including classes all day Sat and Sun, plus dances all night.
Hours of Sleep each night: no more than 5
Hours spent dancing Friday: 7 or 8
Hours dancing on Sat (including classes): around 14
Hours dancing on Sun (including classes): around 11
Time I left Denver: 12:00 am Monday (After the Sunday dance. And it was so hard to leave! I would have liked to stay all night and gone to some of the unofficial after parties/dances)
When I had to let someone else drive because I couldn't keep my eyes open: 3:30 am
Number of Perseid meteors spotted: 2 while driving, 6 when we stopped for maybe 5 minutes to change drivers
Time we got back to SLC: 7:45 Monday morning
Lindy Crushes: Too many to count! There was Eric, who was so much fun to dance with. Benjamin, who was just really cute. Peter Strom, who was one of the instructors (this is more of a celebrity lindy crush. He's a brilliant dancer... and a total dream boat)
What I did on Monday: Slept. All day.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Blues on Parade
This week has started out rather harshly. Moment to moment it has not been too bad, but there seems to be a slew of bad news that has popped up.
The thing that has upset me most is my cat. She's old (15) and has hyper-thyroid and on Saturday she was out all night and then she wasn't eating at all Sunday or Monday. She was such a sad sight we were sure we'd have to put her to sleep. For various reasons, we weren't able to get an appointment to euthanize her right away. Then yesterday she ate a little so we decided to wait and see if she kept improving. Today she's eating a little more and is more like her vocal annoying self. So things are kind of up in the air about her. Hopefully she's rallying, but she is a very old cat so who knows what will happen. I really hope we don't have to kill my kitty. Worrying about her and about what would be the best thing to do has cast a sad note on the week for me.
That's the most personal bit of news. It seems like bad things are happening all over the place though. I feel like all I hear about is people getting sick or dying or losing their jobs. It's all very depressing. Most of it doesn't really affect me directly, which is why I'm more upset about my cat than death and disease and unemployment. Still it's worrisome and it doesn't do anything to cheer a person up.
The thing that has upset me most is my cat. She's old (15) and has hyper-thyroid and on Saturday she was out all night and then she wasn't eating at all Sunday or Monday. She was such a sad sight we were sure we'd have to put her to sleep. For various reasons, we weren't able to get an appointment to euthanize her right away. Then yesterday she ate a little so we decided to wait and see if she kept improving. Today she's eating a little more and is more like her vocal annoying self. So things are kind of up in the air about her. Hopefully she's rallying, but she is a very old cat so who knows what will happen. I really hope we don't have to kill my kitty. Worrying about her and about what would be the best thing to do has cast a sad note on the week for me.
That's the most personal bit of news. It seems like bad things are happening all over the place though. I feel like all I hear about is people getting sick or dying or losing their jobs. It's all very depressing. Most of it doesn't really affect me directly, which is why I'm more upset about my cat than death and disease and unemployment. Still it's worrisome and it doesn't do anything to cheer a person up.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Batman!
If you haven't seen The Dark Knight yet, you're probably the only one in the country. It opened at $155 million (Mama Mia, the second biggest movie this weekend, only made $27 million) this weekend, breaking all sorts of records including biggest single day and biggest opening weekend ever. I was one of the 22 million people who saw it over the weekend. Thursday night, specifically, at midnight (which is technically Friday I guess).
It is a really brilliant movie. Especially if you remember (how can you forget) that it's based on a comic book. I guess I don't really have to gush about it. If you have any interest in the movie, you've probably read all the reviews already that laud it as a fucking awesome flick. Critics everywhere loved it, except a bunch of New York rags, including the New Yorker. I actually read that review and it made me very sad. David Denby completely missed the point and basically whined that TDK wasn't campy enough to measure up to Batman ala Michael Keaton. And yeah, I guess if what you want out of your movie is a bunch of two dimentional fluff and a few laughs, TDK is not nearly as good as Batman. But if you want some real pathos, believable characters, plot depth and a villian who is actually villanous, TDK wins out by a long shot.
Let me clarify what I mean by believable characters. I will readily admit that it's a little far fetched that Bruce Wayne would deal with his rage over his parent's death by dressing up in a batsuit and fighting crime. The Joker is another character that makes you go "yeah, that's cool, but there's no way that would really happen." My point is that the characters are portrayed in such a way that they become believeable. And once the premise of the character is set, the way they react and interract with each other is consistant and makes sense.
I'm sure it doesn't need to be said, but holy cats was Heath Ledger brilliant!
I'm still excited about Batman five days later. It really was mind blowing amazing. I need to see TDK about 6 more times, I think. Anyone want to go to a movie this weekend?
It is a really brilliant movie. Especially if you remember (how can you forget) that it's based on a comic book. I guess I don't really have to gush about it. If you have any interest in the movie, you've probably read all the reviews already that laud it as a fucking awesome flick. Critics everywhere loved it, except a bunch of New York rags, including the New Yorker. I actually read that review and it made me very sad. David Denby completely missed the point and basically whined that TDK wasn't campy enough to measure up to Batman ala Michael Keaton. And yeah, I guess if what you want out of your movie is a bunch of two dimentional fluff and a few laughs, TDK is not nearly as good as Batman. But if you want some real pathos, believable characters, plot depth and a villian who is actually villanous, TDK wins out by a long shot.
Let me clarify what I mean by believable characters. I will readily admit that it's a little far fetched that Bruce Wayne would deal with his rage over his parent's death by dressing up in a batsuit and fighting crime. The Joker is another character that makes you go "yeah, that's cool, but there's no way that would really happen." My point is that the characters are portrayed in such a way that they become believeable. And once the premise of the character is set, the way they react and interract with each other is consistant and makes sense.
I'm sure it doesn't need to be said, but holy cats was Heath Ledger brilliant!
I'm still excited about Batman five days later. It really was mind blowing amazing. I need to see TDK about 6 more times, I think. Anyone want to go to a movie this weekend?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Come Up With Your Own Clever Title
Since Aaron gets all Whiney McWhiney-Pants when I don't update, and who am I to ignore my adoring public, I decided to jot down a few random thoughts today at work. I didn't blog in real time because... well technically I'm not allowed to while I'm getting paid. And that kind of makes sense, really, if you think about it. I also have to make it clear that the thoughts herein expressed are in no way representative of my employer etc. But you all know that.
The point is I now have two little pieces of paper with a collection of random things that came floating through my head. I am going to type them up now so that you can get a feel for what it's like being inside my head when I'm at work and it's really slow and I'm on desk all by myself. I present to you (in abulletted Warhol Soup Canned list) the random thoughts from work today:
A lady was in here with puzzle pieces tattooed all over her head. Her head is shaved and the whole effect is really neat. I wanted to say something complimentary, but what does one say to someone like that? "Dude, sweet tats" is so cliche... not to mention stupid. The best I came up with was, "I like your head" but it amused me so much that I just sat silently laughing at myself until she left and it was too late. Which is fine. I didn't really need to talk to her anyway.
Skirts are fun. They are nice and cool in the summer. Much nicer than pants. Pants suck. If I swivel in my chair I get a little bit of a Marilyn Monroe effect from the fan under the desk. It's sort of fun. And potentially embarrassing. Skirts are fun, but risky.
According to the stupid book I'm reading (How To Make Someone Love You Forever in 90 Minutes or Less) the best and quickest way to connect with other people is simply by making eye contact and smiling. That was in the chapter that doesn't really have anything to do with making someone fall in love with you; it was about meeting new people. Anyway, people don't make eye contact much these days let alone smile. It's so simple, and no one does it. Just think about all the people you miss out on when you're looking down all the time. All the interesting people you could meet, or at least see. It's the simplest of connections, but I think it could be really powerful. I resolve to make eye contact with and smile at as many people as possible today. And tomorrow too. All week. Hell, It'll just be my policy to look up and smile and look people in the eye. Who knows, maybe that will lead to me making someone love me in 90 minutes or less after all.
There's a girl here with a bandage on her nose. She can't be more than 15 or 16. Nose job? Sad, if it is. She's way too young to be getting a nose job. That said, if I ever get Wegener's again (knock on wood - to not get it) I totally get a new nose out of it! Seriously, the chances of my nose collapsing if I have a relapse are pretty high. So I can get a new one. But who's nose should I pick???? Yours! Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha. Just kidding. Your nose would look kinda funny on my face. I would probably just take and old picture of me and say "I want my old nose back please." It would be a picture from before I got sick the first time though. My nose is a bit wonky since then. You wont notice it unless you spend a lot of time looking at my nose, which I do, apparently.
I love it when guys try to show off and then fail. I just got winked at. Then the kid ran into a wall. Classic! And you thought that only happened in the movies! Yes, boys, I take much pleasure in your pain!
na-na-nana-nana-nana na-na-nana-nana-nana Batman! I'm totally going to see that tomorrow night. At midnight. Then I waking up at 6 to take the parents to the airport the next morning. And I have a paper due Friday too. Crap. And I'm working all day tomorrow. Hmmm I have some time between 6 and 8... or nine. Good thing it's a short paper.
The Batman theme song... the oldschool one from the TV show... is a traditional blues chord progression. Aren't you glad you know that now? So if you ever are with me and a jazz concert and you notice I am singing batman under my breath, it's only because I'm trying to determine whether they are playing blues or not. That's pretty much the only thing I remember from the Survey of Jazz (or whatever it was) class I took a year or so back. That and Johnny Hodges is an amazing sax player.
The point is I now have two little pieces of paper with a collection of random things that came floating through my head. I am going to type them up now so that you can get a feel for what it's like being inside my head when I'm at work and it's really slow and I'm on desk all by myself. I present to you (in a
A lady was in here with puzzle pieces tattooed all over her head. Her head is shaved and the whole effect is really neat. I wanted to say something complimentary, but what does one say to someone like that? "Dude, sweet tats" is so cliche... not to mention stupid. The best I came up with was, "I like your head" but it amused me so much that I just sat silently laughing at myself until she left and it was too late. Which is fine. I didn't really need to talk to her anyway.Skirts are fun. They are nice and cool in the summer. Much nicer than pants. Pants suck. If I swivel in my chair I get a little bit of a Marilyn Monroe effect from the fan under the desk. It's sort of fun. And potentially embarrassing. Skirts are fun, but risky.
According to the stupid book I'm reading (How To Make Someone Love You Forever in 90 Minutes or Less) the best and quickest way to connect with other people is simply by making eye contact and smiling. That was in the chapter that doesn't really have anything to do with making someone fall in love with you; it was about meeting new people. Anyway, people don't make eye contact much these days let alone smile. It's so simple, and no one does it. Just think about all the people you miss out on when you're looking down all the time. All the interesting people you could meet, or at least see. It's the simplest of connections, but I think it could be really powerful. I resolve to make eye contact with and smile at as many people as possible today. And tomorrow too. All week. Hell, It'll just be my policy to look up and smile and look people in the eye. Who knows, maybe that will lead to me making someone love me in 90 minutes or less after all.
There's a girl here with a bandage on her nose. She can't be more than 15 or 16. Nose job? Sad, if it is. She's way too young to be getting a nose job. That said, if I ever get Wegener's again (knock on wood - to not get it) I totally get a new nose out of it! Seriously, the chances of my nose collapsing if I have a relapse are pretty high. So I can get a new one. But who's nose should I pick???? Yours! Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha. Just kidding. Your nose would look kinda funny on my face. I would probably just take and old picture of me and say "I want my old nose back please." It would be a picture from before I got sick the first time though. My nose is a bit wonky since then. You wont notice it unless you spend a lot of time looking at my nose, which I do, apparently.
I love it when guys try to show off and then fail. I just got winked at. Then the kid ran into a wall. Classic! And you thought that only happened in the movies! Yes, boys, I take much pleasure in your pain!
na-na-nana-nana-nana na-na-nana-nana-nana Batman! I'm totally going to see that tomorrow night. At midnight. Then I waking up at 6 to take the parents to the airport the next morning. And I have a paper due Friday too. Crap. And I'm working all day tomorrow. Hmmm I have some time between 6 and 8... or nine. Good thing it's a short paper.
The Batman theme song... the oldschool one from the TV show... is a traditional blues chord progression. Aren't you glad you know that now? So if you ever are with me and a jazz concert and you notice I am singing batman under my breath, it's only because I'm trying to determine whether they are playing blues or not. That's pretty much the only thing I remember from the Survey of Jazz (or whatever it was) class I took a year or so back. That and Johnny Hodges is an amazing sax player. Monday, July 14, 2008
Greenify Your Love
This is pretty amazing.
Carrotmob Makes It Rain from carrotmob on Vimeo.
It just goes to show that it's really not hard to make a difference. Check out the CarrotMob Website for more of their stuff.
Carrotmob Makes It Rain from carrotmob on Vimeo.
It just goes to show that it's really not hard to make a difference. Check out the CarrotMob Website for more of their stuff.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Slurpeeeeeeez
As many of you know, today is 7/11 and that means it is Free Slurpee Day!!!!!
Free Slurpee day is an event not to be taken lightly. It takes true dedication, endurance and awesomism to fully do this day justice. This year my friend, Nick, and I set off on a quest to hit as many 7-elevens and consume as many slurpees as possible in one afternoon. This is our story:
Slurpee #1- University of Utah Sev; My flavor: Coke; Nick's flavor: Coke
Slurpee #2 - Sev by East High; My flavor: Monster Death Grossness (it turned my tongue black) Nick's flavor: Mt Dew
Slurpee #3 - I told you the Monster slurpee turned my tongue black. Sev on 800S and 200E; My flavor: Mango Tea (so the mysteriously handwritten sign said) Nick had the same.
Slurpee #4 - Sev on 800S and W Temple. My flavor: Pina Colada Nick's: Monster Death (doesn't it look gross?)
Slurpee #5 - Sev by Liberty Park; I got Sour Apple Nick got Pina Colada.
Sev at 500E and 1700S failed. They were out of cups. Weak Sauce.
Slurpee #6- Sev 1100E and 1700ish S; Nick had Cherry, I had Banana.
Slurpee #7 - Sev on 3rd Ave; We both had Slurparita Pomegranite. It didn't taste like margarita or pomegranite. I think they mayhave lied to us.
Slurpee #8 - Sev on 300E and 100S; We both had Twizzler Strawberry. It was really sweet and since our teeth were falling out of our heads anyway at this point, really sweet was not so good.
Sev by the downtown library failed. They were out of cups. Sad day.
Slupree #9- 300W and 400N; Both had Green Hulk whatever flavor. Nine slurpees = too many.
Nine 7.11 oz slurpees each. That is a lot of slurpee. That means we each had 64oz. All in the span of about 2 1/2 hours. This is what happens:
Free Slurpee day is an event not to be taken lightly. It takes true dedication, endurance and awesomism to fully do this day justice. This year my friend, Nick, and I set off on a quest to hit as many 7-elevens and consume as many slurpees as possible in one afternoon. This is our story:
Slurpee #1- University of Utah Sev; My flavor: Coke; Nick's flavor: Coke
Slurpee #2 - Sev by East High; My flavor: Monster Death Grossness (it turned my tongue black) Nick's flavor: Mt Dew
Slurpee #3 - I told you the Monster slurpee turned my tongue black. Sev on 800S and 200E; My flavor: Mango Tea (so the mysteriously handwritten sign said) Nick had the same.
Slurpee #4 - Sev on 800S and W Temple. My flavor: Pina Colada Nick's: Monster Death (doesn't it look gross?)
Slurpee #5 - Sev by Liberty Park; I got Sour Apple Nick got Pina Colada.
Sev at 500E and 1700S failed. They were out of cups. Weak Sauce.
Slurpee #6- Sev 1100E and 1700ish S; Nick had Cherry, I had Banana.
Slurpee #7 - Sev on 3rd Ave; We both had Slurparita Pomegranite. It didn't taste like margarita or pomegranite. I think they mayhave lied to us.
Slurpee #8 - Sev on 300E and 100S; We both had Twizzler Strawberry. It was really sweet and since our teeth were falling out of our heads anyway at this point, really sweet was not so good.
Sev by the downtown library failed. They were out of cups. Sad day.
Slupree #9- 300W and 400N; Both had Green Hulk whatever flavor. Nine slurpees = too many.
Nine 7.11 oz slurpees each. That is a lot of slurpee. That means we each had 64oz. All in the span of about 2 1/2 hours. This is what happens:
Adventures are to the Adventurous
The summer right after high school was a really great summer. My friends and I spent a lot of time doing really stupid stuff and enjoying every minute of it. One of our default activities was to go to a park nearby with slupees and sit on the Knoll. If we tired of sitting, we would play on the playground or go "explore" the gully behind the park. I have many fond memories of that park, and the gully, including (but not limited to) the discovering of The Gully Monster by Jacob and Peter and the expedition I led Arrakis on which led to us scrambling up the hill and going through a random back yard.
Today, after Swing Club, I went back to this park with my new friend, Jake. I simply wanted to swing, but once we got there, I quickly started thinking about and recounting all my adventures there. I ended up going with Jake into the gully. I led him (though sometimes he led too, I guess) on a treck not entirely dissimilar to the one with Arrakis years ago. It's hard to really get lost in that place, but we didn't necisarrily know where we were at any given time, or where we could come out. We ended up having to jump a fence to get into a church parking lot, then walked back to the park via the road.
I've forgotten how much fun stuff like that can be. Maybe it's just part of growing up, but we don't go on random adventures like that anymore. I don't see why. It was exciting to go forth and not know exactly where we would end up. There was very little danger in it. Why don't we do stuff like that anymore? I guess as we get older it gets harder to lose ourselves to enterprises like that. We get too caught up in other things to really enjoy the moment and just go forth and take what comes.
Today, after Swing Club, I went back to this park with my new friend, Jake. I simply wanted to swing, but once we got there, I quickly started thinking about and recounting all my adventures there. I ended up going with Jake into the gully. I led him (though sometimes he led too, I guess) on a treck not entirely dissimilar to the one with Arrakis years ago. It's hard to really get lost in that place, but we didn't necisarrily know where we were at any given time, or where we could come out. We ended up having to jump a fence to get into a church parking lot, then walked back to the park via the road.
I've forgotten how much fun stuff like that can be. Maybe it's just part of growing up, but we don't go on random adventures like that anymore. I don't see why. It was exciting to go forth and not know exactly where we would end up. There was very little danger in it. Why don't we do stuff like that anymore? I guess as we get older it gets harder to lose ourselves to enterprises like that. We get too caught up in other things to really enjoy the moment and just go forth and take what comes.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Ironic T-Shirt in Book Form
I just got home from seeing Wanted with my friend, Nick. It's an amazing movie, and one you should all check out. It is actually directed by Timur Bekmambetov, the same guy who did Night Watch and Day Watch, which I have actually mentioned here before. All three are really brilliant movies, stylistically speaking. Wanted has kind of a weak plot (and it's a comic book movie to boot) but it's done in such an amazing way that you don't mind. Pajiba described it as being a mess of Office Space and Fight Club with the awesome visual effects of The Matrix. That just about covers it.
That's not what I really want to talk about now though. Nick lives just up the street from me and we're both conveniently close to trax, so we took the train down to the theater. On the way back, we had to get off at the Library stop because that's when the Free Fare zone ends and a UTA officer happened to get on there. Nick accidentally left his pass at home and didn't want to get slammed with a ticket. So we're waiting for the next train, and this kid sits down by us and starts talking to us. He was carrying a copy of The Omnivore's Dilemma and most of the conversation involved various points included in that book.
It was fairly interesting for a random conversation you have on public transportation. A "single serving friend" who had some interesting ideas to throw out into the world. Random Stranger got off one stop before us and as we exited the train, we started discussing how amusing it is when these random conversations with strangers happen.
I blamed the book. For causing the random conversation, I mean. Or at least for creating the opportunity- for sticking something to talk about in the vacume that exists between people who have never before met. Nick, more or less, agreed. We decided that, in order to spurn more spontaneous trax discussions, we would start carrying around books that would be great conversation starters. Something en mode that our peers would have heard of, even if they haven't read it. Something that screams intellectualism - that wouldn't be at all out of place in your local college coffee shop. Something that is also relatable, that speaks to our generation and is accessible to our peers.
Nick wanted The Ironic T-shirt in book form. I suggested Dryden. I joked that I was actually carrying around Virginia Woolf with me... I'm more pretentious; I'm reading stream-of-consciousness. Seriously though, what would be the perfect book to carry around to hopefully prompt conversation? What, dear readers, would you pick to open a door to conversation with strangers who might think like you do? Would it be Reading Lolita in Tehran or The Kite Runner to bring up conditions in the middle east? Would you go with more obvious choices like Fight Club or Clockwork Orange - two books that have been the "edgy" thing to read for ages. Do you pick something by Christopher Moore to show you have a sense of humor? Or do you pick Jude the Obscure to show how bleak and hopeless your view of life is? What book would you pick, and what does it say about you?
That's not what I really want to talk about now though. Nick lives just up the street from me and we're both conveniently close to trax, so we took the train down to the theater. On the way back, we had to get off at the Library stop because that's when the Free Fare zone ends and a UTA officer happened to get on there. Nick accidentally left his pass at home and didn't want to get slammed with a ticket. So we're waiting for the next train, and this kid sits down by us and starts talking to us. He was carrying a copy of The Omnivore's Dilemma and most of the conversation involved various points included in that book.
It was fairly interesting for a random conversation you have on public transportation. A "single serving friend" who had some interesting ideas to throw out into the world. Random Stranger got off one stop before us and as we exited the train, we started discussing how amusing it is when these random conversations with strangers happen.
I blamed the book. For causing the random conversation, I mean. Or at least for creating the opportunity- for sticking something to talk about in the vacume that exists between people who have never before met. Nick, more or less, agreed. We decided that, in order to spurn more spontaneous trax discussions, we would start carrying around books that would be great conversation starters. Something en mode that our peers would have heard of, even if they haven't read it. Something that screams intellectualism - that wouldn't be at all out of place in your local college coffee shop. Something that is also relatable, that speaks to our generation and is accessible to our peers.
Nick wanted The Ironic T-shirt in book form. I suggested Dryden. I joked that I was actually carrying around Virginia Woolf with me... I'm more pretentious; I'm reading stream-of-consciousness. Seriously though, what would be the perfect book to carry around to hopefully prompt conversation? What, dear readers, would you pick to open a door to conversation with strangers who might think like you do? Would it be Reading Lolita in Tehran or The Kite Runner to bring up conditions in the middle east? Would you go with more obvious choices like Fight Club or Clockwork Orange - two books that have been the "edgy" thing to read for ages. Do you pick something by Christopher Moore to show you have a sense of humor? Or do you pick Jude the Obscure to show how bleak and hopeless your view of life is? What book would you pick, and what does it say about you?
Friday, June 27, 2008
MS 150
Well, this is the weekend! I've had the thing in my sidebar forever trying to get you guys to give me money (Thanks to everyone who did) and this weekend I'm actually going to do the ride. Dad and I are leaving to go up to Logan in an hour or so then tomorrow and Sunday we're going to be on our bikes.
I'm twittering the whole thing (via cell) on our bike blog so you should totally go over there and check it out.
I'm twittering the whole thing (via cell) on our bike blog so you should totally go over there and check it out.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Cool Clear Water
I live in a desert. With limited water available for use, conservation is really important. This means, durring the summer, if lawns must be watered, it should happen early in the morning or later in the evening. You know, when it's not so hot that the water evaporates almost before it hits the ground. It just makes sense. We've had a really wet spring, so I guess there's enough H2O in the resevoirs that we don't have to be as careful this year as in years past. Still, why wouldn't you want to water as efficiently as possible.
When I see people watering their lawns in the middle of the day, I usually roll my eyes or make a disparaging comment to whoever I might be with at the time.
Yesterday, however, I was kind of grateful for these idiots. It got up to 98 degrees yesterday afternoon and I was either walking from place to place or riding my bike in that heat. The jerks who were wasting water on their lawns in the middle of the afternoon provided a nice little cool down for me. I enjoyed their sprinklers very much, but they're still idiots.
When I see people watering their lawns in the middle of the day, I usually roll my eyes or make a disparaging comment to whoever I might be with at the time.
Yesterday, however, I was kind of grateful for these idiots. It got up to 98 degrees yesterday afternoon and I was either walking from place to place or riding my bike in that heat. The jerks who were wasting water on their lawns in the middle of the afternoon provided a nice little cool down for me. I enjoyed their sprinklers very much, but they're still idiots.
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