“Oh shit, it’s already today.”
I wrote down this quote during NSLC. I don’t remember who said it. In any case, it was around midnight and it was uttered that it was already today.
“This city looks no better than it did 14 billion dollars ago.” – Mr. Foster
Referring to the Boston Big Dig.
“Uh, Shannon, your hair is in my shoe.” – Aaron
My sister was lying down with her head above my cousin’s shoes, which were off at the time.
In and out of context award:
[to come later]
This is the prompt: “…is there anyone you know mostly (if not exclusively) online? If so, how much do you really know (or not know) about this person? Are you comfortable with the very idea of getting to know someone mostly online? Do you think you’d care to meet them eventually?”
Although Stevie and I were in the same room for many days in the summer of 2002, we hardly spoke face to face. We’d still chat online. Wow, that AIC class was not talkative. Since then, I’ve seen her only a few times, including the other day.
The other person I saw yesterday was Mary. I know Mary almost exclusively through online chatting as well. Before the other day, I had only seen her once: When we saw Star Wars: Episode II.
How well do I know these people? Not very well. If I had to do that question game, I would do horribly. Question game? Oh, at TVA, there was a little experiment in which three people who knew each other online were asked questions. Two could collaborate to figure out the answer about the third person. (Fun times.)
Still, even if I had to do that about people I know physically (didn’t want to say, “in real life”), I wouldn’t get very far. I just don’t know people all too well.
My mom’s always asking me, “What college does s/he want to go to?”
“I don’t know.” Those kinds of topics never come up.
Others inquire, “Then, what the hell do you talk about?”
“Random crap.” Ask anyone I know. They will tell you that the topics I bring up most often involve random crap. Even my website, Psycho-ward.org… random crap.
That’s why I’ve wandered so far off topic: I’m bringing up random crap. How much do I know about anyone? Not much. (Especially of the people I know online.)
I suppose it’s because I don’t ask about that junk, but one tiny part of it is because people assume I know. Ever had that happen to you? The ol’, “I thought you knew” line? Yes? No?
I like meeting these people personally. There’s something about human contact… I’ve met Mary before. I know Josh’s cousin, Colin, exclusively online, and I’m going to meet him this weekend. Still, truth be told, I’m even less exciting in real life. It goes back to the comedic timing thing I was talking about yesterday: I’m not that great a speaker.
I’m very comfortable with getting to know people online because they can’t see that. There can be huge lulls in the conversation, and that’s just fine. It’s nicer if you’re a natural introvert.
What’s the theme of this mental wandering? I wanted to talk about people online but I ended up trashing myself. Hm. It’s because I’m covering up for how little I actually know about the people in my life.
I have a backlog of entries I need to do, but really wanted to comment on how I need to work on my comedic timing. My style and delivery is utterly horrible, especially so in real life. I do better when I respond to what someone says, but if I wanted to devise my own comedic monologue, it would be completely unfunny. I know some of the stuff I say can be funny, but I don’t know how to present it correctly. Even when I do get it right, I’m not consistent, and what’s funny for one person is not funny for the next. That, and the art of the segue. I can’t elaborate on a story, or go on to another joke. Maybe I’m just a horrible extemporaneous speaker.
In any case, it doesn’t bode well if I want to get into politics later. I need to sound more natural. Talk to the people, not at the people, I always tell myself, but it’s harder in practice.
I’m at Tolman Hall, right now, visiting TVA. I hit the shift button a bunch of times in a row (I do that sometimes when I’m thinking of what to type), the computer made a funny noise, and a window popped up. *woosh* (The sound of memories flying through my mind.) I used to do that in AIC. That was back in 2002? Anyway, the moral of the story is: I have a weird habit, and I’ve had it for a long time.
Note to self: Do their journal question for today, heh.
“is there anyone you know mostly (if not exclusively) online? If so, how much do you really know (or not know) about this person? Are you comfortable with the very idea of getting to know someone mostly online? Do you think you’d care to meet them eventually?”
EDIT: Cut out “Journal question for today’s comment section… ” from beginning of original quote
The latest poll on my website, Psycho-ward.org has been very active, both in votes and comments. So, I’m thinking, you should vote too! And leave a comment! The question posed is, “On which holiday should the world end?” C’mon and vote, all the cool kids are doing it…
I was at Border’s and I saw Alex Zhong. Completely unexpected! Normally, I hate seeing random people from school when I’m out at some random place. This time, however, I was glad to see a familiar face.
We didn’t exchange many words, but I’ve been spending the past few days couped up in the house, and I realized that I need more human contact. Especially after the proximity of NSLC. I need wacky hijinks, and exciting exploits.
I’ve just now come to the realization that I haven’t seen any of my friends, or my cousins, in over a month.
However, I need an excuse to visit people. I can’t just go up to them and say, “I need human contact.” Or maybe, I can…
10:33 PM – EDIT: Dude, it totally worked. I’m seeing a movie this Saturday, and Spider-Man 2, at that. Awesome. Then, Lloyd IMs me. So, I’m visiting ATDP this Wednesday. I should be seeing my cousins this Friday when they’re moving. Yay!
An old guy was playing this odd quiz-type game machine, only he was really dumb. He said something really stupid aloud, and I, watching a short distance away, proceeded to laugh my ass off.
I related this story to one of my friends, only she didn’t think it was so funny, and even let someone else interrupt my story. I realized it was probably one of those “you had to be there” moments.
Later on, I wake up. I grasped at my dream fragments, trying to remember that moment. The funny event doesn’t even make sense anymore, and probably wouldn’t have been funny at all, had I been awake.
No wonder she didn’t laugh.
Continued from the entry, To Pull a Grover Cleveland…
Historically, there have been rematches. Stevenson faced Eisenhower twice. William Jennings Bryan faced McKinley twice (and then went on to face Taft). Dewey couldn’t defeat Roosevelt, but tried again against Truman (and was thought to be a shoe-in at one point). Yet, none of these men were president first. They lost every time they ran. Still, it leaves room for someone to run again.
William Henry Harrison was unsuccessful in his first bid against Martin Van Buren. Then, the Whig Party consolidated its power, and Harrison became president in the rematch. Nixon had a similar fate. He lost to Kennedy, but then came back and defeated Humphrey. It’s funny, however, how both these presidents met ignominious endings. Nixon resigned, and Harrison died only a month into the presidency after the longest inaugural address. Yet, these men did not start out as president.
Martin Van Buren, after losing to Harrison in 1840, ran again in 1848, but as a third party candidate, and garnered no electoral votes. TR’s results are better. TR did win a second term, but did not run again, as was the tradition. Yet, he did not approve of his successor’s record (Taft) and once more ran for president. After failing to gain his party’s nomination, he too, ran as a third party candidate. This third party did better than the Republican party in the election, but the Republicans were split, and Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat, was victorious. (The combined popular vote is greater than Wilson’s popular vote.)
The only real precedent that backs me up is Grover Cleveland’s presidency.
I know these conclusions are a little different than what I put in the original entry, but bear with me… So, although history isn’t in Bush’s favor to win, it isn’t altogether unlikely that he will at least run again.
On March 16, I mused: are Gay Marriages Good for the Economy?
Lo, I find this: Gay Marriage Could Save USD $1 Billion? Am I vindicated? Am I good, or what?
I was going to add the caveat for yesterday’s entry that the chance of this was very slim, but because of this, I’m feeling a little better about my crystal ball. I still doubt it’ll happen, but I’ll leave it as it is (with the extra paragraph coming tomorrow).
I’m not going to say there’s a very real possibility, but there is a chance that Bush might pull a Grover Cleveland, that is, if he loses in ’04, he’ll win in ’08. I remind you: I’m not saying that it will happen, just that there is a slight possibility.
The election will be close and if Bush loses, don’t expect him to fade away. How effectual a president will Kerry be? If Kerry can’t play good cop to Bush’s bad cop, that sets the stage for a Bush victory in ’08. If we lose what we have, such as if Iraq turns really sour, or, especially, if there’s another terrorist attack (and it’s handled ineffectively), more Americans may re-flock to Bush. From what I can see now, it doesn’t appear as if Kerry will be a very effective president.
I first considered this possibility upon reading kausfiles. Kaus is voting for Kerry to take a “break” from Bush. Others have shared this sentiment. This terminology leaves room for a return of Bush.
Historically, [this paragraph to be created at a later date continued at To Pull a Grover Cleveland (Historically…)].
So, all you Bush haters out there (not you mere Bush-dislikers), be prepared. Perhaps we will see a repeat of Bush I, and you will cheer when he is out of the White House. However, that might not be the end of the war. If you do not remain vigilant, there may be a different repeat in store: that of the feat of Grover Cleveland.
The other day, I was sitting in the room alone. I had nothing to do, and it was stuffy in there (especially since allergies were constricting my throat). I wanted to get out.
But then I realized, there was no hall to walk down. No more wacky hijinks from my floormates. I can’t walk out the room to find people removing all the furniture from one room, or duct taping someone to the wall.
Right now I’m stuck in limbo. I’m done with that class in DC, but I’m still not home yet. Hence, I cannot put the class behind me. I’m stuck. If I know you, I miss you. I just want to complete this transition and get home.
I am at my mom’s friend’s house in New Hamsphire. I have nothing to say. I will think of stuff when I get back home. I want to go back home.
Haven’t had internet access for a while. There’s a library (where I am right now), but there’s been no time to walk all the way across campus and back.
For now, I’m just going to answer the latest comment. (Will edit this later with links.) The person asked if I wrote that “When I’m dead, I’ll miss” poem myself, and, yes, I did. I write all of the poems myself. By the way, that one I mentioned is my favorite one.
A river
becomes a waterfall
A seed
becomes a tree
A leader
becomes a dictator
That tiny star
is bigger than it looks
But the darkness
is bigger than the star
The waterfall will stop
The tree will fall
The dictator will die
The star will too
But the already mighty darkness grows
A waterfall of darkness
Standing tall
Ruling all
Eating the stars
One by one
How dark was my thought? — star?
(Not as dark as the unthought
Really, I guess I’ll spend the day packing. I don’t know anything about my trip right now. Except that I’m going to the East Coast. Somewhere there, in the Mid-Atlantic states. And I’m leaving around midnight, which would make it Monday morning.
That’s it. I’m not looking forward to going. Nothing in particular, just not looking forward to it. Actually, there is one thing… Public bath facilities. Yuk. I hate public restrooms. Almost as bad as standing in line. Or worse, standing in line for the public restroom.
I’m rambling. That’s because I’ve had no rest. I got back today. I’m leaving in a little over 24 hours. I’m probably not going to sleep on the aeroplane, either, so with the time difference, that leaves me… one day without sleep.
What am I doing for our nation’s birthday? I’m not sleeping. Not counting when I lived in Colorado, this will be one of the few times I haven’t messed around with fireworks. I have a feeling that that tradition is fading away. I’m betting that eventually, they won’t allow any fireworks in our town.
I don’t know if I’ll have internet access where I’m going (I doubt it), so tomorrow will be the last entry for a while. And don’t expect it to be much better than rambling, either.
Previously on this weblog: “Although I’m not exactly thrilled about being away from home so long this summer (the better part of a month) and I still haven’t finished a Majestic comic, I have a good feeling about this summer… perhaps the… best summer ever… hm…”
Commence laughing.
Let’s make some changes:
Although I was thrilled by the start of this summer… seeing Kill Bill, going to the zoo, going to the beach… I still have yet to have a decent time afterwards, and I’m hardly going to be home at all before summer is over. So, I have a bad feeling about the rest of this summer… perhaps the… worst summer ever… hm…
Note to self: Do not tempt the fates with such language (such as that in the aforementioned entry) ever again.
Will be back Saturday, then off into the wild blue yonder (is that the correct expression?) once more on Monday, midnight.
I’m now, after a 2 and a half day car trip from CA, in the Bellingham area, where my grandfather is in the hospital. He’s ninety-something, in case you’re wondering. Not really a vacation, although I’ve been calling it that. I’ll be back July 3, at the latest. (Because I have to leave again July 5.) Hope you’re having more fun than I am.
07/02/04 – EDIT: Originally put June 3 and June 5, hahaha! Thanks for catching that, Wenschel!
I’m liking this new possible commercial presence in space. It’s very… American. So, China sent a man into space, but this, this is even better. An American sent up, non-fully-government-funded. Maybe NASA won’t win the next space race, but someone else will.
However, the weaponization of space still possibly looms. Could a private company develop weapons in space, effectively holding the world hostage, challenging US supremacy? That would certainly be a scary scenario. It’s a long shot, but it could happen.
Also, earlier, I mentioned the space elevator. The space elevator would send up things into space for less of a price per payload than rockets. Whoever builds it first, will rule space. That could still be China. Even so, that doesn’t rule out a commercial presence in space: Once you get stuff up into space, you still need to transport it elsewhere.
It’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out. I’m predicting space tourism first.
Will be on vacation from today to the end of June, at least. I will keep you informed if I manage to find internet access.
The first private vehicle has reached outer space. This is an important day in history, and opens many new doors with space travel. Still, I think a space elevator would be better.
And now, we take you to your regularly scheduled weblog entry:
An e-mail from “alias” about my Jesus’ Appeal piece, before I put up the annotations:
well. being a Christian myself, I was at first a bit skeptical about this whole thing. in the end, it proved to be the same as all your other stories, posing no real threat to history; but just kind of retarded. I had a few things to point out to you, even if you think you already know, or don’t believe it in the first place.
A) The Medieval Paintings: I am led to believe that these could very well be inaccurate. This is still a society that is predominately ‘white’. Being believers in Jesus Christ and his teachings, wouldn’t they paint him to look like themselves? No offense intended, but WHY would they (considering their own skewed midsets) paint Jesus to look like an outsider? The Middle Ages, Crusades, and Roman Catholic Church are all real screwed up when it comes to Christianity. If the catholic church is all about money, doesn’t it seem like you would get more believers (more money) if you’ve got a “damn sexy” guy on that painting, instead of the darker, black haired ‘weirdo’? You’ve learned about it. you know what I mean.
B) Is Jesus the One?? There is documented evidence that Jesus is God’s Son through over 300 prophecies written down hundreds of years before he was born. BEAR WITH ME HERE….
1) it was prophesied that He would be of the “seed of a woman” not that of a man. [therefore, virgin Mary] (Genesis 3:15, Galations 4:4)
2)He would be of the lineage of Shem (Genesis 9&10)
3) He would be a descendant of Abraham (Genesis 22:18, Galations 3:16)
4) ” ” of the line of Isaac (Gen. 21:12, Luke 3:23, 24)
5) ” ” of the line of Jacob (Numbers 24:17, Luke 3:23-34)
6) ” ” of the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10, Luke 3:23-33)
7) ” ” family of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1, Luke 3:23-32)
8) ” ” of the house of David (Jeremiah 23:5, Luke 3:23-31)
9) He would be crucified (psalm 22:14-18, Luke 23:33)
10)he would be betrayed by a friend (psalms 41:9, Matthew 10:4)
11) he would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1)
* * *
The chances of just eight of these prophecies being fulfilled in one person is 1 in 10 to the 17th power. Thats 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. And there were over 300 prophecies fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is The One.
Now, if you’ve stayed with me, if the message hasn’t just cut off completely because its too long, or if you’re not asleep, I’m really proud of you and I thank you for listening to me preach. But thats what I believe.
I already dealt with part A in Jesus’ Appeal Annotated.
1) Where did you find “seed of a woman” in Genesis 3.15? This is God talking to the serpent. Galatians, meanwhile, was written after Jesus’ birth. It is in the New Testament.
2) I read Genesis 9 & 10, and I did not find any prophecies about the Messiah. Even if I accept your proposition, I must remind you that supposedly all the peoples of Earth came from the 3 sons of Noah. What’s so special about 1/3?
3) What does Genesis 22:18 have to do with Jesus? Even if you look at the passage in Galatians… The rest of that prophecy is not true. When did Jesus posess the gates of his enemies and become as numerous as the stars?
4) Again, no mention of the Messiah in the Genesis passage.
5) “… and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the borderlands of Moab, and the territory of all the Shethites” Numbers 24.17. Woah! I totally missed that one in the Gospels!
6) Did you read Genesis 49.10?! “The scepter shall not depart from judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and the obediance of the peoples is his.” Am I missing something?
7) Hm… absence of mention of Jesus… I see “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.”
8) Perhaps you can make a metaphorical argument that Jesus fulfills this prophecy, but let’s look ahead one verse: “In his days Judah will be saved… and Israel will live in safety…” Jeremiah 23.6. Euh… nope, not Jesus.
9) All very fine, but no mention of crucifixion in Psalm 22.14-18.
10) No arguments here. I’m not sure if the Psalm is an actual prophecy. However, being betrayed by a friend isn’t so uncommon an act to support your statistics.
11) Yet, Micah 5:2 says, “But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah” [emphasis mine]. Check out: http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/proph/long.html.
Getting back to the lineage of Jesus, you skipped the mention of the descendants between David and Joseph. Maybe because there’s a huge discrepancy between Luke and Matthew? One more thing about that lineage you use so much from Luke: “… He was the son (as was thought) of Joseph son of…” Luke 3.23 [emphasis mine].
So, 1 in 10 to the 17th power? Wow, that number seems a bit… arbitrary. Do you have any evidence to back up your claim, as the numbers relate to the “prophecies”?
Moreover, the Gospel of Matthew was specifically written to try to fulfill the prophecies in order to convince other Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. Not that this was written after Jesus’ death, and based largely on the Gospel of Mark. Don’t you think this would make it just a little bit biased?
This is a list of things I want to purchase, but I’m not sure when I’ll get around to doing it. It’s a short list.
Take the latest Weekly Poll at my website, psycho-ward.org.
My goal in life is to get two sentences in the history book. Not one, but two. I can then die a happy man. That’s all I care about. I don’t care how I get in there, as long as I am in there.
[Note: Fixing up links within this weblog (as in from one entry to another)… done from March through June 2003]
I haven’t mentioned my latest Bottom of the Barrel comic on this weblog, have I? I don’t feel like writing much, so enjoy that.
Although I’m not exactly thrilled about being away from home so long this summer (the better part of a month) and I still haven’t finished a Majestic comic, I have a good feeling about this summer… perhaps the… best summer ever… hm…
Today, went to Santa Cruz with Logan friends. The video camera wasn’t charged, so I didn’t get to bring it, as I had with the zoo. However, there weren’t any good tourists at Santa Cruz (this has to do with a documentary I’m filming this August), so all worked out well. One more point: Wow, completely different dynamic with the Logan group than with Moreau people.
Found this article, Manila Folder, via kausfiles. Very, very interesting.
Oh, by the way, I will wait to write my opinion on the Pledge of Allegiance case until I’ve fully digested the Supreme Court’s opinion, which involves first reading it all the way through.
I’m kind of glad I still won’t be old enough to vote in the next elections. I don’t want to choose between two candidates I know too much about, or a random candidate I know nothing about.
Perhaps that was the reason why there was so much coverage about Reagan after his death. People felt he was strong in his convictions and stood up to the “Evil Empire.” Was there some sort of subconscious yearning for a strong candidate?
I’m most definitely wrong in my musings, but I know that I want a strong leader for America. Someone who will lead. I want someone I can vote for because of who he is, not because of who he isn’t.
I fear we are entering a new Gilded Age.
It still hasn’t quite hit me that it’s summer. It’s a Sunday. I still don’t feel like I don’t have to go to school tomorrow. It’s still odd not having homework. When I went to the zoo last Friday, it hadn’t even hit me then. The day felt like a fluke, even though Kill Bill Fest had preceded it. There’s still some lingering feeling. I’ve been too used to too much work for too long. Will I ever get over it? Will I ever realize that it’s summer?
This summer hit me differently than all others. Before, I had always counted down the days. This time, I had no time to count down the days. I couldn’t afford to get my hopes up before the work was finished. Now, the work is finished. Yet still, that lingering…
Tomorrow is Monday. I hope it hits me then.
So far, summer has started with a BANG! I’ve added to that bang…
My new Minesweeper Expert time is 103.
To put that in context, my previous record was 119. I have destroyed my previous record.
I’ve decided that the zoo ain’t that great of a place. I like the aquarium better. For some reason, I don’t like watching certain animals in the confined areas.
Nonetheless, I still had a great time with Richard, Chris, Craig, Liz, and Nisha at the San Francisco zoo (and the rest of the city). And for the record, San Francisco is a great place.
I saw Kill Bill vol 1 on DVD, and then Kill Bill vol 2 at the theater. Very good idea. Both movies are brilliant.