| Never Ever (Ganked from Stacy!) |
[07 Jul 2010|05:06pm] |
1. If someone asks you “are you okay”, you say: Bawitdaba (Kid rock)
2. How would you describe yourself: Free and easy (ayumi hamasaki)
3. What do you like in a guy/girl: Sanvean (sarah brightman)
4. How are you feeling today: 4th dimensional transition (mgmt)
5. What is your life’s purpose: World end (flow)
6. What is your motto: Baltar Panics (Bear McCreary)
7. What do your friends think of you: Night owl (yoko kanno – wolf’s rain OST)
8. What do your parents think of you: Chemical beats (chemical bros)
9. What do you think of often: Fade away (seether)
10. What is 2 + 2: The Boxer (chemical bros)
11. What do you think of your best friend: Vestige (T.M Revolution)
12. What is your life story: technologic (daft punk)
13. What do you want to be when you grow up: Hanky Code (peaches)
14. What do you think when you seen the person you like: Bitches (Mindless Self Indulgence)
15. What will you dance to at your wedding: Gravitation (Angela)
16. What will they play at your funeral: Is it real? (Yoko Kano arr., Scott Matthew vocal; Cowboy Bebop: Ask DNA single)
17. What is your hobby/interest: Starless Night (OLIVIA ispir’ REIRA (TRAPNEST))
18. What is your biggest fear: Kuroi Light “black light” (Taniuchi Hideki, Death Note OST 2)
19. What is your biggest secret: Pig (Seether)
20. What do you want right now: Once Upon A Troubadour (Nightwish)
21. What do you think of your friends: Gasoline (Seether)
22. When you want to rush to the toilet, what do you think: Digital Sea (Thrice)
23. The person you hate the most is in front of you, what will you tell the person: Spiderwebs (No Doubt)
24. You have just won a lottery. What will you sing: White Flag (Dido)
25. What will you post this as: Never Ever (Ayumi Hamasaki)
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| Secrets |
[26 Apr 2010|12:23pm] |
I hijacked this from Mike. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Besides, how many people really, truly know the dark, dark places in our hearts, hmmm?
However, if you message me with one of your secrets, I'll put it in a little folder with your name on it and use it for potential blackmail. I will respond accordingly.
...Just kidding, or am I!
For all my martial arts training, I am extraordinarily afraid to use it. I used it once, seven years ago and it was so very easy to hurt someone and keep hurting them. I'm afraid that if I started hurting someone, I would keep doing it. The temptation is there and it always lurks, it scares the shit out of me.
A friend of mind died before I could apologize for things that happened between us. I've been beating myself up about it ever since. That's almost a decade of apologizing to him about it.
For all my ranting and raving about the silliness of believing in god, I admire people who draw their strength from religion. I might think that the concept is stupid, but I admire the sheer force of will to maintain their beliefs in the face of people like me.
Bad things happened to me when I was a child, very bad things. I don't like talking about it and I don't think I've ever come to grips with it as a person.
I don't really think all the highly of my own physicality (my looks that is), so it really irks me when people (or society) hate on one another (or themselves) for the way they look. Everyone is beautiful to someone else, and I truly believe it.
I wonder if I'll ever be happy in my own skin.
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| Carbondale night ride 1 |
[16 Apr 2010|01:43am] |
They say that on a motorcycle, everything blends together in one continuous image, like the world is a movie that keeps on going with you in the center, or like one of those old school moving pictures. Things become a blur of color, more so at night, or at least that's kind of my experience on the back of my motorcycle. When it's dark, the night leeches all the color from the surroundings, the street lights stain everything in a dim orange color, gas stations and stores become bright oases of light, and people.... Well, the people move in and out of the darkness like fish surfacing and disappearing under the waves.
So, it strikes me as odd the things that I notice when riding around Carbondale at night. As a motorcycle rider, you have to be constantly aware of your surroundings lest you paste yourself on some guy who doesn't signal when merging, or you slide right into the jay walkers... Anyway, the surroundings are constantly changing, only remaining still when you hit a red light. It's like the world suddenly comes into focus, you realize that at some points you're completely alone. Alone in a city of thousands, its an interesting concept.
I was stopped at the corner of wall and grand, near Don Taco and that strip mall with the tanning salon, when I happened to do something other than look out for the normal cycling hazards of carbondale, which are blessedly few in the later hours. So across the street I see five women, all identical from my position: tank tops of varying design, jean shorts, too tan, and lots of jewelry. I thought it might have been a trick of my motion addled brain that these women appeared to be identical, but no, i wasn't making things up.. These women had carefully planned their attire to be as identical as possible... Wierd, but it might guarantee that at least one of them got laid...
Anyway, the light changed after an eternity and then I was forced to stop: jaywalkers. At one in the morning, on a thursday, they emerge like leviathans from the sea, long strings of people who interrupt the non-existant flow of traffic in their migration from bar to bar. Either they're clumped together in one large pack, spilling over the confines of the cross walk, or they're simply moving in long stream... As the night wears on, the streams become more common than the packs: intoxication makes stragglers of even the most determined of partier.... Occasionally the stream will collapse mid crossing when one of the drunkards (usually a female) breaks a heel, stops to puke, or something else... Oblivious to the potential danger of cars, they will corral around the lone, wounded individual and obstruct traffic.
Trios of men are more dangerous than the streams for they will act with stupidity for no apparent reason... Usually this includes them throwing items at the rider, begging for wheelies, or jsut eying the rider as though they need to challenge my manhood. Revving the engine and jerking my head tends to get them moving in the right direction. I say dangerous because some of these creatures will leap, in a possibly suicidal move, in front of my bike and then draw away just as quickly.... I think it's a test to see if I will stop or swerve, I rarely do anymore.
Other denizens of the night include truckers, drivers, and other riders. We pass each other on our respective rides through the streets, acknowledging our shared desire to get to our destinations as quickly as possible. The drivers have a sort of admirable precision: changing lanes, accelerating, stopping all at breakneck speeds. Of course this makes them dangerous as they can suddenly appear and disappear without warning. the truckers move like whales, though infinitely louder: they're heard before their seen emerging from the darkness like some jurassic titan, bellowing it's presence through twin smoke stacks. Before their massive, orange illuminated presence, all of use night travellers scatter like insects. They are few and far between on the inner city roads of carbondale.
The normal comraderie between riders is reserved for the oases of light, the gas stations, not for the roads: our attention is too focused upon our surroundings, the other nightwalkers, to salute save at stoplights or stop signs. At the lights we huddle together as though for warmth, so that the combined weight of our machines triggers the lights, and then we part just as fast: we're bonded by our mutual necessity, but just as soon depart with a salute, a waggle of the bike, or a nod of the head.
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| Upcoming Movies for the next four months |
[04 Apr 2010|02:35pm] |
April 16 - Kick Ass
April 23 - The Losers
May 7- Iron Man 2
May 14 - Robin Hood
May 21 - MacGruber
May 28 - Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
June 4 - Splice
June 11 - The A Team
June 11 - The Karate Kid
June 18 - Jonah Hex
July 2 - The Last Airbender
July 9 - Despicable Me
July 9 - Predators
July 16 - Inception
July 30 - Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore
These are the movies that I'm going to be going to see. If you want in, hit me up.
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| Elegy for a friend. |
[28 Oct 2009|12:08pm] |
Hey Marcus,
It's been a year since we last spoke, so I figure I should update you on what's new with me. I finished my first year of Graduate School: it was pretty rough. Like I said last year, I was a little concerned that not having a philosophical background would come bite me in the ass and it totally did, I boned the comprehensive exams. I'm fairly certain that you would have told me "study more" in the same way that you did when we were in Mu Yae Do.
Speaking of philosophy: I'm writing my Agora. Its like a presented paper to my colleagues. The funny thing is that I'm not sure any of them will understand what I'm talking about with Kensho, mushin, and all the other stuff... I mean, I've talked this out with you dozens of times so I guess you might be tired of hearing about Japanese Aesthetics, and so on, but damn man... I wish you were going to be there, just to keep me on my toes. I know you've got my back on this though.
Speaking of that, I'm still doing the shinkendo instruction thing. I went to my second seminar and learned some more advanced skills., and I'm following your advice, you know: practice, practice, practice. Heh. You'd like shinkendo, like I said before... But now that I've done more advanced stuff in it, I think it would really be something you'd get into. It's a far cry from the stuff we used to do in front of your house, but it's got that adherence to bushido...
I rode my motorcycle home this summer: it was pretty cool, kind of interesting to be out on the road, letting my bike do its thing. speaking of home... everyone is still everyone, A.J. is still himself, Vandy is still the Vandy you remember. All of our siblings have grown up into adults, those people who were behind us in class, they're all more mature now: you'd be just as amused as I am to see how far they've come.
My mother's getting close to retirement age, and that's amusing. I don't know what she's going to do with herself, but I hope she does something interesting other than sit around on the sofa. My father's going to be almost sixty this year.. Kind of a scary thought after the surgery... I told you about that bit: it's unnerving. but hey, we all get older, we all grow up. Later on today, I'll call your parents and check in on them. Not that you haven't done that already, but still...
And me? I'm doing okay I guess. I'm sorting my way through my personal life things like that... You'd probably scold me for my past few romantic entanglements: I told you about those. I can just see you sighing, shaking your head, lamenting "John" about the whole thing, but you know me... You always did I guess.
I got Tekken Six: you'd like it. It fixes all those issues we were having with Tekken three and adds some awesome stuff. they made Devil jin a regular character so that people can play as tekken three jin. I'm also checking out Yoshimitsu and Nina Williams: I know those were your characters (just like Jun Kazama and Jin were mine), but I can see the appeal in them. I got yoshimitsu's "Yuri yuri ut" move to work, also that "whithooo" slash. I haven't tried Marshall Law yet though, I'm saving that for last.
Oh yeah! i forgot to mention that there's a nobuou uematsu concert coming up. Distant Worlds is coming to chicago and I am to go see it. You'd like it, you'd like it alot. I suppose you'll be watching it where ever you are, but it would be cool to have you there. And irony of ironies, I'm working IT. You'd never figure, right? I mean, that was always a hobby for us, but now I'm getting paid to do all that stuff that we used to do... Kind of silly.
Anyway, I dunno. I've said a bit and retraced my steps some, I've been practicing mu yae do while I'm not at shinkendo: I can still feel it in my bones, and Master Yu was right when he said it would never leave me... And guess what, I finally started turning my ankle down, just like you told me, and I corrected the differences in my right and left execution of one-step. It's just too bad that I've got no one to spar with or no one to train with, if anything, I miss that most with you.
Alright man. I think that's all I've got: look in on Joe, Dan, Sam, Blair, AJ, and everyone else who misses you. I'll see you again, but not quite yet.
Peace.
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| On the issue of Lt. Rack |
[20 Oct 2009|04:26pm] |
I'm enjoying SG:U, or Battlegate: Voyager as I've taken to calling it, but some of the critics and fans really, really, need to reevaluate their shit.
Foremost on my list of issues with the fans is this so-called "Lt. Rack" problem. Arguably, there is some merit in fans' characterizing her as "Lt. Rack" because of her erm... assets... and the way that she was introduced to the viewers (bumping uglies in a closet with one of the male leads) and the subsequent "peeping kino" issue (two neckbeard archetypes use one of the hovering spyeyes to peep on her), but really? "Lt. Rack"? Are we so mired in our desire for portrayals of "strong, capable women" that we balk at any sexualization of a woman?
Part of my objection to this stems from the fact that the series is only four episodes into it's season, a 20 plus episode season according to interviews, so there's plenty of time for Lt. Rack to evolve into a stable character. Let us not forget that within the first... five episodes of Battlestar Galactica (to which the series is compared) we had Starbuck getting some, and Sharon Valerii in a closet with chief Tyrol. Hell, BSG gave us female Cylons exploiting human sexuality all over the place, so it kind of irks me when we have one character at the center of what might be considered normal behavior.
Exempting the fact that Lt. Rack, the neckbeards, and her fellow officer are on a classified space base, and later a falling apart starship, peeping tom antics and sex in storerooms are so common that they're almost ingrained into our societal consciousness. I'm not so sure that the showrunners are trying to sexualize Lt. Rack, in as much as portray the normalcy of all the characters in this extreme situation.
Furthermore, a lot of the harsh criticism of Lt. Rack comes from the fact that "she hasn't done anything". Excuse me? Are you even watching the same show? Lt. Rack is on the outside of the "military in group" and was partially responsible for the organization of the small mob that surrounded Eli and demanded answers as they figured he was the weakest one. Additionally, she was among the first people that Lt. Whitebread tapped to help organize the people on board the Destiny.
It is worth considering that the series, thus far, has been focused on establishing the groups onboard destiny and thus the leaders of those groups are getting the focus: Robert Carlyle's character, the neckbeards, Lt. Whitebread, and the Colonel Young are all receiving a huge amount of air time, something that the stars of the show say will change as the series progresses... It seems like a lot of the negative criticism is disregarding interviews and various feeds from the actors (including their own Twitter!) which contradict the fact that Lt. Rack seems poised to remain just a pair of boobs.
So the question comes around again; are we so hypersensitised to "accurate portrayals" that when one smacks us in the face (20 something woman enjoying her body, being a woman, and *gasp* sex, while being serious about her work), that we can't even recognize it through the lens of our own political correctness?
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| Wabi-cha and impermanence |
[19 Oct 2009|10:51pm] |
What follows is a quick and dirty of what I've managed to come up with in some of my readings on wabi-cha. This is by no means a complete thought but comment on it if you feel like it.
Wabi-cha, as the name implies, is the wabi-sabi nature of tea, or rather, the aesthetic of impermanence within the tea ceremony. the first encounter that one has with wabi-sabi in tea (leaving aside the representation in the gardens, for that is a separate topic) is with the utensils: the utensils used within tea ceremony were preferably worn, or constructed in a manner as to seem worn. some might argue that the construction of an object to appear as though it were faded or imperfect is the construction of an illusion, but I would refuse to affirm this objection.
Foremost, wabi-cha as an aesthetic is a reflective aesthetic: the aesthetic is produced through man's reflection upon the impermanence and imperfection of nature. That is it so reflected in the wabi-cha tool demonstrates an apprehension of the concept of impermanence, an understanding of that impermanence, and the translation of that understanding into the realm of the "real" with the construction of the tool. the formation of a wabi-cha tool as withered and rustic is as much a reflection upon impermanence as meditation upon the heart sutra and the like.
the tools are, ostensibly, the most solid of the wabi-cha aesthetic representations, however they are not the full extent of the wabi-cha aesthetic: that lies within the whole of the ceremony proper. Macha (green tea) when prepared according to the guide-lines of Sen no Rikyu's tea instruction, is supposed to possess a lingering flavor: it does not dwell upon the tongue for an extended duration of time, nor is it sudden and sharp like wasabi. The flavor is to be light, ephemeral, and altogether impermanent.
The coloration of the tea stains each instrument, further distorting and enhancing it's impermanent nature: after each use, the instruments are slightly different, slightly more worn, a process that occurs naturally (as the japanese characterization of impermanence is drawn more in line with natural changes) as time passes. Essentially the very act of participating in the tea ceremony is a microcosm of mujou, impermanence.
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| Goofy Questions stolen from Kandy |
[12 Oct 2009|12:38pm] |
1. What time did you get up this morning?
9 something or other. I didn't leave to get to work till 10:50 after feeding the cat, taking a shower, and breaking my internet.
2. How do you like your steak?
Medium-well fillet mignon, lightly spiced and peppered, with A-1, a baked potato, and a hot buttered biscuit. Fuck, I need to make a trip to O'Charlies.
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Zombieland, as i recall, it was a horror film. I walked out side and saw you rang and I... Nevermind.
4. What is your favorite TV show?
I have a number. Some of these are lol worthy: Stargate Universe, Farscape, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek: TNG through VOY and DS9 (Enterprise can go eat a dick), True Blood, 24.
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Some where nice with the person I love. Ideally, I'd like Kyoto, maybe in the hills, so I can watch the turning of the momiji.
6. What did you have for breakfast?
Air. Or, whatever was in my tummy from last night. The whole past continuing on into the present thing...
7. Your favorite cuisine?
Chicago style pizza, japanese, chinese, thai, mexican. Italian is good, but I'm not a good garlic person, Kosher food is good, so is german food.
8. What foods do you dislike?
chocolate, peanut butter, shell fish.
9. Favorite Place to Eat?
Depends on what I'm eating. Like, for deep dish pizza, I have to be in chicago. America has some good sushi joints, but sushi is best in japan. Mexican food is best made by mexicans...
10. Favorite dressing?
Red wine vinegarette, oil and vinegar, balsamic vinegarette
11.What kind of vehicle do you drive?
2008 Kawasaki Ninja EX-650R. It's my baby.
12. What are your favorite clothes?
Anything comfy.
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance?
Obviously I would go back to Japan, but I'd like to visit China, Korea, Thailand, Germany, Greece, and California. I know, California, right?
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Cup?
There is no cup. The illusion of a full or empty cup is just that, an illusion. You must look beyond the cup, towards the fullness of the universe.
16. Favorite time of day?
A little after midday, high noon.
17. Where were you born?
Chicago, Il
18. What is your favorite sport to watch?
AMA Racing, K1, Kendo (dahahaha), Sumo, Judo, Basketball, Golf, Soccer (goooooooaaaaall), hockey, cycling, gymnastics, motocross, WRC
19. Who do you think will not tag you back?
Dunno, some of my friends are lazy. Maybe Sunny.
20. Person you expect to tag you back first?
Mike, Abbey, or Emily.
21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this?
See... I think I know the answers to most of these for most of my friends, but I'm fairly curious as to all of their responses. Mike, Abbey, and Sunny if you're going to make me pick.
22. Bird watcher?
Only Raptors, and then from places without tall grass.
23. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Ugh, I hate the morning. I'm such a cat.
24. Do you have any pets?
2 cats: one here, one in chicago.
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share?
I'm on a boat, it's goin fast, and I've got a nautical themed cashmere afghan!
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| A snippet from my Agora. |
[30 Sep 2009|01:03pm] |
In contrast to the majority of scholarship written about Wabi Sabi (to be referred to as "wabi" from here out) as an aesthetic, I have chosen not to explore wabi through the lens of "chado" or the way of tea, but rather, through the enjoyment of sakura, the falling cherry blossoms. Arbuably, I cannot make the claim that chado is invalid as a means of discourse on wabi, as the primary philosophical discourse on wabi comes from within the chado culture, but I seek to postulate that chado is not the penultimate expression of wabi as an aesthetic and philosophical concept.
The focus of wabi discourse with regards to chado is upon the instruments, the cups and tools used within chado. I find this to be a subtle falsehood with regards to impermanence and wabi in general. One of the characteristics of a wabi aesthetic is the non resistance to change, the expression of impermanence: chado tools express their impermanence through their rustic, worn appearance. That being said, if an object is designed with the intent to express impermanence in a constructed manner, is it truly an accurate representation of impermanence.
One may answer yes and no: no because the character of impermanence is one of steady withering away. If an object is constructed to represent a static version of impermanence, intentionally made "broken" rather than allowed to fade naturally, as suggested by the very concept of impermanence, then that object is merely a shadow of the true nature of impemanence, and by virture, wabi. On the other hand, it may be asked: can any piece of art seeking to capture impermanence not fall prey to the trap expressed above?
Yes: the intention behind wabi art is not to make something impermanent, but rather to allow impermanence to take it's toll upon something. this is the crux of sakura viewing. Rather than construct an idealized version of impermanence, the sakura viewing is the watching of impermanence in nature: the blossoms begin pink, fade to white, and eventually fall in showers of petals. From a wabi standpoint, the sakura is most beautiful in the moments before they fall. No hand has caused the color to fade from the blossoms, nor does it cause them to fall unnaturally: the blossoms fall of their own accord after succumbing to the effects of nature upon them.
That is the difference between chado and sakura: the "natural" way in which impermanence is expressed through the falling sakura.
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| Ask if you want to know. Most of these have interesting stories attached. |
[30 Sep 2009|11:39am] |
You can ONLY answer Yes or No.
You are NOT ALLOWED to explain ANYTHING unless someone messages or comments you and asks. -- and believe me, the temptation to explain some of these will be overwhelming nothing is exactly as it seems.
Now, here's what you're supposed to do. . . Copy and paste this into your notes, delete my answers, type in your answers and tag as many of your friends as you'd like to.
------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
Kissed any one of your Facebook friends? --- Yes
Been arrested? --- No
Kissed someone you didn't like? --- Yes
Slept in until 5 PM? --- Yes
Fallen asleep at work/school? --- Yes
Held a snake? --- Yes
Ran a red light? --- Yes
Been suspended from school? --- Yes (x 2)
Experienced love at first sight? --- No (lust, yes)
Totaled your car in an accident? --- No
Been in a vehicle at more than 100 mph? --- Yes
Driven a vehicle at more than 100 mph? --- Yes
Fired somebody? --- No
Sang karaoke? --- Yes
Pointed a gun at someone? --- No
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? --- Yes
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? --- Yes
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? --- Yep
Kissed in the rain? --- Yup
Had a close brush with death (your own)? --- Affirmative
Ever feared for your life? -- Si
Seen someone die? --- Hai
Played spin-the-bottle? --- Da
Sang in the shower? --- Oui
Smoked a cigar? --- Yus
Sat on a rooftop? --- Absolutely
Smuggled something into another country? --- nyet
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? --- nein
Broken a bone? --- iie
Skipped school? --- Of course
Sleepwalked? --- Nah
Walked a moonlit beach? --- Mhmm
Ridden a motorcycle? --- everyday
Dumped someone? --- Yes
Forgotten your anniversary? --- lol no
Lied to avoid a ticket? --- Uh yes
Ridden on a helicopter? --- yeah
Shaved your head? --- ahahaha yes
Played a prank on someone? --- Who hasn't
Hit a home run? --- Once
Felt like killing someone? --- Everyday of my life
Cross-dressed? --- I was forced into it, okay?
Been falling-down drunk? --- Yes. there are pics
Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? --- Yes
Eaten snake? --- Yes
Marched/Protested? --- ROW ROW FIGHT DA POWAH
Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? --- No
Puked on amusement ride? --- no
Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? --- Yes.
Been in a band? --- Many bands.
Knitted? --- Yes
Been on TV? --- Once
Fired a gun? --- Many times
Skinny-dipped? --- Yes
Gave someone stitches? --- Yes.
Eaten a whole habenero pepper (or other hot peppers)? --- Oh god it burned.
Ridden a surfboard? --- Failed.
Drank straight from a liquor bottle? --- hahaha. yes
Had surgery? --- No.
Streaked? --- Um... Yes
Taken by ambulance to hospital? --- Nope
Peed on a bush? --- Yes
Donated Blood? --- Yes
Grabbed electric fence? --- Poked it with a stick...
Eaten alligator meat? --- Yes
Eaten cheesecake? --- yes
Killed an animal when not hunting? --- WITH A DEATH BOX
Peed your pants in public? --- ...yes
Snuck into a movie without paying? --- yes
written graffiti? --- no
Still loved someone you shouldn't? --- Yeah
Think about the future? --- Yus
Been in handcuffs? --- Yeah.
Believe in love? --- Yes
Sleep on a certain side of the bed? --- yes
Have a tattoo? --- no
Have a piercing(s) --- No.
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| 100 (maybe) Truths |
[28 Sep 2009|01:10pm] |
| [ |
mood |
| |
 sick |
] |
100 Truths! After you’ve filled this out, TAG 10 people and have them do the same. Still, how would you people know if I was lying, hmmmm?
1. Last beverage
Water, to wash the foul taste of tussin from my mouth. Fucking cough medicine.
2. Last phone call
Carl or Sunny. I think the one to Carl, inviting him to the biker gang was better though.
3. Last kiss
Given or received? Or mutual? Either way, it's been some time.
4. Last song you listened to
"The Office of Naval Intelligence" - Halo 3: ODST Soundtrack
5. Last time you cried
Months at least.
HAVE YOU EVER:
6. Dated someone twice
Thrice even. I was young and stupid and in love.
7. Been cheated on?
Yes. Well not literally on, I think I would be more than annoyed if someone was cheating on top of me.
8. Kissed someone & regretted it ?
I've regretted not kissing someone.
9. Lost someone special?
Indeed.
10. Been depressed?
Melancholy is more the way I would define it. Depression is like anger without the passion.
11. Been high?
Once or twice.
LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
12. Black
13. Green
14. Blue
THIS YEAR HAVE YOU:
15. Have you made new friends this year
Yes.
16. Fallen out of love
No. Love doesn't go away, it just shifts degrees. Seriously, if you think about hating someone, your emotions invest the same level of focus on the object of your hatred that they do on the object of your affection.
17. Laughed until you cried
Yep!
18. Met someone who changed you
Me, or I, is not a static position. I'm always changing, and being change by the people I meet..
19. Found out who your true friends were
All of my friends are true to an extent, except the imaginary ones.
20. Found out someone was talking about you
If it can't be said to my face, it's not worth hearing.
21. Kissed anyone on your top friends list
I have a top friends list? I've kissed some of my facebook friends.
TRUTH:
23. How many kids do you want to have
Three and they will all be subjected to the lone wolf and cub test.
24. Do you have any pets
Two cats: one here, one at home. One is fat and sassy, the other is a tiny purrmonster.
25. Do you want to change your name
Nope.
26. What did you do for your last birthday
A bunch of my friends got me really, really trashed and I passed out in a variety of places in my house.
27. What time did you wake up today
Umm... 130ish, maybe?
28. What were you doing at midnight last night
Lurking on the internet, dealing with the early stages of whatever bug I've got.
29. Name something you CANNOT wait for
New glasses? Tekken 6? ACEN?
30. Last time you saw your father
When I last went home.
31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life
I suppose I would try to be less timid.
32. What are you listening to right now
The ODST soundtrack. I like it better than Halo 3's.
33. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom
Yes, a couple of Toms. One of them was a dirty frenchman.
34. What’s getting on your nerves right now?
Certain things that I lack in my so called life. The human condition. My sinuses.
36. Whats your real name
The Reverend Johnathan Charles Flowers. Did you know that my full name is listed as a spelling error in most dictionaries?
37. Relationship Status
Single, and not at all pleased with it.
38. Zodiac sign
Capricorn. We get the worst horoscopes.
39. Male or female
Male last time I checked.
40. Elementary School
Horace Mann
41. Middle School
Percy julian (By this I think they mean jr. high), OPRF for High school
43. Hair color
Black, and varying shades there of. Some of my arm hair is a honey brown.
44. Long or short
Short.
45. Height
5'5"
46. Do you have a crush on someone
I have a vested interest in a certain person.
47. What do you like about yourself?
At the risk of sounding like a narcissist, everything. I'm quite content with my physical and mental states.
48. Piercings
None.
49. Tattoos
None, though I am actively considering the possibility.
50. Righty or lefty
Lefty: makes doing most things difficult.
FIRSTS :
51. First surgery
wisdom teeth removal. that was a barrel of laughs.
52. First piercing
I had an earring but the hole closed. I'm not about to replace it.
53. First tattoo
This presumes I have a tattoo to begin with.
54. First best friend
John Nelson
55. First Sport
Do martial arts count as a sport?
56. First pet
Tiger, RIP fuzzball.
57. First vacation
Tower Hill, on a church retreat, before I realized it was a church retreat.
58. First concert
Good Charlotte and Kill Hannah back when they played in garages.
59. First crush
Lexie, I think.
60. First alcohol drink
Malibu coconut rum. A whole bottle. And then I passed out.
RIGHT NOW:
61. Eating
Nothing. I have the rancid taste of Halls Cherry Cough Drops in my mouth. I crave chicken noodle soup for it shall save me.
62. Drinking
Nothing. I should really be drinking water or OJ.
63. I’m about to
Suffer through the day and decide if I want to go to class tomorrow morning. All signs point to no in favor of recuperating.
64. Listening to
Halo 3: ODST. This survey has not exhausted the music.
65. Waiting for
This quiz to stop repeating itself. Really, who designed this thing?
WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OTHER SEX?
69. Lips or eyes
Smile: the smile usually involves both the eyes and the lips, therefore I notice both.
70. Hugs or kisses?
Cuddling. There, I said it: I'm a cuddler.
71. Shorter or taller
Doesn't matter to me. Any woman "average" height is likely taller than I am, or at least the same height. People have to work to be shorter than me, or be asian.
72. Older or Younger
Age doesn't really matter so long as they have commonsense and a personality that extends beyond the current pop-culture fad at the current moment.
73. Romantic or spontaneous
a little from column A and a little from column B: too much spontaneity can be a bad thing, but you can never have too much romance. I like romance, call me old fashioned.
74. Nice stomach or nice arms
Usually the two go hand in hand, but if you get caught up on the physical representations, you miss what they have to offer beneath the surface.
75. Tattoos or piercings
It depends where and how many. Tattoos usually have interesting stories, as do piercings (if they're in interesting places).
76. Sensitive or loud
I'm the sensitive one usually in the relationship, so I'd need something to balance it out. I've been with both.
77. Hook-up or relationship
Relationships all the way. Hooking up has long since left this empty feeling.
78. Trouble maker or hesitant
Trouble maker, it's more fun that way.
HAVE YOU EVER :
79. Kissed a stranger
They weren't strangers after the kiss, or what happened next >:)
80. Drank hard liquor
Sure, I prefer bloody marys though.
81. Lost glasses/contacts
I've broken many a pair of glasses, but I've never lost my contacts. I've only had them a week!
82. Cried infront on someone
Yes I have.
83. Broken someone’s heart
it's usually the other way around, though I have been involved in some really crappy triangles.
84. Had your own heart broken
Yes, repeatedly. It's not something you get used to.
85. Been arrested
Nope.
86. Turned someone down
Once or twice. It just wouldn't have worked out..
87. Cried when someone died
Yeah.
88. Liked a friend that is a girl
Yup. Tends to happen sometimes.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
89. Yourself
I do. I believe in the you who believes in me.
90. Miracles
We make our own miracles. Two people staying together for over a decade, that's a miracle of our own creation. Walking on the moon, that's another miracle of our own creation.
91. Love at first sight
I believe in interest at first sight. Love happens in two ways: as a slow development over the course of time, or as a sudden flash of realization. In that, love is like enlightenment.
92. Heaven
As a concept, yes, as a place, likely no. You can create heaven in your own life without requiring metaphysics. Just ask the buddhists.
93. Santa Clause
I believe in Santa Claus, not clause. Santa is not a legal document.
94. Kissing on the first date
Yeah. I mean, if the date was good, and there's chemistry, why not kiss? A good kiss is a way to gauge the date proper. Fucking social mores.
95. Angels
Angels would presuppose god, and we all know my feelings on that subject. However, for the sake of answering the question, everyone has angels in their lives: they're the people who pick us up when we're down, who tell us to keep going when we want to give up.
ANSWER TRUTHFULLY: Wait a minute, does this mean I could have lied on the other 95 questions? FUCK YOU QUIZ!
96. Is there one person you want to be with right now
Yes. I long for cuddles.
97. Had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at one time
Nope.
98. Do you believe it's possible to remain faithful forever
There's a reason that weddings end in "till death do us part". It should be relatively easy to remain faithful to someone you love forever.
99. What’s the one thing you cannot live without
Companionship, both emotional and physical. It's one of those things that once you've realized you have, you can't live without it.
100. Posting this as 100 Truths
This quiz presumes that I've only spoken the truth, however it is up to you to believe me. Call it an act of faith.
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| What Lies Beneath (No way in hell safe for work) |
[17 Sep 2009|05:12pm] |
In the process of being a student of philosophy and a fan of eroticism, people have asked me a variety of questions about pornography and its role in society, whether or not the viewing of women in pornography (and eroticism by extension) is somehow contributing to the objectification of women. Arguably, the answers that I provided were relative to the medium: in some ways, pornography and eroticism are representations and expressions of sexuality, in some ways they serve a sort og atavistic purpose.
In the end, I chalked it up to the lingering puritanical views that our "liberated" society still clings to. I had to ask, what is wrong with a woman enjoying sex with muiltiple partners? Where is the ethical problem with the choice to present ones sexuality in that manner? Granted, this is a bit far out in left field, but this is the direction that I'd take the argument. And yes, some of this spawned from some of my own life choices and the people I know, particularly an essay I am in the process of writing.
Anyway, the point of this note concerns the following URL:
http://www.swiftimages.net/wlb/index.html
For those of you too afraid to click the link, this gallery presents a variety of normal women in the nude, apparently without being photoshopped or enhanced in anyway. I, for one, think it's a beautiful and postive expression of the female form, and to think that there are some who might consider this somehow exploiting the female form in some way.
To characterize this note, I must confess: I found this gallery on Fleshbot, a site dedicated to the discussion of issues relevant to the porn industry and eroticism in general. Not like that should change one's opinion on the gallery or anything.
|
|
| My Broad range of music |
[09 Sep 2009|03:02am] |
Rules: Once you've been tagged, put your iPod or MP3 player on shuffle. Then - without cheating - list the first 25 songs that play. Remember, no skipping, no listing only the songs that make you look "cool". We're interested in your total musical tastes - warts and all!
(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, copy and paste this note, erase my answers and enter your own, tag people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)
Finally, sum up in one sentence what this musical selection says about you.
1: Dicks are for my Friends - Mindless Self Indulgence
2: This is my dream - Lacuna Coil
3: Change - DREAM STATE
4: Yuu - Psycho le Cemu
5: Recollection - Kenji Kawai (Gundam 00 Season 2 Orignal Soundtrack)
6: Weapons of Mass Destruction - Michiru Ooshima (Full Metal Alchemist: The Conquerer of Shambala Original Soundtrack)
7: Journey - FLOW
8: Act Cleared - Masato Nakamura (Sonic the Hedgehog 1 Original Soundtrack)
9: The End Chapter III - The End complete - Coheed and Cambria
10: Glitter in The Air - Pink
11: Scar (Don't Cry Mix) - Ayumi Hamasaki
12: Tokyo -3 - Symphony of EVANGELION
13: the updater - Tsutchie feat. Fat Jon (Samurai Champloo Original soundtrack)
14: Careful Where You Stand - Coldplay
15: Carnaval - Santana
16: Misery Business (acoustic) - Paramore
17: Cassanova - Peaches (ft. Mignon)
18: I Want It All Back - Mai Yamane and the Seatbelts (Cowboy Bebop Limited Box set)
19: Prayer - Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill OST Collection)
20: Akatsuki - Aqua Timez
21: Venice Queen - Red Hot Chili Peppers
22: Bite Me - Electric Six
23: Fundamentally Lonesome - Marilyn Manson
24: Gritter - Pitch Shifter
25: Shangri-La - Angela (Sokyo no Fafner Original Soundtrack)
There is far more to me than anyone would suspect.
|
|
| 15 Books |
[04 Sep 2009|07:49am] |
Don't take too long to think about it.
Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.
Tag 15 friends, including me because I'm interested in seeing what books my friends choose (as well as pick up suggestions for my reading list).
To do this, go to your Notes tab on your profile page, paste rules in a new note, cast your 15 picks, and tag people in the note - upper right hand side). I will not be offended if you don't play.
In no particular order
Dune
The Art of War
The Story of O
Battlefield Earth
The Eye of the World (series)
Across the Nightengale Floor (Series)
The Genji Monogatari
The Heike Monogatari
The Complete Works of Shakespeare
Lyrical Ballads
Musashi
The Book of Five Rings
Practical Ethics
The art of Peace
The universe in a single atom
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|
| So, I did that stats about me thing. And I added commentary! |
[02 Sep 2009|03:12pm] |
According to http://www.statsaboutme.com I have 340 friends, 220 more than average. 55% are male, 45% are female. 98 are single, 111 are dating or married. If I contracted a deadly variant of flu, I would likely infect 11 people, 1 of whom would die. If I died today, an estimated 470 people would try to attend my funeral. Based on my Facebook profile, I have a 91% probability of getting married. I am likely to earn US$3.6 million and have 2.3 children over my lifetime.
This makes for an interesting survey, mostly because I'm not exactly sure how the aggregate data is collected. For example, I know a number of people who are "married" to other people on facebook as part of a gag, joke, or other humorous pairing. Given that this test does not have the intellect to determine which of these things are jokes and which are not, that part goes right out the window.
The Flu thing does not specify what kind of flu that I've contracted, presuming that a flu could get me with my lifestyle. I doubt this portion of the survey is accurate mostly because it cannot possibly know what it is that I do with my time and my life beyond facebook. Unless, there are facebook quiz people stalking me for the majority of my life.
As for my funeral thing? Really? Seriously? I really want to know how exactly they calculate that one: some of the people (while I've met them in person) are so extended on my facebook that coming to my funeral would not be expected. The only way I can see having that large number is if I, say, rammed my motorcycle into an oncoming alien space craft and thereby saved the world.
The probability of my getting married? I don't even know where to begin on that one. 91% implies that there are only 9% of women in the world who would not want to marry me. Or that, perhaps there are only 9% of men who are more eligible for marriage. I think I could get behind that, though I think I'd need my 45% of female friends to weigh in on that.
I can only hope to earn that 3.6 million, if I do, it will probably be through some underhanded scheme that mike and I have cooked up. Or by being a shady mercenary in Roanapur with a torpedo boat and a bunch of miscreants as sidekicks... I'M GONNA FUCK YOU BABY.... Wait, this isn't Black Lagoon... If the college loans don't siphon it from me, I'll be quite surprised.
Though, the 2.3 children sounds about right, however I doubt my readership wants to hear my theory on the .3 children. hyuck hyuck.
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| Apparently, I have no life. |
[31 Aug 2009|04:05pm] |
SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 85 of these films, you have no life. (I don't believe a word of that, that's only a third) Mark the ones you've seen. There are 270 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own facebook account, paste this as a note. Then, put x's next to the films you've seen, add them up, change the header adding your number, and click publish at the bottom. Have fun.
(X) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(X) Grease
(X) Grease 2
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End
(X) Boondock Saints
(X)Fight Club
(X) Starsky and Hutch
(X) Blazing Saddles
Total so far: 10
(X) The Neverending Story
(X) The Neverending Story II
(X) The Neverending Story III
(X) Airplane
(X) The Princess Bride
(X) Willow
(X) Anchorman
(X) Napoleon Dynamite (Waste of an hour and a half)
(X) Labyrinth (Hey, got bored sophomore year XD)
Total so far: 19
(X) Saw
(X) Saw II
(X) Saw III (SO MANY NIGHTMARES)
() Saw IV
() Saw V
(X) White Noise
() White Oleander
(X) Anger Management
(X) 50 First Dates
Total so far: 25
() The Princess Diaries
()The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
(X) Scream
(X) Scream 2
(X) Scream 3
(X) I Know What You Did Last Summer
(X) I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
(X) The Shining
(X) Candyman
(X) Stand By Me
Total so far: 33
(X) Scary Movie
(X) Scary Movie 2
(X) Scary Movie 3
(X) Scary Movie 4
(X) Resident Evil 1
(X) Resident Evil 2
(X) American Pie
(X) American Pie 2
(X) American Wedding
() American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 42
(X) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
(X) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
(X) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
(X) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
(X) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
(X) The Wedding Singer
() Little Black Book
(X) The Village
(X) Lilo & Stitch
(X) Finding Nemo
Total so far: 51
() Finding Neverland
(X) Signs
() The Grinch
() Texas Chainsaw Massacre
() Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
() White Chicks
(X) Butterfly Effect
() 13 Going on 30
(X) I, Robot
() Robots
Total so far: 54
(X) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
(X) Universal Soldier
() Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(X) Along Came Polly
(X) Deep Impact
() King Pin
(X) Never Been Kissed
(X) Meet The Parents
(X) Meet the Fockers
() Eight Crazy Nights
Total so far: 61
() Joe Dirt
(X) King Kong
() A Cinderella Story
(X) The Terminal
() The Lizzie McGuire Movie
() Passport to Paris
(X) Dumb & Dumber
() Dumber & Dumberer
() Halloween
() Surviving X-MAS
Total so far: 64
(X) Final Destination
(X) Final Destination 2
(X) Final Destination 3
(X) The Ring
() The Ring 2
(X) Flubber
() Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(X) Practical Magic
(X) Chicago (
(X) Ghost Ship
Total so far: 72
(X) From Hell
(X) Hellboy
(X) Secret Window
(X) I Am Sam
(X) The Whole Nine Yards
(X) The Whole Ten Yards
(X) The Day After Tomorrow
(X) Child's Play
() Seed of Chucky
() Bride of Chucky
Total so far: 80
(X) Ten Things I Hate About You
() Just Married
(X) Gothika
(X) Nightmare on Elm Street
(X) Remember the Titans (Who HASN'T? It's THE football movie)
() Coach Carter
(X) The Grudge
(X) The Grudge 2
(X) The Mask
() Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 87
(X) Bad Boys
(X) Bad Boys 2
() Joy Ride
(X) Lucky Number Slevin
(X) Ocean's Eleven
(X) Ocean's Twelve
(X) Ocean's Thirteen
(X) Bourne Identity
(X) Bourne Supremacy
(X) Bourne Ultimatum
Total so far: 96
(X) Sixteen Candles
() Pretty in Pink
() Lone Star
() Bedazzled
(X) Predator I
(X) Predator II
(X) The Fog
() Ice Age
() Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
() Curious George
Total so far: 100
(X) Independence Day
(X) Cujo
() A Bronx Tale
(X) Darkness Falls
() Christine
(X) ET
(X) Children of the Corn
(X) My Boss's Daughter
(X) Maid in Manhattan
(X) War of the Worlds (Which one?)
Total so far: 108
(X) Rush Hour
(X) Rush Hour 2
(X) Rush Hour 3
() Best Bet
(X) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(X) She's All That
() Calendar Girls
(X) Sideways
(X) Mars Attacks
(X) Event Horizon (you're so watching this one sunny.)
Total so far: 116
(X) Ever After
(X) Wizard of Oz
(X) Forrest Gump
(X) Big Trouble in Little China
(X) The Terminator
(X) The Terminator 2
(X) The Terminator 3
(X) X-Men
(X) X-Men 2
(X) X-Men 3: The Last Stand
Total so far: 126
(X) Spider-Man
(X) Spider-Man 2
(X) Spider-Man 3
(X) Sky High
(X) Jeepers Creepers
() Jeepers Creepers 2
(X) Catch Me If You Can
(X) The Little Mermaid
(X) Freaky Friday
(X) Reign of Fire
Total so far: 135
(X) The Skulls
(X) Cruel Intentions
() Cruel Intentions 2
() The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek
(X) Shrek 2
(X) Shrek the Third
(X) Swimfan
(X) Miracle on 34th street
(X) Old School
Total so far: 143
(X) The Notebook
(X) K-Pax
() Krippendorf's Tribe
(X) A Walk to Remember
() Ice Castles
() Boogeyman
(X) The 40-year-old Virgin
(X) The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
(X) The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(X) The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Total so far: 150
(X) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(X) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(X) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
(X) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
(X) BASEketball
(X) Hostel
() Waiting for Guffman
() House of 1000 Corpses
() Devils Rejects
(X) Elf
Total so far: 157
(X) Highlander
() Mothman Prophecies
(X) American History X
() Three
() The Jacket
(X) Kung Fu Hustle
(X) Shaolin Soccer
(X) Night Watch
(X) Monsters Inc.
(X) Titanic
Total so far: 164
(X) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
(X) Shaun Of the Dead
(X) Willard
(X) High Tension
() Club Dread
(X) Hulk
(X) Dawn Of the Dead
(X) Hook
(X) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
(X) Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Total so far: 173
(X) 28 days later
(X) Orgazmo
() Phantasm
(X) Waterworld
(X) Kill Bill vol 1
(X) Kill Bill vol 2
(X) Mortal Kombat
() Wolf Creek
(X) Kingdom of Heaven
(X) The Hills Have Eyes (regret. infinite regret)
Total so far: 181
() I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
(X) The Last House on the Left (original version)
(X) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(X) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(X) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(X) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(X) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(X) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
() Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
() Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 187
(X) Re-Animator
(X) Army of Darkness
(X) The Matrix
(X) The Matrix Reloaded
(X) The Matrix Revolutions
(X) Animatrix
(X) Evil Dead
(X) Evil Dead 2
(X) Team America: World Police
(X) Ghost town
Total so far: 196
(X) Red Dragon
(X) Silence of the Lambs
(X) Hannibal
(X) Wall-E
(X) Batman Begins
(X) The Dark Knight
(X) The Prestige
(X) Cars
(X) Gone With The Wind
(X) Top Gun
Total: 206
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|
| Hey look, a book list. |
[21 Aug 2009|12:30pm] |
According to Auxier, the BBC thinks that people have read less than six of these books. In reviewing this list, I think they're full of shit: most of these are required reading for some high schools. Also, some of these books don't deserve to be on this list.
Instructions:
Copy this into your NOTES. Look at the list and put an 'x' after those you have read. Tag other Book Nerds and Publish.
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen X
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien X
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte X
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling X
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee X
6 The Bible X
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte X
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell X
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman X
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens X
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy X
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller X
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare X
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien X
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger X
19 The Time Traveler’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger X
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchel X
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald X
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens X
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy X
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams X
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky X
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck X
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll X
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens X
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis X
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen X
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis X
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres X
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden X
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne X
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell X
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown X
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery X
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood X
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding X
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan X
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert X
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen X
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens X
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley X
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck X
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov X
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold X
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas X
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding X
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville X
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens X
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker X
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett X
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce X
76 The Inferno - Dante X
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens X
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker X
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro X
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert X
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White X
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom X
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle X
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad X
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery X
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams X
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas X
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare X (Why is it that this is here, and the completed works?)
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl X
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo X
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|
| What the fuck, Hegel. I mean really... |
[05 Aug 2009|08:49pm] |
So like, I'm burning through the comps reading material because I have two weeks left (and I desperately need an Aristotle/Plato review) before the comps and I seem to have hit a wall. The other 19th century philosophers are fairly straight forwards in their methodology and their praxis, but Hegel is driving me insane.
Let me put it like this. I read everything that on the reading list, and I've read the comps notes which is like "Hegel-lite for dummies and stupid people" and I still don't understand what the flippity fuck the man is writing about. Seriously, let me clue you in on something:
"immediate spirit is not spiritual" - WTF?!?!
So what, is actual spirit, spiritual? Is it like when he says that the embryo is in itself a human being, but not human for itself? Goddamn Hegel. Someone explain this shit to me.
|
|
| So like, there's this 100 whatevers and I'm posting it in lieu of an ACTUAL post. |
[05 Aug 2009|08:50am] |
RULES:
- Tell 100 Truths
- Tag a bunch of People
- They do the same back to you
- Profit
1. Last beverage = Green Tea, last night around 2am
2. Last phone call = Jason Thrash
3. Last text message = Emma
4. Last song you listened to = Cherry Twist - The Crystal Method
5. Last time you cried = Two years ago.
SIX HAVE YOU EVER’s
6. Dated someone twice = Yes
7. Been cheated on? = I think so, maybe it was sort of a technicality.
8. Kissed someone & regretted it? = Nope. I've -not- kissed someone and regretted it.
9. Lost someone special? = Who hasn't?
10. Been depressed? = No, more stressed out. Fucking Comps.
11. Had a friend turn on you = Yes. I have some hot ass friends.
LIST FOUR FAVORITE COLORS:
Neon Green (like my bike), Cerulean Blue, Black, Red
HAVE YOU:
12. Made new friends = Yep. I collect interesting people. They enrich my life.
13. Fallen out of love = You never really fall out of love, it just changes into something else.
14. Laughed until you cried = Oh yes.
15. Met someone who changed you = Everyone changes me in some subtle, or obvious, way.
16. Found out who your true friends were = Yeah
17. Found out someone was talking about you = Yes. And then the ninjas came for them.
18. Kissed anyone on your friend's list = Yes. I mean, really? Who doesn't have someone they've kissed on their friends list? No apostrophe.
19. How many people on your friend's list do you know in real life = I have spoken with, seen, or been drunk with all of them at some point. Again, no apostrophe, unless you're talking about a list that is the possession of one of my friends.
20. How many kids do you want to have = Two or three.
22. Do you want to change your name = Not really, it's like an identifier. "Oh, there's Flowers." or "What the fuck is Flowers doing?" or "Jesus christ, Flowers..." Most people have this habit of shortening my name to Johnny.
23. What did you do for your last birthday = Oh god. There were people, and there was booze, and at some point I was on the floor in the bathroom.
24. What time did you wake up today = Six in the fucking morning.
25. What were you doing at midnight last night = World of Warcrack. No, seriously, I needed to do something like that after fucking Hegel and Marx. Why did I become a grad student again?
26. Name something you CANNOT wait for = The fourteenth.
27. Last time you saw your father = Two weeks ago.
28. One thing you wish you could change about your life = I would take more time to stay connected with all my friends.
29. What are you listening to right now = The Crystal Method - The Doors
30. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom = Yeah.
31. What's getting on your nerves right now? = My lack of desire/motivation to study for comps.
32. Most visited webpage = Facebook, io9, wikipedia, xkcd, gizmodo
ABOUT ME:
33. What's your name = Johnathan
34. Nicknames = John (permutations there of), Johnny, Flowers, "Darkness", "Alabama black snake"
35. Zodiac sign = Capricorn
36. Male or female = Male
37. Elementary = Horace Mann
38. Middle School = Percy Julian
39. High school = Oak Park and River Forest state penitentiary... Er, High School
40. Hair color = Black/Brown
41. Long or short = Short
42. Height = 5’6"
43. Do you have a crush on someone? = Indeed I do. But isn't crush a little juvenile?
45: What do you like about yourself = I totally make the impossible possible. It's true.
46. Piercings = I had one once, but now it is gone.
47. Eye color = Brown.
48. Righty or lefty = Left hand of madness. Did you know that historically left-handedness has been associated with satan?
FIRSTS :
49. First surgery = Wisdom teeth removed
50. First piercing = when I was a wee baby
51. First best friends = I have a different best friend for each occasion. But, in general, the best friend I've ever had was Marcus Henderson. May he rest in peace.
52. First sport you joined = Tee-Ball or Basketball. I don't know which came first. Though, Tae kwon do predates both.
53. First pet = Tiger.
54. First vacation = Tower Hill or Starved Rock.
55. First concert = Concert I went to, or concert I performed in? I think the first concert I actually went to was Kill Hannah before they were Kill Hannah, and then Ok Go!
56. First crush = Holy shit, I think it might have been Lexie, but I'm not sure.
RIGHT NOW:
57. Eating = NO FOOD OR DRINKS IN THE LAB
59. Drinking = NO FOOD OR DRINKS IN THE LAB
60. I'm about to = Go to the student center and spend too much on food. Fucking shit.
61. Listening to = The Crystal Method - Ghetto Fabulous.
62. Waiting for = Dunno. Maybe Friday and G.I. Joe
YOUR FUTURE :
63. Want kids? = Yes.
64. Want to get married? = Arguably so. My wedding is totally going to have the best guest-list ever. And I'm totally requiring my shinkendo friends to show up in full garb, swords and all. You think I'm lying.
65. Careers in mind? = Teaching at the community college level. It's like high school except they're a little more responsible.
WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE GENDER?
66. Lips or eyes = It's what comes out of the lips and behind the eyes that counts.
67. Hugs or kisses = Different things for different times, but i like them both.
68. Shorter or taller = You know, it's really hard to find shorter than myself, so I'm more "whatever" on this issue.
69. Older or Younger = Again, one of those things that I don't really care about. Age (after a certain point) is not a predictor of anything.
70. Romantic or spontaneous = I'm more romantic, but I'm also spontaneous. A good mix is necessary to keep it interesting.
71. Nice stomach or nice arms = Doesn't matter to me. I like a well kept woman.
72. Sensitive or loud = Either/or. Sensitive with just the right amount of noise to keep me on my toes.
73. Hook-up or relationship = Relationships, most definitely.
74. Trouble maker or hesitant = Trouble makers are more decisive.
HAVE YOU EVER :
75. Cried yourself to sleep = When I was a child.
76. Passed out after drinking = There are pictures available that could corroborate such a thing.
77. Kissed a stranger = They weren't strangers after that~
78. Drank hard liquor = Yes, many times, some with horrible results.
79. Jumped in a pool with clothes on = Yes.
80. Lost glasses/contacts = My glasses are sooner destroyed than lost.
81. Sex on first date = I have a very libertarian view about sex, so I would say yes. A date is like a job interview where maybe you might lose your clothes: if you're having sex on a first date, I'd say you've got the position.
82. Broken someone's heart = Mutually assured heart-breaking.
83. Had your own heart broken = Naturally, but that's a chance for it to grow back bigger. Or to get tougher.
86. Turned someone down = Yes, it never feels good.
87. Cried when someone died = Yes: I mourn their passing, and celebrate their life.
88. Liked a friend that is the opposite gender? = Inevitably it happens, but there are reasons why they are friends.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
89. Yourself = Yes. However, don't believe in me: believe in the me who believes in you.
90. Miracles = In my own way. We are the source of our own miracles.
91. Love at first sight = More like love at first conversation, attraction at first sight.
92. Heaven = That's pretty much what you make of it. What Dreams May Come? Yeah, it's kind of like that.
93. Santa Clause = The Santa Clause states that no matter what improbable circumstances exist, there will always be a present under a tree on christmas.
95. Kiss on the first date? = Hopefully with tongue.
96. Angels = People are angels.
ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
97. Is there one person you want to be with right now? = Yes, there is.
98. Who is it? = They know who they are.
99. Had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at one time? = I am too inherently emotional to support polyamory.
100. Told 100 truths on this? = Yeah, from a certain perspective. I'm a philosopher, did you expect non-convoluted truth from me?
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| So i look up from my Berkeley reading to find this... |
[29 Jul 2009|10:49am] |
****You've been tagged. You are supposed to write a note with the 3's of YOU. At the end, choose 20 people to be tagged. You have to tag me so really you just need 19 more people. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you - but not in a creepy stalker kind of way.
(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 3''s of Me, tag 20 people - in the right hand corner of the app - then click publish.)****
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 names I go by:
1. John
2. Johnathan
3. Flowers
3 jobs I've had in my life:
1. Lab Tech @ CLC1
2. Cook/Barrista @ The Buzz Cafe
3. Animal Caretaker/ Sec at Laboratory Animal Program
3 places I've lived:
1. Oak Park, IL
2. Carbondale, IL
3. Niigata, Japan
3 of my favorite drinks:
1. Root Beer
2. Sweet Tea
3. Peach Tea
3 TV shows I watch:
1. House
2. Burn Notice
3. True Blood
3 places I've been:
1. Japan
2. Italy
3. Florida
3 people who regularly text me:
1. Mike
2. Abbey
3. Lissette
3 of my favorite foods
1. Deep Dish Spinach Pizza
2. Maguro-zushi
3. Chicken Fried Rice
3 friends I think will respond
1. Mike
2. Sunny
3. Abbey
3 things I'm looking forward to
1. summer session ending in 2 weeks
2. visiting home in 2 weeks
3. The Comps
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