Exalted Commentary

So returning from the the Lars/Brent ball game where they did much better then I expected (especially since when I arrived they were losing by several runs) and half-doing the giant stack of dishes (blah!) I'm going to tackle random Exalted news.

Now granted there hasn't been much news. There is a lot of talk about Bastions of the North, according to the White Wolf LJ it is going off to editing but we have no real idea what it's about (aside from the North), how long it is, etc. I will say that I doubt it's a hardcover mainly because hardcovers come out late in the year usually between late October and very early December. To be going to editing now would place this probably late August (after Aspect Book: Wood) to somewhere in September. It's likely the holdover book. Right now we've had 4 softcovers (ABs: Fire & Water, Bone & Ebony, Cult of the Illuminated) and 1 hardcover (Autocthonians). That means we should have 4 more softcovers (one of which is AB: Wood). Reportedly the Scarlet Manual of Proper Bearing is slated for this year (formerly last year) and I'd guess around Christmas barring that it got struck from the rosters. So 2 softcovers. So Bastions should most likely be a softcover leading up to the last hardcover of the year.

Guesses on the hardcover at the moment are: Exalted Revised or Storyteller's Handbook. Personally I am against E:Revised primarily because WW said last that this wasn't going to come out til 2006 at the earliest. Also I think a lot of fans would be unhappy because it might indicate that WW was going to go and re-do (even tho they said they wouldn't) all the core hardcovers again. This is the nasty 3.0->3.5 WotC D&D syndrome also a problem in the old WoD (and incidentally in the upgrade to nWoD as well). People generally don't like that kind of change. So really I think this is pushed more by whiny fans who think "so and so is broken" and whine about it incessantly. You can be assured if they revise Solars ever Lunar fan will expect they revise Lunars and scream murder if they don't. Heck the Lunar fans screamed murder when Cult of the Illuminated came out (a book on a Sidereal run cult worshipping/supporting Solars) and it focused on (surprise!) Sidereals and Solars. Right so my bet is on Storyteller's Handbook/Guide because as far as I know WW usually does on of these for each series and the Storyteller's Companion could use a meatier, thicker, newer replacement.

Now: WW has two secret projects going on for Exalted apparently. I don't believe the comic is one because we've seen stuff on it already on the White Wolf homepage and forums plus Zub has been talking about it a lot. See his LJ for a series of articles on the development of the Exalted comic in fact. I'm not even slightly interested in that. However, Zub works for UDON who happens to do a fair amount of the Exalted art, including the much delayed Exalted: CCG. Zub mentions this obliquely as of late so I think this is one of the secrets. Now that almost all of the nWoD core books are out (Mage comes out in August I think) I suspect they may actually go ahead and release this or re-announce it or something. So that's secret one. That leaves us with a fairly big secret too. What it is I am unsure. Hopefully pretty big. GCG has gotten a partner developer (John Chambers) so the workload may have increased although this might be related to the adding of a CCG and a comic. Anyhow figure all secrets will be out by the end of Con season, probably major announcements will be at either Origins or GenCon so just have to wait til then.

Ok, that was really long but I rather enjoyed typing it. If you want less geeky entries do read below this :D

This is BBC News Stevens Point

Since my iPod is still in need of a tune-up and my computer at work lacks a CD-ROM drive I am left listening to internet radio via Windows Media Player. I've latched onto BBC News as my primary station, only aborting when I need to study the Visual C++ book because I can't listen to people talk and read at the same time. For whatever reason unlike NPR the BBC people don't bore me to death when speaking, most likely related to their British accents. News junkie that I am, I greatly appreciate being plugged in all day long to world events.

Speaking of those events, if you were unaware the Dutch massively shot down the EU constitution Wed 63% (No) -37 (Yes) with a 67% voter turnout. While the Dutch govt handled the defeat better then the French just about everyone admits that solid of a defeat was shock. The general consensus is that the political elites within the various European governments have totally and completely ignored and lost touch with the general populace and now the populace is voicing their unhappiness over it. French President Jacques Chirac is at an all time low approval rating of 24%. That makes Bush's approval rating look heavenly and casts serious doubt on Chirac's tenure in office, although at least from what I understand his coalitation is holding and after he creation of a new Cabinet his position is safe. His chance of re-election are about the same as W's though. I guess he didn't realize that using anti-American stances would only keep his pull numbers up when nothing was going on at home. Perhaps the next person in will focus more on helping France then hating America.

The major curiosity for me is how the political elites are taking this. Rather then admitting defeat and going back to square one they seem to be pressing on. Funny how politicians work isn't it? They can't just say "we were wrong" even when everything says they were. In fact they seem to be attempting to press on even when it seems the people, who they theoretically serve, are giving an obvious, overt dissapproval for such actions.

The EU Constitution is essentally legally dead as all 25 countries need to ratify it. At the moment its record is 10-2 (Latvia's parliment having ratified it today). Britain is leaning more and more towards not voting at all. The Brits were originally expected to be the breakwater that stopped the constitution from making it through. Now, however with the issue in doubt so early there is likely to be very little support to even put the issue up for a referendum in the Euro-skeptic nation. Ironically many of the leaders who supported it are on the way out: Chirac and Gerhardt Schroeder (Germany) are both doing badly in polls and local level elections. Tony Blair says he will step down either at the end of this term or some point in it meaning 3 of the majors head of state who support the constitution will be gone.

Food for thought anyhow.

They raised tutition and cut our UW budget more in another moment of financial brightness by our state government. Seriously, could these Senators balance their own checkbooks? You don't make cuts on one end and charge people more for those reduced services at the same time (and how many years have they done this to us?) It seems more and more that the parties are so set on their own idealogies they aren't even aware of what's good for the people. They just blindly follow their beliefs and are dragging the helpless constituents with them. Next election we should all write in someone who isn't in a party and see how the parties take that!

Well I am off to go attempt to find and watch friends of mine go play base or soft ball (can't remember which). Wish me luck in not getting lost :D

Little By Little

One would think when your job is to break something it'd be easy. It's not. Try breaking something the same way so it can be fixed! It's a real challenge especially trying to document it all. I feel productive at least if rather challenged. Anyhow glad that I am kind of settling in.

Did you see the French rejected the EU Constitution? The irony here is that while the Brits were almost 100% sure to shoot this down they'll probably never get the chance. Now the Dutch are on deck to reject it as well. Nine goverments approved the the constitution without a vote but at this rate everywhere it's voted on by the people it will be rejected not just in Euro-skeptic areas. Really wish I could take this up again with my Soc. prof who was so sure it'd get passed because it was a triumph of human ideals (he's rather liberal). Not that I think the constitution is a bad deal for Europe, personally I think it'd be good for them, but I guess this is one moment where their leaders are as out of touch with them as my prof is. It might help that I've been in Europe fairly recently (meaning that my understanding of Europe is fading fast, should go again).

I was asked by my parents if I had a date for my sister's wedding. I do not. Think they were dissapointed I'm still single. Anyone want to go as my date? ;)

Here and Back Again

Work continues, going to have to almost literally learn how to work. It may sound odd, but how many of you know how to be totally productive sitting in an office for 8 hours a day? Anyhow think I am getting used to work, now need to work on that lovely C++!

Came home, it's been nice but too short. Here a couple nights then on the road again. I feel almost transient even though I'm not really going anywhere new. Just driving a lot.

Got tons of reading material! Yay, yay, yay! First off is Chronicles of Narnia. I'd intended to read them for a little while now but couldn't get ahold of the series til now. Mom gave me her old copy of the set. My parents have to be my biggest influence on my reading. Dad more so then Mom but both of them have caused me to keep reading and reading and reading. :D Anyhow started with Magician's Nephew and will work from there. I also got a new RPG book. It's a D20 system but they limited magic users a bunch so hopefully it won't be as unbalanced as D & D is. It's called Midnight and is a rather dark world. It mimics LotR some but not so much that it's no good. Still haven't gotten far into the setting tho. Either way more reading material! Also bringing home one of my history books: The Battle of Moscow. Won't get to that for awhile.

Enterprise is over. I barely even noticed. Just watched the last episode. It was alright. I remember when it started in the end of high school and I figured I'd watch every episode, my first Star Trek series where I saw the whole thing. That never happened. I've seen maybe half. Odd how things change isn't it? That's life.

Anyhow, time to hit the sack. Maybe read a little. Think I've found a way so the walls aren't blank in the living room of our apartment. It may be a bit odd tho, not sure I'll go through with it. I know Twism will find it strange. So prolly will everyone else. It's been awhile since I've made a map tho...

Work

Well I have joined the (adult) working world as a mere intern. Wow, yesterday was all massively overwhelming and today shows what the rest could threaten to be: rather boring but stressful. At least Andy is in the same boat as me, I'd feel really lousy if he totally knew what he was doing. Anyhow I think I will probably survive this summer but it's gonna be a lot different then I expected. For one my evenings will probably mostly start at 6:00 and end by 10:00. It's odd but I was completely able to crash at 10 last night and I am ready to crash now. Hope that to an extent this goes away, not that getting 8 hours of sleep is bad but I am totally fried when I come home. I can't do that for another 40 odd years of my life tho. Then again it is just day two, gotta wait and see what happens.

So let's see, what do I at work? Basically when it gets down to it I'll be programming in Visual C++. Please note this is different then the C++ I was taught a year or so ago at good ol' UWSP. We didn't have anything visual, we did it all through DOS. Noone use DOS for anything anymore. I want my tutition back. Now. However there is a fair amount of room for learning stuff here so I just have to batten down and try to figure out the gist of Visual C++ in 2-3 weeks. C++ is the same no matter the variation so at least I have syntax to an extent. Take some time to re-adjust to Visual Studio 6.0 too. Never thought I'd go backwards with programming stuff but that's what 6.0 vs .NET. Currently I am working on a testing (ie trying to break) a program for the Radiology department (since I am the PACS/Radiology IT subsection intern). Couldn't tell you exactly what it does beyond that it is used for invoices etc. That may in fact be all it is used for come to think of it. However the head of the Radiology Dept, whose also on the board of the Directors, is in charge (in the sense of pushing for the program/heading the non-IT side of it) so there's a little pressure to not screw up.

Ok, really, things probably aren't as bad as they seem right now. It's just all very new and very overwhelming. I feel small, dumb, and totally expendable. While I doubt this is an unusual expierence for IT interns it doesn't help much. In truth I suspect in a week or two things will have settled into a routine and I will be a quasi-happy cubical dweller. Anyhow I need to do a quarter of a million things here so that will have to be all.

Summer

Well summer is here. Work starts tomorrow. The apartment is down a roommate. Point is empty of most of its Pointers. Things are different. New routine. Welcome to summer.

Force is With Us

Internet's back. The CRV is not broken (hopefully). I survived another year on this crazy planet without dying or getting strange diseases (present situation does not count). Saw Star Wars. It was good. Not fantastic but a nice addition to the series! Go watch it, not a waste of your hard earned money! Anyhow I am going to go and read some history, spend a little time with God and try and rest up for this bonfire thing with Lena and Evie tonight!

Remember faith does manage :)

That's just *&#%* spiffy!

Well good news is got 93% on the Goulet project and I am done with 75% of my finals. Bad news is at 11AM today the internet died in the apartment. It was still dead at 5:45PM when I returned (although the whole time both computers said their ethernet connection was fine). Called Charter. 40 minutes later Charter says someone will be out to fix it Thursday. End result: no internet at home. So I haven't fallen off the face of the earth I just loss my ability to communicate with it for a day and a half. Not a huge deal really. Well ok, I hate it, but I will make due. Hopefully come Thursday morning I will be able to reconnect. Just one more frustration for these past two weeks. Oy.

Good luck with any remaining finals. After Wednesday I'll be in there quite a bit so stop on by (I don't need to go home now so I even have a modestly open schedule, albeit I should use it to get better).

Storm

Well this week has started off wonderfully. I have a nasty cold that is making me achey more then making my nose run. Now granted I'd prefer not to be sick at all but I can live with runny nose, it's a lot harder to function when I ache all over. CIS 323 continues to mess with me (and my partner and I think everyone else in the class). Gah. I hate this. Have to hand it in now. Not looking forward to this at all.

Having quite a few moments where I am either bad 6 or pretty much a 3. What a week, weekend, whatever. The storm snuck in the back door unnoticed. Shoulda seen that coming, can't stop it.

Plugging Away

This week has been kind of odd. Went in with fairly high spirits. Going out with kind of apathy towards it all. It could be worse just a lot things I was hoping for seemed to be dashed. I could be wrong, the weekend is fairly hard to predict, and I tend to be pessimistic towards things. We'll see how things go. My GPA is going to slump back towards a 3.0. Just how close (or how far below) remains to be seen but mostly now it's in the hands of my two CIS classes. Really I should be able to swing a B in both (don't think I can get an A in either alas) so I just need to sit down and study a lot this weekend.

It finally rained a lot last night. I got rather drenched from it (although more from someone jumping in puddles then actual water falling from the sky) but it was still nice to get rain. Nearly was snow, that would been scary considering the rain we got, that'd be a lot of snow! This has to be one of the chilliest springs I remember in a long time though, even for Point.

Maybe some decent academic news. I am nearly done with Bradshaw. Just need to tackle the glossaries and then Lena and I need to print several reams worth of documentation and put it all together. Hope Goulet is a nice grader on projects as opposed to tests!

Risk game sunday night. Timing could be better but it looks like everyone might be able to make it so have to go with it. Just means I need to study more the rest of the weekend. Stay focused!

Not sure my Exalted game will get off its feet this summer. Looks less and less like it will. Not really a surprise I guess, but a dissapointment none-the-less. Guess I'll get that for not having a large amount of gamer friends. I'm kind of an academic gamer. I don't play very much but I read a lot and am fairly well versed in a variety of systems. That's a geeky niche in life isn't it?

Contemplative Thought

Something I have to agree with Casey about something she said awhile back. I want a huge library. When my grandkids come over (if I actually ever have them I suppose) I want that the place they want to go because it's got that many books and it's just an exciting place to be.

Ok, more so I want it for me. I love books. I look at my bookshelf at home with great satisfaction. I look at my bookshelf here with similiar satisfaction. I've got nearly two huge book cases filled to overflowing! Everything from science fiction, fantasy, action/drama, to history (ie non-fiction) and reference books. It's so cool!

I already know how it'll look too :D

Must go study now. Wonder if she'll ever actually write back...

Bradshaw 50% Complete

All the physical work is done, now just need to print it out and do summaries then put it all in a binder. Whee. I know what my next work shifts will be. Geology test is 11 1/2 hours or so. Am I ready? Not really. I still have about 2 1/4 chapters to read plus review my notes. Late night for sure.

Anyhow, off to do rounds. One week of late Tuesday nights left!

My Roommate is Lost Near Tomah

Er, well actually think he is going the right direction towards home (ie here) now but I think he is homeward boundish now. Guess I better cancel all those eBay auctions of his stuff before he gets back. So much for some quick cash! Anyhow had a very good weekend. First Friday Fellowship was lots of fun, got to know some more of the people and that's always cool although a couple of them aren't coming back to Point next fall :( Spent Saturday the day doing stuff related to Charlie and Laura's wedding. That was interesting, it's been awhile since I've been to a wedding so I mentally took notes so I would be better prepared come August. Plus I am duly charged to report any weddings and what they were like to my sister the Wedding Commandant in Chief. Saturday the night I spent over at Lars watching movie's with him and the girls. Jaybez proceeded to flirt with all the girls and she almost tried very hard to steal away Lena's girlfriend :D It was amusing. I'd comment on Evie's pillow-fighting abilities but then I'd probably have to get her more straws... Today wasn't real bad either. Since I am less sleep deprived now that Goulet's class is over I actually made it to church and it was good times chatting with people. Got out on a walk with Allison and Julie and that was enjoyable if a bit hot since I was still wearing jeans. We stopped at Cone Corners (or somethin' like that) next to the Blueberry Muffin and that was decent refreshment in the way of a smoothie. Tonight is XA prayer meeting and then Gray's Anatomy. Not a bad weekend overall.

Two things up in the air: my sister took some of my chairs back home without asking. Not a big deal if she asked but I was going to bring some chairs up this summer in case I ran a game out of the apartment! Of course she takes the remaining nice ones too (and my parents decide to side with her as well too, rather unfair in my eyes, I don't steal her stuff).

Plus I've hit a moral conundrum although I can't explain further on that.

A rather event driven, not all that exciting blog entry I'll grant. Sorry, do better this week i swear :D

Blah

Ever notice that you are really stressed out and yer taking it out on other people? While pounding through our lovely CIS 323 project this morning I kind of realized it. It's rather odd too because I don't feel extremely stressed out but when I thought about it things do feel "off". Stupid Bradshaw. I blame this on it! Right, it's prolly not the only thing so hopefully this weekend I'll relax a little. I'm almost halfway done with all the diagrams I need to do so really assuming the Analysis stuff is as easy as Design I should be done with all that by Wed or so next week. Then I just need to write up everything (boring but should go fairly quick if I stay focused).

Relaxing these days between TimeSplitters (even getting sort of decent, plus they fixed Elimination, yay) and reading Exalted: The Autocthonians. E:Aut has been quite good thus far although I haven't delved much into Autocthonian society. I hammered through most of the 3 variations of the Locust crusade. Personally I liked "the quest for the source" the best especially the end. Can you imagine a point where everyone would pause and look up as the world visibly changed around them? Plus we get the Kukla (well in a different scenario) and who can say "no" to the Kukla? One of the coolest things is they paint scenarios where all the different types of Exalts gather together to fight and work.

Best line from the book comes the ol' Great Maker himself upon seeing Abyssals: "I see they got their hands on raw material." :D

Well to wrap this up, I just finished the 2nd Increment stuff for the Design portion of Bradshaw! Yay! Now just need to check with some people that I did it right (got questions, as usual) and then proceed to Analysis. Yes I'm doing them in reverse, forgot I had to do them both initially.

Additions

Added two new blogs (Mary and Katie) and moved some other down to the quiet section. Any complaints about who's where should be sent to my roommate since I let him make the picks (and then I pared the list down, he's pretty harsh on us blog/journaling types).

BTW I hate CIS 323!

Let's Split

Discovered TimeSplitters 3 yesterday. Roommate and I decided to pool our funds and acquire. Wal-Mart (curse those Waltons) did not have it. Had to get up semi-early on my first allowed sleep-in day all semester to go to Target and get it. Also got Evie straws. Will surrender them tonight if she goes to XA, don't ask :D

Anyhow, it's good stuff, better after we cleaned the tv so that the dust didn't dim it by a ton. Some very cool weapons and Twism finally gets a level he can snipe on. Vehicles can be driven although the controls aren't very spiffy for that.

Much more interactive environment. I drowned in a Venice canal several times (posit, how does robots drown?) and nearly fell off a zepelin. Alas due to CIS 323 I will only get to play a little bit between non and finals being done!

Anyhow time to do that stupid 2nd increment!

Proof

IMG_1052, originally uploaded by mirv120.

Spring in point. Yes that's snow blurring by, the camera just has a hard time catching it. It's a little more visible on the apartment roofs across the street.

Snow?!?

Yes, as if to prove that winter lasts until sometime in June or July at the shortest this morning I was greeted by fairly thick flurries. I'll have photographic proof later (if I remember to put the pictures up) although they don't do justice to the size of the flakes.

Snow.

Huh.

Random Business

So that test really sucked yesterday. Can he possibly make it any harder for us to pass? It's not like we're dumb or uninterested. Heck I think half the people in the class have internships or something along those lines! Evil, evil little leprechaun! It's enough to make you want to take a shot after it. Wait, already did that...

Ordered Exalted: The Autochthonians today sort of on a whim and direct from White Wolf. Hopefully it'll be here early next week. I'd do it through Amazon but they are bloody slow with such things. I am holding off on Aspect Book: Water because it got mediocre reviews. Probably get it early summer with Cult of the Illuminated. Sounds like E:Auto has a fair amount of storyline stuff so should be good reading. Never understood why people hated "fluff" or knocked it. That's practically the only reason I get RPGs to find out their stories.

This weekend seems like it's gonna be fairly dull. Gonna hang with Seth and Brent Saturday night and see if I can mildy redeem any sort of SW:CCG playing skill. That means I need to build at least one deck between now and then. Sunday afternoon we've got the reunion over at the Mertz's for the London group. That should be interesting. I guess I will be rather busy but I suppose it's hard to top hanging out with Evie and Lars all last weekend.

Plugging away at Road to Stalingrad. Getting to the parts that I've read in London so should be interesting to see if it makes more sense with initial situation explained. I have to hand it to the Russians, they got schooled less then I initially thought and most of that was from incompetent leadership higher up. Think this leadership will probably also get the Red Army massively screwed in the upcoming areas if I remember right.

Hmm, random business completed for now.

Don't cry because you're so right

Well I should really be studying but I finished the geography assignment and don't feel like delving into the disaster that calls itself CIS 323. Not lookin' forward to that test tomorrow but will just have to crack down tonight and read and read and read and read and read. Whee...

Twism found our TV remote lodged in the couch cushions. I thought I had looked there. He also found detrius from the previous owners (my sister and her roommate). Included a MGD bottle cap. Who drinks that swill? Maybe our neighbors are sneaking into our place and hiding their bottle caps in our couch.

Not a lot of news. Really been feeling pretty good about life and trying not to let that change. Brent mentioned that he feels the storm coming on and I know that feeling. The longer it doesn't happened the bigger the storm. At this rate if this was real everything from the East coast up to about Chicago would be in serious danger. We'll see what happens post Goulet test tho. Frankly I like this feeling!

Deep thoughts for the week, hmm. Not really. Just have faith that things will work out. How's that? I am sort of coasting between my 9ish tendencies and normal 6ness. I've noticed that I think the problem for me (and this may relate to my "storms") is that when I hit the point where I drift towards a 9 if I don't keep up on things it can slide real fast to the opposite end of the spectrum (3 if you care). It's easy enough to see, when I get ahead I become very bumlike. Plus I stick to my routine like glue and hate when it gets disrupted. Anyhow, Enneagrams do seem to explain quite a bit of stuff for me even if just making me realize how I am acting and especially in relation to bad habits.

There, a big long post. Study time now...

KoH

Watching the trailer for Kingdom of Heaven. It looks like a decent movie. Not sure I'd be able to find time to watch it but would anyone want to go see it? (It comes out May 6th).

Sail Away

In the most random start for me yet I am going to report that my stomach is completely wholly empty after it apparently consumed my tiny breakfast (yogurt) in .035 seconds. Also it must have annhilated the overly large portion of Marvin's I had last night. Maybe I do have a black hole down there... Good news is Sid and Julie have now been iniated in the goodness that is Marvin's and Julie also has seen the Dodgeballness that is Dodgeball.

Actually last right was overall really good although my body seemed to be having a minor internal revolution, as it occasionally is wont to do, with itself. This was unrelated to Marvins but ultimately it put a slight damper on things. I did get to burn some stress off relating to things (yay!) although some stupidity still remains but it is out of the hands of me and my friends. We went on a rather long walk and hashed a ton of stuff out. (Hmm, we in this case since I have really specified would be me, Julie, Allison, and Sid.) We ended up making Allison miss her GSA meeting because we went out beyond Berard Oaks by the time she remembered it. One of those "oops" moments where there is nothing you can do. I've gone out to Berard only a couple times so didn't really know any short routes back so what can you do? Maybe I am just greedy too cause I don't get to spend much time with any of them so I got quality friends time. Plus it was with people I don't need to be massively gaurded with.


Switching gears: bought Episode 3 novelization Tuesday night. I'm now about 3/4ths of the way through it. Actually I skimmed and read all the major plot points Wednesday and now I am just fully reading the whole thing. I won't spoil anything but I will note that if the movie follows the book (I know the reverse is true but a book contains a lot more so stuff it added might not be in there) then we're going to see a Star Wars that is much more personal/emotional then prior movies. The other thing is that brother it's depressing. Things end rather bleakly and there really isn't a somewhat hopeful wrap-up like in Empire Strikes Back. We all knew the team would be down for the count but it still hurts to see it. Good news is that we're getting a ton of lightsaber battles by just about everyone. Bad news is: at this moment 3/4ths of the way through Jar-Jar is alive. Although hope remains in the Emp. purging him in a painful sort of way.

Final thoughts: I think I am officially an intellectual whore for the blonde who sits next to me in Geology. Up til my last test this made no sense (seeing as my scores in order were 66, 68, 94) but I guess maybe now it does. Not sure osmosis of geology knowledge works but she should be wary. Might get random CIS, or worse stuff. Perhaps even RPG knowledge. :D

If anyone wants to go to the bonfire Saturday (leaving at 6:30 PM) leave a comment or get in touch with me! It'll be fun and you can meet all the XA folks I ramble on about too. Food's provided as well (yes I shall appeal to your cash strapped finances and yer stomachs as simultaneously).

Cheers

This Space Intentionally Left Blank

What a strange week this has been. Can't even really put it into words. Been good, been bad, been busy, been slow. It rained, it was warm. I've done a little of everything. Seems there is a battle in my mind on what to do and where I'm going. Since for the most part I haven't been flattened by random desperately needed to be completely projects I've had a chance to assess such things. You know, we really do need to slow down and do that. Regularly. It has, however, left me in a minor state of internal turmoil. My feelings have bounced around tho in the process. Right now feeling mildly angry for whatever reason...

I was gonna say something here that's been weighing on me but I don't think I could word it right or people would understand...plus I might just be seeing the speck in my brother's eye...

Wazzat?

We've got ourselves a new Pope and just to let you know it's not Twism or Brent. :D Possibly Lena though if she can make time between CIS assignments.

Alright I am going back to being productive and not a screwball now.

Tweaks

Moved some people up top, hopefully won't need to move anyone back down anytime soon on the account I am lazy. Plus Twism generally needs to remind me to do such things the good roommate that he is.
One did get moved down after much internal debate within management. We even asked the Catholic Church to send the cardinals into conclave (we take such things veeeeeeery seriously over here at the Pointless).

Anyhow, had a nice day. Didn't work out again but got out on a long (read over an hour) walk and then lay out in the sun and talked with Jenny. Ran into Max of all people on the way back! Haven't seen him in ages. He seems shorter for some reason, coulda sworn he had a head up on me. Think I did decent (finally!) on my geology test. All those hours of reading paid off! Anywho got a lab test so that should be interesting.

We did a special (but hopefully soon regular) prayer time with IV over lunch today. That was interesting. Still not a fan of praying out loud in public. I do pray in public all the time, just to myself/God non-vocally. Really not comfortable with speaking up to an extent about my prayers. Always felt that if I'm talking to God it's just between me and Him. Hard to change that mindset.

Anyhow, time to shower and such so I can go hang out with people. And hopefully get to bed early in the end and fall asleep this time.

Forces

The road keeps on telling me to go on. Something is pulling me, I feel gravity the gravity of it all.

Well not a bad weekend overall. It rained, finally. The Dark side got schooled, repeatedly (by Seth, kudos to his deckbuilding skill and his immunity to attrition). Saw Wausau by night. Hung out with lots of fun people. Studied way too much geology studying done. Twism has proceeded to unlock nearly everything in Time Splitters 2. There are 3 characters left unlocked that aren't associated with story mode. I actually beat story mode on easy so I am not totally slouching on unlocking things but the challenges are beyond my meager skill abilities at the moment.

Looking forward to next weekend already, we're having a bonfire. Everyone should come! Actually barring my tests I am looking to this week quite a bit. For new things to do: read Squirrel's journal. It's still in the Quiet Blogs section but she's started writing agian. This of course means I need to do site maintenance and move it but that'll be post test (ie, after monday morning).

Well I am off to study notes (blah) and then read a little of Road to Stalingrad (yay) and some 2nd Peter (also yay).

World in a Box

So a very side project for me is I am slowly developing an imagined world. At times it grabs me and I write a lot about the places, organizations, and creautres that inhabit it and a lot of the times it just sits in the back of my mind. I pull my inspirations from everywhere. Got the basic world from a mix of The Dig and WindZones. Startide Rising and Blue Planet gave a more refined geography and a lot of info on cetes (ceteceans). Dragons came from D & D primarily although boring Shakespeare class in England let me take them and make them interesting. Technology I tend to make up on my own from any and all input although Blue Sub 6 is beginning to contribute to some of the underwater aspects as I try to flesh them out. Part of me wants a Gundamesque feel with technology, large manned suits and all but I am unsure. Certainly the interconnectivity that I get from GITS will be present though.

Not sure where the buildings came from. Originally the idea for the cities came from Louis MacMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan series but as the land masses they would have originally inhabited have gone away now I am not sure although I'd love that feel.

Will it ever come to realization? Even I am pretty doubtful and I doubt many other people knew it existed (unless somehow you found Pillars) at all. It seems to me once done it could make a decent RPG if I could get a flexible enough system. To me it's an epic world although what makes it epic I haven't gotten to yet. I want it to be as playable for the ever present humans as to the cetes and dragons who equally share this place. It's a strange place with a lot of blanks. It's hard to paint even broadstrokes when you have a huge blank canvas!

It's a fun place nonetheless. Full of possibilites. The impatient part of me would just like to get it done so that others could explore and enjoy it beyond me (although frankly I have no idea if anyone even would).

Back to studying geology now. Humorously enough I am pulling some ideas from that too. Hope I get a C on this bloody test tho!

Schisms

Actually don't think there are any known schisms at the moment but I wanted to use that word. It's fun :D

This week has been fairly good. Def. did not get as much homework done as I needed to but one pressing need got removed by another week so that helps. Need to study my butt off for geology this weekend. Now gainfully employed unless I fail the drug test/background check (although that'd be a huge surprise to me if I did, I'd want to ask what they found). Being my useful reserved self I'll hold off massive celebrations til then.

Saw Ocean's 12 at Al's last night. It was alright, not nearly as good as the first if you ask me although now I want to watch the first again. Maybe tonight.

Anyhow, that's all for now, joyously I am done with CIS for the moment so I am gonna kick back and listen to my CD.

Internal Restructuring

Added a new journal (Dani's) and moved a few blogs/journals around. Most people have stayed active (yay!) and one became more active so mostly nothing moved down. On a side note everyone should really listen to the Hotel Rwanda soundtrack, it's pretty good.

Fallen

"Don't stop."
-Motto RNS Ardent Fury

It was hopeless. The fleet was shattered. The last elements had split up after Wolf 359 scattering in every direction in a vain attempt to avoid the sweeping wave of slaughter. In three days the entire sector has been smashed. Noone even knew what happened to the 9th and 24th fleets beyond there. Some things simply dissapeared. On the 4th day the remnants of the Home Fleet gathered at Lagrange Point 3. The reinforcements promised had never come. Would never come. Never existed.

Terminator brakes, spilling light across the assemblage. Twenty-one ships. Far from anyone's last best hope, they simply were there. Some willing, others not. Doom has a strange way of affecting people. Some meet it like a normal everyday event, the same way they greet their morning coffee, with a strange mix of indifference and calm. Others take it on their shoulders accepting their fait and doing their damnedest to avert it. Others retreat into themselves whether from cowardice or fear or just simple contemplation.

Either way, death would reach for them all.

In ready rooms and on bridges and in corridors men and women waited for the invetitable. The automated silence that surrounded them broken only by the mechanical and electrical noises of the ships. For a moment the ships seem more alive then their crews. Living beings filled with automated drones oblivious to their surroundings. No fear from them. No gloom coursed through their circuits unaware of those inside and their feelings.

Death came. They fought.

It might have been easier for those in the front. They simply just ceased to be. Those behind had to keep going if just to cease a little later rather then right now. Light, plasma, nothing. Over and over. Ten times. Elven times. Twelve. No lifepods here, no escaping. They don't accept their deaths in many cases but they don't flee them. They fight. It's pointless. Either way, death has them. Still they fight. They fight in a way that causes many to look at them with a respect and honor otherwise never accorded to people. It's desperation and hope all in one. Hope for a future already lost and desperation to cling to it for one last moment.

There's only two ships left. They're damaged. Bleeding. Heroic acts are committed. History will never record the efforts or the achievements. Perhaps that makes them more heroic. It doesn't make them any less remembered. They still fall. Unknown, unremembered, unimportant.

Just one left. Alone. Isolated but yet still not by itself. The legacy of hundreds, thousands before it stand behind it in one last moment. Now. For that moment the sole survivor is invincible. Then it's gone. The ship is gone. Everything is gone.

There is no wisdom here. War presents none of that. War has only one constant: change.

//Not quite sure why I wrote this. Doubt it's even all that good. Somehow I was thinking of the Russian soldier of 1941 and how to capture them and their actions...even if for some of them it turned out far better.

Finally

Record, originally uploaded by mirv120.

Well after seeing Nick do this I had to beat him. Took a couple work shifts but I did it (see his score on his blog!)

I Love the People Around Me

Figured I should say that. They're all really great folks and I so massively blessed to be around them I can't even put it decently in words!

Always up on top of course be the whole XA gang. Really have to say thanks to Squirrel and Leah who open up their kitchen to me and others and suffer me nearly eating them out of apartment and home once a week. It's really kind of them to allow me to come over and do that. I love them both! (Sidenote: I'd love them no matter what but my selfish 3rd brain-ie my stomach- now throws itself in on the loving.) Anywho they are great people and also great cooks and I will be sad when they will be gone.

Also thanks to everyone else in XA. You're all great as well, I could prolly write a ton more but I'm running out of steam and decent words and I don't think I should embaress myself and everyone else all in one post tonight.

Final thanks cause I am running out of steam (and it started off so good too) is to my partner Lena who gave me an unexpected night off. I can now be a bum tonight and that's always nice.

Three posts in one day. I'm nuts...

FAC blowin' in the Wind

Yes, came out of my 11-1 shift in the CCC to see smoke billowing out of the back end of the FAC. Thought at first it was some sort strange project because the smoke was issuing from a smoke stack but that spread to the entire back corner of the roof. Alas the fire department is right across the street so before I could watch my Saturday afternoons burned back to freedom they arrived and doused the flames.

Still got to watch as the the arts majors finally fled the building a good 15 minutes after the whole roof started issuing thick black smoke. Most of my CIS classmates were highly amused when this was duly reported. Also most seemed dissapointed the building survived. Aren't we nice to the arts people? (Don't worry Abby you're an exception, we love you still!)

My test went alright, the start was quite hard since apparently it's a trivia contest rather then a test of knowledge. I thought college was a test of your mind not your memory for inane useless facts. What do I know though? Filteau thinks she'll put everything on a curve anyways.

Nice Kitty

Sweet, Tiger is finally up for release at the end of this month. Was skeptical about getting it til I saw Dashboard which looks pretty dang cool. Have to go pony up and get it. Let's hope I get that internship or otherwise not gonna be able to justify buying this!

This week looks to be interesting. It will be busy but more of a lead up for next week. Next week has reserved insane for itself. I really need to catch up on stuff but it's hard. This week doesn't give a lot of time for that. Wednesday I think I'll be busy reading. Won't that be fun?

Life is twisting and turning general in ways I am not sure I comprehend. I'm not really worried about it, in fact despite everything this is the least worried time of my life, but it does baffle/confuse me at times. I feel somewhat focused although keeping hold of that focus is a chore. Especially when it comes to school.

Guess I should get to studying for that Zuge test. I'll leave some general amusement links at the end (as if the dinosaur quote isn't amusing enough for you):

Unitarian Jihad Name Tell 'em Brother Neutron Bomb of Peace sent ya!

Translate English into 12 year old AOL speak. Scary :D

Them links courtesy of Scott Taylor's and (our future) SGA President's LJs.

Requiem for the Twisms

So I got Twism Vampire: The Requiem for his birthday (which is this Saturday) to aide in his attempt quest to get the White Wolf fiction writer award. Anyhow being the RPG junkie I most certainly am I poked through the book. I haven't had much expierence with WoD and the core book for the new WoD doesn't have much background (ala "fluff" for you gamer nerd types although I prefer that vastly over "crunch", unless you like D & D crunch only...) so this was my first real major interaction into WoD. Come to think of it when I played Demon never read any of the setting material there either. Anywho, the background is quite well written, it can drag you in. The one thing that catches me is that you're looking at an underground society that is basically static versus the rest of the world. People who lives centuries don't change much especially in comparison to those who live barely a century. This strikes me as one of the most interesting aspects of the world. We're looking at a society whose outlook is at best Victorian if not much older. Basically I can only think of the whole Turtledove World at War Lizards whose society hasn't changed in 100,000 years dealing with humans who surpassed them in barely 2,000. This strikes me as a major theme: the Kindred are on the verge of becoming so out of date that change will expose them. What to do then? As commented in the book mortals can do a lot of damage to the Kindred (ala Spanish Inquisition) so it's really a world crushing problem that the Elders would barely understand (when you grow up in a time where the only power was man/beast, can you even begin to grasp the world today on the same level as someone who's been fully immersed in it?).

I am enjoying poking around in it though. Still don't think I could play it. Way to dark but my love for stories and histories and backgrounds (and possibilities!) is tweaked so I will prolly have read through most of it. Helpful to him though because I can give pointers (hopefully good ones) towards trying to write into WoD. I am unsure if previous writers have played the games they have written but certainly I would think they'd have to be fairly familiar with the core books. Good luck to him either way, I certainly couldn't pull that off.

Other news. There is no other news. Not at the moment at least. Night.

Sacrilege!

It's like they castrated my favorite childhood character!

More Deep Wisdom

You can't outdance a dinosaur.

Really.

You can't.

Drunks Across the Hall

The neighbors are very noisy tonight. Sometimes I debate whether to interact with them or not. Then I realize it's not smart to interact with large groups of drunks especially those you don't know well. Besides they're louder then the girls in our London group when drunk (is that actually possible?) Think they are finally going out to the bars now so it has quieted down. I intend to be in bed by the time they get back if possible. Twism has been working his way through old arcade league challenges getting golds in all the ones I couldn't. Some of them are tough for even him the video game guru.

Had my interview today. It was very informative. Definitely learned as much about interviewing as they probably learned about me. Should hear back in a week or two so kind of nervous/excited about that. Not really sure what they'll say. Guess it depends on how useful they think they can make me.

Marshfield itself seems rather small-town Midwestish in a sense. There aren't as many trees alas and it's very dry at the moment but it just seemed like a bigger town compared to the three or four I drove through on Hwy 10 to get there. Not very exciting but that's where the work is. Whereever it leads me I'll go. They pay over twice what shopko pays and nearly three times my LA job. Might not be for the fall though, have to see. Tough on Alistair, would put 70 miles a day in the summer. In other words figuring 20 work days a month for 3 months plus a week in May that's 4550 miles! This not counting driving around Point or going home. My brand new vehicle will be well broken in come fall. Guess I will learn more vehicle maintenance this summer too.

Trivia is going on this weekend but I'm not really involved. Just a bystander like last year. For those of you who aren't locals or students Trivia Weekend is the one and only official holiday of Stevens Point, WI. It's the world's biggest trivia contest and it brings in 8,000 folks from around the world. Most of them though are locals from one time or another making the annual pilgrimage (Islam has its haj, Point has its trivia, go figure) back home. We really need hobbies. And still I want to live here when I graduate! Granted all I need for fun is a few people, a decent internet connection (that equals amazon and that equals books!) and I am pretty darn good.

Anywho, time to crash on this end. Night folks.

Morals of the story are:

1) It's all fun and games until someone starts teaching CIS.
2) It's all fun and games until the monkey catches on fire.

That will be all, good night. *bows*

Just kidding I'll write a little more then that. Those are rules to live by however. Interview in less then 24 hours. Kinda in the lull between things. Couldn't find people tonight. Bit odd. Oh well.

While this says posted at 7:11PM. In truth, it's close to 10. Got busy. Sorry folks. Maybe more later!

Morningtime

Here's a bizarre change, me posting in the morning. My routine was a little altered however so you get this. As such I am not quite sure what to say. The world is quiet and gray out my window. The first gray we've had in a little while. Thunderstorms are forecasted. I await them although hope they do not decide to manifest whenever I am walking to and from school. It's a curious feeling in life right now. I am not totally overwhelmed by school. It's there but not massively crushing down on me as of yet. Other things have been more of a burden. It's kind of funny how one thing will just pull itself into focus.

Currently it seems that God is telling me to set aside personal things and focus on people. Not flirting with them mind but just talking to them and being friends. It's been reminded to me through various different sources that I need to put God first in things and that this includes my social/dating life (as a mess that might be) and trust Him. Plus it tends to interfere with whatever work I am trying to do in His name. Now I won't say that I am taking a break from looking because to an extent that would be untrue-not sure guys ever really stop, maybe girls don't either-but just trying to refocus my efforts here towards a better cause.

Not sure I worded that very well but really don't have more time to spend on things as I must get ready for classes and such. To class, to class.

The whimsies of Deathlord Bob and Friends

Yea so not sure if I do many personal introspective/retrospective/something-spective but this will kind of people. My life seems to be a mish-mash of general confusion of late especially relating to other people. Whereas in many areas I know where I'm going and where I'm coming from socially I have little idea of either. Kind of know where I have been, it's easier to look back at life and discern what you've done to an extent. Mistakes you've made and things you wish you'd done differently are constant remindors that you could've done better but also that (hopefully) you've grown in maturity and understanding of people. As to whether I have grown or not I am not sure. Some areas certainly I can point out but many of them I would consider non-social although they may relate to social aspects.

I have found a certain serenity and peace in life even if I haven't learned how to rely on it fully. For those of you who've gotten e-mails from me you've seen the tagline in my signature and of course it's always present here. I keep it around because I need to be reminded of that constantly. Like so much of this blog it's as much a benefit to me as to anyone else who reads it. Kind of selfish in that but blogs to an extent are selfish things.

Ok, think whatever frustration at myself is bleeding away. Kind of funny because I felt I did a really good workout today and in general that, for Mondays, this went well. Finished 6 Days of War last night. Really want to know what happens in the Yom Kippur War so will have to probably buy a book on that. Picked up The Road to Stalingrad and intend to plow through that. I think it should be an initially a fast read, the parts I went through in England were good. Something about a doomed war really intrigues me and for the Soviets everything up to Stalingrad had "doomed war" written all over it. Wonder how The Road to Berlin compares. I'll find out eventually. Probably going to tag team Stalingrad with Letters from a Skeptic (or is it Critic, i always get it confused). Both books appeal to very different parts of me so kind of a battle of which gets read first. Really Letters has the lead cause I have gotten farther through it in chronological order. Probably pretty close page wise although this because I had to read the battle of Moscow sections of Stalingrad for History in London. I really do love history.

This will be a long week. As usual lots to get done. I feel confused but not overly burdened or oppressed. As long as I don't get lost I'll be fine.

Faith manages.

Deep Theoretical Stuff

Ha, you wish! Like I am gonna do anything like that on a Saturday afternoon while working after I've finished my CIS323 lab that I don't understand! Plus I have nothing deep to discuss. Well I could probably find something but I don't feel like doing anything that requires effort today.

Of course this leads into, what the heck will this entry be about? I was thinking the mating rituals of North Nigerian Wombat-Monkeys might be appropriate but not sure anyone else could add to such a vibrant and deep seated discussion on the finer points of NNWM biology.

Slowly plodding through Exalted: Book of Bone & Ebony. It's dark, naturally considering the topic so I really can't read it for long without taking a break. This certainly adds credence to the fact that Exalted is targetted to a more mature audience then D & D. None of this stuff is suitable for kids below high school and debatable for high schoolers.

Also plodding through Six Days of War. Almost done with the war (two days left!). It's pretty amazing how quickly things fell apart for the Arabs. It seems to me that numbers they had should have allowed for simple overwhelming victory. It just reminds me that numbers are certainly not everything, logistics and leadership is. It also amazes me how they'd believe their own propoganda. I thought first rule was that the govt ignored its own propoganda. You can't win a war on lies (although those lies may save your butt at home). Just very surprised how incompetent they were and how self-interested they were come to think of it. Had there been real Arab unity it would have been easy to put many more troops from different Arab nations but instead it really mostly was the three main countries bordering Israel who got involved. Thus far too Syria's part in the fight has been token although I haven't really gotten there. (However consider I'm at day 5 and all they've done is shelled Israel thus far.)

That equal some readable content? Hope so, not getting anymore today I don't think.

Wish I had An April Fool's Gag

But I don't. However Google threw one up. Gmail continues to improve. It now has ability to do different colors, fonts, and italics, bold, etc. Plus in a nicely timed birthday trump (Gmail is 1 year old today) over Yahoo Mail they are adding another gig of storage space plus more over time. Fun stuff.

My shift today has not been productive. My nose has been runny/drippy all morning and it's wearing me down. Granted if I got more sleep maybe I would feel better in general.

Anyhow, happy 1st of April folks.

Deep Thoughts

In light of the Schiavo case I have been thinking a lot about how our government functions. Currently I am beginning to be very wary of the complete Republican controlled government. Primarily because they are beginning to talk with a little to much bluster and threat for a party. And it is just a party. The funny this about the parties is, when something goes their way they defend the system, when it doesn't they claim it's broken. The bad news is, the Republicans may try to change it while they have the power.

Now, is the system broken? Of course, it's called the Democratic and Republican parties. Yes, isn't that wonderful? We're controlled by two parties who are controlled by billions of dollars of campaign money (which is given in return for implied support for whatever the donors might need). How do we know they get all this money? Perhaps because the last Presidential and Congressional campaign spent over a billion (or was it billions?) this year. Now if you thought money didn't talk before I'd suggest waking up and listening. I am rather impressed that somehow the Europeans got money out of elections to an extent, too bad we won't ever be able to do that. For my view limiting the amount of money that can be spent on a campaign in any way is no longer a limit of free speech simply because the vast majority of Americans don't have the money to donate like that and therefore their voices weigh less. That's not equality. If the rich guy has more power then the poor or middle class guy then we're closing fast in on an oligarchy. However those who donate (and some who follow their general theory) maintain that spending money = free speech. Pretty sure the Founding Fathers would disagree. I digress though (indeed this whole paragraph is digression).

The arguement by Republicans is that the judicial system stepped out of line. Primarily the US Federal Court system. I am a little confused on how the stepped out of line. Someone might have to show me where in the Constitution the US Congress can order a Federal Court to take up a case. As far as I understood it the courts had the right to reject a case on grounds that it is inappropriate for their jurisdiction. How that is overstepping their bounds I am unsure. Tom Delay sure thinks so but hey when he runs for President in 2008 would be any wonder that he used a woman's death to strengthen his name with Christian Conservatives? Now for general legal wonders the Schiavo case is amazing (to the Europeans unbelieavable). First of all it went through several repeated Florida courts all whom supported the current law which gives the legal gaurdian control of the person they are legal gaurdian of. In these cases the parents were unable to prove the Terry Schiavo was in a non-vegatative state. Repeatedly. Not once, not twice, but many times. Then unable to legally keep her alive they attempted to circumvent the system. Now, their love for their daughter is fantastic but now they are suddenly endangering everyone who has ever created a Living Will or who otherwise would trust their legal gaurdian to complete their final wishes by trying to break set legal precedent. Once you break a law it's toast legally because every lawyer who has a client wishing to circumvent can use that precedent to overturn. Essentially legal gaurdians would have no power and anything they wished to do would be stuck in the courts or Congress. Suddenly your personal decisions would be out of your hands. Plus more power to the government. Worse this is an issue of morality and they are ruling on it. Now on a lot of things relating to morality if they are minor I don't mind if the gov't butts in for the general public health but on something like this I am wary. Why change something that works fine?

So yea, I think the Republicans are dangerously close to overstepping Congress's bounds. They are attempting to tip the balance of power much more massively in their favor. Right now perhaps the courts do overstep their bounds with some rulings. How you can say they they the courts are overstepping their bounds though when they don't rule anything? They turned down the case!

Right. Oh and if you were wondering what Europe thinks, well they think we're nuts (not news). Seems they have come to accept that people die. Frankly while I think Europeans are nuts (and the French are a lost cause altogether) I do agree that they handle death much more dignified then we do. It's almost that they are not afraid to die when we are. Maybe we're more attached to our material world and all the useless wealth it comes with.

So yea, this has been a late night ramble by yours truly. Discuss, tear apart, whatever. There are probably inconsistencies, that's what happens when I write late at night.

Lost From Al-Nasaryia

Happy Birthday to Ms. Allison who is now two decades young. Still a child compared to us old geezers but well trying hard to catch up (heaven knows why) to old elderly.

AIM went down this evening. Boy when it came back up that was a zoo of everyone IMing everyone else making it sure it wasn't just them.

Didn't get nearly as much done tonight as I wanted too and I am gonna be up much later then I intended. Tonight was not the highlight of my life.

Should get to bed now. Don't be angry exblonde.

Bounce Bounce

Today's been a really good day. Thanks to everyone who made it that way :)

Glacial Steps

Back into the swing of things. Yes indeed break should be much, much longer. A month minimum, maybe several years. It will never happen but it'd be nice. It would also help if I could re-adjust my sleep schedule so I fall asleep before 2AM. That will happen soon though as I am already getting really tired so eventually my body just crashes. I already fell asleep while reading CIS and slumped off during the very dead morning office hours.

Some good news: I got my schedule sorted out. I almost had Mondays totally free but Java will be available for the last time next semester and that's on Mondays so I had to take it. Ccomplain tho I only have one class Monday and Wednesday at this rate. Plus I'll be taking 4 classes towards me major/emphasis and killing the Enviromental literacy credit.

Other random news: got Book of Bone and Ebony. It's rather creepy at times but gives some good perspectives on actual forces of the Deathlords. It's one of those books you need to make the bad guys bad so the good guys actually have someone to fight (and it's not a cake-walk either). Not really sure how anyone could play an actual non-rebellious Abyssal. Or for that matter a lot of the WoD character types.

Think that's all for now. Blogger is being dumb so this might not even post. I haven't felt as much urge to post as of late so guess not a big deal.

Good Weekend

It was a good weekend. I need to work out though. Way too much food this weekend and at random times. I feel kinda blah. Speaking of blah, thinking about my singleness. Been sort of attempting to gain the interest of a friend. To date hasn't really worked and I think I am just gonna stop trying.

Not sure if I am looking forward getting back into the swing of things. Really enjoyed this weekend and all the people I spent time with. Wish I could do that all the time. Need to get to work on so many things now though.

Go figure. Jolan tru.

Right

Well most of you will have noticed there's an odd thing with today's posts. Yea the other one. It's an audioblog (yes you may listen, no I can't vouch for quality or content). My roommate has saved it already. I think he thinks I'm nuts. Granted I am just having fun with technology. Perhaps I can use it if I am ever on the road and away from a computer. Ha, like that'll ever happen. Now you all know what I sound like (for the 0 readers who don't know me already and ignore the fact that it doesn't sound much like me I think).

Added some more links to the side. You can sort them out. Not much else to say at the moment. Back in Point. Yay.

Busy

As I am getting ready to return to hallowed ol' Point I'm taking stock of what I've got done. Haven't seen anyone really outside of the family and a couple neighbors on walks. I've got the exblonde tomorrow so that makes up for it some tho. I'm barely gonna finish Homeward Bound and not even touch Chronicles of Narnia. I blame this partly on being at the slow part of HB so it took me awhile to get going. This does wrap things up from the previous 7 books (the quadrology and trilogy) as far as I can tell. Got some personal stuff sorted but had some personal stuff unwravel too. Think I am glacial in personal matters whatever they be, two steps forward and one back. (Don't ask what, I won't say what specifically is going on here, if I want to say I will.) Got the beginnings of a Dark Side deck so Seth and Brent can stomp on me. Whatever happened to my DS Lando tho? Didn't get it done, maybe tonight, but that's unlikely. No web stuff got done, didn't expect to get much done since my computer is back home but still feel like I shoulda accomplished something on that front.

What did I do? Well I did read a bunch, generall after about 1AM. I did watch waaaaay too much TV and I am glad I don't usually do that, there's rarely anything good on. Did get a lot of things done that needed to be done. Played Conquest of the New World a ton. Still playing in fact. Those bloody explorers are a pain. You'd think three people on the side of mountain being hunted by several hundred would be easier to kill! Anyhow, guess that's what I've done. Not sure anyone cares... (see Abby you're not the only one who writes weird entries!)

Off to pack!

Fallen

Ever have one of those days...

See you around

Somewhat productive day. Still didn't sit down and journal because I ran late down here tonight. Ended up watching most of the Blue Sub 6. It's better this time then when I first got the DVDs. It never was all that popular anywhere I guess but I liked the submarine combat. It's my kind of thing.

Hopefully got my final resume draft done so I can actually get around to applying for some internships. Granted I've dawdled so the delay is my fault primarily. Just hope I did things right. Have to check up on my contacts tho, one of my old bossses at Shopko quit (yea, it's so bad that even the management are fleeing) so better check my original one is still working there and if not, try and track him down.

Tomorrow will be busy too, doing a few more miscellaneous things. That really looks like how this whole week will go. Random things that need to be done. Interspersed with sleeping, watching DVDs, and playing old computer games. Not really sure if it's break or not but the stuff needs to be done and this is the only time it would be. I wonder how people can go away. I barely get everything done the way it is and I don't think I procrastinate anymore then the average person. Oh well.

Anyhow I get to go eat good Chinese food and hang with a friend for lunch Friday so that should make it all worth it right? :D Better go get back to whatever it is I should be doing.

19

Happy birthday to Lindsey who's 19 today. Let me know when ya want to go to the Dragon, I'll even pay :o

I've been dreaming a lot and remembering it since I've been home. There are two constants: water and girls. It's a very odd mix but in most of my dreams at some point I end up waste-deeper in water. Usually there is a wary realization that there is unfriendly wildlife in the water too but not always. Anyhow it's interesting reflecting on my dreams during the day. Think my mind is stuck on girls at the moment, not sure if that's good or bad. Anyhow, gonna get out and enjoy this weather. Have a good day folks, if yer in LaX get in touch with me!

Stuff

Ran errands today with Dad. This included getting fitted for a tux for my sister's wedding. That wasn't real bad except for the hordes of high school girls who were prom dress shopping. Thankfully the guy's area is walled off from the rest of the store but def. felt rather trapped by estrogen charged insanity. Dad and I were happy to get the heck out of there and off to do other stuff. It was good to get out and see things. Yesterday I couldn't see anything beyond a short distance except white so it was nice to be able to see the city again. Despite my general disdain for the city that had been my home for nearly two decades somewhere I still like to come back to it (ah perhaps cause the exblonde still lives here, or maybe that causes my disdain :P ). Once in awhile at least.

Picked up a NKJV Bible and the World of Darkness core book. This is a very odd combination of that I've done before, when I got my KJV and DMG (that's a Bible and a D & D book) in the same Amazon order. I really wonder what people think, if anything when someone does that. Then again maybe they figure that people know which book is reality and which is pure fantasy. Who knows, I just find it mildly amusing. Course I am, by all my friends' accounts, insane.

Anywho, time to call it a night.

Home

Well LaX has over a foot of snow and I drove thru it. Thank God I made it through in one piece. Now I'm home. Sorry Twism ya don't get my Gamecube :/ Tomorrow looks to be a busy day. As long as I get to sleep in that's fine with me. In the meantime all my brackets are going sooooouth. Whee. Later.

Packing In

Well spring break is more less upon the Pointless. Too bad I don't have a massive staff to send off to the far flung corners of the earth for some R & R. However this is a one man show and I'm going home. Driving straight into a snowstorm in fact cause I am frankly kinda dumb but I got faith in the CRV (Honda builds kick-ass vehicles) so we'll see. If not maybe Twism will post a nice eulogy for me and at least I'll go out listening to Cells since I will probably listen to that 15,000,000,000,000,000.35 times on the way home.

Break should be good for me, a step away from all the random group politics that I have gotten tangled in and some time to think things out so I don't hurt my friends or make their lives harder. Plus I need to study up on stuff for Dreamweaver so when I get back I start work on the webpage for Al. And work on my resume. Hang out with the family as well. Going to be strange because I will probably go home (as in Point) for Easter so I might not even see my sister at all until summer (and even then maybe not til her wedding). Family is now a very different term for me. We're spread out across three cities in two states.

Uh oh, got dangerously close to a chain of thought ramble there! Anyhow, hope all those in Point enjoy their break and get recharged. We all need and deserve, we've worked hard this semester. To anyone in LaX get in touch with me, I'll be there for a week, although this weekend may involve a lot of sleeping. Pointless will probably keep updating as if no break has happened (my continued rambling thoughts never stop, maybe they will colasce into some more competent ideas).

CPS LA me out.

It's Down

Let's look at test scores I've gotten back this week: Geology = 68, CIS330 = 64, CIS 323 = Don't know but it ain't gonna be pleasent. Aargh, my GPA is gonna be totally shot at this rate and suddenly I don't want to go home now much.

Blaah. Well at least I am done with the tests. Kinda want to escape from it all right now though...

Sun Goes Down

Cells is stuck on repeat one on iTunes. Really wish there was an instrumental version but I am really thankful the website has the song on there and thankfully the school computers also have realplayer on them. I can listen to it whilst being a bum in the labs (which is what I have done a lot today).

I've been currently reading fairly quickly through "Letters From a skeptic" by Greg Boyd. It's very good although it actually brings up a lot of questions for me. Trick is I am going so fast that I can't really keep track of them so I will need to re-read and write things down. Then go ask them more wisened people whom inhabit my sidebar links.

I am wondering if I should try and restart journaling but I don't know if I will be able to find enough time. I certainly have enough stuff to dump in there.

Anyhow that's all for now. Looking forward to getting done with these classes and getting home. Whee.

And I Quote

"How far am I away from myself?"
"Not very far."

"I hit myself."
"I hit myself."
"I hit myself."

Enjoy.

Sun Goes Up

Looking at the movie Sin City and it just looks fantastic. Can't wait for it to come out. The soundtrack if the trailer is any indication will be superb. I love good music. And yes I am playing the song that is in the trailer ("Cells") repeatedly whilst working today. Just love that guitar riff during the refrain.

For those of you who haven't, check out this site. Guess which latter I am on. Kind of an amusing take on the whole social situation between guys and girls though.

One test left and two classes after that I am done prior to break. Of course I still work Friday morning but I finally will have a shift where I can just sit around and watch movies and whatnot. Looking forward to that almost as much as sleeping in next week.

GITS should be arriving today not sure if I will have time to watch it. Maybe I will have to watch it tomorrow in one of the labs. Not waiting til Friday though. It's kind of funny how busy things are this week but I've just juggled everything around without feeling overwhelmed. Might help that a break is within sight. Time to try and study a little now, need to be on top of this test tomorrow (also means getting to bed by midnight for the first time in over a week).

Odd

Whenever I doze during the day I usually have fairly vivid dreams that I can remember somewhat better then those at night. I am dozing in the XA office (if I don't have any hmwk to do and noone is coming in I drift off, kinda like in class) and keep dreaming about the same girl. Why? How come my mind is so fixated on her? Blah, gonna be stuck in my head all day. Anyhow people should come down to the office during my shifts so I am being more useful instead of merely manning a post that noone even cares much about it seems.

NCAA Tourney goodness

Well it's that time, so if you want to have a bracket or 5 try out the ESPN one (go to ESPN.com, click on fantasy, then look for a men's tournament challenge) and join the Pointless Pointers group. Password is "beeks" (without the quotes). I've populated with my random brackets and Twism has put in a couple so come out and watch me utterly fail. Open invitation #2 this week. Hope someone will take me up on it or I will feel really dumb. :/

No Strings Attached

I am totally forgetting something else I meant to put up here so hopefully later today I will remember and add that as well. However I am gonna take a moment and say to anyone who is interested to swing by 073 Debot Tuesday night at 7:30. Yes this is when Chi Alpha is. No this is not another attempt to get you to go listen to Lars speak. (Although that alone should make ya come, gosh, are you stupid or something? Have some ham.) This week however we're not having anyone speak just free coffee, cheesecake (not free, costs a buck), free massages, and free music from Ricky Ganiere. He did No Strings Attached last year as well and was quite good. According to Brent, who is vastly more knowledgable about such things, Ricky is an up and coming star in the Milwaukee area. So the offer is out there if you want free coffee (this covers 90% of my friends who are all coffee addicts!) and free music.

Grr, I wish I remembered the other thing I want to post about. Darn my horrible memory.
I do have the best darn CIS 323 partner in the whole-wide world. Yay for that. :D

Groupness

So I think I've found a group where I actually enjoy spending time with the people as a group! Don't get me wrong, I love all my friends but as people know I dislike groups (the larger the worse) and that sometimes makes life hard for people since I am group anti-social. Just realized though tonight that I really love the XA people. The group can vary (it almost always does) and that doesn't matter. We all just click pretty well. People play off each other and gags are runs for weeks on end. Plus where else can I be assured of my Perkins food being "fwooshed"?

My roommate asked if I was doing the obligatory "religious" post, don't think this is religious at all although it is nice to have people that I can discuss anything about as a group. In truth now I am in danger of rambling and I should really study the rest of geology and go to bed. Just really happy with my realization there. Good night all!

Pictures of the Ex-blonde

Oh I'm just kidding, I wouldn't do that to ya! (*evil grin*)

Let's see what to ramble about. Today was kind of a non-event. Did not study much for geology, which is bad. Spread the good news that is the Star Wars Episode 3 trailer to several people though. Revised my resume again and sent it off to be torn asunder again. That is taking forever because I procrastinate on it a ton. So played a lot of Madden and we have a winning record too.

It seems like Saturdays are relax days even when I am under pressure. If I don't take a day of slacking (no matter how much it makes my Sundays nuts) I just kinda burn out the next week. Does that make any sense? I don't know. It's what I do however.

Noticing that content here hasn't been very useful of late. Not really sure how to rectify that at the moment. Don't really have the time at the moment to do that. I haven't even finished the book on the 6 Days Wars and we're in actual combat. Usually that's a faster read for me. Perspective is all skewed. They lose a half dozen people and it's a big deal. After reading about the Soviet Front and them losing full size units (think entire armies) it seems miniscule. Battles of scale I guess? I am actually looking forward to tackling the Road to Stalingrad next I think. It'd be a good read as somehow I enjoy reading about things where the entire world is collapsing and it looks like utter defeat in inevitable. That's certainly how things looked for the Soviets during 1941. It's very engrossing to me. Probably the same reason I like certain RPGs because they are written at the brink of something although that something is really up to the people playing. I'd say it plays out in the shows and movies I watch too. Lots of the stuff I really enjoy involves epic change. Everything is on the line. Sure I enjoy the little victories and some of those are great but I gravitate towards the big picture. Think: Babylon 5, Deep Space Nine, Gundam W. All those are epic. Then again Cowboy Bebop and FLCL are hardly epic, nor are any of the other Star Treks. Are the books I read epic? Well it varies because science fiction tends to vary like every other genre. I guess maybe that's not an iron rule. I do enjoy epic though, big change brings new hope on a vast level especially against overwhelming odds.

So what was that last paragraph about? Not really sure. Take what you want. Then again that's the general philosphy of this whole blog. It's me rambling, get what you want out of it. Don't even write much fiction anymore. That's what Pillars and my journal are for. Sorry only one person ever gets to read my journal and Pillars, well let that stay just a name.

I've sorted through my pictures so if you want them let me know, otherwise I am debating just slowly putting them on the blog over the next couple months. Funny thing is, pictures just stir up major memories for me. On the other hand my journal does. Sadly I have lapsed to the point of almost not writing at all (barring fiction). If only I could do a better job at keeping it up to do. I'm waxing nostaligic now, remembering old days, old times, things long gone. Need to do that sometimes I guess.

I think I'm done now. Later.

Stand Alone

Just saw the Episode 3 trailer. Very impressive. Granted I was impressed by Ep I & II trailers as well but I think this one will be better then those (it's kind of a gradual lead up to better and better quality with the prequels). Anyhow it's hard to find right now on the web because it's not general release yet but very good looking. Only two months til it comes out now. Hard to believe. BTW Samuel L. Jackson gets a very good death looks like. Killed by someone even higher up then we realize. I read today that this will get a PG-13 rating, a SW first. Now that doesn't nessecarily make it any better by itself but it might cover the fact that the movie is about some very serious stuff (ie one of the good guys becomes the epitomy of evil). The look and feel are very similiar to I & II. Computer graphics everywhere. A lot of people dislike that with the new Star Wars but I personally enjoy it. Granting there is a nice touch when you do actual physical models (ala original Star Wars) but one thing about CGI is that it allows for very expansive battles with very few limitations. Of course this sets up for a very different feel then the original movies.

You know what's really burning me up right now? People who've decided to pick a nickname I've openly (and as calmly as possible) stated I hate. How can you call yourself a friend and use that nickname over and over when you know it irritates me. And it does, maybe because I am a 6 but it boils to the point that I am physically sick to an extent because it's on my mind and people keep calling me it (that's def. a 6 quality, getting way too worked up over something trivial, hey I am applying Riso-Hudson knowledge and I see the red flag, wait...). If you want to call me something Beeks is fine or otherwise try my given first or last names. It's not like that doesn't give you a bunch of options. Just wanted to say that, it'll probably sound ridiculous to most people. Six indeed...

Yay for most of my stuff finally shipping. Looking forward to having more books even if I am not going through them very fast. Al and I met to discuss the Evergreen webpage last night. He's got some big ideas and I hope I can meet the challenge. Some of the pages don't look terribly hard when you break things down to basic elements. I will have to try and get to work some maybe over break or in my free time. Here's hoping I meet up to expectations.

Anyhow, that's all for now, maybe I'll add something later tonight as it looks to be a quiet one.

Blah

Today just seems off so far. Kinda felt it last night but hoped it was just cause last night was really weird. Woke up and found it being true. Didn't help that my shower took 10 minutes to actually be above freezing. Break is almost in reach though, this weekend will be kind of busy but next week while busier then this should not be the utter insanity of previous weeks. Who knows though. Utter chaos may set in.

Speaking of utter chaos, while my scheduled life seems to have settled down my personal life (to me at least) seems to be in this state. It was kind of an unexpected onset. I can't tell if I live on the chaos or if I'd really do better in a peaceful zenlike state.

Spiritually I feel pretty good and almost unsick. So the key areas are spoken for right?

Amazon finally appears to have sorted out my orders (I changed the address, a good thing since they were going to send everything home). Only delay will be Exalted: Book of Bone and Ebony and that was delayed 2 weeks so it makes sense it hasn't gone out yet. I really hope I get GITS soon though, I love the show so I want to see what original movie was like. Amy (one of Allison's friends) claims anime is lousy movies and that shows she's seen absolutely no anime outside of maybe something very kid oriented. Sometimes I look at anime and wonder if it really can be counted as a genre all on its own. It's got a ton of sub-genre's with enough shows to qualify as their own genre's I'd think. Waiting now for GITS: SAC and Gundam SEED to come out as boxed sets so I can get the whole thing in one big block. I missed parts of both shows while I was abroad so I'd really like to catch up. Speaking of DVD sets, I finally found out why EFC seasons 1 & 2 haven't been released yet. Turns out Universal who had owned the rights to all 5 seasons sold 3,4 & 5 to another vendor (whose name eludes me at the moment). Now Universal was theoretically going to release 1 & 2 but has not for some reason. As a result noone knows if/when the better two seasons of the show will come out. I really hope they release one, that's been a must have for me for years now.

How's that for random blathering? Can't think of much else of consequence or inconsequence to discuss. Somehow we won our first Madden game on All-Madden although the first pass (and score from that pass) of the game was on All-Pro so it would have gone OT if not for that. Have to see if we can do better although that might be awhile I guess.

I haven't figured out what I am doing Friday night. Right now being a total bum and watching tv/movies is getting a strong vote. Who knows.

My brain is dead tonight

I watched Fight Club and that didn't help any. Very good movie though. Sounds like might actually have people up here visiting here after spring break. I think our place needs a cleaning tho. This has just been a strange week in general. Tomorrow I am excited, Al and I are gonna discuss about working on the Evergreen webpage. I am hoping I can be useful and handy with that.

Ok, I know Lindsey's gonna be dissapointed but I can't think of anything else to say. Maybe tomorrow.

Amazon better sort out my order!

Night...

XA webpage work proceeds apace

IMG_1045, originally uploaded by mirv120.

Anyhow that's my proposed pic for me on the webpage :D

Anime Fall-out

Wow, another geek-centric industry over-diluting itself. (See MAHQ link for info on that, there's an interview of a Bandai employee in there.) Compare to last post in Gamethink blog and note similiarities. D20 overload and anime overload. Bah. Granted I am picky with each so it's not surprising, I've seen a lot of bad products in both. For bad anime watch Tech TV late at night, it tends to have ones I think are vastly inferior to Adult Swim. Course I don't pay much attention to their shows anyhow so maybe a good one slips through. Just thought I would leave that little gem of food for thought out there. Discuss, contemplate. I am going to bed. Good night folks.

Autchothon and the Ex-Blondes

Some Exalted news for those who care: cover is out for Cult of the Illuminated. Very nice close up of Crimson Banner Executioner. Go check it out. Just check the WW forums Exalted section, should be links to it. Also getting excited for the next hardcover Exalted: The Autocthonians (spl). It's the final character based Exalted hardcover so it will be interesting to see what their plans are after this. They've been tightlipped about the fall book (probably a Storyteller's companion) so kind of curious what comes. The only non-character based hardcover is the Player's Guide so go figure. Bone and Ebony comes out next week, Amazon is at a loss at what they should send me first so in the end I will probably get a huge package the week I'm back HOME. Grr to that.

Now most of you reading this are thinking: "Dude, we don't care!" This I cannot help. I don't have much stuff to say, deep or otherwise. I am sort of in a good mood, despite bronchitis (pray that Jenny gets better, she needs it more then me) and that kind of mood makes me less prone to write stuff. I think that's all. I am kind of worried because when I am feeling on top of the world I feel like I will fall but I just got out of the trenches I don't think I can fall right back in! Take care!

Blip

Well got a little relief from homework pressure again as my lab was cancelled today. Now I just have to crack down and focus on homework for a couple hours and try and get most of it done. Jenny is far sicker then me (poor her, I got better real fast, kinda figured that was God's way of saying: "Go to leadership tonight, you'll get something good out of it") so not doing workout or spin class tonight. That's fine with me as my lungs still have gunk in them so my throat is kinda tickly sore. I laughed at myself as I totally forgot I still have throat lozenges that Leah gave me in London. Will have to take them tonight.

Things are to some extent looking up for me. Classes have eased off a bit giving me a chance, if I am on top of things, to catch up and prepare for tests. Back to work now, hope everyone else's week looks decent. Too bad the weather won't hold (although everyone enjoys being pelted by mini ice bullets at 0745 right?)

Random Add-Ons and Pointless Dramas

Not really sure what the title all means but I wanted a longer one so that works. Fun fun.

Molly's blog and Eric's (ie Da Gov) new blog are up on the sidebar. That thing continues to grow and grow and grow. Maybe I should just link my old webpage and turn that into a giant links section. Course then noone would need to read my blog cause they'd have the links :D Hope the new additions are enjoyable.

Got out on a nice walk with Allison today. I miss walks and missed walking with Allison so I got to kill two birds with one stone. Plus I got my rough draft of the resume done and off to peoples so hopefully by the middle of this week I will have an e-copy of that to send out and maybe try for some of those internships. I am getting in on that late in the game so who knows. My own fault if I don't get anything. If all else fails I can probably work summer as an IT person here doing peon stuff for UWSP. So I should have a job in some form come late May.

Anyhow, now I am gonna go and be bumlike for the greater good of me so that I can go to XA leadership meeting tonight. I mean after nearly getting run down by Brent in the parking lot the least I can do is get him horribly, terribly sick, right? Just kidding, I hope not!

The Macs are Anal Today

Working in the FAC so I figured I'd be productive. I updated the UWSP XA page and now I'm going to post here. :) <---the feeling even with crazy cold.

Anywho, forgot to mention last post that for any Star Wars buffs that the episode III full trailer will premire this week during Fox's The OC on Thursday. So yes, if you really want to see it you'll have to watch utter trash or otherwise wait a week or so. Thankfully AOL users get to see it the next day and thanks to my parents, I am an AOL user! :) <----the feeling even with the Mac server being dumb.

I am currently trying to figure out how I want to configure the UWSP XA page. I like frames myself but I think they'll be an utter pain to edit unless I'm using Frontpage on campus. Frankly I just got Dreamweaver so I'd like to use that. Therefore I need to come up with an alternative. Al is a big fan of grids and I might be helping him out on the Evergreen Community Church webpage so mayhaps I will try that next. For now though the frames will stay simply because I need to rebuild the page from scratch and they work acceptably for your basic provide information in a neat, concise, and easy-to-navigate format.

The Mac server is starting to tick me off! Nothing works! And I can't fix anything because it's server side screw-ups and we don't have that kind of power or (let's face it) knowledge to fix it. Of course noone checks their e-mails on Saturdays so my pleas for assistance are meeting deaf ears. Blaarg. Maybe I should call the help desk. Not sure what they can do but would prefer to go thru LAs rather then the Help Desk. Besides I am a low end peon so I might be raising a pointless alarm. Oh well. Shift is almost half-way done.

If anyone knows what the ex-blonde does for a part-time job let me know. She's being odd and won't tell me, must be the blonde in her acting up! >:D

Dancing 101

Exotic title eh? It does seem like I am jumping from one thing to another lately. Mostly one homework assignment to another, although the Requirements diagrams turned out really nice so it's all good. Usually I feel like my work in CIS 323 is substandard but today I thought it was decent even if I was guessing a ton as usual. Perhaps I am learning something after all.

I've come down with something again. Not another stomach bug thank God, two in a week and I'd throw in the towel and go home and hide under my old bed. It is the type that causes you to ache slightly all over and feel just slightly dazed all the time. This is usually the precursor to me blowing my nose 300000000000 times a day but it's lasted for more then a day so I am a little wary. Last time that happened I had mono. Hopefully get 10-11 hours of sleep tonight and that will help although maybe I will skip church on Sunday (for shame I know) and give myself some more. Alas spiritual time and physical let the body rest time clash as they are both equally important and play off each other. Well if I sleep in Sunday I'll fit some God time into my day since at this point I have no homework do til Tuesday (yay!).

Speaking of general business I have been neglecting to keep in touch with people as well as I should. This week I actually made some progress is reversing that, don't ask me how, this week was mostly utterly insane. However I talked with Brianna, Krystal, and Abby, Julie, and Allison all a bunch this week so doing pretty good. Also got to talk to the ex-blonde last night (causing me however to neglect my house guests some, sorry! *humbly begs forgiveness for bad multi-tasking abilities*). Now if only the ex-blonde would return blonde so I can save three keystrokes when talking to her. And yes she does have a name but I am a bad person and don't use it much! Maybe she is tolerant of crazy people. She does play Halo. Speaking of that, why don't we get people together and play Halo? It's a bloody brilliant game! Or even a little TS2 on the Gamecube, it's also pretty kickass if more hyperactive. All it seems that Twism and I play is Madden and that's gonna get harder after we win the Superbowl tomorrow since we're switching up to All-Madden. McNabb's QB rating my cease being a positive number altogether.

Anyhow, this is a long ramble, hope everyone enjoyed it. I need to go and do some stuff and sort some pictures from Europe so maybe I can send out a decent mix to people who want them (in which case if you do, leave comment or e-mail me or something).

Vermont

Reading in today's NY Times (pagr A11) that towns in Vermont, backed by anti-war, are debating whether National Gaurd should be over in Iraq fighting instead of being prepared for natural disasters in the States. This really surprises me you could even have this kind of debate. I know they are National Gaurd so the general idea is that they won't be deployed overseas (whether that is the correct assumption is quite debatable) but when did the idea come that their primary job is natural disaster assistance? They're soldiers. When they sign up they are fully aware they may have to kill for their country. We even call them "weekend warriors". Why would they be trained to use guns and other implements of death if they weren't supposed to fight?
Historically national guard units have always been active. As far as I can tell since it's been nationally organized the National Guard has been called up to fight. So why do anti-war people suddenly think that's changed? It just seems ridiculous to me that they'll try anything to oppose the process including trying to re-classify people. Not one person in Iraq is there involuntarily. Everyone of them signed on to a job that entailed being sent into a hostile situation.

So yeah, that's my randomly frustrated post of the week that. (Different from my usual, depressed me posts!)

BTW, isn't it scary that Vermont's ex-gov is now in charge of the Dem's?

And Eric and I had a great debate on social security and welfare (also whether God support capitolism, an odd topic I'll grant but it relates sort of if you know us). Have to put Eric's new blog up soon (when I have some time back home).

No Good Titles Here

So yeah, today has been ok thus far. Test in approximately 50 minutes or so. That should be fun. Really. Other then that just more homework to crunch on tonight and reading the chapters in CIS323. Apparently Goulet is aware that we are up to our eyeballs in homework and has given us extra lab time (yay!) and pushed the test back a week (yay!). Maybe I will pass now (yay!). First Friday Fellowship is this week too I just realized so (yay!) for getting to go out there on Friday night and relax. Maybe it won't be so bloody cold. I find Molly's blog (another person from Europe group) so I will probably put that up in the great link index eventually. I know I have failed to wrap up my links commentary and SALT thoughts and who knows if I ever will.

Some bad news, WW has apparently quietly pushed back Book of Bone and Ebony til March 14th so now I have to wait for my huge shipment of books and such to come. I was really hoping to have the Ghost in the Shell DVD to watch this weekend too. Want to see how the original Tatchkoma's (spl?) were. GITS: Stand Alone Complex is fast becoming one of my favorite shows. It's moody and I still have figured out what the over-arching meta-plot is yet, which reminds me a lot fo Witch Hunter Robin, but I know it's there because something greater is hinted at. I am just not sure what.

Anyhow, XA tonight and anyone who wants a ride let me know I'll be running about picking up people looks like so can always wedge a few dozen more in between the baseboards. Need to get the CRV out on a longer drive so good thing for First Friday Fellowship and if anyone has any other suggested relaxing drives around here let me know as it'd be good to get out. If only I could find a cute girl then I could call it a date, but haha that's never gonna happen.

Last commentary, the XA small group I'm in will be on Monday afternoons (or evenings if that works better) looks like so since it's just me and Lars if anyone wants in let me (or Lars) know. Anyone's welcome, not sure what we're gonna discuss but guys or girls are welcome so that's me trying to get your interest in that (also me & Lars realizing XA guys #s are so small we can't make two guys small groups I think :( ). That's all for now catch ya later peons!