Hello, Is There Anybody Out There?

Woody's Monthly "Things You Should Listen To But Probably Aren't An- WHY WOULD YOU NAME A BAND THAT?!"

2009-12-20T22:11:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first installment of WMTYSLTBPAAWWYNABT. Er, on second thought we'll just call it Woody's Indie Rock Blog. WIRB is so much easier to type. Yeah. Anyway, I figured this is probably the easiest way to get the word out on some bands I think people of The Circle would enjoy. Those of you already into Indie may feel like your intelligence is being insulted by some of the suggestions ("Brah, Cage the Elephant is SO old hat."), but bear with me, I'll be pulling some weird shit out of the bag as well.

Since this is the first of many to come, I figured for those not heavily into the Indie genre, I'd throw out a few of what I personally feel are bands that represent the Indie genre well as a whole. While they aren't necessarily the best of the best, they do lay down the foundations of Indie music. For example, you'd be hard pressed to find a modern Indie band that doesn't cite Neutral Milk Hotel as a influence on their work:

Neutral Milk Hotel
Cage The Elephant
Devendra Banhart
Guided By Voices
Iron & Wine
The Flaming Lips

The following list of songs is a compilation of my favorite discoveries from the bowels of the Indie internet-underworld (Interworld? Undernet? I like undernet!). Give them a spin and let me know what you liked most!

Song: Dance the Way I Feel
Artist: Ou Est Le Swimming Pool
Highlights: The perfect fusion of house rhythms and indie vocals.

Song: Concaves
Artist: Glorytellers
Highlights: The American counterpart to The Kooks. And a fondness for the harmonica.

Song: The Echoes of Time
Artist: The Smiles and Frowns
Highlights: Proves that less can indeed be more. Simple lyrics and minimalistic guitar manage to tell a complex story. Damn this duo for making it look so effortless.

Song: Baby Boomer
Artist: Monsters of Folk
Highlights: More like Masters of Folk. Takes Indie-Folk to the edge and beyond. Pure excellence.

Song: The '59 Sound
Artist: The Gaslight Anthem
Highlights: Your shampoo bottle will be hearing this chorus for weeks as you sing it in the shower. I hope mine likes my imitation of a gravelly man-voice. I sure don't.

Song: Are You Sure
Artist: Tutankamon
Highlights: The guitar riff is the ultimate earworm. I hope you like competition.

Song (Two recommendations this time): Anna, Simple Stones
Artist: Jupiter One
Highlights: Simple Stones is simply 80s funk gone Indie. It's brilliant.

Song: Waste Time
Artist: The Fire Theft
Highlights: A very chill song, makes the best impression though if it is immediately followed by Heaven by the same band - its more upbeat counterpart.

Song: The Indie Queens Are Waiting
Artist: Dan Mangan
Highlights: The guitar and piano are so soft the singers might as well deliver this one a capella - this might sound like a backhanded compliment, but it isn't. An emotional performance driven almost solely by voice alone isn't something one stumbles on often, and should be given special note when it is.

Song: You're In Love With The Sun
Artist: The Very Most
Highlights: Update The Beatles by 40 years and give them a surf rock twist. And there you have it.

Song: Come Out, Come Out
Artist: I Was Totally Destroying It
Highlights: Your steering wheel-drum kit will be slamming out this beat for weeks. I sure hope that if you're a foot tapper you don't drive a manual.

Song: New Theory
Artist: Washed Out
Highlights: A sort of low-fi ballad with heavy techno undertones. An interesting combination, but it really works.

Song: Tear Down the Opera House
Artist: The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
Highlights: Oh, whoop-di-do. Another punk-rock influenced song about taking down the establishment. Ohhh, so clever. Wait for the Chuck Berry-style guitar solo. And then proceed to shit bricks.

I'll end with The Bravery's new album, Stir The Blood. Not quite as good as their previous The Sun and The Moon, but definitely worth checking out. And with that, I'll leave you to your own assessments of my choices, and to discoveries of your own.

Listen well!
Your Friendly Neighborhood Indie Music Guru

Interesting Things Nikki And I Talk About Late At Night:

2009-09-27T22:05:00.001-07:00

Woody: "Do you think Tony Stark put a urine capture device in the Iron Man suit so he can pee in flight?"

Nikki: "Probably."

Woody: "...What if he has to shit?"

Nikki: "He can't shit in flight."

Woody: "Sometimes he's in that suit for over 24 hours! It's either take it off or shit in the suit."

Nikki: "Well maybe he's like a bear and eats a lot of moss to plug up his ass."

Woody: "That could be why he was drinking that green stuff in the movie. High fiber diet and all."

Woody: "Why would Bella and Edward think it's a good idea to have a fucking baby?"

Nikki: "Why would they think it's a good idea to be fucking?"

Woody: "I mean, vampire baby, shit's dangerous. If I were her, I woulda been like: 'Whoa, why didn;t you tell me this child would try to eat my uterus.' And then it would've been whisk time."

Nikki: "Like Emeril? *mimes whisking motion* KICK IT UP A NOTCH."

(Talking about the sex scene between Dan and Laurie)

Nikki: "At first he's like: SEX. YEEEAAAAAAHHHH! But then he has E.D. so he's like: NOOOOOO!"

A Little Slice Of The College Life

2009-09-23T23:57:00.000-07:00

As I begin classes tomorrow, I figure now is a good time to reflect on what the past few days of living in a dorm room has taught me about college life:

-Never go to dinner at 6:00 pm.

-Never try to shower at 7:00pm.

-When swearing loudly over video games/WoW, make sure no one is standing out in the hall that can hear you, lest you offend them.

-Always know where the closest ATM, comic book store, and drug store are.

-All the men on our floor are chill, efficient, and decent human beings in general. The women are bitches.

-Only leave your door open if you want people running in at 10:30 at night wanting to play Rock Band. No matter how hot it is.

-There is no such thing as too many posters.

-Bring plenty of munchies.

-Telling the story where I say "I feel like every liquid currently in my body is piss" is not a good way to make new friends.

-Don't get on your RA's bad side.

-And finally: disregard bitches, acquire currency.

UPDATE!

2009-08-20T19:44:00.000-07:00

NO ONE GIVES A SHIT! (No, really, I don't know if anyone even reads this anymore so it is a logical assumption.)

Anyway, on to business.

Currently playing: The Minstrel's Prayer by Cartel

Days until I move into my shiny new dorm room: 29

Days until I start fucking up things in my shiny new dorm room: 30

Days until FUUUUUUU- (read: first class I will ever have is Chem lecture at 7:30 am): 34

Art projects finished: 1

Art projects not finished: 12

iTunes library status since grey-screen of DOOM: 4, 203 songs, 22.14 gb

Indie-fied: Very much so.

On a scale of "Nah" to "OH MY GO-AUBSIYVAYAV", how much my room needs to be cleaned: "I think that pile of laundry is trying to communicate through pantomime. That or my dog is stuck under it."

Things purchased in the last week:

-Time Capsule

-Post-it Notes

-Socks

-Earplugs

Things I have in my room that don't belong in my house: 12

Number of people that need to be given their shit back: 2

WoW Accomplishments:

80 Death Knight (Saintmurder)

80 Mage (Oddity)

79 Warrior (Stimpak)

73 Druid (Chemo)

68 Rogue (Radium)

36 Shaman (Ectoplasm)

29 Paladin (Acumen)

20 Hunter (Acehigh)

Man-Harem Additions:

Craig Parker (NOT in Haldir costume. He looks retarded. Zap the wig though, and nnngghh. Pretty.)

Sam Neill

Paul Bettany

Ethan Hawke

Alejandro Manzano (Lead singer of Boyce Avenue. Check 'em out on YouTube.)

Current music obsessions:

The Bravery

The Dead 60s

Eisley

Keane

Locksley

The Real Tuesday Weld

TV on the Radio

To-Do List:

Finish packing

Clean room

Finish Packing

Clean out mini-fridge

Finish packing

Baby-proof house

Finish packing

Wash car

Finish packing

Explore phenomena called "sunlight"

Finish packing

FINISH PACKING!

...

Oh, I need new jeans too.

Care level: I_I

("Ahem, Thisby."

"Aye, Cap'n. Quite."

"Thisby, it appears that the lass's care cup is still rather empty."

"Indeed, Cap'n. Most remarkable."

"...Well, do something about it, Thisby!"

"Erm, what do you propose, Cap'n?"

"Well, first things first, those pants are going to have to come off."

"C-Cap'n?")

"Trent?" "Yeah?" "I think I just came. I'm standing 15 feet away from Chris Martin."

2009-07-21T20:49:00.000-07:00

So, Coldplay in concert...holy shit. Like, I knew they were good, but they were a million times better live then I ever expected. And it was more than just the fact that these are four very talented guys bouncing around on stage and having so much fun doing it, you're having fun just WATCHING them...it was the whole event. The lights, smoke, acoustics, balloons, GLOW IN THE DARK BUTTERFLIES. It was just...magical. I know that sounds corny, but for two and a half hours I wasn't in Irvine, California. I was in a completely different world. And the population was 20,000 screaming fans and 4 very talented musicians.

The Breakdown:

7:00 - The first opening band starts, a very odd swing/pop/country/blues compilation band hailing from the UK. The male singer was very good, but the female drummer kept throwing me off. She used her entire body whilst drumming. Very strange.

8:00 - Second opening band begins, even weirder than the first. Sort of a African choir meets Techno meets Blues. Very bizarre combination, but it kinda sorta (not-really) worked. Either way, opening bands are supposed to be mediocre anyway.

8:50 - Roadies begin setting up for Coldplay. I squee at the sight of Chris Martin's signature acoustic guitar.

9:10 - The show kicks off with a blast - lights, color, and sound - to the tune of Life in Technicolor. Chris Martin is bouncing around the stage like he's walked every inch of it since he was born. It's hard to describe how happy I was that they opened the show with my favorite song from Viva La Vida.

From there the set followed thusly:

Violet Hill (My second favorite song off the album, who'da thunkit?)

In My Place

Viva La Vida (I shouted myself hoarse on this one. You couldn't NOT sing along.)

Yellow (Here they had giant yellow balloons out in the crowd.)

Glass of Water

Cemeteries of London

Fix You (Imagine 20,000 people singing along with this. EVERYONE was on their feet.)

Strawberry Swing (One of the best performances of the night.)

God Put a Smile On Your Face (This is the song where they played on a stage in the middle of the crowd and I was 15 feet away from them. It was insane how close I was. I - just - it was amazing.)

Talk

Lost

Green Eyes (Again, they went and played in a different part of the crowd, but this is my favorite Coldplay song of all time. I was very surprised that they played it. In fact, I bet Trent before the concert that they WOULDN'T play it, heh.)

Billy Jean (Yes, they did an acoustic version of this song. Also, my favorite Michael Jackson song. Funny, innit?)

Death Will Never Conquer (Much to my surprise, the drummer really could sing.)

Politik

Lovers In Japan (Here they launched thousands of thin plastic butterflies that glowed in the dark into the crowed. NEON RAIN!)

Death and All of His Friends

Reprise of Viva La Vida

The Scientist

Life In Technicolor ii (A nice way to wrap up the show with this one.)

The show ended around 11:15, and I called Trent right after it was over to ask him what he thought. Most of the phone call was silence because we couldn't put how it felt to be there into words. I still can't.

I honestly think the best part about the whole thing was that you could see how much fun the band members were having. I've seen many shows where the band looks like they can't wait to get offstage. Their whole performance says "Damn, I have to do this 100 more times." During this show, there wasn't even a hint of that. Either the members of Coldplay are very good actors, or they genuinely enjoyed what they were doing. It was impossible not to have fun.

Simply put, Coldplay in concert was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. I've stood inside St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. I've seen the Panama Canal. I've stood at the highest point in the continental United States, and seeing them play live is right up there with all those.

...And the only thing that could top it would be seeing Bowie in concert.

Blink

2009-06-14T20:33:00.000-07:00

So I finally did it. Fuck.

I started writing the epic story about time travel that I've had stuck in my head for three years now. It's been rattling around up there because I've always been too terrified to try and put it down, like trying to capture a waft of smoke - reach for it and it's gone.

The Players:

Evan Hoffling - Called 'Hoff' by most people but can't stand it.

Fadir Mittal - Evan's best friend who is convinced he can travel in time.

Juliet Fenwick - I don't know how she fits yet or what she does, but holy shit that's too cool a name to waste.

The Problem:

Okay, now me actually telling you how Fadir thinks he could travel in time would defeat the point of me even writing, yes? Just so you know, it has to do with strings and paradoxes and the constant movement of molecules. Oh, and blinking.

I'm certain this will turn out to be yet another one of my partially-finished, hair-brained schemes that never see fruition, but here I go anyway.

On The Proper Use of Leverage

2009-05-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

"Give me but one firm spot of land on which to stand, and I will move the world." - Archimedes

So says the man that was the first to discover the properties of buoyancy, to give practical uses for mirrors and levers, to calculate the volume of a sphere. Archimedes was hailed as the one of the greatest polymaths ever to live by taking theory from the abstracted mind, and giving it a practical use. Archimedes stood on the library and museum at Alexandria, and from there he changed the world.

I have Lancaster. And I will have UC Davis. Certainly they are no match for the birth place of modern thought and reason, but maybe - just maybe - they're firm enough that I can change the world too.

Archimedes changed the world with a lever and fulcrum, what will you change the world with?

(I blame illness on this post. I have been reading "The Rise and Fall of Alexandria" while I've been bedridden...blasted philosophers.)

The Nature of Wind

2009-05-15T22:29:00.000-07:00

It isn't often that I read something and feel like the author is speaking personally to me. More often that not, books are an entertainment - a distraction. Complete immersion in a book is one of my favorite diversions since it's so simple for me to get lost in the lives and infinite intricacies of another person's life, but rarely do I ever feel any personal connection to the characters. Most of the time I feel like I'm treated at best as an observer (at worst an intruder) to the book.

But every once in a great while, I read something, and I can't help but feel that either I've known the author or they've known me, because they know exactly what I need to hear at that exact moment. It's an odd thing, that, and it makes you wonder if things like that are always there, but you just don't notice. Because you need someone to tell you those exact words, but when no one does, you go looking for them...and sometimes you do find them.

I didn't make valedictorian this year, nor did I make CSF. I will be one of the few IB seniors to not be a valedictorian or graduate in gold. I don't blame anyone but myself though. Every decision I've made for the past four years was mine and mine alone, and this is where they've left me. Am I angry? Yes. Will I stay angry? No, there isn't any point. So I'll have a different colored robe. So I won't sit next to my friends. There's no point in fighting something that I can't change, and I needed a piece of fiction to tell me the truth of that:

"That's the nature of wind. You can work with it or you can fight against it... but no matter how much you might not like it, you can't change it."

I have two choices: I can get angry about my own failures, or I can enjoy my last two weeks of high school. Staying angry might feel good now, but I will regret the time wasted later. I certainly won't like it, but I'll do what I can to work with it.

Like Clockwork

2009-04-21T22:05:00.000-07:00

In gearing up for the release of the new Star trek movie, I've once again immersed myself in the escapist fantasy that is inherently the normal state of being for a Trekkie. Instead of caring about what clothes to wear or what new fad to buy, we ponder the universe and the future and everything in between.

This has led me to consider the one topic that has always fascinated me: alternate universes. The idea of an alternate universe is that for every major decision we make, there is an equal and opposite decision, and by making a choice we split our fate one way or another. This would imply that there are points in life that are distinctly more important than others, and the question is: If such moments do exist, how do we go about recognizing them? Or, are they recognizable at all?

The Star Trek episode City On The Edge Of Forever put forth a situation where a woman that was well liked, well respected, and totally innocent had to die in order for the universe to continue the way it was intended to. If the life of one person can so radically affect the future, then how are we to justify anything we do? A harsh word could accidently turn the tide of a kind person into a hateful bigot, a piece of trash casually tossed aside could prove to be the extinction of an entire species.

Causation: this is the dilemma of all questions involving alternate universes. If each alternate universe is born of an important decision made by a single person, then the number of possible universes out there is, well...astronomical.

So, for example, this Fall I will be attending UC Davis, but (going back to last November), I may have decided not to join Mock Trial which caused problems with me getting CAS hours and I didn't get the leadership experience, so I didn't get into UC Davis. In another universe, I went to AVC for two years. Maybe I transferred out, maybe I met someone and decided to stay, maybe I died in a car accident on my way home. One decision, whether or not to join Mock Trial could have affected the future of my life to that extent. Of course we'll never know if Mock Trial was the ultimate reason why I got into UC Davis, but the possibility is still there, and for an alternate universe, possibility is all it needs.

I recognize joining Mock Trial as an important point in my life, possibly one that affected my future. McCoy in the Star Trek episode attempted to save Edith Keeler, but was stopped by Kirk and Spock. Because of her pacifist tendencies, Keeler would have delayed the US's entrance into WWII, to the point where Hitler nearly took over the world. Starfleet never existed in that timeline. For McCoy, trying to save Keeler wasn't a conscious choice. He never considered the repercussions of her living when it was clear she was meant to die. It was an action, not a decision.

So that leaves the bigger question: Are we in charge of our own fate?

I would say no, based solely on the fact that even if we were able to accurately recognize every important moment of our lives, there is no way that is humanly possible to extrapolate all of the possible outcomes of a particular decision. Our lives are like clocks, with a infinite number of cogs and wheels and little machines that drive everything that we do, but if one falls out of place our lives are derailed instantly. However, by carefully weighing decisions instead of hasty choices, we can make them run like clockwork.

All right. Enough philosophical ranting.

Emoetry

2009-04-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

I'm sick of everyone else's emoetry, so I'm gonna show y'all how it's done, haiku style:

Normally life sucks.

But cryptic phrases say zilch.

So get over it.

Goddamn. If you're going to say something, then just say it already. Pfft.

I Know I Need To Start Sleeping Again When:

2009-03-31T23:08:00.000-07:00

1. I spend three hours designing an apparatus that would fit inside my backpack and give me a constant supply of Mountain Dew with minimum effort.

2. I cry over movies and things I've never cried over before.

3. The word 'faloffle' induces unreasonably long periods of hysteria and laughter.

4. Sleeping with my eyes closed is harder than sleeping with my eyes open.

5. I become convinced that because of lack of sleep I will either:

A) Spontaneously combust

B) Evolve into a high being that has no need for sleep

C) Fold inward on myself, thusly creating a black hole and defying the laws of physics.

D) Become a chocolate chip muffin.

6. I actually start paying attention in class.

7. I feel like a stranger in my own house because I wander around in it at 3 AM.

8. It takes me at least 10 minutes to figure out what day it is, let alone what I'm supposed to be doing other than breathing.

9. Suddenly, I completely and utterly understand The Wall without ingesting any recreational or prescription drugs.

10. I read interesting stories about men dying from ingesting alcohol with their anus and Canadian trappers snapping off their man-logs with a bear trap.

I should go to bed. Note: should.

Problem: Can't.

FML.

FML

2009-03-31T01:44:00.000-07:00

Fate

Upholds

Carnivorous

Kites

Meanwhile

You

Live

Implicitly

For

Everything

That is all.

Update!

2009-03-28T01:34:00.000-07:00

Phobias:

Spiders

Dust Motes

Choking on Pop Rocks

Statues (10 wig-out points if it's weeping)

Clowns

Hobos

Telephone booths

Mold

Olive-loaf

Jury duty

Cannibalism

Piranas

Insomnia: Still here, and in full force.

Man-Harem Additions:

Gary Oldman

Ed Norton

Matthew Goode

Paul McGillion

David Hewlett

Alan Rickman

Current Thoughts:

"Why am I blogging at two in the morning?"

"Does anyone care?"

"Mmm, cheez-its."

"Why do we talk about distance in minutes or hours instead of miles?"

"Fucking cats fighting outside my window."

WoW Accomplishments:

Saintmurder - 80 Death Knight

Oddity - 78 Mage

Chemo - 65 Druid

Coffinated - 64 Warlock

School: Balls

College: UC Davis! Wewt!

Times I've left the house in the last two weeks outside of school: 4

Conclusion: The subject has no life.

Days since I cleaned my room: 13

To-Do List:

Buy new jeans

Buy new shoes

Buy David Bowie

Clean room

Wash car

Get mage to 80

Finish CAS hour sheets

Stoke up motivation to study Bio/Math

...

Do something productive

Care Level: I_I

("Captain, it appears that her care collection container is bereft of any care whatsoever."

"Very astute, Lieutenant. Her 'care cup' is empty, indeed."

"'Care cup'! Splendid, sir.")

In other words: I have no life. Go me.

All Great Things...

2009-03-18T23:57:00.000-07:00

Well, you all know how the saying goes.

Everyone's sort of doing these "the end is coming, let's all reflect on the good times" blogs, and if there's anyone I'm going to conform to, I'm glad it's with the Circle.

Everyone has a block in their life called high school, and ours is nearly at an end. Two months, and that part of our life is over forever and we get to move on somewhere new. And I can't make up my mind about how I feel (truth be told though, that's how I've felt for most of my life; never knowing the difference between how I feel and how I'm supposed to feel). Part of me is chomping at the bit to get out of here, not to anyplace in particular, just to be somewhere different, somewhere new. And the other half can only think about how I'm going to miss seeing all of you everyday. The internet can only do so much y'know.

So, I'm stuck in the rut of leaving and staying, and I've only got two months to sort all this shit out.

But, anyway, back to happier times. Let's do this chronologically, shall we? Perfectly logical for a Circle member, so I suppose it's fitting.

Freshman Year: Shit, I hated QHHS. I didn't like the friends I had because they were mostly comprised of people I didn't like and didn't hang out with in middle school, but it was them or alone, and someone is better than no one. About halfway through the year Aged LeBeau (Pre-IB Geometry: Sucked balls) rearranged the seats so that I was sitting next to Michelle Mercer. I didn't know her, didn't much care to get to know her, but we had to share a book so some communication was required between us. And I'll be damned if three weeks later I wasn't hanging out with her, Sara Daniel and Nikki Hooper, blowing off homework and gettin' into trouble.

The Circle Mark 1: Woody, Sara, Paige, Nikki, Chelle, Autumn, Jew, Smity

Important Notes: Paige marked for death, Sara has long hair, I have long hair, hanging out on the grass, The Penny.

Sophomore Year: Things were looking pretty good. Last year I pulled all A's, made some great new friends, and my parents were happy. And then Lenaway happened. To be honest, I don't remember too much of what happened that year beyond my father being constantly hovering over my every grade and the constant disappointment that was second period. I know that sounds very emo and exaggerated, but that class seriously sucked. I mean, it made the whole year bad. I'm sure there were great Circle moments of awesome and epic win, but for the life of me I can't think of any.

The Circle Mark II: Woody, Sara, Paige, Nikki, Chelle, Jew, Autumn, Smity, Kraut, Trent, Brendan, Prances, Grace

Important Notes: Kraut moves, Paige is still going to die, Sara cuts hair, I keep mine, still hanging out on the grass but move indoors when it becomes too cold (beginning of possible migration theory), The Hilarious Incident of the Gnome in the Nighttime.

Junior Year: Ah, the year of change. Coming into eleventh grade, every illusion I had about my invincibility to a grade below a B completely and utterly vanished. And so did all of my work ethic. I think all of us went through some pretty radical changes, physically or mentally, sometimes both, at least in my case. I lost the hair, and according to most of the Circle a lot of my annoying douchebag traits. I'm still a douchebag, just a slightly more lovable one. Also, I become addicted to coffee and begin driving.

The Circle Mark III: Woody, Sara, Paige, Nikki, Jew, Autumn, Chelle, Prances, Brendan, Grace

Important Notes: I still will be the end of Paige (eventually), Sara cuts hair (shorter), I finally get rid of mine, now spending most lunches in DeGroff's room, mornings in LeBeau the Younger's.

Senior Year: The year of: "I should...oh, fuck it." I can understand why Parks calls out class the Year of Apathy. Due to California budget constraints and national economic problems, our entire class knew that getting into the colleges we wanted to go to was very slim from the start. At least that's what I'm blaming my apathy on. That and a combination of Reti's class making me averse to any conversations that involve politics, morality, or philosophy (things I actually used to enjoy pursuing in my own time). Between Mock Trial, IB, and the stress of getting into a good college, I feel tired. And sick. And sort of angry. But I can't afford to be any of those things because senior year is supposed to be one of the best years of my entire life and I can't afford to waste it on being pissed off. But, between the epic Circle parties, coffee in the mornings, and Nikki's always amazing food, I've done it.

We've done it.

The Circle Mark IV: Woody, Nikki, Sara, Paige, Chelle, Autumn, Jew, Webster, Mariah, Brendan, Jeff, Prances, Dakota, Caitlin, Grace

Shit, nearly four years, and even though we've had our bumps and our spinouts and our bitchy little arguments, we're still friends, and that's a lot more than most people can say.

And there will be parts of my high school career that I'll look back on and wince, maybe mutter a "probably not the smartest idea", but as a whole I won't look back and remember the teachers most, or the tests, or the field trips or the fights or prom...it'll be you guys. Four years is a hell of a long time to know someone for people our age, to see them and talk with them nearly everyday. I doubt I'll ever understand all of you, get what makes you tick, but that's all right because where's the fun in talking with someone when you know them down to their last inch?

So, yes, all good things must come to an end, and forgive me for being blunt but I do fear that college will be the end of The Circle. We can keep in contact over the internet and phone, but you lose something when you don't see someone everyday.

It had to end eventually, but I'll tell you one thing, I wouldn't've traded you guys for the world.

"Woody, Why Do You Watch Stargate: Atlantis So Much?"

2008-12-15T21:26:00.000-08:00

I get asked that question a lot. Sometimes I say it's the stories: body swaps, zombie-creatures that look like the cursed spawn of Arthas and Sephiroth, exploration, hallucinations, amnesia, intrigue, romance, and damned clever solutions. Sometimes it's the action: Gunfights, space battles, manly wrestling matches with rabid Wraith, sparring and sword fights. Then again, it could be the witty one-liners: Well, not always witty, usually the scene is summed up rather well with, "Oh crap." It could be the editing or the music or the writing or any number of other things, but I'd be lying.

It's the hot men.

Meet Doctor Carson Beckett, an adorable Scotsman and the best surgeon in two galaxies. My comment: ...Dimples. Jahfqfanadnanda. *ded*

Next up is Doctor Rodney McKay. He's snarky, he's sexy, and yes, he's much smarter than you.

I suppose I can't talk about the hot men of Atlantis without mentioning the utterly irresistible Colonel John Sheppard. Hair, scruff, pointy ears. I don't think anymore needs to be said.

Major Evan Lorne. Just...the bedhead. Oh my god. I can't even say anymore. Just...damn.

So yes, Atlantis has its merits. It has good stories, amazing action, interesting writing, witty dialogue, but those kinds of shows are a dime a dozen without some really hot Sci-Fi men.

Now excuse me, I believe a cold shower is in order.

...Now I Remember Why I Stopped Writing!

2008-12-15T18:52:00.000-08:00

I can't finish anything! Even if I only try to write something that's like 1,500 words, it ends up stretching to something that, if ever finished, would be at least 10,000, and I only make it halfway through the plot before I get hung up.

It's even worse than not being able to write at all because I have all these ideas and I can't make any of them work.

Fuckin' frustrating, that's what it is.

On another note: Man, The State, and War anagrams to both A Handsaw Treatment and A Shattered Man Want. Fitting, yes?

Question Time!

2008-11-17T18:37:00.000-08:00

...Stole this idea from Grace.

1. Do you do anything special with Sara?

2. What was your first impression of Grace?

3. If you and Paige were locked in the same room for longer than a day, what would happen?

4. Who would make a better superhero sidekick between Dakota and Sara, and why?

5. If Brendan played in a movie, what kind of character would they play?

6. Do you love Nikki?

7. What advice would you give Trenton?

8. What musical instrument would Michelle most likely play?

9. In a race between you, Jew, and Brendan, who would win?

10. Autumn suddenly knows all your secrets. What do you have to say about that?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Oh, lots of things. Squeeing over John Sheppard...um...Sheppard...wait I already said that. Yep, John Sheppard. That's about it.

2. Let's cut to the internal monologue: "Loud...hyper...glasses...likes Final Fantasy...I SENSE A KINDRED SPIRIT."

3. ...Oh God. Oh God. The horror...the horror. Oh God.

4. Sara: Would help me capture sexy male villains, would watch SGA with me while waiting for the Woody-phone to ring, and would have oodles of fun killing zombies with me.

Dakota: Already is my lackey.

I'll take Sara kthxbai.

5. The strong, silent type. With a lightsaber. And an Indy hat. And be very saxy.

6. Yes, dearly, and apparently queerly on Thursdays.

7. Don't drop the soap.

...

...O wait.

8. Well, I already know that she plays the piano, but I could SO see her playing a kazoo.

9. Let's see, Nerd vs. Nerd vs. Nerd...I think in the end, we would all lose.

10. Jesus goddamn cockknuckling knobgobbling fuckmints Christ on a bicycle. She better not tell anyone.

I Love Nerds

2008-09-28T15:47:00.000-07:00

Woody: Oh god Rodney has super-powers.

Sara: Huh?

Woody: He got zapped by an Ancient weapon and now he has telekinesis, telepathy, superhearing, superstrength, and regenerative abilities.

Woody: And the biggest ego in two galaxies.

Sara: That's badass.

Woody: Yeah. This is better than when he was on crack.

I love Rodney. Even if he is an incorrigible egotistical bastard.

...Probably why I like him so much. Yeah.

Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges...

2008-09-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

...In times of war, the law falls silent.

-Cicero

Just a little food for thought, an idea I have been brooding on ever since I watched a DS9 episode of the same name.

Is war ever a justification for a deed? Is it ever acceptable to - for example - betray trust and murder a person in order to save the lives of thousands more? I suppose Cicero was a little Utilitarian in his logic, but there is some weight behind is argument. Saddam Hussein died so that thousands more would not have to live under his regime any longer, but the question is, was that the right thing to do? Were we - we as in people, not the US specifically - justified in killing him? Should the law fall silent for us because we are in a time of war?

Perhaps it's not the right thing to do, or the wrong thing either for that matter - perhaps it is merely necessary, or even simpler: it just is.

Art Project Titles

2008-09-07T19:40:00.000-07:00

So the names of episodes from The Big Bang Theory have inspired me on how to name my art pieces in order to achieve the maximum confusion from the IB tester:

The Spam Principle

The Doctor Who-Lichtenstein Experiment

The Exploding Guitar Anomaly

The Star Trek Corollary

The iPod Paradigm

The Consumerism Postulate

...Well, that's all I've got for now as far as pieces (or planned pieces), but I will return (eventually) with more!

On Writing: When Something Just Feels...Right.

2008-08-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

I can't really explain it, and I won't make a huge effort to try either because I think laying it out perfectly in words would take the magic out of it, but sometime when you write something, it just feels...right. Something you saw so perfectly in your head, down to every wrinkle in a shirt and every enunciation of a syllable, is suddenly there, on paper (document, whatever). Suddenly, it's real.

It would almost seem to defy the laws of physics. Taking something that only existed in your mind - ingenuity, divine inspiration, call it what you will - and putting it down in words. The creation of something out of nothing.

Words are tangible, at least to me. They're malleable as clay in the hands of a competent writer, but can strike harder than steel or whisper through your head as soft as you please. Words, with all of their infinite complexities and combinations, are just as alive in their own way as you or I. Surely you have read something where you feel like the book is literally speaking to you. That's because it is. The writer, through his characters, is speaking to you indirectly.

Words are empathic.

Books are like old friends.

A complete stranger can speak to you through a book because you connect with them through words that have deeper meanings when two people have shared the same experiences.

And when you write something perfectly, that's magic.

New Bands!

2008-08-10T17:41:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true. I have finally discovered new bands that have exponentially increased the level of awesome in my iTunes library. Thanks goes to www.musicovery.com, which is one of the coolest websites I have ever seen.

The Boo Radleys

Semisonic

Vai Sola

My American Heart

The Charlatans

Teddybears Sthlm

Robert Post

Remy Zero

Datafolk

Shout Out Louds

Noir Desir

Starsailor

Luke

Ash

Professional Murder Music

Vonray

Leave's Eyes

Egypt Central

Infernal

Kasabian

The Ocean Colour Scene

Blur

Aeroplane, 1929

Other news relevant to my life:

-6 AM tomorrow morning is going to suck beyond all comparison.

-McCoy still has yet to demand Wheaties since my Mum bought a box.

-My Dad and I should never go buy books together. We buy far too many.

-I've taken it upon myself to become The Circle's resident DS9 expert. Give me a few months though, DS9 episodes are hard to find.

-I've decided I need to get Netflix.

-I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm going to be depressingly poor for the next year unless I get a job due to Ani-Magic and Star Trek.

-I finally cleaned my room!

- WoW accomplishments for the summer: Saintmurder (43 Paladin), Noonien (33 Hunter), new gear for my twink Shadowsage (49 Rogue).

-If Matt Damon really does end up playing Vergil, I will go to see it just so I can kill everyone in the theater.

-I will cry the first time I see the full theatrical trailer for Star Trek XI.

-I've been roped into joining Mock Trial. Anyone else want to tag along?

-I finally have a Bowie poster on my wall, all credit goes to Sara and her awesome poster buying skills.

Scratch That...

2008-08-07T18:13:00.000-07:00

Y'know what I said about weird people in Costco? Yeah, well I was very mistaken.

The weird people are in Michael's. I had a fifteen minute conversation with two complete strangers about anime while we all picked out paint. Oh, and they were Trekkies. Fantastic people. I should've asked what their names were.

Oh well.

In other new, I did a really kickass art project:

I love James Bond, and he's an iconic symbol of our culture. Yay for fun Pop Art!

New Fiction Idea: Eli White

2008-08-05T01:56:00.000-07:00

For some people, chess is more than just a game. It is a life. An all-consuming obsession. It ceases merely to be chess, and becomes Chess - a game with a life all its own, with all the intricacies of a human being, all the infinite decisions of the next move - but without humanity's downside: mortality. With Chess, death is not final. There is always a chance for life anew. All it needs - all it asks for - is two players, black and white, hands to guide it, and the fierce passion to win in order to give it life.

And just now, a player has awakened. Meet Eli White.

"Hey! Hi. I just wanted to say I like your shirt."

2008-08-03T01:31:00.000-07:00

There are some weird people in Costco. But weird in the good way.

Weird as in a guy who would recognize the WoW Warlock symbol from a good 40 feet away, walk over, and strike up a ten minute conversation about WoW just...because. Meanwhile, Daddy dearest is ten feet away trying to decide which pair of dress pants to buy; olive or khaki? Oh, the choices.

Weird as in a lady who talks to you endlessly about Dean Koontz because she happens to see you picking up one of his books you're thinking about buying.

Weird as in a guy who gives you advice about the best way to tell when a watermelon is ripe.

Weird as in a 10 year old who has seen as many Bond movies as you have and wants to know which one is your favorite. (By the way, that ten year old so could've been me. I was a Bond-fiend at age ten.)

Weird as in discussing with you why no one ever eats the peach flavored yogurt. (Which, by the way, is a damn good question.)

....

People are so weird sometimes.

Let's Talk About Villains

2008-08-01T00:17:00.000-07:00

Anyone ever notice how TV villains always seem more complex than movie villains? I dunno. It seems that way to me sometimes. To me, movie villains always come across as those one-dimensional and their motivation rarely extends beyond one of three things: revenge, power/money (could be considered the same thing), or just for shits 'n giggles. Maybe it's because a main villain in a TV series has a longer amount of time to develop their character. A major TV villain could have anywhere from one episode (half an hour or an hour in length each) to several seasons to develop their motives and personality, whereas the movie villain gets maybe an hour or less of screen time to show the audience all the facets of their personality while also moving the plot along at a fast clip.

I'm going to fall back on an old standby. Star Trek. Beginning with the movies.

I'm skipping TMP. It barely even counts.

2: Khan is a pre-established character, so no time is wasted on his background and therefore you can get right into the deeper parts of his character. Doesn't really count.

3: Kruge was the stereotypical Klingon commander that decided to take advantage of the Federation's 'weapon' and got himself shoved into a pit of lava for his troubles. No big mystery there.

4: The main villain was a space probe that pwned Earth on accident. Really can't blame it.

5: What does God want with a starship? I don't know. God who really isn't such a nice god. Rather typical.

6:Chang was more complex than Khan in many ways I think, because he was very similar to Kirk. But that's really it. He's a mirror for Kirk, and it doesn't go too much farther than that. He enjoys quoting Shakespeare.

7: I think Soran was about on the same level as Chang in complexity given that he too is not a pre-established character like Khan. Soran is that guy that's found paradise and will do anything to get back there. At first appears as shallow, but once Picard begins to fall for the allures of the Nexus, you find out Soran isn't as shallow as it looks. Evil still, because he's willing to kill 300,000,000 people for happiness, but not so shallow anymore.

8: Borg Queen. She a Borg. She assimilates stuff. And gets it on with Data. Frankly, who wouldn't? But she's like the essence of Borg. Very predictable.

9: Ru'afo: Probably the flattest villain of them all. He wants revenge because he got pwnzed my his Mummy and Daddy and he's having rejection issues. So he decides to destroy their planet with the help of the Federation. GG Berman.

10: Shinzon. Oh god, I don't wanna even talk about him. It's so bad I think I'mma go tear my eyes out. Picard's clone...ARE YOU KIDDING? Raised by Reman-retard slaves in a CAVE. Look what he built with a box of scraps! And his ship got owned by one shot from a HAND PHASER. The lameness is so thick it's palpable.

Moving on to the TV villains. I'm afraid I'm going to have to skip over Enterprise because I don't know the series' villains very well other than Arik Soong (Pro-villain? Anti-hero? Both?). I don't know Voyager very well either, or at least I have yet to come across a good villain, recurring or otherwise. Q doesn't count.

TOS: In reality, the only recurring villain that TOS had was Khan, but his recurrence was in a movie. However, there are many villains that showed a surprising amount of depth in a single episode. Apollo from, "Who Mourns For Adonais?" for example. Or the Romulan captain from "Balance of Terror".

TNG: Moriarty's character, though only a hologram inside the holodeck, managed to evolve from physical representation of the Moriarty made by the ship from Doyle's specifications into, what could arguably be called a sentient being. He learned, through archaic means, to control parts of the Enterprise, and eventually engaged in a debate with Picard about his rights as a sentient being, very reminiscent of Data's struggles to be recognized as a living machine. Moriarty appeared in only two episodes, but could arguably be considered more complex than half of ST's movie villains.

DS9: Damar, in my opinion, is one of the greatest villain turns anti-hero of the entire Star Trek series. He was in a multi-episode arc so I won't get into messy details, but in a nutshell, Damar fought for something he thought he believed in. When he realized he really didn't know what to believe in, he thought about, threw a coup, and became the prime candidate to lead Cardassia from under Dominion rule. And then he died. So it goes. Interestingly enough though, Damar's struggle parallels Worf's as he battles the knowledge that the Klingon Chancellor is corrupt and ill-suited to lead with his Klingon duty to support his superiors in times of war.

All in all, or at least in this case, TV has superior villains to movies. But it is late...or early. I will continue this rant some other time. But in the meanwhile, think about it.

You Know You Watch Too Much Star Trek When...

2008-07-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

1. You have dreams involving the characters. In particular, when they begin to demand you keep Wheaties in the house so you ask your mother to buy them next time she goes shopping in order to appease said characters. (Surprisingly enough, it worked. McCoy has not asked for Wheaties in six days.)

2. Over half of the links in your internet history are Star Trek related.

3. You offer your parents what small fraction of your soul they do not yet own in order to buy Star Trek paraphernalia.

4. You come to the realization that you would be willing to mortgage your soul, since it has already been sold to the parental units, in order to meet William Shatner...or Leonard Nimoy...or Brent Spiner...or Patrick Stewart...or...

5. When your mother orders you to take out the trash, you promise to "Make it so".

6. You giggle anytime someone uses the following words: Bridge, nuclear, vessels, whale, Jim, doctor, bricklayer, Cap'n, or 'warp core manifold'.

7. You call anyone with pointy ears Spock. Friends, siblings and other relatives are especially subject to this.

8. Your father discovers you watching Voyager at 5:48 AM, and correctly assuming that you are never awake that early, he accuses you of staying up all night watching Star Trek. When you admit to it, he says, "Well, at least you were watching something worth while."

9. You plot to drop Star Trek references into homework, projects, and conversations with teachers in order discern which of them are Trekkies.

10. When someone asks you what your favorite time of year is, you very nearly answer, "Pon Farr time," before you realize that it is A) an inappropriate answer, and B) they will not understand.

11. You notice that you have not been using contractions...at all.

BABIES! Everywhere!

2008-07-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

Well, not literally, everywhere. Definitely here. And good god is it weird. Actually, having a baby in the general vicinity is weird. I haven't had a baby within ten feet of me for more than five minutes since I was about 6.

Also, on another note, I have recently discovered that when I hold a baby I fall asleep. I held my niece today for ten minutes, and then passed out on the couch for an hour. I suppose to be fair though, I've only had 9 hours of sleep in four days. So, sleep deprivation + baby = Sleepy Woody.

Another thing, baby cribs are bloody impossible to put together. I spent 45 minutes wrestling with one that should have been put together in 10. Those directions tell lies.

And I'm calling her Spock dammit. She has pointy ears, ergo her permanent nickname is Spock. Alicia angsted at for that, but I think it's fair if she's going to insist on telling Kenna that I'm Aunty Pookie.

...Babies are so weird. And what's even scarier, is that my Mom is dropping massive hints that she wants more grandkids, and Alicia has made it very clear that she doesn't plan on having anymore in the foreseeable future. Which means...shiiiittttttt. Good thing I'm going to be a doctor and I have an excuse for not having any for at least the next 8 or 9 years.

No Room

2008-07-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

I often wonder what it is about people that makes them so...desperate to be perceived as strong and confident all the time. We allow ourselves no room for weakness, no room for brief moments of complete release. No, instead we put on our brave face, stick out our chin, paste on a smile, and utter the often used but seldom believed phrase of, "I'm fine."

I myself am one of these people. There are any number of ploys I use to distract not just others, but myself as well from my woes, and yet I wonder why I continue to do it when the logical side of me very well knows that I would feel better if I just talked to someone about it. But I can't. I seem to be stuck in this rut of self-reliance, though I admit I am not trying too hard to get out of it. Being confident in my ability to handle situations on my own is very important to me, but there is a point where even the most self-reliant person needs help.

So if it is simply self-reliance that holds people back, or an even more basic form - self preservation - than there is little anyone else can do for them. But it can't be that simple. There are other factors to consider...vanity, reputation, appearance, shame, trust, and a whole host of other things generally considered important to people, but not always on a conscious level.

I suppose there are some people who have no qualms about talking to others about deeply personal issues, but I am not one of those. Everytime I have a personal problem to deal with, a little voice in me says, "You need to do this on your own. No one knows you better than yourself. They'll just mess it all up." And to a certain extent, that little voice is right. But, like I said before, there always comes a point when you have to reach for help. And I have managed to do that a few times...but there have been far more when I simply couldn't force myself to do it.

So, instead, I put on my brave face, stick out my chin, paste on a smile, and tell everyone I'm fine. I laugh and I swear and I grin, and I wonder how many of the people I talk to that day are putting on their brave faces too.

On Writing: Naming Characters

2008-07-24T23:59:00.000-07:00

Perhaps one of the most frustrating aspects of writing is choosing a name for a character, especially for people like me. And I think it only gets worse when attempting to write within a canonized, pre-established universe. I'll give you an example that has plaguing me for the last four days straight.

Not everyone is a huge Trekkie around here, but I've come up with a rather interesting idea for a story about Data's creator - Noonien Soong - and his ancestors. In the canon universe, Noonien's great-grandfather is Arik Soong, a man who lived approximately 125 years before Noonien. This leaves two empty non-canon generations for me to fill in. Now, me being the anal writer I am, I want the names to make sense both lineage-wise as well as what the names themselves actually mean.

After a bit of research I discovered that the name Noonien is a romanticized version of the Chinese name Nunian, meaning "diligently remembering". Arik is Norse for "great leader". So, two generations for me to fill, and basically I'm now left with no way to narrow down my choices into one lineage because one name is Oriental, and the other is European. This leaves me with trying to make the meanings of the names make sense for the actual characters.

Time to add another factor. When figuring out how many years passed between the two canon relatives, I encountered a problem with the length of time, and basically I ended up being backed into a corner so that the only choice to make was that Arik Soong had to die at an extremely old age and clone himself just before he died. Not the solution that I wanted, but changing the canon dates would have pissed me off even more. The clone would be implanted with all of Arik Soong's current knowledge, thus leading to my choice of Kaeto Soong. Kaeto is a romanticized version of Cato, Latin for "all-knowing". I thought this name was particularly fitting since the character would be born with all of his "father's" knowledge already. I changed the spelling for aesthetic purposes; it just looked better to me.

Since I have decided very little about the character of Kaeto Soong's son, I haven't had much to go off of personality or history-wise. For now I have settled on Alem, Arabic for "wise man". Should Alem turn out to be a fool as I write, I may choose to change it to better suit my own anal tendencies, or maybe just leave it as is for ironic purposes.

But just that, just those two names, were the result of four days of research and decisions on my part. I have an entire piece of paper filled with name after name after name, all with various ways of spelling them and lists of descriptive traits from the two canon Soongs as platforms to beginning searches.

Four days, two names.

Sometimes being an anal writer really sucks. But then again, it may pay off in the long run. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

My Highly Inappropriate Man-Harem For Men Old Enough To Be My Father/Grandfather

2008-07-21T19:50:00.001-07:00

I think it's high time I finally dedicated a post to my Man-Harem. Oh, I rant and rave about them all the time, I sigh and swoon, I squee and grin; but my Man-Harem as a whole is very rarely discussed. Hell, I bet even I barely know everyone who is in it. So, in realizing this, I have decided to sit down and name them all...I suppose I should start with the original member:

Mr. David Tennant

While it is certainly true that Mr. Tennant was not the first delicious piece of man that I fell in lust with, he was the key factor in my decision to make my own personal Man-Harem, therefore becoming the original member of my...dubious institution. I suppose I owe it to Paige for getting me hooked on Doctor Who, but I stayed for the Tennant. And the show too. Of course.

The Harem quickly grew in size, rapidly gathering members from every corner of the world, from every genre of movies and television. My Harem is little over a year old, but just look who has joined already:

Mr. Ewan McGregor.

Mr. David Bowie

Mr. Brent Spiner

Mr. DeForest Kelley

Mr. Robert Downey Jr.

Mr. Hugh Jackman

Mr. Hugh Grant

Mr. John Cusack

Mr. Johnny Depp

Mr. Pierce Brosnan

There have been many recent additions to my Harem, but there are also many that have been around for awhile, lurking in my mind, just waiting for my Harem to come into existence.

Mr. Sean Connery

Mr. George Eads

Mr. Hugh Laurie

Mr. Harrison Ford

I am certain there are some I have forgotten, and I will probably be augmenting this post soon enough so I will leave my commentary here for now, and let the men do all the talking instead.So long, for now...I've become rather distracted just now...

Everything Relates To Star Trek.

2008-07-05T15:25:00.000-07:00

It's true. It is honestly, absolutely, 100% true...at least with my life lately. Since the Circle (as a sum of all of the communicating parts instead of just a few individuals) has been entrenched in it's latest Star Trek obsession, everything has been returning to that one subject lately. I'm watching episodes and being reminded of Circle conversations or activities, or of discussions in ToK, or of things I've never really had the time or inclination to think about before but now find myself unable to think of anything else for hours.

For example, watching an episode of Voyager, the EMH makes a lesson plan in human dating rituals for his Borg friend because she doesn't understand them...which made me think of how Nikki made a Powerpoint presentation for Sara about how woman *ahem* pleasure themselves because she didn't get it. And it was just a really weird coincidence.

And now it's time for an epic Star Trek picture spam.

The crew being retards on the set of Star Trek III I believe...

Lawl, Redshirts.

I found this one chick on Deviant that does awesome Star Trek fanart, and I squeed.

Same chick that did the above fanart did this background. Yes squeeing did occur, and yes, it is my current wallpaper.

Obsession Strikes!

2008-07-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

I know it's been bloody forever since I blogged last, but I'm going to blame three things: Italy/Greece Trip, WoW, and sudden, debilitating, time-consuming obsession.

Yes, it's true, I have added yet another man to my Inappropriate Man-Harem For Men Old Enough To Be My Father/Grandfather. Everybody meet DeForest Kelley, better known as Dr. Leonard McCoy from Star Trek: TOS. And I'm really obsessed.

Well, other than my usual obsessions and my recent additions of Mr. Kelley and my renewed addiction to WoW, I haven't done a whole lot of anything since I got home from Italy and Greece. The trip was great - two weeks, one in each country - and it was just long enough that I saw a lot of what I wanted to, but by the time the two weeks were over, I was glad to be going home.

For out Hot Man of the Week-athon, we've had Hugh Jackman week (Swordfish, Van Helsing, Someone Like You) and John Cusack week (Martian Child, Grosse Pointe Blank, Pushing Tin), and next week is Alan Rickman week. I think this movie marathon idea was great for further educating our...film knowledge, no nevermind about the hot men.

I've come up with some great ideas for my art projects this Summer, so I'll probably rant about those next time I do this.

I guess I'll end with: I'm going to ComicCon! YES!

"The Italian Futurists believed" - Oh, screw this. I'm gonna go watch Indy.

2008-05-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

Screw the Living Art Show. I am never doing that ever again. It hurts. And I'm not even getting a grade for it.

I had to say this same spiel for an hour straight:

"The Italian Futurists believed that, "War was the sole hygiene of the world.' This aggressive attitude and faith in technology can be observed in this piece by Boccioni, Unique Forms of Continuity in Space. An abstracted soldier forges ahead into the wind as the wind blows his form into a dynamic machine. Valuing speed, mechanical precision, and power, this Futuristic piece expresses an aesthetic for the modern world and the hope for a brighter tomorrow."

And yes, I just wrote that entirely from memory. I still have it lodged in there from yesterday afternoon.

But the good news is, things started looking up immediately after I walked out of the two hundred quad cafeteria. Mainly starting with me and Dakota getting pwned after a failed attempt at a piggy-back ride. I was rofl'ing so hard I couldn't stand up on my own.

Then, after picking up Autumn (who I still hate, you and your damned Wookie noises), Nikki, and Dakota, proceeded to meet 14 more of our friends at Cinemark 22 to see Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull, thereby shattering the record of X-Men 3 of 13 people. Comfortably seated between Sara and Dakota, a night of cheesy comebacks, physics-defying scenes, cliched car chases, predictable plot-twists, and incidental innuendoes followed on the heels of popcorn and funnel cake.

We filled the better part of three rows, so the entire theater was able to enjoy their movie experience Circle-style. For example, the incessant giggling at, "Someone came."

All in all though, it was an awesome night.

In other news, there's only nine days left until I leave for Italy/Greece; I have exactly four days left of my Junior year; I will be starting a Paladin on the Dark Iron server with Sara, Dakota, and possibly my sister in a little over two weeks; and I feel completely awesome.

But in general, everyone who was at the movies last night, you are truly awesome.

People Don't Tell One Another That They're Awesome Often Enough.

2008-05-21T21:16:00.001-07:00

So I'm sort of making it my mission this summer to tell one person per day that I think they're awesome.

Think about. How many people look at you every day, hell every week or even every month, and say, "You a

re awesome,"? And mean it.

People don't tell each other that they're awesome anymore. It's a word we throw around like it means nothing. It falls into the same category as 'Love' and 'I'm sorry'. We don't care about those words. They don't mean anything anymore; they're hollow, meaningless, and empty.

I realized today that I hang out with an entire group of exceptionally awesome people, and they probably aren't even aware of how awesome they are. I tested this hypothesis by asking Jew if anyone had told her she's awesome lately. When she said no, I told she was awesome, and that - apparently made her entire day. Are some people truly unaware of how awesome they are?

In that case, I'm making it my mission to let people know that they are awesome. People shouldn't have to live without the knowledge that they are awesome.

And now I'm sort of wondering how many times I wrote the word 'awesome' in this post. Oh well, have

a gander at this awesome picture.

Yes, that is indeed the Bowie smile that Nikki and I dubbed "Yeah-I-fucked-your-mother-and-if-you-were-younger-I'd-fuck-you-too" smile. Because Bowie so did Liv Tyler's Mum. Heehee.

G'night everyone.

Weird Stuff Happens To Me At Barnes And Noble

2008-05-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

No, seriously. I'm not joking. B&N is the location for the weirdest conversation with a complete stranger I've ever had, weirdest person I've ever met, weirdest book I've ever seen, weirdest employee I've ever met, longest staring contest with a complete stranger, and most awkward shuffle-past-someone-in-an-aisle moment I've ever had.

And half of those happened today while I was buying books to read while on my Italy/Greece trip. I'll tell you about one of those incidents.

First things first, I was hanging out in the Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Manga section 90% of the time so I was probably asking for it. Even though I am one of those people, the majority of my 'type' of people I guess you would say, still manage to scare the living daylights out of me.

Anyway, on to the weird stuff.

So, weirdest conversation with a complete stranger: It started like it has been doing a lot lately - this chick thought my shoes were cool. And I'll admit, they are pretty dang spiffy, so I grinned back and fired off the usual, "Yeah, they're awesome," hoping she wouldn't be able to think of anything to say after something like that (I know I never can). But, as fate would have it, she was one of those people who always has something to say. She noticed I was holding a Ray Bradbury book and immediately started nattering on about him. She gushed and ranted and raved and I just kinda stood there, shifting awkwardly and nodding at what I assumed were the right points.

So far this was turning out to be the average conversation I have with strangers (i.e.: I stand there and nod while they do all the talking). I tried all the tricks to give her the hint that I really didn't want to talk without being rude (surprisingly enough, I'm very polite to people I don't know); I checked my phone for the time, kept throwing glances over my shoulder, ect. Apparently she didn't take hints very well.

So about five minutes of this one-sided conversation later and she switched subjects like Bond doing a U-turn in an Aston Martin, and suddenly we were talking about my clothes again. She grabbed my right hand to "get a better look at my ring". She continued talking about me, and it took me a whole ten seconds to realize she was hitting on me. My brain instantly starts slamming through the file cabinets looking for the FLIGHT order of the Fight or Flight response. I'm honestly three seconds from pretending that my phone is ringing and answering only to find out my non-existent Great Uncle Jerry just flipped his golf cart doing donuts on the golf course and is being rushed to the hospital for emergency hip surgery when the chick's Mom/Sister/Friend/Partner in Crime (I honestly don't remember how old this person was. I was sort of panicking and I was being touched by a strange woman.) shows up and tells her they need to go.

She waved bye to me and laughed, and my brain collapsed in relief, panting like a flogged racehorse. I counted to 500 before I left the aisle and then hightailed it to the check-out. I even drove home fast. I was going like 85 down the freeway and about 60 down L.

So, basically, I'm never going to B&N alone ever again. It's dangerous. I get touched by strange women who hit on me. And I don't like it.

Interesting Blurbs.

2008-05-16T20:27:00.000-07:00

First things first, a blurb is a short summarizing sentence that reviewers give to a book. Said summary is usually located on the first few inner pages or on the cover of the book. And I've thought of a few interesting ones.

The Plague by Albert Camus: "For the quintessential Existential."

Shogun by James Clavell: "1,200 pages on why to not trust asians."

'Salem's Lot by Stephen King: "If you see a vampire, do not attempt to hold it off with a plastic cross."

Diamonds Are Forever by Ian Fleming: "Proof that if you're suave enough, you don't need to dodge bullets."

Common Sense by Thomas Paine: "Leave us the fuck alone, Mommy."

Hamlet by William Shakespeare: "You're safe as long as you're the best friend of the leading man."

But to count a few..

Anyway, other than dreaming up amusing little summaries of some of the stuff lying around on my shelves, I've been pondering exactly how much tomorrow is going to suck and be filled with win at the same time. I'm going to need a shit ton of coffee in order to stay awake.

Ugh. Going back to reading.

Toodles.

This Is Why I Hate People.

2008-05-15T21:12:00.001-07:00

I don't get them. They do stupid, arbitrary, annoying, pointless, ignorant, irksome shit, and frankly - they scare me.

And the Internet only makes them WORSE.

Apparently the Internet gives everybody and their brother license to advertise their ability to contribute absolutely nothing of value. Earlier today I stumbled upon a thread in a forum 650 replies long arguing about the pros and cons of two different types of make-up remover. Do that many people honestly have NOTHING better to talk about? And this assumption of mine is only compounded by the fact that none of them can take the time to properly spell out, "Ur stoopid n u know nuffink bout mak-up", a direct quote by the way. Forgive me for not supplying a link to the website, but I don't want anyone to be harmed by concentrated stupidity.

And, as Smity pointed out earlier today, when given a seemingly impassible obstacle, they are content to jam themselves through a space half the size it normally would be when the problem could be solved in about half a second. Why is that? Why are we content to always opt for the non-thinking option?

People annoy me.

I'm going back to Iron Man where Robert Downey Jr. makes way more sense.

A Paladin By Any Name Would Not Smell Very Sweet. (Exorcising demons is a sweaty profession after all.)

2008-05-14T21:59:00.000-07:00

BJ's is awesome. I am full of pasta and pizookie. It's a rather satisfying feeling.

Time for updates on my life I suppose:

I found my English journal (thank god). I was not looking forward to making up 25+ journals in less than a week. I changed my final art project. It's entitled: "Four Men I'm Obsessed With and Probably Shouldn't Be". It is made up of four portraits of some of the men I'm obsessed with; Bowie, Tennant, Robert Downey Jr., and Johnny Depp. And the youngest of all of those is 20 years older than me. It's gotta be some sort of mental condition or something, I swear.

Sister is visiting for the next two weeks-ish, and damn, is she preggers. Seven months already. And she's like 5'1" with this big belly. It's kinda funny. I'm just waiting for her to get top heavy and tip over.

I should start saving money for a WoW card, but I also really want to get a DS before I go to Italy/Greece so I'll have something to do on the plane...Hard decision. I'll probably go with the WoW because even if I get a new DS, I'll have no money for games and I'll have no way to purchase a WoW card once I get back. And I'll want to start playing WoW immediately. I really have missed my WoW, and the group me, Sara, and Dakota will be starting up sounds really epic. Prot Pally, Holy Priest, and Rogue. We are going to kick so much arse.

So, names for a Paladin:

Develocity

Hammertime

Lumindilis

Virtuoso

And I can't think of anything else worth putting down right now.

G'night.

I Am Anachronistic

2008-05-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

I am completely convinced that I was born in the wrong decade. I fit in with the kind of crowd that was born back in the 60s or 70s.

The majority of the music I listen to, the movies that I watch, and the kind of people I would like to hang out with - excluding the people I already do that with - are from that era-ish. Hell, 95% of the men I'm obsessed with are at least 20 years older than me.

True, there are things that I would miss if I were suddenly dropped into the mid-70s via time slip, but they are things I could honestly live without. Probably the worst thing would be lack of Internet, but if I was born in the 60s I wouldn't know what that was in the first place.

Oh well, no use bitching about birthdate I guess.

But, on a similar thread, I've noticed people seriously reminiscing about the 90s lately. And I agree with them; 8 years is plenty of time. Like, I remember when CatDog was a new cartoon. I remember when there were only 151 Pokemon. I remember when the Backstreet Boys were the shit and Sketchers were high fashion. I remember when the Dreamcast came out.

Ah, simpler times.

Anyway, enough looking over my shoulder. I'm gonna go watch Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy.

Note: May 25th is Towel Day, and a hoopy frood always knows where their towel is.

10 Reasons Why I Should Clean My Room, and 1 Why I'm Not.

2008-05-10T17:11:00.000-07:00

1. I just almost broke my neck while tripping over my shoes.

2. Whatever got left in the blue bowl is starting to grow something rather suspicious looking.

3. My books are all out of order and my OCD is twitching.

4. I can't find my keys.

5. I'm almost positive my overflowing trash can will sprout limbs and attack me while I'm sleeping.

6. The amount of dust on my shelves is thicker than the shelf.

7. There's a miniature replica of Stonehenge on my desk erected out of empty soda cans.

8. The amount of clothes in my laundry basket is greater than the amount of clothes in my drawers.

9. I've lost all of my guitar picks. That is a MASSIVE problem.

10. I can't see my carpet.

And the one reason why I'm not:

World's Sexiest Fanboy

2008-05-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

Who else? Robert Downey Jr., that's who.

Honestly, I can't blame the man. I'd probably do the same thing if I ever saw Stan Lee.

Not much to report. Art project is epic as always, I've settled on the Riddler for my final project(gonna be doing it in charcoal), and I've commissioned a Tony Stark from Jew for a dollar and a hug. I'll scan it and upload it once she's done.

I scribbled down a verse today for a song - won't work for the song I'm supposed to be writing for Jew for her birthday - but it is something worth keeping to work on eventually:

Just read the news today.

Section C says it looks like rain.

Guess I was holding out for a sunny day.

Maybe a chance to get away.

A shame.

The chords I'm working with are variations of C, G, D, A...the usual chords I play around with.

Anyway,I'm off to Nikki's for dinner.

Why Kuhn Says We Can't Have Nice Things.

2008-05-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

Kuhn says: You can't have nice things because of incommensurability of paradigms.

I say: Fuck you, sir. People can still learn from one another and about each others' theories even if they don't come from the same perspectives. Just like Existentialism and Christianity. We all end up in the same place: Becoming comfortable with the idea of dying.

On another note, I have recently discovered that Robert Downey Jr.'s middle name is indeed John, thus putting an end to my 'David' streak. However, this does not mean I love him any less. His non-David hotness is just as welcome in my heart as any other love-worthy David.

I mean, how could you possibly say 'no' to that?!

Erm, anyway, returning from the brink of fangirling, I've discovered I have read everything in my house that there is to read. Which makes me very, very depressed, and exponentially more bored as well...I must go buy some more books. But also need to save for a new DS. Damn.

Anyway, I'm almost certain that there's something important I should be doing right now...

Pants!

2008-05-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

New ones! I have them!

Now, onto something more interesting, and I suppose that would be the news that I am nearly done with quite possibly the most epic piece of art I have ever created. Once it is complete I'll put up a picture, but just as a preview, it involves David Bowie and wing-hands. I suppose in that same thread I've decided to do a highly detailed drawing of a superhero/super-villain, and I've narrowed the choices down to: Iron Man, Batman, The Flash, The Joker, The Green Goblin, Two-Face, or The Riddler.

Right now I'm leaning towards Two-Face or The Riddler. I guess I just have a thing for super-villains.

Went and saw Iron Man today for the second time. I am proud to report that I was not reduced to a puddle the entire movie - only melting into a semi-solid jelly-like state during shirtless or mostly shirtless scenes. I am still hoping to talk my Dad into seeing it with me so that I can go again.

Well, I'm out of things to talk about so I guess I'm off for today.

Ironman: A Fangirl's Review

2008-05-05T15:25:00.000-07:00

I would like to be able to give you an honest, calm, and - frankly - objective review of the new Ironman movie, but truthfully, my inner fangirl just wouldn't let me go for two-and-a-half entire hours Friday night. She took the reins and, instead of paying attention to any other character or any plot at all, my focus was 100% centered on exactly one thing...er, person. Hell, let's face it: I couldn't take my eyes off of Robert Downey Jr., or drag my ears away from his voice for that matter.

Take a look up and tell me that isn't one sexy, drool-worthy piece of man. When my inner fangirl was confronted with a living, breathing Doryphoros, she promptly melted into a steaming puddle of smush, hence, the entire Ironman movie was hijacked by her hormone driven motives. Though, in retrospect, I'm finding it a little hard to complain. Robert Downey Jr. is damn fine.

Tomorrow I'm going to see Ironman for the second time, hopefully in order to actually understand and follow the plot instead of being reduced to a brainless heap of hormonal squish. I've got my gear previously used in preparation for David Bowie: Crash helmet, ice bucket, heating pad, defibrillator pads, and poncho all ready for tomorrow's 1:25 showing.

I leave you with a snippet of a conversation following the viewing of Ironman on Friday night.

Woody: "Pull it OUT!"

Sara: "You'd never say that to Robert Downey Jr.!"

Blog time. Let's do this.

2008-05-03T20:33:00.000-07:00

Oh, to blog. I suppose the definition of a blog is some sort of online diary, a place to compile one's innermost thoughts into an organized compendium of how one's mind works that few people ever get to see.

That is to say, what the fuck is going on in our heads.

You want to know exactly what's going on in my head right now? Okay, I'll give you a version of my inner dialogue inasmuch as I can put it into writing:

Oh, my lips are *flashes image of Robert Downey Jr.* chapped. Where's my (Ilovehisvoice) chapstick? Oh. Found it. ToK sucked yesterday. God I'm *takeanap* tired. Too late for naps... *image of David Tennant* Oh, Doctor Who rocked tonight. Who's better? Downey or Tennant. Oh, hard one. Downey was HOT in that tux. Tennant was HOT in that tux. Fuck all of you. Bowie still wins. Shaddup, all of you. I need coffee and arguing about hot men isn't helping.

See? Not all that interesting. Now, I guess I could talk about my day, but my days generally aren't that interesting either. And just to cover all bases you perverted wankers, my nights aren't interesting either. So, the question is then: What do I talk about in these things?

I suppose I could rant endlessly about politics, world issues, video games, and hot men, but I do that on a regular basis. If you want to hear that just come talk to me for ten minutes, and you'll probably hear about all four from me in that period of time.

Well, here's some food for thought: I just noticed that the tab above the box where I am typing is labeled 'Compose'. That is supposed to make us feel that this time we spend recording our lives for posterity - or for our own health, whichever makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside - time well spent. To compose something is to create something, as is with the connotation of the word, of worth. Something useful, not wasteful. The purveyors of this site wish us to feel that whatever we are doing is something meaningful.

Now, if you compare the two, I wonder which paragraph tells you more about who I am? The internal dialogue or the observation? I guess if you are reading this you are interested in me or at least in what I have to say.

I guess I'll end on that note tonight. I dunno if I'll ever do this again though.