ooh. this is fun :D

I'm blogging using something Blogger recommended to me called "Blogger in draft"?

I guess it's s'posed to be some sort of beta testing thinger or whatever.

It is what it is.

And I approve :D

re: swine flu

"President Barack Obama says the spread of swine flu is a cause for concern but “not a cause of alarm” and he’s staying on top of the problem."

~ Source: MSNBC

"I'm learning to fall," she said

There comes a time in every friendship when we disagree.  

I don't mean the silly squabbles about what to do once you finally decide to hang out Friday night, or whether that one movie really did deserve to win the Oscar for "Best Picture".  

No, I'm talking about a REAL disagreement.  Raised voices, maybe some tears, and a cooling period will occur before both the parties involved can talk to each other in a civil manner again. 

It's always a little frightening the first time it happens, at least for me.  I seem to have a secret hope, no matter how many times it's proven wrong, that with this person, we won't disagree.  Or if we do, we'll settle it quickly and it won't stretch out into an actual fight.  Of course, it never happens.  Or, if it doesn't, I realize that the friendship has become shallow.  Not daring to risk it on the rocks of talking about anything important, or showing enough of myself that things turn serious, my friend and I no longer connect. 

It seems that, the closer I get to someone, the more inevitable it is that we will eventually fight, and fight quite badly. There is something that touches both of us deeply enough that it is worth risking the friendship to speak of.  

I don't mean that there is a conscious decision - a realization that what happens next is going to drive all parties involved to fury.  I just mean that things happen when people get really close.  Bad things.  

Someone will say something uncalled for. The other person says something equally awful back.  And before we know it, we've just had a fight that could sever me from the other person forever.  If both of us hold a grudge, the bitterness will grow.  And that's when the choice comes.  Is this person worth enough to me to work through this fight, and become better friends because of it?  Am I going to allow simple, stupid human nature to prevent me from getting to know someone who, really, is one of the most awesome people I have ever met?

Hopefully, the answer is no.  Any good friendship has scars.  Any relationship worth holding on to isn't pretty.  

But the point of scars is not to show pain, it is to show healing.  

There was once a wound, yes.  

But it's better now.  

WE'RE better now.

I "...resemble Shakespeare, Milton, and Donne".

[Anything in brackets/italics is added by me]

quiz taken: What Literary Time Period Are You?

"[My] Result: Early Modern Period...

You resemble Shakespeare, Milton, and Donne. You're socially-savvy, negotiating the death of kings, civil wars, religious controversies, patronage systems, court intrigue -- people would have trouble finding the "real you," if it weren't for the occasional soliloquy that sets us straight. Your plotlines tend to be rather hackneyed -- the Fall of Man, twins and mistaken identities -- but your language is beautiful, seductive, captivating. ["]Had we [but] world enough and time["], we'd listen to you all day long. Way to go, Early Modern Period! You are studiously indifferent."

"[I especially loved this part (italics mine) -] [P]eople would have trouble finding the "real you," if it weren't for the occasional soliloquy that sets us straight..."

Quote of the Day

"The issue of Barack Obama's legs is not political!"
~ Katie

detached haiku

by Brandon Scott Gorrell

everything is like
reality but only
happening sometimes

blog comment to post

Why am I posting this on here? Because I posted it on an Xanga account that hasn't been used in four years, and I kind of doubt it'll see the light of day otherwise. AND I AM ARROGANT AND WANT PEOPLE TO READ IT. DON'T JUDGE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE xD

I basically quoted the guy at length and then inserted my thoughts in brackets, then added a little postscript. Tada.

Anything in quotes = "HIM". Anything in brackets/italics/bolds = [ME.]

"So I was talking to a friend yesterday, who, like any other decent guy [or woman, who has ever had any contact with a female in the course of their entire life, really], has some women problems...

...But that's a guy thinking, and generally our brains operate with logic, something that most women, not all, but most, don't possess [don't make obvious use of, it seems, at times]...

...I know I'm a [self-described] nice guy who's in a long term relationship with a girl right now. I consider myself lucky. My girlfriend actually likes it that I treat her with respect. Stunning, ain't it? [Yes, actually, particularly if you respond to her no-doubt-always-logically-based-and-OMIGOD-NEVER-emotionally-based-comments/thoughts the same way you responded to the girls quoted in the article that you utterly failed to link to.])...

...Whoops, that's the logic talking again [Wow, overuse of sarcasm much? These girls were logical and clear-headed in speaking their reasons for dating so-called 'asshole' guys. Give em a break. I know, I know, that's just the emotion talking again. Pshaw, right?]...

...Yeah. It's a real challenge to go out there, sieze the day, go out and be treated like a piece of dirt. Right. *cuckoo* [Actually, it is. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again...and expecting a different result! These girls are apparently not insane. They do the same thing over and over again and are ENTIRELY AWARE of the result it will eventually engender. Not insane. Just stupid, at least if they simultaneously profess any hope of getting with a guy who doesn't need 'fixing,' AKA a cliched fairy-tale 'happy ending.']...

...This chick deserves the award for dumb bitch of the year. First, hot is still spelled with 1 t, having three does not make a person hotter, it makes them an idiot. Second, loud cars do not correlate with assholeness, unless this world is really that fucking retarded. [Slow down, Speedy Gonzales. Did she insert the "with 3 t's," or did you? If it was her, as I suspect, then STFU, she has a grasp of the concept commonly known as 'irony,' meaning she probably KNOWS the correct spelling (hence the paragraphical note), therefore not denoting how the person is more hot than the usual, unadapted word indicates, but doing a thing we English majors like to call EMPHASIZING. Google it. And yes, actually, loud cars DO correspond with assholeness, in that they indicate a general preference for aggression over passivity and a disregard for the opinions of others (that's my extended definition/inference of course; Wikipedia defines an asshole as "profanity towards someone the speaker does not like or whose behavior is hurtful, self-centered, or particularly abrasive."]...

...But that's the thing, they don't treat you nicely. Maybe breifly in order to get in the sack, but that's it. I still no comprendo. [Wrong again. Depends what kind of asshole. Some are nice all the time, but blunt using words to the point that others are led to call them derogatory terms such as just that, 'asshole.' In which case a girl could (possibly) be forgiven for befriending/dating/sleeping with one.]...

...Okay, I stand corrected. THIS chick wins award for dumb bitch of the year. [WHY? Jesus! She was honest. And her statement makes sense. If the thing one dislikes about nice guys is that they're passive, then dating an asshole so as to cause the nice guys to become jealous makes perfect sense! Why? When people are jealous/angry/insert expression of strong emotion here, it makes it harder for them to be passive. I assume this girl hopes her passively dating an asshole will cause the 'nice guys' to move out of THEIR usual passivity and be prodded to be bold. Really, the only thing you can fault her for is not being articulate.]...

... I think that often people mistakenly associate nice with dorky, when the two don't necessarily correlate. [Hey, don't diss dorky. Wikipedia defines dork as "USA pejorative slang for a quirky, silly and/or stupid, socially inept person, or one who is out of touch with contemporary trends. Often confused with nerd and geek, but does not imply the same intelligence level." I am a geek/nerd/dork currently dating a nerd/geek/dork, and take umbrage with you placing the word in a negative context without explanation! :)]...

...Yes, a guy who wants to stick his dick in you, but simultaneously wants to NOT treat you like roadkill is obviously gay or wanna be gay. This is giving me a headache. [Stop using gay as an insult, you fag. ;P]...

...Sometimes you get what you deserve. A big, fat, dick. [LOL.]...

...So it's masculine to be a jerk? Nobody sent me a memo. [Just like it's feminine to be a bitch (in other words, HERE'S YOUR MEMO).]"

*whew* Sorry if all that was overly negative. In short, you're funny, but you can't simultaneously accuse an entire gender of being illogical 2/3 of the time and then go and be illogical yourself. It isn't fair, and it's MUCH too fun to poke fun at :D

Quote of the Day

"Motorcycles themselves aren't dangerous. They're just intolerant of the unskilled, unaware, or egotistical riders."
~ Austin

g.l.s.e.t.q.l. & o.n.: 18

"There is this thing keeping everyone's lungs & lips locked -

It is called 'fear' and it's seeing a great renaissance."

~ Sing, The Dresden Dolls

Quote of the Day

"There is no such thing as a virtuous hero. There are no witty sidekicks. Real life doesn’t contain crazed super villains who exist only to kick puppies and give the star of the show a believable character arc. Reality and fiction are two totally different things. People are complex. Situations aren’t black and white. There is a spoon, people! THERE IS A GODDAMN SPOON!"
~ VA

Quote of the Day

"I'd totally go gay for Tolkien." 

~ Taylor

*in voice of heath ledger's joker* and here...we...go.

Well.

*clears throat nervously*

This is slightly awkward.

*plays with bracelet*

Best to get it over with, I suppose.

*squares shoulders*

Hi, world.

I'm bisexual, to use the term commonly accepted to mean "physically attracted to people of both genders."

I also follow Jesus, as best I can.

...

That's about it.



comments/messages/questions/outrage/prayers/threats/excitement are all allowed/encouraged/wanted.

blog comment to blog: education! and childhood! and parents. etc.

my dad is an electrical engineer, and we had a really interesting debate last week about the oil problem and alternative energy sources and stuff. this was reassuring to me, because his usual answer when one brings up the energy crisis & suchlike things is, "well, it doesn't matter, because jesus is coming soon." my response is, predictably, not a visceral reaction of "WTF YOU SHALLOW MORON" but instead a theological response of, "yes, but they've been saying that since a month after the resurrection! GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE SAND!" anyway, it was reassuring to know that he has 'alternate' opinions in case some reporter ever sticks a microphone in his face and/or he ends up surviving past the point where we have to gas to burn in our fucking soccer mom SUVs.  

*inhales*  

really i can't get too pissy about my parents for their occasionally odd fundie viewpoints, because they are that rare beast: EDUCATED fundies, who are really stuck on education for their children.  

basically they started savings accounts for all four of their children and have been saving up, really, since their married life started, to make sure all of us could go to college, and have so far managed to put all of us through private school/homeschool for our elementary/middle school/high school parts of life. and they have basically zero credit card debt.  

so i've always had that weird perspective on life: going to school with rich white kids who lived in rich neighborhoods, threw away money like dirty kleenex, and took EVERYTHING for granted.  

fuck that noise, as my friend jack would say.  

education is important, even if you have to shove it down your kid's throat. EDUCATE THEM NOW SO THEY CAN ARGUE COHERENTLY WITH YOU LATER, DAMMIT.

Quote of the Day

"Dear Edward: Piss off, you poser."
~ Dracula

g.l.s.e.t.q.l. & o.n.: 17

"Why can't I sleep at night? Don't say 'it's gonna be alright.' I wanna be able to eat spaghetti bolognaise and not feel bad about it for days and days and days. All the magazines they talk about weight loss - if I buy those jeans I can look just like Kate Moss- oh no, it's not the life that I chose...but I guess it's just the way that things go."

~ Everything's Wonderful, Lily Allen

Quote of the Day

Michael wants to remind you that the good book tells us that Jesus ran with the party crowd!

g.l.s.j.e.t.q.l. & o.n.: 16

"All you've been saying is quite right, I shouldn't wonder. I'm a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won't deny any of what you said. But there's one thing more to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things- trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make up a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play-world. I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we're leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland. Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that's a small loss if the world's as dull a place as you say."
~ The Silver Chair, C.S. Lewis

g.l.s.j.e.t.q.l. & o.n.: 15

in time of daffodils...
by e.e. cummings

in time of daffodils(who know
the goal of living is to grow)
forgetting why,remember how

in time of lilacs who proclaim
the aim of waking is to dream,
remember so(forgetting seem)

in time of roses(who amaze
our now and here with paradise)
forgetting if,remember yes

in time of all sweet things beyond
whatever mind may comprehend,
remember seek(forgetting find)

and in a mystery to be
(when time from time shall set us free)
forgetting me,remember me

Quote of the Day

"Eminem once said 'I am whatever you say I am' and the bold title of Mykle Hansen's book stands out as an unintentional echo of this statement for the Bizarro community. Provocateurs? Yup. Obsessed with sex and poo jokes? So was Dali." 
~ Garrett Cook

g.l.s.j.e.t.q.l. & o.n.: 14

"It may help to understand human affairs to be clear that most of the great triumphs and tragedies of history are caused, not by people being fundamentally good or fundamentally bad, but by people being fundamentally people."
~ Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

g.l.s.j.e.t.q.l. & o.n.: 13

The World Is a Beautiful Place
by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

The world is a beautiful place
to be born into
if you don't mind happiness
not always being
so very much fun
if you don't mind a touch of hell
now and then
just when everything is fine
because even in heaven
they don't sing
all the time

The world is a beautiful place
to be born into
if you don't mind some people dying
all the time
or maybe only starving
some of the time
which isn't half bad
if it isn't you

Oh the world is a beautiful place
to be born into
if you don't much mind
a few dead minds
in the higher places
or a bomb or two
now and then
in your upturned faces
or such other improprieties
as our Name Brand society
is prey to
with its men of distinction
and its men of extinction
and its priests
and other patrolmen

and its various segregations
and congressional investigations
and other constipations
that our fool flesh
is heir to

Yes the world is the best place of all
for a lot of such things as
making the fun scene
and making the love scene
and making the sad scene
and singing low songs and having inspirations
and walking around
looking at everything
and smelling flowers
and goosing statues
and even thinking
and kissing people and
making babies and wearing pants
and waving hats and
dancing
and going swimming in rivers
on picnics
in the middle of the summer
and just generally
'living it up'
Yes
but then right in the middle of it
comes the smiling

mortician

Quote of the Day

Terry is adding a couple more abbreviations to the texting lexicon: GMFB (Give me a freakin' break) and SHMGIYT"LOL"OMTIFANBFF (So help me God, if you text "LOL" one more time I'm finding a new best friend forever).

g.l.s.j.e.t.q.l. & o.n.: 12

"Those who shun the whimsy of things will experience rigor mortis before death."

~ Still Life with Woodpecker, Tom Robbins

Quote of the Day

"Don't worry, like I've said before I'm sure...both of you scare me just the way you are :) " 

~ Tara

The Sun Never Says

by Hafiz 

translated by Daniel Ladinsky  

Even After 

All this time 

The sun never says to the earth, “You owe 

Me.”  

Look 

What happens 

With a love like that, 

It lights the 

Whole 

Sky.

"why we work"

to make money. to buy books. to read books. to get new ideas. to make new friends after speaking those ideas aloud. to go out to dinner with the friends. to go back to work. to make money.

to my zealous & fiery past

I have so much tension in our relationship

for that reason...

I spent so many years believing Catholics were lost.

And when this boy

That showed me the true meaning of beauty

Takes my hand...

I have to close my eyes

Breathe in

Banish the ghosts of my former beliefs...

And squeeze his hand in return.

Quote of the Day

Gabrielle: ....has anyone told you that you look like jim carrey? because you totally do xD 

Orion: i do? 

Gabrielle: you do. taylor agrees with me. 

Gabrielle: i think it's the cowlick + the absolutely unadulterated :DDDDDDD look that does it xD 

Orion: taylor looks like a british drug dealer from the 70's

Quote of the Day

"Lit theory is the reverse science: it's making the most bombastic claim with as little possible evidence."

~ Dr. Andrews

(credit to julia; it was in her 'quotes' section on fb)

godammit, meteorologists

it's april 3rd and a beautiful 7 AM.............AND IT'S SNOWING BIG, FAT, IT'SAWONDERFULLIFE FLUFFY GODDAMN SNOWFLAKES OUTSIDE.

*shakes fist*

DAMN YOU WEATHERMEN, you get my hopes up too easily.

i had it on good authority it was supposed to be dry & warm this weekend here O__________O

...

in other news, i've made it a goal to listen to my entire iTunes library.  

current observation: godDAMN i LOVE stephen sondheim/relient k/ok go/etc <3

to sherman, love, g-unit

manifest destiny is the 5th grade bully
who calls all the kids who draw with markers
queers

then cries himself to sleep beside his nightlight
because he knows deep down
comeuppance
is coming

(credit goes to ryan for inspiration)