Wow. Saw this last night.
I can't believe how incredibly hilarious it is. The world needs more high comedy.
14 December 2007
13 December 2007
Monochrome Night
I typically dislike nights like this.
Between the clouds and the city lights, it doesn't look much like night.
But there's snow in the air, and on the ground. I look out my window and everything is a pinkish golden white. Everything is the same color.
It's beautiful.
Between the clouds and the city lights, it doesn't look much like night.
But there's snow in the air, and on the ground. I look out my window and everything is a pinkish golden white. Everything is the same color.
It's beautiful.
03 December 2007
The Third Funeral
So tonight at about 12:30, my XBOX 360 died. This has happened twice before. Once in the first year I had it repaired or replaced, I don't recall. Then it died again in December of last year. Out of warranty, I figured I was out of luck. I couldn't afford a repair.
Over the summer, by a fluke call for my brother's XBOX Live account, dad discovered that the warranty for my console had been extended. I called Microsoft, and my XBOX was whisked off, and either replaced or repaired, I don't recall again. (I know there was 1 repair and 1 replacement, but I don't recall the order)
This summer I spent time getting to know the console again. It was a second honeymoon. This term I finally bought a new game, Halo 3. I ploughed through it, but without an XBOX Live subscription (Why would I renew it if my 360 was broken, after all?) the experience wasn't the Halo I love.
I then played Call of Duty 3, which had been sitting unfinished since the console broke in December. I beat it, and rejoiced. This past week I rented the Orange Box, and played through Portal, which I've discovered a love for. I had just picked up Half-Life 2, when tonight ... a tragedy.
Those three red lights. Flashing. Taunting.
Hardware Failure. I didn't even have to look it up at this point.
I called 1-800-4-MY-XBOX immediately and complained. When he offered to get a repair order set up, I suggested that a repair might not be enough. He forwarded me to a manager of some sort.
Let me tell you, despite being on hold for over an hour, I'm very impressed with the Microsoft Customer Support Team every time I call. The guy spoke my language, and sympathized with me. Apparently there's a division of Microsoft expressly for this, and they'll be calling me this week to figure out what can be done.
No promises yet, but I actually can't believe that this has gone this way. Three hours ago my console broke, and I'm already on the road to having it up and running again.
But why does it always happen RIGHT before Christmas?
Over the summer, by a fluke call for my brother's XBOX Live account, dad discovered that the warranty for my console had been extended. I called Microsoft, and my XBOX was whisked off, and either replaced or repaired, I don't recall again. (I know there was 1 repair and 1 replacement, but I don't recall the order)
This summer I spent time getting to know the console again. It was a second honeymoon. This term I finally bought a new game, Halo 3. I ploughed through it, but without an XBOX Live subscription (Why would I renew it if my 360 was broken, after all?) the experience wasn't the Halo I love.
I then played Call of Duty 3, which had been sitting unfinished since the console broke in December. I beat it, and rejoiced. This past week I rented the Orange Box, and played through Portal, which I've discovered a love for. I had just picked up Half-Life 2, when tonight ... a tragedy.
Those three red lights. Flashing. Taunting.
Hardware Failure. I didn't even have to look it up at this point.
I called 1-800-4-MY-XBOX immediately and complained. When he offered to get a repair order set up, I suggested that a repair might not be enough. He forwarded me to a manager of some sort.
Let me tell you, despite being on hold for over an hour, I'm very impressed with the Microsoft Customer Support Team every time I call. The guy spoke my language, and sympathized with me. Apparently there's a division of Microsoft expressly for this, and they'll be calling me this week to figure out what can be done.
No promises yet, but I actually can't believe that this has gone this way. Three hours ago my console broke, and I'm already on the road to having it up and running again.
But why does it always happen RIGHT before Christmas?
25 November 2007
Working Theory
It's funny. Sometimes I put together a working theory as to how a certain thing is working, like a social hierarchy or something, or some sort of relationship pentagon, and even though I know it's probably incorrect, it brings me comfort.
And despite knowing that it's incorrect, and I'm expecting the reality to be different, when the reality turns out to be different, I can't help but be surprised.
For a little while after, my head is reeling. My reality gyroscope is going haywire trying to compensate for the slightest shove in a wayward direction. It's an interesting feeling.
Also, my knee feels funny.
And despite knowing that it's incorrect, and I'm expecting the reality to be different, when the reality turns out to be different, I can't help but be surprised.
For a little while after, my head is reeling. My reality gyroscope is going haywire trying to compensate for the slightest shove in a wayward direction. It's an interesting feeling.
Also, my knee feels funny.
21 November 2007
Why I Love My Chinese Philosophy Prof
(Note: She is a Professor of Chinese Philosophy, not a Chinese Professor of Philosophy)
[General noise from construction equipment outside the window in the middle of her lecture]
"You know, it's a really good thing that there aren't any schools or anything near here, or else that would be really disruptive."
[General noise from construction equipment outside the window in the middle of her lecture]
"You know, it's a really good thing that there aren't any schools or anything near here, or else that would be really disruptive."
02 November 2007
Madness
Every step you take, it follows. Sometimes it is so far back, you could hardly see if you looked. Other times it's breathing down your neck. Madness.
And the day that it overtakes you, I'll be there singing The Battle Hymn of the Republic backwards, my spatula held aloft, in a gesture of goodwill.
Bring your cat. He and I never did finish our conversation on Marxist theory.
Communist.
And the day that it overtakes you, I'll be there singing The Battle Hymn of the Republic backwards, my spatula held aloft, in a gesture of goodwill.
Bring your cat. He and I never did finish our conversation on Marxist theory.
Communist.
01 November 2007
A Poem from 1:30 A.M.
Conceived by insomnia and insanity comes a new poem from the mind of Joshua Thompson:
======
Proposal for the Changing of the Anomaly of Language That is the Word "Orange"
Orange we know,
Is a word with no rhyme.
Search if you will,
But you're wasting your time.
This colour, no doubt,
Is abandoned indeed,
Rhymes for the others
Are found with great speed.
So I would propose
A most foolhardy aim,
To modify "orange"
But not change it's name.
That's just too outrageous!
Surely you jest!
Cry misunderstanders,
While pounding their chests.
But our word "orange"
is a strange one, amen?
With it's letters "G.E."
Preceded by "N."
Similar words,
Like arrange and change,
Have companions plenty,
They're not estranged.
Was it an error,
Or is something amiss?
Why don't we say
Fair orange like this?
So from this day onwards
I am fixing this wrong.
"Or-ange" it is,
Like it should all along.
Now my dear list'ner,
My rant finds it's end.
Like red, blue, and green,
"Or-ange" has some friends.
And my most dear colour,
You might think it's strange,
Can end a rhyme scheme,
Just watch: "Or-ange!"
=====
======
Proposal for the Changing of the Anomaly of Language That is the Word "Orange"
Orange we know,
Is a word with no rhyme.
Search if you will,
But you're wasting your time.
This colour, no doubt,
Is abandoned indeed,
Rhymes for the others
Are found with great speed.
So I would propose
A most foolhardy aim,
To modify "orange"
But not change it's name.
That's just too outrageous!
Surely you jest!
Cry misunderstanders,
While pounding their chests.
But our word "orange"
is a strange one, amen?
With it's letters "G.E."
Preceded by "N."
Similar words,
Like arrange and change,
Have companions plenty,
They're not estranged.
Was it an error,
Or is something amiss?
Why don't we say
Fair orange like this?
So from this day onwards
I am fixing this wrong.
"Or-ange" it is,
Like it should all along.
Now my dear list'ner,
My rant finds it's end.
Like red, blue, and green,
"Or-ange" has some friends.
And my most dear colour,
You might think it's strange,
Can end a rhyme scheme,
Just watch: "Or-ange!"
=====
24 October 2007
Motivation
Considering that I was up until 3:30 last night constructing a Halloween costume, I have absolutely no excuse for not having my Philosophy book read.
Motivation, is an issue.
I'm going to get on that. No sleep until the reading is done.
Motivation, is an issue.
I'm going to get on that. No sleep until the reading is done.
23 October 2007
Chatting with God
I found this application on this blog. It's actually a lot of fun.
A highlight ...
Me:
Where do babies come from?
God:
Babies come from the love between a man and a woman.
Me:
But what if there is no love?
God:
Try it and see.
Me:
Are you suggesting I have meaningless sex?
God:
Yes, that's what I mean, isn't it clear?
Clearly this isn't Yaweh.
A highlight ...
Me:
Where do babies come from?
God:
Babies come from the love between a man and a woman.
Me:
But what if there is no love?
God:
Try it and see.
Me:
Are you suggesting I have meaningless sex?
God:
Yes, that's what I mean, isn't it clear?
Clearly this isn't Yaweh.
18 October 2007
Arctic-Grade iPod Headphones
I need Arctic-Grade iPod Headphones. I'm sick of headphones breaking just because I want to go walking outdoors.
It gets cold in Newfoundland. Newfoundland isn't Antarctica, though. You'd think if someone is going to design a product for the developed world, it would work in the developed world. Anywhere in the developed world.
And yet, I need to replace my headphones three times a winter. Winter hasn't even hit yet, and my current pair is going.
Do Arctic-Grade iPod Headphones exist? And if so, where can I get them.
It gets cold in Newfoundland. Newfoundland isn't Antarctica, though. You'd think if someone is going to design a product for the developed world, it would work in the developed world. Anywhere in the developed world.
And yet, I need to replace my headphones three times a winter. Winter hasn't even hit yet, and my current pair is going.
Do Arctic-Grade iPod Headphones exist? And if so, where can I get them.
16 October 2007
My Ahumanism
I had a conversation with David a while back about faith. He said something that struck me, when he stated that he was more confident in the existence of God, than in his own existence. A strong statement. And after considering it, it's a conviction that I share.
It's long been known to me where my faith falls. It's not faith in God. It's my faith in man that is shaken.
I know it's not wise to put faith into anything as shaky as the human experience, but if I don't have at least a little faith, nothing will ever get done. How can I build a relationship if I don't believe in those with whom I am dealing?
The whole thing is a mess. I can't even get into what I want to say right now ... I don't know what I want to say, much less how to say it. If you've got the time, just pray that I won't be such a moron with these things.
I'm getting exhausted with constant thinking. A break would be nice. Which means it's sleep time.
It's long been known to me where my faith falls. It's not faith in God. It's my faith in man that is shaken.
I know it's not wise to put faith into anything as shaky as the human experience, but if I don't have at least a little faith, nothing will ever get done. How can I build a relationship if I don't believe in those with whom I am dealing?
The whole thing is a mess. I can't even get into what I want to say right now ... I don't know what I want to say, much less how to say it. If you've got the time, just pray that I won't be such a moron with these things.
I'm getting exhausted with constant thinking. A break would be nice. Which means it's sleep time.
14 October 2007
Confidence and Consequence
Google tells me that the title of this post is also an album by a band "Too Pure to Die." Completely coincidental, I assure you.
So I think about something. I talk about it, and I reach a conclusion. I'm confident in most of my conclusions, because they receive a trial by fire before I accept them. That's just how I work.
That doesn't mean convictions don't come without consequences. I So Hate Consequences. Different from the song, it is, but I just wanted to link something.
Looks like this is going to be an interesting week with meeting with a few ... gurus ... and talking about future plans, what's going on now, leadership, and other related things. Shepard Book, from Firefly, when asked why he didn't care where he was going, replied "'Cause how you get there is the worthier part."
Some times I just wish I'd arrive. I don't care how important the journey is. I don't care that it forces you to grow. I honestly believe that looking back at myself in the past year, I've grown a lot. A year ago, I would have been angered b y someone calling themselves an adult. "That's a distinction you don't get to make!" I'd cry.
Well I'm laying my claim to adulthood now. I know there's a ways to go before I'm the man I'm supposed to be. Nevertheless, I am an adult. And most of the time I'm treated like one. So I might as well admit it.
But alas, I digress. I'm confident that I'm an adult. I'm confident that my spiritual walk right now is better than it's been in a long time. I'm confident that admitting my weaknesses, and insecurities, and asking for help is the most adult thing I will ever do. And I'm confident that I don't have to agree with people just because they don't understand how I can disagree with such perfect logic.
And I'm confident that this confidence won't last long enough for me to do something with it. Unfortunate.
(Why do I always have to end off on such a pessimistic note? I want my optimism back.)
So I think about something. I talk about it, and I reach a conclusion. I'm confident in most of my conclusions, because they receive a trial by fire before I accept them. That's just how I work.
That doesn't mean convictions don't come without consequences. I So Hate Consequences. Different from the song, it is, but I just wanted to link something.
Looks like this is going to be an interesting week with meeting with a few ... gurus ... and talking about future plans, what's going on now, leadership, and other related things. Shepard Book, from Firefly, when asked why he didn't care where he was going, replied "'Cause how you get there is the worthier part."
Some times I just wish I'd arrive. I don't care how important the journey is. I don't care that it forces you to grow. I honestly believe that looking back at myself in the past year, I've grown a lot. A year ago, I would have been angered b y someone calling themselves an adult. "That's a distinction you don't get to make!" I'd cry.
Well I'm laying my claim to adulthood now. I know there's a ways to go before I'm the man I'm supposed to be. Nevertheless, I am an adult. And most of the time I'm treated like one. So I might as well admit it.
But alas, I digress. I'm confident that I'm an adult. I'm confident that my spiritual walk right now is better than it's been in a long time. I'm confident that admitting my weaknesses, and insecurities, and asking for help is the most adult thing I will ever do. And I'm confident that I don't have to agree with people just because they don't understand how I can disagree with such perfect logic.
And I'm confident that this confidence won't last long enough for me to do something with it. Unfortunate.
(Why do I always have to end off on such a pessimistic note? I want my optimism back.)
A Challenger Approaches!
So here it is at two o'clock. I can't sleep. I've tried, but it's not happening. What is my solution? Ice Cream. That and then sitting down.
I'm about to open the word, but for now I'll blog.
Relevance vs. Difference. What does a relevant Christian look like? Who does he hang out with, and where does he go? Casting crowns tells me ...
So I ask myself how relevant I'm trying to be, and whether I'm hiding behind it. There are times that I avoid correction, I'd rather look right than be right.
This is not one of those times.
I need truth here.
In opposing ideologies, I'm by the danger tree. There's no safety here. I've been in one trench, and I'm being called towards the other. I need to find my conviction, and jump in the trench that I believe. I'm not 100% sure which one that is right now.
As a Christian, should I stay away from those dark and dangerous areas? I try to live by St. Francis' "Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary use words." So are those dark areas the "if necessary" times? Should I never walk there unless I'm speaking the word of God?
Or should I go there, and be with the people of my culture and generation? Should I live out St. Francis' command there the same as everywhere else?
Ugh, truth, find me quick!
I'm about to open the word, but for now I'll blog.
Relevance vs. Difference. What does a relevant Christian look like? Who does he hang out with, and where does he go? Casting crowns tells me ...
What this world needs is for us to stop hiding behind our relevance
Blending in so well that people can't see the difference
And it's the difference that sets the world free
So I ask myself how relevant I'm trying to be, and whether I'm hiding behind it. There are times that I avoid correction, I'd rather look right than be right.
This is not one of those times.
I need truth here.
In opposing ideologies, I'm by the danger tree. There's no safety here. I've been in one trench, and I'm being called towards the other. I need to find my conviction, and jump in the trench that I believe. I'm not 100% sure which one that is right now.
As a Christian, should I stay away from those dark and dangerous areas? I try to live by St. Francis' "Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary use words." So are those dark areas the "if necessary" times? Should I never walk there unless I'm speaking the word of God?
Or should I go there, and be with the people of my culture and generation? Should I live out St. Francis' command there the same as everywhere else?
Ugh, truth, find me quick!
07 October 2007
Kierkegaard's Worst Deciple
Let others complain that our age is evil; my complaint is that it is paltry. For it is without passion. People's thoughts are thin and flimsy as lace, they themselves are as pitiable as lacemakers. The thoughts in their hearts are too paltry to be sinful. For a worm it might be considered a sin to harbour such thoughts, but not for the human being shaped in the image of God. Their desires are stodgy and sluggish, their passions are sleepy. They do their duty, these hucksters, but like the Jews, they let themselves clip the coin just a little; they think that however well the good Lord keeps His books, they can still get away with cheating Him a little. Fie upon them! That's why my soul always reverts to the Old Testament and to Shakespeare. There at least one feels that it's human beings talking. There people hate, people love, people murder their enemy and curse his descendants through all generations, there people sin.
~Søren Kierkegaard ("Either/Or")
YC is done for a year, and I've been thinking here at my desk about action, passions and reason.
There was a moment during worship where it felt like God went Day of Pentecost on my pitiful rear. I closed my eyes, and just let myself move. It felt like worship, a level of worship I have been to only a few times. A time or two over the summer I recall having a lot of space to worship in, so I let myself move as I wanted to. It felt like worship. Unrestricted.
At YC I began to yell. Not mindless yelling, but shouting the reasons for my happiness, and praise to my king. It was incredible. I recall shouting several times in a minute "We Have the Ark." I hope nobody was watching, because thinking back, I must have looked like an idiot. Truthfully I felt a little bit the part as well, but after having read 2nd Samuel 6 again, my mind was put to rest.
When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, "How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!"
David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor."
And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
2 Samuel 6:20-23
David started taking off clothes! I've joked about it on several occasions, but never even in the context of worship. There's always next Sunday ...
Or even Monday, we should worship with our lives, right?
Anyways, I begin to think about passion, and the passion vs. reason, and whether there really is a vs. in there. I haven't decided on that, but Kierkegaard's work Either/Or (which I quoted above) begins with this ...
Are passions, then, the pagans of the soul?
Reason alone baptized?
~Edward Young
Which makes me think about whether I give my passions credit. Whether I burn them at the stake for being a pagan, and then let reason reign.
It's actually not as simple as that. Reason rarely reigns within me completely, which sometimes I curse, sometimes bless. But I wonder if the minority government within myself needs a shake-up. Should I act passionately? At least if I mess up, it'll be a real screw up, as opposed to letting my lacy self remain paltry.
And besides ...
A warrior poet once said
You're not dead yet so live like you could be
A warrior poet said
Have no regrets when you're old
~ The Classic Crime ("Warrior Poet")
So what's the worst that could happen if I act passionately. I could make an idiot of myself, but I clearly don't mind that. I've bought $200 of groceries to lug through a blizzard at 12 am. I've spent a night homeless for the sake of a day with friends. And a thousand other things I can't remember right now, but am realizing I need to write down.
At least I'd make a real idiot of myself. A passionate idiot. Instead of the fake idiot I've created with my silly facade. Don't get me wrong, that IS me. I am silly. But I'm not passionate about silliness. There are other things worth being passionate about.
Now it's time to get passionate. And it's time to start acting on that passion.
Also, it's time for a midnight sandwich.
03 October 2007
Communication
My Chinese Philosophy professor (A professor of Chinese philosophy, not a Chinese professor of philosophy) regularly makes me feel like it's my fault the world is going down the tubes. There was a specific day I remember when she pointed out that our culture seems to think anything on a screen is " ... true, and important, and good."
She assumed we didn't believe it. So she pointed out "How many of you have these stupid blogs?" A pause. "Why? 'Well, my thoughts are on a screen, that means they're important.'"
I don't agree with many of her thoughts, but she challenges me, and at the very least makes me think about what I'm getting on with.
So, without further delay, I get to my first blog post in over a month. Nobody even checks this place anymore, do they?
A lot has happened. I realized that as I thought about what I'm passionate about tonight. If I had to give an answer right now, it would be 'Communication.' Meeting people, and being able to communicate ideas and feelings. Communication for the sake of something bigger, like philosophy or theology, or Communication for the sake of communication.
I'm taking German still. Not doing terrific in it, but I'm getting by. I love it. I'm also doing Ancient Greek this term. Again, I'm doing terrible, but so far I'm getting by. And I'm enjoying it, despite the hard time I'm having.
How proficient do you have to be before you can count yourself as having a second language? I was wondering that the other day, because I don't call myself bilingual, while I have friends that do, because they can ask where the bathroom is in French.
I've been realizing, also, that I'm a lot more proficient in German than I thought I was.
It's great.
She assumed we didn't believe it. So she pointed out "How many of you have these stupid blogs?" A pause. "Why? 'Well, my thoughts are on a screen, that means they're important.'"
I don't agree with many of her thoughts, but she challenges me, and at the very least makes me think about what I'm getting on with.
So, without further delay, I get to my first blog post in over a month. Nobody even checks this place anymore, do they?
A lot has happened. I realized that as I thought about what I'm passionate about tonight. If I had to give an answer right now, it would be 'Communication.' Meeting people, and being able to communicate ideas and feelings. Communication for the sake of something bigger, like philosophy or theology, or Communication for the sake of communication.
I'm taking German still. Not doing terrific in it, but I'm getting by. I love it. I'm also doing Ancient Greek this term. Again, I'm doing terrible, but so far I'm getting by. And I'm enjoying it, despite the hard time I'm having.
How proficient do you have to be before you can count yourself as having a second language? I was wondering that the other day, because I don't call myself bilingual, while I have friends that do, because they can ask where the bathroom is in French.
I've been realizing, also, that I'm a lot more proficient in German than I thought I was.
It's great.
16 August 2007
Mainlander for a Month
They say if you don't know what a Mainlander is, you probably are one ...
... anyways ...
Here I am in Hamilton, Ontario. I flew here from North Carolina (a feat in itself, seeing as I missed my scheduled flight), and spent a week and a bit with my mom and brother, doing the holiday thing. I posted a bit about that earlier.
Well on Monday mom and Jacob went home. The original plan was for me to go to Peterborough this weekend and stay with a friend until National music camp started. Not so much anymore. I guess I suck at communication, because I have no place to stay there.
Which means I stay in Hamilton for another week. I can deal with it, but you know how it is when plans don't work out. Especially since I had some friends I was hoping to hang out with during that week. I'll still see them at camp, but that was going to be a great week.
So I'm here wondering what I can learn from my time in Hamilton. I don't believe God pulled the rug out from under me to teach me a lesson, but while I'm here I'm sure there are plenty of lessons I can learn. I'm thinking I might be able to do some volunteer work around or something. My uncle works with the Salvation Army, and it seems they're always looking for a hand.
That having been said ... if somebody from Peterborough stumbles over this blog and has extra floorspace available ... I wouldn't mind a hand.
... anyways ...
Here I am in Hamilton, Ontario. I flew here from North Carolina (a feat in itself, seeing as I missed my scheduled flight), and spent a week and a bit with my mom and brother, doing the holiday thing. I posted a bit about that earlier.
Well on Monday mom and Jacob went home. The original plan was for me to go to Peterborough this weekend and stay with a friend until National music camp started. Not so much anymore. I guess I suck at communication, because I have no place to stay there.
Which means I stay in Hamilton for another week. I can deal with it, but you know how it is when plans don't work out. Especially since I had some friends I was hoping to hang out with during that week. I'll still see them at camp, but that was going to be a great week.
So I'm here wondering what I can learn from my time in Hamilton. I don't believe God pulled the rug out from under me to teach me a lesson, but while I'm here I'm sure there are plenty of lessons I can learn. I'm thinking I might be able to do some volunteer work around or something. My uncle works with the Salvation Army, and it seems they're always looking for a hand.
That having been said ... if somebody from Peterborough stumbles over this blog and has extra floorspace available ... I wouldn't mind a hand.
10 August 2007
On the Rocking of the Second-Person Personal Pronoun
I haven't yet written much about my time in America. That'll have to wait.
Yesterday, Mom, Jacob, and myself went into Toronto for a day. We decided we'd see a show, and then spend a night in the hotel, and come back to Hamilton.
The show we went to was We Will Rock You, a musical done using the music of Queen. I honestly feared it would be terrible, although family was assuring me that it was actually quite good.
I typically try not to get too excited or extreme in expressing my opinion of things. If you asked me how my day, meal, or whatever else was, and I said "It was okay," take that as "good." I try not to say something was good, unless it was actually above expectation, or better than normal.
So understand my full meaning when I tell you that the show was fantastic. Right from the start my heart was set at ease. My fear of a terrible love story, or cheesy drama, set to Queen's music was slaughtered when it was apparent that the musical wasn't going to take itself too seriously.
Simply put, the thing was a brilliant satire, making fun of epic quests, messiah stories, and the rock world's self-importance. Half the lines were a reference to some song or another. I have no problem admitting that I missed a lot of the references. In fact, I think the entire audience missed two or three, one of which I actually caught, and a few more that it seemed the cast lagged for a second, waiting for a reaction.
What more can be said? I'd do it again in a split second.
I have renewed my vow to get to the theater more often this year, although I'll be a poorer boy than last year. And anything in St. John's will likely not compare to what's shown in Toronto.
Either way, anybody interested in catching a show this term?
Yesterday, Mom, Jacob, and myself went into Toronto for a day. We decided we'd see a show, and then spend a night in the hotel, and come back to Hamilton.
The show we went to was We Will Rock You, a musical done using the music of Queen. I honestly feared it would be terrible, although family was assuring me that it was actually quite good.
I typically try not to get too excited or extreme in expressing my opinion of things. If you asked me how my day, meal, or whatever else was, and I said "It was okay," take that as "good." I try not to say something was good, unless it was actually above expectation, or better than normal.
So understand my full meaning when I tell you that the show was fantastic. Right from the start my heart was set at ease. My fear of a terrible love story, or cheesy drama, set to Queen's music was slaughtered when it was apparent that the musical wasn't going to take itself too seriously.
Simply put, the thing was a brilliant satire, making fun of epic quests, messiah stories, and the rock world's self-importance. Half the lines were a reference to some song or another. I have no problem admitting that I missed a lot of the references. In fact, I think the entire audience missed two or three, one of which I actually caught, and a few more that it seemed the cast lagged for a second, waiting for a reaction.
What more can be said? I'd do it again in a split second.
I have renewed my vow to get to the theater more often this year, although I'll be a poorer boy than last year. And anything in St. John's will likely not compare to what's shown in Toronto.
Either way, anybody interested in catching a show this term?
06 August 2007
May Cause Confidence
I've been thinking a lot about Postmodernism, and "the loss of the real," and how television and corporate entities are contributing to the loss (or at least heavy directing) of individual identities. Not that it really needs much thinking about ...
But it's commercials like this that make me think that where we're at isn't so bad.
Great commercial.
But it's commercials like this that make me think that where we're at isn't so bad.
Great commercial.
03 August 2007
Boy Do We Have Much To Discuss
I'm back in the glorious Dominion of Canada again. I haven't had much time to blog over the summer, but I've been journaling like mad. Once I get a chance, I'm going to have to post some stuff here.
Until then, rest in the knowledge that I'm back in the Commonwealth. I will be spending my remaining summer time in Ontario, finishing by attending the Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory's Territorial School of Music and Gospel Arts, from which I will fly directly to St. John's during the first week of classes.
Just so you know. Sorry Corner Brook friends. I promised you I'd be back to chill for a month. I didn't realize I was lying at the time ... but here I am.
In September it'll be 3 months since I set foot in Newfoundland. The longest I'll have been away from my island. Lord carry me. I miss the rock.
Until then, rest in the knowledge that I'm back in the Commonwealth. I will be spending my remaining summer time in Ontario, finishing by attending the Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory's Territorial School of Music and Gospel Arts, from which I will fly directly to St. John's during the first week of classes.
Just so you know. Sorry Corner Brook friends. I promised you I'd be back to chill for a month. I didn't realize I was lying at the time ... but here I am.
In September it'll be 3 months since I set foot in Newfoundland. The longest I'll have been away from my island. Lord carry me. I miss the rock.
18 July 2007
In Richmond
The Carolinas' Music and Arts Conservatory is over for the 2007 camping season. I'm currently in Virginia with Dave and Steph, hanging with Matt, a guy who we met at camp. We're staying at his place for a few days before the Southern Territory's Territorial Music Institute begins. We'll be flying down there on Friday.
What can I say? It's been a good summer, but I can't wait for MUN to begin. Is it really a month and a half away?!
It's been a good time. I haven't taken any pictures (actually, I've literally taken one) ... fun times. I'm not really ready to get into a big old blog yet, but suffice to say it's been good.
I have had a few rough days. In fact, there was an entire week where I was just down. But other than that week, life's been good. I've met some awesome people, a lot of which from Newfoundland, ironically enough. Dave and I, for example, have crossed paths a million times, but have never met. It's weird.
Another person I've "met" is Shawn "The Body" Pittman. I've seen him at MUN a billion times, but never even said "hi." I got to know him a bit over the past summer, but (oh cruel irony) he won't be going back to MUN this year. Sadness! That would have been so awesome.
Anyways. Back to the party. I'm here in the apartment of a friend of Matt's. We're listening to Barenaked Ladies, and just finished explaining what a chesterfield is. Fun stuff.
What can I say? It's been a good summer, but I can't wait for MUN to begin. Is it really a month and a half away?!
It's been a good time. I haven't taken any pictures (actually, I've literally taken one) ... fun times. I'm not really ready to get into a big old blog yet, but suffice to say it's been good.
I have had a few rough days. In fact, there was an entire week where I was just down. But other than that week, life's been good. I've met some awesome people, a lot of which from Newfoundland, ironically enough. Dave and I, for example, have crossed paths a million times, but have never met. It's weird.
Another person I've "met" is Shawn "The Body" Pittman. I've seen him at MUN a billion times, but never even said "hi." I got to know him a bit over the past summer, but (oh cruel irony) he won't be going back to MUN this year. Sadness! That would have been so awesome.
Anyways. Back to the party. I'm here in the apartment of a friend of Matt's. We're listening to Barenaked Ladies, and just finished explaining what a chesterfield is. Fun stuff.
04 July 2007
In America
Happy 4th of July everybody!
On Sunday, Dave (of Newfoundland), myself (also of Newfoundland), and Laura (of Ohio) celebrated a little bit of Canada day. We went to a national park near here and hiked 6 miles. It took us 4 hours. We got lost, but it was a hilarious good time. I'll probably get some pictures on facebook eventually once I get the pictures from Dave.
And now I'm here in the 'States for their national holiday. I thought that's pretty neat. I don't know all the words to the Star Spangled Banner, so I have trouble singing it. I do know the pledge of allegiance, but I don't say it ... because truthfully, I don't pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America ...
In other news, a few of the campers have offered to cut my hair. That should be good, except that the whole thing has evolved into a "let's give Josh a make-over." I'm going to get emo-hair, and on Sunday the camp is going to the mall, so Hot Topic will fix me up with some emo-clothes. I'm excited, I won't lie. These are some really cool kids.
I've been dealing with the fact that by the time I get back to Newfoundland, 3 months will have passed. I will have been off of the island for 1/4 a year, the longest I've ever been.
By the time I get to Corner Brook, it may be 6 months. Half a year without seeing my hometown. I was thinking about that stuff last week, and (along with some stuff going on here ... camp stuff, you know?) got pretty depressed. Everything is hip-hop-happy again now, but last week ... it was rough.
There's a group here at camp from South Africa called 13th Floor. They're into the preforming arts, and on Monday they had a little night program thing. There was some African-ish music played, while the people did a dance movement supposedly reminiscent of what would happen at night in an African tribe two hundred or so years ago. The day is over, and they gather around the fire. If there's work to be done, you continue the work while sitting around. The men tell the story of their hunt. The women chat.
Oh boy.
During the movement, the women danced. They prepared their maize. The men told their hunting story. There two men tried romancing the same woman. There was a fight. The woman ended it, and chose a husband. There was a marriage.
All without a word. All with dance.
There's an expressiveness in that I wish I could achieve. I've tried painting a few times in the last week. They've been turning out alright, but these art-sy things ... I hope I can get a chance to work on it this term.
Time to end this post. I miss Newfoundland, but I know it'll be there until I get back. If I'm thinking about doing an ESL certificate, I'm going to have to deal with a lot longer than three short months!
On Sunday, Dave (of Newfoundland), myself (also of Newfoundland), and Laura (of Ohio) celebrated a little bit of Canada day. We went to a national park near here and hiked 6 miles. It took us 4 hours. We got lost, but it was a hilarious good time. I'll probably get some pictures on facebook eventually once I get the pictures from Dave.
And now I'm here in the 'States for their national holiday. I thought that's pretty neat. I don't know all the words to the Star Spangled Banner, so I have trouble singing it. I do know the pledge of allegiance, but I don't say it ... because truthfully, I don't pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America ...
In other news, a few of the campers have offered to cut my hair. That should be good, except that the whole thing has evolved into a "let's give Josh a make-over." I'm going to get emo-hair, and on Sunday the camp is going to the mall, so Hot Topic will fix me up with some emo-clothes. I'm excited, I won't lie. These are some really cool kids.
I've been dealing with the fact that by the time I get back to Newfoundland, 3 months will have passed. I will have been off of the island for 1/4 a year, the longest I've ever been.
By the time I get to Corner Brook, it may be 6 months. Half a year without seeing my hometown. I was thinking about that stuff last week, and (along with some stuff going on here ... camp stuff, you know?) got pretty depressed. Everything is hip-hop-happy again now, but last week ... it was rough.
There's a group here at camp from South Africa called 13th Floor. They're into the preforming arts, and on Monday they had a little night program thing. There was some African-ish music played, while the people did a dance movement supposedly reminiscent of what would happen at night in an African tribe two hundred or so years ago. The day is over, and they gather around the fire. If there's work to be done, you continue the work while sitting around. The men tell the story of their hunt. The women chat.
Oh boy.
During the movement, the women danced. They prepared their maize. The men told their hunting story. There two men tried romancing the same woman. There was a fight. The woman ended it, and chose a husband. There was a marriage.
All without a word. All with dance.
There's an expressiveness in that I wish I could achieve. I've tried painting a few times in the last week. They've been turning out alright, but these art-sy things ... I hope I can get a chance to work on it this term.
Time to end this post. I miss Newfoundland, but I know it'll be there until I get back. If I'm thinking about doing an ESL certificate, I'm going to have to deal with a lot longer than three short months!
26 June 2007
You're Greener Than Me
I'm in North Carolina now. I've been working at Carolinas' Music and Arts for three weeks now? It's pretty great, I will say. It's exhausting, and I've had a few lonely spats, but overall, it's great.
I got my first tick this morning. I took care of it though. They're weird little guys, aren't they? I taped him up. I'll see if I can get a picture before he gets thrown out.
Campers are bothering me about women. Apparently they believe I need lessons in "breaking the ice." They think they're helping me get a date for the banquet at the end of camp. And here I was thinking I didn't need one. Who knew?
It's going to be a long summer yet. After camp is the Souther Territory's Territorial Music Institute. Then two weeks vacation in Ontario. Then I might stay an extra week until The Canada and Bermuda Territory's National Music Camp. That'd be cool, but it'd mean flying directly into St. John's.
That'd be difficult, but I could deal.
Oh, also. I'm green. I was supposed to be an Ogre last night for a game. Yeah, the face paint is stubborn in some places. That won't be happening again anytime soon.
I got my first tick this morning. I took care of it though. They're weird little guys, aren't they? I taped him up. I'll see if I can get a picture before he gets thrown out.
Campers are bothering me about women. Apparently they believe I need lessons in "breaking the ice." They think they're helping me get a date for the banquet at the end of camp. And here I was thinking I didn't need one. Who knew?
It's going to be a long summer yet. After camp is the Souther Territory's Territorial Music Institute. Then two weeks vacation in Ontario. Then I might stay an extra week until The Canada and Bermuda Territory's National Music Camp. That'd be cool, but it'd mean flying directly into St. John's.
That'd be difficult, but I could deal.
Oh, also. I'm green. I was supposed to be an Ogre last night for a game. Yeah, the face paint is stubborn in some places. That won't be happening again anytime soon.
07 June 2007
En Route
I'm here in Halifax airport now. It's exciting.
I love to be on the go. More specifically, I love to be around people who are on the go. I'm a people watcher, and Airports are the perfect place to set up camp.
There's also just something so great about airports. There are screens, moving sidewalks ... modern design ... it feels like you're stepping into a Science Fiction movie (Two exceptions: Deer Lake airport before the renovations, and Port Au Prince airport!). I love Toronto International ...
So my plane boards in an hour. Maybe I'll go get a drink at Starbucks, phone home, and play my Game Boy Color.
Yep. Stepped straight into the future.
A side note: This also marks the first trip I've made with my laptop. So far it's been a bit of a pain, but I've got a 3 hour stopover in Toronto ... and another long one in Montreal coming back ...
I love this! =D
I love to be on the go. More specifically, I love to be around people who are on the go. I'm a people watcher, and Airports are the perfect place to set up camp.
There's also just something so great about airports. There are screens, moving sidewalks ... modern design ... it feels like you're stepping into a Science Fiction movie (Two exceptions: Deer Lake airport before the renovations, and Port Au Prince airport!). I love Toronto International ...
So my plane boards in an hour. Maybe I'll go get a drink at Starbucks, phone home, and play my Game Boy Color.
Yep. Stepped straight into the future.
A side note: This also marks the first trip I've made with my laptop. So far it's been a bit of a pain, but I've got a 3 hour stopover in Toronto ... and another long one in Montreal coming back ...
I love this! =D
05 June 2007
Joshology
I saw this on Jessica's Facebook, so I decided to steal it to kill some time before picking up my brother from school.
MOUTHOLOGY
Q. What is your salad dressing of choice?
A. Russian
Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Louis Gee's Pizza (I think that counts)
Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A. Aroma's
Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A. Whatever. It depends on the service. I have left very meager tips before.
Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick off of?
A. Chicken. Heck, I do it already.
Q. What are your pizza toppings of choice?
A. I like the works, but at Louis Gee's I always just get the Bacon and Pepperoni.
Q. What do you like to put on your toast?
A. Butter. Sometimes I do the jam thing.
Q. What is your favorite kind of gum?
A. Juicy Fruit
TECHNOLOGY
Q. Number of contacts in your cell phone?
A. I Don't have a Cell Phone.
Q. Number of contacts in your email address book?
A. 30-40
Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A. Transformers. It's a black background with the Autocon Symbol, and the date for the movie.
Q. How many televisions are in your house?
A. 5 (only 2 for watching TV)
BIOLOGY
Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed?
A. Right
Q. What’s your best feature?
A. I'd be great to hide behind if somebody needed to ...
Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A. Yes.
Q. Which of your five senses do you think is keenest?
A. Hearing probably.
Q. When was the last time you had a cavity?
A. None yet, but I think one is inevitable.
Q. What is the heaviest item you lifted last?
A. Bringing yard sale stuff to the Church.
Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A. No. Hopefully I will be sometime in the future though.
BULLSHITOLOGY
Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
A. Sure. It'd also be cool to see if you could avoid it or not. It'd be an experiment in predestination.
Q. Is love for real?
A. Yep.
Q. If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
A. This is something I think about a lot. Recently it's been Romulus Shepard King.
Q. What color do you think looks best on you?
A. It seems that a combination of Army-Green and White looks good, but I'm not exactly an expert on these things.
Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?
A. Probably.
Q. Have you ever saved someone’s life?
A. I don't think so.
Q. Has someone ever saved yours?
A. I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised. But if you look through history, there are a lot of things that could have happened differently, which would end in my not being born. But I don't think that counts.
DAREOLOGY
Q. Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000?
A. Sure.
Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?
A. Why not?
Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000
A. Uuh, that would take some thinking.
Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000?
A. Sure. =(
Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000?
A. Probably not.
Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
A. Agh, I hate Hot Sauce. I'd probably give it a shot.
Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000?
A. Probably not. The real punishment is psychological anyways.
Q. Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000?
A. Perhaps. $25 000 is about 2 years of MUN ...
DUMBOLOGY
Q: What is in your left pocket?
A: Car/House keys and my iPod shuffle.
Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A: It's okay. It's a special kind of movie.
Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
A: Both. Hardwood mostly on main level, carpet everywhere else.
Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower?
A: Stand. There's no place to sit.
Q: Could you live with roommates?
A: Sure. Even if they were bad roommates, I think I could deal.
Q: How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
A: Nada.
Q: Where were you born?
A: The oldest City in North America: St. John's, Newfoundland.
Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
A: Don't recall. I've been noticing that there are a lot more driving around these days though.
Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: That's the question isn't it? I'd like to be maybe a teacher or a pastor or something, but really I'll just take what comes.
LASTOLOGY
Q: Friend you talked to?
A: Renée on MSN
Q: Last person you called?
A: Dad. I was in a panic because I couldn't find my passport.
Q: Person you hugged?
A: Mom. Aside from that hugs are far and few between.
FAVORITOLOGY
Q: Number?
A: 13
Q: Color?
A: Orange
Q: Season?
A: Fall
CURRENTOLOGY
Q: Missing someone?
A: Missing a lot of people. The MUN crowd mostly.
Q: Mood?
A: Meh. A bit excited and happy about going on Thursday, but otherwise just "whatever"
Q: Listening to?
A: Nothing (Just turned off Prozzäk =P)
Q: Watching?
A. Nothing.
Q: Worrying about?
A: A family situation. (Vague enough? =P)
RANDOMOLOGY
Q: First place you went this morning?
A: Home (slept at Dad's)
Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: Hang out with people in North Carolina.
Q: What’s the last movie you saw?
A: Pirates of The Caribbean probably.
Q: Do you smile often?
A: I try to.
Q: Are you a friendly person?
A: I think I am a lot of the time.
Q: Now that the surveys done what are you going to do?
A: Turn on my music, pick up my brother from school, eat a little bit more, and then go to Wal*Mart to exchange some too-small shirts.
Let others know a little more about yourself! Repost this as your name followed by “ology
MOUTHOLOGY
Q. What is your salad dressing of choice?
A. Russian
Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Louis Gee's Pizza (I think that counts)
Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A. Aroma's
Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A. Whatever. It depends on the service. I have left very meager tips before.
Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick off of?
A. Chicken. Heck, I do it already.
Q. What are your pizza toppings of choice?
A. I like the works, but at Louis Gee's I always just get the Bacon and Pepperoni.
Q. What do you like to put on your toast?
A. Butter. Sometimes I do the jam thing.
Q. What is your favorite kind of gum?
A. Juicy Fruit
TECHNOLOGY
Q. Number of contacts in your cell phone?
A. I Don't have a Cell Phone.
Q. Number of contacts in your email address book?
A. 30-40
Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A. Transformers. It's a black background with the Autocon Symbol, and the date for the movie.
Q. How many televisions are in your house?
A. 5 (only 2 for watching TV)
BIOLOGY
Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed?
A. Right
Q. What’s your best feature?
A. I'd be great to hide behind if somebody needed to ...
Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A. Yes.
Q. Which of your five senses do you think is keenest?
A. Hearing probably.
Q. When was the last time you had a cavity?
A. None yet, but I think one is inevitable.
Q. What is the heaviest item you lifted last?
A. Bringing yard sale stuff to the Church.
Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A. No. Hopefully I will be sometime in the future though.
BULLSHITOLOGY
Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
A. Sure. It'd also be cool to see if you could avoid it or not. It'd be an experiment in predestination.
Q. Is love for real?
A. Yep.
Q. If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
A. This is something I think about a lot. Recently it's been Romulus Shepard King.
Q. What color do you think looks best on you?
A. It seems that a combination of Army-Green and White looks good, but I'm not exactly an expert on these things.
Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?
A. Probably.
Q. Have you ever saved someone’s life?
A. I don't think so.
Q. Has someone ever saved yours?
A. I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised. But if you look through history, there are a lot of things that could have happened differently, which would end in my not being born. But I don't think that counts.
DAREOLOGY
Q. Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000?
A. Sure.
Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?
A. Why not?
Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000
A. Uuh, that would take some thinking.
Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000?
A. Sure. =(
Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000?
A. Probably not.
Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
A. Agh, I hate Hot Sauce. I'd probably give it a shot.
Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000?
A. Probably not. The real punishment is psychological anyways.
Q. Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000?
A. Perhaps. $25 000 is about 2 years of MUN ...
DUMBOLOGY
Q: What is in your left pocket?
A: Car/House keys and my iPod shuffle.
Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A: It's okay. It's a special kind of movie.
Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
A: Both. Hardwood mostly on main level, carpet everywhere else.
Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower?
A: Stand. There's no place to sit.
Q: Could you live with roommates?
A: Sure. Even if they were bad roommates, I think I could deal.
Q: How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
A: Nada.
Q: Where were you born?
A: The oldest City in North America: St. John's, Newfoundland.
Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
A: Don't recall. I've been noticing that there are a lot more driving around these days though.
Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: That's the question isn't it? I'd like to be maybe a teacher or a pastor or something, but really I'll just take what comes.
LASTOLOGY
Q: Friend you talked to?
A: Renée on MSN
Q: Last person you called?
A: Dad. I was in a panic because I couldn't find my passport.
Q: Person you hugged?
A: Mom. Aside from that hugs are far and few between.
FAVORITOLOGY
Q: Number?
A: 13
Q: Color?
A: Orange
Q: Season?
A: Fall
CURRENTOLOGY
Q: Missing someone?
A: Missing a lot of people. The MUN crowd mostly.
Q: Mood?
A: Meh. A bit excited and happy about going on Thursday, but otherwise just "whatever"
Q: Listening to?
A: Nothing (Just turned off Prozzäk =P)
Q: Watching?
A. Nothing.
Q: Worrying about?
A: A family situation. (Vague enough? =P)
RANDOMOLOGY
Q: First place you went this morning?
A: Home (slept at Dad's)
Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: Hang out with people in North Carolina.
Q: What’s the last movie you saw?
A: Pirates of The Caribbean probably.
Q: Do you smile often?
A: I try to.
Q: Are you a friendly person?
A: I think I am a lot of the time.
Q: Now that the surveys done what are you going to do?
A: Turn on my music, pick up my brother from school, eat a little bit more, and then go to Wal*Mart to exchange some too-small shirts.
Let others know a little more about yourself! Repost this as your name followed by “ology
03 June 2007
Microsoft Surface
Microsoft just won about ten thousand cool points from me. Check it.
When I saw this, my immediate thought was how I could make the required ten thousand dollars before the release in November. But they probably won't even be available in good old Newfieland by then anyways.
Still ... neatness, don't you think so? These are the days that make me realize that the future is here.
They say that in 3-5 years they'll be a viable option for the home. I so wish Apple was the first one to get this stuff out ... but what can you do?
On a related note: I've decided that if the fabled Mac Tablet ever sees release, I'll sell my soul to secure one.
When I saw this, my immediate thought was how I could make the required ten thousand dollars before the release in November. But they probably won't even be available in good old Newfieland by then anyways.
Still ... neatness, don't you think so? These are the days that make me realize that the future is here.
They say that in 3-5 years they'll be a viable option for the home. I so wish Apple was the first one to get this stuff out ... but what can you do?
On a related note: I've decided that if the fabled Mac Tablet ever sees release, I'll sell my soul to secure one.
02 June 2007
Why Does It Happen This Way?
Okay. So I just finished watching (finally) the Season finale of Jericho, a new CBS program that dealt with the aftermath of a Nuclear attack on America. It wasn't the most terrific show in the world ... the acting left something to be desired, and the stories were cliche in some places. But the premise was pretty neat, and it's flaws were bearable.
In the last few episodes Jericho had just begun to go to war with a neighboring town called New Bern. Favorite line of the series: "I am about to go to war with New Bern, Kansas, the home of the nearest Costco. Today is already about as wierd as I can handle, I'm not asking any more questions." From Johnston Green.
I was sort of getting into the war fever. The characters on either side had met before, some were friends. A telling line was when a certain character (don't remember who) said something along the lines of "Six months ago, there was a bitter Football rivalry between our High Schools. Now we're going to shoot at each-other."
So it was a bitter necessity to be fighting like that. The tension you could get into. You sort of grimmance when either one of them is staring down the barrel of the gun. The season ends before the war really gets into full swing, right after throwing a wrench into the works that should change everything. I get excited for the next season ...
Then I find out it's been canceled. Well, crap.
Like I said, it wasn't the most amazing show out there, so I can see why it would be canceled instead of perhaps another show. But I would have guessed it had been doing decent ... 10 million American viewers each week. Is that not enough? I don't really know about these things, so perhaps it isn't.
Anyways, I hope they find some way to tie up that terrible bloody cliffhanger that they left me to chew on. A movie would be great, but unlikely. I'll take a book, if it's written well. Heck, continue the series in novels. That'd be a series I could get into.
I've gotten into Major League Soccer ... a North American soccer league. There is only one Canadian team, and they only joined this year ... Toronto FC plays the Colorado Rapids tonight at 5:00. Toronto hasn't been doing to stellar (2 wins, 5 losses, 1 tie). Hopefully tonight will go Toronto's way.
In the last few episodes Jericho had just begun to go to war with a neighboring town called New Bern. Favorite line of the series: "I am about to go to war with New Bern, Kansas, the home of the nearest Costco. Today is already about as wierd as I can handle, I'm not asking any more questions." From Johnston Green.
I was sort of getting into the war fever. The characters on either side had met before, some were friends. A telling line was when a certain character (don't remember who) said something along the lines of "Six months ago, there was a bitter Football rivalry between our High Schools. Now we're going to shoot at each-other."
So it was a bitter necessity to be fighting like that. The tension you could get into. You sort of grimmance when either one of them is staring down the barrel of the gun. The season ends before the war really gets into full swing, right after throwing a wrench into the works that should change everything. I get excited for the next season ...
Then I find out it's been canceled. Well, crap.
Like I said, it wasn't the most amazing show out there, so I can see why it would be canceled instead of perhaps another show. But I would have guessed it had been doing decent ... 10 million American viewers each week. Is that not enough? I don't really know about these things, so perhaps it isn't.
Anyways, I hope they find some way to tie up that terrible bloody cliffhanger that they left me to chew on. A movie would be great, but unlikely. I'll take a book, if it's written well. Heck, continue the series in novels. That'd be a series I could get into.
I've gotten into Major League Soccer ... a North American soccer league. There is only one Canadian team, and they only joined this year ... Toronto FC plays the Colorado Rapids tonight at 5:00. Toronto hasn't been doing to stellar (2 wins, 5 losses, 1 tie). Hopefully tonight will go Toronto's way.
27 May 2007
I'm Back
My last night in Haiti was probably one of the most awesome ... literally awe-filled ... nights in recent memory. It began with having a pile of candy to hand out on Mom's behalf. I knew there were a few people on the roof, so I went up. I offered, and I left.
After my candy-running errand was over, I went up to the roof again, knowing that people would still be there. Most of the Integrate team eventually made it up to the roof, laying down and looking up through a cloudless patch of sky. The stars weren't out in full-force there either. I remember marveling at how so many stars get filtered out by the tiniest light. But it was Haiti. I lay back with the rest of the crowd, and just enjoyed the cool night air, and the black star-dotted sky.
Eventually I was alone on the roof. Strange how solitude can be so comforting. That's something I think I've been missing since St. John's. As strange as it sounds. In September my solitude was my hell. But by the end of my second term, solitude was something I enjoyed to an extent. I could have taken less of it, but I stopped wishing for none of it.
In Haiti, I didn't have my iPod. I didn't bring it for fear using it, more than loosing it. On that roof I started to hum to myself. I couldn't remember any songs other than the Chorouses Awesome God, and Let it Rain. I had never liked the latter before the trip, but one day when some heavy rain was pounding down, one of the guys jokingly sang a line. I couldn't get it out of my mind the whole time afterwards.
Let it rain, let it rain.
Open the floodgates of Heaven.
I must have hummed and sang that chorus to myself more than a hundred times on the roof.
Then fireworks started.
At first I didn't know what was happening, and was scared for it. I was in a different part of the world, sitting on a roof, on a quiet night in a troubled city. I was staring off into the distance, when the clouds flashed Red. Red again. More red.
I wouldn't have been so frightened if they had started with the blue quicker. I turned around and saw clouds being even more intensely colored. I decided the commotion was over there. I figured by that time that it was fireworks or pyrotechnics or something. It was around midnight, and Friday was the Haitian Flag Day. I watched for a while longer, and fireworks began to explode over the treetops. There were a few hills between the celebration area and where I was, and only the top halves of the firework blooms were visible, but they were still fun to watch.
In retrospect, I sort of wish we could have been there celebrating with the people in Port Au Prince. If anyone deserves to celebrate their national identity, it's the Haitians. It's the second independent nation from the new world, right behind the U.S. And the U.S. didn't go from Oppression to Hardship-filled Freedom.
I eventually went down from the roof, and journaled for the last time in Haiti. As an aside, I haven't even picked up the journal again yet, despite my vow to journal my whole summer. The power had gone out in the guest house, and the night-guy brought a candle up to lend some light to the darkened hallway. I talked with him briefly, but the conversation didn't really move beyond "The generator is broken." and "Thats bad." He was telling me that it wouldn't be possible for it to be repaired until well into the next day.
After some advice for us to open the shutters from my window before going to sleep, the man went downstairs, and I sat down by the candle. It was the only light I could find, so I just journaled there. When Melissa went to bed, she offered me her light, but I declined. The candle was nice. It was like the washing-clothes-by-hand thing. It was great fun and something I wanted to do. If I had known I would have to do that from then on, it would have lost it's appeal, but for then it was something different. Living a different reality.
Tonight I had a sort of bridge-across-time experience. I walked to and from Scott's in the cool air. I was listening to my music. When I got home I went out back and sat down on a bench. I looked up at the stars. I looked across at my city. I could see more lights tonight than I did in Port Au Prince, which is 50 times the size of Corner Brook. I'll blame that on rolling hills being in the way in Haiti, but I know there are other factors.
I wish I could get that feeling on-demand. It's time to make good on the promise I made myself. But that doesn't need to be addressed here.
Tonight was just a good night. Nights like this lend me the resolve I need.
A year from now, I will be in a better place.
After my candy-running errand was over, I went up to the roof again, knowing that people would still be there. Most of the Integrate team eventually made it up to the roof, laying down and looking up through a cloudless patch of sky. The stars weren't out in full-force there either. I remember marveling at how so many stars get filtered out by the tiniest light. But it was Haiti. I lay back with the rest of the crowd, and just enjoyed the cool night air, and the black star-dotted sky.
Eventually I was alone on the roof. Strange how solitude can be so comforting. That's something I think I've been missing since St. John's. As strange as it sounds. In September my solitude was my hell. But by the end of my second term, solitude was something I enjoyed to an extent. I could have taken less of it, but I stopped wishing for none of it.
In Haiti, I didn't have my iPod. I didn't bring it for fear using it, more than loosing it. On that roof I started to hum to myself. I couldn't remember any songs other than the Chorouses Awesome God, and Let it Rain. I had never liked the latter before the trip, but one day when some heavy rain was pounding down, one of the guys jokingly sang a line. I couldn't get it out of my mind the whole time afterwards.
Let it rain, let it rain.
Open the floodgates of Heaven.
I must have hummed and sang that chorus to myself more than a hundred times on the roof.
Then fireworks started.
At first I didn't know what was happening, and was scared for it. I was in a different part of the world, sitting on a roof, on a quiet night in a troubled city. I was staring off into the distance, when the clouds flashed Red. Red again. More red.
I wouldn't have been so frightened if they had started with the blue quicker. I turned around and saw clouds being even more intensely colored. I decided the commotion was over there. I figured by that time that it was fireworks or pyrotechnics or something. It was around midnight, and Friday was the Haitian Flag Day. I watched for a while longer, and fireworks began to explode over the treetops. There were a few hills between the celebration area and where I was, and only the top halves of the firework blooms were visible, but they were still fun to watch.
In retrospect, I sort of wish we could have been there celebrating with the people in Port Au Prince. If anyone deserves to celebrate their national identity, it's the Haitians. It's the second independent nation from the new world, right behind the U.S. And the U.S. didn't go from Oppression to Hardship-filled Freedom.
I eventually went down from the roof, and journaled for the last time in Haiti. As an aside, I haven't even picked up the journal again yet, despite my vow to journal my whole summer. The power had gone out in the guest house, and the night-guy brought a candle up to lend some light to the darkened hallway. I talked with him briefly, but the conversation didn't really move beyond "The generator is broken." and "Thats bad." He was telling me that it wouldn't be possible for it to be repaired until well into the next day.
After some advice for us to open the shutters from my window before going to sleep, the man went downstairs, and I sat down by the candle. It was the only light I could find, so I just journaled there. When Melissa went to bed, she offered me her light, but I declined. The candle was nice. It was like the washing-clothes-by-hand thing. It was great fun and something I wanted to do. If I had known I would have to do that from then on, it would have lost it's appeal, but for then it was something different. Living a different reality.
Tonight I had a sort of bridge-across-time experience. I walked to and from Scott's in the cool air. I was listening to my music. When I got home I went out back and sat down on a bench. I looked up at the stars. I looked across at my city. I could see more lights tonight than I did in Port Au Prince, which is 50 times the size of Corner Brook. I'll blame that on rolling hills being in the way in Haiti, but I know there are other factors.
I wish I could get that feeling on-demand. It's time to make good on the promise I made myself. But that doesn't need to be addressed here.
Tonight was just a good night. Nights like this lend me the resolve I need.
A year from now, I will be in a better place.
24 May 2007
A Conflict
I've never really minded too much when my lungs asserted themselves. Honestly, it's probably because they've been fixing my mistakes all along the way. Well, as far as breathing goes.
You see, the only times that my lungs have forcibly taken control of themselves is after I've done something stupid, such as trying to hold my breath for a minute. Or like that time I tried to run to school after watching 300. Half way through my lungs just screamed "STOP, YOU FOOL!" My lungs then spent five minutes breathing heavily, trying to suck in more oxygen. "Sorry" my brain said. "It was Testosterone's idea, not mine. He said we should be more manly. Men run. So I decided we should run."
My lungs were too busy working to fix the mistake to discuss the matter. And like good body parts do, they rendered control of my mobility over to my legs and brain shortly after the oxygen deficit had been corrected. Perhaps my brain had caught the look in the lungs' eyes. "Foolish boys." Not wanting to disappoint, the brain made sure to take care of the lungs for a while after that, making sure they never had to work too hard. I guess it was sort of like the brain trying to make up for the trouble it had caused.
The lungs probably would have done a better job running my body than my brain has done. But the lungs only really took over when the situation was so far out of hand. The lungs are great like that. The brain could learn a thing or two about sensibility and sensitivity.
The stomach in recent days has been a different case, however. Between mouth, brain and stomach, there has been a pretty drawn out war of attrition.
Upon my body's arrival back from Haiti, a bug had been setting in. Stomach was kicking up a fuss, like a good internal organ should, I suppose. But mouth was also making demands. After two weeks away from McDonalds, Louis-Gee's Pizza, and other such Canadian goodies, it had been declared that "There will be no negotiations with Stomach on this matter." Brain initially sided with mouth on this, despite the close alliance between Stomach and Bowels, and the possible havoc that unholy union could wreak.
The decision was made: "Mouth, eat what you will, and share that pleasure with Brain. Stomach will sort out it's own affairs. Once Stomach decides to get it's act together and join in on the enjoyment, Stomach will bring Bowels back into the fold as well."
Well Stomach and Bowels have shown themselves to have some lasting power. While Stomach has been actively rocking the boat almost every moment of every day, Bowels have been acting similarly, asserting it's will over the rest of the body by putting in urgent calls every hour or so. Brain was heard to remark that it was good luck that Bladder hadn't been drawn into this whole conflict.
The whole conflict has sort of gone into a whole feedback loop as well. With Bowels being as contrary as he is, Nose (close friend to mouth) has gotten involved, further agitating Stomach.
Therefore Brain has made a change in policy, hoping to find a lasting peace. Mouth will have to curb it's appetite for as long as Stomach is on the outs. Stomach will give this plan a few days to try it out. If Stomach manages to get his act together quickly, he will help reign in Bowels. Until then, Bowels will likely be indirectly affecting Stomach through Nose.
Lungs have stayed silent during the whole ordeal so far, despite some assumed agitation that Bowels were causing (Nose and Lungs are also quite close diplomatically). On the whole, Lungs seem to be enjoying the fact that Brain, and Testosterone are not collaborating.
Lungs could only wish Brain was similarly occupied more often.
You see, the only times that my lungs have forcibly taken control of themselves is after I've done something stupid, such as trying to hold my breath for a minute. Or like that time I tried to run to school after watching 300. Half way through my lungs just screamed "STOP, YOU FOOL!" My lungs then spent five minutes breathing heavily, trying to suck in more oxygen. "Sorry" my brain said. "It was Testosterone's idea, not mine. He said we should be more manly. Men run. So I decided we should run."
My lungs were too busy working to fix the mistake to discuss the matter. And like good body parts do, they rendered control of my mobility over to my legs and brain shortly after the oxygen deficit had been corrected. Perhaps my brain had caught the look in the lungs' eyes. "Foolish boys." Not wanting to disappoint, the brain made sure to take care of the lungs for a while after that, making sure they never had to work too hard. I guess it was sort of like the brain trying to make up for the trouble it had caused.
The lungs probably would have done a better job running my body than my brain has done. But the lungs only really took over when the situation was so far out of hand. The lungs are great like that. The brain could learn a thing or two about sensibility and sensitivity.
The stomach in recent days has been a different case, however. Between mouth, brain and stomach, there has been a pretty drawn out war of attrition.
Upon my body's arrival back from Haiti, a bug had been setting in. Stomach was kicking up a fuss, like a good internal organ should, I suppose. But mouth was also making demands. After two weeks away from McDonalds, Louis-Gee's Pizza, and other such Canadian goodies, it had been declared that "There will be no negotiations with Stomach on this matter." Brain initially sided with mouth on this, despite the close alliance between Stomach and Bowels, and the possible havoc that unholy union could wreak.
The decision was made: "Mouth, eat what you will, and share that pleasure with Brain. Stomach will sort out it's own affairs. Once Stomach decides to get it's act together and join in on the enjoyment, Stomach will bring Bowels back into the fold as well."
Well Stomach and Bowels have shown themselves to have some lasting power. While Stomach has been actively rocking the boat almost every moment of every day, Bowels have been acting similarly, asserting it's will over the rest of the body by putting in urgent calls every hour or so. Brain was heard to remark that it was good luck that Bladder hadn't been drawn into this whole conflict.
The whole conflict has sort of gone into a whole feedback loop as well. With Bowels being as contrary as he is, Nose (close friend to mouth) has gotten involved, further agitating Stomach.
Therefore Brain has made a change in policy, hoping to find a lasting peace. Mouth will have to curb it's appetite for as long as Stomach is on the outs. Stomach will give this plan a few days to try it out. If Stomach manages to get his act together quickly, he will help reign in Bowels. Until then, Bowels will likely be indirectly affecting Stomach through Nose.
Lungs have stayed silent during the whole ordeal so far, despite some assumed agitation that Bowels were causing (Nose and Lungs are also quite close diplomatically). On the whole, Lungs seem to be enjoying the fact that Brain, and Testosterone are not collaborating.
Lungs could only wish Brain was similarly occupied more often.
23 May 2007
The Golden Compass
So, I had never even heard of this book until this morning. But I just watched the trailer, did some wikipedia-ing, and now I'm excited.
Check it.
Check it.
22 May 2007
Vialet
I just did a pretty dumb thing. I laid down to rest at about 5:30, and didn't wake up until 11:oo. I'm not going to be able to sleep.
Luckily, I awoke vividly remembering my time in Vialet: a small community about the size of Corner Brook a 45 minute drive away from Petit Goave, in Haiti.
Specifically I was remembering a little girl. I don't really remember her face at all. There were so many children. The face I keep remembering her with is wrong: it's one of the two girls I dubbed "The cutest two little girls on Earth." I certainly don't remember her name. If I had ever asked (which I'm sure I didn't), I had a hard enough time remembering the four or five working men's names over a week period.
Somebody made the joking observation that there were no two kids with the same names in Haiti. I believe it. From seemingly common names like John, to awesome names like Romulus, and the even more crazy Messiah. There might have been doubles though. When you ask a name, you're never quite sure if they're going to give you their name, their family name, a nickname, or something else.
Anyways. The girl. I remember she was wearing a dirty white undershirt. Some sort of shorts or pants or something. I don't remember that so vividly, other than the fact that she was wearing pants. I was paying attention to that. It seems that only little boys are allowed to run around pants-less. With four or five exceptions. And this girl wasn't one of them.
I didn't remember what day it was, but it must have been a Tuesday. A crowd of us who hadn't seen the marketplace on Saturday went to check it out. With the exception of four or five women selling charcoal, the main marketplace was empty. Near the road people were selling fruits, drinks, and other "marketplace" things.
During our entire walk through Vialet, we had a steady flow of children following us. I don't remember this specifically, but if every other day of the trip was an indication, they were pointing at us, laughing, and yelling "Blanc! Blanc!" White is exotic, it seems.
I turned around to look at the kids following us, and caught the eye of this little girl in the dirty white undershirt. She was following close behind me, and watching my every step. I decided I would try to be silly, and I began to walk funny, with sweeping arm movements, and a dramatic knee dip in the middle of every step. She tried to mimic, but couldn't mimic and keep pace at the same time. She looked at me. She looked at the other local kids. She was giggling hysterically. Everybody was laughing at everything and everybody else. White his hilarious, it seems.
We got back to the church, and a crowd just hung around near the gate. There was no reason for them not to come in, but they just waited out there in the road around the massive sheet metal door. They must have been shy or something. The Canadians had sort of stopped working for the most part, and were hanging about with each other, and with the children. But the kids in the road wouldn't come in. White is intimidating, it seems.
Another encounter might have been after the market experience, or before. I don't exactly remember. The girls and boys had been separated to do their crafts for children's ministry. I was sitting among a group of boys trying to show them how to do an Elephant stick puppet. I was frustratedly demanding "Regarde! Regarde!" but in retrospect I'm not entirely sure I was saying it right. Vialet didn't have a school either. The kids present might never have learned French.
Anyways. I was gluing together a kid's Elephant for him, and half a dozen hands were constantly demanding my attention, showing Elephants with noses for ears and tongues for eyes. The boys' eyes were inquisitive. At first all I had said was "Non, non, Regarde!" I was laughing in my head at the silly boys. I had joked after about how bad their Elephants were. But really, even if they had listened, they would not have been much better. I never could get Sunday school kids to follow instructions in English. How much more-so when they only understand Creole.
After a while I stopped trying to fix their mistakes. Another kid would hold up an Elephant and I'd hold up my thumbs. "Bon! Bon!" As I began to realize that these kids were exactly like the kids back home, I began to mean it.
I had just stood up from the ground from where I was sitting, surrounded by boys and their Elephants, when I saw a sad little girl in an immaculate white dress. The girls had made little flower necklaces instead of Elephants, and the center of her flower, a shiny jewel-like thing you buy from the buck-or-two in bulk, had fallen off. Her mother, or her older sister, or somebody, had brought her to Jen or another girl on the team.
Half a second with a Popsicle stick and glue, and the flower was fixed. The girl was beaming. She was sticking her flower-adorned chest out so far it was almost parallel with the ground. She looked so happy. She went to run around with the other girls. I saw her later and the jewel had fallen off again. She didn't seem to notice.
Oh, also, it was about that time that I declared the girl in the white dress "one of the two most beautiful little girls earth." The other one was wearing a pink dress with flowers on it. I think I might have pictures of the both of them, which I'll post later if I do.
Haiti is just beginning to hit me. My last night there was probably the most incredible night for the past year. Maybe I'll post on that later too.
Luckily, I awoke vividly remembering my time in Vialet: a small community about the size of Corner Brook a 45 minute drive away from Petit Goave, in Haiti.
Specifically I was remembering a little girl. I don't really remember her face at all. There were so many children. The face I keep remembering her with is wrong: it's one of the two girls I dubbed "The cutest two little girls on Earth." I certainly don't remember her name. If I had ever asked (which I'm sure I didn't), I had a hard enough time remembering the four or five working men's names over a week period.
Somebody made the joking observation that there were no two kids with the same names in Haiti. I believe it. From seemingly common names like John, to awesome names like Romulus, and the even more crazy Messiah. There might have been doubles though. When you ask a name, you're never quite sure if they're going to give you their name, their family name, a nickname, or something else.
Anyways. The girl. I remember she was wearing a dirty white undershirt. Some sort of shorts or pants or something. I don't remember that so vividly, other than the fact that she was wearing pants. I was paying attention to that. It seems that only little boys are allowed to run around pants-less. With four or five exceptions. And this girl wasn't one of them.
I didn't remember what day it was, but it must have been a Tuesday. A crowd of us who hadn't seen the marketplace on Saturday went to check it out. With the exception of four or five women selling charcoal, the main marketplace was empty. Near the road people were selling fruits, drinks, and other "marketplace" things.
During our entire walk through Vialet, we had a steady flow of children following us. I don't remember this specifically, but if every other day of the trip was an indication, they were pointing at us, laughing, and yelling "Blanc! Blanc!" White is exotic, it seems.
I turned around to look at the kids following us, and caught the eye of this little girl in the dirty white undershirt. She was following close behind me, and watching my every step. I decided I would try to be silly, and I began to walk funny, with sweeping arm movements, and a dramatic knee dip in the middle of every step. She tried to mimic, but couldn't mimic and keep pace at the same time. She looked at me. She looked at the other local kids. She was giggling hysterically. Everybody was laughing at everything and everybody else. White his hilarious, it seems.
We got back to the church, and a crowd just hung around near the gate. There was no reason for them not to come in, but they just waited out there in the road around the massive sheet metal door. They must have been shy or something. The Canadians had sort of stopped working for the most part, and were hanging about with each other, and with the children. But the kids in the road wouldn't come in. White is intimidating, it seems.
Another encounter might have been after the market experience, or before. I don't exactly remember. The girls and boys had been separated to do their crafts for children's ministry. I was sitting among a group of boys trying to show them how to do an Elephant stick puppet. I was frustratedly demanding "Regarde! Regarde!" but in retrospect I'm not entirely sure I was saying it right. Vialet didn't have a school either. The kids present might never have learned French.
Anyways. I was gluing together a kid's Elephant for him, and half a dozen hands were constantly demanding my attention, showing Elephants with noses for ears and tongues for eyes. The boys' eyes were inquisitive. At first all I had said was "Non, non, Regarde!" I was laughing in my head at the silly boys. I had joked after about how bad their Elephants were. But really, even if they had listened, they would not have been much better. I never could get Sunday school kids to follow instructions in English. How much more-so when they only understand Creole.
After a while I stopped trying to fix their mistakes. Another kid would hold up an Elephant and I'd hold up my thumbs. "Bon! Bon!" As I began to realize that these kids were exactly like the kids back home, I began to mean it.
I had just stood up from the ground from where I was sitting, surrounded by boys and their Elephants, when I saw a sad little girl in an immaculate white dress. The girls had made little flower necklaces instead of Elephants, and the center of her flower, a shiny jewel-like thing you buy from the buck-or-two in bulk, had fallen off. Her mother, or her older sister, or somebody, had brought her to Jen or another girl on the team.
Half a second with a Popsicle stick and glue, and the flower was fixed. The girl was beaming. She was sticking her flower-adorned chest out so far it was almost parallel with the ground. She looked so happy. She went to run around with the other girls. I saw her later and the jewel had fallen off again. She didn't seem to notice.
Oh, also, it was about that time that I declared the girl in the white dress "one of the two most beautiful little girls earth." The other one was wearing a pink dress with flowers on it. I think I might have pictures of the both of them, which I'll post later if I do.
Haiti is just beginning to hit me. My last night there was probably the most incredible night for the past year. Maybe I'll post on that later too.
A Promise for Later
Even before going to Haiti, my bloggage was lacking. I'm not going to change that now. It's too bad how I get ready to write something here, but then something spoils my mood, or I get distracted. It's my own fault I suppose.
Anyhoo, soon. Sometime this week I'll post on Haiti. I might just type sections of my journal here. That would be quick and easy.
Anyhoo, soon. Sometime this week I'll post on Haiti. I might just type sections of my journal here. That would be quick and easy.
03 May 2007
Haiti
Tonight I'm heading off to Haiti. It's going to be a great experience.
If Haiti implodes due to problems relating to an excess of awesomeness, this is my official apology.
Hopefully I'll be able to take some pictures, and post them once I'm back. That's if I come back! Hah.
Good times.
If Haiti implodes due to problems relating to an excess of awesomeness, this is my official apology.
Hopefully I'll be able to take some pictures, and post them once I'm back. That's if I come back! Hah.
Good times.
28 April 2007
I am totally ordering a hundred copies of this tract.
Not.
=====
Note: I do agree that if you believe in Evolution instead of Jesus, you're in the wrong. But this whole tract makes Evolution and Jesus to appear mutually exclusive.
And that is damned nonsense.
Yes. Literally damned.
As in ... to hell.
"If YOU believe in Evolution instead of Jesus, you'll end up in hell."
Not.
=====
Note: I do agree that if you believe in Evolution instead of Jesus, you're in the wrong. But this whole tract makes Evolution and Jesus to appear mutually exclusive.
And that is damned nonsense.
Yes. Literally damned.
As in ... to hell.
24 April 2007
My Summer
This summer looks like it'll be one to remember.
I think I've mentioned before that my Mother and I are going to Haiti on a Short Term Mission with the Ontario Great Lakes Division of the Salvation Army. Excitement hasn't exactly reached a fevered pitch yet, but it's certainly mounting. I can't wait to get down there.
I hate when people trumpet their own good deeds. "How good of a person am I?" is what I hear. But I seriously don't even see this trip like that. The buzzword for the group has been "Integrated Mission." We're going moreso to learn than anything else. And that's perfectly fine for me.
I just got an email today too, letting me know that I was accepted to another camp. It looks like I might actually be going to this one, afterwards, which is wicked.
But as soon as I realize this, the gravity hits me that I'm not going to get to spend as much of the summer with Corner Brook friends as I had hoped. I guess that's the nature of the beast, if I'm going to do the camp thing, but ... it's a little bit depressing. I hate the fact that I sort of tried to reject them in High School, and they've never even mentioned it. Here I am again, leaving these guys that I want to hang out with every night for the next three months.
Agh, sometimes I feel like a crappy friend. In my clamor to get away, and to see, to experience, I've left people behind.
It sucks.
And yeah, I'm realizing that this blog has turned out to be a bit of a patchwork. I mean, not the worst ever, but not exactly unified, you know? Maybe I'll work on that later, but this is the third draft I've done up tonight, and I'm posting something, I don't care how bad it is.
I think I've mentioned before that my Mother and I are going to Haiti on a Short Term Mission with the Ontario Great Lakes Division of the Salvation Army. Excitement hasn't exactly reached a fevered pitch yet, but it's certainly mounting. I can't wait to get down there.
I hate when people trumpet their own good deeds. "How good of a person am I?" is what I hear. But I seriously don't even see this trip like that. The buzzword for the group has been "Integrated Mission." We're going moreso to learn than anything else. And that's perfectly fine for me.
I just got an email today too, letting me know that I was accepted to another camp. It looks like I might actually be going to this one, afterwards, which is wicked.
But as soon as I realize this, the gravity hits me that I'm not going to get to spend as much of the summer with Corner Brook friends as I had hoped. I guess that's the nature of the beast, if I'm going to do the camp thing, but ... it's a little bit depressing. I hate the fact that I sort of tried to reject them in High School, and they've never even mentioned it. Here I am again, leaving these guys that I want to hang out with every night for the next three months.
Agh, sometimes I feel like a crappy friend. In my clamor to get away, and to see, to experience, I've left people behind.
It sucks.
And yeah, I'm realizing that this blog has turned out to be a bit of a patchwork. I mean, not the worst ever, but not exactly unified, you know? Maybe I'll work on that later, but this is the third draft I've done up tonight, and I'm posting something, I don't care how bad it is.
21 April 2007
Samstag Nacht
Oh my! This comic (from xkcd) can be used to chronicle my Saturday night.
And right now, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Also, today was spent cleaning Mom's car. Mom gave me $20 and told me I could bring it to the car wash, or clean it myself (and keep the $20).
So I cleaned the car, and bought some iTunes moolah. I proceeded to download one of Relient K's older albums, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right ... But Three Do, since I so enjoyed their most recent Five Score and Seven Years Ago. I've only given it two listens through yet, but I'm enjoying it almost as much.
I finished my Star Wars book on Friday morning, and proceeded to pick up the next book in the series. So far I've only gotten through the prologue, but I'm sort of warming up to Troy Denning again. He's responsible for a major change to the Star Wars Universe that hurt me more than the death of my first dog. If anybody has read Star by Star, you know what I mean. It's a trust issue that's taking some time to deal with, but with The Joiner King, the healing has begun.
EDIT: I understand now! I may or may not have told the story before of ordering a "Pepperoni Pizza" while in Rome, Italy. I got a Pizza with cheese, and Peppers. That's because (apparently) "Peperoni" is the plural form of "Peperone" the Italian word for bell peppers! Which leads me to the question:
"How the heck did the 'spicy Italian-American variety of dry salami' come to be known as 'Pepperoni'?"
And right now, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Also, today was spent cleaning Mom's car. Mom gave me $20 and told me I could bring it to the car wash, or clean it myself (and keep the $20).
So I cleaned the car, and bought some iTunes moolah. I proceeded to download one of Relient K's older albums, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right ... But Three Do, since I so enjoyed their most recent Five Score and Seven Years Ago. I've only given it two listens through yet, but I'm enjoying it almost as much.
I finished my Star Wars book on Friday morning, and proceeded to pick up the next book in the series. So far I've only gotten through the prologue, but I'm sort of warming up to Troy Denning again. He's responsible for a major change to the Star Wars Universe that hurt me more than the death of my first dog. If anybody has read Star by Star, you know what I mean. It's a trust issue that's taking some time to deal with, but with The Joiner King, the healing has begun.
EDIT: I understand now! I may or may not have told the story before of ordering a "Pepperoni Pizza" while in Rome, Italy. I got a Pizza with cheese, and Peppers. That's because (apparently) "Peperoni" is the plural form of "Peperone" the Italian word for bell peppers! Which leads me to the question:
"How the heck did the 'spicy Italian-American variety of dry salami' come to be known as 'Pepperoni'?"
19 April 2007
Missing MAD Parties
Foiled by Facebook again!
I checked myself some Facebook today, and saw that Jillian's MAD end-of-semester party was scheduled for Yesterday. I thought it was today, and had set aside everything from 6:00 onward for moping, and weeping, since I could not attend.
Furthermore, Facebook decided to add to my depression. Pictures tell the tale of good times had by all. Curse you Facebook! Curse you Good Times©! I meant to take all happiness with me when I came home, but couldn't bear myself to leave St. John's with four months of darkness. I leave a bit behind, and what do they do, but use it all up on one night!
In other news, I got my first rabies shot today, as well as my first typhoid shot, not to mention got my malaria pills as well! Oh boy! Tomorrow I'm going to learn to walk through fire without getting burned, and the next day we'll toughen my skin so that bullets will never penetrate! Justice League, here I come!
In the meantime, I started reading a Star Wars book yesterday, and have reached page 350 (2/3 done the first book in a trilogy) as of right now. I thought that was pretty amazing, considering I was having trouble reading anything at all in St. John's. Must be the whole home thing.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to start preparing a snack for Survivor. I haven't seen anything this season, but hopefully it won't be to hard to get into.
I checked myself some Facebook today, and saw that Jillian's MAD end-of-semester party was scheduled for Yesterday. I thought it was today, and had set aside everything from 6:00 onward for moping, and weeping, since I could not attend.
Furthermore, Facebook decided to add to my depression. Pictures tell the tale of good times had by all. Curse you Facebook! Curse you Good Times©! I meant to take all happiness with me when I came home, but couldn't bear myself to leave St. John's with four months of darkness. I leave a bit behind, and what do they do, but use it all up on one night!
In other news, I got my first rabies shot today, as well as my first typhoid shot, not to mention got my malaria pills as well! Oh boy! Tomorrow I'm going to learn to walk through fire without getting burned, and the next day we'll toughen my skin so that bullets will never penetrate! Justice League, here I come!
In the meantime, I started reading a Star Wars book yesterday, and have reached page 350 (2/3 done the first book in a trilogy) as of right now. I thought that was pretty amazing, considering I was having trouble reading anything at all in St. John's. Must be the whole home thing.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to start preparing a snack for Survivor. I haven't seen anything this season, but hopefully it won't be to hard to get into.
18 April 2007
Home
I sit here at my kitchen table. In Corner Brook.
Dad and I came over the highway on Sunday. There's just something about coming home. The way the highway enters Corner Brook ... there's no way to not be inspired. It was a clear night, and seeing the lights made me quite happy.
There's something that St. John's just didn't have. Or rather, it did have. It was claustrophobic. You can look out into the distance and see the hills, or another building or whatever, but nothing meaningful. When I go into "my" Tim Horton's here, though, you can see so much. You can see everything.
I've been thinking over the past day or so, about my friends from St. John's, and elsewhere. I want to show them this place so much. Corner Brook rocks. This isn't some revelation, or grand wisdom that University life has taught me. It's like when you're cold for a long time, and then come into the heat. It means so much more to be room temperature after being cold, than if you were room temperature the whole time.
In other news, the wicked summer plans that I had have gone straight down the tubes without much more than a whimper. I expected as much, but had held out. I would like to make it clear that I do not believe this is the right decision, but I'm going to have to live with it. It's done now. Time to make the most of the latest shovelful of crap.
Dad and I came over the highway on Sunday. There's just something about coming home. The way the highway enters Corner Brook ... there's no way to not be inspired. It was a clear night, and seeing the lights made me quite happy.
There's something that St. John's just didn't have. Or rather, it did have. It was claustrophobic. You can look out into the distance and see the hills, or another building or whatever, but nothing meaningful. When I go into "my" Tim Horton's here, though, you can see so much. You can see everything.
I've been thinking over the past day or so, about my friends from St. John's, and elsewhere. I want to show them this place so much. Corner Brook rocks. This isn't some revelation, or grand wisdom that University life has taught me. It's like when you're cold for a long time, and then come into the heat. It means so much more to be room temperature after being cold, than if you were room temperature the whole time.
In other news, the wicked summer plans that I had have gone straight down the tubes without much more than a whimper. I expected as much, but had held out. I would like to make it clear that I do not believe this is the right decision, but I'm going to have to live with it. It's done now. Time to make the most of the latest shovelful of crap.
13 April 2007
It's Raining Men
Oh my goodness.
I just had to share this.
Now back to my paper. I can procrastinate later.
I just had to share this.
Now back to my paper. I can procrastinate later.
12 April 2007
Exam Time (Seriously, you Guys)
I'm actually buckling down for exam time.
I'm 70% done my Philosophy paper, and haven't started my Religious studies yet. I've got a German exam at 3 today, and I've been doing flash cards since 10 this morning. Brief break for some web-surfing and lunch later. Then another 2 hours of study, do the test, and start reading for Psychology.
Hopefully I won't have to do any paper writing on Saturday, but that's my spill day. I have no plans for the afternoon, so if I need extra time for work, that's it. After supper some people are coming over for Risk! too. Exiting times much?
I can't wait to have complete control over my reading schedule for 4 months. I just picked up two books which I am excited to start once I plow through the stack I've got now. I bought Søren Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling, and Herodotus' The Histories, which (among other things) re-accounts the Greco-Persian war. Awesome!
Not sure where the summer will take me yet. It looks like I can do the camp thing if I want the job, but 5 weeks of employment isn't going to be very much money. I hate to make it about the money of course, but that's a big deal since I've got to pay part of my own way next year.
Anybody know of a place that will hire me for one month? (May 27th - June 23rd) Hey, it's worth a shot asking.
I'm 70% done my Philosophy paper, and haven't started my Religious studies yet. I've got a German exam at 3 today, and I've been doing flash cards since 10 this morning. Brief break for some web-surfing and lunch later. Then another 2 hours of study, do the test, and start reading for Psychology.
Hopefully I won't have to do any paper writing on Saturday, but that's my spill day. I have no plans for the afternoon, so if I need extra time for work, that's it. After supper some people are coming over for Risk! too. Exiting times much?
I can't wait to have complete control over my reading schedule for 4 months. I just picked up two books which I am excited to start once I plow through the stack I've got now. I bought Søren Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling, and Herodotus' The Histories, which (among other things) re-accounts the Greco-Persian war. Awesome!
Not sure where the summer will take me yet. It looks like I can do the camp thing if I want the job, but 5 weeks of employment isn't going to be very much money. I hate to make it about the money of course, but that's a big deal since I've got to pay part of my own way next year.
Anybody know of a place that will hire me for one month? (May 27th - June 23rd) Hey, it's worth a shot asking.
08 April 2007
Book Reading
This past New Year's (actually, about a week or two late) I decided to make a resolution to kick my butt in gear.
My goal has been to read 50 books in the year. Almost a book per week.
So far I'm a bit behind. I just finished my eleventh.
As a sort of Part II to the resolution is something that I saw on Joel's Blog around New Year's time as well. It was a list of the books he had read the previous year. I thought that was neat, and quickly added this part to my New Year's 'resolution.'
I'm bursting at the seams. I'm proud of my reading so far, but I'm trying to keep myself from blogging the list before December 31st.
What can I say? It's exciting!
I will tell you, though, that I really did not enjoy plowing through my last English novel in two days. It wasn't even a particularly spectacular novel anyways.
English is done forever tomorrow. I think I'll go in early and start work on my two essays due this week as well. Maybe read some Psychology. Perhaps finish another book or two that have been waiting for my school reading list to clear up.
Oh my goodness guys. Summer is almost here. My reading schedule will be mine again for a whole four months! Excitement abounds!
My goal has been to read 50 books in the year. Almost a book per week.
So far I'm a bit behind. I just finished my eleventh.
As a sort of Part II to the resolution is something that I saw on Joel's Blog around New Year's time as well. It was a list of the books he had read the previous year. I thought that was neat, and quickly added this part to my New Year's 'resolution.'
I'm bursting at the seams. I'm proud of my reading so far, but I'm trying to keep myself from blogging the list before December 31st.
What can I say? It's exciting!
I will tell you, though, that I really did not enjoy plowing through my last English novel in two days. It wasn't even a particularly spectacular novel anyways.
English is done forever tomorrow. I think I'll go in early and start work on my two essays due this week as well. Maybe read some Psychology. Perhaps finish another book or two that have been waiting for my school reading list to clear up.
Oh my goodness guys. Summer is almost here. My reading schedule will be mine again for a whole four months! Excitement abounds!
Sunday
Apollo Sunshine tells everybody "If that grass looks fun to roll in, then roll in that fun grass."
07 April 2007
Languages
I've been thinking about Languages, and I thought it would be an excuse for a list.
Languages I'd like to learn and would likely use:
Hebrew
Ancient Greek
Latin
Languages I'd like to learn and might use:
German
Mandarin
Japanese
Russian
French
Languages I'd like to learn but would likely not use:
Arabic
Aramaic
That was actually quite anti-climactic.
I'm beginning to wonder if aspiring to continue German and take up Ancient Greek and Hebrew next year is a bad idea. Especially since both of the new languages would require new alphabets as well.
Who am I kidding? I'm never going to really learn any of these, am I? I'm going to work at Pizza Delight until I retire with a crumbling Philosophy degree behind my couch somewhere.
Languages I'd like to learn and would likely use:
Hebrew
Ancient Greek
Latin
Languages I'd like to learn and might use:
German
Mandarin
Japanese
Russian
French
Languages I'd like to learn but would likely not use:
Arabic
Aramaic
That was actually quite anti-climactic.
I'm beginning to wonder if aspiring to continue German and take up Ancient Greek and Hebrew next year is a bad idea. Especially since both of the new languages would require new alphabets as well.
Who am I kidding? I'm never going to really learn any of these, am I? I'm going to work at Pizza Delight until I retire with a crumbling Philosophy degree behind my couch somewhere.
06 April 2007
Perspective
I enjoy searching for perspective. It makes me realize how huge reality really is. As I eat, I wonder what somebody in Japan might be doing. I take a shower and wonder how many Germans are coughing at that exact moment. I lay down to sleep and contemplate what somebody in India is going to do.
And then I look at history. The 'This Day In History' columns, and wonder if exactly fifty seven years ago somebody had wondered about somebody else wondering fifty seven years before him. I wonder who stood where I'm standing five years before. I wonder what news somebody could have been hearing a thousand years prior.
One thousand nine hundred and seventy seven years ago at this moment, a Rabbi prayed in a garden called Gethsemane. What blades of grass caught his tears? Who smelled the flowers that had smelled him? Could one of those flowers have become a gift to somebody not involved in the drama? Did they become involved later? Did their descendants know about that flower from Gethsemane? More importantly, did they ever hear about what happened in Gethsemane one thousand nine hundred and seventy seven years before this moment?
Holy crap guys.
Reality is huge.
EDIT: It has been pointed out that easter might not have occurred exactly 1977 from today. I overlooked the fact that Easter has to do with the lunar calendar, so it might not be an exact 1977 solar years. But you get the point.
It has gotten me wondering if anybody has tried to find the exact solar date of the first Easter. It'd kind of be neat to know.
And then I look at history. The 'This Day In History' columns, and wonder if exactly fifty seven years ago somebody had wondered about somebody else wondering fifty seven years before him. I wonder who stood where I'm standing five years before. I wonder what news somebody could have been hearing a thousand years prior.
One thousand nine hundred and seventy seven years ago at this moment, a Rabbi prayed in a garden called Gethsemane. What blades of grass caught his tears? Who smelled the flowers that had smelled him? Could one of those flowers have become a gift to somebody not involved in the drama? Did they become involved later? Did their descendants know about that flower from Gethsemane? More importantly, did they ever hear about what happened in Gethsemane one thousand nine hundred and seventy seven years before this moment?
Holy crap guys.
Reality is huge.
EDIT: It has been pointed out that easter might not have occurred exactly 1977 from today. I overlooked the fact that Easter has to do with the lunar calendar, so it might not be an exact 1977 solar years. But you get the point.
It has gotten me wondering if anybody has tried to find the exact solar date of the first Easter. It'd kind of be neat to know.
05 April 2007
Giant Kwiz
Because I haven't done one of these in a while, I'll rip this off of Specker's notes on Facebook.
Start Time: 18h49
001. What is your name?
Joshua Thompson
002. Spell your name backwards:
Nospmoht Auhsoj
003. Date of birth:
December 20th 1988
004. Male or female?
Male
005. Astrological sign:
Sagittarius
006. Nicknames:
King Bob, Lunchbox, Tonnes of Fun, Jeremy, Toby
007. Job:
None right now
008. Height:
Near 6'
009. Weight:
Near 250 lbs
010. Hair color:
Brown
011. Eye color:
Blue
012. Where were you born?
St. John's
013. Where do you reside now?
Home is Corner Brook, but I'm currently in St. John's
014. Where do you go to school?
Memorial University of Newfoundland
015. Screen names:
King Bob v3
016. E-mail addy:
kingbobv3ATgmailDOTcom
017. What does your screen name stand for?
King Bob was a nickname Kyle accidentally gave me in grade 8
018. What is your lj name?
Don't have Livejournal
019. What does your Blurty name stand for?
Don't have Blurty
020. Pets:
Smokeypoozer Lucky Thompson
021. Number of candles you blew out on your last birthday cake?
18, I guess.
023. Tattoo's?
None right now. Maybe someday.
024. Shoe size:
Not sure. 12 maybe?
025. Righty or lefty?
Righty.
026. Wearing:
Universal T-shirt, Salvation Army working shirt, and Jeans
027. Hearing:
Housemate's music (I just turned on my own, though)
028. Feeling:
Tired, contemplative
029. Eating/drinking:
Just had an Aero Bar and glass of Pepsi
GIRLS/LOVE/KISSING/AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF
030. Have you ever been in love?
Storge: Yes
Phillia: Yes
Eros: Not so much
Agapē: Yes
031. How many people have you told "I love you"?
Are you supposed to count that or something?
032. How many people have you been in love with?
Eros: I'll say none, though sometimes I've made the mistaking Storge for Eros
033. Does someone in your family wear a toupee?
Don't think so. And that was really random, going from love to toupees like that.
034. Do you have any nieces or nephews?
Nope, but I've got young cousins that probably work the same
035. Are your parents divorced?
Seperated.
036. Do you have step parents?
Noperz.
037. Has your family ever disowned another member of your family?
Not that I know of ...
038. If so for what?
Eeh, they might disown me for being so foolish some day.
039. Did some of your family come to America from another country?
Thompson = Tompson, which is apparently Scottish. My full ancestry I don't know.
MUSIC STUFF
040. What song do you swear was written about you or your life?
I'm not quite sure. There have been a few that fit certain seasons of my life ... maybe I'll blog about it later.
041. What's the most embarrassing cd you own?
Pokemon the movie Soundtrack. It's not so bad ...
042. What's the best cd you own?
I dunno, obviously I like most of them ... can't say one is best, though I've listened to Jars of Clay's "Good Monsters" a lot since I've picked it up.
043. What song do you absolutely hate?
My humps? But see previous blog entry.
044. Do you sing in the shower?
I sing a lot when I think I'm alone. Not so much in the shower though.
045. What song reminds you of that special someone?
I don't even have a special someone, but Andy Hunter's Wonderful makes me think of her.
OKAY, I NAME AN ARTIST AND YOU TELL ME IF YOU LIKE THEM OR NOT!
046. Pink: Eeh
047. Aerosmith: Sure
048. Madonna: Whatever
049. Korn: Haven't heard much
050. Backstreet Boys: Sure
051. The Beatles: Sure
052. Sublime: Who?
053. J.Lo: Not so much
054. *Nsync: Sure
055. Limp Bizkit: Haven't heard much
056. Britney Spears: Eeh
057. Creed: Haven't heard much
058. Enrique Iglesias: Who?
059. Good Charlotte: Haven't heard much
060. Christina Aguilera: Haven't heard much
061. New Found Glory: Haven't heard much
062. Kelly Clarkston: Haven't heard much
063. Kelly Osbourne: Haven't heard any
064. Mandy Moore: Haven't heard any
065. Eve: Who?
066. Aaliyah: Who?
067. Nelly: Haven't heard much
068. Alicia Keys: Related to Captain Keys off of Halo?
069. Incubus: What I've heard I like
FAVORITES
070. Color:
Orange
071. Food:
Whatever. I want a steak right now though
072. Song:
Dunno. I like a lot
073. Show:
Battlestar Galactica right now.
074. School subject:
Philosophy
075. Band/singer:
I'll say Jars of Clay, but I don't really have a favorite
076. Animal:
Penguins
077. Outfit:
Dunno. My white T-shirt, Salvation Army working shirt and Black Jeans, I guess.
078. Radio station:
99.1 FM in St. John's. Whatever that is.
079. Movie:
Dunno. I'm thinking of Jurassic Park, Star Wars, and Va, vis et Devans
080. Pair of shoes:
My sneakers, but they're literally falling apart now.
081. Cartoon:
Gundam 08th MS Team
082. Actor:
I'll say Samuel L. Jackson
083. Actress:
... I don't know. Natalie Portman is the only name I can come up with right now.
084. Potato Chips:
Nacho Doritos (Though they're actually corn chips)
085. Drink:
Bawls
086. Alcholic drink:
Never Had
087. Holiday:
Perhaps New Years
088. Perfume/cologne:
I don't even know ...
089. Pizza topping:
The Works, though if it has to be one, I'll say green pepper (weird, I know)
090. Jello flavor:
Cherry or Strawberry.
091. Lunch meat:
Balogna (hah!)
092. Board game:
Risk!
093. Video game:
I'll say Call of Duty 2 right now, but I haven't played it in forever
094. Website:
Don't know. I'll say myextralife.com
*Where 95-176 went, I've no clue*
177. Book:
Agh, I don't know!! I've enjoyed reading Plato's Republic this term, but that's a bit too snooty to say as a favorite.
178. Computer game:
Umm, Curveball, but it's a flash game. And I don't have a link right now.
179. Number:
13
180. Cereal:
Cinnamon Toast Crunch
181. Comedian:
I really like the Pachelbel guy
182. Dessert:
Chocolate Eruption Cheesecake
183. Disney character:
Mufasa
184. Clothing store:
I'll say Hot Topic, but we don't have it in Canada
185. Passtime:
Web surfing, reading, doodling, watch movies/watch TV
186. Teacher:
Bernard Wills for now
187. Childhood toy:
Lego
188. Carnival game/ride:
Bronco
189. Candy bar:
Fusion (can't find them anywhere anymore)
190. Magazine:
Electronic Gaming Monthly or Newtype USA
191. Salad dressing:
Russian
192. Thing to do on the weekend:
Chill with friends
193. Hot drink:
Caramel Macchiato
194. Season:
Fall
195. Sport to watch:
What the world calls "Football," but I am forced to call "Soccer"
196. Person to talk to online:
There are a few. Maybe Zach Hynes
YOUR BEDROOM/ SLEEPING HABITS!
197. What color are your sheets?
Beige or something
198. What color are your bedroom walls?
At home they're bright Red.
199. Do you have posters on your wall?
Yes
200. If so of what?
One of Che Guvera and a quote on revolutionaries,
One of Einstein and different quotes from him,
One of Superman just being awesome
201. Do you have a tv in your bedroom?
Yep, but only for Games
202. How many pillows are on your bed?
3
203. What do you normally sleep in?
Boxerzz
204. Describe your favorite pair of pajamas:
They're red? Or Purple. Or something.
205. What size bed do you have?
Single
206. Do you have a waterbed/bunkbed/daybed?
Uuh, no?
207. Do you have your own phone line in your bedroom?
I have a phone, but not a separate line, no.
208. Do you listen to music while trying to fall asleep?
I did, but ... thin walls.
209. Describe the last nightmare you had:
I don't remember the last nightmare I had, but William Booth was probably in it
210. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
Sort of. They sit on the headboard. They're too small for me to hug now =P
211. How many people can comfortably sleep in your bed?
I'm sure many more than I could guess
212. Do you sleep in any unusual positions?
I've woken up with my feet on the headboard before ... other than that, no, but I have to be hugging something like a pillow.
213. Do you have to share your bedroom with a sibling?
nope
214. Do you snore?
I don't think so, but if somebody would like to correct me ...
215. How about drool?
Don't think so.
216. Do you have an alarm clock in your room?
Yeah
217. What color is the carpet in your room?
Here a pinkish purple. Home it's blue.
218. What's under your bed?
Here my mattress is on the floor (frame broke), home I have drawers for socks, underwear, and a space where I hide my bookbag and toys (a la Legos =P)
THIS AND THAT?
219. beach/mountains: Mountains
220. Donuts/bagels: Donuts
221. Day/night: night
222. Wicked witch of the east/wicked witch of the west: I'm pretty sure the witch from the east was nice, so her.
223. Heaven/hell: Heaven
224. Make love/have sex: "Make Love" sounds better
225. Coffee/tea: I've had tea once. Coffee never.
228. Britney/Christina: Brittney, but only because she comes first alphabetically
229. Swiss cheese/American cheese: Swiss
230. Real World/Road Rules: uuh ...
231. Backstreet Boys/*Nsync: *Nsync
232. Silver/gold: Silver is cool
233. Nike/Adidas: Nike, but only because it means something more significant than "ADIDAS"
234. McDonalds/Taco Bell: Taco Bell
235. Sweet/sour: Sweet
236. Punk/emo: Whatever. Emo?
237. Hot/cold: Cooold
238. Winter/summer: Summer
239. Spring/fall: Fall
240. Operas/plays: Plays
241. Read/watch tv: Read, but I don't always have the motivation
242. Cd's/tapes: CD's
243. Dvd's/vhs: DVDs
244. Old/new: New
245. Shorts/skirts: All I'm saying is "I like a breeze"
246. Pink/red: Red
247. Colored pictures/black and white photos: B&W
248. Meat/vegetables: Meat.
249. Mexican food/chinese food: Mexican
250. Commercials/infomercials: Commercials
251. Scary movies/comedies: Comedies
252. Bikinis/one piece bathing suits: One pieces. I can't show off too much!
253. Sandals/tennis shoes: Tennis Shoes
254. Dogs/cats: Dogs
255. Unicorns/fairies: Faries
256. Water/land: Water
257. Sugar/spice: Sugar
258. Black/white: Black
259. ribbons/bows: Ribbons
260. Chicken/beef: Chicken
261. Colored Christmas lights/regular white Christmas lights: White
262. Cars/trucks: Cars
263. Austin Powers/James Bond: Austin ... sorry to diss the original
264. Popcorn/pretzels: Popcorn
265. Hip/hop: Hip
266. Passionate kiss/peck: Uuh ... peck, because it makes me think of chickens
267. WWE wrestling/real wrestling: WWE is more entertaining, though I watch neither
268. Back rub/foot massage: Back Rub.
269. Picture frames/photo albums: Albums
270. Pens/pencils: Pencils, and not them new-fangled mechanical ones neither! Why, when I was a boy ...
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THE FOLLOWING
271. Eminem: I enjoy the style, not so much the message
272. Virgins: 42?
273. God: God is "The Good"
274. The Osbournes: Weren't they in Austin Powers?
275. Reality TV: Overdone now
276. J.Lo: Uuh ...
277. Religion: It's all about humility. (Religion - humility) = War
278. Emo music: Doesn't exist
279. Valentine's Day: Martyrs get ignored
280. Christina Aguilera's comeback: I'm happy for her?
281. Homosexuals: They do a better job at loving than many Christians
282. Abortion: Only excusable for medical reasons
283. Inter-racial relationships: I always get Chocolate Vanilla swirl soft serve ... so thumbs up
284. Murder: Not so good
285. Death: An individual evil, but a universal good.
286. Obesity: Not so fun
287. Pre-marital sex: It happens.
288. Terrorism: Understandable, but not excusable
289. Pornography: Enslaving
290. Fortune tellers: Not cool
291. Threesomes: It happens
292. Prostitution: It's sad
293. Politics: It's a lot more gross than it needs to be
294. Country music: not so bad
295. George W. Bush: Underrated (Not the best president ever, but come on people!)
296. Cloning: Neat stuff, but is a moral timebomb
297. Britney's boobs: ... produce milk?
298. Gas prices in America: ... are in American dollars.
THE NAME GAME:
(What Do You Think Of When You Hear These Common Names?)
299. Jack: Farm Animals
300. Tiffany: Breakfast
301. Ben: Jedi!
302. Maria: Red hair ...
303. Jennifer: Black hair ...
304. Nicole: Citadel
305. Amy: Vincent
306. Adam: Unique
307. Richard: Jerk
308. Justin: Time
309. Arnold: Governator
310. Tom: Alien Invasions
311. Melissa: Music
312. Charlotte: spider
313. Harold: Short and fat man wearing a trench coat. Wow, that was specific
314. John: Halo
315. Joel: Toronto
316. Vanessa: Veronica
317. Michelle: Pentecost
318. Kevin: Jello
319. Brent: Jacob
320. Jake: Spaceships
321. Billy: Wells
322. Sarah: Hatred
323. Natalie: Heidi
324. Christi: "Pax Christi"
325. Nick: $.05
326. Lindsay: Freckles
327. Taylor: Johnathan
328. Jordan: Andrew and "Gee Whiz!"
329. Jamie: Reba
330. Christian: A kid I once knew
HAVE YOU EVER?
331. Mooned anyone? Yes
332. Been on a diet? Sort of
333. Been to a foreign country? Yes
334. Broken a bone? No
335. Swallowed a tooth/cap/filling? Nope
336. Swear at a teacher? Yes
337. Talked to a lj member? Don't have Livejournal
338. Got in a fight? Yes
339. Dated a teacher? No
340. Laughed so hard you peed your pants? Yes
341. Thought about killing your enemies? Who is my enemy?
342. Gone skinny dipping? I don't think so, but I want to say yes for some reason
343. Met another Blurty member in the flesh? Don't have Blurty either
344. Told a little white lie? Yes
345. Told a secret you swore not to tell? Yep
346. Stolen anything? Nope
347. Misused a swear word and it sounded absolutely stupid? Yep
348. Been on TV? Yes
349. Been on the radio? No
350. Been in a mosh pit? Sort of
351. Been to a concert? Yes
352. Dated one of your best friends? It hasn't happened, not to say that I wouldn't
353. Loved someone so much it makes you cry? Not really
354. Deceived somebody close to you? Yep
355. Broken the law? Well, like, speeding.
356. Been to a rodeo? Nope
357. Been on a talk show? Nope
358. Been on a game show? Nope
359. Been on an airplane? Yep
360. Got to ride on a firetruck? Nope
361. Came close to dying? Probably not, but It sure felt like it
362. Cheated on a bf/gf? Yep
363. Gave someone a piggy back ride? Yep
364. Terrorized a babysitter? Probably
365. Made a mud pie? Yep
366. Had a dream that your falling off a cliff? On a regular basis
367. Snuck out of the house at night? Never had to
368. Been so drunk you don't remember your name? Nope
369. Had an eating disorder? Some might think so =P
370. Felt like you didn't belong? It happens
371. Felt like the 3rd wheel? Yep
372. Smoked? No
373. Done drugs? No
374. Been arrested? Never never
375. Had your tonsils removed? Nah-uh-uuh
376. Gone to camp? Yes
377. Won a bet? Sort of (no money, or less than fifty cents involved)
378. Written a love letter? Yep
379. Gone out of your way to be with the one you love? Again, if we're accepting the confusion of Storge for Eros, then yes.
380. Written a love poem? Yep (it was terrible)
381. Kissed in the rain? Nope
382. Slow danced with someone you love? If Storge replaces Eros, then yes.
383. Participated in cyber sex? ...
384. Faked an orgasm? Never had to. I mean, never ... agh, nevermind.
385. Stolen a kiss? Yerp (I'm an idiot, if you didn't already know)
386. Asked a friend for relationship advice? Yep
387. Had a friend steal your bf/gf? It was what I would call an 'associate', and what I would call an 'interest'
388. Watched the sunset/rise with someone you love? If Storge replaces Eros, then sort of
389. Gotten a speeding ticket? Nope
390. Done jail time? Nope
391. Had to wear a uniform to work? Yep
392. Won a trophy? Medals
393. Thrown up in public? Probably
394. Bowled a perfect game? Nope, but I've had some good games, let me tell you!
395. Failed/got held back? Nope
396. Got perfect attendance in grade school? Nope
397. Roasted pumpkin seeds? Nope
398. Taken ballet lessons? Nope
399. Attempted suicide? Not so much attempted. It only happened once.
400. Cut Yourself? By accident, yeah.
CHILDHOOD STUFF
401. Did you play with Barbies? Yes. I am ashamed.
402. Did you own Treasure Trolls? No
403. Did you watch Beverly Hills 90210? No
404. Did you play Simon? Simon Says? Yes.
405. Did you watch Fraggle Rock? I think so.
406. Did you wet the bed? Yes
407. Did you believe there were monsters in your closet or under your bed? No, but I had slightly more rational fears, like there being bats in my bookcase and the like.
408. Did you wear the underwear with the days of the week on them? No
409. Were you shy? I think so
410. Were you spoiled? Nope
411. Were you abused? No
412. Did you go to the circus? A few times
413. Did you go to the zoo? Yes
414. Were you in a car accident? Nope
415. Did you build snowmen? Yes
416. Did you cry when you scraped your knee? Yep
417. Were your older cousins mean to you? No, but I thought Jillian Sexton was mean growing up.
418. Did you think slinkies were cool? Oh yeah, but I always broke them
419. Did you think the Ninja Turtles really lived in the sewer? I wasn't allowed to watch the Ninja Turtles
420. Were you afraid of the dark? Yep. Still am to an extent
421. Did you have slumber parties? Sleepovers. Yes.
422. Did you have New Kids On The Block sheets, curtains, sleeping bags, dolls and pajamas? No. I think I heard them once.
423. Did you tease your hair out like Tiffany? Uuh, no.
424. Did you believe in the Easter Bunny/Santa Claus/ and the Tooth Fairy? This is written in the past tense ...
RANDOM
425. Do you believe in aliens? I believe there is no way we can prove the negative of Alien's Existence.
426. Name three things that are next to your computer: Wii, TV, Phone.
427. Do you have any hidden talents? I can stop time.
428. Do you wish MTV would play music videos? I don't watch MTV
429. If you were to star in a movie, what kind of movie would it be? Science Fiction all the way.
430. What would your movie star name be? Robert King
431. Do you play any sports? Not really.
432. What's the scariest movie you've ever seen? Can't remember.
433. What is the best movie you've seen in the theater or rented recently? 300
434. What is the dumbest movie you've ever seen? Can't name one
435. Do you drive? Yes, when I'm in Corner Brook
436. What is your dream car? I want a Smart Car.
437. Do you think your good looking? There are days that I finish my shower and think "I should go roll in garbage, because it might be dangerous to be this hot." There are other days that I think similar things, and am absolutely serious.
438. Do others think you are good looking? I dunno. I've been told I'm "not unattractive." Hahah!
439. Would you ever sky dive? Absolutely
440. Do you believe in Bigfoot? Didn't the guy who wore the suit come out about that a few years ago?
441. How many rooms do you have in your house? Here: 4 bedrooms. Home: 3 bedrooms. My fathers house on the other hand, has many rooms ...
442. Are you afraid of roller coasters? Yes, but I'd get on anyways.
443. Do you believe in God? Yes
444. Do you believe in Satan? Yes (Though the popular idea is wrong ... )
445. Do you believe there is a heaven? Yes (... the popular idea is also wrong here ...)
446. Do you believe there is a hell? Yes (... and here as well)
447. Do you own a pooltable? Nope
448. Do you have a pool? Nope
449. Do you have a dishwasher in your kitchen? Yep
450. Do you like chocolate? Yes
451. Who/what is on your 2007 calendar? I don't have one. Just the one on my computer.
452. How many U.S. states have you been to? Like ... 2?
453. Ever wished on a shooting star? yeah
454. Best Halloween costume you ever wore? A hobo. I can't wait for this year.
455. Do you carry any weapons on you? If I could carry a gun I would. But I have carried a knife on occasion no.
456. What is your weakness? Saying 'no' (if it's not a big deal)
457. Name something you can't get enough of: Socialization
458. Describe yourself in 3 adjectives: Annoying, Persistent, Silly
459. How many kids do you want to have? three or four (maybe more ... though I'm not the one pushing them out)
[[Despite only having half as many names on the list, if I had to choose between a son and a daughter it would be a daughter]]
460. Future daughter’s names: (in order of preference)
Kari is my all-time favourite girl's name
Sophie is nice too
461. Future son’s names: (in order of preference)
Seamus is awesome
Robert is cool
Alex is neat
Maxwell is wicked
462. What is your ideal way to die?
Anything that's quick. When I first read the question I imagined getting shot, but that's hardly ideal ...
463. How do you release stress?
I don't really get stressed, so I'll answer this for anger: I'd like to yell and/or punch things, but I just grit my teeth and make fists. Pushups sometimes.
464. Are you a trendy person? Nope
465. Are you an artisitic person? Sure, why not?
466. Are you a realistic person? I like to pretend I'm a realistic Idealist, but I don't think those actually exist.
467. Do you un-tie your shoes every time you take them off? Nope
468. Are you a strong person? I like to think so
469. Are you a strong willed person? Again, I like to think so, but in reality probably not.
470. Who is the last person to e-mail you? My English Prof (Marc Hollett)
471. Who is the last person to IM you? Adam Stevenson
472. Do you hate chain e-mails? Typically yes, but I wish I'd get more sometimes.
473. Are you a deep sleeper? Yeah. Canadian Olympic Sleeping Champion 2008, right here.
474. Are you a good story teller? Not really
475. What do you believe is your best quality? I don't know
476. What is your greatest accomplishment? I don't know, really.
477. Do you like to burn candles or incense? I like to. That's not to say I do it often.
478. Do you do yoga? Tai Chi is cooler.
479. Do you have your own credit card? Nope
480. Let's say you win the lotto? Okay, let's say that.
481. Do you have a check book? no
482. Do you like your driver? I have a driver? Heck, let's fire him, and I'll keep his salary for myself.
483. Do you tan easily? I'm pretty sure I burn
484. What color is your hair naturally? Brown
485. How many fillings do you have? None
486. How many cavities did you have at your last dentist visit? Zero
487. Worst feeling in the world? Loneliness
488. Best feeling in the world? Knowing that somebody you care about deeply cares about you.
489. Is the glass half empty or half full? I am master over this survey, and I have chosen that I hate this question. Rather than striking it down, I will answer it nonsensically: "Cats"
490. Last thing you downloaded? Episode of Gundam SEED Stargazer, but that's months ago, now.
491. Do you catch yourself using online terms in your real life? I do it on purpose, which is funny since I never use abbreviations on MSN or forums
492. What do you think people think of you? I used to think people thought I was a cool guy, but now I don't know.
493. Are you a likeable person? I used to think so, but I'm not sure.
494. Do you need therapy? Not anymore! I mean ... oops.
495. Do you take medication for a chemical imbalance? Nope
496. What the best way to be proposed to? In a language that both parties understand.
497. What kind of movie would you star in? Sci-Fi. Honestly, weren't you paying attention around question 429? Come on, get with it!
498. If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge, would they call it Fed UP? See the first part of answer 489, and replace the second part with "12"
499. When are you moving? Soon.
500. What's your favorite phrase? "And then the farmer's wife came out in her pajaymas and an old straw hat and said 'now, I figured it was the horse, and not the pig!'" (I think that's what it is. I'll ask dad later)
Time Ended: 20h51
What a waste of life. Now I'm going to go read my stinking book.
Start Time: 18h49
001. What is your name?
Joshua Thompson
002. Spell your name backwards:
Nospmoht Auhsoj
003. Date of birth:
December 20th 1988
004. Male or female?
Male
005. Astrological sign:
Sagittarius
006. Nicknames:
King Bob, Lunchbox, Tonnes of Fun, Jeremy, Toby
007. Job:
None right now
008. Height:
Near 6'
009. Weight:
Near 250 lbs
010. Hair color:
Brown
011. Eye color:
Blue
012. Where were you born?
St. John's
013. Where do you reside now?
Home is Corner Brook, but I'm currently in St. John's
014. Where do you go to school?
Memorial University of Newfoundland
015. Screen names:
King Bob v3
016. E-mail addy:
kingbobv3ATgmailDOTcom
017. What does your screen name stand for?
King Bob was a nickname Kyle accidentally gave me in grade 8
018. What is your lj name?
Don't have Livejournal
019. What does your Blurty name stand for?
Don't have Blurty
020. Pets:
Smokeypoozer Lucky Thompson
021. Number of candles you blew out on your last birthday cake?
18, I guess.
023. Tattoo's?
None right now. Maybe someday.
024. Shoe size:
Not sure. 12 maybe?
025. Righty or lefty?
Righty.
026. Wearing:
Universal T-shirt, Salvation Army working shirt, and Jeans
027. Hearing:
Housemate's music (I just turned on my own, though)
028. Feeling:
Tired, contemplative
029. Eating/drinking:
Just had an Aero Bar and glass of Pepsi
GIRLS/LOVE/KISSING/AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF
030. Have you ever been in love?
Storge: Yes
Phillia: Yes
Eros: Not so much
Agapē: Yes
031. How many people have you told "I love you"?
Are you supposed to count that or something?
032. How many people have you been in love with?
Eros: I'll say none, though sometimes I've made the mistaking Storge for Eros
033. Does someone in your family wear a toupee?
Don't think so. And that was really random, going from love to toupees like that.
034. Do you have any nieces or nephews?
Nope, but I've got young cousins that probably work the same
035. Are your parents divorced?
Seperated.
036. Do you have step parents?
Noperz.
037. Has your family ever disowned another member of your family?
Not that I know of ...
038. If so for what?
Eeh, they might disown me for being so foolish some day.
039. Did some of your family come to America from another country?
Thompson = Tompson, which is apparently Scottish. My full ancestry I don't know.
MUSIC STUFF
040. What song do you swear was written about you or your life?
I'm not quite sure. There have been a few that fit certain seasons of my life ... maybe I'll blog about it later.
041. What's the most embarrassing cd you own?
Pokemon the movie Soundtrack. It's not so bad ...
042. What's the best cd you own?
I dunno, obviously I like most of them ... can't say one is best, though I've listened to Jars of Clay's "Good Monsters" a lot since I've picked it up.
043. What song do you absolutely hate?
My humps? But see previous blog entry.
044. Do you sing in the shower?
I sing a lot when I think I'm alone. Not so much in the shower though.
045. What song reminds you of that special someone?
I don't even have a special someone, but Andy Hunter's Wonderful makes me think of her.
OKAY, I NAME AN ARTIST AND YOU TELL ME IF YOU LIKE THEM OR NOT!
046. Pink: Eeh
047. Aerosmith: Sure
048. Madonna: Whatever
049. Korn: Haven't heard much
050. Backstreet Boys: Sure
051. The Beatles: Sure
052. Sublime: Who?
053. J.Lo: Not so much
054. *Nsync: Sure
055. Limp Bizkit: Haven't heard much
056. Britney Spears: Eeh
057. Creed: Haven't heard much
058. Enrique Iglesias: Who?
059. Good Charlotte: Haven't heard much
060. Christina Aguilera: Haven't heard much
061. New Found Glory: Haven't heard much
062. Kelly Clarkston: Haven't heard much
063. Kelly Osbourne: Haven't heard any
064. Mandy Moore: Haven't heard any
065. Eve: Who?
066. Aaliyah: Who?
067. Nelly: Haven't heard much
068. Alicia Keys: Related to Captain Keys off of Halo?
069. Incubus: What I've heard I like
FAVORITES
070. Color:
Orange
071. Food:
Whatever. I want a steak right now though
072. Song:
Dunno. I like a lot
073. Show:
Battlestar Galactica right now.
074. School subject:
Philosophy
075. Band/singer:
I'll say Jars of Clay, but I don't really have a favorite
076. Animal:
Penguins
077. Outfit:
Dunno. My white T-shirt, Salvation Army working shirt and Black Jeans, I guess.
078. Radio station:
99.1 FM in St. John's. Whatever that is.
079. Movie:
Dunno. I'm thinking of Jurassic Park, Star Wars, and Va, vis et Devans
080. Pair of shoes:
My sneakers, but they're literally falling apart now.
081. Cartoon:
Gundam 08th MS Team
082. Actor:
I'll say Samuel L. Jackson
083. Actress:
... I don't know. Natalie Portman is the only name I can come up with right now.
084. Potato Chips:
Nacho Doritos (Though they're actually corn chips)
085. Drink:
Bawls
086. Alcholic drink:
Never Had
087. Holiday:
Perhaps New Years
088. Perfume/cologne:
I don't even know ...
089. Pizza topping:
The Works, though if it has to be one, I'll say green pepper (weird, I know)
090. Jello flavor:
Cherry or Strawberry.
091. Lunch meat:
Balogna (hah!)
092. Board game:
Risk!
093. Video game:
I'll say Call of Duty 2 right now, but I haven't played it in forever
094. Website:
Don't know. I'll say myextralife.com
*Where 95-176 went, I've no clue*
177. Book:
Agh, I don't know!! I've enjoyed reading Plato's Republic this term, but that's a bit too snooty to say as a favorite.
178. Computer game:
Umm, Curveball, but it's a flash game. And I don't have a link right now.
179. Number:
13
180. Cereal:
Cinnamon Toast Crunch
181. Comedian:
I really like the Pachelbel guy
182. Dessert:
Chocolate Eruption Cheesecake
183. Disney character:
Mufasa
184. Clothing store:
I'll say Hot Topic, but we don't have it in Canada
185. Passtime:
Web surfing, reading, doodling, watch movies/watch TV
186. Teacher:
Bernard Wills for now
187. Childhood toy:
Lego
188. Carnival game/ride:
Bronco
189. Candy bar:
Fusion (can't find them anywhere anymore)
190. Magazine:
Electronic Gaming Monthly or Newtype USA
191. Salad dressing:
Russian
192. Thing to do on the weekend:
Chill with friends
193. Hot drink:
Caramel Macchiato
194. Season:
Fall
195. Sport to watch:
What the world calls "Football," but I am forced to call "Soccer"
196. Person to talk to online:
There are a few. Maybe Zach Hynes
YOUR BEDROOM/ SLEEPING HABITS!
197. What color are your sheets?
Beige or something
198. What color are your bedroom walls?
At home they're bright Red.
199. Do you have posters on your wall?
Yes
200. If so of what?
One of Che Guvera and a quote on revolutionaries,
One of Einstein and different quotes from him,
One of Superman just being awesome
201. Do you have a tv in your bedroom?
Yep, but only for Games
202. How many pillows are on your bed?
3
203. What do you normally sleep in?
Boxerzz
204. Describe your favorite pair of pajamas:
They're red? Or Purple. Or something.
205. What size bed do you have?
Single
206. Do you have a waterbed/bunkbed/daybed?
Uuh, no?
207. Do you have your own phone line in your bedroom?
I have a phone, but not a separate line, no.
208. Do you listen to music while trying to fall asleep?
I did, but ... thin walls.
209. Describe the last nightmare you had:
I don't remember the last nightmare I had, but William Booth was probably in it
210. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
Sort of. They sit on the headboard. They're too small for me to hug now =P
211. How many people can comfortably sleep in your bed?
I'm sure many more than I could guess
212. Do you sleep in any unusual positions?
I've woken up with my feet on the headboard before ... other than that, no, but I have to be hugging something like a pillow.
213. Do you have to share your bedroom with a sibling?
nope
214. Do you snore?
I don't think so, but if somebody would like to correct me ...
215. How about drool?
Don't think so.
216. Do you have an alarm clock in your room?
Yeah
217. What color is the carpet in your room?
Here a pinkish purple. Home it's blue.
218. What's under your bed?
Here my mattress is on the floor (frame broke), home I have drawers for socks, underwear, and a space where I hide my bookbag and toys (a la Legos =P)
THIS AND THAT?
219. beach/mountains: Mountains
220. Donuts/bagels: Donuts
221. Day/night: night
222. Wicked witch of the east/wicked witch of the west: I'm pretty sure the witch from the east was nice, so her.
223. Heaven/hell: Heaven
224. Make love/have sex: "Make Love" sounds better
225. Coffee/tea: I've had tea once. Coffee never.
228. Britney/Christina: Brittney, but only because she comes first alphabetically
229. Swiss cheese/American cheese: Swiss
230. Real World/Road Rules: uuh ...
231. Backstreet Boys/*Nsync: *Nsync
232. Silver/gold: Silver is cool
233. Nike/Adidas: Nike, but only because it means something more significant than "ADIDAS"
234. McDonalds/Taco Bell: Taco Bell
235. Sweet/sour: Sweet
236. Punk/emo: Whatever. Emo?
237. Hot/cold: Cooold
238. Winter/summer: Summer
239. Spring/fall: Fall
240. Operas/plays: Plays
241. Read/watch tv: Read, but I don't always have the motivation
242. Cd's/tapes: CD's
243. Dvd's/vhs: DVDs
244. Old/new: New
245. Shorts/skirts: All I'm saying is "I like a breeze"
246. Pink/red: Red
247. Colored pictures/black and white photos: B&W
248. Meat/vegetables: Meat.
249. Mexican food/chinese food: Mexican
250. Commercials/infomercials: Commercials
251. Scary movies/comedies: Comedies
252. Bikinis/one piece bathing suits: One pieces. I can't show off too much!
253. Sandals/tennis shoes: Tennis Shoes
254. Dogs/cats: Dogs
255. Unicorns/fairies: Faries
256. Water/land: Water
257. Sugar/spice: Sugar
258. Black/white: Black
259. ribbons/bows: Ribbons
260. Chicken/beef: Chicken
261. Colored Christmas lights/regular white Christmas lights: White
262. Cars/trucks: Cars
263. Austin Powers/James Bond: Austin ... sorry to diss the original
264. Popcorn/pretzels: Popcorn
265. Hip/hop: Hip
266. Passionate kiss/peck: Uuh ... peck, because it makes me think of chickens
267. WWE wrestling/real wrestling: WWE is more entertaining, though I watch neither
268. Back rub/foot massage: Back Rub.
269. Picture frames/photo albums: Albums
270. Pens/pencils: Pencils, and not them new-fangled mechanical ones neither! Why, when I was a boy ...
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THE FOLLOWING
271. Eminem: I enjoy the style, not so much the message
272. Virgins: 42?
273. God: God is "The Good"
274. The Osbournes: Weren't they in Austin Powers?
275. Reality TV: Overdone now
276. J.Lo: Uuh ...
277. Religion: It's all about humility. (Religion - humility) = War
278. Emo music: Doesn't exist
279. Valentine's Day: Martyrs get ignored
280. Christina Aguilera's comeback: I'm happy for her?
281. Homosexuals: They do a better job at loving than many Christians
282. Abortion: Only excusable for medical reasons
283. Inter-racial relationships: I always get Chocolate Vanilla swirl soft serve ... so thumbs up
284. Murder: Not so good
285. Death: An individual evil, but a universal good.
286. Obesity: Not so fun
287. Pre-marital sex: It happens.
288. Terrorism: Understandable, but not excusable
289. Pornography: Enslaving
290. Fortune tellers: Not cool
291. Threesomes: It happens
292. Prostitution: It's sad
293. Politics: It's a lot more gross than it needs to be
294. Country music: not so bad
295. George W. Bush: Underrated (Not the best president ever, but come on people!)
296. Cloning: Neat stuff, but is a moral timebomb
297. Britney's boobs: ... produce milk?
298. Gas prices in America: ... are in American dollars.
THE NAME GAME:
(What Do You Think Of When You Hear These Common Names?)
299. Jack: Farm Animals
300. Tiffany: Breakfast
301. Ben: Jedi!
302. Maria: Red hair ...
303. Jennifer: Black hair ...
304. Nicole: Citadel
305. Amy: Vincent
306. Adam: Unique
307. Richard: Jerk
308. Justin: Time
309. Arnold: Governator
310. Tom: Alien Invasions
311. Melissa: Music
312. Charlotte: spider
313. Harold: Short and fat man wearing a trench coat. Wow, that was specific
314. John: Halo
315. Joel: Toronto
316. Vanessa: Veronica
317. Michelle: Pentecost
318. Kevin: Jello
319. Brent: Jacob
320. Jake: Spaceships
321. Billy: Wells
322. Sarah: Hatred
323. Natalie: Heidi
324. Christi: "Pax Christi"
325. Nick: $.05
326. Lindsay: Freckles
327. Taylor: Johnathan
328. Jordan: Andrew and "Gee Whiz!"
329. Jamie: Reba
330. Christian: A kid I once knew
HAVE YOU EVER?
331. Mooned anyone? Yes
332. Been on a diet? Sort of
333. Been to a foreign country? Yes
334. Broken a bone? No
335. Swallowed a tooth/cap/filling? Nope
336. Swear at a teacher? Yes
337. Talked to a lj member? Don't have Livejournal
338. Got in a fight? Yes
339. Dated a teacher? No
340. Laughed so hard you peed your pants? Yes
341. Thought about killing your enemies? Who is my enemy?
342. Gone skinny dipping? I don't think so, but I want to say yes for some reason
343. Met another Blurty member in the flesh? Don't have Blurty either
344. Told a little white lie? Yes
345. Told a secret you swore not to tell? Yep
346. Stolen anything? Nope
347. Misused a swear word and it sounded absolutely stupid? Yep
348. Been on TV? Yes
349. Been on the radio? No
350. Been in a mosh pit? Sort of
351. Been to a concert? Yes
352. Dated one of your best friends? It hasn't happened, not to say that I wouldn't
353. Loved someone so much it makes you cry? Not really
354. Deceived somebody close to you? Yep
355. Broken the law? Well, like, speeding.
356. Been to a rodeo? Nope
357. Been on a talk show? Nope
358. Been on a game show? Nope
359. Been on an airplane? Yep
360. Got to ride on a firetruck? Nope
361. Came close to dying? Probably not, but It sure felt like it
362. Cheated on a bf/gf? Yep
363. Gave someone a piggy back ride? Yep
364. Terrorized a babysitter? Probably
365. Made a mud pie? Yep
366. Had a dream that your falling off a cliff? On a regular basis
367. Snuck out of the house at night? Never had to
368. Been so drunk you don't remember your name? Nope
369. Had an eating disorder? Some might think so =P
370. Felt like you didn't belong? It happens
371. Felt like the 3rd wheel? Yep
372. Smoked? No
373. Done drugs? No
374. Been arrested? Never never
375. Had your tonsils removed? Nah-uh-uuh
376. Gone to camp? Yes
377. Won a bet? Sort of (no money, or less than fifty cents involved)
378. Written a love letter? Yep
379. Gone out of your way to be with the one you love? Again, if we're accepting the confusion of Storge for Eros, then yes.
380. Written a love poem? Yep (it was terrible)
381. Kissed in the rain? Nope
382. Slow danced with someone you love? If Storge replaces Eros, then yes.
383. Participated in cyber sex? ...
384. Faked an orgasm? Never had to. I mean, never ... agh, nevermind.
385. Stolen a kiss? Yerp (I'm an idiot, if you didn't already know)
386. Asked a friend for relationship advice? Yep
387. Had a friend steal your bf/gf? It was what I would call an 'associate', and what I would call an 'interest'
388. Watched the sunset/rise with someone you love? If Storge replaces Eros, then sort of
389. Gotten a speeding ticket? Nope
390. Done jail time? Nope
391. Had to wear a uniform to work? Yep
392. Won a trophy? Medals
393. Thrown up in public? Probably
394. Bowled a perfect game? Nope, but I've had some good games, let me tell you!
395. Failed/got held back? Nope
396. Got perfect attendance in grade school? Nope
397. Roasted pumpkin seeds? Nope
398. Taken ballet lessons? Nope
399. Attempted suicide? Not so much attempted. It only happened once.
400. Cut Yourself? By accident, yeah.
CHILDHOOD STUFF
401. Did you play with Barbies? Yes. I am ashamed.
402. Did you own Treasure Trolls? No
403. Did you watch Beverly Hills 90210? No
404. Did you play Simon? Simon Says? Yes.
405. Did you watch Fraggle Rock? I think so.
406. Did you wet the bed? Yes
407. Did you believe there were monsters in your closet or under your bed? No, but I had slightly more rational fears, like there being bats in my bookcase and the like.
408. Did you wear the underwear with the days of the week on them? No
409. Were you shy? I think so
410. Were you spoiled? Nope
411. Were you abused? No
412. Did you go to the circus? A few times
413. Did you go to the zoo? Yes
414. Were you in a car accident? Nope
415. Did you build snowmen? Yes
416. Did you cry when you scraped your knee? Yep
417. Were your older cousins mean to you? No, but I thought Jillian Sexton was mean growing up.
418. Did you think slinkies were cool? Oh yeah, but I always broke them
419. Did you think the Ninja Turtles really lived in the sewer? I wasn't allowed to watch the Ninja Turtles
420. Were you afraid of the dark? Yep. Still am to an extent
421. Did you have slumber parties? Sleepovers. Yes.
422. Did you have New Kids On The Block sheets, curtains, sleeping bags, dolls and pajamas? No. I think I heard them once.
423. Did you tease your hair out like Tiffany? Uuh, no.
424. Did you believe in the Easter Bunny/Santa Claus/ and the Tooth Fairy? This is written in the past tense ...
RANDOM
425. Do you believe in aliens? I believe there is no way we can prove the negative of Alien's Existence.
426. Name three things that are next to your computer: Wii, TV, Phone.
427. Do you have any hidden talents? I can stop time.
428. Do you wish MTV would play music videos? I don't watch MTV
429. If you were to star in a movie, what kind of movie would it be? Science Fiction all the way.
430. What would your movie star name be? Robert King
431. Do you play any sports? Not really.
432. What's the scariest movie you've ever seen? Can't remember.
433. What is the best movie you've seen in the theater or rented recently? 300
434. What is the dumbest movie you've ever seen? Can't name one
435. Do you drive? Yes, when I'm in Corner Brook
436. What is your dream car? I want a Smart Car.
437. Do you think your good looking? There are days that I finish my shower and think "I should go roll in garbage, because it might be dangerous to be this hot." There are other days that I think similar things, and am absolutely serious.
438. Do others think you are good looking? I dunno. I've been told I'm "not unattractive." Hahah!
439. Would you ever sky dive? Absolutely
440. Do you believe in Bigfoot? Didn't the guy who wore the suit come out about that a few years ago?
441. How many rooms do you have in your house? Here: 4 bedrooms. Home: 3 bedrooms. My fathers house on the other hand, has many rooms ...
442. Are you afraid of roller coasters? Yes, but I'd get on anyways.
443. Do you believe in God? Yes
444. Do you believe in Satan? Yes (Though the popular idea is wrong ... )
445. Do you believe there is a heaven? Yes (... the popular idea is also wrong here ...)
446. Do you believe there is a hell? Yes (... and here as well)
447. Do you own a pooltable? Nope
448. Do you have a pool? Nope
449. Do you have a dishwasher in your kitchen? Yep
450. Do you like chocolate? Yes
451. Who/what is on your 2007 calendar? I don't have one. Just the one on my computer.
452. How many U.S. states have you been to? Like ... 2?
453. Ever wished on a shooting star? yeah
454. Best Halloween costume you ever wore? A hobo. I can't wait for this year.
455. Do you carry any weapons on you? If I could carry a gun I would. But I have carried a knife on occasion no.
456. What is your weakness? Saying 'no' (if it's not a big deal)
457. Name something you can't get enough of: Socialization
458. Describe yourself in 3 adjectives: Annoying, Persistent, Silly
459. How many kids do you want to have? three or four (maybe more ... though I'm not the one pushing them out)
[[Despite only having half as many names on the list, if I had to choose between a son and a daughter it would be a daughter]]
460. Future daughter’s names: (in order of preference)
Kari is my all-time favourite girl's name
Sophie is nice too
461. Future son’s names: (in order of preference)
Seamus is awesome
Robert is cool
Alex is neat
Maxwell is wicked
462. What is your ideal way to die?
Anything that's quick. When I first read the question I imagined getting shot, but that's hardly ideal ...
463. How do you release stress?
I don't really get stressed, so I'll answer this for anger: I'd like to yell and/or punch things, but I just grit my teeth and make fists. Pushups sometimes.
464. Are you a trendy person? Nope
465. Are you an artisitic person? Sure, why not?
466. Are you a realistic person? I like to pretend I'm a realistic Idealist, but I don't think those actually exist.
467. Do you un-tie your shoes every time you take them off? Nope
468. Are you a strong person? I like to think so
469. Are you a strong willed person? Again, I like to think so, but in reality probably not.
470. Who is the last person to e-mail you? My English Prof (Marc Hollett)
471. Who is the last person to IM you? Adam Stevenson
472. Do you hate chain e-mails? Typically yes, but I wish I'd get more sometimes.
473. Are you a deep sleeper? Yeah. Canadian Olympic Sleeping Champion 2008, right here.
474. Are you a good story teller? Not really
475. What do you believe is your best quality? I don't know
476. What is your greatest accomplishment? I don't know, really.
477. Do you like to burn candles or incense? I like to. That's not to say I do it often.
478. Do you do yoga? Tai Chi is cooler.
479. Do you have your own credit card? Nope
480. Let's say you win the lotto? Okay, let's say that.
481. Do you have a check book? no
482. Do you like your driver? I have a driver? Heck, let's fire him, and I'll keep his salary for myself.
483. Do you tan easily? I'm pretty sure I burn
484. What color is your hair naturally? Brown
485. How many fillings do you have? None
486. How many cavities did you have at your last dentist visit? Zero
487. Worst feeling in the world? Loneliness
488. Best feeling in the world? Knowing that somebody you care about deeply cares about you.
489. Is the glass half empty or half full? I am master over this survey, and I have chosen that I hate this question. Rather than striking it down, I will answer it nonsensically: "Cats"
490. Last thing you downloaded? Episode of Gundam SEED Stargazer, but that's months ago, now.
491. Do you catch yourself using online terms in your real life? I do it on purpose, which is funny since I never use abbreviations on MSN or forums
492. What do you think people think of you? I used to think people thought I was a cool guy, but now I don't know.
493. Are you a likeable person? I used to think so, but I'm not sure.
494. Do you need therapy? Not anymore! I mean ... oops.
495. Do you take medication for a chemical imbalance? Nope
496. What the best way to be proposed to? In a language that both parties understand.
497. What kind of movie would you star in? Sci-Fi. Honestly, weren't you paying attention around question 429? Come on, get with it!
498. If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge, would they call it Fed UP? See the first part of answer 489, and replace the second part with "12"
499. When are you moving? Soon.
500. What's your favorite phrase? "And then the farmer's wife came out in her pajaymas and an old straw hat and said 'now, I figured it was the horse, and not the pig!'" (I think that's what it is. I'll ask dad later)
Time Ended: 20h51
What a waste of life. Now I'm going to go read my stinking book.
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