Catchy Title

Hundredth Post.

2011-03-23T13:32:00.002-04:00

I'm typing this on a pretty nice iMac. sub-pixel smoothing is a little known trick, though, which can make any LED-lit display look nice. Anyway, I digress.

I wanted to use this space to talk for a second about a quasi-lame experience I'm having with Geek Squad/Best Buy. I've been reading a lot of reviews of these services, and it's been alarming, to put it mildly. Some people have hellish-looking times trying to get their cell phones fixed, which is what I've been waiting on.

It looked like my phone had randomly decided to become water-laden overnight. No more touch screen for me. Having the Geek Squad "Insurance" plan (it's apparently not really insurance, but a service that, by your paying into it, allows you to get repairs on your expensive device. weird?) I thought, "ok, I'll just take this in and get it fixed."

Upon getting there, they told me I was eligible for upgrade, but I was not really willing to pay more money for a phone just slightly more behind the curve than my current one. And I elected to go for service on the phone. They said "do you have your old phone?" and I said "yeah," which is good, because for some reason, there's a $150 deposit on a loaner phone. Which wouldn't be so bad if they loaned me an EVO. But they don't even loan you a smartphone, apparently. This is colossal cheapness, which Best Buy, with no competition, does NOT need to employ.

Since it was the middle of the day, I was helped out relatively quickly, unlike a lot of the wait-times that people report. But like many others, they told me that my repair would be "expedited" and that the repair center often has parts for the more popular devices in stock. So I said "what, then, about a week if it's expedited?" and the guy was like "yeah." So I left, with the order number to track my repair. "Cool," i thought, "back to normal next week."

Nope.

See, this repair center is in Texas, and this Best Buy is in Delaware. The phone (thankfully stripped of anything that could be stolen off of it, which is all in my possession) probably was shipped out of the store promptly. But the order tracking on Geek Squad (the separate Best Buy business responsible for already-bought electronic repairs) didn't accurately reflect this. It just said it was "awaiting shipment" for about six days.

I should note, of the three or four calls I made to Best Buy, I only really felt okay about the first one. The guy sounded nice and helpful. The next day, I called once in the morning and asked about the status, and about 4 hours later called again, but the same (middle-aged-sounding) woman answered both times. The second time, she gave me a lot of lip about how I was wasting my time by calling more than once a day asking about the status, since they don't have much more information than what I can see. Which prompts me to think, "then what good ARE you doing?"

Long story short, at the moment, my phone's repair status is making progress. On the weekly, it seems. Lots of the complaints people post about on the Best Buy forums are probably legitimate, since Best Buy absolutely makes it sound they'll just open up a box in the back to hand you a new phone if your Best-Buy-bought-and-insured one breaks for any old reason. I definitely wasn't expecting to have to use my old phone for any more than a week.

But really, the problem seems to be, that people don't have very much patience. I mean, yes, getting notified of your email on-the-go is great, and for many, helps them perform their livelihoods (and really, work in general) efficiently and quickly. But these people who have smartphones, which fail, then refuse to accept the consequences of it, are really just over-dependent on these devices. And that, despite what anyone may say, is in their own hands to control.

Now

2011-02-03T20:39:00.004-05:00

I'm listening to the new Iron & Wine album (and about 60 other songs) as I finish this Nutrition homework.

Or write a blog post. Ya know.

I find I write/work better with this full-sized monitor/keyboard/mouse that I have. I've been planning on dumping a few hundred dollars into getting a speedy and trusty proper computer to connect to all this stuff. But now I'm struggling to decide on that VS. buying a car with a more substantial amount of money (which I pretty much don't have right now to begin with.)

I guess sitting here writing about it won't solve anything. Whereas, doing my Nutrition project will accomplish itself in me getting good grades/a college degree. So, here goes that. Meanwhile... pray that I come into the very worthwhile acquisition of either an automobile or computer.

Sincerely,

A Scrawled Signature

oh.

2011-01-22T12:37:00.002-05:00

Well, hey there, blog. I abandoned you. Whoops.

Just so you folks know, i'm liable to retire this blog if and when i buy a domain name. I might do so soon, and i think i'd be interested in using a free platform for the content like Blogger, but i might give Wordpress a try, too. we'll see.

On Loss

2010-09-07T17:17:00.002-04:00

on loss.

Not loss in the sense of death. If that were the case, this wouldn't be slightly entertaining.

But in a way, loss, recently, has come and gone for me. I'm always "losing" money. I make money, too, yes, but i lose it just as efficiently.

last week, my dad was away in New Jersey on business, and it was weird not having him around, probably because he does so much. All the rest of my family was around for that week. Yesterday, Labor Day 2010, my mom and i took my brother to school at Baltimore International College, where he'll be spending a lot of his time for the next year and a half. It's so close that he can come back home infrequently, but it's as though, til next week, we've just traded my dad for my brother.

Probably a loss that, more generally, you can relate to, i lost (for the moment) the higher-paying of my two part-time jobs. I hope they call me again for Christmas and New Years; that's really the big perk to having that job. But i do feel robbed, since i know they weren't going to call me (or the other people at the store with the same plight) to tell them they'd been suspended/let go/"separated".

and it's all very frustrating, but we can learn to trust God's grace more through offensive losses such as these.

Gojira

2010-05-29T18:21:00.002-04:00

So, for the past four or five weeks, i've been working, and a lot. I was working during the school year, but this past semester, that only ever added up to 5 hours a week at some times; this month, i had two consecutive 35-hour weeks. Obviously this is entirely normal, but by contrast, it's clearly far above what i've been used to.

I really enjoyed getting a paycheck that completely covered my rent, though. And still, just because i got paid a lot, once, i need to get myself out of the frame of mind of "oh i can afford all this." because i DO have financial responsibilites that i can't neglect. siigh.

anyway, that's really the sum total of what's been going on in my life; i'm trying to save money for a various number of things, etc.

oh. but i will be doing some work on my car this Memorial Day. and I plan on taking plenty of before and after pictures of the work. I'll probably put them here and on facebook.
that is, if I'm successful.... hah.

nard-dog

2010-02-20T20:39:00.002-05:00

hah.
yeah, i'm sitting here in front of our dvds of the American version of The Office

I've had a sore throat for about... two days now. well, by the end of today, it'll be two. haha. either way, it's good perspective for me. That is, to be on the other side of the "i'm coming down with something" conversation.
maybe it just feels like it's been a while.

I'm thinking of joining the church where i've been going while at school. I really like everyone, and even if i don't stay in the area after I'm done my degree, it will have probably been a good way for me to serve God in everything I do around here.

sakes alive

2010-02-02T21:37:00.002-05:00

well, i missed january.

but it doesn't look like anyone's gonna hemhorrage over THAT.

anyway, i'm looking forward to what God's surely doing in my life.
just so you know.

portense

2009-12-28T22:11:00.002-05:00

if that's even a word.

i think my more-annoying roommate causes our neighbors to be equally annoying. it was quiet in this building until tonight.

i'm not bitter.
to be honest, i'm a little vindicated by the whole thing. and that makes it only funnier for me.

i've been enjoying being done school, and i equally loved Christmas. but time keeps passing quickly, and it's strange.

mysterino

2009-11-03T07:18:00.003-05:00

i have to be at work in about forty minutes, and i'm still not dressed after my shower. i'm in that perfect spot where mishaps are very possible, but i'm still technically prepared and on-track. actually, this so-called spot is not perfect. so nevermind about that, but it's definitely the position i'm currently in.

PLUS i had coffee ten minutes ago, so, all i need is a little bit of food and i am SET.
ohhh, SET. good times.
i wish i had a few bananas or apples or peaches or fresh-cut pineapple, something sweet-yet-not-fake to get me going. baahhhhh. next paycheck = grocery store.

spectral

2009-10-27T22:55:00.002-04:00

i've been sick with this stupid cold for about a week; this is getting to be really strange, because i'm never this sick for this long. i'm seldom sick for long, and until this year, i never even really got sick that often. i need to do something to improve my immune system when i finally get fully well again, I suppose. I'd much much much rather be healthy.

i only have to do a little more writing tonight before i go to bed yay

oh hey

2009-10-21T13:51:00.004-04:00

wow. this blag is so neglercted.
between xkcd and Homestar, I think i have adequate reason to mispronunce things.
but probably only when i type. in real life, it's kinda weird. it could be funny, i guess.

anyway, I'm waiting to see if my brother needs me to get him from the Pennsylvania Rennaissance Faire. i'm kinda sad that i didn't make it over there for the whole day; it's unbelievably gorgeous outside. but, oh well. going for a long drive and getting some fresh aire might help my throat-cold. which hassled me ALL DAY YESTERDAY AND TODAY. so annoying.

siiigh. but life is so so so great. ;)

books won't leave me alone.

2009-10-03T22:36:00.003-04:00

or, my roommate and his girlfriend and i are watching the Pagemaster.
and i work in two different book-oriented establishements.
STOP IT WITH ALL THE BOOKS.

but it's okay. i just need some more food. luckily, i have some. not too many sodium-filled or sugary snacks. or any snack-like foods at all, really. but, it's still okay.

whoa

2009-09-25T23:16:00.002-04:00

almost a month since i wrote here. odd for me, eh?
i'm about to make some eggs. i feel bad for forgetting that i had them.

i've been making more money than normal, and it's tough for me to not just impulsively buy stuff that i need/want, as i did tonight after work.
that's the thing about working in a bookstore. the stuff that you spend the most time with is all pretty much irresitible.

anyway. i need those eggs, and i must fight some illness i may be regaining. ugh.

running a bath. so that i can hold my head beneath it.

2009-08-30T19:26:00.002-04:00

my. goodness.

tomorrow, i start my second year (out of three in which i am trying to complete a four-year degree) at a small state-school in Pennsylvania. i have been working in the textbook store on-campus.
and i am exhausted.
sure i may be less broke than i was in the past few weeks, but, if i have any time or energy, i doubt i'll be using it for anything besides sleeping (however much sense THAT makes.)

anyway, my apartment is also more or less in the immigrant-ridden part of town, which is amazing. it's really like one of the biggest exercises in out-of-comfort-zone i've ever had in my entire life. i'm going to need to be learning a bit of spanish, though, regardless.

and i'm generally just learning about sacrifices as i go. because if i'm worth the sacrifice of a life of a perfect man, why should i not be able to sacrifice my imperfect self for others?

claim

2009-08-18T07:03:00.002-04:00

i've been sleeping at nights on top of my comforter, beneath only an afghan or two. couldn't tell you why, but it's true.

i've been leaving every morning by quarter after seven to be at work by eight. so evidently, i'll have to leave soon.

i feel like the rest of my summer should've been like this. but maybe it shouldn't've.

yawn yawn

2009-08-12T16:08:00.002-04:00

i actually like my 8am to 2pm shift, despite how my lack of car complicates my family's life.
although, i guess the fact that i'm making money is a justifaction for all of that.
actually, that's just about the only justifaction they would accept, i'm sure.

and i think that i want less of my life to be centered on money.
or maybe not so much "centered on" as "concerned with" or "worried about"
because, you know, there's college, and given the way things are, that's not free (which i guess is partially my own fault, too) and then rent, food, and then pretty much just luxuries. or, that's my current personal budget. i'm sure that once i get my next car, i'll cut back significantly on the rest of my luxuries.

then again, i may not have a clue as to what my money does for me. i clearly have no control over much of it.

grog

2009-08-09T16:42:00.002-04:00

i'm thinking i would've liked to go to church this morning. i didn't, though, because i overslept a bit too far.
and aside from that, i have conflicting feelings about being absent from church on sundays. but then again, huge amounts of space can take up (and surely have taken up) discussion about such things, and i'm really not in any sort of position of authority on scripture, so i tend to speak/write sparingly, in that vein.

i'm still tired, too. or, tired again? i can't tell.

Psalm 144 is excellent.

and velvet shining all along the way. or something.

2009-07-25T11:38:00.002-04:00

i'm .3 of the way through my summer musical performances.
those of you who may have been there last night; thanks. =)
i still don't know why anyone would WANT to talk to our music director though. no matter.

is there any reason why i'm so weird?

deficience / abundance

2009-07-08T18:25:00.002-04:00

and balance.

i love yogurt.
actually, let's face it, i love food. i think i'm going to have a real dinner tonight, after having said yogurt. cuz i'm still pretty hungry, and i have real food. so, let's do that. yes.

haaaa.

i guess that's all. nothing else is really ... i dunno, notable.
notable.
not able.
no table.
not a ble.

wow

2009-06-30T16:28:00.002-04:00

the amount of earwax that comes out of my ears is ABSURD.

i've been playing a LOT of Star Wars Bounty Hunter.

My flow of money may be picking up.

I like having only ONE class. at eight in the morning. in the summer.

i like how my parents still get me food. they're awesome.

this one-line-paragraph thing is retarded, sorry i did it.

Eighty

2009-06-20T12:20:00.002-04:00

okay, so, this is one of the best weekends i've had in some time.
which really makes me wonder, am i being selfish when i say that? maybe slightly, but overall, given the amount of stress and just general calamity that have gone into my last few weekends, this one, so far, is being pretty tight.

of course, how it works, now that i've said that, it's going to go down paths that i don't like in the next few hours.

this weekend is miserable! i hate it!
(just to be safe)

the biggest thing is i haven't been to work yet. i OUGHT to be irritated about this, but even going TO work is such a hassle that it's really nice to not have to do it at all. I do kinda need a little more money though, if i'm supposed to, you know, eat.

i'm about to be productive and do some writing/research for my classes (both of which end on thursday. huzzah)

time

2009-06-11T23:41:00.002-04:00

i cannot get my mp3 playing device to connect to amarok.
and this does not sit well with me. it kinda actually undermines everything i've ever thought of amarok...
okay, no it doesn't.
but still, it's the best program i can use, and what's it doing for me? nothing...
that's not true either really, i like how it populates my last.fm profile so nicely and without trouble.

i'm sure this all has something to do with the fact that i'm using an older version of the software that's not even supposed to be used on this kernel of ubuntu. i might be wrong, but i think amarok 2 handled my device the right way.
if i only i could have the two versions coexist. wow, that'd be so great. alas.

flossing is a ridiculously great thing to do.

similar difference.

2009-06-04T18:26:00.003-04:00

i just spent the better part of two minutes trying to write about the title of this post, which is now not even what it originally was.

anyway, i'm feeling really kinda cool with my mythology class.
my history class... well, i hope my first paper was satisfactory.

i just remembered that a really cool recent James Bond movie is on TV right now. and i wanted to watch it. hm. well, i've seen it before, i can afford to jump in later than the beginning.

on monday night, i bought two bags of rippled potato chips for five dollars, and i ate them all with little assistance from other people. but i just NOW finished them off. so, i guess that's something to be thankful for.

but, you know, that brings up something that's been occuring to me with a refreshing amount of frequency as of late, which is that, financially, God's really been blessing me a lot. like, my parents are still graciously paying for this apartment (and next month is the final ridiculously-priced month) and after that, i wanted to live in the area on my own support, but that would be SO difficult. And my work situation is a little weird, and i'm not really able to work at my workplace at the moment, but i have gotten some money from it so far, and the fact that that money will probably (but as always, not definitely) sustain me for a while, if i'm prudent about it, is very comforting.
and i don't know how things will be after ... you know, next month, but ... i'm doing what i can to be faithful. and i think that the less i even so much as think about it, the sooner Christ will work it out. because it tends to be that i make things really drastically awful when i start trying to solve them prematurely.

i am so tired.

did it, didn't

2009-05-25T22:04:00.002-04:00

i've undergone the only difficulties that i will have with bicycles for the forseeable future.
i got one from home, and the tires consequently turned out to be flat.
that bike was replaced (mostly in my absence) and that bike evidently came without any of the extremeties fastened on. (the seat and handlebars came loose within hours, give or take)

so i'm just gonna stick with good ole reliable WALKING

yeah.

cuz i start summer classes tomorrow and i will not put up with a lemon bicycle. a thing which i didn't even know existed.

fm > streaming. sometimes.

2009-05-19T10:49:00.003-04:00

so, it seems to me like i tend to update when i'm at school, and not at home.
maybe it's just my imagination though. i should check.
anyway, i'm back here, eagerly anticipating just what the decision will be from the manager of this small restaurant in town, on whether or not they hire me.
which small restaurant?
this one.
please join with me in acknowledging how hilarious it would be if i were to work at such a place.
but i'm oddly optimistic about it, cuz i feel like i've already built up some rapport with the manager, who's young and busy and whatnot. so, like i said, i'm waiting, hoping that when she calls, she says "psh, yeah, of course you're hired."
but you can't guarantee any of that.
so here i am. being patient, faithful, trusting, and so forth.

and soon i'll do the other normal things that i do when i'm here and not taking classes.
(WHICH by the way, start right after memorial day)

discovery

2009-05-09T00:39:00.002-04:00

a title which, fortunately, makes sense on multiple levels.

yeah, i'm sure i've written about this somewhere before, or at least talked about this to over a hundred dozen people, but, going through music that you heard in short order, distant in the past, is awesome. That is, when you've suddenly grown and matured and whatnot, and you listen to MORE of that particular music, and in a different way.

I do this with Jars of Clay ALL THE TIME

but i just recently acquired the full album of Commencement by Deadsy, which i'm sure isn't something that a lot of readers here would be into, but i personally think it's quite crazy. in a good way.

I also kinda have this happen with Dvorak every now and then, too. or maybe that's Tchaikovsky, i dunno. point being, it's a common phenomenon with me.

is everyone aware of everyone else's knowledge here?

2009-05-04T13:29:00.002-04:00

occasionally, i like life.
then i have no classes and i LOVE it.
then something else happens and i feel worse than i did to begin with.
you maybe wondering "what are you even talking about?"
or just thinking "wow, and i thought I was messed up."
precisely.

... whatever the cost, thou hast taught me to say it is well, it is well with my soul ...
♫ ♥ blah blah

recalcitrance

2009-04-27T15:13:00.004-04:00

ah nuts, i'd been forgetting to write here.

anyway...

i've probably walked a little more than mile today. and after i'm done stuff here at my place, i'm probably going to make the same walk again. ahhhhh. GREAT day for such a walk, yes? yes.

so, what else ... i'm finished with my classes. and by classes, i mean the time spent in a classroom receiving instruction. i now have four finals; one per day for the rest of the week. thereby giving me time to study and just generally DO stuff. like apply for work.

i'm SO ... ambivalent. ;)

PS what better time to have leftover ham than Swine Flu season?

collections

2009-04-16T14:26:00.002-04:00

so, i'm sitting here, as usual, in my school's radio station.
we've got an annual battle of the bands tonight and i'm doing the last of tomorrow's homework now, so that i can stay up on the late side without worrying about repercussions that are too harsh.

standing in direct opposition to what i thought/wrote earlier today, i probably won't be able to squeeze a nap in. and i won't be getting much sleep tonight. ggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

but life is still great. or at least marginally great.
and it'll only get better, i think.
siiiiigh.

necktie

2009-04-10T20:01:00.002-04:00

so, i'm glad, my mp3 player hasn't been acting up recently.
and, for some reason, my eyes have gotten less accustomed to having contacts in them. GRR. not good.
it's been almost a day since i've showered.
this post is stupid.
i wish i had a decent, sensible, but brief story to tell, but i don't. they're all long, or dumb, or aggravating, or something negative.
oh well

sane?

2009-04-04T10:47:00.004-04:00

hmm.
siigh.
ever?

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was, as a film, great.
but i had some personal things that made parts of it a little ... i dunno. sour.

on the other hand, don't most sour things eventually turn sweet?
yes... ;)

(of course, normally, they then dissolve, so it's not a perfect analogy, but if you stop at the second step, it's unbelievably amazing to see from that perspective)

so there are these emotions... nevermind

2009-03-28T10:16:00.002-04:00

i had a really sore throat for half the week.
maybe because i ate someone's leftover pasta, with her fork.
but maybe just because of the weather and my attempts to be adaptible. (viz. not wearing a jacket)

but no matter. it's all congestion now. and i just need to cough it up.
(that's the worst pun i've written in a while)

hmph

2009-03-22T16:59:00.002-04:00

dear philosophy reading,
i dare you to be interesting.
although, you are all about Descartes for the time being, so you ought to be tolerable at the very least. we'll see, though.

it all boils down to that i'm probably gonna be stuck in the entire class when i'd rather be at a radio station event that starts at the same time. for philosophy, we've got to write an essay, WHILE in class. i'm gonna see if i can get away with doing a half-hour one and not a fifty-minute one. i mean, carpal tunnel syndrome is still real, i think, and i get it.
now, if i could TYPE it... well, we'd be in business there, maybe i'd even want to stay the 50 minutes if that were the case. but i think that'd be point-defeating for what the instructor wants out of the assignment.
so, reading it is. and some sycophantic behavior, if i can manage it.

sarcophagus :

2009-03-16T22:10:00.002-04:00

one of my favorite words.

so, i got my newest hat!!!!!
i'm afraid to break it in...
but it's still excellent.

anyway, it's weird being home, AND skipping classes.
but i'd better not suffer too much after the classes i'm skipping. heheheeee

my goodness. i was recently reacquainted with one of my favorite redolences.
(yes, i used a thesaurus. you should too.)

might as well

2009-03-11T17:16:00.002-04:00

which is to say, write an entry in the radio station where i waste most of my life.

literally in the course of writing that sentence, i remembered that i was gonna sit here today and write my part of a group paper that's due this upcoming monday.
so, i think i'll go do that now...

i just want to say, God is great for giving me so many funds for the amount of stuff that i buy. now, funding for things like rent and tuition are a different thing, but ... oh well. i'll get there someday. just, soon, i hope.

tarpaulin

2009-03-07T15:45:00.002-05:00

i'm really sad if Peter's abrasive Twitter updates are gonna just drop off, the way he predicted that they might. i mean, not REALLY sad, but, they were funny, so, having one more often than 'now and then' would probably be cool.

i'm back in my school apartment now. the events of my spring break week were:

visiting my old workplace a couple of times.

stopping by madrigals practice

missing a party one of my friends was throwing in town here

seeing Watchmen

forgetting to do some homework for a couple of my classes

in fact, i hope i do alright at getting back into my schooltime routine. ugh.

and the week had its normal mercurial ups and downs, but i think i noticed them more without homework to do, or a radio studio to sit in.
siiiiiiggghhhh...
and today's weather was SPENTACULARIOUS so that was nice.

tandoori tonight

2009-03-02T12:52:00.002-05:00

^ that's right.

I just now was surprised to realize that i've updated my xanga and twitter more in the past ... day, than i have this thing. hmmmm...

anyway, yeah, it's a shame that my school decided to schedule our so-called 'Spring Break' at the 'tail-end' of the WINTER. i'm used to these kinds of mistakes, though, so i'm mostly alright with snow. it's still not great stuff, but i'm alright with it.

i wonder, though... will i be able to get anything done around here today?

preconceptivism

2009-02-26T13:03:00.003-05:00

I didn't do well on at least one of the tests i took today.

just when i think my battle with acne is over, it isn't.

i'm somewhat tired.

i'm very content.

i'm slightly sad.

siigh.

when?

edit: (twitter.com/atenga)

working on it

2009-02-20T14:56:00.002-05:00

so, my room's been getting more and more cluttered, especially since i was dealing with some kind of eye-infection.
actually, i still am somewhat, because vision out of my right eye is a little hazy, for whatever reason. i'm pretty sure this became an issue because of my contact lenses, so, hopefully, not wearing contacts at all for some time will solve the problem, whatever it is.

when you're hungry, nothing hits the spot like absolutely anything you can get your hands on.

making spectacles

2009-02-15T21:04:00.002-05:00

^ huh?

anyway, my technographicalisticous triumpheries may soon be extramultiplicitatious.
(kinda like these fake words.)

to expand a bit on that, i'd like to help out with writing/completing a kernel of Linux that would run on the iPhone.

as it is now, i only think it can be done with the iPhone plugged into the computer, and the kernel run as a USB console? or something? it's really beyond what i'm familiar with, but i want the thing to just be written already. i don't even know if i'll ever get an iphone, but the project itself just sounds SO COOL.

mmmmmm...
there are people whom i miss.

yeah

2009-02-11T17:19:00.003-05:00

well, i hate how the forecasts for the weather are implying yet more mercuriality, but, today was nice, so, i'm thankful.

yes, you've made yourself very plaaaiiin.

how

2009-02-07T12:55:00.002-05:00

it was an anthropomorphication.

i had mixed thoughts about getting a haircut. like, i didn't really think i was as attached to my hair as i was. it had just been a while since i'd had the hair on the top of my head cut, but i needed to have that done. it'll grow back anyway.

NOW TO DYE IT BLUE.
just kidding.
someday, though.

uniformity

2009-01-31T12:24:00.002-05:00

I've probably spent about 10 hours in my school's radio station this past week. it's just a really great environment, especially given that I already feel such a bond with radio.

and I'mm been loving the show Burn Notice, because it's awesome. Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, and above all, Bruce Campbell. yessss... beautiful show.

anyway, Google was having a weird problem this morning where every single search result was being filtered, by Google. even Google pages. it was amazing. -ly funny.

adVERtisement.

2009-01-26T14:55:00.003-05:00

me and the radio, 8-10 pm on mondays.
mondays like this one.

in other items, i really have just about nothing to say; i mean, school's going as normally as it could, so, for that, i'm exceptionally thankful.
I'm also glad i was able to get a silicone skin for my portable music player. it's splendid and i've used the thing more in the past few days than i had in the past month. and then again, i haven't had it for a month...

MiLK

2009-01-19T17:41:00.001-05:00

It's been a convenient three days since my last post here! woo!

(i don't want to start this week. although starting on a tuesday can be looked at as a gift, i'm sure)

The Oldest National Lottery

2009-01-16T15:44:00.002-05:00

Which, now that I think about it, reminds me of this Shirley Jackson piece. It's such a creepy story, but it's cool. And I like it. figures.

hey, wow, I'm capitalizing the word "I" now. strange. like, i intentionally would type it like lowercase (case in point, right there) for a few reasons, but, maybe it depends on the speed at which I'm typing, or, more often than not, it has to do with context.

Right, so...

I'm totally gonna try to get some more vinyl. Ow ow.

RAMEN (i need some)

2009-01-12T19:21:00.003-05:00

I am glad, because, I do not have take ANY science courses that have labs.
if i did, then i'd have to remove the one that i'm scheduled to take tomorrow, and dropping classes is no fun.

sooooo... that makes me happy.
and, my other classes, so long as i do the homework, will be fine. (i guess that's obvious, though.)
and even though a class like Philosophy could get on the nerves of someone as 1) convicted, 2) defensive, and 3) garrulous as myself, i think i might pass it, and maybe like it a little. if i get used to the teacher that is. shudder

oh, and if the academic computing center needs new hirees like that one bulletin board says, i'm so gonna try to make them give me a job.

Nova

2009-01-05T09:37:00.004-05:00

Anyway, it's january now, so I might as well write something new.

As it relates to school, I do not enjoy this limbo of being about to go back for the semester, but, ah well, it only has to be endured so many times.

List of character qualities/fruits of the spirit that I want to make drive my life.

Love

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self-Control
and now the others, which nearly always can be conceptually tied back to the fruits of the spirit...

Diligence

Trust

Patience.. And some more patience.

Ability to Learn, from anything

Discernment

but the greatest of these is love

I feel way more clever than I should right now.

i wonder,

2008-12-30T10:17:00.002-05:00

i hope, but i feel as though my emotional phlogiston levels keep going up, and someday, when someone says something that i'd like to hear, i'll explode.

i might as well become an alchemist while i'm at it.

happy new years!!

do i have a headache? actually,

2008-12-23T10:45:00.002-05:00

I've been having some issues with headaches over the past few days.
That's probably a symptom of sitting at the computer for too long, though.

I've also been having this weird throat-congestion thing. it's annoying.

Anyway, none of that is spoiling my Christmas. no way.

yes, and

2008-12-17T12:41:00.001-05:00

i've got all sorts of ridiculous computer stories to tell.
actually, it's more like one long contiguous thing, it just feels like multiple ordeals because it took me two days to resolve.

furthermore, i've done something incredibly characteristic of me and the music which i listen to: i've actually gone through my old collection of CDs and started listening to them again.

which leads me to say, i had no idea memories could be so vivid.

fine, here's your sensible title.

2008-12-13T13:49:00.002-05:00

i REALLY want to buy a domain. maybe that can be a christmas present. i mean, it's only ten bucks, right? so... we'll see how that goes.

not having homework/studying allows much time for cleaning house.

i MUST get back on track with PHP. must do it.

seriously, how great would that be?

ahhhh.

looks like a nice day out, too.

slaughterhouse

2008-12-09T20:18:00.002-05:00

blah.

okay, so, i need to ask a bit of a question;
should i blog here more?
it's a fairly straightforward question.
see, comparing this and the only other page i have that can come close to being called a blog (my xanga), i find it weird because, yeah, i've had this blog for about four fewer months (december 05 - april 06) but this is post number 48 here, whereas the xanga is over 200 posts.

decision?

i've been stiffarming my xanga for some time anyway, so ... yeah.

decemberism

2008-12-06T11:06:00.002-05:00

might as well exist, because tons of new stuff has happened to me this month.
it'll continue, too, from what i can tell.

i DO like the music of the Decemberists, for those of you who might be astute like that. i don't really listen to them that often, but they're not bad by any means.

no, i've been listening to Daft Punk. so seriously, what's new?

hmmmmmm...

yeah. i want to graduate school right now. sigh.

foreknowledge

2008-11-30T18:29:00.002-05:00

so, yes, aside from this being a typical "i love xkcd" blog entry, this one is probably going to be one that is rife with first-hand applications to my life which illustrate why. if i can find them.

1. (despite the reality that i hate/am terrible at math, i get it, and i know it's true for me.)
2. (minus the "vanilla ice")
3. (might as well.)

siiigh.

there might be more, but I wanted to vent about the coincidences and be done with it.

also, this does not include the dozens of references to Firefly and Serenity, and all the cast members thereof.

electricity

2008-11-27T12:33:00.003-05:00

okay, look, since it's now Thanksgiving, I'll write something substantial for once. it's definitely been a good while since I did.

I'm thankful for being with my family when I can be.
I'm thankful for living elsewhere, in a very nice apartment, which I cannot afford.
I'm thankful for friends who help me out and encourage me; they are many.
I'm thankful for the skills God has given me and how I've been using them at school.
I'm thankful for being able to be AT school. (even though I hate it, yes)
I'm thankful for this trusty little laptop I'm writing on.
I'm thankful for just about everything that happens to me, no matter what it is, because the Lord will do whatever he sees fit for my life.

et maintenant...

2008-11-25T22:14:00.001-05:00

i wait for my brother to get down here to play Halo with me.
okay, well, here he is.

frankly, i'm ashamed at my lack of reading these days.

hupocrisay

2008-11-20T00:04:00.002-05:00

yeah, well

I'm in the radio field. Yes.

I have a rare Moby CD sitting beside me.

I have much to do tomorrow that I KNOW I CAN DO.

But I think I should sleep first.

THINGZ

2008-11-12T16:12:00.004-05:00

which i have recently done:
1) last week, "wasted, threw out" my vote for president. i more or less agree, but i still don't like to put it in such negative terms.
2) this past weekend, gone to a party "dressed up" as Sherlock Holmes. I basically wear those clothes a lot of the time anyway, though, sooooo..... yeah. right.
III) last wednesday/this tuesday, passed both my written and on-air tests for being a DJ on my school's radio station. which I am glad about.
4) written another blog entry right here.
e) not written a paper that's due in two days. I shall proceed to try to do that right now.

compare

2008-11-04T08:04:00.002-05:00

"Rhinoceros" means "Nose-horn"
"Hippopotamus" means "River-horse"
"Barack Obama" means "Federal-Deficit"
"John McCain" means "Weak-Policy"

this isn't to rag on Rhinos and Hippos and what their names mean, cuz they're pretty awesome.

it never did

2008-10-27T19:59:00.005-04:00

so, yeah, business is .... something
i've got stuff to do, man, like, I keep wasting time instead of doing the work that's, i dunno, relevant. or, rather, the work that gets graded.

and now, from the long-lost-heroes-of-childhood-television department:

owwww

2008-10-22T20:59:00.003-04:00

i bumped my ANKLE.
which i didn't know could hurt as much as it does. bleh.

and, for the first time in just about seven months:
the Scarf has made another appearance.

2008-10-18T10:28:00.002-04:00

After all my experience, you think I'd be able to develop a cure for 'not thinking before acting.'
uuuuugh. or at least, you'd think that i'd somehow manage to not get other people involved in my mistakes, but noooo, none of this is the case.
bah.

toaster strudels manage to solve some short-term problems though.

well, hand me a potato

2008-10-06T19:00:00.001-04:00

can you believe it's already been three days since that last post?
i certainly have a hard time believing it.
anyway...

i'm doing homework, internet, now stop tormenting me.

WHOA WHOA WHOA. something substantial.

2008-10-03T14:23:00.003-04:00

yes. a week ago today, something crazy was happening. at EXACTLY this time last week, I was in class, but when my mom picked me up, things just barrelled downhill.

first, we stopped to get some coffee. but, she was injured and so we went to see how bad her ankle REALLY was. turns out, she needed a temporary cast. so, I drove for the first time in a few weeks. they also gave her drugs for a nebulizer treatment because she had bronchitis and something that felt like pneumonia.

the next day, my dad, who'd not been feeling great for weeks, decides to let me drive HIM to the SAME place half an hour away to get looked at. he definitely had pneumonia. so, he got some nebulizer drugs too.

during that time, this happened.

I hope they got THAT cleared up.

anyway, that was the highlight of last weekend, I think.

it is.

2008-09-25T18:24:00.003-04:00

well, now, we're realizing who the REAL culprits are in this scenario.

I think, that later on in my school career, if I get a car and end up having it on campus, or commute, whichever happens first, I think that, for my spending cash, I'd work at a coffee shop. but NOT a Starbucks. no, there's actually one chain called Saxby's that has locations around here, and frankly, they sound cooler than Starbuck's. They probably also don't charge as much for their products as Starbucks does.

anyway.
I hate some things.

toast.

2008-09-22T17:28:00.002-04:00

in a few years, some of this will not matter.
i'm guessing, actually, that a lot of it won't, but, oh well.
hopefully, TV won't suffer the chopping-block to be replaced by radio. that'd be sad.

Really, though,

2008-09-14T14:58:00.002-04:00

for some reason, my complexion's been mostly clear for the past few weeks. it's quite odd.
(I've got a bad history with acne.)

I want a Tesla Roadster. it's my impossible dream. everyone has an impossible dream, mine is just to have a Tesla Roadster. or, there are a couple of other ideals that I could call impossible, but, this one's cool and people can relate to it.

Calbalacrab

2008-09-06T10:32:00.003-04:00

I did not invent the word you see as the title.

It's going to be night today. I can feel it.
This means that I can dress in long pants and a hoodie and not feel overzealous.

Being the designated driver hasn't been going so well for me so far. haha.
That sounds way worse than it could be, but, trust me, I was thaaat close to messing up all sorts of things.

i had seven faces

2008-09-03T19:40:00.002-04:00

my com 224 teacher expects us to just find our assignments by reading the syllabus.
great.

i REALLY love carrying pocket change on my person, it's great.

when will things make sense?

panzer

2008-08-30T23:31:00.002-04:00

my blogger profile's full of garbage. I've been on blogger for way more than four months.
I know why it says I was, but it's still a load of garbage.

a Pleasant Massacre

2008-08-26T09:48:00.002-04:00

yeah, so, last night, I used up the entirety of a Walmart gift card to get stuff I needed for my apartment. and it only covered half of the stuff, plus a few dollars of stuff my mom wanted. I mean, it was fine, my mom put the other half on credit, so it's not TOO bad, but ... I dunno, I wish I didn't feel so avaricious. or something

Decaturrrrrr

2008-08-22T17:06:00.002-04:00

i found out I'll be getting yet another computer, for free.
it's a really slow computer. hence the freeness.
but, it's a desktop, and so getting the hard drive (with XP!!) and the tower for free is a great step. unfortunately, that leaves replacing the motherboard, which can be pricey, but ehh. and at least I already have a screen to work with. but, I hate it, so eventually I'd replace THAT, too.

hey, wow, I'm writing here.

TO SATURDAY:

2008-08-16T15:32:00.002-04:00

why do you elude me?
why do I plan to utilise you, and yet you slip through my fingers without even asking?
why?

pretend I'm not ill

2008-08-14T21:18:00.003-04:00

in a classically banal move, I've decided to, once again, import this blog to the infamous Facebook, probably just so that I'll have a higher number of notes. bleeeeeeeaaaahhhhh...

so, listening to the end of 'Evil' by Interpol through a set of Sony MDR-V150 Studio Monitor headphones, at full blast, is quite quite intense. although you have to take a break right afterward.
any headphones work, so long as they've got great bass, because there's more bass in that song than any other instrument, not even kidding.

2008-06-04T11:35:00.001-04:00

Demerit is always the first light of my day

slackjaw nothing

2008-06-01T17:40:00.002-04:00

so, I've recently realized that I love eggs.
fried eggs.
and I also have toast with them, either I dip the toast in the egg yolks as they run out onto my plate, or I put jelly on two pieces of toast and I put fried eggs between them for a sandwich.
my my, I'm such a breakfasty person...

okay well

2008-05-27T10:30:00.001-04:00

I'm gonna keep writing on this thing on a more frequent basis.
blalaaaa
so, my dad got a camera for me, and now, I need to pay HIM for it.
so, a job would be really really really nice to have.

Sluuuug

2008-05-26T22:32:00.001-04:00

Yeah.
I never stinking WRITE HERE.
basically because it isn't easy to do so.

west

2007-12-18T16:46:00.000-05:00

I spend most of my time on
facebook. look for me there.

my my my

2007-04-25T00:25:00.000-04:00

how this poor poor blog gets neglected.

I've been singing in the homeschooler's choir very very much recently. Good fun. I wasted the most recent hours of 12 noon-9pm on one such endeavour. But that has become commonplace.

ah well, school stinks, like always. I did a research paper that will probably make my grade plummet, and I'm afraid that I won't pass my math class. But I think I can pull it off.

that's it.

Mars

2007-03-28T00:19:00.000-04:00

well March approaches its inevitable end.
I'm watching a house for some friends of mine. it's strange to be sleeping in another family's house when they're not even around. But it's okay. They're paying me after all. Anyway, this is being written on their computer, which started to act up earlier tonight, which I wasn't really glad about, since I've been the only one using it.

Okay, done.

Last Chance to Whisper

2007-03-22T11:42:00.000-04:00

Not really, but it sounds nice.

I recently realized how cool Youtube is. I really plan on making short camcorder footage into videos for songs that don't have videos. They'd have to be really rough songs, because if the song were to call for an artsy, warm, or even just well-done clip, I can't get that kind of image with my camera. I know I have something that fits the bill, I just have to find one that won't suck.

Anyway, I need to eat something right now.

Return

2007-03-21T11:02:00.000-04:00

Per the advice of an old old friend, I chat about my life from here on out.

Life is hectic for losers like me. This is my last year of high school, and I've already attended two different community colleges, the cause of which being a move from one state to another. Granted, it wasn't like moving from California to Michigan, but it still ends up making a difference.

And in spite of this, I'm a very lazy person. Case in point, here I am blogging about my homework instead of actually doing my homework. English never really bothers me as far as difficulty, but for a research paper, they're very very strict about what they want, what you can write about, things like that. I was never good at Math. Then I've got this business class that I don't know what to think about. It's like a "grammar, ethics, courtesy, and logic in the business environment" class, or something like that.

But there's really nothing else bearing down on me as of right now. I'm virtually broke, if that counts for anything anymore. I say virtually because while I have some money to my name, I have a habit of not using it wisely. Another problem soon to be remedied.

Ahhh....

2006-10-17T14:51:00.000-04:00

It just occurred to me that the quotes I have as my header thing were said more than a year ago.
Oh, to not be so nostalgic.
But I guess everybody has their time.

Time Taking Tolls

2006-10-12T21:58:00.000-04:00

Since it's been too long, I'll make this brief

My musical life is on the verge of major flourishment.

How's that for brief?

Stray

2006-08-08T15:57:00.000-04:00

Nobody bother this blog, I won't put up anything interesting.
But what's new about that?

Make myself look important.

Such

2006-07-23T23:40:00.000-04:00

As much as I feel like taking a shower and going to bed, I can't rip myself away from the computer.
I just need more to do. On the cpu, that is.
But you'd think a teenager has enough, huh?
Nope...

Torque

2006-07-02T15:25:00.000-04:00

Twenty thousand miles to an oasis,
Twenty thousand years will I burn.

Never overestimate Ohio. When Hawthorne Heights glorified it, it was only because it was their home state. So, never trust Hawthorne Heights on any count.

Josh Bales

Fear

2006-06-06T18:52:00.000-04:00

So, as usual, it's been several weeks since I've posted here.
And really, there's nothing to say, except:
T e c h n o l o g y is A W E S O M E
But I think everyone knew that anyway.

Preston and Steve

Arcana

2006-04-29T12:56:00.000-04:00

So, when it comes down to it, I find that I still have yet to find my purpose. Try to understand, that when I can, I will.

The Look Machine.

Hittites

2006-04-22T10:36:00.000-04:00

So rain is an interesting thing.
And this line is for taking up space, making it look like I said something interesting.
Ah, my church is cool. We do stuff for youth groups and stuff, and we have lots of other community ministries.

Eragon

Toads

2006-04-20T21:48:00.000-04:00

Blogging officially doesn't take up all of my time anymore. I now work two jobs, which is totally fun.... yeah right, but I do have cash here and there, now that that's been going on.
What a boring guy I am.

Griffin Technology

When

2006-04-17T09:06:00.000-04:00

Really, it makes no sense for anyone to write things in a journal that people can read.

It took me a while to figure out what my signature should be. I didn't know what it meant at first, then, once I did know, I had to decide, which is no short process on my part. Anyway, I should come up with a topic to write about routinely.

White Stripes being Sued.

Aeroplex

2006-04-16T18:42:00.000-04:00

It seems as though I'm stuck using my imagination to provide myself with entertainment. Well, movies can do it, too, and music, like with most people, but I feel like I'm always stuck doing something worthless because I make no effort to do anything radically different.

A short tour of Regent University.

Crater

2006-04-16T14:45:00.000-04:00

Just to let you know, I kind of give my work random titles. More specifically, ones that don't have to do with the content at all.

This site is kinda nice. I can just talk on here, and I know two, maybe three people tops, who even bother having a sub-domain of blogspot. I like this much more than Xanga, though. They let so much stupid stuff go out, it isn't even funny. Don't get me wrong, I'm still going to use my Xanga to communicate with a handful of my friends, but that's about the extent of it.

Meanwhile...
Police: Suspect planned to eat Okla. girl

Easter Weekend

2006-04-15T22:58:00.000-04:00

I swear, I can't be on here ad nauseum. My parents would be disturbed by that for sure, and since I live in their house, I don't want to alienate them.
So, that said, I'll have you know that I'm trying to make this site as unique as possible, without making it look... busy, you know?

Quandary

2006-04-15T19:50:00.000-04:00

I have been blasted for using Xanga as my only blog, so I hope to improve my internet status. Yet I hope to also remain anonymous, save to the people I know in real life. (You'll know it's me, guys.)

Anyway, since I don't go through the trouble of reading other blogs by real people out there, I wonder aimlessly to myself: why am I addicted to blogging? No matter what the answer is, I shall simply do my best to try to tell you what happens to me, without having you track me down and make my family's computer crash.