Saturday, March 29, 2003

A Great Day

I had a fun time in class, perhaps for the first time in awhile. One of the classmates I am not too fond of wrote a series of short stories which was fun to read. Really fun. It just goes to show you can't judge a book by her cover, or the first three hundred pages of crap.

Then, after some hanging out and playing guitar, we barbequed. Yup, finally we can barbeque in Frigid Bemidji. Actually, Andrew had his barbeque out a week before this, but since I was not ther,e it does not count.

Afterwards we played RISK. I always love that game, and do fairly well at it. Well, I was out before I started, and really wasn't so pissed about it. My girlfriend was playing and she lasted till the end. Together, we can take over the world. Muwuhahaha.

We went to Perkins, our regular hang-out, and had appetizers and drinks. It was packed form the lifehouse groupies. I never did write about that. This school will always find a way to bring shitty bands for our enjoyment. Last year it was Diamond Rio. The year before it was Sugar Ray. Rounding out the bottom was an uninspired Femmes concert. I cannot imagine who they will pick next, but I have a good idea who they won't pick: anyone from my MP3 list. What I wouldn't give for a Ben Harper concert. Or Moe.

Well, after that we went to Wal-Mart. Not too much is open that late, and for good reason. We were all maybe a bit too goofy. Chad kept making this horrible sound and Josh seemed to have it in for a weeble-clown. I ended up buying the Truman Show and the original Psycho for a total of 8 bucks. Not bad, except I used self chech out and a lady had to come check my ID.

But the best part of the night was Carly deciding to sleep over. It has been awhile, with our 'busy' lives, and we were both missing it. There really is nothing better than waking up next to her. She is still sleeping now-an aftereffect of her sleeping over is me becoming a morning person. I also can't fart in bed around her. A small price to pay, to be sure.

Well, that was the day in the life of this cat. Tune in next time for more.

~ "Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together."
-Eugene Ionesco

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Wednesday, March 26, 2003

Bloggidygoop

It is a lot like a community, this thing we call blog. We can go ahead and call it what we want, but in the end that is what it is. We share what we want to be public, and still keep things to ourselves. We like that some people read it, and not when others do, much like evesdropping. We have emotional attachment to our space.

And occasionally, we fight. Just like the real world. And, just like the real world, usually it is all started with a misunderstanding.

I am an asshole. No really, I am. Most people who know me know it is just a facade, and all in good fun. I forgot about all the people who didn't know me. A few of them read this blog. To them: I am sorry. Everything I say is a joke, except when I am serious. My name even means to joke: I think it has a religious meaning, too.

So when I call something "inside my head garbage" well, Iam joking about that, too. Luckily, keledy got the joke. At least, I think she does now. And as for the real diary, found under a mattress with a fake lock and a bow, if she clicks the link, she will get that too.

The truth is, I like Keledy's blog. I look for the blogs out there that I can relate to, and are fun to read. Hers is both. In fact, I have added a "Blogs I dig" link on my sidebar. She is the first one. The other blogs on the blogroll are my classmates, and as much as I dig some of theirs, and I do, this is the first blog I chose to read by myself.

Which brings me to my second point. Keledy said:
no one really trains people on what to expect in this weird world of weblogs, nor do they give us a secret pocket decoder ring to tell if such words (as quoted above) are from someone who enjoyed the blog. *shrug* this world of sharing thoughts online, in text, can be really silly.

She is right, this world can be silly. But, as I understand it, we do have someone who trains us. As I just mentioned, and most of my readers (the aformentioned classmates) know, this blog started as a classroom assignment. And along with the classroom, there is also a host of writers who deal with just that subject. I have linked to them earlier, so I won't again. But they are out there, and some of them have good things to say.

Meg Hourihan, of the O'reilly Network, wrote "What We're Doing When We Blog. This article attempts to explain, rather than gloss over, the nature of blogging. I especially like:

When we talk about weblogs, we're talking about a way of organizing information, independent of its topic. What we write about does not define us as bloggers; it's how we write about it (frequently, ad nauseam, peppered with links).

The whole article is written as a run-down, but it goes so much deeper. She uses headings that are technical to dissect the natural things we do. It's a fun read.

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Monday, March 24, 2003

How to Inspire Hate Like Me

I am really trying to get into the spirit of blogging. You know, that whole idea of a community, and everyone wants to know your name. In that vein, I decided to go to the globe of blogs and check people out. Then, I would comment on what I saw, and move on down the road. I saw two blogs, equally unique (some might argue all blogs are unique, but they just aren't) and i wrote about them.

Checking my tracker when I came home, I saw one of the people I blogged had stopped by. She was the one blog I liked, and have visited on a few occasions. I guess she did not think I liked her, though, because she lashed out:


i actually don't know what to think of it on a whole, this silly little box i'm typing onto right now or that silly little page you're reading this on. and then there are things like this, which i really don't understand. as if in the meta-world, i should be estactic that someone has finally bashed this blog (or not, because i'm unsure).. or atleast given silly wannabe-deep sounding criticism of blogging in general, with attention given to the last few posts that i've been a good slacking gen x'er to actually complete.

I admit, I am a wanna-be deep sounding critic. Not of blogging though, of people. Blogging is just a convenient way of getting that done.

And I didn't have time for the other posts, but they are a fun read.

I looked back on my post. Perhaps my language, and my use of sarcasm, is wat set the wheels of hate in motion:

Anyway, I knew it would be full of the sort of "inside my head garbage" I have come to expect from blogs. I was not disappointed. Her posts are of the random sort you would get in a real diary (real meaning NON internet based, usually found under a matress with a fake lock and a bow) OK, that doesn't really do her any justice, I don't think she is the fake-lock-and-a-bow type. In fact, I wanted to call her a hippie, but I am not sure she fits that mold, either. Hippies don't have cellphones, I don't think

Perhaps I could have found a better word than garbage, and I gues some people (cartman, eric) might think hippie is a four letter word.

Anyway, I did what I came to do, and I stand by it. I wish this thing had a meter that showed my face while I was typing.

"Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned,
Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned."
-William Congreve, "The Mourning Bride"

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Wednesday, March 19, 2003

Bloggerittaville

Yup. Visited globe of blogs today. I really wasn't looking for anything, and, as the onld saying goes, found just what I was looking for. I tried a few searches by age, birthday (I am not listed under my birthday), and then location. After those all fizzled out, I decided to go randomly forth. I chose the first one on merit of title: "How to Think Like Me" I mean, that should be everyone's goal, to think like this young lady. Anyway, I knew it would be full of the sort of "inside my head garbage" I have come to expect from blogs. I was not disappointed. Her posts are of the random sort you would get in a real diary (real meaning NON internet based, usually found under a matress with a fake lock and a bow) OK, that doesn't really do her any justice, I don't think she is the fake-lock-and-a-bow type. In fact, I wanted to call her a hippie, but I am not sure she fits that mold, either. Hippies don't have cellphones, I don't think:


armed with a cell phone for the first time in an airport, i become the token annoying cell phone user... pushing past people on the moving sidewalk, gabbing away at an all-too-important call and i rush to get onto another airplane... yeah, you were eavesdropping on my conversation there before they closed the doors on the airplane....

But they do help people:

i was all too excited to whip out the cell, to aid another. giving purpose to the silliness of being cell-connected.

Anyway, she seems to have a fun sense of self (evidenced in the "unnoficial FAQ" and 101 things about keledy)

But perhaps the most fun post I saw was this one:

This warranty does not cover damage caused during shipment or by accident, fire, flood, or acts of God.

It's a header (she uses them for every post) with no text underneath. Apparently, the warranty did not replace the text for this post. Funny. (no, it is, laugh)

Next, I checked all blogs whose authors are named Josh(ua). Again, I was not on there( my author name being jpageua). Joshua Murray was. Of the other Joshuas, this one had the tagline to draw me in: under his description he put "This is where I write something cool about myself and you are intrigued enough to click on my link." It worked.

Now, it is a bit hard to read, as the text box is semi transparent and the background is a cycle of .jpgs, but I liked it nonetheless. Or more.

This post should give you a good Idea about the guy:

boy oh boy

work was slow last night. after i got off, i hung out with jamie, kate, and kristin. we had coffee and chuckled over at little city for a while. jamie hit upon the idea of trying dance dance revolution, so we cruised over to le fun and played. more accurately, he and kate played, and kristin and i watched and sometimes shook our heads. there were ddr pros there who gave our intrepid duo some tips, and after jamie realized he'd put in three or four dollars more than necessary, they danced the night away. later, kate and i played arctic thunder before we all went home. yeah. and tonight is late night at main street, so i'm concluding spring break just as i started it: drunk and depressed.

WHAT??? Sounds like he was pretty happy, yet he ends it by saying he was drunk and depressed? I am confused. A good deal of his posts are like that. It makes me want to read more, try to figure out why the guy is so down on life when he seems to be ahving such a good time. Then I remember that I don't really care, and I can move on. Maybe if he let some of his shared moments remain happy for the reader... But I don't care.

So, I was going to look at a lot more blogs, but most of the ones I went to were the run-of-the-mill diaries, that really don't say anything worth reading about. They probably have a worth much like mine: the people who know me like the blog, everyone else thinks it is just a random collection of junk and worthless news. They are both right.


"When you make the finding yourself - even if you're the last person on Earth to see the light - you'll never forget it."
-Carl Sagan

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Tuesday, March 11, 2003

Update III

I still like to pretend I have a readership, and that said readership wants to know how things are going in my life. So, I write updates.

Guitar is going a little slower. I was off to a fast start and have hit a wall. I need to go back to basics and learn some fingerpicking techniques before I try any more advanced songs. So far I can nail most dispatch songs, some Matchbox 20, and I am working on a couple from Phish and one from Everlast. Oh, and someone tabbed a few Beethoven works, and I like playing around with them on Jasmine.

I torqued my knee again. For those of you who don't know, I tore my MCL the summer before my tenth grade year. I opted not to have any surgery or anything, and as a result will ave a nagging reminder of my playground basketball days. Anyway, yesterday while driving to the hole I turned too sharp and got the old popping noise. Today it is filled with a bit of fluid, water I presume. Hence the term water on the knee. It doesn't hurt so bad as it sounds, but it does mean my knee feels like jello, and gives way when I step on it: randomly, for fun.

Spring Break, which for most means puking over balconies and hooking up with random people, is a time for me to catch up. I am penning away at my third foray into novel writing; a young adult book I have taken to calling Popular. I am sure, in the days to come, I will give a bit of a spoiler on it, but for now I am keeping it to myself (and the few friends who are allowed to read it, and the class I presented the first chapter to). OK, so it's not an elite club, but I can pretend.

I was chatting with Joshua Murray, of Joggua fame, about a few of lifes finer goals. I decided to take the Cartman approach and see if I could make ten million dollars, sans work. If any readers have suggestions, send them to me. The other Josh has taken up the cause, too.

Kevin Garnett is getting the national recognition he so well deserves. Check out what Bill Walton, in an article for ESPN Classics, had to say about him:
"Who would have ever thought that a high school player would come in and change everything? But here was Kevin Garnett, who came from nothing and all of a sudden has become as great a player as there is," says Hall of Famer Bill Walton on ESPN Classic's SportsCentury series.

And, even thouhg I can't find them, PTI and Around the Horn Have both Named KG the MVP.

This has very little to do with me, except I am a fanatic basketball fan, ad being from Minnesota I am blessed to watch one of the most exciting teams on a regular basis. They are slowly creeping into home court advantage, and it is all due to the broad, capable shoulders of KG.

Last, and far from least, my relationship with Carly is again picking up steam. We are without each other for a week, but have remained in contact, and though I can't show you her last email (nor would I), it almost made me cry. I cannot begin to explain how truly blessed I feel. Every time I am down she finds some way to pick me up, without trying. I can finally say I know what Love is.

~ "I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see."
-John Burroughs

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Friday, March 07, 2003

A NIGHT IN

Last night I was kept up until 4 o clock by some drunks on my floor. My Gods, I am going to enjoy moving off campus, where the only drunks I will have to deal with will be my friends.

What were they doing at 4 am that would make so much noise? Well, they were stealing lounge furnature, of course. Now, I have some wierd ideas about theft. I am not wholly against it. If someone needs something that badly, I say have at it (of course, this doesn't extend to my OWN property, of course). But what, in Hell, could they possibly want with a couch from the lounge? The things are hediously ugly, hard, uncomfortable, and awkward. Then, when I went out to see what all te kubumpin was, one of them actually tried to act like they weren't doing anything wrong, and I was intruding on them.

At any rate, they drew the attention of the RA, as well as some security. I don't know how they thought they would get away with it, amking all that noise, but I have my theories.

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