Sorry Dad :(

So, I've been razzing my father of late about the HDTV transition which was scheduled for his 60th Birthday in 2009. Well, it ends up you're going to need the TV sooner. The now final date (and as best as I can tell, this is the real deal) is February 17, 2009. Maybe it would make a good Valentine's Day present. I don't know. Ah, well, the future is coming. Just real slowly.

May flights of angels sing you to your grace

Well, Kim and I (finally) got new phones. Her's had been quite a bit of trouble since the Cingular / AT&T Wireless merger... you know the one with the motto for Iowa City: More bars in more places. So, as I was retiring my phone (which holds the dubious distinction of being the phone which I heard that my grandfather had died), I went into the menu and discovered that I had blabbed for 148 hours and 45 minutes in the phone's lifetime (that's 8,925 minutes). Bear in mind, that wasn't all at once, and for a laugh most of those were free (mobile to mobile, nights and weekends). I shall miss my little phone, it served me well. But of course, we all move on to larger screens and hopefully better reception.

On a side note, leaving for work today I was watching a bit of El Presidente interacting with the press. Weird stuff, like he was answering questions and almost being humble (and not acting like a talking points robot). Where's this guy been for 6 years? Maybe if he'd been acting like this the whole time I might not dislike him so much.


p.s. My apologies for not updating this in a while. Finals and all that.

Crazy or Genius?!

So, I know I haven't posted in a while. (Last two weeks of the semster, what do you expect). Anywho, I stumbled across what could be described as THE fan fiction of the decade. (I'd say the century, but it's a long century and it's not over yet.) Apparently, this little band of rebels has carried on the (missing) 4th and 5th seasons of the original Star Trek. Fascinating. I haven't had a chance to watch the episodes yet, but I'm intrigued enough by the concept to pass the information on to you.

This is the link to newvoyages.com

I figured it's my duty as the captain to share such info.
-On a side note, as you're doing your Christmas shopping remember 99669 (more good stuff for Alaska).

Post #100! and it's a doozy

Okay, if you haven't heard by now, there's a theory floating out there (in a university paper, no less) that the events of 9-11 (specifically the destruction of the WTC) were in some way an inside job. Controversial - yes. Thought provoking - most definitely. Anywho, in my civic duty to diseminate information, I'm including the link here for the BYU paper that explains it all pretty well. Fortunately for most people, it's written in English not academic-speak.

Why Indeed Did the WTC Buildings Collapse?

While I'm at it, I have to thank Tucker Carlson for being brave enough to put this person on the air. But I also have to call him the worst interviewer ever and relegate him to the category of idiot. If you're wondering why, he isn't trying very hard to listen to what the guest was actually saying.
Transcript of Carlson's show with paper's author
Carlson's blog the next day (note how he calls the author a bad guest. I postulate that Carlson is in fact a bad host) (the blog in question is Nov 16, '05 at 9:16 AM)

As always (if you know me this should be a given) examine the evidence and make your own conclusion. I'm going on the theory that intelligent people can decide for themselves. On a side note, I remember an email at my in-laws that suggested that the Pentagon attack was actually a missile and I blew it off as a hoax. Casts some doubt on that too, I'm afraid.

More politico?!

Read this:
A tortured man on torture. (or, why we have to be better than "them")

Because I care, damnit!

So, in continuing my quest to bring you up to date information about the digital transition of TV (a topic near and dear to me), here's the latest activity from our wonderful congress. Presently the House (and Sen. McCain) want a 2008 death to analog. Yes, that's a year earlier than my past report. But, the Senate (and Dad's birthday) have agreed to 2009. Frankly, it's likely that the 2009 date will stick. For all you poor college kids out there, fear not: the measure includes $3 billion to help pay for converter boxes for everyone. (okay, the House says $1 billion, the Senate $3 billion... let's be honest, it'll be $2 billion) Yes, differences need to be worked out before our friend Bill becomes a law.

On a slightly more tangible note: the FCC (who answer to no one) has set firm dates for when TVs sold are REQUIRED to have digital tuners. If you hadn't noticed, sets bigger than 36 inches (and we all know I have four of those) are required right now to have digital tuners. But if you're shopping for a set 25 to 36 inches, you might want to wait until after March 1, 2006. That's when sets in that size will require digital tuners. If you're looking for a digital tuner for your little TV for the kitchen (or bathroom, your choice) - don't hold your breath. Sets 24 inches and lower don't get mandated digital tuners until March 1, 2007.

On a side note, I give you:
A politician that makes sense!
and: Why managers should allow sleep

This semester brought to you by the letters W & S

So, as I progress through the semester I see themes emerging. This semester I find a couple things from my past coming back to haunt me. What things? Well, first off I admit that I haven't seen as many "classic" films as I should. How does this haunt me you ask? Simple. Orson Welles. See, not only did I get to watch Citizen Kane, but also two of his Shakespeare adaptations (Othello and Falstaff). Sure, I should have been expecting it for taking a Shakespeare film and literature class. This brings me to my other haunt. See, I took English Literature in high school. Apparently, I was feeling hoity-toity at the time. So, of course I got enough Shakespeare to shake a stick at. You'd think I'd learn, but no - I took a Shakespeare class as a literature gen ed in my quest for an associate's degree. Now, I continue on this quest and am taking the aforementioned film and literature class. But like Welles, who escaped my film analysis class, the Bard refuses to be contained. Thank you "Interpretation of Literature" for giving me more Shakespeare than I could handle.

I expected to learn things that carried over into other classes, but come on! In the same semester?

Happy Birthday, Dad!

So, the US Senate has finally removed their heads from their posteriors. Okay, not really, but finally there's a hard date when the digital-analog conversion will happen. April 7, 2009 - or, the day before my Old man's 60th birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad! Here's a nice new digital signal to go on that new big screen TV (that I know you're going to buy between now and then).

For full details
My favorite news site

What have I gotten into?

So, I realize that I'm really studying Cinema as a cop-out so I don't have to admit that I'm studying English. See, I figure that movies are a (underappreciated) form of literature that are worth studying. Here's the problem: there are those (let's call them cinephiles) who believe that EVERYTHING in a picture has a meaning. It's not too far removed from students of literature who believe that every word in a great novel is chosen with deliberation and purpose. As such, we spend a lot of time wondering why we hear street cars in the background, and why this character was wearing red in this scene and blue in that one. See if this analogy works, it's like walking through, say a forest and stopping at every oak, elm, and birch and asking them why they chose to grow at that particular spot.

Here's the real problem. In literature it is concievable that every word was thought out. In film, there are techniques that can be emphasized (note the mood the next time a screen is predominantly warm (red/orange) or cool (blue/green)). But the simple problem of filmmaking is that unintentional stuff sometimes works its way in. An example I always think of is in the 1931 version of Frankenstein that involves the monster being killed in a windmill. Why a windmill? Because the director saw a windmill in the logo at a bakery he frequented and thought it would look good. That's it. What's so deep about that. (This also leads to the oft-heard phrase: Sometimes a windmill is just a windmill).

It's just frustrating that sometimes the cinephiles get so wrapped up in their awe at technical prowess that they ignore the fact that the film didn't have a good story, or perhaps more importantly wasn't enjoyable to the casual viewer. Now, understand that I believe that the viewer should have to work on some level to enjoy the film (i.e. it shouldn't all be spelled out for them), but what's the point to a complete mind-fuck that no one understands? Exhibit A (acutally B, Frankenstein was A): Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The movie messes with you on so many levels, but you don't walk away wondering what just happened. It's a ride.

So here you go, here's my simple litmus test. Her name is Kim. See, I've kind of made it a point to not bore Kim with all the inane nonsense that I learn in class. She doesn't care about diegesis and misc-en-scene, et al. So, when I watch a movie with Kim, I gauge her reaction to it. Admittedly, I think she's a smart girl and probably not indicative of the masses, but she does represent an intelligent reader. If she doesn't get it - or if the supposedly impressive technicalities don't affect her, I know that it just doesn't work. (My fall back is Dad, he's pretty good in these regards too, but partly because he's even farther removed from what I'm working on than Kim is). See, if I have to sit there and translate what's on the screen for Kim, then it's not worth the effort. I don't care what the cinephile says.

On an amusing side note: check out this link from my favorite news site
Bloggers use web sites as therapy - Who knew?

Did Rumsfeld go here?

So, I'm wandering about the UI library's stacks as I tend to do from time to time. I happened to be in the section regarding technical aspects of filmmaking (editing, camera operation, boring technical crap like that). Anywho, on my way out I glance at the books to my left and found a wealth of military strategy and general warmongering texts. No, I did not find "How to build your own army for $40 a day." The weird part is when I turned and looked at the stack opposite. It was all about oil, how it affects economies, the importance of it, etc. Frankly, it was a little unnerving.

The end is near!

A love apocalyptic headings. Regardless, my brother's tenure in the armed forces is coming to an end. I look forward to racking his brains this weekend (or at least just hanging out in a slightly crowded house). Sorry this is so short, but I figured I should give my loyal reader(s) something to chew on.

When it's so true, it's scary.

So, head on over to my personal favorite website:

www.dorktower.com

and realize that in recent days Kim and I had been considering getting the Settlers of Catan game and secretly I've been lusting after the industrial-era Europe rail game Ticket to Ride. (You'll have to check out Monday, Sept 12th's comic and Tuesday Sept 20th's to get the full effect)

Stop reading my mind, John Kovalic! (or continue, because it is funny)

(special note: You could also set the Way-Back machine to August 17th to see another game I've picked up lately)

Pimp my blog

Why I need internet access at home: Simple, I think of witty things to post on my blog that will simultaneously amuse and inspire you. But I forget them all. I apologize to my loyal reader(s).

Some more for you to check out

Found these on my favorite news site. Enjoy.

Some lessons from the assembly line

When gamers become parents

and most importantly
Home theaters that cost more than your home

(Look, I can make hyperlinks again!)

Teacher's Interview (for Mom)

After being interviewed by the school administration, the eager teaching prospect said:

"Let me see if I've got this right . .

You want me to go into that room with all those kids, and fill their every waking moment with a love for learning, and I'm supposed to instill a sense of pride in their ethnicity, modify their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse and even censor their T-shirt messages and dress habits.

You want me to wage a war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, check their backpacks for weapons of mass destruction, and raise their self esteem.

You want me to teach them patriotism, good citizenship, sportsmanship, fair play, how to register to vote, how to balance a checkbook, and how to apply for a job.

I am to check their heads for lice, maintain a safe environment, recognize signs of anti-social behavior, make sure all students pass the state exams, even those who don't come to school regularly or complete any of their assignments.

Plus, I am to make sure that all of the students with handicaps get an equal education regardless of the extent of their mental or physical handicap.

I am to communicate regularly with the parents by letter, telephone, newsletter and report card. All of this I am to do with just a piece of chalk, a computer, a few books, a bulletin board, a big smile AND on a starting salary that qualifies my family for food stamps!

You want me to do all of this and yet you expect me . . .NOT TO PRAY ????"

Mourn for the dead

No, not what you're thinking.

Requiem for VHS

and the slightly less funny:
The Story of Iwo Jima
(I thought it was interesting)

Evolve this!

From the random thoughts department:

I remember being told at Iowa State that there was a theory floating around out there that humans evolved from what could best be described as "water apes". Basically, although we share traits with apes, we have features that they don't that would make us more suited for aquatic life. For example, we have streamlined hair that goes in one direction (particularly when wet). We also have a system that allows us to hold our breath without drowning. Apparently normal apes don't have this system.

Of course, this leads me to a scene from pre-history where our water ape ancestors were harassing the land apes by pushing their heads into a pool of water and then monkey-laughing as the land apes flailed and drowned.

Bad monkeys.

What age is this again?

So, I'm taking a class that basically tries to define the warrior myth in Japan. Hey, it counts as a Cinema (and Comparative Literature) class and it's something about the far East, which I'm always interested in. Regardless, we were discussing the history of Japan (specifically the pre-history) and the fact that the ages were basically delineated by the pottery produced by the people. So, it got me thinking. When historians look back on this time in history, are we going to be known as the Tupperware age?

Journey in a distant land. Day 2

So, this being Tuesday, I have now attended all my classes for the semester. Fortunately all my professors either seem really cool or insane, which is what I like. No boring professor types here. Amusingly, the girl next to me in my Interpretation of Literature (see also, crappy requirement course) had the course packet for Cultural Historical Foundations of Communication. A course which I took last semester (and is taught by the father of one of the kids in Kim's class, small world). So I told this girl that the class wasn't that bad. She was relieved to have an easy class. Now I feel obliged to point out, loyal reader(s), that I never said the class was easy. It just wasn't that bad. And not that bad to a 9th-year senior might feel totally different to a freshman (or sophmore).

Well, two days later and two hundred dollars poorer (damn you books!) classes are underway. It does look like I'll get to do play with a really fun camera in my Nonfiction class (but not the shiny new computers with shiny new monitors). Ah well, win some, lose some.

On a side note, if you'd like to know more about a game that I enjoy playing (when I get the chance), check out this link.
http://archive.gamespy.com/comics/dorktower/images/comics/dorktower471.gif

The beginning of the end

So, Monday it starts. I'll finally be a senior in my last year of college. Okay, so I was a senior in the spring (I only needed three credits upon arrival to UI to classify as a senior), and this might not be my last year in college if I ever decide to come back and get my master's. Regardless, I'm starting to finally (9 years later) see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm excited to finally be able to get done, but it's more than a bit daunting to realize that I have nothing but cinema classes for the next 9 months. I'm also slightly bummed by the information that I can only take one production class a semester, which means I'll only have had 9 hours of technical stuff surrounded by tons of hours of critical analysis and theory. Zat sucks. Ah well, a (relatively) quiet weekend before a not so quiet semester.

Random fact of the day: My gigabyte keychain drive can only handle 4.5 minutes of DV video. (Theoretically. I haven't actually tried this...yet)

Let's go offense!

Been a while since a political rant, but I figured with the craziness in Crawford I could sneak in a few dives. Right now the thing that sticks in my head is the big fight in 2000 when G.W. was elected and the republican mantra was, "We'll restore dignity to the White House." Has that promise been fulfilled? I mean, the international community seems to have fostered an extreme dislike for the guy. Amusingly the oft heard reference is that they don't hate Americans, just the administration. Kinda rings along with the old saying, when all your friends tell you you're drunk - you're drunk. Okay, so G.W. hasn't gotten a blow job in the Oval Office (that we know of), yet there seems to be a large increase in shady dealings within the government and even more shadiness going on outside in the form of government favors to big business.

Want to restore dignity to the White House? Here's a suggestion, remind the government that it was founded to be by the people, of the people, and most importantly for the people. That means all the people not the "haves and have mores"

I'm such a genius.

This was (shamelessly) posted outside the (U Iowa) Cinema department door. It's a long article from the New York Times (March 6th, 05.. cite your sources!), but it's an intriguing concept.


Is a Cinema Studies Degree the New M.B.A.?

Rick Herbst, now attending Yale Law School, may yet turn out to be the current decade's archetypal film major. Twenty-three years old, he graduated last year from the University of Notre Dame, where he studied filmmaking with no intention of becoming a filmmaker. Rather, he saw his major as a way to learn about power structures and how individuals influence each other.

"People endowed with social power and prestige are able to use film and media images to reinforce their power - we need to look to film to grant power to those who are marginalized or currently not represented," said Mr. Herbst, who envisions a future in the public policy arena. The communal nature of film, he said, has a distinct power to affect large groups, and he expects to use his cinematic skills to do exactly that.

At a time when street gangs warn informers with DVD productions about the fate of "snitches" and both terrorists and their adversaries routinely communicate in elaborately staged videos, it is not altogether surprising that film school - promoted as a shot at an entertainment industry job - is beginning to attract those who believe that cinema isn't so much a profession as the professional language of the future.

Some 600 colleges and universities in the United States offer programs in film studies or related subjects, a number that has grown steadily over the years, even while professional employment opportunities in the film business remain minuscule. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are only about 15,050 jobs for film producers or directors, which means just a few hundred openings, at best, each year.

Given the gap between aspiration and opportunity, film education has often turned out to be little more than an expensive detour on the road to doing something else. Thus, Aaron Bell, who graduated as a film major from the University of Wisconsin in 1988, struggled through years of uninspiring nonunion work managing crews on commercials, television pilots and the occasional feature before landing his noncinematic job designing advertising for Modern Luxury Media LLC, a Chicago-based magazine publisher.

"You sort of have this illusion coming out of film school that you'll work into this small circle of creatives, but you're actually more pigeonholed as a technician," said Mr. Bell, who is now 39.

For some next-generation students, however, the shot at a Hollywood job is no longer the goal. They'd rather make cinematic technique - newly democratized by digital equipment that reduces the cost of a picture to a few thousand dollars and renders the very word "film" an anachronism - the bedrock of careers as far afield as law and the military.

At the University of Southern California, whose School of Cinema-Television is the nation's oldest film school (established in 1929), fully half of the university's 16,500 undergraduate students take at least one cinema/television class. That is possible because Elizabeth Daley, the school's dean, opened its classes to the university at large in 1998, in keeping with a new philosophy that says, in effect, filmic skills are too valuable to be confined to movie world professionals. "The greatest digital divide is between those who can read and write with media, and those who can't," Ms. Daley said. "Our core knowledge needs to belong to everybody."

In fact, even some who first enrolled in U.S.C.'s film school to take advantage of its widely acknowledged position as a prime portal to Hollywood have begun to view their cinematic skills as a new form of literacy. One such is David Hendrie, who came to U.S.C. in 1996 after a stint in the military intending to become a filmmaker, but - even after having had the producer/director Robert Zemeckis as a mentor - found himself drawn to the school's Institute for Creative Technologies, where he creates military training applications in a variety of virtual reality, gaming and filmic formats. One film he developed was privately screened for the directors John Milius and Steven Spielberg, who wanted to understand the military's vision of the future.

"That was like a film student's dream," said Mr. Hendrie, who nonetheless believes he has already outgrown anything he was likely to accomplish on the studio circuit. "I found myself increasingly demoralized by my experiences trying to pitch myself as a director for films like 'Dude, Where's My Car?' " Mr. Hendrie said. "What I'm doing here at I.C.T. speaks to the other interests I've always had, and in the end excited my passion more."

In recent weeks, members of a Baltimore street gang circulated a DVD that warned against betrayal, packaged in a cover that appeared to show three dead bodies. That and the series of gruesome execution videos that have surfaced in the Middle East are perhaps only the most extreme face of a complex sort of post-literacy in which cinematic visuals and filmic narrative have become commonplace.

Melding easily with the growing digital folk culture, some film majors have simply taken to creating art forms outside the boundaries of the established film business. In one such instance, Wes Pentz, a k a DJ Diplo - a 2003 graduate of Temple University, where film majors are encouraged to invent new career paths in museums, leisure businesses and elsewhere - broke through with his trademark Hollertronix, a style modeled on cinematic soundtracks. "I think of my songs as having a movement, like I would watch in a film, and there's a narrative feel to them," said Mr. Pentz, who said he had learned to frame music differently because of his film school experience.

In the public policy arena, meanwhile, students like Yale's Mr. Herbst hope to heighten political debate with productions far more pointed than the most political feature film. Even a picture like "Hotel Rwanda," with its unblinking look at African genocide, is "a soup kitchen approach," Mr. Herbst said: "You're offered something to eat, but there are no vitamins." Bringing film directly into politics, he expects to throw objectivity out the window and change minds - perhaps not an unrealistic aim at a time when, in a bit of what a headline in The Wall Street Journal characterized as "film noir," the Edward D. Jones & Company brokerage has entered the fray over the proposed Social Security overhaul with a highly produced video.

To some extent, such broadening vision is already helping to make economic sense of film education, which in the past was often a long path to nowhere. "Most find their way, and the skills they learn from us are applicable to other careers and pursuits," Dale Pollock, dean of the School of Filmmaking at the North Carolina School of the Arts, said of his students. "So we're not wasting their time or money."

Still more, Ms. Daley, the U.S.C. Cinema-Television dean, argues that to generalize such skills has become integral to the film school's mission. More than 60 academic courses at U.S.C. now require students to create term papers and projects that use video, sound and Internet components - and for Ms. Daley, it's not enough. "If I had my way, our multimedia literacy honors program would be required of every student in the university," she said.

(A shout-out to Elizabeth Van Ness, the original author of this article)

A year?!

It's true, I've been married for a year now. (Insert all the jokes about never finding a girl, or never getting laid here). We're FINALLY getting to take some semblance of a honeymoon by heading up to Des Moines for an extended weekend. I know, nothing says honeymoon like Des Moines. Hey, I figure start in your own backyard and go from there, right? (Next year, Chicago?)

I'm not going to lie. There have been some rough spots. Like everyone says, it usually revolves around money. What do you expect? We're two people living just slightly beyond our means with our slightly better than minimum wage jobs. Maybe I shouldn't pick such expensive hobbies (but I need that new $2000 dollar video camera!).

Do I ever regret it? Not when I hook my girl on games like D&D, Civ3, and Neverwinter Nights. Nothing says love like, "No, honey. You need to use a +1 sword to kill that enemy."

A special shout out to those friends who hung around (and continue to do so) for the insanity that is our life together. From monkey-wrangling to LAN parties, life wouldn't be the same without you people. (Oh yeah, and I suppose Mom and Dad too, because I know they glance at this from time to time.)

I'm reminded of a card I once saw. The cover showed a couple sitting in a roller coaster with the line, "We've had our ups and downs." The inside showed them screaming as they went down a hill, "Hang on, you haven't seen anything yet."


Special postscript: Here's the best relationship advice I can give. If you want to know if it's meant to be move together once. (i.e. from apartment to apartment or something) If you haven't killed each other by the end, you just might live long enough to make it work.

Revenge of the nerd

So, once again, I've been thinking about gaming (I know, more action, less talk, right?) Probably thanks in no small part to the gift of Neverwinter Nights (Platinum) from my in-laws. Regardless, I've been going through the books I do have (and eyeing with vicious intent the ones I don't) to try and figure out exactly what I want to get out of a campaign and what I think people would enjoy. I've also been surfing the web reading forums and the like. It appears the creator of Eberron (Keith Baker) has some pretty well-thought out opinions on how he thinks the world spins. I recommend checking out his FAQ on the wizards message boards to anyone interested in Eberron. Fair warning, there's A LOT there.

But to the task at hand, I've been trying to understand the difference between divine and arcane magic. To make things even more difficult, I've thrown in psionics too. Partly because I think they make a great plot structure that would be fun to throw my adventurers into, partly because I have the expanded psionics handbook (which is highly recommended to everyone. The original psionics handbook sucked. This one, not so). *Quick disclaimer: there is a variant rule that psionics are different from magic, and I have enough problems with magic so I'm throwing that right out. Psionics and magic come from the same "source."

Anywho, the best example I could wrap my head around is a bowl of water. The goal: make the water boil.
--Arcane magic user: Puts a flame underneath it (frankly this could easily be done with a cantrip, or the low-level spell 'heat metal' if it's a metal bowl). Why? Magic is scientific. The mage knows that by creating an action he'll get a reaction (we're not talking theory of relativity here, but simple stuff)
--Divine magic user: Prays. Why? Faith. If I believe hard enough that my (insert spiritual force here) will help me to boil this water, it will. And he'd be right. Thing is, where is the power coming from? That's a philosophical debate even for a fictional world. Is it the cleric's force of will, or is it some divine being exerting (in this case a really small amount) of divine influence? You decide.
--Psionic user: Thinks. Hard. Why? Well, I always imagine a psion as seeing things beyond our capabilities. I imagine the psion thinking of the individual particles of the water and then agitating them. Result heat. Take this to a farther extreme and you get the creation of materials from perceived nothingness, and the ever popular disintegration power.

Here's the short version. All three do the same thing, they make water boil. They have different tools at their disposal. The arcane user uses his mystical knowledge to bend the world. The divine user has his faith and strength of will in that faith to do it. And the psion literally uses his brain to do it.

I know, I think too much.


**unrelated information: from the blog of the creator of 'Dork Tower': "I'd give my left arm to be ambidextrous."
(think about it)

Some days you just find something funny

For all three of you who haven't seen the movie: There is a line in there saying "Only a Sith deals in absolutes."

For the rest of you, you'll get the joke right away.

http://archive.gamespy.com/comics/dorktower/archive.asp?nextform=viewcomic&id=1028

Look, I'm gloating over one of my friends!

Here's an amusing story about one of my friends. We won't talk about the fact that he's at "the other school"

http://www.iastate.edu/Inside/2005/0722/wayfinder.shtml

From the work file

In a little laugh at work, a great line came to me. I had mentioned the "Department of Redundancy Department," to which my boss replied, "You'd think there'd be offices everywhere."

Ha ha ha. I laughed. And so should you.

One of the coolest concepts I've seen in a while!

http://www.idsa.org/idea/idea2005/b1066.htm

(sorry that you can't just click and you have to cut and paste, but I don't know why I can't create hyperlinks anymore!)

Can a memory be happy and sad?

So, as you may or not be aware, my grandfather recently passed away. My dad and I were talking and he said what I was thinking anyways, that I should hold onto my last memories of him. I was fortunate that we visited him in the hospital on Father's Day. He was alert enough to recognize us and hold a mild conversation with us (although, admittedly, his answers were mostly nodding his head). We took him some pictures that we had from the wedding (Kim, me, and him plus another picture of Kim and I in his car). Unfortunately the pictures didn't fit well so we had to buy a 4 picture frame (we promised to fill the other two spots - which sadly we were going to do this weekend). I had kind of made it my mission to cheer him up, although frankly the sight of me in a surgical mask and latex gloves should be silly enough. Regardless, I did manage to get a big smile (and a small laugh) out of him when I realized I was holding Kim's purse (including the comment that it didn't go with my shoes). That smile is what I'm locking away in my mind. My grandpa always did have a wicked sense of humor.

The last time I saw was as we were leaving (you're supposed to take off the mask and gloves and stuff and put it in a receptacle by the door), I made it a point to look right at him and wish him a Happy Father's Day. He mouthed back to me, as clear as day, "Thank you." I don't know if it made his day, but I can hope so. Yes, that memory is getting locked up in there as well.

For the record, I got the phone call from my parents (specifically it was Dad on the line) at four in the morning (Thursday). As mom said the next day, there are no coincidences. It ended up that I had been restless that night and didn't go to bed/fall asleep until about 2:30 in the morning. Much to my suspicion, Dad later informed me that was around when Grandpa passed. (Now you know why I was making Kool-Aid at 4 in the morning... I was thirsty.)

Looking back, I'm thankful my grandparents lived as long as they did. My grandmother lived to see my high school graduation (there are even some who argue she did so through her own strong will), and my grandfather made it to my wedding last year (with a special thanks to a strong-willed uncle).

I'm glad I got to see him, and I'm glad I made him smile. I just wish I could have seen him again this weekend.

Why you shouldn't make Kool-Aid at 4:30 in the morning

Sugar is an important ingredient

Think about it

Sent in an email from my father:

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

See also: our current administration.

Why movies shouldn't suck (Star Wars edition)

Check out this post in the New York Times opinion page.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/17/opinion/17stephenson.html?ex=1276660800&en=a693ccc4ec008424&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

Ragnar rules!

So, as is common in random times of the year, my mind again wanders to gaming. It seems the impetus falls on me to be the DM (but I think that's because I have all the books). Regardless, I've been asking around about things to make the experience better, and I've come up with a couple amusing tidbits.

One friend (you know who you are) said that he liked it when the rules were transparent. Makes sense. The less you have to worry about those things, the more you can immerse yourself in what you want to do. Unfortunately, I think that's one of those things that comes with experience, and I am sorely lacking in that department.

My most amusing tidbit came from my own wife. Most gaming things I read say that girls want more plot/story/whatever when they play. Make it interesting for them! Nope, not my girl. Give her a dungeon and a sword. Although, to her credit, she did describe it as a problem to be solved, so obviously not a hack-and-slash style of play. Hack-and-puzzle?

Of course then there's my own experience, which is generally I don't like having story shoved down my throat. Okay, gotta go save the princess. How we get there, who we offend in the process, that's for the players to figure out. Which is funny, cause as a DM I prefer to have story. It makes more sense than "you're walking along and fall into a cave. Fight your way out."

Ah well, random thoughts from me. I guess I thought I'd just justify the existence of this blog.

Yup, I'm back.

Read this. Be offended. Change the world. It's not asking much.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8099819/site/newsweek/

A new, fun, and exciting game

So, this weekend I was asked for my zip code while checking out from a store. As you may or may not be aware, the usual purpose for this is demographic, so that the store company knows where to open their next store. Now in the past, I've had a fair amount of fun - for example, I gave the Ames zip code of 50013 for at least a year after I left Iowa State, or Bettendorf's 52722 whenever I felt so inclined. (And on a side note, Ames did get a Best Buy after I left.) But I think it's time for the whole enchilada. So, let's start a fun little campaign. I think the town of Soldotna, Alaska needs more business (and it's even fairly easy to remember).

So the next time you're asked for your zip code: 99669.

So, Lucas: When you get that Best Buy up there, just remember who to thank.

Interesting Read

Here's a unique take on ecology in the 21st century. An intelligent view of future industry.

My favorite part is his quote on nuclear energy, "I love nuclear energy. I just want to make sure it stays where God put it—93 million miles away, in the sun."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7773650/site/newsweek/

That's "Award-Winning Editor" to you

Woo-hoo! So, I'm now an award winning editor. For those who don't know (but if you don't then how'd you stumble across my blog?), I worked on a piece about prosthetics at Walter Reed Army Medical Center about a year ago for my old stomping grounds up at KWWL. Anywho, the Iowa Broadcast News Association awards came out and we came in first place!

http://www.ibna.org/2004awards/04_tv.html#largetv

It's the winner in the In Depth/Series category. (Yes, my name isn't actually there. Darn reporter and cameraman. But I can prove that I did it.)


We also won third place in the Iowa AP Documentary category. (Sorry, no link for that).

Why Geeks and Nerds Are Worth It

In my continued laziness of creating something original (giving birth to a movie is a lot of work), I have stolen this post from another website. FYI, it sounds like it was written by a girl.


"In the wide world of dating, there are many options. Do you go for the flashy guy with the smooth smile, or the dude in the corner typing away on his laptop? The following are reasons why I think my fellow females should pay more attention to the quiet geeks and nerds, and less attention to the flashy boys.

1.) While geeks and nerds may be awkward, they’re well-meaning 9 out of 10 times. That smooth dude with the sly grin and the spider hands? Wonder what HIS intentions are... plus, I’ve never had a geek guy not call me when he said he would. Score major points THERE.

2.) They’re useful. In this tech-savvy world, it’s great to have a b/f who can make your laptop, desktop, and just about anything else that plugs into a wall behave itself.

3.) They’re more romantic than they’re given credit for. Ok true, their idea of romance might be to make up a spiffy web-page with all the reasons why they love you, with links to pics of you and sonnets and such... but hey. It lasts longer than flowers, plus you can show your friends.

4.) Due to their neglected status, there are plenty to choose from. You like ‘em tall and slender? There are plenty of geeks/nerds who are. You like ‘em smaller with more meat on their bones? Got that too.

5.) They’ve got brains. Come on now, how can intelligence be a bad thing?

6.) Most are quite good at remembering dates. Like birthdates and such, especially if they know it’ll make you happy. Due again to their neglected status, they’re more attentive than guys who “have more options”. Plus, with all that down time without a steady girlfriend, they’ll likely have mental lists of all the things they’d love to do once they GOT a girlfriend.

7.) Sex. Yep. Sex. I’m not really familiar with this myself, but I’ve friends who’ve been intimate with geek guys and it’s raves all around. They say a virgin wrote the Kama Sutra... all that time thinking about sex, imagining sex, dreaming about sex, (they are male after all) coupled with a desire to make you happy? Use your imagination.

8.) They’re relatively low-maintenance. Most can be fueled on pizza, Twinkies and Mt Dew. No complicated dinners needed here, so if you’re not the best cook, eh. Can you order a pizza?

9.) Most frequent bars as often as slugs frequent salt mines. You won’t have to worry much about your geek guy getting his “groove” on with club hotties because, frankly, he’ll be too busy rooting around under his computer wondering where that spare cable went. You won’t have to worry about him flirting with other women because, 9 out of 10 times, he’ll zip right by them in a perfect b-line towards the nearest electronics store. I’ve seen this happen.
Me: “Eww. Victoria Secret’s Models... They’re so skinny. How is that feminine? You can see her ribs!”
Geek Guy: “ooooooo...”
Me: “Hey!” *notices he is staring lustfully towards the computer store*
Geek Guy: “What?”
Me: “Never mind...”

10.) Although he may not want to go to every outing with you, you can arrange swaps, as in, you’ll go to his Gamer Con dressed as an elf princess if he’ll take you to the ballet. Plus, if he doesn’t want to go someplace with you, you won’t have to worry much about what he’s up to. You’ll probably come home to find him asleep on his keyboard in a sea of Mt. Dew cans with code blinking from the screen. It’s ok. He’s used to this. Just toss a blanket over him and turn out the light.

11.) His friends aren’t jerks. I can’t stress this enough. You’ll more likely get “Omg! A GIRL!! Can I see?!” than “Hey hot stuff back that ass up here and let me get some grub on...” They’re awkward geeks too and will, 9 times out of 10, treat you with the utmost respect and, more than likely, a note of awe. A cute girl picked one of their clan to date? It could happen to them! Hope! Drag some of your single girlfriends over, open up a pack of Mt. Dew, crack open the DnD set and get working. Nothing impresses geek guys more than a girl who can hack-n-slash (well ok maybe if she can code... a geek can dream).

12.) They’re rarely if ever possessive. They trust you, so you can be yourself around them. You like to walk around the house in a ratty t-shirt for comfort? He won’t care. He does too! They won’t get pissy if you don’t wear make-up or don’t want to bother primping your hair. If you gain a few pounds, they won’t try their best to make you feel like crap.

13.) They’re usually very well educated. Physics majors and the like. See #5. You won’t have to listen to him blathering on about his car (ok maybe a little), he’ll have loads of other interesting things to talk about. Politics, world events, how much the chicken burgers down at the local place rock, so long as you douse them in hot sauce...

14.) You’ll almost never have to hear, “Yaw dawg whazzap!!” plop out of their mouths. Unless it’s in jest. They spell properly, use correct punctuation, and are able to tell the difference between the toilet and the floor. They almost never get “wasted”, so you won’t have to worry about coming home to find him and his friends passed out on the floor amidst a pile of beer bottles. Mt. Dew cans, perhaps...

15.) And the final reason why geeks and nerds make great boyfriends: They actually give a damn about you. Not how you look (though that’s a plus), not how skinny you are, not how much make-up you primp yourself up with, but they like you for you. That kind of thing lasts longer than “Damn baby you got a fine ass!!!” Believe me."

Of course, I'm at college and have to cite my sources: http://hartford.craigslist.org/about/best/sfo/66795671.html

(If your name is Justin, consider printing this out and posting somewhere prominent.) (If your name is Justin and you're insulted by the implication that you are a geek and/or nerd, my bad.)

Like a mac?

So, our new car had a little problem the other day. We took it to the shop and the repairman (much to my amusement) described the first generation of Prius as a Windows machine. Every once in a while it acts quirky and just needs to reboot. It's not stable like a Mac. Interesting that even a mechanic thinks that Mac is more stable than Windows. Score one for the Apple advertising people.

More proof

My ongoing crusade to prove to the world that there's a better way:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7268133/

(Note the sub-headline)

More quotes from journalism

(About the vietnam hearings of 1966, yet with strange relevance today)
"His objections to such broadcasts, he told me, were partly financial... but were mainly based on his concern that too much "dove-hawk" talk unsteadied the hand of the Commander-In-Chief. I believed, for my part, that healthy debates by responsible leaders debating the war was far better than the epidemic of one-sided teach-ins and hostile demonstrations that had filled the void in the absence of national debate. In my opinion, responsible debates and the subsequent Senate hearings actually de-escalated the demonstrations and draft-card burnings that so embarrassed the Administration."
-Fred Friendly (CBS Producer)

Quote of the Day

"I don't agree with people who think that we have to go out and shed a little blood to prove we're virile men... I don't think old men ought to promote wars for young men to fight. I don't like warlike old men. I think it's their business to try as best they can, by whatever wisdom they can find, to avert what would be an absolute, irreparable calamity for the world."

Walter Lippmann
(he said this in 1961!!!)

It's fun to offend

So, I was thinking the other day, and I've decided that it would be possible to change my stance to absolutely pro-life. But I think some minor concessions would have to be made by the other side.
1. All children of unmarried women become wards of the state.
2. Taxes WILL go up, to fund the new, larger orphanages and a much more robust education system.
3. Fully funded sex-ed programs, that teach ALL kinds of birth control (yes, that includes abstinence).
4. A limit on how many children a person can have (I'm not going to say what, but let's be reasonable and say less than four). After that: Tubes tied and scrotums snipped.

Sounds fair to me.


(2:45 PM 4/5)
Addendum: Walking to class today, a nice lady and two very small children (3 and 5?) were handing out pamphlets. Grabbing one (I almost always do), it says in lovely red print on the cover "Planned Parenthood admits that abortion is the killing of a baby!" Nice, right? Well, on the inside it shows aborted fetuses at seven weeks and twenty-one weeks. Trust me, they're happy pictures. And seriously, who doesn't think that abortion is the killing of a baby? (On a side note, their source for this information was a Planned Parenthood pamphlet from 1963. Isn't that around the same time when pamphets from the government recommeded drilling with nuclear weapons? Maybe we should just ignore pamphlets from that time period.)

Now, I feel obliged to point out that Planned Parenthood also provides birth control (I speak from personal experience here). And maybe, just maybe... okay DEFINITELY, if more people used birth control of any measure less abortions would be necessary.

Also today in the Daily Iowan - reinforcement for why I take the stance that I do: "Cedarwood resident Lynn Gray... chimed in with anger, "I ain't got no job, I have four kids, I'm paying rent and child support, what am I supposed to do?"" (She's mad because the apartment she was in was sold and she has to move. Regardless, four kids with no job? Tell me that's not a drain on the system.)

Just to totally clarify my real position: I don't think abortion should be used as birth control, I think there are other more effective (and frankly, less traumatic) ways of doing so. However, I do think that aborting a fetus is preferable to bringing an unwanted child into the world, particularly into an environment where they cannot prosper.

It's Thursday! You know what that means!

So, a lot has been on my mind lately. Not the least of which is my continued success in the cinema program, which fortunately looks like it might actually happen. FYI, the race is on, Justin. By my count I'll be done next year. Anywho, nothing specific to report in this post. Although my mind has been busy, my life (outside of school) hasn't been as much. I've been debating ranting about something new, but I've decided to take a little break from that for now. Although, there is much to change in the world, it's not going to come to an abrupt end if I don't address the issues on my blog.

Take care all, and for those of you (like myself) who have the final month of this school year to survive - best of luck!

Quick addendum

Sorry, I haven't been my usual blog-tastic self, but it's been a crazy couple of weeks. Anywho, I felt after reading an story on MSNBC that I should add an addendum to my little English rant.

See, the story was about the resurgence of Hawaiian language in that state. Now, I am 115% all for that. However, you'll notice in the article that they state that Hawaiian and English are the state languages. I imagine that they are working it so that students can or are taught both languages, English to be successful and Hawaiian to celebrate their culture. More of that please. I do not wish to supplant cultural heritage, simply make it easier for all Americans to understand one another.

Bonus Points!

This was sent to my wife from her sister. It bears repeating, so I'm publishing it to the blog. Because I'm at college and can't plagarize, I hereby admit that I didn't write this.


THERMODYNAMICS OF HELL The following is an actual question given on a University of Washington chemistry mid term. The answer by one student was "so profound" that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well.

Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law, (gas cools off when it expands and heats up when it is compressed) or some variant. One student, however, wrote the following:

First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate that souls are moving into Hell and the rate they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving.

As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Some of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell.

Since there are more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added. This gives two possibilities:
1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.
2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.

So which is it? If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my freshman year, "...that it will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you," and take into account the fact that I still have not succeeded in that regard, then #2 cannot be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and will not freeze.

The student received the only "A" given.

Saving the planet, one car at a time

So, we've jumped into the 21st century, and now own a hybrid. Yes, we're the proud owners of a 2001 Prius. It's not the fanciest car on the planet (not counting the engine), but it gets the job done, and done well. See you all at the pump, just a little less frequently now.

Big News Coming

****Immediate Transmission****


Big news coming out of the Peterson household. Complete update tomorrow.


****End of Line****

"Captain Improper Comma Use" and "Blatant Run-On Sentence Boy"

So this blog stems out of a conversation with my good buddy CZ (the Master of Master Control to the left there). Now, I'll refrain from mocking his silly wrestling fantasies. Oops, just did. Regardless, a subject came up that I've devoted a couple of brain cells to from time to time.

Why English should be the Official Language of the United States:
It all boils down to one simple fact. Communication. When two people are communicating (and trust me, I've heard a lot about this subject this semester), in the model I like the most, one person is an encoder and the other a decoder with the message running between them. Now, the message is independent, in that by logical extension "I'm hungry" means the same thing in French, German, English, and Mandarin Chinese. However, by being an English speaker, I encode that to: "I'm hungry," which requires an English decoder to understand. I could grunt and gesture to my mouth, but I'm doing it improperly to a girl, I might get slapped upside the face. Now, think of the scenarios that play out across America every day. Imagine an industrial example where large machinery is moving and you're required to stay behind the red line. Cross the red line and bye-bye feet (if you're lucky). The sign clearly says "Danger - Stay Behind Red Line," which does a fat lot of good to a native Mandarin Chinese speaker such as myself.

Now, to debunk the counterpoints: People don't understand English now (non-native speakers).
1) Welcome to America, learn our language. The Constitution was written in English (and they didn't bother to translate it when they wrote it). Now, let me say flat out, I'm not saying that we should never publish government documents in alternative languages. In fact, alternative languages should ALWAYS be available, especially in this electronic age. However, the primary print language should be english in America. If you want to look up the minutes of your state legislature - english. All the information on your driver's license - english. Now a translation should be available, but not in the same document! (200 page one language document vs. 400 page two language document). Government business should be conducted in english. When you walk into a city hall, you should be able to understand what issues are being debated.

2) English as a Second Language (ESL) classes should be mandatory and free. Now, I may catch some flak for the mandatory idea, but it again goes back to communication. By requiring a standard of communication, everyone will be able to communicate at least on some basic level, with the hope that it would allow better understanding across the board. I'd would prefer if someone could say "Please don't hurt me," to the police as opposed to spouting off what amounts to foreign gibberish to the police officer's ears. This would also allow teachers at school to teach in one language, allowing a greater depth of subjects instead of dividing the day between english and other languages. Now, this could lead into a whole other rant on why the school systems need repair, but that's another day. Did I mention free? Most immigrants, in my understanding, don't have the money for expensive classes. Now, I'm not opposed to immigration, and I think an educated workforce, or at least a workforce capable of communication is far superior than any alternative.

There you have it. This blog is in English, and our government should be too.

Comment, I dare you. (Be warned, all comments will be graded on clarity and grammar.)

What? On a Wednesday?

So, am I the only one who overhears parts of conversations and wonders what the rest of the converstation must have sounded like? I admit, that's somewhat the source of my "out of context quote of the day," which unfortunately is not as daily as I might like. If it were, I'd probably have to publish it to the blog regularly. Regardless, I overheard a conversation the other day as I was leaving the library and it struck me as funny and odd:

Boy: Is she good looking?
Girl: Well, she's got big boobs.

As I said, I have no idea what they were talking about, and I had to get to class. Not that I would have stopped anyways. It just struck me as a weird answer to the question. I mean, I'm first in line to admit that I like a nice pair of breasts. I should be happy that my wife doesn't read this blog as often as she maybe should, but I've been caught looking around campus. But that's not the end-all for good looks to me. It's part of a package. If the girl's rail thin and has ginormous breasts that cause her to tip forward when standing, not so attractive. Well-proportioned females, I don't think that's to hard to ask for. But back to the conversation at hand, apparently this girl thought her (let's assume) friend's large breasts were enough to make her attractive to this guy. Doesn't that kind of assume that all guys care about are breasts? I know so many guys who were like, "You know, I really liked that girl, but my hands were bigger than her breasts and it just didn't work out." Yeah, that's a deal-breaker all right . I suppose another extreme could exist. Same guy: "I was going to kiss her stomach and her breasts got in the way." And on a side note, real breasts are ALWAYS better.

I think that's enough. All because of two lines overheard in the library. Send your hate mail to the random people who I don't know in the library.

You know, I had a funny title. But then I went to class and forgot it. I'm so sorry.

Well, first off, let me congratulate my counterparts on UPDATING THEIR BLOGS. Seriously, guys, you know I love ya. Classes are proceeding as planned. Bwa-ha-ha-ha. Wait, that's not what I meant. This semester seems to be carrying on rather faster than the last semesters. I don't know if that's thanks to the workload or what.

On related news, I'm going to Ames this semester. I know, I've promised it in the past and haven't delivered. But damnit (we have money now and can travel a little more freely) and my friends need a visit! (If I could go to Alaska, I'd to that too. Related to that, I saw a car with Alaska plates yesterday. I thought you'd care.)

Wackyland update: The cats are getting along as best as two cats do. Okay, Cadet hisses still at Nova, and is mad that she gets on the bed when he's cuddled up with me. Nova has been eating his food, which she's not supposed to, so I'm getting pretty good at shooting her with the spray bottle. But they actually seem to be playing, although Nova harasses Cadet more than anything else, and the big chicken runs. Yeah, that movie Chicken Run - named for my cat.

I think I've bored you all enough. More next week. Same bat-time, same bat-blog. (Do you think batman would have a bat-blog on his bat-computer in the batcave?)

The truth? You can't man-handle the truth!

So, after spending a weekend tending for my wife's heroic battle against strep throat (for the record, she won and is now level 4), I continue on in my quest to take over the world. Or more accurately continue on my quest to get good grades this semester.

If you haven't heard yet, our family is now 1 bigger. Kim (finally) got her kitten. The cat decided that her name should be Nova. That's what she responds best to. Of course, there's all sorts of jokes as to why. She's a super cat (get it, supernova?), she likes to be the center of attention (like a star), she means no-go in latin america (see also: Chevy Nova). Honestly, she's just a little ball of fire (maybe too much so), but what do you expect from a baby kitten.

For those who are wondering (all two of you) Cadet seems to be doing all right with the addition. We're taking our time introducing them, and Cadet goes through phases, but overall he seems to be doing rather well. The two haven't been allowed to play yet, but all in good time.

Hope you enjoyed this witless prattle. More next week.

Now twice as furry

So, getting into the ho-hums of the semester. Work, followed by more work, and guess what I have to look forward to next semester. The more I think about it, the happier I'll be when I finally have a system at home that I can do editing/experimenting on. The stuff here at school is SO limiting. Ah, well, I've been informed that art thrives on restriction. We'll see.

On a continuing to corrupt my wife note, I sat down with her and watched Star Trek VI last weekend (or as she calls it, the one with the Klingons). Surprise, she ACTUALLY liked it. Of course she was watching it as a movie, not as a Star Trek movie... and I was there to answer questions as they came up. I try to helpful from time to time.

Hope the rest of you are enjoying the new year.

WOOOOO!

Went skiing this weekend (see title).

I feel obliged in my weekly (as much as I attempt it to be weekly at the moment) view on life to apolgize for the lackluster updating by my blogging counterparts to whom I have links on this page. I know they're both busy people, and I'll attempt to entertain the masses through my own channel but, let's be honest, that's a pretty slim shot.

I think this double majoring thing might just work out after all... we'll see.

What's that noise?

It's the whips of my teachers this semester. Holy crap! I've only been to two classes (I have one more today, and then 1 tomorrow, and then I'll know what's REALLY on my plate this semester) but I'm already feeling it. Due dates. Projects. Unfinished buildings. It's just crazy.

Speaking of unfinished buildings, I've been psyched about the new journalism building opening on campus (it also houses the cinema department, how convenient). Well, it's open... but it's not finished. And you know what one of the unfinished parts is? The student lounge! Thanks a lot construction dudes. After a long day of classes, I just want to relax before my next torture, but can I? No.

On a side note, my instructors inform me that the course packets aren't ready yet? What? And one of the bookstores won't have the book until friday. Boy, that makes my assignment for Thursday real easy. Thanks!

Ah well, off to my final class of the day to see what torture will be inflicted upon me there.

End of rant.

And now for something completely different

So, I'm getting psyched up for the next semester. I've got a full plate ahead of me. There's starting in on my Cinema classes so I can actually get somewhere in my quest for higher learning.... and then there's my dabbling in getting a second major. We'll see how that goes. At least I have a three day weekend to get ready.

Tonight: PANCHERO'S!!!!

Still Kicking, but maybe a little digging

So, a quick update from the land of the... I don't know... herkys? Anywho, 10 inches of snow fell over the last couple days. Have to say, though, it was easier to walk on snow-blown sidewalks than the icy crap I had to deal with on Monday and Tuesday. On an amusing side note, I found out that my wife, in her new job, has one of my teacher for next semester's daughter as a student. So much for skipping class and neglecting assignments. Maybe he won't find out. Yeah, right.

Until next week!