Wednesday, January 31, 2007

2008 is almost here

- I can't believe how fast this year is going. By the way, I almost hit a white rabbit this morning as I was driving to school. Were it not for my superior driving skills, I would be having a bad day right now. His wouldn't be too swell, either.

- From now on I am going to answer my phone with random lines from movies or shows or something. I'll probably forget next time someone calls, but it's good to have goals. I hear.

- I have to do a presentation on Sir Thomas More for my Tuesday class. I don't think they'll let me show A Man For All Seasons. Not that I would. Okay, I would.

- I wonder if that rabbit's name was Harvey....

- Tank Johnson is the latest sports figure to be caught up in crime. You know what would make a great episode of Cops? Celebrity Edition!

- Tank Johnson sounds a lot like Tek Jansen. Just sayin'.

- It was prophesied that the first person to step off the Greek boats onto Trojan grounds would also be the first to die in the war, so no one wanted to get off the boats. Odysseus threw his shield to the ground and jumped on it, and was followed by Protesilaus, who then was the first to die. Odysseus is the best. What a prankster.

Monday, January 29, 2007

january 29th

- Once again, I come to you from the One, the Only, the [ this space left intentionally blank ]Fitness Center. These two girls are currently yelling to each other across the tan rooms about how burned they got. They're close to tears. It's really, really hard not to laugh.

- Troy was on Hallmark the other day. They cut out the movie. It was like that Mad TV spoof of "The Sopranos on Pax." By the way, Hector and Odysseus and Andromecha (sp? Hector's wife) are the only characters worth anything in that movie. The rest of them deserve whatever happens to them.

- Just to be clear, I don't watch either The Sopranos or Mad TV. Mad TV was occassionally on at work, and that was the only sketch on there that I ever thought was funny. I'm just covering my bases here.

- I have to write about Christopher Columbus' journals for my seminar class tomorrow. Copy & Paste from Wikipedia, ftw... I'm kidding.

- Because everyone else is: "Never before in history has there been a black head-coach in the superbowl. Two African-American headcoaches in the Superbowl! Now, if only we can get to the point in this nation where we don't have to mention it anymore." (you don't believe me? check foxsports.com and espn.com and behold the wonder) The crazy thing is, we could have been there if you idiots hadn't all thought it was worth writing 157 articles about.

- Rex Grossman: "My goal is to win a championship in Chicago and be a franchise quarterback." Heh.

- I read a "The Office" spoiler saying Joss Whedon and J.J. Abrams are each going to be directing an episode. That's just cool.



Thursday, January 25, 2007

almost friday

- Once Thursdays end, I start feeling a lot more relaxed. Friday is always a light day of school, and I usually don't have too work much. So, skunks, a toast to your health and all that.... (Yeah, I know, but there are some things you don't like to let go, and "skunks" is one of them.)

- I'm considering making a myspace account again, but only if a certain auntie of mine promises to put me at the top of her friends list. You know who you are. I hope.

- I have the 11th part of my screenplay, script-thingy done, but it's all scattered, and there's nothing as tedious as moving stuff from your notebook to the computer. Well, there probably is, but I'm 20 years old, and I don't have false teeth yet.

- There's this one Dilbert cartoon where the technical writer is explaining her plan to get rich by writing scathing emails to her co-workers until a publisher gives her an advance on a book. Dogbert tells her she will eventually have to publish something and she screams "Bloodsuckers!" I suppose hoping for the same by writing a blog is pretty dumb, but I have my fingers crossed.

- Seriously, go back and read the Eratosthenes thing again. I'll wait here.

- I need a new car, so if anyone wins one in a raffle, let me know. I'll pay you the cost of the ticket for it, and we'll call it even. I might even throw in a Hamilton, but then you'd be taking bread from the mouths of my children.

- Looking for a quick, entertaining read? Try the Emerson Dunn mystery series by Roy Maynard. Relatively short (to, you know, Robert Jordan), but there's a certain funny witticism that he applies that really only works when writing from first-person.

- I just carried 5 40lbs bags of salt down to the basement. I know it doesn't sound like much, but those stairs are as treacherous as the Cliffs of Insanity, so I'm lucky to be alive.

- On that note, I'm going to edit my profile to list The Princess Bride and Napoleon Dynamite as favorite movies. The Princess Bride not already being there is a grievous over-sight, and N.D. gets a spot out of spite to my sister and cousin Joe who don't show it any respect. Heathens.


Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Eratosthenes

- I learned something interesting in school yesterday. Apparently, around the 2nd century BC, a guy named Eratosthenes was studying in the library at Alexandria, when he came across an account that stated that on a paticular day each year (the professor couldn't remember what day it was), the sun shines into a well at Syene and casts no shadows (shines directly inside it, illuminating the whole thing). Erat went out on that specific day, and checked all the wells around him, and none of them did the same. So he paid a guy to pace off the distance between Alexandria and Syene (which is quite a ways, if you'd like to check in out on a map). When the guy returned, Erat used the information, the sun angle on his own well, and what the angle would have to be on the other well, and he then estimated the curvature of the earth. Since they all knew that the earth was 360 degrees, but simply had no way to measure each degree, and Erat had learned the distance of degrees between Alexandria and Syene, he correctly estimated the size of the Earth to within 20 kilometers. Sometime around the 2nd century BC.

I thought that was awesome, but I'm a nerd.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

what day is this..

- I'm at the school library again. Woot.

- The Colts pulled off a tremendous comeback. Bill Parcells retired.
Rex Grossman is in the Super Bowl. I don't care all that much either, anymore.

- I literally feel like I have nothing to say. I should probably write a page paper on a book I haven't read, but chances are I'll just wing it. And then have to retake college.

- I'm sitting here, typing about typing because I have nothing to say. Tell me that's not depressing. I'm going to go... find something to do.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Jan -20th

- I saw Serenity in its entirety last night, for the first time. Have I mentioned I really like Joss Whedon's writing? The story wasn't bad, although they killed off one of the best characters. It's too bad the show got canceled so early.

- I got called in to work last night at five, but no one came in so I got to close early. That's always cool. Well, for me. I'm sure the bosses would have rathered we had some business. Suckers.

- I'm at work as I write this, and there's one lady working out and she asked me to put in this dance cd. The one where they go "oh-lay, oh-lay, oh-lay oh-lay" is on, and I'm having a hard time not laughing right now.

- "I will Survive" is a dance hit? I suppose, if you've ever seen The Replacements. Which if you haven't, that's okay.

- I got the Colts going all the way. Although everyone is picking Colts this week, and that means New England is going to crush them as Manning throws 6 interceptions. So my pick and what I think is going to happen have no correlation.

- Ed Helms is great. I'm pretty sure they're going to start the next episode of the Office with Michael explaining why Andy is no longer working there, and maybe Karen too.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

optimism

I'm trying to be more optimistic and have an overall brighter outlook on life. So far, it sucks... I'm kidding! I just started recently, so we'll see how it goes. It's hard to do, because I'm tired a lot of the time, and that doesn't translate into "cheery" very well.

- I got to class and it was canceled, which basically means I have a four and a half hour break until my next class. I thought about going home, but my next professor randomly takes attendance, and if you miss, you lose 5% of your total grade. It's crazy, but I bet it works.

- 24 has started again, and it's one of those shows that I'm never sure if I want to start watching each season. They kill characters off for fun, and sometimes that's good, and sometimes it's not. SPOILER: stop reading if you missed the premiere.

K, you read this, it's your own fault. They had Jack kill Curtis, and a nuke went off in Los Angeles. Now, certainly, no good conservative would give a rip about a nuke taking out most of California, but Curtis was cool, and it's weird that he went out in the fourth hour. Then again, if they don't show a coffin, you never know. Last we saw him, he looked unconscious after taking a bullet to the throat. But I don't think the marshal guy from Prison Break is dead, either, and he also took a bullet.

I told my brother I was feeling pressure to write (even though no one is pressuring me) and he said if I ever start getting paid for it, that would be real pressure. I'm very nervous now.

- I used to like following politics, but everything is such a mess, and if most Americans can live healthy, productive lives by being apathetic, than so can I, by crackles.

- I'm at the library and there are these tours going on for in-coming freshmen and stuff. I always think it would be fun to walk by them and scream "RUN AWAY!" or "get out while you can!" or "soylent green is people!" but I never do. I'll graduate with that regret, no doubt.

Friday, January 12, 2007

James Fenimore Cooper

- My "westward Movement" History teacher was talking about the West, and authors who wrote about the West, and he touched on James Fenimore Cooper. And then he started talking about the depiction of "noble savages," such as the Last of the Mohicans as portrayed by Cooper, where the Mohican takes in a white orphan who is the hero of the story.

Okay, so bascially, this guy is telling us the plot to the movie, but Last of the Mohicans: The Movie has little relationship to Last of the Mohicans: The Book. Hawkeye is not raised by Indians; he is an old hunter and marksman, and friend of the old Indian (whose name I can't think of). The red coat guy does not die, Cora dies and the other girl lives, and at one point, Hawkeye dresses up like a bear and sneaks into the Indians' camp.

The point of this being, my history teacher is teaching his class about Cooper and uses the movie as his tool, when Cooper and the movie are different stories. He hasn't even read Cooper. Why in the world is he talking about Cooper's impact, if he hasn't even read Cooper? It bothered me. Anyhoo..

- My "Great Political Thinkers" class is being taught by a guy who has one of those beards that you'd see on any "great, white, hunter" character. You know, something a British colonel stationed in Africa would wear. And his last name is Clayton, and I thoguht it was pretty funny. It's a good class, though. So far, lots of Greek and particularly Athenian history; stuff which I like.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

January 11th

- I am soooooooooooo bored. I feel like my brain is fried. I have a 3 hour break between classes, and I'm trying to fill that time, but there's really not much to do here at school. I've been playing some GBA emulator, but that's getting old.

- My boss wants me to check in at work after I get out, in case he "doesn't feel like working." I don't much feel like working, so we'll see how that goes.

- Posse Comitatus is the season 3 finale of the West Wing. In my biased opinion, it is one of the best made episodes of any show, ever. I don't watch it much, because it's sad, and I always feel a little down afterwards, but it's so well done.

- My eyes are getting blurry. Either I'm dying or something else is happening. It's a toss-up.

- I am thoroughly enjoying the Trump/View brawl, and I'm hardly keeping up with it. Whenever you have such wholly unlikable characters on each side bashing one another, it's entertaining.

- Shrek 3? I don't think this is a good idea. I thought 2 was lame and re-used the same jokes. Shrek 1 was great, but stopping there would have been best. We'll see.

- Whatever happened to David Schwimmer? Never mind. No one cares.

- Isn't Larry King the poster boy of people who should be dead, but aren't? It's hard to look at him without assuming he's already started to decompose. I could be wrong.


Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Jan -9th

- Class starts today. I've got a three hour lecture class that starts at 6:30 and goes to 9:20pm. It's the perfect setting to break through my writer's block.

- My dog keeps dying. I mean my car. My car keeps dying. My dog is fine.

- Florida trounced Ohio. I have this nagging feeling that I should call up a bunch of people and laugh at them, but I'll refrain. 'Cause some of them could, frankly, beat me up.

- Sorkin wrote Charlie Wilson's War with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. No, Hanks and Roberts didn't help write it; they're both in the movie (curse you, dangling modifiers). Anyway, I'm looking forward to that. Here's hoping Malina gets a part.

- I have an urge to play Texas Hold 'em. And then I'll lose, and fall deeper into the depths of my malcontent.

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Playoffs

- Poor, poor Tony Romo. Don't get me wrong, I wanted the Cowboys to lose, but you have to feel for the guy. By the way, doesn't Romo look a lot like Keanu Reeves in The Replacements? Or has that been said already?

- Colts won. yay!

- Played some Street Fighter vs. SNK 2 tonight. I started off really hot, but kind of waned as the night wore on.

- Friday was named after Frey, Thursday after Thor, and Wednesday after Woden, or Odin. I think Tuesday was after a Norse god too. For my money, the Norse mythology is the best. Ragnorok, Fenrir, the Midgard Serpent, etc. So much cooler than Apollo and Heracles. What does this have to do with anything? Nothing, I just wanted to show off.

Friday, January 05, 2007

Jan -5th

- I need an occupation that is interesting and important but hasn't had a dozen different tv shows made about it for my story. So, no cops, lawyers, doctors, or politicians. If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them. I'm considering university professors, or possibly secret service, although that's a lot like FBI/CIA/cops, etc. Or, you know, front desk gym clerks, because those guys are crazy interesting!

- In one of the debates we had at the latest family gathering, I actually used some historical facts I picked up at CMU. I'm not sure if this is a good thing...

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

January 3rd

- Michigan got totally destroyed by USC.

- I'm at work right now, and The Office is on, but instead of getting to watch it, these two idiots are in here trying to get in a twenty minute workout before we close, and they want the radio on. So life stinks... not really, but I was hoping for more out of this evening. On the plus side, I've made a lot more headway on my writing lately than was expected. Watching West Wing does that to me.

- My uncle got me to watch this Lazy Sunday video. I can now successfully rap three songs: Weird Al's Amish Paradise, Weird Al's White and Nerdy, and Lazy Sunday. No, my mother would not be proud, so I'm not going to tell her.

- Ten minutes and counting....

- Speaking of the Office, who are we supposed to be rooting for here? 'Cause Pam's kind of to blame, and the other girl is pretty nice, so really, Jim's in a pickle.

- Okay, I think they're leaving now. See you guys tomorrow.

Monday, January 01, 2007

2007

Hey, everybody! We made it! A new year full of promise and excitement and more school and work and lack of funds and work... and school... and ...

I'm kidding. Time flies, and hopefully by this time next year, I'll have a degree, have a new job, and be rich from selling my script to some obscenely wealthy mogul (it's 1:49 am, that could be the wrong word).

- This last week has been an absolute blast. I'd like to give a shout-out to my Aunt Yuisa, who earned herself a mention in my Emmy/Oscar Acception speech by saying she loves reading my blog and that it's very funny. So far, I've got about four names, with only my sister as a mortal lock. We'll see how it goes.

- I have to start some kind of diet. My mom took these pictures at Christmas, and I swear I looked like Elvis: The Later Years in every one of them.

- My team won in football again. It was a close game, that ended up being decided by a safety. Tons of fun.

- The 13th Warrior was interesting, because it wasn't really about the 13th warrior. It was about 13 warriors, only not really, since two of them die really, really fast. So it's about 11 warriors. And Antonio Banderas was an Arab. That bumps the movie up three notches, because, obviously, the casting guy deserves some kind of recognition.

- What was the tallest building in 1913? I do believe it was the Woolworth building, but I'd have to check...