News! Possibly. Maybe. Stay tuned.
GUYS something big may be happening next week. I got a phone call this morning and it might change the rest of the semester.
We’ll see.
I’m just too excited not to mention it, but I’m not going to say anything specific about it so’s not to jinx it.
Vroom.
Documentary time!
Filmmaker Jacob LaMendola created this short video on anosmia that got featured on the New York Times website. Please watch it. Lots of interesting perspectives from congenital and non-congenitals alike.
It’s a blog! Shocker, huh?
We’re almost done with this, guys!
4201. Has your life lacked a miracle?
I don’t believe in miracles. At least until Leibniz magically reincarnates.
4202. Would you shoot a terrorist?
Not, like, randomly. If they were in the middle of terrorizing, then yeah, maybe.
4203. Were you an unlovely child?
In my opinion, yes.
4204. In the recent Michael Jackson documentary was he treated fairly?
I have no idea, I never watched it.
4205. New York City and other places along the East Coast have recently been said to be the next terrorist targets. What do you think about this?
Haven’t they always been targets?
4206. What should the last question in this survey be?
DO YOU FOLKS LIKE COFFEE?!
4207. Are you more likely to think so deeply about things that you forget to take out the garbage OR be wrapped up in your life andforget to think deeply about things?
Depends on how busy I am.
4208. In what ways are you destructive?
I am incredibly good at breaking drinking glasses.
4209. If you’re not with the one you love can you love the one you’re with?
I think people are capable of romantically loving more than one person at a time.
4210. Why is it that when you hang upside down the blood rushes to your head but when you stand up the blood doesn’t rush to your feet?
Because our circulatory system was designed for “standing up” mode.
4211. Do you demand a better future?
It’s my future and I want it NOW!
4212. Does it make you uncomfortable to meet a person with a handicap or deformity (retarded, deaf, lacking a limb, etc.)?
Why would it make me uncomfortable?
4213. What did you think of the movie Vanilla Sky?
Didn’t see it.
4214. What is your favorite thing to dip into fondue?
Teehee. That sounds dirty.
4215. Are you more like Wayne or Garth?
Who?
4216. SNL or Mad TV?
Mad.
4217. Best three REM songs:
I only know “Losing My Religion.”
4218. Name something you do that might be considered eccentric:
HA. Hahaha. Ha.
4219. Are you hard or easy to love?
I have no idea. I think personality-wise I am, look-wise I’m not.
4220. Could you be the next american idol?
HA. Yeah right.
4221. If you were going on american idol what would you:
wear?
What I usually wear. Colorz.
sing?
I’d sing “Journey to the Past” from Disney’s Anastasia. It’s right in my vocal range.
4222. Is Simon Cowell sexy or does he suck?
Blah.
4223. What was the last thing you used a credit card for?
Uh…Walmart stuff?
4224. Do you like back or foot massages more?
Neither. I don’t like massages.
4225. If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow why oh why can’t I?
‘Cause of those damn tornadoes, yo.
4226. Why do teachers always want blue or black ink?
Easiest to read.
4227. What do you keep your change in?
A little gold purse thingy.
4228. Do you read playgirl or playboy for the articles?
Hahaha, remember when we bought that Playboy in Seattle on the band trip and then fawned over the ladies on the bus ride back? Fun times.
4229. Are you old fashioned? In what ways?
Yeah, but some of the things I’m old fashioned about aren’t currently “socially acceptable” by a lot of people, so yeah. Don’t want to talk about them.
4230. If you were going to get a mentor who would your top three choices be (out of everyone alive)?
I have no idea. All the people I’d want as mentors are dead.
4231. Would you rather visit France or Thailand?
France.
4232. You love your partner but they are a slob. They aren’t likely to change. Your thoughts:
Meh. As long as they’re not offended by my cleaning up their messes, no big deal. I actually wouldn’t mind that. It’d be a way to show love.
4233. Is anything brainwashing people?
Yes. Media and crappy entertainment and such.
4234. If you were a sex psitols song which one would you be (some choices in case you aren’t familiar with them: Holiday in the Sun, Bodies, No Feelings, Liar, Problems, Seventeen, Pretty Vacant, New York, E.M.I.)?
I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Sex Pistols song.
4235. Are you more likely to drink moderately and often or drink within an inch of your life but only once in a while?
I’m more likely to not drink at all. Or take like half a day to finish a Guiness.
4236. What scares you most about war?
Uh…the dying part?
4237. You find a man with wings (an angel?) half dead in your back yard. the first thing you do is:
Wasn’t this a short story? I’d try to help heal him if possible.
4238. Why do people go to faith healers when there is so much proof that they are fake?
People do a lot of stupid things, yo.
4239. When someone you care about is really angry with you how do you feel and how do you deal with that feeling?
I get anxious. But that’s pretty much my standard response to everything.
4240. There’s a guy who sometimes get violent with his wife. He will scream ‘I LOVE you!’ While he hurts her. Do you think there could be any love there?
Possibly. Maybe the guy just is expressing love in the way he learned it. Doesn’t excuse the abuse, though.
4242. Is John Malkovitch sexy? Is Billy Corgan?
Is Michael Stipe? Is Moby? Is Sinead O’Connor?
Who are all these people?
4243. Imagine there’s a lepper and he wants to be cured but instead of going away his sores sprout sunflowers? Would that be a miracle? Would that tell you anything about anything?
Best. Question. Ever.
4244. Do you watch people?
Meh.
4245. Do you have anything that doesn’t belong to you?
Probably, but nothing that the owner doesn’t know about.
4246. what is normal?
Certainly not me. Or my awesome friends.
4247. You are given your own private island. What would you name it, and who is allowed to live there with you?
I’d name it Leibniz Land. I’d let Sean live on it after telling him I bought it off of eBay.
4249. If something is wrong in society and you don’t like it but you do nothing about it, in a way aren’t you supporting it?
No, not necessarily.
4250. Do you like Leslie Nielson?
Hell yeah.
4251. If you could make a new toothpaste flavor what would it be?
Red Bull.
4252, Have you ever called the police or the fire department?
Nope.
4255. You are on the weakest link with these contestants: a monkey, Simon Coswell, Hayden Christensen, Cher, a guy in a teenage mutant ninja turtle costume and GW Bush. Who do you vote off as the weakest link and why?
HA, I remember that show! Holy crap. I’d vote off Bush…do I really need a reason?
4256. Do you like:
mint skittles?
No.
mint ice cream?
With chocolate chips in it, yes.
junior mints?
No.
4257. Does protesting/demonstrating really have any effect?
Yes.
4259. Have you ever wanted to be with someone who was off limits?
Indeed.
4260. Have you ever wanted someone so badly that you would kiss your hand imagining it was them?
We used to do this in elementary school during church. ‘Cause, you know, we were taking the religion thing so seriously.
4261. Are there any situations when cheating on someone is okay?
No.
4262. When you feel empty inside what do you fill yourself up with?
z-scores.
4263. Would you rather be loved or desired?
Loved.
4264. When you remember something do you remember yourself to be more or less graceful/positive/smooth than you actually were?
Probably more. Don’t we all?
4265. How can you tell the days of the week apart without using a calander?
Use a watch! Hahaha. I’m funny.
4267. What 3 things about you have shaped your life the most?
My screwed up approach to school, my screwed up approach to relationships, and my awesome parents.
4268. Is your mind awake?
It’s getting there. I hope.
Is your soul?
We don’t have souls.
Were they always?
Haha. Nope.
If not, can you remember a moment or a few moments that helped you wake up?
I like to think that spring semester 2007 was my “Age of Enlightenment.” I remember rehearsing O Magnum Mysterium in the admin building and being totally overwhelmed with feeling like my mind had “opened” to the universe. It was pretty freaking amazing.
4269. Have you ever misperceived what was going on only to discover it when it was too late?
Story of my life, man.
4270. Do you understand the human heart?
The fundamentals, yes.
Oh, ha, you probably mean “heart” as in “love”, huh?
Then no.
4271. How important is your weight?
It…bothers me. That’s all I’m going to say.
How important is your partner’s weight?
As long as they’re not too unhealthy due to their weight, it doesn’t matter at all.
4272. What color is the wind?
Multicolored, according to Pocahontas.
4273. Do you believe children or adults know more?
Depends on the subject.
4274. Do you believe you are crazy?
Aren’t we all?
4275. Did you predict the ending to Joe Millionaire?
The what?
Is there something you care about less than you care about Joe Millionaire?
Huh?
4276. Snow blower or shovel?
Shovel.
4277. List everything you ate in the last 24 hours?
Spaghetti with parmesan, some M&Ms, an egg. I haven’t had dinner yet tonight.
4278. Have you ever plagiarized?
Nope.
4279. Who specifically annoys you?
No individual person.
4280. What is your favorite blanket like?
I don’t have a favorite blanket anymore. My funky airplane-covered sleeping bag got shredded in the like seven moves I’ve had over the past few years, so we left it in the dumpster in Tucson.
4281. How do you feel about teachers coming on to their students?
It’s not appropriate while they’re still in the teacher-student relationship.
Students coming on to their teachers?
Same as above.
4282. In what ways do you keep yourself entertained?
Give my data, give me R. Perpetual entertainment.
4283. Entertainers (musicians, sports players) are the highest paid people in america. Why are we so obsessed with being entertained?
Because we seem to have lost the ability to entertain ourselves.
4284. Do you want a perfect body?
That’d be cool. But whose definition of perfection?
4285. Do you want a perfect soul?
I don’t believe we have souls.
4286. Which do you want more?
By option elimination, perfect body.
4287. Do you want people to notice when you’re not around?
Bah. I’m not that special.
4288. Are you more of a creep, a wierdo or special?
I’ve been told I’m quite weird.
4289. Who wrote the bible?
Hahaha, I almost wrote “Radiohead.”
4290. Who wrote the book of love?
Fabio.
4291. Who put the bomp in the bomp ba bomp ba bomp?
Fabio.
4292. Who rocks the party that rocks the party?
Fabio’s cousin.
4293. If you could pick 5 things to study with no limits what 5 things would you pick?
Oh my. Statistics, math, philosophy, music, art.
4294. Do you study any of them on your own?
Statistics and philosophy, yes.
4295. What’s more important, learning or getting the hell out?
Learning, yo.
4296. What is your favorite highlighter color?
Orange.
4297. Give everyone some advice:
Some bugs that live in sink drains are impervious to bleach.
4298. Are you practically perfect in every way?
Last time I checked, I wasn’t Mary Poppins.
4299. Are you nasty and tricksy?
I don’t think so…
4300. Where is the precious?
The who?
The Jessica Saga
[Blogger’s note: this one got lost somehow and never got posted when it was originally supposed to!]
For whatever the hell reason, tonight I decided it would be a good idea to go back and look at my old MSN Messenger chat logs from a few years ago. The ones I spent most of my time reading were the ones between Jessica (Rob’s ex (maybe?????) girlfriend at the time) and myself. Most of these were during the time between my first date with Rob and my second date with Rob.
And you know what I’ve learned from re-reading these? Three main things:
- Good lord, that girl needed therapy.
- I used to be Captain Pushover.
- Present Day Claudia would not have put up with this garbage for nearly as long.
That last point makes me feel really good, actually. I mean, look at some of this vitriolic nonsense. I’m glad I wouldn’t stand for this crap anymore. Jessica’s in blue; I’m in red.
I’m not trying to make you feel bad… just I think I’m going to wind up loosing him to you
But why do you want to have a relationship with him???
why?
WHY?
I wish things weren’t like this
Same here
then how do you wish they were?
Easier, I don’t know
easier on who or for who??? HUH?
It almost sounds like he wants you to have a relationship with him how you’re saying it
Well, he does, I think…
He asked me on the date, after all, and he asked me on another afterwards…
WTF
Did he not tell you any of this?
I already know about the date on Friday
Just go do what you want
So had you guys really not discussed this, is that why you both went off for about an hour?
just forget it go do what you want
Well…I still feel very bad…
Forget it I give up I’m leaving you alone go on with your god damn life!
WHat the hell are you telling rob now?
MOre shit to make him mad?
I hate talking about you and ROb….
Well, then we don’t have to talk about it
It’s what’s bothering me most right now anyway
oh and I really don’t think highly of you
but you shouldn’t care what I think got it?
What are you up to other than talking to Rob?
Not too much
What about you?
Being a mess
Anything I can do?
Stop asking
I’d get Rob pissed at me
YOu know that
Then I’ll stop asking
Cause my answer would be is don’t fall in love with Rob
got it chickie?
I just don’t like how often you and Rob are having dates
Well, the one on Friday will only be our second
SIck of me huh?
I wonder who you’re hiding from… you okay kid?
This is all I”m going to say
I hate that you like him that he likes you and that you two want to have a relationship
Goodbye
Why do you like Rob?
I won’t bite I’m sorry
But do you really know how much of an asshole he is ?
YOu also made out with him how about that? Was that his choice too?
A guy probably isn’t going to say no to an idea like that…
He initiated it
What?
Or rather, it was kind of a mutual initiation
YOu two live in a fucked up little world
I fucking hate you
He’s got problems he won’t deal with he’s scared of trying….
He won’t talk to me anymore
I HATE YOU
YOu ruined fucking Pi day
You ruined it!
I’m sorry
But it was his decision to tell you everything that night, I said nothing about anything regarding that
YOu didn’t cause that fucking decision?
I didn’t tell him to say anything, if that’s what you mean
What did you say to him?
I didn’t say anything
He told me he was going to do it, and he did it
But you made him break a promise
What promise?
When he’d be back
I asked him if he needed to get back, and he said no
No no let’s go get food let’s go make out…
you’re toying with his feelings
I really hate you
I hope your relationship goes to hell I really do
You make me feel very depressed
That whole Rob relationship was toxic. Every bit of it. Ick.
YUP I’M STILL PROCRASTINATING
Things I should be doing: packing, cleaning, sleeping.
Things I’m doing: screwing around on Tumblr, screwing around on OK Cupid, watching Metalocalypse.
Speaking of OK Cupid, according to their match question choice thingies, everyone I’m compatible with lives overseas. Check it:
Life’s funny.
Also, expect a lot of surveys early this coming week. Won’t have internet for awhile.
TWSB: I dare you to cross the line
WOAH, SCIENCE!
(Sorry, I’m hyper.)
Today I finished formatting a business textbook (barf) and actually started working on a fun textbook for once.
Astronomy! In the second chapter I read about something I’d never heard about before: forbidden lines.
What’s a forbidden line? According to Encyclopedia Britannica, it’s an emission line in the spectra of certain nebulae that is not observed for those same gases on earth. Why? Because apparently, on earth those gases cannot be rarefied sufficiently.
Forbidden lines result from electrons in the upper energy levels of gases transitioning to a lower energy level. This transitioning requires the atoms to be undisturbed (i.e., not bumping into other atoms) and takes a long time. The resulting photon emissions are very weak. In labs on earth, these transitions are even rarer (“highly improbable”) because the excited atoms have a much greater chance of hitting other atoms and disrupting the level transitions of the electrons.
In interstellar space, however, the atoms are able to be undisturbed long enough for the electrons to make these transitions. In fact, according to the Encyclopedia of Science, up to 90% of the visible brightness of some nebulae can be attributed to these forbidden spectral lines.
Cool, huh?
Last Night’s Dream:
GLaDOS and C-3PO went on Maury to get a paternity test to see if C-3PO was the father of GLaDOS’ son, Deep Blue.
(He was.)
(Yeah, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, either.)
If two hotels from the same company sleep together, is it considered inncest?
I’m at work right now writing this. Decided to take a short break for my sanity’s sake. This damn PDF I’m working on keeps crashing Adobe Acrobat so I’ve had to read this 50-page chapter on bowel movements like ten times.
Anyway, after screwing around with my schedule a bit this last week, I’ve finally got next semester all in place. Behold!
I’m beyond excited. I’ve missed school so much.
That is all.
Oh Internet, You Are a Vast and Wonderful Place
The awesome site FlowingData brought this to my attention. It’s a map of the internet! Created by Ruslan Enikeev, it’s a searchable graphic displaying data for over 350,000 websites. Says Enikeev:
“The Internet map is a bi-dimensional presentation of links between websites on the Internet. Every site is a circle on the map, and its size is determined by website traffic, the larger the amount of traffic, the bigger the circle. Users’ switching between websites forms links, and the stronger the link, the closer the websites tend to arrange themselves to each other.”
The colors represent websites from different countries (the light blue is the US, yellow is China, red is Russia, things like that).
My thoughts and observations:
Pretty, isn’t it?
Google.ca just BARELY eclipses StumbleUpon. That’s hilarious.
Flickr’s bigger than Tumblr? Blasphemy!
God, look at all of Google’s little satellite circles. Watch out, little websites. Google’ll eat you.
I can’t even zoom in close enough to see the name of that little Russian website. That blue part of the screen? That’s Google.
Explore! Al Gore would be proud. Donate to the creator, too. This must have taken a lot of work.
Edit: Okay, I calculated it all out. If we took the biggest circle on there, Google, and set its diameter equal to the diameter of Jupiter, the following sites would have diameters (roughly) proportional to the other planets:
Mercury: Newgrounds
Venus: IBM
Earth: Walmart
Mars: 4chan
Saturn: YouTube
Uranus: Amazon
Neptune: LinkedIn
And for old times’ sake, Pluto: Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Exciting times!
My milkshake brought all the boys to the yard. Now what?
I have nothing interesting to blog about today (but what else is new)? Therefore, you get random Claudia thoughts.
- Where do paranoid people go to recover after a severe illness? Somehow a place called the “ICU” doesn’t seem appropriate…
- I had an almost irresistible urge to play with a Lite Brite this morning. Are those even sold anymore? Do the toy regulators think the little pegs are a too-risky choking hazard to even be on the market?
- Speaking of super risky toys, that reminds me of Creepy Crawlers! Back when my grandma and grandpa lived in St. Louis and my mom and I went to visit, we played with this so much. Basically, the toy consisted of a bunch of different metal molds of bugs, a hot-plate type thingy, tongs, and Plasti-Goop. You’d squeeze the different colors of Goop into the molds, put the molds on the hot plate (or in the hot plate oven…I actually can’t remember), wait for the Goop to form in the mold, then dunk the burning hot molds in water before pulling out your now perfectly formed plastic bugs out with the tongs. Between the red hot molds, the hot plate, the undoubtedly toxic Goop, and the fact that said Goop probably looked like appetizing little snacks to many children, this was like eighty safety hazards at once. But that’s what makes it awesome. Anyway.
- Where the hell has the first seven months of the year gone?
- We use “iff” for “if and only if,” right? Well, why don’t we carry that over for writing the inclusive versus exclusive “or”? Why not use “or” when stating that you can have either option or BOTH options (e.g., “I can listen to music or I can paint my room”—there is no indication that I can’t do both) and then use “orr” when referring to the exclusive or (e.g., “You can get the soup or salad at a restaurant”—usually, they won’t let you have both). It looks a lot better than XOR/EOR/EXOR, etc. Just a thought.
- Tumblr has taken over my soul.
- I’ve watched so much Rage Quit these past few days that like 60% of my inner dialogue is Michael comments.
- Speaking of Rage Quit, here’s another one for you all. Because 3:48 had me laughing like crazy. And because of the Fallout reference. As always, if excessive cursing offends you, don’t watch.
Edit: courtesy of letsplaygifs:
Olympics!
Get your medal count sheets ready, it’s Olympics time!
Opening Ceremony comments: I didn’t watch the whole thing, I confess. I watched from the beginning to when they had the nurses and doctors swing dancing amongst the children’s beds. But I really, really liked the first part of the ceremony, where they showed the progression of British history from pre-Industrial Revolution, through the Revolution, and into modern times. I thought the way that was done was fantastic and the way they forged one of the five Olympic rings and then brought it together with the other four was a really creative way to tie the “history lesson” to the Games.
Also, Tubular Bells FTW.
And at least they didn’t pull a Vancouver and break the Olympic cauldron.
Apart from the US, I’m rooting for Sweden. Because dude…it’s Sweden.
Onward!
Does Mother Nature drive a Fjord?
Holy crap, guys. If the phrase “happy little trees” means anything to you, freaking watch this.
Beautiful tribute to a truly awesome dude.
That is all.
Mind the Gap Year
BIG NEWS, READERS!
Actually, not really. Assuming all 11 of you subscribers read this regularly, maybe two of you will actually give a crap about this.
But whatever. It’s big news to me.
(this is a repeat for those of you on Facebook, so go ahead and skip if you want)
I’ve saved up a bunch of money working down here at PCC. I’ve decided to take that money and use it to go back to the University of Idaho for (at least) a year.
Why? Multiple reasons.
Reason one: the job market blows heavy metal balls chunks now. Sure, companies are hiring statisticians, but the positions open are all “Senior Statistician” or “Veteran Analyst” or “900-Year-Old Data Wizard”, meaning you need 10+ years of experience, a PhD, or both.
Reason two: I still feel like my math knowledge is insufficient for the level of statistics understanding that I’d like. I never took the actual factual calculus series (despite taking like twenty calc classes) and I feel like I really do need that plus the subsequent Mathematical Statistics course to really understand what the hell I’m doing. If I can crank out the calc classes and some other higher level math, I’d like to try to apply to a PhD program in stats.
Reason three: school is my hot sweet lover. We need each other. In bed.
Reason four: the “why don’t you just go to U of A/PCC?” defense. U of A is super expensive, and being a “transfer” student now (non-traditional, WOO!), I would have had to apply back in like January to have gotten any chance of getting in. And PCC is way cheap, but there aren’t that many classes at the level I’m at since it’s a community college and not a university. Plus, I have to go through a few extra steps to verify that my Canadian degree is in fact legit, and I’m lazy, so that’s a deterrent right there.
Itty bitty reason five: I miss having friends. Hopefully I’ll see you sillies up there as well as make some new friends in band. Yes, I’m taking band.
So WOO! I leave in a few weeks. Gotta pack and all that. Hoorah. So I guess this past year’s been my (super delayed) “gap year.”
Also, screw sleep.
This Week’s Science Blog: Balsam Beests
You guys want to see something cool?
BEHOLD!
This is an Animaris Gubernare, a “species” of Strandbeest created by sculptor/inventor/badass Theo Jansen.
Hailing from the Netherlands, Mr. Jansen has been creating these wind-powered, PVC-boned creatures since 1990. He developed a leg system that, from what I can gleam from his explanations, works like a system of gear-like movements that drive the large number of legs up, forward, and down—always with some of the legs keeping in contact with the ground—propelling the creatures across the beach. Once he had an idea of how he wanted the legs to function, he developed a computer model that assessed various rod ratios in the legs to determine which ratios would be best for the “ideal walking curve”, as he put it. Each iteration of attempts resulted in a new generation of beests. He calls this “evolution.” How freaking cool is this guy?
Read about Mr. Jansen, the beests, and his methods here. I really like how this guy describes his process:
“Usually there are only one or two animals living at one time. As soon as the development of an animal is at its end, I declare it extinct and I push it onto the bone yard. The animals there can be seen as the fossils of extinct species. Exposure to sun and rain causes the tubes to fade, making these appear more bonelike with time. The sandpit is the pre-heaven for the beach animals. They are not yet ready to survive the real beach. I still have to train them. Usually I take them out once a year to the real beach to let them get a taste of their natural environment.”
He’s also got kits for sale from which you can build your own “mini beest.” I think it’d be cool to get one, just to see in person how the leg system is constructed.
And people say art and science don’t need one another.
The ExistentialShamWow holds 20 times its own weight in angst
I set out to re-draw this old drawing to make it nicer/more tattoo-worthy, but then I went nutso with the rainbow and this resulted.
BOOM! Are your eyes bleeding yet?
The top 5 reasons Nick and I should not be allowed to use Hero Machine:
$5 to the person who correctly guesses which two are mine and which three are Nick’s.
Dr. Leg
Captain Crotchley
Shoak (Shark Oak), the Overzealous Jesus Freak
Levy Jones McBones Jr.: Astronaut (yes, that’s a fish in his helmet)
HIPPOTRON
Despite this silliness, Hero Machine is a pretty fantastic website. Give it a try! Make a super hero. Or a disembodied anthropomorphic leg.
Whichever.
It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s a Cumulonimbus!
I found the coolest book at Bookmans this evening. It’s called The Cloudspotter’s Guide by Gavin Pretor-Pinney and it’s a half-serious, half-hilarious guide to the grey skies above us.
Using altitude as an organization factor, Mr. Pretor-Pinney discusses each cloud type, where they’re found on earth, variations of the main types, and provides awesomely-captioned photos. In what other book would you find the phrase “cloud pornography”? Or the caption, “Just as it is wrong to draw Christmas trees with the branches pointing downwards, it is also wrong to draw raindrops in the shape of tears. Children who insist on doing so should be severely punished”?
If you’re at all interested in the floating puffs of water vapor hovering above us, I’d give this book a read. It’s pretty freaking great. Totally recommend it!
Sisyphus called…he wants his stone back
We’re almost done, readers! Soon, no more obnoxious posts like this. Until I find the next super long survey.
4101. What is the most difficult thing you have ever overcome?
The last two years.
4102. What is more imporatnt, how much someone has achieved or how far they have come to achieve it?
Both.
4103. Have you ever had anything published?
Indeed I have. A couple poems. My thesis.
4104. Of the following, what kind of person would you be more attracted to (1 is highest, 3 lowest):
less good looking than you?
2
about as good looking as you?
1
more good looking than you?
3
how goodlooking are you?
Can there be negative values for this?
4105. less intelligent than you?
3
about as intelligent as you?
2
more intelligent than you?
1
how intelligent are you?
I’d like to think I’m intelligent, but who knows, eh?
4106. has less money than you?
3 (having less money than me would mean they’d have like $4)
has about as much money as you?
1
has more money than you?
2
How wealthy are you?
HA. Not very.
4107. less wild and crazy than you?
3
about as wild and crazy as you?
1
more wild and crazy than you?
2
How wild and crazy are you?
It depends. Have I had a Red Bull?
4108. Is your bathroom shelf stacked with numorous bottles of lotions and creams?
Nope. Just eyeshadow and nail polish, haha.
4109. How do you maintain your body?
Broccoli. Stationary bike.
4110. Did you ever imagine that objects have a life of their own?
They DO. In a way.
4111. What is it like to be an object, do ya think?
Who knows? I think humans and objects are a lot more similar than we generally think.
4112. Do stones, rocks, trees, lamps, water, couches, etc all have some sort of life energy running through them?
In a way, yeah.
4113. Would you ever consider getting romantically involved with:
your teacher?
I don’t have a teacher right now.
your doctor?
I don’t have a doctor right now either, actually.
4114. If ____ asked me for sex, I could NOT refuse. Fill in the blank as if you were speaking.
You know what’s coming…LEIBNIZ! Too bad he’s dead.
4115. What is ‘nothing’?
LIES! There is always something.
4116. Would you rather read about how to get better abs or about how thousands of people across the globe are marching for peace?
I’d read the ab book first, then exercise my abs while I read about the peace march.
4117. Should america make love, not war?
America and Canada should get together and be a cute little North American couple. Or both should get together with Mexico and have a cute little North American orgy.
4118. If you could nominate anyone for sainthood, who would you and why?
I have no idea.
4119. Can you name one person who is purely good?
No such thing.
4120. How about one person who is completely evil?
No such thing.
4121. Is there a book inside of you?
I EAT PAPERBACKS FOR BREAKFAST
If yes, what about?
I’m still working on fixing up Prime.
4122. Do you call people more often or get calls more often?
I get calls more often. The phone terrifies me.
4123. What do you wake up to?
My phone alarm. And dread.
4124. If you could get a free subscription to any magazine what would it be?
Significane (it’s a stats magazine)
4125. When you wrote letters to santa did you ever ask for stuff that didn’t exist?
I honestly don’t think I ever wrote to Santa.
4126. Make up a new slogan for McDonald’s:
Creepy clowns and French fries! YAY!
4127. What kind of people do you like to be associated with (buisness, writers, dark, antisocial, spiritual, happy)?
Weird silly band people!
4128. How are you like a toaster?
I’m brave.
4129. Do you believe we are really in the matrix?
Bah.
4130. There are 2 dolls, a gw Bush doll and a Sadam Hussein doll. You can only afford one. Which do you buy?
Bush.
4132. Finish the sentances:
I’m speed racer and I drive real fast, I drive real fast:
But I wear no pants.
I’m a big bird and I like to steal, I like to steal and I like to:
Flap my friends.
I’m a barbie doll and I’ve got grace, I’ve got grace but:
I have a plastic face.
4133. What do you think aliens would think of life on earth?
“What in the hell is all that insanity down there?”
4134. What image do you get from the words ‘urban decay’?
HOUSES ROTTING OMFG
4135. Have a ___ day. Fill in the blank with anything but ‘nice’
Productive.
4136. Do you own anything with a:
southpark character or logo on it?
No.
greatful dead bear or logo on it?
No.
4137. What is your impression of beatniks?
I don’t really have one.
4138. What was the last thing you ordered (or watched) on pay-per-view?
I’ve never ordered anything on pay-per-view.
4139. Nails, long or short?
Short.
4140. Do you prefer touch lamps, the clapper, or the old-fashioned light switch?
Haha, we had a touch lamp. I had way too much fun with it.
4141. Can you ‘berry talk’?
What on earth is berry talking?
4142. Do you like vines on old buildings?
I don’t really have an opinion on them.
How about grafitti on old buildings?
I’m not a graffiti fan.
4144. Have you ever owned those magic markers that could change colors?
Oh my god, that was like my entire first grade year.
4145. It’s not easy bein’ ____. Fill in the blank as if you were speaking.
A spazz.
4146. Is there a song that has been stuck in your head since you were a child?
I really think that I heard Holst’s “Jupiter” when I was really young and kind of internalized it, ‘cause when I heard it in high school I was like, “holy crap, I KNOW this song!”
4147. Do you own anything plaid?
Nope.
4148. Do you recycle?
Indeed!
4149. What is your strongest point?
My drive.
4150. What is your weakest point?
Myself.
What are you doing to work on that weakness?
A lot.
4152. A baby is born witha terminal disese. She will suffer agonizing pain for 5 years and then die. The mother gives the baby a sleeping medicine and it dies. Mom claims it was a mercy killing. Prosecution claims it was murder. You are on the jury. What is your vote?
Not guilty.
4153. Why doesn’t poetry say outright what it means?
Because that’s what art is, yo.
4154. Read this sentance:
As time flies along, we sit and dream.
Now delete it.
Done?
Now write any sentance you want there instead.
4155. What is your opinion of Orson Welles?
I like him.
4156. If you were a lotion, what would your label say?
Ooh la la! Rub me places. ;)
4157. What side is your good side?
My butt. Yes, it’s a side.
4158. Rewrite that sentance you deleted up there as best you can. Try to get the idea across even if you don’t get the exact words right:
Hahaha, I can’t even remember it at all now. I’ve been answering these questions in spurts over the past five days.
4159. What is your favorite work by Edgar Allen Poe?
I like The Raven. Or The Telltale Heart.
4160. Of the following short stories which would you be most likly to read (based on titles alone if you aren’t familiar with them, 1 is most likely 9 is least likely)??
Young Goodman Brown
4
The Cask of Amontillado
9
The Story of an Hour
3
The Metemorphasis
2
Barn Burning
5
The Lottery
1
A & P
7
The Sandkings
6
Minority Report
8
4163. Who is your favorite star wars character?
C-3PO, man. He’s awesome.
4164. Why haven’t we begun to colonize the moon?
We probably will at some point. It’s got helium, after all, and we’re running out.
4165. What did you think of the shuttle columbia blowing up?
I remember it happened the day before my birthday, but I don’t remember much apart from that.
4166. What do you remember about the challenger?
Nothing. I wasn’t born yet.
4167. Is the force with you?
Sure.
4168. What is your favorite spoof movie?
Does Spaceballs count?
4169. Would you ever own a(n):
human slave?
No.
robotic slave (where the robot is consiouss of itself)?
Like Bicentennial Man? That was a good movie.
trained ape slave?
Ew. No.
human clone slave?
No.
4170. What can no one stop you from doing?
Obsessing.
4171. Who would you be bored without?
Leibniz.
4172. What is your only hope?
Obi-Wan Kenobi!
4173. Would you rather visit france or puerto rico and why?
France; I would love to see the culture there and the Eiffel Tower.
4174. Have you ever corrupted someone or dragged them down?
Probably. I’m bad.
4176. Does any part of your body get in yyour way?
My big fat butt. My big fat everything.
4177. Leia or Amidala?
Leia.
4178. Do you trust your feelings?
What are these…“feelings”?
4179. Do you feel empty or passionate most of the time?
Passionate.
4180. What was your moment of triumph?
Those of you who know me know what it is. I think.
4182. In what ways are you a rebel?
I wear weird stuff? Though I don’t do so to rebel.
4183. In what ways are you a conformist?
I exist within society without much protest.
4184. Do you likie movie endings that leave you wondering or tie upp all the loose ends?
Meh. I’m not much of a movie person.
4185. What movie has the best soundtrack?
Apollo 13.
4186. What adventure would you like to undertake?
Goin’ to Antarctica!!
4187. Do you tip gas station attendants when you get full service?
I’ve never gotten full service. God, that sounds dirty.
4188. Do you own any souvineers; what from where?
My dad used to get me a shirt from every different place he went (so I had a shirt from every corner of the world, haha). But I’m picky about my shirts, so he quit.
4189. Does your age make you embarrassed?
Meh. I’m old.
4190. Are you the strong and silent type?
Depends. I can be pathetic and loud, too.
4191. What do your shoes look like?
They’re FiveFingers! They’re the most comfortable shoes ever. I recommend them.
4192. Do you ever admire yourself while naked?
I cover my eyes when I pass the mirror.
4193. If you could make someone’s clothes magically disappear who would you do it to and where?
I would have killed for this power a few summers ago, man.
4194. Who is more foolish, the fool or the fool that follows the first fool?
The THIRD fool following the second fool.
4195. A good website for the bored (not a diary one):
http://www.kokogiak.com/logolepsy/
4196. Did people REALLY land on the moon?
To reiterate a recent xkcd: if NASA faked the moon landings, what made them STOP faking them?
4197. Would you rather live for a month in India or Alaska?
Alaska.
4198. What is one country you would NEVER visit and why?
I have no idea. I don’t think I’ll get to go to many places in life, so I’m not going to say I wouldn’t visit any particular country.
4199. Who is the busiest person you can think of?
My dad’s pretty busy, especially now that school’s about to start up again.
4200. What is the average length of your relationships?
5.25 months.
This Week’s Science Blog: Shuttle Show
I’m sure a bunch of you have seen this already, but it’s a pretty spectacular thing so I’d like to put it up here.
Shuttle program stats and info:
- 135 flights total between the five shuttles (Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, Endeavour)
- Longest flight: 17 days, 15 hours, 53 minutes, 18 seconds (Columbia)
- First lunch: April 12, 1981 (Columbia)
- Last launch: May 16, 2011
- Total earth orbits: 21,158
- Says Wiki: “Each vehicle was designed with a projected lifespan of 100 launches, or 10 years’ operational life.”
Now sit back and watch some launches, if you haven’t already done so.
I feel weird today
I wonder how much pain would result from getting this as a tattoo?
Eigenblogger 