AI is Terrifying
This is frightening, y’all.
Is it perfect? No. But that’s because it’s really just beginning. It’ll get better and better and it’ll get harder and harder to distinguish this stuff from reality.
As I’ve said before, the future is bleak.
Y’all sick of the surveys? TOO BAD
MY BLOG MY RULES
01. What is your favorite type of muffin?
Poppy seed!
02. What is the last type of salad that you ate?
The salad that I make. It’s got lettuce (obvs), carrots, radishes, cauliflower, and broccoli. Super tasty.
03. What is the background on your computer?
An integral sign. Because of course it is. Leibniz is life.
04. What do you usually put on your waffles?
Waffles sound SO GOOD RIGHT NOW
Butter and just a little bit of syrup.
05. How are you feeling right this moment?
Angsty.
06. Do you ever stop and look up at the sky?
I’m always looking for cool clouds to spot, so yes.
07. Are you currently craving anything?
Waffles, thanks to you, survey.
08. What are three simple things that you appreciate?
Frisson-inducing music. A good run. Stupid jokes.
09. What book are you currently reading?
Gulliver’s Travels.
10. What did you buy the last time you went shopping?
Groceries.
11. What do your currently have on your shelf/shelves?
We have so many shelves in our condo, haha. I have trinkets and books on mine.
12. What is a random thing you remember from your childhood?
I remember the after school program thing my mom sent me to in the summer when I was in elementary school. We’d walk down to Gormley Park to go swimming sometimes and GE and I would pretend we were coos who were searching for water during a drought. Then we’d get back to school and have chips on paper napkins.
13. What is the last expensive item you bought?
I actually don’t remember.
14. Would you rather be a successful writer or artist?
Writer.
15. Have you ever completed a game of Monopoly?
Yeah. My mom and I used to play fairly frequently.
16. Do you ever highlight or underline words and sentences while reading a book?
Fiction, no. Textbooks, yes. A lot.
17. Would you rather have a cottage on the beach or in a forest?
Beach.
18. Which brand of chips is your favorite?
Uh…whoever makes Fritos. Lays?
19. What is a small thing that annoys you?
We’ve been over this: people who don’t know how to walk courteously. OH MY GOD GET OUT OF MY WAY YOU SLOW FART
20. Ice cream, gelato, sorbet, popsicles, snow cones, frozen yogurt, or frozen custard? Have you tried any other frozen desserts?
Ice cream is always great. We had a frozen yogurt place in Moscow for a while, but I can’t remember what it was called. Wayne and I went there to “study,” haha.
AIRPODS TO THE MAX
A few days ago, an AirPods Max review video showed up in my vids on YouTube. So I watched it. This, of course, caused similar review videos to be recommended, so I watched those well.
And I guess I am easily persuaded, because I totally want an AirPods Max now, haha.
Let’s be clear: I am a Sennheiser girlie. I love my Senns. But the only problem with them is that they are not portable. They require an amp and that requires a USB connection to my compy to work. They’re exclusively for use at my desk at home.
But apparently the sound quality of the AirPods Max is really, really good. And they’re wireless and thus portable (though the case apparently looks like a bra?).
Also, noise cancellation. It would be nice to have a really good pair of noise cancelling headphones (I say as my poor Bose QuietComforts sit sadly on my old computer desk, collecting dust and sadness).
Also also, given how much I like my AirPods, I suspect I’d probably really like these as well.
But they are expensive ($780 up here).
And I wouldn’t know if I’d like that weird green they’ve got unless I saw it in person (which I guess I could do – Market Mall has an Apple Store).
And they’re old enough that there are rumors that a second gen might be coming out soon, possibly with more colors (PURPLE?!?!?!?!?), so it may be worth waiting.
I dunno. Maybe I’ll wait until my mom comes up here and we can go have a fun little adventure to the Apple Store and try on headphones together.
WOO!
I’ve the Sadness
I am painfully nostalgic for pre-COVID times.
Anyone else?
Book Review: For Whom the Bell Tolls (Hemingway)
Have I read this before: Yes! I read this during the summer of 2008. I remember reading it in the Wallace basement during our breaks on that U of I cleaning job.
Review: I vaguely remember that this book’s ending making me cry the first time I read it. It didn’t provoke that reaction at all this time, but it was still an impactful ending. And my opinion of any given book is heavily swayed by its ending. A Handmaid’s Tale? Not a fan, strictly because I hated the ending. A Prayer for Owen Meany? It was good throughout, but the ending nailed it for me and made it one of my favorite books. The ending didn’t “make” this one for me, but it was a good ending and it was a memorable book. I like Hemingway in general.
Favorite Part: Probably the ending, hahaha.
Rating: 6/10
Want My Workout (Running) Playlist?
Yes you do, don’t lie.
- All About Wicked Wonderland – NilsOfficial
- Are You Ready to Go – SATV Music
- Bad Romance – Lady Gaga
- Barbie Dreams (feat. Kaliii) – FIFTY FIFTY
- Barbra Streisand – Duck Sauce
- Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
- Boss Bitch – Doja Cat
- Call On Me – Eric Prydz
- Call On Me (Live) – SYNTHONY
- Can’t Hold Us – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
- Candy Girl (Sugar Sugar) – Riverdale Cast
- Club Can’t Handle Me – Flo Rida
- Cotton Eye Joe – Rednex
- Crab Rave – Noisestorm
- Damn Son – Tobu
- Don’t Wake Me Up – Diamond
- DVNO – Justice
- End of Time – Beyonce
- Eros and Apollo – Studio Killers
- Euphoria – Muse
- Everybody – Nicki Minaj
- Exit the Premises – Kevin Macleod
- Feel This Moment – Pitbull
- Frantic Feathers – The Snake Charmer
- Gimme More – Britney Spears
- Girlfriend – Avril Lavigne
- Gone – JR JR
- Good Girls Gone Bad – Cobra Starship
- The Hampster Dance Remix – Hampton the Hampster [this is a banger, fight me]
- Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix) – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Hello (Single Edit) – Martin Solveig & Dragonette
- Here It Goes Again – OK Go
- Hey Baby – 4-2-4
- Hollaback Girl – Gwen Stefani
- Hot N Cold – Katy Perry
- I Love It (feat. Charli XCX) – Icona Pop
- International Love – Pitbull
- Levels – Avicii
- Levels (In Reverse) – Avicii
- Light It Up – Major Lazer
- Living On Video – Pakito
- Lose My Breath – Destiny’s Child
- MmmmBop (Workout Remix) – Power Music Workout
- Mo Bounce – Iggy Azalea
- More – Usher
- Ode To The Bouncer – Studio Killers
- One O Six (A.N.D.Y. Remix) – Jupiter
- Peanut Butter Jelly – Galantis
- Pork and Beans – Weezer
- RAININ’ FELLAS – Todrick Hall
- Rain On Me – Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande
- Shake It – Metro Station
- Shout Out to My Ex (Workout Remix) – Power Music Workout
- Single Ladies – Beyonce
- Sleepyhead (Haydn Hoffman Remix) – Passion Pit
- Some Say the Devil Is Dead – Ceol
- Sorry – Justin Bieber
- Starships – Nicki Minaj
- Stronger – Kanye West
- Stupid Love – Lady Gaga
- Super Bass – Nicki Minaj
- Superstar – Toy-Box
- T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever) – will.i.am feat. Mick Jagger & Jennifer Lopez
- Tarzan Boy – Bango
- Take a Chance On Me (Workout Remix) – Power Music Workout
- Technologic – Daft Punk
- Telephone (feat. Beyonce ) [Electrolight Remix] – Lady Gaga
- Tell Me Ma – Sham Roc
- This Is So Good (Radio Edit) – Ehrencrona
- Viva La Vida – Coldplay
- What a Feeling – Peter Luts & Dominico
- Where Them Girls At – David Gutta
- Wind It Up – Gwen Stefani
- Work Bitch – Britney Spears
- Work This Body – WALK THE MOON
- http://www.nevergetoveryou – Prozzak
- 45 (Radio Mix) – Stars on 45
I want BASEBALL
That is all.
(Also, happy birthday, Sean!)
Clubby-Sitters Babe
So a few weeks ago I mentioned that I wanted to intersperse my classics reading with some books from my childhood. And a HUGE series for me as a kid was the Baby-Sitters Club series. My favorite character was always Claudia because a) same name! and b) she was artistic and wore funky, artsy clothing. But I remember liking all of the characters.
So I decided that some (or a good portion of) my “childhood books” list will be all the Baby-Sitters Club books I can get in Kindle version.
Which turns out to be…all of them?
Nice.
I’m not reading them in order, but that’s okay. I’ll probably start with some of the Claudia-centric ones and branch out from there.
Woo!
DON’T THINK JUST SURVEY
Survey Says
Just pick the first word that you think of when you associate yourself with that category. Don’t overthink it.
If I was a/an _____, I’d be ______
TV show: ATHF
Song: FloriDada
Book: Anything by Pynchon, let’s be honest
City: San Diego
Verb: Run
Color: Red
Animal: Platypus
Planet: Uranus
Emotion: Rage
Article of clothing: Socks
Flavor: Salty
Food: Cheese
Plant: Cactus
Mythological animal: Dragon
Letter: H
Inanimate object: An uncooked macaroni noodle
Onomatopoeia: Crackle
School Subject: Drama
A Vehicle for Death
Important.
There was a Tweet I read not so long ago about a guy who got into a car accident in his big-ass SUV and was saying how grateful he was that he had a big-ass SUV to “protect himself and his family.” Never mind the other guy whose car got totally wasted by said big-ass SUV…or any pedestrians that may get caught up in its grill and chewed up and spit out because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Ugh.
I am OLD
Doesn’t 36 sound way older than 35 to you?
It does to me.
Also, I still think of myself as like 32 because the freaking pandemic made the past four years just suddenly…pass without my realizing it.
But they’ve somehow simultaneously been the longest four years that have ever existed.
Y’all remember 2019? I miss 2019.
Anyway.
Edit: HAHAHAHA oh my god this is exactly how it was when I bit it on my run last June and screwed up my Sartorius. This is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen, holy crap.
BOOK ‘EM, DANNO
Yo.
So thanks to my Kindle, I’ve been burning through my original “200 Books” list quite rapidly, to the point where not too long ago I turned it into a “250 Books” list.
I’ve updated it again!
It now contains 300 books. Because.
Take a look here.
I’ve also decided to color my top five books on that page just so that random passers-by know that The Caine Mutiny is the best goddamn book ever my literary preferences.
Bye.
I want…
- To know if I’m getting tenure or not
- To go down to Moscow and visit my mom
- My mom to come up here and visit us
- The weather to get better so I can start training for my ultra
- The reassurance that I can actually run this ultra (60K sounds so intimidating)
That is all.
Regrets
Every day I think about this video and hate myself for not making it to a Coldplay concert that was literally in the neighboring province.
Next time, Chris Martin, I promise.
Luck of the Bucks
I found $15 on my run this morning! It pays to exercise, haha.
I used to find cash ALL THE TIME when I was out walking. Like, I found a $50 once by a bus stop. I haven’t found as much cash since the start of COVID, but that’s probably just from people relying on using their cards more.
Still, though. Dolla dollas!
Rec it Ralph
Man, this place looks nice.
It’s like the Tucson YMCA on steroids.
If 1) this was closer to our place (it’s an hour bus ride there) and 2) I wasn’t still terrified of doing anything indoors without a mask, I would seriously consider a membership here.
Though being able to access Anytime Fitness…anytime…is really nice for weirdos like me that don’t have a normal sleep schedule.
Maybe someday I can go back to the gym…
Sp-sp-sp-speed
Well I hit that resolution a lot faster than I thought I would.
I think I was so fast* this time because it’s been a while since I’ve gotten to run outside and my body was just so happy about it that it wanted to go zoom!
A pace faster than 9:00 sustained for 26 miles is really fast for me.
Now my legs are going to fall off, haha.
Edit: MY QUAAAAAAAAAADS
*By “fast” I mean “subjectively fast for me.” This would get me laughed out of contention for any real competitive marathon race.
I’m shocked I never had a LiveJournal
I’m a tween at heart. I love these kinds of surveys.
I am…
a girl
a boy
single
in a relationship
in love
straight
gay
bisexual
tall
short
in middle school
in high school
in college/uni
working
happy
sad
angry
anxious
standing
sitting
laying
walking
lefthanded
righthanded
Classes I Had in (High) School
economics | computer science | English | chemistry | interior design | fashion | Greek | Arabic | Chinese | French | German | Hebrew | Italian | Japanese | Korean | Latin | Portuguese | Russian | Spanish | Dutch | math | geology | history | biology | gymnastics | physics | music | swimming | art
Apps in My Phone
Bitmoji | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Snapchat | Messenger | WhatsApp | KIK | Google maps | Netflix | Spotify | Uber | Pinterest | Google play | Gmail | Google search | Twitter | Tumblr | WeHeartIt | Wish | Amazon | iTunes | Skype | Slither.io | Color Switch
What I’m Wearing Right Now
bracelets
belt
coat
dress
sneakers
sandals
heels
boots
headband
hat
jacket
jeans
pants
shorts
skirt
mask
T-shirt
sweater
hoodie
long-sleeved t-shirt
cardigan
necklace
jumpsuit
swimwear
poncho
sport clothing
top
underwear
socks
glasses
contacts
You Own:
Hair
[ ] straightener
[ ] curling iron
[ ] mousse
[ ] hairspray
[ ] gel
[ ] other sprays
[ ] bobby pins
[ ] round barrel brush
[ ] blow dryer
[X] mirror
[X] you have dyed your hair
[ ] you have or had highlights
Total: 1
Eyes
[X] black eyeliner
[X] other color eyeliner
[X] eye shadow
[X] mascara
[ ] fake eyelashes
[ ] eyelash curler
[ ] eye shimmer
[ ] colored contacts
[ ] stunna shades
[X] eye makeup remover
Total so far: 6
Lips/Teeth
[ ] clear lip gloss
[ ] red or pink gloss
[X] lipstick
[X] Chapstick
[ ] lip plumper
[ ] electric toothbrush
[ ] teeth whitener
[ ] lip liner
[ ] more than 15 lip glosses
[X] toothpaste
Total so far: 9
Complexion/Overall face
[X] blush
[ ] moisturizer
[ ] face wash
[ ] bronzer
[X] makeup remover
[ ] face wipes
[X] powder
[X] cover-up
Total so far: 13
Nails
[X] nail polish
[X] filer
[X] nail clipper
[ ] nail buffer
[ ] cuticle remover
[ ] nail hardener
[ ] nail brush
[ ] fake nails
[ ] nail scissors
Total so far: 16
Overall Total: 16
Times by 2: 32
I am 32% obsessed with my look
1- I can do Australian accents
2- I know where Madagascar is
3- Je peux parler français
4- I can’t speak French
5- I am partially Russian
6- I like Swiss cheese
7- I have lived/am living outside the States
8- I have tasted REAL Chinese food
9- I have attempted to learn Japanese
10- I know what the South African word ‘Tskudu’ means
11- I know someone who speaks fluent Norwegian
12- I can say ‘I love you’ in more than five languages besides English
13- I have in the past fallen for the story, “Haggis is a three-legged rodent”
14- I have always been aware that Haggis is actually sheep gut
15- I can read the Cyrillic alphabet
16- I understand slang from other countries
17- I have tasted Belgian chocolate
18- I have a penpal who doesn’t speak English
19- I have songs on my iPod/MP3 that aren’t in English
20- I know what ‘croque-monsieur’ is
21- I know where Helsinki is
22- Minä puhun suomi
23- I don’t have a clue what language that’s in
24- I have been lost in a foreign country (hello, downtown Vancouver)
25- French wine is the best
26- I can cuss in multiple languages
27- I understand the Greek alphabet
28- I think Swedish is a pretty language
29- I have never heard spoken Swedish
30- I can play bagpipes
31- I think Scottish accents are cute
32- I have been to Hong Kong
33- I think anime would be better if it was in Japanese with English subtitles
34- The majority of my friends are not from my home country
35- I often think it would be cool to speak Polish
36- I don’t have a clue where Thailand is
37- I understand the term, “fucking British weather”
38- People speaking in foreign languages unnerve me
39- I can speak other languages besides English fluently
40- English is not my first language
A Confession:
If you were to take a look at the books on Kondle (my Kindle, in case anyone forgot. Yes, he has a name. Eat it.), you would no longer find just classics.
Instead, you would also find several children’s books that were popular in the early- to mid-1990s.
Why?
Because I’ve been in major “book nostalgia” mode and have been wanting to re-read books that I remember from my childhood.
So I’ve decided to intersperse my classics with said childhood books. First up is A Wrinkle in Time, which I think was read to us by our teacher (Mrs. Lohrmann) in sixth grade.
Do you have any stand-out books from your childhood? Let me know, ‘cause maybe I read them too and am just forgetting them, haha.
Yo Nerds
I have nothing important today and this is hilarious, so here ya go.
Dottie
Interesting.
I always thought they were there to make the window defroster work better, haha.
Eigenblogger 