So…Music
So I’m still working on summing up the results of my Decade of Music project (yeah, yeah, I know, I’m way behind. Sue me.) and I think my favorite part is going back through all 3,650-ish songs and finding all those frisson-inducing moments. I’m not going to list any right here ‘cause SPOILERS (though the big ones are already in past blogs), but I just love re-finding all those moments and then blasting them over the Sennheisers.
I mean, I love blasting everything over the Sennheisers, but frisson-inducing moments induce so much more frisson through those sexy, sexy headphones that I just can’t help it.
YAY.
(The review is coming soon, I promise.)
Carz
This is pretty disgusting, honestly.
Why are they getting publicity without being punished for, I don’t know, blatantly breaking the law for pretty much this whole journey?
The more I walk, the more I realize just how much the world is catered towards cars/driving compared to other forms of transportation. And it really bothers me.
Sorry, I just found this article today and it’s all I’ve been able to think about,
SOCK IT TO ME (pretty sure I’ve used this title before)
So remember when I used to be all about the CRAZY AWESOME SOCKS???
I still am. Well, I don’t buy them anymore because I don’t wear them anymore. I live in my walking socks. Besides, I don’t even know if any of my old knee-high socks could fit over my MASSIVE CALVES now.
But anyway. I still love funky socks. And for the first time in years, I remembered the Sock Dreams website and decided to pay it a visit.
Favorites:
- Warrior
- Vertical rainbow!
- Pretty compression socks (I like the violet color)
- Constellations
- Rainbow puke
- Circuits!
- Pretty pattern
- These look super warm
- Funky
- The purple and gold is beautiful
- Rainbow fishnets
- Scales
- Hot
- Holy crap, these are coolio
Yay socks!
It’s a BAnanaNA…next to a BAnanaNA!
Q: what’s the only food-related opinion more controversial than one’s opinion on whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza?
A: which stage of a banana’s ripening process is the “ideal” banana.
And here’s the “scale” people were looking at when they responded, by the way:
I’m one of those weirdos who likes brown-ass bananas; I’d say my preferred flava-flav occurs at 13 or 14. The 10 is like my lower limit. The more yellow it is, the more it seems to have a slimy texture to me. Once it starts browning up, the texture changes to this gritty sort of mush, which sounds absolutely gross as I’m typing it out, but actually is quite enjoyable.
Some of the comments on this post are great, by the way:
- I’m curious about the people who chose 15, I mean, why not just eat dirt then.
- who’s the sadist eating 1 bananas
- 5: ok
6: good
7: good
8: good
9: perfect
10: disgusting
It’s a pretty sharp dropoff for me. - Lot’s of shade coming towards us 12+ people, but those 4- folks are just as insane.
Where are you on the banana scale?
The Materialism Post: February 2020 Edition
Because, as always, it’s nice to have a list of the things I want to buy in case I ever decide to, you know, buy them.
Some of these are practical, some of them are not. I leave it to you, good reader, to figure out which are which!
A Klein bottle! I already have Klein bottle earrings from this site thanks to my mom, but a little bottle to put in my office would be cool, too!
All of these nail polishes. I love them. That deep blue is gorgeous.
Neon eyeshadow? Yes, please!
I used to have a whole bunch of Legos when I was a kid. Just a bunch of the bricks; I don’t know if any of the kits were out at that time. I miss all those Legos. I want twenty of these bins.
Ohmygodohmygodohmygod is this a whole book on the SI units?!?!??!??!?1?
There weren’t as many thingies as I thought there were. That’s unusual.
Let’s Do the Time Warp Agaaaaaaaain!
HEYOOOOO so I’ve been in a nostalgic mood lately (what else is new?) and wanted to re-live the Old Tubes via early YouTube videos and AlbinoBlackSheep.
So here were are. Let’s reminisce.
The ultimate oldie. I had a friend in high school who looked just like this dude.
Another classic oldie.
AlbinoBlackSheep was a fantastic website for Flash animations like this. “OHIOOOOOOOOOO!”
Can’t forget this one, either.
GOD, WE ARE OLD
I have this song. I can’t unhear these lyrics.
Maddie, how often did we quote from this when we were at U of I? I still say “let’s get ‘em” in my head when I’m buying something expensive.
This one too, oh my god. Benny Lava is a legend.
So energetic.
I think Aaron found this one. We were shouting “WHAT?!?!?!” at each other for months after we first watched this.
Al Gore getting murdered by earths is the funniest thing in this whole video.
The Beetis.
This was another one we quoted a lot in the house. “DON’TYOUFUCKINGLOOKATME!”
I still love this so much.
Yayz.
In This Blog: Eigenblogger Gets a Facelift
Heyo, nerd buckets!
So if you’re reading this, it’s probably 2021 because that’s when I’ll likely get these blogs published you’ve obviously visited Eigenblogger. And if you’re one of my regular readers (or if this is at least your second time stopping by), you may have noticed the redesign.
Now that I’m in a position where I don’t have to freak out every three months or so about having a job in the upcoming semester, I finally felt like it was safe to spend some money on a blog upgrade – specifically, upgrading to WordPress Premium.
My mom had gotten me WordPress Personal a while back, which allowed me to have the domain of eigenblogger.com instead of eigenblogger.wordpress.com, which on its own is super cool. It also gave me three more GB of storage space (up to 6 from the 3 I got with the free WordPress version).
WordPress Premium allows me to keep my domain, upgrade to 13 GB of storage space (which will definitely be needed if I keep going at my current rate of posting media), the removal of ads, and (what I wanted most of all), advanced design customization. This meant that I could go into the CSS of my current theme and adjust it to be whatever I wanted (whereas before I could only change a limited number of things, like the background color, border color, etc.).
Now. Do I know CSS? LOL NOPE. But did that stop me from mucking around with my theme’s CSS until I got something that I liked? LOL NOPE.
Actually, I like the mucking around bit. That’s actually how I taught myself R (for the most part), LaTeX, and whatever the hell weird mishmash of code WeBWorK uses.
So what do y’all think? It hurts to lose my signature lime green background, but I can now begrudgingly admit that lime green is not the most “easy on the eyes” option to use as a background. I also wanted to simplify the color scheme a bit, so picking dark blue and yellow as the main colors seemed nice.
And I changed my header! FINALLY! Do you like it? It’s a little jagged ‘cause I don’t think I had the text parameters right in Photoshop, but maybe I can fix that with relative ease.
YAY BLOG FACELIFT!
Medals!!!!
Yo, check out this website.
Basically, you find a challenge with a distance you want to complete, set a goal date, log your miles, and if you succeed in your goal, you get a shiny medal!
I wanna do one. ‘Cause we all know I like shiny things.
I’m going to try for the longest distance one (of course I am): The Route 66 Virtual Challenge. I want a pretty medal!
Edit: hahahaha I completely forgot I signed up for this. I logged a grand total of 30.9 miles and it’s May now. Oops. I wonder if they’ll let me do a mega-update?
Here is Vivaldi’s “Summer” played on an organ.
You’re welcome.
Presto starts at 8:18. That deep note at 10:26 is nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnf.
I should never be let around an organ. All I’d do is find the deepest note and play it as loud as possible, shattering all eardrums in a 10-mile radius.
Oh, Astros.
Freaking Astros. Why? Why did you cheat?
The Astros were probably my third favorite team. Springer, Altuve, Correa, Bregman – I liked all of them. Now I’m sad.
Edit: oh my god:
This season’s going to be rough for them.
YOU KNOW THE DRILL
What is the closest grocery store to your house?
Safeway, I think.
When was the last time you colored with crayons?
Like, wax crayons? It’s been a long, long time.
Have you ever owned a plant? What was it?
I had a cactus when I was younger. I was never very good with plants.
Have you met anyone famous?
I don’t think so.
What was the worst injury you have ever had?
Whatever the hell I did to my knee/leg in 2017. That’s pretty much the only injury I’ve ever had.
At thanksgiving dinner, what is the first thing you go for?
That broccoli thing my mom and dad always make.
When you were a kid, who was your best pal?
In elementary school it was Anastasia before she moved away. GE before her, too, I guess.
Do you have any special talents?
Ha. “Talents.” No.
Have you ever been to a nursing home?
Yup.
What kind of job did your mom have when you were growing up?
She did web design and graphic design for the U of I.
Have you ever known anyone that’s been on tv, including you?
Probably. A lot of people have been on TV.
What was the most interesting animal you have seen in the wild?
A bald eagle!
What holiday do you enjoy the most?
Christmas.
What was the first video game you ever played?
Either Doom or Cosmic Osmo, haha.
What is the one thing you own, that if it got lost, you would be bummed?
My iPod. I’m so attached to that little dude. He goes everywhere with me, though, and I’m constantly making sure I have him, so I’d be shocked if I ever lost him.
Do you have a favorite breakfast item?
I don’t eat breakfast. I do like cereal, though. And eggs.
What do you find yourself buying all the time?
Tank tops. Broccoli. Eyeshadow.
When was the last time you got a real letter in the mail?
Christmas. My mom and dad sent Christmas letters, if those count.
Do you have a most prized piece of jewelry?
My wedding ring!
Do you own any board games?
Yup.
What chore seems the most daunting right now?
Laundry. I hate doing laundry.
Were you born in the state you live in?
Bro, I’m not even in a state right now!
Have you ever lived in a house that has been broken into?
I don’t think so. Though at the other place I lived here in Calgary, one day I came home and my window was wide open. So that’s…suspicious.
What is your favorite cheese?
Colby-Jack.
Who do you know that watches the most sports?
Hahaha, my mom.
Don’t trip the light fantastic! He’s had a hard enough life as it is.
Y’all, my mom is finally retiring this year (end of May, specifically). And since I have a semester off coming to me either this spring or this summer, Nate and I are planning on taking her to see the Redwoods (the same ones we saw back in 2015) as well as…wait for it…A METS GAME!
Yes, we are actually going to see the Mets in person. We’re not going to New York, but we’re either going to see them in Colorado when they play the Rockies or in San Francisco (*shudder*) when they play the Giants.
It’s going to be freaking awesome and we’re all so excited.
This is why I exercise
I actually used to really hate exercising. I did it because it was a “good” thing to do but I never really enjoyed it.
Now, though, I really truly enjoy it. I look forward to walking and (when I get the chance) running. There is no dread or “ugh god I don’t want to do this.” It’s excitement. I’m not sure when that changed for me, but exercise is definitely the highlight of my day now.
Maybe that just means the rest of my life has lost meaning, who knows.
I found the piece I took to State Drama
So when I was in 12th grade, one of the elective classes I took was drama. I don’t remember much from it other than us performing Ayn Rand’s “Night of January 16th” (I was Magda), us dicking around a LOT during class, and the tryouts and subsequent state drama competition.
I had two pieces I performed for the state drama competition. One was with my friend Bethany; we did a scene out of Hamlet. The other was a solo piece that my drama teacher thought would fit me very well. It was called Twirler, and after just a little digging on the Tubes, I found it here.
I remember practicing this. I remember buying a baton and making my costume. I remember practicing a southern accent.
(I don’t remember saying the “n” word, though; surely I would not have been comfortable with that. We must have subbed it out with something else.)
I remember the tryouts, too. The regional ones were held one weekend in our high school building and I had to give my “Twirler” performance in one of the math rooms, which just shot my anxiety straight through the roof.
But both of my pieces got called to go on to the state competition held somewhere in the south – either Twin Falls or Idaho Falls, I can’t remember. We couldn’t do the one with Bethany because she had some sort of other prior commitment, but I went and performed “Twirler.” They said I would have gotten into the final round had I not gone over time.
Which, you know, is how things always go with me.
But yeah. I just had a sudden flashback to that piece and wanted to see if I could find it.
END!
UH OH
BOOM!
I think it’s so cool that so many of the stars that we can see may not even be there anymore. As the article states, since Betelgeuse is 642 light years from us, it could have done its supernova show that long ago and we would still be seeing it as “normal” in the sky.
That’s super wild.
Also, “The Armpit of Orion” would be a fantastic metal band name.
Lapsing (Again)
Calgary should use this as an official tourism video, seriously.
I know, I know. Another time-lapse. But this one is fantastic. The transitions are so smooth and beautiful, and that shot of The Bow building at 0:37 is stunning.
Is it summer yet?
Hahaha, this is great.
It makes me miss my random Omegle conversations with strangers.
Hey Look, It’s Last Year’s NaNoWriMo
Well. That story wasn’t supposed to be non-fiction! Luckily this virus seems a lot less dangerous than the illness in my story. In my story, no one knows exactly what this illness is, how it spreads, or how it’s related to any other illnesses, which really gives them no way to treat it. Also, it’s got a 100% mortality rate, so…
Edit: I just realized it’s the same freaking ship as the one in my story, too. Fantastic.
Edit 2: holy hell, this became a thing.
BOOK ‘EM
So this was something Nate and I were talking about yesterday, but yesterday was BIRTHDAY MADNESS, so you’re getting this a day later instead.
I bring you my TOP FIVE BOOKS!
The rules are:
1. They have to be fiction.
2. They can’t all be The Caine Mutiny.
So let’s do it. From fifth to first:
#5: The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark
Choosing #5 was hardest, because there were three or four books that I could very easily see as my fifth favorite book of all time. But the winner ended up being The Ox-Bow Incident, mainly because it’s the book whose story has stuck with me the most out of the possible candidates. It speaks of the consequences of mob mentality and of abandoning established methods of seeking justice. Really good. Read it.
#4: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
I’m not a science fiction fan by any means, but I absolutely love Verne. And 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea just beats out Around the World In Eighty Days as my favorite of his stories. There’s just so much that happens and it’s written in that very characteristic “my writing style is rather dry LOL WAIT NO IT’S ALL AN ILLUSION YOU ARE ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT NOW AREN’T YOU” style that Verne has (at least in my opinion). I also really like stories about ships and the sea for some reason.
#3: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Okay, does Lolita focus on a disturbing topic? Yes. But is it beautifully written? YES. I have never had my reading arrested so many times by passages that just hit me in the heart with how astoundingly beautiful they are. Nabokov does this thing where he hints at a metaphor offhandedly and then, like 100 pages later, brings it up again and fleshes it out in a way that builds in the consequences of everything that’s happened in those intermittent 100 pages. And he does it with such smoothness that you don’t even notice it until you’ve finished the passage and go “…oh.” and have to set the book down to give your heart time to stop palpitating.
#2: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Would I have liked this book as much if I had been “forced” to read it in high school? I don’t know. I actually had a choice – it was this or some other book that was not on my “these are the books I need to read” list – and I remember I was the only one in our 10th grade class that chose this. I like Fitzgerald’s style in general (This Side of Paradise is another one of my favorites of his), but I just have a thing for the way the characters in this story are written and developed. And his style is nice and simple, but not boring. “Simple” in the sense that there is an ease to which the story unfolds, despite the fact that it is unfolding to uneasiness the whole time. I just…I really like this book.
#1: The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk
I don’t quite know how this book ended up on my “these are the books I need to read” list given how few people seem to know that this book even exists, but I’m glad it did. The sad part is that I can’t tell you exactly why I like this book so much. I just do. The characters, the writing style, the plot, the general mood it gives off – I just like it. I love it. It’s absolutely my favorite book. I think I first read it when I was in junior high and it has yet to be dethroned. Go read it, yo.
(Also, the copy I have has the best typeface.)
02022020
Hey fartbags, it’s my birthday today!
(I use “fartbags” as a term of endearment, I promise.)
It’s also the birthday of a whole bunch of other people who are way cooler than me, including Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi, writer James Joyce, and writer Thomas Disch (author of The Brave Little Toaster).
So, y’know, special.
But this year, February 2nd is an especially special day. Why? Because it’s 02/02/2020 – the first true* palindrome date since 11/11/1111. The next one won’t be until 12/12/2121.
February 2nd is also the 33rd day of the year and, since it’s a leap year this year, has 333 days following it in the year.
So yeah, super special.
*It’s a “true” palindrome date because it’s the same in DD/MM/YYYY format and MM/DD/YYYY format.
Nate got me a weighted blanket and OH MY GOD
Being beneath it is like what I would imagine being vacuum sealed would feel like. It’s so freaking comforting and calming. I was dubious at first, but it really helps mellow things out.
I can’t say if it actually helps me sleep better or not because I fall asleep within about a minute of lying down (no matter what), but it definitely felt good while I was awake.
I’d recommend trying one out!
Rogue
Hey y’all, do you want to watch someone review horrible books? Check out KrimsonRogue!
He does regular book reviews and other stuff as well, but I found him through his review of Onision’s Stones to Abbigale.
Here’s the link to his playlist of “oh god these are horrible and they hurt to read.”
I like him; he’s like a mix of five nerdy people I’ve known in my past.
Eigenblogger 