So here it is... almost 2009.
I'm currently waiting for friends to show up so we can start making with the merry. This will be the second New Years party I've been to. Hopefully this one will be better than my previous experience. It was on that day that I should have had my eyes opened to my, then, current friends.
This year, 2008, has been monumental. I cannot think of a better word to describe it. In one year my entire life was turned upside down and backwards.
I started the year a very miserable person with a life that was less than wonderful. I had spent 10 years in a very unhealthy relationship, with a life style that was not the kind of thing you wrote home to mom about. I was unhappy, unhealthy and constantly disrespected. To be fair this whole series of events started in the summer of 2007, during that summer I met many wonderful people who have since become very close friends, most of whom kept me going when all seemed for naught. But I digress. In a strange and somewhat ironic series of events my husband left me in August. Despite the fact that it truly was for the best, I was still heartbroken. No matter the circumstances it still hurts to be rejected, even if it's by someone whose opinion doesn't count for much anyways. A few months before that I had been offered the position of Stage Manager for the theater production of 'Zastrozzi' that our crew (long live Belegarth!) was putting on. It was with the taking on of those duties that I finally began to change and see things for what they really were.
I had lived so long in misery, mistreated and convinced that that was the way things were supposed to be, that I truly didn't know any better. I thought that my life was a good as it was going to get. That being disrespected was part of being in a relationship. So... (wow I ramble) from May to August I worked on the play 26 hours a day, and in doing so spent most of my time with the actors and the crew. People that treated me with respect, valued me for who I was, actually listened to me in conversations and most importantly didn't try to manipulate me in any way. They treated me like a person. And that was when everything changed.
From there I developed confidence, I wasn't afraid to speak my mind or look someone in the eye. And those very same friends who helped show me those things helped me through the next several months. There was a lot of things that had to be sorted out, and no matter what happened my friends were there.
On the surface it would seem that 2008 was a terrible year. Many terrible and heart wrenching things happened in it. However, despite everything that happened, I came out of it a much better and happier person.
To all my friends; you are all amazing, I couldn't have accomplished half of what I have without you. You all mean more to me than I will ever be able to fully express. I will never forget all that you've done for me. To Shogun and Amaranth; you two are amazing, thank you for all the wonderful memories, and may we never stop dancing.
So this New Years I will raise my glass to friends, probably the most important thing you will ever have. The family you choose.
I love you all. May you have a wonderful 2009.
Happy New Years!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Don't you think it's time to cut it?
The Red Ribbon
Cool and fresh green leaved trees. A carpet of life at the base of a sharp ridged mountain. Breath held as the sky lightens. The sun breaks the peak in a torrent of magnificent glory. All is light and gold and then returns the darkness and confusion of artificial warmth and glow. The cold hard floor rising to meet the conduit of escapism. Why do you follow me? Ice blue eyes, piercing, haunting, and yet so strangely comforting. Silent words, filled with compulsion. Don’t think too loud or you’ll be heard. Light, dark, pain, love, joy, laughter. So much laughter. Spirals; strings of regret tangled up to make a spider web of broken dreams and hearts. Broken mind. Who stole the glue? “No one stole it ma’am, we’re just out of stock. You’ll have to wait until we review your worth.” And still you follow, who ever said I would listen?
You have to listen if you can hear
stop
Always near
Stop
Always here
STOP
Without me you can’t see or hear, breathe, feel, live
Quiet now and listen - you have so much more to give…
We always assume that what we see and hear is fact. What if it wasn't? What if you had to gauge everything you experienced off the reactions of others to ensure that they were experiencing the same things? What if your life was as entertaining as a carnival when nothing in fact happened all day? What would you do?
Would you go laugh about it? See it as a trick of the mind and nothing more? Would you cry and feel as though you couldn't handle it? Would you go insane? Accepting things as they were without searching for the line that separates reality from everything else?
What would you do?
I know what I would do. But that's not what this is about, this is to make you think. We, as humans, take so very much for granted and never give a second thought to what could be. We focus on what surrounds us, the thoughts we have, the things we see, the people we talk to. And for the most part we accept these all as being reality. But what is reality?
Reality - [ree-al-i-tee]
–noun, plural -ties for 3, 5–7.
Ok, so that's the dictionary definition of reality, but it doesn't really tell you anything. It requires that you understand what it means for something to be real.
Real - [ree-uh
l, reel]
–adjective
So basically it would seem that for something to be real it cannot be fictious, imaginary, artificial or nonexistant. But how does one actually measure that? In most cases it is a simple matter, however there are time when reality cannot be quantified. When we must judge based on our own version of reality what is real and what is not. So it would seem that reality is an assumption on our part of what we percieve to be real.
Perception and assumption is all that truly separates reality from all else. So in that case I put forth, does having a solid grip on 'reality' truly matter? Reality is ever changing with new information, reality is not a constant. For example;
Your friend steals your wallet, however tells you they didn't and tells you that you probably lost it. That means, assuming you believe them, that your reality is that your wallet was lost. Your friends reality is that they stole it. Both are factual to the person viewing them, as reality is perception. Now given new information about your wallet your version of reality will change, however that does not make your previous version of reality unfounded while it was occurring.
The facts that were presented to you left you with a valid perception of a reality. Which also means that everything you see and experience is reality, until discovered otherwise. Our reality is dependent on too many variables to be a constant and with this in mind...
What would you do?
Cool and fresh green leaved trees. A carpet of life at the base of a sharp ridged mountain. Breath held as the sky lightens. The sun breaks the peak in a torrent of magnificent glory. All is light and gold and then returns the darkness and confusion of artificial warmth and glow. The cold hard floor rising to meet the conduit of escapism. Why do you follow me? Ice blue eyes, piercing, haunting, and yet so strangely comforting. Silent words, filled with compulsion. Don’t think too loud or you’ll be heard. Light, dark, pain, love, joy, laughter. So much laughter. Spirals; strings of regret tangled up to make a spider web of broken dreams and hearts. Broken mind. Who stole the glue? “No one stole it ma’am, we’re just out of stock. You’ll have to wait until we review your worth.” And still you follow, who ever said I would listen?
You have to listen if you can hear
stop
Always near
Stop
Always here
STOP
Without me you can’t see or hear, breathe, feel, live
Quiet now and listen - you have so much more to give…
We always assume that what we see and hear is fact. What if it wasn't? What if you had to gauge everything you experienced off the reactions of others to ensure that they were experiencing the same things? What if your life was as entertaining as a carnival when nothing in fact happened all day? What would you do?
Would you go laugh about it? See it as a trick of the mind and nothing more? Would you cry and feel as though you couldn't handle it? Would you go insane? Accepting things as they were without searching for the line that separates reality from everything else?
What would you do?
I know what I would do. But that's not what this is about, this is to make you think. We, as humans, take so very much for granted and never give a second thought to what could be. We focus on what surrounds us, the thoughts we have, the things we see, the people we talk to. And for the most part we accept these all as being reality. But what is reality?
Reality - [ree-al-i-tee]
–noun, plural -ties for 3, 5–7.
| 1. | the state or quality of being real. |
| 2. | resemblance to what is real. |
| 3. | a real thing or fact. |
| 4. | real things, facts, or events taken as a whole; state of affairs: the reality of the business world; vacationing to escape reality. |
| 5. | Philosophy.
|
| 6. | something that is real. |
| 7. | something that constitutes a real or actual thing, as distinguished from something that is merely apparent. |
Ok, so that's the dictionary definition of reality, but it doesn't really tell you anything. It requires that you understand what it means for something to be real.
Real - [ree-uh
l, reel] –adjective
| 1. | true; not merely ostensible, nominal, or apparent: the real reason for an act. |
| 2. | existing or occurring as fact; actual rather than imaginary, ideal, or fictitious: a story taken from real life. |
| 3. | being an actual thing; having objective existence; not imaginary: The events you will see in the film are real and not just made up. |
| 4. | being actually such; not merely so-called: a real victory. |
| 5. | genuine; not counterfeit, artificial, or imitation; authentic: a real antique; a real diamond; real silk. |
| 6. | unfeigned or sincere: real sympathy; a real friend. |
| 7. | Informal. absolute; complete; utter: She's a real brain. |
| 8. | Philosophy.
|
So basically it would seem that for something to be real it cannot be fictious, imaginary, artificial or nonexistant. But how does one actually measure that? In most cases it is a simple matter, however there are time when reality cannot be quantified. When we must judge based on our own version of reality what is real and what is not. So it would seem that reality is an assumption on our part of what we percieve to be real.
Perception and assumption is all that truly separates reality from all else. So in that case I put forth, does having a solid grip on 'reality' truly matter? Reality is ever changing with new information, reality is not a constant. For example;
Your friend steals your wallet, however tells you they didn't and tells you that you probably lost it. That means, assuming you believe them, that your reality is that your wallet was lost. Your friends reality is that they stole it. Both are factual to the person viewing them, as reality is perception. Now given new information about your wallet your version of reality will change, however that does not make your previous version of reality unfounded while it was occurring.
The facts that were presented to you left you with a valid perception of a reality. Which also means that everything you see and experience is reality, until discovered otherwise. Our reality is dependent on too many variables to be a constant and with this in mind...
What would you do?
Saturday, December 13, 2008
This must be what going mad feels like...
I recently spent two night and most of those two days having a Firefly marathon. For those of you who don't know what Firefly is;
It is a science fiction television series that first aired in 2002, and sadly was canceled after only 11 of its 14 episodes were aired. It is one of Joss Whedon's marvelous creations that tells the tale of 9 people who live their lives on a Firefly-class spaceship named 'Serenity'. It is set in the year 2517, after humans have arrived and settled into a new star system. Despite it's short life on air, it was insanely popular and continues to have a large fan base, Joss Whedon also developed 3 episodes into comic books and then followed up with the movie 'Serenity' which finishes off the story. It's an amazing look into the future from a more realistic mind set, the ship 'Serenity' is in constant need of repair and is often dirty and looks quite 'lived in'. The weapons of choice are traditional pistols and shotguns, with few 'space age' weapons. The crew suffers from lack of money, dirt on their boots, occasional torn clothing, realistic injuries and their mechanic is always covered in engine grease. If you've never had the opportunity to watch it, you should, it is a fine example of Joss Whedon's genius.
And now on to my topic. Joss Whedon, in my opinion, is quite simply one of the most amazing writers, directors, producers etc. (the list could go on for a while) that ever lived. He also wrote/co-wrote Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the TV series), Angel and Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog. Among numerous other screen plays for television shows and movies. He also writes comic books and stories. Much of his work has been been nominated for awards or actually won awards. He did one episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Hush), where all the characters lose their voices and there is almost no speaking throughout the entire episode. Another episode entitled 'Once More With Feeling' is a musical for which he wrote either the songs or music or both. He did much the same thing with Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog, the entire show (roughly 45 minutes in length) is a musical. In the 'Angel' series he wrote an episode called 'Smile Time' (Thanks to Pyriell for correcting me on this) where the main character, Angel, gets transformed into a muppet. As silly as it sounds it was written extremely well and maintains the quality of Joss Whedon's work despite the obvious hilarity that ensues regarding its subject matter.
Without a doubt, my most favourite writer is Joss Whedon. And if there were ever a 'celebrity' I would want to meet it would be him. I am an aspiring writer, not of screenplays though perhaps that would be a possibility one day, and I seek to emulate his genius in my writings. Except, you know, not this blog, clearly.
So here's to Joss Whedon, brilliant writer and alto. The inspiration behind my stories and D&D plots. May you have continued success in your writing endeavors and keep on giving us amazing shows.
Oh, and best line ever in any of his shows;
"My food is problematic."
Peace.
But not actual peace...
It is a science fiction television series that first aired in 2002, and sadly was canceled after only 11 of its 14 episodes were aired. It is one of Joss Whedon's marvelous creations that tells the tale of 9 people who live their lives on a Firefly-class spaceship named 'Serenity'. It is set in the year 2517, after humans have arrived and settled into a new star system. Despite it's short life on air, it was insanely popular and continues to have a large fan base, Joss Whedon also developed 3 episodes into comic books and then followed up with the movie 'Serenity' which finishes off the story. It's an amazing look into the future from a more realistic mind set, the ship 'Serenity' is in constant need of repair and is often dirty and looks quite 'lived in'. The weapons of choice are traditional pistols and shotguns, with few 'space age' weapons. The crew suffers from lack of money, dirt on their boots, occasional torn clothing, realistic injuries and their mechanic is always covered in engine grease. If you've never had the opportunity to watch it, you should, it is a fine example of Joss Whedon's genius.
And now on to my topic. Joss Whedon, in my opinion, is quite simply one of the most amazing writers, directors, producers etc. (the list could go on for a while) that ever lived. He also wrote/co-wrote Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the TV series), Angel and Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog. Among numerous other screen plays for television shows and movies. He also writes comic books and stories. Much of his work has been been nominated for awards or actually won awards. He did one episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Hush), where all the characters lose their voices and there is almost no speaking throughout the entire episode. Another episode entitled 'Once More With Feeling' is a musical for which he wrote either the songs or music or both. He did much the same thing with Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog, the entire show (roughly 45 minutes in length) is a musical. In the 'Angel' series he wrote an episode called 'Smile Time' (Thanks to Pyriell for correcting me on this) where the main character, Angel, gets transformed into a muppet. As silly as it sounds it was written extremely well and maintains the quality of Joss Whedon's work despite the obvious hilarity that ensues regarding its subject matter.
Without a doubt, my most favourite writer is Joss Whedon. And if there were ever a 'celebrity' I would want to meet it would be him. I am an aspiring writer, not of screenplays though perhaps that would be a possibility one day, and I seek to emulate his genius in my writings. Except, you know, not this blog, clearly.
So here's to Joss Whedon, brilliant writer and alto. The inspiration behind my stories and D&D plots. May you have continued success in your writing endeavors and keep on giving us amazing shows.
Oh, and best line ever in any of his shows;
"My food is problematic."
Peace.
But not actual peace...
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Trolls and Goblins and Elves... Oh My!
Greetings!! I would like to introduce you to one of my favourite hobbies. Belegarth.
Belegarth, in short is a fantasy role-playing game. It is also a sport. It is Medieval combat reenactment with foam weaponry fashioned to look similar to real weapons. The world is loosely based in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth. If you're interested in learning about the sport more in depth than please go here. For if I were to explain it all here, this would be a novel, not a blog.
In this game I am Lady Lily Volentia, Elven warrior of Thunder Guard. (Thunder Guard is my realm) I was first introduced to the game about 2 years ago. And quite honestly having only heard stories of it up till then I was inclined to think it was silly. That is until I had a weapon in my hands and started playing. It's a truly exhilarating experience running towards your foes, axe in hand (as in my case, I am primarily a two-handed axe user), with no other thought that to decimate the opposing team. The combat part of the sport give you many things, an exercise workout to be rivaled by an gym for one, increased awareness of your surroundings, a sense of team work and above all fair play. A myriad of different types of weapons are available for use, javelins, maces, swords, axes, shield and even bows and arrows. To name just a few.
And that's just the combat part of the game. I recently attended an event in Illinois at Stone House Park called Oktoberfest. There were 1000+ people there all acting out their persona's, wearing garb and some of them decked out to look like different races (myself included). It was a grand time. You meet some really amazing people at these events, there was a group of people that flew all the way from Puerto Rico just to attend! All in all it was fantastic. There are many events during the year including; SnowBall, WolfPack Opener, Spring Wars and Ragnarok. I hope to attend them all this year, though sadly I've already missed SnowBall II due to ride complications. Not being able to drive does have its down sides.
So that's a little bit about the crazy world of Belegarth. It's a great sport, full of great people and great fun. If you haven't been to an event, go to one! It's something you'll remember forever.
Oh and last night we had our second D&D session for the evil campaign. Our players are astounding at the amount of evilness they're able to come up with. Should I be worried?
Belegarth, in short is a fantasy role-playing game. It is also a sport. It is Medieval combat reenactment with foam weaponry fashioned to look similar to real weapons. The world is loosely based in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth. If you're interested in learning about the sport more in depth than please go here. For if I were to explain it all here, this would be a novel, not a blog.
In this game I am Lady Lily Volentia, Elven warrior of Thunder Guard. (Thunder Guard is my realm) I was first introduced to the game about 2 years ago. And quite honestly having only heard stories of it up till then I was inclined to think it was silly. That is until I had a weapon in my hands and started playing. It's a truly exhilarating experience running towards your foes, axe in hand (as in my case, I am primarily a two-handed axe user), with no other thought that to decimate the opposing team. The combat part of the sport give you many things, an exercise workout to be rivaled by an gym for one, increased awareness of your surroundings, a sense of team work and above all fair play. A myriad of different types of weapons are available for use, javelins, maces, swords, axes, shield and even bows and arrows. To name just a few.
And that's just the combat part of the game. I recently attended an event in Illinois at Stone House Park called Oktoberfest. There were 1000+ people there all acting out their persona's, wearing garb and some of them decked out to look like different races (myself included). It was a grand time. You meet some really amazing people at these events, there was a group of people that flew all the way from Puerto Rico just to attend! All in all it was fantastic. There are many events during the year including; SnowBall, WolfPack Opener, Spring Wars and Ragnarok. I hope to attend them all this year, though sadly I've already missed SnowBall II due to ride complications. Not being able to drive does have its down sides.
So that's a little bit about the crazy world of Belegarth. It's a great sport, full of great people and great fun. If you haven't been to an event, go to one! It's something you'll remember forever.
Oh and last night we had our second D&D session for the evil campaign. Our players are astounding at the amount of evilness they're able to come up with. Should I be worried?
Monday, November 24, 2008
Vibrant Tasty Green Beans
So this entry has little, if anything, to do with beans. Green or otherwise. Unless you are referring to the proverbial beans as in 'no beans about it'. In which case this might have everything to do with beans. Or a lack of them. Whichever.
Anyways, on to more linear things. Today's subject is trust. A funny concept. Most people assume that the word is synonymous with honesty. Which is the farthest thing from the truth. As it was so eloquently put by Captain Jack Sparrow; "Me? I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly." And that is the basis of trust. When you trust a person, you trust that they will do exactly what they have displayed that they are capable of doing, or have consistently done. How's that for a mind bender? So when you no longer trust a person, what you really mean is; that person has displayed something beyond your conceived notion of their normal behaviour. They have been spontaneous or unpredictable. Which also means that that loss of trust is not necessarily a bad thing. Most people associate a lack of trust with a negative action. However that is not always the case. And now after explaining that, I will explain why this is my current topic of thought.
It was not until a few years ago that I actually able to wrap my head around the subject. When I place my trust in someone, it is because I am willing to believe they will act in accordance with what I have observed of their character. And if trust is a belief, it also means that with new information it is subject to change. So we never truly stop trusting a person, we just change what it is about them that we trust. I have discovered in the past few months, that I trust everyone. I trust everyone to act exactly the way they have shown that they do. Sort of a personal breakthrough if you will. So when a person breaks the trust I have placed in them, rather than focusing on the betrayal of that trust, I must change what it is about them that I trust.
This change in perspective helps me sleep better. I am able to let go of the bitterness and negativity that goes along with betrayals. And being able to sleep is paramount to one's happiness. That or a lot of coffee.
Mmmmmm..... coffee.
Anyways, on to more linear things. Today's subject is trust. A funny concept. Most people assume that the word is synonymous with honesty. Which is the farthest thing from the truth. As it was so eloquently put by Captain Jack Sparrow; "Me? I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly." And that is the basis of trust. When you trust a person, you trust that they will do exactly what they have displayed that they are capable of doing, or have consistently done. How's that for a mind bender? So when you no longer trust a person, what you really mean is; that person has displayed something beyond your conceived notion of their normal behaviour. They have been spontaneous or unpredictable. Which also means that that loss of trust is not necessarily a bad thing. Most people associate a lack of trust with a negative action. However that is not always the case. And now after explaining that, I will explain why this is my current topic of thought.
It was not until a few years ago that I actually able to wrap my head around the subject. When I place my trust in someone, it is because I am willing to believe they will act in accordance with what I have observed of their character. And if trust is a belief, it also means that with new information it is subject to change. So we never truly stop trusting a person, we just change what it is about them that we trust. I have discovered in the past few months, that I trust everyone. I trust everyone to act exactly the way they have shown that they do. Sort of a personal breakthrough if you will. So when a person breaks the trust I have placed in them, rather than focusing on the betrayal of that trust, I must change what it is about them that I trust.
This change in perspective helps me sleep better. I am able to let go of the bitterness and negativity that goes along with betrayals. And being able to sleep is paramount to one's happiness. That or a lot of coffee.
Mmmmmm..... coffee.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Why are Fire Engines Red?
I tried watching a movie last night. 'Bedazzled' actually, it's quite good, all about the battle over a soul between God and the 'Devil'. I was having a great time, even made some popcorn, all was going well, and then wouldn't you know it... my DVD player went on the fritz. So now, I have a house with 3 DVD players, none of which want to cooperate. With a sigh I resigned myself to the next best thing, YouTube. Not quite as good quality, but entertaining nonetheless.
YouTube is an interesting entity. Anyone, from any walk of life, any income bracket, any, well, anything can be a star on YouTube. For a few days anyways. Users simply upload their videos and presto! Instant stardom with a click of the mouse. In some ways this is a good thing, many people have had wonderful opportunities presented them as a cause of using this medium for creative outlet. And on the flip side, it opens people up to whatever sordid things can be dredged up from the recesses of the human psyche. There is truly some disturbing things on the site. And it got me thinking about the internet on a whole. Anything you want to know, or in some cases don't want to, are their for your viewing pleasure. In this day and age, in the right places, nothing is taboo. And I would suppose in a roundabout way that also means that nothing is sacred. Don't get me wrong, I love the internet. (or the interwebs as I affectionately refer to it as) There's nothing more stupendous then when you desperately need to know who the drummer is for Trivium, you type a few words into the Google search engine, and poof! there it is. All you could ever want to know and more. There are sites that will not only tell you his name, but his birth date, favourite food, pant size, zodiac sign and the name of his childhood crush.
And that's what I'm really getting at here. There is such a thing as too much information. There are many things that we simply don't need to know. The internet has removed all personal boundaries, and our private lives are now up for grabs, and I don't just mean with so-called 'famous' people. I mean with everyone. Recently pissed off your ex? Well those pictures you took last year are now all over Flickr. Had a party last weekend? Well you can bet that there are now pictures of you doing not so professional things on Facebook for your bosses perusal. All in all, our private lives no longer exist. Sad is it not? Even might make you a little paranoid. Or at least get you thinking. If this is how internet culture has progressed in just a few short years, I fear for what it will be like in the next 10, 5 or even 1 year. For myself, I try to ensure there is only information that I have knowingly placed there, or allowed to be placed there, on this information overload phenomenon we called the world wide web.
Oh and as to the title? Well seeing as you made it this far I guess I'll tell you.
YouTube is an interesting entity. Anyone, from any walk of life, any income bracket, any, well, anything can be a star on YouTube. For a few days anyways. Users simply upload their videos and presto! Instant stardom with a click of the mouse. In some ways this is a good thing, many people have had wonderful opportunities presented them as a cause of using this medium for creative outlet. And on the flip side, it opens people up to whatever sordid things can be dredged up from the recesses of the human psyche. There is truly some disturbing things on the site. And it got me thinking about the internet on a whole. Anything you want to know, or in some cases don't want to, are their for your viewing pleasure. In this day and age, in the right places, nothing is taboo. And I would suppose in a roundabout way that also means that nothing is sacred. Don't get me wrong, I love the internet. (or the interwebs as I affectionately refer to it as) There's nothing more stupendous then when you desperately need to know who the drummer is for Trivium, you type a few words into the Google search engine, and poof! there it is. All you could ever want to know and more. There are sites that will not only tell you his name, but his birth date, favourite food, pant size, zodiac sign and the name of his childhood crush.
And that's what I'm really getting at here. There is such a thing as too much information. There are many things that we simply don't need to know. The internet has removed all personal boundaries, and our private lives are now up for grabs, and I don't just mean with so-called 'famous' people. I mean with everyone. Recently pissed off your ex? Well those pictures you took last year are now all over Flickr. Had a party last weekend? Well you can bet that there are now pictures of you doing not so professional things on Facebook for your bosses perusal. All in all, our private lives no longer exist. Sad is it not? Even might make you a little paranoid. Or at least get you thinking. If this is how internet culture has progressed in just a few short years, I fear for what it will be like in the next 10, 5 or even 1 year. For myself, I try to ensure there is only information that I have knowingly placed there, or allowed to be placed there, on this information overload phenomenon we called the world wide web.
Oh and as to the title? Well seeing as you made it this far I guess I'll tell you.
Because they've got 8 wheels and 4 people on them, 8 + 4 = 12, There are 12 inches in a foot, One foot is a ruler, There was a ruler named Queen Elizabeth, A ship named Queen Elizabeth sails the seas, In the seas are fish, On the fish are fins, The Fins fought the Russians, And Russians are red.
And that's why fire engines are red. Because they're always rushin'
<3
<3
Thursday, November 20, 2008
And Winter is upon us...
So, we've officially had our first snowfall. And I love it. Never used to like snow, but then that was back when along with snow came consistent -20 or lower weather. Thanks to the wonders of global warming that is no longer the case. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that. Snow, in my opinion, is very pretty. It's wonderful to wake up, look outside and see everything dusted with sparkling white. But I think that's just the romantic in me. And quite frankly I'm tired of the negativity that is associated with it. All I ever hear is how awful the snow is, how much everyone hates winter... it's very depressing. If you don't like it that much, move. We live in a world of convenience. Where if you can't shovel the snow, there's snowblowers that practically do all the work for you. Heated houses, cars with heaters and in some cases heated seats. Long gone are the days of poorly insulated houses that required hearths that involved hours upon hours of chopping wood. Unheated cars, or even further back carts, wagons and horses. People complain far too much over things that really don't matter. And here endeth my rant about people who can't see the good in life.
On to happier things. I had quite the adventure installing the newest expansion for World of Warcraft. I was so excited when I got it, I practically tore the box open in anticipation. When I looked at the disk however my heart sank. It was a DVD. BOTH of my DVD players are broken. And try as I might, I could not get them to read the darned thing. So, dejected I went to bed. The following day my brother informed me that you could download the game client off of their website. So with renewed hope I searched, and I searched, and I searched. Couldn't find it. /sigh So I gave in and called customer support at Blizzard. A wonderful fellow named Randy told me exactly how to do it and informed me that he had the same problem. Three and some hours later I had finally downloaded and installed the expansion. And let me tell you, it is amazing. For anyone that was put off of the game because of the previous expansion, in this one Blizzard redeemed themselves. They made quests that are actually fun, Death Knights are awesome and the world is no longer static. The quests you do actually change how you see the world. I was thoroughly impressed and I still am. Although it did take me a week to level to 71. I'm a little slow. No, not in that way.
And that was the bulk of my week. Sad to say that my main form of entertainment at the moment is an MMORPG. But hey, I have an entertainment budget of $15 per month. And I am most certainly entertained.
On to happier things. I had quite the adventure installing the newest expansion for World of Warcraft. I was so excited when I got it, I practically tore the box open in anticipation. When I looked at the disk however my heart sank. It was a DVD. BOTH of my DVD players are broken. And try as I might, I could not get them to read the darned thing. So, dejected I went to bed. The following day my brother informed me that you could download the game client off of their website. So with renewed hope I searched, and I searched, and I searched. Couldn't find it. /sigh So I gave in and called customer support at Blizzard. A wonderful fellow named Randy told me exactly how to do it and informed me that he had the same problem. Three and some hours later I had finally downloaded and installed the expansion. And let me tell you, it is amazing. For anyone that was put off of the game because of the previous expansion, in this one Blizzard redeemed themselves. They made quests that are actually fun, Death Knights are awesome and the world is no longer static. The quests you do actually change how you see the world. I was thoroughly impressed and I still am. Although it did take me a week to level to 71. I'm a little slow. No, not in that way.
And that was the bulk of my week. Sad to say that my main form of entertainment at the moment is an MMORPG. But hey, I have an entertainment budget of $15 per month. And I am most certainly entertained.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
An Introduction
First off, this is my first Blog. I hope anyone that reads this is not expecting literary genius. This is a place for me to post my random thoughts, hopes, dreams, psychoses, well you get the idea. I've been wanting to start one for a while... so here goes.
This is posted in my Facebook profile. But I thought I would like it to be here as well, just so everyone has an idea of what to expect from me.
I'm Magical.
I'm a nerd and damned proud of it. I love my family and friends fiercely, they are amazing and have helped and supported me more than I can ever repay. I love life, I live for the many wonderful adventures that life can bring. I sing pretty well all the time, I love music, and I have been known to break into song and even dance on random occasions. I am opinionated, not about politics or anything nonsensical like that. The really important stuff, like the best way to make chocolate chip cookies. Just kidding, I also have a strange sense of humour, I love to laugh and smile, usually not AT people. I hate monotony, mean people and drama. If you fill any of those categories, don't bother with me. I'm a pretty easy going person, but most definitely not the door mat type, so don't even try. I like what I like, if you like that too well then great! If not, don't try to change me, I like who and what I am, and I'll be damned if I'm going to be untrue to myself. I enjoy anything fun, and hate anything boring... a pretty simple concept but one people tend to forget. Oh, and I'm a smoker, and I enjoy it, so if you don't that's fine, but I don't want to hear about it. No bigger turn off than being told how unhealthy you are... really people, don't you think I'd call you doctor something or other if I wanted your advice on my health? And if all this doesn't scare you off, then we may perhaps be friends =D
So that's me. Well in a nutshell anyhow. I write this after waking up from a well deserved 14 hour sleep. In preparation for session of D&D I pulled an all nighter cleaning and decorating my apartment. It looks damned pretty now. Well I think so, but then I suppose I'm biased seeing as I have to live in it. And I feel very accomplished, it's one more thing I can scratch off the seemingly endless 'To Do' list I've created for myself. Among those things are; learning the Japanese Tea Ceremony, creating a House, working on a database, working on my army, making garb, re-learning the piano, and re-reading the LOTR trilogy. /sigh I could literally go on for hours. But I'm not gonna!
Last night's D&D session was great. Well, it had a few technical difficulties. One of our players lives not in this city, so we had him on a Skype video call, as it turns out, my apartment needs more light. Though it did work out. Oh and second rule of fixing computers, always wiggle the cables. My friend and I are co-DMing the campaign. First time either of us have tried that. It worked well. Thankfully we both have pretty much the same vision for the campaign, so there was only one minor power struggle =P Ok not so much a struggle, it went like this;
player: so where's Mailea's room? (Mailea is my NPC)
Dungeon Monster: She hasn't picked one yet
Dungeon Mistress (me): Yes she has! She's in room 3!
Dungeon Monster: No she hasn't
Dungeon Mistress: Yes she has, are you arguing with the DM?
Dungeon Monster: I am the DM! oh, wait, ya you're right...
player: ooooooh first power struggle!!
Ya, so that was the extent of our arguing. It was entertaining. Or at least I thought so. We get along great, so it was much fun. Lots of laughs and spirits were high. We're running an evil campaign. So it's really interesting the depths to which our players will go to fulfill their evil heritage. They're pretty creative actually. But more on that as it progresses.
At some point today I will have in my hot little hands... yes that's right... WoTLK!!!! Huzzah! I'm so excited! (For those of you who have no idea what that means, it's the newest expansion for World of Warcraft; Wrath of the Lich King.) Level 80 baby! So no one's going to see me for a while. Or like, ever. Or until I get bored of it. Don't judge me, I told you I was a nerd. A Big Nerd.
Alright, I think I'm done, if I don't stop soon this will dissolve into mindless babbling, which although amusing does not paint an accurate picture of the sorts of things I usually talk about.
Seriously.
This is posted in my Facebook profile. But I thought I would like it to be here as well, just so everyone has an idea of what to expect from me.
I'm Magical.
I'm a nerd and damned proud of it. I love my family and friends fiercely, they are amazing and have helped and supported me more than I can ever repay. I love life, I live for the many wonderful adventures that life can bring. I sing pretty well all the time, I love music, and I have been known to break into song and even dance on random occasions. I am opinionated, not about politics or anything nonsensical like that. The really important stuff, like the best way to make chocolate chip cookies. Just kidding, I also have a strange sense of humour, I love to laugh and smile, usually not AT people. I hate monotony, mean people and drama. If you fill any of those categories, don't bother with me. I'm a pretty easy going person, but most definitely not the door mat type, so don't even try. I like what I like, if you like that too well then great! If not, don't try to change me, I like who and what I am, and I'll be damned if I'm going to be untrue to myself. I enjoy anything fun, and hate anything boring... a pretty simple concept but one people tend to forget. Oh, and I'm a smoker, and I enjoy it, so if you don't that's fine, but I don't want to hear about it. No bigger turn off than being told how unhealthy you are... really people, don't you think I'd call you doctor something or other if I wanted your advice on my health? And if all this doesn't scare you off, then we may perhaps be friends =D
So that's me. Well in a nutshell anyhow. I write this after waking up from a well deserved 14 hour sleep. In preparation for session of D&D I pulled an all nighter cleaning and decorating my apartment. It looks damned pretty now. Well I think so, but then I suppose I'm biased seeing as I have to live in it. And I feel very accomplished, it's one more thing I can scratch off the seemingly endless 'To Do' list I've created for myself. Among those things are; learning the Japanese Tea Ceremony, creating a House, working on a database, working on my army, making garb, re-learning the piano, and re-reading the LOTR trilogy. /sigh I could literally go on for hours. But I'm not gonna!
Last night's D&D session was great. Well, it had a few technical difficulties. One of our players lives not in this city, so we had him on a Skype video call, as it turns out, my apartment needs more light. Though it did work out. Oh and second rule of fixing computers, always wiggle the cables. My friend and I are co-DMing the campaign. First time either of us have tried that. It worked well. Thankfully we both have pretty much the same vision for the campaign, so there was only one minor power struggle =P Ok not so much a struggle, it went like this;
player: so where's Mailea's room? (Mailea is my NPC)
Dungeon Monster: She hasn't picked one yet
Dungeon Mistress (me): Yes she has! She's in room 3!
Dungeon Monster: No she hasn't
Dungeon Mistress: Yes she has, are you arguing with the DM?
Dungeon Monster: I am the DM! oh, wait, ya you're right...
player: ooooooh first power struggle!!
Ya, so that was the extent of our arguing. It was entertaining. Or at least I thought so. We get along great, so it was much fun. Lots of laughs and spirits were high. We're running an evil campaign. So it's really interesting the depths to which our players will go to fulfill their evil heritage. They're pretty creative actually. But more on that as it progresses.
At some point today I will have in my hot little hands... yes that's right... WoTLK!!!! Huzzah! I'm so excited! (For those of you who have no idea what that means, it's the newest expansion for World of Warcraft; Wrath of the Lich King.) Level 80 baby! So no one's going to see me for a while. Or like, ever. Or until I get bored of it. Don't judge me, I told you I was a nerd. A Big Nerd.
Alright, I think I'm done, if I don't stop soon this will dissolve into mindless babbling, which although amusing does not paint an accurate picture of the sorts of things I usually talk about.
Seriously.
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