Saturday, October 31, 2009

Choices

Just a little poem I wrote…

Walking down a long corridor

Passing by a million doors

In the end there are only two.

The black door; freedom,

You can leave everything behind

The white door; strength,

You can face the world.

Whispers surround your decision,

“Pick one! Pick one!” they slither.

Drawn to pick the black,

But will not be happy with yourself.

Scared to pick the white,

For the uncertainty of what lies ahead

Torn between two worlds.

Taliban leader rejects U.S. attempts to pay off mujahideen

Worrisome bravado, or reality from the Taliban? An update to this previous post, Obama ready to pay Taliban, who says ‘We will continue our jihad’

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Remarks of Esteemed Mullah Brader Akhund Made to Media About Obama’s New Strategy

Dhu al-Qi’dah 11, 1430 A.H, October 30, 2009

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate

After long waiting of one month and dithering about American reinforcement in Afghanistan, it has been unveiled by Carl Levin, Chairman of the Armed Services Committee in the US Senate that Obama wants to get a by-law passed through this committee that would allow giving money and other financial aids to some members of Taliban in order to encourage them part way with the current armed resistance.

We would like to tell Obama that this is an old weapon that has failed already. The British invaders used it in the 19th century but failed; the former Soviet Union used it, it failed too. The Afghan Mujahid people and the Mujahideen at the front lines have vast experiences of the past three decades in this regard and know all tactics used by the enemy.

Seeing that you failed to win the war with the help of your cutting-edge and sophisticated technology; considering that your media failed to make any ground; bearing in mind that your allies are seeking ways to leave the field and that your internal gunmen are not able even to defend themselves; realizing that your newly-formulated policies face failure one after another, then how you would be able to gain success by resorting to this devilish tactic while our people are already aware of the essence of such tactic.

Similarly, considering this decision as a sign of weakness and complete despondency of the enemy, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announces the following points for the moribund rulers of the While House:

Continue reading

SR20 madness and some dinner too

Today, Trevor and I had gone to Mike’s house AGAIN to give him some moral support. His hot pipe had blow off. Haha. We were just checkin’ it out and I took some random photos too. Check out the night at his house.


Trevor freaking out about Mike slipping into his engine bay. Haha.

Finished Product

Mike’s new stoppers. Sumitomo ftw!


Mike’s new slotted rotors


Rotors+Brakes


Mike’s New Clutch. Exedy ftw!


Random…

I feel like I am writing a build for Mike nowadays. I guess I am fine with it. Lol. His car is nice as hell. Haha. Okay. Onto later that night…

After me, Mike and Trevor went to eat Wendy’s Jorgie called me asking to go to Longhorns. I was so mad I ate at Wendy’s. Oh well, here are some random pics.


Trent making a damn mess!
This took me forever to take a picture of. It kept going out of focus. Lol.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Homecoming Part 1: The Bus Ride

Hello all,

Howard Homecoming, for those of you that don’t know, is an annual tradition for the DC area. It is here that black folk from far and wide come to celebrate this institution. Regardless if they go there, or know anyone who attends the school, for that matter. Donned in Howard attire, and eating the same sorts of food year after year, Homecoming is a pleasant time to fraternize and bond with your fellow Africans. While at the same time, spending hundreds in order to look better than your new friends….and old friends. Not that this is something I’ve ever done. I haven’t. But it looks fun.

So, as a recent Howard University grad, I felt that I had to go to Homecoming this year. I mean, it was a necessity. Which is not at all why I left class early Friday afternoon. Those two facts are not related…

Anyway, I must admit, from the moment I got on the bus early late Friday afternoon, things got interesting. I mean…really interesting. First off, the bus was late. By 15-20 minutes. And then, as I sank into the seat directly behind the bus driver, I congratulated myself for being in this position, for it meant that I would have a seat to myself, and just the soft drone of the bus’ motor to lull me to sleep….Wrong. Sooo wrong. As soon as I saw the driver, I knew. Somethin was up. He loped over to me, and, reaching over my leg, commenced to feel on the wall of the bus.

“What the hell are you doing!” I screamed at him in my head.

“What…” I said to him out loud.

“Oh..umm, is there an outlet over there?’ he asked, as his hand suddenly found itself resting on my thigh.

“Aghhh!!” I screamed in my head.

“No, the outlet is above my head,” I said out loud, while squirming away from his hand, and fighting back the urge to regurgitate.

“Oh, well, um” his hand moved off my thigh. “Can you try it?’

I stared at him in complete disbelief as somehow my hand put my cell phone charger in the outlet. He went to go assume his seat and as he farted his way to DC (yes farted, he even had to crack open the window) I texted and stewed in my anger at what had just happened. I felt that he had a one-up on me, that my now molested thigh deserved justice. I reached for a pen and, finding none there, saw an old lady sidle up to his window, only for him to shsh her off. I couldn’t even get a pen! I vowed revenge, and am now seeking it through this blog entry. Not only did this man completely denigrate my thigh, but, because of his awesome driving skills, we reached DC in 6 hours. A drive that should’ve taken 4. So….as excited as I was for the best part of Homecoming, I missed it. Because of some predatory thigh feeler.

 

From the Happydays Blog

Kierkegaard on the Couch ( From the Happy Days Blog) By Gordon Marino

All progress paves over some bit of knowledge or washes away some valuable practice. Within a few years, e-mail and Twitter moved the art of letter writing to the trash bin. And in an age when all psychic life is being understood in terms of neurotransmitters, the art of introspection has been become passé. Galileos of the inner world, such as Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), have been packed off to the museum of antiquated ideas. Yet I think that the great and highly quirky Dane could help us to retrieve a distinction that has been effaced.

These days, confide to someone that you are in despair and he or she will likely suggest that you seek out professional help for your depression. While despair used to be classified as one of the seven deadly sins, it has now been medicalized and folded into the concept of clinical depression. If Kierkegaard were on Facebook or could post a You Tube video, he would certainly complain that we, who have listened to Prozac, have become deaf to the ancient distinction between psychological and spiritual disorders, between depression and despair.

There is abundant chatter today about “being spiritual” but scarcely anyone believes that a person can be of troubled mind and healthy spirit. Nor can we fathom the idea that the happy wanderer, who is all smiles and has accomplished everything on his or her self-fulfillment list, is, in fact, a case of despair. But while Kierkegaard would have agreed that happiness and melancholy are mutually exclusive, he warns, “Happiness is the greatest hiding place for despair.”

Despair is marked by a desire to get rid of the self, an unwillingness to become who you fundamentally are.

Called “the Fork” as a child because of his uncanny ability to find a person’s weaknesses and stick it to them, Kierkegaard’s lapidary “Sickness Unto Death” is a study of despair, which in the Danish derives from the notion of intensified doubt. Almost as a challenge to keep out the less than earnest reader, Kierkegaard begins “Sickness” with this famous albeit slightly ironic bit of word play:

A human being is a spirit. But what is spirit? Spirit is the self. But what is the self? The self is a relation that relates itself to itself or is the relation relating itself to itself in the relation.

For those who do not immediately pitch the book across the room, the magister continues, “A human being is a synthesis of the infinite and the finite, of the temporal and the eternal, of freedom and necessity.” Despair occurs when there is an imbalance in this synthesis. From there Kierkegaard goes on to present a veritable portrait gallery of the forms that despair can take. Too much of the expansive factor, of infinitude, and you have the dreamer who cannot make anything concrete. Too much of the limiting element, and you have the narrow minded individual who cannot imagine anything more serious in life than bottom lines and spread sheets.

Though it will make the Bill Mahers of the world wince, despair according to Kierkegaard is a lack of awareness of being a self or spirit. A Freud with religious categories up his sleeves, the lyrical philosopher emphasized that the self is a slice of eternity. While depression involves heavy burdensome feelings, despair is not correlated with any particular set of emotions but is instead marked by a desire to get rid of the self, or put another way, by an unwillingness to become who you fundamentally are. This unwillingness often takes the form of flat out wanting to be someone else. Kierkegaard writes:

An individual in despair despairs over something. So it seems for a moment, but only for a moment; in the same moment the true despair or despair in its true form shows itself. In despairing over something, he really despaired over himself, and now he wants to be rid of himself. For example, when the ambitious man whose slogan is “Either Caesar or nothing” does not get to be Caesar, he despairs over it … precisely because he did not get to be Caesar, he cannot bear to be himself.

In America, there is endless talk of the importance of having a dream — that is, a dreamed-up self that you will to become: a millionaire, a surgeon, or maybe the next Dylan or George Clooney. But master of suspicion that Kierkegaard was, he goes on to note that while the man who has failed to become Caesar would have been in seventh heaven if he had realized his dream, that state would have been just as despairing in another way — because in that giddy self-satisfied condition, he would never have come to grasp his true self.

On the issue of depression of which Kierkegaard and his entire family were very well acquainted, Kierkegaard could have been a reductionist. He seems to have recognized that we could be born into the blues. In 1846, he sighed:

I am in the profoundest sense an unhappy individuality, riveted from the beginning to one or another suffering bordering on madness, a suffering which must have its basis in a mis-relation between my mind and body, for (and this is the remarkable thing as well as my infinite encouragement) it has no relation to my spirit, which on the contrary, because of the tension between my mind and body, has gained an uncommon resiliency.

The spirit is one thing, the psyche another: The blues one thing, despair another.

How might Kierkegaard have parsed the distinction for the Doubting Thomas who will only believe what he can glean on an M.R.I.? Perhaps he would describe it this way.

Each of us is subject to the weather of our own moods. Clearly, Kierkegaard thought that the darkling sky of his inner life was very much due to his father’s morbidity. But the issue of spiritual health looms up with regard to the way that we relate to our emotional lives. Again, for Kierkegaard, despair is not a feeling, but an attitude, a posture towards ourselves. The man who did not become Caesar, the applicant refused by medical school, all experience profound disappointment. But the spiritual travails only begin when that chagrin consumes the awareness that we are something more than our emotions and projects. Does the depressive identify himself completely with his melancholy? Has the never ending blizzard of inexplicable sad thoughts caused him to give up on himself, and to see his suffering as a kind of fever without significance?

If so, Kierkegaard would bid him to consider a spiritual consultation on his despair, to go along with his trip to the mental health clinic.

http://happydays.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/kierkegaard-on-the-couch/

Massage

My body has been aching due to some over-exercise and so I’ve been craving to get some massage done.

Probably in the comfort of my place…

Hopefully being massaged by a young man who is a looker…

Rightfully he should be well-endowed and clear of any sexual diseases in case we get it going…

Hmmm… Not a bad idea huh?

Imagine what those strong fingers can do.

Pretty face. Dim lights. Relaxing scent of massage oil.

Ooo..

What can be better?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

.

.

.

.

How about…

.

.

.

.

.

Bestion making a surprise return back to home?

*snaps out of my sexual fantasy*

Argh.

Ok I get it.

Back to reality.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Around the neighborhood

It’s nice to be back amongst the trees. Stranded for the last four years in Queens, I’m finally getting a proper fall, the type of which a cool, grey, wet day like today doesn’t completely ruin. Above you and on the ground are the oranges, yellows, and reds of October, with squirrels bustling through them looking for nuts, even in the street.

In the background, I can hear church bells chime from the Antiochian church on my block. It’s the same one that has a street festival every September, and at which this year I could hear a rock band playing loudly—and rather skillfully—from my couch. I thought there must have been a crowd of hundreds, the music was so good, but only after an hour did I rouse myself to go check. When I got outside, I saw the street was almost entirely empty. They were playing to a crowd of 12, and blissfully uncaring of it.

The community on my block is centered around The Victory coffee shop, a small, popular corner restaurant. The counter takes up most of the room inside, leaving only an L-shaped area for ordering and sitting, and when the weather is nice most of the patrons sit outside. It’s popular amonst the first- and second-kids crowd, and is a meeting place of sorts. Recently I got a flyer about the empty lot across from the shop; the landowner had promised to deliver affordable apartments but now there was talk of a school. The flyer warned that a school would only bring headaches to the block, and one can only guess that it was conceived of at the Victory.

Around the corner from the Victory is Kili, an odd little bar that, in the way it has hodgepodged different styles together is almost, but not quite, quintessentially Brooklyn-y. Originally conceived as a Kilimanjaro lodge replica, the area behind the bar has been gussied up and fancy cocktails are advertised, yet Doritos and similarly low-rent snacks sit in bowls at the bar. The dimly-lit dining room with candles on all the tables suggests intimacy until you actually go back there and see that the couches and decorations are in disrepair. There doesn’t seem to be any regular crowd to give the bar an identity, but logic suggest there must be enough regulars to make it profitable. The bar most suggests transience in a neighborhood where it is present but usually not so obviously laid bare.

Whirling around Kili, down an entire block of Atlantic Avenue and across the street is the Bedouin Tent, the second place I ate from alone in Brooklyn (the first night, I found Chinese food at the most familiar, bright counter restaurant I could find). The Bedouin Tent has a funny-looking menu printed on normal printer paper which has been folded in half, and is most notable for making their pitas made to order and for their “Middle PITA Eastern” sign. The falafel is high-quality, but almost too much so to be savory enough for my tastes. It’s almost too healthy. The real winner is the Merguez (spicy lamb) sandwich, which is bulky, fantastic and mixes with Louisiana hot sauce so incredibly that it seems like I’m jinxing it just by writing it down.

Curling back toward my building, there’s a small bodega where I go to get six-packs and the occasional drink, but that’s it. It’s oddly-shaped and always has owners sitting outside, and every time I walk in, I’m conscious that they’re watching me the whole time, even if they’re trying not to. I know they get stolen from a lot, because the one time they were feeling talkative someone had just nabbed something, and they showed me on the camera feed—turns out that if you turn around at the cash register, you see a four-windowed TV with camera feeds. That place is on lockdown, and they’re still nervous. I try to be as fast as possible, to spare us all the trouble, and I’m usually only buying one or two things anyway.

Now I’m hungry, but I have to do laundry. Not that it means going outside: for the first time in my adult life, I’ve got it in the building.

Weekend turn-out

I went to the spa for a 90 min aromatherapy massage on Sunday.  I was in the magical hands of my dude Sass.  He did all he was supposed to do and more.  If he could hear my thoughts I wonder what he would say?  Would he feel the same way about me that I feel about him?  He worked out places on my neck that I didn’t know exist and that’s when I felt for sure…he is my future husband…he’s GOT to be! lol  I’ll be back on 11/29.

Are ya’ll watching Amazing Race???  That guy is wayyyyy more patient that I am.  I woulda been in a bad way with Suzie Q after not going down the blasted slide!  It IS Amazing Race…did she not think she’d encounter heights on the show??

I went to see “Good Hair” and took Bird along.  There was some profanity that I had to shelter her lil ears from.  I enjoyed it.  I laughed…a lot.  I was a bit disturbed and the scalping ceremony.  The hair show was uh…interesting.  I came away thinking that I’m in the wrong industry.

Have you seen the movie? How was ur weekend?

MLIA?

Yesterday I went to an exhibition basketball game at my school with my lovely Irish friend. I had passed out on the couch beforehand, and woke up to her “meowing” like a cat. It was a little weird, but if you really knew her you’d just consider it to be normal behavior for her. Anyways, after she woke me up, I cleaned the drool off my face, and the couch, and collected me belongings. After several attempts to leave for the game because my friend kept forgetting various items such as her student ID, jacket and sanity, we were on our way. We walked up the hills, through the quad, and right to the box office. We purchased our tickets, and made our way into the stadium. To enter, one must first pass through one of the many revolving doors, so obviously we did this, and my friend decided to jump into the same section as me, leaving little to no room to move or breathe. Normally, this would be ok for the 3 seconds we’d actually be in the door, but of course having the luck that I had, we got stuck in the door for about 2 minutes due to the performance/singing of the National Anthem. Now, I understand that there should be absolute silence and consideration while the National Anthem is being performed, but since when is it ok to suffocate two human beings? I understand people die in wars for our country, but I don’t think it’s right for 2 college students to perish, due to suffocation, just for the National Anthem–just sayin’. (But actually, it wasn’t that big of a deal, we laughed at the situation and just shared air) Anyways, we made our way in, finally, and walked around half the stadium to sit in one of the designated student areas. The game ended up being pretty great because our team won by slaughtering the other–minus the blood, guts, etc. It was a good day.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Picking Fights

Chase was first.

Verizon is second.

I recently bought The Girl a Boost Mobile phone. I spent $79.00 for the phone and it’s up to her to come up with 50 bucks a month to keep her phone on. But…for 50 bucks a month she gets unlimited nation to nation, text, and web browsing.

I’m paying some ungodly amount for two phones. I keep up my cell and my mother’s cell and it’s killing me. Something like $146.00 a month which was OK till recently. When I called Friday and paid my balance, I reminded them that as soon as my contract is up, I am breaking up with them unless they come up with something competitive to Boost Mobile.

The first time I informed a Verizon rep of this, they countered with the nations best coverage and superior 3-G coverage. When I called this month to pay my bill, I made my pre-break up speech and as she started to counter, I announced that I know Verizon has superior bullshit and bla, bla, bla, but guess what? Times are tough and Boost Mobile looks attractive. Please note this in my file.

Consumers really need to start taking corporations by the balls people, because we are the ones they make their money on. That alone (buying power) should give us something to bargain with. If people all just said, enough is enough. You can’t ass fuck me anymore without asking and if I say no, then no.

I’m pissed off!

And the Russian Madness Continues...

I don’t think that I’m going to get a stress-free day anytime soon, or at least before I leave for Kodiak. I was really hoping today wouldn’t be so crazy, but I was wrong.

My Russian teacher corrected my assignments for the week and most of it I did something wrong on, so if I want to get partial credit for any of my assignments, I have to re-complete everything and resubmit by tonight.

Uh. I DON’T have time to redo all those exercises and resubmit them by tonight. Well, I probably do if I use every spare second I have today in between serving coffee at church and going to class later tonight… but do I honestly want to spend 4 extra hours of my day conjugating verbs and adjectives? Not, really.

Oh, and nor do I have time in between now and Wednesday for a tutoring session… which I know I need to try and do, because my Russian teacher TOLD me to schedule a session with her. And if your teacher is telling you to schedule, then you MUST have done something seriously wrong. But between now and Wednesday, a tutoring session totally does not seem doable.

Thank you Mrs. Kuznetsov, you just made my Sunday about as stressful as I could have imagined….

So much for a day of rest. *sigh*

I've got a beef, and it's with midwestern home cooked mush.

I’ve got a quick issue to address tonight and it lies in this one simple problem: don’t demand that I eat your food and then be disappointed when I tell you it sucks.

First of all, just because you spent 2 hours cutting up stuff, just to put it in a casserole  and bake it for 4 hours – doesn’t mean you deserve my respect for your cooking mastery.  Especially not when all that ends up coming out is a big cooked goop of stuff that all tastes the same.

Food is amazing and as humans we have an diverse set of senses which we use to do more than consume food for survival.  The sight of a colorful, vibrant and crisp salad, the texture of an amazing sushi cut combined with the fire of wasabi, the smell of beef cooking just right over an open flame – there are many methods we use to consume our food. You don’t have to go far to find different flavors, but the midwest tradition truly is born of a crock-pot full of meat and veggies cooked long enough to make it all taste just the same…. soft meat which tastes like carrots and onions, and soft potatoes that taste like meat and carrots…  Or the good old casserole which can get packed with anything and a bit of cream of (insert vegetable here) soup and be kicked into the over for 4 hours…

What gives?  When did the Midwest become afraid of its taste buds?  As I said, you don’t have to go far to find flavor, but when the flavor at home is becoming increasingly bland it is understandable that more people turn to fast food trash to cure their flavor addiction.

I cannot sit here and proclaim myself to be a great cook, or baker, but I do know what I like and that is a diverse range of flavor with a diverse texture.  Food should not taste like one lump of semi-solid mixed with another similarly tasting lump of semi-solids. Just because it took 6 hours to prepare doesn’t make it better than the flash friend thin cut fish salad I could have made in 30 minutes had you warned me we were about to be eating a goddamn casserole tonight.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

haircut~

So I finally got my hair cut today. It was was ecpensive o.o;;
But like… half my hair is gonnnneee.
I couldn’t get a good pic so those two pics is just like s sneak peek xDD

But its way shorter. I can’t do Ciel anymore. Good thing I have a Miku wig, wouldn’t be able to do that either. Mikuru… I can do still xD It’s quite cute up actually~

I had a new hair stylist… usually the guy that does it makes it how my mom wants, which is good too. This new cut is dramatic.
Looks like allt he other asians!! Rawr. I kept my bangs the way I had them though. He wanted to give me the thick side bangs. Meh. I tried that already! Dun like so much.

But mannn cause I went to get my hair cut 30 min away I’m out of time to go fabric shopping basically. Maybe… ugh T.T;;

I can’t stop touching my hair!! xD I’llg et more pics up eventually of course. But for now if you wanan see it, it’ll have to be in person! Maybe. xD

It looks pretty cool if I do say so myself~ layers layers layers! At least I have no more split ends!
(and all the hair they cut off was the size of hunny!!)

–Kimiko–

Northwest Flight 188: What had happened was …

By now you’ve heard about the pilots that missed their Minneapolis destination by 150 miles and was out of radio contact for over an hour. The pilots on Northwest Flight 188 claim they were having a heated debate about airline policy and lost track of time. Lost track of time to the point you forgot to land the plane? What?

Hmm … I wonder what those pilots were really talking about. They had initially hoped that the flight recorder would hold the key to what was going on for that hour in the cockpit. But because of the older model recorder on Flight 188, they may only have the last 30 minutes of conversation from the flight (they were in the air for another 45 minutes once they regained contact with the crew).

Here are ten things that may have been heard during that lost hour of conversation:

1. “I will not stop and ask for directions.”
2. “I know a great shortcut.”
3. “Are you out of your mind?! Spiderman would destroy Batman one-on-one!”
4. “It’s not called coke or pop … it’s soda!”
5. “Wait, wait, this is my song! Turn it up!” *turns up Journey, “Don’t Stop Believing”*
6. “Can miss Becky please report to the cockpit now! I need some of that good good.”
7. “What happens at 37,000 feet stays at 37,000 feet.”
8. “Wake me up in 20 minutes.”
9. “Gucci Mane’s lips are clearly made out of leather … well maybe they could be made out of tar. Whatever they are, it’s gross.”
10. “What do you think about the healthcare public option?”

Follow me: twitter.com/throatchopu

Bus Perverts and Crazy Bumblebee Costume

I was supposed to post last night because I promised my fobby friend I would, except I forgot and ended up not posting. The reason why I forgot was probably because I have nothing to post about.

Uuuum. Stupid fat smelly old guy tried to touch me on the bus. He had a choice between the rest of the bus and the seat next to mine. Obviously he sat next to me and made himself even fatter to maximize his potential of touching me. I kept edging away, but I was sitting by the window. Any more edging and I would’ve been plastered to the window.

Word of advice: When its like, 5-6pm ish, or any other time after that and you’re on an almost empty bus: 1. Don’t sit at the back and 2. Don’t sit in a corner where you can’t get out if some perv smelling like death chooses to sit next to you.

Honestly I have not been having good experiences with people lately.

Oh yeah, my Panda friend (fell on his butt today when he was playing badminton SO EPIC he was like so fucking intense and then he got too excited and SMASHED THE CRAP OUT OF THE BIRDIE and slipped and fell on his bum >x3 and obviously I burst out laughing) forced us to try popping popcorn with our cellphones. I think he was the only one out of all of us who thought it would work, and when he didn’t, he explained that it was because the kernels were a year old. Sure (:

Tong gave me a ride home, and he told me that cellphones are a lot safer now. Apparently you aren’t supposed to use your cellphone at the gas station. It’s not as risky now, but apparently accidents have happened before. He said: “It exploded.” And I was like, “The cellphone?” And he paused. “No, the gas station.” Maybe I was just tired, but I found that to be funny. Maybe it was the way he said it …

There’s a 2PM event in Vancouver tomorrow at Oakridge! I realized that it’s horribly last minute to post it, but I’M GOING TO BE THERE AND … WATCH! WOOT! AND RECORD IT! AND POST IT! WOOT! I got too excited I think I just threw up a little bit there.

More info: Vancouver Dance & Time Stop Flash Mob

I’m interested in knowing why it’s called Dance & Time Stop Flash Mob. Just seems like a random jumble of words.

I heard about the Xmas Market at the Convention Center downtown, between Nov 11 to Nov 15 (why is this an Xmas Market? It should be a Middle-of-November-Market). It’s $6 with a student ID. Maybe I should double check the dates … But yeah! Check it out! LOl

And fucking check this shit out:

Legendary.

I was going to post an FML on perverts, but I saw this and it made me go “awww D:” and then I started to laugh. I am a horrible person. Self-slap. -200 cool points.

FML of the day:

“Today, I had to complete a project for my course in Italian. We had to write a little paragraph about a friend. I had to make one up. FML.”

I already have an idea for my next post. Has nothing to do with today’s post though, but you can try guessing!

Nites
WG

P.S. Inspiring comic day was yesterday. Go check it! LOL Cyanide & Happiness

Thursday, October 22, 2009

digging to other side of Earth

Have you ever wondered where you’d end up if you dug a hole in your backyard and kept digging until went to the other side of the Earth?  Now there’s a website that makes it easy to find out.  It’s called Antipodes Map, and you just select your location and it automatically shows you on Google Maps where you would end up.

If your current get-rich-quick scheme is planning to dig a hole through the Earth and create a toll road, you should check what’s on the other side first.

I put my location in, and it showed the middle of the Indian Ocean, so it’s probably in my best interests to quit digging…

The Ethiopian pout???

Our darling son Esuyawkal has this face he makes and it is pretty hysterical, we affectionately call it “the stink eye”.  I recently read that this might be a very common face amongst young Ethiopian children.  So I am posting some pictures of “the stink eye” and hopefully we will gain some conformation as to whether this is the famous Ethiopian pout:)

Oh look at that face!

Not a happy camper.

It's my birthday and I'll pout if I want to.

I am not going to smile for another picture.

So what do you think, is this the famous pout or “the stink eye”?

What is a Bloggers' Event?

  “On October 23, Friday 7 pm, Del Monte Fit ‘n Right will launch its newest campaign Dare to be Fit ‘N Right in Taste Asia at the SM Mall of Asia. The Dare to be Fit ‘N Right launch will be a bloggers event that features the revolutionary F.I.T workout by sports scientist and Master Coach Jim Saret.”   That’s what the document says which I received with the e-Invite.  I’ve read of some bloggers being invited to the launch of running events and then they write about it and post it in their blogs.  Is that it?   I think it will be a good chance to meet other bloggers.   I guess there’s only one way to find out.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Blir bara sämre.

Ligger i sängen och försöker bara ta det lugnt men jag känner knappt inte av mina ben, nacke, rygg eller armar och händer. Trodde att det skulle börja bli bättre nu och att borelian skulle börja försvinna efter antibiotika kuren. Jag har varit sjuk hela sommaren och jag orkar inte mer. Först njurbäcksinflammation och två antibotika kurer mot det och mag/tarm problem efter det och sen visade nästa provtagning att jag hade borelia i kroppen. Fick ännu en antibiotika kur som var mycket starkare och dubbel dos. Har till och med fått en förkylning nu också. Jag som bara vill börja skolan och sätta igång lite smått med allt. Jag ska göra det men jag får se hur jag känner mig. Måste iallafall få tag på en läkare i morgon… Känns helt förlamat och det kryper i mig. Snälla Gud.. Varför jag och varför nu? =( Sen vill även skolan vaccinera oss mot svinininfluensan alltså herregud försöker dem ta livet av mig? Min kropp skulle verkligen inte klara av något sånt. Jag vill bara ha min hälsa tillbaka och jag vill bara må bra och känna mig stark och arbetsvillig igen…. Men nu känns det som om jag vill bara sova, vila och inte röra en fena. Jo måste hjälpa mamma med hunden. Fast Fanny är så orolig så hon stressar inte direkt upp en när hon märker att man inte mår bra. Älskar den hunden!

Jag vaknade inte av väckarklockan idag så jag fick skita i skolan men åkte in lite senare framåt dagen och pratade lite med min mentor. Sen gick jag till Roger och var där en stund. Längtar tills på Lördag då det verkligen blir en underbar dag <3!  Men nu orkar jag inte skriva mer… Tänker ta mig en alvedon och gå och lägga mig sen… Puss och kram!

Balloons, Babies, and Bailouts

So can we stop feeding these media whores already?  They are just screeching with their mouths outstretched waiting for all of us to feed them….and we can’t help it…we feed them…over and over again…

I’m speaking mainly about “Jon and Kate” and the “balloon boy” and his parents.

Jon and Kate:

Every week i see another magazine headline…detailing Jon’s dating life or some sob story headline about Kate…She’s talking about how all of this is ruining the kids….Newsflash…that’s what divorces do…I mean the fact that you signed on to have your kids video taped for a few years…yeah i’m sure they are fine from that…its all the divorce that is screwing them up.  Fuck you Kate.  You’re a fucking wench to your husband…so he left you.   You tried to be all controlling and both of you got wrapped up in the celebrity of it all…so have fun now…you’ve gotten what you deserve.  The kids though, sucks for them….They didn’t ask mom and dad to get artificially inseminated (which ups the chance of twins or higher astronomically)…and that would be hard enough being one of the sextuplets….but then throw in that you have twins for other brothers and sisters bringing the total to 8…you have a dad with a crushes spirit and a succubus for a mom…ok now we are reaching the danger zone…Oh but wait, lets throw em on TV.  Lets wait for mom and dad to get high off of celebrity and cheat on each other and have the whole divorce public.  Great call…The way i see it they need to start being adopted out because you’ve already seriously fucked these little kids up.  TLC may have got the jump on “Jon and Kate plus 8″ but what about E!….They will eventually get 10 true hollywood stories out of this deal.  Yeah, TLC you may have cashed in now…but E! is letting that shit simmer for a bit….just letting it sit in the bank building up more and more…until they cash out…CHA-CHING!  

That’s when Aiden or whatever the softheaded one with glasses’ name is reveals his struggles with heroin and his failing rock career.  

The older twin sisters are in porn and one dies of aids.  The other kids all share a one bedroom apartment and work as a cleaning service but have all written scripts for their variety show and are just waiting for their big break.  

Kate gets killed by the body guard and Jon has a coke problem…and is dating younger girls that he thinks are attractive just because they are young…but look like the girls that spend 20hrs a day in the tanning bed.  He at this point will have very little hair but will still be trying to spike it…will have a d-bag soul patch and always wear mirrored oakleys. 

Balloon kid:

I’m SO glad i missed all the live news coverage when everyone thought this kid was in a weather balloon.  That shit wasn’t believable during Roswell and its still a lame excuse when using it for lost kids.  Apparently the dad has tried multiple things to try to get publicity…and this final stunt was used to launch a potential reality TV show….Well we are playing right into it…with all of these daily articles.  

So first of all the kid’s name is Falcon….strike one.  Strike two?  The parents were already on an episode of wife swap…..Strike 3?  The dad’s horrible acting…whenever in a bind he would just say “i’m so glad we found you!” followed by quickly grabbing his sons head and kissing it…to not only try to show how much he loves his son…but to shut him up.  

Where i do have to give them credit…Its pretty ballsy to come up with a weather balloon as an excuse…because seriously…how dumb of a country are we when we belive that…this ‘normal family’ just has weather balloons laying around….and that his son somehow crawled into it and they had no way of stopping it before they released it.  And how would you not tear your house apart while reporting your son is supposedly in the balloon….Also, how could it not be a hoax…the kid is small as shit…wouldn’t he have to get some assistance to get up to where he was hiding…or leave some evidence of stuff he used to climb up there?

What’s funny about the situation though: that there isn’t really much they can get charged with….they are saying the most the can be charged with as of now is a class 2 misdemeanor.  And really the family got what they wanted…because even if they don’t get a reality show…they still got their moment in the spotlight.  SNL, days of news stories, and interviews.  So we are all the suckers…and we’ve all been watching reality shows and viral videos for years now…so why are we gonna try and get all mad now?  Yep..we’re dumb and we can’t get enough of trying to immerse ourselves in other people’s lives to take the focus off of our own….So guess what…lets just laugh with them…don’t be outraged…you’ve been had….Laugh it off and watch some My Antionio or something.

In closing…i guess i’ve been had to….because even though i was late on the balloon boy story and don’t follow the Jon and Kate show….Here i am…bloggin about it…shit…lets get some real news headlines so we can stop giving these people all of our attention.

In very related news…how does it feel to have your money go to more executive bonuses for failed companies…Yeah, that’s right…AIG all over again but with way more companies…These bailed out companies are giving out record bonuses.  SOME of them have paid back the money they borrowed from us…but its funny…the only reason they were able to do that was by lending less to people.  That’s funny…the only way you were saved is because these same people had to take on the financial burden to save your company and your repayment is to make is much harder for those same people to lend from you.  You pay back the money and its high-fives all around!  And then you have a money burning party.

We’re screwed….we give all of our media coverage to weather balloon hoaxes and reality stars…meanwhile a shaky and super expensive health care plan is trying to be pushed through and the big companies we just got done saving are looking for ways to get close to ruining us again.

God Bless America!  

Seriously…i love the country…but hate the inefficiency of this establishment.

Year One

Thinking about old photos reminded me of the month-by-month comparisons I had been collecting for the boys. By the time they were one they were pretty much settled into how they look now so it’s fun to look back. I still absolutely love the headphone shots. Their giant noggins fill up those headphones now…

Sunday, October 18, 2009

The Problem with the United States

This post was due to be written in the Denver Airport last Friday evening, initially as I was excited by their free Wifi, which turned out to be erratic and impossible to bring up pages with.  Sigh, the disappointment of free.  I had a bunch of time there due to a late plane in, then a mechanical problem on our plane.  I spent last week flying on planes that are due to be “retired” on Oct 22 and replaced by Airbuses.  Is it just me or does it strike fear into you when they announce that the plane you are currently sitting in is about to be retired because it is “old and difficult to maintain”.  Oh well, what can you do when you are strapped in 30,000 feet up other than hope if there is a problem the death is quick and relatively painless, so you might as well knit away.

I was happy to be leaving Sioux Falls South Dakota, or Big C*#K Country as an orange t-shirt proudly proclaimed.  Not that is anything particularly wrong with that part of the country, other than hunting season of pheasants (hence the t-shirt) began on Saturday and the airport staff were busy celebrating the hunters arriving in droves.  Everyone was wearing hunter orange hats, shirts, a lovely firearm officer was waiting to give everyone back their checked rifles lawfully.  I don’t have any huge beef against hunters, as long as they are controlling populations of animals that would otherwise have problems, and I don’t like it when people take pleasure from killing an animal.  I sincerely believe if you kill an animal for food you should instantly thank that animal for the sacrifice.  And you should feel bad, and you should use the whole animal, or as much of it as possible.  AND I don’t like hunter orange, it does nothing for anyones complextion. 

I spent the week working with one of my old co-workers from Utah, who has always been a good guy to work with.  He was one of the few people during my three years at the company in Utah who would talk to me, allow me to joke with him, and was always nice to work with.  He is very right wing, ultra conservative, and proclaims his belief in small government and low taxes.  So of course I have a great time teasing him, asking him if he’s really happy Obama got elected, if he is excited that more people should get medical coverage in the States etc. etc.  He’s a good sport, and generally gets that I’m just having some harmless fun to tease  him.  One day we walked over to the restaurant to get some lunch and I asked him “Do you know what is the problem with the United States”.  He immediately tensed up, wondering if I was going to make a crack about health care, gay rights, foreign policy, any number of things on which we disagree about.  I kept him in suspense, “This really bothers me, and its something really good about Canada”.  He was worried now.  I said “Its hard to find ginger ale here, in Canada you can get it in every restaurant, store, on the airplane, in the United States you have to hunt for it”.  He relaxed, and we went on to talk about the yumminess of ginger ale, its sweet by spicy taste, its caffeine free goodness.   Next time I’ll bug him about Smarties.

wine & dine & me

During our first Basics class Lynette introduced us to a few folks from Wine & Dine that she said were doing a story about Palate Sensations. This past Saturday Chef Francois said that the article had been included in the November issue which was already out on newsstands.

I had always hoped my first foray into the glossies would be me looking chic on the arm of some Hollywood up and coming star. Not so says the universe.

Ta da! That’s me on the right in the white shirt and doofy smile. I look like my apron is about to choke me.

There I am again in the black and white photo looking serious as the Chef share some words of wisdom. That’s the rest of my team including Charlotte who very nicely gave me a ride to church this week, Lina who you can barely see to Chef’s right, and Jens who is about 2 feet taller than me.

It’s a 2 page spread plus 1 page of recipes from the dishes we made that day. Recognize the soup?

Fun, huh?  Anyway, I hope my next run in with a magazine includes something cooler than a red apron. Pls don’t forget the Hollywood hottie.

and I'm on to the next one

Have you ever wondered why the moon is so alone at night?

Being the only source of light in the dark night sky, it’s doing something amazing. That’s the analogy I use for people I love, because they are like the moon for me, lighting up my nights and keeping me company.

I mean I don’t really know why I told you that, but I just thought I should share it.

On to the next one,

I attended the Chin and Chow teaser today, at some mediocre Chinese restaurant.

Chin and Chow is an “interactive dinner theatre” where you attend the dinner all dressed up, and there are actors amongst the crowd that would act as the dinner progresses.

The night was freaking amazing, the improv was all very well done and funny as hell. Props to all of them

On to the next one,


I really think I need this in my life, especially the ones called “The Creek”… Nicer version of the Red Wings they have at UrbanOutfitters imo.

read more here…

On to the next one,

I wanna thank Daylan from the RiffRaffs for this tee, repping the streets of Vancouver to the fullest.

Sorry this blog was kinda segmented, but I really can’t relate anything I wrote about together!

end it with a sunset from 2 months ago?

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Me & My Constant Reminders

I recently got myself one of these.

The High Priestess is a commonly recurring theme for me, especially over the last few years. I’ve noticed that through the years, whatever the predominate theme in my life is, I seem to constantly pull the same cards that correspond to where I’m at over and over again. Of course, I’m not going to ignore this. How could I? Whatever the Divine, or The Great WTF (as I like to call them) are trying to tell me, I might as well do my best to try listen (even if I don’t exactly “get” what the Hades they’re trying to tell me). The Priestess always shows up when my spreads address The Big Picture or The Big Issues. If I read for myself, have someone else read for me, or pay a professional, the High Priestess routinely enjoys popping by. A Constant Reminder of where I’m at at this very moment…

When I was in design school, The Empress in her most glorious Creatrix aspect was a constant for me. If anything, her energy brought something amazing to the creative process that I just couldn’t shake or ignore. If I read, and honestly, I didn’t read much at all during that time, she appeared crown blazing and sheaves of wheat blowing in the breeze. Whenever I got stuck on an illustration project, in her I had the perfect muse. I actually did three different illustrations of her, perched upon her thrown of shining abubdance. Even now, when I look back on it, these are some of my favorite pieces even if they aren’t my best work. There is something special about them that has everything to do with the act of creating them. Rather than being all that is motherly, feminine, beautiful, and nurturing, she is more real to me in how her energy gives one’s creations, artistic or otherwise, a little jolt of divine life. I don’t see her often anymore, and I rather miss her.

That was a great time in my life, both spiritually and creatively. While I’d dappled in tarot,    the metaphysical realm, and a bit of witchcraft before design school, I pretty much stopped having an interest in it as soon as I started. Design became my religion. I don’t say that lightly, and anyone who knows me knows it’s true. I ceased any type of magickal work or study of mysticism that I was doing, not really consciously. It was as if my brain shut off the valve to the Mystical World, and unleashed the floodgates of the Creative World. In my brain, apparently there is no room for both.

For a few years there, when I had to take a job I loathed just to pay the bills, The Star became my Constant Reminder. I hadn’t so much as picked up a deck for a number of years, and as I slowly jumped back into it, she stopped by often. It was a very difficult time for me. I wasn’t able to find a job in the design industry, a discipline that in some ways is my life’s work and my greatest joy. Instead, I went the corporate route in order to eat and begin paying my student loans back. It was a dismal time, where I spent a great deal of time and energy lamenting my choice, yet feeling as if I had no choice at all. I define myself through my work or my vocation, so it was just as much an existential crisis as it was a financial one. “Who am I? How did I let myself get here? Did I even have a choice?” I routinely came back to the idea that I needed to be where I was for a reason. I couldn’t shake it, but it was as if someone was trying to tell me that this phase was an important one, and although it was painful, there was hope and that I should not give up. I understand now what she was trying to tell me.

I was so confounded by the fact that she showed up in almost every single reading I did for myself. I was frustrated by my perceived tarotardedness. I felt like I’d never be able to read without a book, but even the books I had didn’t answer her constant presence. While my job situation did improve slightly, I came across a newly opened metaphysical shop that also did tarot reading and classes. I hadn’t done a magickal working in years or ventured into a witchy shop, but I was curious. I thought I’d see if The Star showed up again, and if perhaps a professional would be able to tell me what the deal was.

And she did. And the Mystical Floodgates opened back up in a big way. It was like someone (the High Priestess) conked me on the head with a mallet. “You have work to do. You need to make up for lost time.” I’ve picked up where I left off, spiritually, and have figured out a few things that I never could have forseen when I was younger. This is good. I’m always learning. The Mysteries are mysterious!

The Star had been there, through the darkest hours, shining her subtle to the point of dimness yet softly shining light, glimmering on the water. A gentle reminder that even though it was dark, all hope was not lost. She was there so that I could hold her hand, persisting through it. I wasn’t supposed to know the outcome, but she was there to tell me that in due time, I would endure to find myself where I needed to be.

And, of course that’s exactly what happened. My job changed, and I grew to enjoy it. I went through a layoff and got a nice chunk of change, then I ended up getting my Realistic Dream Job. It wasn’t in design, but I was doing work I liked and was good at. Financially, it made my life easier, and it freed me from the internal conflict I’d wrestled with since graduating from school. I would have never gotten the job if I hadn’t stuck with the old one. It paved the way for a better opportunity. I’m right where I’m supposed to be, and while she could not tell me, The Star knew best.

Now, I’m at a different phase. I’m picking up where I left off. I’m interested in the mysteries… again! There are immeasurable things to know, understand, and explore. I want to see how it all fits together. I believe that it does. I want to figure it out. I need to! I’ve been quite enthusiastic, and I’ve broke through a lot of personal barriers and had some stunning experiences. The Gods found me. Still, Tarot has always been a part of the puzzle for me. It’s the conduit, for me. In design, we often talk about the message we intend to convey through our work. On a spiritual-philosophical-mystical-religious level, tarot acts as a conduit for me. It’s not all about diviniation, although that’s fun too. The High Priestess has become my Constant Reminder. She, like the Star, won’t tell me exactly why she’s become so familiar. It’s in a different way though. It is her nature not to give away all of her secrets so easily. I’m trying to know her, or know why she is here. It’s not easy, but that is her way. As I delve into the Mystical World more deeply, she is there. It’s been strange, yet amazing.

I’ve been using the full moon as a time to recharge my batteries. The High Priestess from the Thoth Deck is a marvelous card to meditate on during that time. I also did something new recently. When I found a pendant with the High Priestess, I absolutely had to get one, and chose to have a moonstone imbedded in it. It’s quite lovely, really. It’s one of those things that every tarot enthusiast who has a favorite or particularly meaningful card must have. If she is going to be around, I might as well interpret that literally.

I don’t know how long she’ll be around, but my Constant Reminders tend to shift each time there is a Leap Year. Weird how that works, eh? 2012… What do you have to tell me?

Parenting Tip # 56 Never Talk to your Child, Always Yell at Them…..

Many parenting tips suggest talking to your child, like getting down to their level and asking something of them in a nice pleasant tone. As a parent Daddy will try anything once, just to see if it works. So the other day I asked my son in the nicest way possible to go upstairs and clean his room. My son looked at me and said, “No. Not gonna do it.” This sent Daddy into a fit of raged and I quickly yelled at the top of my lungs, “Go the f@#$ upstairs and clean your f#@%in room” My son didn’t hesitate, he ran faster then fugitive running from the police. At this moment I realized getting down to their level and asking them to do something nicely is a sign of weakness, as well as a complete waste of time. Now I just shout commands at them, this ensures things get done quickly. Yelling at your child teaches them the importance of urgency and possibly that their home life is a living hell.

I've Had Better Ideas

I had a great idea the other day as my juniors finished Act I of The Crucible.
“Why don’t we act it out?” I said.

So I split them into seven groups, gave them instructions and a time table, and let them get to it.  Each group basically had to condense their part down.

Today, as I drove to work (performances were today), I suddenly remembered: I gave the same act (all of act one) to each and every group.

Not the smartest move I’ve ever made…today was quite tedious for teacher and student alike.
Heeere’s your sign.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

realization?

i was over at one of my favorite blogs yomissb! and she posted something that kind of got me thinking. her blog is completley random and every blog is a random thought from her unique being. i know people read it, even if she doesnt talk about, oh how did she say it, “illest sneakers, the hyped music videos or the latest gossip”. i dont really talk about those things either. just what i care about. sometimes it might be a new music video – or how I feel about the some latest gossip; but thats NOT what THIS blog is ABOUT! really its not. its how YKARIL (ycarol is how you actually spell my name) sees this, interesting, fluckedupattimes world. all im saying is, i write about things that i find interesting, come to this little nice small blog and talk about. so, either you like it or, you dont =\ hopefully you keep coming back!

the place that inspired this post —> yomissb!

Hello!

I packed my room today. Thou boxes of stocks are still lying around, + my huge violin case and whatsnot. At least it looks a whole lot neater than before. And finally got down to hanging up clothes in my wardrobe instead of letting them lie around hideously.

I’ve no school tmr! For once I can say TGIF!

I have been jogging round my estate and I feel damn proud of myself though I wasn’t running at godlike speed, but I can feel those fats burning off(ITHINK). Initially, I ran to lose fats but slowly, it develops into something that I enjoyed doing. I would pluck in earphones and just go on n on for 30mins, running an approx of 2.5km per day(Feels good thinking about it hehe)? Oh yes but I didn’t run today because I had tuition till like 9+. so yea.

I’ve heaps of work to do(because I skipped lecture) and lots of catching up in my work.

Ok I gotta get going!

Looking beyond the imperfections

How apt, seriously.
————————–
It’s 2.30 pm now and I’m supposed to be in school cheering for the class’ soccer team (if we even signed up for it haha) for AC games! Hehe, but I’m sick so I decided to make full use of the MC given to me and stay at home HAHAHAHA

Anyway, seven people ponned class today! The rest just called me. I was thinking of not going tmr as well, but I guess not anymore. Haha, but it shouldn’t be that bad! Hope it’s gonna be fun, I think tmr’s capain’s ball, human checkers…and one more, but I forgot haha. Ah wellssssss, self proclaimed holidays are great! (: Heehee!

Oh yes, back to MG yesterday! Me, qing and mich wanted to eat laksa, but by the time we got there, the stalls were mostly closed! Aww man, do you know that the only stall that’s still the same is the yong tau foo one? Sigh, no more red bowl noodles or mash potato with mayo chicken! ): But anw, we tried the cheese chicken fries from the new western stall, it was not bad actually ;D I miss mg, and friends and teachers and everything! Should’ve some class gathering soon!

Oookay, I’m gonna go watch my videos now! (: Toodles!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Hahaha

So I was watching comedy centeral on demand, and i was watching standup comedy( i saw all the south park episodes on demand already). so there was this guy named Demetri Martin, and all of his jokes were funny. im just saying, if you have Comcast, go on demand, select tv entertainment, comedy centeral, and stand up comedy. it is the first program in the listing. it is halarious, so u should watch it.

They May Be Old But These Athletes Got Game

Sydney Australia was recently invaded by 28,292 athletes ranging in age from 24-101 to participate in the world’s largest multi-sport event, the World Masters Games. Among the storied competition comes the tale of Ruth Firth, a 100-year-old great-grandmother who took home the gold in shot-putting with the leading toss in her age group.

Her throw went nearly 14 feet making her far and away the leader in the 100-104 age bracket; although to be fair, she was the only competitor. “I only had to turn up to win the medal, but that wasn’t going to be good enough for me,” said Firth. “I had to show everyone that I could still do it.”

When a Games official suggested to Firth that her success called for a drink, she replied that she doesn’t smoke or drink, but don’t think she’s some health nut, when asked if it were vegetables that powered her success she responded “Oh goodness no – I haven’t eaten vegetables since I was a kid. I don’t like the taste. Bread, meat, fine, but no vegetables, thank you.” She does however walk every day as well as bench-pressing 80 lbs 5-times a week. Feel lazy yet?

One of the other highlights at the World Masters Games was 90-year-old Olga Kotelka to set a new world-record in shot-put for her age group. Another memorable moment came from the barefooted Australian runner in the men’s age 80-84 100 meter race who goes by the name Santa Claus; Osmo Millridge, another barefooted Australian took charge of the age 70+ men’s  steeplechase.

There was no word on the condom consumption in the athlete’s village…

[Daily Mail]

Facing Fears

People always tell me that I am so brave since I just picked up and moved to Hawaii. They like to say “wow you didn’t know anyone, no friends, no family” and my response is always “nope”. I figure where there are people, someone will eventually become my friend. I may be a bit shy at times, but I am in no way anti social (sometimes I find myself running off at the mouth a bit too much!!!) So I was never worried about making friends, and eventually if your friends are close enough to you, they become like family. So I felt like if that was all I needed to live somewhere then, hey I was all set, and all my bases were covered. Moving to a new place was never a fear of mine, being bored and alone does not scare me either, I am pretty comfortable with me, and by the way, I am great company! It’s those past fears that continue to scare me, the same fears that I have had in NY, the same things that make me worry and stay up all night. Apparently for those fears there is no escaping from, and the more I try to forget that I was once afraid of theses things, the more I feel like they have followed me. And now it is time to turn around, stare them down with the black girl stank attitude, and stand up to what has scared me for most of my life. The time has come, I will yell loud to the highest point of earth and say I AM NOT AFRAID ANYMORE!!!!!

Well what is it that is scaring me so much? Let me give you some idea. To start I have always been afraid of the dark (yes I have been told by many people that there is nothing to be afraid of in the dark, and that is strange). But hey, darkness still scares me, espically when I am alone. I fear my not getting into a doctorate program ever in life, well its more like I am so afraid to ask people to write me a letter of recommendation. I wish I could just skip that part. I guess the fear is of a NO, so my fear is that I don’t like rejection! Yes I said it, rejection scares the crap out of me. I know “No’s” are a part of life, but i just like the word “Yes” so much better. So the thought of a professor telling me that NO, in their nice professor like way mind you, makes me too scared to ask, and to send a basic two line email. Yes how sad is that. I am afraid that my life won’t turn out the way I want it to, I fear not knowing next steps, not making right decisions, and not having answers to my own questions. My biggest fear since I could remember the feeling of being afraid is that my mother will end up dying. Now I know parents die, and as you get older you prepare yourself for that possibility, well not really prepare, but understand that death is a part of life. But I worry about my mother, worry that she is not taking care of herself, and that she won’t live to see me get married, or take care of my children. Yes I did say take care of my children! (well maybe on the weekends)!

I know for my fears are out of my control. So how do I face them? I don’t want them following me around anymore! I want to be done with them. I thought I would leave them in NY, but somehow they got in my suitcase, got on the plane with me and now live in Hawaii. Well I hope they have had their share of fun on this trip, because I am letting them go. Dropping them off, and kicking them into the middle of the ocean. I AM NOT AFRAID ANYMORE!!!! and  I decided a long time ago that I want to live, and now I want to live without fear. SO today is MY DAY, take back control of MY life, and just face the world as is, without being afraid. If I am really so brave as everyone says, I think its time for me to believe it. Enjoy the time that I have now with my friends, and family, and just live my life as is. Without worry about what will happen and focus on what is happening right now!

Before I came here a friend asked me what was I running from…my response to her was I am not running I am growing. I now realize I may have been running from everything that I was afraid of, hoping it would not find me ever again. But as I recognize the role the fears play in my life, and that I can be the sole person to overcome them, Yup I feel like am growing to a new level! One that cannot be matched by any fear that will try to take me down.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

What's Holding You Back?

With all the things we “have” to do – go to work, get the car fixed, grocery shopping, mow the lawn, wash clothes, take the kids to practice, and the list goes on – how do we find time to do the things that we “want” to do – exercise regularly, write a book, start a business, finish a degree, pursue a new career, improve our game? We get up and do the same routine every day, unfulfilled and unsatisfied.

Weeks, months, and even years go by and we still haven’t started doing that thing we want to do. Perhaps the delay isn’t a hectic schedule, but more so reasons and excuses that we have told ourselves for so long that we actually believe them to be true – “I don’t have enough (fill in reason)” or “I can’t possibly do that because (fill in excuse).”

What is your reason or excuse? What belief have you held on to that has paralyzed you from pursuing your dream? What’s holding you back?

7 days left.

It’s 3-in-1 birthday gifts exchange + dinner gathering.
Finally get to meet. Short & sweet. That was on Mooncake Festival.

Baby came to fetch me & drove to CCK to meet the usual clique.
Had red wine under SH’s hse. HIGH CLASS can.
Not beer. HAHA!

School started. I dreaded very single day. I felt stupid in school.
LIke literally stupid. Tutorials all wrong/incomplete but the others are like damn smart.

School’s so demoralising. ): Lunch are what I am lookg forward to.
Let’s lunch at JP more! The food are way nicer than school’s. (:

Anyway I went to the doctor ytd. My face’s swollen! ): Allergy.
I didnt knowmy face is so sensitive. Thou SH they all always say I have sensitive skin.
(My first attempt to pluck eyebrows in sec 4 resulted in swollen eyebrows)
HAHAHAHAHAHA! After that I never trim them before. PAIN DEH!!
Anyway, he’s leaving for Wallaby for 3 f*ing weeks. I gonna be so free and LONELY.
Everybody reading this, esp you darling & e2 girls. ASK ME OUT MORE.
Study or whatsoever. HAHA. Darling, I know you are shy asking me out. HAHA!
Don’t worry, first time rare, second time cooked liao la.
GO MOVIE GO KBOX GO DINNER.
HAHA! I am crazy. -.-

 

Setup/Teardown Week 2

Well, I’m sitting here contemplating going to bed.  It’s just about 11 PM.  I haven’t been to bed prior to midnight in many years.  Yes, I know, I know.  That will all change in a few months.  Blah, blah, blah.  Well, until then I’m caught between a brick wall and a tough decision…or a rock and a hard place, whichever you like.  There is still an hour left to go before I keep my streak alive and I have to get up in five hours.  It’s not just that I wanna keep my streak alive, and I do, but my body isn’t ready for sleep yet.  Soon it will be but at the moment it isn’t.  Maybe I’ll just write this blog post until I’m sleepy.  At least it’s worthy of an awesome picture.

Anyway, without further rambling, five hours from now we will be starting week two in the theaters.  It starts in five hours because we have to setup church in the theaters.  It’s good stuff.  It’s way early in the morning, but it is worth it to reach out to people in a different way.  This week we got a ton accomplished so that the setup won’t take as long.  We have organized all the carts and will have them labeled in the morning.  We are storing things in a different way now so that we don’t have to continually move trailers back and forth.  I think that will cut down 30 minutes on both sides already!  So hopefully tomorrow will start a trend of everything getting quicker and smoother each week.

Not only are we now doing setup and teardown but we have launched our new and improved Host Team!  I have to say I’m pretty much a fan (and no, not because the Host Team leader is my wife).  We had so many Host Team members last week that were so excited about this new phase.  It was great to see their eyes light up as they got the chance to reach out to new people in a new community.  They are doing such an excellent job.  You will just have to come see it for yourself.

Thank you for all of you that have been praying for us, Kingsfield and the people we now have an opportunity to reach!  Please keep that up!  Oh, and don’t forget to keep praying for our little baby, too!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

worthlessssssurvey

1. Where is your cell phone? to my left.

2. Your hair? holy crap i have hair now….

3. Your mother? almost became a korean celebrity

4. Your father? loves me and loves golf

5. Your favorite food? peking duck, sushi, chipotle, korean food

6. Your dream last night? cant remember……

7. Your favorite drink? gatorade lemon lime

8. Your dream/goal? love god love man

9. What room are you in? bedroom dawg

10. Your hobby? basketball guitar all sports chillin

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? on the moon

13. Where were you last night? home

14. Something that you aren’t? not cool

15. Muffins? and milk

16. Wish list item? massage

17. Where did you grow up? korea/england

18. Last thing you did? open the window

19. What are you wearing? my marathon shorts, and a red nike T that says ALL OUT

20. Your TV? john’s tv is nice…

21. Your pets? my wilson evolution basketball.

22. Friends? love em to death

23. Your life? need goals, lack of ambition is killing me

24. Your mood? chillin

25. Missing someone? my homies, u know who u are

26. Vehicle? honda accord for the win; if you haven’t been in it you’re not my friend yet

27. Something you’re not wearing? a bra

28. Your favorite store? Charlottesville Kroger… $2.19 milk?!?!?! AWESOME

29. Your favorite color? white

30. When was the last time you laughed? couple minutes ago

31. Last time you cried? last week

32. Your best friend? i say ali

33. One place that I go to over and over? AFC

34. One person who emails me regularly? SAM LEE IN CHINA

35. Favorite place to eat? chipotle

I holler at……. chris jun, lynn, hw, eunice.. and since im missing a lot of ppl… just do it if u see it…

I want to save you from what we love to hate, yet hate to leave behind for good;

I’m very upset that I havn’t been able to update my blog as often as I’d like. I love blogging, it gets to me a little when I can’t lol. I’ve been so incredibly busy though (what a common excuse)

But I have, University&work take a lot out of a person. I’ve had an exam to study for, &a few essays to write&hand in. Not to mention work&moving around furniture and all that fun stuff.

Yesterday was such a bad day. But it ended good! It was raining all day,&I made the horrible mistake of wearing flats… Ugh yes. I was wet. I had my unbrella, ofcourse, but walking from one end of campus to the other, all day, your bound to walk into a few puddles..&I did. My shoes were so wet all day, as were my feet&they were cold&they hurt, &gosh, it was just horrid. &Then, well, printers hated me yesterday, so I couldn’t for the life of me get my essay printed..which was due yesterday.. I ended up sending it on to my teacher by email, &explaining what my problem was to her. English is a small class, therefor she knows who I am, &likes me (: I have to give in a hard copy next class. I’m just so happy she gave me a chance, I worked really hard on that essay. If theres any requests, I can put it up.

&Then, to make matters a bit worse.. Me&S were fighting all day. &I really mean all day. It ruined my day&I did not want to go to work or do anything, just wanted to go home and die (lol).. But, hey, I had to go to work. So I went, &it wasn’t so bad, I like the people I work with, &I got cheered up. Then I met this guy on the bus, we were talking&all that fun stuff&he told me I was beautiful.. I’m not just gonna throw in his face that I’m gay lol, it’s just a compliment, So I took it&smiled. 7My day ended by talking to L for a bit, so, my day ended alright considering how it was heading for such a bad mental turn lol.

I’ve been getting told over&over again how skinny I am… It’s weird. Nobody’s told me I was skinny in SO long, cause everyone back home knows about my ED, therefor, they just keep their mouth shut.. But here, nobody knows. &I get compliments/insults about my weight all the time.. People compare themselves to me. When they talk about a skinny person, they say “She’s just as small as Amandah is” .. Makes me feel good. But again, it doesn’t .. you know? Makes me feel like I have more work to do because I’m not skinny enough.. But hey, that’s just my ED talking.. I know I can’t let that happen.

I’m seeing L tomorrow (: She’s taking me out to a movie.. She’s a super nice girl, we’re getting along really great. She’s really puuurty (: , super cool.

Alright, I’ve gtg catch my bus&head to work.. again.. ugh. I hate my job. I secretly hope I Get fired, bahaha.

Keep smiling ladies&gentlemen (:

Amandah

PS: Such a beautiful dress! Agreed?

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Halloween... How unoriginal!

Halloween is one of the funnest holidays around. Seriously! It is so fun to dress up and see what everyone else is. Plus all the candy in your house… what more could you ask for?  There is one part that bugs me a lot! People who dress up as something way overdone. Such as a pirate, princess, ghost, zombie sports player, doctor and many more! How unoriginal can you get. Thats why I came up with some ORIGINAL Halloween costumes… that i have never seen. Except maybe on me…

  • Pinata (I know, never seen it? Well I have. On me!) Cheap… but a little uncomfortable and takes a half hour to put together. Gift Tissue Paper and tape! Warning: People do like to make lame jokes about getting a bat.
  • Giant Pencil
  • Animal… Preferably 2 different animals mixed. and some kind of  sport or profession too.
  • Die your whole body one color… and wear the appropriate matching colors. (if you chose green you can say you are one of the guys who helps with the green screen)
  • Write words all over your body… then say you’re a dictionary.
  • Cereal Killer! (CEREAL Literally like lucky charms… its clever, i know.)

Sorry to say… I ran out of ideas a long time ago. Well maybe you will like the dictionary idea!?! I’d like to see it. All I am saying… is get some originality. Be something no one has been before! Trust me. Its way more fun.

Harry Connick: Slams Australian TV Show & Their Jackson-5, Black Face Parody

Kudos to Harry Connick Jr. (and his handsome self) for standing up for African-American’s abroad.

ADELAIDE, Australia – An Australian variety show host has apologized for a skit in which singers parodying the Jackson Five performed in blackface.

American singer and actor Harry Connick Jr., who was serving as a guest judge on Wednesday night’s “Hey Hey It’s Saturday,” was visibly shocked by the skit, in which four men with afro wigs and blackface sang and danced behind a Michael Jackson impersonator wearing white makeup.

Connick, 42, gave the performance a zero score and told them that if it had been done in the United States it would have been pulled off the air.

Blackface was a traditional trope of minstrel shows in the U.S. that dates to the 19th century. Whites playing stock black characters — usually offensive stereotypes meant to demean — rubbed coal, grease or shoe polish on their faces. Blackface performances are not common in Australia.

I guess….

But, probably not as much we are here in the US!

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/08/harry-connick-jr-slams-au_n_313613.html

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/08/harry-connick-jr-slams-au_n_313613.html

If Harry had said nothing, nothing would have been said.

Even British are outraged.

It’s the new shot heard around the world.

Via

I'm back

Ok, I know I’ve been gone a while but trust me; it was for the good of all involved. Now things are better and I’m ready to get back on the horse, so to speak.

So, tons has happened but I don’t really wanna get into the nitty gritty coz I’m trying to keep my posts short, or at least manageable. In a nutshell, here it is:

1. I celebrated a big ol’ birthday

2. I partied for 5-6 days straight for said birthday. This was so much fun!

3. I met someone. Yes, you read that right: I met someone during the partying. Mm hm…I’m definitely smiling

4. I’ve made some pretty big decisions that will affect my life and the lives of some of my friends for better or worse

5. In general, I’m happier and calmer and even more trusting, with thanks to some very loving, patient, supportive friends. Thanks ya’ll, and watch this space for more personalized shout-outs to you.

OK…so I’m looking forward to seeing more of you again and again. TTFN

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

distracted

Work on my sweater vest is progressing slowly, as expected.  I’m still moving ahead on it but I needed to take a bit of a hiatus last week so I could finish another project that was already on another set of needles.  The only knitting thing I brought her with me was a spring/fall tuque that was just needing the ends finished but I decided that the brim was way to wide.  I decided to try knitting from the top down and by knitting through a telephone conversation, lunch break and the walk home from school I finished this:

From start to finish, the revamped hat took a smidgen more than a day and was readyjust in time for my day in the nursery school.  Imitation is the game at that age so adults must have a hat on outside too.  The new hat is not near as warm as the lined winter tuque I made a few winters ago but this wind and cooler weather definitely necessitates the use of a hat and the winter one would be too much right now.  I’m just hoping I can use this tuque for a good long while yet!

Billions in US aid never reached Pakistan army

Kerry-Lugar Alert. (remember U.S. aid = taxpayer $)

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – The United States has long suspected that much of the billions of dollars it has sent Pakistan to battle militants has been diverted to the domestic economy and other causes, such as fighting India.

Now the scope and longevity of the misuse is becoming clear: Between 2002 and 2008, while al-Qaida regrouped, only $500 million of the $6.6 billion in American aid actually made it to the Pakistani military, two army generals tell The Associated Press.

The account of the generals, who asked to remain anonymous because military rules forbid them from speaking publicly, was backed up by other retired and active generals, former bureaucrats and government ministers.

Read it all via Billions in US aid never reached Pakistan army – Yahoo! News.

Bored.Dying.De-motivated.Still surviving.Alhamdulillah

Bored.Dying.De-motivated.Still surviving.Alhamdulillah

Thanks to Cik Coach for this. I tagged my self. Tee-hee~

 

The RULES:
Bold the statements that are true to you. Italic the statements that you WISH are true. Leave the Fibs alone. Then, stab 5 ladies to do the same test.
The LIST to Bold/Italic/Just-let-it-be:

I miss somebody right now.
I don’t watch TV these days.
I own lots of magazines.
I wear glasses or contact lenses.
I love to play video games.
I’ve tried marijuana.
I have been in a threesome.
I have been the psycho-ex in a past relationship
I believe honesty is usually the best policy.
I curse sometimes.
I have changed a lot mentally over the last year.
I carry my knife/razor everywhere with me.
I’m totally smart.
I’ve broken someone’s bones.
I’m paranoid sometimes.
I would get plastic surgery if it were 100% safe, free of cost, and scar-free.
I need money right now. (Simpan duit…)
I love sushi.
I talk really, really fast.
I have long hair.
I have lost money in Las Vegas.
I have at least one sibling.
I have worn fake hair/fingernails/eyelashes in the past.
I couldn’t survive without Caller I.D
I like the way I look.
I am usually pessimistic
I have a lot of mood swings.
I have a hidden talent.
I’m always hyper no matter how much sugar i have.
I have a lot of friends.
I have pecked someone of the same sex.
I enjoy talking on the phone.
I practically live in sweatpants or PJ pants.
I love to shop.
I enjoy window shopping.
I would rather shop then eat.
I don’t hate anyone. I dislike them.
I’m completely embarrassed to be seen with my mother.
I have a cell phone.
I believe in God.
I watch MTV on a daily basis.
I have passed out drunk in the past 6 months.
I’ve rejected someone before.
I have no idea what i want to do for the rest of my life.
I want to have children in the future
I have changed a diaper before.
I’ve called the cops on a friend before.
I’m not allergic to anything.
I have a lot to learn.
I have been with someone at least 10 years older or younger.
I am shy around the opposite sex.
I have tried alcohol before.
I have made a move on a friend’s significant other or crush in the past.
I own the “South Park” movie. (but i’ve lost it, must be in one of the unpack boxes)
I would die for my best friends.
I think that Pizza Hut has the best pizza.
I have used my sexuality to advance my career.
I love Michael Jackson, scandals and all.
Halloween is awesome because you get free candy.
I watch Spongebob Squarepants and i like it.
I have dated a close friends’s ex.
I am happy at this moment!!
I’m obsessed with guys (on TV).
I study for tests most of the time.
I tie my shoelaces differently from anyone I’ve ever met.
I can work on a car.
I love my job
I am comfortable with who I am right now.
I have more than just my ears pierced.
I walk barefoot wherever i can.
I have jumped off a bridge.
I love sea turtles.
I spend ridiculous money on makeup.
I plan on achieving a major goal/dream.
I’m proficient in a musical instrument.
I worked at McDonald’s restaurant.
I hate office jobs.
I love sci-fi movies.
I think water rules.
I went college out of state.
I like sausage.
I love kisses.
I fall for the worst people.
I adore bright colours.
I can’t live without black eyeliner.
I don’t know why the hell i just did this stupid thing.
I usually like covers better than originals.
I can pick up things with my toes.
I can’t whistle.
I can move my tongue in waves, much like a snakes slither.
I have ridden/owned a horse. (ridden & wish to own)
I still have every journal I’ve ever written in.
I can’t stick to a diet.
I talk in my sleep.
I try to forget things by drowning them out with loads of distractions
Climbing trees is a brilliant past-time.
I have jazz in my blood.
I wear a toe ring.
I have a tattoo.
I can’t stand at LEAST one person that i work with.
I am a caffeine junkie.
I have been to over 15 conventions.
I will collect anything, and the more nonsensical, the better.
I’m an artist.
I only clean my room when necessary.
I like a person of the same sex.
I love being happy.
I am an adrenaline junkie.


Sunday, October 4, 2009

Let there be chaos – sort of

Program code follows order. Syntax and semantics. But when run, they can be very unpredictable and unordered. Chaos out of order you might say. A clear picture of this are fractals (although they embody both order and chaos at the same time); a better example may be random numbers.

Actually, most of the time we deal with pseudo-random numbers, that is, numbers that operate on a seed value and calculate some other number based on this seed value. But then, if we know the seed value, we can compute the “random” number, so unless the seed value itself is random, we don’t have a truly random number.

More troublingly, how can we even determine that a number is random? Well, let’s not go there. Instead, let’s try to bring order to the chaos that is randomness in Random in the .Net Framework. In particular, rather than fetching one “random” number at a time, we should see randomness is a stream of numbers.

So the definition follows*

public static IE Random(this int seed, int min = 0, int max = int.MaxValue) { var r = new Random(seed); while (true) yield return r.Next(min, max); }

So this looks pretty good, now instead of calling r.Next explicitly, and thereby invoking a side-effect, we just get a sequence of pseudo-random or chaotic numbers based on a seed value.

This means we have pure randomness: functional randomness where chaos is a function of order, that is we get the same randomness for the same seed, every time; at least unless the implementation of Random breaks and suddenly gives us new randomness for the same seed value; something which would be highly… irregular.

Now we can create a random combinator which given an IEnumerable and a seed value, will predictably randomize this IEnumerable into a new IEnumerable.

public static IE Random(this IE s, int seed = 0) { var n = s.Count(); return from i in seed.Random(0, n).Distinct().Take(n) select s.ElementAt(i); }

Simple, predictable, composable.

Now looking back at the previous post “Information”, we might be inspired to decompose randomness into a stream of bits instead; I mean, why should we deal with pesky integers. Looks like a random choice of number system to me.

public static IE Random(this bool seed) { var r = new Random(seed ? 1 : 0); while (true) yield return r.Next(0,1) == 1; }

And so there you go. Pure, predictable, pseudo-random numbers in the most simple package there is: a stream of bits.

* Notice that IE is short-hand for IEnumerable.

A thought, by way of a poem

Give us Men!
Men-from every rank,
Fresh and free and frank;
Men of thought and reading,
Men of light and leading,
Men of loyal breeding,
The nation’s welfare speeding;
Men of faith and not of fiction,
Men of lofty aim in action;
Give us Men-I say again,
Give us Men!

Give us Men!
Strong and stalwart ones;
Men whom highest hope inspires,
Men whom purest honor fires,
Men who trample self beneath them,
Men who make their country wreath them
As her noble sons,
Worthy of their sires;
Men who never shame their mothers,
Men who never fail their brothers,
True, however false are others:
Give us Men-I say again,
Give us Men!

Give us Men!
Men who, when the tempest gathers,
Grasp the standard of their fathers
In the thickest fight;
Men who strike for home and later,
(Let the coward cringe and falter),
God defend the right!
True as truth the lorn and lonely,
Tender, as the brave are lonely,
Men who treat where saints have trod,
Men for Country, Home- and God:
Give us Men! I say again- again-
Give us Men!

-Josiah Gilbert Holland

Time is Standing Still

(written on the shores of Whiskeytown Lake)

Time is standing still. All around, tall, green trees straighten up, daring any living creature to break the reigning peace. Silence. Nothing happens. The trees remain upright and motionless; a quiet testament to their victory. A soft wind blows, putting the grand guardians to sleep. Time is standing still.

Yet, there is one thing the trees seem to consent. It happens to be the soothing rhythm of the water, flowing peacefully on the lake beneath them. There is not a rush in the world. No errands, no missions, no commotion. A gentle rhythm, and that is all. Time was not made for water. Time is standing still.

Suddenly, curiosity draws a bird to hover over the water. He flies in circles, as if waiting for something to happen. But not on this lake. The trees awaken and call for the wind to swoosh on their branches. Together, they produce the greatest of noises. It begins as a gentle whistle and suddenly it grows louder and then louder. The warm air flees and is replaced by the impersonal, cold wind. A majestic fear settles. The bird, no longer agog but now immensely afraid, flies as far away as he can. The wind stops. Warm air comes back to grace the sand. Peace is restored. Satisfaction reflects off the trees. Time is standing still.

The sun yawns in the distance, as he lays his head to sleep. One by one, the stars appear on the sky. One big reunion of constellations. The trees seem quite uneasy with all the changes going on. But it doesn’t matter. Soon enough, time will be standing still.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Another pro-jihad imam surfaces in Zazi terror case

Why are people like Halimi allowed in the U.S.?

Zazi was also surrounded by his Afghan culture, living with others from his country. His family’s apartment was in the same small building as that of Saifur Rahman Halimi, an imam who was a chief representative for top Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. Halimi attended the same mosque as the Zazi family.

Hekmatyar, one of three main U.S. enemies in Afghanistan, was a major figure in that country’s civil war and was briefly installed as prime minister. The U.S. declared Hekmatyar a global terrorist in 2003, and forces loyal to Hekmatyar openly fight American and international forces in Afghanistan.

In Queens, Halimi became a trusted voice for Hekmatyar’s cause and a vocal supporter of the global jihad. A video from one of Halimi’s speeches in 1992 captures his zeal for a “pure Islamic system” in Afghanistan and denunciations of Western intervention. “In the very near future, we will liberate all human beings from these devils,” he said then. “They know the power of Islam.

Halimi and the Zazi family joined others who split from their Queens mosque during a leadership dispute. They also gathered at times with a close-knit group that prayed, ate and socialized together, said Mohammad Sherzad, the imam on the other side of the schism.

Halimi, 61, now imam of a Philadelphia mosque, told The Associated Press he was stunned by Zazi’s arrest.

Read it all via Radical influences all around NYC terror suspect | Associated Press | Times Leader.

You can’t really be an imam if you are anti-jihad, can you?

We are traveling tomorrow!

LONDON TOMORROW!! This is so exciting! Lovise and me are going to do so many fun things, like shopping (!), Madame Tussaud and The London Eye. We don’t know wich musical we are going to, you have any ideas?

 

Fun   fun   fun   fun   fun   fun   fun   fun  and   fun

Maybe I should start packing my suitcase? Bye!

Wish us good luck!

 

 

08.00

Plutselig ringte telefonen og plutselig hadde jeg sagt ja til å slepe meg ut av den varme sengen og bort på jobb. Da er det flott å tenke på at jeg lå oppe halve natten og skypet med min kjære kusine, ikke sant? Er uansett bare for noen timer, det ligger 2 minutter unna og jeg trenger pengene, så jeg kan vell egentlig ikke klage!

…OgVoila, jeg har på meg lue så hodeskallen ikke skal få frostskader.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

+CORNERS+

So…minna…Uhm…I’m going to be on semi-hiatus, ne? Because of school and such so I can’t update…

About the corners…well…no one commented…[hahah!! xDD]

But fortunately, I came up with…at least three? Corners. So, these are…

+ Ano Corner Deshita!!!!~

+ Key Lime Time!!!!~

+ OmedettOu!!!!~

Okay, so first thing’s first, `Ano Corner Deshita!!!!~` is about…having one J.e. guy in the spotlight. That will happen once a month and the post will be all about him. Once a moth only because…If it were every week, there might be no updates or they might not be doing anything at that particular moment so the info at the past post will just be repeated. So, to refrain any repetition, it will be done once a month. There’s no particular order and there’s no particular group. As long as he’s or he was a member of J.e. they will be posted there…if I know them.xD. I’ll try hard not to post too much Ryosuke/Chinen/Daiki. So yea.xD.Please look forward to it!~~

Next, `Key Lime Time!!!!~` is…it’s just like in Yamadas where there’s a letter and that letter has a corresponding meaning to it. And no, it does not follow the order of the alphabet. But I might be a bit late so if you’ve heard of it already, just bear with me, ne? Again, as long as that person is or was a member of J.e. he will be included as long as I know him.xD.[:nOte: ii just gOt the name frOm the fLavOr Of ice cream ii ate ;D.;]

Last, `OmedettOu!!!!~` is where I will post the greetings from now on. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary…whatever the occasion is…it will be posted there ^^.

nOte: there might be some people that I might add that are not in Johnny’s. So yea. My blog is Hey! Say! JUMP/Johnny’s-centric but not that much ^^. Well it will depend on my mood so yea.

I promise not to think and post too much about Ryosuke/Chinen/Daiki in those corners. Please look forward to it and I hope that you’ll enjoy!

-`~StrawBerrryHeart/Chammy-Chan~`-

[.Dubai.tO.ichigO.tO.nasU.tO.udOn.]

Oyasuminasai~~ [currently 2:34 a.m. here…*yawn*] (- o -)

Lots of Stuff, Mostly Random

So you may not have noticed, but I haven’t exactly been, um, prolific the last couple days. I’d like to say it’s because I’ve been so busy doing charitable acts for stray puppies, but the truth is that I’ve mostly been playing around with Elements, following lots of tutorials, and creating things like this:

Which I think looks awesome but which I never ever could have made if I hadn’t been following a tutorial.

I haven’t only been playing on Elements. I’ve also been practicing my mad hair-styling skills on the little girls at work:

Those are french braids, people. And yes, they’re kind of loose and probably not at all even, but they are still french braids. And this was taken last week and I’ve gotten more practice since then. I’m doing better and better. I was really sad yesterday I didn’t have my camera because I did this style on a girl with longer hair and did messy buns (which my awesome sister taught me how to make), and it looked awesome. Oh well.

And I have been doting on the Little One, who is stinking cute. And reading other people’s blogs. And generally finding every possible way to procrastinate my housework.

But one of the biggest things I’ve been working on this week is my 101 in 1001 list. You can click on the link to see my list, or on the 101 in 1001 tab at the top of my blog banner. If you’ve never heard of this project, it’s about setting goals. And then you give yourself 1001 days to do them– that’s almost three years. My sister convinced me to join her, but she doesn’t have her list quite ready yet. When she does I will link her up.

So that’s what I’ve been up to, and what I will be up to. I’d love it if you would join me in this whole goal-setting thing. If you do, be sure to post and let me know so we can cheer each other on!

Oh, and by the way, tune in tomorrow for a GIVEAWAY!!!

Huh. I guess I’d better get to that laundry now.

Disney World without the rides...and characters...

So for those of you that don’t know, I am a member of The Wings Club at my school–it’s a pretty legit, as well as extremely exclusive, club within my sorority. Basically, we get together and eat wings as often as we can, but not more than once a week, otherwise we’d probably all die. We share great times and great food with GREAT people. Last night, the Wings Club took a little field trip to a place called Quaker Steak and Lube. We had never heard about it until recently, and their advertisement of being voted the best wings in the U.S.A as well as their whopping SIXTEEN different flavors of wings definitely reeled us in. As if that wasn’t enough, Tuesdays is ALL YOU CAN eat wings for only like $12–that was what sealed the deal for sure. So, we hopped into the Wing Mobile and drove out into the night. 15 minutes later, we arrived at what seemed to be the holy grail of wing joints. Adorned with auto parts, cars, custom choppers and a shit-ton of street signs–we were home. We sat down at a table and our waiter, Randizzle, came over to serve us. Obviously each of us got the all you can eat special. We ordered the flavors we wanted, and sat at the table admiring what surrounded us–it was glorious.

The wings came, and so did a bunch of free homemade potato chips with this insane hot, Guinness-cheese dip. The wings were awesome, not the best the wings club has ever sampled, but definitely up there on the list. With all the wings we could stomach in front of us, we had no choice but to turn this trip into a competition amongst the club–so that’s when it began. Whoever ate the most wings by the time the check came would be the victor. I can eat, that’s for sure, so I was determined to win, but my taysian friend (Tan-Asian) definitely stood in my way. I don’t really understand her–she ate a small dinner at the house before we left, and she was still munching away like a pro at the table! She’s one of the thinnest people I know, and she can eat more than half of the guys I know. I’d say she can eat enough to feed a small country…I kid you not. Then, there was my friend, let’s just call her motormouth for arguments sake. This girl usually gets boneless wings, and only 3 of them, so I didn’t think too much of her standing in my way that night. Then there was the blonde one, she didn’t pose much of a threat, but nonetheless, she was still competition in my eyes. And so it began.

We were all pretty much on the same page, but then blondie’s stomach gave out because she had a little something to eat beforehand, but the rest of us were still in full force. The taysian and I were tied at 16 a piece, and motormouth was rounding the corner with 14 under her belt–it was getting fierce. I was proudly chowing down on my 19th wing when I began to feel something strange–pain. I couldn’t eat anymore, I just couldn’t do it. I felt like someone stuck cement down my throat and it had just solidified–not a good feeling. I decided to stand up and jump a little bit to try and work the food down, into my stomach, because at the moment I felt it in my throat. At this point, the taysian was on wing number 30, I know…ridiculous, and somehow motormouth was on her 19th and still going strong! I felt ashamed, so after a few moments and another trip to the bathroom, I stuck wing number 20 in my mouth, and with much pain and force, I finished it. Of course, I still came in third place at the final standings were as follows:

4th: Blondie with 13 wings

3rd: Me with 20 wings

2nd: Motormouth with 25 wings

1st: Taysian with 35 wings! That’s more than most men can eat!

It was definitely a “holy shit” moment for both the wings club and Randizzle when we saw how many wings Taysian was able to eat, but we were so proud of her that we couldn’t help but congratulate her for the feat she had just accomplished. Overall, we had a bangin’ time at Quaker Steak and Lube, and we plan on going back sometime in the very near future. Now we know not to eat for hours upon hours before we head over there to eat, because we’ll get our fair share when we get there.