WHERE DID ALL THIS GARBAGE COME FROM?~!?@~!?
I swear, it takes longer to pack every year. I don't know whether I have more stuff or just work slower, but it seems like it takes WAY too long to get everything in the car. Just finished now after about three or four hours... What's even more pathetic is this summer I left almost EVERYTHING in boxes for the entire summer, so I could just throw them back in the car come fall... yet all the miscellaneous stuff I had to replace or add in took just as long as starting from scratch if not longer.
Anyway, I'm one tiyurd lil boy, and am gonna go catch some Z's. The theory is around a 9am wakeup, a 10am departure, a 12 noon ETA, and probably about a 1pm online time (why make the bed, when you can plug in the comp). Best way to see if things worked out is if I'm on IRC (irc.gamesnet.net #VII, THUNDER) or AIM (thndrMATT). I don't anticipate having any problems with the connection, but Murphy's law, and all. Hoping to spend the better part of Saturday and Sunday having my comp abuse the campus connection for all its worth, until everyone else logs in and starts hogging by Sunday night.
Outside of New Years at Disneyland (a whole nother story) Move In Day is my favorite day of the year. Looking forward to it, hoping to see some cheerful faces to help forget the tearful ones, at least temporarily.
Friday, September 14, 2001
Up, Up, Up, and Away...
Not a whole lot of time to chit chat tonight, in the midst of packing the car... I like having it fully loaded the night before, so I can just roll out of bed into the shower and head out whenever is convenient the next day. The nice thing about moving in a day early is there's no rush, its just you and about 8 other people in the building until the next day.
Sometimes I get the feeling I'm repeating myself in my blogs. I probably am. But then again I repeat stories in real life, hopefully not always to the same people.
The comp is always the last to be packed, and the first to be unpacked. :) Its basically come down to a science, moving in and out that is. I'm pretty particular about stuff, so once I found the best setup for the furniture and such things stayed pretty much the same the next couple years. I like always knowing where stuff is, there's nothing more frustrating about searching for the remote control for eons on end at home. Or the stapler, or tape, or any other supplies that we always manage to be out of. AAA batteries, another thing that's annoying never available. OI! How am I supposed to get pages without those.
Ah yes, I do have a pager. For the most part, its for emergencies. I'd rather always be available if an emergency did happen to someone close to me, I'd rather not find out about it hours later. So I don't get many pages, some from friends but that's about it. No news is good news, I suppose. I've never really seen the point of cell phones, they're convenient at times, but hampering and even dangerous at others. Whenever I get a page I'm generally very close to a pay phone, its pretty tough to be somewhere where there isn't one close by. I really get annoyed by people who talk on cell phones and drive, since it almost always negatively influences their abilities as a driver. Must have seen like ten of them on the way up to pick up my headset mic.
Speaking of which, got one of those cool headsets that go behind ur head instead of on top, so you don't get that dent in your head that everyone makes fun of. At least I do, I have wavy/thick/poofy hair that is generally combed back so it makes it real obvious. Oi. Its got a great mic on it too, makes me feel like the Secret Service when I'm using one of the voice communication proggies. Never ceases to amaze me that I can log on and talk with someone from another country, or play a game with someone across the United States, all through a computer and microphone.
Saw an absolute ton of American flags driving home today, really made me feel good about the good ol USA. Downloaded what I feel is the ultimate edition of the Star Spangled Banner, the one sung by Whitney Houston at the 95 Super Bowl. Goosebumps every single time I hear it, they played it on the radio today at noon after the one minute of silence. Was amazing seeing that other countries in different parts of the world did the same thing, all supporing ours.
Alas, I could be talking about anything, and my mind will always revert back to the recent events in our country. I guess its only natural. I'm not a very emotional person, the only times I really let go are when I'm truly alone. Its hard for me to show remorse or despair in public, and I think a lot of people see me as shallow because of it. They just don't know. Still no word.
I apologize for the convoluted style of tonight's post, then again, why should I? After all I'm pretty sure the subtitle of this page includes the word "ramblings." :)
Not a whole lot of time to chit chat tonight, in the midst of packing the car... I like having it fully loaded the night before, so I can just roll out of bed into the shower and head out whenever is convenient the next day. The nice thing about moving in a day early is there's no rush, its just you and about 8 other people in the building until the next day.
Sometimes I get the feeling I'm repeating myself in my blogs. I probably am. But then again I repeat stories in real life, hopefully not always to the same people.
The comp is always the last to be packed, and the first to be unpacked. :) Its basically come down to a science, moving in and out that is. I'm pretty particular about stuff, so once I found the best setup for the furniture and such things stayed pretty much the same the next couple years. I like always knowing where stuff is, there's nothing more frustrating about searching for the remote control for eons on end at home. Or the stapler, or tape, or any other supplies that we always manage to be out of. AAA batteries, another thing that's annoying never available. OI! How am I supposed to get pages without those.
Ah yes, I do have a pager. For the most part, its for emergencies. I'd rather always be available if an emergency did happen to someone close to me, I'd rather not find out about it hours later. So I don't get many pages, some from friends but that's about it. No news is good news, I suppose. I've never really seen the point of cell phones, they're convenient at times, but hampering and even dangerous at others. Whenever I get a page I'm generally very close to a pay phone, its pretty tough to be somewhere where there isn't one close by. I really get annoyed by people who talk on cell phones and drive, since it almost always negatively influences their abilities as a driver. Must have seen like ten of them on the way up to pick up my headset mic.
Speaking of which, got one of those cool headsets that go behind ur head instead of on top, so you don't get that dent in your head that everyone makes fun of. At least I do, I have wavy/thick/poofy hair that is generally combed back so it makes it real obvious. Oi. Its got a great mic on it too, makes me feel like the Secret Service when I'm using one of the voice communication proggies. Never ceases to amaze me that I can log on and talk with someone from another country, or play a game with someone across the United States, all through a computer and microphone.
Saw an absolute ton of American flags driving home today, really made me feel good about the good ol USA. Downloaded what I feel is the ultimate edition of the Star Spangled Banner, the one sung by Whitney Houston at the 95 Super Bowl. Goosebumps every single time I hear it, they played it on the radio today at noon after the one minute of silence. Was amazing seeing that other countries in different parts of the world did the same thing, all supporing ours.
Alas, I could be talking about anything, and my mind will always revert back to the recent events in our country. I guess its only natural. I'm not a very emotional person, the only times I really let go are when I'm truly alone. Its hard for me to show remorse or despair in public, and I think a lot of people see me as shallow because of it. They just don't know. Still no word.
I apologize for the convoluted style of tonight's post, then again, why should I? After all I'm pretty sure the subtitle of this page includes the word "ramblings." :)
Thursday, September 13, 2001
Stuck in Repetition.
Two days, well, one techinically as we're about to cross over to Friday morning. Then away to UCSB with me, all my stuff, my computer, my clothes, my memoirs, my life. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, have to wash all my clothes, go shopping for everything on my list that I don't have already, get a haircut, pack the car, etc, etc. Blogs are going to be sparse over the next day or two as I am packing up the comp/moving into the dorms. Saturday night I should have plenty to say about the people I will have met up to that point though. Sunday is the main move in day for everyone else, and I'm sure out of the hundreds of people I'll meet I'll be babbling on about some of them as well.
Can't even really think about what I got accomplished today, other than continuing to install software on my comp, and getting everything squared away there. These last few days I've just been a bump on a log.
Still haven't heard from her. The clock ticks on.
Two days, well, one techinically as we're about to cross over to Friday morning. Then away to UCSB with me, all my stuff, my computer, my clothes, my memoirs, my life. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, have to wash all my clothes, go shopping for everything on my list that I don't have already, get a haircut, pack the car, etc, etc. Blogs are going to be sparse over the next day or two as I am packing up the comp/moving into the dorms. Saturday night I should have plenty to say about the people I will have met up to that point though. Sunday is the main move in day for everyone else, and I'm sure out of the hundreds of people I'll meet I'll be babbling on about some of them as well.
Can't even really think about what I got accomplished today, other than continuing to install software on my comp, and getting everything squared away there. These last few days I've just been a bump on a log.
Still haven't heard from her. The clock ticks on.
Wednesday, September 12, 2001
Two Days, Two Worlds.
I've spent most of the last two days like everyone else, glued to the television set, and the internet. Eyes glazed over, watching videos of something that seems like its a world away, when it's not. I actually was about 8 hours behind everyone else, having stayed up until 5:30am local time here putting together the new computer, and instlaling all the hardware and software. It's really fun for me, spent about 12 hours straight working on it before crashing. Woke up around noon the next day, came out to see a note saying "turn on channel 42." Clicked on CNN, and at first, didn't really know what was going on. Saw terrorist attack, and a lot of smoke in NY, but that's about it. Came in and logged on to my comp, joined my usual IRC channels, and all of a sudden people were talking about the World Trade Center coming down. Went back to the TV, and sat there dumbfounded for at least 2 or 3 hours watching the same videos and hearing the same accounts over and over.
One of the first things that came to mind when hearing about the DC attack was my most recent ex-girlfriend, who last I heard was at UCDC this semester. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't have anything to do with the Pentagon, but I e-mailed her immediately, and called her place in the Bay Area, no response to either, cept an answering machine. She might just be away from her comp for a few days. Hoping that's the case.
We go back a long ways, she was my best friend for a while before we were together. We spent the better part of two and a half years as a couple, most of which while she was at UCBerkeley and I was at UCSB, or a senior in high school, due to our one year difference in age, she being the elder. We had some trying times, but in some ways that made us stronger. A simple bad mood was enough to explode into a raging argument at times, though. The end wasn't the prettiest thing, it basically just came to a point that the arguing was regular, and her priorities with both work (full time during the summer and a lot of time during the school year0 and her degree (graduating this spring) had had elevated to the highest level of commitment. Her concerns with maintaining relationships, especially long distance ones, became minimal.
She knows more about me than anyone, there are some secrets we shared that not even my family knew, nor any of my previous girlfriends. (there were two, reading that over it looks like there were a million). I've never been closer to a human being.
Its been a year since we went our seperate ways, and I've yet to have a date or female encounter other than friendship since. I really don't think it's due to my lack of trying, its just that I've never really found someone who sees what's inside, sees me for who I really am. Its been a long time, and truth be told I miss a lot about being someone's boyfriend. The hugs, the smiles, the late night conversations, and just about anywhere we went, together.
I'm being selfish. Thousands of people lost their lives and won't see their loved ones again and I'm worried about whether I'll ever find one of my own.
Rest in peace, all those who lost their lives in the terrible tragedy yesterday.
May your spirits live on in the heart of America.
I've spent most of the last two days like everyone else, glued to the television set, and the internet. Eyes glazed over, watching videos of something that seems like its a world away, when it's not. I actually was about 8 hours behind everyone else, having stayed up until 5:30am local time here putting together the new computer, and instlaling all the hardware and software. It's really fun for me, spent about 12 hours straight working on it before crashing. Woke up around noon the next day, came out to see a note saying "turn on channel 42." Clicked on CNN, and at first, didn't really know what was going on. Saw terrorist attack, and a lot of smoke in NY, but that's about it. Came in and logged on to my comp, joined my usual IRC channels, and all of a sudden people were talking about the World Trade Center coming down. Went back to the TV, and sat there dumbfounded for at least 2 or 3 hours watching the same videos and hearing the same accounts over and over.
One of the first things that came to mind when hearing about the DC attack was my most recent ex-girlfriend, who last I heard was at UCDC this semester. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't have anything to do with the Pentagon, but I e-mailed her immediately, and called her place in the Bay Area, no response to either, cept an answering machine. She might just be away from her comp for a few days. Hoping that's the case.
We go back a long ways, she was my best friend for a while before we were together. We spent the better part of two and a half years as a couple, most of which while she was at UCBerkeley and I was at UCSB, or a senior in high school, due to our one year difference in age, she being the elder. We had some trying times, but in some ways that made us stronger. A simple bad mood was enough to explode into a raging argument at times, though. The end wasn't the prettiest thing, it basically just came to a point that the arguing was regular, and her priorities with both work (full time during the summer and a lot of time during the school year0 and her degree (graduating this spring) had had elevated to the highest level of commitment. Her concerns with maintaining relationships, especially long distance ones, became minimal.
She knows more about me than anyone, there are some secrets we shared that not even my family knew, nor any of my previous girlfriends. (there were two, reading that over it looks like there were a million). I've never been closer to a human being.
Its been a year since we went our seperate ways, and I've yet to have a date or female encounter other than friendship since. I really don't think it's due to my lack of trying, its just that I've never really found someone who sees what's inside, sees me for who I really am. Its been a long time, and truth be told I miss a lot about being someone's boyfriend. The hugs, the smiles, the late night conversations, and just about anywhere we went, together.
I'm being selfish. Thousands of people lost their lives and won't see their loved ones again and I'm worried about whether I'll ever find one of my own.
Rest in peace, all those who lost their lives in the terrible tragedy yesterday.
May your spirits live on in the heart of America.
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Monday, September 10, 2001
Mel Gibson + Sex Change?
Not quite, although the similarities are many between the truly excellent movie I watched tonight called Joan of Arc and Gibson's movie Braveheart another of my favorites. Note: This is not the same movie as the one with the title The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc. Although I have it, I have not seen that version. From what I hear it makes her out to be much more insane, whereas this one does a good job of making her the good guy. Highly recommend this one, although two downsides are its length (3 hours and change) and the fact it doesn't have the most cheerful ending. That's probably all I need to say, and if you know your history you already know what happens. Actually, the movie starts with the ending, as some do, before flashing back to the beginning. Sort of like Titanic in that way, you go in knowing whats going to happen without really knowing what happens in between. Very strong acting on all sides, and some great cinematography. Also quite a powerful score, very appropriate. Besides which, with Doogie Howser playing the part of the French king, how can you go wrong! :) Leelee Sobieski (I know I butchered the spelling on that one, sue me) did a beautiful job in the lead role, and I don't see how the other Joan of Arc movie could be better. I'll give it a fair shot though, at least so I can compare and have a good recommendation on which people should borrow if they want the better of the two. Little of everything in this one, some very high highs, and some bottom of the barrel lows. If you like letting your emotions roll with the movie, you're in for quite a ride.
Quite a fiasco with the repeated posts yesterday... The thought occurred to me that I could switch to monthly archiving and it probably wouldn't eat that first day, then again it might eat the whole first month. Anyway, I figure that no one outside of my family (and probably no one inside either) will actually read this entire thing word for word, so I won't trouble myself TOO much about it. I like to think that if the perfect person does stumble across this somehow though, they'll be able to find what they're looking for, somewhere in here. They say you can learn a lot about a person by going through their trash, you can learn a lot more by reading their daily blabbering.
Btw, toffee peanuts are very yummy. Especially when washed down with a red Slurpee. (It was on the way back from Blockbuster, I swear!)
Not quite, although the similarities are many between the truly excellent movie I watched tonight called Joan of Arc and Gibson's movie Braveheart another of my favorites. Note: This is not the same movie as the one with the title The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc. Although I have it, I have not seen that version. From what I hear it makes her out to be much more insane, whereas this one does a good job of making her the good guy. Highly recommend this one, although two downsides are its length (3 hours and change) and the fact it doesn't have the most cheerful ending. That's probably all I need to say, and if you know your history you already know what happens. Actually, the movie starts with the ending, as some do, before flashing back to the beginning. Sort of like Titanic in that way, you go in knowing whats going to happen without really knowing what happens in between. Very strong acting on all sides, and some great cinematography. Also quite a powerful score, very appropriate. Besides which, with Doogie Howser playing the part of the French king, how can you go wrong! :) Leelee Sobieski (I know I butchered the spelling on that one, sue me) did a beautiful job in the lead role, and I don't see how the other Joan of Arc movie could be better. I'll give it a fair shot though, at least so I can compare and have a good recommendation on which people should borrow if they want the better of the two. Little of everything in this one, some very high highs, and some bottom of the barrel lows. If you like letting your emotions roll with the movie, you're in for quite a ride.
Quite a fiasco with the repeated posts yesterday... The thought occurred to me that I could switch to monthly archiving and it probably wouldn't eat that first day, then again it might eat the whole first month. Anyway, I figure that no one outside of my family (and probably no one inside either) will actually read this entire thing word for word, so I won't trouble myself TOO much about it. I like to think that if the perfect person does stumble across this somehow though, they'll be able to find what they're looking for, somewhere in here. They say you can learn a lot about a person by going through their trash, you can learn a lot more by reading their daily blabbering.
Btw, toffee peanuts are very yummy. Especially when washed down with a red Slurpee. (It was on the way back from Blockbuster, I swear!)
Sunday, September 09, 2001
My Butt is Happy
Why the strange topic, you might ask. Well, today I bought a chair. To most people this is quite an insignificant thing. Unless you happen to live in the dorms at UCSB. Then you happen to know that the chair that "comes with the room" is basically a piece of wood, with legs. For nine months out of the last two years I've been basically the most uncomfortable person on the planet. A few days ago the thought occurred to me that this was not a good thing (go figure). I realized I have plenty of room under my bed to stuff the wooden chair if I bought a decent one, and yet would still be able to drag out the old one for visitors or movie watching or what not. So I dragged my dag out today in search for The Perfect Chair(tm).
We finally discovered it at Staples. A chair that had a high enough back that I at five feet eleven and thirty one thirty seconds inches could lean back without getting a massive crick in my neck. The top bulk of cushioning fits snugly between my upper back and my head, in that little crevice caused by the neck. I can effectively have total neck and head support while still sitting basically upright. In other words, I could be typing, gaming, whatever, and still have support for my entire upper body.
This is not the only positive quality however. Its leather, which of course makes it comfortable. It makes a big WHOOOOSH sound when you sit in it as all the air escapes out the sides (moreso for me than others I think). The arms are padded (again this might not be significant, but sure is a luxury once you have it). It tilts back to an absolute perfect angle (not like other chairs where to get it back to a comfortable level you have to tilt up on two legs, generally causing you to fall on your ass in front of a large crowd of gawkers) so that you may stare at the ceiling, watch a movie, put your feet up, or whatever you please in total comfort.
Granted, the chair was not cheap, but I feel it was worth every penny. I figure I'll use it for a lot longer than I'll use most things, and I can take it with me wherever I'm living. Even found it in black, after we almost had to buy the scuffed maroon floor model they had available. True, I could have bought the el cheapo forty buck chair, but I figure a perfect chair and hours and hours of utterly total comfort is more than worth a hundred plus.
So, along with the beanbag chair I picked up last year (which has now been downgraded to the second most comfortable piece of furniture in the room) I'm quite proud of the way my dorm room will be looking. Plenty of room for visitors to make themselves comfortable.
There I go, acting like people will come see me. Well, there's always those who pity. :)
Why the strange topic, you might ask. Well, today I bought a chair. To most people this is quite an insignificant thing. Unless you happen to live in the dorms at UCSB. Then you happen to know that the chair that "comes with the room" is basically a piece of wood, with legs. For nine months out of the last two years I've been basically the most uncomfortable person on the planet. A few days ago the thought occurred to me that this was not a good thing (go figure). I realized I have plenty of room under my bed to stuff the wooden chair if I bought a decent one, and yet would still be able to drag out the old one for visitors or movie watching or what not. So I dragged my dag out today in search for The Perfect Chair(tm).
We finally discovered it at Staples. A chair that had a high enough back that I at five feet eleven and thirty one thirty seconds inches could lean back without getting a massive crick in my neck. The top bulk of cushioning fits snugly between my upper back and my head, in that little crevice caused by the neck. I can effectively have total neck and head support while still sitting basically upright. In other words, I could be typing, gaming, whatever, and still have support for my entire upper body.
This is not the only positive quality however. Its leather, which of course makes it comfortable. It makes a big WHOOOOSH sound when you sit in it as all the air escapes out the sides (moreso for me than others I think). The arms are padded (again this might not be significant, but sure is a luxury once you have it). It tilts back to an absolute perfect angle (not like other chairs where to get it back to a comfortable level you have to tilt up on two legs, generally causing you to fall on your ass in front of a large crowd of gawkers) so that you may stare at the ceiling, watch a movie, put your feet up, or whatever you please in total comfort.
Granted, the chair was not cheap, but I feel it was worth every penny. I figure I'll use it for a lot longer than I'll use most things, and I can take it with me wherever I'm living. Even found it in black, after we almost had to buy the scuffed maroon floor model they had available. True, I could have bought the el cheapo forty buck chair, but I figure a perfect chair and hours and hours of utterly total comfort is more than worth a hundred plus.
So, along with the beanbag chair I picked up last year (which has now been downgraded to the second most comfortable piece of furniture in the room) I'm quite proud of the way my dorm room will be looking. Plenty of room for visitors to make themselves comfortable.
There I go, acting like people will come see me. Well, there's always those who pity. :)
