Random Ramblings

Contrary to Popular Belief...

2010-08-27T10:57:00.003-06:00

I'm alive!

So, this blog post will be a long, drawn out post to explain not really where I've been, but where I'm going to be and why. However, to explain where I'm going to be, I have to explain where I was planning on being.

Make sense? Good.

So, last anyone heard, I was applying to Graduate School. I applied to four schools: Indiana University, SUNY-Albany, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and University of Arizona. Through sheer luck and determination (and awesome letters from the professors who wrote on my behalf) I was accepted to all four schools. After talking about it with my wife, we determined that Indiana was the best place for us to go.

And we were going to go, too.

All we had to do was sell our house. We put it on the market in March. However, still no signs of selling. Bummer. But that's not the only reason that we're not going.

You see, I work at the library on campus at Utah State University. Which means I get benefits. And around April, we found out that we were going to be having another baby. This baby is due in January. So, since I have awesome benefits, we called up Indiana University and deferred school for a year.

But that's not all.

See, I was going to be in a dual Master's program and receiving a History M.A. and a Master's in Library Science. It is a three year program. Plus we were going to take a year off, so I would be done in four years.

But then, one day early this month, I was riding the bus to work and thinking. You see, Utah State doesn't have a Library Science program, but they do have a History program. And remember how I mentioned that I work for the university? Well, not only do I get health benefits for the family, but they offer half-price tuition. Which I wasn't able to take advantage of during my undergraduate years.

So, I emailed back and forth between the Graduate School and the History Department's Grad Studies director, rushed an application, got in touch with those professors who wrote letters for me in the past (no small accomplishment. One is still at USU, one is teaching at the University of Pittsburgh, and one is starting at George Mason University in Virginia), and applied.

Begging a million different people, emailing and phoning back and forth, it all ended in a new situation. Beginning Monday, I will be an enrolled Graduate Student in the History program here at USU. Amazing how plans can change.

So, we still haven't sold our place. We're not moving to Indiana. But I am going to school. We are having another baby. And we get to stay around friends and family. So if you all would take a moment and pray for my wife's sanity while dealing with a two year old, being pregnant/having a baby, and having a husband in Grad school.

Oh, and keep on keepin' on.

Do You Know What Time of Year It Is???

2010-03-06T21:18:00.008-07:00

March - The third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, and one of the seven months which are 31 days long. The name of March comes from ancient Rome, when March was the first month of the year and named Martius after Mars, the Roman god of war. In Rome, where the climate is Mediterranean, March is the first month of spring, a logical point for the beginning of the year as well as the start of the military campaign season. March has multiple holidays and observances, including but not limited to: American Red Cross Month, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Women's History Month, St. David's Day, National Reading Day, World Maths Day, International Women's Day, Pluto Planet Day, Pi Day, Save a Spider Day, St. Patrick's Day, St. Joseph's Day, Vernal Equinox, World Water Day, Pakistan Day, etc., etc., etc. Also notable is March Madness, the beginning of the Annual NCAA Men's (and Women's) Basketball tournament.

Mustache - facial hair grown on the upper-lip. The term implies that the wearer grows only upper-lip hair while shaving the hair on his chin and cheeks. Shaving with stone razors was technologically possible from Neolithic times, but the oldest portrait showing a shaved man with a mustache is an ancient Iranian horseman from 300 BC. In more modern history, moustaches have been worn my military men. The umber of nations, regiments and ranks were equalled only by the number of styles and variations. Generally, the younger men and lower ranks work the smaller and less elaborate mustaches. As a man advanced in rank, his mustache would become thicker and bushier, until he was permitted to wear a full beard. In Western cultures women generally avoid the growth of facial hair; though many are capable, the majority of these women remove it. Some women, however choose to embrace this growth, often in the form of thin mustaches. Mexican artist Frida Kahlo famously depicted herself in her artwork with both a mustache and a unibrow. Most men with a normal or strong mustache tend it daily, by shaving the hair of the chin and cheeks, to prevent it from becoming a full beard. A variety of tools have been developed for the care of mustaches, including mustache wax, mustache nets, mustache brushes, mustache combs and mustache scissors.

So why is this important? Because it's Mustache March!!! Woot! So, celebrate like you mean it. Guys and girls, grow that upper lip hair. Salvidor Dali, Burt Reynolds, Borat, Frank Zappa, Albert Einstein, Teddy Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin. It doesn't matter who you emulate, but participate in the greatest month long holiday there is. It'll make you proud to be alive.

Happy President's Day...

2010-02-15T19:02:00.003-07:00

Because Presidents are awesome, and because I'm lazy:

Click here.

A Message About Tonight...

2010-02-10T16:09:00.003-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen...
I was born in Utah. I was raised in Utah. I moved out of Utah, but only by 7 miles. Really, it was the Utah part of Idaho. I graduated from Utah State University. Pretty much, all this Utah influence means that, yes, I am a Jazz fan.

I'll wait for you to finish laughing.

Anyway. The after beating the Clippers last night, the Jazz are riding a 9 game winning streak. Tonight, the Lakers come to Utah.

I hate the Lakers.

Not so much them personally, I just think that I hate the media love affair with the Lakers. Also, I hate people who cheer for them even though they have absolutely no ties to Los Angeles. I hate the fact that Kobe Bryant plays injured and everyone talks about how tough he is.

Which brings me to the point of this post.

The Lakers last game was in L.A. against the Spurs. Kobe didn't play. Tonight will be their last game before the All-Star break. And there are rumblings about Kobe coming out tonight to play against the Jazz.

Why is this news?

Now, a personal message directed to Kobe Bryant:
Dear Kobe,
Don't do it. What do you need to prove? You're team is in first place in the West. There will not be anyone who catches up to you. It's just not going to happen. So you don't need to step onto the floor tonight. Rest your weary body.
-BUT-
If you do decide to step on the floor tonight, be warned. I will hunt you down. I will be like a ghost. You will not see me coming. Because everyone knows that the scariest thing that a professional athlete has to deal with is a 5'10" History B.A. who doesn't own a firearm, or have any large friends who are willing to go to jail, or any money to buy a hit-man.

Long story short, I hate the Lakers. I hate Kobe Bryant.

Go Jazz!

Remembering Orangeburg...

2010-02-08T15:32:00.003-07:00

Consider this my return to the blogosphere. However, this isn't going to be the feel good post of the year, so those of you who are looking for some witty sarcasm, you're really going to be disappointed. I promise my next post (and I'm planning on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule), will be more along the lines of what you'd expect. However, I spent a vast majority of last semester reading and writing about TODAY in history, realized that it would make an awesome Master's Thesis, and would feel a bit off if I neglected the importance of today.

I'll try to keep a Semester's worth of paper writing down and just hit the main points.

On February 8, 1968 Delano Middleton, Samuel Hammond Jr., and Henry Smith were shot and killed on the campus of South Carolina State University. 27 others were injured. All but two of the students were shot from the rear or the side. The shooting was done by members of the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division. Students were shot by law officials.

There was only one arrest made in connection with the Orangeburg Masscre. Cleveland Sellers, a representative of SNCC who was on campus trying to establish a Black Awareness group, was arrested and charged with arson, inciting a riot, assault and battery with intent to kill, destruction of personal property, damaging real property, housebreaking and grand larceny. His bail was set at $50,000, a staggering amount for the time.

Similar events, most notably the Kent State Shootings, came about after and evoked national attention, while Orangeburg was largely forgotten. One major reason: the students at Kent State were white. South Carolina State was a black university. The victims were black. In 1968, coming on the heals of the cry for Black Power, the shootings of black college students was ignored by the general public.

Every February 8 from 1969 onward, South Carolina State College (now University) has held a memorial for the slain students. This event should not be forgotten. Hammond, Middleton, and Smith are not as recognizable as Martin Luther King or Malcom X, but their story should still be told. There is an awesome documentary call "Scarred Justice: the Orangeburg Massacre 1968." My dad texted me the other day and said that it was being shown on UEN in conjunction with Black History Month. I have a copy if you want to read it. Jack Bass and Jack Nelson wrote the book on the massacre, called simply, The Orangeburg Massacre. I highly recommend it.

Sorry for the long post. Hopefully this little post will get stuck in the tubes of the interwebs so that there is my little take on Orangeburg. Thanks for making it this far. Until Wednesday...

I Know It's Not Much...

2009-12-01T23:37:00.005-07:00

But it's Dead Week, then Final's Week. I just want to let you all know of my pending return...

I'm coming for you...

So, if you're like me and grew up all sorts of angsty while listening to Nirvana loudly in your bedroom planning your escape from your upstairs bedroom window because your parents didn't 'get' you, then this is for you.

I present to you, The Polyphonic Spree covering Lithium.

Lithium - The Polyphonic Spree

Best...Cover...Ever...

I Live...

2009-09-21T21:21:00.004-06:00

And yet...nobody knows about it.

But only because I don't post. So, a quick update, then a question for all two of you (three on a good day) that read this blog thing.

First of all, school is school. I should be graduating in December, assuming that I can pass all of my classes and the stupid Computer Literacy tests that USU requires. My classes are pretty cool, at least if you're a history nerd like myself.

Work is going well. I'm really enjoying working at a place where people straight up crap themselves a bit less. The people I work with are rad-tastic, but that's not taking anything away from those poor souls who(m?) I left behind.

Baby T. is getting big. She likes to talk and thinks that she can walk. C. has taught her the names of her first Disney princesses.

For those who care, the beard is coming back. I'm a fan. Plus, now that I work somewhere that I can dress up for Halloween, I can incorporate the beard into a costume. Excellent.

So, now for something that has been on my mind a lot lately. Really, it's a question to all of you. I'm talking about "theTwitter." Basically, I am pondering to tweet or not to tweet. One of the reasons that I am thinking about it is because, while I can't always post to this blog, it feels like I can always find time to update my status on theFacebook. From what I understand, theTwitter is pretty much just theFacebook statuses. Statusi. Whatever.

So, now I turn it over to you, and I do want your feedback. Do I Tweet? Would you care? Would anybody? What say you?

Lemme know...

So Excited...

2009-08-19T22:51:00.004-06:00

It's been a long wait. But it's finally about to come to an end. And all of us (i.e. Raisor and myself) are about to be rewarded.

Season 4. Coming. Soon.

Dear Mr. Favre...

2009-08-18T16:46:00.003-06:00

Quit. Just quit. You're dead to us now.
Here's hoping that you tear an ACL or get mauled by a bear.
Die now,
Green Bay Packer's Fans

In Case You're Wondering...

2009-08-16T17:15:00.003-06:00

Lady in the Water is 110 minutes of my life that I'm never getting back.

Good thing I watched it on my day off.

Curse you, M. Night Shyamalan.

If you haven't seen it, don't. Those of you that have, I just need to say two words: grass wolf.

In conclusion, this movie sucked. The only redeeming quality was that I got to watch my wife play on the floor with my little girl while this piece of trash was playing. Oh, also, we didn't pay for it. So there's that.

Thanks For Everything, Mr. Paul...

2009-08-14T15:17:00.003-06:00

For those of you who have been living under a rock/don't think that music is the most important thing in the world/ might have what some people would consider "a life"/ don't think that spending $6,000 on a guitar is a worthwhile investment, this blog may not mean much.

Les Paul died yesterday.

Why is Les Paul important? Well, he not only invented one of the first electric guitars, but he helped pioneer multi-track recording. In other words, he changed the way that we listen to music.

The man was awesome. For proof, read here, here, here, and/or here.

Now, I could write my own tribute but I won't do that. First off, I never knew the dude, and second, it would be like one of a billion.

But I will share this little tidbit.

When I got back from Iraq, there were two things that I wanted to get myself as a "thanks for serving your country and good job of not blowing yourself up" present. The first was a vehicle. The second, was a new guitar. It took me all of about 2 seconds to decide that I wanted a Les Paul. The sound is awesome, they're durable, and most importantly, they are dead sexy.

I never regretted the decision. I love that guitar. More than any other one I own. If I was strapped for cash, I could sell all my other guitars, possibly my lappy, too. But if it came down to selling that one, I would be in line at the plasma center to donate. I would begin fighting bums for spare change. But that guitar would stay mine forever.

And maybe that's the best sort of tribute to a great man that one could give.

Did You Miss Me???

2009-08-11T09:13:00.003-06:00

Of course you did. But there's just a few items of housekeeping that I need to take care of.

First off, yes, I enjoyed my trip to the Oregon coast. All except for the part where pretty much the entire family got sick. Me? I decided to wait until we were driving home to puke my ever loving guts out. I win the award for being able to expel my stomach contents into a grocery bag while driving 75+ mph down the highway while steering with my knees, scaring the tar out of my wife, and making my baby girl wonder what the strange noises her dad is making mean.

Second, I'm done. No, not with the blog, with the job. I had been employed at a residential treatment facility for the past three years. It worked great with my school schedule. I had seniority and all that jazz. But it wasn't what I wanted to do with life. In fact, it made me hate people. But now I work at the Merrill-Cazier Library on USU campus. Since I ultimately want to get my Master's of Library Science and work at an academic library, this job is more along my career goals. Pay is the same here as the last job, and the benefits kick more benefit butt than any benefits I've ever had before.

Lastly, what I've learned from my time off. Some days I really don't want to blog. Some days, I want to blog a whole lot. So, that's what I'm going to do. No more self imposed 10:00 deadlines. If I don't want to blog one day, I won't force something out. If I have a million different things to post, I'll do that. I especially like this plan with all the things that are going to be going on. I just started a new job. I take the GRE on the 18th. School starts again on the 24th. I have to apply to Grad Schools all semester long. There may be some days where blogging isn't a real possibility. But I'll do what I can to keep the masses happy, because that's who I am.

Bleech....

2009-08-03T09:15:00.004-06:00

So Sick...

Can't Post...

Details Tomorrow...

Want To Die Now...

Music Video Friday...

2009-07-24T10:00:00.000-06:00

This week, I present to you 100% pure awesomeness. There isn't much that I can say about today's band that their Wikipedia page won't. So check it out. Then, realize that the lead singer played Alex in Everything is Illuminated. That must be why he is such a premium dancer. Then, realize that his mustache is 100% real. That's right, not a fake. Then realize that they wrote an entire song based on wearing a certain color. That is what being a gypsy punk band is all about, I guess. So, I present to you Wonderlust King by Gogol Bordello.

Oh, and before I forget, we're taking off next week to Washington/Oregon, so you all get a break from the stupidity that I post. See you all in August, people!

The Lateness of This Post Is Brought To You By Allstate...

2009-07-23T14:00:00.003-06:00

You're in good hands...

Or something. Anyway, the reason behind this post is that our car was finally done. So we had to drive up to Preston to pick it up. It's good to have our car back.

But, on to other news.

For those of you who don't know, I am looking at Graduate school so that I can get my Master's of Library Science. Pretty much, I want to work in the archives at a university somewhere.

You know, far away from people who crap themselves on a daily basis.

Well, I found a job posted at USU working at the library there. They wanted someone with, among other awesome qualities, supervisory experience. Which is nice because I've been a Supervisor at my current job for the last two and a half years. The pay was similar to my current job. This job had awesome benefits. It was going to work around my school schedule. And more importantly, it was in the field that i wanted to go into.

Plus, people in libraries tend to crap themselves less often.

Well, this afternoon, I got a call offering me the job. It took me all of about two seconds to accept. So, I'm on my way out at the group home. And finally on to something better. I'm not a lifer!

If you can't tell, I'm fairly excited.

Anyway, that's about it. Tomorrow will be the usual Music Video Friday. Plus, it's Pioneer Day here in Utah. Fireworks suck. That is all.

Because Someone Needs To Ask...

2009-07-22T10:00:00.000-06:00

So, the other day on USUPhilosophy.com they asked an interesting question. Basically, if you could have lunch with one philosopher, who would it be? Then they created a poll where you could chose from Plato, Kant, Wittgenstein, Heidegger, or Nietzche.

I chose Kant.

But this brought to mind a serious question. Remembering that although I would consider myself a philosophy nerd, but an even bigger history nerd, I asked myself a reformed question. If I could have lunch with any U.S. President, who would it be?

My answer? Thomas Jefferson. For a few reasons. First, the whole 'Author of the Declaration of Independence' thing. Second, I need to ask him about the whole 'all men are created equal' phrase. Did it tear him apart to even write that? I mean, the dude owned slaves. And I'm not talking just a few around the house. He was a tobacco plantation owner. That's a lot of slaves. Yet he said that all men were created equal.

But I'm a nerd like that.

So, now I turn the question over to you, oh three readers of mine. Which U.S. President would you most like to have lunch with. I'd create a poll, but it seems silly to have a poll with 44 different responses. I'll repeat, make all the obvious assumptions: that they're not dead, that you would be able to communicate, that the food and service will all be good, etc. Who would you eat with? Feel free to leave your answer in the comments.

Gimmie A Head With Hair...

2009-07-21T10:00:00.000-06:00

Today is a very exciting day at the thePatrick household. No, I didn't get a new job *crosses fingers*. No, our car isn't yet out of the shop, although they have started the repairs.

Today, C. is going to go and get her hair cut.

And for those of you who don't know, this is a momentous occasion in our lives. Not because she never cuts her hair. She does. But when she says haircut, she means style change. And it is a process. It all starts out by her deciding that she needs a haircut. Then, she has to spend anywhere from minutes to days perusing the interwebs to find the hairstyle that she likes so that she can print it off and bring it to the person cutting her hair.

But this time, there was a problem.

Both of our printers were out of ink. But the ever resourceful C. came up with a solution. She saved the pictures to her computer, then found a way for her to text them to herself, so that they can be on her phone and she can show the hairstylist that way.

But all this fuss got me to thinking about the last time I changed my hairstyle. The answer was easy. 1996. Other than when I went to basic training/Iraq and the first few months of my mission, I have had the same hairstyle since I was a freshman in high school. And I have a very simple explanation for that.

I'm a guy.

See, girls seem to always need to reinvent themselves, to find the next greatest hairstyle. That way they can show the world how awesome and trend setting they can be. Guys on the other hand, well, we find a hairstyle that works for us, and we stick with it. I've had the same style for over 13 years. My dad has had the same haircut for all 27 years that I've been around, and longer judging by pictures I've seen. In fact, there are only two reasons that I can think of that guys change their haircut, at least in general. They either a) grow it out and look shaggy or b) lose their hair and trim it short.

Earth shattering, I know, but hey, this is what I do.

So C. will come home this afternoon with a new, awesome, gorgeous haircut. I, on the other hand, will dwell in my boring, stale-haired existence, just waiting for the next time that my hair gets too long and bugs my ears, so that I can take the clippers to it myself. Because I am what I am.

I'll Take A Half-Rack To Go...

2009-07-20T10:00:00.000-06:00

One of the things that I try to do, at least in my own little way, is try to make whatever few readers I have better people.

Seriously. I'll give you time to stop laughing.

Whether it's through expanding your musical tastes every Friday, or reminding you of some of the awesomeness that is on television (Wipeout, The Mighty Boosh), or just helping you see what insurance company is ridiculous (*cough cough* Allstate *cough cough*). I am here for you.

So, in my daily perusings of the interwebs, I came upon this report. There are a few things I like about this. First, it's the fact that UPI.com's slogan is "100 Years of Journalistic Excellence." I like to think that they're talking about a print version somewhere, and not that they believe they've been on the internet since 1909. Second, I like the comment by Mark at the bottom of the page. I like that he uses the phrase "business twits." I also like that he invites people to die in a fire.

So happy!

But, upon looking at the foods there, the ones that stuck out to me were ribs and wings. Of couse, they are only on the list because people think they're a good idea to eat while driving, but who are these people? Who in their right mind goes to a restaurant, one where they serve ribs, and says, "You know what, I'll take mine to go. The 15 minutes it takes me to eat these here and clean up just aren't worth the 15 minutes of driving time I'll lose."

Who are these rib eating drivers? Who is selling ribs from their drive through window? And am I legally allowed to run them off the road with my own car if I see them?

So many questions, so few answers.

Music Video Friday...

2009-07-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

I have always loved this video. I was first introduced to it by Shay over in Iraq. He also, more or less, introduced me to Bright Eyes. When we first got back to the states he, Felt, Sayre, Norte and I all went to see Bright Eyes (along with Sons and Daughters, for those of you keeping score at home). Anyway, I have always loved the simplicity of this video, as well as being amazing that someone could sync writing (backwards, no less) with their own music. That having been said, enjoy Easy/Lucky/Free by Bright Eyes. Happy Weekend!

I'm Old Gregg!!!

2009-07-16T10:00:00.001-06:00

Now, for those of you who are completely scared of the random merman looking seaweed hair having individual to left, consider your daily checkup of this blog finished. Seriously, move along. Nothing to read here.

Those of you, however, who recognize Old Gregg from the television series "The Mighty Boosh," well, I have a treat for you.

I'm Old Gregg!!!

Sorry. I think that's out of my system. See, I was first introduced to Old Gregg by my wife. Yep, she's a strange one. I don't know if she found a clip on Youtube, or if someone first showed her, but either way, Old Gregg came into our lives.

It really was a joyous, strange day.

But then, something miraculous happened. The Adult Swim network (who also carries such fine programing as Robot Chicken, Lucy: The Daughter of the Devil, The Venture Bros., and Metalocalypse) announced earlier this summer that they were going to start showing episodes of The Mighty Boosh.

This is a good thing.

However, we don't have television. Thank goodness for the interwebs. Adultswim.com posts full episodes online, and The Mighty Boosh is among them. And this weeks addition? That's right. The Legend of Old Gregg (aka Old Gregg the Funky Merman). And where can you find it? Why, right here, silly.

And you say I never do anything for you.

Again, a PARENTAL ADVISORY. Old Gregg could be considered a hermaphrodite. He discusses it rather bluntly. Old Gregg has The Funk and offers to make Howard Moon a Funk Shake, but much like a cow, you have to milk The Funk, and that involves the same parts as milking a cow. This is also discussed rather bluntly. Oh, and this is a very, very weird show. Viewers beware.

It'll Be A Long Bike Ride To Oregon...

2009-07-15T10:00:00.000-06:00

Those more astute readers will recall my post last week about me hitting a werewolf with our car. Time for a happy little update.

We hit said werewolf on Sunday, July 5. We called in to our insurance and multiple repair shops here in Logan on the 6th. Our insurance told us that we needed to wait for a claims adjuster before we took it in anywhere, and that he would be here by the 9th.

So, when we still hadn't heard anything on the 9th, I called our insurance back. Guess what? Because we live "so far away from civilization" we could just pick a shop, have them write an estimate, and in about 24 hours, the work could be started.

So, on the 9th, we picked our shop. Took the car up to Preston and dropped it off. Gave the shop all the insurance information, told them to fax in an estimate, and spent the rest of the weekend riding around on our bikes.

Good thing we have a trailer for T.

Yesterday, I realized that I didn't have an estimate from the shop for how long the repairs would take. This poses a problem because we have plans to go to Spokane for C.'s grandparent's 50th anniversary, and then on to the Oregon coast to spend a few days with family there.

So, I called up the shop. Yesterday. July 14th. Five days after bringing the car in. Nine days after killing a werewolf. And guess what? No repairs had started because they hadn't gotten the authorization from the insurance people. No authorization was given because they hadn't faxed in an estimate. I love people.

So yesterday, at 12:05 pm the fax showed up at the insurance guys office. Now, we have to wait another 24 hours before he can pass that on to some other guy, who will actually approve the charges.

Still no car repairs started. And we are supposed to leave for Oregon on the 26th. So, aside from choking out an insurance agent and a repair shop owner, what am I to do, other than continue to pedal my little heart our around the city of Logan? Here's hoping for the quickest repairs ever.

Fw: Fw: Fw: Use Your Brain...

2009-07-14T10:00:00.001-06:00

Ah, the Email Forward. Is there anything funnier? More hilarious? Well, yes. There's the people who send them. And I'm not talking about people who send one every once in a while. I'm talking about the people who send them religiously.

If you like I'm talking about you, I probably am.

Now, I enjoy fifty different pictures of cats wearing clothing every much the same as the next guy. I'm not even saying that people who forward stuff to me should stop completely. What I am saying it to take notice of what you send.

Use your brain.

For example. Hotmail, Yahoo, MSN, Friendster, AOL, Facebook, Tagged, and YouTube are not going to magically change their user agreement that you signed to shut down your account if you don't forward an email to 15/20/50 people. They won't do it. I promise.

Next point. As you may or may not know, I'm a veteren. Yes, that's what makes me a little off at times. So I'm all about you sending me some patriotic emails when you come across them. However, you shouldn't send me the same one over and over and over. Keep track of the emails of Real American Heros that you send. If you email me about the death of a Vietnam veteren who dies the same time as a Senator from Wyoming, you shouldn't email me a year later and tell me that he died again on the same day as Michael Jackson.

Might I make a quick suggestion.

Snopes.com. It's amazing. Don't send on garbage. However, maybe it's just that I'm so sceptical by nature. Maybe it's all the philosophy classes that I've taken, or the fact that I like the kind of people that rethink history and are hesitant to believe everything they're told. Maybe I just care about things that don't matter. Either way, you should look up what you are sending so that you don't send out a bunch of crap.

There. That's enough of a soap box for today. Now go back and watch all 40 of those Real Men of Genius commercials. It's worth it.

Taking Chance Will Test If You Have A Soul...

2009-07-13T10:00:00.000-06:00

Over the weekend, I got to work a grave shift Normally, not one of my favorite things to do. It throws off my sleep schedule, and turns me into a zombie for the entire next day.

Well, this one did that, too, who am I kidding. But there was a silver lining.

I had heard about the film Taking Chance from a few different sources on the interwebs. When I had gone to the redbox earlier in the day, and it had been there, I decided to rent it. After all, I had to stay awake during the night, so I might as well watch a movie to take a break from pretending to study for the GRE.

This movie was awesome. So awesome that I had to tell everyone at work about it. So awesome that I didn't return it and made C. watch it with me Saturday night. So awesome that I was fighting back tears. Twice. And I'm an emotionless machine.

Quick Film Summary: Chance Phelps was a Marine Corporal who died in Iraq. Whenever someone dies in Iraq, they ship their remains back home, and once they reach the states, they are escorted by another member of the armed forces. Lieutenant Colonial Michael Strobl was his escort, and he wrote about his experiences transporting Chance. It isn't pro war. It isn't anti war. But it shows the support our troops get when they cross the country.

Watch it. Spread the word. Don't be an emotionless robot.

Word of caution for younger readers/parents: This movie isn't rated. It wouldn't be rated G. However, I don't think it would be anything more that PG-13 for some language that is used when one of the Sergents who was there when Phelps dies is retelling the story. Isolated incidents. And there is nothing gruesome about the film. It is very tastefully done.

Music Video Friday...

2009-07-10T10:00:00.000-06:00

No, I had never heard of the band or the song before I stumbled upon this music video. No, I can't understand any of the lyrics. What I do understand, however, is the amount of work and planning that must have gone into planning and execution of this music video. It is amazing. You might have to watch it a couple of times to catch everything, I know I did. So, I present to you 'Hibi no Neiro (Tone of Everyday) by Sour. Happy Weekend!

The Apathetic Blogger...

2009-07-09T10:00:00.000-06:00

Today, for whatever reason, I don't really want to post anything. So, rather than write and ramble until something comes, I'll just leave you with this and call it good.

Short and sweet, just like a brownie sundae. You're welcome.