A Year-End Post, Post Year-End

Hey readers, if you're patiently waiting to read my annual year-in-review, it will be coming tomorrow. I was busy running around today, doing some last minute friend time, and soon I will be heading to a New Year's Eve party. So late tomorrow, you will all be gifted with an enjoyable year-in-review post. Enjoy the end of one year and beginning of another.

Saga of the Silent Hero

So when I want to change my Facebook status but can't think of anything to say, I usually challenge myself to write something poetic or literary. The past few days, I started writing sestets of ten syllables. So far I've written three and shall continue writing until the story is complete. Here are the first three installments of The Silent Hero.

Deep in his sleep, the silent hero lies,

Awaiting his time to, at last, arise.

When the tower bell finally shall toll,

He will awake from his eternal lull.

Wiping the slumber from his pale, blue eyes,

His mind will recall its physical ties.

Forth went the hero, 'quipped with his blade.

Through mountain, river, swamp, forest, and glade,

He fought dragon, goblin, serpent, and more,

Until, at last, the city he was before.

Destruction painted the metrop'lis staid.

Nowhere could he find his belovéd maid.

So the hero searched and scoured the land,

Hoping to hold once more his love's soft hand.

No people he met, nor animal saw --

No voices' echoes, nor crow's chilling caw.

But then a note he found with one demand,

"You'll find what you seek in the desert sand."

Holiday Hullabaloo

Happy Holidays everyone. This year, I've got some musical treats for you all.






*Mainly because of the first lyric, plus I just love this song.





I could probably keep posting, but you probably have some last minute shopping to get done. Happy Holidays everyone.

Are You There Readers? It's Me, John.

Hello? (Echo, echo, echo through the empty pages of my blog) Is anyone still reading this? (This, this, this...) Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been pretty busy with life, liberty, and the pursuit of slap-happiness. I'm sitting in my empty attic room after another Tofurkey-less Thanksgiving. I never know what to do on this holiday. It used to be about eating a lot of turkey and mashed potatoes. Now, as a vegetarian going on 3 years, I have no way to stuff myself to sleepiness. I never really have much to say with my relatives since I've only ever seen them on holidays, so all we ever talk about are the usual formalities. We don't really have vested interests in each other's lives. Plus, there's no cousins about my age living in the area, so I find Thanksgiving to be a pretty dull holiday. I don't care for football, I have no one to talk to, and I don't have a good excuse anymore as to why I'm hiding in my room. Tomorrow is Black Friday, for which, sadly, I get more excited. It's one of the rare times of year that I go clothes shopping. I'm used to skimming my brother's old clothes because he usually had stuff I liked. Now that he's pretty much done growing, he's not really giving away his clothes. Plus, I've taken to skinny jeans and shirts that better fit me since high school. Expect more posts since I have nothing to do yet other than read the books I brought home with me and browse the Internet, which doesn't hold my attention for very long. Also, expect news of possible internships for the summer.

"Comedy's a Dead Art Form. Tragedy, Now That's Funny."

This post may have the longest title of this blog so far. I'm off to Shakespeare's Comedies. We had to read Twelfth Night (twelfth is such a weird word to spell) during the weekend. While reading, I realized reading a play is not as fun as seeing the play. Much of the comedy doesn't translate without acting, but I still enjoyed it. It was entertaining, plus it had a great joke in it. At one point, the character Fabian observes the odd situation around him and says, "If this were played upon a stage, now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction." A very apt summary of most any play. Though the live theatre is wondrous to partake and take part, in the end, it's just an improbable fiction. Also, I want a Shakespeare T-shirt. Find me some good ones if you can.

Surprise! It's I, Sufjan Stevens

So Sufjan Stevens, one of my favourite musicians in the entire world, just released a digital EP titled All Delighted People. Now, I have just learned that he will be releasing a full-length LP come October! So much Sufjan in such a short time span will set me spinning with shear squeals of joy. (Say that five times fast.) Also, I might be seeing him live, in the flesh finally, November 5, but that is yet to be confirmed. He'll be in Tennessee, the closest venue during this "North American" tour which skips out on Ohio entirely. It's a 6-hour or so drive from Athens, and the show costs $33.50, so we'll see if my friends are still interested come end of October.

Puzzled

I finished that puzzle of San Francisco. There was one piece missing, and, of course, it was that darned sky piece. I let the puzzle sit, 99.9% finished, on the board for a few days, and then decided to rebuild my M.C. Escher puzzle of the hands drawing each other. Unfortunately, I have no motivation to work on it as I feel all puzzled out. Instead, I'm watching Cowboy Bebop and trying to build up motivation to continue reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

The Boondocks

One of the greatest theme songs ever. This is an awesome show, and you should watch it if you do not already do so.

Puzzles and Podcasts

So, I got bored with playing video games. I replayed Luigi's Mansion, Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Super Mario Sunshine, Dark Cloud, and some

Pikmin and Harvest Moon: Back to Nature. I've moved on to puzzles after I decided to do the 500-piece Ansel Adam puzzle that's been sitting on my dresser for, I don't know, a year or so.

Now I'm connecting a 2000-piece puzzle of row houses with San Francisco in the background. Today I completed the sky, which is about a third of the puzzle (minus one piece that might be buried in the house/skyscraper pieces, or lost).

Unfortunately, the Full House theme song keeps popping into my brain as I'm working, so I've taken to distracting myself with my NPR podcasts. I've reclaimed time to listen to Fresh Air and Tell Me More. Now all I need is some time to listen to all my music-related podcasts.

Victory to the Prole-Harry-et

Harry Puppet Potter has become sentient to announce, much to my joy, a new channel solely for Potter Puppet Pals. Huzzah! I still think my favourite PPP video will forever be Snape's Diary, though.

In a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Darth Vader, what are you doing in this galaxy far, far away? Building a third Death Star? If so, you can't be Anakin Skywalker because Luke burned his dead body. Are you a clone? Hmmm, the world wonders... (Yes, I can be this nerdy sometimes. I play D&D for chrissake.)

Putting the Books Back on the Shelf

I finally updated The Book Shelf with a post that is more a review (the original intent of my creating another blog). I also spent a little time dusting the Shelf. I used the new template designer to rework the blog design. It's now much more fun (I added the book covers to the posts). It's far less stuffy than the original design. Any feedback would be appreciated, as always. Enjoy, and look forward to more posts on the Shelf and here, your one-stop shop for all things John Nero.

Special Day

The Wikipedia entry about today, July 13, my birthday. Enjoy reading.

Countdown to Castrophe

Gee wilikers! He's still alive. Cuba's former figurehead, Fidel Castro, is still kicking, though without much of his former gusto. Read all about his resurgence into the world here. What strange news to discover on my birthday.

Melodies & Desires

I've become addicted to this song. It's really not even a song; it's a poem set to a beat. A beautiful poem set to an enchanting background orchestration. Lykke Li is fantastic. Her album is just fantastic. It's danceable, loveable, and beautiful. Enjoy.

Obvious Outrage

Today, I went to a showing of The Last Airbender, a movie based on the critically acclaimed Nickelodeon show, Avatar: The Last Airbender (They had to drop the Avatar part because of the blue-people epic by Cameron). I was thoroughly excited for this. I have anxiously awaited the arrival of this film since it was announced while the television show was still airing. I am saddened to say I left the theater sorely disappointed. It was a catastrophe. The production team failed to cast not only Asian actors for the leads, but also actors that could act. After the initial fan outrage due to the white-washing of the leads, one part was recast; Dev Patel was signed on to play Zuko. This was the only proper casting. Patel channeled his character and delivered his lines with emotion. The other actors were flat, robotic even. But who could blame them? The script was so poorly written. Dialogue sounded as if it were read through a computer's speech function. Actors mispronounced the characters' names. Important information was prattled off, sounding as if it were straight from a reference volume. Transitions were non-existent, giving the film a fast pace with no time to breath. The most frustrating mistake in the film, however, was the abandoning of the theme, mythology, and martial arts of the television series. The idea of the Avatar was quickly explained, and the Avatar state went completely unexplained and was warped from its source. The original basis of the bending arts was almost completely abandoned. Benders went through many motions to do the simplest of bending, completely disregarding the martial arts form by which each bending style was inspired. In the end, Shyamalan created a clunky, loose adaption of a intelligent show containing tremendous depth.

Movin' On Up

After looking at my Google Analytics for this blog, I decided to search my name because someone who searched it found my blog 3 times. I discovered, to my delight, that my blog appears as the eighth result on the first page. I'm not really sure how to get my result higher as I know nothing about search engine optimization, but for now, I'm satisfied. Thanks for reading everyone! I'm leaving for my family vacation in a few days, so stay tuned for the continuing adventures of John Nero.

Sunday in the Fall

I listened to this song a while ago, but I just watched the video that accompanied NPR's Project Song. It was indeed a Sunday in the fall when everything was right. I wish I could go back to that Sunday, but, alas, I cannot. So here's to good memories that only cause us pain. They'll all go away once we've gone to sleep.

Tenniscoats

I would like to thank my friend Taylor for posting this on her Facebook. I've been catching up on my Concerts à Emporter from La Blogotheque. La Blogotheque is travelling around and recording underground, local musicians. Now, Tenniscoats is slightly known, so this isn't one of those concerts; however, I am new to them, so I'm introducing you, my readers, to them. I fell in love with them after hearing this song, and I hope you do also.

Two Weeks

I've been home for two weeks so far. I have yet to be employed. I received karlek, the Swedish word for love, from the adorable Swedish sisters that compose First Aid Kit. I saw Caribou, or, as Simone and I called him, Manibou (He originally went under the moniker Manitoba). And speaking of Simone, she and I almost got crushed to death during an MGMT concert in Columbus. Almost being crushed sort of ruined my MGMT experience, and the fact that these two guys costumed as purple and red Native Americans sweat their body paint all over my favourite shirt and tight jeans. Though, it's highly likely the paint will wash out easily. But back to the Columbus trip. We ate at Pita Pit. Dan and I had fun reading Sex Position of the Day while Simone searched for leggings at Urban Outfitters. Dan made me delicious scrambled eggs. Simone and I got smoothies at Inta Juice. Then we rode back to Cleveland aboard a Greyhound bus. When I haven't been gallivanting throughout Ohio, I've just been sitting at home, listening to podcasts, checking music off my "Listen To" list, applying to places online, watching television, playing Harvest Moon: Back to Nature, and reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for, I don't know, the eighth time (possibly higher). I also unpacked and reorganized my books. I purged my collection, painfully, and removed a good two dozen books that I'm not too attached to. I plan to take them to Half-Price Books and use the money/store credit to purchase replacements. Some purged books might make back on the shelf, though. I always end up finding some defense for keeping things.

Happy Two Years

I've been posting on this blog for two years and a day. I've had a lot of good times. I'm surprised I still blog. But look for posts about a crazy trip to Columbus, a family vacation in Washington D.C. and Connecticut, and a trip to Chicago for the Pitchfork Music Festival. And also stayed tuned for any word on my getting a job. Fingers crossed!

Free Pepsi

For the third time this quarter, I have received a free Pepsi from the vending machine. Hoorah! This is all retribution for the one time it decided to eat my $1.25. So as I write this, I am enjoying a fresh-from-the-vending-machine, nice and cold Pepsi. Glug, glug, glug ... Aaaaahhhhhh! Isn't life refreshing?

The Last Airbender!!!!

I went to see Prince of Persia with my friends tonight. The movie was fantastic, but the trailers before the movie were great. One trailer in particular, I might add. The one for The Last Airbender, based on the first season of one of the greatest shows ever created, was just fantastic. I was not sure how I would like M. Night Shyamalan directing it, but the trailer dispelled my fears. It looks epic! Now for a slew of links!

Trailer 1

Trailer 2

Trailer 3

Insomnia!

I just don't feel like sleeping right now. I'm just not that tired, which is odd because I normally love to just lie in bed and do nothing.

Beatlemania

I've got this huge urge to sing Beatles songs, so I'm reading up on the songs I know and like.

These songs include:

Eleanor Rigby
Across the Universe
Let it Be
Rocky Raccoon
Come Together
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Golden Slumbers
Oh! Darling
Nowhere Man
And more!

Post your favourite Beatles songs in the comments!

Hellhole Ratrace

Love this song! Thanks, Simone! Can't wait to see Girls at Pitchfork this summer.

I'm a Sad Slayer

I just watched the episode of Buffy where her mom dies. Oh my god! So sad! I shed a few tears. I'm almost done with Season 5, so just two more seasons left and I'll have finished the television part of the series. I'm not sure if I'll read the comic-book form Season 8, though. But since I'm almost done with Season 5, that means I'm really close to the musical episode! It's the seventh episode of Season 6. So pumped! I love musical episodes of TV shows! They're always so fun and well done.

Elliott Smith With the Lights Off

I feel as if I should just get a tumblr blog, especially because I just have this urge right now to keep posting quick posts. It's like a post burst. I've got my post shutter button held down. I'm blogging 20 posts per second. How many can you blog? Now a barrage of Elliott Smith songs. I'm kind of moody right now, if you couldn't tell.

Hey Summer, Where Ya Been?

Nine months, and here you are again. Well, almost again. I'm heading into an awesome summer on paper. Let's hope memories don't mar it.

Screw You, Pikachu

Just being passive aggressive. People need to think before saying things. Never tell someone they're more qualified than the person you hired; it just pisses them off more than they already would be. So screw you, Pikachu.

Grammar Granola

So I've been hashing out my plan for a new blog called Grammar Granola: A daily snack for the grammarian in all of us. I need some help. Should I stick with blogger for this blog, or make a Wordpress? I'm not really tech savvy, so I don't really know the difference between the two. Also, after you all have helped me decide, I would need help finding a template or creating one from scratch. On your mark! Get set! COMMENT!

Paparazzi

This kid's on the fast track to becoming a Rainbow Warrior. All fun-poking aside, this kid's got talent.

I Don't Love You No More

Let's ignore the double negative and just enjoy this fantastic song. Thanks KEXP for your wonderful "Song of the Day" podcast!

Is it Possible?

Anything's possible. But is this really possible? This vague post is brought to you by eerie coincidences that could be more than just coincidences. Quick! To the study lounge for further research! Away! (I'm not really going to the study lounge in my building. That place is for nerds.)

I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning

I actually woke up at 7 a.m., decided I could sleep another hour, didn't actually fall asleep, just lay there, and then got up to my 8 a.m. alarm. I did my sketches for my CD cover for my class where we learn how to use InDesign. Then I got all ready to go and headed to Minuteman Press to print off my CD covers, which are due today at 1 p.m. I was talking about this last night, about how much worse of a procrastinator I am at college. I can't really motivate myself to do things I don't really want to do or can easily do at another time when I don't feel like relaxing. I've stayed up until 4 a.m. before doing nothing productive, and then woken up between 5 and 6 a.m. to write a paper due later that day. I could tell countless stories of how bad a procrastinator I am, now and prior, but alas, I have been struck with a strong case of the, "I'll do it later"s. Ta ta for now.

Pure Imagination

Editing

I was just going back through some past posts. I really need to take a day and just edit every thing, especially now that I have this zest for copy-editing.

Sing, Sing a Song

So I've recorded five videos on Facebook of me singing songs by some of my favourite artists. I just realized that I could easily embed the videos and post them here! I'll try and get those up as soon as possible!

Sick Slayer

Being sick sucks. But on a happier note, I finished the third season of Buffy. I've reached the edge of danger. Buffy has graduated high school, so that means she heads to college in the fourth season. When shows get to college, they start to suck. For example: Gilmore Girls, Saved by the Bell, and Skins (university in this case because the British school system has college then university). I hope this won't happy with Buffy because, so far, I like this show. Fingers crossed! Now I'm off to Japanese. Sayonara.

Broken Social Scream!

Broken Social Scene's new album drops May 5. I'm so excited. I love BSS! But even better news! I'm going to see them for the second time at this summer's Pitchfork!!! I'm so excited! A four-day trip to Chicago with three days consisting of music and one of Chicago exploration.

Listen to the new album in its entirety here.

More exciting music to come out soon!

Arthur Killroad

One of the best things about OU is about to leave. My favourite OU musician (because I'm a sucker for acoustic guitar and creative lyrics) is graduating! NOOOOO! Arthur Killroad is having his final show in Athens June 4th. I will be there singing every lyric I know. I can't wait to purchase his new album. I'm looking forward to this like nobody's business.

Listen here: http://www.myspace.com/xarthurkillroadx

It's great music. Enjoy.

Cautionary Tale

Never go out and drink after a week of coughing. Otherwise, you'll lose your voice and sleep for most of the following day. At least that's what happened with me. I'm not the brightest bulb in the bin, but I'm one of the brighter ones. But sometimes, the power just goes out up there in that factory called my brain. Despite my coughing since Tuesday morning, I decided it would be a great idea to go out and finish my 1.5 liter bottle of wine. What a terrible idea. Well, at first it was a wonderful idea. I had fun, got a little drunk (nothing like last week, phew), and then got a piece of pizza before retiring to my room. Alas, when I awoke this morning, my wine-related dehydration had robbed me of my voice. The worst part was that I had slept for only a few hours before waking up prior to my 8 a.m. alarm. I downed some water, turned on an episode of Buffy, and flopped back into bed. I next awoke shortly before 3 p.m., watched a few more episodes of Buffy, and then once again collapsed in bed for a few hours. Now, I've got some Tostitos, queso dip, and some Snapples to tide me over during my Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 2 Recovery Marathon. There's also a good chance I'll watch some movies. So what's the moral of the story? Drink when you're sick so you have an excuse to be a hermit the next day.

Run From the Rain!

So I woke up from my nap to be treating with the gift of watching rain pour down at a fast rate. I closed my window so as not to get my room wet. Then I sat back and enjoyed watching people run in the downpour. It lasted for a few minutes before the sun broke through. It was calm for a few minutes, but then started again. Right now it's not raining, so I'm about to head out before it does. Enjoy this rain-related video until my return.



I've actually kissed someone in this manner, except it wasn't raining and I wasn't wearing a mask.

Love and Vampires

No, this is not about Twilight (bleck!). This is about Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It has become my new favourite show. I started watching it this weekend on Netflix instant stream. So good! Extremely cheesy, but enjoyably so. I'm going to watch some before I go to bed tonight. Now, the love part of this title. My love life was a hot topic of discussion in the Post lobby this afternoon. I'm told I need to find someone. That's a little difficult for me right now. I'm still stuck on someone, and no matter how many times I tell myself or my friends tell me to let go, I just cannot. I have no reason to let go, nothing to be angry about. All I had was good things, good memories, good feelings. How can you let go of someone who did nothing wrong except be unable to commit, and even that wasn't wrong. We were never official. Neither of us was looking for a relationship. If anything, I'm the one at fault. I told myself that I wouldn't get too involved, and if I did, then I would cut myself off from that person. I don't know. I just need to distract myself and not think about relationships at all. Maybe I should become a hermit...

Metropolis

No, this isn't about Superman. It's about the animated adaptation of Fritz Lang's silent masterpiece, Metropolis. You should all watch it - I just did. It was based loosely off a combination of the Fritz Lang silent film and the Osamu Tezuka manga of the same name. For those of my readers who aren't as anime nerdy as I am, Tezuka is the creative mind behind Astro Boy and is sometimes considered the Japanese Walt Disney. The film is beautifully animated and poignant. It shows the complex relationship between humans and robots, the nature of mankind, and the possibility of robot sentience, all to a wonderful soundtrack of New Orleans jazz and Ray Charles singing, "I Can't Stop Loving You." Here is the climactic scene from the film.



And also, check out my friend Tony's blog! It's called Neat Stuff Found in Used Books.

Joanna Newsom's New!

I finally decided to listen to my NPR Music podcast of a Joanna Newsom concert. I wanted to listen to her entire album when NPR was streaming it on its website, but I didn't get a chance to before it was released. When I heard the first song, I fell in love. It was so beautiful! Now, be warned, Joanna Newsom is not everyone's cup of tea. I originally didn't like her when I first listened to her. Then I listened a second time, and her voice and lyrics are wonderful. They're otherworldly, much like Sigur Ros. Here's the first song she played at the concert.

Hello and Thank You

Yesterday was an interesting day. My acting skills were complemented by my cashier. I auditioned for the School of Theater's fall productions. That was last Friday, so he recognized me a week later and complimented my acting, saying I should be proud for having little experience and one acting class. Then it was the premiere of Fridays Live Season 22. After the show, I went to my dear friend David's birthday party. I was gifted with a 1.5 liter bottle of wine from one of my legal-aged friends. I finished about half the bottle, so a little more than a normal bottle of wine. Let's just say I was everyone's best friend. I kept introducing myself to the people I didn't know and saying "Hi" to everyone. I'm also a lot better at dancing when I'm drunk. Thankfully, I did not throw up my first time being drunk. I probably would have had David let me finish the bottle. But he cut me off and was kind enough to walk me home when I was too far gone. It was interesting being drunk. I'm still not sure how I feel about it, though.

What Did I Get Myself Into?

How could I let you drift away. I should be more aggressive before you're gone for good. I don't want to lose you, though I fear I might have already. I hope to god my fear does not prove true. I doubt you read this, but I think you might. If I try to learn what's going on in your life, I assume you might be doing the same. I doubt it though. I guess this is goodbye. Please, don't let it be...

Balance

Balance is being restored to my life somewhat. At least that's how it seems right now. Tomorrow looks a lot brighter. I'm going to make this a productive quarter. I'm going to read more often. I'm going to start writing something, get my thoughts and ideas down. And this summer, I'm going to get a license and a car. I'm going to travel. I'm going to live just a little more. And most importantly, I'm going to make sure I spend time with the people I care about most before they scatter in different directions, and reconnect with the people who are already drifting away.

Drama

I acted in a friend's short play for his play writing class a few days ago. I read/acted before his classmates in this short-play festival. My friend's play was last, so I got to sit and enjoy his classmates' plays. It was an interesting experience. There were some good short plays, others were a little long, and some were read oddly. There was a really dramatic one that was ruined for me by the way it was read. The "actors" read their lines in a way that made for more comedy than tragedy. After intermission, I just faded out and didn't really pay attention. I started thinking about writing something of my own, and the skeleton of this monologue just popped into my thoughts. Tell me what you think.

"It was a rush, a euphoria, a pure ecstasy I had never encountered before. I tried it before, but the previous times left me unsatisfied and wondering what everyone raved about. But then it finally happened. I couldn't believe it. It was absolutely wonderful. My heart raced. My knuckles clenched. My eyes rolled back. I was drunk on the feeling. I didn't want it to stop. But all good things come to an end, right? I keep trying to reach that experience, but I never can reach that intense rush. Every time I try, I just end unfulfilled and hating myself because I let that feeling end. I let that feeling escape. Nothing else does it for me. That time was something more. You didn't just fuck me like everyone else; you made love to me. You made me feel that I was the only person who mattered to you. Or was it all just in my mind, and you really did just fuck me, in more ways than one?"

Goodbye Blues

Despite dancing with friends on College Green for people to ogle at us, and having tons of fun doing it, I want to go home. But, I don't know if I'm ready to handle what might come my way while I'm at home. I don't know what to expect from a certain someone when I see them. I feel as if I'm losing my mind because of this person. So to help me cope, I've retreated to music, my comfort. Here's how I feel:



I wish I could play an instrument. People keep telling me it's easy to learn guitar. I tried to teach myself. It wasn't easy, especially since I didn't have a designated time to just sit and practice each day. I really want to learn piano, but the class for non-music majors fills so fast, I most likely won't be able to take the class until next year. Here's to hoping a spot opens up during Spring Quarter.

Jiminy Controversy, Batman!

So I wrote a column for Column Writing about hipsters and how they are invading Athens and OU mainly just for fun because I wanted to write something about hipsters, especially since people compare me to one constantly. So Ryan needed a Between the Lines to fill space on the Editorial Page, and he asked me if I could let him run one of assignments from Column Writing. It was between the Quidditch one and the Hipster one, but I decided on the Hipster column because I didn't see any good reason to run a random column about Quidditch and how it's spreading to college campuses. Yesterday, the Web page of my column received 35 comments in one day, and 1447 views. People searched for me on Google and found good 'ol Life of John Nero. My column has inspired some interesting responses. A good number of people cannot seem to understand the joke that is my column. Look the display image on this blog! It screams hipster. Well, I'm going to head back to bed as moving makes me extremely nauseous.

Read the crazy comments here.

Happy Birthday, Darling!

Have you ever seen me at a party? It's probably best you haven't. I'm normally the most sober person there, but also the most ridiculous. People ask why I don't go out to parties more. My main reason is I'm not much of a party person. I like to relax on my weekends by snuggling up in my chair, eating Ben&Jerry's, and watching stuff on Netflix or Hulu. I also try to read, not so much this quarter, but in past ones. And if I went out to every party, I might lose a lot of weight from dancing so much; and if you know me, then you know I don't have a lot of weight to lose. Slight digression time! I recently became obsessed with this song (not really). I keep finding moments to quote the beginning speaking part. Someone usually says something relating to a party, a birthday, or going somewhere, and I respond with, "We're going to a party. It's a birthday party. It's your birthday. Happy Birthday, darling. We love you very very very very very very very much."

Murder, He Wrote

According to my friend Adam, I'm a 40-year-old lesbian. Why? Because I watch Murder, She Wrote (I apparently furthered my lesbianism by admitting to liking Golden Girls also). I can't help myself! Angela Lansbury is so adorably British. She goes around solving murders with her super-human deduction abilities. She's the Sherlock Holmes of three decades ago. It's also super cheesy. The intro to the show has non-suspenseful music and her jogging around her Maine hometown waving to people on boats. It's absolutely hysterical!

Lost in Translation

So tonight was the final season premiere of Lost! I've been so pumped. I watched it on the big screen at The Post, and prior to its beginning, Dave thought it would be fun for me to explain everything that happened in Lost up to the end of season five. I said he should just watch the five-minute youtube video describing everything super fast with hilarious costume changes. He said it would be much more fun if I explained it to him. I'm not going to try that again. I didn't get to finish and was interrupted several times. Tristan became fascinated with the smoke monster and wouldn't stop asking if something had to do with the smoke monster. It was agitating, but they love to drive me insane at The Post. I admit, I react quite humourously. But yeah, Lost was great. Loved it!

Salaam, Salinger

I wish you hadn't been a recluse, and that I could have possibly trekked to your place of living before you died, but alas, the best laid plans. Thank you for your amazing works, Mr. Salinger. I know this is a day late, but I needed a day to accept that this was true and not another twitter faux death report. Here's to you, Salinger! The Onion by far did the best memorial for you, written in your most memorable character's fashion.

Singing Real Loud in My Room

I wonder if my neighbors ever get annoyed with my singing. I tend to play music and sing to it a little loudly. Like right now. I'm singing to The Hush Sound. They'll always have a special place in my heart. They were one of the first bands I started listening to when I finally found out about good music in good old tenth grade. Those were the days. Now it's four years later and I'm still singing them. I love music. This girl complimented me a few days ago when I was singing a song by Cold War Kids. She told me I should sing at the open-mic nights, but I need to find someone to play accompaniment so I don't speed up.

National Soup Month

So I've gone this whole month without knowing it was National Soup Month! I need to be on the planning committee for this month! We could totally plan a soup-a-day calendar! How did I find this out? Why Yahoo!'s home page! Here's the link. It just proves what I've always known! Soup is the most amazing food creation ever! Other than cheesecake of course!

Unidetified Liquid

So construction guys have been working on the roof outside my window, and they left their drinks right outside my window. There's an empty Minute Maid orange juice bottle, two Mountain Dew cans, and an unidentified liquid in a KFC paper cup. I want to know what's in it! It's going to drive me mad! What did that construction worker drink?! ARGH! I'm just kidding. Actually, I'm not. I'm sort of intrigued. I wonder if he'll get KFC tomorrow. I'll stake out in my room and try to catch a glimpse of the liquid's color that rises in the straw. Then I'll search KFC's offered soda fountain drinks. Huzzah! The game is afoot! Have at you!

Act I

So I went through with my Shakespeare in the Streets idea today. I performed Marc Antony's "Friends, Romans, countrymen..." speech. It was a little nerve-wracking, and I flubbed the lines a little, but it was fun. There was a woman radioing someone, but I was done and gone before anyone showed up. I'm not sure if I'm going to do another one right away though. I think I'll prepare for a few days, then shoot for this Friday. I'll plan on doing it in another location so I don't scare the Baker staff into thinking I'm off my rocker...even though some might say I am. Bah! I bite my thumb at those who say such things!

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Though it's nice to have a day off, that is not what this day is about. It's about celebrating the life of a wonderful person who was so hatefully taken from the world. Though his loss was tragic, it was also a catalyst. Here is his beautiful speech in front of the Lincoln memorial.

First Column

So I finished my first assignment for Column Writing. The theme was seasonal, so I decided to go with New Year's resolutions after bouncing around ideas covering Athens' weather. So here is the final product that I sent to be graded. Tell me what you guys think!


It's a new year, and we all know what that means: New Year's resolutions. Those are those plans you make at the beginning of the year, but never stick to, remember? Most people make resolutions to improve or change something about themselves. But this year, how about making some unconventional resolutions?

A Cookie a Day

Eat a cookie a day. Everyone loves cookies! Sure, it sounds somewhat unhealthy when you read it, but delve past the surface. You only eat one cookie a day and no other desserts. As long as you eat properly along side your cookie, you'll be fine. Plus, allowing yourself only one cookie a day makes that one cookie even more delicious. Just make sure not to give a mouse your cookie. It's your only cookie!

A Book a Week

Books seem to be going to the wayside because of new-fangled gadgets such as television and the Internet. Who doesn't love a good book? Curling up in an armchair, sipping whatever drink you prefer, petting the cat, and turning the pages are just a sample of the many fun things that come of reading a book. The books don't have to be classic or long works, just a book.

A Word a Day

Not one for reading? Why not try picking a new word from the dictionary each day? It's simple. Pick a random word each day, and then try to use that word once during the day. You'll impress your friends and co-workers with your advanced vocabulary, and also teach them. Plus, with your plethora of new words, crosswords will be a breeze!

A Food a Week

No one likes the same old thing week after week! So this year, try a new dish at one meal each week. There are so many cultures on the planet, so branch out and try the food of a different one. Sure Indian food may sound odd, and hummus may not look appetizing, but try it anyways. The only way to know if you like something is to try it! The worst that can happen is you end up not liking it.

A Picture a Day

The world is a busy place. People are constantly rushing and missing the beauty around them. So to capture the beauty around you, take a picture every day of something you find interesting. You only get one picture though, so don't waste it. Capture a moment that makes you laugh, smile, or remember a happy memory. It doesn't have to be artfully composed! Just have fun and take pictures!

A Movie a Week

New movies are being made every day, so who has the time to watch them all? I know I don't. Instead of trying to watch every movie ever made, watch one a week this year. Pick a day during the week and watch a movie you've never seen before. Don't stick to one section! Move around the video store or library, pick a random one at the movie theater, or check every genre's box in your Netflix options. With your new movie knowledge, at the end of the year you can apply to become a movie critic. Who wouldn't want to watch movies all the time?

These are just a few of many thing that you can fit into the a-day/a-week formula. If none of these appeals to you, then choose something else. Take some time and dance each day. Sing a song every day, Or say hello to someone you don't know each day. The possibilities are endless. Just make sure you stick to your resolution. If you don't, there's always next year, right?

And the Rain is Falling

And the snow is falling no more Belle & Sebastian. Now write might I for awhile like the Bard. I don't really remember where I was going with this post. I wish I had more money. Then I could help the people of Haiti. I also have to write my first assignment today for my Column Writing class. It's a seasonal piece. I have ideas, but I'm not sure if I can milk 500 words out of them. We'll see. On a side note, we finished Titus Andronicus, and have moved on to Hamlet! Yay! I can't wait to reread Hamlet. It's my second favourite play by the Bard.

Between the Lines Again

I wrote another Between the Lines for The Post again. It ran yesterday, but I've barely been in my room today, so here is the link. I hope you like it. I would also like to give a shout out to my girl, Sandra! I had her as a professor for News Writing last quarter, and today she had a minor stroke in class. Thankfully, she is doing alright. She taught me a lot of things that come in handy while working at The Post. She also loved my previous Between the Lines. I'd like to think that she felt better after reading my current one. And if she hasn't read it yet, then she will feel better when she does.

Acting in the Streets

So I've been thinking, dangerous I know. I'm in a class on Shakespeare's Tragedies this quarter. It has really gotten me into wanting to perform Shakespeare. I've come up with a brilliant idea. Shakespeare in the Streets! Friends and I shall perform scenes from Shakespearean plays on street corners, sidewalks, public areas. They would be key scenes, or if enough interest is garnered we could do more. We could possibly do a scene a day sort of thing. We also could do an act a day and only perform on weekdays since most of Shakespeare's plays are five acts. I think I really want to do this. It would be a lot of fun, especially if people stop and actually watch us perform. We would not have advanced costumes and only necessary props though. I could also try to get together a Shakespeare on the green thing going where we would use the Scripps Amphitheater to perform. Then maybe we could think about adding costumes. I'll keep you guys updated.

2 Atoms in a Molecule

Over break, I built up my music library so I can be more knowledgeable about music. I would like to thank NPR for turning me on to Noah and the Whale. I just actually listened to their music today. This is the first song on their album Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down. I instantly fell in love with it and the band. So, to spread my love, here they are singing 2 Atoms in a Molecule.

She's Got Me Dancing!

So this song has been stuck in my head for a few days. Now I shall get it stuck in all your heads, though I still think no one reads this despite what Google Analytics tells me. Be warned, it's pretty strange. It's something akin to 70's movie camp.

Fun Things Are Afoot at the Shively-K

I'll think I'll shoot for one odd pop culture reference per post. But to the point of this post, some fun things have happened today. At one point today, I heard what sounded like someone knocking on my dorm room wall from the other side. So what did I do you ask? Why, I knocked right back. We had a knocking game for like three minutes before my neighbors became bored and went back to whatever they were doing. The other thing is that there was a jam session going on two rooms away. They're taking a break right now. Oh wait, they're starting up again. My hall mates found some life over break because last quarter the only thing that happened was their shouting about sports they were watching. There is one non-fun thing that happened. The dining hall in my building that just opened this quarter does not serve breakfast. I cannot wake up and go eat breakfast in my pajama pants. Instead, I have to get dressed and put on my winter gear so I can walk five minutes or so to go eat at Nelson! The outrage! I'll get over it though. Stay tuned for more pop culture packed posts!

Morning Greetings

There are guys sweeping snow off the roof outside my window. One guy starting singing about sweeping and brooms and such. It made me think of Mary Poppins. To bad they're not soot-stained, British chimney sweeps. A boy can dream though...I feel I've said that several times. I like to dream a lot. If only I remembered my dreams that occur while I sleep. Mostly, I remember black, but every once and awhile I'll have these crazy narrative dreams about people who have no connection to me. Like recently I had a dream about some crazy skilled little boy who tried to bring something to The Rock so he could change back to a normal person and not be a tooth fairy anymore. This kid was chased across suburbia by some government agency. It was crazy. He was blowing stuff up, killing people, opening secret passages in his house that led to a crazy underground city with a waterfall and ivy everywhere. Eventually he got caught, but it was intentional. They put him under house arrest, and he escaped into the ruins under the city. They chased him there and then my dream ended. I rarely in my dreams.