Happy Bday Weird Al

Today was his 47th bday, and in honor of the day I post one of my favorite Weird Al songs and music videos. Enjoy!

***

66 dead Iraqis and 3 more dead American soldiers. It makes me sad to think that this war has just become a body count. Is it the only way to get people to see the injustice and crime in this war? The sheer amount of dead in this conflict?

Iraq = Manhattan

So apparently, Baghdad and the rest of Iraq is no worse than Manhattan.

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King: Conditions on the ground are different than what you see on television.—As we go through the city of Baghdad, it was like being in Manhattan. I’m talking about bumper to bumper traffic. Talking about shopping centers, talking about restaurants, talking about video stores, talking about guys–on the street corner, talking about major hotels. And so, at that moment, people must be amazingly resilient and you would never know that there was a war going on…

…in Mosul—I remember seeing news reports about roller coasters. Where you had two or three parking lots filled with their cars on a Sunday afternoon. Again, that’s not something you’d see on television, and at any given time a suicide bombers can walk into an amusement center, but the point I’m making is that the situation is more stable than you think….

***

This is from the ass clown Republican representative King in NY. So somehow, the fact that 11 American soldiers have died in the last 24 hours, and that 40 to 60 bodies are found EVERY day with signs of mutilation, torture, and execution, somehow this shows me that its JUST like Manhattan. What an ass...

Imagine for a moment, especially you New Yorkers, but just imagine for a moment what it would be like if a dozen police officers were killed every day. Imagine if the bodies of dozens of residents were found every day, bloodies and mutilated, tortured and then executed. Imagine if car bombs went off multiple times a day in public spaces killing innocent people and destroying homes and businesses. Happens in every major American city right? *barf*

And yet despite this, the crooks who control our government continue to send our men and women halfway accross the globe without a mission, without a plan, without adequate equipment, and without any support. They expect us to continue to support them? Oh I forgot, we're traitors if we don't, we are emboldening the terrorists if we dare to speak out against the establishment of the last six years.

Someone I know is having their brother sent overseas into this hellhole. God be with them and I pray that they will come back safely.

Great poem

I saw this on PBS two nights ago, thought I'd share it. It's a great poem.

***

For the Love of the Game

by Allison Joseph

Give me a man with a quick first step, with court vision that takes in all of me, a man who can play in the paint, score from all over, finding my perimeter, a man who can drive my lane. Give me a man who makes his free throws, ready to shoot two whenever I demand. My interior defense isn’t tough to crack, I’m wide open, and I can handle the ball. I don’t care for monster dunks, for slam-jam-thank-you-ma’am. I’d rather have a man who can teach me the delicate technique of the finger-roll, a man who doesn’t bang the boards but knows how to rebound, how to come from behind, an assist leader, a shooter, a penetrator, a man who knows how to stay out of foul trouble, hands off the opposing team’s cheerleaders. I want this madness to last much longer than March, to stage endless tournaments on a court not polished but rumpled, a sweaty site where the pairings are known, the brackets full, championships staged whenever we feel the need for a fast break, bodies colliding under the basket.

Copyright © Allison Joseph

Uncle

My "uncle" Amos died last week. He died of Parkinson's disease which he suffered from over fifteen years. I call him my "uncle" because I hardly ever met him. By the time I was seven years old he was already in a nursing home, I only have vague memories of him being pretty sick in my aunt's house in Israel. What do I call him, my uncle? He was my aunt's husband and my cousins' father, but not related to me by blood. I don't know.

I don't know how to feel about this. Is there a certain way I'm supposed to feel? I will call my aunt to wish her condolences, but she'll know it doesn't mean all that much. But anyways, I'm a little confused about all of this.

Tasteless Jokes

I apologize in advance to anybody I may offend with these. With that out of the way...

***

What's the difference between a Catholic priest and acne? Acne waits until you're 13 to come on your face.

What's worse than a worm in your apple? The holocaust.

Don't make fun of the holocaust. My grandfather died at Auschwitz. He got drunk and fell out of the guardtower.

What do elephants use for vibrators? Epileptics.

What's the first thing a woman does when she gets out of the abuse shelter? The dishes. (just kidding =P)

What is a jew doing with an ashtray? Watching his family album.

A priest and a rabbi are sitting on a park bench when they spot two kids. The priest says, "Lets screw those two kids." The rabbi responds, "Out of what?"

And finally, because I think this is fucking hysterical no matter how little sense it makes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlT7rIJchEs

(I'm having issues with the link, copy it into your browser, I promise its worth it =P)

Brrrrrr

Well, its going to get unusally cold for middle of october in the next couple of days.... even a chance for snow! Probably won't happen, but I like the prospect. So definitely looking forward to bundling up the next couple of days.

Something that is possibly one of the most frustrating things that I just can't deal with is when people don't listen. Two things actually, those who don't listen, and hypocrisy. Its not fair for someone to say, "You're not listening to me!" but then go so far as to be rude and in your face and completely ignore what I have to say. I don't ask that people agree with me, I don't demand that they change their mind, and I don't expect them to even say wonderful things about me. Just show me some respect, listen to what I have to say, and that's good enough for me.

Is that asking too much?

Peace

Ok, I'm a little bit more at peace now. I found the following quote, I think its really good.

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

Who said it? The brilliant man on the left. Awww, look at him snoggling that little child. At least we can assume he wasn't molesting that kid, not like the leaders of our COUNTRY!! Sorry, had to get that out of my system.

I heard some good news today. A friend of mine is going to get married. Well, next summer he will, but he got a ring (its a nice one, I saw it today) and is going to propose to her soon. I am glad for him, but also wish I was in that sort of position. He seems real genuine and his love for her seems genuine as well, so I think this is a good decision for him even at his young age. Wouldn't that be nice? I wish I could love somebody like that, like I used to. It would be great to dedicate my life to being a good and loving husband and father. I'm weird, I'm only 23, but it would be great.

In other news, I think yesterday was our last day of summer, it was something like 90 degrees. I can't wait for cool weather, maybe even some.... *gasp*.... SNOW! So exciting, I want to wake up tomorrow morning and see a thin blanket of pristine white snow covering everything outside. Nice huh?

Yuck

Wow, so much shit going on today and it just brought me down. Usually all this kind of stuff doesn't, but tonight I'm just bummer out because of it.

First, there is the Foley scandal. Here is a fifty two year old married man who was sending sexually explicit emails and instant messages to a sixteen year old page. At least he had the balls to resign when it was found out he was doing this, and checked himself into a clinic right away. This shows to me that despite how awful and disgusting what he did was, he seems to regret it and also admits that he has a problem. HOWEVER, what disgusts me the most is that the GOP leadership knew about this for ten months, and didn't take the proper steps to reprimand him or even the proper steps to protect other congressional pages from Foley's actions. They apparently had known for up to five years that he was suspect to this sort of behavior, and did nothing about it. That.... makes... me... sick.

Second, there was the Pennsylvania school shooting. The third deadly school shooting of the week involved a 35 year old man going into a one room amish school, letting all the boys out, tying up all the girls and summarily executing them. Four are dead and eight are seriously wounded. This is some seriously fucked up shit and just makes me sad. Apparently he had planned it out as well, coming to the school with supplies to deal with a siege. Then to end it, the man took his own life. Why did he do this? Apparently it was revenge for something that happened to him twenty years ago. But why the Amish, who apparently had nothing to do with this incident? Because he thought it would be easier and make for easier targets. Sick.... fucker...

Third, in Baghdad today twenty bodies were found apparently having been kidnapped and murdered, with signs of torture and mutilation. Three more marines died as the death toll climbs closer to three thousand. One of my coworker's brothers is going to be deployed there soon and I cant imagine what it must be like to think about that, especially with a family member. That place is going further into the shithole and our men and women are stuck there with no way out. Fucking brilliant huh?

Well looks like I'm done with my rant. What a monday huh? Fuck...

First Day at School

Well, what an exciting day! Today was a lot of firsts.

It was the first day in uniform, which all of my pieces miraculously fit. It was also the first day at Dvorak Elementary, we got to see our classroom for the first time. The school is very nice, much nicer than any elementary school I went to growing up. The kids were so excited to see us today, and the teachers seemed genuinely happy to see us there despite the events of last year. Most of the day was dedicated to community mapping which was a good thing to do being my first time in North Lawndale. There are a lot of resources we will be able to work with.

We then came back to the office and had the jacket ceremony which moved me. It was simply amazing hearing what everbody said, and I have about a million thoughts about it running through my head about it. I will post about that specifically later when I am able to gather all my thoughts.

More to come later, probably over the weekend.

Blarg

I hate to be anybody's attention whore, but does anybody read my blog? Just wondering, because if I don't have an audience I don't really feel so inclined to share this stuff. Lemme (intentionally spelled like that) know people. I do like doing this though... so yea.

I will update hopefully tonight if I still have internet access. I have an idea for a post but it will take some time to formulate, like a complicated differential equation on the final exam in college (YUCK).

Inspiration

I need some inspiration. Sure, my job is cool and I like the people I'm working with. My roommates are neat and I've made some cool friends. But there's something missing, and I'm not sure what it is. Maybe the retreat at Algonquin will help me find that something? Maybe actually getting to the schools and working in the communities will give that to me? Maybe just getting what I want will do that? I'm not sure.

In any case, this horrible cold I've got right now sure isn't helping the situation. I am looking forward to that big pot of chicken soup that will be created tomorrow afternoon, it will be deeeelish (I hope). Oh, and I opened up the jar of homemade strawberry preserves and tasted it for the first time, it was delicious. The texture needs fixing, I overcooked it so it was very thick. Josh says he likes it that way, but I think I'll cook it less next time so that its more spreadable. But the flavor is just right, I am happy with that.

Well, peace everybody.

Doing squishy things

I did something today that made me very nervous and put me WAY out of my comfort zone, and I'm very glad I did. I'm trying this new thing in my life where I do stuff out of the ordinary from me, both to broaden my horizons and to make me more comfortable with myself and how other people accept me.

They needed six volunteers to go "upstage" and read stuff but doing impersonations. Well one was George W. Bush, and I ended up getting that (volunteered for it actually). It was a blast! So much fun, I cracked a little joke at the beginning about Karl Rove and his nickname Turd Blossom. Then putting on a nervous little Texas accent I proceeded to be a bumbling Dubya, mispronouncing words, skipping some, and finishing off with a "God Bless Y'all and God Bless America". The best (I thought) was when I read "And BTA, the T of course stands for terror" got a real laugh out of the audience.

But I was shaking so hard! I was so nervous, but why? I'd spoken in front of people before, performed on the piano, etc. I LOVED the sound of people laughing at me, but not at ME, laughing at my jokes, laughing at my writing that I had come up with. I was so clever! This was powerful, a way to please people and to manipulate their feelings for a very brief time. It was fun in a twisted kind of way.

The next step? I want to do a routine for the variety show during BTR, maybe either a joke or a Victor Borge sketch that I've done before.

Have a great week anybody who's reading this.

Listening

"At first, onstage and in life, I didn't really know what relating was. And listening was more a kind of waiting than anything else. I talk and then you talk. And then I listen for when I get to talk again. But relating, I came to understand, happens not just while I"m talking; it also happens while you're talking, and in between.

...When I started out as an actor, I thought, Here's what I have to say; how shall I say it? On M*A*S*H, I began to understand that what I do in the scene is not as important as what happens between me and the other person. And listening is what lets it happen. It's almost always the other person who causes you to say what you say next. You don't have to figure out how you'll say it. You have to listen so simply, so innocently, that the othe rperson brings about a change in you that makes you say it and informs the way you say it.

The difference between listening and pretending to listen, I discovered, is enormous. One is fluid, the other is rigid. One is alive, the other is stuffed. Eventually, I found a radical way of thinking about listening. Real listening is a willingness to let the other person change you. When I'm willing to let them change me, something happens between us that's more interesting than a pair of dueling monologues. Like so much of what I learned in the theater, this turned out to be how life works, too." - Alan Alda, Never Have Your Dog Stuffed

(the emphasis is mine)

Those are some pretty smart words from a wise man. I wish I had been able to have this state of mind back over the summer when I was going through some personal problems. It would have saved me a lot of grief and trouble, but I guess I had to learn it somehow.

A Beautiful Mind

How did this movie win best picture? I watched it tonight, and its not really all that good. The script isn't that great, the lines are cliche, and the story isn't even an accurate representation of John Nash's life. I don't really know what the message of the movie is, or the main idea of the story. It is unclear.

So, what were the other movies that year?

- Gosford Park
- In the Bedroom *
- Lord of the Rings
- Moulin Rouge

(* I didn't see that one)

The other movies were better, at least the ones I saw. I especially liked Moulin Rouge, I thought it was a very original idea for a movie. Then again, I've noticed that eithe rpeople really really liked that movie, or just plain hated it.

Don't know why I'm saying all this.

Mill on Censorship

A great quote I saw online this morning:

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"The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost a great benefit, the clearer perception and livlier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error." - John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, 1859

WOW! Third Post!

Ok, this is too much. The excitement is probably killing everybody! Three posts in one day?? I've gone totally overboard and have officially lost my marbles. What could be so exciting that I would post three times in one day, NO, in one NIGHT??

Well, I heard a really good bluegrass song today that I wanted to share, so enjoy!

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Nothin' Special

3:11

Mark Walton - Log Cabin Publishing (BMI)

You've heard a life of luxury is every girl’s dream

Lookin’ for a millionaire to build her self esteem

But my interest don't fall in monetary desires

Just a steady dose of passion baby's all I require

CHORUS:

Nothin’ special

I'll take what you've got and be satisfied

Nothin’ special

Don’t claim to be greedy or dignified

Nothin’ special

All I need is you here by my side

Nothin’ special

Nothin’ special for me

Don't need no pearls or no diamond rings

No trips to Paris for a weekend fling

Just your sweet kiss is all that you need to bring

Cause honey I'm not into all those fancy things

CHORUS

You can keep your lavish parties with your caviar

No need for modern fashions or a brand new car

No fancy mansions with my breakfast in bed,

Just satisfy my hunger with your loving instead.

CHORUS

Don't need a shrink to tell me what I'm feeling inside

Honey give me half a chance and I'll let you decide

I'm no women’s lib but Lord I sure ain’t no slave

Your warm and tender body is the only thing I crave

***

This song is perfect, it says it all. That's all a guy really wants, compaionship and some lovin'. Its not that complicated really, I'll certify to it one hundred percent.

Flatulence (post 2)

Wow, two posts in one day, exciting.

I was just reminiscing about the past today at work when we were talking about family cultures and traditions. One of the things that I always used to thing was unique about my family was our complete lack of dignity when it came to bodily functions. It wasn't just that we burped or farted around eachother, my siblings and I used to compete for top honors. Early on in our lives we couldn't even come close to the depth of my dad's burps, not to mention the stench of his farts (which to this day I don't know if I can top). And yet my sisters and I would have unofficial "burp-offs" in the hallway, which my older sister clearly holds the title for. Whenever she comes home, we know that things are back to normal when while sitting in the living room, we can almost feel the walls tremble as she unleashes the burp that signals the arrival to her room.

Farting on the other hand, me and my sister would love to run into eachother's rooms, fart, and run off laughing with the hope that we had left a stinky one. Now if we had already farted in our own rooms and smelled the nature of the beast, the nastier it was the better, and thus we had a more potent weapon. Of course we're just children (and still are pretty immature when it comes to this) so we don't really get mad at eachother, but its agonzingly hilarious when we really get a it, say after a good hearty meal of mexican food.

The funniest memories I have would be when the family would be sitting in the living room watching TV or a movie, and we don't hear the fart but the smell creeps into our nose and makes our brains do a double take, cause we certainly didn't see anyone on the T.V. screen fart. We all start looking at eachother, except for my dad who is sitting there chuckling to himself quietly and a red hue slowly spreading across his face. My mom would smack him with a pillow and act disgusted, my older sister would pinch her nose and screw up her face, and of course me and my little sister would start laughing hysterically. Now that we have a dog, my dad will try to blame it on her but we know how far from the truth that is.

And that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Uncontrolled Emotions

Today on the train I was reading Alan Alda's autobiography "Never Have Your Dog Stuffed". There was a story in there where his parents sent him to military boarding school at age seven. During his stay there, they sent him not one, but TWO balls to play with. The other boys having noticed this, took one of them and then tried to take the second one by force. Suddenly, little Alan, who never got into a fight in his life or even hit somebody violently, found himself so upset and so full of rage that these older kids were trying to bully him. Next thing he knows he's on top of this kid punching him all over.

He recalls how he never knew that he had such emotions in him and he didn't know what brought it up. Was it the stress of boarding school? Did the bully bring it out? What combination of stuff got him to react like that? Or was it just human nature, the instinct to defend oneself?

This got me thinking about stuff that I do and ways that I behave. Sometimes I act and behave in ways that I am ashamed of, but I don't do it on purpose. I may distrust somebody, I might say something that hurts another person, or when frustrated I may lash out in anger. The last thing goes against what I stand for, its not me. So why do I do it? Why is that sometimes a way I react to stress and frustration? I don't know if its a fair thing to say because it ends up sounding like I'm making excuses for the way I act. But is also sensible to say that I can control my emotions 100%?

I don't like how I sometimes react to situations. I conciously try to treat people with kindness and respect even if they don't return it to me. And yet I find myself acting stupid, being mean, letting anger control my actions. The worst part about it is that I only find this out after the fact and by then the damage is done. So I guess I have to keep telling myself to be concious about how I act and how I treat people.

My mother always used to tell me, "Think before you open your mouth." On one hand this was really good advice and helped me to avoid saying both stupid and hurtful things. On the other hand, this often held me back from just saying what I felt and being honest, as well as taking risks. It is tough to find a good balance, as well as being in complete concious control of ones self.

Maybe that's what enlightenment/nirvana is. The ability to be in complete control of one's self and the actions that one does. Therefore, with that complete control, you are one hundred percent responsible for the reality that you create around you through your actions. I clearly have not reached that sort of point of personal responsibility since I still find myself acting on undiscovered emotions and instincts, those which I am slowly growing to understand.

I wish I could figure it out sooner and quicker, yet I have to be patient and let growth occur through experience. I hate how people I have relationships with suffer when I do mean things, and I love how they have the capacity to forgive and understand. I suppose that its all just part of human nature.

Ok.... rambling done.

First day of work...

So tomorrow I start my first real day of work. It's about damn time. I'm excited and quite nervous, but the more I read up through the manual the more I feel like this is the right thing for me to do and perfect for what I want in my life right now. I hope it goes well.

I also am worried about a personal matter, I don't know if I made a terrible mistake involving a friend. It might just be me over analyzing the situation, but I can't help it.