| SGA Fanfic.. |
[Feb. 8th, 2009|02:41 pm] |
Anyone here read fanfic? If so, could you link me to quality fanfic in the following genres?
Stargate SG-1 or SGA -
Stories involving the discovery of another Ancient city, ship, or another advanced race. Alternate timelines involving open knowledge of the Stargate program, future development of the human race, or similar.
Harry Potter -
Dark plots, generally post Hogwarts era.
Star Wars -
Pre-prequel stories about Jedi, generally, or post-NJO
Battlestar Galactica (New Series) -
First Cylon War-era,
Crossovers -
Star Wars, Buffy, HP, Stargate, BSG, etc.
Thanks guys! |
|
|
| A poem that I did not write, but that I feel. |
[Aug. 15th, 2008|01:41 pm] |
I am a martial artist.
I see through different eyes.
I see a bigger picture
when others see gray skies.
Though many can't conceive it,
I stand. . .facing the wind.
My bravery, not from fighting,
but from my strength within.
I am a martial artist.
I'll walk the extra mile.
Not because I have too,
but because it's worth my while.
I know that I am different,
when I stand on a crowded street.
I know the fullness of winning,
I've tasted the cup of defeat.
I am a martial artist.
They say I walk with ease.
Though trained for bodily harm,
my intentions are for peace.
The world may come and go,
but a different path I'll choose.
A path I will not stray from,
no matter, win or lose. |
|
|
| Words that are not sound. |
[Jun. 16th, 2008|12:41 pm] |
| [ | and i'm FEEEEEEEElin'... |
| |  contemplative | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | Andrés Segovia - Moonlight Sonata (Beethoven) | ] |
Alex (12:14:32 PM): Really? Three easyeasy payments of thirty NINE ninety FIIIIIIVE!
Tim (12:15:51 PM): How dare you besmirch the sanctity of TheBeatles?
Alex (12:16:33 PM): Because that's all theyare now, the Che Guevero of music, the overmarketed overhyped end all be allalpha com sa omega of modern culture.
Alex (12:17:20 PM): How can you NOT love theBeatles? How can you NOT be influenced by Elvis? Roll the dice,take a chance, rock out with your socks out, forget the drive and ride the bus,independence kills truth.
Alex (12:18:56 PM): Or maybe it should bethe modern bands we lift over the sacrifical pit of pop stardom, blaming theirun-ingenious minds, musical complacency, and stardust withered LSD laced souls.
Alex (12:19:52 PM): Or maybe, everyone iswrong in the first place, and all that matters is what moves your soul, and youcan't buy that in a WalMart for 3.45 just rolled back, and there's no discountor rebate on this soul, because it was returned long ago as defective.
Alex (12:20:30 PM): No, just doing modernpoetry, one hit at a time, spinny the fumes of silly words by sillier peopleinto dots on a screen, the Matrix flared high.
Tim (12:23:53 PM): Do we hear the words, the meanings, thelight sigling the dawn of comprehension? Do we understand the change, theshift, the movement to something different? Do we know the world ischanging everyday?
Alex (12:27:01 PM): What is change but aburden of turning? We all spin a million miles an hour through the cosmicdrift, shifting gears every now and again to keep up with the spin, churningand chopping and tumbling down the geiser of the blender that is theworld. And even then, change is lie, a deception played on us by thegreatest lie of all - thought.
Alex (12:30:07 PM): Letting the mood slip islike turning the fruit down because of the jello around it, delightful andsweet and crunchy surrounded by wobbly jiggles of worthlessness and caring toomuch about textures
Alex (12:36:14 PM): I love Beethoven, didyou know that? Andres Segovia plays a rendition of Moonlight Sonata,transposed for classical guitar. The way the music moves in and out,gently fluctuating like a wave, and then the crispness of the melody comes in,floating above the waves of accompaniment like a gull over the ocean..
Alex (12:37:48 PM):It's like riding afloating rainbow of sound, like tasting God for a moment, understanding what itis to be something larger and greater than you are, a piece of the puzzle, andcog on the wheel, yet the entire puzzle at once is less than you are as just apiece of it. More than everything and yet larger than nothing.. |
|
|
| So much feelin, oh my soul is singing |
[Jun. 3rd, 2008|01:52 pm] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | The Rocket Summer - So, In This Hour... | ] |
You know, I think I never really realized how much of a teenager at heart I am. I think we all are, in little ways. In the way the lyrics of a song touch you, the beat changes you. The way the smallest things are the ones that hurt most, and the big stuff is easy. Who knew that all these years later, after all those struggles and losses and triumphs that it would be the lyrics of a powerpop song that made me feel again?
I sure didn't.
( Lyrics in reference )
Axé , friends. |
|
|
| Oh, you silly fanboy wars, or how I learned to truly love supercars. |
[Jun. 2nd, 2008|10:58 am] |
| [ | and i'm FEEEEEEEElin'... |
| |  cheerful | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | Brian Ibbott - Coverville 467: The Violent Femmes Cover Story [rp2] | ] |
Because they're direct competitors. The Z06 was GM's shot across the bow to the supercar world; their answer to the Ford GT, their warning to Ferrari that those performance levels are no longer the territory of the super-rich. Nissan fired back with the GT-R, slightly outperforming and slightly underpricing the current Z06.
Look for Chevy to likely retaliate when the C6.5 rolls out, and definitely when the C7 hits.
And the truth is that they're two different answers to the same problem. They are wildly different driving experiences.
The Z06 holds to the traditionalist viewpoint - rear wheel drive, minimalist, and a honkin' huge V8 - while the GT-R is the toy of the PlayStation generations, sporting more gizmos, switches, and displays than the International Space Station.
Chevrolet did nothing new with this time around, applying a tried and true recipe for performance to the Z06. They shoved a 427ci pushrod V-8 under the hood (Overhead cams? Overhead valves? Who needs 'em?), allowing the Zed to romp around with a massive, Ferrari (and GT-R) stomping 470lb-ft of torque to prop up its not-shabby 505hp rating. Then they sprung it with an equally old-school suspension - transverse rear leaf spring say what - that is capable of inducing an F430 devastating 1.18G on the Nürburgring. Nearly infallible grip and gobs and gobs of torque make the Zed a potent track weapon, in the most traditional way. Enzo Ferrari would be proud of the Z06, I think, as I'm sure Bill Mitchell and Zora Duntov are.
Chevy did it right - prodigious power, fantastically functional suspension, 50/50 weight distribution, and (relatively) light weight make for a truly supercar class vehicle.
And it reigned undisputed for years; even the C5 Z06 was the king of its class of one. The supercar world has quaked, and Italian thoroughbreds are being stomped by the upstart kid from Detroit on their most hallowed raceways. The C5-R (and it's successor C6-R) dominated the hallowed Le Mans - six consecutive Manufacturers Championships, including the most recent season - a feat not equaled in the entire history of Le Mans.
Then, Nissan shot back. Building on the legacy of the Skyline GT-R, the fantasy plaything of every kid who grew up playing Gran Tourismo or watching Initial D, this techno-racer came to the game carrying every gadget in the world. Active torque distribution? Yep. A rear-mounted, dual clutch, semi-automatic transmission? Yep. Certainly Nissan has held true to their techno-organic styling trend; Chief Creative Officer Shiro Nakamura credited its influence to Japanese culture, specifically citing the anime/manga Gundam as a primary factor in the GT-R's design. Nakamura said "The GT-R is unique because it is not simply a copy of a European-designed supercar, it had to really reflect Japanese culture." And Nissan's styling of the GT-R is certainly unique - the love it or hate it nature of the GT-R's appearance has polarized fans since the first hints of its taut, off-angle lines, and form follows function mindset were visible. The design carries an air of stiffness and visual heaviness, quite contrary to the light and tight lines of the current Z06.
Packed with technology, the GT-R is Nissan's technological showcase. Next generation ATTESSA-ETS all wheel drive, multi-function LCDs, independent transaxle design, semi-automatic DSG gearbox, yaw-rate feedback control, and more that Nissan is keeping mum about, the GT-R has more toys than every geek in your IT group at the office.
The two challengers are as fundamentally different as two cars in the same class can be. One is a raw, traditional sports car experience that rewards driver incompetence with smoky spinouts and visits to the tire wall more often than not and lives on the roar of a huge V-8 and the screech of tires in a smoky burnout. It's an American muscle car made to run with the big boys, the greatest automotive achievement of the modern American car industry. The other is a refined, techno-beat-thumping, computerized machine that makes even the worst amateur look like the next Mario. It's Japanese precision and attention to detail pureed and poured into a block of styling that is a distinctly different as Japanese fashion.
The real discussion isn't which is better, because neither one is. Distinctively representative of two incredibly opposite schools of thought, the choice that needs to be made isn't which is the better car, it's which you like more. Do you think the rumble of a V-8 and powerslides made through the vaporized rubber from the last lap are your kind of fun? Then head over to your local Chevy dealer and order a Z06. I recommend Le Mans blue with the Competition wheels and LT4 fancy interior. Or do you prefer the precision engineering, flawless driving experience of the GT-R, computer control and flappy-paddle gearbox included at no extra charge? Then swing on by your local Nissan dealer and drop a deposit.
Either way, there is no clear winner here except us; the enthusiast market in general. Two vastly different approaches to winning the supercar market from the Italian lines that have held it since time immemorial, and both of them winners. The CEO in his F430 or 599GTB is no longer untouchable rolling down Mulholland Boulevard - both the Zed and the R can hang with and even beat the best Milano and Sant'Agata Bolognese can offer. And they can do it at a third of the price.
The GT-R and the Z06 can both be yours for right around $70,000US. No matter which you choose, stop fighting amongst yourselves and go make spaghetti with a Ferrarista's meatballs. |
|
|
| Aaron... |
[May. 15th, 2008|05:33 pm] |
|
I promised you I'd make things right. Two down, 48 to go, and then we can rest. I love you and I miss you. |
|
|
| To the girls who crashed with me at SXSW |
[Mar. 25th, 2008|05:33 pm] |
| [ | and i'm FEEEEEEEElin'... |
| | cheerful | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | TED Talks: Ideas Worth Spreading | ] |
Please drop me a message or email when you get a chance! raging insincerity a.t. gmail
Sorry mods, don't mean to spam. |
|
|
| Inspire us! |
[Feb. 15th, 2008|12:31 pm] |
|
Tell a story. Link a vid. Post lyrics, or link to a song. Whatever you do, tell the rest of us what inspires you to be a better person! |
|
|
| OMG - Slashers - HUMOR AHEAD! |
[Feb. 15th, 2008|12:12 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | diction, limerick, lj, slash | ] |
| [ | Place I'm At |
| | work | ] |
| [ | and i'm FEEEEEEEElin'... |
| | anticipatory | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | The Rocket Summer - Do You Feel | ] |
Seen on Limerick DB.com
A note to authors of slash fiction -
It's not just lube, finger, then dicks in.
Though on LJ you'll pass,
It's a pain in the ass,
And for fuck's sake, please tighten your diction.
There are no words for how loud I am laughing over that. |
|
|
| A male perspective on sex. |
[Dec. 27th, 2007|02:11 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | male, men, pony, pony1, sex | ] |
| [ | Place I'm At |
| | work | ] |
| [ | and i'm FEEEEEEEElin'... |
| | cheerful | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | Hanson - Fire On The Mountain | ] |
[pony]PonyXone, Pony1 or Kevin... whatever you knew him as, posted this years ago. I was digging through some old files and I found it... and it is still as funny as it was when I read it the first time.
And now for a guy's perspective... DONT FUCKING ACT LIKE WE ARE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR BAD SEX! If you want foreplay, youd damn well better give some back. Oh, so youre gonna bitch about how youre not getting enough? Then we can just forget it entirely and go jerk off. Fact 98% of men masturbate, the other 2% are compulsive liars. Only 48% of women masturbate. Well, if youre in that 52% percent, looks like you arent going to get shit and Im going to take a nice long shower and still come back just as dirty as I was when I went in.
Oh, you want some fucking post-nut-snuggling? Then fucking earn it. Dont act like we should lie there and wait in bed while you go to the bathroom and clean up. Fuck that, Ill be outside smoking if you need me.
You want us to go down on you? Then give us some response. Dont lie there like nothings going on and then complain about it to your girlfriends the next day. Guys need instruction, and more often then not, they like to be told what to do. Dont act like we dont do anything when youre going down on us. Theres only one way to fuck a blowjob up. And if you arent biting my cock, then youre doing it right. And use some fucking hands! Christ, it doesnt feel as good if youre only going to suck on the top 3 inches and not gonna do anything about the rest. NEWS FLASH: THERES MORE COCK THERE! DONT LET IT GO TO WASTE!!!
And if I take your hand and put it on it for you, thats a hint godammit. Dont take it as a sign that Im trying to tell you how to do your job. Because when you scream for me to spank you harder, I fucking spank you harder, I dont get all pissy and say "Hey! Whos the one givin you the cock? Me or you?". If you dont like it, expect to hear the shower running for the next 20 minutes or so.
If I put my hand on the back of your head while youre huffing my dong, it doesnt mean that I want you to go deeper. The last thing I want is someone to vomit all over my cock, so Im not going to force that on you. Its just something guys do. Girls like to complain, guys like to put their hand on your head while youre going down. It also prevents us from clapping, snapping our fingers if we get bored, and making the "touchdown" signal.
If you want to just have a makeout session, thats fine by me. Just dont get offended when the shower starts running.
You wanna bitch about swallowing? Go fuck yourself. When we go downtown, you dont hear us spitting on a towel every 5 seconds, and we damn well dont complain about it.
The reason we dont like to try any of your new shit in bed, is because your new ideas fucking suck. Unless they involve another girl or your twin sister, look for me in the shower.
You say you wanna try a threesome? Hoo-fucking-ray. You bust out this idea of picking up some guy, thats fine. I can be cool with that. He can cum in your pussy for all I care. Just take note of the fact that Im breakin out the footlong rubber fist and it looks like the front door is occupied so Im gonna have to go around back.
Oh, but you wont let me stick anything in your ass without letting you put something in mine? Fuck that, not gonna happen. The boys are the pitchers, not the girls. Oh, so now youre gonna be whiny about how I can do it to you but you cant do it to me? Thats fine, you can whine through the bathroom door and hope I can hear with the water running.
You wanna tie me up? Okay, Im leavin one hand free and my best friend gets to wait in the closet with a bat. When you hear the word "popcorn", start fuckin running. I saw Basic Instinct, I know what the fuck is up. You want me to tie you up? Kickass! Just keep in mind that this may be my one chance to cum all over your face. And Im damn well not going to pass that up.
Another thing, guys dont like wearing condoms. Oh, and you think you can make a lame comeback about how we shouldnt say that theyre tight, and you can put both hands in one? Well, have you ever put both hands in one? Its fucking tight isnt it? And my penis isnt filled with bone, so its got no support. And you cant fucking feel anything while we are in there. If I gotta wear one, there better be a damn good finish in the form of your mouth on my wang. Oh, but my pecker will taste like a condom, well you should have fucking thought about that before you made me wear one.
If you have sex with us. We ARE going to tell our friends about it within the next 24 hours, and Im going to throw in all the nasty details, epecially the part about you like to call me "daddy" and want office supplies stuck inside your snatch. Feel free to tell your friends about what we did. Just remember, youre the one that likes the feel of a cold stapler.
If the TV is on while we are goin at it, dont be suprised if you catch me watching. Especially if you wont let me put my hand on your head. Guys have this rule of thumb: keep the remote within arms length at all times. Besides, its time for the Simpsons.
And dont fucking complain if my socks are on while we are gettin it on. Its a bit hard to take them off while trying to suck on your tits. And besides, if we break eye contact, you take it as a sign that Im picturing someone else in bed.
As for the picturing someone else in bed, we probably are. Most likely its your sister, or your cute friend. But sometimes its some girl we saw at the mall who passed by. Sex after the first time with a girl is usually the same thing over and over again, which is usually why you complain that we dont "keep you in suspense" or some lame Oprah-excuse like that because we fucking used our entire repitoire on you the first night. We wanna make a good first impression. So we picture other girls to keep us entertained. Better than finding out youve been cheated on. Remember, unless they involve your twin sister, your ideas suck.
Another tip. I have balls too. And they feel just as good when you lick on them as when you lick my shaft. Remember what I said about the hand? Yeah, theres balls down there too. They may get cold, so do me a favor and put them in your mouth.
You know, sometimes we dont feel like having sex, but we still wanna blowjob. And yall will sometimes give us said blowjob. Wanna know why we ask for a blowjob when we arent in the mood? Because we dont wanna fuckin hear you bitch about us not bein in the mood. The fact that we are about to jizz in your mouth is just an added bonus because we didnt have to put up with taking time out of our day to get your clothes off you in a seductive manner.
Wanna know who invented skirts? Yeah, thats right, a fucking guy. Wanna know why? Its one less article of clothing we have to get through to get our cocks wet. We like short skirts because its even less work.
Bras? Yeah, us too. Face it, guys dont like droopy boobs. We dont like taking bras off because we are afraid of those motherfuckers dropping like bricks and deadlegging us. Gotta have a free hand to intercept.
If you know how to put a condom on with your teeth, and youre our girlfriend and not casual sex or a fling, dont fucking show us. It looks like it takes alot of practice and I dont find it appealing to know my tongue has been where 37 other guys cocks have been before me.
And dont fucking tell us what so and so or your ex boyfriend would do in bed for you before. We have no interest in it, and as far as we are concerned, we are your firsts.
Any questions? [/pony] |
|
|
| Why? |
[Dec. 14th, 2007|04:55 pm] |
| [ | and i'm FEEEEEEEElin'... |
| | cheerful | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | The St Philips Boy's Choir - In Dulci Jubilo | ] |
There is nothing but me and the road. The bike ceases to exist separately and becomes an extension of my body. The world ceases to be complex, and I am zen. I am nothing more at that moment than the moment itself, the immediate experience. All of my troubles, my past, my future, everything disappears and I simply AM.
That's why I ride. Everything else is just a bonus. |
|
|
| Peace is our adversery and conflict is good? |
[Dec. 14th, 2007|02:22 pm] |
| [ | and i'm FEEEEEEEElin'... |
| | contemplative | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | Jeff Buckley - Lover, You Should Have Come | ] |
Peace comes from acceptance, not challenge. But innovation, progress, change, come from challenge and resulting change, regardless of failure or triumph. How to reconcile the two? What is the balance? Is there a balance, or do we as human beings simply oscillate between the two extremes, floating around but never reaching a median?
And what would happen if we DID reach that median, that perfect balance? Perfect peace means perfect existence - no change, no challenge. Protected existence, with no death or pain or suffering, unless it was desired. Existing just to mark time. And what purpose is there in that? What defines us as human the most if not our unending and univseral curiousity? But constant challenge is wearing, and does not bode well on the human psyche either. We crack, split, fail to be cohesive under the greatest stress. After all, we define our greatest by either survival in adversity or acheivement in peace. Overcoming the greatest challenges and surviving (hero, brave, stout, strong) even mentally broken (tragic hero) defines the great men and women of human history. And scattered in there are those who transcend, those who would reach higher than the stars with human comprehension, driven by insatiable curiousity to KNOW.
So what happens, then, when we know all there is to know? There will be no more challenge - knowledge is power and the knowledge of existence itself means the power of existence itself. Does not, then, our continued awareness simply mark the passing of time, no more important or noble than the half-life of a random isotope? Do we even exist at all by then?
Do we really WANT to know everything? If you posit that the ultimate goal thus far of humanity's existence has been to triumph over our environment, to become our own god, then you also posit that the achievement of that goal equates to the end of humanity's continued existence, don't you?
(Inspiration by Roger Williams, aka localroger on kuro5shin.org - http://www.kuro5hin.org/prime-intellect/ and his sweeping Revelation Passage arc) |
|
|
| YELP! |
[Dec. 5th, 2007|03:48 pm] |
| [ | and i'm FEEEEEEEElin'... |
| |  chipper | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | Alkaline Trio - Emma | ] |
|
|
|
| It's Eat Local week, kids! |
[Dec. 4th, 2007|01:40 pm] |
| [ | Place I'm At |
| | work | ] |
| [ | and i'm FEEEEEEEElin'... |
| |  content | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | APM - The News from Lake Wobegon for Saturday, September 1, 2007 | ] |
Hello again, everyone! It's Edible Austin Eat Local Week December 8th through the 15th.
What is Edible Austin Eat Local Week?
Of course every week is "eat local week" in our book, but Eat Local Week, our winter fundraiser event, is an invitation to Central Texans to explore and celebrate the abundance of local food and to raise money for Urban Roots, a youth development program that uses sustainable agriculture to effect lasting change for youth 14-18 years old, and to nourish East Austin residents who have limited access to healthy foods. Young people will cultivate a local 2 - 5 acre, diversified organic farm, selling a portion of their harvest in the Austin area and donating a portion to local hunger relief programs. Through this process young people can connect to the land and learn the benefits of growing, eating, selling and donating organic food, as well as leadership, entrepreneurial and life skills, and the importance of giving back to their community. This will serve as a model for similar programs statewide.
So check the website for a list of participating restaurants and hit them up - you get good food, and we teach kids how to eat local, eat healthy, and do business in a responsible and ethical manner - everybody wins!
In other news, I finally broke down and got Yelp! - check out my profile there.
In Alexland, things have finally taken the upswing. As some of you know, I was unemployed for several months, and nearly lost everything. Yes, I'm being dramatic. However, I have settled into employment in a permanent (GASP) position, and I'm quite happy here. The pay is great, the perks obnoxious, and benefits are pretty sexy too. Plans involve a new Ducati 848 and a 350Z - the Z I get at 5% over cost (told you the perks rock). I haven't been able to go to kung fu for the last few weeks - my car is not legal (and not really mine anymore), and the other car is broken. I'm in the process of fixing the cars, but it may be until after the holidays before I can resume my training. It's annoying, but I understand that I need to focus.
I do so love Garrison Keillor.
Peace out, kids. |
|
|
| Anyone know where to get fiberglas supplies in Austin? |
[Nov. 27th, 2007|05:33 pm] |
| [ | Place I'm At |
| | Work | ] |
| [ | and i'm FEEEEEEEElin'... |
| |  anxious | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | Pennywise - Lets Go Smoke Some Pot.mp3 | ] |
Hey everyone,
I'm doing an installation for a friend and have run out of supplies. I need mat, resin, and hardener, as well as body filler... Any place that might sell this stuff locally?
Thanks! |
|
|
| As seen in today's SMS messages... |
[Nov. 8th, 2007|10:46 am] |
From: Lemonade
Good Morning my sweet hunny cuppycakes hunny buns of joy
God, I love him so much. :D The new job goes well, real post later.. |
|
|
| Life, stuff, and updates.. |
[Sep. 6th, 2007|12:32 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | andy, caffeine, career, china, china trip, depression, driver f, dwi, focus, kung fu, martial arts, music, work | ] |
| [ | Place I'm At |
| | office | ] |
| [ | and i'm FEEEEEEEElin'... |
| |  blah | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | Vusi Mahlasela - Thula Mama | ] |
Today is one of those days where I just can’t focus. I come in to work, and look at the screen like it’s written in Mandarin. The words are there, but they don’t make sense. I’m not hung over, I only had two glasses of wine last night. I got plenty of sleep. I just can’t bring my world into relevance, and I certainly can’t bring myself to care about work. I’m not tired; I close my eyes and they pop back open, despite a lack of caffeine. Maybe eating will help (the team is taking an early lunch), but I don’t know. I’m just not all here today.
Gods, how I want to just quit and do kung fu full time. Why isn’t that a paying career, studying martial arts? Stupid capitalism. And my boss even complimented me this morning on my work. You’d think that would make a great day, or start of one at least, wouldn’t you? But no, instead, I can’t do anything except just sit here and type this stream-of-conciousness style. I would honestly quit work if I could find a mindless job that paid decently, but there’s just nothing I can do that will pay anywhere near what I make now and be easy, and making this money is the only way I’m going to get to China. Gah, sacrifice, I guess.
So I suppose I ought to tell you what’s going on with life. I’m still doing kung fu; I got asked to audit the instructor’s course this Friday, so that’s exciting. I still love it, and I’m more sure than ever that doing it full time is what I want to do with my life. This brings my China trip back into focus, so I’m going to plan to make that happen in the next two years. I need to get a few years at one employer under my belt to make finding a job easier when I come back and in case things don’t work out starting my own studio, and I need to wrap things up here. Pay off my debt, resolve outstanding legal issues (yes, I got a DWI a month or so ago), put money away, just basically getting myself set for leaving for a few years. I don’t want to come back home and find life in disarray, ya know? It’s just a really frustrating process. Worth it in the end (even if I wasn’t going to China), but still long and frustrating to put so much effort into things and not feel like I’m really accomplishing anything.
I’m seeing someone, but it’s low commitment – he’s in Houston, and I’m here, and we’re both busy as hell. Between work and kung fu I don’t get a lot of free time.
On another exciting note, Andy, my friend from San Francisco, is coming to visit tomorrow for the weekend. I haven’t seen him in ages; we grew up together in Dallas, but we rarely get the chance to make the trip one way or the other. That should be fun – there’s Big Party™ this weekend, as well as the Driver Friendly show, both of which I’m looking forward to. |
|
|
| iPhone, for those of you who care... |
[Jul. 3rd, 2007|11:34 am] |
No, I haven't picked on up yet, but here's a thorough and comprehensive review. Also, check out the video here and see how it did against PC World TRYING to damage the display.
Pretty much the reviews seem to agree - for a consumer device, it's a got some teething problems (all software based, meaning that updates later can resolve them for first generation devices), but it a fairly worthwhile toy. As a productivity device, which is what the majority of smartphone buyers look for, it's crap. There are tons of problems with the trifecta of mobile apps that most consider fundamental for a productivity device; email, calendaring, and contacts.
Email support is iffy at best - no support for Exchange (the back end of most corporate email solutions), crappy IMAP support, problematic mail syncing, and a difficult to use deletion setup mean that Apple has some SERIOUS work to do before anyone considers this tool for anything but very light emailing. Hey, want to read a few mails, maybe reply to one or two every now and then? You'll find that the iPhone's Mail.app is usable if occassionally frustrating. However, if you're a power emailer, then you will learn to hate Mail very quickly. There's no BCC (blind carbon copy), no download all messages, and one Engadget editor called the Gmail integration "a crime against humanity."
What. The. Fuck. Apple. Seriously! Email is probably the single most important tool of any smartphone, and your inphone client sucks? Jesus. Jobs, I love ya dude, but you need to fire some people over this one.
Tied into this, of course, is the calendaring and contact functions. I have multiple calendars - work, social, martial arts, and a "what's going on in town" list that I keep up to date. I need my device to not only sync all of those calendars, but also to differentiate between them. Howabout tagging work red, social blue, martial arts green, and in-town yellow? Nope, iPhone won't do it. Even if you're using the native Mac OS X calendar app and coding them there, no can do. In addition, there are scattered reports of serious problems syncing iPhones to Calendar on a Mac OS machine. Ironically, no issues have been reporting syncing Windows-based PCs.
Again, what. The. Fuck. Apple.
The third part of the Trifecta is SMS messaging, colloquially known as "texting." While the iPhone can support most SMS services, and even steals Palm's idea for threading messages, it's completely non-customizable. Don't want time stamps? Want different colored bubbles? Want any changes to the default setup? Tough shit, iUsers!
Other complaints with the iPhone? Inconsistent gesture interface (touches and swipes do different things in different programs with no seeming consistency), which is a strange thing for Apple, my usual paragon of UI design excellence. Crappy Photo application - no zoom, no settings at ALL - just like a disposable camera without the flash. No GPS integration for Google Maps (GMaps)? Hello, Apple, this is a portable device with BUILT-IN GPS (required by law for e911 services). WTF? And no 3G data services? EDGE is ok, but it can't do data and voice at the same time, so say goodbye to browsing while talking, and forget getting calls while browsing, they'll go straight to voicemail without so much as a ring.
The good news on all this? The iPhone is still a revolutionary media convergence tool. It works quite well on the whole, especially for the average consumer, and seems durable (a big concern in the pre-release days) and reliable. It seems to have phenomenal battery life, as well. Visual voicemail is possibly the greatest advancement in modern communications in the last five years (can I get it on my home phone?) The even better news? Every single complaint here can be fixed with a software flash. So first-gen purchasers? You won't be left behind as Apple, Inc. addresses these issues and introduces new functionality. We hope. |
|
|
| Last.FM |
[Jun. 28th, 2007|01:40 pm] |
And don't hate, I just installed the widget five minutes ago.
I had a terrible nightmare last night. I dreamt that I was back at an overnight boys choir event with my old choir, but that somehow I had gotten coke. I thought I was sober, but I'd done the entire supply and ruined everything. I remember leaving and crying, inside my dream. Then I cried outside it. Odd, I suppose, since coke was never really my vice of choice when I did things like that. Gah, it never really does go away.
Suffice it to say, I am shaken and did not go to work today. I will, however, go to kung fu, and hopefully that will help me clear and stabilize. |
|
|
| Changes. |
[Jun. 25th, 2007|11:37 am] |
This is the build I want. I will have it. Kung fu almost killed me the other day - I had forgotten how hard that workout was. Well, discipline produces results, right?
Ah, the air conditioner at work is out today. It's like, 82 degrees in here, with a HUGE humidity level. Death comes to me in perspiration. Funny, I always thought it would be falling valiantly in battle. |
|
|
| Hey Austin peoples... |
[Jun. 19th, 2007|12:23 pm] |
| [ | Place I'm At |
| | work | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | Clickity-clackety of keys.. | ] |
Anyone know of job openings for the following types of people? I have some friends looking...
Something in Advertising/Marketing (he is BBA in Management/Advertising&Marketing)?
Something in auto parts sales or general sales (prefers high end, low volume)?
More news on me later, promise. |
|
|
| Free DiVX Pro |
[Jun. 8th, 2007|12:59 pm] |
Okay, media kids, here's DivX passing out the love to you. Grab DivX Pro from their website, and get a free serial number.
Follow the instructions here. |
|
|
| How is it... |
[Jun. 3rd, 2007|10:27 pm] |
That I don't kill people with regularity? Seriously, the amount of self-restraint I demonstrate should really qualify me for sainthood. Because if one more fucker accuses me of being an asshole, I swear to whatever God you wish that I'm going to teach them the definition of pain. Fucking NOT kidding. |
|
|
| How beautiful! |
[May. 30th, 2007|09:07 pm] |
When I saw this, I was literally moved to tears. It is beautiful.
And when you open it, the part that actually made me cry:
I also rather desperately want this:
I want both with hand-cut Amalfi paper, with custom embossing. This symbol:
On the cover of the journal, with the Chinese characters for peace and serenity beneath it.
Inside, I'll have custom caligraphy done for the first page, like this:
It will say in a box in the center,
There is no emotion; there is peace.
There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no passion; there is serenity.
There is no chaos; there is harmony.
And surrounding that in text:
Above all things, to thine own self be true.
PS - http://www.epica.com/ |
|
|
| Updates schumpdates.. |
[May. 30th, 2007|12:36 pm] |
I want to start an entry and not use the word "so" then entire thing. I fear my writing has become, well, pedestrian.
Anyway, nothing fundamental has happened. I am in love with the new Silverchair album, Young Modern . It is freaking phenomenal. If you'll remember, our Australian trio hit the world HARD with their debut album Frogstomp . When it hit the airwaves, our trio of fifteen year old Aussies became famous - Frogstomp reached number one on the Billboard charts AND hit platinum status by November of that year, barely seven months from its release date in June 1995.
Johns' angsty and surprisingly mature vocals led the group to reach a cult status. The followup, Freak Show , sold 1.5 million albums world-wide, and played further into Silverchair's then established king of anger grunge image. Millions of teens grew up in the late Nineties listening to Pure Massacre, Freak, and Israel's Son as outlets for their pent-up aggression. Even the lighter ballads like "Tomorrow" had darker lyrics. Angsty teenagers around the world found their voice through Johns lyrics - the fact that he was their age made it all the easier to identify with him.
But the group was unhappy with their albums, and Neon Ballroom was a departure from their previous efforts. Strangely dark and yet more pop, Neon Ballroomtopped the charts with the haunting track "Ana's Song." Written by Johns about his struggle with anorexia, the song both laments and embraces the eating disorder.
Diorama , Silverchair's 2002 release, was an ever further step away from their grungy roots. When fans got a listen of the first single, "The Greatest View," many were confused and unsure of the direction Johns was leading the band in. Tours were short and the future unsure as Johns battled with reactive arthritis - the Diorama era ended with Silverchair on an indefinite hiatus.
Then came Young Modern. And wow, what an album. Poppy, transcendent, and new, Johns embraces truly being an artist, and not just a rock band. Catchy melodies, metaphorical lyrics, and rich high vocals layer without overburdening the listening experience, and blend smoothly into a fantastic, cohesive, whole. "Straight Lines," the first single from the album, is going to be the club hit of the year as soon as some DJ lays a beat to it. Don't believe me? Have a listen at Silverchair's MySpace.
And yes, our boy Daniel Johns went from hottest boy ever to hottest man ever. Proof is in the pictures, kiddos. Here's a few totally sweet pictures of our hero. Hover your mouse over the picture to get the text.
This is old school Johns at various points in his career. Remember, they started at tender age of 15.
 
 
 
And here's Johns today, ten days older than I am:
 
 
Yeah. He can have me any way he wants me. So take a listen. I give Young Modern 4.5 stars out of 5. The only reason it didn't get a straight five star? I felt that while each song was individually excellent, the album lacked a cohesive feel. It seemed more like a collection of songs on a CD than an actual coordinated album. That, and Johns got engaged to long-time girlfriend and fellow musician Natalie Umbruglia. Bastard was supposed to propose to me. |
|
|
| Well, who knew, I'm a helluva guy |
[May. 29th, 2007|05:32 pm] |
Your Score: Clark Gable You scored 50% Tough, 14% Roguish, 4% Friendly, and 33% Charming!
You're a helluva guy, a real split personality and a bit of an enigma. On the one hand, you're a man's man, tough talking and ready for anything. But on the other hand, you soften your rough and tumble core with a disarmingly smooth exterior, and you make the ladies swoon. You're equally admired by both men and women alike, drinking other men under the table all the while charming the socks off half a dozen lovelies. You're a commanding presence, and you know how to get what - and who - you want when you want it. You're drawn to women who, like you, are savvy enough to deal with the world on their own terms. You work well with spitfires. Leading ladies include Joan Crawford, Myrna Loy, and Jean Harlow. No damsels in distress for you.
Find out what kind of classic dame you'd make by taking the
Classic Dames Test.
|
|
|
| Sigh... |
[May. 25th, 2007|01:45 am] |
| [ | Tags | | | buy, computers, htpc, media center, opteron, raid, raptor, server, storage, toys, wishlist, zomg | ] |
| [ | Place I'm At |
| | home, about to be bed | ] |
| [ | and i'm FEEEEEEEElin'... |
| | wishful | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | Hungarian Philharmonic - Symhony No. 8, op.93 F major II. Allegretto scherzando | ] |
I wish so, so much.
Storage Server/Desktop Gaming Box
Yes, it's quite capable of doing both, cutting edge tech included, simultaneously with no appreciable load.
 
3.2 terabytes of USABLE, redundant storage. Spare drive included.
150gb Raptors in mirror, OS/APPs. Spare drive included.
2.66 Dual-core AMD Opteron
4gb RAM
GeForce 8800GTS Video Card with 640mb DDR3 RAM
$3,735 at NewEGG. How I do wish.
More realistically, my home theatre PC:
 
Pentium D 2.66
2gb dual channel DDR2-800 RAM
150 gb Raptor OS/APPs (Windows XP Media Center Edition)
500gb Redundant mirrored storage
Hauppauge WINTV-PVR-150 Tuner/Capture/PVR Card with hardware MPEG encoder
GeForce 7600GT 256mb with HD-SVideo Out
From NewEGG: $1,142.88 |
|
|
| Does this surprise you at all? |
[May. 24th, 2007|11:36 am] |
Your Score: Neutral-Good 90% Good, 52% Chaotic 
Plane of Existence: Elysium, "Blessed Fields". Description: The plane of peace. Notable Inhabitants: Guardinals - noble immortal humanoids with bestial features.
Examples of Neutral-Goods (Ethically Neutral, Morally Good)
Cloud Strife (FFVII)
Boogenhagen (FFVII)
Mother Theresa
Ghandi
Sidhartha Gautama (the Buddha)
Gandalf
Bilbo & Frodo Baggins
Samwise Gamgee
Indiana Jones
The Dali Lama
Ben (O-Bi-Wan) Kenobi
Luke Skywalker
Harry Potter
Hermionie
Dumbledore
Often goes along with the laws and desires of the group as being the easiest course of action, but ethical considerations clearly have top priority. May pursue quite abstract goals. Often aloof and difficult to understand.
Will keep their word to others of good alignment
Would not attack an unarmed foe
Will not use poison
Will help those in need
May work with others
Indifferent to higher authority
Indifferent to organizations
Neutral Good "Pure Good"
"Benefactor"
A neutral good [person] will obey the law, or break it when he or she sees it will serve a greater good. He or she is not bound strongly to a social system or order. His or her need to help others and reduce their suffering may take precedence over all else. Neutral good [people] do good for goodness' sake, not because they are directed to by law or by whim.
This alignment desires good without bias for or against order.
Other Alignments and Tendencies (Tendenices are what you would more often sway towards; esp. for Neutrals):
0-39% Good, 0-39% Chaotic: Lawful-Evil
0-39% Good, 40-60% Chaotic: Neutral-Evil
0-39% Good, 61-100% Chaotic: Chaotic-Evil
40-60% Good, 0-39% Chaotic: Lawful-Neutral
40-60% Good, 40-60% Chaotic: True Neutral
40-60% Good, 61-100% Chaotic: Chaotic-Neutral
61-100% Good, 0-39% Chaotic: Lawful-Good
61-100% Good, 61-100% Chaotic: Chaotic-Good
|
|
|
| Regarding Jerry Falwell's death... |
[May. 23rd, 2007|04:47 pm] |
Some people have recently commented both directly and indirectly that I should diminish my impassioned speech against both the teachings and the life of Jerry Falwell.
Here is a response that originated as a reply comment to ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) trackstar99's elj.
Is the victim of bullying suddenly a bully if he stands up to being bullied?
I am incredibly tired of this apologist attitude by the LGBT community in regards to people like Falwell and Phelps, alive or dead. The Right has become incredibly talented at flipping tolerance on its head, blaming the Left and Moderates for not being "tolerant" of their hate speech.
I lost my greatest love to suicide because of the messages people like Falwell sent. I will NEVER become a tired apologist and attempt to humanize him. He voiced his speeches, wrote his sermons. He chose his ground. Death does not neutralize him, nor does it somehow carry some kind of redeeming value for his message of hate and intolerance.
Tens of thousands of gay teenagers kill themselves every year. Far more are beaten, raped, or bashed. And yet MORE are crushed inside with societally APPROVED and ENDORSED messages that teach them that they are worth nothing, that gay people are evil, not worthy of recognition or role models, that we are all AIDS-infested adulterers and to blame for everything wrong with the world.
THAT is the message that the man you look askance for. THOSE are his teachings - hate, intolerance, murder and death.
Sure, he had every right to have an opinion. And you will never see me ask for censorship of his speech, or try to force Liberty University (what an incredibly ironic misnomer) to close. But I will not stand and let their wretched venom be spread through the hearts and minds of MY people.
You, of course, can do as you please. You claim that his apparent inability through death to retort to our criticisms is a reason to not speak up. I disagree entirely - Falwell had an entire lifetime and multi-million dollar evangelistic empire to build and broadcast his message. Even in his death, the gears in that empire will continue to turn for likely decades or centuries more, churning out messages of hate and pain, exclusion and rejection for anyone not like them across the world.
Falwell's lips may not move, but he is FAR from done speaking. And until that message of hate stops, my voice will not quiet. |
|
|
| And so it begins! |
[May. 18th, 2007|05:01 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | b4, barbeque, bastards, bbq, beautiful babies, booze, boys, dj, dj kidd simba, gettysburg, party, per-party, summer | ] |
| [ | Place I'm At |
| | leaving work to HAVE PARTY | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | The Heavenly States - My Friends | ] |
OK BITCHES.
It's been entirely too long. So...
Bastards, Booze, and Beautiful Babies presents:
::the summer pre-party!::
:::::with DJ Kidd Simba:::::
Yes, it's not quite REALLY summer yet. Brooks isn't home yet. But we're going to party anyway.
Starting tonight, at 9pm, at the Gettysburg Address, there'll be a pre-party. Yes, only the coolest of the cool will be there. It'll be so cool that Iceman complains and asks to turn the heat on. Or something. Which means, bring you, your friends, and drinkage.
When: Tonight, 9pm until you can't stand.
Where: The Gettysburg Address
What: Official B4 Summer Pre-Party
Bring: Yourself, hot boys and girls, alcohooooooool.
Expect: Alex's Famous Barbeque, killer music, live DJ, and some beer and vodka.
It ain't gonna be huge (that's next month, just wait), but it'll be awesome.
NEED DIRECTIONS? DON'T KNOW US THAT WELL? FUCKING CALL FIRST 512-220-2601 house |
|
|
| NAMM and Texas Music geeks.. |
[May. 16th, 2007|10:48 am] |
Dear Texas music industry professional:
The Texas Music Office (TMO) and the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) are once again offering companies listed in the Texas Music Industry Directory (and up to three guests, for a total of four) the opportunity to attend Summer NAMM in Austin (July 27-29, 2007) for FREE!
These complimentary show badges will get you into the Austin Convention Center on Saturday, July 28, and Sunday, July 29, allowing you to see all the new products from hundreds of NAMM exhibitors.
Are you in Texas? Do you work (or desire to work) in the music industry? Then contact me about attending NAMM, and I can set you up with a badge. I have at least two spots open. |
|
|
| You know... |
[May. 15th, 2007|02:14 pm] |
I think what galls me the most about this incident is that the six people standing by just watched. Didn't even call the police.
Just watched as a 91 year old man was beaten senseless.
I am vibrating in rage right now. It just inspires me more to teach kung fu - no one should ever want to stop something like this an have to feel terrified of not knowing how to. |
|
|
| Some interesting thoughts on religion. |
[May. 14th, 2007|11:08 am] |
Buddhism, Zen, Zen Buddhism, and their variants are not technically religions, as you said. They have no dieties - they teach that the Buddha (literally, Enlightened One), is simply a person who has reached enlightenment, and that anyone can reach that. I suppose it could be described as a spiritual practice or philosophy - I certainly can't think of a better way. Interestingly, Shinto, which is the culturally traditional religion of Japan, is a nature worship religion similar in case to more pagan and Norse traditions than anything.
And yes, I do. And I think that letting go of religion is going to be the most significant change in our culture in over 1,000 years, if not ever. Kind of like a child letting go of Santa Claus or the Easter bunny, humanity letting go of our childish fantasies is a huge step towards the mental maturity of our species.
Alex
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Charles
Date: May 14, 2007 2:52 AM
Alex:
7. The reality is that religion is completely incompatible with tolerance, because as the author pointed out, the fundamental principle, the guiding rule of EVERY religion is we're right, which means everyone else is wrong. And that's an absolute, not a negotiable thing.
This is absolutely one of the most amazing - and succinct explanations of religion I've ever heard! Do you realize how basic this is?? (Well, of course you do, you said it.) But lots of other folks probably need to hear this, particularly those who would protest the most. They carry around the belief that their own religions are "tolerant". It's kinda like a redneck saying that in America having "freedom of religion" means, "why, nah, yew kin' be Baptist, or Church o' Christ, or Lutherin', or even Catholic! That thar's plentee o' freedom!" Yeah ... right.
And the "we're right/they're wrong"/zero-sum game is a nice way of describing it. No wonder some folks are ready to kill to defend their own beliefs.
And yet ... I think there are some religions - or least followers in some - that are truly "tolerant", at least in the social sense. Unitarians are one such religion - they take their traditions from the best of the world's "great" religions (whatever that means). Buddhism, which some mistakenly label a religion, but which I consider more of a philosophy/spiritual practice, would also qualify as being truly "tolerant".
Very interesting thoughts, m'friend, very interesting. You turned on a light for me today.
Hugs,
Charles
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Alex [expects to see you at the Driver F show!]
Date: May 11, 2007 10:08 PM
The reality is that religion is completely incompatible with tolerance, because as the author pointed out, the fundamental principle, the guiding rule of EVERY religion is we're right, which means everyone else is wrong. And that's an absolute, not a negotiable thing.
If the Christian Right honestly believes they're Right, they had to do what they do - to do any less would be to shortchange their own belief system. For that, I give the crazies and fundies credit.
For believing in the Sombrero Man, though, they lose all that credit. |
|
|
| Hey, read this book... |
[May. 12th, 2007|05:12 pm] |
Alright, guys, you need to read this book:
It's called American Shaolin by Matthew Polly. The author is a really nice guy (he responded to my emails) who is quite an inspiration. It's a fantastic book, too. :)
Check it! |
|
|
| Fuck you. You know who you are. |
[May. 7th, 2007|09:59 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | asshole | ] |
| [ | sounds like |
| | Hanson - Misery | ] |
Fuck you. You know I don't want a friend. You know I don't want a bigger social circle. You know I have feelings for you, and you know you've done nothing but string me along, always choosing someone that isn't fucking me. Well I'm tired of it. I can't stop myself from feeling this way, and if you can't return the feelings, then we should stop talking.
I can't take it anymore. I can't let go of you if you're around, and I can't move on. So let ME go. Do what you have to do, fine. Date whatever idiot of the week you want. I do, in all honesty, hope you're happy. But leave me to my misery until you're ready to do something about it. |
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
| |
|
|
happy
bitchy
sad
pissed off
bored