I have known for a long time that there were some reworked New Era ads that were done by Divine Comedy, but I have been hesitant to actually look into whether or not they were actually funny since, quite frankly, Mormon humor generally tends to make me nausious (case in point: The Home Teachers - I still feel like vomiting just thinking of that movie). However, I stumbled across these so-called Mormon adz online today, and found myself laughing out loud (which rarely happens when I'm reading something alone). For those of you that don't realize the significance of this, it means that I think these ads are quite funny (it's not often I can actually use the term 'lol' and mean it!).
I laughed out loud at a total of 13 ads. The others were either not funny, or only semi-funny. If I had to pick only three to share, these would be them:
1. It's good to sacrifice. But not cats.
2. Jelly is made of people!
3. LDSsingles.com
The others that made me laugh are:Don't run with cookie cutters, Eye doctor has a crush on you, Families are forever, Be Gladys Knight, Who paints the floor?, Put it on. Join the Medieval Club, Somebody has an eating disorder, Modesty in all things, We can all be winners ... loser, and Anthrax.
Actually, there were only a very few that I found to be unfunny, and certainly none were vomit-inducing. I might just have to check out the next Divine Comedy show.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Mmm ... Salad.
Today, in the course of our return from 'The City,' my mother, brother, and I stopped in at 'Sweet Tomatoes' - a fine eating establishment designed after the manner of the bygone 'Souper Salad' of yore (apparently, Souper Salad still exists ... I thought it had gone extinct). This is a restaurant that is greatly needed in this age of extreme meat fascination - a menu that is devoted solely to the dispersion of salad and salad toppings. Of course, as a food scientist (which includes some nutrition) I have to confess that eating at an all-you-can-eat restaurant of any type (and eating as much as I did in this sitting) will not aid anyone in losing weight, and, thus, will not decrease the rising number of obese persons in the surrounding area; all the same, it is nice to know that there is a place where people may banquet healthily while still fulfilling their desire to eat-til-they-puke.
The fact is, I love salad. I think it is one of the greatest foods, especially when there is a long list of available toppings to include in this most delectable dish. My favorite toppings are, without a doubt, broccoli, kidney beans, and cheese. Within cheese, I include my favorite dressing: blue cheese dressing. I'm also a big fan of blue cheese chunks, when they're available, and enjoy sprinkling those around the whole edge of the plate to surround my salad with a bite of strength and pungency. Pickles are a common addition to my salads, and I've been known to add cucumbers if they look particularly fresh and crisp. However, under no condition will I add sweet pickles, as they are incredibly nasty. (It has come to my attention that sweet pickles may, indeed, be the last of the 'common foods' that I dislike, now that I have overcome my hatred of mushrooms (which I find to be quite tasty in most salads (unfortunately, they don't jive well with the blue cheese dressing that I so love, and, therefore, don't find their way on many of my salads))) In connection with kidney beans, I also enjoy garbanzo beans; peas add quite the touch to many a salad. And may we not forget the chopped hard boiled egg that I will always add. Mmm ... salad.
An interesting feature at this establishment was the bin of plain croutons next to the seasoned croutons. I found that I adore the plain croutons. They enhanced my salad to the perfect extent, allotting me one of my best salad tasting experiences (the blue cheese helped greatly, as well). Overall, I highly recommend 'Sweet Tomatoes' as a clean, well-organized restaurant for the whole family. In addition to the salad fare, you can find soups, breads, fruits, and potatoes, and a wonderful frozen dessert stand for all ages (with lovely english toffee bites - a most scrumptious addition).
The fact is, I love salad. I think it is one of the greatest foods, especially when there is a long list of available toppings to include in this most delectable dish. My favorite toppings are, without a doubt, broccoli, kidney beans, and cheese. Within cheese, I include my favorite dressing: blue cheese dressing. I'm also a big fan of blue cheese chunks, when they're available, and enjoy sprinkling those around the whole edge of the plate to surround my salad with a bite of strength and pungency. Pickles are a common addition to my salads, and I've been known to add cucumbers if they look particularly fresh and crisp. However, under no condition will I add sweet pickles, as they are incredibly nasty. (It has come to my attention that sweet pickles may, indeed, be the last of the 'common foods' that I dislike, now that I have overcome my hatred of mushrooms (which I find to be quite tasty in most salads (unfortunately, they don't jive well with the blue cheese dressing that I so love, and, therefore, don't find their way on many of my salads))) In connection with kidney beans, I also enjoy garbanzo beans; peas add quite the touch to many a salad. And may we not forget the chopped hard boiled egg that I will always add. Mmm ... salad.
An interesting feature at this establishment was the bin of plain croutons next to the seasoned croutons. I found that I adore the plain croutons. They enhanced my salad to the perfect extent, allotting me one of my best salad tasting experiences (the blue cheese helped greatly, as well). Overall, I highly recommend 'Sweet Tomatoes' as a clean, well-organized restaurant for the whole family. In addition to the salad fare, you can find soups, breads, fruits, and potatoes, and a wonderful frozen dessert stand for all ages (with lovely english toffee bites - a most scrumptious addition).
Friday, September 15, 2006
A Marvelous Realization
I sit, idling away my time at my computer, checking every webpage in my favorites list, double checking the pages in my favorites list, checking my facebook page and pressing refresh a number of times. I wait. I wait because I fear the time that is soon to come. The time at which homework is inevitable, as it is due the next day, and there will not be time to complete it then. The time is soon at hand. I don't want it to come, but it will be here soon.
But, wait. Tomorrow is Friday. We only have homework in that class on Mondays and Wednesdays. Tomorrow is Friday. I don't have that homework that I've been fearing. I'm completely free tonight. Oh sweet joy of joys. I can idle away my time some more. Heck, I can even blog a bit.
But, wait. Tomorrow is Friday. We only have homework in that class on Mondays and Wednesdays. Tomorrow is Friday. I don't have that homework that I've been fearing. I'm completely free tonight. Oh sweet joy of joys. I can idle away my time some more. Heck, I can even blog a bit.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Rain, Rain - Come Again Another Day!
Working the football game was long and difficult, considering I was standing the entire time with the weight on my right leg, since the left leg can't handle any strain. To make it more difficult, I had also worked the Priesthood Leadership Meeting in the morning, which required me to arrive at 7:15 AM. Well, apart from the excitement of the Marriott Center being highly overcrowded (unexpectedly), the use of new electronic scanners to check tickets at the football game, and actually seeing a number of familiar faces in the incoming crowds, it also began to rain in the 4th quarter. It was a good rain, too. It came down in just the perfect amount, so it gets you really wet, but feels greatly refreshing. The game was cancelled for awhile due to lightning, and most of the fans fled the stadium for safety. This left only the diehard fans for the conclusion of the game, which was wonderful, since BYU won. I hope the rain comes again soon, because it is so much fun.
Yeah, so I lied when I said it was long and difficult. It was long and fun, thanks to the 'godsent' rain.
Yeah, so I lied when I said it was long and difficult. It was long and fun, thanks to the 'godsent' rain.
Friday, September 08, 2006
The Hobbler
This morning I awoke with the most awful pain in my knee, unable to bend it out of position for fear of reawakening the treacherous pangs of immense torment with each new move. I therefore called the Student Health Center to let them know that I was coming in immediately. I skipped my first class to hobble into the Urgent Care section of the Health Center, watching the ongoing dramatics of the many missionaries that were stationed in the waiting room. Apparently 9AM is a very common time for missionaries from the MTC to head to the emergency room of the Student Health Center in their gym clothes.
Anyways, I'll make the long story short: my knee cap was dislocated, and I was given a brace to keep it from happening again. As far as fixing the current problem, the doctor prescribed some pills (I have no idea what they do, all I know is I paid ten bucks for them, and I'm supposed to take one pill twice a day after eating) and told me to come back in 5 days for a meeting with the orthopedist. The brace helps me to walk - hobble - with greater ease, although it is still very obvious that something is wrong.
This gives me more excuse to stay in my room and study, which is good since I have an ample amount of homework due on Monday, and it must needs be completed. I will be working for much of this weekend, however, which should be interesting, since my job requires that I stand for long hours. We'll see how well that turns out. In short, this is just the sort of distraction I needed, and I'm going to make the most of it. Hobbling can be fun if you take it in stride.
Anyways, I'll make the long story short: my knee cap was dislocated, and I was given a brace to keep it from happening again. As far as fixing the current problem, the doctor prescribed some pills (I have no idea what they do, all I know is I paid ten bucks for them, and I'm supposed to take one pill twice a day after eating) and told me to come back in 5 days for a meeting with the orthopedist. The brace helps me to walk - hobble - with greater ease, although it is still very obvious that something is wrong.
This gives me more excuse to stay in my room and study, which is good since I have an ample amount of homework due on Monday, and it must needs be completed. I will be working for much of this weekend, however, which should be interesting, since my job requires that I stand for long hours. We'll see how well that turns out. In short, this is just the sort of distraction I needed, and I'm going to make the most of it. Hobbling can be fun if you take it in stride.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Hike of Inspiration
One of my best experiences in my life was when I hiked straight up the mountain near my house with one of my friends. This occurred in 9th grade. We were simply walking home from the bus, and looked at the mountain, and decided to climb straight up it. We took his dog as well, and no water or anything. (As a side note, it would be good to know that my friends and I are not the type to usually choose to do anything active with our time, but rather, to sit and watch movies or read books and the like). The climb was arduous, but the view fantastic. We reached a large ledge near the pinnacle of the peak, and sat down. It was a great moment for reflection and contemplation. The hike down was very treacherous, as the mountain is very steep, and covered with shaky slate as its base. I'm still shocked at how well his dog was able to manage the climb. We returned home tired and dirty, and oh so very thirsty.
Well, today, I decided I needed another such hike for inspiration, but decided I would simply walk up through the nice trail that goes through the middle of the two peaks, up toward the much taller peak behind them. When I approached the gate to the trail, however, there was a sign that said, "Trail closed to all users. Violations Punished." An odd sign, due to its use of the word 'users' and the past tense, 'violations punished,' as if it had already happened. Nonetheless, it was clear that they did not want to have me on the trail. Recalling the adventure of so many years previous, I decided to climb straight up the mountain again. After all, the trail is closed, but they can't very well close a mountain, now can they?
I was really enjoying my climb, but getting fairly tired, when I stepped on a rock with my left foot in an odd position, and something very peculiar happened. The knee just popped right out of joint: it looked bizarre and it freaked me out. Luckily, it popped back in as I moved it about, and it wasn't in a great deal of pain. However, when I tried to bend the knee, there was a bit of pain. Nothing fantastic, but enough to keep me from wanting to put any weight on it. I was up on the side of a mountain, in a rather precarious position, as I began to slide my way slowly back down, trying not to bend my left leg. I finally reached a flatter portion where there was a small trail, and took that the rest of the way, limping only slightly as I hoped to 'walk it off,' as my father was so often prone to teach during little league. The trail joined up with the 'off-limits' trail, from which I proceeded to head back home. I wasn't spotted by anyone, and my violation went unpunished.
Despite the knee mishap, I rank the hike as a stunning success (assuming that my leg has not suffered permanent damage, of which I am still uncertain). I was able to see a spectacular view that I had long forgotten. It is quite wonderful to look to the left and see springville in the expanse to the south. Look out and see Utah Lake in its widespread gloriousness from afar. Look to the right and see the campus of learning that is BYU. And look down to see my very own street, and my very own house, from a much different perspective. I really needed to get away from all of that.
Also, I was once again taught the lesson of dependence (this is the lesson that I have been taught more than any other, I think). When up on the mountain, I was all alone. I wished I had someone to help me get down when my leg was not of use to me ... however, I made it down on my own, it just took extra struggle. I wasn't worried at all, though, as it was not what would be classified as a serious problem. It was just meant to teach me a lesson, not put my life in danger.
I brought my book of Pushkin poems along with me on the hike, to read when I got to the top. I never reached the top, due to the leg problem, but I did sit down when I got tired and read a few verses. This poem struck me as incredibly apt and well-crafted, and I'm glad to have come across it at this time:
I loved you, and that love, to die refusing,
May still - who knows! - be smouldering in my breast.
Be not you pained - believe me, of my choosing
I'd never have you troubled nor yet distressed.
I loved you mutely, hopelessly and truly,
With shy yet fervent tenderness aglow;
Mine was a jealous passion and unruly. . .
May Heaven grant another love you so!
- Aleksander Sergeyevich Pushkin, 1829.
Well, today, I decided I needed another such hike for inspiration, but decided I would simply walk up through the nice trail that goes through the middle of the two peaks, up toward the much taller peak behind them. When I approached the gate to the trail, however, there was a sign that said, "Trail closed to all users. Violations Punished." An odd sign, due to its use of the word 'users' and the past tense, 'violations punished,' as if it had already happened. Nonetheless, it was clear that they did not want to have me on the trail. Recalling the adventure of so many years previous, I decided to climb straight up the mountain again. After all, the trail is closed, but they can't very well close a mountain, now can they?
I was really enjoying my climb, but getting fairly tired, when I stepped on a rock with my left foot in an odd position, and something very peculiar happened. The knee just popped right out of joint: it looked bizarre and it freaked me out. Luckily, it popped back in as I moved it about, and it wasn't in a great deal of pain. However, when I tried to bend the knee, there was a bit of pain. Nothing fantastic, but enough to keep me from wanting to put any weight on it. I was up on the side of a mountain, in a rather precarious position, as I began to slide my way slowly back down, trying not to bend my left leg. I finally reached a flatter portion where there was a small trail, and took that the rest of the way, limping only slightly as I hoped to 'walk it off,' as my father was so often prone to teach during little league. The trail joined up with the 'off-limits' trail, from which I proceeded to head back home. I wasn't spotted by anyone, and my violation went unpunished.
Despite the knee mishap, I rank the hike as a stunning success (assuming that my leg has not suffered permanent damage, of which I am still uncertain). I was able to see a spectacular view that I had long forgotten. It is quite wonderful to look to the left and see springville in the expanse to the south. Look out and see Utah Lake in its widespread gloriousness from afar. Look to the right and see the campus of learning that is BYU. And look down to see my very own street, and my very own house, from a much different perspective. I really needed to get away from all of that.
Also, I was once again taught the lesson of dependence (this is the lesson that I have been taught more than any other, I think). When up on the mountain, I was all alone. I wished I had someone to help me get down when my leg was not of use to me ... however, I made it down on my own, it just took extra struggle. I wasn't worried at all, though, as it was not what would be classified as a serious problem. It was just meant to teach me a lesson, not put my life in danger.
I brought my book of Pushkin poems along with me on the hike, to read when I got to the top. I never reached the top, due to the leg problem, but I did sit down when I got tired and read a few verses. This poem struck me as incredibly apt and well-crafted, and I'm glad to have come across it at this time:
I loved you, and that love, to die refusing,
May still - who knows! - be smouldering in my breast.
Be not you pained - believe me, of my choosing
I'd never have you troubled nor yet distressed.
I loved you mutely, hopelessly and truly,
With shy yet fervent tenderness aglow;
Mine was a jealous passion and unruly. . .
May Heaven grant another love you so!
- Aleksander Sergeyevich Pushkin, 1829.
New Blog
So, for those of you that may speak Russian, I have decided to start a new experiment. I have created a new blog, "Кислый Майонез," on which I am going to post entirely in Russian. This is for a number of reasons: 1 - I wish to retain my knowledge of the Russian language, and a blog is a good way to keep me writing and using my vocabulary; 2 - I have many friends in Ukraine that wish to know of my proceedings here, and I am unable to email them all each week, as I tend to be short on time; 3 - I want to improve my knowledge of the Russian language, by allowing those with more knowledge to comment on my blog, notifying me of mistakes, and including the reasons for their being in error. Hopefully, this blog will also provide an interesting read for native Russian speakers hoping to expand their horizons and learn about new people and places.
The content of the new blog will be very similar to that seen on this blog, with the exception being that it will be posted in Russian. I will not always cross-post; in fact, I doubt I will cross-post very often at all, since I'm not the biggest fan of translating my own words and thoughts into a new language. But, I will probably be discussing similar events in my life, and so, if you don't know Russian, you will not be missing out on too much. This new blog is more for me than for you, and it is an added bonus to those who know the language. In addition, they get to see my many mistakes, and thus see a very frail, human side to my personality (but, you've seen plenty of that, too).
The content of the new blog will be very similar to that seen on this blog, with the exception being that it will be posted in Russian. I will not always cross-post; in fact, I doubt I will cross-post very often at all, since I'm not the biggest fan of translating my own words and thoughts into a new language. But, I will probably be discussing similar events in my life, and so, if you don't know Russian, you will not be missing out on too much. This new blog is more for me than for you, and it is an added bonus to those who know the language. In addition, they get to see my many mistakes, and thus see a very frail, human side to my personality (but, you've seen plenty of that, too).
Mackwynd the Paladin (New Home, and 3 of 3)
Part 3 was a bit longer than I remembered. So, rather than take up the space on my blog with another lengthy post that no one cares about, I've decided to move the whole story to another site and simply provide a link to those who care about it. I plan to place all of my favorite stories on this site, incidentally. Not because it's a particularly good site (in fact, I don't endorse it at all, since it appears to never be updated, and will probably disappear at some point), but rather because it's free and easy to use. I'm not impressed with the design or layout of the site, however, and, therefore, it is just a temporary home for my stories. But, nonetheless, a home. So, for the full saga of Mackwynd the Paladin (or, all there will ever be of it, at least), you may follow this link. This includes the final section (part 3 of 3) entitled "The Adventure through the Desert." Thank you to those who have been following the story. I hope you've enjoyed it to some extent.
I have now also deleted the first two parts of the saga, in order to make the blog more concise in format. The first two parts can still be read in full at the above link, though. I've kept the original blog posts, but deleted the story from the posts...so the intro to the saga can still be read.
I have now also deleted the first two parts of the saga, in order to make the blog more concise in format. The first two parts can still be read in full at the above link, though. I've kept the original blog posts, but deleted the story from the posts...so the intro to the saga can still be read.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Mackwynd the Paladin (2 of 3)
So, here is the continuation of the saga. I hope at least someone is getting a little enjoyment from this.
The Death of Taciturn
Edit: see this site for full story.
The Death of Taciturn
Edit: see this site for full story.
Mackwynd the Paladin (1 of 3)
Once upon a time, I decided to try and get into Dungeons & Dragons, because it looked like something I would enjoy. So, I found a group of friends and included myself in the festivities. The entire premise seemed great, and I think I would have enjoyed it if I had had enough time to devote to the hobby. However, I was taking 18 credits at the time. Combined with work, a new hobby was simply not in the cards for me. However, I did manage to write a pretty cool backstory for my character. I had decided to entertain the group with a new chapter at each new meeting, and I succeeded. For three meetings. Then I stopped going, because of the busy factor explained above. I have not returned to D&D since, and don't think I ever plan to. There are plenty of online role-playing games that I think are more up my alley. I do think that D&D could be lots of fun with the right group of people and lots of time, though. In any case, I've decided to post the three parts that I did manage to write onto this blog, in installments, the way they were read originally. Check back tomorrow for part 2, and the next day for the subsequent and final submission of this character description. I hope it is able to enlighten and entertain you in some small way.
Brief History of Mackwynd the Paladin
Edit: see this site for full story.
Brief History of Mackwynd the Paladin
Edit: see this site for full story.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Steve vs. Sting Ray
Sting Ray.
I had a great time tonight at Magical Science Club (our weekly sharing of writing samples, which takes place each Sunday night). I read a stream-of-consciousness work that I wrote one night called 'Oddities.' It was received quite well, causing me to realize that I must continue to write the main character's thoughts in the same fashion for awhile longer, and see where it takes the tale. I'm excited for that, since I really like the character a lot.
After all of the readings and some hanging out, a few of us decided to go out to Denny's for some tasty nighttime breakfast victuals. The bizarre awareness of the moment, however, is that during the time I was enjoying my new two sausage and cheddar bowl, Steve Irwin, renowned crocodile hunter, was being mauled to death by a vicious stingray.
While I was never a huge fan of the crocodile hunter, and rarely watched his show, I greatly appreciate the work that he did. He succeeded in entertaining people through education and daring. There are some people that you never expect to die; he was such a person to me. I mean, anyone who watched his show knows that he was constantly placing himself in perilous situations. However, he always amazed me by emerging from such predicaments unscathed and rejuvenated. Now he's dead. By a stingray.
I had a great time tonight at Magical Science Club (our weekly sharing of writing samples, which takes place each Sunday night). I read a stream-of-consciousness work that I wrote one night called 'Oddities.' It was received quite well, causing me to realize that I must continue to write the main character's thoughts in the same fashion for awhile longer, and see where it takes the tale. I'm excited for that, since I really like the character a lot.
After all of the readings and some hanging out, a few of us decided to go out to Denny's for some tasty nighttime breakfast victuals. The bizarre awareness of the moment, however, is that during the time I was enjoying my new two sausage and cheddar bowl, Steve Irwin, renowned crocodile hunter, was being mauled to death by a vicious stingray.
While I was never a huge fan of the crocodile hunter, and rarely watched his show, I greatly appreciate the work that he did. He succeeded in entertaining people through education and daring. There are some people that you never expect to die; he was such a person to me. I mean, anyone who watched his show knows that he was constantly placing himself in perilous situations. However, he always amazed me by emerging from such predicaments unscathed and rejuvenated. Now he's dead. By a stingray.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Joseph Schlegel
I did a search for Joseph Schlegel on Google (because that's my name (not Google, but Joseph Schlegel)), just to see what I would find. Surprisingly, I found that my Amazon reviews were the number one entry, while my blog doesn't show up at all. A couple of pages down, I found a BYU items of interest page that talks about my internship. After that, I also found the script that I submitted to scriptbuddy.com awhile back. However, the only way to get my blog to appear is to type in a search for josephschlegel or for josephschlegel.blogspot.com. I doubt anyone is searching for Joseph Schlegel anyways.
Overall, I was genuinely surprised by the number of Joseph Schlegels in the country. The one I was most surprised to stumble upton was the myspace page for a Christian rock group. The front man for the group out of Vail, Colorado shares my name. They're called The Ride, and if they ever come to Utah, you're welcome to join me at the show to shout praises to Joseph Schlegel. I think it would be fun to cheer for myself while they think I'm cheering for them. I suppose now I can tell people that I'm a famous Christian rocker and they'll believe me (because they never did before...). Thank you, Joseph Schlegel. Keep on rockin'!
Overall, I was genuinely surprised by the number of Joseph Schlegels in the country. The one I was most surprised to stumble upton was the myspace page for a Christian rock group. The front man for the group out of Vail, Colorado shares my name. They're called The Ride, and if they ever come to Utah, you're welcome to join me at the show to shout praises to Joseph Schlegel. I think it would be fun to cheer for myself while they think I'm cheering for them. I suppose now I can tell people that I'm a famous Christian rocker and they'll believe me (because they never did before...). Thank you, Joseph Schlegel. Keep on rockin'!
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Farmers' Market
I love the Farmers' Market. The produce is very affordable, and it's a lot of fun to talk with the growers about their vegetables. I bought a container of wild blackberries for 3 dollars, a half a dozen ears of corn for a dollar, a basket of tomatoes for 2 dollars, and a large 10 pound sack of red potatoes for 3 dollars. In addition, I tasted a large variety of scrumptious offerings from the bread lady, as well as a very delicious jalapeno honey. It's fun to buy the food straight from the source. It felt like I was part of a special community.
For information purposes: the Farmers' Market is held every Saturday on the corner of 5th west and 1st South. This represents the first week at the Pioneer Park location, as verified here. This new location a vast improvement over the previous location, as it allows for your children to play without having to cross the street, and the shade makes for relaxed perusing. The vendors sit in little booths and sell not only vegetables, but tasty lavender ice cream (which I actually don't like all that much) and other wares (such as tie-dye shirts and jewelry). I highly recommend supporting your local community and buying some of the products ... you won't regret it.
In related news, I noticed they were putting up booths by the courthouse for the latinoamerican festival. I don't know if that's today or tomorrow but, that looks like fun too.
For information purposes: the Farmers' Market is held every Saturday on the corner of 5th west and 1st South. This represents the first week at the Pioneer Park location, as verified here. This new location a vast improvement over the previous location, as it allows for your children to play without having to cross the street, and the shade makes for relaxed perusing. The vendors sit in little booths and sell not only vegetables, but tasty lavender ice cream (which I actually don't like all that much) and other wares (such as tie-dye shirts and jewelry). I highly recommend supporting your local community and buying some of the products ... you won't regret it.
In related news, I noticed they were putting up booths by the courthouse for the latinoamerican festival. I don't know if that's today or tomorrow but, that looks like fun too.
A Backwards Walk
So, this one time, after the Friday Night Extravaganza (tonight), I was feeling quite chipper. So, even though it got out later than the last bus home, I was content to walk home. In fact, I was looking forward to having the time to reflect on certain things and just be happy about life. By the time I got to the corner of center street and 9th east, I decided it was time for a change. I turned around, and walked backwards all the way home. I had the time and had never done that before for such a long distance. I tried not to look around too much. It was lots of fun. I only tripped once, but did not fall. And, I hit a yield sign once when I stepped off the sidewalk at a corner. But, overall, a successful journey which used completely different muscles than usual (it works the calves like crazy). I can now say that I've walked home backwards from the corner of center street and 9th east. Hooray for me.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Infinite Journey
So, after an immense amount of searching, I was able to find my file wherein I placed a number of my favorite writings. Most of these I had available to me on my computer still, but there were a few that I had not seen in many years. As a result, I think I may post them here on this blog every so often when I don't have anything else to post. It will give me an excuse to keep this thing updated fairly regularly. Please feel free to comment, as I love both criticism and adoration. A lot of it will not be good, because it was written in high school (but, mainly, because it's me that wrote it, and I'm not that good).
So, without anymore needless explanation, here is the first entry (although, I believe it was written fairly recently - most likely last year):
Infinite Journey
Glaring through all that internal haze,
Thinking of thoughts which sharpen your gaze.
Unable to doubt, that which was done,
Knowing inside what you haven't won.
Cancerous pocks, growing unseen -
Noticeable marks of your history.
No one will feel this. The pains go unknown.
Most will just think you've reaped what you've sown.
Life has a way of dimming you out,
Right at the end, when you start to doubt.
Nothing is done because there's no way.
A little bit later and all is okay.
Now looking back at all that was seen,
Thinking about this great mystery.
Realizing all possibilities lost.
Having a chance, but what was the cost?
Feeling uncertain that all was done right,
Piling up rocks of doom is your plight.
Overcoming this will be hardest of all.
On the journey ahead, it's easy to fall.
Progressing still, you walk ahead,
Under the impression that you are not dead.
Infinite and immortal, as you always were,
Struggling will be forever your cure.
Destination in sight, you set your goal.
Now you continue saving your soul.
You reach the end, and feel you've won,
But then find out there's much not done.
Meeting with others who've walked your path,
Together you'll continue avoiding the wrath.
What you have now is greater than victory;
The others among you are your own family.
You now have a chance to make it all right.
Do what you want, but keep it in sight.
Do not forget the person you are.
With those whom you love, you will go far.
So, without anymore needless explanation, here is the first entry (although, I believe it was written fairly recently - most likely last year):
Infinite Journey
Glaring through all that internal haze,
Thinking of thoughts which sharpen your gaze.
Unable to doubt, that which was done,
Knowing inside what you haven't won.
Cancerous pocks, growing unseen -
Noticeable marks of your history.
No one will feel this. The pains go unknown.
Most will just think you've reaped what you've sown.
Life has a way of dimming you out,
Right at the end, when you start to doubt.
Nothing is done because there's no way.
A little bit later and all is okay.
Now looking back at all that was seen,
Thinking about this great mystery.
Realizing all possibilities lost.
Having a chance, but what was the cost?
Feeling uncertain that all was done right,
Piling up rocks of doom is your plight.
Overcoming this will be hardest of all.
On the journey ahead, it's easy to fall.
Progressing still, you walk ahead,
Under the impression that you are not dead.
Infinite and immortal, as you always were,
Struggling will be forever your cure.
Destination in sight, you set your goal.
Now you continue saving your soul.
You reach the end, and feel you've won,
But then find out there's much not done.
Meeting with others who've walked your path,
Together you'll continue avoiding the wrath.
What you have now is greater than victory;
The others among you are your own family.
You now have a chance to make it all right.
Do what you want, but keep it in sight.
Do not forget the person you are.
With those whom you love, you will go far.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
A Good Week (and Another...)
Since my last post, I have really only had great moments. I look back at my last few days only with fond memories. I have had great opportunities to make new acquaintances, forge new friendships, and strengthen old ties. I have been able to seek out such opportunities with very little trepidation. I am more confident about myself than I have ever been. It's a pretty good feeling, and one that I intend to keep.
In the meantime, however, my free time has been causing me to think a little too much about life, dreams, relationships, equations, desires, and other random miscellany - so much so that I think I'm going to explode. I'm glad I finally know the root of the problem: too much free time (and, more specifically, too much alone time (oddly enough, I've spent more time with friends this week than ever before, but, still, I think at the moment I simply require more social interaction than I once managed to get by on)). I've therefore decided to keep myself busy by forcing myself to be creative. I have finally started work on that movie idea I've had floating around in my head for a little while. I think it will be fun to try and get a full script done before school starts. It'll be interesting to see what comes of it, and it will get my mind off the miscellany, if nothing else (life, dreams, relationships, equations, desires...that'll stay, but the miscellany's gotta go!).
I won't be showing this script to anyone till it's done. I actually hope this will be good, whereas most everything else I write I usually don't think twice about and if it makes me laugh, I call it good, and could care less what others think. This one I'm making more for others than for myself. I think it could have an impact. In other words, it will probably be awful and never be completed, and, therefore, I don't want any part of it to see the light of day. But, so that my blogging public (that's you!) knows that I'm not just idly sitting around, that's what I'm busy doing for the time being.
I'm also reading lots of Dostoevsky before school starts, since I never have time to read during school. I just finished 'The Double.' I liked it a lot, and highly recommend it, although not if you haven't read any Dostoevsky yet.
My new favorite picture is 'The Farewell of Telemachus and Eucharis,' by Jacques Louis David (He's the guy that did 'The Oath of the Horatii'). I saw this at the Getty Museum in California, and liked it so much, I bought a 75 cent bookmark of it. I think it's an incredible work of art. My previous favorite picture, and one I still rank as my second favorite, is 'La Comtesse d'Haussonville,' by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres. My favorite statue is Donatello's 'David.' Why all this sudden interest in ranking art? Because, due to the vast amount of thoughts multiplying in my cranium, I have been unable to sleep well, and have instead stayed up late painting. And, I'm a horrible artist. It's fun to test stuff out, out my completed work is quite hideous. How these great masters like Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and the other turtle (I know it was Raphael...I love his 'Madonna of the Meadow') were ever able to achieve their greatness, I'll never know. It's really very incredible. Incidentally, I think the same thing about my writing when I read Dostoevsky - it simply pales in comparison to his work. It's as if my writing were the infant language from which his grew, and I still have decades of work ahead of me to catch up...but, here's the catch: Dostoevsky was 25 when he wrote 'The Double.' I'll not be up to his level at any point in my life, but if I ever am, I'll be well into my 60's. It's simply brilliant to think about.
This is a rambling post if I've ever seen one, but it's much too late at night for me to bother revising it in any way. Maybe I'll edit it tomorrow if I wake up and decide it's revolting. In any case, you're stuck with it now.
Here's to hoping next week will be even more enjoyable, and fruitful, than this week. I am fully confident that it will be. (Then school will start, and it's back to busy work...but that's another post for another time).
In the meantime, however, my free time has been causing me to think a little too much about life, dreams, relationships, equations, desires, and other random miscellany - so much so that I think I'm going to explode. I'm glad I finally know the root of the problem: too much free time (and, more specifically, too much alone time (oddly enough, I've spent more time with friends this week than ever before, but, still, I think at the moment I simply require more social interaction than I once managed to get by on)). I've therefore decided to keep myself busy by forcing myself to be creative. I have finally started work on that movie idea I've had floating around in my head for a little while. I think it will be fun to try and get a full script done before school starts. It'll be interesting to see what comes of it, and it will get my mind off the miscellany, if nothing else (life, dreams, relationships, equations, desires...that'll stay, but the miscellany's gotta go!).
I won't be showing this script to anyone till it's done. I actually hope this will be good, whereas most everything else I write I usually don't think twice about and if it makes me laugh, I call it good, and could care less what others think. This one I'm making more for others than for myself. I think it could have an impact. In other words, it will probably be awful and never be completed, and, therefore, I don't want any part of it to see the light of day. But, so that my blogging public (that's you!) knows that I'm not just idly sitting around, that's what I'm busy doing for the time being.
I'm also reading lots of Dostoevsky before school starts, since I never have time to read during school. I just finished 'The Double.' I liked it a lot, and highly recommend it, although not if you haven't read any Dostoevsky yet.
My new favorite picture is 'The Farewell of Telemachus and Eucharis,' by Jacques Louis David (He's the guy that did 'The Oath of the Horatii'). I saw this at the Getty Museum in California, and liked it so much, I bought a 75 cent bookmark of it. I think it's an incredible work of art. My previous favorite picture, and one I still rank as my second favorite, is 'La Comtesse d'Haussonville,' by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres. My favorite statue is Donatello's 'David.' Why all this sudden interest in ranking art? Because, due to the vast amount of thoughts multiplying in my cranium, I have been unable to sleep well, and have instead stayed up late painting. And, I'm a horrible artist. It's fun to test stuff out, out my completed work is quite hideous. How these great masters like Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and the other turtle (I know it was Raphael...I love his 'Madonna of the Meadow') were ever able to achieve their greatness, I'll never know. It's really very incredible. Incidentally, I think the same thing about my writing when I read Dostoevsky - it simply pales in comparison to his work. It's as if my writing were the infant language from which his grew, and I still have decades of work ahead of me to catch up...but, here's the catch: Dostoevsky was 25 when he wrote 'The Double.' I'll not be up to his level at any point in my life, but if I ever am, I'll be well into my 60's. It's simply brilliant to think about.
This is a rambling post if I've ever seen one, but it's much too late at night for me to bother revising it in any way. Maybe I'll edit it tomorrow if I wake up and decide it's revolting. In any case, you're stuck with it now.
Here's to hoping next week will be even more enjoyable, and fruitful, than this week. I am fully confident that it will be. (Then school will start, and it's back to busy work...but that's another post for another time).
Monday, August 21, 2006
Recent Trip
This summer has been my summer of travel. I just recently returned from a three-month long stint in Washington, D.C., where I was one of many BYU students who decided to complete an internship in our nation's capital. As part of my job responsibilities, I was given the opportunity to travel to Kiev, Ukraine for a week to help supervise the work being done there. I was also given a week of vacation time, which I used to travel to Nikolaev, Ukraine and stay with a family I knew from my mission. After being in Provo for only a few short days, I rode with my friends to Riverside, California, to attend a wedding of one of my old high school buddies. All of these trips were what would be termed 'successful'; I managed to accomplish all that I planned, and was even surprised by many fateful occurrences.
Washington, D.C. was not at all what I expected. I accepted my internship early in the school year, and anticipated a short lonely summer. However, due to the extremely high cost of housing in D.C., I ended up staying in BYU student housing and taking two political science classes through Washington Seminar. This turned out to be a great experience. I made new friends that I would never have made had I been alone in D.C., or not been given the internship opportunity in the first place. I had a similar feeling as I had on my mission - that I was in the right place, doing the right thing.
I always find it interesting to list the items that I remember clearest from a trip. Sometimes, they are things that are not very unique or special; but, for whatever reason, these are the events I remember most vividly:
The National Zoo - 8 hours of walking, looking at every animal available. Who else did that on their DC trip? (I only know one other such person).
The Hirshhorn Museum - A rounded museum, perfect for looking at works of art by Anselm Kiefer.
White House at Night / Brick - On one of my first nights in D.C., I decided to catch a film at a well-known cinema for independent films called 'Landmark E Street Cinema.' I took the metro to the film, exiting at the Metro Center stop and walking one block to the theater. However, late on a weeknight (Wednesday, 11:00 PM), no one else was there. I bought my ticket, entered the theater, and watched the film 'Brick' entirely by myself. At the conclusion of the movie, I left the deserted theater by walking through a completely empty and almost entirely dark hallway. I reached the escalator and ascended to the street level, only to find that the Metro was closed. I elected to walk home via Pennsylvania Avenue, thus passing the White House on my journey. This walk took only an hour; the streets were completely deserted. A weeknight in DC affords quite the quiet peace on a mid-night walk. Even behind the White House, a street usually filled with tourists, no one was to be seen. I stood and looked at the White House alone, and had quite the rush of Potomac Fever.
Foggy Bottom School of Art - A couple of friends and I decided to become painters. We bought cheap acrylics and canvases at a local art store, and walked to the Jefferson Memorial, where we proceeded to paint the scenery. This event was captured forever by a group of tourists, who snapped a secretive photo on their camera as they passed. The flash of light from the camera caused me to turn my head, and I received endless pleasure from knowing that I am going to be in someone's photo album with a caption that says, 'Local artists paint by the Jefferson Memorial.'
Movies - I'll probably best remember sitting in the basement lounge of our building watching various films. My friends and I watched one nearly every night, and stayed up very late. These were very great experiences to see good movies and discuss various things with one another.
Mount Vernon - I went there twice, and had a great experience both times. The beloved home of our nation's first president is an incredible place. I wrote a whole paper on it for my class, so I'll just post that later.
There are really too many experiences over the course of three months to list them all, so I'll stop here. I could talk more about: The Safeway Run, Georgetown at Night, The Bar Band, One Fish Two Fish, A Walk to Remember, The Lincoln Steps at Night, A Museum Adventure, A Capital Tour, A Walk to Jefferson. But, there's even more than that. Really, it was a great trip.
Ukraine proved to be quite delightful, and I made a post about it when I returned, so I'll let that suffice. It was a lot of fun to be able to return to a place so far away and know that I have friends there. This world is amazing.
The travel to California was a great experience, from which I returned only yesterday. I almost agreed to travel with some of my friends to Missouri, which would have required me to leave almost as soon as getting back from California, so I'm glad I decided to opt out of that adventure. However, California was great. 11 of us in all made the trek to view the wedding of a good friend/close acquaintance/friend's friend, depending on who you were. For most of us, he was a good friend. We took two cars down; I rode in the backseat of the minivan, which held seven of us. It was a very fun ride down (half the fun, really). We noticed a sign for Historic Cove Fort on our ride down, and made sure to find out what it was through wikipedia. On our return trip, we made sure to stop by and take a tour, thus fulfilling our quest (actually, it was more on a whim of boredom, not a need for quest fulfillment...but, still).
In California, we went to the beach, the Getty Museum (the best museum I've ever been to, actually), Hollywood Boulevard, Mel's Drive-in (an institution, literally), and a number of other fine restaurants. This was the first time our entire group of friends has been together for such a length of time, and in such an exotic locale, that it was very interesting to see the dynamics of our friendship. I really see this as a sort of bonding experience to bring our whole group together - sharing in a common life event. Oh, and it was really funny too, since our sense of humor is hilarious.
The wedding went off without a hitch (thank goodness, since that movie sucks). They had a temple wedding, or are going to have a temple wedding (I wasn't too clear on when that was to take place), but the wedding we attended was the one for the fiance's family, since they are not members of the LDS church. It was great, because there's a rich Scottish heritage in the family, so they did a full out Scottish wedding at the Presbyterian church. Our friend wore a kilt, and so did all of the men who participated in the ceremony. The woman who conducted the ceremony had a thick scottish accent, and it was really fun. The girls all had very large tattoos on their backs, which I thought looked absolutely terrible with a wedding dress. That's just one more reason not to get a tattoo, I suppose.
The reception was fun. We were promised an all you can eat buffet, and instead were presented with gourmet plates (you know, the kind that are almost completely empty except for the lavish display of two carrots and an asparagus stick waving out from the sauce spilling over from the morsel of meat laying atop the succulent scoop of potato mash). That was a disappointment, but a tasty one, at least. They also had a bar where we were served Mountain Dew, Coke, Sprite, etc.
The return trip went by quickly, and we divided up the expenditures amongst all 11 people evenly. With the price of the wedding gift, the total came to $50.00 for each person. I was surprised by the cheapness, and quite pleased with it.
Now I'm back home again, in Provo. I'm ready to start school with a fresh new perspective on life due to my many travels this summer. I hope I've only changed in ways to make me more interesting. In any case, I know I have good friends.
Washington, D.C. was not at all what I expected. I accepted my internship early in the school year, and anticipated a short lonely summer. However, due to the extremely high cost of housing in D.C., I ended up staying in BYU student housing and taking two political science classes through Washington Seminar. This turned out to be a great experience. I made new friends that I would never have made had I been alone in D.C., or not been given the internship opportunity in the first place. I had a similar feeling as I had on my mission - that I was in the right place, doing the right thing.
I always find it interesting to list the items that I remember clearest from a trip. Sometimes, they are things that are not very unique or special; but, for whatever reason, these are the events I remember most vividly:
The National Zoo - 8 hours of walking, looking at every animal available. Who else did that on their DC trip? (I only know one other such person).
The Hirshhorn Museum - A rounded museum, perfect for looking at works of art by Anselm Kiefer.
White House at Night / Brick - On one of my first nights in D.C., I decided to catch a film at a well-known cinema for independent films called 'Landmark E Street Cinema.' I took the metro to the film, exiting at the Metro Center stop and walking one block to the theater. However, late on a weeknight (Wednesday, 11:00 PM), no one else was there. I bought my ticket, entered the theater, and watched the film 'Brick' entirely by myself. At the conclusion of the movie, I left the deserted theater by walking through a completely empty and almost entirely dark hallway. I reached the escalator and ascended to the street level, only to find that the Metro was closed. I elected to walk home via Pennsylvania Avenue, thus passing the White House on my journey. This walk took only an hour; the streets were completely deserted. A weeknight in DC affords quite the quiet peace on a mid-night walk. Even behind the White House, a street usually filled with tourists, no one was to be seen. I stood and looked at the White House alone, and had quite the rush of Potomac Fever.
Foggy Bottom School of Art - A couple of friends and I decided to become painters. We bought cheap acrylics and canvases at a local art store, and walked to the Jefferson Memorial, where we proceeded to paint the scenery. This event was captured forever by a group of tourists, who snapped a secretive photo on their camera as they passed. The flash of light from the camera caused me to turn my head, and I received endless pleasure from knowing that I am going to be in someone's photo album with a caption that says, 'Local artists paint by the Jefferson Memorial.'
Movies - I'll probably best remember sitting in the basement lounge of our building watching various films. My friends and I watched one nearly every night, and stayed up very late. These were very great experiences to see good movies and discuss various things with one another.
Mount Vernon - I went there twice, and had a great experience both times. The beloved home of our nation's first president is an incredible place. I wrote a whole paper on it for my class, so I'll just post that later.
There are really too many experiences over the course of three months to list them all, so I'll stop here. I could talk more about: The Safeway Run, Georgetown at Night, The Bar Band, One Fish Two Fish, A Walk to Remember, The Lincoln Steps at Night, A Museum Adventure, A Capital Tour, A Walk to Jefferson. But, there's even more than that. Really, it was a great trip.
Ukraine proved to be quite delightful, and I made a post about it when I returned, so I'll let that suffice. It was a lot of fun to be able to return to a place so far away and know that I have friends there. This world is amazing.
The travel to California was a great experience, from which I returned only yesterday. I almost agreed to travel with some of my friends to Missouri, which would have required me to leave almost as soon as getting back from California, so I'm glad I decided to opt out of that adventure. However, California was great. 11 of us in all made the trek to view the wedding of a good friend/close acquaintance/friend's friend, depending on who you were. For most of us, he was a good friend. We took two cars down; I rode in the backseat of the minivan, which held seven of us. It was a very fun ride down (half the fun, really). We noticed a sign for Historic Cove Fort on our ride down, and made sure to find out what it was through wikipedia. On our return trip, we made sure to stop by and take a tour, thus fulfilling our quest (actually, it was more on a whim of boredom, not a need for quest fulfillment...but, still).
In California, we went to the beach, the Getty Museum (the best museum I've ever been to, actually), Hollywood Boulevard, Mel's Drive-in (an institution, literally), and a number of other fine restaurants. This was the first time our entire group of friends has been together for such a length of time, and in such an exotic locale, that it was very interesting to see the dynamics of our friendship. I really see this as a sort of bonding experience to bring our whole group together - sharing in a common life event. Oh, and it was really funny too, since our sense of humor is hilarious.
The wedding went off without a hitch (thank goodness, since that movie sucks). They had a temple wedding, or are going to have a temple wedding (I wasn't too clear on when that was to take place), but the wedding we attended was the one for the fiance's family, since they are not members of the LDS church. It was great, because there's a rich Scottish heritage in the family, so they did a full out Scottish wedding at the Presbyterian church. Our friend wore a kilt, and so did all of the men who participated in the ceremony. The woman who conducted the ceremony had a thick scottish accent, and it was really fun. The girls all had very large tattoos on their backs, which I thought looked absolutely terrible with a wedding dress. That's just one more reason not to get a tattoo, I suppose.
The reception was fun. We were promised an all you can eat buffet, and instead were presented with gourmet plates (you know, the kind that are almost completely empty except for the lavish display of two carrots and an asparagus stick waving out from the sauce spilling over from the morsel of meat laying atop the succulent scoop of potato mash). That was a disappointment, but a tasty one, at least. They also had a bar where we were served Mountain Dew, Coke, Sprite, etc.
The return trip went by quickly, and we divided up the expenditures amongst all 11 people evenly. With the price of the wedding gift, the total came to $50.00 for each person. I was surprised by the cheapness, and quite pleased with it.
Now I'm back home again, in Provo. I'm ready to start school with a fresh new perspective on life due to my many travels this summer. I hope I've only changed in ways to make me more interesting. In any case, I know I have good friends.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Top 5 Cities
In reading the 100 hour board today, I stumbled across a question concerning this site. Supposedly, after you complete this detailed quiz, it can tell you exactly where in the United States you would most prefer to live. So, I took the quiz, and here are the results (well, the top five, anyways). I think they're pretty interesting.
1. Grand Rapids, Michigan (That's right, Jacob...maybe we can move to Michigan together!)
2. Duluth, Minnesota (Cool name...Duluth. I could get used to that.)
3. Great Falls, Montana (I don't know...Montana? We'll see.)
4. Rochester, Minnesota (Looks like Minnesota might be the place for me.)
5. Ogden, Utah (Hey, that's really close to Provo! I could move there easily.)
The other cities are all very interesting as well. In short, I think I could live in any number of places in America and be quite content. I enjoyed my stay in DC very much, even though it doesn't land anywhere on my list. All the same, I recommend you check it out yourself. You might find out about a city that you never knew existed -- and it may be the perfect city for you. Go to http://findyourspot.com.
In a related note of interest, Salt Lake City, Utah landed at number 9 on my list, while Provo-Orem, Utah also made an appearance at number 11. It looks like this is the place for me after all.
1. Grand Rapids, Michigan (That's right, Jacob...maybe we can move to Michigan together!)
2. Duluth, Minnesota (Cool name...Duluth. I could get used to that.)
3. Great Falls, Montana (I don't know...Montana? We'll see.)
4. Rochester, Minnesota (Looks like Minnesota might be the place for me.)
5. Ogden, Utah (Hey, that's really close to Provo! I could move there easily.)
The other cities are all very interesting as well. In short, I think I could live in any number of places in America and be quite content. I enjoyed my stay in DC very much, even though it doesn't land anywhere on my list. All the same, I recommend you check it out yourself. You might find out about a city that you never knew existed -- and it may be the perfect city for you. Go to http://findyourspot.com.
In a related note of interest, Salt Lake City, Utah landed at number 9 on my list, while Provo-Orem, Utah also made an appearance at number 11. It looks like this is the place for me after all.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Picture?
I just noticed that I never bothered to upload a picture into my blogging profile. I suppose it doesn't matter since anyone who reads this blog most likely already knows me well enough to not want to see me while they peruse through my randomn creations and experiences, but all the same, I promise to get a picture, of me, up on here for ya'll. Ain't I grand?
City of God
So, about a year ago, a good friend of mine recommended that I see the film "City of God" because it was really great. I had so many other movies that I wanted to see at the time, that I just sort of told him, 'yeah, I'll have to do that,' and rubbed it off my inner list of things to do. Well, I have now seen it, and it was really great. This is by far the best movie I have seen all summer. I highly recommend it. I won't go into details, but suffice it to say that I like the camera work, the editing, the story, the acting, the style, and everything. 5/5, or 4/4, or however you want to say it, it's great.
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