All the rave: The Choking Game

Call me insensitive (as your attorney I advice you to call me insensitive [Currently Reading: Fear And Loathing]) but I laugh every time I hear of another kid dying because of the "choking game". How stupid must you be to choke yourself? Every media report about a death related to the choking game appears to be uniform. They start by explaining that Stupid X Kid was a normal, white, Anglo-Saxon, protestant who played sports/volunteered/was respected by teachers in his or her school, the reporter then proceeds to inform us of the choking game crisis and its severity. If you ask me, this crisis needs no cure. It is a nice way to clean the human gene pool. If you're stupid enough to choke yourself, you shouldn't be allowed to procreate. (I like it when nature works nicely). The reporter then focuses back on the child's mother. They might even show her crying. I'm not going to make fun of a crying mother, I'm sure loosing a kid sucks and all yet still I would take that as a blessing. If my kid choked himself /herself to death at fourteen I would take it as a sign that he/she would have grown-up to be a dead-beat moron (the kind that honk at you on the freeway even though you're already going seventy-five fucking miles-per-hour, technically speeding, technically breaking the law. But that's a whole 'nother story). I would think of all the trouble I have been spared of. The reporter then ends with a cliche question, to leave you thinking.

Where is this world heading to?

Well, if the stupid kids keep choking themselves to death, we are surely heading into an intellectual utopia. If only the right-wingers could figure out how to play the choking game, it would truly be a utopia.

Live From Pomona, CA: Mr GXL

I just got out of my math class; FUCK how I'd forgotten how fucking boring math is. Don't get me wrong, it's not hard, it's just very tedious. I am very close to changing my major, I know I won't be able to stand four years of math. If I do change my major I have pinned down three options:

1. Political Science
2. Business Administration, emphasis on Computer Information Systems
3. Journalism

Anyhow, I don't feel like going into detail right now. I'm currently sitting outside of the place with all the restaurants (at the edge of the Quad, by the pancakes). About, twenty yards behind me is a tent set up by one of the many fraternities. Surprisingly they are quiet, unlike another tent about sixty yards away which is blasting some bumpin' (shitnifirous) R&B. Is Glenn going to join a frat? STAY TUNED. (No. not at all)
Up next for me is English 104. I think I was supposed to read something but I'm not sure and frankly I don't care (UPDATE 8:29PM : Yes, I was. No I did not. We were quizzed on the reading. Why yes I probably Failed.)
I really like this place and it's relaxed attitude. That's all I feel like writing now. I'm going to go eat lunch.

Don't Panic

I am currently working on a new layout for this holy site. That is the reason I haven't written anything new in a long, long, time. Well, rephrase: That is the reason I haven't posted anything new in a long, long, time. I have, in fact, written a few "pieces" (im so artistic all of a fucking sudden). Anyhow... shalom.

Currently Listening to: Portishead

Classic Me: I Visited Woodbury University and All I Got Was This Folder

Modern Day Glenn Writes: I wrote this sometime in May of 2003. I was a sophomore in Downtown Magnets High School. I hated the class I wrote this for with a passion. I was an asshole back then as you can tell while reading it. Not one thing has been changed or edited since I wrote it. Enjoy.

It was May 11, 2003 AD. We [the AVID class (sophomores and freshmen) and some seniors] went on a little fieldtrip to Woodbury University in Burbank. Woodbury specializes in business, fashion and architecture. This left me out.

Woodbury is a small private university in Burbank, California. The total cost of attending Woodbury is about $30,000 if you live on-campus.

When we got there, we were escorted into a room. It was filled with chairs. Each chair had a folder filled with Woodbury propaganda. The room, which was approximately 20ft x 100ft, had the image above almost everywhere. We were forced to sit and listen to a lady who was so excited she was in charge of the fashion programme that it was scary. She played us a video of the previous year Woodbury ‘Fashion’ Show. She took about one hour of my life that I could have wasted thinking of a better title for this essay. After she was over, we were split into two groups and taken on a campus tour.

Woodbury is pretty small. There are about two big buildings and 20-something bungalows. Before its erection as a university, the Woodbury campus was an all girls Catholic school. It has one soccer field and not a single basketball court. What once was the gym has been turned into a building, you can still see the basketball court lines in the hallways.

After an hour of walking we were taken to the same room were we had started. But now we had to listen to the man in charge of the Business programme. He talked, talked, talked and not to forget talked. His monologue might had been interesting if he had not use all these annoying clichés.

After another hour we were taken to the student cafeteria. Their system towards us was: You get one free meal, refills or extras are not free. That didn’t stop us, we had pockets. Thirty minutes of lunch and we were back on the bus, going back to school.

It was a good field trip, A nice excuse to skip first and third period.

An Embarrassing Confession

I have to admit something that is somewhat embarrassing: When I was about eight years old I was a big Baywatch fan. Please don't laugh. I used to actually watch the show for it's complex and unique dramatic story lines and not because of the constant barrage of tits and ass from the many gorgeous and gifted actresses that ever dawned the classic red "Los Angeles County Life Guard" one-piece bathing suit. I reiterate: I was eight years old. I still watch the show occasionally when my TV tuner happens to land nonchalantly on Spike TV, but of course the only reason I watch now is for the constant barrage of tits and ass. No one, not even myself (and I'm a very gullible person), would believe otherwise.

Me: The Music Reviewer

I have decided to start reviewing music. Why? The answer is simple: I enjoy music. Music is my antidrug™. I don't follow trends. I like what I like because it appeases my ears. I'm not a scenester nor a world-music snob (Ironic... keep reading). I hate trends, but I'm not anti-conformist. For example: I hate emo because it sucks and Record companies are exploiting the silly little emo kid's lack-o-taste (yet again). I appreciate music that has some sort of context/meaning in it. This is probably why I find most electronica to be a pattern of beats arranged in an inane order.

I will review both new and old albums. I will try not to focus on one specific genre or sub-genre of music, but I will never try too hard to be "Eclectic."

I will obtain the records legally (via iTunes, of course. My ethics and strong believe in Jesus prevent me from using bittorrent) and load them onto my iPod. Each album will be subject of two tests: the "Walking" test and the "Couch" test.

The Walking test is nothing more than me walking along a 2.1 mile route I mapped out, in and around the Koreatown district of Los Angeles. This test is designed to get the feel of the album as a whole. The noise level of the route does not allow me to concentrate on individual songs. This test used to be called the "Driving" test, but due to the fact that most records are 40+ minutes long and Gas is simply too fucking expensive I decided it would be wiser to just walk (plus my fat ass could use the exercises). For this test I use my Sony MDR-E828 Earphones, because walking alone on Pico Blvd at 8ish PM while wearing white ear-buds is not really wise. On various occasions I might actually do a "drive" test since I will be driving 60 miles per day to school. For this test I do not take notes, simply because walking around with a notepad is just weird.

The second test, simply named "the couch test" is where I get down and dirty into each individual track. I take lots and lots of notes. For this test I basically sit in my couch, relax, and listen to each individual track carefully. I pay close attention to the musical and lyrical (if the album is no instrumental of course) quality of each track.

The basic template for each review is as follows:

• Intro - Background on artist and album
• Walk test- Nice wordy paragraph about the walk test result
• Couch test overall - Nice paragraph explaining the overall result in the couch test
• Track Paragraph - each track gets one paragraph with a rating (out of 4 stars)
• Overall paragraph/Conclusion - A paragraph containing the overall review and opinion of the album.

For my first review I have chosen Sigur Ros' upcoming album Takk. It will be posted tomorrow.

You are nothing but a stepping stone on a path to debt, to loss, to shame.

I have a friend, he is made mostly of pain. He wakes up, drives to work, and then straight back home again. He once cut one of my nightmares out of paper. I thought it was beautiful, I put it on a record cover. And I tried to tell him he had a sense of color and composition so magnificent. And he said "Thank you, please but your flattery is truly not becoming me. Your eyes are poor. You are blind. You see, no beauty could have come from me. I am a waste of breath, of space, of time." I knew a woman, she was dignified and true. Her love for her man was one of her many virtues. Until one day, she found out that he had lied and decided the rest of her life, from that point on would be a lie. But she was grateful for everything that had happened. And she was anxious for all that would come next. But then she wept. What did you expect? In that big, old house with all those cars she kept. "Oh!" and "such is life," she often said. With one day leading her to the next, you get a little closer to your death, which was fine with her. She never got upset and with all the days she may have left, she would never clean another mess or fold his shirts or look her best. She was free to waste away alone. Last night, my brother he got drunk and drove. And this cop pulled him off to the side of the road. And he said, "Officer! Officer! You have got the wrong man. No, no, I'm a student of medicine, the son of a banker, you don't understand!" The cop said, "No one got hurt, you should be thankful. And you carelessness, it is something awful. And no, I can't just let you go. And though your father's name is known, your decisions are yours alone. You are nothing but a stepping stone on a path to debt, to loss, to shame." The last few months I have been living with this couple. Yeah, you know, the kind that buy everything in doubles. They fit together, like a puzzle. I love their love and I am thankful that someone actually receives the prize that was promised by all those fairy tales that drugged us. And they still do me. I'm sick, lonely, no laurel tree, just green envy. Will my number come up eventually? Like Love is some kind of lottery, where you can scratch and see what is underneath. It's "Sorry", just one cherry, "Play Again." Get lucky. So I have been hanging out down by the train's depot. No, I don't ride. I just sit and watch the people there. They remind me of wind up cars in motion. The way they spin and turn and jockey for positions. And I want to scream out that it is all nonsense. And that their lives are one track, and can't they see how it is all pointless? But then, my knees give under me. My head feels weak and suddenly it is clear to see that it is not them but me, who has lost my self-identity. As I hide behind these books I read, while scribbling my poetry, like art could save a wretch like me, with some ideal ideology that no one can hope to achieve. And I am never real; it is just a sketch of me. And everything I have is trite and cheap and a waste of paint, of tape, of time. Sometimes I park my car down my the cathedral, where floodlights point up at the steeples. Choir practice is filling up with people. I hear the sound escaping as an echo. Sloping off the ceiling at an angle. When voices blend they sound like angels. I hope there is still some room left in the middle. But when I lift my voice up now to reach them. The range is too high, way up in heaven. So I hold my tongue, forget the song, tie my shoe and start walking off. And try to just keep moving on, with my broken heart and my absent God and I have no faith but it is all I want, to be loved and believe in my soul. Bright Eyes - Waste of Paint

I'm back bitches

Glenn is back. Listening to his sad depressing music whilist coding like a maniac. Funny thing about being back is that im not going to be around, no more distractions like myspace or aim. The easiest way to reach me now is through email or phone, or ICQ (253759773). I Created deepFry labs, small thing just for me I dont expect it to get big, its just a vehicle for my learning.

Utter Uselessness

I feel utter useless, ive got nothing to do. this is worst than the weekends of solitude i used to spend. I dont even feel like typing this but i need to let it out. hell i dont even want to bother with the shift key or apostraphes or even grammer and spell check. this is what it is. i need to get out and do something. i feel useless. this is a cry for something to do I guess.

KCRW's World Music Festival: David Byrne and Friends

Seriously, Byrne is the man
Originally uploaded by senorbunch.

The End of The Long, Winding Road

As I sit here in my "office" thinking back at the past four years I can't help but feel melancholic. After four years of High School I have come to realize how truly I love and will miss Downtown Magnets High School. The building, smell, non-working A/C, but most of all the people. Fuck. I will fucking miss all the people. There's is no other group more diverse than the students and teachers of DMHS. I must leave now for college, but part of me will always stay there. (Yes, I'm going to haunt the school) Good Bye DMHS, LAUSD, and childhood.

Sweet&Sour Times

Things at come couldn't be worst, yet I am happy. Jose Duenas just had to call my home on Saturday and tell my father a lot of bullshit. Apparently I'm ditching everyday, and I'm not going to graduate, that I'm doing all of this on purpose, and some other random bullshit that isn't true. Since when is that asshole in control of AVID? The more closer I get to graduation the more I miss Ms Grings. She would have spoken to me first, face-to-face, before she called my parents. Even though she would get mad and scream at me, she had her reasons and she would let me know them before she called. I guess it's the fact that Duenas is an administrator now which automatically makes him 500% more of an asshole. Life outside couldn't be any better. Mutual attractions are nice. I had gotten used to rejection, but I know see it was just my insecurity. Ale is great, she makes my days a hell of a lot better. Even if our only daily conversation in person consists of her venting to me all the stress she has over leadership, I feel good because I know if she vents she will feel better. I don't want her to be stressed, but all I can do is listen, and if that helps I'll do it. Two more weeks of school to go and I'm free... 'till college.

Procrastination, Nevermore!

I've had it with procrastination. I really need to stop procrastinating. This is my decree: never shall I procrastinate again! UNDER PENALTY OF DEATH!!!!!!!

Sans Nom

Regeneration Proclamation

Last week while I re-discovered the Knutian Science Monitor I realized how truly craptaculous the layout is. Im surprised there isn't a screenshot of this page at the wikipedia entry for "Disgusting." I have decided to remodel the style of this page. It will probably look almost exactly the same as right now except for a few differences:

1. Right bar will be cleaned up by using collapsing menus
2. Code will be 100% XHTML 1.1 Strict valid.
3. Javascript will be cleaned up to enhance load time.
4. Space above header will finally be removed.
5. More user-interactivity (font face, font size, background color) [UserCP]

More to come!

Drifter

knut@deepfry$ dict drifter
1 definition found

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  drifter
       n : a wanderer who has no established residence or visible means
           of support [syn: {vagrant}, {floater}, {vagabond}]
(END)

Bright Eyes - Lover I Don't Have to Love

Neo-Lust

I have to confess something really personal. I'm in love. I think I have finally found the love of my life, the one and only that can make me complete. She is not the prettiest flower in the garden but she makes my heart melt. It is sad how I truly want her but she cant be mine at this moment. If only I could afford her. Introducing the Neuros HD20GB USB2.0 MP3 Digital Audio Computer.

You may be asking yourself "Why is Fred here aiming for something thats not an Ipod?" Well lady or gentleman (I think only one person reads this), see the Neuros here makes the Ipod look like a fucking lame piece of shit. The Ipod has the same number of features as the number of sits on a newborn's face (ZERO). When you buy an Ipod you are not being sold top-o-the-line technology, you are simply being sold a fad. Don't worry I almost bought into it too, and I'm a fucking genious. I could make this post a little longer by describing all the features the Neuros has, but im a fucking lazy son of a bitch, so I'll just list them (verbatim, off the website) here:

• Intuitive navigation
• Go anywhere size: 5.3" x 3.1" x 1.3", 9.4 oz.
• 20GB hard drive holds up to 5,000 songs (encoded at 128kbps)
• Use as a portable hard drive to hold any file you want to take with you
• Digitally enhanced FM tuner
• Recording to MP3 format from internal microphone, FM tuner, and line input
• High resolution, backlit LCD display and button controls
• 5 programmable preset buttons
• 10 hours of continuous playback with rechargeable Lithium Ion battery
• Automatic firmware and software upgrades
• Neuros comes with earphones, car power adapter, wall power adapter, USB cable and Neuros
• Synchronization Manager Software

Those are just the features. The product specs page (here) would make any other nerd ejeculate before they've reached the "NeuroCast FM Broadcasting" section. I am very good at controlling myself so I loose it after reading that section.

Another cool thing about the Neuros is it's manufacturer. Neuros doesn't condemn hacking or modding of their products, hell they actually encourage it. This is why it is so easy to use with Linux (the top reason I, so, dig it). Oh and it plays OGG VORBIS!

All I need is $250 plus about $30 more for a nice pair of canalphones and I am set for life. I will finally fullfill my dream of having the Zeppelin, Radiohead, Starsailor, and REM discography at the touch of my hands wherever I am.

Il papa

Throughout his reign over the "Kingdom of God," Karol Józef Wojtyła, better known as John Paul II to the faithful, won the hearts of the world, men or women, black or white, believers and non-believers alike. With just his simple message of goodwill he helped thwart communism in Eastern Europe. He brought hope not only to the Poles, but to the rest of the world. In 26 years he tried to correct the wrongs the Catholic church had done in 500. Religion aside, he was a great man that will forever live in the heart of his followers.

Misc. through the fog

Pearl Jam - Corduroy

The waiting drove me mad...you're finally here and I'm a mess
I take your riches back...can't let you roam inside my head
I don't want to take what you can give...
I would rather starve than eat your bread...
I would rather run but I can't walk...
Guess I'll lie alone just like before...
I'll take the firmist path...oh, and I must refuse your test
A-push me and I will resist...this behavior's not unique
I don't want to hear from those who know...
They can buy, but can't put on my clothes...
I don't want to limp for them to walk...
Never would have known of me before...
I don't want to be held in your debt...
I'll pay it off in blood, let I be wed...
I'm already cut up and half dead...
I'll end up alone like I began...
Everything has changed, absolutely nothing's changed
Take my hand, not my picture, spilled my tincture
I don't want to take what you can give...
I would rather starve than eat your breast...
All the things that others want for me...
Can't buy what I want because it's free... (x 2)
Can't be what you want because I'm...
I ain't s'posed to be this far
Oh, to live and die, let it be done
I figure I'll be damned, all alone like I began...
It's your move now...
I thought you were a friend, but I guess I, I guess I hate you...

Listen to this song

The Knutian Guide to Becoming a Two-Faced-Self-Centered-Bitch

So you have decided to become a Two-Faced-Self-Centered-Bitch? We here at derMonitor have spent the past two weeks-or-so researching this subject; therefore we believe it is our right to publish this guide.

If you decide to be a two-faced-self-centered-bitch we recommend that you begin by talking behind people's back. A journal is a good place to do this. Besides, what are the chances someone will read it? Jot down all your true feelings in this journal, then when sociliazing in person with the people you wrote about, act completely the opposite. Thus, the two-faced part is achieved. To achieve the self-centered part you have to get the mentallity that you are the one and only true supreme being and everyone else should be happy to cross your path. If someone refuses to do you a favor, treat them as if you have condemed them to hell since they have acted against the wishes of the one and only two-faced-self-centered bitch. Sadly, there is nothing you can do to achieve the "bitch" status. This can only be awarded to you when the people you have talked about in your secret journal discover it, and end up hating you.

Congrats, If you have followed this guide you are now an official "two-faced-self-centered-bitch." Most people hate you know, but remember it does not matter since you are the only important person in the world.

Boring Class

1, 3, 5 days used t be my favorite. While it stil is a kickback class it is now extremely boring. I can't stand Bio. That is all.

Damn You PBS!!!!

In a large market like Los Angeles, we are lucky to have 3 PBS channels, KCET, KLCS and KOCE (which is actually from Orange County). The channels never simulcast anything. They have some sort of agreement that lets KCET broadcast everything first. This means that when something good is being shown in one channel, the other two is broadcasting some shitty show like Antiques Roadshow or California's Gold. But once in a blue moon, two of the channels will broadcast something good at the same time, Like today. Currently, KCET is broadcasting "Nova: Saving the National Treasures", a show about the efforts to save the Declaration Of Independence, while KLCS is broadcasting "Fidel", a documentary about Fidel Castro's rise to power and impact on the world. Both of these shows interest me because I am cool like that yo, and because I'm a history nerd. Just because of this I will never pledge any money to PBS, I don't care how much they fucking beg.

Valentine-less, yet again

Ah, what a beautiful day, today is. All the lovers around the world shower their love ones with chocolate, heart-shaped candy, cards, flowers, and hot-sex. Yet another February 14, and once again I am alone. This may not shock you; I hate Valentine's day.

When I was in elementary school, Valentine's day was fun and simple. All everyone was worried about was getting cards and candy. No one thought about girlfriends or boyfriends. It was a simpler time --girls had cooties. Towards the end of my six year tenure at my elementary school I started to develop crushes (one crush in particular, but thats a whole other story), nothing sexual of course, for sex was a very disgusting concept at the time. Then Middle school came along.

Middle school was a different story. I remember being in sixth grade when news spread around that a friend of mine was going out with a girl. This was shocking. For about a week I looked at my friend as a God, until a week later when a lot of my classmates had "hooked up." I started noticing a pattern: girls liked mean, dumb, athletic guys. This made me notice another thing: I did not (and still don't) fit into any of those categories. Since then I've had to witness girls I've liked receiving chocolates and flowers from a dumb, athletic guy, thus making the card that took me hours of worrying over (I wanted to look sweet, but I didn't want to look like an idiot when I delivered it) blissfully insignificant. It may seem hard to believe, but I was not always an ass-hole. I once was a nice, sweet guy. I guess constantly seeing my past crushes getting their hearts broken by a guy that was not me made me stop feeling sorry for them; I started to blame them. Looking back, this probably didn't help at all. I entered High School with this attitude.

The first two years of High School were an exact continuation of Middle School. I started acting like a jackass. Seeking attention, while avoiding it deep inside. "Maybe it would work" I would tell myself; But of course it didn't. I gave that up in eleventh grade (a horrible year, yet again a whole other story). Some would call it growing up, I would call it maturing (</egotistical ass-hole>). The only differences between Middle School and High School is that the gifts become more expensive, and people have sex. Girls still melt over the hot, athletic, ass-holes; while people like me sit in our dark corners, pondering how it must all be, while listening to OK Computer, and shedding a tear or two.

Now, senior year of High School, five months and ten days from adulthood. I sit here typing away, uncomfortably used to being alone. I am somewhat happy that this will be the last Valentine's day in school I will ever have. Next year I won't have to see all the happy people I secretely envy on days like this. Next year I will probably drive away to the desert or something, I haven't made my mind up yet, to avoid all the love crap.

Average Me

120

This is an improvement over my last IQ test score, which was an amazing 82.

Another Face in a Panorama

I was walking by the main office of DMHS today when I notice the class of 2004 Panorama. I stared at it for a while looking at the many faces of the people I had know, and then I realized that in five months I too would also be just another face in a panorama. The thought of the constant drama continuing without me is a scary one. To think that in five months I will lose contact with most of the people I know is even scarier. But things have to come to an end, this is one of the many givens of life. School has been a fourteen and a half year process for me, from my first day in pre-Kinder (where I cried for a few minutes, until I found a Hot Wheels(TM) racing track) to today, where I sit in front of a shitty computer thinking what the hell am I going to do with my life. I don't want to end up flipping burgers for a living, but I also don't want to end up working 9-5 as a cubicle rat. I know I still have about four to five years (depending on how much chillaxing I want to get done in college) to think about what I want to do with my life, but I have narrowed it down to two choices: Politics, or teaching. I really don't care if I'm never elected into public office, I just want to serve my country by being part of some politicians staff. Teaching is another story. I am still not sure if I have a thing for teaching because I've been legally forced to be surrounded by teachers for most of my life, and I can't let go. Five more freaking months to go, and then the curtains will be closed, the fat lady will sing, and I'll pass by the finish line of the High School 500 only to become another face in a picture, fading as the years go by, while curious idiots like me stare at it trying to sense how it must feel like to be over with it.

Introducing the next big thing in Poetry: Emo Haikus

Sitting here, alone
While my mind plays tricks on me
You are in my heart

You see the thing that makes Haikus so special is that they don't have to make sense, therefore any idiot, like myself, can write one. I have taken some poetic license and created this new format. May the world forgive me one day. +gxl

Tie Up My Hands

(Starsailor)

Wipe the make-up from your face
Tie your hair and gently fall from grace
Until I come again
Take the disaffected life
Men who ran the company ran your life
You could have been his wife
I wanna love you but my hands are tied
I wanna stay here but I've been denied
Lets watch the clock until the morning sun does rise
Wipe the sweat from off your brow
All that you believe is here and now
You could have had more doubt
Wipe the shadow from your eyes
Rest your daughter while your mother cries
You could have let him fly
I wanna hold you but my hands are tied
I wanna stay here but I've been denied
I wanna lie here 'til we've killed this bitter doubt
I wanna hold you but my hands are tied
I wanna stay here but I've been denied
Lets watch the clock until the morning sun does rise
I wanna hold you but my hands are tied
I wanna sleep here but I've been denied
I wanna stay here 'til we've killed this bitter doubt
I wanna hold you but my hands are tied
I wanna sleep here but I've been denied
Lets watch the clock until the morning sun comes out

I Know...

you're reading this!

Can't Type This

Ok so I can't touch type. It is very sad, me being such a geek and all not being able to touch type. The thing is I have never had the need to learn. I was always more comfortable with my own style of typing because it was more practical for daily HTML and PHP developing. The thing is I am going to be a Computer Science major in the upcoming future and it wont look good. So I've spent a couple of weeks on it and im getting the hang of it. It is just a matter of getting my fingers adjusted to different keys. I'll be typing 90 words-per-minute in no time.

A&P

Since the creation of the movable type printing press, writers have been criticize for many reasons. Some writers have been accused of heresy, racism or even sexism based on the content of their writings. John Updike, the author of A&P, is not sexist because his descriptions of Queenie are in character, the character Sammy notices more than just the physical elements of the group of girls and Queenie is not the stereotypical blond bomb-shell.

John Updike's description of Queenie is in character via a young man, Sammy, in his late teens. Male teens tend to “adore” the physical gifts women posses. Updike tried to make Sammy relate to teens, since this was his target audience. The physical description of Queenie is important to the story because it gives us an inside into the mind of Sammy and gives us a sense of what he was thinking when he quit his job in protest.

Updike is not a sexist because the character Sammy notices more about the group of girls besides their looks. “She kind of led them, the other two peeking around and making their shoulders round.” Sammy notices the structure if the group. Moreover, he can tell that the other girls aren't comfortable in the store. “

Updike is not sexist because Sammy likes girls that are not the stereotypical blond bombshell. “She was a chunky kid, with a good tan and a sweet broad soft-looking can with those two crescent of white just under it...”

Emotionally Charged Words

Language is an essential asset to humans. Through words, language lets us experience the feelings and emotions of others. In the English language words stir different feelings for people depending on the life experiences and circumstances of the individual.

A person's life experiences can stir up negative feelings when the person hears commonly positive words. For example the word “mother” to many brings up good feelings about motherly love and care. However, if you mother was abusive or neglectful you get a negative feeling. Another example is the word “winner”. If one is a winner you are happy for you have won something. Unless you aren't the winner, which makes you the loser by default, and the “winner” automatically turns into a pompous asshole who didn't deserve to win.

A person's life experiences can also stir up positive feelings when a person encounters a commonly negative word. For example when normal people hear the word “masochism” they immediately think of pain. However, there are some people in this world who enjoy punishment and may feel excitement or some sort of arousal when encountering the word. Likewise the word “gluttony” to some bring ugly images of big men, or a skinny Asian man, eating twenty-plus hot dogs in a couple of minutes without regards to the hundreds of thousands of starving African children. Yet to the “gluttons”, gluttony may stir good feelings of fulfillment of ones appetite.

Life experiences can also stir up positive or negative feelings on words that do not commonly have a general feel. For example the word “wall”. The word could stir up positive feelings if one has a wall that is painted in the exact shade of blue one loves. However, if one is in jail, the wall separates you from the free world, therefor earning a negative feeling. Similarly, the word “mall” can stir positive feelings about shopping, or leisure. However on the day before Christmas, the word “mall” can stir up feelings of hell.

Words can stir up different feelings on people depending on their life experiences or special circumstances. If to one person a word has is positive, chances are that there is somebody in this world who thinks the opposite.

Quote of the Day

"In Oakland, if they don't like you, they'll stick you with a knife or shoot you. Here, they're just rude and crude." -St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz

The Anti-social, Faux genius, Topic of Conversation

"The Anti-Social", "Faux genius", and "Topic Of Conversation --This is a merge of three posts that don't deserve to be on their own

As weird as this may sound, I do not like to be the center of attention. I am very freaking shy. I have never really learned to act around people. I have never learned to act around girls. I don't like the spotlight. It takes time for me to be comfortable around people. This explains why I like to sit in the back of the room of all my classes. Until now I thought I had succeeded in keeping a low profile. This doesn't prevent me from answering questions in class --in fact I am known to answer most of the questions in my government class. The thing is when I do, I get into a roll, and I really don't know when to stop. I hate when I do that because I always end up looking like an idiot. It's not that I am a super-genius that knows everything, it is just that I remember stuff that I've been taught (or taught myself) before.

I've been called "gifted" by my third grade teacher, "smarth buth verry layzee" by my eight grade English teacher (she was Russian), and other things by my other teachers that echoed something along the lines of "bright". This has really sucked for me because I always end up disappointing my teachers by scoring an 80 on the IQ test, and a 1060 on the SAT. Most of my academic life I've been trying to avoid all the "bright" echoes but somehow I always fail.

Today I was told that some of my teachers had a conversation about me. While this feeds my hungry ego it also feels somewhat weird. I'm sure there were echoes about "brightness" and probably of "self-sabotage." I'm sure it was probably nothing out of the ordinary. I have been told by my inside sources (his/her name rhymes with Anber Villis) that teachers like to talk about their students when they aren't gossiping about other teachers. I just don't like to be the center of attention.

And We Work 'Till The Sun Rises

Procrastination, while a fine art, sucks ass. I had the bright idea to procrastinate a lot of work I had to do during the winter break, and now I have about hours to finish it. What started as "I'll do it on the last week", became "I'll do it early Sunday", which became "I'll do it at 4", on and on. It is now 9PM. Now it looks like my only solution will be to bust an all-nighter. Besides, I can run on 2 hours of sleep, can't I? While I could use this time working on the work I'm supposed to do, I'm instead wasting this time writing this, proof-reading, editing and posting. There go 21 minutes.

Broadening One's Musical Horizons

It's been a long month and I have had with nothing to do. So what does a neo-nazi do when bored? Indeed my friends, he hates beaners, niggers, et al. But what does a depressed, lonely, fat geek do? Besides what you're thinking, he envelops himself in great music. So this past month-or-so i've been getting into these bands:

1) The Beatles
In this case by "getting into" I mean further enjoying for I've liked the beatles since I was a wee-young American lad growing up in the vast, dark forests of le Ville de'Angels. From their early "pop-esque" stuff to their late more folk-esque material, the Beatles rock.

2) The Mars Volta
Made up from members of the only emo band i've ever liked (because they were good, unlike the Thrice and Ataris bullshit), TMV has to be one of the best bands of this new millenia. TMV is like a roller coaster shifting from semi-Metal to Punk-ish to latin-ish, mixing english and spanish vocals that perfectly fit with one another into a 20-minute long track (progrock nod, which progrock bands use to nod classic music).

3) The Muse
Listen to "Thought of a dying atheist". Lyrics are eerie-ly good.

4) Dresden Dolls
Who knew a two-pice band, with a chick playing piano, with face makeup could be any good? But the Dresden Dolls sure as hell are. The lyrics are accompanied by the music in such a great manner that you can't only hear the chick's pain, you can also feel it (unlike the emo shit). It's cabaret rock --good cabaret rock.

Can't Be Fooled

(07:27:11) VtaranchulaV entered the room.
(07:27:11) SO rek NU t entered the room.
(07:27:15) SO rek NU t: wow
(07:27:18) SO rek NU t: so magnifico
(07:27:22) VtaranchulaV: indeed
(07:27:34) SO rek NU t: who else did you invite?
(07:27:39) PteauPteau entered the room.
(07:27:49) VtaranchulaV: hi
(07:27:51) PteauPteau: hi
(07:27:53) SO rek NU t: heya
(07:28:08) VtaranchulaV: so glenn
(07:28:16) SO rek NU t: jess mama
(07:28:29) VtaranchulaV: i would like to introduce my mistress
(07:28:39) PteauPteau: wheres jenny?
(07:28:49) SO rek NU t: how could you do that to papa?
(07:28:56) SO rek NU t: whore!
(07:29:02) VtaranchulaV: lol
(07:29:06) VtaranchulaV: calling me a whore?
(07:29:07) PteauPteau: whos this chris?
(07:29:13) VtaranchulaV: glenn
(07:29:16) VtaranchulaV: ya know
(07:29:18) VtaranchulaV: the dude
(07:29:19) PteauPteau: oh hi glenn
(07:29:22) SO rek NU t: waddup
(07:29:24) VtaranchulaV: that hangs out with dannyt
(07:29:27) VtaranchulaV: -t
(07:29:32) PteauPteau: ohhhhh ok
(07:29:40) SO rek NU t: whose this
(07:30:31) SO rek NU t: ok
(07:30:39) SO rek NU t: nice to meet you
(07:30:39) VtaranchulaV: annalysa foo
(07:30:51) PteauPteau: nice to meet you too
(07:31:51) PteauPteau: are you still with jenny chris?
(07:31:57) SO rek NU t: nah
(07:31:58) SO rek NU t: hes with me
(07:32:00) VtaranchulaV: no
(07:32:20) PteauPteau: glenn you like boys?
(07:32:28) SO rek NU t: haha
(07:32:29) SO rek NU t: no
(07:32:31) SO rek NU t: it was a joke
(07:32:36) PteauPteau: oh ok
(07:32:53) SO rek NU t: u thought it was obvious
(07:32:56) SO rek NU t: I*
(07:33:04) PteauPteau: glenn do you have a gf?
(07:33:07) SO rek NU t: so who are you?
(07:33:16) PteauPteau: annalysa
(07:33:17) SO rek NU t: haha no
(07:33:25) SO rek NU t: I know you
(07:33:27) SO rek NU t: ?
(07:33:38) SO rek NU t: (im not good with names)
(07:33:46) PteauPteau: ive seen you around with danny
(07:34:00) SO rek NU t: so who are you?
(07:34:12) PteauPteau: annalysa the girl with red hair
(07:34:20) PteauPteau: kinda tall
(07:34:28) PteauPteau: kinda pale
(07:34:38) SO rek NU t: oh!
(07:34:42) SO rek NU t: i dont know you
(07:34:46) VtaranchulaV: lol
(07:36:04) SO rek NU t: you are a senior?
(07:36:11) PteauPteau: yeah
(07:36:18) SO rek NU t: have I had you in a class?
(07:36:42) PteauPteau: no
(07:36:45) PteauPteau: i dont think so
(07:36:49) SO rek NU t: there we go
(07:36:55) SO rek NU t: nice to meet you
(07:37:03) PteauPteau: nice to meet you too
(07:37:35) PteauPteau: hey chris, when am i going to see you again?
(07:37:42) VtaranchulaV: um... i dont know.
(07:37:44) VtaranchulaV: sunday?
(07:37:54) PteauPteau: ok sure
(07:38:01) VtaranchulaV: where do you wanna go?
(07:38:10) PteauPteau: does glenn listen to iron maiden too?
(07:38:15) SO rek NU t: nah
(07:38:17) SO rek NU t: im straight
(07:38:28) PteauPteau: haha
(07:38:38) SO rek NU t: im into Rockabilly
(07:39:01) PteauPteau: thats cool. im into metal
(07:39:21) VtaranchulaV: oh glenn
(07:39:26) VtaranchulaV: keep this conversation
(07:39:29) PteauPteau: chris "girlfriend" likes that kinda music right chris?
(07:39:31) VtaranchulaV: hush
(07:39:34) SO rek NU t: haha
(07:39:40) SO rek NU t: jk
(07:39:43) SO rek NU t: i hate rockabilly
(07:39:49) VtaranchulaV: si
(07:39:51) PteauPteau: im telling him he should leave her for me
(07:39:57) SO rek NU t: Chris!
(07:40:01) VtaranchulaV: si?
(07:40:02) SO rek NU t: who told me i was the only one!
(07:40:07) PteauPteau: wouldnt that be cool glenn?
(07:40:18) VtaranchulaV: who?
(07:40:20) VtaranchulaV: i dont know man
(07:40:21) VtaranchulaV: lol
(07:40:26) SO rek NU t: dammit
(07:40:30) SO rek NU t: i meant you*
(07:40:32) VtaranchulaV: lol
(07:41:04) VtaranchulaV: so anyway
(07:41:11) SO rek NU t: yeah
(07:41:13) VtaranchulaV: when are you gonna ask gissel out foo
(07:41:14) VtaranchulaV: ?
(07:41:16) SO rek NU t: logs are public foo
(07:41:24) SO rek NU t: im not
(07:41:38) VtaranchulaV: ok when do you want me and danny to ask her out for you?
(07:41:43) SO rek NU t: dont
(07:41:46) VtaranchulaV: i see
(07:41:56) SO rek NU t: its not that I dont have the balls
(07:42:00) VtaranchulaV: when do you want me and danny to set up a group thang for you
(07:42:01) SO rek NU t: its something else
(07:42:06) SO rek NU t: dont
(07:42:07) PteauPteau: hey glenn, get me and chris together
(07:42:08) VtaranchulaV: you don't have a penis
(07:42:08) VtaranchulaV: ?
(07:42:13) SO rek NU t: haha
(07:42:22) SO rek NU t: i got some other thing planned
(07:42:28) VtaranchulaV: with who?
(07:42:31) VtaranchulaV: ipod?
(07:42:32) VtaranchulaV: lol
(07:42:41) SO rek NU t: so yeah
(07:42:55) VtaranchulaV: he's been trying to decide whether to go to prom or buy an ipod
(07:42:57) SO rek NU t: the logs for 2004 go public tommorow
(07:43:14) SO rek NU t: keep the ol ball and chain away from them
(07:43:22) SO rek NU t: the ol whip
(07:43:32) VtaranchulaV: well it's not like she'll be able to find them
(07:43:35) VtaranchulaV: i can't find them
(07:43:37) SO rek NU t: haha
(07:43:42) SO rek NU t: syop calling her dumb
(07:43:43) SO rek NU t: its sad
(07:43:46) SO rek NU t: stop*
(07:43:48) VtaranchulaV: i'm not foo
(07:43:54) PteauPteau: aww how sweet
(07:43:56) SO rek NU t: its like pointing and laughing at a cripple
(07:44:01) PteauPteau: are you in love glenn?
(07:44:08) SO rek NU t: nah im straight
(07:44:18) SO rek NU t: haha
(07:44:36) SO rek NU t: i point at cripples, i just dont laugh... i gigile
(07:44:38) SO rek NU t: giggle*
(07:44:50) VtaranchulaV: you jiggle?
(07:44:56) SO rek NU t: haha
(07:45:19) SO rek NU t: christ you should dump jenny
(07:45:22) SO rek NU t: now
(07:45:30) VtaranchulaV: what for?
(07:45:37) SO rek NU t: burn
(07:45:47) SO rek NU t: Pteauwhatsurface
(07:45:55) PteauPteau: i totally agree with you glenn
(07:45:57) SO rek NU t: haha pito
(07:46:06) SO rek NU t: i laugh
(07:46:08) VtaranchulaV: que?
(07:46:17) SO rek NU t: nothing
(07:46:20) PteauPteau: you hate jenny too?
(07:46:23) VtaranchulaV: ok jigglypuff
(07:46:31) SO rek NU t: who doesnt?
(07:46:35) SO rek NU t: i mean damn
(07:46:42) SO rek NU t: is there something to like?
(07:46:50) SO rek NU t: jeez
(07:47:00) SO rek NU t: top of my hate list
(07:47:06) PteauPteau: mine too
(07:47:35) SO rek NU t: yeah
(07:47:36) SO rek NU t: really
(07:47:43) SO rek NU t: she should let go of Chris' balls
(07:47:50) SO rek NU t: poor guy cant breath
(07:47:57) PteauPteau: seriously chris has noooooooo backbone
(07:48:02) VtaranchulaV: lol
(07:48:18) SO rek NU t: i mean
(07:48:19) SO rek NU t: dawg
(07:48:26) SO rek NU t: come on
(07:48:31) SO rek NU t: fly
(07:48:34) SO rek NU t: you have wings
(07:48:37) VtaranchulaV: haha
(07:48:43) VtaranchulaV: i believe i can fly
(07:48:48) SO rek NU t: buffallo soldiah
(07:48:51) PteauPteau: then fly my way
(07:48:53) SO rek NU t: fighting for survival
(07:49:03) PteauPteau: cmon chris
(07:49:08) PteauPteau: break up with her
(07:49:14) PteauPteau: new year new gf
(07:49:32) SO rek NU t: dude
(07:49:33) VtaranchulaV: well
(07:49:40) SO rek NU t: you should have bought an ipod with that money
(07:49:57) PteauPteau: glenn
(07:49:57) SO rek NU t: or some GOOG stock
(07:50:02) VtaranchulaV: lol
(07:50:07) VtaranchulaV: glenn we gotta goooo
(07:50:07) SO rek NU t: GOOG stock sounds nice
(07:50:12) SO rek NU t: you could havemade money
(07:50:14) PteauPteau: stop talking shit dogg
(07:50:20) PteauPteau: its jenny
(07:50:21) SO rek NU t: GOOG dude
(07:50:22) SO rek NU t: GOOG
(07:50:23) PteauPteau: gosh glenn
(07:50:25) SO rek NU t: no shit jenny
(07:50:28) PteauPteau: youre so mean
(07:50:29) PteauPteau: to me
(07:50:31) SO rek NU t: haha
(07:50:34) VtaranchulaV: kick hijm
(07:50:35) SO rek NU t: i knew it was you
(07:50:36) PteauPteau: what did i ever do to you?
(07:50:37) VtaranchulaV: him*
(07:50:41) PteauPteau: liar
(07:50:44) SO rek NU t: GOOG dude!
(07:50:50) SO rek NU t: think about it!
(07:50:52) SO rek NU t: GOOG!
(07:51:02) VtaranchulaV: yes google
(07:51:04) SO rek NU t: i knew it was a setup
(07:51:05) SO rek NU t: i played the part
(07:51:05) PteauPteau: im gonna kick you glenn
(07:51:09) SO rek NU t: thank you
(07:51:10) SO rek NU t: thank you
(07:51:18) SO rek NU t: i wish the academy could see this
(07:51:24) SO rek NU t: i shall submit the transcript
(07:51:30) VtaranchulaV: uh huh
(07:51:37) SO rek NU t: (bows to the standing ovation)
(07:51:45) PteauPteau: que?
(07:51:48) PteauPteau: alrighty
(07:51:55) PteauPteau: i gotta hight the mighty trail
(07:52:03) PteauPteau: bye glenn
(07:52:04) VtaranchulaV: i shall be on my way
(07:52:06) SO rek NU t: lates
(07:52:09) PteauPteau: happy new year
(07:52:12) SO rek NU t: yep
(07:52:14) SO rek NU t: ditto
(07:52:14) VtaranchulaV: happy new year turdo
(07:52:19) SO rek NU t: ditto
(07:52:20) SO rek NU t: bro
(07:52:23) SO rek NU t: haha
(07:52:30) VtaranchulaV left the room.
(07:52:33) PteauPteau: bye bye
(07:52:35) PteauPteau left the room.
(07:52:37) SO rek NU t: nacht