this morning I had the opportunity to take part in the army physical fitness test and now my body is so shredded... I'm glad to say that I passed it, at the minor expense of my health for the next several days. I workout daily, but on Test days I always take a little something extra to get me going, this morning consisted of about 3 redbulls, a bananna and a cliff bar, my heart was ramming against my ribcage and then I started on the test... right now my heartrate is still jumping, my right half of my head is simply pain, my legs are on fire and my arms are barely able to allow me to type this and my abdomen is cramping up, I'm trying to get water into my system, but I gotta do it slow...need to take my time to rebuild, oh wait, I've got to work today, no rest for the weary, just a shower and a quick change then it's high ho high ho off to work I go...fun fun fun for everyone!

In other news this weekend was great. I was able to have so much fun with my friends that I only partially got my homework done for class tonight, hooray, gonna cram all I can in the few minutes before class begins tonight, come up with something brilliant like I always do. My truck is still making funny noises, I just had the brakes worked on last Monday. I'm not liking the idea that I may have to spend more money on it to get it working right.

In other news I may be purchasing a Jeep Cherokee Sport soon, though I still have to view it and get it checked out. I also recently retrieved a book of writing of mine from my friend Clay and Suzannah, they're moving so I wanted to get it before they make the move, even though it's local things still have a habit of disappearing.

After today, I have 11 days and then I'm on a plane, this past weekend my good friend Adam Giralba moved with his family to Washington D.C., you will be missed, Also in a few more days my good friend Haitham will be going to Jordan for a month or so and then back for a couple of weeks before venturing over to Puerto Rico to live and help run his father's business. He is new to the group and will be missed as much. I don't know when I'll be able to return, the life of a soldier is not his own, he goes where the decisions of others send him. My good friend Tim from Austin was accepted into a Music School in New York and will be leaving soon, Alex and Juibo also are moving I hear, so many friends all scattering to the winds...

*sigh* time to get back to work

I have discovered a new obsession: http://www.youmustchoose.com/ and all I can say is...kittens are yummy...

~ RIVER OAKS MIDNIGHT SERIES ~
June 27 & 28 - SPIKE & MIKE'S SICK & TWISTED FESTIVAL OF ANIMATION
June 27 & 28 - PRETTY IN PINK
July 4 & 5 - PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE
July 11 & 12 - PINK FLOYD: THE WALL
July 18 & 19 - GHOST IN THE SHELL
July 25 & 26 - FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS
August 1 & 2 - THE GOONIES
August 8 & 9 - WILD AT HEART
August 15 & 16 - MAD MAX
August 22 & 23 - THE PRINCESS BRIDE

I am so there!, btw I stole this list from Alicia,

In other news my circle of friends continues to grow, to the inclusion of three count them three new personages in my life, I love how coffee houses tend to bring people together who would not normally have met under other circumstances, Welcome to my life, dysfunctional as it is, everyone say hello to: Leslie, Jamie and Jason, all three additional writers/musicians. exxxxcellent smithers...more guinea pigs for the fire...heh heh....BTW Discussions turned to music and I had to bring up one of my personal favorites, Mr Oizo and Flat eric, if you don't know, then your totally missing out, go search for them now and download everything you can... life is beautiful as my friend Haitham says...

it's Friday so it's time for the Friday Five

1. How are you planning to spend the summer [winter]? Currently I'm working 24/7 for the U.S. Army and heading to college at night, if I've got some free time it's always spent with friends at a local Starbucks, that crazy little coffeehouse that's taking over the world.

2. What was your first summer job? I used to be a summer camp counselor, that was so much fun, living out of a tent for 3 months, teaching the skills that were taught to me to a younger generation, that was the greatest.

3. If you could go anywhere this summer [winter], where would you go? for the summer I would love to go on an ultimate road trip across the entire US or at least most of it, that would be tons of fun, especially if I could go with some great friends

4. What was your worst vacation ever? I don't know if I've ever had a bad vacation

5. What was your best vacation ever? there are aspects of all of them that bring smiles to my face, roadtrips to nowhere, colorado and kansas, dallas to visit family, a week once spent in San Antonio, New York during the spring time, tons of places just fill my mind with memories...

This is a great friday five, very thought provoking and memory resurfacing, I like this, you should try it out sometime too, all you need to do is go here Today feels like it's going to be a great day, I'm heading out into it in a bit, I can't stop this sunny feeling in my heart... err something like that, Ha! later!

if you take nothing from this blog take this: http://www.badsamaritan.com/ and read it!

Now for something totally different...

I want to run away like
I don't want to be here
be on my own
all over alone
again but
the madness is too sweet...

Being in love is hard to do when you've always avoided it, always avoided the madness. It seems so hard to make a relationship work and easier to just let go. But then there's always the perks that keep you hanging on.

Attempted to post this yesterday, but blogger was acting crazy...

June 24th's This or That Tuesday Questions: Everybody's Gone Surfin'!
1. Surf sites at random, or have a set list of regular reads? Honestly I tend to do both, though I do have a list of regular reads,
2. Do you visit mostly blogs, or news or other sites? I like the reality of the blogs, but I gotta have my email and games
3. Do you go online every day, or just a couple of days a week? Everyday if possible, gotta keep the people informed
4. Do you allow comments on your blog, or not? I do now, I had some problems in the past with posting, but that’s all fixed now.
5. Do you shop online at all, or at regular stores? If I see something interesting or that I can’t find anywhere else then I’ll buy online, but mostly I like to see what I want before I buy
6. Have you ever done online bill-paying/banking, or not? Not yet, but I have thought about it.
7. Which news site do you prefer... MSNBC.com or CNN.com? Or do you prefer some other one? I prefer the Onion, because you can only take so much reality bent before yours goes as well
8. Live chat rooms, or message boards? Both, once again, gotta keep the people informed
9. Instant messaging or e-mail? Email mainly, AIM and Yahoo IM when I can get on to check it
10. Yes or no: have you ever met, or at least talked on the phone with, another blogger? If not, would you want to? Why or why not? Of course, some of my best friends are bloggers, or livejournal’ers, heck even a few deadjournals are in the mix, then there are the select few who’ve written their own code. I’ve got this great online/offline group of friends, you guys and gals rock the rock!

"And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." -Isaiah, Isaiah 2:4

it's wonderful to dream isn't it?

"In words as fashions the same rule will hold,
Alike fantastic if too new or old:
Be not the first by whome the new are tried,
Nor yet the last to lay the old aside."
-Alexander Pope, Essay On Criticism, An

"Far or forgot to me is near;
Shadow and sunlight are the same;
The vanished gods to me appear;
And one to me are shame and fame.
They reckon ill who leave me out;
When me they fly, I am the wings;
I am the doubter and the doubt,
And I the hymn the Brahmin sings."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson, Brahma

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep."
-Robert Frost, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

"I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
-Robert Frost, Road Not Taken, The

We as a people have a long way to go, but in the end, perhaps we will be able to be able to live together, the journey is long and if what we do now has an effect on the future then we must do all we can and make a difference...

Today is my birthday, dudunnnaduduDah! yeah it's your birthday too!

This weekend was great, I was able to spend it with almost all of my friends and I saw someone I'd wanted to see for a long time, we kind of passed in the daylight, like two ships, but it was good to see them.

Interestingly enough my morning of my birthday didn't go so well. While driving to work on freeway at my usual fast as fast can be speed I was astonished when what should occur to me, but my breaks went out, went wild and free. So to my offramp I drove at an unstoppable speed right off to the side where I only could proceed up around down and in to the parking lot of the local burger king, by that time I thought my truck might slow down when upcoming to me was a steep drop to the ground, so out I flew to apply what I could the strength of one man pitted against my trucks hood. I pushed and I shoved and dug in my heels, all I could do was to slow spinning wheels, I tried what I could, I did what I might and it wasn't until I came to the edge that my vehicle stopped inside creating a wedge in the left front fender of a local cop car. I heaved a sigh of near startled relief for my truck I had stopped only to incure more grief, for the vehicle I had struck in this parking lot, was owned and operated by a UT cop. understanding he was with my sad little tail, my expired insurance and lack drivers license detail, no ticket forthcoming just paperwork needed, and after a supervisor and multiple others arrived, switched out his car and proceeded to drive. I was on my way to work I know, but without my breaks there was nowhere to go. so I phoned my job understanding they were and we hobknobbed a reason and a course a tow truck was in order, of course. towed to the northside of houston I was, where I had a contact at a local brake service dealer and my truck went up as I sat down, after a few hours I realized what a clown that today is my birthday, the perfect day for something like this to happen...it's practically a classic..

it's Saturday and I'm at school...what's up with that? Oh yeah I have a research paper to do...

I'm registering at blogshares and at blogchalk

This is my new blogchalk:
United States, texas, houston, English, Hugh, Male, 26-30, writing, mountain biking. :)

you'll have to scroll all the way down to the bottom to view the actual image of the blog chalk.

did you know you can email the president? go to www.whitehouse.gov and click on the links there for contact. I've sent him several emails and have yet to get a response.
whatever happened to the right of redress or whatever it is when you ask a politician a question and they have to respond...

The Friday Five for Jun 20, 2003, Some of you have asked me how this works, where I come up with the questions and whatnot, You simply go to the site and answer the following five questions in your weblog or journal. Make sure you leave a comment there with a link to your post (or just leave your answers in the comments section).

1. Is your hair naturally curly, wavy, or straight? Long or short?
short, thin fine straight hair
2. How has your hair changed over your lifetime?
I've mostly had it cut short, but for the awhile I had long past shoulder length hair and for awhile I was bald.
3. How do your normally wear your hair?
short on the sides, blocked in the back, faded up to the top, which I keep a bit longer and parted on the left side.
4. If you could change your hair this minute, what would it look like?
I've thought of changing the color, to something totally different from my normal brown, I though I might go dark black.
5. Ever had a hair disaster? What happened?
When I let my hair grow long I didn't take care of it and it was nasty, also my hair is thin and fine so it doesn't hold hairspray or gel very well and when the wind catches it, well you guessed it, my hair is everywhere.

you know that wasn't a very exciting Friday Five come to think of it.

to make this post just a little bit more exciting, http://www.bradcollins.org/

testing haloscan comments tool... hmm...where are my comments?

"Take away paradox from the thinker and you have a professor." -Søren Kierkegaard

A professor or teacher must teach from a set of rules regarding the subject at hand, at least that's my interpretation of the qoute. what's yours?

"Society has always seemed to demand a little more from human beings than it will get in practice." -George Orwell, A Collection of Essays

this is both good and bad in a sense that we are human and as such we will always have something to strive for and something to do, but unfortunately we'll never achieve all we have to as a species, there will always be something negative going on.

You know what? In recent months a friend called me intrepid, I have a big heart and just tonight a friend described me as 'too sincere'. That may be true. But I like being me and how it makes me feel and the precise ways it gets me into trouble. I'm funny ( at least I laugh at my jokes ) and smart, and sane though others might think otherwise (these things can be verified). Also, I don't mind being wrong and, considering I am so pretentious, I admit that often.

I am determined to finally go skydiving again this year. Please go with me.

Also (important!): Too many people think Monster Truck events are silly. I like them because of that.

"I woke up one day..."
So now I try to look at the small beauties around me everyday.
Things people pass by and take for granted.
I find beauty in a piece of glass in a mud puddle,
a cat perched on a fence,
idly watching the world go by
the laughter in a good friends smile, etc.
I believe very few people can see
the true beauty in things
and I strive to be one of those people
with eyes wide open
I enjoy: lounging outside,
mountain biking, getting sweaty on a hot day,
then a cold dip in the lake
introducing myself to random people,
going to museums and plays,
concerts and midnight movies,
snowboarding and skiing,
writing and reading,
staying up late
to have long, intense conversations, etc, etc.
all because...
" I woke up one day, afraid I was going to live."

Someone sent me this and so I'm passing it on:

In light of the many perversions and jokes we send to one another for a
laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke, it's
not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson
asked her "How could God let something like this happen?" (regarding the
attacks on Sept. 11).

Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said "I
believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've
been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and
to get out of our lives.

And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can
we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He
leave us alone?"

In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I
think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body
found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we
said OK.

Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school ... the Bible says
thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as
yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they
misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might
damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an
expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Then someone said teachers and principals better not discipline our children
when they misbehave. The school administrators said no faculty member in
this school better touch a student when they misbehave because we don't want
any bad publicity, and we surely don't want to be sued (there's a big
difference between disciplining, touching, beating, smacking, humiliating,
kicking, etc.). And we said OK.

Then someone said, let's let our daughters have abortions if they want, and
they won't even have to tell their parents. And we said OK.

Then some wise school board member said, since boys will be boys and they're
going to do it anyway, let's give our sons all the condoms they want so they
can have all the fun they desire, and we won't have to tell their parents
they got them at school. And we said OK.

Then some of our top elected officials said it doesn't matter what we do in
private as long as we do our jobs. Agreeing with them, we said it doesn't
matter to me what anyone, including the President, does in private as long
as I have a job and the economy is good.

Then someone said let's print magazines with pictures of nude women and call
it wholesome, down-to-earth appreciation for the beauty of the female body.
And we said OK.

And then someone else took that appreciation a step further and published
pictures of nude children and then further again by making them available on
the Internet. And we said OK, they're entitled to free speech.

Then the entertainment industry said, let's make TV shows and movies that
promote profanity, violence, and illicit sex. Let's record music that
encourages rape, drugs, murder, suicide, and satanic themes. And we said
it's just entertainment, it has no adverse effect, nobody takes it seriously
anyway, so go right ahead.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they
don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill
strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I
think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the
world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but
question what the Bible says.

Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire
but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice
about sharing.

Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through
cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and
workplace.

Are you laughing?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on
your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they
WILL think of you for sending it. Funny how we can be more worried about
what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one
will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back
and complain about what bad shape the world is in!

today is blah...

So the artist wants to see his painting. hmmm i don't havea picture on me right now.but to answer you this. am I a reverse paradox or very interesting?
very interesting is open to interpretation, we each view the same work of art differently, some may see a dull and lifeless basket of fruit while other's a starry night...

a paradox reversed, something out of it's time brought back into it's reality, what is this truth you seek? One exhibiting inexplicable or contradictory aspects such as: “The silence of midnight, to speak truly, though apparently a paradox, rung in my ears” (Mary Shelley). An assertion that is essentially self-contradictory, though based on a valid deduction from acceptable premises. The reversal of such would mean that the assertation is complimentary, based on invalid deductions from unacceptable premises...

I am who I am and I am not who I am, nor am I who I was, yet I don't know what moment will bring the next installment of me. So I simply am and I am not.

Who are you?
what makes you, you?
what do you do?
where do you like to go?

I write, I draw ( if you can call it that ) and sometimes I paint. I also like to get out in the world and get a little muddy now and then, or sit in front of the computer for hours. most of the time you'll find me at a local coffee shop...

Sometimes I'm way too serious and others completely opposite...

what next?

So what is art to you?
art... is nothing. its capturing a moment in the way you see it. as abstract as that probably makes you
art is also everything, everything that happens in the mind and the world around us... art is beauty and tragedy and all that lies within and without.
As for me being abstract, I like the sound of that...

Question: If you are driving a car at the speed of light and you turn on your headlights...do they do anything?

"Enjoy life. There's plenty of time to be dead."

Caffeine is a beautiful thing, don't ya think? I know I do and as I say this I have a can of Red Bull chilled to just the right temperature at my hands. I can't wait to feel it's mental boosting enthusiasm reach deep into me. aww sweet caffeine...Yesterday it was the new Mountain Dew drink which went down real smooth, but I didn't feel the effects. most nights it's Iced Tea from Starbucks, and after about 6 cups of that, I'm a deadly opponent at chess. It seems I exist in a perpetual mental state of calm and I need something to get my faculties jumping, this unfortunately has the side effect of causing me to lose a lot of sleep, however, I counteract this with more caffeine and then I sleep all weekend long, unless I have something to do, which is almost always. So I wind up burning the candle at both ends and in the middle...but I can't stop I have so much to do and so many obligations to attend to and so little time to do it all in... but don't worry about me, I have my good friend caffeine here with me and I can sleep when I'm dead...right now I don't have time for that...

TheFriday Five on Tuesday?! What's the world coming to?

1. What's one thing you've always wanted to do, but never have?
- travel the world
2. When someone asks your opinion about a new haircut/outfit/etc, are you always honest?
- hell yeah!
3. Have you ever found out something about a friend and then wished you hadn't? What happened?
- yes, it was awkward at first, but then we learned that we were still the same people.
4. If you could live in any fictional world (from a book/movie/game/etc.) which would it be and why?
- wow, this is a tough one, it would have to be something medieval
5. What's one talent/skill you don't have but always wanted?
- this one is tough as well, there are so many choices that can be made, I'll have to think on this and repost later.

and while I'm at it, I might as well do the This-or-That Tuesday

June 17: Reading
1. Newspapers or magazines?
- Magazines
2. Books-on-tape or regular books?
- regular books
3. Paperback or hardcover?
both, depends on what's available...
4. Fiction or non-fiction?
once again, both
5. Sci-Fi/Fantasy or romance novels?
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
6. Borrow from library or buy books (either new or used)?
buy, both new and used
7. Subscribe to magazines or buy on newsstand?
buy on the newstand
8. Current best-sellers or classic literature?
both
9. Read books once, or re-read favorites every so often?
re-read like crazy
10. Here in the U.S., we have two hot best-sellers...former First Lady Hillary Clinton's memoirs, and the new Harry Potter book (coming out June 21). If you had to read one, which one...Hillary or Harry? Why?
neither

I steadfastly maintain (as I always have) that North American government is a commerciocracy, a term I use to denote governments who cater exclusively to big business or lobby and mold their legislative agenda to suit it. It is 'government by corporation' as opposed to the ideal of "government by the people for the people". Even the opposition parties, such as the so called liberal party, are studying the Machiavellian handbook in terms of how they jockey for political popularity through the use of misquoted statistics, bold-faced libel and voluminous financial support from powerful right wing religious and social lobby groups.It's too bad that the back-room gerrymandering and palm-scratching is commonplace in other countries as well, we'd be able to get a lot more done if we all worked toward a common goal. Too bad people always think in the "I" mode and not in the "We". I hope that, as word of these scandals and misdeeds is intensified, the average Joe and Josephine reads more between the lines and educates themselves on how to promote a proper government, "by the people, for the people."

We came together to form a more perfect union as a people, so that all persons could live together in peace and prosperity, with the pursuit of happiness foremost in our openminded culture... what went wrong?

"I realize that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone."
-Edith Cavell, Last words, October 12, 1915

"Needles in skin"

Stabbing safety pins
through thin muscle tissue
watching the bubble and pop
of old blisters
with a certain grim fascination
an obession with recession
He's waiting for my speech
standing up there with a hole for a tongue
blood dripping on the microphone
eyes gouged out and fed to the dogs
Nails in my feet
Keeping me in place
atrophy room
sagging slack bronze
flying awol over a desert not his own
a flaccid office
impotently important
venting his frustration on the people of the east
caught in the middle
crammed between padded polls and public idiocy
hail to the theif


"I see blood, everywhere"

life is a story of perseverance, I highly reccomend it.

"Do not go gentle into that good night."
-Dylan Thomas, "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night"

new words for your so called vocabulary...

yummmyfrickenliciously

screwbaly

outfrickenstanding

"I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
-Robert Frost, Road Not Taken, The

lost in the woods? go find yourself here

Sometimes I feel lost...

"Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow--
You are not wrong who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream."
-Edgar Allan Poe, Dream Within A Dream, A

Poe Rocks the rock! Do you feel that life is a dream and if so are we only living the dream within a dream. What happens when we wake up?

apparantly this is my Horoscope (by Astrocenter.com)

If it were up to you, you would rather stay in bed reading than affront the cold world we live in. Deep inside, however, you know you need to socialize. You feel that you cannot be left out of society. But have you ever thought about finding someone who shares your tastes? You could read in bed with someone else and still have a lot of contacts!

and my Male romancescope (by Astrocenter.com)
Exercise and nutrition programs seem to be paying off for you now. You're feeling better than you have in a long time, and your lover notices and appreciates that! If you've been exercising together, you might notice a definite change for the better in your friend as well. The planetary alignment indicates, however, that this isn't the time to slow down. If anything, intensify your efforts! Remember, good health enhances romance!

whatever all this means is whatever...know what I mean? like it's all well and good for a horoscope to say something like I should find someone who shares my same tastes, but how do you go about that when you keep looking in the same place? I'd love to have someone to share my interests with and there are some whom I am interested in, I just don't move fast, I like to take my time and get to know the person...blah blah blah and a lot of times it comes down to the point where I've taken too much time and the opportunity passes me by or the other person begins to think of me as more of a friend than possible romance material. I'm not upset by any of this I love having more friends to hang with, but every now and then I want just one to hang with...if you understand let me know.

So I've been ripping my brain apart trying to write this paper for class, and I finally have it done, now I only have ten minutes to get to class....woohoo!!

Someone at The Onion thinks they're funny...

"A man is already halfway in love with any woman who listens to him." -Brendan Francis
This is so true, haha

"Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself." -Chinese Proverb

Here's your Door for the Day

Good Morning Houston! it's June 10th, Tuesday and time for another This or That: TV Shows/Movies
1. "The Munsters" or "The Addams Family"?
In my head both shows are blending together, did they ever do a crossover?
2. "The Sopranos" or the "Godfather" movies?
I've only seen a few of the Sopranos, but all of the Godfather series equals qoutable life
3. "The Jetsons" or "Lost in Space"?
I'm lost in space with the jetsons, that Judy ooh she's an interstellar hottie...haha
4. "Superman" or "Batman" (either the TV shows or the movies)?
once again the questions are pitting two classics against each other... errrgh it's so hard to choose just one..
5. "Sex & The City" or "Friends"?
Friends all the way
6. "The Wizard of Oz" or the "Harry Potter" movies?
Both are good stories, though Oz is a classic
7. "The Simpsons" or "King of the Hill"?
The Simpsons have been losing touch, but are still a classic, King of the Hill is good for a few laughs
8. "Grease" or "Saturday Night Fever"?
Grease...
I don't watch a lot of TV lately, I've just got a lot of other things going on with college, work and an active social life...or the near semblance thereof...
9. Old prime-time soaps: "Dallas" or "Dynasty"?
never watched any of these, but I know who shot JR
10. Not very thought-provoking this week...do you prefer TV shows or movies?
It all depends on the stories, sometimes I like them short like a movie or long like a TV series...

For some reason I can only get to the Friday Five's on Monday lately...bear with me...this one's a doozy

1. How many times have you truly been in love?
To be honest I don't know, you see when I'm with someone and I feel that I love them everything is great and wonderful, though there are moments in every relationship that are less than stellar. After being out of the relationship and away from the person for awhile, feelings change and life goes on...
2. What was/is so great about the person you love(d) the most?
I loved the way she laughed, the way we could talk about nothing and everything...it was great
3. What qualities should a significant other have?
the ability to compromise when it counts and good communication skills
4. Have you ever broken someone's heart?
yes, unfortunately I've done a few things that I'm not proud of...
5. If there was one thing you could teach people about love, what would it be?
communication is essential to any relationship, communicate well and often..

Now that all that mess in my head is stirred up, I'm off to class.

It's Monday again and the weekend was excellent, I'd like to extend a warm welcome to reuters news on my list of links. Now I have to go and finish writing my paper for class...later!

woohoo mad plans are made for Tuesday night mayhem! and in other unrelated news I emailed the President and Vice President, and I have an meeting scheduled for Wednesday with the University of Texas Admissions office here in Houston, Texas. just wait and see how far I get this time...

North American public education topic a return

I have to agree with most of the responses I've received - that no real reforms in the educational, or any other major system will be made under the leadership of one president.

One of the many reasons for this is that every president comes in with a new plan and a new idea to approach the problem. Just look at how every President deals with taxes, the national deficit, and other programs. The programs are constantly changing.

Our governnment was set up in such a manner that it usually sits in a state of stagnation. I think this was the intention of the Founding Fathers, as they would have rather had a government that can't act on anything rather than a government that can act to over-power the people.

Additionally, I think that the responsibility of educational systems lies primarily within the states themselves - for they know where the weaknesses are. The downfall here, though, is that we see states like California cutting more and more funding from education and sending it to other programs.

I think a better plan than "No child gets left behind" would be "Teachers are Gods" or something like that. If we start treating teachers with the respect that they inherently deserve, rewarding them for their work monetarily, then we will see a chain of events. Teachers will be more likely to teach in undesireable areas for the money - more teachers will lead to an ability to accept more students - and over time more students will come.

Overall, I don't think that we, as a society, are putting enough moral emphasis on education. This needs to be a group effort and the president will have a hard time getting the majority of the country to back him on any plan.

there are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard." - sun tzu "the art of war"

in other news here's a recent picture

a return to the topic of collectivism, since most of you who have emailed me want to discuss this.

I think this argument needs to return to the basic principles.

At the most basic level, the way for people to be happy is to do what makes them happy, not others. Making others happy does not guarantee your own happiness.

As is also true in a collective society, the individual should also not harm others, or there will be negative consequences, which will make him/her unhappy.

The main problem with collectivism is that it may not be apparent what is best for society. Many bad things have been done in the name of helping society, and often it may have seemed at the time that the actions would help society.

In an individualistic society, if you do what makes you happy without hurting others, you are automatically helping out yourself, and society as a whole.

Now we can argue back in forth about the corruptions and perversions of the United States, but make no mistake, an individualistic society is the best society to live in.

Remember, just because people in a society decide it is necessary to introduce socialistic aspects into a government does not mean that the society is not individualistic.

Individualism is as much a mind set as it is a form of government.

Please, if you respond to this, bring up examples, respond to the principles and generally keep doing what you've been doing. Thanks!

last night a very enlightening and revealing conversation was had... and now a goal in life changes.

My friend Grace and I had this great conversation about life and the future, what we both want out of everything, it was great. I'm glad to have a friend like her to just bounce ideas off of. My new plan is to pursue both an English and Computer Science degree, thereby gaining me a job that will make money and allow me to pursue my interests in writing. In the future I may attempt to go full time as a writer, but I want to be able to support myself and others.

And for all of you who seem to think that Grace and I are an item, let me just say that she is and will always be a good friend. So quit the muttering...lol.

What comes next you might ask? I'm currently enrolled in Summer courses, taking both Sociology and English 2, my SOC Prof is highly intelligent and has a ton of information to pour into my brain, whereas my Eng2 Prof is also highly intelligent, loves to discuss the topics and just tear through a story and in my opinion is a flamin hottie. Both love their work and are animated in the classroom and I am enjoying this immenseley. speaking of class I have homework so I must let go now, later!

something happened this day... I can't really discuss it on here. Thanks for understanding.

June 3: Animals on This-or-That Tuesday!

1. Cats or dogs? I like options of both
2. Butterflies or birds? I'm for the birds
3. Horses or cows? A horse of course
4. Turtles or snakes? ooh tough one...Turtles, the Teenage Mutant Ninja kind that is
5. Frogs or grasshoppers? Go Kermit Go!!
6. Lions or tigers? Or bears oh my...lol...Tigers
7. Elephants or mice? Depends on the mouse, is it Mickey or that hot little honey Minnie?
8. Porcupines or aardvarks? What?!? how about an aardvark, that dudes tongue must drive the ladies wild
9. Unicorns or dragons? Fear my reign of fire!! For I am the Dragon Reborn!
10. Thought-provoking question of the week: You live in a rather dumpy apartment. A friend offers you a chance to be a roommate at a new place s/he is moving into, but they don't allow pets. You have a pet. Do you find your pet a new home and take the new place, or do you keep your pet and stay put?

This is a tough one as the question really doesn't describe what kind of pet I have, or even if my friend wants to try to find something else. I'd have to withold my answer until I get more clarification.

That's it for the This-or-That Tuesday!

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see." - John Burroughs

But the night is filled with everybody it seems... On my way around town last night I happened to look to my left and who did I see? Alicia riding in an SUV next to me.

Also last night, was the first of many of my Summer session courses at UT-Westchase, gotta get that GPA up! Study, Study, Study!!

later all!

Recently, US President George W Bush signed the "No Child Left Behind" Act, a law aimed at improving American public education. This has inspired me to submit for your ponderance the following questions on North American public education:

-Can the legislative will of one presidential administration improve and make more efficient American public education, or is this a task which lies in the hands of several future ones (a mess that has taken a short time to make takes a lot longer to clean up)?

-Which children benefit from this legislation, and which (if any) will get the short end of the stick?

Suffice to say I shall leave it all up to you to come at it with your own opinion.

Personally, I see North American public education (Canada and the US collectively) in a state of crisis. I am seeing some alarming trends in the administration, funding and delivery of public schooling on this continent. The first of these is the notion that schools can be run like corporations, adhering to the corporate rationale that cutting costs improves production and somehow quality. How will students benefit when teaching staff, learning assistance staff and other vital school programs fall victim to the downsizing utopia?

Another perturbing trend is the over-prescription of drugs to kids with learning disabilities, my own brother is a prime example. In many cases, we have people without extensive clinical expertise in the area making this judgment call. These drugs may keep them quiet in class now, but they may also do devastating neurological or social damage later on. Studies have been coming out the last few years citing the dangers of over-prescribing Ritalin and other such medications. Although, when funding is slashed, it may be tempting to latch on to the next inticing quick fix that comes along.

And if these red flags were not enough, the retention of quality teachers is also a facet of the North American public system which lags behind. The salaries of some teachers in the United States are pitiful. For the work they do, they don't even get a sufficient fraction of compensation. Plus, with eliminations on class sizes in some jurisdictions, young teachers are having to contend with upwards of fifty to sixty kids in the course of one day. How can it not be that some children will lose out in the numbers game?

If no children are to be left behind in the most genuine sense, then President Bush and his cabinet of erstwhile advisors had better make sure that his new legislative brainchild anticipates and seeks to nip the above mini-crises among so many others in the bud.

"Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change." - Confucius

How will you change today?

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Check this site Qouteland

existentialism moment

I look at your face and
i hate you and I love you
The crass dimples in your cheeks
As well as the awful beautiful smile

And still, as I look, your mind wanders
Away from me and everything I hold of value
I stare, just for one more...
And I am tired of being second to last

Every truth, every song, every word
proves to me how disastrously ugly I am
To want you, ever, I cannot be
Ever trusted with such a ridiculous detail

From every slime that graced a neglect wall
To a bolt receded within a cloud
Daily I see the rage-ahol that I consume
Internally hollowing out my heartburn

Now, since rage is all I have to give
The Jealous Green already making me sick
Prove to me what a loser i am
And turn me away once more

I will forever see you in my heart, dear love
Even during my withering of my old bones
So I can detach my terrible heart
To feed the fishes of control