So here I am, sitting in the snackbar and taking advantage of the wireless internet. Supposedly this guy who wants me to help him get some scripts (mailman, squirrelmail, etc) installed on his webserver is going to meet me here before 4:30, but as it's already 4:25, I don't see that happening. So I'll blog a bit. And take advantage of the fast internet to run some updates.
I have a jumble of half-formed thoughts and ideas concerning computer interfaces, their ease of use, and so on which have been slowly evolving over the past few years, and I think it's getting to the point where I'm ready to coalesce the vapors of ideas into the reality of words. I was thinking about hammering it out right now, but I think that I'm going to give this one some real thought, so instead of being the usual under-developed ramble that I usually post, it will be an intelligent and thought-provoking piece of writing. It may even be called (dare I say it?) an essay. I'll probably write it up in vim. If you know what vim is, you'll probably have a hint of just where my sympathies lie when it comes to user interfaces. The real challenge of something like this will be to make it readable and even enjoyable by mere mortals, yet not too boring and dumbed down for people like Welling or myself. And there's always the possibility that I'm fooling myself, and there's no way in hell that I'm actually going to write an essay on my free time in the summer. We'll see.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force (ATHF) is one of my favorite TV shows. This is sort of misleading, as I usually don't watch TV, so it's rare that I find a see a new show at all unless one is introduced to me by a friend. ATHF is such a show, as is Family Guy, Upright Citizen's Brigade, and so on. ATHF, for you poor souls who have never seen it, is a show detailing the adventures of three... fuck it, just read their damn website. OK, now that you know what it's about, here's what I have to say about it: The characters of Frylock, Meatwad, and Master Shake are incredibly flat. If you watch the show enough, nothing that any of them do is unpredictable. But while they are flat and unchanging as characters, their interactions with each other and the outside world are constantly interesting, and often hilarious. The writers of the show are excellent at creating characters that consist entirely of one trait, grossly exaggerated. My personal favorite example of this are the two dolls in the episode "Dumber Dolls" (with the Frat Aliens, from the episode of the same name, coming in a close second). One doll ('Jingle Billy') is always unreasonably and stupidly optimistic. His answer to all problems and unhappiness is dancing. If one can dance, how can one be unhappy, and how can bad things happen? The other doll (Happy Time Harry) is the exact opposite. He is pessimistic and depressed to the point of ridiculousness. All he wants to do is drink, pop pills, pass out, and (when it gets really bad) cut himself. The interactions the two dolls have give a small slice of the conversations that can and do occur between optimists and pessimists all the time in real life. The writers pit the optimists against the pessimists, but it's clear from the outset who is going to win. Happy Time Harry finally demoralizes both his unfortunate owner (Meatwad), and his counterpart, the formerly cheerful Jingle Billy. Is this right? Does pessimism always triumph over optimism? Is that a subjective question, anyway? I personally believe that humanity is inherently bad, just like Happy Time Harry (he never really made such a sweeping statement, but I'm inferring from his general disposition). However, I also believe that there is more to reality than human thought and human action. Happy Time Harry sees the state of humanity, and decides that it is bad, and the only thing to do is to drink away the pain. It's a solipsistic point of view. Humanity is bad, therefore reality is bad. Happy Time Harry seems to be at the forefront of modern thought. Damn.
Well, It's 5:30 and the guy hasn't shown up. I think that there are some Sigs back in town in an apartment. I think I'll check that out, then head home.
Puff the Magic Dragon
The only thing better than a fresh sandwich from Oakley is a fresh sandwich from Oakley eaten on a picnic table in the shade on a beautiful day. The only thing keeping it from being perfect was a breeze that was just a bit too strong, and not having anyone to talk to, or any music to listen to. Still, a good lunch.
I just realized that when I put up the links to the blogs of various friends several weeks ago, I forgot to include Tim. This has of course been rectified, but the oversight had consequences. My privilege of having my blog be his only external link has been revoked. Life goes on, but is it really worth living anymore? Also, I've been forgetting to check his site, because I usually just go down the list of links from my own to check friends' journals/blogs (I don't like favorites menus). It turns out that he's been busy little bee in the weeks I've been out of the loop. There are many new posts, and on a cursory review, all of them seem to be up to the usual Tim Standard. I'll leave it as an exercise to the reader to decided what that standard is.
I'm at work now, so I can't ramble on in my usual fashion. I only posted because lunch was awesome, and because I had to put up a link to Tim's blog before I forgot about it again. Damn my memory. Anyway, au revoir, dear reader.
You know, I really should come up with a signature sign off. Ah, fuck it.
I just realized that when I put up the links to the blogs of various friends several weeks ago, I forgot to include Tim. This has of course been rectified, but the oversight had consequences. My privilege of having my blog be his only external link has been revoked. Life goes on, but is it really worth living anymore? Also, I've been forgetting to check his site, because I usually just go down the list of links from my own to check friends' journals/blogs (I don't like favorites menus). It turns out that he's been busy little bee in the weeks I've been out of the loop. There are many new posts, and on a cursory review, all of them seem to be up to the usual Tim Standard. I'll leave it as an exercise to the reader to decided what that standard is.
I'm at work now, so I can't ramble on in my usual fashion. I only posted because lunch was awesome, and because I had to put up a link to Tim's blog before I forgot about it again. Damn my memory. Anyway, au revoir, dear reader.
You know, I really should come up with a signature sign off. Ah, fuck it.
Wild Pack of Family Dogs
I started The Quiet American last night. I finished the first chapter, then fell asleep (no fault of the book, I was very tired). It looks as promising as Our Man in Havana. Hopefully it lives up to that. I don't know if I'll have time to read it before school starts, though. So much to do.
Speaking of school starting, it turns out that we won't have an annex for parties and other brouhahas. At least, not by homecoming, which was the original plan. It turns out that the administration blocked it. Fucking fascists.
On a brighter note, the sun was out all day today. Haha. Ok, I'm done.
Zwan is a really good band. I don't know what's going on with Billy Corgan, if he has the Smashing Pumpkins back together, or what, but as much as I like the Pumpkins, I honestly wouldn't mind him dropping them for good and concentrating on Zwan. I can see their sound going more places, mainly because the Pumpkins have an excellent body of work out there, and it will be hard to remain as awesome as they are without either re-hashing or changing their sound enough that they aren't really the Pumpkins anymore. As Barry from High Fidelity would ask: "Is it better to burn out or fade away?"
In some aspects, I liked Jackie Brown more than any of Tarantino's other movies. The part that really strikes me about it is the contrast of the relationship between Louis (Robert De Niro) and Melanie (Bridget Fonda) and the relationship between Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) and Max Cherry (Robert Forster). Louis and Melanie don't even consider that there are consequences of a relationship. They casually fuck, then as the movie wears on they grow more and more apart from each other, to the point where Louis (a bumbler anyway) shoots Melanie for making fun of him. It's an immature relationship between immature people. They have never entered the adult world. Jackie and Max, though. There's a truly adult relationship. They don't really flirt, they express interest. They actually care about each other. They don't just leap into it. And when the shit finally goes down, they both realize that it won't work, and leave with nothing more than a kiss. They part with dignity, knowing that in another life, it could have been nice, but it simply can't be. At least, that's how I remember the movie. I've only seen it once, and that was a few months ago. I'll have to watch it again sometime.
"Never make fun of people with disproportionate body parts in Wal-mart." my Dad confided with me under his breath as we walked into the store. It caught me a bit off guard. It also made me acutely aware that if he weren't bound by the fact that he's a pastor, and can't be cracking jokes like that too often, he would be really funny. Another example: When I was fairly young (maybe 10 or so) I asked, "Daddy, are there still hippies around?" He instantly replied, "Oh, they're still around, but we call them 'washouts' now." At the time I didn't really understand what he was saying, as I didn't know what "washout" meant. I thought that perhaps they all turned to surfing or something (don't ask me how my mind works, I don't even know now, and I sure as hell don't know what I was thinking back then). At some point later on, I learned what "washout" means, and even later I recalled that confusing remark my dad had made so many years ago. I started laughing out of the blue, and when I got really weird stares, I felt really embarassed, but didn't explain my laughter, because it would have been even more embarassing to tell them that I just got a joke I had heard 7 years ago.
Je suis fait.
Speaking of school starting, it turns out that we won't have an annex for parties and other brouhahas. At least, not by homecoming, which was the original plan. It turns out that the administration blocked it. Fucking fascists.
On a brighter note, the sun was out all day today. Haha. Ok, I'm done.
Zwan is a really good band. I don't know what's going on with Billy Corgan, if he has the Smashing Pumpkins back together, or what, but as much as I like the Pumpkins, I honestly wouldn't mind him dropping them for good and concentrating on Zwan. I can see their sound going more places, mainly because the Pumpkins have an excellent body of work out there, and it will be hard to remain as awesome as they are without either re-hashing or changing their sound enough that they aren't really the Pumpkins anymore. As Barry from High Fidelity would ask: "Is it better to burn out or fade away?"
In some aspects, I liked Jackie Brown more than any of Tarantino's other movies. The part that really strikes me about it is the contrast of the relationship between Louis (Robert De Niro) and Melanie (Bridget Fonda) and the relationship between Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) and Max Cherry (Robert Forster). Louis and Melanie don't even consider that there are consequences of a relationship. They casually fuck, then as the movie wears on they grow more and more apart from each other, to the point where Louis (a bumbler anyway) shoots Melanie for making fun of him. It's an immature relationship between immature people. They have never entered the adult world. Jackie and Max, though. There's a truly adult relationship. They don't really flirt, they express interest. They actually care about each other. They don't just leap into it. And when the shit finally goes down, they both realize that it won't work, and leave with nothing more than a kiss. They part with dignity, knowing that in another life, it could have been nice, but it simply can't be. At least, that's how I remember the movie. I've only seen it once, and that was a few months ago. I'll have to watch it again sometime.
"Never make fun of people with disproportionate body parts in Wal-mart." my Dad confided with me under his breath as we walked into the store. It caught me a bit off guard. It also made me acutely aware that if he weren't bound by the fact that he's a pastor, and can't be cracking jokes like that too often, he would be really funny. Another example: When I was fairly young (maybe 10 or so) I asked, "Daddy, are there still hippies around?" He instantly replied, "Oh, they're still around, but we call them 'washouts' now." At the time I didn't really understand what he was saying, as I didn't know what "washout" meant. I thought that perhaps they all turned to surfing or something (don't ask me how my mind works, I don't even know now, and I sure as hell don't know what I was thinking back then). At some point later on, I learned what "washout" means, and even later I recalled that confusing remark my dad had made so many years ago. I started laughing out of the blue, and when I got really weird stares, I felt really embarassed, but didn't explain my laughter, because it would have been even more embarassing to tell them that I just got a joke I had heard 7 years ago.
Je suis fait.
Reba
The family is out of town on vacation for like a week, so I don't have to fight anyone for the computer. This means that I may actually be posting with semi-decent regularity. But don't count on it.
I actually wandered through one of the classroom buildings the other day. It brought back memories that I didn't realize I had. Not so much memories of specific events or people or objects, but memories of "how it was." Memories that can't be pinned on anything specific, but let you experience the past unlike any other. If that makes sense at all. It's going to be something of a shock to go back to school. To walk around campus, and have there be people I know walking around all over the place. Actually going to class, rather than working. I didn't realize just how long it's been since school got out. It feels like it's gone by in a flash, but when I think, there's been a lot that's happened this summer. But then, nothing has really happened. It's going so quickly yet so slowly. A month from now, I'll be moving into the house. A whole freaking month. But it'll probably go by in a blink, just like the rest of the summer. I'm rambling.
I finally read one of the books that Dan lent me to read this summer. Our Man In Havana by Graham Greene is an excellent book. Go read it.
I think I'm going to do a sort of a mini-series of posts, in which I "analyze" (or over-analyze) various TV shows, movies, and/or books. I don't claim to be a well-informed or well-educated critic (though I'm working on both), but there are a few things which I've watched or read and thought on for a while, coming up with some (I think) interesting thoughts. And I'm going to inflict them on the rest of the world. Stay tuned.
I actually wandered through one of the classroom buildings the other day. It brought back memories that I didn't realize I had. Not so much memories of specific events or people or objects, but memories of "how it was." Memories that can't be pinned on anything specific, but let you experience the past unlike any other. If that makes sense at all. It's going to be something of a shock to go back to school. To walk around campus, and have there be people I know walking around all over the place. Actually going to class, rather than working. I didn't realize just how long it's been since school got out. It feels like it's gone by in a flash, but when I think, there's been a lot that's happened this summer. But then, nothing has really happened. It's going so quickly yet so slowly. A month from now, I'll be moving into the house. A whole freaking month. But it'll probably go by in a blink, just like the rest of the summer. I'm rambling.
I finally read one of the books that Dan lent me to read this summer. Our Man In Havana by Graham Greene is an excellent book. Go read it.
I think I'm going to do a sort of a mini-series of posts, in which I "analyze" (or over-analyze) various TV shows, movies, and/or books. I don't claim to be a well-informed or well-educated critic (though I'm working on both), but there are a few things which I've watched or read and thought on for a while, coming up with some (I think) interesting thoughts. And I'm going to inflict them on the rest of the world. Stay tuned.
Don't Stop Me Now
Well, I suppose I better post, just to assure my faithful readers (?) that neither I nor this blog are dead. Living at home, I very rarely have access to the internet during my free time. The only time I have high-speed access is at work, and unfortunately blogging from work isn't feasible. When I'm at home, I have dialup, which would be fine for simply uploading text, but I don't want my family to watch me write, so I have to use a proxy server so I can write from my room, but the proxy server that I have is a piece of poo, and it makes posting more trouble than I care to go though. Nothing exciting is happening anyway. I usually hang out with Monroe friends after work, stay out too late, then end up getting too little sleep and nearly killing myself from falling asleep at the wheel during my hour and fifteen minutes in to work in the morning. A good time, to be sure.
Modest Mouse... After hearing good things about them from Dan and others last semester, and then having them indepedently recommended to me by John (with whom I went to the Phish concert the other week), I gave them a good listen. They're great. The remind me of the Pixies, but they're good enough and original enough that they're good in their own right, not as sounding like the Pixies. Speaking of which, I'm going to see the Pixies in November. I'm already geeked. I need to burn a CD of their songs with which I'm not too familiar and listen to it a few times during my commute. Having an 80 minute commute is very convenient as far as music is concerned. I burn a full CD, start listening at the beginning of the trip, and the last song ends when I arrive, give or take a few minutes.
That whole last paragraph was a series of tangents, each of which should be worked into full thougths. But I don't feel like sorting thought it. I need to get offline anyway, someone needs to make a phone call. How I loathe dialup. Bah.
Modest Mouse... After hearing good things about them from Dan and others last semester, and then having them indepedently recommended to me by John (with whom I went to the Phish concert the other week), I gave them a good listen. They're great. The remind me of the Pixies, but they're good enough and original enough that they're good in their own right, not as sounding like the Pixies. Speaking of which, I'm going to see the Pixies in November. I'm already geeked. I need to burn a CD of their songs with which I'm not too familiar and listen to it a few times during my commute. Having an 80 minute commute is very convenient as far as music is concerned. I burn a full CD, start listening at the beginning of the trip, and the last song ends when I arrive, give or take a few minutes.
That whole last paragraph was a series of tangents, each of which should be worked into full thougths. But I don't feel like sorting thought it. I need to get offline anyway, someone needs to make a phone call. How I loathe dialup. Bah.