Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Cruisin' Mos Espa in my Delorean

I WANT TO LEARN THE LYRICS TO "FETT'S VETTE" IN THEIR ENTIRETY LIKE I HAVE WANTED LITTLE ELSE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.

I'm a devious degenerate
Defender of the devil
Shut down all the trash compactors
On the detention level


I love how I keep expecting my homework to do itself. One of these days, maybe.

And now for something...

My roommate and I have very different sleep schedules (he's almost always in bed by 12, it's nearly 1:30 and I still have a good deal of work to do). Normally it's fine, because I'm quiet as I do my thing- went out and bought headphones and everything. Only right now I'm having a sneezing fit, and they are becoming increasingly explosive. I may have to evacuate my room, lest he kill me when I finally fall asleep.

Ever notice how sometimes every song ever seems to apply to you? I'm not generally real fussy about lyrics, but sometimes it gets eerie. Is there some psych term for twisting things around so it seems like it applies perfectly when it's actually all in your head? Probably.

I learned recently that velociraptors were only 2 feet tall. You have no idea how bummed out I was. Also: as cool as it is that dinosaurs may have evolved into birds, I've come to the realization that feathered dinosaurs look mad stupid, yo. I want Jurassic Park, dammit.

Orange for William is not moving along...my bad. Once I finish once and for all with Bohr, E. Coli strain 0157:H7, and Terry Eagleton, I really want to get back to it. I revisited the introduction this evening and loved it so much that I was ready to jump back into writing mode, if there wasn't 35% of my grade hanging over my head. Gross. Anyway, soon, hopefully. MARMALADE!

Happy birthday to Bill Nye the Science Guy! Woohoo!

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

I'm going for my masters in Velociraptorology

As nice as Physics is, it's a tough subject to be passionate about. I wouldn't really say that I am. Some people say you won't really be happy in life unless you do something you truly love, something that really speaks to you (thought: if that's the case, why do so many artists/writers commit suicide?). Unfortunately for me, that's not likely to happen, since the only thing I could find myself getting THAT excited about are velociraptors.

If, in the next 2 years, they were to discover a way to clone dinosaurs a la Jurassic Park (topic for discussion: Crichton or Spielberg? I choose the latter), I would instantly swap to a double-major in animal science and archeology. Don;t even tell me that wouldn't be the coolest thing in the world, raising and studying velociraptors. C'mon.

Even writing, which I consider to be one of my more passionate interests, pales in comparison to the awesome that is the raptor. My second passion is science fiction, and while it obviously ties in with the subject matter, it could still not trump a true blue velociraptor.

But I just admitted that I do have things I am passionate about, and while they don't measure up to velociraptors (nothing, perhaps not even True Love, can do that), they could be better than something like physics. While this is certainly true, and I would love to write science fiction above all else, English classes suck; I'm pretty sure that upwards of 80% of all the material they give you is bullshit. It's kind of like majoring in Art (not art history, just art): if you can do it, you can, and if you can't, you're screwed anyway. You can take classes on how to construct and organize a novel or something, but the majority of what you need kind of has to be there from the start. The moral of this story: no way in hell would I ever major in English, despite what I may have written in the yearbook.

So if anything, I would pull an Asimov: get all the science training (only in physics instead of chemistry), then screw it all and go write scifi instead. I think, subconsciously, that's what I've been planning to for a while. Whether I'll have the balls not to actually embrace the scientific community when the time comes is something else entirely.

In the meantime, I'm just going to hope that they discover how to clone dinosaurs. It'd make everything a whole lot easier.

Monday, November 19, 2007

Who run Barter Town?

I think this is a clear sign that I watch/play/read way too much post-apocalyptic stuff.

My current situation:


The reason I'm going all-out right now is something my Chemistry teacher mentioned in a lecture. He seems particularly concerned about the impending gas crisis: not the rise in prices, but the inevitable complete usage of all the world's oil. Apparently according to some study he read, the whole planet will peak around 2030, meaning it's all downhill from there. The responsible thing to think, of course, is that we have to do something about that, and soon. A new source of alternate power, or some short-term solution like more efficient engines that can keep us going until we develop one.

Of course, my first reaction was instead to do a quick calculation and think "okay, I should be about 40. Not too old to survive in the post-apocalyptic wasteland."

I'm not completely deluded. I realize that if we were to pull a Mad Max (Road Warrior: no gas, everything comes crashing down) it would seriously suck. Not to mention the threat of nuclear war: who's to say anyone would survive with all the destructive crap we've got sitting around? Given the unlikelihood of anyone living, my personal chances for survival are minuscule. Take into consideration, then, my odds of living in a Darwinian environment: somehow I don't think I'm well-enough adapted to compete for my right to survive. An obviously it's ridiculous I'm humoring this whole apocalypse idea at all.

Still, think about it. I have no big plans for my future. There's nothing I'm particularly looking forward to. Physics is cool, but I don't like even thinking about getting a job in the field. Is it so hard to imagine that someone in that situation romanticizes something really big coming along (e.g. apocalypse) and forces a purpose on him?

I should, uh, probably fix that. You know your priorities need a little shifting around when you find yourself thinking a little apocalypse along the road of your life would be neat.

But really, read that webcomic I linked to up above. Pretty fan-fucking-tastic.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Damn physics

So how about I spent so much time studying for my physics exam and working my physics homework out to perfection that I am now behind in everything else, and it's just gummed everything up entirely? HOW ABOUT IT, man?!

Seriously, plan for tomorrow (since chem lab got canceled) is to clear up this genomics business, write this damn english paper, and get down and dirty with Orange. I need to get a lot of writing done before Alex and I lock ourselves in a room and get high off the oxygen deprivation. It will be the most productive night ever, and you will all marvel in the glory of our final product. The judgment day is approaching...the point where we either realize our own genius, or realize what sad, deluded children we are. Best get crackin.

I realized that I never listen to the radio anymore. The only time I really did at home was when I was driving (which was a substantial chunk of the day, bear in mind), so it feels weird to actually sit down in front of Lappy 2.0 and listen to The Rock 106.9 streaming live, when I already have a playlist of my all-time favorites waiting for me. Who knows what wonderful new jams I may be missing out on?

Tangentially, my brother got into an accident the other day (totally not his fault) and while the other car was pretty much totaled, the Beast was more or less unharmed. Makes my heart burst with pride, it does. Anyway, we got money from the offender's insurance company because of the tiny dent the Beast suffered. It's a testament to the bestial-ness (note that I did not say bestiality) of this vehicle, though, and minor compared to, say, the mark of the hit-and-run of last year, so it's staying, and we get money. Yay money!

I'm realizing now what an awesome idea it was to become a libertarian. While originally I just felt like I identified with the party more than I did the others, as my own beliefs solidify they move closer and closer to those of the party. I identified as a libertarian in a class discussion on Plan B, then felt bad about my lack of concrete knowledge of their platform and looked it up. The result?
"Holy shit! This is me!"

Awesome.

Friday, November 9, 2007

RAWR

So the improv show tonight went pretty pretty awesomely, despite me being in it! Seriously, though I did screw up a little, people did
(we interrupt this blog to announce that Broken Sunday by Saliva is a fantastic song. it just came on my playlist and blew my mind. That will be all)
laugh, so that works for me. I did a lot better during the meeting afterward, so at least I know I can do well. Just a matter of making it happen on stage.

I've noticed, and apparently so has the MC of the group, that when I make a character it tends to be either a) an unsympathetic guy or b) a very loud person. While it's not a good thing at all for an improv person to fall into a rut like that, it's curious that in an instance of quick thinking, I would choose those characters to fall back on. Does that say something about my subconscious? It'd be pretty cool if it turned out improv was a reliable method to discover your true self. I could dig it.

Come to think of it, is that why dead kittens and child abuse tend to play a far greater role in our performances than they should? Yeesh.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

We want to write!

I'm supposed to be writing for Orange, since I do all my class crap in the first half of the week and pretty much just screw around for the second half. Problem is, everything got all screwed up when a Physics exam decided to occur this coming Friday. Normally this would mean nothing; I mean, I haven't studied for any exams yet and I've managed A's for all of them. This one, though, is something else: all kinds of stuff I've never encountered before, and I WILL fail if I don't sit my ass down and get in gear.

Then the weekend was originally slated for writing-time, but I will probably be entertaining company from my high school in the form of one of my close friends who is looking at UConn. Sunday night there is a possibility of writing taking place, but probably during breakdowns between calculating the number of subatomic particles the Enterprise's antimatter thrusters create (actual physics assignment). Then comes the work half of the week again...so, Orange may be delayed. I guess I can understand why webcomic peoples don't always meet their deadlines.

I'm sorry I doubted you, Chris and Kent!

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

This happened.

STUDENT: What percent of our grade is this worth?
TEACHING ASSISTANT: A BILLION.

What an awesome guy.

Equal opportunity? Apparently not.

I was asked to go to an art show, and vehemently declined. I'm not a fan of art, especially art with a thinly disguised social commentary. Only thing is, if someone else had asked me instead of this person, the answer would have been drastically different. So am I not truly as anti-humanities as I fancy myself to be, or am I just far too easily influenced into doing things I don't want to based on the company? And if it's the former, what the hell am I doing producing art films?

So apparently I don't hate all forms of art. Then again, who's to say art has to exist solely in Art? You can easily find aesthetic value in a particularly efficient computer program (not that I'd know...yet) or a well-executed web layout (while bleachfilm.com is not ideal, there are aspects I am exceedingly proud of). Most of all in writing...turns of phrase that just give you a chill, or roll deliciously off your tongue when you read it out loud...but that one's a little more commonly recognized, methinks. This is why I love xkcd: the guy obviously knows what I'm rambling about a lot better than I do. Maybe once I delve a little deeper it'll get clearer.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

You know what sucks?

Bureaucracy. That's what sucks.

Spent hours wandering around campus, getting directed every which way, to sign up for a class I already have credit for, because I know my AP score was a fluke. It's only thanks to an awesome guy in the math department that I'm going to remain a full-time student: I otherwise would have had to email someone, get redirected to a building I'd already been to, talk to a faceless person with the registrar's office and not end up getting the class anyway. Thanks, math guy.

Science majors totally get gypped. Normally a class's credits are roughly equivalent to the number of hours you spend in class a week. I have 3 1-hour sessions in my English class, I get three credits. Easy enough.

I spend 7 hours in Physics a week: 3 in a lecture, 1 in a discussion section, 3 in lab. Worth 4 credits. What? Lab classes take far too much time, totally screw up your schedule. My second semester schedule had me in class for 17 hours a week, but I wasn't even counted as a full-time student. Not nice. Why do we not complain? Apparently if you're a physics major you're expected to suffer, while people have an easy time with things like education. Bullshit?

Is it the attitude people take towards science, the same reason people cringe or wince whenever I mention my major? Or perhaps it's self-inflicted, some masochistic qualifications of the scientific community itself to prove its superiority above the other academic subjects? To keep back the encroaching "lesser" majors like literary theory, minority studies and music? Maybe this is why we get that major division between left- and right-brained people. Thoughts?

So yes, bureaucracy sucks.

Can't wait until I get to start producing (read: "until we get a script") and red tape pops up EVERYWHERE. It's gonna be awesome, only not.

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Uhhhhh...

Someone sent us the following message on the Bleach myspace account:

"i thought that u might have all ready
knew me because i did jrink bleach.
it was one of step moms bleach actidences
so she tells people.and lol i don't wish for no one to ever
jrink bleach it hurts u and makes u not be able to breath.
oh i was 4years old when that happened.
to make a long story short i thought someone
was playing a joke on me . lol"

Freaked the hell out of me.

Which reminds me of another random note:
I recently gained access to a whole lot of movies I meant to see but never got around to. So I've been working by way down, mostly Tarantino at Alex's advising, and I have to say they're fantastic.

So, the point:
I rewatched "I, Robot" last night because it's one of my favorites (yes, I am indeed aware that it was most decidedly not a Tarantino film. Extra Credit assignment: what would it be like if it was?), and I never realized how creepy Sonny sounds through the entire thing. It gave me the jibblies.

"WHAT...AM I?!"

Friday, November 2, 2007

An orgasmic auditory experience

Video doesn't matter. Just listen.

Phobia is without a doubt my favorite album ever, and my copy is currently in the possession of a crazy Polish girl. Boo.

Are you responsible for this head-blood?

Not much new movie-wise...expect exciting things exactly one week from now. I plan on getting shit done. Word.

I managed to mangle myself recently...I was heading to get food with some people and since we are lazy bastards, decided to wait for the bus to the other side of campus. We threw a frisbee around a little, to pass the time, and since I'm not the tallest person ever, and it was dark, they tended to go way overhead. I almost caught up with one while running backwards, but before I could connect with the disk I connected with a tree. I laughed, they laughed, the bus came, we went to eat.

We got to the Union, were walking towards the food court, when I put my hand to my head and felt blood.
ME: "Haha! Would you look at that? I barely felt that, but apparently I'm bleeding! Check it out!"
JEFF AND CHARLIE: while examining my head Uh...dude...you need to go to the hospital. Right now.

So I went to the infirmary where I was informed I needed to go to the emergency room. Sweet! Only instead to save time the nurses there, rather than stitching me up, braided my hair together to close up the wound. Wrapped my head up fairly intensely, and that was that.

I've been recently torn about who to spend time with. South Park with the 6th floor people, or Rocky Horror with Improv people? (In case you couldn't tell how difficult it is to be me. Look at what I have to deal with! How can I ever survive this?!) Spent this past weekend doing nothing but playing games with people from other floors, including the Improv people (Tall and Short: worst codenames ever). Missed out on much Starcraft and nearly some frisbee: worth it? I'd say so.

I was Bill Nye the Science Guy for Halloween. Then, since the Agents were all being Batman characters, I converted to Professor Milo. Lame, yes, but convenient.

Quick thing: I used to be all sullen and moody. Now I'm all not, which I definitely enjoy more as a whole but...did I lose my "sensitive" side? That would kinda suck.

So, to sum up:
-Nothing to complain about
-My head bled, but it was an overall positive experience
-Science costumes

Bleach: no changes
New movie: no changes
Orange: Yes changes, but nothing you need to know about. But get excited.