Hello Internet,
So I'm finally fed up enough with Windows to install Linux on my computer. I've decided to go with the Ubuntu distribution because it seems like the most accessible version for a first time user. I'm scared though for I don't want to do anything wrong and say ERASE ALL MY FILES. That would be bad. Very bad. Though I am backing everything up as I type to my external hard drive, so things should be ok. I'm planning on dual booting Windows XP and Ubuntu for the time being. I can't fully give up on Windows because I love my Windows based videogames, and my Windows based pirated software that will go unnamed. However, I have learned from you Internet, that there is a way to run Windows within a Linux distribution, so once I figure that out, I might be uninstalling it from my hard drive, I'm not really sure how that works yet!?!? Anyway, wish me luck Internet, I'll let you know when I'm done whether I messed it up or not!!!
When life hands you lemons, partition your lemon's hard drive to run multiple operating systems. Then you can make half the lemon into lemonade, while continuing to use the other half for what you normally use it for. I haven't quite figured out what that is yet.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Being Sick Sucks
Hello.
So I am sick. So sick, in fact, that I am so bored that I finally decided to go post on this blog. I know that sounds awful, but this blog has been at the bottom of my priorities list for quite a while, and I don't usually get time to get to the bottom of my priorities list. Anywho, enough of this ball-silliness.
I'm here today, or tonight rather, because I felt the need to write about how I feel. Now, for those of you who can't remember from earlier, please keep in mind that I'm sick. My insides generally feel too big for their big pink container I refer to as my body. Because of that, my extremities are moving slower than usual - almost as if my brain is having to ask them to work twice before they respond. Because of that my brain is working too hard and I have a pounding headache. Because of all that I've taken a whole lot of medication. Because of that (on a side note, there needs to be something more expressive than italics. Oh. That was easy. Rewind.) Because of that, my extremities are moving even slower - it is a vicious cycle that I'm sure you've started to see.
The problem is, there is no way to exit this cycle. Unlike the new round-a-bout at the mall, I can't just exit when I choose to. The only way to beat this is to wait it out. I have to keep circling this stupid round-a-bout until they finally come and install the signs that tell traffic entering the round-a-bout to yield to traffic in the round-a-bout. At that time, someone will let me move into the right lane and exit - allowing me to return to school, and normal life in general. However, until that happens I am stuck feeling like someone stuck an air pump in my ass and blew me up a little too big. I'm like a parade float that, instead of exploding when I'm pumped too big, just coughs and sneezes and gets snot everywhere (almost like a Nickelodeon parade!). What was that show called again? Uh-Oh! (Thanks Google!) Unfortunately that was YTV not Nickelodeon, but whatever.
Wink from Uh-Oh!
I did it again!
When life hands you lemons, give them to The Punisher to make yellow slime with. The next kid who spells a word incorectly gets..... oh no! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! (Audience yells "Uh-Oh!")
So I am sick. So sick, in fact, that I am so bored that I finally decided to go post on this blog. I know that sounds awful, but this blog has been at the bottom of my priorities list for quite a while, and I don't usually get time to get to the bottom of my priorities list. Anywho, enough of this ball-silliness.
I'm here today, or tonight rather, because I felt the need to write about how I feel. Now, for those of you who can't remember from earlier, please keep in mind that I'm sick. My insides generally feel too big for their big pink container I refer to as my body. Because of that, my extremities are moving slower than usual - almost as if my brain is having to ask them to work twice before they respond. Because of that my brain is working too hard and I have a pounding headache. Because of all that I've taken a whole lot of medication. Because of that (on a side note, there needs to be something more expressive than italics. Oh. That was easy. Rewind.) Because of that, my extremities are moving even slower - it is a vicious cycle that I'm sure you've started to see.
The problem is, there is no way to exit this cycle. Unlike the new round-a-bout at the mall, I can't just exit when I choose to. The only way to beat this is to wait it out. I have to keep circling this stupid round-a-bout until they finally come and install the signs that tell traffic entering the round-a-bout to yield to traffic in the round-a-bout. At that time, someone will let me move into the right lane and exit - allowing me to return to school, and normal life in general. However, until that happens I am stuck feeling like someone stuck an air pump in my ass and blew me up a little too big. I'm like a parade float that, instead of exploding when I'm pumped too big, just coughs and sneezes and gets snot everywhere (almost like a Nickelodeon parade!). What was that show called again? Uh-Oh! (Thanks Google!) Unfortunately that was YTV not Nickelodeon, but whatever.
Wink from Uh-Oh!
I did it again!
When life hands you lemons, give them to The Punisher to make yellow slime with. The next kid who spells a word incorectly gets..... oh no! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! (Audience yells "Uh-Oh!")
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Long Awaited ... Jars?? ...and Lemons.
Have you ever noticed that some days seem much longer than others? I think God must have a jar of left over hours lying around that he needs to get rid of, so he slyly inserts them into people's bad days in hopes of one day emptying the jar. I hope he empties it soon....
Wow, that's a commentary of my life right now.
There I did it.
When life hands you lemons, dice them, insert into pre-made pie crust, and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve and enjoy the shittiest pie you've ever eaten.
Wow, that's a commentary of my life right now.
There I did it.
When life hands you lemons, dice them, insert into pre-made pie crust, and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve and enjoy the shittiest pie you've ever eaten.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Morale Numbers
1 went to a movie. 2 was also in the crowd watching the movie. 1 sat right behind 2. 1 put their feet up on the back of 2's seat. 2 asked 1 to move them. 1 wouldn't. 2 told 1 to fuck off. 1 stood up and spit onto the top of 2's head. 2 turned punched 1 in the face, knocking 1 down and damaging their nose.
Was 1 justified in their decision to spit on 2?
Was 2 justified in their decision to punch 1?
What if I told you 1 is female, and 2 is male?
What if I told you 1 is black, and 2 is white?
What if I told you 1 is ugly, and 2 is gorgeous?
Think about how you view others based on their appearances.
when life hands you lemons, take time to wonder who else got handed them.
Was 1 justified in their decision to spit on 2?
Was 2 justified in their decision to punch 1?
What if I told you 1 is female, and 2 is male?
What if I told you 1 is black, and 2 is white?
What if I told you 1 is ugly, and 2 is gorgeous?
Think about how you view others based on their appearances.
when life hands you lemons, take time to wonder who else got handed them.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Random Brain Thoughts
Does anyone else think Jim Balsillie has a hilarious name?
There are a lot of crime labs and/or police stations with interior glass walls. I learned that from TV.
With all these car companies filing for bankruptcy, why are none of them having a "We're Fucking Broke Sale!" ?
When Lloyd Robertson thinks you're lame, you're really lame.
If humans get to the point, within my lifetime, to be able to colonize other planets, I'm going to volunteer to go. They don't have swine flu in space.
Anderson Cooper is a silver fox.
Sarah Palin's daughter, an unwed teen mother, is now speaking in support for teen abstinence! Her message for teens considering sex is basically that raising her kid is way harder than she thought it would be, so others should abstain so that they don't get in way over their heads like she is. That's almost as ridiculous as an inexperienced Governor from Alaska almost becoming the Vice President of the USA.
I think, in honour of Jim Balsillie, calling things "ball-silly" should be a new phrase that people will use. Thats not silly, it's ball-silly! Maybe it can mean something in hockey, but I'm not sure if hockey has room for anymore fun terms. I'll have to email Don Cherry and ask him.
when life hands you lemons, slice them into wedges and get a case of Brahma cause its summer baby!!!
There are a lot of crime labs and/or police stations with interior glass walls. I learned that from TV.
With all these car companies filing for bankruptcy, why are none of them having a "We're Fucking Broke Sale!" ?
When Lloyd Robertson thinks you're lame, you're really lame.
If humans get to the point, within my lifetime, to be able to colonize other planets, I'm going to volunteer to go. They don't have swine flu in space.
Anderson Cooper is a silver fox.
Sarah Palin's daughter, an unwed teen mother, is now speaking in support for teen abstinence! Her message for teens considering sex is basically that raising her kid is way harder than she thought it would be, so others should abstain so that they don't get in way over their heads like she is. That's almost as ridiculous as an inexperienced Governor from Alaska almost becoming the Vice President of the USA.
I think, in honour of Jim Balsillie, calling things "ball-silly" should be a new phrase that people will use. Thats not silly, it's ball-silly! Maybe it can mean something in hockey, but I'm not sure if hockey has room for anymore fun terms. I'll have to email Don Cherry and ask him.
when life hands you lemons, slice them into wedges and get a case of Brahma cause its summer baby!!!
Cars, Burgers and Lemony Justice!
Have you ever been to a Wireless Wave store? Yes? No? Well pretty much every mall has one. They sell cellphones and cellphone accessories (spoken in a Hank Hill accent). Well, they are known for having the front end of a car in all their stores.
Did you ever wonder if there is some giant Wireless Wave warehouse somewhere with the rear end of all theoe damn cars? Why would they only use half the car? Ever more puzzling, what does half a car have to do with cellphones and cellphone accessories?(this time lets do it as a Kramer impression)
In other news - I was at A&W the other day (Mozza Burgers rock!), and I noticed something hilarious.
You know how the trays at fast food places usually have a little paper place mat on them that is usually an ad, or, if you're lucky, fun facts and a word problem? Well A&W is mocking this tradition right now with their latest paper place mat. They just came out with the new Sirloin Uncle Burger, and their current place mat features all sorts of word games with an Uncle Burger theme. The best part is, every single answer to every single question is Sirloin. There is a word search that asks "How many secret ingredients of the Uncle Burger can you find?" and the only letters in the word search are S,I,R,L,O, and N. There is a word match section with only two things to match, "Sirloin" on one side and "Uncle Burger" on the other. There is a word jumble where each jumble is just a different way to mix up the word "Sirloin". There is even a 3 question crossword puzzle, where the clues are as follows:
"Premium cut of beef"
"Rhymes with firloin"
"Starts with sir, ends with loin"
If that wasn't enough they even put a list of the answers upside down at the bottom. It reads, "sirloin, sirloin, sirloin, etc. (for another 30 times)"
I think this parody of regular fast food paper place mats is hilarious and refreshing. I'm so glad that a big corporation like A&W is humble enough to make fun of themselves and their colleagues in a fun and interesting way. They don't go out of their way to seem like big shots, getting Justin Timberlake to sing "I'm loving it!" on their ads like a tool. (sorry Justin, I love you, but in that moment and several others throughout your career you have come off like a tool) Anyway, that is the brain thoughts for the day. Now for some lemony justice!
when life hands you lemons, throw them at Jimmy Fallon! (Bring Conan back!!!!!!)
Did you ever wonder if there is some giant Wireless Wave warehouse somewhere with the rear end of all theoe damn cars? Why would they only use half the car? Ever more puzzling, what does half a car have to do with cellphones and cellphone accessories?(this time lets do it as a Kramer impression)In other news - I was at A&W the other day (Mozza Burgers rock!), and I noticed something hilarious.
You know how the trays at fast food places usually have a little paper place mat on them that is usually an ad, or, if you're lucky, fun facts and a word problem? Well A&W is mocking this tradition right now with their latest paper place mat. They just came out with the new Sirloin Uncle Burger, and their current place mat features all sorts of word games with an Uncle Burger theme. The best part is, every single answer to every single question is Sirloin. There is a word search that asks "How many secret ingredients of the Uncle Burger can you find?" and the only letters in the word search are S,I,R,L,O, and N. There is a word match section with only two things to match, "Sirloin" on one side and "Uncle Burger" on the other. There is a word jumble where each jumble is just a different way to mix up the word "Sirloin". There is even a 3 question crossword puzzle, where the clues are as follows:
"Premium cut of beef"
"Rhymes with firloin"
"Starts with sir, ends with loin"
If that wasn't enough they even put a list of the answers upside down at the bottom. It reads, "sirloin, sirloin, sirloin, etc. (for another 30 times)"
I think this parody of regular fast food paper place mats is hilarious and refreshing. I'm so glad that a big corporation like A&W is humble enough to make fun of themselves and their colleagues in a fun and interesting way. They don't go out of their way to seem like big shots, getting Justin Timberlake to sing "I'm loving it!" on their ads like a tool. (sorry Justin, I love you, but in that moment and several others throughout your career you have come off like a tool) Anyway, that is the brain thoughts for the day. Now for some lemony justice!
when life hands you lemons, throw them at Jimmy Fallon! (Bring Conan back!!!!!!)
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
StumbleUpon
Hello all!
So, with this post I thought I would discuss an application that I've been using for quite a while now, that I absolutely love, and that I don't think many people know about. It is called StumbleUpon, and it is also the first link I've ever posted in my blog (I feel all grown up now). I've graduated blog preschool or something cause I now know how to add links, pretty sweet!
Anyway, StumbleUpon is an application that you can download and add to your browser, for free, that allows you to rate every site you go onto. You either "like it" or "don't like it". Now, I know this doesn't sound too great yet, but there is much more to it than that. Once you have downloaded the Stumble toolbar you will now have a Stumble button in your browser. When clicked, the toolbar will take you to a page that it thinks you'll like based on what you have "liked" and "not liked" previously. In other words, you will "stumble upon" a site you've probably never seen before. StumbleUpon's motto is "the more you use it, the better it gets", for the more feedback you give the toolbar, the more it zeros in on your likes and interests. Also, every several times you hit the Stumble button, you will be directed to the your StumbleUpon account page where you can check off topics that interest you from a wide list. This only happens a couple times when you're first starting out so that the toolbar gets a jump start on knowing what you like, so that you see results sooner. I've been using it for about 8 months and almost every time I hit the Stumble button I'm taken to something new, and exciting that I never would have found on my own. You can also set filters and Stumble just within certain sites like Blogger or Colleghumor.
Another cool feature that StumbleUpon offers is the ability to see what your friends likes are by connecting to their account page. My sister and I are friends over Stumble and we enjoy checking up on what the other has stumbled upon, and learning from each other's interests. It is a great way to take in information and it ties into a lot of interesting discussion that I've read lately on how people want to receive their information uncensored and have more power over what they read, hear, and watch. If you would like some views on other ways in which people are receiving their information, check out this post on my friend Shane's blog.
I think the way in which humans want to receive their info, whether it be for news or entertainment, is changing and changing fast. I agree with a lot of the things on Shane's blog and the links that he has provided. There is also an interesting article, the link for which is posted in a comment on the article you'll arrive at if you follow the link to Shane's blog. Look into this stuff and let me know what you think. How will this affect TV stations? Radio? Music publishers and producers? Hollywood? It's really interesting, and something which everyone needs to learn about and be conscious of how they want to take in information.
when life hands you lemons, change the settings on your life RSS feed and filter out lemons - unless you love lemons, then you should add lemons to your favourites list
So, with this post I thought I would discuss an application that I've been using for quite a while now, that I absolutely love, and that I don't think many people know about. It is called StumbleUpon, and it is also the first link I've ever posted in my blog (I feel all grown up now). I've graduated blog preschool or something cause I now know how to add links, pretty sweet!
Anyway, StumbleUpon is an application that you can download and add to your browser, for free, that allows you to rate every site you go onto. You either "like it" or "don't like it". Now, I know this doesn't sound too great yet, but there is much more to it than that. Once you have downloaded the Stumble toolbar you will now have a Stumble button in your browser. When clicked, the toolbar will take you to a page that it thinks you'll like based on what you have "liked" and "not liked" previously. In other words, you will "stumble upon" a site you've probably never seen before. StumbleUpon's motto is "the more you use it, the better it gets", for the more feedback you give the toolbar, the more it zeros in on your likes and interests. Also, every several times you hit the Stumble button, you will be directed to the your StumbleUpon account page where you can check off topics that interest you from a wide list. This only happens a couple times when you're first starting out so that the toolbar gets a jump start on knowing what you like, so that you see results sooner. I've been using it for about 8 months and almost every time I hit the Stumble button I'm taken to something new, and exciting that I never would have found on my own. You can also set filters and Stumble just within certain sites like Blogger or Colleghumor.
Another cool feature that StumbleUpon offers is the ability to see what your friends likes are by connecting to their account page. My sister and I are friends over Stumble and we enjoy checking up on what the other has stumbled upon, and learning from each other's interests. It is a great way to take in information and it ties into a lot of interesting discussion that I've read lately on how people want to receive their information uncensored and have more power over what they read, hear, and watch. If you would like some views on other ways in which people are receiving their information, check out this post on my friend Shane's blog.
I think the way in which humans want to receive their info, whether it be for news or entertainment, is changing and changing fast. I agree with a lot of the things on Shane's blog and the links that he has provided. There is also an interesting article, the link for which is posted in a comment on the article you'll arrive at if you follow the link to Shane's blog. Look into this stuff and let me know what you think. How will this affect TV stations? Radio? Music publishers and producers? Hollywood? It's really interesting, and something which everyone needs to learn about and be conscious of how they want to take in information.
when life hands you lemons, change the settings on your life RSS feed and filter out lemons - unless you love lemons, then you should add lemons to your favourites list
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Long time coming!
So, this is my first post after the longest break I've taken so far since starting my blog. I told myself I would be faithful to my blog and post frequently, and I intend to continue that. I've had a five day break this time, and I think that I'm still within my guidelines of "frequently" by posting tonight. Let me know if you think I'm slacking. I know there are a bunch of people who read this that aren't "followers", so maybe if they know they can outright criticize me on here, they'll join and follow.
In this post I thought I would just list off some of the "Brain Thoughts" that have presented themselves to me during my 5 day blog vacation:
I heard a news report from a TV in the other room. It was about a cancer research fundraiser, and they were interviewing someone involved. The lady being interviewed said,"Cancer has touched me." Cancer sounds a bit forward, maybe it should have bought you dinner first.
I was in a Wendy's earlier today. This is a re-creation of the conversation I had with the girl at the counter:
Me: Hi, can I get a Baconator combo with fries and an iced tea please?
Girl: We don't have any pop. (in an annoyed voice)
Me: Oh.... Ok..... What do you have?
Girl: Um, I'll check.
she walks away, and returns in a couple seconds
Girl: We have bottled water and orange juice.
Me: Um....
Girl: Our pop machine is broken. It was working earlier, but now everything is watery.
Me: Oh.... I'll have an orange juice.
Girl: Ok.
That was a lot of fun.
when life hands you lemons, hollow them out and make tiny lemon jack-o-lanterns, trust me, once you put a tea light inside they'll end up looking like the lit ends of candles are coming to life
In this post I thought I would just list off some of the "Brain Thoughts" that have presented themselves to me during my 5 day blog vacation:
I heard a news report from a TV in the other room. It was about a cancer research fundraiser, and they were interviewing someone involved. The lady being interviewed said,"Cancer has touched me." Cancer sounds a bit forward, maybe it should have bought you dinner first.
I was in a Wendy's earlier today. This is a re-creation of the conversation I had with the girl at the counter:
Me: Hi, can I get a Baconator combo with fries and an iced tea please?
Girl: We don't have any pop. (in an annoyed voice)
Me: Oh.... Ok..... What do you have?
Girl: Um, I'll check.
she walks away, and returns in a couple seconds
Girl: We have bottled water and orange juice.
Me: Um....
Girl: Our pop machine is broken. It was working earlier, but now everything is watery.
Me: Oh.... I'll have an orange juice.
Girl: Ok.
That was a lot of fun.
when life hands you lemons, hollow them out and make tiny lemon jack-o-lanterns, trust me, once you put a tea light inside they'll end up looking like the lit ends of candles are coming to life
Monday, April 20, 2009
Coffee, urinals, and life lessons
So, you're on campus one day walking along drinking a coffee. You realize you need to go to the bathroom. You're by yourself and don't see anyone around you'd feel comfortable asking to hold your coffee, so you chance looking unsanitary and take your coffee into the bathroom. You're in luck! The sink counter is very close to the urinals (you are also obviously male... oh wait.... oh, no I was right the first time, you are). So, you set your almost empty coffee on the edge of the sink, and move to the urinal to begin Project Urine Escape. As you unzip your fly another person joins you at the urinal to your left. An awkward, "what's up?" is exchanged, followed by a innocent misguided glance which confirms for you that this person is also a male. Project Urine Escape is slow going at first and your companion finishes first. He moves to the sink to wash his hands while you finish up. The project is a success, and as you turn to the sink in triumph, you just catch a glimpse of Mr. Fastpee as he drops your coffee cup into the trash. There is a moment of pause in which he realizes that the cup he threw out had been yours (probably due too the look on your face). He sheepishly smiles, saying, "Sorry, I thought I was tidying up after some inconsiderate washroom goer."
You say, "Thanks a lot! I guess you decided I didn't want the rest of that!" in a loud and angry manner. He looks quite guilty, mutters an apology, and leaves quickly.
OR
You say nothing. He says, "Hey, come on and let me buy you another coffee." You agree and follow him out of the washroom. The coffee trip turns into a long and enjoyable conversation. Over time, you become great friends with Mr Fastpee and you are close for the rest of your lives. You go hiking one day up a mountain, you break your leg and Fastpee carries you back down the mountain. Years after the mountain hike, you need a new kidney and Fastpee offers up his. He's the godfather of your children, a friend in times of need, and a lot of fun to be around. However, one day you come home to find Fastpee and your wife doing it like rabbits. You try to kill him on the spot, but he's much too strong for you. Your wife leaves you for him, and she gets custody of the kids. Old uncle Fastpee becomes step-dad Fastpee and your kids love him more than they love you. You get fired from your menial job the next day, and on the way home you try to kill yourself by jumping off a bridge. As your bad luck would have it, Fastpee is driving by, sees you, and stops you from jumping. You spend the rest of your miserable life in a phsyc ward.
The moral of the story: Don't be afraid to tell people how you really feel. You should have mouthed off to Mr. Fastpee.
when life hands you lemons, tell life what you really think about the lemons
You say, "Thanks a lot! I guess you decided I didn't want the rest of that!" in a loud and angry manner. He looks quite guilty, mutters an apology, and leaves quickly.OR
You say nothing. He says, "Hey, come on and let me buy you another coffee." You agree and follow him out of the washroom. The coffee trip turns into a long and enjoyable conversation. Over time, you become great friends with Mr Fastpee and you are close for the rest of your lives. You go hiking one day up a mountain, you break your leg and Fastpee carries you back down the mountain. Years after the mountain hike, you need a new kidney and Fastpee offers up his. He's the godfather of your children, a friend in times of need, and a lot of fun to be around. However, one day you come home to find Fastpee and your wife doing it like rabbits. You try to kill him on the spot, but he's much too strong for you. Your wife leaves you for him, and she gets custody of the kids. Old uncle Fastpee becomes step-dad Fastpee and your kids love him more than they love you. You get fired from your menial job the next day, and on the way home you try to kill yourself by jumping off a bridge. As your bad luck would have it, Fastpee is driving by, sees you, and stops you from jumping. You spend the rest of your miserable life in a phsyc ward.
The moral of the story: Don't be afraid to tell people how you really feel. You should have mouthed off to Mr. Fastpee.
when life hands you lemons, tell life what you really think about the lemons
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Robots, lemons, and dependency on technology. Oh my!
A robot woke up one morning. Do robots sleep?
We as a species question everything. We question, so that we can define. We define, so that we talk to one another about the things around us. This helps us to understand our lives, our world, and ourselves. However, the most interesting times in which we learn something new, are when we don't ask any questions at all - when new information presents itself to us when we aren't looking for it.
Facebook is a way for users to ask for more information. You log on and get new info on everyone you know, and a lot of other people you barely know. It is the epicenter of gossip, the fastest way to get your feelings out to the world, and quite possibly the best example of the world's non-critical dependency on technology.
What do I mean by non-critical dependency on technology? I mean that the world has become entirely dependent on technology without being critical of the reasons why it is dependent on said technology. We, and by we I mean Facebook users, blindly signed up and logged on to Facebook without considering what the dangers were in what we were doing. You deniers out there can argue all you want, but I know I signed without a second of hesitation and I'm sure many many other did the same. Now, my life is very dependent on Facebook. As a music student in university, I use Facebook to schedule all my rehearsals, find out when others are having concerts, post when my upcoming performances are, and network with talented individuals whom I know I will want to work with in the future. If it wasn't for Facebook, I can safely say that I would not being doing half as well in school, nor would I be enjoying it half as much as I am. So what could be so bad about it?
In the last six months or so, I have learned some information that I did not ask for. Facebook is seducing me, and I'm sure many others, into thinking that many of my relationships with those I care about are in much better shape than they really are. I have many friends, as many university students do, whom I don't see in person very often. Sure I might send a Facebook message back and forth every once in a while; I might even talk on MSN (which is a little more personal because it is in real time). The problem is that most people, at least in my experiences, are completely polite and non-confrontational on Facebook. When you don't have to deal with the tiresome task of being physically and emotional connected to a conversation, it is very easy to take on a mild, caring, and compassionate persona.
Someone has a problem, you tell them it's ok. Someone is happy about something, you congratulate them. Someone is upset, you comfort them. There is no conflict, or misunderstanding, or telling facial expression, or body posture. Issues are dealt with easily and efficiently, with usually only one, sometimes with neither, person being emotional attached to the subject. Both leave feeling very neutral about everything, which can often lead to real problems and issues being left inside to fester and eventually boil over when the two people in question actually meet in person. I'm positive some of my relationships are in this state right now, and I'm again sure that there are many many people out there who are in the same situation.
So, after reading everything above, do you agree readers? If you do, do you think that the use of Facebook (and other things like it) should be questioned? Should we be blindly logging on, and non-critically becoming dependent? If you don't agree, why don't you? Please comment and discuss this. Again, my goal is to inspire thought and discussion. My secondary goal is to get to a point where I don't need to beg people to respond and discuss (if you like the blog recommend it to others!). Thanks, and here's your somewhat daily dose of lemons!
when life hands you lemons, critically analyze whether you're becoming dependent on the lemons and what that could lead to down the road
We as a species question everything. We question, so that we can define. We define, so that we talk to one another about the things around us. This helps us to understand our lives, our world, and ourselves. However, the most interesting times in which we learn something new, are when we don't ask any questions at all - when new information presents itself to us when we aren't looking for it.
Facebook is a way for users to ask for more information. You log on and get new info on everyone you know, and a lot of other people you barely know. It is the epicenter of gossip, the fastest way to get your feelings out to the world, and quite possibly the best example of the world's non-critical dependency on technology.
What do I mean by non-critical dependency on technology? I mean that the world has become entirely dependent on technology without being critical of the reasons why it is dependent on said technology. We, and by we I mean Facebook users, blindly signed up and logged on to Facebook without considering what the dangers were in what we were doing. You deniers out there can argue all you want, but I know I signed without a second of hesitation and I'm sure many many other did the same. Now, my life is very dependent on Facebook. As a music student in university, I use Facebook to schedule all my rehearsals, find out when others are having concerts, post when my upcoming performances are, and network with talented individuals whom I know I will want to work with in the future. If it wasn't for Facebook, I can safely say that I would not being doing half as well in school, nor would I be enjoying it half as much as I am. So what could be so bad about it?
In the last six months or so, I have learned some information that I did not ask for. Facebook is seducing me, and I'm sure many others, into thinking that many of my relationships with those I care about are in much better shape than they really are. I have many friends, as many university students do, whom I don't see in person very often. Sure I might send a Facebook message back and forth every once in a while; I might even talk on MSN (which is a little more personal because it is in real time). The problem is that most people, at least in my experiences, are completely polite and non-confrontational on Facebook. When you don't have to deal with the tiresome task of being physically and emotional connected to a conversation, it is very easy to take on a mild, caring, and compassionate persona.
Someone has a problem, you tell them it's ok. Someone is happy about something, you congratulate them. Someone is upset, you comfort them. There is no conflict, or misunderstanding, or telling facial expression, or body posture. Issues are dealt with easily and efficiently, with usually only one, sometimes with neither, person being emotional attached to the subject. Both leave feeling very neutral about everything, which can often lead to real problems and issues being left inside to fester and eventually boil over when the two people in question actually meet in person. I'm positive some of my relationships are in this state right now, and I'm again sure that there are many many people out there who are in the same situation.
So, after reading everything above, do you agree readers? If you do, do you think that the use of Facebook (and other things like it) should be questioned? Should we be blindly logging on, and non-critically becoming dependent? If you don't agree, why don't you? Please comment and discuss this. Again, my goal is to inspire thought and discussion. My secondary goal is to get to a point where I don't need to beg people to respond and discuss (if you like the blog recommend it to others!). Thanks, and here's your somewhat daily dose of lemons!
when life hands you lemons, critically analyze whether you're becoming dependent on the lemons and what that could lead to down the road
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Unintentional Metaphoric Misunderstanding
It has come to my attention that my last post People are like hair has made several people whom are close to me think that I want to cut them out of my life, or trim them like hair. That was not the message I meant to send with that post. It was supposed to be a comment on how, every now and again, people must reinvent and reevaluate their lives - much like how we often reinvent our hair styles by trimming it. This misunderstanding is a trivial matter to me, but it brings up an interesting issue - the issue of author intention.
In all art there is intention, whether it is music, literature, visual art, or dance. A creator of a work of art sets out to achieve something within their piece. However, they are then subjected to the ever confusing expectations of the consumers of said art. Works of art are then interpreted in all sorts of different ways due to the experiences and opinions each individual consumer brings into their analysis. In other words, everyone has different reasons to like or dislike something, and everyone has different experiences to compare their new ones to. No matter what the author's original intent was, everyone forms their own opinion of the work based on their individual biases. For as long as this has been happening (which is forever), the interplay between author intent and consumer experience has been a challenging but interesting topic for those who make it their business to analyse and comment on art.
In all art there is intention, whether it is music, literature, visual art, or dance. A creator of a work of art sets out to achieve something within their piece. However, they are then subjected to the ever confusing expectations of the consumers of said art. Works of art are then interpreted in all sorts of different ways due to the experiences and opinions each individual consumer brings into their analysis. In other words, everyone has different reasons to like or dislike something, and everyone has different experiences to compare their new ones to. No matter what the author's original intent was, everyone forms their own opinion of the work based on their individual biases. For as long as this has been happening (which is forever), the interplay between author intent and consumer experience has been a challenging but interesting topic for those who make it their business to analyse and comment on art.
Gimli is a bad ass!
An interesting example of the interplay between author intent and consumer experience is the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Tolkien was a WWI vet and experienced the hells of war first hand. Once his novels were published, many analysts wrote about how the books held metaphors for WWI and that Tolkien was making social commentaries on the world as he saw it. Tolkien was upset by this, and wrote about how he intended to create an alternate world from our own in his works. He wanted to escape reality with his works and create something fantastical, yet all his consumers wanted to do was relate it to their lives and experiences and, dare I say it, learn something they could apply to their lives from his work.
So, here's my next question to ponder over: As consumers, should we strive to learn or take from the art we consume what the author wanted us to, or should we be striving to compare art to our own experiences and draw new conclusions from our interpretations? I think the answer probably lies somewhere in the middle, or maybe in the both category, but hopefully this will inspire you to think more about what you are getting out of the art you consume in the future. I've really appreciated the comments I've received so far on my blog posts, so feel free to start up a discussion or comment on what I've been discussing here. This blog is meant to make you think, and I believe discussion is a great catalyst for that!
Ta ta for now!
when life hands you lemons, compare them to all the fruit experiences you've had in your life and draw new conclusions from this comparison to learn from.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
People are like hair
People are like hair. You let them grow and you style them in all sorts of different ways, but sooner or later they need to be trimmed. Some hair doesn't have to be trimmed for a long time, and other hair should be trimmed frequently but isn't. There are always signs when hair needs to be trimmed; it won't lie flat, it looks dull, it's too frizzy all the time. At first others won't tell you that your hair needs trimming, but eventually someone close to you will let you know. It's also never right in the morning after a long sleep. It needs attention to get ready for the day, and then has a certain level of upkeep throughout the day depending on the complexity of the style. One big difference between hair and people is that hair doesn't often have to interact with other hair. I guess you could say that lonely people are like hair, or introverts are like hair. Hopefully this metaphor has helped with life's problems.
Good Evening
when life hands you lemons, convince them all that they belong to different tribes and start mock lemon wars!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Quick Update!
I just thought I'd let you all (and by all I mean one of you) know that I now have my first official follower of my blog!!! Though, the only person who will read this is my only follower, whom already knows that they are a follower. Damn it. Well at least you will know that I appreciate you follower!! Have you guessed my ending quotes yet? I bet you have.
top-o-the morning to ya (it's 3:45pm)
when life hands you lemons, use them to do tequila shots
top-o-the morning to ya (it's 3:45pm)
when life hands you lemons, use them to do tequila shots
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Ender's Game and author respect
Hello again all,
So it seems that as of right now no one is reading my blog. This is fine, for I began more for creatively therapeutic reasons anyway. Eventually someone will read it, even if it is just my girlfriend and she's only reading it cause I make her. Maybe she'll tell a friend, and they'll tell a friend and it will spread very slowly because no one will ever tell more than one friend. Exponential growth is over-rated anyway. Now on to what I started this post for...
I have recently reread a novel entitled Ender's Game written by Orson Scott Card. He is a great sci-fi writer and became well known because of this novel. I love Ender's Game and I was not disappointed with the reread either. It is set in the future (as most sci-fi tends to be) and follows a young boy (Ender) as he is conscripted into battle school at the ripe old age of 6 and trained to be the future commander of humanity's starship fleet in the looming human vs. alien war. The novel deals with many interesting moral issues that either exist already or might need to exist in the future. More than this I will not tell you for I'd hate to spoil such an excellent and personally influential novel for anyone else. I suggest anyone with an active imagination or a love for sci-fi read it.
I have based many opinions of mine on things I have learned from this book, and really admire Card as a writer and storyteller. The issue I now have arose after I visited Orson Scott Card's wikipedia page and read the info there on his beliefs and stances on many hot current events issues. I consider myself a fairly liberal and accepting person and I generally want the best for the other humans I inhabit this world with. I'm fairly certain now though that I wouldn't consider Card in the same category as myself. I am a Christian whom attends a United Church. I don't attend regularly anymore, especially since I've been in university. I believe the gay community should have and enjoy any right or privelidge which I hold. I am also one who did not agree with very many things that US president George W. Bush did in office. Card, according to wikipedia, is a Mormon who supports GWB and believes gays have no right to marriage. He calls himself a Democrat because he is pro-gun control but has publically insinuated that rises in crime are due to rises in premarital sex, that the war in Iraq was justified, and he supported Senator John McCain in the last US Presidential Election (all things I disagree with).
So, the next big question-o-life I pose to you (my previously discussed fictional readers) is this: How can I base some of my moral point of views on a book written by someone whom I don't morally or politically agree with? I feel that Mr. Card is entirely entitled to his opinions and views, and I respect how adamant he has been about promoting them (writing in magazines and papers), but how can I base my morals on the writings created by someone whose morals clash with mine? It is a tough one, and again I have no answer. I have been struggling with it for a while now, and the best thing I can think of so far is that his book doesn't necessarily have to coincide with his views, therefore I'm free to not do so either. I don't know if that's relevant or not. Think about though readers and maybe write something about it somewhere for your fictional readers to not read.
Later Days (another quote, guess where it's from)
when life hands you lemons, hand them back.
So it seems that as of right now no one is reading my blog. This is fine, for I began more for creatively therapeutic reasons anyway. Eventually someone will read it, even if it is just my girlfriend and she's only reading it cause I make her. Maybe she'll tell a friend, and they'll tell a friend and it will spread very slowly because no one will ever tell more than one friend. Exponential growth is over-rated anyway. Now on to what I started this post for...
I have recently reread a novel entitled Ender's Game written by Orson Scott Card. He is a great sci-fi writer and became well known because of this novel. I love Ender's Game and I was not disappointed with the reread either. It is set in the future (as most sci-fi tends to be) and follows a young boy (Ender) as he is conscripted into battle school at the ripe old age of 6 and trained to be the future commander of humanity's starship fleet in the looming human vs. alien war. The novel deals with many interesting moral issues that either exist already or might need to exist in the future. More than this I will not tell you for I'd hate to spoil such an excellent and personally influential novel for anyone else. I suggest anyone with an active imagination or a love for sci-fi read it.
I have based many opinions of mine on things I have learned from this book, and really admire Card as a writer and storyteller. The issue I now have arose after I visited Orson Scott Card's wikipedia page and read the info there on his beliefs and stances on many hot current events issues. I consider myself a fairly liberal and accepting person and I generally want the best for the other humans I inhabit this world with. I'm fairly certain now though that I wouldn't consider Card in the same category as myself. I am a Christian whom attends a United Church. I don't attend regularly anymore, especially since I've been in university. I believe the gay community should have and enjoy any right or privelidge which I hold. I am also one who did not agree with very many things that US president George W. Bush did in office. Card, according to wikipedia, is a Mormon who supports GWB and believes gays have no right to marriage. He calls himself a Democrat because he is pro-gun control but has publically insinuated that rises in crime are due to rises in premarital sex, that the war in Iraq was justified, and he supported Senator John McCain in the last US Presidential Election (all things I disagree with).
So, the next big question-o-life I pose to you (my previously discussed fictional readers) is this: How can I base some of my moral point of views on a book written by someone whom I don't morally or politically agree with? I feel that Mr. Card is entirely entitled to his opinions and views, and I respect how adamant he has been about promoting them (writing in magazines and papers), but how can I base my morals on the writings created by someone whose morals clash with mine? It is a tough one, and again I have no answer. I have been struggling with it for a while now, and the best thing I can think of so far is that his book doesn't necessarily have to coincide with his views, therefore I'm free to not do so either. I don't know if that's relevant or not. Think about though readers and maybe write something about it somewhere for your fictional readers to not read.
Later Days (another quote, guess where it's from)
when life hands you lemons, hand them back.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
All the king's forces
I know many people (indirectly) that are either going to Afganistan or have family whom are going as Canadian forces. Our country is supposed to be clearing out the Taliban from over there and helping to rebuild the country. I just heard a rumor that the new Afgahni government is voting soon on a new law to legalizing men having the right to beat their wives. Is that what our men and women are over there fighting for, a bunch of women beaters? I hate to sound like the Americans, but we should have more of a say in what's going on over there if our countrymen are fighting to keep them safe. Even more apalling is the fact that there is a country full of human beings whom the majority of them want to legalize physical abuse.
cheerio
when life hands you lemons, feed them to babies (it's quite entertaining)
cheerio
when life hands you lemons, feed them to babies (it's quite entertaining)
All the king's horses and all the king's men...
Why is it that when the world is in crisis, the ordinary person looks to government to solve the problems? Have they ever been good at solving them before? There is always the argument that we pay tax dollars and our hard-earned cash should go to fixing this, but is that really practical? Most of the world's governments can't even manage using their peoples' tax dollars to keep there whole population in homes and with food on the table, how can we expect them to decide when it's right to go to war, or decide how to fix a financial crisis?
This is where someone says to me, "well if they can't do it, who can?" I don't think I know the answer, and frankly, if you are reading this expecting answers you should stop and never come back to read any of my future posts. As to the question, "who can?" I answer with another question (and therefore not an answer at all)----- Can anyone be trusted to make these decisions, or are humans just not qualified to fix the problems they create for themselves?
If you're like me, and enjoy posing questions with no answers, then I encourage you to come back and read my future posts. I must warn you though that I do not plan on all my posts consisting of life's endless debates. I am a musician (improvisor/composer/pianist)and plan on discussing musical question which interest me, as well as making making some commentaries on my life and experiences. If those things sound remotely interesting then come on back in a couple of days and hopefully you be able to experience my 2nd official blog post.
Tootle-pip (guess the quote anyone?)
When life hands you lemons, you beat those lemons into submission!
This is where someone says to me, "well if they can't do it, who can?" I don't think I know the answer, and frankly, if you are reading this expecting answers you should stop and never come back to read any of my future posts. As to the question, "who can?" I answer with another question (and therefore not an answer at all)----- Can anyone be trusted to make these decisions, or are humans just not qualified to fix the problems they create for themselves?
If you're like me, and enjoy posing questions with no answers, then I encourage you to come back and read my future posts. I must warn you though that I do not plan on all my posts consisting of life's endless debates. I am a musician (improvisor/composer/pianist)and plan on discussing musical question which interest me, as well as making making some commentaries on my life and experiences. If those things sound remotely interesting then come on back in a couple of days and hopefully you be able to experience my 2nd official blog post.
Tootle-pip (guess the quote anyone?)
When life hands you lemons, you beat those lemons into submission!
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