Monday, October 30, 2006
Ah, the workings of my mind
I have the TV on at work so I can cut out the commercials for the web videos. There was just a commercial on for windows. The guy said, "Custom sizing to fit your openings."
I heard "ovaries".
I heard "ovaries".
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Pumpkin party
Mari held her pumpkin carving party again this year, and I took some pictures.
At first we sat around eating all the fabulous food Mari and others had made. Some people played card games. Then people gradually started carving pumpkins; I was in the first group.
My pumpkin:
More pumpkin carving:
There was a little family there that was so cute: a husband and wife and their 3-year-old son and 13-month-old daughter. I had some stickers that I had previously passed out to everyone, and I was pleased when they arrived so there was actually a kid to give stickers to.
I asked parental permission first, then gave the little boy a sheet of stickers. He put a pumpkin sticker on his forehead, and pointed at it and said, "Head!"
:)
Here's Brooke and her new boyfriend:
Oh, calm down. It's just Mari's dad.
Someone at the party asked me if Brooke and I were related, because she's seen us together a lot. That was kind of cool.
Mari's house was once again done up for Halloween, and it looked awesome.
After I got home, I stuck a candle in my pumpkin and set it at the kitchen window.
I hope people can tell it's a bat :>
At first we sat around eating all the fabulous food Mari and others had made. Some people played card games. Then people gradually started carving pumpkins; I was in the first group.
My pumpkin:
More pumpkin carving:
There was a little family there that was so cute: a husband and wife and their 3-year-old son and 13-month-old daughter. I had some stickers that I had previously passed out to everyone, and I was pleased when they arrived so there was actually a kid to give stickers to.
I asked parental permission first, then gave the little boy a sheet of stickers. He put a pumpkin sticker on his forehead, and pointed at it and said, "Head!"
:)
Here's Brooke and her new boyfriend:
Oh, calm down. It's just Mari's dad.
Someone at the party asked me if Brooke and I were related, because she's seen us together a lot. That was kind of cool.
Mari's house was once again done up for Halloween, and it looked awesome.
After I got home, I stuck a candle in my pumpkin and set it at the kitchen window.
I hope people can tell it's a bat :>
Some advice from a place of unfortunate knowledge
Try not to schedule two big, important projects over the weekend of a Halloween party you're attending. Even if you're not dressing up or anything. It's just not a good idea.
Blog meme
I googled "blog meme" and found a meme about blogs. Scary.
1. Do you like the look and the contents of your blog?
Yes, I love the template I designed. I will someday redo it without tables, and web designers everywhere will cry for joy. I think that will have to wait until border-image is implemented in all the browsers, though.
And yay for the contents! I get far too much enjoyment from going back and reading my old posts.
2. Does your family know about your blog?
My immediate family, and some online members of my extended family, know. My grandmother, who doesn't own a computer, doesn't, but that's not because I'm hiding it from her.
3. Can you tell your friends about your blog? Do you consider it a private thing?
I always tell my friends about my blog, because I crave comments. Comment, people. Feed that ego.
I do write about intensely private things here, but that's because I'm very open. I don't care who knows. In fact, I'm interested in hearing outside opinions about my life.
4. Do you just read the blogs of those who comment on your blog? Or do you try to discover new blogs?
Well. I don't always read the blogs of my commenters. Alas. I will always go to their blog when I first see their comment, but that doesn't mean I'll blogroll it. And for those I do blogroll, there's no guarantee I won't unsubscribe later. There just isn't enough time in the day; I have to set priorities.
I do seek out other blogs, usually through the blogrolls of bloggers I already like.
5. Did your blog positively affect your mind? Give an example.
Yes. I was insane, and my blog cured me.
;>
Well, in the years I've been blogging, I have built up the good habit of writing every day, which is a positive effect on my brain, I suppose. I don't know if my blog has made me smarter or more stable in any way, however.
6. What does the number of visitors to your blog mean? Do you use a traffic counter?
pair offers logs, but I hardly ever analyze them. I lost all my old logs because I had downloaded them and deleted them off the server. Right now I have an automatic Analog report here, which covers the logs that I have left, but it doesn't really tell me much. I am interested to see what posts people apparently came in on.
7. Do you imagine what other bloggers look like?
If I do, it's not consciously. I instead have kind of a feeling about people. Sometimes seeing a picture of a blogger changes the feeling, but not in a harmful way.
8. Do you think blogging has any real benefit?
I hope it does, or I've wasted a lot of time!
Actually, yes, I think blogging provides a valuable resource for my future biographers. So too will Dandelife (which Will pointed me to the other day) as soon as I actually put some information on it.
9. Do you think that the blogsphere is a stand alone community separated from the real world?
It's not completely separate, but in the sense that I do not talk on the phone or in person with the people I interact with on blogs, yes. Bloggers are affected by what happens in the real world, though. In some cases those real world events can bring bloggers together, and in others they can cause rifts. Just like they can in regular relationships. Really, the blogosphere is more like a club than an alternate universe. It's a subsection of society, but it's still part of society.
Wow, the wind sounds awesome right now. I have my window open and can hear it sweeping through between this building and the apartments across the way. Leaves are rustling, but the main sound is the wind itself, gusting and then fading away.
10. Do some political blogs scare you? Do you avoid them?
They don't scare me, but I do avoid them. I read blogs to hear stories and to learn about art and culture and design and things of that nature.
11. Do you think that criticizing your blog is useful?
I prefer the word "critiquing", and sure. But then again I love analyzing everything, so I will always say that more analysis is good.
12. Have you ever thought about what would happen to your blog if you died?
Yes, but I haven't written out instructions for that yet. I should.
13. Which blogger has had the greatest impression on you?
Jeff Laitila of Sushicam. (Ha, you thought I was going to say Magazine Man, didn't you?) Jeff's was the first "photoblog" I ever read (I put that in quotation marks because he always had stories as well as photos, and not all photoblogs do). His photos inspired me to take more pictures and try new things. I don't know how long it will be before I'm at his level, or if that will ever happen, but I'm positive that if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have tried.
MM does come in second. His blogging has shown me that everyday occurrences and childhood memories can be epic. I already knew that, to an extent, but having the fact demonstrated over and over again leaves a big impression.
However, unlike with Jeff's photos, this impression hasn't yet moved me to actually do anything. Many of the bloggers who post over at MM's place leave comments like, "You've inspired me to work harder at my blog!" I'm not one of them. (Unfortunately?)
14. Which blogger do you think is the most similar to you?
Oh, bleh. Most bloggers are similar to me. They follow memes, they fill out questionnaires, they write about what's annoying them or why they're in a good mood. They use their blogs as a diary/journal, with no overarching theme or purpose other than to make themselves happy. The main difference is that I'm not sure all those other bloggers feel like failures for it.
And yet, as I've stated, I do like my blog. If I wanted to have a successful, high-readership blog, I'd start a new one with a plan and stick to it, rather than try to reposition this one.
This blog will always be my baby, and I'll always come here first. Even if it's only for me.
1. Do you like the look and the contents of your blog?
Yes, I love the template I designed. I will someday redo it without tables, and web designers everywhere will cry for joy. I think that will have to wait until border-image is implemented in all the browsers, though.
And yay for the contents! I get far too much enjoyment from going back and reading my old posts.
2. Does your family know about your blog?
My immediate family, and some online members of my extended family, know. My grandmother, who doesn't own a computer, doesn't, but that's not because I'm hiding it from her.
3. Can you tell your friends about your blog? Do you consider it a private thing?
I always tell my friends about my blog, because I crave comments. Comment, people. Feed that ego.
I do write about intensely private things here, but that's because I'm very open. I don't care who knows. In fact, I'm interested in hearing outside opinions about my life.
4. Do you just read the blogs of those who comment on your blog? Or do you try to discover new blogs?
Well. I don't always read the blogs of my commenters. Alas. I will always go to their blog when I first see their comment, but that doesn't mean I'll blogroll it. And for those I do blogroll, there's no guarantee I won't unsubscribe later. There just isn't enough time in the day; I have to set priorities.
I do seek out other blogs, usually through the blogrolls of bloggers I already like.
5. Did your blog positively affect your mind? Give an example.
Yes. I was insane, and my blog cured me.
;>
Well, in the years I've been blogging, I have built up the good habit of writing every day, which is a positive effect on my brain, I suppose. I don't know if my blog has made me smarter or more stable in any way, however.
6. What does the number of visitors to your blog mean? Do you use a traffic counter?
pair offers logs, but I hardly ever analyze them. I lost all my old logs because I had downloaded them and deleted them off the server. Right now I have an automatic Analog report here, which covers the logs that I have left, but it doesn't really tell me much. I am interested to see what posts people apparently came in on.
7. Do you imagine what other bloggers look like?
If I do, it's not consciously. I instead have kind of a feeling about people. Sometimes seeing a picture of a blogger changes the feeling, but not in a harmful way.
8. Do you think blogging has any real benefit?
I hope it does, or I've wasted a lot of time!
Actually, yes, I think blogging provides a valuable resource for my future biographers. So too will Dandelife (which Will pointed me to the other day) as soon as I actually put some information on it.
9. Do you think that the blogsphere is a stand alone community separated from the real world?
It's not completely separate, but in the sense that I do not talk on the phone or in person with the people I interact with on blogs, yes. Bloggers are affected by what happens in the real world, though. In some cases those real world events can bring bloggers together, and in others they can cause rifts. Just like they can in regular relationships. Really, the blogosphere is more like a club than an alternate universe. It's a subsection of society, but it's still part of society.
Wow, the wind sounds awesome right now. I have my window open and can hear it sweeping through between this building and the apartments across the way. Leaves are rustling, but the main sound is the wind itself, gusting and then fading away.
10. Do some political blogs scare you? Do you avoid them?
They don't scare me, but I do avoid them. I read blogs to hear stories and to learn about art and culture and design and things of that nature.
11. Do you think that criticizing your blog is useful?
I prefer the word "critiquing", and sure. But then again I love analyzing everything, so I will always say that more analysis is good.
12. Have you ever thought about what would happen to your blog if you died?
Yes, but I haven't written out instructions for that yet. I should.
13. Which blogger has had the greatest impression on you?
Jeff Laitila of Sushicam. (Ha, you thought I was going to say Magazine Man, didn't you?) Jeff's was the first "photoblog" I ever read (I put that in quotation marks because he always had stories as well as photos, and not all photoblogs do). His photos inspired me to take more pictures and try new things. I don't know how long it will be before I'm at his level, or if that will ever happen, but I'm positive that if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have tried.
MM does come in second. His blogging has shown me that everyday occurrences and childhood memories can be epic. I already knew that, to an extent, but having the fact demonstrated over and over again leaves a big impression.
However, unlike with Jeff's photos, this impression hasn't yet moved me to actually do anything. Many of the bloggers who post over at MM's place leave comments like, "You've inspired me to work harder at my blog!" I'm not one of them. (Unfortunately?)
14. Which blogger do you think is the most similar to you?
Oh, bleh. Most bloggers are similar to me. They follow memes, they fill out questionnaires, they write about what's annoying them or why they're in a good mood. They use their blogs as a diary/journal, with no overarching theme or purpose other than to make themselves happy. The main difference is that I'm not sure all those other bloggers feel like failures for it.
And yet, as I've stated, I do like my blog. If I wanted to have a successful, high-readership blog, I'd start a new one with a plan and stick to it, rather than try to reposition this one.
This blog will always be my baby, and I'll always come here first. Even if it's only for me.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Maintaining "relevance in the face of relativity"
I was surfing around today and happened by SCAD's website, and that made me remember a couple years ago when my cousin Cary, her mother, a family friend and I all went to Savannah together. Cary was excited to see a SCAD building while we were there, though we didn't go in or look around the area.
Looking at the SCAD website made me wonder if I'd like an MFA, and thinking about Cary made me wonder if she had one too. It's kind of funny how our interests have coincided over the years. We both played piano, we both like photography, we both have two undergraduate degrees, and it seems we both have design interests too. Would I be following in her footsteps here as well?
I googled her name to see if I could find out, and it was surprisingly simple. She was interviewed on this blog. Turns out she has her Masters in art management, which is pretty cool!
The blog also reminded me that she organized a conference called Technology in the Arts, and that conference also has a blog. It was there that I found the reason I'm writing: a very interesting post about globalization's effect on art.
Check it out.
Looking at the SCAD website made me wonder if I'd like an MFA, and thinking about Cary made me wonder if she had one too. It's kind of funny how our interests have coincided over the years. We both played piano, we both like photography, we both have two undergraduate degrees, and it seems we both have design interests too. Would I be following in her footsteps here as well?
I googled her name to see if I could find out, and it was surprisingly simple. She was interviewed on this blog. Turns out she has her Masters in art management, which is pretty cool!
The blog also reminded me that she organized a conference called Technology in the Arts, and that conference also has a blog. It was there that I found the reason I'm writing: a very interesting post about globalization's effect on art.
Check it out.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Sadly, Dear Leader did not make an appearance
Last night I dreamed I was in North Korea, in the drive-thru of a place that sold chicken sandwiches. I wasn't really hungry, but I ordered one anyway. I'm not sure why.
When I got to the window and the guy handed me my grilled chicken sandwich, I asked for a cup of water. He handed it to me, and just as I was about to take a sip, said sarcastically, "Don't worry about the radiation. I'm sure it's gone by now."
Then I "remembered" that all water in North Korea was contaminated by radiation (I don't know if that's even possible ;P), so I poured it onto the ground. "Do you have anything else?" I asked. He held out a bottled water, which I didn't want to buy because it would cost extra.
Now this is one of those dreams that takes a little effort to analyze.
It's pretty obvious where North Korea and radiation came from, but why was I there, and why did I buy a chicken sandwich when I didn't want one? Interesting.
When I got to the window and the guy handed me my grilled chicken sandwich, I asked for a cup of water. He handed it to me, and just as I was about to take a sip, said sarcastically, "Don't worry about the radiation. I'm sure it's gone by now."
Then I "remembered" that all water in North Korea was contaminated by radiation (I don't know if that's even possible ;P), so I poured it onto the ground. "Do you have anything else?" I asked. He held out a bottled water, which I didn't want to buy because it would cost extra.
Now this is one of those dreams that takes a little effort to analyze.
It's pretty obvious where North Korea and radiation came from, but why was I there, and why did I buy a chicken sandwich when I didn't want one? Interesting.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Quick anime reactions
Kanon 3
Boring. Not as boring as the original anime incarnation. But I'm only watching because Kyon's in it.
Himawari! 4
Still waiting for this dude to realize his ninja heritage and go apeshit.
Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge 3
Um.
Well. At least their lips aren't quite as pink now. Either that or I'm getting used to it...
Seriously, this is fun. It goes all kinds of weird places.
Asatte no Houkou 3
They're not related by blood! I sense a love triangle coming on. ;P
Prince of Tennis: National Championship 4
Ludicrous speed, go! (I mean, I like my Prince of Tennis ludicrous, but at least normally somebody explains the ludicrousness so that it halfwaysorta makes sense.)
Tenpou Ibun Ayakashi Ayashi 2
How many people knew from the beginning that nobody else could see that guy? *waves hand*
NANA 23 and 24
Just...wow. This is one of the best series, with some of the best character development, I have ever seen. And that's in general, not just in anime.
Boring. Not as boring as the original anime incarnation. But I'm only watching because Kyon's in it.
Himawari! 4
Still waiting for this dude to realize his ninja heritage and go apeshit.
Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge 3
Um.
Well. At least their lips aren't quite as pink now. Either that or I'm getting used to it...
Seriously, this is fun. It goes all kinds of weird places.
Asatte no Houkou 3
They're not related by blood! I sense a love triangle coming on. ;P
Prince of Tennis: National Championship 4
Ludicrous speed, go! (I mean, I like my Prince of Tennis ludicrous, but at least normally somebody explains the ludicrousness so that it halfwaysorta makes sense.)
Tenpou Ibun Ayakashi Ayashi 2
How many people knew from the beginning that nobody else could see that guy? *waves hand*
NANA 23 and 24
Just...wow. This is one of the best series, with some of the best character development, I have ever seen. And that's in general, not just in anime.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Hey, it's easy to live abroad
All you have to do is teach English (natch)...or be a chef, massage therapist, au pair, or caterer.
Where are the international page layout/graphic design/editing jobs?
Where are the international page layout/graphic design/editing jobs?
Saturday, October 21, 2006
My career
I have two bachelor's degrees, one in Linguistics, and the other in English. I tacked on the second degree because as I started preparing for graduation, I realized I had more than enough credits for two degrees. I just needed to satisfy a couple of requirements and finish out a focus in Creative Writing, which only added a semester to my stint at UK.
I minored in Japan Studies, and I also earned a Certificate in Applied Linguistics for Teaching English as a Second Language.
Though I talked with my professors about what a person with a linguistics degree might do in the "real world", I never got a clear idea of what I would do after graduation. The only thing I did know was that I was moving to a new city and getting married, so I focused my attention on graduating and planning the wedding.
Now I'm a Web Producer and freelance designer. I manage content and design graphics, web pages, and print materials. I find design work challenging and fun. Content management appeases my obsessive-compulsive need to organize things. I'm also interested in advertising and the sheer creativity required, and business, largely due to growing up working in a small business and then befriending a local businessman here in Augusta and acting as a sounding board for his ideas.
I didn't go to school for any of that.
This is not rare in today's society. However, it does present me with an interesting question.
Is what I'm doing now what I want to be doing long-term? Because if it is, I should really go back to school, or find some other way to fill the gaps in my knowledge.
I truly enjoy design. I love having different projects to work on, rather than doing the same thing every day. I don't prefer one medium--print or Web--over the other. I'd actually rather not be exclusive. But if I want to commit to doing Web design at least part of the time, professionally, there are quite a few things I need to learn more about.
For example, I was reading a very exciting-sounding job description for a Regional Web Manager. This person would coordinate content for several websites, including working with sales departments to develop advertising, and would train local Web Coordinators on design software. I don't know that I necessarily want to do something like this, but I find the idea of managing and designing for multiple websites, and having subordinates, appealing.
The point is that the job requires proficiency in Photoshop, ImageReady, Flash, Dreamweaver, HTML, and XML. I have used all of those save Flash, and I'll start teaching myself Flash here pretty soon. However, I'm not sure I can argue that I am proficient in any of them. There are plenty of things I haven't done with Photoshop, and pretty much all I know how to do in ImageReady is create an animated gif from frames created elsewhere. My HTML is pretty solid (and as compliant as I can make it), but there are tags I don't know, and while I understand XML, I've never actually written any.
The list of required technologies seems short. I guess that's why it makes me feel so inadequate.
I don't want to downplay my success up to this point. I have done well in teaching myself all this stuff. I'm also self-taught in PHP and CSS. But I know my knowledge could be far more complete.
So I just need to decide if this is really what I want to do. And if it is, I need to take the necessary steps.
I minored in Japan Studies, and I also earned a Certificate in Applied Linguistics for Teaching English as a Second Language.
Though I talked with my professors about what a person with a linguistics degree might do in the "real world", I never got a clear idea of what I would do after graduation. The only thing I did know was that I was moving to a new city and getting married, so I focused my attention on graduating and planning the wedding.
Now I'm a Web Producer and freelance designer. I manage content and design graphics, web pages, and print materials. I find design work challenging and fun. Content management appeases my obsessive-compulsive need to organize things. I'm also interested in advertising and the sheer creativity required, and business, largely due to growing up working in a small business and then befriending a local businessman here in Augusta and acting as a sounding board for his ideas.
I didn't go to school for any of that.
This is not rare in today's society. However, it does present me with an interesting question.
Is what I'm doing now what I want to be doing long-term? Because if it is, I should really go back to school, or find some other way to fill the gaps in my knowledge.
I truly enjoy design. I love having different projects to work on, rather than doing the same thing every day. I don't prefer one medium--print or Web--over the other. I'd actually rather not be exclusive. But if I want to commit to doing Web design at least part of the time, professionally, there are quite a few things I need to learn more about.
For example, I was reading a very exciting-sounding job description for a Regional Web Manager. This person would coordinate content for several websites, including working with sales departments to develop advertising, and would train local Web Coordinators on design software. I don't know that I necessarily want to do something like this, but I find the idea of managing and designing for multiple websites, and having subordinates, appealing.
The point is that the job requires proficiency in Photoshop, ImageReady, Flash, Dreamweaver, HTML, and XML. I have used all of those save Flash, and I'll start teaching myself Flash here pretty soon. However, I'm not sure I can argue that I am proficient in any of them. There are plenty of things I haven't done with Photoshop, and pretty much all I know how to do in ImageReady is create an animated gif from frames created elsewhere. My HTML is pretty solid (and as compliant as I can make it), but there are tags I don't know, and while I understand XML, I've never actually written any.
The list of required technologies seems short. I guess that's why it makes me feel so inadequate.
I don't want to downplay my success up to this point. I have done well in teaching myself all this stuff. I'm also self-taught in PHP and CSS. But I know my knowledge could be far more complete.
So I just need to decide if this is really what I want to do. And if it is, I need to take the necessary steps.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Batman dream
My dream last night was almost like an episode of a TV series, or maybe a movie.
I was part of a group of a little over a half dozen or so of people being held hostage. Or rather, we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The bad guys were trying to do something--steal something, sabotage something, I'm not sure--and since we happened to be at the scene, they decided to use us.
Our main task was to find each and every last miniature Batmobile in the place and cover it so that Batman couldn't see what they were doing.
There were many mini Batmobiles.
I wasn't sure if I should point out all the ones I saw, or conveniently overlook one. I played it safe and pointed them all out.
There was a love subplot in the dream as well. One of the hostages was a girl named Heather, who I thought was my friend Sam's fiancee. However, she kept complaining about him, so I spent a lot of my time talking him up, pointing out how totally awesome he is.
In the end I seemed to have moved her...only to find out that she wasn't his fiancee at all, but a girl who thought she'd been set up on a blind date with him. So rather than help his relationship, I had introduced an annoying variable.
Also, in the dream, Sam was Batman.
I was part of a group of a little over a half dozen or so of people being held hostage. Or rather, we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The bad guys were trying to do something--steal something, sabotage something, I'm not sure--and since we happened to be at the scene, they decided to use us.
Our main task was to find each and every last miniature Batmobile in the place and cover it so that Batman couldn't see what they were doing.
There were many mini Batmobiles.
I wasn't sure if I should point out all the ones I saw, or conveniently overlook one. I played it safe and pointed them all out.
There was a love subplot in the dream as well. One of the hostages was a girl named Heather, who I thought was my friend Sam's fiancee. However, she kept complaining about him, so I spent a lot of my time talking him up, pointing out how totally awesome he is.
In the end I seemed to have moved her...only to find out that she wasn't his fiancee at all, but a girl who thought she'd been set up on a blind date with him. So rather than help his relationship, I had introduced an annoying variable.
Also, in the dream, Sam was Batman.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Yesterday when I was watching Densha Otoko: Another Story...
...my DVD drive decided to freeze on this image.
Just thought I'd share.
Just thought I'd share.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Halloween costume
I haven't dressed up--I mean really put effort into it--since I stopped trick or treating. I'm not sure when that was, but I'm sure I was in elementary school. In high school I had a costume party where everyone was required to wear a costume, and then I threw mine together ten minutes before people arrived. I'm not even sure what I was supposed to be, but it involved a blue shirt and a patterned skirt. I think I put a brown robe on over that for part of the time (gee).
I did something similar while I was at UAH. I put on a peasant blouse, hoop earrings, and a skirt, and tried to convince the young daughter of the ASME president that I was a gypsy.
I bought a "geisha" outfit for a party I went to sometime after UAH--I think it was a party with people from work, before cancer and UK. Could have been after cancer and before UK, though. I'm not sure. Anyway, the costume was terrible...I put zero effort into it and was embarrassed the whole night.
Other than those, I haven't really done Halloween. I haven't dressed up, other than looking a little better to go to an opera or something. And I've been thinking lately that I'd like to start doing it, dolling up and looking different and interesting for a night.
I'm going to a party on Halloween. I don't have to dress up for it, but it would be fun. So I've been thinking about costume ideas.
Right now I'm pondering dressing as a Japanese ghost, or as a ninja.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Advice?
I did something similar while I was at UAH. I put on a peasant blouse, hoop earrings, and a skirt, and tried to convince the young daughter of the ASME president that I was a gypsy.
I bought a "geisha" outfit for a party I went to sometime after UAH--I think it was a party with people from work, before cancer and UK. Could have been after cancer and before UK, though. I'm not sure. Anyway, the costume was terrible...I put zero effort into it and was embarrassed the whole night.
Other than those, I haven't really done Halloween. I haven't dressed up, other than looking a little better to go to an opera or something. And I've been thinking lately that I'd like to start doing it, dolling up and looking different and interesting for a night.
I'm going to a party on Halloween. I don't have to dress up for it, but it would be fun. So I've been thinking about costume ideas.
Right now I'm pondering dressing as a Japanese ghost, or as a ninja.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Advice?
Some interesting, ridiculous numbers
According to Salary.com, in this market, with my education and experience, in a position comparable to the one I currently hold, I should be making anywhere from $54,287 to $67,853.
Payscale.com says the range is $46,000 to $60,700.
Fascinating.
Payscale.com says the range is $46,000 to $60,700.
Fascinating.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Thursday, October 12, 2006
The perfect woman
I watched the first episode of Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge today.
Yamatonadeshiko is a phrase referring to the ideal woman, who, in Japanese tradition, has the following characteristics (compiled by Ben Bullock):
Shichi means "seven". The last part of the title will take a bit more explanation. You see, the kanji there, 変化, can be read henge, which means "ghost; goblin; apparition"...but it can also be read as henka, which means "transformation". I'm not sure what the significance of the 7 is, but given the plot of the series, that double meaning for 変化 is most certainly intentional.
Our story begins with four guys living in a mansion. They're challenged by the lady of the house to transform her niece, Sunako, into a proper young lady. If they succeed, they'll be able to live at the mansion rent-free.
But if they don't...their rent will triple!
(It's not explained why or how the boys came to be living with a rich, single woman, and as soon as they accept her proposal, she hops onto a ladder and is pulled up into a helicopter, off on a voyage for free love. Cheri, anyone?)
When Sunako arrives, the boys are devastated. She has dry, splintered hair, a stained sweatshirt, and an "amoeba-patterned skirt". Beyond that, she has long bangs that completely cover her eyes.
It comes out that Sunako is a very creepy girl. She collects grisly occult items and watches horror movies. Part of the terror she induces comes simply from the wall she has built up around herself after her devastating confession to her crush (voiced, amusingly enough, by series director Nabeshin). All that fear and self-hatred has made her extraordinarily anti-social and self-conscious...resulting in this:
The premise is really interesting. Aside from the "wow, she can cook traditional Japanese food!" thing that seems to be a prerequisite for any anime heroine (or at least the ones who are candidates to be yamatonadeshiko), Sunako is intriguing. It's apparent that she'd be very attractive if she took better care of herself. The series has the potential to teach a strong lesson. I'm also interested in watching her grow and move past the pain of being called ugly to her face.
In all, this looks like a really promising series.
However...I may not be able to continue watching it.
And this is why:
Those are supposed to be boys.
I have no problem with bishounen. Surely you know this by now.
But.
These guys have pink lips.
Yamatonadeshiko is a phrase referring to the ideal woman, who, in Japanese tradition, has the following characteristics (compiled by Ben Bullock):
Bullock goes on to note:
- feminine
- chaste and devoted to her husband
- always respects and obeys her husband and never opposes him, even when she thinks he's wrong (she should wisely find an indirect way to prevent her husband from doing something wrong without letting him know, that is to say without humiliating him).
- looks weak, delicate and gentle (like a flower) outside her family, but is able to cope with householding, raising kids etc.
During the second world war, the Japanese government promoted the idea of yamatonadeshiko as a kind of national propaganda. A yamatonadeshiko should be gentle and delicate but also be able to endure all the pain and poverty of life for her husband (a soldier) and the country, to win the war, and should always be ready to fight with halberds (or takeyari, a spear made of bamboo used when you don't have a halberd) and to die any time for her country, or to keep her chastity.Fans of Kyou Kara Maou will remember this term from the "apple tree" episode.
Shichi means "seven". The last part of the title will take a bit more explanation. You see, the kanji there, 変化, can be read henge, which means "ghost; goblin; apparition"...but it can also be read as henka, which means "transformation". I'm not sure what the significance of the 7 is, but given the plot of the series, that double meaning for 変化 is most certainly intentional.
Our story begins with four guys living in a mansion. They're challenged by the lady of the house to transform her niece, Sunako, into a proper young lady. If they succeed, they'll be able to live at the mansion rent-free.
But if they don't...their rent will triple!
(It's not explained why or how the boys came to be living with a rich, single woman, and as soon as they accept her proposal, she hops onto a ladder and is pulled up into a helicopter, off on a voyage for free love. Cheri, anyone?)
When Sunako arrives, the boys are devastated. She has dry, splintered hair, a stained sweatshirt, and an "amoeba-patterned skirt". Beyond that, she has long bangs that completely cover her eyes.
It comes out that Sunako is a very creepy girl. She collects grisly occult items and watches horror movies. Part of the terror she induces comes simply from the wall she has built up around herself after her devastating confession to her crush (voiced, amusingly enough, by series director Nabeshin). All that fear and self-hatred has made her extraordinarily anti-social and self-conscious...resulting in this:
The premise is really interesting. Aside from the "wow, she can cook traditional Japanese food!" thing that seems to be a prerequisite for any anime heroine (or at least the ones who are candidates to be yamatonadeshiko), Sunako is intriguing. It's apparent that she'd be very attractive if she took better care of herself. The series has the potential to teach a strong lesson. I'm also interested in watching her grow and move past the pain of being called ugly to her face.
In all, this looks like a really promising series.
However...I may not be able to continue watching it.
And this is why:
Those are supposed to be boys.
I have no problem with bishounen. Surely you know this by now.
But.
These guys have pink lips.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Sunday, October 8, 2006
Look where I went yesterday!
After finishing up my part time job somewhere around 4:30, I decided that since there were a few hours of daylight left, I should go for a bike ride. And so:
Ah, the Augusta Canal's Headgates. A constant in my life. No matter if the water is high or low, at least I always know the Headgates will be there regulating it.
Which is good, because in the nine months (!) since I've been to this side of the Canal trail, they've gone and changed everything else.
What you don't see amidst all these tourists are: piles of dirt, taped off pits, and a construction crane. That's right--their work here is done. People can mill about freely. On my way back from my ride I saw a guy standing out on the Canal side of the Headgates, fishing.
Not long into my ride I discovered two more new things. One of them had been rumored (though I don't remember where I heard about the possibility), and the other was a complete surprise.
Here's the former:
A new bridge! It's still under construction. According to the plaque, it was built in May of this year. Scary to think that I hadn't been here since January...
Here's the latter new thing, situated directly across from the bridge.
Look sir, droids! Err, stairs! Down to a nice landing for fishing. I didn't go all the way down there (didn't want to leave the Maou up top unattended), but I did snap a few more shots. They start here.
Here's my bike next to a bulldozer. Hardcore.
The rest of the trail was essentially the same as always. It was lovely and autumnal, and there were blossoms and leaves beginning to turn. I rode as far as I thought I could ride back, snapping pictures.
Upon returning to the Headgates I waited around trying to catch pictures of birds. I was marginally successful. But then the sun started setting and the trees across the river were bathed in this beautiful orange glow. So I took a bunch of pictures of that, swiveling at the waist to try and get a panorama, and when I got home I pieced some of them together.
The biggest flaw with these is the fact that the water is constantly moving and changing, so it doesn't really match. But it was a fun experiment!
It was so good to get back out on the Canal again. I've missed it so much. And the weather was perfect.
It had been quite some time since I'd ridden my bike, so I only managed about 30 minutes, not including stopping every few seconds for photos. And my butt is still sore!
But it feels great. I'm glad I went :)
Ah, the Augusta Canal's Headgates. A constant in my life. No matter if the water is high or low, at least I always know the Headgates will be there regulating it.
Which is good, because in the nine months (!) since I've been to this side of the Canal trail, they've gone and changed everything else.
What you don't see amidst all these tourists are: piles of dirt, taped off pits, and a construction crane. That's right--their work here is done. People can mill about freely. On my way back from my ride I saw a guy standing out on the Canal side of the Headgates, fishing.
Not long into my ride I discovered two more new things. One of them had been rumored (though I don't remember where I heard about the possibility), and the other was a complete surprise.
Here's the former:
A new bridge! It's still under construction. According to the plaque, it was built in May of this year. Scary to think that I hadn't been here since January...
Here's the latter new thing, situated directly across from the bridge.
Look sir, droids! Err, stairs! Down to a nice landing for fishing. I didn't go all the way down there (didn't want to leave the Maou up top unattended), but I did snap a few more shots. They start here.
Here's my bike next to a bulldozer. Hardcore.
The rest of the trail was essentially the same as always. It was lovely and autumnal, and there were blossoms and leaves beginning to turn. I rode as far as I thought I could ride back, snapping pictures.
Upon returning to the Headgates I waited around trying to catch pictures of birds. I was marginally successful. But then the sun started setting and the trees across the river were bathed in this beautiful orange glow. So I took a bunch of pictures of that, swiveling at the waist to try and get a panorama, and when I got home I pieced some of them together.
The biggest flaw with these is the fact that the water is constantly moving and changing, so it doesn't really match. But it was a fun experiment!
It was so good to get back out on the Canal again. I've missed it so much. And the weather was perfect.
It had been quite some time since I'd ridden my bike, so I only managed about 30 minutes, not including stopping every few seconds for photos. And my butt is still sore!
But it feels great. I'm glad I went :)
Saturday, October 7, 2006
Personality through implicature
Agent Anderson calls this "Antimeme", and I don't know why. But here goes:
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open it to page 161.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't search around and look for the coolest book you can find. Use what's actually next to you.
This is pretty easy. The sentences on page 161 of Kodansha's The Handbook of Japanese Verbs
are numbered!
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open it to page 161.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't search around and look for the coolest book you can find. Use what's actually next to you.
This is pretty easy. The sentences on page 161 of Kodansha's The Handbook of Japanese Verbs
are numbered!Mo kaigi ga _______ iru kara, ano heya ni _______ wa ikemasen. (hajimaru) (hairu)
もう会議が＿＿＿＿いるから、あの部屋に＿＿＿＿はいけません。（始まる）（入る）
Since the meeting has already begun, you must not enter that room.
A time of change
Paradoxically, autumn for me feels like a beginning. The crispness in the air heralds a change, new and exciting. I wear long sleeves all year--here in Georgia, the omnipresent air conditioning requires it--but when I start to need them outside, it seems like the blood flows more quickly in my veins.
This morning the air was sharp and cool and it made me feel like I ought to be on my way to class.
We spend so much of our early lives going to school, I mused, that when we get into the workforce we have no idea what we're doing.
As I drove to my part-time job I left the window rolled down and the radio off, enjoying the feel of fall. It's been cool a few times before now, but never like today. Today feels like a day to go crunching through leaves in a forest to a cabin with a roaring fire. A day to ride a bicycle and wear a jacket.
Fall always makes me feel that something exciting is about to happen.
The difference now is that I'm the one who has to create the excitement.
When I was younger, fall was exciting because of things that were decided for me--trips, school. Now, I make my own decisions.
And instead of liberating, it feels confining. If I want to go on a trip, if I want to go to school, I have to plan for it and save money for it. I end up not doing a lot of things because it's just not wise, financially.
Strange that at 28, I'm still learning what it feels like to be a grownup.
The chill breeze reminds me, makes me wistful.
This morning the air was sharp and cool and it made me feel like I ought to be on my way to class.
We spend so much of our early lives going to school, I mused, that when we get into the workforce we have no idea what we're doing.
As I drove to my part-time job I left the window rolled down and the radio off, enjoying the feel of fall. It's been cool a few times before now, but never like today. Today feels like a day to go crunching through leaves in a forest to a cabin with a roaring fire. A day to ride a bicycle and wear a jacket.
Fall always makes me feel that something exciting is about to happen.
The difference now is that I'm the one who has to create the excitement.
When I was younger, fall was exciting because of things that were decided for me--trips, school. Now, I make my own decisions.
And instead of liberating, it feels confining. If I want to go on a trip, if I want to go to school, I have to plan for it and save money for it. I end up not doing a lot of things because it's just not wise, financially.
Strange that at 28, I'm still learning what it feels like to be a grownup.
The chill breeze reminds me, makes me wistful.
Thursday, October 5, 2006
Snowflake stamps!
Holiday Stamps Close-Ups of Snowflakes
I'm going to get some :)
I'm glad to hear that someone else is taking pictures of snowflakes!
I'm going to get some :)
I'm glad to hear that someone else is taking pictures of snowflakes!
"Stop askin' me the question"
This is one of the best things I have ever seen.
(Here's a direct link, just in case.)
Don't worry, Tom--some of us remember Wing Commander!
(Here's a direct link, just in case.)
Don't worry, Tom--some of us remember Wing Commander!
Malaysia says no to Manglish
Malaysia to levy fines for poor speech
Malaysia will levy fines on those incorrectly using the national language, and will set up a specialized division to weed out offenders who mix Malay with English, news reports said Thursday.Beyond how amusing it is whenever governments try to regulate natural processes...isn't it a little late for all this? Dawn, care to weigh in?
Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Rais Yatim said fines of up to 1,000 ringgit ($271) can be imposed on displays with any wrong or mutated form of Malay, the Star newspaper reported.
The move was to ensure "the national language was not sidelined in any way," Rais said, according to The Star.
[...]
"It has to be admitted that a mixture of Bahasa Malaysia and English sometimes cannot be helped, but we hope these measures can arrest the decline," Rais said, according to The Star.
He said a national language unit will be set up in an attempt to reduce the English-Malay mix, especially at official functions.
Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Sunday, October 1, 2006
Astros 5, Braves 4
I got some free Braves tickets from work and Sean and I went together, along with two guys from work, Chris and Steven.
Ticket prices aren't what they used to be, I discovered, as the Braves have had a pretty unsatisfying season. Unfortunately for us, it continued during this Saturday game with the Astros.
(Note: The Braves are wearing white and the Astros are wearing red in these pictures.)
The game started out pretty well. Both teams were fielding excellently, and the score was neck and neck for most of the game. But then an Astros player was walked when it looked to the crowd like it was a strike, which ended up helping the Astros pull ahead. After that the Braves started making errors. We got a homerun in the 8th inning, tying the score. But the Astros racked up three more runs in the 9th inning.
During the bottom of the 9th, the Braves rallied and picked up two more runs. But it was too late; they were living on borrowed time with two strikes and two outs, and soon enough the game was over. We lost 4-5.
Andruw Jones seemed desperate for a home run towards the end of the game, but he ended up hitting a bunch of fouls.
Despite the loss, it was a pretty neat experience. I'd never been to a professional baseball game before, and had no idea how theatrical it all was. When the Braves were at bat, pop or rap music would accompany each one's walk to the plate, the LCD ribbons running around the stadium would flash his picture and name around, and the big screen would show his picture and stats. Sometimes, for the more popular ones, there'd actually be a video of the player swinging a bat inside a blue CGI field, with a yellow line snaking around.
When Jeff Francoeur first went to bat, near the beginning of the game, they did the Chop for what seemed like five minutes. This involves music and a row of bright red tomahawks all along the LED strips, chopping away. Unfortunately, he was struck out, as I recall.
The theatrics also involved a bunch of fan stuff. It was fan appreciation, so I don't know what they do normally, but between at-bats and during other lulls in the game, an announcer would go out in the crowd and pick people to participate in contests. Also, towards the beginning of the game there was something called Kiss Cam, where the big screen would show various couples and those couples had to immediately kiss. I was kind of hoping it'd get me and Sean, but no, alas. It was pretty cute, though; there were a few couples who looked extremely embarrassed and didn't kiss, and it ended with two guys, who were good sports and gave each other a hug.
The fans were pretty awesome in general, making noise when the screens said "GET LOUD" and doing the Wave about a billion times during the 8th inning. It just kept sweeping around and around the stadium.
Around the 7th inning, Sean and I went to get food: $16 for two hotdogs and two bottled sodas. Yow.
When we were on our way back to our seats, Sean's Coke fell right off the tray I was carrying and bounced down the stairs. The coolest usher in the world caught it for me, and as he handed it back suggested, "Don't open it!"
Later in the game he could be seen telling some kids to stop jumping around in the first row.
I wish I had gotten more pictures of the stadium. The place is huge, and it was kind of overwhelming. Our seats were in the Lexus Pavillion, which was on the third level and involved a nice air-conditioned lounge. We saw a press box and a couple other suites attached to the lounge.
But the place was amazing otherwise, too. Restaurants, shops, and apparently enough room for 40,000+ people, because that's how many were there.
I wish the Braves hadn't made so many errors and ended up losing the game, but I'm glad I went, and I hope I get to go again someday. Sean says if we lived in Atlanta he'd be interested in season tickets, and he also said he'd like to see the game from near the Braves' dugout, or near home plate. We'll have to see :)
This is it
This is the color Yaris I want.
Isn't it beautiful?
Given our situation right now, I may not get a Yaris until the 2008 models are available. But that's okay, as long as I can drive Sean's Corolla. If I'm patient, I know I'll get my beautimous Yaris.
If you're interested
Here's a link to the full text of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, which, as far as I can tell, does not make us Nazis.
Of course, I invite you to judge for yourselves.
Of course, I invite you to judge for yourselves.
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