Trials of the Times~ 7.23.2003, continued on 7.30.2003

Trials of the Times~  7.23.2003, continued on 7.30.2003

 

You know, updating this website is much more time consuming than I originally anticipated.  I thought "Meh, an hour a week at MOST.  I'm far too lazy to do anything else... heck, I don't even code the stuff that's on my site.  I just write it out on word then Ctrl+A, Crtl+C, Ctrl +V and I'm done."  I wonder how long I am going to keep updating this site.  Yesterday, at around 4 in the morning, I decided to put a counter on my website just to see how many people are actually coming here.  When I checked this morning, there were 7 hits.  WOWZER.  I was somewhat taken aback.  People are reading this crap?  Holy cow...  I had a vague idea that I was MAYBE getting 2 or 3 hits per day...  I suppose I should update more often.

 

Argh!  Sorry, someone just called asking for my cousin.  Seeming as I have the cordless phone right next to me, I answered it. 

 

"Hello, it Peter there?"

"I'm sorry, he just left.  May I take a message?"

"Yeah, can you tell him this is Julie and that..."

*click, someone else in the house picks up the phone. It's my grandmother.  Since she speaks Mandarin, I'll provide a translation.

"Who is it?"

"Just a girl."

"Who is she looking for?"

"She's looking for Peter, I'm taking a message."

 

So I scribble down the rest of the message, but my grandmother doesn't hang up the phone.  She just listens intently to whatever conversation happens to be going across the telephone line.  So annoying...

 

I'm not sure where the sudden urge to update came from.  In part, I think it's from reading Steven's journal entries (accessed at www.bustabuckt.homestead.com , link also available in the 'links' section), part from this crazy preach-the-faith TV program I just watched and then all of the cosmic rays hitting my forehead right now.

 

In the good old days of AIM 4.0 (or AOL 5.0), away messages were unheard of.  If you were online but not at your computer, you would often times come back to a barrage of instant messages from friends and family asking something along the lines of:

 

"Where are you?"

"Why aren't you responding?"

"Hello?"

 

Ah, but then the blessed AIM 5.0 (AOL 6.0) came along and made things all right.  This wonderful new feature, the away messages, allowed people to actually see when you're away BEFORE they IM you.  What a novel idea!  For the longest time, I was satisfied with two away messages.

 

1- The default away message: "I am away from my computer right now."

2-  One I'm sure at least a few of you have:  "I am not available right now because I am playing a computer game that takes up the whole screen."

 

However, during the start of Winter quarter, my roommate decided to heart fully inform me that "Dude, your away messages suck.  Get some new ones."  I was unsure at the time what purpose away messages really served, besides the obvious fact it showed that you weren't at your computer at the time.  Eventually, I obliged and began to craft a few.  My favorite type are the ones which don't tell people where you are, or what you're doing at the time.  These often consist of random death quotes and/or phrases from well known movies/TV shows.

 

And shepherds we shall be, for thee my lord for thee. Power hath descended forth from thy hand so our feet may swiftly carry out thy command. And we shall flow a river forth to thee and teeming with souls shall it ever be. In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.  ~Quote from "The Boondock Saints"  It's a prayer the brothers in the movie use before they cap someone.

 

Pasta with Meat Sauce: $4.95

Shrimp: $2.50

Finding out how your wallet feels on the other butt cheek: priceless

There's some things that money can't buy.  For everything else, there's husky card.  ~This is a great one, although it's funnier to UW students.  One of my friends made this one up and I thought it was too good to be left alone.

 

Since creating my own away messages, I've also taken an interest in reading the away messages of others.  It's rather interesting what others have to say.  The most common away message is either the default one, or something along the lines of:

 

"I'm not here, call my cell.  *insert phone number here*"

 

Apparently this habit is not mine alone.  I often get more comments about my away message than I thought possible.  Sometimes I wonder why people check the away messages of others...  maybe it's a longing for social interaction.  Maybe it's our inability to communicate directly and our preference for subtle communication with one another.  After all, a message left about an away message can hardly be thought a serious social foe paw:  something we are all concerned with making.

 

It is amazing how often we knowingly, or unknowingly criticize others.  In particular, our peers.  Maybe I do not speak for others in this matter.  In fact, I might be totally off the mark.  However, oftentimes I have to catch and stop myself when I find myself about to throw an undeserved comment at someone.  Sometimes it becomes too natural for my own comfort, sort of like when you hit your knee and your lower leg snaps up.

 

In elementary school, at least at the start, I thought I was a pretty social person.  That was, until the full weight of my fellow students sank in.  As a young lad, I was constantly ridiculed for being short and too smart for my own good.  I learned to keep my distance away from others, not to get overexcited about anything and most importantly, never EVER place your trust in someone else.  Totally ridiculous.  Elementary school is where we should be taught good social behavior.  This is far more important than our times tables and cursive (who uses cursive anyway??  I sure haven't since the 5^th grade...)  After all, how much time did you REALLY need to learn all of that stuff?  I bet it could all be crammed into a year of middle school.  Actually, the best case scenario would be to cram all of elementary and middle school into like 4 years, have high school take 3-4 years and then leave more time to do college work.  This coming from the fact that college work is WAY harder than anything I've done before, and goes at a MUCH faster pace...  Why do we spend so little time on the hard stuff and so much time on the easy stuff?

 

I'm not sure where I'm going with this;  I suppose it is just random rambling.  I might continue my experiences in elementary school with another journal at a later time.  I have an urge to write about Jesus and the apocalypse now.

 

Andy-

 

 

 

Back in the old days, I walked to school 20 miles uphill both ways~ 7.22.2003

Ah, another satisfying round of Team Fortress Classic.  For those of you who don't know what that is, TFC is a mod for the first-person shooter half life.  It's an extremely old game by today's standards, at least a few years.  It is also totally unrealistic in most regards, but I love the game anyway.  As with most first person shooters, most of the fun is playing with other people.  However, there is one HUGE drawback playing with random people on the internet.  For some reason, people who play public online games become complete assholes.  Twelve year old kids think that since nobody knows who they really are, it gives them a license to swear A LOT.  Players constantly insult other players and accuse them of hacking the server.  Argh.  So annoying...

 

My first video game system was the original Nintendo console.  Now I consider myself a seasoned video gamer.  My uncle and aunt gave it to my brother and me for a Christmas present.  They had no idea of what they were getting us into.  The first game to catch our fancy was the original Final Fantasy.  It's basically a role playing game for the 8 bit system and the first in the best selling series of games of all time.  Since then, I've played all the Final Fantasy games, Dune II, Doom, Icewind Dale, Baldur's Gate I and II, Neverwinter Nights, Warcraft I, II and III, Starcraft, Tony Hawk Pro Skater, Grand Theft Auto, Planetarion...  this list would be quite long indeed.  The good old days, before stress, college and work.

 

For those of you who don't know, I'm a declared Economics major trying to double in Electrical Engineering (something my parents believe is 'practical'.  Whatever.)  Sometimes, I absolutely love college.  Strolling through UW's campus at night is very relaxing.   There is a great deal of independence involved.  You have to motivate yourself, set your own hours...  I love that.  Living in the dorms is also extremely fun.  Being in a constant social situation is kind of taxing occasionally.  However, if worst comes to worse, you can always lock your door and not talk to anyone else.  I was also fortunate enough to have a roommate with whom I get along with, and who doesn't wake up at the crack of dawn.  On the contrary, we stay up TO dawn most of the time.

 

When it comes right down to it though, I'd give anything to be a kid again.  This is something that I have firmly wanted since I entered high school... maybe even a little before that.  Little kids, although lacking in certain freedoms which are privileged to adults, lead happy lives.  There's no need to worry about the next midterm, carpel tunnel syndrome, smudged lipstick,  taxes or SCHOOL.

 

I suppose I should be thinking that it's a great thing to grow up.  After all, you get to explore the new, uncharted areas of life.  But wait.  Don't adults tell us that life only goes downhill?  I'm positive I have had more than one adult tell me that the college experience is going to be the best time of my life.   Yet, it seems to me that aside from the pseudo independence of going to a 'real' college, it's just another school, albeit much more difficult.  To make matters worse, what exactly do we have to look forward to once we graduate?  I'll tell you what.  Better yet, here's an example.

 

I was taking the bus back from campus yesterday afternoon.  Behind me, two middle aged ladies were talking about what to do with their respective homes.  For simplicities sake, I've changed the names to ones which are simple to write out.

 

"Oh, Tom and I joined a homeowners club.  It's basically a referral service for 42 dollars a year."

"That sounds very modest.  When I lived in India I had a similar service for around 20 I think."

"Yes, so the crawlspace under our house is 4-5 feet, so we can easily get down there and fix it ourselves.  The problem is that Tom never has any time and it's the sort of thing that he's more knowledgeable at.

"How much do you think it's going to run?"

"Well, since the house is so high up, I believe about 40 thousand..."

 

Someone shoot me now.  Forty thousand dollars just to FIX their house?  What's more, when I grow up, I'm doomed to conversations about fixing support beams and homeowners clubs...  Argh.  I'm going to live in a condo.

 

Andy-

Yankee doodle went to Lake Rainer~ 7.10.2003

 

"Do Re Mi Fa So"

"Dum do dum de dum"

 

At first, I think I'm dreaming this stupid song over and over again.   Then, I realize that my aunt is teaching piano lessons at 8:00 am.  Great, and they complain about my music being loud at 11pm.  Sheesh.  Anyway, the walls and doors are paper thin in this house, so it's basically as loud in my room as standing next to the piano.   There's basically no way that I can fall back asleep.

 

There seems to be a recurring motif with the while secret agent society, or at least running from a greater threat in my dreams as of late.  It takes place in the jungle, except for some reason, the jungle is right here in Seattle.  I'm riding with 4 other companions in an old jeep down an overgrown dirt road.  After a lengthy ride, we arrive at what used to be a glorious mansion, but is now a run down ghost house.  Upon entering, I notice that the house is still lavishly furnished.  A portrait of an old lady with a really long nose is hanging right inside the doorway, ready to make us feel right at home.

 

The tiles are the standard black and white checker style, kinda like kitchen style tiles.  You know in Indiana Jones and the last Crusade where the diary says "Only in the name of god will he proceed".  This room was kinda like that in the sense that random floor tiles would fall out from under you.  There were also those cheap temporary tables littered throughout the room.  We tried to cross the falling tile room by jumping on the tables, but that didn't really work either.

 

One of my companions suddenly falls down on the floor.  She's a brunette, probably about 20 with long, straight hair.  I bend over her and yank the dart from her shoulder.  She's dead.  My other companions and I run from the house and head downtown to a club.  It's one of those shady night clubs where there are lots of powerful drug lords and millions of girls hanging onto them.  We grab a table in the corner and arrange a meeting with one of them.  He comes to our table, says we are fucked, and suggests to stay clear of Lake Rainer.   Whatever Lake Rainer is....

 

The next thing I know, I'm standing in a snow covered wasteland wearing a bearskin and heading to a bar.  Woohoo!  Bear skin!

 

Anyway, that's about all I can remember now.

 

I just had some Cheerios for breakfast.  As soon as I sat down to eat, I get bombarded with a stream  of questions from my Grandma and Aunt. 

 

"What time did you go to bed?"

"Three or so."

"Oh, that's not good for you.  You can't reach 'deep sleep' that way you know."

"I don't think it really matters, all I could hear was piano at 8 in the morning."

"The reason why you heard it was because you went to bed too late so you couldn't reach deep sleep.  If you went to bed earlier then you would sleep through it.  Don't you need to study?  How much do you need to study?"

"Um, I don't have homework due, or a test, so no.  And it takes about 5 hours a week to study for Differential Equations and still pass."

"You know, you could be much more productive if you didn't play so many games."

"Yeah, I know.  But I'd prefer to be unproductive."

"You should be studying so you can graduate in 2 years to get a job and start working."

 

For some reason, most of my family is under the impression that I'm a child prodigy and am gong to graduate with a double major in 3 years total.  Haha, that's a good one.  I can't wait until I move out.  AHHH!  It's quite possible that one of the most irritating things in life is having your family constantly telling you what is good for you all the time.

 

Two good things have happened in the last 12 hours though:

 

1-  I got a good background for my desktop (Lexa Doig)

2-  I didn't lose my 30 dollar orange stick in Physics (actually an inferred transmitter)

 

Andy-

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