Well, we have 26 hours left to finish our Studio projects and turn them in. I don’t have much left to do…add skylights, make banisters for stairs, and make doors. But I know it is going to take for freakin’ ever. I was here until about 4:00am if not 5:00am. Needless to say I skipped my 9:00 o’clock class.

I love walking back late at night, when the air is cool, no one else is around, and a few birds for some strange reason are still chirping. Perhaps consuling each other over nightmares they had about falling out of the nest.

I enjoy being with other people. But I really enjoy those times I can have alone to enjoy the small things and think to myself. I love to think, and sometimes I don’t get enough time to.

Speaking of birds. So if birds evolved from dinosaurs, then I wonder if they still think they are dinosaurs? Maybe that is why they behave strangely at times - they think they are still large lumbering beasts of fear wielding razor sharps claws and jaws filled with equally fearful and deadly teeth. Perhaps my mom’s finches thought they were T-Rexs.

My sister Elizabeth and her husband Eddie and their two children are coming this weekend. They arrive tonight and will be here until tuesday. Eddie is from Ireland, and one of his sisters and both of his parents are visiting and coming along. So, home is going to be like an Irish pub this weekend, which should be a great way to relax after finishing this final project in Studio.

This also means that KIERRA will be at the house! And I can around and play with the Other Gorgeous Blonde in my life. Betsy is the First Gorgeous Blonde in my life. hehehe.

My iPod is running out of battery power because I forgot to charge it lastnight while sleeping. Hopefully that is the only crisis of the day.

I have to make a purchase in 35 minutes for my floor, so I need to cut this short. Everybody have a wonderful day! And have pizza paid for and sent to Seth Hardiman in the Architecture Studio.

A few weeks ago (more like a month or two ago) my ex-girlfriend Hanna e-mailed me. So I put her Yahoo! info into my buddy list, and we chatted a few times late at night when I’d come back from Studio.

At first the conversations were really great. It made me think of the solid friendship we had before we started dating and that was lost when she broke up with me (i was devestated at the time). Then she sends me message that says “I’m sorry, but I don’t feel it is appropriate for us to communicate anymore at this time. Sorry.”

This brought back all the memories of how crazy she was and how horribly she had treated me. I have the feeling she wanted to hook me, but I didn’t bite. I responded “Okay.” And left it at that. At one time, a long time ago, I’d have been hooked and messaged her and e-mailed her asking for an explination. But I’m not the same person, but she still is.

It all came back: her crazyness, her fickleness, her lack of direction. Her life is going no where, which is exactly where she likes it. She is pregnant out of wedlock with a job that can hardly support one person, let alone a baby.

Thank God I never slept with her.

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On another note, a person, who I would consider a good friend, confided in me today. I was touched that she trusted me enough to talk very openly about personal things. If I have a gift, it is that I make friends with anyone, and everyone trusts in me. A quality that I’ve gotten from my Father, who I look up to very much.

I wish I’d have more advice to give her. Some words of wisdom. But I’m not old enough yet to have the experiences that account for wisdom. But I felt for her. Poor girl. I wish I could have made her smile or laugh.

We all want two things in the end… a sense of belonging (which Kurt Vonnegut talks about in wonderful ways in his writings) and affection from someone we care about.

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So my story of the week… is about a friend who I’ll call “J” , who happens to blow many opportunities to date. On the occassion an opportunity should arise, he holds the amazing super power to low it in one daft move.

This is about prom of some year when I was a junior and Jason was a senior. I’m a junior in college now, so you figure it out, I’m too busy writing the damn story.

My girlfriend at the time, who we will call girlfiend-X or Hanna, who dumped me but I’m much happier now with Betsy, happened to have a very attractive sister named Sara.

You can imagine girlfriend-X, who was going to open an orphange, before that was going to be a preacher, before that decided to be always fickle and changing her future to please others to whom she was talking, as Racer-X from the show Speed Racer, but instead of being a great driver imagine girlfriend-X being night blind and lacking depth perception and possessing the super power of being powerless behind the wheel and with a deadly accurate ability to plow into cars at red lights as though she was a tank supressing human rights in China.

Jason S., the ambitious man and womanizer he is, decided he should take Sara to the prom. The only flaw he saw in this plan was that it would require him to actually talk to her. For many of us on the male side of our species, the “talking” or even “approaching” aspect of encountering females we feel attracted to (a nice way of saying we’d like to freely procreate with, guilt free) as very difficult. Why? Because we’re not the kind of jerks who can get away with free procreation involving females. We just can’t disregard females and their feelings. Ie - we’re not jerks, therefor we never get laid.

I recommended he just show up to prom by himself at the same time Sara arrived and tell everyone he came with her. I don’t think it is necessarily bad to lie in order to promote confidence. He could say things like “I brought Sara, but we decided to do lots of dancing but not with each other. We also came in different cars. Isn’t she beautiful?”

Although it wasn’t a bad idea, Jason Schafnit (or SchaFRUIT as it was printed on mail at one time) went for the next best thing. On recommendation of me, because I didn’t think he’d really do it, he actually sent her a “Yes, No, Maybe” note.

Yes, we’re talking about the kind of note you sent to your crush in fifth grade when you wanted to know if you could both urinate in the sandbox together at recess. Although Jason didn’t want to urinate at recess or at all, but rather dance with her. Looking back, the sandbox bit, although gross, probably held the most potential for a yes.

So he placed the note in the locker and she did respond, but with a maybe. We all know maybe means no, which is what the final response was, because someone else had asked her ealier.

All in all it was a much better turn out than Jason’s junior prom. How so? Well, most people would consider coming to prom with a date and having your date leave with someone else as not being a good story or a better turn out than above.

“Grand Theft Auto 3 is the best game ever. period.” Was a comment on my last rant and rave. But I don’t agree with that. Yes, the game is interactive and has multiple story lines. But it lacks in other ways. The idea that it is the best game ever is ridiculous, because no game can claim that. However, a game might be the the best game ever FOR YOU.

GTA3 is good, but its redundant. I’m bored after about an hour. And Vice City is just GTA all over again, but with motorcycles and a few other neat features. I’m not saying the game is bad. It is good. I enjoy it. But I don’t think it is the best game ever, and there are much better games on the market depending on the experience you want. Want emotions? Play an in depth RPG. Want technical prowess? Play Gran Turisumo 3? Want amazing replay value and multiplayer experience with lots of hidden things to unlock? Play TimeSplitters 2. Want stealth and strategy? Play Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2, or the incredible Splinter Cell.

Nothing can ever be the greatest.

Caulfield, Banks, Violent Games, and Bad Parents:

Let me rant for a second…

“Catcher in the Rye” was a good book, but I thought “Franny and Zooey” was a much better book of Salinger’s. For one thing, “Catcher in the Rye” let me down in the end. The whole thing builds up, and you think something is going to happen. But in the end, nothing really happens in the form of a big event, and you don’t even really know what happens or where Haulden is. So in other words, the first 5/6ths of the book was great, and the last 1/6th had a classic John Grisham “give up at this point” ending. In the end Haulden Caulfield was an interesting thinker and person and was very decissive until the LAST SECOND, in which he became completely pussified (sorry, I couldn’t think of a better word, but that is what happened. he sort of gives up). I still love the book, but I don’t think it was Salinger’s best.

Second, there should be laws regulating the commercials of banks. For instance, when they tell you that “There debit cards protect you for any fraud, except for $50…” they should be shot. Why? Because THEY HAVE TO BY LAW. The bank did not decide to do this for customers. THEY HAVE TO BY LAW. Its the way THE LAW works. It wasn’t generosity by your bank.

Also, FREE STUDENT CHECKING? THEY AREN’T ALLOWED TO CHARGE STUDENTS FOR CHECKING IN THE FIRST! You can get free student checking at ANY BANK (note - i said bank, not credit union).

That is like if they started saying “We protect your deposits up to $100,000 from theft….” That is called FDIC! And they basically HAVE to be in the FDIC if they want customers! No one would put money in a bank, that if robbed left the customers poor and didn’t protect their money!

It would be the same if Oklahoma started saying “Move to Oklahoma, because here you have the freedom of Free Speech.” It isn’t anything offered by Oklahoma not offered anywhere else in the USA….why BECAUSE IT IS THE LAW!

Also, on the news was a bit about a new video game in which players take on the role of disgruntled postal employees, and then proceed to destroy citizens and the city with flame throwers, uzis, grenades, bats, etc… (by the way, those aren’t standard issue of the Postal Service). They said “It will affect players everywhere.” I’M SO SURE…in fact, it probably will increase the number of employment applications that the Post Office will recieve this month by ten fold. Now everyone will want to be a Postal Employee.

Lets give bad parents and video game advocates something to really complain about. A game where you scan in your year book, and the the game puts those faces on targets in the game, and then you get to run around and shoot the ever loving fuck out of them as they run around and scream and bleed and keel over and beg. Until there is something to really complain about - shut up.

I know that isn’t the point, but my point is its not the game that creates problems. The game is a scape goat. The problem is bad parenting. Who in the hell lets their ten year old play Grand Theft Auto or this Postal Game? I can tell you - no GOOD parent. The problem in this country is a lack of responsibility and parenting. BAD PARENTING IS THE PROBLEM. This game obviously was not made SPECIFICALLY FOR TEN YEAR OLDS. Video games are not all made for little kids. Some of us are adults - in fact the majority of the video game world is - and we like adult games. Not games with purple dinosaur heroes, but games with issues, and problems, and sex, and gore, and nightmarish scenarios. And we can handle it, because we are ADULTS.

We seriously need to start screening people before they have children.

Stupid parents raise stupid children.

I slept in this morning. It was everything I thought it would be and more. Coldplay was playing in the background all night as I slept. I woke up a few times, and it was really nice to just be able to hear a whisper of Coldplay creeping across the room.

You can’t get the same effect from a record by NIN.

Another female vocalist I really enjoy is Shakira. Once again, beautiful with lots of talent, seems to be a real person, and has a powerful voice.

There needs to be a new tv station that runs 3 hours of simpsons, then an episode of Connan O’Brien, then 1 hour of Seinfeld, and then starts the pattern over again. That would be TV worth watching.

I think I’m going to grab a digital camera and take a bunch of pictures of other things to do with a television.

“I don’t like Sex on TV, I keep falling off.” - Monty Python

Easter Morning - The local churches in town had a sunrise service on a nearby hill. Watching the sunrise was wonderful and very peaceful. God is Amazing. The sermon at the normal service though wasn’t very good, because it was THE EXACT same sermon as last years…I don’t think the Preacher knew he was doing it over.

Scanned in a lot of negatives this week of my travels in Europe. Found a lot of really good shots. Especially good were the ones of Barcelona, Munich, and Paris. There are some wonderful portraits of my sister Kirsten and her husband Carl in Paris and at the wedding. I miss her a lot - for those of you who don’t know she died last summer in a really horrible car accident, one year and three days after she and Carl were married. He lived - thankfully one of them did. I should go leave flowers at her headstone while I’m home today.

On a completely different note - and less sobbering. Garrison Keillor was hysterical today. Gotta love that show,.

Crystal came to Church today, as beautiful as ever in her red dress and soft smile. We talked so long after Church the Preacher told us to lock up on our way out. She asked me how my girlfriend is doing. I told her we are well. There was a feeling though she was listening to hear me say “I don’t know. We’re not together.”

And on a completely separate note. I saw the music video “Fighter” by Christina Aguilera. The song is good. Her voice is powerful. The video is strange as hell and seems more NIN like than anything else. I really enjoy some of her music. Boy, has she changed since she hit the scene. Her voice is really unique and full of volume and I think she is beautiful - her eyes get to me. But does she really have to do the whole “I’m a sex slave slut” type attitude.

Watched the movie Road to Peridition for the um-teenth time. It isn’t the best movie ever, but it is worth watching. I think somewhere in every guy there is an urge to be in the mafia or at least play some awesome part in a mafia movie. Not today’s mafia, but the old mafia from the Twenty’s. Everytime I watch one of those movies my brain starts thining….”You could do that. You could be a Godfather. You could be that calm and demand that kind of respect…” or something like that. But the point is, it most be genetic because every guy starts thinking that kind of stuff.

Kind of like when you watch the Professional, your brain starts going…”I could be Leon…I’d make a good Leon…” I don’t think women have this reaction to mafia type movies though. Correct me if I’m wrong ladies.

Before anyone gets offended. Let me just say this. The following IS NOT BASED on blogs that I read on a normal basis, but rather on a bunch of blogs that I surfed across today of people I don’t know and AREN’T on my list.

In no offense to anyone, but is it me or do ninety percent of the poeple on Xanga only talk about getting drunk, having sex, and then waiting for phone calls?

If you get drunk and have sex - the first time you meet someone, THERE WON’T BE A PHONE CALL! Wake up! I don’t care how cute he is or how gorgeous she is! The fact is, that if you just walk up and offer to fuck someone and they say yes, well it says a lot about the both of you. People strive to fit into a community - all anyone wants is companionship. So make up your mind whether you want to “get off” with someone or have a friendship with someone. And when you get fucked up, knocked up, whatever, and then realize the other person will never call - don’t complain. You should have known from the start.

I’m not targeting this at anyone specific, but a lot of people fall into this category. My question is this…how do you justify this stuff in your head? There are sports, beautiful days, swimming, art, music, reading, Church, hanging out WITHOUT GET FUCKED by someone you just met and think you are in love with. There is so much more to do than drink and have sex.

The most STABLE things in life are the ones that you put time, effort, and concideration into.

I put my picture up on HotOrNot.com for the hell of it. Kind of fun actually. According to my rating so far, either females are incredibly nice and don’t want me to know how ugly I am, or I’m a stud and need to be doing some underwear commercials.

This one has a lot of quotes towards the end, and some good thoughts in here by me… I think. And the random fact of the post is that Mountain Lions are north americas most lethal predator.

We start our final models in architecture studio on monday, which is scary. Easter is almost here. I wish all things were as simple as eating chocolate. I hope I get a rabbit - I could use something to make nice gloves out of…j/k.

Today was great. Katie and Scott, our architecture crits, are excited about my model and the things can be done with it. So now I get to go out and spend a bunch of money on supplies for the project. This brings me to a point…Money doesn’t grow on trees, which is a growing concern of mine. Why don’t we solve that problem first and then move on to solving other problems such as famine, disease, and war.

As of now, I officially announce my candidacy for the 2020 Presidential Race. You have 20 years to contribute money to my campaign, which will be based on a platform focused on making me rich by creating trees that grow money. Did I say me rich…no…I meant my constituants…yea..thats it.

“I think America is disappointed because they voted for Bush, only to find out he is Al Gore, but Republican.” - Me

I’m on a Simon and Garfunkel, Beatles, Coldplay kick right now. A weird combination, but good. And a little Fiona Apple to keep things mixed up.

“Christmas without presents would be like our birthdays.” - The Simpsons. What a great quote.

While reading Kurt Vonnegut the other day, someone asked me if the book was good. “I don’t read bad books,” was my reply.

Here is a list of movies I find excellent and or really enjoyable. What are some you all recommend?
the Professional (both eueopean and american release), Sliding Doors, Blade Runner (both directors cut and theater cut), Pulp Fiction, Serendipity, Leavins Las Vegas, Casino, God Father, Road to Perdition, Akira, Ghost In The Shell, Stigmata, the first 1/6th of Dusk Till Dawn, Amelie, Raising Arizone, Miller’s Crossing, the Scent of Green Papyas, and Fargo.

BTW, if you want to see lots more weird stuff, then jump over to the Eurapen Webpage to see a lot more humor from me and friends.

I’m going to write a movie called “Yo Joe Ma Ma: the Cellist Pimp.” It will be a loosely based biography of Yo Yo Ma, the famous Cellist player.

“How come you get a social worker? I’m the one with stigmata.” - Millhouse to Bart

“Amateurs built the Ark, and Professionals built the Titanic.”

“Your Sister gave me diamonds, and I gave them to your wife.” - Dire Straits

“There is a gigantic gulf between a good idea and the execution of a good idea, and on the shore, before you even get into the boat, is the hurdle of spelling and grammar.” - Anonymous

“Radiohead’s next album will be crickets chirping ABBA
hits and it will be great.” - A friend

“I’m living vicariously through you and, frankly, I’m disappointed.”

“Little girl likes her brain. What’s your opinion?” -Kent Brockmen, The Simpsons

The storms rolling in tonight were great. I love rain, the way the air feels afterwards, and hearing the powerful thunder roll across the sky.

Wow, my popularity is shooting through the roof at the Theta house. If only they would give me a big my life would be complete. But I think the other girls in the sorority are going to treat me different just because I’m a guy.

I hung out with a Phi Tau all day - well its more like Kenny, and because his desk is right next to mine in Studio. We wasted some time today in the Student Union eating ice cream and stuff while we went to get supplies for the museum project we are working on. We went by the lockers and I grabbed a key, and low and behold - the key and the ENTIRE locking mechanism came out. For those of you not following, this is the kind of locker you have to put twenty-five cents in to remove the key to use the locker.

Needless to say, I kept the key and lock mechanism because it is cool to play with. Everytime I show it to a guy in Studio he says “Wow, I wish I had one.” And everytime I show it to a girl she says “You kept it? You should have given it back!” This just goes to show that men and women are different, and that women are more prone to doing the right thing. I like to think of it in this mature manner though: “I have a key and lock mechanism, and you don’t. So :p”

My sister Rebecca got a digital camera the other day and has been taking all sorts of really cool photos. Checking my e-mail the last few days has been fun because there are always a few neat pictures in the inbox.

Tonight I eat at my house, which should be really nice. Some cousisn are visiting and this is the only time I’ll get a chance to see them, seeing as they arrived on monday and leave on friday.

A bunch of floors are planning on going paintballing again. I can hardly wait to go.

A photography workshop is coming up on saturday. I think I’ll go. Mainly because I already know what I am doing, and perhaps I can learn something new.