atrojasper

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:59:53 GMT

So fucking true: http://xkcd.com/557/

Proof

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:11:01 GMT

This will be continually updated: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v472/atrojasper/Logan/

Finally =)

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:25:20 GMT

Logan Elliot Hupy was born Sunday November 9th at 6:54 PM PST. He's 6lbs 5oz, and 19 3/4 inches long =)

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:39:35 GMT

The fact that http://xkcd.com/441/ came out today is mildly disconcerting, and yet totally appropriate.

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 03:10:53 GMT

So it's a boy.

This makes me moderately unhappy, but it's easily outweighed by the fact that I got to spend about an hour today taking pictures of my future son =)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:09:55 GMT

In the name of all things holy, there is a Ben Linus in my room right now.

Well, okay, it's one guy named Ben, and one guy named Linus, but STILL.

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:34:21 GMT

I have a degree.

Now could I please stop having the dream where I miss an exam?

Yeah

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:36:09 GMT

So.

I'm going to be a father.

From an idiot in my Religions class

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 23:31:03 GMT

"Islam is so easy, so cut-and-dried, it's like the microwaveable dinner of religion."

I need a stabbing knife so badly.

Wed, 16 May 2007 02:55:04 GMT

Breakups suck more than a cheap whore in Tijuana.

Oh wait, I used that one already.

Second go-round.

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 21:42:39 GMT

(Click here to post your own answers for this meme.)

× I miss somebody right now.	✓ I don't watch much TV these days. (I download shows and watch them on the computer)	✓ I own lots of books. (They're all in storage, though =()
× I wear glasses or contact lenses. (I might need them soon.)	✓ I love to play video games.	× I've tried marijuana. (Ew. No.)
✓ I've watched porn movies.	× I have been the psycho-ex in a past relationship.	✓ I believe honesty is usually the best policy.
✓ I curse sometimes. (Duh)	✓ I have changed a lot mentally over the last year.	× I carry my knife/razor everywhere with me. (Only about bout half the time.)

* * * * *

× I have broken someone's bones.	× I have a secret that I am ashamed to reveal.	× I hate the rain. (<3 Rain.)
✓ I'm paranoid at times.	× I would get plastic surgery if it were 100% safe, free of cost, and scar-free. (Nope. I like myself as-is.)	✓ I need/want money right now. (Stupid bank.)
✓ I love sushi.	× I talk really, really fast.	× I have fresh breath in the morning. (Apparently not)
× I have long hair.	× I have lost money in Las Vegas. (Since I've never been...)	✓ I have at least one sibling. (And he's all I need.)
× I was born in a country outside of the U.S.	× I have worn fake hair/fingernails/eyelashes in the past.	× I couldn't survive without Caller I.D.
✓ I like the way that I look.	✓ I have lied to a good friend in the last 6 months. (Who hasn't?)	✓ I am usually pessimistic. (Depends.)
× I have a lot of mood swings.	✓ I think prostitution should be legalized. (Better living conditions and protection is always a good thing. People are gonna do it anyway.)	× I slept with a roommate. (Considering they've all been guys...)
× I have a hidden talent.	× I'm always hyper no matter how much sugar I have.	× I have a lot of friends.
✓ I have pecked someone of the same sex. (I don't wanna talk about it.)	× I enjoy talking on the phone. (Hahahahahahah)	× I practically live in sweatpants or PJ pants.
× I love to shop and/or window shop.	× I'm obsessed with my Xanga or Livejournal.	× I'm completely embarrassed to be seen with my mother. (<3 Mom.)
✓ I have a mobile phone. (Who doesn't?)	× I have passed out drunk in the past 6 months. (I've been kinda close, though.)	✓ I've rejected someone before. (A few.)
✓ I currently like/love someone. (<3 Malinda.)	× I have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life. (I have ideas, but no idea how to make them work.)	✓ I want to have children in the future.
× I have changed a diaper before.	× I've called the cops on a friend before.	× I'm not allergic to anything. (Nickel. And maybe cats.)
✓ I have a lot to learn. (Who doesn't?)	✓ I am shy around the opposite sex.	× I'm online 24/7, even as an away message.
× I have at least 5 away messages saved.	✓ I have tried alcohol or drugs before. (Alcohol.)	× I have made a move on a friend's significant other or crush in the past.
× I own the "South Park" movie.	× I have avoided assignments at work/school to be on Xanga or Livejournal.	✓ I enjoy some country music.
× I would die for my best friends.	✓ I'm obsessive, and often a perfectionist.	✓ I have used my sexuality to advance my career. (Just kidding.)
✓ I think Halloween is awesome because you get free candy.	✓ I have dated a close friend's ex. (I don't wanna talk about it.)	× I am happy at this moment. (Considering my girlfriend is sitting on my femoral artery?)
× I'm obsessed with guys.	× Democrat. (Ew. No.)	× Republican. (Closer.)
× I don't even know what I am.	× I am punk rockish.	× I go for older guys/girls, not younger.
× I study for tests most of the time. (Hahahahah)	× I tie my shoelaces differently from anyone I've ever met.	× I can work on a car.
× I love my job(s).	✓ I am comfortable with who I am right now.	× I have more than just my ears pierced.
× I walk barefoot wherever I can.	× I have jumped off a bridge.	✓ I love sea turtles.
× I spend ridiculous amounts of money on makeup.	× I plan on achieving a major goal/dream.	✓ I am proficient on a musical instrument. (French Horn and Guitar)
× I hate office jobs.	× I went to college out of state.	× I am adopted.
× I am a pyro.	× I have thrown up from crying too much.	× I have been intentionally hurt by people that I loved.
× I fall for the worst people.	× I adore bright colours.	✓ I usually like covers better than originals.
× I hate chain theme restaurants like Applebees and TGIFridays.	✓ I can pick up things with my toes.	× I can't whistle.
✓ I have ridden/owned a horse. (Ridden many, wish I owned one.)	× I still have every journal I've ever written in.	✓ I talk in my sleep. (Apparently)
× I've often thought that I was born in the wrong century.	× I try to forget things by drowning them out with loads of distractions.	× I wear a toe ring.
× I have a tattoo.	× I can't stand at LEAST one person that I work with.	× I am a caffeine junkie.
× I am completely tree-huggy spiritual, and I'm not ashamed at all.	× If I knew I would get away with it, I would commit at least one murder.	× I will collect anything, and the more nonsensical, the better.
✓ I enjoy a nice glass of wine with dinner.	× I'm an artist.	× I am ambidextrous. (Close)
× I sleep with so many stuffed animals, I can hardly fit on my bed.	× If it weren't for having to see other people naked, I'd live in a nudist colony.	× I have terrible teeth.
× I hate my toes.	✓ I did this meme even though I wasn't tagged by the person who took it before me.	× I have more friends on the internet than in real life.
✓ I have lived in either three different states or countries. (Oregon, Washington, Italy.)	✓ I am extremely flexible.	× I love hugs more than kisses.
× I want to own my own business.	× I smoke.	✓ I spend way too much time on the computer than on anything else. (Yeah yeah, I know.)
✓ Nobody has ever said I'm normal. (Hahahahahahah)	× Sad movies, games, and the like can cause a trickle of tears every now and then.	✓ I am proficient in the use of many types of firearms and combat weapons.
✓ I like the way women look in stylized men's suits. (Oh yeah.)	× I don't like it when people are unpleased or seem unpleased with me.	× I have been described as a dreamer or likely to have my head up in the clouds.
× I have played strip poker with someone else before. (No, though people have tried to get me to.)	✓ I have had emotional problems for which I have sought professional help.	× I believe in ghosts and the paranormal.
× I can't stand being alone.	✓ I have at least one obsession at any given time.	× I weigh myself, pee/poo, and then weigh myself again.
× I consistently spend way too much money on obsessions-of-the-moment.	✓ I'm a judgmental asshole. (It's a new thing.)	× I'm a HUGE drama-queen.
✓ I have travelled on more than one continent. (I mentioned Italy, right?)	× I sometimes wish my father would just disappear.	× I need people to tell me I'm good at something in order to feel that I am.
✓ I am a Libertarian. (There we go.)	✓ I can speak more than one language. (Je parle le francais un peu.)	× I can fall asleep even if the whole room is as noisy as it can be.
✓ I would rather read than watch TV.	× I like reading fact more than fiction.	✓ I have pulled an all-nighter on an assignment I was given a month to do. (Hahahahah)
× I have no piercings.	× I have spent the night in a train station or other public place.	× I have been so upset over my physical gender that I cried.
× I once spent Christmas completely alone because there was a miscommunication on which parent was supposed to have me that night.	× There have been times when I have wondered "Why was I born?" and may/may not have cried over it.	× I like most animals better than most people.
× I own a collection of retro games consoles.	× The thought of physical exercise makes me shiver.	× I have hit someone with a dead fish. (I wish. Seuss me.)
× I am compulsively honest.	× I was born with a congenital birth defect that has never been repaired.	× I have danced topless in front of dozens of complete strangers.
× I have gone from wishing I was a girl to revelling in being a boy to feeling like a girl again in the span of five minutes, and not cared a whit for my actual sex. (Can we say Emo?)	× I am unashamedly bisexual, and have different motivations for my desires for different genders.	× I sometimes won't sleep a whole night or eat a whole day because I forget to.
× I find it impossible to get to sleep without some kind of music on.	× I dislike milk. (Don't drink it as much anymore, though.)	× I obsessively wash my hands.
× I always carry something significant around with me.	× Sometimes I'd rather wear a wig in day-to-day life than use my own hair.	✓ I've pushed myself to become more self-aware and thereby more aware of others.
× Even though I live on my own I still cry sometimes because I miss my mother.	× I hand wrote all the HTML tags in this document.	✓ I've liked something which a majority of people claimed was either bad or weird.
× I have been clinically dead for a brief period of time.	× Instead of feeling sympathy/empathy with people and their problems, I simply become annoyed.	× I participate/have participated in auto drag races and won.
× I do not 'get' most comedy acts.	× I don't think strippers are money-greedy or slutty for dancing.	× I don't like to chew gum.
✓ I am obsessed with history/historical things and can't wait for someone to build a time machine so I can be the first to use it. (Well, more like I can't wait to invent a time machine.)	× I can never remember for the life of me where I parked the car.	× I had the TEEN ANGST thing going for at least 2-3 years.
× I wish people would be more empathic and honest with each other.	× I play Dungeons and Dragons weekly. (Used to.)	✓ I love to sing. (Everywhere.)
× I want to live in my mother's basement when I grow up. (Who would ever honestly check this?)	✓ I have a custom-built computer. (Beep.)	✓ I want to create a certain someone's babies, even though there's a 0% possiblity of ever achieving it. (Hugh Laurie.)
× I would be in a relationship with one of my pets if they were human.	× I've gone skinny-dipping.	✓ I've performed in three plays. (More.)
× I enjoy burritos.	× I'm Irish and loving it. (Does it count if my girlfriend is Irish?)	✓ I have a thing for redheads. (Who doesn't?)
✓ I am a twin! (Go me.)	× Most of the times, I'd rather do something intellectual instead of doing something generically 'fun'.	× Once I set out to finish something, I always stay at it until it is completed before I move on to something else.
× I wish there were a way to erase past mistakes.	× I sleep more than 12 hours a day.	× I wish I could be prouder of what I've accomplished, but it's never enough.
× I need more time to myself.	× I wish I was more open-minded.	× I hope that I go really prematurely grey.
✓ I download songs from the internet.	× I've just reenacted chapter 58 of Death Note with my best friend. (Huh?)	✓ I say random things to freak people out.
× I'm still a little mad about the ending of Death Note.	× I love playing Truth or Dare.	× I love listening to slow music, but I hate singing to it.
× Music helps me remember that I am not alone.	× Playing my favorite sport makes me temporarily forget my problems.	× I think this survey is particularly long.
× I prefer my LJ friends to my real-life ones.	× I can only hate someone that I love.	× I've ordered an extra two shots of espresso to an Americano at Starbucks.

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 06:41:54 GMT

Long-distance relationships suck more than a cheap whore in Tijuana.

Music is worthless unless it can...

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 06:13:46 GMT

it's so beautiful here, she says
this moment now
and this moment now
and I never thought I would find her here;
flannel and satin
my four walls transformed.
but she's looking at me, straight to center
no room at all for any other thought
and I know I don't want this
oh I swear I don't want this
there's a reason not to want this
but I forgot

in the terminal she sleeps on my shoulder
hair falling forward
mouth all askew
fluorescent announcements beat their wings overhead:
passengers missing
we're looking for you
and she dreams through the noise, her weight against me
face pressed into the corduroy grooves
maybe it means nothing
maybe it means nothing
maybe it means nothing
but I'm afraid to move

and the words, they're everything and nothing
I want to search for her in the offhand remarks
who are you
taking coffee, no sugar?
who are you
echoing street signs?
who are you
the stranger in the shell of a lover
dark curtains drawn by the passage of time

oh words like rain how sweet the sound
well anyway, she says
I'll see you around

Fri, 12 Jan 2007 06:40:35 GMT

Dear Jennifer,

Let's agree on one thing. Calling a guy and telling him his girlfriend is pregnant by him is about the stupidest thing a person can do. Luckily, when it's absolutely impossible that it's true, at least he's not gonna worry. Unfortunately for you it also means he knows you're lying as well as being stupid. So how about we call it even when I never talk to you again. Okay?

Love,

Brian

I'm blind

Sat, 18 Nov 2006 18:15:38 GMT

I drive past my old High School every day. Every day, I saw the School Zone sign posted at 25 miles per hour. Or at least I was sure it was, until a cop pulled me over yesterday. Once he did, the sign changed to 20. I would not have been going 35 in a 20 if I had known it was 20. So why didn't I know? How could I have driven past the same sign every day for 4 months, and seen it as 5 miles per hour higher?

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 04:30:27 GMT

So today I was House.

Pictures to come.

Thu, 13 Jul 2006 05:41:43 GMT

So I finally got around to it, and here's an accounting of the happenings during my week in Mexico. Forgive the first entry, I was kinda going for a wierd angle that killed itself after the first day. Most of these were written fairly recently after the day was over so as to be fresh.

24 06 2006

Have arrived in Mexico. Hot here. First thing that happened on arrival at the airport: backpack colliding with pavement. Simon suffered only cosmetic damage, glad I have 3 years of ADP. Amazed at the large number of assholes who actually have the funds to come here, not amazed at the number of valley girls with same. Should be an interesting week.

Evening edit: Walk along the watefront and you'll be accosted by thirty people all selling the exact same necklace, hat, bracelet, or ocarina. Everyone is your friend. Molcajete kicks ass as an evening meal (I literally pointed at a random dish and decided to go with it, and was amazed). Food is gonna kill me here, it's good and I have no willpower. The pools are nice for unwinding at the end of the day. There were only two beds (well, a bed and a futon in the living room), so I got to sleep on the balcony. Chose the balcony outside the 'rents room since it's less likely to walk in on them than the Symbiote.

The Hotel

25 06 2006

We had breakfast at Cabo Villas, as part of a sales pitch to try and get us to buy a timeshare that's not really a timeshare. The salesman marked us, tried to convince us he was related to the owners, Dad, mom and Kevin probably bought it, but I was skeptical. The other half of the symbiote was back at the hotel recuping from the flight and such. Dad was interested in the timeshare thing, but backed out when they mentioned that if it didn't happen today it would be 30% more. After getting in a cab which took us (literally) next door, we waited for an hour and a half or so for the Manta Dive Shop to open up so we could confirm our reservations for my lessons and everyone else' dives. This included a bunch of talking to third-party people, and we even got to watch two vendors fight over us. Mr. Italy wanted us to head to his dive shop, and Mr. ATV was actually helping us, so when Mr. Italy threw his binder at Mr. ATV, Mr. ATV started calling for the cop on the corner.

Something about this place: Everyone is in everyone else's pocket. Half the people you see will try to sell you something, and half of those are selling someone else's service, solely for the commission that comes along with it. Even waiters at restaurants will call out to people passing by not just for the restaurant but for fishing tours, glass bottom boats, and multiple other things totaly unrelated to the consuption of food.

Back at the hotel, we tried out one of the other pools, which was populated with the same assholes we saw on the plane (small world). They were engaged in a game of 'toss the football as hard as you can at anything that moves', which meant that when I went to the bar to grab drinks more often than not I would reach my destination with half of it missing.

The Good Pool

Dinner was at 'The Old Trailer Park', which was neither old nor really much of a trailer park, nor did it look like it had ever been one. It was, however, an awesome restaurant, mostly outdoor (this is Mexico), with a roving mariachi band, the menu plastered on the wall, and good pina coladas. Once again food got the best of me.

26 06 2006

Up at 7:30, bland breakfast, on the bus by 8:40 heading out to about 20 miles out of town for an ATV tour. Helmet, goggles, and a bandanna were provided, and each proved necessary. They took us to the top of a mountain, then down a dry riverbed (which had washboarding that made driving an ATV worse for manparts than trotting a horse) to the beach, where we got to play around for an hour. The symbiote and I raided a little village which turned out to be just a house and an outhouse and a man with a rather surprised yet disgruntled look on his face. Then we played around on another mountain and got back in time to follow the caravan back to the launch site.

Suited Up

Family ATV shot

Back at the hotel, lunch, then laying around the pool until happy hour was over (actually, a little more, since I think they closed the bar by the time we left [not the main bar, just the one at the pool we were at]), then we trekked to the sister hotel so Dad could check his email (as well as mine, since he needed a link he'd sent me) and began an hour-long search for an ATM. We didn't want to walk back to the Marina for dinner after that, so we all had dinner at the hotel, which didn't please the symbiote at all. Dark came quick, and we hung around the main pool until about 10, then slept.

27 06 2006

Up even earlier today, as I needed to be at the Dive shop to start lessons by 8. Was informed it would be a 4-person class, no one else had shown up by the time everyone else left for their dives. Only two others made it, a 55-year-old hispanic man from Brooklyn, and his daughter. I knew the Brooklynite would be trouble as soon as the class started, he didn't pay much attention, and it was clear he was only there because his daughter wanted to be. In the end, he didn't make it past half a lesson in the water before giving up, after repeatedly panicking over small things like sand in his fins (We're on a BEACH. It happens). Not long after, his daughter, who actually had genuine interest left because she was exhausted (she was recovering from a cold), and probably would have been back if her father hadn't quit.

Back at the Hotel I didn't find anyone, so I headed down for lunch. Turns out they'd grabbed lunch near the Dive Shop and had just missed seeing me head away from the beach and hail a cab. And by cab, I mean van, since there are absolutely no sedans used for taxiing in this town. After lunch I worked on scuba homework by the pool until my shoulders decided I needed to grab some rest for once on this trip, whence I grabbed a napish until Dinner. The Symbiote wanted to head off on their own, so we dropped them off at Romeo E Julietta's while we headed to The Office.

True to form, The Office was nothing like an office. It was in fact a beach restaurant right next door to the Dive shop (which we thought was a cool coincidence, considering we hadn't know it was there and had been wanting to go there since we got off the plane [or before, in the case of the Parents]). There was actually a sign posted to not commerce with the vendors inside the Office's restaurant area, which I thought was neat. We bumped into the Brooklynites, as well. As darkness fell, the management lit gas torches for heat and light, and there were fireworks from another nearby restaurant near the end of dinner. Once we got back to the hotel, we found out that the chair in the living room was also hiding a bed, so I pulled off the mattress and joined the civilized world by sleeping on it.

28 06 2006

Everyone else got to sleep in today, while I headed off for more lessons. A day ahead because of being the only student, we headed straight out for two 40-min dives. With us were Ice Cube and Beyonce (yeah, okay, not really, but they looked a lot like them), as well as a pair of asian divers and a group of five, one of whom looked exactly like Joanna, a friend of mine from Spring 05. The first dive was just a getting-used-to-being-underwater dive, we took a large look around, met some interesting fish, some eels, and went down as far as forty feet. Of interesting note, many of the fish we saw were right out of a book I used to have as a little kid, which was really cool. Between the two dives, we went to the famous arch at the end of the peninsula, and around to the Pacific side, saw 'Neptune's Finger', and other things desinged to eat up time for us to decompress.

Neptune's Finger

Lover's Beach

The second dive was at Pelican Rock, which as you might suppose had quite a few pelicans resting on it. Ice and Bouncy - Err, Beyonce - opted not to take this dive, along with one of the asians, so it was a lot less crowded underwater this time. There were a few knowledge demonstrations required on this dive, but after those, we again went down to 40 feet and looked around. This time we saw a manta ray resting on the sea bed as well as a small patch of sand with multiple tentacles reaching out. The instrutor motioned for me to keep away from it, and the tentacles retracted as we moved past, which made me wonder just what sort of sea monster was lurking just beneath the surface waiting for some wayward fish to forget it was there.

Pelican

In between diving and dinner was boring homework stuff for the lessons, but Dinner itself was anything but. It was a sunset dinner cruise (sunset not guaranteed) that took us out of the bay and around the peninsula, then out a bit to sea on the return trip. Aside from the grumpy couple (who eventually pointed out to us that we were passing a beach where they'd filmed part of Troy), it was a pretty awesome outing. The waiters on the side also trolled a couple fishing lines out behind the boat. Once, they caught a smal yellowtail, but the second pull on the line escaped before they could reel it in.

The Sea

29 06 2006

Ass crack of dawn again this morning, this time for a pair of 60-foot dives. We got the boat to ourselves this time (the smaller one, as the non-students were on the larger boat), even though we ended up diving in the same spot both times. Both dives were at Pelican Rock again, though as mentioned to lower depths. The first dive was the more interesting of the two, near the start we met a green eel poking out of his nook who looked exactly like a little dragon. Also saw a bunch of fish who, rather than camoflaging as sandy bottom, looked more like plant growth, as well as a pair of Manta Rays, though it could have actually been the same ray since it was a while in between. Near the end of the dive, as we were making a safety stop at 15 feet, the instructor pointed up and I saw that we were dead in the center of a hurricane school of Barracuda. Everywhere you looked was a twisting stream of silver fish. Eventually they gave way to a school of less-harmful... tuna? Done with our safety stop, we surfaced just as I officially got low on air.

Our second dive was similar, with the added fun of getting to say hello to the tentacle monster again. Back at the shop, I turned in my homeworks, took a quiz, and the final exam, which I would have aced if I hadn't skimmed a question and noticed that it was asking about a dive in excessively cold water (plan as if the dive is 10 feet deeper than it is). I walked out of the shop with my temporary certification card and the form to mail in for my permanent one. I am now officially scuba certified.

When I got back to the hotel, the Symbiote was there, and we decided to head to the sister hotel because they have better pools, as well as to pick up a bit of art that they had made the day before. Having spent enough time in the water for the past couple days, I curled up on a lounge by the pool to read a book while they ran off and did stuff. A few hours (and chapters, and nachos) later, we headed out to a bull pen just outside town to take a horseback riding tour.

At first, my horse, Paloosa, wanted to stay at the back of the pack, and I thought maybe I'd gotten stuck with one that was out of gas, but by the time we were halfway to the beach, he'd decided to kick it up a bit. Out on the open sands, once we were more free to leave a single-file line, he seemed to prefer staying up near the front. To our happy amazement, the handlers asked us if we wanted to let our horses gallop a little, and about half of us took them up on the offer, myself included. There's nothing quite like feeling a horse open himself up and run while you're riding him. After slowing down a bit to let the others catch up (including the Symbiote, who claimed that their horses didn't want to run), we made a picture stop, then turned around to head back to the pen.

Picture Stop

We had to take it slowly to allow the horses to cool off, since we weren't technically allowed to let them gallop (which I'm pretty sure is the sort of policy that was set with the intention of being broken to elicit better tips at the end of the ride), during which I found out that Bronco, who was being ridden by a lady with very little understanding of how to handle a horse, liked taking bites out of Paloosa, or randomly kicking him, or really anything he could do. In fact, Bronco was pretty much just a mean horse altogether. But we made it back in one piece, a one-hour ride turned into almost two, which is something I am never gonna complain about.

For dinner, we stopped at the Hard Rock Cafe, which was just about as interesting as I imagined, which is to say not very. I accidentally left my hat in the cab, so I had to flag it down, which got me a very surprised-looking cab driver until I found it and showed it to him. There were a few cool things I noticed on the walls of the Hard Rock, including a guitar from the Counting Crows, but overpriced drinks and burgers detracted from the experience. Afterwards, we went across the street to the Baskin Robbins, and had to plead with the manager to let us (and a woman and her daughter, also coincidentally from Oregon) in before they closed. From the Oregonians I learned that our baseball team had managed to win the national championship this year, go Beavs! On our way home, also by coincidence, we managed to get the same cab driver who I'd had to get my hat back from, which prompted a bit of a nice ride home.

30 06 2006

Not much to say for today, it was an unexpected day off, so I pretty much lounged around the hotel room and the pool, getting as much sun as I could for the last day.

01 07 2006

Not much for today either, we got up fairly late, had breakfast, and checked out. One of our cab-mates on the ride to the airport detailed a method for playing around in the city without actually spending any cash which involved spending every morning doing what we did the first morning, and getting the representatives for the hotels to fight over getting you to go to their hotel. It was an interesting theory, and he ended up spending each day busily and leaving with 20 dollars more in his pocket than when he left. Note to self: Do that next time. The in-flight movie on the trip to SFO was Ice Age 2, which was pretty decent, but I haven't seen the first in long enough to compare.

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 22:23:25 GMT

(Click here to post your own answers for this meme.)

× I miss somebody right now.	✓ I don't watch much TV these days. (Not really a change for me, though.)	✓ I own lots of books. (Parents wouldn't let me buy books as a kid, thought it was a waste. What do you think was the first thing I did as a free man?)
× I wear glasses or contact lenses. (And I'm the only one in the family who doesn't. Including my twin.)	✓ I love to play video games. (Duh?)	× I've tried marijuana. (Duh?)
✓ I've watched porn movies. (Duh?)	× I have been the psycho-ex in a past relationship.	✓ I believe honesty is usually the best policy.
✓ I curse sometimes.	✓ I have changed a lot mentally over the last year. (And over the year before that, too. In fact, I'm pretty much in constant flux.)	× I carry my knife/razor everywhere with me. (I would need a real knife for that. Otherwise it doesn't work.)

* * * * *

× I have broken someone's bones.	× I have a secret that I am ashamed to reveal.	× I hate the rain. (Rain kicks ass.)
✓ I'm paranoid at times. (HAHAHAHAHAHA)	× I would get plastic surgery if it were 100% safe, free of cost, and scar-free. (And not be me anymore? No thanks.)	✓ I need/want money right now. (I'm getting a job to fix that, though.)
✓ I love sushi. (Duh?)	× I talk really, really fast.	× I have fresh breath in the morning.
× I have long hair.	× I have lost money in Las Vegas.	✓ I have at least one sibling. (And only one. Always wanted a kid sister, though.)
× I was born in a country outside of the U.S.	× I have worn fake hair/fingernails/eyelashes in the past.	× I couldn't survive without Caller I.D.
× I like the way that I look. (For the most part yes, but I'm working on losing weight, so I can't check this one.)	× I have lied to a good friend in the last 6 months.	× I am usually pessimistic.
× I have a lot of mood swings.	✓ I think prostitution should be legalized. (Legal means control, means hygeine, means a lot of really good thngs for people who pursue that lifestyle.)	× I slept with a roommate.
✓ I have a hidden talent. (And if I told you, it wouldn't be hidden.)	× I'm always hyper no matter how much sugar I have. (I'm never hyper no matter how much sugar I have.)	× I have a lot of friends.
✓ I have pecked someone of the same sex. (More than. It was a practical joke, but it still counts.)	× I enjoy talking on the phone. (NOOOOOOOO. No.)	× I practically live in sweatpants or PJ pants.
× I love to shop and/or window shop.	× I'm obsessed with my Xanga or Livejournal. (HAHAHAHAHAHA. No.)	× I'm completely embarrassed to be seen with my mother. (My mom is cool.)
✓ I have a mobile phone. (Duh?)	× I have passed out drunk in the past 6 months.	✓ I've rejected someone before. (Many, actually, and at least one I should have but didn't.)
× I currently like/love someone.	× I have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life. (I wanna work with BCIs. Failing that, embedded systems. Failing that, computer architecture design.)	✓ I want to have children in the future. (Go fig.)
× I have changed a diaper before.	× I've called the cops on a friend before.	× I'm not allergic to anything. (Nickel. Go fig.)
✓ I have a lot to learn. (Duh?)	✓ I am shy around the opposite sex. (Duh?)	✓ I'm online 24/7, even as an away message. (Recently, yeah.)
✓ I have at least 5 away messages saved.	✓ I have tried alcohol or drugs before. (Moderation on the alcohol. Only been drunk once.)	× I have made a move on a friend's significant other or crush in the past.
× I own the "South Park" movie.	× I have avoided assignments at work/school to be on Xanga or Livejournal.	✓ I enjoy some country music. (On occasion.)
× I would die for my best friends.	× I'm obsessive, and often a perfectionist.	× I have used my sexuality to advance my career. (HAHAHAHAHA. I have sexuality?)
× I think Halloween is awesome because you get free candy.	✓ I have dated a close friend's ex. (See above.)	✓ I am happy at this moment.
× I'm obsessed with guys.	× Democrat.	✓ Republican. (Kinda.)
× I don't even know what I am.	× I am punk rockish.	× I go for older guys/girls, not younger. (Considering my track record, I should, though.)
× I study for tests most of the time. (HAHAHAHAHA)	× I tie my shoelaces differently from anyone I've ever met.	× I can work on a car.
× I love my job(s).	✓ I am comfortable with who I am right now. (Bingo)	× I have more than just my ears pierced.
× I walk barefoot wherever I can.	× I have jumped off a bridge. (Does a cliff count?)	× I love sea turtles.
× I spend ridiculous amounts of money on makeup.	✓ I plan on achieving a major goal/dream. (Who doesn't?)	✓ I am proficient on a musical instrument. (A couple, actually)
× I hate office jobs.	× I went to college out of state. (I tried, but I love the beaver too much.)	× I am adopted.
× I am a pyro.	× I have thrown up from crying too much.	× I have been intentionally hurt by people that I loved.
× I fall for the worst people.	× I adore bright colours.	✓ I usually like covers better than originals. (Odd, huh.)
× I hate chain theme restaurants like Applebees and TGIFridays.	✓ I can pick up things with my toes.	× I can't whistle.
✓ I have ridden/owned a horse. (It's FUN.)	× I still have every journal I've ever written in.	× I talk in my sleep.
× I've often thought that I was born in the wrong century.	× I try to forget things by drowning them out with loads of distractions.	× I wear a toe ring.
× I have a tattoo.	× I can't stand at LEAST one person that I work with.	× I am a caffeine junkie.
× I am completely tree-huggy spiritual, and I'm not ashamed at all.	× If I knew I would get away with it, I would commit at least one murder. (Hell no.)	× I will collect anything, and the more nonsensical, the better.
× I enjoy a nice glass of wine with dinner.	× I'm an artist.	× I am ambidextrous.
× I sleep with so many stuffed animals, I can hardly fit on my bed.	× If it weren't for having to see other people naked, I'd live in a nudist colony. (O.o Isn't it usually the other way around?)	× I have terrible teeth.
× I hate my toes.	✓ I did this meme even though I wasn't tagged by the person who took it before me.	✓ I have more friends on the internet than in real life. (Duh?)
✓ I have lived in either three different states or countries. (Washington, Oregon, and Italy. I dream big.)	✓ I am extremely flexible. (Judo instructors love me.)	× I love hugs more than kisses. (No?)
× I want to own my own business.	× I smoke.	✓ I spend way too much time on the computer than on anything else. (Duh?)
✓ Nobody has ever said I'm normal. (That would be boring.)	✓ Sad movies, games, and the like can cause a trickle of tears every now and then. (Shhh, no telling.)	✓ I am proficient in the use of many types of firearms and combat weapons. (I like guns. What can I say?)
✓ I like the way women look in stylized men's suits. (Duh?)	× I don't like it when people are unpleased or seem unpleased with me.	× I have been described as a dreamer or likely to have my head up in the clouds.
× I have played strip poker with someone else before.	× I have had emotional problems for which I have sought professional help.	× I believe in ghosts and the paranormal.
× I can't stand being alone.	× I have at least one obsession at any given time.	× I weigh myself, pee/poo, and then weigh myself again.
× I consistently spend way too much money on obsessions-of-the-moment.	✓ I'm a judgmental asshole. (Duh?)	× I'm a HUGE drama-queen.
✓ I have travelled on more than one continent. (I did mention Italy, right?)	× I sometimes wish my father would just disappear.	× I need people to tell me I'm good at something in order to feel that I am.
✓ I am a Libertarian. (Kinda.)	✓ I can speak more than one language. (Je parle le francais un peu.)	× I can fall asleep even if the whole room is as noisy as it can be.
✓ I would rather read than watch TV. (Duh?)	× I like reading fact more than fiction.	✓ I have pulled an all-nighter on an assignment I was given a month to do. (Heheheheheh....)
✓ I have no piercings. (Duh?)	✓ I have spent the night in a train station or other public place. (Airport. On the way to Ohio. It was fun!)	× I have been so upset over my physical gender that I cried.
× I once spent Christmas completely alone because there was a miscommunication on which parent was supposed to have me that night.	× There have been times when I have wondered "Why was I born?" and may/may not have cried over it. (Someone has a case of the Mondays...)	× I like most animals better than most people.
× I own a collection of retro games consoles.	× The thought of physical exercise makes me shiver.	× I have hit someone with a dead fish. (It's on my to-do list.)
✓ I am compulsively honest.	× I was born with a congenital birth defect that has never been repaired.	× I have danced topless in front of dozens of complete strangers.
× I have gone from wishing I was a girl to revelling in being a boy to feeling like a girl again in the span of five minutes, and not cared a whit for my actual sex. (O.o Who writes these things? Who responds to them? Oh, right, me.)	× I am unashamedly bisexual, and have different motivations for my desires for different genders.	× I sometimes won't sleep a whole night or eat a whole day because I forget to.
✓ I find it impossible to get to sleep without some kind of music on. (Though I haven't tried in a while...)	× I dislike milk. (I used to love it. Now it's kinda meh.)	× I obsessively wash my hands.
✓ I always carry something significant around with me. (My wallet.)	× Sometimes I'd rather wear a wig in day-to-day life than use my own hair.	× I've pushed myself to become more self-aware and thereby more aware of others.
× Even though I live on my own I still cry sometimes because I miss my mother.	× I hand wrote all the HTML tags in this document.	✓ I've liked something which a majority of people claimed was either bad or weird.
× I have been clinically dead for a brief period of time. (It's on my to-do list.)	× Instead of feeling sympathy/empathy with people and their problems, I simply become annoyed.	× I participate/have participated in auto drag races and won.
× I do not 'get' most comedy acts.	✓ I don't think strippers are money-greedy or slutty for dancing. (Some are, but not all.)	× I don't like to chew gum.
× I am obsessed with history/historical things and can't wait for someone to build a time machine so I can be the first to use it.	× I can never remember for the life of me where I parked the car.	× I had the TEEN ANGST thing going for at least 2-3 years. (I kinda compressed it all into a year. I'm efficient like that.)
× I wish people would be more empathic and honest with each other.	× I play Dungeons and Dragons weekly.	✓ I love to sing. (And it shows.)
× I want to live in my mother's basement when I grow up. (Who does?)	✓ I have a custom-built computer. (Duh?)	✓ I want to create a certain someone's babies, even though there's a 0% possiblity of ever achieving it. (Cristian Bale.)
× I would be in a relationship with one of my pets if they were human. (No. Just no.)	× I've gone skinny-dipping.	✓ I've performed in three plays. (Well, 4, but somehow I don't think they were being exclusive.)
✓ I enjoy burritos. (Who doesn't?)	× I'm Irish and loving it.	✓ I have a thing for redheads. (Who doesn't?)
✓ I am a twin! (I mentioned that, right?)	× Most of the times, I'd rather do something intellectual instead of doing something generically 'fun'.	× Once I set out to finish something, I always stay at it until it is completed before I move on to something else.
× I wish there were a way to erase past mistakes.	× I sleep more than 12 hours a day.	× I wish I could be prouder of what I've accomplished, but it's never enough.
× I need more time to myself.	× I wish I was more open-minded.	✓ I hope that I go really prematurely grey. (Runs in the family, too. Would be reeeeeally cool.)
✓ I download songs from the internet. (Theef.)	× I've just reenacted chapter 58 of Death Note with my best friend. (Huh?)	✓ I say random things to freak people out. (Duh?)
× I'm still a little mad about the ending of Death Note. (Huh?)	× I love playing Truth or Dare. (Not after the first band trip...)	× I love listening to slow music, but I hate singing to it.
× Music helps me remember that I am not alone.	× Playing my favorite sport makes me temporarily forget my problems.	✓ I think this survey is particularly long. (Because it is.)
× I prefer my LJ friends to my real-life ones.	× I can only hate someone that I love.	× I've ordered an extra two shots of espresso to an Americano at Starbucks. (I've filled that order though. Not at Starbucks.)

Also, I'll post Mexico a little later today. Gotta sort through pics still.

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 01:08:03 GMT

I'm in Mexico.

I start scuba lessons tomorrow.

More details when I return (internet costs me [well, Dad] money).

Wed, 07 Jun 2006 05:20:37 GMT

Rest In Peace,
Geckomeister
06/2003 - 06/06/2006

You left behind a very lonely shoulder.

Wed, 10 May 2006 19:41:45 GMT

Two posts right next to each other, I must be crazy.

http://www.worldofleviathan.com/images/060510femaledraedar.jpg

Tue, 09 May 2006 19:46:32 GMT

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,19043507-38198,00.html

For the first time, I am glad to say that Bush will be out of office in 2 years. I was indifferent to the man before, but something like this I just can't stand. I'll probably vote for whoever the Republicans choose to replace him, as I'm still politically more inline with them than Democrats, but if Bush were able to go up for re-election, I would switch sides.

I should have gone with my gut and abstained 2 years ago.

WHEE!

Sat, 16 Jul 2005 17:50:07 GMT

Okay, so it's a week late (almost), but sue me.

I'm 21 now. Go me.

And yes, I am posting this here simply because it's more visible than my usual blog, which means I'm fishing for congrats and things about something I really don't have any control over.

That, or I'm just giving you all a heads-up as to the destruction of the universe systematically from left to right.

Fri, 10 Jun 2005 04:12:55 GMT

List five songs that you are currently digging ... it doesn't matter what genre they are from, whether they have words or even if they're any good but they must be songs you're really enjoying right now. Post these instructions, the artist and the song in your blog along with your five songs. Then tag five other people to see what they're listening to.

Okay...

1) Still Fighting--Ben Folds Five
2) Catalyst--Anna Nalick
3) Sitting, Waiting, Wishing--Jack Johnson (learning to get it on the guitar, too. WHEE!)
4) The Scientist--Coldplay
5) The Execution of All Things--Rilo Kiley

Tagged:

1) Bah. Too lazy to think up five people who haven't done it. Do it if you want. >.>

Today looks like Meme day to me.

Mon, 06 Jun 2005 03:16:50 GMT

Seven things in your room:
1. Geckomeister!
2. Computer
3. Sunglasses
4. A large empty-popcan conglomerate
5. Guitar (sadly neglected recently, will have to pick it back up)
6. Bed. Duh.
7. BOOKS.

Top seven things you say most:
1. Pretty much.
2. Apparently.
3. Yo.
4. Uh.
5. What the hell is Matt Damon doing in my bathroom?
6. My love for you...
7. I hate you so much.

Do You:
Smoke?: Never have, never will.
Do drugs?: See above.
Read the newspaper?: I grab the school paper on occasion.
Pray?: Nope.
Have a Job: Not started yet, but yes.
Attend Church: Nope. I hate organized religion.

Have you ever:
Been in love?: Nope.
Gone skinny dipping?: Um. No.
Had a medical emergency?: Nope.
Had surgery?: Wisdom Teeth.
Swam in the dark?: I think so, yeah.
Been to a Bonfire?: Heheh. Our homecoming football game always had one afterwards.
Got Drunk?: Nope.
Ran away from home?: Nah. What's the point?
Played strip poker?: Noooo.
Gotten beaten up?: Yes.
Beaten someone up?: Nope.
Been on stage?: YES. YES YES YES.
Slept outdoors?: See above.
Pulled an all nighter?: Once.
Been on radio/tv?: Yeah, a couple times with marching band. And a couple other times as well, I think.
Been in a mosh-pit?: Nooo.
Do you have any gay/lesbian friends?: Yeah. I don't think it's all that unusual these days.
Describe your first kiss?: Horrid. And not just because she's an ex. She just didn't know how, so it was like kissing a brick wall.
Wallet?: Leather trifold that's pretty dead...
Coffee?: Tea. Chai is best, then Darjeeling. Or Dragon-Phoenix if the mood is right.

In the last 48 Hours have you....:
Cried: Nope. Haven't had a reason.
Bought something: Rent for next month O.o
Gotten sick: Nope.
Sang: I'm singing right now.
Been kissed: By Jasper.
Felt stupid: Yep.
Talked to an ex: Well, I don't know where either of them are, so...
Talked to someone you have a crush on: Nope.
Missed someone: Yeah, but that's natural.
Hugged someone: Yep yep.
Sex with someone: Nope.

[HISTORY]

How old were you when you first moved out of your parents home?
Well, 18 for college, but this is the first time I'm staying away for summer.

Did you ever have to move back in?
See above.

How old were you when you thought you were ”in love” for the first time?
2nd Grade! Her name was Liana. How can you not fall in love with a girl named Liana?

How old were you when you realized you hadn’t really been?
Probably somewhere in middle school.

How old were you when you really did fall in love?
Haven't yet.

What year did you get your first real job?
18, when I worked at Pizza Hut the first time. Great first job.

How much was minimum wage?
$7.10

What year did you graduate from high school?
2002

What was the theme song to your Senior Prom?
Who knows? Good Riddance?

[MATH]

How many letters are in your name? (First, Middle, and Last separately.)
5, 4, 4

How many keys are on your keychain?
10

How many windows are in your home?
2, 3 if you count the sliding glass door

How many exterior doors are in your home?
1. Said sliding glass.

How many cars have you owned?
0. Although Dad tells me the truck is mine to keep.

How many states have you had driver’s licenses in?
One.

How many e-mail addresses in your ‘primary’ e-mail account address book?
20 or so?

How many email accounts do you have?
2, and a junker.

[ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT]

What is the last book you read?
Mona Lisa Overdrive - William Gibson

What are you currently reading?
Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand

What was the last movie you watched alone?
Does Dark Angel count? Because it's been a long time otherwise.

What was the last movie you watched with someone else?
Episode 3. Yesterday.

What (if any) one television show do you watch religiously every day/week?
None. Don't watch TV.

Soaps:
Ew....

What is your favourite musical?
Phantom

Have you ever seen a live opera production?
Nope.

If so, which ones?
Meh.

What is your favourite opera?
*shrugs*

Who is your favourite stand-up comedian?
Frank Caliendo

Which ‘Friend’ would you say you are most like?
Chandler. Or Ross. But I don't want to be Ross.

[GENERAL TRIVIA]

How old are your parents?
51 and 50, Dad first.

Are you missing any digits?
Nope.

Do you wear glasses or contacts?
Nope.

Dressing up for an evening out - skirt or pants?
Skirt, always.

What do you use more of: Tape, Staples or Paper Clips?
Staples.

Do you use paper towels or re-usable rags?
Towels. Not paper.

Do you prefer showers or baths?
Showers.

Biggest pet peeve:
Ignorance.

Favourite commercial of all time:
Can't think of one.

Most embarrassing moment:
Trying to figure out how to stage-kiss my opposite in a play when A: She happens to be the Prom Queen and B: The previous plan was bunked just before the play started.

Pro choice or pro life:
Choice.

What jewelry do you wear every day (describe as best you can):
None.

Least favourite relative:
Don't have many, don't really know the ones I have.

Something that most people don't know about you:
I am a woman.

Does any song make you cry?
Nope.

If you had to choose between being beautiful, rich or smart, which one would you choose?
Smart, since I'm neither of the others and I'm already pretty happy.

1. When was the last time you saw a sunrise?
Been a while. I really don't know. Sunset would be easier.

2. On average, how many times do you hit the snooze button in the morning?
1.

3. Are you more apt to make plans or just wing it?
Yes.

4. Study or cram?
Me and studying of any kind are of similar polarity.

5. Loud club or quiet pub?
Quiet.

6. Movies, TV, Music or Books: Which could you not live without?
Music and books, but music interferes with reading sometimes. So books.

7. What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done?
Quit Judo.

8. If you could make any incident in your life go away, what would it be?
You know, I don't really have any regrets.

9. Did you ever date someone just because you knew your parents didn’t like them?
Um. No.

10. What part of the world do you think the sexiest people come from?
Americans of German descent.

11. If you could be anything or anyone for a day what would you be?
A serious actor. Because it would be fun.

12. What was the first album you ever bought?
Um? I think it might have been Brian Setzer Orchestra.

13. What would be the title of your autobiography?
What the hell is Matt Damon doing in my bathroom!?

14. If you could bring anything back from one decade what would it be and what decade would it be from?
Probably a robot of some kind, so that I could take it apart and see how it works.

15. Have you ever called somebody you liked only to hang up when they answered?
Maybe. Probably some time in the past.

16. If your name were in a tabloid headline what would you want it to say?
Um. No thanks.

17. If you could change your name what would you change it to?
Change my last name somehow. Don't really care to what.

18. Who do you most identify with Beavis or Butthead?
No.

19. Do you insist on getting the last word?
Sometimes.

20. Have you ever carved yours and/or someone else’s initials into anything?
Nope. Never been that much of a weirdo.

21. What place do you absolutely have to visit before you die?
Italy.

22. What current musician do you think is overrated?
Most mainstream people.

23. Who was the best James Bond?
Julian McMahon (had to put that in there for Kei) if he ends up being the next. Otherwise, probably Connery.

24. If you could coin a phrase what would it be?
Um?

25. What was your first concert?
John Mayer/Counting Crows, with Maroon 5 opening, at the Gorge. Best. Concert. Ever.

26. What one thing do you love that everybody else hates?
Myself? Seriously, most of what I like happens to end up getting popular. It's like the midas touch.

27. Given the choice how would you spend eternity?
Building things.

28. Which Brady do you identify with the most?
Wayne. >.> Or not.

29. Who’s most likely to put a restraining order on you?
Jasper.

30. Complete this sentence: I will be a failure if….:
Error: Does not compute.

31. What was the last wish you made?
That I was in California riding horses.

32. What is the worst show on TV right now?
Yes?

33. In your opinion what movie should never have been made?
I'm pretty lenient on movies, and haven't watched any that have been truly horri- The Pandora Machine. God, that was awful.

34. What’s the longest you’ve gone without a shower?
A few days. Maybe a week or so.

35. Have you ever anonymously sent something to a person you liked?
Yes. But it was a long time ago.

36. When it’s all over, burial or cremation?
Burial. I think.