tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45093308883347305752024-02-18T17:38:09.147-08:00Loaded Mashed PotatoesLeonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-75276338219144744442012-03-20T21:28:00.000-07:002012-03-20T21:28:04.373-07:00My room mate and I accidentally 20 comics for $5So there's this store in downtown Bloomington, this comic store. My room mate and I just recently began going to it, but it's become an enthralling place, what with the Avengers and Batman and whatnot. Point being, it turns out they have this back room filled with boxes and boxes and boxes of comics and if you buy an excessive amount of them then they are disgustingly cheap.<br />
<br />
So.<br />
<br />
Um.<br />
<br />
I did this:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cTbeMt9-sdxCqi0Sr0Rb9ebYtlBz8zlcJ6TqVri6kP3uVuqKCTp42lsnQCa596ijoHGXFgjmagcpxI8Klwgs-WXf-09dcgoecnOUHG9GFQm8_v5Z1qFMUFla7Cti94ISXG9ASbgqTQ8C/s1600/DSCF7692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cTbeMt9-sdxCqi0Sr0Rb9ebYtlBz8zlcJ6TqVri6kP3uVuqKCTp42lsnQCa596ijoHGXFgjmagcpxI8Klwgs-WXf-09dcgoecnOUHG9GFQm8_v5Z1qFMUFla7Cti94ISXG9ASbgqTQ8C/s320/DSCF7692.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basically it's Hawkeye - Black Widow - Hawkeye up in there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And my room mate did this:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpI6b9CqCWFFBDPjHXF1unOBXV5CEV_8ZnWGQO9nbyL9vl9nclpe9kaySTTQQJcZ0-mqi6mOqYTP-ndsvkn4DUNzR9yiwm5KpckRb1A906FPDInrh_h7Ua-8gXyP8qnbcxKo8hWCE_avrT/s1600/DSCF7694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpI6b9CqCWFFBDPjHXF1unOBXV5CEV_8ZnWGQO9nbyL9vl9nclpe9kaySTTQQJcZ0-mqi6mOqYTP-ndsvkn4DUNzR9yiwm5KpckRb1A906FPDInrh_h7Ua-8gXyP8qnbcxKo8hWCE_avrT/s320/DSCF7694.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is an Avengers Apes and Vampire Avengers too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And there was much rejoicing as she purchased all of the Avengers comics she could find and I did the same with Hawkeye. Also Namor, king of Atlantis, because let's face it, that guy is <i>fly</i>.Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-49838277887624189342012-03-02T08:42:00.000-08:002012-03-02T08:42:27.777-08:00Hawkeye is an Avenger too.<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">So, there's this movie coming out soon. It's a small production, no big deal.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Wait, wait, no. That's not right. Did I say not a big deal?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">What I meant to say was it is a <i>huge deal. A GIGANTIC DEAL. </i>This movie is second in my mind only to the upcoming Hobbit, and even then it's a very close second.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I am <b><i>so excited.</i></b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">So, for a basic overview:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The Avengers is basically the Marvel universe's version of the Justice League. Earth is going to crap thanks to an overreacting Norse God (Loki from <i>Thor</i>) and the government has to gather all of the super heroes together to save the day.</span> <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It's basically taking all of the efforts from the recent Marvel movies and mashing them together to make the most epic movie of all time.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">In this movie there are six Avengers.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Iron Man</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ypress.org/media/images/iron_man_2_twitter1jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.ypress.org/media/images/iron_man_2_twitter1jpg.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You may have seen him before.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> Captain America</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.trailershut.com/movie-posters/Captain-America-Movie-Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="http://www.trailershut.com/movie-posters/Captain-America-Movie-Poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The Hulk</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/155/f/1/Avengers___Hulk_by_ALilZeker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/155/f/1/Avengers___Hulk_by_ALilZeker.jpg" width="175" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> Thor (brother to Loki, incidentally)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111226011417/marvelmovies/images/archive/2/2e/20111226014527%21Thor_Odinson_Avengers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111226011417/marvelmovies/images/archive/2/2e/20111226014527%21Thor_Odinson_Avengers.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> and Black Widow</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Avengers-Black-Widow-Headshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Avengers-Black-Widow-Headshot.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> For some reason, that's where everyone stops. I've told you there are six of them, but most people ignore the sixth member of the Avengers. That would be Hawkeye. He's basically a badass version of Robin Hood, you see. He has perfect aim and a leather body suit.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://0.tqn.com/d/movies/1/0/J/T/Y/avengers-hawkeye-jeremy-renner-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/movies/1/0/J/T/Y/avengers-hawkeye-jeremy-renner-banner.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that BAMF</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> I mean, it might be one of the less spectacular super powers but really, what does Black Widow do? She shoots people and runs around in a leather one piece. They're basically on the same level of coolness, guys, one of them just happens to have boobs.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">So next time you decide to discredit Hawkeye, remember this:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">He used to run around in a flamboyant purple outfit.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fightersgeneration.com/np8/mvc3u/new/2/hawkeye-marvel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.fightersgeneration.com/np8/mvc3u/new/2/hawkeye-marvel.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-10490313192541074192012-01-03T16:01:00.000-08:002012-01-03T16:01:11.188-08:00Woops I still have a blogSo.<br />
<br />
Um.<br />
<br />
Hello again! I've been a little...ahem...lax...about blogging lately, and I do so apologize for that. Finally, though, I have come back to you all! I can tell you are excited.<br />
<br />
I am about to begin my second semester of Sophomore year at Indiana University with a brand new major - history. I was previously a math major, until I realized I can't actually DO math, which is somewhat of a prerequisite if one is to major in it. But dates, facts, names, THOSE I can remember. I think this switch will be for the best, quite frankly.<br />
<br />
For the first time in my college career, I have joined a club as well! I have discovered the wonders and secrets of the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism), which allows me to love history <i>all the time</i>. It's a good thing.<br />
<br />
I have been learning calligraphy (I am perhaps a little behind on practicing), playing flute in a recorder band, which actually makes perfect sense if you think about it, and learning some fancy dances that may or may not actually be period. <br />
<br />
'Cause I am a cool guy.<br />
<br />
Oh! To make things slightly less nerdy I've joined another club as well. A Harry Potter club. We discuss HP in a deep, emotional way. The discussions are actually quite compelling, all told.<br />
<br />
Are these things that cool people do? I think it is.<br />
<br />
So! Once again, I hope to blog on some kind of semi-regular basis about things that happen, and hopefully I will not bore anyone too overly much.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFFq8idqdLMNx-2xq64HkwUmM7XtcpxAkbUuxUICYWLWVNKVv_-PhsvjELXgR5GVlViEkGrzf3yO6g9GHHSd7Tc2pnqEt-DZJ-0X-ItzhyphenhyphenbdeTtHVfG5Nx8gLMxpZ-JoWo0h1KO9jrJqI/s1600/squiggly.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFFq8idqdLMNx-2xq64HkwUmM7XtcpxAkbUuxUICYWLWVNKVv_-PhsvjELXgR5GVlViEkGrzf3yO6g9GHHSd7Tc2pnqEt-DZJ-0X-ItzhyphenhyphenbdeTtHVfG5Nx8gLMxpZ-JoWo0h1KO9jrJqI/s320/squiggly.gif" width="320" /></a></div>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-30182738792770820192011-10-13T07:54:00.000-07:002011-10-13T07:54:19.482-07:00So I discovered this game called Minecraft.It's like Legos, but better. And I know what you're thinking - "Legos are already awesome, how could they get better?!"<br />
<br />
<i>With monsters and lava, that's how.</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pakman.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/minecraft3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.pakman.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/minecraft3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i> </i>I mean, look at it! And sure, it might be a world composed solely of 8-bit squares, but it's brilliant! It's easy and you can basically build <i>whatever you want to.</i><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-TMpGgpxtOJyFhdin3_RVqd5q0Y-NeysujPM1cCVod9aALKyxAfmSbXACmQxdests-un46bYQl1UIVXQjjZhselLr-Hhn-7dOsKBCdw1sI7yyiVRmloyMhJ7OxWBWhwda-WYdLRSxnI/s640/minecraft-enterprise-cap-thumb-640xauto-16802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-TMpGgpxtOJyFhdin3_RVqd5q0Y-NeysujPM1cCVod9aALKyxAfmSbXACmQxdests-un46bYQl1UIVXQjjZhselLr-Hhn-7dOsKBCdw1sI7yyiVRmloyMhJ7OxWBWhwda-WYdLRSxnI/s320/minecraft-enterprise-cap-thumb-640xauto-16802.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MINECRAFT ENTERPRISE</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://freeminecraft.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/1287730923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://freeminecraft.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/1287730923.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MINECRAFT CASTLE</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://minecraft-delicious.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/minecraft-castle-image-delicious.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://minecraft-delicious.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/minecraft-castle-image-delicious.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOOK AT IT. LOOK AT IT.</td></tr>
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<br />
So.<br />
Yeah.<br />
Minecraft.Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-35009862841202918682011-10-02T08:39:00.000-07:002011-10-02T08:39:19.750-07:00I think I am going to murder myself via my music choices.I have been taking piano lessons since I was about twelve, so it's been, what? Eight years on the piano? I really like to play, too, I wasn't one of those kids whose parents forced them to participate in activities. I chose to keep up with my lessons in college, believing that if I didn't have someone behind me the whole time telling me to practice I would probably only practice about once a month (which is sadly true). As much as I enjoy playing it, I just can't seem to practice often enough.<br />
<br />
Over the past year and a bit, I decided to play songs by composers that I have admired since I started the piano, the major one being Chopin, but this year we have moved to Grieg. I am supposed to learn three pieces a semester, and this time around all of them are by our dear Edvard.<br />
<br />
I got a book of his Lyric Pieces and I was glancing through it to see which pieces I wanted to learn. I hadn't heard of many of them, so I was playing little bits of them on the keyboard, just messing around really, when I landed on the Elfin Dance.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/6L6efLBa4Uo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>I really like it, I do, and I decided I wanted to play it. I am not very good at playing fast songs, but I decided, just this once, to try and improve myself.<br />
<br />
Then I saw his Scherzo. It has a lovely triplet-over-straight eighths rhythm which I am particularly fond of, and when I sounded it out I decided it was going to be my second piece. Then, I looked it up on YouTube.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/fZe6ahtBpdU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>And it says, very blatantly at the top, that it is supposed to be played <i>hella fast.</i> Which I somehow missed on my first read-through. But the middle is nice and sweet, and I decided not to back down from the challenge.<br />
<br />
Just this Thursday I got my third piece, which my instructor picked out for me, his Arietta, a nice, slow song.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZgBmoFK8wBo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>So, yeah. It will be a challenging semester, if nothing else.Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-34584822376612557732011-09-26T07:57:00.000-07:002011-09-26T07:57:59.690-07:00I haven't posted in two months, and I apologize.I want to put some of the blame on planning for school and meeting up with old high school friends and then packing and moving, but that's not entirely the case. My summer was just, well...boring, after a bit. The highlight of the break being the time I went to Holiday World (the amusement park) twice in the same week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gzesh.com/images/Coasters/IMG_1745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.gzesh.com/images/Coasters/IMG_1745.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That is the Voyage. It is the world's tallest wooden roller coaster. It occasionally hurts so much to ride it you feel like you need a safe word. The place is awesome, is what I'm trying to get across.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>But after that, it was Netflix B-movie marathons and the occasional get together. Nothing terribly exciting. I moved back to Bloomington about a month ago or so, and all has been well. Classes are going fine, my friends are fine, my BRAND-SPANKING NEW APARTMENT is fine.<br />
And, as a side note, this is what my room looks like:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfhEbgTtNW7jmgtab5KHcMPN2wzS2mmefhfbyYRBe5JKXmOME3ePuqkA_N9TecMQdQNCH-ut8ha5lrwTiHbzsT2lHQvdP5lm3csn4c7fcx1KqpAnpSX_EtZqbuT69GDm1bIBNvLwL7sbO/s1600/DSCF7629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfhEbgTtNW7jmgtab5KHcMPN2wzS2mmefhfbyYRBe5JKXmOME3ePuqkA_N9TecMQdQNCH-ut8ha5lrwTiHbzsT2lHQvdP5lm3csn4c7fcx1KqpAnpSX_EtZqbuT69GDm1bIBNvLwL7sbO/s320/DSCF7629.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCmodH1U_IUYxW7iXYPDx2LgbOZa12GrWn7EmNcQqeOfdofu4gKKAb-IosPKEmgemDLOSAxJ5llVmrqDidoAr_2WIy51gxgCVZHMk-yLn8juyV0CTUa6g5AMmeyPuYMzxIR86mQRtSWI9/s1600/DSCF7633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCmodH1U_IUYxW7iXYPDx2LgbOZa12GrWn7EmNcQqeOfdofu4gKKAb-IosPKEmgemDLOSAxJ5llVmrqDidoAr_2WIy51gxgCVZHMk-yLn8juyV0CTUa6g5AMmeyPuYMzxIR86mQRtSWI9/s320/DSCF7633.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I couldn't give up the books.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTS3N8X7fMfUQKgsEIpTeJqaVyDlJYWOigQmRdlSLHOmJDjgdQrvSVo2JRIZ69pXPG6RMxHzyulEWLkHnG0i8Apsee8NHN1_MfjUAXc4B1ZvwxLEiGzRj8ujb5a_q1_ur8f_qcy_yNoAw/s1600/DSCF7634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTS3N8X7fMfUQKgsEIpTeJqaVyDlJYWOigQmRdlSLHOmJDjgdQrvSVo2JRIZ69pXPG6RMxHzyulEWLkHnG0i8Apsee8NHN1_MfjUAXc4B1ZvwxLEiGzRj8ujb5a_q1_ur8f_qcy_yNoAw/s320/DSCF7634.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonderful keyboard via lovely friend, Tony. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBquQYWdchhrY1n8IFM7JWV9t2VVxIvrlC2P3tijuyebDGPpf_I2sL2L-31A7rgYM2xhyphenhyphenkTCAqARAKqp16_FBAZhU7yc4LNjFEasYUvaECY6VqYxZBrHdmD_ZbD2N0E1KvjVEZQ85x3aMv/s1600/DSCF7636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBquQYWdchhrY1n8IFM7JWV9t2VVxIvrlC2P3tijuyebDGPpf_I2sL2L-31A7rgYM2xhyphenhyphenkTCAqARAKqp16_FBAZhU7yc4LNjFEasYUvaECY6VqYxZBrHdmD_ZbD2N0E1KvjVEZQ85x3aMv/s320/DSCF7636.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDFJG4RxVSkMG7gs_xbb6QQlX3QcqzxcLrvnkRKKxVnt_BbGp1OZVEq3yaPuPYguWsH6XiOYSSahefJxQBBkbm3SQqUU0DmKK4fI474NBEhEaGND_IF0pf9PI5Dz4hJPIHBpXLsVdQ7S_/s1600/DSCF7658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDFJG4RxVSkMG7gs_xbb6QQlX3QcqzxcLrvnkRKKxVnt_BbGp1OZVEq3yaPuPYguWsH6XiOYSSahefJxQBBkbm3SQqUU0DmKK4fI474NBEhEaGND_IF0pf9PI5Dz4hJPIHBpXLsVdQ7S_/s320/DSCF7658.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's Classic Batman, Sherlock Holmes, and Doctor Who all on the same door. I am an accomplished nerd.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The only real thing to note is that I am joining a Calligraphy club, so <i>expect wonderful Christmas Cards.</i><br />
<br />
Hopefully going to blog more often,<br />
And wonderfully yours,<br />
<br />
Caitlyn.Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-61412287902226733682011-08-06T06:03:00.000-07:002011-08-06T06:03:31.062-07:00I did a thing.I took a painting, one someone had dumped in the trash no less:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmcZie61NPfKanOE8upjxb5nsh2RIDkf0tqtc0j5CjmOcGLWIR9wv3mex_BwHSwPNLyWuxKvGsHhqarjzNyG2xVwHhTPruT_GT-zShdc2A1GhrqfV_Xjdvxo8fZYJIQEdcZBsTQ9q7NKC/s1600/DSCF7550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmcZie61NPfKanOE8upjxb5nsh2RIDkf0tqtc0j5CjmOcGLWIR9wv3mex_BwHSwPNLyWuxKvGsHhqarjzNyG2xVwHhTPruT_GT-zShdc2A1GhrqfV_Xjdvxo8fZYJIQEdcZBsTQ9q7NKC/s320/DSCF7550.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>And I was looking at it, very closely, and I decided I wanted to improve it. And by 'improve' I mean 'give it tentacles.'<br />
<br />
This is its story.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXB1Z0uhvHWBZj-7X1Eo5p9Sr0jMMjgmX7eh5S3ucXoCaIpBrE1qbOg9F4rQfACXoALOTI_IUiJo2qFczrw25plFk7J7bOsBMv121QP5EUZ-BkCbV1siMPv0hPEw2ObMIaja1rQDInLewe/s1600/DSCF7551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXB1Z0uhvHWBZj-7X1Eo5p9Sr0jMMjgmX7eh5S3ucXoCaIpBrE1qbOg9F4rQfACXoALOTI_IUiJo2qFczrw25plFk7J7bOsBMv121QP5EUZ-BkCbV1siMPv0hPEw2ObMIaja1rQDInLewe/s320/DSCF7551.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJw3qT_yl-w7tY5gTK732euhBCOtFntCgQ5SBri9Ow101sRYRpY-khIcqCrIIkXqY-jK6xzGeL6OVOj68FOXj7_jG4e5-z96BFEylrlkRIJDnQE0viJyJ-rC9Me1D6sQiKG99mqWUngm2/s1600/DSCF7552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJw3qT_yl-w7tY5gTK732euhBCOtFntCgQ5SBri9Ow101sRYRpY-khIcqCrIIkXqY-jK6xzGeL6OVOj68FOXj7_jG4e5-z96BFEylrlkRIJDnQE0viJyJ-rC9Me1D6sQiKG99mqWUngm2/s320/DSCF7552.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9mfaCRxmhxVLGuc-7vBfhxmuGu5ALP5khSR6LL38rZwjhDbiRyeKztCZbP4OzjXTgkuBy8sze5W1ACoOfi4qdpV7UBn7bxaAYyOnACm0dyq_Xyl9UatuV7xR-xk3gPNe8UoDOleaLsU5/s1600/DSCF7558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9mfaCRxmhxVLGuc-7vBfhxmuGu5ALP5khSR6LL38rZwjhDbiRyeKztCZbP4OzjXTgkuBy8sze5W1ACoOfi4qdpV7UBn7bxaAYyOnACm0dyq_Xyl9UatuV7xR-xk3gPNe8UoDOleaLsU5/s320/DSCF7558.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivxFk_40ajCk4jwiNQqHj6RJI1fvtP0by-fF2Dj-s6TLpr13t60Au7Y2_xgfurcondXfJehabNyiCEB7HDFY_QGmh2pa7dvUMtAE9GFW0oueSTboii2Lng5mnBHTo8kK04Ms2sN3XwjOB3/s1600/DSCF7561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivxFk_40ajCk4jwiNQqHj6RJI1fvtP0by-fF2Dj-s6TLpr13t60Au7Y2_xgfurcondXfJehabNyiCEB7HDFY_QGmh2pa7dvUMtAE9GFW0oueSTboii2Lng5mnBHTo8kK04Ms2sN3XwjOB3/s320/DSCF7561.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Knife-wielding octopus centaur. Oh yes.<br />
<br />
And, if you want some really good paintings-in-paintings, look into <a href="http://www.geekosystem.com/yard-sale-landscape-painting-monsters/">this guy.</a> It's just really great, people.Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-18199708960745289462011-07-26T16:44:00.000-07:002011-07-26T16:44:37.930-07:00Everyone should know how to cook.<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Because, I mean, food is nice. It's delicious, if you can make it right. And everyone should learn to make it right.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">My mother taught me how to cook, and she taught me how to be resourceful with my supplies. I can make a delicious meal without a recipe or with a great recipe and half of the ingredients, which is really helpful now that I'm in college.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">If you didn't know, the stores in the dorms have a very limited choice of foods, and most of those are microwave meals. Which are fine, don't get me wrong, but if you can figure out how to make homemade microwave brownies, that's a lot better.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I <i>can't </i>make microwave brownies, but I can make this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kM6CE-JqBzmonuC9s667icq7T7tthpeyLcndrMikT-Z8Np6bvm4WYuaJmeYmvFv3lV-FDeCZM5a_2i-YjUlj45_iRq0Z487RBmnwboUeh9zUlRja6EcgyHX-Ijnz7xTCuq_VQ2odstDl/s1600/DSCF7507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kM6CE-JqBzmonuC9s667icq7T7tthpeyLcndrMikT-Z8Np6bvm4WYuaJmeYmvFv3lV-FDeCZM5a_2i-YjUlj45_iRq0Z487RBmnwboUeh9zUlRja6EcgyHX-Ijnz7xTCuq_VQ2odstDl/s320/DSCF7507.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOpyb8vH0mYexoYM-BavJAVGq9Nrt1Lo2PVK8_kQJfRtuxmE6FZkodYUx9bhgDQgzzUGTWFo8SAc6-vQfTUpwhsZ1RIEUbq5OP2u4keGe7c2f2l7u8ey644lMAaIXzkUZelv8LxOHkLq4/s1600/DSCF7524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOpyb8vH0mYexoYM-BavJAVGq9Nrt1Lo2PVK8_kQJfRtuxmE6FZkodYUx9bhgDQgzzUGTWFo8SAc6-vQfTUpwhsZ1RIEUbq5OP2u4keGe7c2f2l7u8ey644lMAaIXzkUZelv8LxOHkLq4/s320/DSCF7524.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihW-TJLcppP0bjES_FbbKNx_VFOauoYrb3mNNFcAs0m08OqL4MD7Miyq_sGnscJAbX4tZSBwwEhoIERfi772k59qnm9v9bmhn_QkewC42AShshK_eTKJwCgAIXbydS1B4eoHqUhyCDXSu0/s1600/DSCF7527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihW-TJLcppP0bjES_FbbKNx_VFOauoYrb3mNNFcAs0m08OqL4MD7Miyq_sGnscJAbX4tZSBwwEhoIERfi772k59qnm9v9bmhn_QkewC42AShshK_eTKJwCgAIXbydS1B4eoHqUhyCDXSu0/s320/DSCF7527.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRRAceXdnbnbOcRI3CyPfO3OKynqgF6UstFbecNUQ_A0b_kS4eoNmK28UIHV9ak9rNha3pHVir0qdipgMCP2zkkIrOaps7SD9FBSzmeU8ia_XWq1fYKm-leLeOj_C7wqbX-33HyIq1Apw/s1600/DSCF7528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRRAceXdnbnbOcRI3CyPfO3OKynqgF6UstFbecNUQ_A0b_kS4eoNmK28UIHV9ak9rNha3pHVir0qdipgMCP2zkkIrOaps7SD9FBSzmeU8ia_XWq1fYKm-leLeOj_C7wqbX-33HyIq1Apw/s320/DSCF7528.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53-dlFcsk-RK1mw2wT_VoQoqWEgcIcVH5yLZdrMyl5HKe7j2UOsG3wd2OXQt17oVTDAoYl4A6YmKRL4BwZVDVgps6Zc6e5ybv42Xj0yKADStV28j8SAeJhPyrzwhV2or7ibCATG7t7ymn/s1600/DSCF7529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53-dlFcsk-RK1mw2wT_VoQoqWEgcIcVH5yLZdrMyl5HKe7j2UOsG3wd2OXQt17oVTDAoYl4A6YmKRL4BwZVDVgps6Zc6e5ybv42Xj0yKADStV28j8SAeJhPyrzwhV2or7ibCATG7t7ymn/s320/DSCF7529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not really homemade but tasty</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> And I could manage to make most of it in a microwave. I like cooking, and I like being resourceful. And I like food. Tasty, tasty food.</span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-32952427436216272432011-07-15T11:23:00.000-07:002011-07-15T11:23:56.418-07:00Harry Potter murdered my childhood like Voldemort murders muggles.<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I just...Give me a moment...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fKDhsttaQ1BxB2vGpDtS_kI5IQWV_M4kd80bAC6ERwqJuVH6HRwUSl5MjFtxCxujvfbWPkHVlVgcsKTrPD_0sj3jXi1DIlAB6_JpIm4wLl_5Q7rv2VuHSzU0VVu8doaEZN3VGX0UEk0v/s1600/tumblr_lkbk84KHfQ1qdo7yb.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fKDhsttaQ1BxB2vGpDtS_kI5IQWV_M4kd80bAC6ERwqJuVH6HRwUSl5MjFtxCxujvfbWPkHVlVgcsKTrPD_0sj3jXi1DIlAB6_JpIm4wLl_5Q7rv2VuHSzU0VVu8doaEZN3VGX0UEk0v/s1600/tumblr_lkbk84KHfQ1qdo7yb.png" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I grew up with Harry Potter. It was one of the first actual books I ever read, one of the first movies I remember seeing, the first fandom I was a part of even before I knew what a fandom was.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I've bought all the books. I've got posters. Pictures. Wands. Scarves. Banners. Toys. I've dressed up, laughed, cried. I'm pretty sure Harry Potter is the one who taught me how to feel emotions.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And now it's over? Just <i>over? </i>No slow ease into it, no courtesy! Like getting to Hogwarts and having Dumbledore tell you he meant to send your letter to your neighbor that you hate.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Harry Potter <i>is </i>my childhood. It consumed me. It still does, don't get me wrong, but a body starves when given no nourishment. A Potter fan loses some magic when Harry grows up. In order to thrive we have to give the books to our cousins, our nieces and nephews, our children, and we have to hope that they love it like we do. We have to hope that they get that little spark of magic, that they grow so attached we can get away with dressing them up like a Weasley for Halloween.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I'm not going to say anything about the movie, just that it was spectacular. That it was brilliant, and beautiful, and... *sob* ... magnificent.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I thought I felt bad when Toy Story 3 came out, and this eclipsed it by a thousand fold.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I mean really, what do we have now? <i>Twilight? </i>That's the next big epic, children. Sparkly vampires and pedophile werewolves. <i>Great.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Now I have to cling to Sherlock Holmes as hard as I can and hope then make seven more of those, or hope J.K. Rowling decides to just write about Harry Potter for the rest of her life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Oh! And Pottermore. We have Pottermore. And hopefully Monsters Inc. 2 will be good.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But I have to stop rambling now. It's making me feel worse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Mischief Managed.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b> </b></span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-88655114412488267622011-07-02T12:04:00.000-07:002011-07-02T12:04:48.737-07:00The most adorable post I may ever make.<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">For the past two weeks I've been almost constantly at my friend Emily's house. Partly because she has instant Netflix, so we sit and watch horrible horror movies or Doctor Who for hours</span>. <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And partly because she has a new puppy.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHGQMDjRM2En0n0VphBeMjvJ9-l7yORx45AFWhy_kqY0OVWdrPSZfAgHad3E8Puk3O6YiBspigwvqbOpAFZqAArUBX8KTrZ6XK8Ubfh1i2HCLUQwkp6vuuTLHjGZVEvCcxRWcL1h_Xrig/s1600/photo%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHGQMDjRM2En0n0VphBeMjvJ9-l7yORx45AFWhy_kqY0OVWdrPSZfAgHad3E8Puk3O6YiBspigwvqbOpAFZqAArUBX8KTrZ6XK8Ubfh1i2HCLUQwkp6vuuTLHjGZVEvCcxRWcL1h_Xrig/s320/photo%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBINUD-g5sSPAv4425JVot3oQfGptwJtYHyKYKCD6SUi4KUUiWs6zaqAnYvg1wOWamli0mvEL_PMDzW2nfuYoqGgjUVbGPQuYJf0QGC5bSqm1BVLqQ_fCXInpl1MSKMq-LDVM5tYOhUZ3P/s1600/photo%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBINUD-g5sSPAv4425JVot3oQfGptwJtYHyKYKCD6SUi4KUUiWs6zaqAnYvg1wOWamli0mvEL_PMDzW2nfuYoqGgjUVbGPQuYJf0QGC5bSqm1BVLqQ_fCXInpl1MSKMq-LDVM5tYOhUZ3P/s320/photo%25283%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUvC_CA0GH8M4MZhxkT828ilWvBmlgEtXVlSEdb4fZ_SMU-3b5d_tMAquNIUNvNzZVyYts2Pbq8fexhd-2vlF5MrEYPCU-5CwtafMpWv5CGVvNdO07mDhsiAG4G8SBnNFcqWfsua3AWIJ/s1600/photo%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUvC_CA0GH8M4MZhxkT828ilWvBmlgEtXVlSEdb4fZ_SMU-3b5d_tMAquNIUNvNzZVyYts2Pbq8fexhd-2vlF5MrEYPCU-5CwtafMpWv5CGVvNdO07mDhsiAG4G8SBnNFcqWfsua3AWIJ/s320/photo%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The dog, Sophie, may or may not be the next regeneration of the Doctor. Which means if she meets my dog, it might be a little messy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I like Emily's house. She lives in the middle of town, whereas I live in the middle of <i>nowhere, </i>and it's hard to make fun of movies like The Beast Within (which you should check out, by the way) when you're the only one suffering through it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And, for a while, we partied like rock stars.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i> </i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And by rock stars I mean nerds. Whatever.</span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-75228509248643855122011-06-23T09:20:00.000-07:002011-06-23T09:20:00.248-07:00The Oncoming Storm, the Madman With A Box<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">When I went off to college I made some new friends, with new interests and new, um...obsessions...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And one of these obsessions grabbed hold of me and is determined not to let go.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tweetweetbang.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/doctor-who-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://tweetweetbang.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/doctor-who-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.stargazersworld.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/doctor_who_wideweb__470x355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://www.stargazersworld.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/doctor_who_wideweb__470x355.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01646/doctor_who_1646565c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01646/doctor_who_1646565c.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaaaaand this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> Doctor Who - one of the most influential, popular, and downright fantastic television shows to come out of the UK. It spans more than forty years, and because of that the Doctor (the main character, you know) must regenerate into a new man, a new face, and travel around the galaxy on the TARDIS, his spaceship - gah, you know what, just trust me. It's good. And I like it. I like it a lot.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">So much I had to procure myself a Sonic Screwdriver, the Doctor's weapon of choice (and by weapon I mean a screwdriver that is sonic).The Doctors above are the Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh incarnation of the original man. Nine and Ten have the same device, a sexy silver screwdriver, but Eleven's is different - all nice and steampunk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But Nine has always been my favorite Doctor, so I decided to get his - and Ten's of course.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And so I ordered one. And I waited...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And I waited...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And I waited...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But today it came! My excitement was obvious!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfBCkW3zXhyphenhyphenltp6DHboKSvUj_GZE05AM2YSMeymwZh5OObOS0NMpIpNqG5Fa_qlgwDsQKbxoHf93AaQAhOgbLHak0OOaUopG63siAr-Ipsm8BhYJ0mdkSlk0eRIFUQ1YW_rrR8_YF2NcM/s1600/DSCF7480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfBCkW3zXhyphenhyphenltp6DHboKSvUj_GZE05AM2YSMeymwZh5OObOS0NMpIpNqG5Fa_qlgwDsQKbxoHf93AaQAhOgbLHak0OOaUopG63siAr-Ipsm8BhYJ0mdkSlk0eRIFUQ1YW_rrR8_YF2NcM/s320/DSCF7480.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I rushed to the mailbox to claim my prize - which I will say was dropped of not by the mail lady but by the Doctor. He just couldn't stick around long enough to say hello.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXHuUNhLhMDeaypd0qhfpZrfbiyoTXQHbE6xTI2wQn2FWctqLEbciFVB-fi85hz7Do0m4_g3l2Uf7-bjaFPjny8UGmghpKLNfaY30m22Xnz8Ask3J4tk9GncAWXmDQD15LCFIG0ElB_2k/s1600/DSCF7482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXHuUNhLhMDeaypd0qhfpZrfbiyoTXQHbE6xTI2wQn2FWctqLEbciFVB-fi85hz7Do0m4_g3l2Uf7-bjaFPjny8UGmghpKLNfaY30m22Xnz8Ask3J4tk9GncAWXmDQD15LCFIG0ElB_2k/s320/DSCF7482.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">asdfghjkla</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJw-5qBV0bhR2MLr93gTdnQaCFJFZRu7WrISi4hSXzd1d_b_v5Cu60or7Cg2AsvhCR9CU6DU7enTBqYMY4FCiJ1-nOr4zyIJdUmPSVlArAn1uAzEeGMP_URArfYu9Pu72oCTKd_hS8npIN/s1600/DSCF7483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJw-5qBV0bhR2MLr93gTdnQaCFJFZRu7WrISi4hSXzd1d_b_v5Cu60or7Cg2AsvhCR9CU6DU7enTBqYMY4FCiJ1-nOr4zyIJdUmPSVlArAn1uAzEeGMP_URArfYu9Pu72oCTKd_hS8npIN/s320/DSCF7483.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sdlfghealrkflakjeh;H;RKGJSHR - wait, hold on...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9p6Qw0fI3-hz4uB5QJ0cL9MI71BzCAe2LuwIfu_DkPJz5Ud9un2382Etje4WJ2MbC6mud8BQrT33z3rgXe7a4-J5ruNuXbr-GoBtKw2yO0khyuPQEdQkmdG8wDw-T66oKhWdXfat9QWj/s1600/DSCF7484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9p6Qw0fI3-hz4uB5QJ0cL9MI71BzCAe2LuwIfu_DkPJz5Ud9un2382Etje4WJ2MbC6mud8BQrT33z3rgXe7a4-J5ruNuXbr-GoBtKw2yO0khyuPQEdQkmdG8wDw-T66oKhWdXfat9QWj/s320/DSCF7484.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SLIGUESRHLEHSRLGUA;ueha;oguah;EH;GODHG;SERJ; - but is that...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">That is the Tenth and Eleventh reincarnations of the Doctor on the package for the screwdriver of </span><i style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Nine and Ten.</i><br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</div><i><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">What</span>.</i><br />
<i> </i><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">For some reason fewer people like Nine, but to not put him on the package of his own screwdriver is a little mean.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But none of you really care about that but me, so MOVING ON.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I am very excited. I tried to Sonic my dogs to make sure they weren't alien life forms, but Goren just ran away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I think that means he's a martian.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj453WKAbUxZEkc6NG3Hu2TrTo6m-rvcP-hRt4VLgRyreqTaIDsH5Z-0L-32ge1r3wHR0Bn_Au3P2_Qx1O_kbh-1-YlodPMNVj7wSzJ9-fsQCEXBkcThMpNCRGxGVkfCKPBQpsfoCFcjiRT/s1600/TAHDIS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj453WKAbUxZEkc6NG3Hu2TrTo6m-rvcP-hRt4VLgRyreqTaIDsH5Z-0L-32ge1r3wHR0Bn_Au3P2_Qx1O_kbh-1-YlodPMNVj7wSzJ9-fsQCEXBkcThMpNCRGxGVkfCKPBQpsfoCFcjiRT/s320/TAHDIS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-42027564928838213792011-06-20T16:16:00.000-07:002011-06-20T16:16:21.769-07:00I am going to rename my dog.This one.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_rjJjXK6_WuhL3JnDSJPDsrSc82cx0feZvKGn4zW7NzjrI3y32moy_eSncENmDHTRX-zQG5rwcIE1jfnoJdua5QxrQd08tJd6toIbMkjnfbghOID6D9tEbaC1EJzbhhUzbXYkLrmqzVJ/s1600/2008_0731Camera0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_rjJjXK6_WuhL3JnDSJPDsrSc82cx0feZvKGn4zW7NzjrI3y32moy_eSncENmDHTRX-zQG5rwcIE1jfnoJdua5QxrQd08tJd6toIbMkjnfbghOID6D9tEbaC1EJzbhhUzbXYkLrmqzVJ/s320/2008_0731Camera0002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>His name is Goren. For now.<br />
<br />
I plan on renaming him Snorty BigHead though. For several good reasons, not just because I'm quite fond of the name (which I am).<br />
<br />
When Goren gets particularly perturbed he makes an odd noise with his nose. You can tell it's a bothered noise, one he makes when something has gone horribly awry. And for Goren, pretty much everything goes wrong every day. He's not the most stable dog in the world. He's afraid of round things and cell phones when they're on vibrate. It would be hilarious if - no, wait, it IS hilarious!<br />
<br />
He was making the weird snorty noise a lot the other day, because we tried to give him a hair cut. He doesn't like change, aided by the fact that our dog shears are the noisiest contraption second only to a jumbo jet. It was awesome (Read: horrifying).<br />
<br />
Goren became so terrified that we finally had to let him go, halfway through his trim. Now, normally we get a professional to cut his hair, but we weren't able to make an appointment this time. With no prior dog-hair-cutting knowledge, Goren ended up looking like a weird Two-Face, except in tiny dog form.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32RR6r587O0sFyc-b-or4ZzBMZpttWBIwHpnY16iB_o1LG_UhUfVOhie1C0g4JnDKcrJag0c0gWUN1eOgU1B-k-UHeRzbDNlnlBXDQOStYN3gUoAlKl749M3LZ3o9PdJoZrlDGuS0l_BM/s1600/DSCF7471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32RR6r587O0sFyc-b-or4ZzBMZpttWBIwHpnY16iB_o1LG_UhUfVOhie1C0g4JnDKcrJag0c0gWUN1eOgU1B-k-UHeRzbDNlnlBXDQOStYN3gUoAlKl749M3LZ3o9PdJoZrlDGuS0l_BM/s320/DSCF7471.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still-furry side...oh wait, TOTALLY SMOOTH.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>And we didn't trim up any of his head, leading to an awkward, Two-Face Chibi Dog of Hilarity.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLwnihv54JExtvFjj5-gEiVCoszO80QasChquJbAYxWsGguqDS_7H8tASpYtiU9DetqjPQrKcb6uPzMpGoivNju-loG3LT5iPYoG7H6_aVspPjOJP726JDnQd6Knirfh3Vk6fmzWrMTBU/s1600/DSCF7469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLwnihv54JExtvFjj5-gEiVCoszO80QasChquJbAYxWsGguqDS_7H8tASpYtiU9DetqjPQrKcb6uPzMpGoivNju-loG3LT5iPYoG7H6_aVspPjOJP726JDnQd6Knirfh3Vk6fmzWrMTBU/s320/DSCF7469.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Now he's all out of proportion and I can't stop making fun of him even though he can't understand me.<br />
<br />
Because he is a dog. You know. Right. Anyway.<br />
<br />
Like I said, he doesn't like change, so it might be a while before I can successfully get him to answer to Snorty BigHead, but I have time. I am nothing if not patient.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdw2GLzV9Bvjq-UV0vFJdo0VULi3nN7BDxzVzt-pcdTlguH268QPIlY-D03MGDTznZH9pHsvup8igV2Hxtmaz16plELTS6-adxURQZYcVNxvChGUbT5EFr3nGu4iyaXMOEemNEfB3Y3wC/s1600/tumblr_lkbjwrbKEG1qdo7yb.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdw2GLzV9Bvjq-UV0vFJdo0VULi3nN7BDxzVzt-pcdTlguH268QPIlY-D03MGDTznZH9pHsvup8igV2Hxtmaz16plELTS6-adxURQZYcVNxvChGUbT5EFr3nGu4iyaXMOEemNEfB3Y3wC/s320/tumblr_lkbjwrbKEG1qdo7yb.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can wait.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-48747197416661436512011-06-08T14:46:00.000-07:002011-06-08T14:46:08.289-07:00The Nigh-Ungodly Heat May Be Causing Hallucinations.<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It is hot today. Very, very hot.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I think the weather man said it was record breaking, this heat. (REALLY? I HADN'T NOTICED.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I woke up this morning fully intending to exercise, or at least get some fresh air, but by the time I had gotten dressed and consigned myself to torturous repetitious lunges and push-ups and treadmills it was as hot inside as it was outside. And but that I mean it was nearly 80 degrees in the house.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It's nearly 90 now. Inside. I asked my brother if the Gods of the Chill Wind were angry at us for something. He collapsed and was unable to speak for the oppressive heat. I suggested sacrificing a goat (they sell them on Craigslist apparently).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">So now I sit in a pool of my own sweat, trying to prevent my dog from sitting on me and giving me heatstroke. I try to watch television, but without cable my only options are shows about Judges like Judy or Alex or old black-and-white programs.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I tried to read, for a while. I tried to read The Lord of the Rings, but between the heat and Tolkien's very descriptive account of Lothlorien I began to imagine my house sitting in the middle of an Elven forest. The leaves were gold and flowers bloomed everywhere and it was midwinter and I was actually cool.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jmibullfrog.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/lothlorien1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://jmibullfrog.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/lothlorien1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kind of like this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And then I thought that perhaps I was going crazy. "No, I can't be going crazy," I said to myself as Bilbo Baggins toasted me with Elrond.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">My point is, it's really hot, and I don't know what to do except fill a grocery bag with ice cubes and lay it across my face.</span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-42329866422559461122011-06-01T14:04:00.000-07:002011-06-02T08:06:12.446-07:00There and Back Again: A Short Girl's Tale, by Leonard.<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Yesterday, in a fit of what I can only call madness, I decided to visit our creek. Not that it's actually <i>our </i>creek, not really; it winds its way through at least three different properties besides ours. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Or, in actuality, I went because I am reading The Lord of the Rings. But that has little to do with the rest of the post, mainly because the rest of the post is designed to make you jealous of my back yard. Through photographs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But what I had failed to take into account was that I had just come from IU. My entire high school holds maybe five hundred people - the freshman class at IU has about 10,000 members. IU's campus is larger than my entire town. IU has restaurants, movie theatres, concert halls, auditoriums. My town has one four way stop and no stop light, a tiny donut shop, a general store that might be older than the town.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I walked through the front doors, and it felt weird to be back. I hadn't realized how small everything was until I had experienced something bigger than anything I had yet seen - or at least lived in. It's not small in a particularly unpleasant way, though. It's small-town small, country small. Bordered by farmland and grass. Not quite big enough to have its own Football team.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And you'd think, with a place that small, you'd recognize somebody. But, with the exception of the friends we went to see and the few people I had classes with, no one there was familiar. They were the new freshmen coming in from junior high, the sophomores that were just young enough to be unrecognizable, and even the juniors and seniors I knew because they are friends with my brother.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I realized, while I was there, that my class was gone. We were scattered to the wind. We were off doing our own things, trying to pass college, trying to get jobs, trying to be something someday, and the school was forgetting us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The teachers remembered, though. Some of them had us for all four years of high school, and some of them taught our parents. They would remember us long after the freshmen forgot about us; after our names were scribbled out of textbooks; after our faces in the class photo, all seventy of us, were unrecognizable to other students.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I hope we gave them something good to remember. </span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-24416599530699874892011-05-11T10:52:00.000-07:002011-05-11T10:52:46.840-07:00Exercising when you don't want to and not eating all of the Girl Scout Cookies<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Since going to college I have lost some weight, but not because I have made any major changes to my diet or lifestyle. There was really only one major thing that caused the weight loss.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I had to walk everywhere. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">My high school is one building, with two floors and maybe a dozen hallways. It is no colossal labyrinth like some people's seem to be. We had to take PE for one year and that was it, and I was never quite good enough or motivated enough to join an actual sports team.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But college, that is an entirely different monster. I'm pretty sure IU's campus is larger than my entire town, with a population nearly quadruple the size. Between just getting to my classes and elbowing through massive throngs of people, I got a full-body workout without having to go to the gym.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I would also say the lack of a good, home-cooked meal also led to a slimmer figure, but my dorm had a convenience store that never ran out of ice cream or cheese cake. I will say this, though: Nine times out of ten, when I went on a grocery run, I bought hummus instead of cheesecake. I love hummus; one of the first things I checked when I got home was to see whether or not we had any hummus (we have two tubs full-the mother lode).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But now that I AM home, there IS food everywhere-free food, too, and I don't have to walk anywhere to get it. For the first couple of days back I was basically sedentary, except when I was making myself food.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">When I finally came out of my food haze, though, I realized what I was doing, and decided I had to stop. That particular plan has not gone so well, but in light of that I decided I have to start working out. So far I've ran for three days in a row, which is a pretty good start, I think.</span> <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Also,</span> <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I use the word run loosely. Really, I walk kind of fast, but I count it.</span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And I made a playlist (not like a brilliant one, but I like it). It's really random but it helps keep me on track. The centerpiece of the whole thing, the crux, is I'll Make a Man out of You from Mulan. When it comes on I run as fast as I can for the whole song (which is only like three minutes long, but cut me some slack. I'm lazy) and hope for the best.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Not the best method, sure, but it's better than anything else I can come up with.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZSS5dEeMX64?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-42271443331024646772011-05-04T12:46:00.000-07:002011-05-04T12:46:19.422-07:00Today is my last day at IU.<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Freshman year has gone by fast. In a haze of classes, dorm food, and almost unashamed boredom I have spent two full semesters here. I am still shocked every day to see that the beauty that initially made Bloomington my first choice for school has not faded away. The coming summer months make the place greener, fresher, lovelier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But I am ready to go home. I have lived too long with a room mate (not that she's a bad person, I am just a private one) and I have had enough of classes for now. I miss my family, my friends, my dogs, my familiar bed - </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But that is where I stop. This bed has become familiar to me. When I go back for weekends or holidays this is the bed I want to sleep in. The people in my classes, the teachers, have become welcome sights. I might not have my own pets, but I do have squirrels and chipmunks that will almost stand still long enough for you to pet them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And - I'm not going to lie - living away from my parents has been fun. Part of that might be because I haven't had to do chores, but I think it's also shown that I have responsibility. I'm not dead. I'm not addicted to drugs. I haven't gone to jail. I enjoy living away from all of that, from the same town I've been a part of since I was six.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And I've made so many friends here, from so many different places. They are not my friends from home for sure, but they're just as good, and now I have to leave them for four months. I am being stripped of the people that I have spent nearly every day of an entire year with. They are some of my best friends now, some of my favorite people to talk to and gossip with and drink coffee on a cold day with.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I'm not sure how I'll be able to cope.</span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-47883027222786408212011-05-02T12:50:00.000-07:002011-05-02T12:50:27.301-07:00The Post In Which Caitlyn Chronicles Her Attempt To Learn The Ukulele<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">My love of the ukulele has been a long but rather uneventful series of lusting after a ukulele and then forgetting about it a week later, much like my obsession with the harmonica (of which I have four yet I still do not know how to play any of them). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">A few years ago, however, my school got a new band teacher who could play the ukulele. Slowly but surely he indoctrinated my brother into his horrible ukulele cult of Jason Mraz and large Hawaiian superstars. My brother has some weird attachment to string instruments; he can play guitars and basses and once attempted the violin, though he then proceeded to break it. He decided he needed a ukulele, too, just to complete his collection.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">When his ukulele arrived, I was jealous, I'll admit it. So I proceeded to buy one for myself, out of ukulele envy. I then brought out my evil laugh, just to make it a little more dramatic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Since I bought it, so many months ago, I have managed to learn one song (Over the Rainbow, of course) and can occasionally remember I'm Yours by Mraz. I recently looked up Hedwig's Theme and The Pirates of the Caribbean music as well, but it turns out that I was not built to play string instruments (unless you consider the piano a string instrument, but I always call it percussion) and I have been having some trouble getting my fingers to do what they are supposed to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But I shall labor on, eating myself into a catharsis and moving to Hawaii to become a famous ukulele player before my brother. Because I am always better than him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">These are not opinions, these are facts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
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</span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-1652966813222624732011-04-27T12:00:00.000-07:002011-04-27T13:42:33.888-07:00I am going to see Spamalot tonight or, Even Sweet Transvestites Win Once in a While.<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Indiana University - blessed IU - can sometimes be extremely supportive of my nerd love, and there are very few things that I love more than Medieval mythology and funny British men. The speak to me, deep in my soul, and I cannot help but love everything about them. So, when I heard that IU was putting on Spamalot, the musical based on Monty Python's The Holy Grail, I could do little but stare agape, drooling in utter disbelief and excitement, waiting for tickets to go on sale.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And then I waited a little too long. My friend and I (the friend that usually accompanies me on my less-than-typically-teenage escapades) went to purchase tickets about a month ago. A month, we reasoned, gave us enough time to get good seats yet not seem too eager. We wanted to seduce this play like a love long lusted after, not like a first date fumble. Or maybe it was just me.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I like to daydream a lot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And so we went to get tickets, and found that the only seats left were all the way to one side of the auditorium or in the balcony. Apparently, treating popular musical adaptations of movies like dates you want to impress is not the way you are supposed to go about these things. We ended up getting the seats that were closer to the stage instead of the balcony seats in the middle of everything. Problem is, I am short and very nearsighted, so either of these choices were probably going to be difficult.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">So, tonight we see Spamalot. Me for the first time and my friend for the <b>third</b>. It will be totally awesome.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxnSRVZTWnpVb36Jysc3TvuU55G7qWFD-L3Q2DN2xuUnWf4YOnNHTM5W2jbjNA6d80qyl_53DUr4MLL1WoJw1qkpQzGNbHCRso5frzMOg5SqmyFQ3qKyo3nmtQc2-lx9TPrhC9OCMr6A3/s1600/funny-celebrity-pictures-sweet-transvestites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxnSRVZTWnpVb36Jysc3TvuU55G7qWFD-L3Q2DN2xuUnWf4YOnNHTM5W2jbjNA6d80qyl_53DUr4MLL1WoJw1qkpQzGNbHCRso5frzMOg5SqmyFQ3qKyo3nmtQc2-lx9TPrhC9OCMr6A3/s320/funny-celebrity-pictures-sweet-transvestites.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-7777050741610649712011-04-23T11:13:00.000-07:002011-04-23T11:13:02.468-07:00Complimentary Gershwin or, Sublime Totally Appreciates Porgy and Bess<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">First, Summertime by Gershwin, from Porgy and Bess:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/K6DI6ysDemk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And then, Summertime with lyrics, with Renee Fleming singing:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/hRCRMJwrTY8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And third, Summertime by Sublime (which is an excellent band, shut up):</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ayE6Shlv598?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">See? See what they did there? Yeah, impressive, right? Or at least it was to me, I dunno...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">NOW ON WITH THE GERSHWIN, EH?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I Got Rhythm Variations (I like it, okay?): </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/i-2Dg6KJAkQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> An American In Paris (which pretty accurately reflects my mood right now):</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/BUfI6v6SwL4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Swanee (also, player pianos scare me a little):</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/WDBbK8wohCI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> Okay, that's it for now. Have fun with that.</span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-47651882678336012082011-04-23T10:42:00.000-07:002011-04-23T10:42:48.188-07:0081 pageviews in a day and a new follower like yeah or, My Heart Cannot Take It<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">So, like every day, I get on here to check to see if anything new has been going on, expecting maybe one or two random pageviews, but today I look and I see something shocking.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I've gone from 815 pageviews to nearly 900.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I freak out a little.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I flail a lot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I say, "Thank you, oh thank you!" to an empty room like a madman (madwoman?)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And then I look and see that I have a new follower. Riet Groenleer, you make me feel like a legitimate blogger. Thank you for that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">So.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Yeah.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It's a good day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-46793934405820096352011-04-20T14:00:00.000-07:002011-04-20T14:00:06.794-07:00A view on social and gender differences during the plague or, I Just Really Like the Plague, Okay?<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I want you to know, before I begin, that I am not fact-checking this as I type it. I am recalling things I have been reading about and learning about since the fifth grade. A lot of the information I am about to speculate about I learned last semester, in a Black Plague course at school. It's a very interesting thing to me, and I am basically writing this as a research paper for fun because I am a nerd. And I Do Not Care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">*Forewarning - this might not be interesting for you, but it will be immensely interesting to me.* </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">---</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Part One: Social Change (but not really) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> The Plague (capital-P Plague, the first big plague) killed many thousands of people. First-hand accounts of Plague times say it was hundreds of thousands, millions, perhaps, of people that died. The thing about first-hand accounts, though, is that they like to exaggerate. Hundreds of thousands is probably a closer-to-accurate answer. Thing is, a lot of those people were peasants and the like. The people that the Lords depended on to take care of their fields and lands.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">As more and more workers died, the living peasants could demand higher wages, something that no one of their station in the world had been able to do before. The workers could also leave their life of indentured servitude to find new, higher-paying jobs. This led to a slight power shift in favor of the workers and peasants, much to the dismay of the higher castes, but there was little they could do about it. The only options of the land-owners was to pay what their servants wanted or let them abandon the property, letting it go to waste and becoming poorer themselves.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">At this point, a lot (perhaps the majority) of peacekeepers were struck down by the plague, meaning there was nothing the Lords could do legally anyway, even if the rest of the 'law enforcement' wasn't trying to cope with the humongous amount of deaths occurring all across the continent.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Moral of the story: it was better to be a healthy peasant during the Plague...but no, not really. The Plague was horrible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">---</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Part Two: The Rights of Women During the Plague</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I'm just going to jump right into this one - there weren't many before the plague, and there were less afterward.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Women, historically (and, to some point, still today) were meant to be seen and not heard. Because of Eve, in the Garden of Eden, women were viewed as basic sinners and unworthy of any power. They held no jobs, got very little education, and were meant to have no opinions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">After the plague, however, these things became worse. No one at the time (no one until around 1900) knew what caused the plague. Religious officials and other authority figures, desperate to place blame on someone, pretty much simultaneously blamed foreigners and women. The original sins that the women were harboring with them was seen as the wellspring of the Plague. Women were regulated even more harshly than before, the officials going so far as to enforce a kind of dress code for females, making them wear longer and less revealing clothing. They were seen as progenitors of the plague by the rest of the Medieval community, making The Moral of the Story this: It was never really a good thing to be female and from the middle ages.</span><br />
---<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">If any of this is wrong, tell me please, and I'll try my best to fix it!</span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-60785338594110740022011-04-16T11:08:00.000-07:002011-04-16T11:08:33.998-07:00My Walking Around Campus Playlist or, I Swear I Am A Normal Teenager.<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Start with Edvard Grieg's In the Hall of the Mountain King:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/xrIYT-MrVaI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Begins quietly, then rushes, rushes to its conclusion.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Then follow with Richard Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/7AlEvy0fJto?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It's exciting from the outset, a good follow-up to the Grieg.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Then some Brahms, with Hungarian Dance No. 5:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3X9LvC9WkkQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">A little more stately, a little calmer, but still so awesome.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> And then straight to Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/goeOUTRy2es?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Slower, more dangerous, very emotional, and then almost campy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Followed by Chopin's Grand Valse Brillante!:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/g2r7skqSkNM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> Just to calm it down a little (and he's, like, my favorite person ever.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">AND THEN MORE CHOPIN! Prelude in D Flat Major:</span><br />
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</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://0.gvt0.com/vi/J_6APTb3RNQ/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/J_6APTb3RNQ&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/J_6APTb3RNQ&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Totally NOT because Chopin is awesome and I'm playing this song right now on the piano but because it's a lovely song. There is NO ulterior motive here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And finally, we have Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture (finale):</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/u2W1Wi2U9sQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">In which cannons are used as musical instruments, officially making classical music cooler than anything else on the radio.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And that is my Walking Around Campus Playlist. I hope you all enjoy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-7783435461841872132011-04-16T10:10:00.000-07:002011-04-16T10:10:50.729-07:00Things I like that no one else understands or, My favorite religious song is for the Shakers<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I have a band concert tomorrow, in which I will play the flute and generally be really awesome. I'm excited for this concert, too. I really like the pieces we're playing, my favorite of which is called "Chorale and Shaker Dance," which is a variation of Simple Gifts, the Shaker Theme Song.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I like Simple Gifts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I like Simple Gifts like normal nineteen-year-olds like Rihanna or whatever they listen to, I don't know. I'm busy making classical piano playlists so when I walk to class I can feel like I'm in a music video.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">(Seriously, though, have you ever walked to class and listened to an orchestral recording of anything? It's spectacular.) </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/cta0X5j9dks?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">That's the Chorale and Shaker Dance. If you actually listen to it, four or five minutes in (it is kind of long, forewarning) everything starts to taste like Batman and the lights dim like Gotham City and then you get back to hyperactive Shaker Dance Aerobics and it's just lovely. If any of that made sense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Our other songs are good too, and I think I already posted the Gershwin one, which is also one of my favorites. I might post the rest of them later, since it gives me an actual excuse to look up concert band songs on YouTube without feeling like a nerd.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Oh wait.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I don't care.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">COME TO ME, CONCERT BAND MUSIC PLAYLIST! LET US BE LIKE VIENNA IN THE 18TH CENTURY. MAKE ME FEEL AWESOME, GRIEG AND CHOPIN, YOU GENIUSES.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Speaking of, bonus Grieg:</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/xrIYT-MrVaI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509330888334730575.post-22102755066432414422011-04-09T14:36:00.000-07:002011-04-09T14:36:21.203-07:00Ties Are Made<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"No, seriously, what's going on?" my guest asks again. "How do you two know one another?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"Stop being annoying!" I yell, louder than I mean to. The hazy man across from me leans back in his chair. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"Ma'am, let 'im aks 'is questions." The billowing smoke shifts slightly toward my unwanted associate, leaning forward almost enough to expose the face behind the cloud. "This liddle gal n' I met one day when I wus called to the scene of a crime. A toy dog, a liddle pup, had gone berserk an' attacked a boy. He wus only two, ye know. One 'o the worst tings I had ever seen. An this gal, the woman ye have beside ye, was standin' right outside o' the police tape, like nuttin was botherin' her inna world."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I blush, surprised that he remembered so well. "I am your biggest fan, sir."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"I know, gal, I know." He tossed the toy car casually onto the desk. "Now, waddaya need from me?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"Well, sir," my associate began, "I seem to have lost something very important..."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I roll my eyes. "He lost a flock of robotic pigeons that are of national importance."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"Ah, I heard about 'em, from a friend o' mine."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"But," my associate spluttered, "this is top secret! Most of the people who <i>invented</i> the things don't know they're lost!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"Mebbe, but the people I know're higher'n that..."</span> <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The voice behind the cloud petered off into nothing, waiting for a response. I cover my face as much as I can, trying to hide my embarrassment for the man who unfortunately hired me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">My employer explained everything to the ball of smoke, and I let my eyes wander the room, bored. On every wall there seemed to be a book case dedicated to the technological trophies he had won or dismantled. </span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">When the men were done talking, our host gathered a few odd looking things from around the room, giving them to me in a small bag. He told me that they were going to be instrumental in returning the secrets and the pigeons to Washington.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">For a few minutes he marked on a map that he had grabbed from one drawer or another. The smoke once again obscured everything, and when he handed it to me it was folded into eighths. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"Now, don't you open that up 'till ye get outta this office. And keep the stuff in the bag hidden. I never wanna see any of it again. Not, both of you go an' don't come back here. Ever, whether you're successful or not. Do ye unnerstand?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"Never?" I as kin disbelief. "But what if I want to talk to you? If I want to discuss methods of mechanical extermination?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"Never!" the cloud said harshly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I rose so abruptly that my chair screeched against the stone in the office. My associate followed after me, back into the dark city. </span>Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934923375390624459noreply@blogger.com0