I could've sworn I had updated sometime between now (end of August) and the time of my last post (end of July), but apparently I was very wrong.
I can only suppose that the reason for this long period incommunicado is the fact that the intervening days between then and now haven't seen much in the way of interesting occurrences. For the most part, I've just been continuing with work, hanging out with people, and generally being unproductive- the hallmarks of a decent summer.
And alas, it's all coming to a close.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't consumed by the Pre-School-Year Blues, as the regional hemorrhage of people means my time hanging out with more and more people becomes less and less likely. PatBurke left this morning, and the final group of people will be heading out over the weekend and early next week. And next week Monday, of course, Fall semester begins and I have to start thinking about what comes after my senior year.
Scary.
I'm hoping Fall semester will be enjoyable. My job, it's looking like, will only be scheduling me on closing shifts during the year. It can't be helped given my schedule, but a couple of my fellow employees that haven't really "warmed up to me" will be scheduled with me most of the time, which means many of my shifts will be socially awkward. Hopefully this can be avoided.
Work has been weird because the people there seem to have this weird impregnable social cabal that's been really hard to penetrate. There are a couple people that have been really genial since day-1, and others that will still be unexplainably rude or dismissive to me, and I don't like that at all.
Normally I get people to warm up to me pretty quickly, and the fact that I'm getting stonewalled is confusing, because this is something that's relatively new. I can't help but wonder who's not getting this stuff right.
Oh well. We'll see.
-E
I can only suppose that the reason for this long period incommunicado is the fact that the intervening days between then and now haven't seen much in the way of interesting occurrences. For the most part, I've just been continuing with work, hanging out with people, and generally being unproductive- the hallmarks of a decent summer.
And alas, it's all coming to a close.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't consumed by the Pre-School-Year Blues, as the regional hemorrhage of people means my time hanging out with more and more people becomes less and less likely. PatBurke left this morning, and the final group of people will be heading out over the weekend and early next week. And next week Monday, of course, Fall semester begins and I have to start thinking about what comes after my senior year.
Scary.
I'm hoping Fall semester will be enjoyable. My job, it's looking like, will only be scheduling me on closing shifts during the year. It can't be helped given my schedule, but a couple of my fellow employees that haven't really "warmed up to me" will be scheduled with me most of the time, which means many of my shifts will be socially awkward. Hopefully this can be avoided.
Work has been weird because the people there seem to have this weird impregnable social cabal that's been really hard to penetrate. There are a couple people that have been really genial since day-1, and others that will still be unexplainably rude or dismissive to me, and I don't like that at all.
Normally I get people to warm up to me pretty quickly, and the fact that I'm getting stonewalled is confusing, because this is something that's relatively new. I can't help but wonder who's not getting this stuff right.
Oh well. We'll see.
-E
Hey, again.
Yesterday was the first Awkward Family Reunion™ I've ever experienced, and it wasn't as terrible as I expected. It took place in the Southern area of Erie county, where the tractors outnumber the people.
In the interest of being social and enjoying the nice weather (Quoth one of my uncles: "It's nice you decided to come out! I didn't have my hopes up because of, you know, the sun." What a kidder.), I decided to take part in a game of softball; as it would happen, I'm pretty terrible at that sport! It wasn't, however, for lack of trying.
And I know I tried, really, because my shoulders and lower back have been telling me all day.
Anyway:
The job has been going really well. I work with some pretty awesome people, and apparently I picked up everything really quickly. It's nice to see my collegiate mind has put me at some advantage within some domain.
Now I know where all that student loan money's been going!
We had a brief monsoon in Williamsville last night, and because I can be 7-years-old sometimes, I put on some flipflops and went wading around in the fetid flood water.
I mean, I couldn't even remember the last time I had a water-borne pathogen. Clearly I haven't lived in the truest sense of the word.
-Rick
Yesterday was the first Awkward Family Reunion™ I've ever experienced, and it wasn't as terrible as I expected. It took place in the Southern area of Erie county, where the tractors outnumber the people.
In the interest of being social and enjoying the nice weather (Quoth one of my uncles: "It's nice you decided to come out! I didn't have my hopes up because of, you know, the sun." What a kidder.), I decided to take part in a game of softball; as it would happen, I'm pretty terrible at that sport! It wasn't, however, for lack of trying.
And I know I tried, really, because my shoulders and lower back have been telling me all day.
Anyway:
The job has been going really well. I work with some pretty awesome people, and apparently I picked up everything really quickly. It's nice to see my collegiate mind has put me at some advantage within some domain.
Now I know where all that student loan money's been going!
We had a brief monsoon in Williamsville last night, and because I can be 7-years-old sometimes, I put on some flipflops and went wading around in the fetid flood water.
I mean, I couldn't even remember the last time I had a water-borne pathogen. Clearly I haven't lived in the truest sense of the word.
-Rick
Wow- two blog entires unseparated by a fortnight; what is the world coming to?
My time as a coffee flunky has begun, and I suppose there's something impressive about my moving on to Liberal Arts Student Graduate School* before completing my undergrad degree. The store seems like a decent place, so I have high hopes at the moment.
The past few days have been relatively uneventful, though I've been receiving** some advances from a person I know. It's making me a little uneasy, because I'm not sure it's something I'd like to pursue. Whatever- I'll see what becomes of it.
On a completely random note, I was able to play New Super Mario Bros. on my friend Wendy's DS-Lite (which is a thing of beauty, despite keeping within the tiresome electronics-industry fetish for white plastic cases) for the first time last night. I'm a big fan. Not enough to run out and turn my checking account into a huge conflagration of biblical proportions, but I wouldn't mind owning it.
PLAN OF ACTION:
1.) Create webcam pay-site
2.) Find creepy internet people to watch me while I dance to their commands like a fleshy marionette.
3.) Take their money.
4.) Acquire DS-Lite/Aforementioned game
It can't fail!
-E
*That is, a coffee shop. I wince in pain from the scathing truth. *wince*
**And accepting, which was probably not a good idea.
My time as a coffee flunky has begun, and I suppose there's something impressive about my moving on to Liberal Arts Student Graduate School* before completing my undergrad degree. The store seems like a decent place, so I have high hopes at the moment.
The past few days have been relatively uneventful, though I've been receiving** some advances from a person I know. It's making me a little uneasy, because I'm not sure it's something I'd like to pursue. Whatever- I'll see what becomes of it.
On a completely random note, I was able to play New Super Mario Bros. on my friend Wendy's DS-Lite (which is a thing of beauty, despite keeping within the tiresome electronics-industry fetish for white plastic cases) for the first time last night. I'm a big fan. Not enough to run out and turn my checking account into a huge conflagration of biblical proportions, but I wouldn't mind owning it.
PLAN OF ACTION:
1.) Create webcam pay-site
2.) Find creepy internet people to watch me while I dance to their commands like a fleshy marionette.
3.) Take their money.
4.) Acquire DS-Lite/Aforementioned game
It can't fail!
-E
*That is, a coffee shop. I wince in pain from the scathing truth. *wince*
**And accepting, which was probably not a good idea.
For those of you that didn't hear the trumpet fanfare, I suppose it warrants mentioning that "I'm going to write another blog entry, now."
I'm going to post some pictures, because seeing Odyne put works up in her blog reminded me that I've been maintaining the silly charade that I'm going to post art for far too long; and really, I feel as though it's hurt our relationship. Take me back! I've changed!
Anyway:
This and the next two are rough drafts of designs I'd like to see realized in the form of tattoos one day. The personified sun is my favorite, though I'd like it to ultimately mimic a more 19th-century style.
This is an older one that reflects my odd love of the "Alice" books. It's largely unfinished, which is why you see no hands on the clock, and why it's smudgey.
A couple months old, I could never get this design to look "right", but the idea is there. I'm probably going to give this one another try in the near future.
To spare you all an image-intensive post on an already image-intensive site, I've put a couple more drawings (which are just pencil sketches- I only work in #2 Bic mechanical pencil, kids; this is pure art brut.
) in the "Pics" area, which I've heretofore left unused.
This thing is already a little long, so I'll sum up other barely interesting events that have occurred:
-Got a job, am now a coffee flunky.
-Repaired an old 12-string guitar that was found in my basement, and have enjoyed playing it.
-Became irritated when washing machine skipped the spin-cycle for the fifth consecutive time, contemplated what weapon would be ideal for squelching a machine rebellion, chose a 2x4.
Until next time!
-E
I'm going to post some pictures, because seeing Odyne put works up in her blog reminded me that I've been maintaining the silly charade that I'm going to post art for far too long; and really, I feel as though it's hurt our relationship. Take me back! I've changed!
Anyway:
This and the next two are rough drafts of designs I'd like to see realized in the form of tattoos one day. The personified sun is my favorite, though I'd like it to ultimately mimic a more 19th-century style.
This is an older one that reflects my odd love of the "Alice" books. It's largely unfinished, which is why you see no hands on the clock, and why it's smudgey.
A couple months old, I could never get this design to look "right", but the idea is there. I'm probably going to give this one another try in the near future.
To spare you all an image-intensive post on an already image-intensive site, I've put a couple more drawings (which are just pencil sketches- I only work in #2 Bic mechanical pencil, kids; this is pure art brut.
) in the "Pics" area, which I've heretofore left unused.This thing is already a little long, so I'll sum up other barely interesting events that have occurred:
-Got a job, am now a coffee flunky.
-Repaired an old 12-string guitar that was found in my basement, and have enjoyed playing it.
-Became irritated when washing machine skipped the spin-cycle for the fifth consecutive time, contemplated what weapon would be ideal for squelching a machine rebellion, chose a 2x4.
Until next time!
-E
This weekend was a busy one, and I'm dead tired.
It follows, then, that being awake and soaking in the rays of the improvised tanning-booth that is my laptop at 4 A.M. is the most therapeutic use of my time.
This weekend was The Allentown Art Festival, and I hung around the tents treating them more as outdoor exhibits than actual places of business; that, though, is what these kinds of things are all about!* Despite my remonstrations (I was one of the oldest people in the group with whom I bummed around, so there's a kind of biological imperative for me to try keeping people out of too much trouble), there was some mischief*, but I enjoyed myself.
I noticed a definite trend among artists (those going for commercial success, I guess) that involved huge swathes of shockingly bold color combinations that definitely appeal to the mind to come up with some sort of interpretation (there's usually a definite shape, so it's not too difficult) so your brain can take in the deliberate, powerful use of color. A favorite of mine was found in a tiny tent on Franklin Street that reminded me of walks back to my dorm room from friends' apartments at RIT last year- strange feelings of loneliness allayed by knowing you're in such a necessarily social atmosphere. I wish the guy sold prints instead of just the original.
Odyne and I wanted a booth this year, but were squelched by the pointlessly early registration date (What was it? January?). I'm trying to raise interest in hopes of securing a collective tent for 2007. I'm not sure where I'll be in 2008, so I feel compelled to take part in something so classically Buffalo.
As long as we're on the topic of art, today I drew a simple doodle that I feel could be elaborated into a pretty awesome tattoo design. If I can ever expand it to something I like, I'll post an image of it.
I'm not sure how I feel about the new SG layout. It'll just take some getting used to.
-E
*To those whose livelihood doesn't depend on selling fine art or funnel cakes, that is.
*Which may or may not have involved the partial desecration of religious iconography, which made me a little uncomfortable.
It follows, then, that being awake and soaking in the rays of the improvised tanning-booth that is my laptop at 4 A.M. is the most therapeutic use of my time.
This weekend was The Allentown Art Festival, and I hung around the tents treating them more as outdoor exhibits than actual places of business; that, though, is what these kinds of things are all about!* Despite my remonstrations (I was one of the oldest people in the group with whom I bummed around, so there's a kind of biological imperative for me to try keeping people out of too much trouble), there was some mischief*, but I enjoyed myself.
I noticed a definite trend among artists (those going for commercial success, I guess) that involved huge swathes of shockingly bold color combinations that definitely appeal to the mind to come up with some sort of interpretation (there's usually a definite shape, so it's not too difficult) so your brain can take in the deliberate, powerful use of color. A favorite of mine was found in a tiny tent on Franklin Street that reminded me of walks back to my dorm room from friends' apartments at RIT last year- strange feelings of loneliness allayed by knowing you're in such a necessarily social atmosphere. I wish the guy sold prints instead of just the original.
Odyne and I wanted a booth this year, but were squelched by the pointlessly early registration date (What was it? January?). I'm trying to raise interest in hopes of securing a collective tent for 2007. I'm not sure where I'll be in 2008, so I feel compelled to take part in something so classically Buffalo.
As long as we're on the topic of art, today I drew a simple doodle that I feel could be elaborated into a pretty awesome tattoo design. If I can ever expand it to something I like, I'll post an image of it.
I'm not sure how I feel about the new SG layout. It'll just take some getting used to.
-E
*To those whose livelihood doesn't depend on selling fine art or funnel cakes, that is.
*Which may or may not have involved the partial desecration of religious iconography, which made me a little uncomfortable.
I'm updating to the cacophonous orchestra of the low grumbling of an air-conditioner who's been forced into working overtime, a few birds outside my window, and a live recording of Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees" from their most recent concert in Boston.
I love that song.
The few songs off their next album that they've been teasing at their various live performances seem pretty promising. "Spooks" (teased here) seems to herald a nice return to the guitar-oriented orchestration of the past, but still retains the pedal embellishments that let you know you're not just listening to some generic indie-rock ensemble; additionally, I'm in love with "4-Minute Warning" because you cannot go wrong with Thom Yorke and a piano.
It's interesting that Thom Yorke has all but disowned "Pablo Honey". Probably for the best.
Enough about Radiohead!
Last night was fun. I watched this absurd zombie movie, "Undead", with PatBurke, Odyne, and Oregano (among others). It was what it was- an unpretentious horror-comedy* that was fun to watch. I'm pretty sure I have a minor crush on the lead, Felicity Mason.
After the movie, we played some Mario Kart (see a previous entry for how terrible I am at that game) and Mario Golf (in which, as it would happen, I don't completely embarass myself!). Also, I was mocked for pronouncing sherbert as "SherBET".
I had a cute picture of our new garden gnome here at the house, but I became a bit too lazy to upload it; you will all have to wait! (At the edge of your seats, no doubt- garden gnomes command as much emotional clout.)
-E
*(Do pretentious horror-comedies even exist? If not, I must make one.)
I love that song.
The few songs off their next album that they've been teasing at their various live performances seem pretty promising. "Spooks" (teased here) seems to herald a nice return to the guitar-oriented orchestration of the past, but still retains the pedal embellishments that let you know you're not just listening to some generic indie-rock ensemble; additionally, I'm in love with "4-Minute Warning" because you cannot go wrong with Thom Yorke and a piano.
It's interesting that Thom Yorke has all but disowned "Pablo Honey". Probably for the best.
Enough about Radiohead!
Last night was fun. I watched this absurd zombie movie, "Undead", with PatBurke, Odyne, and Oregano (among others). It was what it was- an unpretentious horror-comedy* that was fun to watch. I'm pretty sure I have a minor crush on the lead, Felicity Mason.
After the movie, we played some Mario Kart (see a previous entry for how terrible I am at that game) and Mario Golf (in which, as it would happen, I don't completely embarass myself!). Also, I was mocked for pronouncing sherbert as "SherBET".
I had a cute picture of our new garden gnome here at the house, but I became a bit too lazy to upload it; you will all have to wait! (At the edge of your seats, no doubt- garden gnomes command as much emotional clout.)
-E
*(Do pretentious horror-comedies even exist? If not, I must make one.)
This time of year is one of relaxation and -- in my hometown of Buffalo -- biting your tongue when temperatures get too high, as you know that Old Man Winter is a bitter meteorological geriatric who would gladly deluge this humble city with the dread substance known as "snow" with little provocation.
Still, that fact didn't prevent me from trying to rouse the Sultan-of-Sleet with the arcane cries of, "My kingdom for a blizzard!" and, "Where the hell is Autumn when you need it?"
Yes, where the hell IS Autumn?
The Melon-O-Lantern was able to evoke memories of happier days when the temperatures were cooler and I could walk without my scrotum clinging to my thigh in a desperate attempt to get closer to my 98.5-degree body- that is, a cooler place.
But enough about that. More Melon-O-Lantern!
Early evidence would show that Watermelons hold up better than Pumpkins if you do your best to separate all the fruit from the rind.
I encourage all to follow suit!
-E
Still, that fact didn't prevent me from trying to rouse the Sultan-of-Sleet with the arcane cries of, "My kingdom for a blizzard!" and, "Where the hell is Autumn when you need it?"
Yes, where the hell IS Autumn?
The Melon-O-Lantern was able to evoke memories of happier days when the temperatures were cooler and I could walk without my scrotum clinging to my thigh in a desperate attempt to get closer to my 98.5-degree body- that is, a cooler place.
But enough about that. More Melon-O-Lantern!
Early evidence would show that Watermelons hold up better than Pumpkins if you do your best to separate all the fruit from the rind.
I encourage all to follow suit!
-E
I'm not sure, exactly, what had suddenly rendered me epiphanically paralyzed a little while ago. Well, I know what; the why, however, is a total mystery.
Hey, an explanation!
I'm entering my senior year of college, and I'm absolutely terrified about that fact. This feeling (since passed) definitely has shades of the summer before my senior year of high school, which -- as I recall through spotty memories courtesy of my juvenile forays into do-it-yourself herbal medicine -- saw me scrambling up the steps that would have me ascend to the next stage of life. I've changed a lot since then, and yet it's still the same variety of consternation.
It's not really a bad thing- I just find it kind of interesting.
So, while images of mortarboards won't send my testicles scurrying into the cavity from whence they descended in sheer terror, the thought that I have to suddenly prepare for Hard-Core, This-Is-The-Real-Thing Adulthood™ and all that is -- at the very least -- sending tremors throughout the once-peaceful community of spermatozoa I host.
(Ew.)
I'll have to take the GRE soon (I'd really like to get that over with by the end of July; I think UB's testing center is open all summer), I'll have to start looking at graduate schools (assuming I want to dive right in, which is another issue), and that'll require me to consider to where I'd like to relocate. Big stuff.
Hold me.
Again, I just think it's interesting.
People don't use the Mexican-Wrestler face enough. That said:
Hey, an explanation!
I'm entering my senior year of college, and I'm absolutely terrified about that fact. This feeling (since passed) definitely has shades of the summer before my senior year of high school, which -- as I recall through spotty memories courtesy of my juvenile forays into do-it-yourself herbal medicine -- saw me scrambling up the steps that would have me ascend to the next stage of life. I've changed a lot since then, and yet it's still the same variety of consternation.
It's not really a bad thing- I just find it kind of interesting.
So, while images of mortarboards won't send my testicles scurrying into the cavity from whence they descended in sheer terror, the thought that I have to suddenly prepare for Hard-Core, This-Is-The-Real-Thing Adulthood™ and all that is -- at the very least -- sending tremors throughout the once-peaceful community of spermatozoa I host.
(Ew.)
I'll have to take the GRE soon (I'd really like to get that over with by the end of July; I think UB's testing center is open all summer), I'll have to start looking at graduate schools (assuming I want to dive right in, which is another issue), and that'll require me to consider to where I'd like to relocate. Big stuff.
Hold me.
Again, I just think it's interesting.
People don't use the Mexican-Wrestler face enough. That said:
This week has been the pinnacle of "uneventful".
I'm glad that people are beginning to unctuously flow back in from their respective schools- the distraction from the bitter reality of remaining without a job has been much appreciated.
Last night was well spent, though it definitely hammered-home the incontrovertible fact that I suck at Mario Kart. I'm terrible at most video games, but Mario Kart is the bane of my existence. Every time I get within the slightest possibility of getting first-place, I'm suddenly deluged with banana peels, koopa shells, and those stupid upside-down boxes that no-one but me runs into.
Some things just aren't meant to be, boys and girls.
I'm beginning to get first- and second-interview requests, which is positive. I'd really hate to entrench myself in the no-man's land of temp-agency employment; I feel a data-entry job, after having held jobs primarily devoted to data entry this past year, would make me want to lobotomize myself with whatever standard-issue writing implements with which Generic Company X would outfit me.
Once you get it into your sinus cavity, you're but a thrust and a jiggle away from freedom. You heard it here first.
The weather has been chilly and gloomy, which has depressed my desire to do anything. It's a shame, because I'm sure this weather, conducive to angsty teenage poetry as it is, has produced volumes of fetid verse in need of burning.
Though I think federal clean-air regulations would probably frown upon releasing such toxins into our atmosphere.
Worth looking into.
I think, yes, that's all I've got.
I'm glad that people are beginning to unctuously flow back in from their respective schools- the distraction from the bitter reality of remaining without a job has been much appreciated.
Last night was well spent, though it definitely hammered-home the incontrovertible fact that I suck at Mario Kart. I'm terrible at most video games, but Mario Kart is the bane of my existence. Every time I get within the slightest possibility of getting first-place, I'm suddenly deluged with banana peels, koopa shells, and those stupid upside-down boxes that no-one but me runs into.
Some things just aren't meant to be, boys and girls.
I'm beginning to get first- and second-interview requests, which is positive. I'd really hate to entrench myself in the no-man's land of temp-agency employment; I feel a data-entry job, after having held jobs primarily devoted to data entry this past year, would make me want to lobotomize myself with whatever standard-issue writing implements with which Generic Company X would outfit me.
Once you get it into your sinus cavity, you're but a thrust and a jiggle away from freedom. You heard it here first.
The weather has been chilly and gloomy, which has depressed my desire to do anything. It's a shame, because I'm sure this weather, conducive to angsty teenage poetry as it is, has produced volumes of fetid verse in need of burning.
Though I think federal clean-air regulations would probably frown upon releasing such toxins into our atmosphere.
Worth looking into.
I think, yes, that's all I've got.
So.
Summer has begun, and I now spend every day in an absolute vacuum of productivity. That's not to say I haven't been doing some reading, some art, and some vapid Internet usage here and there; it'd be a shame, though, if this stuff were to lose its luster, because I've got a good 4 months to go.
I can't really start bugging places about hiring me until the middle of this upcoming week, so I've endeavored to start taking care of some things that've been simmering on the back-burner for a while:
-Monday, I'll probably be heading to Inkman and finally get one of the handful of tattoo ideas I have. The money's there, the time's there- why not? Long-time friends will note that my persisting indecision's going to complicate things a bit, but I'm fairly set on a number of designs I'd consider a solid investment.
-I recently came into a number of Borders gift certificates, so I'll probably spend a few hours at the book store salivating and ultimately settling on whatever scant offerings my meager book budget will allow.
I don't want to be the first dude to exploit his body on the street for literature, but I'm sure there are enough avant-garde guys to have long since borne that onus.
Thanks, avant-garde guys!
To make this post worthwhile, here's a picture of a pop-bottle volcano:
Summer has begun, and I now spend every day in an absolute vacuum of productivity. That's not to say I haven't been doing some reading, some art, and some vapid Internet usage here and there; it'd be a shame, though, if this stuff were to lose its luster, because I've got a good 4 months to go.
I can't really start bugging places about hiring me until the middle of this upcoming week, so I've endeavored to start taking care of some things that've been simmering on the back-burner for a while:
-Monday, I'll probably be heading to Inkman and finally get one of the handful of tattoo ideas I have. The money's there, the time's there- why not? Long-time friends will note that my persisting indecision's going to complicate things a bit, but I'm fairly set on a number of designs I'd consider a solid investment.
-I recently came into a number of Borders gift certificates, so I'll probably spend a few hours at the book store salivating and ultimately settling on whatever scant offerings my meager book budget will allow.
I don't want to be the first dude to exploit his body on the street for literature, but I'm sure there are enough avant-garde guys to have long since borne that onus.
Thanks, avant-garde guys!
To make this post worthwhile, here's a picture of a pop-bottle volcano:
