I just turned on the teevee and "To Catch A Predator" is on. It is a horrible thing and I can't believe that I actually feel sorry for pedophiles.
But when they arrest the guys after they leave the house, why in god's name to they point guns at them? It just seems so unnecessary.
So, I guess yesterday was Christmas. And the day before was Christmas Eve. There were lots of good things about the holiday but I think one of the most exciting is that we got some snow. It didn't stay long, but long enough that I took some pictures. Sadly the snow didn't really last and by the time we left my uncle's house, it was pretty much all melted.
But, get this, they are saying that in the morning we could be having all kinds of snow. I really hope we do because it makes me all giddy and childlike.
I was given way more presents than I really need or deserve but some people (like me) are really lucky to have people who spoil them. And really, that's what it is, spoiling. But I really do appreciate all that my mom, dad, and grandma do for me and my sister on Christmas.
The top picture is on the side yard of my uncle's house. And the picture off to the side is something a lot funnier. There is this house that every year I look at with a mixture of amusement and horror. It is this gothic brick mansion. Looks completely ridiculous but that is part of its questionable charm.
So on Christmas Eve we went over to a family friends' house for what's become a traditional party. Some of the people at said event kind of weird me out but in general it is a great time. Then we went back to my mom and Susan's house where we opened up some of the previously mentioned gift windfall. My mom bought a bunch of things from the Portland Mercury auction so I guess she's telling me that I need to be more of a hipster. 2007, the year my 50+ mother told her nearly 28 year old son that he needs to be cooler.
After the gift exchange Mom and Susan took my sister home and I stayed at their house and popped on the tv. "Bad Santa" was on Comedy Central and I watched it for a while but I gotta say, not the best movie to play on a network on which they can't say "fuck" or "shit" or "fuck me, Santa" or all kinds of other things. Especially "fuck me, Santa."
Anyway, I stayed overnight at my mom and Susan's and it was really nice. After our traditional breakfast and stockings, my dad came to pick us up to go to my grandma's for even more presents. I don't really want to go into what all I was given, but it was a lot and as I grow up I become a little more self-conscious about how much people spend on me during the holidays. That isn't to say that I don't appreciate it. If anything, I appreciate it more. It is just that I know the value of a dollar more than I used to.
We then braved the weather, that dangerous rain with some snow mixed in to go up to my uncle's house where we had perhaps the smallest family Christmas ever. But it was also a good one. All the older generation is getting old so things are in a state of flux. We are going to have to figure out what we are going to do in the future.
Dinner was great. Company was great. It was all fun.
Then my sister and I met up with some people for drinks. What a nice holiday.
I gotta say something here. OK, my cousin wrote in my comments: "I think people hate Romney for the same reason that Homer hates Flanders." I take this comment to mean, "people hate Romney because of his religion." Sorry, but I don't buy it. As I said to Dan in his comments, I like Harry Reid, the Democratic majority leader in the Senate. And...whoa, he's a Mormon! Holy Shit, turns out I like a Mormon politician and so do a bunch of people. And he's from Nevada, the home of legalized gambling and prostitution. Boy, Mormons sure have it rough. I have been reading here and there about Romney and any time someone criticizes his religion (which is completely valid) comments come out of the woodwork bemoaning how unfair the world is to Mormons. Mormonism is characterized by its believers being in the world but not of the world or something like that. Sorry, but you can't say, "we are different but we demand that you ignore that difference when it suits us."
And anyway, I don't dislike Romney because he is too different. I dislike Romney because he is just more of the same.
Well, it has been a long-ass hell of a time since I’ve written a post but I’ve been wanting to, I just haven’t really felt like I had anything to say. However, not having anything to say shouldn’t stop me; it certainly doesn’t stop a lot of people both on and offline. So here goes…
My life is quite mundane these days. I am on Christmas vacation at the moment and I don’t have a job. That means I literally have nothing that I’m obligated to do. That means I don’t really do anything. I’ve discovered something about myself that I’ve known but not acknowledged for a long time, that is I have an extraordinarily high idleness threshold. I can do practically nothing for days on end, not interacting with people and not accomplishing much more than relieving my bladder and bowels. Oh, “too much information,” or “TMI” you may exclaim but to you exclaimers I say, don’t be so exclaimy. Meanwhile my friends and family are falling in and out of love, going to and quitting their jobs, running errands, being happy or sad, but me, I’m none of those things. I just am. For some reason I have developed a numbness to the world that is a little unsettling. That it unsettles me indicates that I’m not fully numb which makes me feel something good, that’s good, right? I can’t really tell. I don’t really want to explore this issue too terribly much so I think I’ll stop the subject right there.
On Sunday my mom and I took her dog for a good long walk. It was nice and enjoyable. We then went to her house and decorated her Christmas tree and hung garland in the living and dining rooms. Decorating a tree is an important annual tradition for me and I think I have to do it. I’ve done it twice this year, once for my mom and once for my grandma. It is very satisfying to look at a decked out tree and know that I did it. This morning my mom picked me up and we went to Edelweiss deli where we bought assorted meats. Although I am not German it feels kind of nice to be connected in a small way to my European heritage. It is cute to hear people speaking in German at the store, both employees and patrons. Sometimes I forget that there is still active immigration to this country from Europe. Why anyone would want to come here from Europe is another question altogether and one I’m clearly unqualified to answer.
I am on track to graduate in June with my bachelor of architecture degree so in principle that’s exciting. I’m not excited about it, however. It is just another thing. Architecture may not be what I really want to do. But do I really want to do anything? Good question. But since I have to do something, architecture seems like a pretty damn good thing to do.
So, how about the primaries, huh? I sure don’t like those Republican candidates. Giuliani: fascist. Romney: orange and asshole. Huckabee: southern Baptist minister who terrifies the shit out of me despite the fact that he’s pretty funny in interviews. And I guess that’s all of them that deserve a quick dismissal from me. Oh yeah, and Thompson: face melting. As far as the Democrats go, I have to admit, I really like Edwards but he seems to have no chance. I also like Obama and the fact that he used to do drugs on occasion makes me happy. It isn’t like they all haven’t done drugs, except for Romney, he’s pure as the driven snow. And Clinton certainly isn’t my choice but she’s better than any of the horrible Republicans out there. I mean, seriously, how come all the Republicans are such fucking scary sons of bitches? My cousin seems to think that Clinton’s looks are vomit inducing. I happen to disagree and think she is aging fairly gracefully. I also think that Romney is orange and that is more terrifying than any wrinkles. Did I mention that I don’t like Romney. I mean, I don’t like any of them, but he’s a total douche. And I don’t have to back it up. Because this is my house. ‘Sup! You want some?
Didn’t think so.
Anyway, I guess that’s enough for now. Maybe I’ll write again. I sure hope so. I think it is making me feel something. But it is pain and sadness. No. It really isn’t. It is actually good. I feel pretty good.
And hung over, but that is another issue.
UPDATE:
My characterization of Giuliani as a fascist certainly isn't groundbreaking but I'd like to point out that even people who I think are crazy think he's a fascist.
That proves everything I say is true.
I'm getting excited. My mom and her wife have been living in Toronto over the past couple of months and on Friday I am going to visit. I've been before, but I was 18 or something like that and I just realized that was nearly a decade ago! Holy crap, I'm getting old. But I don't really know much about Toronto. I know it is big and cultured, but that's about it. I guess for the next week I'm going to bone up on my Toronto knowledge. I absolutely enjoy not having a plan but I also enjoy having some knowledge about the place I'm going to visit. Like last summer, when I went to Boston, one of the best things that I did was to go to Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. I would have never known about it had I not done research.
Speaking of getting old, I had some drinks on Friday with one of my best friends from high school. We haven't really kept in touch over the years but it was really great to see him. I can't believe that he's married and that his uptight ass wound up getting married in Las Vegas of all places. And he has five pets! I guess his wife has loosened him up a bit. That is good.
I've got Top Chef on in the background. It is really cool. I sometimes fantasize about being back in a kitchen and really learning the ropes. That'll never happen. But I love cooking. I want some delicious food in my mouth right now.
I can finally admit it to myself, I'm chunky and out of shape. But! Things are about to change! Luckily I'm not too far out of shape that I can't get back there pretty soon. I'm going to be in my friend's wedding this summer so if I get in shape by then I'll be able seduce some of the bridesmaids. Then, when I go to Hawaii this Thanksgiving time, I'll be all ripped and sexy.
Well, at least within the limits of my facial attractiveness. Not too much I can do with that nightmare!
At the risk of being a hypocrite, I need to say that I hate people who go on self-described "rants." I have the tv on and I flipped the channel to comedy central and the end of the painful "Mind of Mencia" was on. And they were promoting this stupid website feature where stupid assholes can post their own video rants and be edgy, just like Carlos Mencia, who is crazy like Budweiser is the king of beers...because he says so.
And that's my opinion on rants. Basically about people who talk about how edgy they are, like that Mencia guy, that Dennis Miller guy, that Dane Cook guy, and so on.
After nearly three years in Eugene, Oregon, I am back in my hometown, Portland. I hate the city of Eugene, but I have many fond memories from school and the friends I made there. I am spending the next six weeks at my mom's house where my sister is also staying while the homeowners are in Toronto, Ontario. This summer I will spend doing yard work, odd jobs, and painting my grandma's house. I can't wait to be away from school. I have been in school for every term for the past three years. I can't imagine not having to worry about that. And hopefully, I will miss school by the end of the summer.
A good plan...
Right?
How much more college can I get? I spent a few hours yesterday sitting in a local park reading Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit. I have rarely felt so connected to my identity as a college student than I did yesterday.
Then I played frisbee.
If you run out of dishwashing detergent, don't use the kind of soap you would use to wash dishes by hand.
Good thing I was in the kitchen!
I love watching Fox News Channel but unfortunately I don't have cable. So I get to take advantage of great websites such as newshounds and crooksandliars. Crooks and Liars had some pretty interesting clips from last night's Republican debate. Looks like Ron Paul is shaping up to be every non-Republican's favorite Republican candidate. He's certainly mine. Of course, he is a libertarian and, as such, I disagree with much of his stands on government's role in our lives but I strongly agree with what he has to say regarding our never-ending "War on Terror." Last night he said that 9/11 was blowback due to our policies in the Middle East. That seems pretty obvious to me but in the modern Republican party it is like saying the earth is orbits the sun in the middle of an inquisition. Check out Paul sounding rational, then Rudy whipping out his 9/11 credentials and calling Paul absurd. The most striking thing to me is the crowd's response, it is sickening.
Unfortunately, these days, attributing any sort of rationality to terrorism is a political death sentence.
They hate our freedom!
Yaaaayyyyyy!!!!
Anyone who doesn't think that is a pussy!
Yaaaaayyyy!!
And a traitor!
Yaaaayyy!!!
How can you argue with that? You certainly can't. And that's the beauty of it. I think that Giuliani is the most dangerous Republican candidate. He has a strong chance of being nominated and elected. But he's the most fascistic one out there and he always has been.
Well, here I am. About done with my third year of school and my last year in Eugene. In a month and two days I'll be out of here. Difficult to imagine. What's even more difficult to imagine is the idea that I'll actually miss it here. Not so much that I'll wish I could be back but I will miss certain things. Low rent. School friends. That's pretty much all I can think of at the moment but I know there will be things that blindside me. Like I said, difficult to imagine.
I'm looking for apartments on craigslist.com and so far have found some potential leads. Even one building that I used to live in seven years ago. Yowza! I should be able to find a decent enough place that I can afford. I just have to get used to small. Along those lines, I need to get rid of a bunch of stuff. I am thinking about organizing a little sale as I have far too many things and even now not enough space to hold them. I can only imagine how little space I'll have when I finally move into my new apartment. But getting rid of things is good. I certainly don't need everything that I own. TV, DVD player, VCR...all that stuff is pretty much obsolete. I have a computer, why could I possibly still require a TV? Of course, that brings up the question of whether or not anyone ever requires a TV, but I'm thinking much more practically than theoretically.
So this is it. This is what I've been wanting for the last two and a half years. Better make it happen!
School keeps going. I feel like I did at the end of high school...tired of school. I guess you could say I have a bad case of senioritis. Unlike high school, though, I have to pull myself out of it and get back on the ball. I think I can do it. I know I can do it. The past two days I had two tests. I think I did well on them. That is a good thing. I need to make sure to keep making progress on my studio project. Today is as good a day as any to make some good progress. And then at the end of this school year I'm going back to Portland and finishing up there. That is something to shoot for. I love Portland so much. I can't undermine myself.
Today is Valentine's. I gotta say, this is the absolute best time to be single. I hate Valentine's Day when I am in a relationship. Too much effing pressure. Today I get to have just another day. Ha ha, all you suckers!
I am listening to the president having a press conference right now. He makes me sick.
Oh yeah, and today is the anniversary of Oregon being admitted to the union. February 14, 1859. Sometimes I wish we could get out. Especially when I listen to the damn president. What an asshole.
