I fully understand that, cognitively speaking, loving Led Zeppelin puts me at 'angsty teenage boy with greasy hair and spots' level.
But so does my love of World of Warcraft...
so, perhaps I should get an age/sex change?
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
I'd like to thank the academy...
I'm so totally getting all sentimental these days.
The semester (and year) of school is coming to a close...just a few more weeks before my last assignment is handed in, then summer then grad school.
Maybe it's the PMS, maybe it's the chocolate I just ate to aid the PMS, maybe it's the fact I'm really really tired right now, but I feel so much gratitude that I want to send everyone I've ever spoken to a thank you card.
Even the people I hate.
My parents, oh good lord, my parents...I'm never able to thank them enough. All I am able to do right now is knit them hats. This summer, when I have time, I shall shower them in knitted hats. My father shall have miniature hats for all his dogs and chickens and my mother and her husband shall have a new hat for every outfit.
My boyfriend...he gets to live with me. That's enough delirious pleasure that no hat can ever live up to. But he's been absolutely the best and of course he, too, shall have hats.
But there's more...so much more. Work people...so very kind and supportive. Makes me almost feel bad about the huge 'up yours' gesture I'm planning on giving when I leave. I'll wear a sign around my neck listing those who will get flowers and may ignore the rude display.
The semester (and year) of school is coming to a close...just a few more weeks before my last assignment is handed in, then summer then grad school.
Maybe it's the PMS, maybe it's the chocolate I just ate to aid the PMS, maybe it's the fact I'm really really tired right now, but I feel so much gratitude that I want to send everyone I've ever spoken to a thank you card.
Even the people I hate.
My parents, oh good lord, my parents...I'm never able to thank them enough. All I am able to do right now is knit them hats. This summer, when I have time, I shall shower them in knitted hats. My father shall have miniature hats for all his dogs and chickens and my mother and her husband shall have a new hat for every outfit.
My boyfriend...he gets to live with me. That's enough delirious pleasure that no hat can ever live up to. But he's been absolutely the best and of course he, too, shall have hats.
But there's more...so much more. Work people...so very kind and supportive. Makes me almost feel bad about the huge 'up yours' gesture I'm planning on giving when I leave. I'll wear a sign around my neck listing those who will get flowers and may ignore the rude display.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
a few things I've been thinking and then I'll talk about squirrels
First:
My god I hate group projects. I like to call them 'poop projects'.
Second:
I put a bunch of stuff in my iTunes last week and it's SO lovely listening to music while writing papers n' shit. I like Joe Cocker. Shut up.
Third:
I am super duper excited about spending most of my time going to school, researching and learning about linguistics in September. For those of you who might read this blog and for those of you who did not know, I applied for law school as well. I've not heard back yet, but I have heard back from the ling dept. I've been thinking about how I would feel ~if~ I did hear from law...and I don't think I care. I haven't even checked to see ~when~ I should hear from them...so...I think I've made my decision.
*Mary Tyler Moore jump*
...aaannnddd freeze frame!
Fourth:
I have SO much to do right now that I'm amazed I'm not losing my mind all over the damn place. I'm generally pretty cheery for someone who's teetering so close to the crazy edge.
Fifth:
I've started a new thing and am now able to see into the future through my reading of omens, allow me to 'splain,
A couple of weeks ago while walking to work, I was waiting for the 'walk' light when a squeegie kid, smoke in mouth, threw a handful of pennies down in the middle of the intersection. He did so in absolute disgust.
I knew it then...I knew that this was a sign and that I, alone, had the ability to interpret it...
"Prosperous times ahead! If a squeegie kid had the ability to be choosey, so do you! This will be a good day and it's even a possiblity that a stranger will give you something which you may or may not need!"
...plus, angry squeegie kids are funny.
so...yesterday it happened again...and eeners can back me up 'cause I emailed her. I walked by a tree on campus the other day and saw a cuuute black squirrel hanging upside down with his round, cuuute belly facing me...all streched out and eating berries.
"Today will mean success through unconventional means...but you'll look adorable doing it"
I ought to get paid for this shit.
My god I hate group projects. I like to call them 'poop projects'.
Second:
I put a bunch of stuff in my iTunes last week and it's SO lovely listening to music while writing papers n' shit. I like Joe Cocker. Shut up.
Third:
I am super duper excited about spending most of my time going to school, researching and learning about linguistics in September. For those of you who might read this blog and for those of you who did not know, I applied for law school as well. I've not heard back yet, but I have heard back from the ling dept. I've been thinking about how I would feel ~if~ I did hear from law...and I don't think I care. I haven't even checked to see ~when~ I should hear from them...so...I think I've made my decision.
*Mary Tyler Moore jump*
...aaannnddd freeze frame!
Fourth:
I have SO much to do right now that I'm amazed I'm not losing my mind all over the damn place. I'm generally pretty cheery for someone who's teetering so close to the crazy edge.
Fifth:
I've started a new thing and am now able to see into the future through my reading of omens, allow me to 'splain,
A couple of weeks ago while walking to work, I was waiting for the 'walk' light when a squeegie kid, smoke in mouth, threw a handful of pennies down in the middle of the intersection. He did so in absolute disgust.
I knew it then...I knew that this was a sign and that I, alone, had the ability to interpret it...
"Prosperous times ahead! If a squeegie kid had the ability to be choosey, so do you! This will be a good day and it's even a possiblity that a stranger will give you something which you may or may not need!"
...plus, angry squeegie kids are funny.
so...yesterday it happened again...and eeners can back me up 'cause I emailed her. I walked by a tree on campus the other day and saw a cuuute black squirrel hanging upside down with his round, cuuute belly facing me...all streched out and eating berries.
"Today will mean success through unconventional means...but you'll look adorable doing it"
I ought to get paid for this shit.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Saturday, March 25, 2006
On Chomsky...
I have to admit.
I am familiar with Chomsky's political and social views, but not as familiar as I am with his linguistic views...so I needed the help of a book.
From a very broad, but useful reference to have around the house, I managed to find in words a general overview of how Chomsky's social/political theories mesh with those linguistic theories. I am in the midst of writing a paper, so I don't have time to go much deeper into it at the moment, but those folks at the Western Standard who were involved with this post seemed to have done less research than I did.
From Philosophy: 100 Essential Thinkers by P. Stokes (I know...not exactly an academic source, but all I've got at the moment)
...
"This hardwiring is, like other cognitive faculties, an aspect of our human nature. Chomsky sees this as having positive political implications. Rather than being the blank sheet of Lockean empiricism, or the unconstrained free agents of existentialism, our very nature prevents us from being subjugated by extreme and wayward forces. Our nature determines that there are only certain possible political systems that we can tolerate. Oppressive political systems...cannot completely mould our minds. Our thoughts are not, as the behavioural psychologists earlier in the twentieth century had supposed, merely conditiond responses to repeated stimuli. The concept of being a free agent is as hardwired into our nature as the constraints that act on our forms of speech.
...
He has been a constant critic of US foreign policy and of US involvement in Vietnam, Cambodia and the Gulf Wars. He remains an active supporter of radical social change in the US, as well as continuing his work as a linguist and theoretical philosopher. He describes his political view as 'libertarian socialist' - a blend of socialism and anarchism."
thoughts?
I am familiar with Chomsky's political and social views, but not as familiar as I am with his linguistic views...so I needed the help of a book.
From a very broad, but useful reference to have around the house, I managed to find in words a general overview of how Chomsky's social/political theories mesh with those linguistic theories. I am in the midst of writing a paper, so I don't have time to go much deeper into it at the moment, but those folks at the Western Standard who were involved with this post seemed to have done less research than I did.
From Philosophy: 100 Essential Thinkers by P. Stokes (I know...not exactly an academic source, but all I've got at the moment)
...
"This hardwiring is, like other cognitive faculties, an aspect of our human nature. Chomsky sees this as having positive political implications. Rather than being the blank sheet of Lockean empiricism, or the unconstrained free agents of existentialism, our very nature prevents us from being subjugated by extreme and wayward forces. Our nature determines that there are only certain possible political systems that we can tolerate. Oppressive political systems...cannot completely mould our minds. Our thoughts are not, as the behavioural psychologists earlier in the twentieth century had supposed, merely conditiond responses to repeated stimuli. The concept of being a free agent is as hardwired into our nature as the constraints that act on our forms of speech.
...
He has been a constant critic of US foreign policy and of US involvement in Vietnam, Cambodia and the Gulf Wars. He remains an active supporter of radical social change in the US, as well as continuing his work as a linguist and theoretical philosopher. He describes his political view as 'libertarian socialist' - a blend of socialism and anarchism."
thoughts?
Monday, March 20, 2006
Plastics! That's what I'll get into!
I got accepted into grad studies in linguistics.
I start in September.
whew
I start in September.
whew
Sunday, March 19, 2006
"The Frame"
Today I'm going to talk a little about art. Funny, I was going to do this anyway and dug out my Zappa autobiography (the reason will become clear in a minute) then I saw this post at my friend Huck's blog and I got all fired up.
A few caveats: I'm no expert, just an 'enjoyer' of art.
Oh...there's only one? I was sure there was more...
Now...the reason Zappa's picture is up for this post is the following: If memory serves me correctly, I was about 19 in Victoria when I saw his autobiography sitting in Monroe's books. I read it, enjoyed it and what he said about art I have taken with me since...and I've not found a better explanation yet. Forgive me for this, but frankly (no pun), I can't figure out why people fight me so hard on it.
And here it is. I'm going to write what he said, first:
The Frame
The most important thing in art is The Frame. For painting: literally; for other arts: figuratively-because, without this humble appliance, you can't know where The Art stops and The Real World begins.
You have to put a 'box' around it because otherwise, what is that shit on the wall?
If John Cage, for instance, says, "I'm putting a contact microphone on my throat, and I'm going to drink carrot juice, and that's my composition," then his gurgling qualifies as his composition because he put a frame around it and said so. "Take it or leave it, I now will this to be music." After that it's a matter of taste. Without the frame-as-announced, it's a guy swallowing carrot juice.
(Frank Zappa, 1989 (emphasis his))
*ahem* (emphasis mine, now)
After that it's a matter of taste.
That is what I think of art. I cannot stand it when someone says one of the next two things:
"That's not art!"
"I could have done that."
...because, yes...it is. It may not be art you like, it may not be good art at all...but it is art...and maybe you could have...you didn't, he/she did and someone liked it enough that now you're seeing it in a public area. So, too bad you didn't think of it and they did.
(and one day I'm going to write a post about how I'm all for using 'they' as a genderless singular pronoun)
Now, please understand, there is a huge difference between good and bad art and just because I think it's art if the artist says it's art doesn't mean I think it's good. Just because I believe that when B. Spears says what she does is music, it is music, doesn't mean I don't think it's crap music.
But, also just because you don't want to hang it on your wall (I'm thinking of Duchamp's 'fountain' right now) doesn't mean it's not an important, relevant, and/or influencial piece of art.
What I'm saying is this: it is not art based on whether you like it or not. Art does not have to be pretty...and thank christ for that. If it doesn't speak to you, it may speak to someone else...and who are you to judge?
Ummm...yeah. I kinda got distracted just now, so I'll end this here.
*curtsy*
A few caveats: I'm no expert, just an 'enjoyer' of art.
Oh...there's only one? I was sure there was more...
Now...the reason Zappa's picture is up for this post is the following: If memory serves me correctly, I was about 19 in Victoria when I saw his autobiography sitting in Monroe's books. I read it, enjoyed it and what he said about art I have taken with me since...and I've not found a better explanation yet. Forgive me for this, but frankly (no pun), I can't figure out why people fight me so hard on it.
And here it is. I'm going to write what he said, first:
The Frame
The most important thing in art is The Frame. For painting: literally; for other arts: figuratively-because, without this humble appliance, you can't know where The Art stops and The Real World begins.
You have to put a 'box' around it because otherwise, what is that shit on the wall?
If John Cage, for instance, says, "I'm putting a contact microphone on my throat, and I'm going to drink carrot juice, and that's my composition," then his gurgling qualifies as his composition because he put a frame around it and said so. "Take it or leave it, I now will this to be music." After that it's a matter of taste. Without the frame-as-announced, it's a guy swallowing carrot juice.
(Frank Zappa, 1989 (emphasis his))
*ahem* (emphasis mine, now)
After that it's a matter of taste.
That is what I think of art. I cannot stand it when someone says one of the next two things:
"That's not art!"
"I could have done that."
...because, yes...it is. It may not be art you like, it may not be good art at all...but it is art...and maybe you could have...you didn't, he/she did and someone liked it enough that now you're seeing it in a public area. So, too bad you didn't think of it and they did.
(and one day I'm going to write a post about how I'm all for using 'they' as a genderless singular pronoun)
Now, please understand, there is a huge difference between good and bad art and just because I think it's art if the artist says it's art doesn't mean I think it's good. Just because I believe that when B. Spears says what she does is music, it is music, doesn't mean I don't think it's crap music.
But, also just because you don't want to hang it on your wall (I'm thinking of Duchamp's 'fountain' right now) doesn't mean it's not an important, relevant, and/or influencial piece of art.
What I'm saying is this: it is not art based on whether you like it or not. Art does not have to be pretty...and thank christ for that. If it doesn't speak to you, it may speak to someone else...and who are you to judge?
Ummm...yeah. I kinda got distracted just now, so I'll end this here.
*curtsy*
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Monday, March 13, 2006
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Saturday, March 11, 2006
winding up
Ever have those kinds of tired that come so deep from within that it's not a sleep thing, it's a soul thing?
I'm that kind of tired today.
First time in a long time I've had nothing immediate due...or was occupied with a meltdown. I've got a whole body kind of tired.
From as far back as early February, I've been going top speed in order to get the essential shit done. Either that, or my rest time was thwarted by unforseen circumstances...then lead back into top speed. It's been that far back that I haven't been awoken by anxiety attacks that ranged from annoying to crippling.
ha!
But once I got past the anxiety, I just kept my head down and powered through.
'Cept today...I've got nothing major due for 2 weeks. So when I woke up this morning, I was incredibly light headed and even had the spins when I laid down.
My remedy for that was to eat a ton and lay on the couch.
Funny, though...the body's (or maybe just my body's) response to stress, hey?
I'm that kind of tired today.
First time in a long time I've had nothing immediate due...or was occupied with a meltdown. I've got a whole body kind of tired.
From as far back as early February, I've been going top speed in order to get the essential shit done. Either that, or my rest time was thwarted by unforseen circumstances...then lead back into top speed. It's been that far back that I haven't been awoken by anxiety attacks that ranged from annoying to crippling.
ha!
But once I got past the anxiety, I just kept my head down and powered through.
'Cept today...I've got nothing major due for 2 weeks. So when I woke up this morning, I was incredibly light headed and even had the spins when I laid down.
My remedy for that was to eat a ton and lay on the couch.
Funny, though...the body's (or maybe just my body's) response to stress, hey?
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Spore
Black Mana showed me this the other day and I'm totally freaking out.
It's a game simulation by the creator of The Sims and SimCity and stuff...his newest creation that's knocked my inner nerd's socks off. No....it's made my inner nerd cry like a baby for a bottle...my very viewable outer nerd is currently sockless.
Check it out here.
It's a game simulation by the creator of The Sims and SimCity and stuff...his newest creation that's knocked my inner nerd's socks off. No....it's made my inner nerd cry like a baby for a bottle...my very viewable outer nerd is currently sockless.
Check it out here.
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