My New Hero

For not posting anything in so long, I'm making up for lost time by making two in one day. I hadn't intended for this blog to become somewhat politically edged, but I guess it was only a matter of time. What you are about to hear is Adam Corolla hanging up on Ann Coulter after she called in as a guest on his radio show an hour and a half late, then tries to make it sound like it was their fault. He responds by treating her the way more people should.

Anyone remember a few years ago when people like Dennis Rodman and Marylin Manson popped up everywhere you turned because conservatives kept wailing about how terrible they were? I know they're still around, but how often do you hear from them? Exactly. No more attention, they go away. Ann Coulter is the same way; if more people would just "hang up" and stop fueling the attention whore flames that she most desperately needs, she will also go away. Well, we are talking politics here, so as long as no one in the GOP or some band of extreme right wing nut jobs feel pity for her/him/it and lends their support, she/he/it will fade away. Hopefully.

There is some language that may be offensive to those that have tender little ears and the audio is the same. I'd at least turn it down if you're at work.

You Want Mostly Fluffers and Floaters

I've just been sitting here in the student union for approximately the past half hour, and I think I experienced a slight bit of brain death. I've only seen a handful of familiar faces from last (spring) semester, and this new batch seems just as socially inept as the last, if not more so. The table next to me has finally ended their phone conversation. No, I'm not one of those cell phone nazis, but when you're sitting in a public place, please refrain from having multiple conversation using the speaker function. I don't want to hear the details while setting up your next doctor's appointment, the conversation between you and the administrator from your child's school, or any other white-knuckle exciting possibilities. I also didn't realize that high heels, raggedy shorts, and camouflage shirts are the 'in' thing this season. I guess when you have an unnaturally dark tan you're entitled to wear whatever you want and think that it looks good. There is one guy sitting a couple tables away that has been reading with iPod earbuds in and periodically peering over his book at me. It may be because I'm doing the same thing to everyone else over my monitor. At least I know he's not typing about me. Heh, someone came up the table next to me and asked the lady if he could use her cell phone - apparently they're friends. What's strange is that she told him that it doesn't get a very good signal unless you go stand "over there". Hmmmm, I suspect shenanigans. Maybe I should've told her that a half an hour ago.

Well, it's already partway into the second week of school, and as you can see, I'm cultivating a healthy level of cynicism. Gah! And the speaker phone lady is back at it. I suppose I should've signed up for more classes to give me something to do other than critique random strangers for no reason. This is my last semester, and things have turned out so that I only have to take the minimum amount of credit hours to qualify as full time. So what do I do? Add 5 more hours on top of that. There is a method to the madness, however; considering I'm moving to San Diego, I decided to audit a beginning-level Spanish course. True, it means more hours of class and homework, but learning a bit of Spanish is probably going to come in a bit more handy than German, no matter what Ron Burgundy says.

Well, speaking of German, I should probably spend the next few minutes looking over some vocabulary for my next class. I hate getting there and having to improvise without knowing what the words mean. It earns me too many strange looks. Hasta próximo tiempo, bis nächstes mal.

Dream Within A Dream

Val has been moved to San Diego. She's got an apartment she can move into tomorrow, her grad orientation starts tomorrow as well, and the weather there is sunny and warm with relatively no humidity. I've been awake for going on 31 hours now, classes start for me tomorrow, and it's raining outside. If you haven't guessed, I'm not the most excited to be back in Iowa at the mo. I think it's the massive sleep deprivation that's keeping reality from actually permeating my little bubble of vertigo that's gently carrying me through my day.

The trip itself was great; we left on the 11th of this month and I rolled into Cedar Falls this morning at about 8am. Plans to power nap have somehow been thwarted. When my brain is fully functional, I plan on typing some thoughts and memories of the last week for an actual post of substance. Right now I have neither thoughts or memories. I think. I need to crash soon...

Tips for a real macho!

Ok, haven't been on here for a while, although it seems like just yesterday. Oh man, I just noticed that the first week of August will have passed me by within just a few hours. Time has kind of flown, and I do recall whinging in my last post about how Val wasn't around and it has seemed like forever. Well, she's been back since the 29th of last month, and to continue sounding like a baby, we have to move her out to San Diego this coming Saturday. Much too quickly goes the time. On the other hand, I'm very excited about the trip itself; I've never been to the West Coast before, so getting a feel for what we're moving to will be quite a treat. Considering that we're driving, I suppose I'll have all the time in the world to jot down some thoughts and supply some pictures.

I guess I'd like to share a new found pleasure that I'm surprised took me so long to discover. I went on a couple day-long canoeing trips this summer, both of which burned me to a crisp.
Regardless of the pain, I'm hooked. I think I've awakened the latent river rat within. From casting off, to picnicking on a sand bar, tying your foot to a tree on the bank and floating in the water with a life vest after eating, watching the wildlife that one can't see from a car window on the highway, sipping on beers for most of the day, and finally dragging the canoe from the water and securing it to the roof, I can't think of a better way to spend a lazy Sunday. These are a couple pictures that I took during the second trip. Luckily there was no one else on the river that day besides my friend, Pam, and myself - but most importantly I remembered to bring my camera. Due to the solitude that day, we were treated to quite a few wildlife sightings, and if you'll notice on the left side of this last picture, there's a bald eagle perched on the branch. Thanks to my roomies for letting me borrow their telephoto lens, or I never would've been able to get that shot. I just wish I would've been able to get a better focus, but I almost capsized us simply trying to snap it, so I guess I should consider myself lucky it's even in frame. Click any of the pictures for the full-size view; the eagle is fairly large, just as an FYI.

A piece of advice before I close, which is actually just as much to myself as it is to anyone else; go outside and find some solitude for a few hours once in a while. It's amazing how much something simple like that can recharge the batteries. I'd say that goes especially for anyone like me who spends a bit much of their free time sitting in front of a computer. It's a goal of mine to get used to spending more time in the big, blue room by the time I get to San Diego. Somehow I don't think that will be too much to ask of myself. It'll be even easier when I get that stellar job and can afford my 400 acre ranch. OK, that may be pushing the limits of reality just a bit. Maybe.