Comment devenir taree en 1000 lecons Which, as I learned from Babelfish, is authored by a teenager in Mozambique, writing about teenage life in Mozambique. I believe she also writes "Angel" fan-fiction.
Surfstream, also authored by a teenager, this one a 13 year old in Swansea, Wales. He seems to like the wrestling.
TBOGG! - I think this is the first time I've every randomly landed on a blog that I already read every day.
Possible Elitists High On Coffee and Cloves - a satirical blog, featuring a review of Ann Coulter's latest book.
Theoretical V - occasional fiction and odd ramblings. I like that he wants to read the latest in globollocks from Thomas Friedman only because he heard how bad it is.
Well, that's all you're getting for today, because I had too many carbs this morning and therefore I'm feeling stuffed and sluggish.
Ambition this shall tempt to rise, And moody Madness laughing wild Amid severest woe. -from Thomas Gray's "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College"
4/29/2005
I5BOTD 4/29/05
Today's Indie 500 Blog of the Day is:
firedoglake
authored by Jane Hamsher, and the amusingly named Funky PhD. There is a great post up about the Bible as literature.
firedoglake
authored by Jane Hamsher, and the amusingly named Funky PhD. There is a great post up about the Bible as literature.
4/27/2005
I am such a hottie!
I was feeling good yesterday. I lost a few pounds, was wearing my favorite outfit, had my hair and make-up done - I was just generally feeling confident, and strutting down the sidewalk in Hartford towards my bus-stop (as much as someone who walks with a cane can strut, anyway). And I got wolf-whistled! (As someone who has spent much of her life either as a tomboy or a chubby invisible person, I don't have the luxury to be offended by someone whistling at me to let me know they find me attractive.)*
"I'm so hot!" I thought to myself, and then I turned to see who noticed my hotness. It was not, as I imagined, a buff construction worker. No, it was a toothless man who apparently just came from the methadone clinic, and he proceeded to make some comments that I will not repeat here.
That's me, though - with the exception of Loki, I tend to only get attention from elderly horndogs**, illegal immigrants***, and now I find that I am appealing to the toothless heroin addict population as well.
That's how my life works - when I'm feeling good, my reminder that humility is a virtue is never far behind.
*Does this mean I have to turn my feminist membership card in?
**I was shopping in the produce section once, and a guy who had to be around 90 came really close to me, put his arm around me, and said "nice melons"****
***I once worked for a Pakistani who had a brother who was trying to immigrate, and the brother would not take no for an answer...even though I was already married at that point. He asked me to go to the movies, and I told him "I'm married", and he said "that's okay, we don't have to tell your husband." What an ass he was.
****They're real, and they are kind of spectacular
"I'm so hot!" I thought to myself, and then I turned to see who noticed my hotness. It was not, as I imagined, a buff construction worker. No, it was a toothless man who apparently just came from the methadone clinic, and he proceeded to make some comments that I will not repeat here.
That's me, though - with the exception of Loki, I tend to only get attention from elderly horndogs**, illegal immigrants***, and now I find that I am appealing to the toothless heroin addict population as well.
That's how my life works - when I'm feeling good, my reminder that humility is a virtue is never far behind.
*Does this mean I have to turn my feminist membership card in?
**I was shopping in the produce section once, and a guy who had to be around 90 came really close to me, put his arm around me, and said "nice melons"****
***I once worked for a Pakistani who had a brother who was trying to immigrate, and the brother would not take no for an answer...even though I was already married at that point. He asked me to go to the movies, and I told him "I'm married", and he said "that's okay, we don't have to tell your husband." What an ass he was.
****They're real, and they are kind of spectacular
I5BOTD 4/27/05
Today's Indie 500 Blog of the Day is:
The Shameless Antagonist
They have an interesting (in an unpleasant way) post up about a Federal Reserve bank sponsoring a contest to promote economic inequality. Really.
The Shameless Antagonist
They have an interesting (in an unpleasant way) post up about a Federal Reserve bank sponsoring a contest to promote economic inequality. Really.
4/26/2005
Monkey's Big News
Monkey just called from her best friend's house (where she goes after school) - she has been picked to sing the National Anthem at the 2nd grade talent show. She delivered the news in a pitch that was barely audible to my non-canine ears, so I assume she is very excited about this.
I5BOTD 4/26/05
Today's Indie 500 Blog of the Day is:
She Flies With Her Own Wings
lots of good stuff on ID vs. Evolution, which is a really irritating subject for me. One is mythology masquerading as science, one is science. I have no problem with the Creation myth of Christianity being taught in, say, a comparative religion course. Does it belong in a science classroom? No way.
She Flies With Her Own Wings
lots of good stuff on ID vs. Evolution, which is a really irritating subject for me. One is mythology masquerading as science, one is science. I have no problem with the Creation myth of Christianity being taught in, say, a comparative religion course. Does it belong in a science classroom? No way.
4/25/2005
I'm curious
Loki is a big fan of conspiracy theories - for example, he won't apply for a store discount card because he doesn't want "them" to know what he's buying at the grocery store.
So tonight, I was out shopping for birthday prezzies (oh help me, I have 3 birthdays in April and 3 in May, and about $165 of discretionary income....and one of those birthdays is my beloved Sio's 16th. I would like to shower her with gifts - a car, a cell phone, a laptop. So far, I got her a cheapo DVD of a movie starring Ewan MacGregor -Sio loves him- and some Velveeta macaroni & cheese -it's her favorite, and normally I won't buy it on principle. That principle being orange cheese cannot be good for you, so you can't eat it), and I ended up at Borders, where I had a gift card. I used it to buy the sequel to Jack Vance's Port of Call (I think it's called Lurulu) for Loki, The Best Erotic Fiction of 2004 edited by Susie Bright, Cooking Light Magazine, and #9 of the Astonishing X-Men (the latter three were all for me).
Based just on those purchases, I am a nerdy perv who likes to eat healthy.
More accurate than I would have predicted, actually.
So tonight, I was out shopping for birthday prezzies (oh help me, I have 3 birthdays in April and 3 in May, and about $165 of discretionary income....and one of those birthdays is my beloved Sio's 16th. I would like to shower her with gifts - a car, a cell phone, a laptop. So far, I got her a cheapo DVD of a movie starring Ewan MacGregor -Sio loves him- and some Velveeta macaroni & cheese -it's her favorite, and normally I won't buy it on principle. That principle being orange cheese cannot be good for you, so you can't eat it), and I ended up at Borders, where I had a gift card. I used it to buy the sequel to Jack Vance's Port of Call (I think it's called Lurulu) for Loki, The Best Erotic Fiction of 2004 edited by Susie Bright, Cooking Light Magazine, and #9 of the Astonishing X-Men (the latter three were all for me).
Based just on those purchases, I am a nerdy perv who likes to eat healthy.
More accurate than I would have predicted, actually.
Jeanne for Pope
As someone who was raised Catholic, I must confess to the sin of Envy when I read anything that Jeanne writes. She offers an eloquent response to those who defend the new Pope's past over at Body and Soul
Reverend Heretic
As my regular reader(s) know(s), although I don't believe in God or the Bible (I believe in the Bible in that I know it exists, I don't believe that it is literally true), I do go to church every Sunday. That is because I am a singer, and I get paid to lead the alto section of a church choir.
The church is one of those urban churches that is in danger of becoming obsolete - at one time, the neighborhood was upscale, and the wealthy white Protestants who lived nearby attended either this Congregational church or the older Congregational church down the block. But as the city changed, the white protestants moved out to the suburbs, and the number of people sitting in the pews on Sunday began to decrease.
Most of the big churches in Hartford have paid section leaders, and church members make up the rest of the choir. My church is different, primarily because of the choir conducter. She is a great conducter, and she picks great music, but her challenging and perfectionist personality has driven all but the musically trained members from the choir. So our entire soprano section (except for 1) is paid. I'm the only paid alto, our entire tenor section is paid, and we only have 1 paid bass. We are a choir of mostly non-believers, just there to earn a buck.
On Sunday mornings, we get there early, warm up, practice the hymns, and any anthems/offertorys we have for the day. When the service starts, some of the ringers pull out books or knitting (we sit in the back of the church in the loft, so we're not visible to anyone when we're sitting down). I occasionally write - Sio (who sings with us in the alto section) often does her homework. Until it's time to sing, we keep ourselves occupied.
But yesterday, I found myself listening to the words of the sermon. The current minister is officially retired, but he is acting as the Interim Minister until a permanent one can be found. (There were controversies surrounding the previous 3 ministers, but I keep my nose out of church business, so I can't fill you in on what the controversies were). He's a lovely man, very funny with the children (Monkey adores him), with a truly inspiring past (he worked with Martin Luther King, Jr., and was very involved with the Civil Rights movement).
I don't know if the Rev. knew about Huckster Sunday or not, but his sermon suggested he was well aware. He talked about how, since he retired, he's attended services at hundreds of churches, temples, and mosques. And he talked about the mega-churches - he said he was so impressed by the numbers of people in the seats, the multi-media presentations, the powerfully delivered sermons. But he started to notice the empty messages that were presented therein. He met preachers who bragged about preaching the Whole Bible as the literal word of God, but most of the sermons pulled one or two specific verses out and talked about nothing else, while ignoring the verses that the people in the pews (and indeed, the preachers themselves) were violating (including one about how women should not wear gold or pearls). He bemoaned the way these churches served fear as a main dish, while ignoring the message of love that Christ delivered.
After the service, I had to tell him how much I enjoyed his sermon. I told him how I felt Christianity has been hijacked by people who are using it for political gains. He told me that he writes a column in addition to his sermons, and he often dances around this issue, but he is wary of pressing it too hard, of using bold language, because he thinks it would make his flock a little defensive. And then he leaned close, and made a confession: "I'm a heretic, and I'm glad to know, after talking to you, that I'm not the only one."
The church is one of those urban churches that is in danger of becoming obsolete - at one time, the neighborhood was upscale, and the wealthy white Protestants who lived nearby attended either this Congregational church or the older Congregational church down the block. But as the city changed, the white protestants moved out to the suburbs, and the number of people sitting in the pews on Sunday began to decrease.
Most of the big churches in Hartford have paid section leaders, and church members make up the rest of the choir. My church is different, primarily because of the choir conducter. She is a great conducter, and she picks great music, but her challenging and perfectionist personality has driven all but the musically trained members from the choir. So our entire soprano section (except for 1) is paid. I'm the only paid alto, our entire tenor section is paid, and we only have 1 paid bass. We are a choir of mostly non-believers, just there to earn a buck.
On Sunday mornings, we get there early, warm up, practice the hymns, and any anthems/offertorys we have for the day. When the service starts, some of the ringers pull out books or knitting (we sit in the back of the church in the loft, so we're not visible to anyone when we're sitting down). I occasionally write - Sio (who sings with us in the alto section) often does her homework. Until it's time to sing, we keep ourselves occupied.
But yesterday, I found myself listening to the words of the sermon. The current minister is officially retired, but he is acting as the Interim Minister until a permanent one can be found. (There were controversies surrounding the previous 3 ministers, but I keep my nose out of church business, so I can't fill you in on what the controversies were). He's a lovely man, very funny with the children (Monkey adores him), with a truly inspiring past (he worked with Martin Luther King, Jr., and was very involved with the Civil Rights movement).
I don't know if the Rev. knew about Huckster Sunday or not, but his sermon suggested he was well aware. He talked about how, since he retired, he's attended services at hundreds of churches, temples, and mosques. And he talked about the mega-churches - he said he was so impressed by the numbers of people in the seats, the multi-media presentations, the powerfully delivered sermons. But he started to notice the empty messages that were presented therein. He met preachers who bragged about preaching the Whole Bible as the literal word of God, but most of the sermons pulled one or two specific verses out and talked about nothing else, while ignoring the verses that the people in the pews (and indeed, the preachers themselves) were violating (including one about how women should not wear gold or pearls). He bemoaned the way these churches served fear as a main dish, while ignoring the message of love that Christ delivered.
After the service, I had to tell him how much I enjoyed his sermon. I told him how I felt Christianity has been hijacked by people who are using it for political gains. He told me that he writes a column in addition to his sermons, and he often dances around this issue, but he is wary of pressing it too hard, of using bold language, because he thinks it would make his flock a little defensive. And then he leaned close, and made a confession: "I'm a heretic, and I'm glad to know, after talking to you, that I'm not the only one."
I5BOTD 4/25/05
Today's Indie 500 Blog of the Day is:
Politick
I have to admit I was being totally lazy, and I just randomly clicked on this blog, but it's pretty good. I particularly like his post updating us on how Bill O'Reilly's accuser is spending her settlement.
Politick
I have to admit I was being totally lazy, and I just randomly clicked on this blog, but it's pretty good. I particularly like his post updating us on how Bill O'Reilly's accuser is spending her settlement.
4/23/2005
You can't take the sky from me
My heart started beating a little faster when I had a message in my inbox addressed to "Browncoats"
The Big Damn Movie isn't coming out until September, and I just can't wait. Although the long wait does mean my summer will last longer.
Check out exciting news from Joss Whedon now on the Browncoats message boards!
http://browncoats.serenitymovie.com/serenity/index.html?fuseaction=forum.viewtopic&t=10230
Hey guys.
I'm here on the official site, so that can only mean one thing: somebody finally told me my password! (Again.) It probably also means that I have some big-ass announcement or other. Well tops on the announcement list is this: after months of intensive yoga, i can finally touch my toes! (They feel round and bunion-y.)
But there's more! I'm talkin' movie news, peeps, so no more drumroll: Trailer. Serenity. Tuesday.
Yeah, kids, the haps is hap'nin', and it runs thus: EXCLUSIVELY on Apple movie trailers (and linked through this site as well of course) will be a small, medium, large or FULLSCREEN trailer for Serenity the major motion movie. Yeah, THE trailer. And the following Friday said trailer hits theaters. Which theaters? Until I get confirmation you'll have to guess, but I'm betting you can.
Now, here's a word of warning: this trailer ain't shy. If you're looking to live totally spoiler-free, know that there's plenty of key dialogue and images running through this bad boy. It's pretty tasty, though, and it doesn't give everything away. But close scrutiny will definitely learn you much of what's to come. (Anakin TOTALLY goes evil.) It's a nice piece to while away the time till September, and hopefully should intrigue th' peeps that don't have coats of brown.
The only thing more exciting than y'all finally seeing this was showing it to Nathan. Like a schoolboy giggled he.
Bye-ee!
Joss "You can't take my toes from me" Whedon.
The Big Damn Movie isn't coming out until September, and I just can't wait. Although the long wait does mean my summer will last longer.
4/22/2005
Friday Random Next Blogging
Today's edition goes around the normal world and gives us a brief glimpse of crazy world, too.
KBadviceworld, a blog written by two Texas third-graders. Be nice, because their dads check the site every day!
This untitled blog exists to keep the group informed. It looks like a social calendar for a bunch of guys who are young enough to call a person celebrating his 28th birthday "old guy". They seem like a fun bunch.
Next we have Orangejack's Blog, written by someone who appears to be both born again in Christ and in NFL football. He's got cute kids, both of whom are redheads, which makes me automatically like them and find them adorable.
Gunter Likes French Fries is an audioblog written in French, which makes me doubly sad, because 1. I have no speakers and B. I took Spanish.
Oooh, I think Nu Skal Bloggad Ott Og Titt is the first Icelandic blog I've ever visited randomly...or deliberately, for that matter. And suddenly I am reminded of the opening credits of Monty Python's Holy Grail (although that was, of course, Sweden and not Iceland...okay, then this blog makes me think of Bjork, who is, in fact, Icelandic, and in my circles, people are divided about her musical ability. I come down on the "genius" side).
D'oh, another annoying, adverblog Communists Snapper. I'm guessing that he sucks in people searching for terms like "veteran" or "academic", only to shill info about poker. Or maybe he's just deranged and every conversation turns to poker.
Not the Country Club, our next randomly generated blog, is a liberal blog, and I'm surprised he isn't on the Indie 500. Maybe he is and I've missed the name.
The Twilight of My Youth is written by Luke, who protests a bit too much about his roommate who used to be his best friend until he started wearing cologne and having sex with people who are not Luke. As a joke, this blog is funny. If it not a joke, then Luke might need to get some counseling.
Remember earlier in this post, when I was sad that I couldn't read the French blog because I took Spanish? It's kind of sad, but after 5 years of Spanish, I can't really read La venganza de las guayaberas atomicas, either. Well, I was able to make out that his) little Enterprise that adorned his monitor is dead, and he's kind of sad about it. And I think he really likes The Gorillaz.
Serena Says is written by Serena, who goes to Ponderosa Junior High and loves the book Gossip Girl, and she apparently likes to gossip, too.
The World According to Bob. Wow. Bob really has a problem with women. I don't think he sees them as human beings.
Well, after that, I can't go on. I hope you enjoyed the enjoyable ones, translated the non-English ones, and gave thanks that the World According to Bob is not the world we live in.
KBadviceworld, a blog written by two Texas third-graders. Be nice, because their dads check the site every day!
This untitled blog exists to keep the group informed. It looks like a social calendar for a bunch of guys who are young enough to call a person celebrating his 28th birthday "old guy". They seem like a fun bunch.
Next we have Orangejack's Blog, written by someone who appears to be both born again in Christ and in NFL football. He's got cute kids, both of whom are redheads, which makes me automatically like them and find them adorable.
Gunter Likes French Fries is an audioblog written in French, which makes me doubly sad, because 1. I have no speakers and B. I took Spanish.
Oooh, I think Nu Skal Bloggad Ott Og Titt is the first Icelandic blog I've ever visited randomly...or deliberately, for that matter. And suddenly I am reminded of the opening credits of Monty Python's Holy Grail (although that was, of course, Sweden and not Iceland...okay, then this blog makes me think of Bjork, who is, in fact, Icelandic, and in my circles, people are divided about her musical ability. I come down on the "genius" side).
D'oh, another annoying, adverblog Communists Snapper. I'm guessing that he sucks in people searching for terms like "veteran" or "academic", only to shill info about poker. Or maybe he's just deranged and every conversation turns to poker.
Not the Country Club, our next randomly generated blog, is a liberal blog, and I'm surprised he isn't on the Indie 500. Maybe he is and I've missed the name.
The Twilight of My Youth is written by Luke, who protests a bit too much about his roommate who used to be his best friend until he started wearing cologne and having sex with people who are not Luke. As a joke, this blog is funny. If it not a joke, then Luke might need to get some counseling.
Remember earlier in this post, when I was sad that I couldn't read the French blog because I took Spanish? It's kind of sad, but after 5 years of Spanish, I can't really read La venganza de las guayaberas atomicas, either. Well, I was able to make out that his) little Enterprise that adorned his monitor is dead, and he's kind of sad about it. And I think he really likes The Gorillaz.
Serena Says is written by Serena, who goes to Ponderosa Junior High and loves the book Gossip Girl, and she apparently likes to gossip, too.
The World According to Bob. Wow. Bob really has a problem with women. I don't think he sees them as human beings.
Well, after that, I can't go on. I hope you enjoyed the enjoyable ones, translated the non-English ones, and gave thanks that the World According to Bob is not the world we live in.
I5BOTD 4/22/05
Today's Indie 500 Blog of the Day is:
Rubber Hose
which makes me think of Welcome Back, Kotter, a show I really enjoyed when I was a kid. I had a little crush on Epstein, but I related to Horshack, who I shared some qualities with. Mainly that when I was in school, when the teacher asked a question and I knew the answer, I would work so hard to get the teacher's attention that on one occasion, I actually knocked myself off my seat.
Rubber Hose
which makes me think of Welcome Back, Kotter, a show I really enjoyed when I was a kid. I had a little crush on Epstein, but I related to Horshack, who I shared some qualities with. Mainly that when I was in school, when the teacher asked a question and I knew the answer, I would work so hard to get the teacher's attention that on one occasion, I actually knocked myself off my seat.
4/21/2005
Trackback question
When I want to track back to a post I've read, and comment on it here, I go to the "Trackback" option, which is usually right next to the comments, and find the Track back URL. I thought that this would link me to the post - a permalink, I guess. But all it does is give me the page that lists the trackbacks. Is that what is supposed to happen?
If anyone can explain to me the proper way to do this, I would be most appreciative.
If anyone can explain to me the proper way to do this, I would be most appreciative.
I5BOTD 4/21/05
Today's Indie 500 Blog of the Day is:
Hot Flash Report
Opinionated liberal news and views from Ann Rose and Susan Hill. It's a linkapalooza.
Hot Flash Report
Opinionated liberal news and views from Ann Rose and Susan Hill. It's a linkapalooza.
4/20/2005
I5BOTD 4/20/05
Today's Indie 500 Blog of the Day is:
book of days
and the author, Chris Lombardi, is not happy with the choice of Ratzinger for Pope.
book of days
and the author, Chris Lombardi, is not happy with the choice of Ratzinger for Pope.
4/19/2005
New Pope
So there's a new pope
Not to be disrespectful or anything, and I know that the higher-ups in the Catholic church are highly educated, but the pope selection process doesn't seem any more thoughtful and reasoned than, say, selecting your leader via a farcical aquatic ceremony.
And the reverence with which the Catholic church is treated really bugs me. This is the church that paid hush money to victims of sexual abuse, and instead of punishing the abusers, gave them a new flock to fleece. This is the church that lies about the effectiveness of condoms, preferring their sensitive moral beliefs over the truth of how human beings live and relate to each other, thereby leading to the deaths of thousands of people.
I know that a lot of Catholics do a lot of good in the world. Where is the accountability for those who aren't?
Not to be disrespectful or anything, and I know that the higher-ups in the Catholic church are highly educated, but the pope selection process doesn't seem any more thoughtful and reasoned than, say, selecting your leader via a farcical aquatic ceremony.
And the reverence with which the Catholic church is treated really bugs me. This is the church that paid hush money to victims of sexual abuse, and instead of punishing the abusers, gave them a new flock to fleece. This is the church that lies about the effectiveness of condoms, preferring their sensitive moral beliefs over the truth of how human beings live and relate to each other, thereby leading to the deaths of thousands of people.
I know that a lot of Catholics do a lot of good in the world. Where is the accountability for those who aren't?
Ten Years Ago Today
The Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was attacked by homegrown terrorist Timothy McVeigh.
My thoughts are with the people of Oklahoma City, the victims, the survivors, and the family members of those who perished in the bombing.
My thoughts are with the people of Oklahoma City, the victims, the survivors, and the family members of those who perished in the bombing.
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