September 10th. 2009

Crikey. College is weird. I think I knew going into college that I wasn't going to be much of a college person and two years later this hunch is becoming more and more realized. I just don't make a very good pseudo-adult.

So where is this pessimism coming from? Well, I started tutoring yesterday. I don't feel comfortable jumping to the conclusion that I'm a bad tutor, but I can say I am a very new (unqualified? maybe) tutor. I got all nervous and my voice was cracking, and I just had no idea what was going on. I tutor tomorrow too..BUT THIS TIME IT'S A SUBJECT I ACTUALLY KIND OF KNOW. So, it should be better. Really. It's okay guys.

I've been having quite a decent output of shit lately. Wow that did not sound like what I thought it would. Uh. I've been producing things. That's more..wow. Yeah okay. So first up, I did a short story for creative writing.

http://courageousturnip.deviantart.com/art/way-of-the-coast-of-texas-136603544

We had to focus on a certain setting that made a character uneasy. So, that's mine.

Next, visual arts!






Yeah. So that's my output.

I just started reading the 7th harry potter again. It's the only one that I don't really remember so it's nice to revisit.

Things I regret not bringing to my grandpa's house:

Stapler.
Tape.
Shoes other than converse.
Extra computer ink.

Also it would be nice to have more socks, but that isn't really necessary.

http://w928.wrzuta.pl/sr/f/67h5E53Wc6O/mumford_sons_-_dustbowl_dance.mp3

Triviality

Me again.
I'll keep it short and hit you with the hardFACTS
The Road(movie) got pushed back to November 25th, So I know what I'll be doing over my Thanksgiving break.
I know I am going to really like this movie so I doesn't matter if I need to wait just a bit more, as long as I get to see it!

I wrote my poem. I have a bad feeling that I am going to have to re-write it due to lack of imagery. I felt I did good for a first time/no real skill for this sort of writing. Oh and it didn't rhyme. So i guess that makes it easier.

In my Human Geography/Ecology class the teacher was talking about Globalization. When the subject of cars came up he asked who drove/had an American car.
I raise my hand.
And I alone.
I was honestly a little shocked by that. I expected a few more people. I think he did too.
Reminds me of Gran Torino when the family visits Clint Eastwood and they drive off and he says "I told him to buy American!"

On my post last Thursday I said I was almost halfway in my book. Well I finished it on Monday, I think. Monday or Tuesday.
Great stuff. I have officially concluded the Border Trilogy. Now I am re-reading The Road and after that I'm not sure what I'll do. I can keep reading McCarthy or maybe jump to someone else. All the possibilities! Aren't you excited!~

ok well that's it for me for today.


But what would a post be without a video

Fill in the Blog

Looks like it's a back-to-back/double feature/POWERPLAY.
Well it's labor day. So I tried to do as little labor as possible. Does that mean I'm still in bed? Unchanged from the night before?
No, no it does not. You could say I "took it easy" today. I "didn't strain myself." I "kept my list of activities short."
(Directors Note: When reading the lines in "Quotations" please be very overdramatic)

I bought the Kings of Leon album on iTunes. Amazing stuff.
Shall we?
1.

2.


They sure did put on one great show at Weenie Roast 2009. And they had the best set time.

I just got finished reading poems for my Language of Poetry class. Who knew it could be so fun.
I have to write like 3 poems for that class. EEEEK! I think I've written like two poems in my entire life.
I almost just wrote a poem just now, for you. But you get no poem!

I re-watched Pan's Labyrinth this weekend. It might be my favorite foreign film ever. And some of the Spanish I can understand without subtitles.
Uh-oh, we just stumbled upon a pet peeve(as much as I hate to you that term).
But it relates to people and subtitled movies. If you are of reasonable age, lets say 13+, and you can't/don't watch a movie because it has subtitles, We have a problem. I seriously felt angry when I had to give a customer a refund because they came to see Letters From Iwo Jima and didn't want to "read" a movie. But then there is some part of me that isn't too mad about it. Maybe it's a system to weed out those less deserving of such fine cinematic treasures.
But if you consider yourself deserving and have not seen Pan's Labyrinth.....GO see it. You will be very captivated.

Ok. I feel like two blogs in a row(even though three days apart) might give people a Michael OvERLOAD

Yes?

Visualization and Representation

Now we're talking! Back in business and baby that's how I like it!
Unnecessarily necessary blog energy just kicked in.
So I'm back. You're back. We are all back. But before we get into all that is new in the life let's give summer a nice little wrap up.
Goodbye Regal, goodbye house, goodbye sleeping in, goodbye wasting time, goodbye HangoutCity.
In case anyone had forgotten or not know.....I WON AT MONOPOLY. It was either the best worst idea, of something to do at 11pm, or the worst best idea. But I still won. And I think it was all thanks to Paul Revere aka the guy riding the horse AKA the greatest token in Boardgame history. This may be the only thing that gets commented on but oh well. I still won.
Summer is gone though. So lets move ahead. Im in a new building this year. The room is bigger, the halls are calmer, the view is very cool, and its a definite upgrade......
Photographic evidence to support my claims!

OooooOOoo


My station of work!


My closet...


The VIEW!


Ok. As for my classes, I satisfied with them. Which I suppose at this level is the best you are going to get. By this level I mean GE classes and random major-required classes (a la Language of Poetry.) And British Literature 1. We've only had two sessions. And its been about about the Beowulf. I might be shot for saying this or frowned upon by the Literary Gods/snobs, but I have to say I am all about the Contemporary. I had the same problem with Dickens. Of course I recognize the impacts and groundwork laid by these classics(except that you could argue that I do not because I do not enjoy reading them/take on a full and loving comprehension) but I think I can safely blame my enjoyment of movies and the fast(er) pace of books from this century.
But it doesn't change the fact that I have 1000 lines of Beowulf to still read.
As for my personal reading, I am almost halfway through Cities of the Plain. Another McCarthy classic! I need to finish it soon so I took can start/finish the Road before the cinematic adaptation premieres. Speaking of that, the first reviews are in! The movie has already been shown at the Venice film festival and has a few more film festival appearances coming up. This is where the buzz picks up again. Good or bad. But so far its been good. One thing that is a challenge for the film is that the book left a lot of things for the reader to imagine. The whole Visualizing Thought process. But the whole purpose of the film to to provide that image.
In the end I know I'm going to like the movie. And most likely the movie will enhance my opinion about the book.
Well it's good to see September kicking us into gear and getting the blog's blood pumping.
Welcome back and welcome forward!

Here we go again (but worse this time)

Hooray for blogging again. So yeah i'm tired so i'm going to keep this blog a short one. It's been a while blogging for me.

This semester is my busiest semester yet. Between getting my class schedule all mangled and being a board member on the finance association, I am knee deep in crap. I go to school monday through friday now. All 5:30am wake ups. That extra day on friday is really the icing on the cake. These first couple weeks has been very busy with the Finance Association too. It is our membership drive these first 3 weeks so I have to run the table 7 hours a week spread out over 3 days a week. Plus all the finance meetings every couple days it has been very time consuming. Last thursday I got home at 8pm. The earliest I have gotten home this week is 4pm. Needless to say school is taking a lot out of me. I went to bed at 8:30pm on tuesday that's how tired I was.

On a lighter note, I do like most of my classes. Accounting and ISDS are totally awesome. Political Science not so much. But 4 out of 5 ain't bad. However this is going to be a major reading semester again. But do not worry, I am on page 213 of the road, and I am sure I will find time to finish it before the movie comes out.

Ok it is time for dinner so I am cutting this short. Till next time.

Johnny

September 1st, 2009

Well, the wheels of the blog are beginning to turn again, after a somewhat unexpectedly long intermission. But college has started, and it seems appropriate to pick up where we last left off.

College is a clusterfuck. I absolutely abhor being a commuter, especially with all of the city driving around Orange. There are some really scary off/on ramps that cause me to have an adrenaline rush everytime. Because there's always traffic.

Interesting note: my school is not a morning school. My classes began on Monday and Tuesday at 9:30 and 8:30 respectively, and if I get there are 8:30 there are hundreds, of parking spots open. But at 11:00 that number goes down to a much lower number. Today that number was 4. That's low. Mighty low.

My classes are alright. I have this one teacher for 6 hours on Monday who's pretty chill. He kind of reminds me of a fatter, older, more Jewish Jacob Gibson.

I'm living at my Grandpa's house in case you haven't heard. So far, it's been mutually understandingly awkward. I couldn't have asked for anything better I suppose. You see, my grandpa and I haven't really talked. Ever. I've seen him plenty, it's just neither one of us really understands one another very well.

Tonight is my first night off. And no homework. Score.
I can't wait until I finally start tutoring people. I have so much freaking open time. I need to plug up the time holes! NEED!! I'm taking a creative writing class with one of my high school friend's dad. It's kind of trippy because he recognized me and I was really hoping/expecting/banking on him not. Now it's just awkward, but I already bought the book, so I guess I'm sticking with it.

Blog mobile!

Hello hello. This blog just got mobile. I'm writing this from my iPhone. It's kinda late and I have nothing at all to say. Except expect more of me in a couple of weeks. This blog will be back in full swing.... I hope. Adios!