Thanks to my mother for this link to Lego musicians.

Yes, I rearranged my Xanga layout.  It needed it.

I had promised a self-reflective post earlier this month.  I've finally composed something that isn't TMI.  I have a tendancy to do too much backstory.  That's despite the fact that I've been journaling since I was a small child, and have no doubt covered that backstory many times.

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My childhood was full of mental and emotional turmoil.  As I grew older, the dysfunction in my family led me to The Recurring Nightmare.  As I grew even older, I hardened my heart.  I tried to convince everyone that I wasn't a member of humanity, but above it all.  I never really fooled myself, but I tried.  I wanted to be above the pain and pettiness of humanity. 

By the time high school rolled around I decided to have a possitive outlook.  I unthawed my heart, and tried to be the best person I could be.  I became a peer leader within my parish's teen program.  I joined over half a dozen school organizations.  By the time college came around, I was actually capable of dating (as brief as that was). 

Then I took a job with a media clipping organization.  I've always enjoyed keeping up with current events, so the job seemed a no-brainer.  But being bombarded with the pain and anguish of humanity on a fulltime, daily basis was too much for me.  I was either going to become depressed or go mad, so I just shut off my emotional connection to the world again.  It was the only way to watch tsunami and earthquake disasters, genocide, chauvenism, et cetera and maintain my mental health.  If you can call that healthy...

After I left that job, it took a long time to regain my connection to the world again.  And to be honest, I've hidden from pain so much in my life I'm no longer sure when I do feel pain if I'm feeling too little or too much.

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I couldn't agree with this quiz more.  I do take life a little too seriously.  Not so much as I once did, thanks to a little help from my friends...

Metaphysical Block your blockage: 7% sexual 11% emotional 50% metaphysical

You think too much, take life a little to seriously, and as you can see from this handy illustration, that gets in the way of you enjoying yourself. Take it easy. Let the good times roll. Give peace a chance. Yes, try living life like a great classic rock song. Then you get the pie.

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 4% on sexual You scored higher than 4% on emotional You scored higher than 80% on metaphysical

Link: The Brain Impedance Test written by staff_robot on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." ~Vincent Van Gogh

I really am behind the times.  living_embers has pointed out another YouTube advertisement.  It's an advertising campaign for a DVD-Video which encourages people to get a free copy of the DVD-Video by posting YouTube rejections of the Holy Spirit.  We need to desperately pray for these people:  those behind the DVD-Video and it's Blasphemy Challenge and those who accept it.  One of the people who responded, Jessica, talked of fearing her fellow Christians--even those in her family.  Perhaps if she had been approached in love, and helped through her sins compassionately, she wouldn't feel compelled to deny God.  So let's also pray for the friends and family of those that accept the challenge.  Even the loving friends and family of those who accepted the challenge will need our prayers in this time of crisis.

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I think most people in the USA know what the Amber Alert is.  When a child goes missing an alert is broadcast on all media outlets by law enforcement asap.  While this is a great thing (and has been 100% successful since it began here in AZ), it does point out some flaws in our legal system.  For instance, we now protect missing children like that, but once they are 18 years of age forget it.  We wait a full 24 hours before we count an adult as missing.  That's precious time where they can end up maimed, raped, dead, et cetera, and they often do. 

But I bring up the Amber Alert for another reason.  Last night it aired during Heroes:  The Best Show on Television.  Several of my friends complained about this.  Obviously, a child's welfare is of less importance than our entertainment.  Then I heard on the news that local television stations were flooded with calls of complaints for the interruption.  I was annoyed, sure, but realistically we can watch the show on nbc.com for the missing pieces.  Many of my friends complain that they are on dialup, but I think they forget that libraries are not. 

But I do have a complaint about last night's Amber Alert.  They killed the audio and close captioning for Heroes to broadcast the Amber Alert.  The close captioning?  I can usually read a Weather Watch or Weather Warning bulletin while still watching a show.  I think most people in our modern era can take multiple data sources at a time.  Don't kill the close captioning.  There's no reason.  Speaking of weather bulletins, why not post Amber Alerts that way instead.  I could write down the details I'm afraid that I won't recall.  Heroes is one of the most watched shows on television.  Getting those people working on the Amber Alert greatly increases the chances of the child's return.  Turning those same people off of Amber Alerts hurts the chances of this child and those missing children in the future. 

The other complaint I have about last night's Amber Alert is that they were midway through the Amber Alert broadcast when they stopped it for commercials.  Right smack dab mid-sentence is was stopped for commercials.  Just as it's sad that people think that their entertainment is more important than a child's well being, it's sad that the television stations think that the income from a few commercials is more important than a child's well being.  Then, when the commercial break was over and Heroes was back on they had to repeat the Amber Alert all over again, from scratch!  Where are people's priorities?  Once it goes to commercial break, either continue the override of the audio and close captioning or switch over to your news team and let them finish the Amber Alert in its entirety.

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Piano Man You scored 28 angst and 22 tempo! (scale for each: 0-60)

I'm not really sure how it goes But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete When I wore a younger man's clothes... You're the song that made Billy Joel famous-- Piano Man, off the 1973 album of the same name. Sadly, legal hassles meant that Joel never made much money off you, but you did provide him a spiffy nickname. You may be a little sad and world-weary, but at the end of the day, you still enjoy a good tune. You might enjoy Billy's early material, which had a folk-rock quality to it. Or this test might not have pinned down your musical tastes, but you still got an excellent score. Congratulations!

My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 50% on angst You scored higher than 18% on tempo

Link: The Which Billy Joel Song Are You Test written by rjb1862 on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

"The future depends on what we do in the present." ~Mahatma Gandhi

I had no idea people used YouTube to advertise until my friend George forwarded his advertisement for Team Bias.

I have a self-reflective post and a DarkCon 2007 review floating around in my head which I'll post here eventually. 

B & I saw Curse of the Golden Flower on Civil Rights Day.  Wow!  A definate must see. 

It's been raining these past few days.  Friday, I arrive at work and one of my coworkers says to me, "I thought you'd take the bus today."  I was astounded.  After six plus years, you'd think he'd know me better.  I love the rain.  I always ride to and from work in the rain.  And this week's rain has been the best:  steady, but not soaking.  If I don't have to wear a different set of shoes home than I rode to work, that's excellent in my book. 

Admitably, Saturday was a bit painful.  I had a blowout in my front tire on the way into work, and with the rain the bike just slid out from under me at the same time.  I slid down the asphalt of the street like a slip and slide, and the left side of my neck still hurts.  I did laundry yesterday, and the asphalt stains didn't come out, so it looks like I'll have to use bleach. 

I've been watching the first episode of The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet.  It was decent, for the kind of show it is.  I think the friendship between the hosts is more real than between Regis & Kelly, their main competition.  As I don't really watch such shows, that'll probably be the last I see of them.  However, if you like shuch shows, I encourage you to give them a chance.  They do an excellent job, and would definately watch them over Live with Regis & Kelly if given a choice. 

Earlier this month I also took the time to listen to the first episode of Ankarlo Mornings.  Darrell Ankarlo is a conservative talk show host who actually shows respect to folks on all sides of an issue, something few conservative hosts are capable of.  The sad thing is most conservative hosts claim to be Christian, then fail to act like it.  Ankarlo actually seems like the real deal.  And that's something to appreciate in the media.  He's no Pat McMahon or Tony Femino, but he's a good addition to the News 92.3 KTAR schedule.  I'll probably listen occassionally over time, even if I won't be a regular listener.

The new Chuy's on Greenway has finally opened.  They closed down the one on Bell and have changed that to another kind of bar/restaurant by the same owners.  I like the new restaurant, as have my friends and family.  I'll try to remember to review it soon. 

You Are a Newborn Soul

You are tolerant, accepting, and willing to give anyone a chance. On the flip side, you're easy to read and easily influenced by others. You have a fresh perspective on life, and you can be very creative. Noconformist and nontraditional, you've never met anyone who's like you. Inventive and artistic, you like to be a trendsetter. You have an upbeat spirit and you like almost everything. You make friends easily and often have long standing friendships. Implusive and trusting, you fall in love a little too easily. Souls you are most compatible with: Bright Star Soul and Dreaming Soul

Currently Listening
Doctor Who 29:  The Chimes of Midnight (8th Doctor & Charlie Pollard)
By Robert Shearman
see related

 

Thief Sins at Holiday Mass

I've copied the Shadowfist events from the DarkCon web site to my own Events section.  It's been awhile since I've used it.  I wish the Photos, Videos, Audios, and Profile portions of Xanga followed my skin like the Weblog, Reviews, and Events portions do.  Heck, I wish I could hide the Videos and Audios portions of my Xanga as I have no current intention to post any.  They automatically hide Reviews and Events, which I had to unhide.  Why doesn't Xanga make each category optional by radio button or check box?  That'd be the most logical thing to do.  Then maybe it'd fix the situation where the Photos, Videos, Audios, and Profile don't show up when looking at Reviews or Events and where Reviews and Events don't show up when looking at Photos, Videos, Audios, or Profile. 

"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go." ~William Feather

Windows Vista Security Flaw Discovered!

2007 could look to be a bleak year, if one was pessimistic.  My grandparents are starting to change their talk from positive preparation for the inevitable to dejected near-embrace of the inevitable.  It's beginning to wear on my mother and uncle.  When you start to lose will to live, it's a slippery slope.  When those around you aren't strong, what's to stop you from falling?

Then we have my water leak.  It's been patched, but I've been warned that my house probably won't be worth scrap in a couple of years.  So I've got an option to sell it as junk soon to get enough money for another downpayment or live here long enough to have it fall apart and pay to have someone dispose of its corpse.  Obviously, I'm going to see about getting a second opinion after the convention.  I was happy to have this place paid off.  I don't want to enter the mortgage game again. 

But hey, I'm physically healthy.  I've got great friends and family.  I have a steady job that I enjoy.  I'm working on improving my prayer life.  I've been clearing the house of clutter.  I certainly have it better than most in this world, that is for certain.  How can I not thank the Lord for all of that? 

Well, as the title implies, I should already be in bed.  I pray that everyone have a blessed 2007.  Good night.

I'm starting to think these polls are rigged as I scored as Obi-Wan again...

You scored 6 Boba Fett, 6 Darth Sidious, 73 Obi-Wan, and 33 AnakinSkywalker!

If you scored Boba Fett your personality is basically all about money and nothing else matters, unless it could help gain you more money. If you scored Darth Sidious your personality is all about power to rule over everything else, you have no friends, only pawns and enemies. If you scored Obi-Wan your personality is loyal to your friends, and want to everything to be good and on your side (the light side). If you scored AnakinSkywalker your personality is all about love and selfishness, everything is good as long as everybody is on your side. Congradulations! You have finally completed this senseless test, oh, and sorry to all the ladies, but I hope to create a female Star Wars character test in the future. Of course, if you liked/disliked the test let me know, and have any suggestions on improving it also let me know. Hope you had fun, cause I sure didn't! LOL!

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 0% on Boba Fett You scored higher than 0% on Darth Sidious You scored higher than 87% on Obi-Wan You scored higher than 22% on AnakinSkywalker

Link: The who in Star Wars are you? Test written by DarthKull on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

"The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time." ~Abraham Lincoln