What's on my mind

Would someone PLEASE fix this?

2009-05-01T18:02:00.000-04:00

Having typed the error message mentioned in the post below into Google, I was able to access a page that just had my previous post on it. I just don't understand: I can access all parts of my blog except the main page of my blog itself. This doesn't make any sense at all. There doesn't seem to be any way to get help specifically focusing on the issue at hand. So to any tech guys who can read this: "ARE YOU GONNA HELP ME?"

Can anyone read this?

2009-05-01T14:16:00.000-04:00

As of today, I can't access my blog due to some weird error. I keep getting this message with a code involved: bX-e83xdk. From what I can tell, everyone else is getting a different code: bX-r1ezpk. Considering the fact that I can write posts on the blog but can't view the blog, I'm trying this. I already was forced to join the "Blogger help group" on Google to even have a chance at getting any tech support at all, something I really resent having to do. Looks like another reason to join Facebook.

I was in the hospital from Tuesday afternoon at about 1:30 until this morning at about 8:45. I went to see a GI doctor on Tuesday and he recommended that I clear out my digestive system and slowly work my way back into eating the food that was giving me discomfort. I've got several medications to take for a rather long time. I hope I feel better soon.

Stomach pains explained

2009-04-27T17:40:00.001-04:00

After the stomach pains I've been having since last Monday got worse this morning, I went to the doctor. The physician's assistant, after asking a few questions, believed my appendix was in trouble. So, after spending four hours at a radiologist's office, I found out that I have an inflamed bowel. This came after receiving an rather painful ultrasound, undergoing a CT scan, having to drink two large cups of what tasted like the stuff my dentist used to clean my braces when I had them, and some other unpleasant procedures. I really hope I get better soon. On the bright side, my legs are feeling a lot better after taking Skelaxin for them.

Father Knows Worst

2009-04-26T21:16:00.000-04:00

This week's Simpsons episode was very funny in the first scene. The rest, not so much. There were, as usual, a few good lines. One standout is the woman and kid in the audience at the awards ceremony near the end. I mean no disrespect to the only person that I know reads this blog regularly, but my Mom can be the same way sometimes.

There is one week of classes left, and next Monday, I start exams. I will finish exams, and thus, finish the school year, on Friday, May 8 at, based on how long the average test in Financial Accounting takes, about 11 AM. Looking back to January, I wrote here about two teachers I have this semester that had very negative reviews on Ratemyprofessors.com. In my opinion, only one of these teachers was reviewed accurately. The other is much better.

Good, Sad, and Drugly

2009-04-19T21:06:00.000-04:00

This week's Simpsons episode was yet another middle-of-the-road show. There were a few funny gags, but... well, looking back at a few recent review should give you a general idea. Moving on, Sit Down, Shut Up premiered tonight. It seems like a pretty good show, but it could get old after a while. I'm not going to review its episodes here. I'll just stick with the Simpsons reviews. If you remember in the very first month of this blog, I also attempted to review Malcolm in the Middle, but that show moving to Friday nights caused me to ditch that plan. I'm going to stick with what I'm doing on here. It works. However, I still have not decided whether to join Facebook or not.

How about being objective for a change?

2009-04-16T13:09:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, we all heard the tale of massive protests across the country against income taxes. Specifically, income taxes going to the Obama administration. The Obama administration which, if memory serves, has not raised taxes on anyone making less than $250,000 a year. And yet, everyone took to the streets. There's even been talk of Texas seceding from the United States. Where were all these people last year? Where were the protests against Bush's tax plan? Do any of these people even know for sure if they paid more this year than they did last year? Doesn't seem like it. Republican presidents charge income taxes too, but no one seems to care then. This dialog from a 1996 episode of The Simpsons comes to mind:

Homer: Bear patrol tax! This is an outrage! It's the biggest tax increase in history!
Lisa: Actually, Dad, it's the smallest tax increase in history.
Homer: Let the bears pay the bear tax. I pay the Homer tax.
Lisa: That's home-owner tax.
Homer: Well, anyway, I'm still outraged.

Eeny Teeny Maya Moe

2009-04-05T20:51:00.000-04:00

Pardon the delay. Once again, it's a long story.

This week's Simpsons episode was the first good episode that I've seen in a long time. The overly long jokes were kept to a bare minimum, and the rest was very well-written, up to par with what I expect from the writers of The Simpsons. Like I said last week, not all hope is lost. I've always tended to like episodes focusing on Moe. And those focusing on Maggie. This was no exception.

What can I say?

2009-04-04T15:08:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm making good on my promise to post between last Sunday and tomorrow. There isn't much to say. The weather's still kinda cold, my classes are still pretty hard, and I'm still trying to decide whether to join Facebook or not. Having taken the comments posted on my previous entry into account... I'm not much closer to making a decision. Life goes on.

Wedding for Disaster

2009-03-29T20:53:00.000-04:00

Another clunker. This week's Simpsons was not as bad as last week's, but was still pretty poor. That being said, there were a few decent gags. It just continues to show that not all hope is lost. But a lot of it is.

I'm going to try to write more often. But my thoughts might be better suited to something where an update is not a major affair. So far, I've been resisting joining a social networking site such as Facebook, which my mom has already joined and my dad attempted have his website, Carolina Outdoors Guide, added to earlier today. Those "status updates" or whatever they're called may just be the change of pace I'm looking for. If I do join Facebook, it may be the new home of What's on my mind. I would have to see just how much a facebook page can do. In the meantime, I'll try to write at least one new post on here between now and next Sunday evening.

In the Name of the Grandfather

2009-03-22T21:02:00.000-04:00

Pardon the delay. My dad insisted on watching the delayed 60 Minutes before watching The Simpsons. And let me tell you, it was definitely NOT worth the wait. This week's episode was just plain awful. The vast majority of gags were either just completely unfunny or wasted their humor by going on too long. They've really been struggling this season. If this keeps up, they may not make it to a second movie.

Spring break came and went too fast. I still have over six weeks until summer. That may not seem like a lot, but this semester has been very tiring for me. Add to that, my parents are still at risk of being laid off. For this past week and the next two weeks (perhaps even longer), my mom is going to be working at night, so I may not see her at all on some days. I've also had a feeling in my head like there's a needle or something jammed in my left temple since Thursday. Nothing seems to be able to alleviate that pain.

Gone Maggie Gone

2009-03-15T20:42:00.000-04:00

Finally, back to short couch gags. As for the episode itself, I thought most of the episode was good. They made fun of Bill O'Reilly's infamous rant, acknowledged that some gags have run too long, and added an interactive element. (I couldn't solve any of the riddles.) But I don't think the ending was very good.

I'm on spring break now. Unlike last year, the farthest I'll be traveling this week is probably North Raleigh. But I may be visiting Los Angeles over the summer. I found out last night that my cousin Drew's girlfriend is pregnant, which means that they may be getting married soon, possibly over the summer. (I'm not going to judge them, and you should not either).

No Loan Again, Naturally

2009-03-08T20:38:00.000-04:00

This week's Simpsons makes three weeks straight of overly long couch gags. As such, I was not inclined to give this a good review. But you know what? IT STUNK ANYWAY. This time around, it wasn't that the gags dragged on, it's that they weren't funny to begin with. Some of them were okay, as usual. And it's a lucky break for the writers that the home loan crisis is still in effect. As some of you may know, producing en episode of "The Simpsons" takes about eight months. But that's no excuse for writing episodes on topics that everyone will forget about in eight months. Heck, some topics (such as last week's episode) were out of date when they were written.

One week from now, I'll be on spring break. It's been a kind of hard semester, Managerial Accounting especially. I have to learn more new jargon than in any other class I've taken (even Business Law) and the class lasts from 1 to 3:30 at the latest on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, after which I've already had two classes that day. Kind of a bad combination. C++ isn't much better, but it can also be complicated, sometimes even needlessly (or so it seems). This class starts at 8 a.m. on Monday and Wednesday, so it can be hard for me to get up and get there. At least this class is usually pretty short.

HD, Week 2

2009-03-01T21:19:00.000-05:00

This week's Simpsons was awful. Just lame. Most of the jokes dragged on and on, it's way too late to be making fun of No Child Left Behind, and I just about threw my flip-flop at the TV when that annoying-as-you-know-what coach from three seasons ago showed up again. Are the writers even trying anymore?

The Simpsons in HD

2009-02-15T20:40:00.000-05:00

Well, this week's Simpsons didn't turn out as bad as I thought it would. The new opening is fine, but it's going to look dated once everyone has HDTV. As for the episode, there were a few good moments, but the dragging along of long, unfunny gags continues. Add to that, the second half of the show was really confusing once all the flashbacks started and when I noticed that they seem to have added an extra commercial break.

My growing rage over YouTube's in-video pop-up ads and more anger at copyright Nazis like News Corp. and WMG led me to swear off of YouTube on Thursday night. Tonight, I gave up that fight. It seems like there are so many lost causes in my life. I tried to stop shopping at Wal-Mart, but they ended up being the only store in Clayton that has good milk (I still don't know what happened to Lowes Foods) and I was forced to shop there.

OWWWW!

2009-02-02T16:22:00.000-05:00

Every winter, I get shocked constantly. I don't know how it happens to me more than other people or why it hurts me so much when it doesn't hurt others. All I know is... OWWWW!!! For some time now, whenever I have to touch something metallic such as a file cabinet, I hesitate. Shouldn't there be a way to prevent this? It's well known that static sparks can cause explosions in certain environments. I mean, we can send a man to the moon, but we can't keep a man from sending himself to kingdom come merely because of a tiny spark. In the meantime... OWWWWWWW!!!!

Addendum:

2009-01-25T20:50:00.000-05:00

I just read on Wikipedia that the next new episode of The Simpsons will air in High-Definition. But that's not what's gotten me worried. The opening credits, after staying the same since 1990, will change. This has "HUGE MISTAKE" written all over it, except in one spot where it says "JUMP THE SHARK." Could the end be near?

I know what you're thinking. But the truth is, Wikipedia is usually right. But I mention Wikipedia because I can't find any further information, and the citation for the Wikipedia article leads to the wrong page. However, this is also mentioned on The Simpsons Archive, which is often more reliable, though poorly-written at times.

Lisa the Drama Queen

2009-01-25T20:39:00.000-05:00

This was the first new Simpsons episode in over a month, and according to TV Guide, the last for at least three weeks. So how was it? Confusing. Really, really confusing. Most of it didn't make any sense to me. There were a few jokes I got, but once again, they were the minority. I don't even know why they left out the commercial break between the opening credits and the first act. Or why Fall Out Boy performed the end credits if they had no connection to the episode whatsoever. They could have crammed in a cheap, one-line guest shot for them. So, things are looking rough for The Simpsons in 2009.

I'm Dreaming of a White Inauguration Day

2009-01-20T14:19:00.000-05:00

Several inches of snow has fallen on central North Carolina, canceling school all around, including Wake Tech. As of right now, it's still falling a bit. So, I got to stay home and watch Barack Obama take the Oath of Office and become our new president. It was truly amazing, seeing this happen after waiting for it for so long. President Obama gave a great speech and was nothing shy of inspiring. But to be blunt, what I was really looking forward to was the departure of George W. Bush. Look at what happened between January 20, 2001 and today and tell me nothing's wrong. When I heard the crowd booing and singing "Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye" when Bush was introduced, I was just really happy. I was laughing. Immature? Well, maybe. But after eight long years of things going bad, I can hardly wait for things to get better. So, best of luck, President Obama.

School starts again

2009-01-07T15:36:00.000-05:00

I recently finished my first day of the Spring 2009 semester. It was two days later than I thought it was. Which is good, because I was really, really sick over the last few days. I feel better now. As far as I can tell, the two teachers that I read bad reviews about aren't as bad as I thought they would be, though some of the reviews I read were right about a couple of things. We'll have to see what happens.

I made it

2009-01-01T00:11:00.001-05:00

I made it to 2009. I didn't think I wouldn't, but 2008 was tiring. As usual, I don't know what to expect in the new year. But I will hope for the best. I'm not betting the farm on it, but I believe that all the change, hope, and more change that was talked about in this past year can come to pass. The important word there is "can." Will it? We will see. We will see what 2009 brings. We will see if 2008's words become 2009's actions. We will see if we can end this rather lousy decade on a high note. I'll do my part to make that so. I hope you will too. Happy New Year!

After Christmas

2008-12-29T22:54:00.001-05:00

It's that awkward week between Christmas and New Year's, for those who don't celebrate Kwanzaa. Well, the big news to report is that I got a Wii for Christmas. I really didn't see that coming. Mom first broached the subject some time ago, and got me interested. I can be a bit of a luddite when it comes to video games. Probably half the games I'll have on the Wii are virtual console games, which are re-releases of classics from old systems such as the Super NES. I also got The Simpsons Season 11 on DVD. I went to Granddad's house on Friday. Dad and I ended up cleaning out my uncle's old bedroom (he was the last person to sleep in that room regularly.) and found a lot of stuff Granddad wondered what was doing in that bedroom. Granddad really wants to clean out the house, but it's a daunting task. Just one bedroom took all afternoon. He's already allowing his family to take what they want from the house. So I went ahead and got some of the things I wanted. Some of the things I wanted were missing in action, such as a "snowglobe" from Miami Beach (Think about it... snowman + Miami Beach = a few rocks, a hat, and a carrot floating in water). Dad took some things he wanted too. On Saturday, we went to my grandparents' house in Hickory for lunch with some family. I got to spend some time with my cousin, Ben, though it wasn't a long time. He had to go to basketball practice shortly after lunch. Saturday night, in addition to my leg pain, my stomach started hurting. It still does now, but eating something earlier helped for a while. The Pepto-Bismol I've been taking (in pill form, which I didn't know existed until Sunday afternoon) seems to be helping a bit too. On January 5, I will be starting classes again. Having consulted ratemyprofessors.com a bit too late, it looks like I'm in for a lousy semester. Two teachers I have classes with have overwhelmingly bad reviews, one review going as far as using the term "Napoleon complex." This could be really tough.

End of Semester

2008-12-17T12:21:00.000-05:00

Exams are finally over. I feel good about my grades, especially since I scraped a B in Business Law, the class I was most worried about. I also have a B in Accounting. So unless I completely tanked in Tech and Society, which I doubt, I'm in good shape. So, now what? I have over two weeks before the next semester begins. I guess I can just relax for a while.

No review

2008-12-07T20:47:00.000-05:00

I almost got into another argument, and headed it off by leaving the room. So, no review this week. Things weren't looking pretty good for this episode anyway. See you next week.

Mypods and Boomsticks

2008-11-30T20:31:00.002-05:00

Well, this week's episode was pretty good. As usual with "The Simpsons," it seems a little late to be making fun of America's resurgent racism in the wake of 9/11. Not to mention "24's" fanning the flames of the above. On the other hand, it helps that we just elected someone who's last name is Obama for president, which they subtly mentioned. Where has that subtlety been? Anyway, the subplot was all right, especially the 1984 commercial reference. I have an iPod myself, but the screen is still in dark gray and light gray. Add to that, if Microsoft's next operating system has the same problems as Vista, I'll be getting a Mac. But no iPhone. My crummy Motorola phone is just the kind of phone that takes calls and text messages. I haven't even used the Internet browser on it. I also keep it on vibrate all the time, so forget ringtones. Just a bread-and-butter phone... that cost me 140 bucks! Harking back to April 2007, when I was temporarily homeless following the evacuation of my dorm at St. Andrews, the Alltel store in Laurinburg ripped me off when I was in a dire situation and very desperate. But I digress. Hugely.

Thanksgiving weekend went by without a hitch. So now, I'm staring down what looks like a gloomy holiday season. I've actually been expressly forbidden from buying presents for my parents. I'm not even certain why, but I think it's the economy. If it truly is better to give than to get, I'm gonna be in pretty bad shape in a month or so. So to all those Grinches in Washington, Bush, Cheney, and Hank Paulson: Thanks for nothing. Bah, humbug!

A comment about advertising

2008-11-28T22:28:00.000-05:00

Tonight, a new episode of Monk aired. It was a pretty good episode. One thing I noticed: Natalie has a new car, her fifth car since she started on the show in January 2005. That's not even four years. So far, she's had a Jeep Grand Cherokee, a Buick Lucerne, a Ford Escape, an Audi, and now a Nissan Sentra. In other words, product placement run amok. Maybe not the Jeep, but definitely the Buick and the Audi, which Natalie, working for the very cheap Monk, would certainly not be able to afford otherwise. The Buick actually was part of an aggressive ad campaign by Buick and USA, which lasted long enough to permanently make its mark on the show and the show's website, but has since been abandoned. Another phenomenon I've noticed: on YouTube, they've gone as far as putting ads in the videos themselves. And I don't mean in the same style as TV commercials. I mean pop-up ads that actually obscure part of the video. I HATE THOSE. I never watch those videos, if I can help it. Which I usually can. Even if it means I can't watch the only source of those video clips on the internet. It's just terrible. So, knowing that even though, as both I and my parents work for newspapers and thus advertising is where the money for my and my family's paychecks come from, I still feel compelled to say this: These guys have gone too far. Enough is enough.

I'm still here

2008-11-24T15:49:00.000-05:00

There was no Simpsons last night, so no review. I'd been meaning to post sooner, but things have been kind of rough lately. On Wednesday, I finally got to see a specialist about my leg problem. He said it wasn't my prostate like my regular doctor thought. It's my quadriceps, having spasms. That does explain a few things. Unfortunately, I'm no closer to solving this problem. The muscle relaxer he prescribed doesn't seem to be working. It's still really painful.

2008-11-16T22:12:00.000-05:00

How do these things happen? One minute, you're all right, having a good (enough) time, but ten minutes later, your life is in a complete mess. Well, that happened to me tonight. I won't go through what happened. All I will say is that I'm going to skip this week's Simpsons review and that I briefly considered discontinuing the reviews. I won't, but with what I've been through in the past hour or so, you'd understand why I thought about it. I should be okay, though.

Dangerous Curves

2008-11-09T20:38:00.000-05:00

In this episode, there were a few gags that had me laughing. The unraveling bark on the tree is a real standout. But aside from those, this episode was just okay. Didn't they just have a flashback episode back in January? And wasn't that one so bad, you'd think they'd never make another flashback episode again? As for the last scene with everything splitting... I think I oughta go out to the movies more often, because I have NO idea whatsoever what movie that's referencing. And don't tell me it isn't, because everything's a movie reference these days.

The burning on my upper leg is still pretty bad. The antibiotics didn't work, at least not permanently. I'm going to see a specialist, but I can't until the 19th. So this ice pack has to last me the next 10 days. I'll probably have to duct tape it to my leg.

Results

2008-11-05T15:44:00.000-05:00

The two candidates I supported the most, Barack Obama and Kay Hagan, have won. But North Carolina, which became a swing state four years sooner than I thought it would, still hasn't been called either way in the electoral college. This is apparently because there are a large number of provisional ballots, each of which need to be checked for the voter's eligibility. As of right now, Obama is ahead by less than 12,000 votes. I'm almost wishing that the race was closer so it would all come down to North Carolina for once. The other 49 states and DC would see what life's like here. On the other hand, I don't think I could stomach another 2000-esque recount. There were other things on the ballot that didn't go so well. None of the four Johnston County school board candidates I voted for won. And the same-sex marriage-banning Proposition 8 in California, which, if passed, would show just how far this country has to go towards equality, passed. That's just sad. If anyone wants to debate me on that subject, here are two rebuttals. For those who object on religious reasons: "But there's no other reason other than that." For those who object, believing that same-sex couples should only get "civil unions": "What exactly makes them different enough that they can't get a real marriage?"

Treehouse of Horror XIX

2008-11-02T20:44:00.000-05:00

Not a moment too soon, The Simpsons has finally made a good episode this season. The first segment was good, but it ended kind of abruptly. The second segment was okay. They kinda missed an opportunity to have a treasure trove of single-line guest voices... which, now that I think about it, is for the best. I know my mom was looking forward to the Mad Men parody. She loves Mad Men. The last segment was pretty good. I'm not a big fan of anything Peanuts-related, to tell you the truth. I just don't get it. But I know all the gags. Marge's trombone playing was a good joke. So, things are looking up for this season. Unfortunately, what goes up must come down.

Anyways, the burning sensation mentioned 2 or 3 posts ago has returned. And my original supply of antibiotics has run out. I'll see the doctor tomorrow, if possible.

The election is Tuesday. If you haven't voted yet, go vote Tuesday. Enough said.

Robocalls up the wazoo!

2008-10-31T16:57:00.000-04:00

With election day only 4 days away, the frequency of me being bombarded with political ads is increasing at an alarming rate. How do we tell the robocalls that we've already voted? And they're getting nastier too. Elizabeth Dole's latest attack made national news, calling Kay Hagan an atheist through somewhat tenuous reasoning. Elizabeth Dole knows perfectly well that Kay Hagan is a Christian. To imply is one thing, but to flat-out lie? I thought I'd seen the worst when Dole's campaign compared Hagan to a dog two months ago. Showed me.

There's something else I feel compelled to address: Name-calling. We've heard everything every candidate has been called, and all that does is make the name-caller's side lose more credibility, no matter who it is: The candidate, a prominent supporter, or just some other blogger. They've got nothing substantial to call their nemesis out on, so they flash back to elementary school. It's just plain pathetic. We'll see just how effective name-calling really is next Tuesday night.

Moving beyond politics, it's Halloween yet again. We'll probably just forget about trying to have anyone come here and leave the lights off. If anyone braves our dark driveway, I don't think we have any candy, but we have some change.

Update

2008-10-26T20:54:00.001-04:00

Just my luck: On the morning of the would-be fair trip, a severe burning sensation in my upper right thigh sent me to the doctor, where I was diagnosed with a prostate infection. So the fair trip was canceled and I missed the fair completely, along with a few other things I wanted to do this weekend. I'm taking some antibiotics and some pain medication, so this should clear up soon.

The world series is on instead of The Simpsons, so I apologize for my misleading information in the last review. Next week, for sure, I hope. In the meantime, I must slog on through my life and we'll see what happens.

I Voted

2008-10-21T16:04:00.000-04:00

At least that's what the little sticker says. I voted early, though I'm not exactly sure why. Everyone's been saying to, so I did. And this time, I had done my research and knew who I wanted, instead of taking guesses like I had to do during the primary. I had a piece of paper with all the "non-partisan" candidates I liked and referred to it. So if you haven't voted yet and can before November 4... get there early, the line's pretty long.

Double Double Boy in Trouble

2008-10-19T20:39:00.001-04:00

Continuing the upward inching in quality of this season's Simpsons episodes, this week's episode was... okay. There were a few good lines, and there was closure for a change. Sweet, sweet closure. Hopefully, next week's Treehouse of Horror XIX will be a bigger step up, lest they repeat last year's wipeout.

My dad has finally gotten fed up with Time Warner Cable and is switching to DirecTV. Whether or not DirecTV will have the same issues involving the box spontaneously crashing during an earth-shattering endorsement of a Democratic presidential candidate by a prominent Republican remains to be seen. The switch comes on October 28. Our plans are currently to keep Time Warner's high-speed internet.

It's that time of year again. The State Fair has come to Raleigh. And this year, I'm going with Ashley. That's right, a girl. No further comment... yet.

Lost Verizon

2008-10-05T20:47:00.000-04:00

On its own, this week's episode was incredibly average. But compared to last week, it was pretty good. I did like some parts, especially Bart's international prank calls. Prank calls on any geographic level were WAY past due for a comeback.

Fall break starts Thursday, not soon enough. Things have been piling up a bit lately. Last week, I had a huge headache that lasted from Saturday about Noon until about Wednesday night. I missed a day of school, during a week when I had a test in all four classes. I think it's safe to say my scores on the four tests cumulatively broke 300, to put it lightly. Add to that, my depression is on the rise again. I feel like I'm back in high school. I actually had a dream about a week ago where I was back in high school, had left my backpack in my car, and wasn't allowed to go get it. It sure was a long week. I didn't mention it, but last weekend, I went to visit my grandparents in Hickory, where I also got to see a few of my mom's cousins, as well as my great uncle Jake's four-year-old great-grandson, Henry. He's a good kid, he's definitely got those infamous Blackburn genes in him, as my grandpa would say. Grandpa compiled a book of anecdotes about the family, which I contributed to some time before he published it. I can see how different my writing style is in the book. I'm talking about all this now because I can't believe I was in Hickory just a week ago. It feels like a month. Maybe because the calendar has flipped to October since then. But still...

Boooooooooring.

2008-09-28T20:39:00.001-04:00

The 20th season premiere of the Simpsons just aired. It was terrible. There were a few good jokes, but on the whole, they all fell flat. Homer using the taser for everything is just like him using the gun for everything 11 years ago. Remember that one? Even the couch gag was just plain awful. What happened? Someone wanna tell me what happened? Anybody?

20

2008-09-26T23:47:00.001-04:00

I'm 20 years old, as of about 45 minutes ago (I was born at 11:02 PM). This year, I don't feel very different. Probably next year. But this is going to be an awkward year. I'm technically no longer a teen, but technically not yet a twenty-something. So, here it goes. Bear with me.

It's still bigotry to me.

2008-09-19T16:14:00.000-04:00

After a gang-related fight earlier this summer, Triangle Town Center, a local mall, has banned anyone under the age of 18 from being there without their parents on Friday and Saturday nights after 5 p.m. Now that just plain sickens me. The mall manager has even admitted that most young people who come to the mall unsupervised behave appropriately, but they're still banning them all. I don't care who they're discriminating against, any discrimination at all is wrong. Very wrong. Even though I am over 18, I will NOT go to Triangle Town Center at all. Another mall in Durham, Northgate Mall, has done the same thing. They won't be hearing from me anymore, unless they change that policy. The same for Triangle Town.

Here's the News & Observer story.

Here's a website about another such mall in Roanoke, Virginia, and someone who shares my views speaking out against their policy.

I've been busy

2008-09-07T21:08:00.000-04:00

It's not easy, keeping up with all my schoolwork, workwork, and all the other dumb things I gotta do. And nothing blog-able has happened in a while. I've got nothing to say, except my famous Simpsons reviews will start again in three weeks. In the meantime, here's a link to my review of this week's rerun.

Back to School

2008-08-26T15:50:00.000-04:00

I've started back at Wake Tech. This semester, I'm taking Accounting, Business Math, Business Law, and Technology and Society. The schedule is pretty good. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my first class is at 8 AM, and on Mondays and Wednesdays, my last class ends at 2:45 PM. I still have Fridays off, but I work at the paper on Fridays. The thing about that is, I like my job, especially compared to school, so it doesn't feel like work. And I get paid.

Dog Days

2008-08-10T15:03:00.000-04:00

With a little more than a week left of Summer, I'm kind of nervous, as you might expect. And I'm not sure why. It's like this every year. I guess the feeling of dread from high school is still there. This could be part of it: I have three cousins who will be starting high school this year. I know they'll all do well academically, but it's high school. Everyone's always telling me not to be nervous, but that's like telling me not to breathe. I can't help but be nervous. Really.

Life must go on, part 3

2008-07-28T21:33:00.000-04:00

Grandmom's memorial service was today. Nearly everyone in the family was there, along with a few friends. It was at Haymount United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, where, as I learned today, Grandmom started the church's nursery. She always loved young children. I myself spent a lot of time in that very nursery as a child. I hadn't been to the church in years, and all my memories of it were rather vague. I looked around a bit after the service, and everything seemed to be where I remembered, though a lot of it seemed much smaller than in my memories, which would be expected. It was a good service, given by the church's associate pastor, Rev. David Gira. Afterward, we went to one of my Dad's favorite hangouts, Zorba's. We had some dinner, and stayed there talking for a long time afterward. After a while, we went to Granddad's house. I found out there that Granddad had Grandmom's ashes in his possession, and he hopes to scatter them at Ocean City when he goes there in October.

Like I've been saying, life must go on. It's been a long month, and I will still tell you, I don't know what else to say. It's been good to see almost all my family, and we will all certainly miss Grandmom.

Tomorrow morning, my Dad will be joining my Uncle Tim (Nelson) and Aunt Tara on a trip to western North Carolina. I plan to spend this week working and hopefully spending some more time with my Uncle David and Aunt Martha before they have to return to India.

The weekend after next, a pottery show will be held by my Uncle Tim (Blackburn) at Wesley Chapel Church, near my Grandparents' home near Hickory. I will be going up on that Friday to help them set up.

Classes start again on August 18, but I will still be able to work at the Clayton News-Star.

Life must go on, part 2

2008-07-18T17:24:00.000-04:00

It's been almost three weeks since Grandmom died. I still don't know how, or even what, to feel. One would expect it all to happen in one moment, or within a few moments. No one wants the whole thing to last almost a whole week. The sad truth is, when you've had almost four years of it feeling like she's gone but she's really still there, all confused and lost and everything, you don't want to live through another week. And to add to that, the memorial service is still over a week away. I don't know if she has already been cremated or not. I don't know if they will be able to scatter her ashes where she wanted them-- Ocean City, NJ. I don't know what to do if another member of my family ends up in that situation. And I don't know what else I can say or do. I don't know. I may never know.

Life must go on.

2008-07-06T17:04:00.000-04:00

Whether you're ready or not. I never gave a serious thought to life with only three grandparents left. I went almost 20 years without someone really close to me dying. The closest would be my great uncle Tom, who died when I was 7. I didn't really get to know him very well, and my memories of him are strained at best. Some would say that I'm blessed. To them I say: Yeah, but what happens when all the bad stuff that happens to other people happens to me?

2008-06-28T08:56:00.000-04:00

My Grandmother Nelson died this morning. She had Alzheimer's for over four years and was living in a nursing home in Dunn. Last Friday or Saturday, she apparently had a stroke and the whole family was informed that she was going to die. A few of them went to see her one last time, including my parents. My mom told me I would not want to see her in the state she was in. However, on Thursday, I was at the nursing home to help Aunt Joan with a few things. Aunt Joan was very good to Grandmom, spending most of last week at the home and aptly thanking the nursing home staff. Though I did know that Grandmom was dying as of last Saturday, I did not write about it here. The reason for that is that I would not have known what to say. I still don't know now. Even if I live to be 80, I won't know what to say. Grandmom was 80 years old. She will be cremated. The current plan is to hold off the memorial service until the end of July, when Uncle Dave is here.

Two uneventful weeks later...

2008-06-14T19:40:00.000-04:00

At work, I've been given two extra duties. I will be in charge of the morgue (archive in newspaper jargon) and I will also be in charge of tearsheets. The morgue is not too hard, but the tearsheets are really complicated. I have to go through the week's newspaper and extract any page with a certain ad on it. I can't just cut out the ads, and I have to use, like, seven copies of the paper because some advertisers request multiple copies of their ad. At least I'll be making good money. I got paid yesterday. I didn't notice the rate, but I'd estimate it's about $8.50 an hour. My paycheck added up to $94.19, including Medicare and Social Security.

It's still May?

2008-05-31T16:07:00.000-04:00

Having started my new old job, I've already been transferred to doing submitted copy (my old job) instead of police reports. I'll tell you, the ol' CNS has changed somewhat. Only four people who were there when I first worked there are there now. On the other hand, a lot of things have stayed the same. One thing I hope changes is how much I make. Having looked at the average hourly salary for people in my "line" of work, I should be making more. But it doesn't really matter. At this stage of my life, any pay is good pay.

All About Lisa

2008-05-18T20:43:00.000-04:00

This was a pretty good episode. I really liked the coin collecting subplot, especially when Homer gets the best of Mr. Burns. The main plot was good. I had thought that they would feature Drew Carey more prominently, but he really wasted no time with what little time he had. And learning about Sideshow Mel's past was pretty interesting.

And with that, season 19 is done. Have a good summer, see you on September 8 or 15.

Oh, you're still here. OK then. Earlier today, we went to visit my uncle Garry, aunt Joan, and cousin Laura to help them install their new TV and move the old one out. If you remember, Laura once made a guest post on this blog. Also, her friend MacKenzie was visiting as well, who co-starred with Laura in a home video I made back in 2004 of them arguing. There were a few moments today where I wished I had a camera.

Earlier this week, there was an advertisement in the Clayton News-Star for a job at their office, my former place of employment, for a proofreader and compiler of the police report. I called Mr. McLeod, the publisher of the paper and my former boss about the job. Just now, Mr. Mercier, the editor, called me, offering me the job. As I have prior experience at proofreading, I will be starting training for the police report this Thursday. I finally have a new old job.

Mona Leaves-a

2008-05-11T20:34:00.000-04:00

This was the best episode this season. 100% joke success rate, serious heartfelt moments, and just all-around good writing. This may even be one of my top ten episodes, out of over 400. Hopefully, they can keep up the streak they're on for one more episode, so we don't have to end this season on a bad note, like #17.

After the primary

2008-05-07T13:45:00.000-04:00

As I'm sure you know by now, Barack Obama won the NC primary. And Hillary Clinton seems to have won Indiana by, as of 1:45 PM, a mere 18,440 votes. I took advantage of North Carolina's early voting thing, in which I, being uninformed about the candidates for every race below the governor, was forced to guess which candidate would be the best. But even now, the Democratic party still has no presidential candidate. Of the two left that aren't being completely ignored (remember Mike Gravel?), I find Barack Obama the better choice. I saw his speech in Raleigh last night and I believe he's got the mind AND the mouth to be president. Assuming of course, he stays true to what he says. I try to hold on to hope and believe that everything will be better in 2009, but it's hard.

Meanwhile, North Carolina's answer to Hillary Clinton, Bev Perdue, who my parents hate for an unknown to me reason, will be going against Pat McCrory in the gubernatorial race. I find McCrory to be okay, especially compared to Clayton's own sprawl merchant*, Fred Smith. I might even vote for him if Perdue doesn't appeal to me by November.

Also, in the Congressional race, Bob Etheridge had no other democrat run against him in a primary. Let me tell you, I am sick of Etheridge. He is what one would call a Democrat in Name Only. Having checked out his republican opponent, Dan Mansell, I think I would feel okay voting for Mansell just to get rid of Etheridge. But that may change come November.

*I call Fred Smith a sprawl merchant because he's a developer who developed the Riverwood subdivision over ten miles away from downtown Clayton. Which of course, is making gas more expensive.

In non-political news, three years ago today, I began this blog. A whole heck of a lot has changed since then. I graduated from high school, began college, got my driver's license, and learned a lot about blogging. One can only imagine what the next three years hold.

Any Given Sundance

2008-05-04T20:54:00.001-04:00

Like a few others, this episode's quality followed a bell curve, meaning the funny parts were mostly in the middle, though the very end was pretty good as well. Homer's film festival fantasy was one of the best I've seen in some time. The question, as asked by my mom, remains: "No Robert Redford?" As I am not an indie film fan, I didn't know who Jim Jarmusch or John C. Reilly were.

I still have more than 12 hours before my last exam, accounting. Why Wake Tech couldn't contain exam week within an actual week is beyond me. But at 12:15 at the very latest tomorrow, I will be off for the summer... unless I happen to get a job. And don't get me wrong, I'd like to have a job. I just want a fulfilling one.

Apocalypse Cow

2008-04-27T20:47:00.000-04:00

This was a very good episode. There were almost no moments where an attempt to be funny was a complete failure, which is very rare these days. Plus, the episode still had some heart. Overall, one of the best this season. I just wish they hadn't used a lame couch gag and hadn't forgotten Cletus' original last name.

My parents just got back from Merlefest. Surprisingly, and I mean VERY surprisingly, they ran into one of the best teachers I had in high school, Mr. Siegel. As Mr. Siegel was a great help to me during my extremely rough high school years, I was thinking of referring some of East Clayton's teachers to him for a teacher's experience with autistic students.

2008-04-24T17:29:00.000-04:00

I didn't mention it here, but back in February I was on a panel taking questions from people about autism at a conference of sorts in Chapel Hill. Following this, TEACCH wanted me to speak to teachers at East Clayton Elementary. So I did yesterday. While I was at ECES, my after-school babysitter from fifth through seventh (they have laws about kids being alone) recognized me. She was a stay-at-home mother of twin toddlers then, but she's now a teacher and mother of twin ten-year-olds. I had assumed that I would be speaking to a small group of teachers, but I was mistaken. I was speaking to a cafeteriaful of teachers. It could have been every teacher in that school. I was nervous, needless to say, but I apparently did well. I came home today to about eight e-mails of thanks from some teachers, plus a vice-principal and the principal herself.

Seeing as how I'm certainly old enough now, my parents have once again gone to Merlefest for the weekend and left me alone. This should be good. I hope.

Back in action

2008-04-19T19:13:00.000-04:00

I took my computer back to Best Buy and all the problems were rectified in 20 minutes. I just have to reset all my preferences. If you ever need a computer fixed, go to the Best Buy in Garner, NC and ask for Jeff.

The misfortune continues

2008-04-17T14:19:00.000-04:00

In case you too were screwed over by Worst Buy, the headline reads "The misfortune continues." I just now found out that the screen problem extends to headlines on this very blog.

@#$!

2008-04-16T18:53:00.000-04:00

Having finally gotten my computer back, I find out that, aside from not having the foresight to back up some essential software, the screen is messed up so it won't show text in title bars, and the mouse pad thing (whatever you call it) has a scrolling thing that's now ruined. I suffer through two and a half weeks without a computer to call my own, and this is what I barely clung to sanity for?

Papa Don't Leech

2008-04-13T21:04:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the delay. Long story.

The first two minutes of this episode were just plain awful. But the last 20 or 21 were great. They don't miss a beat, even if it takes about three or four years years to catch it. I want you to know that I stood by the Dixie Chicks during the whole bus-throwing-under during summer 2004. I know exactly what they meant. I feel the same way, being stuck in North Carolina. I'm being stereotyped because of some IDIOT who came from this state. In my case, that would be Jesse Helms. I've always hated him. I'm ashamed of what he's done to this state's reputation. I'm ashamed of what he's done to this country's reputation. Political commentary aside, one of the best lines this season was Bart's line: "You'd think living in a house full of freaks would be fun, but NO."

More than two weeks after helplessly surrendering my laptop to the Geek Squad, I still haven't gotten it back. If I'm lucky, I'll get it back tomorrow. Next time, I'm just going to get a new one.

Smoke on the Daughter

2008-03-30T20:38:00.000-04:00

The first five minutes and the last two were the highlights of this somewhat OK episode. Like the season premiere a few months ago, I read a brief summary of this episode beforehand and thought to myself "what a lousy concept."

An unknown error has caused the near death of my not-even-four-year-old laptop. After the Geek Squad is done reloading the Windows software on it, all my files will be erased. As the warranty expired last August, the repair plus the backup DVD will cost $359. I am currently using the desktop computer downstairs. I guess it's a good thing this happened while I was at home as opposed to being away at college.

The aforementioned cafe/convenience store hybrid

2008-03-22T16:22:00.001-04:00

My dad found out some information about the place that was within the Metro station. It's apparently part of a company called On The Fly, a Washington-based natural foods vendor. Here's their site. Instead of editing the last post, I'm writing this because the sudden appearance of this cafe really helped me. My parents were pressuring me to find a place to eat, and I couldn't think of anything. I decided to go into the Metro station to at least get out of the rain and saw this. I'm really glad it was there. Here's their site.

I'm home.

2008-03-20T20:49:00.000-04:00

Boy, what a trip. Let me give you the best recap my tired and hungry memory can give right now:

*Train from Selma to Washington, with astronomical delays

*Dinner at Union Station's food court (one of the best)

*Check into the Washington Suites

*International Spy Museum

*Lunch at a Mongolian restaurant in Chinatown recommended by my Dad's friend Ed, who claims that Chinatown has been reduced to "Chinablock"

*The recovery of a 25-year-old tape of a strange phone call my Dad received while working at The Fayetteville Observer

*National Portrait Gallery (Stephen Colbert included)

*World War II Memorial

*Lincoln Memorial

*Dinner at Pentagon City Mall's food court (not as good as US)

*Catching a glimpse of the Iraq War 5th Anniversary Protest

*Museum of the American Indian (great cafe)

*Hirshorn Museum

*Natural History Museum

*National Geographic Society

*Dinner at a cafe/convenience store hybrid located within a Metro station (I promise that if I ever remember what it's called, I'll link to it)

And the last event calls for a bit of elaboration, to say the least:

On the train back home, there were a few delays, one causing a stop mere feet from the platform at Wilson, one stop away from Selma, where we were to get off. The train stops short of Selma's platform, and as we were in the last car with the PA turned off for no reason, we assumed this wasn't the actual stop. A minute later, we realize that we're screwed. After Dad went to talk to a few people, Amtrak agrees to spring for a cab to take us from Raleigh back to Selma to get the car. The staff at Raleigh has to call a cab twice, and when cabbie #2 shows up mere minutes ahead of cabbie #1, cabbie #1 gets mad. Join the club, dude. Two hours later, I'm writing this post.

It's finally almost here!

2008-03-16T21:01:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow, my parents and I will be traveling from Selma to Washington, DC by train. This is my third trip to Washington, the first two being in 1998 and 2004. We aren't staying as long as the last two times, just until Thursday. But we are planning to see some things that we haven't seen yet. But seeing as how the one thing Mom wanted to see more than anything else, the Newseum, postponed their opening date to April, and seeing as how a wiki-meetup (an event where Wikipedia editors like myself meet each other in person) is scheduled for May in DC, we might go again soon.

Dial "N" for Nerder

2008-03-09T20:36:00.000-04:00

This week's episode was not bad. There were some confusing moments, mostly at the beginning and at the end. But the middle was solid. It wasn't mediocre/average like many previous episodes, but not excellent, like "Little Orphan Millie" from last November.

Coming next week: Spring Break = Trip to Washington, DC. Hopefully, it'll be a good one.

Another Simpsons review

2008-03-02T21:06:00.000-05:00

I'll bet you're wishing I had something else to write about. Sorry. As for tonight's episode, there were very few laugh out loud moments, save for the chalkboard and the Diet Coke/Mentos scene. But I'm not going to call it mediocre, because I've used that description too often, for one thing. So I'm calling this one average.

Love, Springfield Style

2008-02-17T20:42:00.001-05:00

Halloween wasn't enough. Now they have to start airing Valentine's day episodes late too. And let me tell you, it helps to see the movie they're parodying before you see the parody. As is the case with trilogies, I will review this one part-by-part.

Part 1: I saw Bonnie and Clyde in my Cinema Classics class at St. Andrews less than a year ago. I didn't like it as much as The Graduate or Some Like it Hot, but all the plot points, as well as the gist of 1930s America remain fresh in my mind. So I got the jokes in part 1.

Part 2: I haven't seen Lady and the Tramp, nor did I exactly know that movie's plot. But everyone knows the spaghetti scene. And I'll admit my Mom thought drawing the characters as dogs was "cute." I won't say that myself, for fear of further questioning my manhood. (I have the Y chromosome, what more do you want?) But overall, a rather neutral segment.

Part 3: I barely know anything about the Sex Pistols. I don't even know who the real Nancy is. Of all the jokes in this segment, I narrowly missed the grasp of a select few. And the sudden ending left me saying "What the....?"

Of course, it could just be a coincidence that I thought the first segment was funny and the third segment was confusing. Who knows? Perhaps someone who's seen all three movies.

Super Tuesday?

2008-02-05T14:34:00.000-05:00

More like Stupid Bloody Tuesday. By the end of today, more than half the country will have had a chance to voice their opinion. By the end of April, all but six states will have had that golden opportunity. Perhaps I wasn't vehement enough on my last politically-related post (not counting the most recent Simpsons review), but living in North Carolina is officially a raw deal. May 6th! MAY 6TH! Come on! By then, there will be only one choice! There was all this madness about moving primary elections into December, but as usual, only Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina were the only ones talking about that. I don't know if anyone gives a damn or not, but North Carolina has really become a bit more interesting politically. This state has a predominantly conservative populace, with a fair share of liberal hotbeds, and has the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the southeast outside of Florida, with a constant inflow of people from the very liberal northeast. We might just be considered a swing state sometime in the next 20 years. And yet, other states see us through the outdated vision The Andy Griffith Show portrays or the warped, misinformed way shows such as The Simpsons see us: all tobacco, all the time.

So yeah, nothing happening here today.

That 90s Show

2008-01-27T20:30:00.001-05:00

Someone once said back in the time this episode is set that The Simpsons was "the most liberal show in town." Choke on this, whoever that was! As such, I'm not waiting for the end. I'm delivering my rant now. "Weird Al," Back to the Future, and 90s nostalgia combined could not save this. This isn't The Simpsons. This isn't even South Park. This? This is Mallard Frickin' Fillmore. And I eat Mallard Fillmores for breakfast.

That 90s Show, the WORST EPISODE THIS SEASOOOOOOOOON!

In-between candidates

2008-01-24T19:24:00.000-05:00

With my would-be vote (MOVE NORTH CAROLINA'S PRIMARY UP!!!), Dennis Kucinich out of the race for the Democratic nomination, I am currently in-between candidates. Among the remaining candidates, Mike Gravel will probably receive my support, even if he doesn't get my vote (Again, MOVE NORTH CAROLINA'S PRIMARY UP!!!). On the other hand, Al Gore has just today become worthy in my eyes of my support. As he is not running, and does not plan to run, I'm out of luck there. But Al, I say this to you, not as a voter to a potential candidate, but as an American to an American, you'd make a good president. As for Dennis, I think Zenbeer said this best: "That's our fault for repeating all the time that he is unelectable, thus creating a negative meme and spreading it around until it reached a critical mass. America obviously doesn't deserve a good president." I'm looking at you, Apu.

New classes

2008-01-14T16:27:00.000-05:00

This semester, I'm taking five classes. They are Golf, Accounting, PC Literacy (required for the aforementioned Accounting major that I've been considering), Environmental Science, and Interpersonal Psychology. All it takes is a somewhat tiring schedule on Mondays, Wednesdays, and especially Thursdays to have Tuesdays and Fridays off, possibly for a job of sorts. But, if the TACTICS club (which I'm the treasurer for) meets at a bad time, this somewhat unstable schedule could be completely thrown off.

E Pluribus Wiggum

2008-01-06T20:35:00.000-05:00

I know you're expecting a good, strong, witty review. Unfortunately, I just don't have it. Honestly, not much of a comment. There's one thing I feel compelled to address: Apu can kiss my curry from here on in, I'm supporting Kucinich.

Another year

2007-12-31T14:17:00.000-05:00

That's it for 2007. Same old thing as before. Just a few notes in the waning hours:

I got a few books, over $200 in cash and gift cards, and a few other things for Christmas. The biggest thing came on the 28th: HDTV! I didn't think we'd get HDTV for at least two more years, but there it was. I also got to see almost all of my Blackburn relatives, save for (An)Drew, who lives in LA and hates flying. As for New Year's Resolutions, I just want to get more exercise and improve my dental health. Hopefully they'll both last through February.

Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind

2007-12-16T20:38:00.000-05:00

Guess what, TV guide was right. And as it turns out, tonight's episode is tied with Little Orphan Millie as the best episode of this season. I liked every bit, from the Ice Age reference that took me a while to get, to all the memories of the past 18 years (they appear to have left out the Ullman shorts). I give it a 9.5/10.

Exams are over

2007-12-16T18:27:00.000-05:00

The long wait for final grades, however, is not. I have gotten one grade back so far, a B in math. That's good. I should have the rest by next weekend. Hopefully they'll be good, or it's going to be a rather lousy Christmas. We set up our tree yesterday, but it's another "low-key" year, as my mom has put it. Next semester's looking up, though. I will be taking five classes, but I will still have Tuesdays and Fridays off. I'll probably be working then.

According to TV Guide's website, there's supposed to be a new Simpsons on later. They've been a bit off due to the writer's strike, and I haven't heard about the episode they're mentioning, so I'll just have to see. Stand by. (beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep)

Too much of a coward

2007-11-30T18:50:00.000-05:00

I just spent over an hour writing an epic post. However, that post had the possibility of getting me sentenced to a life of heckling from a random jerk, so I'm wimping out and going with this ramble instead. To see the hidden post, e-mail me and give me your best reason for seeing that "aborted" post.

I've been thinking recently about declaring a major in accounting. It can pay well and it's basically arithmetic for a living, as far as I can tell, so I'd probably be good at it. What's been holding me back is the dual stigma of accounting being a boring job and accountants being corrupt. I mean, I'd still have a life outside of work and I'd definitely not be a criminal, but I just fear judgement. That's the reason for nearly all my wimpings out in life.

How could I tell?

2007-11-25T21:13:00.000-05:00

I just remembered something else to comment about.

This "opinion" in Saturday's N&O is a nasty piece of work. I read it, and I get mad. I write a stirring rebuttal to the editor. Then, a few hours later, I find out that the opinion was a joke. Well, that's just great. How was I supposed to know that? I'm not a mind reader for cryin' out loud! I mean, I can usually trust the News & Observer. It's not The Onion. Anyways, someone better get their just desserts for this.

BAN SATIRE!!!!!*

*I'm being satirical.

Funeral for a Fiend

2007-11-25T21:03:00.000-05:00

I found nothing objectionable in this, the long-awaited tenth Sideshow Bob caper. That's good. I knew several weeks in advance Sideshow Bob was to die, via the internet. That's kinda lame. It's like finding out the three nominees for a "coveted" position twice before they're officially announced. Which brings me to the other highly anticipated thing about this episode: Keith Olbermann. Unlike the guest appearances of Alex Trebek, Leeza Gibbons, and (oy) Bob Hope, this cameo was funny, meaningful, and not a waste of time.

I guess I really am losing my knack for these reviews. Still, if it gives me a reason to blog, I'll do it. I'm not about to get canceled, nor can I go on strike. Unfortunately, if The Simpsons runs out of episodes, I may be in trouble. And I am NOT going to review American Idol.

Husbands and Knives

2007-11-18T20:52:00.000-05:00

This week's episode was pretty good, compared to the weak showings and the one or two strong showings this season. I really liked the OK Go part, but everything started to go downhill about 18 or 19 minutes in. I couldn't focus too well on the first part, because a separate TV that was a few seconds ahead was showing the same show. Something else I feel like addressing: If you've never been to a suburban strip mall, Shapes was a parody of the real-life estrogenous gym Curves. I bring this up beacause there was an accusation three years back of the real-life company contributing to violent anti-abortion groups. As it turned out, they actually donate to the non-violent variety. The founder of Domino's Pizza (not the company itself) is the one that donates to the former. So, some kind of satire on that could have been done in The Simpsons. However, aside from a few slight references, The Simpsons has never adressed the only issue that I disagree with most of the Democratic Party on. That's right: I'm pro-life. However, I'm more against violence than abortions.

Little Orphan Millie

2007-11-11T20:49:00.000-05:00

I knew they had it in 'em! This week's Simpsons is the best this season so far. I really liked the tale of redemption, wherein Homer makes some progress as a human by the end, and this time, he doesn't screw it up. I also appreciated the explanation of Kirk and Luann's appearances. It's the things like that that keeps the internet fanbase happy while they carp about declining quality this and Ian Maxtone-Graham that. Also, did anyone notice the use of the full opening sequence with some new sounds added?

Moving on, I praised it initially, but my Nissan Versa, only three months into my driving it, has had more problems than I'd expect. Twice I've taken it over to the Nissan place in Durham for unidentified sounds in the interior that drove me to near-losing my head. The first time was in mid-October, where the problem they found was a cable and a rod hitting each other inside the AC. The second time was last week, and this time, they couldn't hear the varied sounds I was hearing, no matter how I claimed I was. Both times, I left it for a few days, and was forced to ride two different buses from West Durham to Downtown Raleigh, where my Mom would drive me home. That was an adventure, I'll tell you that. I wouldn't mind riding a bus, but there's no way they will ever link Clayton to Raleigh. I'm certainly not the first to say this: THE TRIANGLE NEEDS LIGHT RAIL! Charlotte's new system starts later this month, and we were stiffed on any kind of funding. I doubt it would change their minds, but the feds should try to get from RTP to Raleigh at 5 PM on a weekday, and then tell us how much we're allowed to spend. As for the car, I don't know what to do. Do you?

Less than a minute later...

2007-11-04T20:34:00.000-05:00

I have decided to follow up the below panning with a positive note: The opening sequence was quite good.

Come on, people!

2007-11-04T20:33:00.000-05:00

This year's Treehouse of Horror is undoubtedly the WORST. The first part was boring, the second part was even more boring, and the third part provided an opportunity to make a truly memorable segment but was screwed up worse than a chandelier. Guys who make The Simpsons, you can do MUCH better than this. For shame.

Justice, I guess

2007-10-31T19:42:00.000-04:00

It's not as good as accidentally outing yourself in a men's room, but this is satisfying: My "sworn nemeses", the Westboro Baptist "Church" have been successfully sued for $11 million for one funeral protest too many. They certainly don't have that kind of dough. There's no doubt that money, not exactly buying love, affects emotions. The question is, is $11 million enough to alleviate the suffering of thousands made worse? My answer: that depends. Based on the "church"'s history of suing others to fund their hatred, then yes, they should lose money. But, if it was merely the hatred without the money, then no, money's no good. That's not to say that this isn't a decent punishment, but it's not decent enough to balance out what they have done. What is decent? That's up to you. All of you. I remain rooting for accidental-outing-in-a-men's-room, but I know what others may want.

Happy Halloween, by the way. As usual, there's the shortage of trick-or-treaters that come up this way. So far, no one's come at all.

Will's wedding

2007-10-28T13:56:00.000-04:00

On Friday, I went with my parents to South Carolina for my cousin Will's wedding. While I was there, I saw a lot of my family. Will's brother Drew, a.k.a. Andrew, has not worked on any more movies as a foley artist, saying his hours were too long, but has gone into producing music. He and his girlfriend Pam live in LA. My younger cousin Ben was there, always interesting to talk to. I also got to see my Aunt Teresa and Uncle Pete's house. When I first went to their house in Pawleys Island in 2004, it wasn't finished, but the carriage house was. It's a really nice, big house, with a yard that faces the Intracoastal Waterway. They held the wedding in that yard. Will married Rachel, his friend since childhood. They left for The Bahamas this morning. Also, while I was there, my parents and I ate at Applewood House Of Pancakes in Pawleys Island. That was a really good place, but the Hampton Inn in Georgetown, where we stayed, was not so good.

So, now we're back in Clayton. There's no review for this week, but get ready for next week's Treehouse of Horror XVIII.

No review this week

2007-10-21T17:46:00.000-04:00

At least not for the Simpsons rerun that I have already declared the worst of season 18. So, here's a rundown of the past week for me:

First, intermittent clicking noises in my car that made it nearly intolerable to drive made me take it back to the dealer on Tuesday. They had to keep it until Thursday, so I had to ride some kind of bus from West Durham to Downtown Raleigh on Tuesday afternoon, and ride home with my Mom. On Wednesday, I rode into Raleigh with my Dad and got on the Wake Tech shuttle to go to class, and rode it back afterwards. Same deal on Thursday, but that afternoon, I had to ride on from Raleigh back to Durham to get the car back, easier to drive than before. I'm glad I got that fixed. When I say nearly intolerable to drive, I mean you darn well better fix it before I go nuts.

Second, the State Fair was in Raleigh, and my friend DJ wanted me to go with him, so I did Friday night. He, his sister Cassie, her boyfriend Matt, and I all went. Though I never rode any rides with anyone else, I did ride a few rides. I had forgotten how those rides can screw with your mind. I was unable to speak for a while after one of them.

Third, my Dad has had two interviews with Our State, one of North Carolina's most popular magazines. He has one more interview before he gets a job offer, but anything's possible. The thing is, Our State is based in Greensboro, which is too far to commute for the average person. So, if he gets that job and if Mom keeps her job in Raleigh, we would have to move to West Durham or even North Chapel Hill, the latter of which is uncharted territory for me. I don't particularly love Clayton, but I've lived here for about 11 of the past 12 years. I spent a little more than half that time in Fuquay-Varina and I was okay with moving then, but this makes me a little nervous. Nothing's for sure now, but I tend to speculate a lot.

Don't worry about me, though. Not all weeks are this rough. Next week should be interesting, though. Stand by.

I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

2007-10-14T20:43:00.000-04:00

About as entertaining as the Taco Bell commercial that came on at about 8:21, what really bugged me about this episode was how not-so-funny gags dragged on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and you're probably getting annoyed by now, so you know what I mean. Aside from that, I did like Krusty's line about dangerous toys, because there was another one this week, thus a sense of not-missing-a-beat-ness usually seen only on late night talk shows and SNL. But believe me, that's a serious issue. We should threaten to boycott next year's Olympics unless China cleans up their act. Anyway, where was I, Oh yeah, Itchy and Scratchy was funny too, but they used nearly the same steroids joke in The Simpsons Hit & Run.

And thus, I'm back on track.

Midnight Towboy

2007-10-07T21:02:00.000-04:00

I think I really am losing my knack for these reviews. My opinion on tonight's episode is split in opposite directions. I really can't come to a consensus. Sorry, whoever reads this.

I had a dream two or three nights ago about me enrolling in a military school. It was a big ol' tower on Glenwood Ave in North Raleigh, and I was getting the tour. I wasn't having any emotions in the dream, but now, just thinking about the dream makes me all nervous. Add to that the fact that my parents have gone to the mountains for a few days to celebrate their 20th anniversary on Wednesday, and I'm feeling a little nauseated.

The Homer of Seville

2007-09-30T20:39:00.000-04:00

All I've got to say is better luck next time, Ms. Omine. It wasn't terrible, but not as good as last week's. I may be losing my knack for these reviews. Hope to be back in action by November sweeps. By the way, there is one episode from last season that was not reviewed: The Boys of Bummer. The reason why is, that one was so terrible, it didn't deserve a review. Besides, I didn't actually see it on TV. I saw it on YouTube, which I'm sure has deleted it by now.

Uncle Dave is here, having just moved from Belgium to India. He's told us a lot about life in India, how it's like "1920s Manhattan with laptops and modern cars and no instruction manuals." (paraphrased). He has mentioned plans to start his blog, but hasn't even purchased the domain yet, which he says will be hornokplease.info, as the .com is taken. Aunt (Great-Aunt to me) Juanita will come down from New Jersey next Thursday, during my fall break.

Sorry about the delay

2007-09-25T16:42:00.000-04:00

So here it is, the first Simpsons review of the season:

Before the episode aired, I thought that the plot sounded terrible. Just goes to show, can't judge an episode by the promos. It was really good. Though Marge chewing on her hair had its cleverness, the intro was easily the best part, just cause it was different. I give it a 7 out of 10. Things are looking up for this season.

I'll just go ahead instead of waiting until tomorrow: I'll be 19. This time around, I can feel the pressure of growing up. I actually am starting to feel different. I guess that's the best I can hope for, it probably would have been too much for me last year.

Testing

2007-09-14T15:02:00.001-04:00

I just closed my old Google account and am making sure I can still blog with the newer one. Seems to be working.

#200

2007-09-04T19:41:00.000-04:00

I wasn't sure what to write for my epic 200th post, but Jerry Lewis gave me an idea: THERE! IS! NOTHING! WRONG! WITH! BEING! GAY! Therefore, should it be an insult? NO! I've had to deal with this BS since sixth, nay fifth grade! I'M SICK OF IT! If they can't tolerate ordinary people with different attractions, I won't tolerate them! And the stereotyping, it's exactly the same things African-Americans like Isaiah Washington and Jews like Jerry Lewis overcame! Besides, as you may have noticed, a fair share of pathetic homophobes have been exposed as hypocrites. This is my repression theory: Holding in the truth will eventually lead to it exploding out of you and into a scandal: Mark Foley, Ted Haggard, and Larry Craig. Who's next? My money's on Fred Phelps.

It was Biscuit Dough Hands Man! I knew it!

2007-08-27T14:53:00.000-04:00

I was at Kroger (in Garner, as they have yet to come to Clayton) and was checking out. I had bought some milk and some canned biscuit dough. The cashier was scanning one of the cans when it exploded in her hands. She freaked out just a little. I couldn't think of any reason why that happened, aside from the heat, but that didn't make sense. I got another can and both of them made it home intact.

Wake Tech

2007-08-17T22:42:00.000-04:00

I started classes at Wake Tech on Wednesday. I apologize for the lack of information on this situation since June. I am taking Geology, Math, Study Skills, and Expository Writing; the latter being online. I know a few more people there, such as Jeff, DJ, and Jon, plus a few of their friends. There's not much else I can think to say right now. Keep checking this blog if I do think of something to say.

It's a brand new car!!

2007-08-07T21:49:00.000-04:00

With the Geo on its last legs, I've needed a new car all summer. Recovering from the failed CARmax purchase, my Dad made contact with Michael Jordan Nissan in Durham and they secured a dark blue 2007 Nissan Versa hatchback with automatic transmission and anti-lock brakes, and sold it to us today for about $15,000, while buying the Geo for $100. Ask for Steve or Ryan.

Another recent event was going to a "Weird Al" Yankovic concert on Sunday night with Jon, who was basically my only non-teacher friend in high school. It was him that got me interested in "Weird Al," but I was the one that told him about the concert at ~~Raleigh Memorial Auditorium~~ ~~BTI Center~~ Progress Energy Center. He drove, I gave directions, we both bought shirts, and as I was on the end of a row, "Weird Al" himself walked right past me.

A desperate message to Harris Teeter and Kroger:

2007-08-03T16:12:00.000-04:00

Lowes Foods has failed me. Come to Clayton!

Why we can't impeach Bush

2007-08-02T21:25:00.000-04:00

There is a reason that some people don't notice as to why impeachment will not solve anything. Removal of President Bush from office would place Dick Cheney in office, and he's pretty much the same. Impeachment of Dick Cheney first would not be progress either, because Bush would, under the 25th amendment to the constitution, have to replace Cheney, and it seems likely that Michael Chertoff, who is mostly responsible for the failed federal response to Hurricane Katrina, or Alberto Gonzales, who has fired several lawyers for being Democrats, would replace him. Therefore, impeachment will not work. Sad, but true.

Found a solution

2007-07-29T19:11:00.000-04:00

This may be an incomplete solution, and I hope I explain it thouroughly. If I didn't, keep in mind that I don't want to go down that road again.

Using my old account, I added my new account by making this a team blog. Now I can use both accounts, but I may only be able to do certain things with my old account unless I can find a way to work around that.

By the way, I did see The Simpsons Movie yesterday, and I apologize for the delay in my supposedly epic review. I just have one word for it: Indescribable.

Making it clear

2007-07-28T16:41:00.000-04:00

My parents apparently didn't understand a word I said on my previous post. I really thought I was being clear. Let me explain: I started a new Google account, but I can't access this blog with it. I would have to start a new blog under my new Google account, unless I find another solution. Given that it's very unlikely that I will, I may need to move. Do you get it?

This really annoys me.

I may need to move

2007-07-24T12:13:00.000-04:00

I have established a new Google account to get a new e-mail address, as my existing one will expire soon. I may need to start an entirely new blog on another page with my new account. Stand by to see what happens.

The morning after, part 2

2007-07-15T15:18:00.000-04:00

I have decided to return the Cirrus. It just didn't work for me. I will keep watching the CARmax (I spelled it wrong before) site for something else and hope for the best.

Saturday is the new Friday night.

2007-07-15T12:13:00.000-04:00

It was a rough day for prisoners in France in 1789, and it was a rough day for me in Raleigh in 2007. OK, I know I recycled that joke.

First, my 1995 Geo Prizm had been resilient for 12 years, 11 of those with us. But then an annoying rattle started that I couldn't stand. It was very faint, which made it all the worse, because my parents think I'm crazy. So, a trip to CarMAX, where we bought Mom's 2002 Mercury Sable less than a week before I started blogging in 2005, led to a 1997 Chrysler Cirrus. After a lot of thinking it over, mostly by me, I decided to get it. I felt like I was jumping the gun a bit. Either way, it's a good car. It only cost(ed) $7000, has only 73,000 miles, is in good condition, and has an aftermarket radio that I'll need to consult someone about, as I pushed a button that made it come off. Road noise, especially at highway speeds, is a bit of a problem, but it's not much compared to the Geo. There's also a slight pull to the right, which I will talk to CarMAX about today. I need to decide for sure if it's really what I want by late Monday, because I can return it up to five days later. And that was just half of it.

The other half was that I went with my parents to a Los Lobos concert at the NC Museum of Art, one of my favorite venues when people don't keep standing in your way. I got up to the area between the stage and the seats, the dance area. I danced, but I'm probably not that good. The good news is, that counted towards my exercise regiment, which was a good thing, because I was exhausted.

So now, it's the morning after. I got up at 11:45, and I am having severe trouble typing. You can't see it here, but I've messed up and fixed the mistakes about 20 times.

How to save a planet

2007-07-12T17:18:00.000-04:00

I am a full supporter of the environmental movement. Originally, I wasn't all for it, because those who were were too preachy for my young self. I'm talkin' to you, Captain Planet! Anyway, I have seen the error of my ways, and have changed. And yes, Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, and Mississippi, there is global warming. Obviously, the world isn't as cold as it was. I remember getting some kind of snow every year up until 1997. Then it just became less frequent. It's 89 degrees here on July 12 at 5:08 pm EDT. I understand that there was unusual cold over Easter, but consider what it would be without global warming. What do we do? I have signed Al Gore's Live Earth pledge and instead of forwarding it like he says to do, I have one-upped him by posting it here with the best case I can give you. Referring to my post of July 4, this is more than a political issue. It's not surprising that this issue is practically split parallel to the line between Republican and Democrat. And yet, it's definitely more than that. This shouldn't be about politics, this is a matter of the future of our planet. And quite frankly, I would prefer that the United States not be remembered as the nation that ruined a whole planet.

Marge Gamer

2007-07-09T00:17:00.000-04:00

About 5 minutes into the original airing of this episode, my dorm was evacuated. Finally, catching the rerun, I liked this one okay. The main plot was really good in the first two parts, but the subplot was pretty lame. An unforeseen circumstance (Don't worry, no one died) prevented me from seeing the last part, so I looked up the ending on Wikipedia. It sounded okay.

The upstairs AC has completely given up the ghost, and we can't replace it until Wednesday. So, I'm sleeping on the floor for the next two mornings. If you'll notice the time, I have gotten into a habit of stayng up later and getting up later. I am hoping that my new fitness plan, which I'm already screwing up on, will help that.