I'll have the chicken!

Apparently according to skype chat, this symbol (^) is the emoticon for cake.

(^) to me looks like the cyclops amputee version of my friend kirby <(^-^)>

At the very least shouldn't a cake be like [^^^]

Emoticons and the language of the internet to me are very fascinating. Alejandro has a gift for word etymology and we would often have great discussions about where words came from. With the internet, there is a similar trend and often you can identify the first time a certain word, phrase, or expression likely derived. The internet is a big history book.

I discovered just how much history there was when my family friends, lead by Brock, started a facebook group called "La Familia Memes". Using Meme generator, we made a bunch of pictures of inside jokes, common sayings, and commentaries on various incidents over the past 6 years of friendship. Meme generator actually has a little blurb about the origin of the meme, ensuring that for the most part we used the meme "correctly". It was a lot of fun and I really got on a roll for a while, spending way more time and energy than I should.

Simultaneously, I noticed that Ms. Peacelove posted on facebook questions like "What's a meme" and "What does FTW mean". I've also had conversations with Dandy Woo about turns of phrase on the internet and I even gave her a "three lessons on the internet" discussing things like flame wars and whatnot. The internet is this wild and crazy beast that I think I understand generally well enough to blend into the crowd, but I also run in the right circles. When I say "the internet" like a place, I refer to the online community often inhabited by nerdy college age men full of video game references, "trolling" and webcomics. While that may the people who make up the "community" everyone reaps the benefits. Youtube remixes and random stupid videos become popular because groups like 4chan start spreading it. That said, the invention of Newsfeed has brought the internet to the masses. Which is why a question like "What's FTW" mean seems so initially ridiculous (of course it means For the Win) but then when you try to explain it seems utterly, well, ridiculous that FTW even means anything at all.

I think it will be a short blog tonight. I'm exhausted after spending the last 2 days catching up on (some) schoolwork after we spent Wed-Sat with candidates for next's years Higher Ed cohort. I hosted a student and thus was going to all the events, which was tons of fun but also meant early mornings, late nights and no work (darn...). I have realized how much I enjoy and appreciate this program, and really feel I made the right decision in attending. It's been wild year but I've made some great friends and learned a thing or two also. Can't top a random night when Tall Bear, Powder Climber, CC and I try a nearby Mexican restaurant and then play card games on a whim. Looking forward to many more great moments like this week. Now for that 24 pg paper..

I didn't watch the Oscars so no commentary from me. Same goes for the NBA All Star game. Fitting that they were on the same night? (Fine maybe one jab)

OH! As to the title of this blog. If you have never heard of Eddie Izzard SHAME ON YOU. You must youtube him now. No free links from me. Also Dungeon Daddy, Micki Granger and I were playing with two phrases perpetuated online: The cake is a lie. and Cake or death? If you watch Eddie Izzard's bit on Cake or death, you will at least understand the title. Do it now!

-JTY

Reading: Rediscovering Catholicism- just brushing up on my Lenten goals. This week, emphasis on the Bible.

Playing: TOR and League as usual

Listening to: Muse ALL DAY LONG to help me write that paper

Ash Wednesday Reflection

"Why do you have something on your forehead"
"It's Ash Wednesday"
"Transsexual what?"

So said my professor in class today.

On Ash Wednesday, Catholics and Anglicans and several other branches of Christianity go to services to get ashes placed on their forehead. It marks the kickoff of Lent, which when I used that term solicited a few chuckles in class. But really that's what it is, an exciting start to the period of Lent, which to me is one of the most powerful, reflective periods of the year. It's the 40 (technically 46) days before Easter where we are asked to prepare our hearts minds and bodies for the greatest celebration of the Church year. Yes, Christmas gets all the press but Easter is actually the more important celebration because it marks the Christian belief that Jesus was not just a man but rose from the dead. It's always important that he died for our sins, yes, but the rising part marks the significance as to why 2000 years later people are still talking about it.

So yea, the ashes signify an acknowledgement of our mortality "Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return", reminds of us our commitment to our faith, reminds us of our humility (people staring at you funny all day makes you a bit self conscious) and reminds us that we are called to support our faith, which leads me to conversations like that one listed above, where I explained Ash Wednesday to our class. It's actually a pretty well known tradition so it was interesting how many people were unfamiliar. It was also interesting that I was one of only two people I've seen today with ashes. Ash Wednesday is actually one of the most attended services of the year, ironically often by non practicing Catholics and practicing Catholics alike. I wonder if that's peer pressure, habit, or the special connection Christians and many non Christians have to Lent and the tradition of giving something up. The idea of being healthier, spiritually and physically, appeals to everyone.

So, before you ask, I usually don't give stuff up for Lent. Instead, I try to do more. Anything I give up are vices I try to give up all year. This Lent, my goals center around humility, prayer, and love and increasing all of those. I read Rediscovering Catholicism last year for Lent. This year I want to implement those lessons, which including developing prayer life, looking to role models in the saints, and being more in touch with the Sacraments. I have to spend this week pulling the book out and then implement throughout Lent. Wish me luck and prayers.

In closing, I leave you with this poem I came across today. It's written by T.S. Eliot and is very long, in Eliot fashion. It discusses his conversion experience to Anglicanism, but you may not pick it up from the complex structure he likes. It reads like Dante's Inferno, as a journey through various scenes and experiences. It's very beautiful poetry. I've copied a link below. I don't know if there are copyright laws against that but I defend the sharing of art with the world.

Enjoy and Happy Ash Wednesday!

T. S. Eliot "Ash Wednesday"

http://www.msgr.ca/msgr-7/ash_wednesday_t_s_eliot.htm

Standard Week = Procrastination

When you have a standard week, with nothing truly out of routine, nothing due and nothing specifically planned for the weekend, you procrastinate. And by you, I mean me. Unless you do too.

** UPDATE in case you read this within an hour of me posting it**

I forgot to rant about President's Day! I don't have it off tomorrow! Stupid Ohio. So I live in Columbus, the one city in the whole country that actually should care about COLUMBUS DAY. Do we get that day off? Nope. They move it to the day after Thanksgiving, so they have an excuse for taking that Friday off. What about President's Day? I just saw a sign the other day about how Ohio is the birthplace of EIGHT presidents. They have a bunch of historic sites for the lives of these famous men (well if you count the Harrisons as famous presidents). Anyway, again if there was one place that should get this holiday off, its HERE!! But NOOOOOO. They put that as like the day after Christmas or something. Basically Ohio hate holidays. As a part time employee, I don't even get to reap the benefits of those holidays, because I'm already off. But I WOULD benefit from a Monday in February. Sigh. OK. Back to the previously posted blog. **

This is what happens after a while week of recruiting. We get a normal week and I don't get anything done. This upcoming is crazy again with more recruiting of our new classmates. I'm even hosting someone in my apartment! It'll be wild and wacky and lacking of sleep I'm sure. Good thing my roomie Shakeweight Ref is chill about it.

I realize I don't talk about Shakeweight much. Compared to living with Brock and Clark and Alejandro and RC Tequila, Shakeweights pretty chill. He comes in, does his thing, I do mine. Our conversations go something like "Sup" "How's it going" "Not bad you" "Oh you know" and then some comment about how freaking cold it is. Sometimes we'll talk sports or some other topical conversation. But he lives with his headphones in and in a sense, so do because it seems I'm always chatting with someone online these days. We don't have any problems with parties or dishes or mold. It's not like we aren't friends, we just do our thing. It's a nice existence.

Do I miss the chaos that our apartment could be? Am I unhappy at this more "adult" relaxed lifestyle? Sorta, and No. Again going with my year of take it like it is, I'm not sitting around sad about things past. I don't really do that regardless. I think in my head I see myself as going back to Cali and picking up where I left off with the antics. So its not over, just on hiatus and being reformatted for age 27. For now, I shall enjoy my blissful existence here. Perhaps less exciting, perhaps full of less conversation, and perhaps all and all mundane. But I'm sure that will change at one point. And I do miss all my friends in Cali. Though I heard they had a relatively drama-free Vegas trip. We must be getting older.

In college, there was usually no need for an occasion to drink. Wanna have a party? Sure. Wanna hit the bars on Thursday? Sure. In grad school, we don't do it like that anymore. We don't just decide, let's drink. Instead, we invent cleverly disguised reasons to drink. For example, last night Powder Climber invited a bunch of people over because he got new furniture. He wanted to show off his new couch and chairs and lament over the table he lost due to sleeping on it. Why he decided this was the only turn of phrase to describe missing out on a craigslist table, I'm not sure. But no, he did not sleep on the table only to have it crumble beneath him and no it was not one of the contests where you have to touch the table until the last person gives up, both of which were assumptions people made when he said "Sleeping on it". Instead, he waited too long and was outbid. Simple as that. So Tall Bear lent his coffee table and we had a grand old time drinking and playing games.

Other guests included Cardmaster Cider, Frenchie's Choice, La Femme Critique, and Brewskie, among others (see I'm slowly adding names for cohort members, but I hate just listing a million). La Femme Critique and Brewskie are both some of the more intelligent and insightful members of our cohort. They frequently have a lot to observe, which Brewskie prefering to comment in class and Femme preferring to critique out of class. The thing I like about talking to both of them is that even if they disagree with something, they are not angry to much as logically disagreeing. Often I assume naysayers are just going to say, no I disagree, and youre wrong. Even though Femme and I have very different political views on life, I feel like we talk about those differences without offending or belittling. Good people to have friends. Also, Brewskie and I are in many sense the same person. Except he brew beer and beer can kill me. But we're going to China!

Femme and Frenchie, who are like cohort BFFs proposed a game where we draw prewritten questions out of a cup and then write our answers and guess who's answers were whose. Naturally this resorted to cohort jokes, gross and ridiculous responses, and a few huh? moments. Questions included things I wouldn't eat on a first date, things I would only put in my mouth in private, and things children are better at than adults. Add alcohol and guess how some of those turned out. We also played King's Cup really quickly as more people came in and out. Overall it was a lovely evening and my walk back from Powder Climbers was much warmer than my walk there.

Other things about this week that were nice: catching up with my mom on the phone, playing games with Drew York, chatting with Cheeky Monkey, and getting bar texts from Pokeboss and Red Button.

Please keep Mother Mapster's dad in your thoughts and/0r prayers as he has surgery this week.

Looking forward to updates from P. Diddy, Pokeboss and Qua Yams sometime soon.

Adieu all!

-James

Listening to: Once Upon a Dream- Sleeping Beauty I was watching That Guy with Glasses review Disney movies. And watched Once Upon a Time tonight, the one TV show I seem to really follow. Also, this is one of my favorite Disney movies of all time.

Hmm, this makes me have to rank my top 5 Disney animated movies: Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, Robin Hood, Mulan, Hercules. Hmm Top 10 would be easier then I could add Sword in the Stone, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, Jungle Book and Lilo and Stitch. Huh.. look at that...

Since I'm on this topic, top 5 Disney songs... much harder IMO. Go the Distance- Hercules, Belle- Beauty and the Beast, One Jump Ahead- Aladdin, Be Prepared- Lion King, Bells of Notre Dame- Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Reflection- Mulan. Obviously, there are waaaayy more. Like every Lion King song is good, same for Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast and most of the Mulan and Hercules songs too. Also, I keep Pixar in a special separate category.

Anyway! Reading: School stuff as usual, this time about org theory and culture.

Playing: TOR and LoL as usual.

Music to Tour By

A lot happened last week, hence the late post.

First, we had what was called SPA days. This is when the prospective OSU students for next years cohort come to interview for assistantships. They are already admitted to the program but they are interviewing for on campus, tuition paying jobs. Five students of the 15 interviewed at my area of work in the business college alone. It was an exciting weekend of getting to know potential classmates and friends from next year.

A few amusing anecdotes from SPA days:
Even though we were welcoming next year's students, it was the first time in months we hung out with so many of this years current two cohorts.
I got a ticket for parking overnight at OSU after forgetting that I was still parked on campus when Cardmaster Cider dropped me off at the bar welcome night.
Powder Climber tends to share more about himself when he's has drunk just enough to feel the alcohol but not enough for us to tell if he's buzzing or not.
Poor Tall Bear futilely tried to plan hangouts at least three times. We'll have that liter of shots soon I promise!
A new character, Cali Foodie, actually CALLED me in the bar to walk to the other side of the table to leave one candidate and talk to another. Rude. She also made me drive her to Target. It's a good thing we're friends. California Love!

This weekend, I also spent time seeing some of the Columbus sights with a dear friend. I tried out Schmidt's a German restaurant with totally amazing sausages and a shop linked to it that makes its own fudge. So good. I also found a sushi restaurant here that was on par with what I would want back home. Of course, I spent my most time lost in my favorite place in Ohio, the Book Loft. I can't walked out of there without a book or three. Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, you will be read.

I started this blog on Sunday while listening to the Grammy's through the background noise of a Skype conversation with Dungeon Daddy. Yes, that's a bit ridiculous, but so are 4 hour award ceremonies. Still, listening to the Grammy Awards was entertaining. I love listening to the radio and thus this was pretty similar since there are so many performances. Also, I really don't like music videos, so I get to skip out on the silly dances and attempts at uniqueness. I know I'm coming off as a bit of a cynic on the Grammy's. I see it more as making fun of things that don't interest me.

Anyway, music is a constant topic on this blog. So since I listened to the Grammy's by association, I figure I might as well discuss them. I overheard an acceptance speech by one of the Foo Fighers, who described how he was happy that they won because they made the music in hi garage, rather than the big market music producing machines and organizations that most artists turn to. He described teh freedom and art that music making can be and how the industry (by definition) has moved away from this. Add to that listening to the likes of Paul McCartney and the Beach Boys and I am reaffirmed in my love for Classic Rock and the artistry many musicians lack these days. Artists like LMFAO and Deadmau5 basically put catchy sounds together (or often not so catchy sounds) and many build off of prexisting music rather than create. While there is value in that kind of music for entertainment, I have trouble seeing it as true art. We still listen to classic rock 50 years after it came out. We barely listen to anymore 70s and 80s is fading too. How much of the music today will last 50 years of popularity?

Side note, normally I cite Ke$ha as an example of the industry producing and a figurehead performing. I mean, the different between Song of the Year and Record of the Year is that Song of the year refers to who wrote it, not the overall song (called an anachronistic term, Record). Anyway, Ke$ha recently surprised Spam Boa, who in turned shared with me a rendition of Bob Dylan's Don't Think Twice, It's All Right. Covers and reinterpretations aren't bad and Bob Dylan is arguably the best songwriter who's a subpar performer, perfect for covers. So watch the link and be impressed and also wonder how the industry can redirect an artist to be a tool rather than an artist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNCEV7ZSNFo

Good news, for the most part the artists won Grammys. Congrats Adele, Foo Fighters, Levon Helm, Paul McCartney and Betty White (she's 90 years old and won Best Spoken Word Album which is equally awesome and insane). And congrats to other winners too. Also, Chris Brown inclusion disappoints me. That is all.

-JTY

Listening to: Adele won so much Rolling in the Deep is still stuck in my head

Reading: Not Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer like I wanted to.

Playing: League of Legends cuz its faster than TOR

Looks like it's you and me Mr Lincoln

This past weekend, I finally made the trek out to see Micki Granger, who lives and goes to school outside Philadelphia. Mother Mapster also joined us from New Jersey. It was a kind of celebration to Mother Mapster, who accepted a Teach for America position and will be moving to Indiana later this year. It was also my first trip to Pennsylvania and a chance for the three of us to catch up. I haven't actually seen Mother Mapster in person for two years. All in all is has been a great trip. I'm starting this blog on Sunday morning still at Micki's apartment, which is decked out in pink and blue and Disney decorations galore. It totally fits Micki.

The drive from my place in Columbus to Philly is between 8 and 9 hours. This is the longest drive I have even driven alone. A concern for me was that I haven't been sleeping very well and long lonely drives often make me sleepy. So, to address this need, my boss in the business school gave me a book on CD. A Team of Rivals is about Abraham Lincoln and his election and terms as president with his cabinet members made up of his political rivals in the Republican Party. It's researched by looking at the letters, newspapers clips and other written correspondence between Lincoln, these three men Seward, Bates, and Chase, and their lives and daughters among others. It's been really fascinating and I'm a little over halfway through it, so it will keep me entertained on the way back. From being fascinated by how brilliant a politician Lincoln was to being close to tears in hear about Lincoln's son dying why he was in office, it's a great insight to what was going on in the White House during the Civil War. As a big history fan myself, I'm totally sucked in, especially since my Civil War knowledge is a bit weak.

A few more updated notes on Lincoln now that I have finished the book. One, its very powerful to hear a detailed description of Gettysburg as you literally drive by Gettysburg. To hear about the most famous, bloodiest, and crucial battle of the war and quite possibly our nation's history while standing on that ground sends shivers. Also, hearing the play by play account of the night Lincoln was assassinated, and how Andrew Johnson was almost assassinated and the secretary of state Willian Seward was nearly killed (he was stabbed in the throat, his son literally cracked in the head, his servant literally stabbed in the back, and the two men who defended him each receiving gashes in the head among other places, all by one man) was like something out of a movie. Abraham Lincoln really does deserve the place in history he has, honored around the globe, including a statue outside the House of Parliament in London, for his brilliance, empathy, sympathy, compassion, patience and honesty. This story truly has been an impactful and dutiful companion.

So Lincoln and I made the drive to Philly. This drive introduced me to eastern OH, most of Pennsylvania, and briefly, to West Virginia, which for 40 minutes was my favorite strip of road. Guess they wanted to show off knowing that the other two states didn't care for their highways like WV did. The drive itself wasn't too bad, but it was way lucky I had cash on me. I learned a lot about Toll Roads on this trip. For one thing, they are stupid and expensive, and you need cash for the most part. But besides that my trip was uneventful. I only took the wrong on ramp once which caused me to be That Guy who quickly cut across the divide to make sure I made it going the right way. I didn't want to pay a toll just to turn around. More on that later.

My time with Micki Granger and Mother Mapster has been wonderful. I got in around 11 and we talked and joked and caught up for the first evening. We played with Mick's dogs, Pluto and Goofy. Nah that's not their names but it amuses me to think of them like that. We ate Mama Maps' delicious cookies and all around had a nice night. The next day, we ventured into the city which, I have decided is one of my favorite cities in the country. Among the major US cities I've seen Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Honolulu, Minneapolis, Atlanta and Columbus. Philly tops all the non-Western ones for sure (and I was little when we went to New Orleans so that one doesn't qualify). So yea, I really liked Philadelphia.

We started out by visiting the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Congress Hall and Old City Hall. Again, with the patriotic stories in the back of my mind, it was nice to see a little bit of history. I had recently read up about the Liberty Bell when Tenshi went to Philly last year, so I didn't spend a lot of time reading the various descriptions but it was cool to see the Bell and then tour Independence Hall, seeing where our nation was founded, our constitution drafted, and the building where so many of our founding fathers wrestled with the issues that continue to affect us today. I also so copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and George Washington's copy of the Constitution. I love artifacts like that. So awesome.

We continued exploring the city, seeing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from the Revolutionary War in Washington Square, City Hall which has four entrances for each compass point, a sculpture garden of sorts with giant game pieces like pawns and dominos and parcheesi pegs everywhere followed by the famous Love sculpture and the long avenue that ended with the Museum of Art. Walked toward the museum, we stopped in the Franklin Science Center, the free library which has a Shakespeare statue outside it, the Ronin museum which has a Thinker statue and replica of the Gates of Hell piece on its doorway and finally reached the museum, guarded by a fantastic statue of a horsed George Washington.

As per obligation, I ran up the stairs of the Museum of Art reaching the top and throwing my hands in the air, just like Rocky Balboa did in Rocky I. I then took a picture next the the Rocky statue. You know. The things you HAVE to do in Philly. Even though I've never seen Rocky :)

Besides stopping at the Joan of Arc statue and the sculpture tribute to those lost in the Armenian Genocide (which is especially poignant consider the US doesn't officially acknowledge the genocide) we made our way back. Of course, we were still very full from our stop in Reading Market for Philly Cheesesteaks!! While I went to By George's and no Genos (which I hear is the best) I did get my first cheesesteak with their special cheese sauce and it was. so. good. Overall, I fell in love with the beauty, welcoming nature of the city, down to its streets lined with every flag of the world, its USB drive shaped building along with the rest of its skyline and its mixture of old, colonial, and modern art and architecture everywhere. James seal of approval Philadelphia!

Actually hanging out with mama Mapster and Micki was a blast too! They were open to my exploratory nature when in a city, even though I made them walk everywhere. We had fun times with pancake competitions (Micki won) cookie baking (yay Mapster) and board games. In particular, we played Disney trivial pursuit and Disney charades. While the trivial pursuit was fun and entertaining the real games began with Charades. For one thing, it was less competitive and more see how many words we can get through. For another, we were acting out Disney characters, so you would get things like people trying the elephant walk to show Mowgli and sliding around the tile floor to represent Bambi. Doesn't make sense to you? Let me show you these pictures:

and

So yea, craziness! We laughed til we cried and laughed so more. It may have been the highlight of the trip. But overall it was great just hanging out, having fun, talking about life, love and the pursuit of degrees and jobs. Thanks for the great trip friends!

As promised, I have more cohort stories. First, I've been playing racketball with Powder Climber every week. It never ceases to amaze me how we can both be so competent hitting this tricky shots but then swing and a miss and the nice easy bounce. It's just like charging forward barely saving the shot and then the next hit just staring at the ball magically passing through the racket. Yea fail. Also, it suppose its probably racquet not racket. But typing racket is easier so this is me not caring.

I played on game of squash with Tall Bear. For one thing, even though he was trying to teach me it was "open court" which meant we had to share. For another thing, in squash you have to anticipate and chase the ball rather then react and/or wait for the ball to come to you. I can't think of any other sport besides maybe tennis that you have to be so proactive about where your location is. I'm more reactive than strategic and have no experience with raquet err racequet err dammit racket sports! Also, Tall Bear can't exactly turn off his competitive nature in the game. So its partial teaching partial lets kick James' butt. I suppose I've earned a few humbling experiences after all our smash games. Heh.

One more quick cohort tale: Picture a bunch of graduate students flooding out of a classroom with aims to find the nearest unsuspecting undergrad and record them answering the question: "What's the meaning and purpose of life" or "Why do bad things happen". Yup, welcome to the HESA program. We are going to spend this coming weekend recruiting next year's class. It's gunna be fun!

I think since this post is late and probably long already, I'm going to head out. Shout out to Pokeboss for having most complicated and crazy life moments of the week! Have a great week the rest of y'all.

-JTY

Reading: all about Org Theory, so I can write my paper tonight SIGH!

Listening to: Needing/Getting by OK Go. Watch this video. Now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=MejbOFk7H6c#t=0s

Playing: League of Legends for quick games. TOR for longer games, usually with my brother or others.