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