Adore and Disdain

Okay, here's the deal. My previous post was in December. Last year, con sarn it. I knew I would be no good at this blog thing. My first instinct is not to write about my life, for some reason. Diary attempts have all died quick deaths. Blogs, the same.

Well, perhaps it's time to pull a Lazarus and revive this dead (but not for too long) piece of land that I've staked out in AlGoreville (aka, the Internet). To keep the land analogy going, my land is dry. Barren. Crops unsupportable.

Fertilizer time.

I think I've got the answer to my problem. Problem: I don't write about my life, because I don't think it's interesting enough that others will care to read it (even though I'll talk about it ad nauseum). However, if I had an article with a fixed subject, why, I might just be able to maintain that. The stage is set. Get ready...here comes...

Adore & Disdain!


Here's the idea: life is made up of positives and negatives, right? It's feng shui or something, I don't know. Anyway, everyone likes some things and dislikes others. I know I do. Sometimes, my opinions are even stronger than "like and dislike". Hence the title. So, for the sake of balance, I'll write about something I adore (like a lot) and something else that I disdain (dislike a great deal). They might be related, they might not be, it's my bloggy and I'll write what I want to.

Still with me kids?

You're doing well.

Without further crap, I give you the inaugural posting of:

Adore & Disdain!


We'll kick things off with a disdain. My disdain for today is, well, a secret.

Not really.

It's THE SECRET!

In case you've missed it. This stunning piece of brain detritus is the new thing. It's hip. It's vogue. It's downright stupid. The concept is that your life (my life, Henry Winkler's life...) operates on the idea of 'positive attraction'.





In a nutshell:



You want something in life? Want it real bad? Think about yourself owning it. Getting it. Doing it. Think real hard.

You. Will. Get. It.

It's that simple, folks. Hard work? For the weak-minded. Sheer luck? Woe, faithless ones! A divine plan by an Almighty Creator? Open for revision as you see fit. I'm serious, all you have to do is want something bad enough, and you'll get it. Have cancer? Just think it away.

You might be asking yourself, why is this unbelievable 'philosophy' so popular? Two words:

Oprah, girlfriend.

Yep, Oprah's a fan, therefore, four million others are fans. Okay, 3,999,970 million others. Oprah confessed that she went out and bought 30 copies of the book.

I think Tom Cruise may have had this woman replaced with an alien, folks. But anyway, you get my drift. "The Secret" gets the honor of being first on my list o' disdain.

What do I adore, then?

Since it's late and I need to go to bed, I'll let the wonderment speak for itself. I present to you, Adore #1...

John Mayer in a Bear Suit.

Seriously, watch this. Go through VH1's online rigamaroll. It's so worth it. Even if you don't like John Mayer.

I think I like this idea. Let's see if I stick with it.

It's been a long time.


Again.

I'm a bit torn as to where to go from this point. Part of me wants to just start from here, the present, the now. However, there are a few things past that I should mention.

Semester 3 of grad school is finally over. This one was hectic... my maximum output was the 30-hour period in which I somehow composed 4 papers from the swirling ether. Finals weren't bad, juries were good enough, and the 29 items I borrowed from the campus library were returned (except for the few that I renewed). One semester left, and I am, once again, ready to graduate. This seems strange, since it took four years for me to be ready to leave Grove City... ah well.

My latest adventure is also worth a few lines. A few weekends ago, the Lytles and I traveled to sunny San Diego, California. Bill needed to do some research, Becky was going to help, and I...well, I'd never seen California or the Pacific, and I wanted to get away from The Pass for a bit. We drove straight through, which took about 12 hours each way, but it was worth it.

California, in general, was a pleasant surprise. I'm not sure what I expected from it, but it was quite wonderful. The scenery was gorgeous, and even the people were nice. My only complaint was the smog, but even then... the ocean air was fantastic. Speaking of the ocean...

I know my camera can't do this justice, but...

Wow. I grew up near Lake Erie, and I've seen the Atlantic a few times... but for some reason the Pacific was...different. Not better or worse, but different. The scenery gave the entire experience an exotic feel. I wanted to set up a chair and read a book here. But, the road goes ever on and on...

...to the shore itself. The previously uploaded picture of myself gazing into the vast immensity of the West is from the same location. This shot is of the coast, and the tidepools which caught all sorts of marine creatures.

Another highlight was the army cemetery at the top of Point Loma. The bandsman Bill is researching is buried here, but what truly made this visit was the view. I almost wanted to enlist, just so I could be buried here one day. Almost.

Okay, that's all that my ridiculously slow computer can handle for now...

Next time, Cali Trip Pt. 2 - THE THING?

0.999...

Yes, I know. Two posts in less than an hour. Sad.


However, this MUST be brought to light.

While visiting the Wikipedia site, oh, about 5 minutes ago, I noticed the "Featured article of the day", which is about the number 0.999..., which theoretically trails on indefinitely.

I have no problem with this.

However, it says that, in most textbooks and by most mathemeticians' standards, 0.999... is equal to 1.

This is apparently common knowledge, folks, and can be PROVED in a variety of ways.

I am, therefore led to the following two assumptions:

1. Mathematicians have way too much time on their hands. Proving that 0.99... equals 1? Einstein at least made up something theoretically useful. Theoretically.

So, have mathematicians run out of things to theoretically prove? Or, are they just slacking off?

2. Math, as we know it, is wrong. What other explanation could there be? When one number that is so obviously different from another number is equal to the second number, and this can be PROVEN, what does that tell us about the innocuous number system that we teach to our students every day? It must be flawed. In my opinion, 0.999... can aspire all it wants to be 1, but it will NEVER be equal to 1. NEVER! Instead of trying to put shackles on 0.999... and try to make it and 1 equal, we should embrace its innate differences and love it for what it truly is.

I will fight to defend the honor of 0.999... and 1 just as I would fight for... well...

Obviously, it has been much too long since I updated.

I knew this would be a problem.


To bring everyone (although I doubt enough people read this to count as 'everyone') up to speed, here are some of the more important things that have happened to me recently:


1. A performance of Haydn's Missa in tempore belli, aka. the Paukenmesse. It was wonderful to sing with an orchestra again. This mass was, as legend has it, composed by Haydn as he heard the approaching artillery from Napoleon's unstoppable war machine as it ground its way across Austria. Haydn used brass fanfares and the tympani (or pauken in German, hence the name) to recreate these sounds. Listen to the Agnus Dei for best effect.





2. The Rolling Stones. The Stones are a group that people note as a landmark in their concert lives, and I am no different. Yes, they're old. Yes, their popularity waned years ago. Yes, I spent more money than I should have on a ticket. Yes, they were awesome. And the Dave Matthews Band, who opened for them, was pretty darn good too. You heard me. Dave Matthews. Rolling Stones. Awesome drips from every pore.



3. Christopher Aitken. A wonderful friend and musician, Mr. Aitken came to visit last week, to see The Pass and to look into the prospect of taking my job when I leave this year. A good time was had by all, at least when Czechs, one-way streets, and random bars weren't involved. The fun was to be had in Der Messias (Blick auf!) and... well, Charlotte's Web.

Don't expect it to make sense.

Sadly, no pictures of his time in El Paso were taken, so I decided to add the picture of the first thing to come up on a Google image search of "Christopher Aitken". If this guy had a dictionary entry, it would say, "see also - smarmy lawyer".






And that pretty much brings you up to speed. I'm still very busy with school, which dominates much of my time. Papers, reports, analysis, studying, etc. All part of grad school. When something else comes up, I'll be more punctual in writing about it.

For, well, whomever reads this.

Random thought of the day...

Okay, so I was recently using the bathroom (what a great way to start a post...), and I was reminded of something I've been wondering for some time now. Each and every one of you has probably entered a bathroom and begun to do bathroom-type things, when you take notice of someone else in a nearby stall (or urinal). This person could not help but be aware of your presence (the door-opening makes noise, after all), and yet... they are making, well, a discomforting amount of audible noise. Vocal noise. CONTROLLABLE noise. You wonder, "Man, why isn't that guy quieter?" I know I never make sound in the bathroom, for fear of being heard just like this guy.

But.

What if... I DO make noise. What if I think I'm silent, but I actually am just as bad as this guy? Do I not notice? Am I to... occupied?









This is a chilling thought.

Now, for a limited time only...

So, I had an interesting experience today. Yes, interesting enough to actually update my blog (which I knew I wouldn't ever do enough...). Today in choir rehearsal, a girl passed me a note.

"A note?" you say.

"Yes, a note," I reply matter-of-factly.

"Why, it's been forever since I've seen a note passed. Surely, juvenile behavior like that hasn't happened since 7th grade!"

I raise my eyebrow and say in an indignant tone, "Yeah, well..."


Obviously, I'm not good with comebacks. I was actually passed a note, however, and it read as follows:

We need a new
strong lively voice for
our El Paso Honda spots.
Would you be interested
in coming in to read
a test script?

If you know me (which, chances are, you do), you know that I probably giggled (inwardly) with delight at such an offer. It turns out that this young lady (who's really older than me) works for an advertising company here in the The Paso that deals with both TV voiceovers and finding old Mexicans to play Mexican grandparents in those stereotypical Mexican sitcommy type shows where people get hit on the head a lot. Don't lie to me and say you haven't watched Univision for 5 minutes before, hoping you could understand what the show was about, and then realizing that it's probably just about people getting hit in the head by an older Mexican grandparent.

Apparently, I have what's considered a "strong lively voice" and have been deemed worthy of a car commercial audition. Like any inwardly giddy person, therefore, I've been practicing all night, saying things like, "check out our new '07 Accords, only $14,995!", much to the chagrin of my fiancee.

The real irony is that, out of all possible commercials on television, the kind I hate the most is probably the stereotypical "local car dealership commercial". Irony at it's finest. But, if they like my voice, and I get paid, it's a sweet irony. And if it doesn't work out, maybe I can get a job as a Mexican grandparent.

Or at least someone who gets hit in the head by one.

Out in the West Texas town of El Paso...

If you know me (which, chances are, you do if you're reading this), you know that I currently reside is sunny (usually) El Paso, Texas, home of cacti, Mexicans, and the University of Texas at El Paso. I'm a Teaching Assistant in the music department at UTEP... blah blah blah.

Anyway, part of my duties are to help out with the UTEP Marching Miners. Yesterday was the first home game of the season, where the mighty Miners took on the Texas Tech Red Raiders. UTEP lost in overtime, oh well, but I still wanted to put up some pictures from the insane event. The picture above was taken from the roof of the Sun Bowl (yes, the roof), with one football game and approximately 55,000 people below me. Alejandro, my newfound Mexican friend (and we're talking REAL Mexican - he's from Merida, on the Yucatan Peninsula, which is about as far from home as I) took this one.

To your right is the same Sun Bowl, from the same Sun Bowl Roof, but in the early evening (I know, my chronology is screwed up). Past the stadium and some of West El Paso are the beautiful Franklin Mountains. They're beautiful in this picture, anyway. Only a few of the teeming masses have arrived at this point.







This teeming mass, however, is the UTEP Marching Band. The square monstrosity in in the background is my Pew-away-from-Pew, the Fox Fine Arts Center. It's good to see that UTEP allows me to continue my streak of "Schools of Higher Learning Attended in Which the Fine Arts Complex Matches No Other Building On Campus". My SHLAWFACMNOBOC, if you will.

"Ef-Fac", by the way, is in no way as melodious when flowing off the tongue as "Pee-Fac". You know you agree.

But it does beat Shlawfacmnoboc.


Well, that's all for now, folks. Bed awaits.

Oh, and if you're bored, listen to Bach's Brandenburg Concerti. They're exquisite.




Shlawfacmnoboc.

Well, I finally did it. Did what? (That's what you're supposed to say. Since you can't take part in the conversation yourself, I'm taking the liberty of asking the question that you would undoubtedly ask if I were to make such a statement in your presence. You're welcome.)

Went to the moon? No. If Shatner doesn't want space, neither do I.

Captured a crazed lunatic? I'll leave that to the New York State Police. (Just give them a few months.)

Brought about world peace? (Sorry, no link for that.)


The answer, obviously, is that I've finally succumbed to the viral infection spreading about the Internet known as THE BLOG. You might be able to tell from my reference to blogging as a "viral infection" that I haven't always been keen on the idea of staking claim to my own little plot of land in the the limitless Western-esque Internet Frontier. Don't get me wrong, I like blogs. Reading about other people's lives is fun, for some reason, I do it often. The problem I've had is that I never thought I had anything important enough to say to, well, the world. It's always seemed like such a responsibility -- not unlike claiming land in the Old West.

But, I figured I might as well give it a shot. Do I suddenly have something I deem worthy of telling the English-speaking masses of the world? Nope. Chances are, I probably won't But I have realized that the beauty of blogging is just that - no one does. Well, usually. It's all fun, games, stories for friends, and hilariously inane findings from around the Internet. So, Readers (assuming I might someday have some), enjoy.



And for those of you (see: everyone) who would have rather seen me skip my Useless and Boring Rationale of Blogdom, because it's not fun, a game, a story, or hilariously inane... well, here's something hilariously inane. Or, at least, inane.