ebok

breathe

2009-03-26T04:07:00Z

Sometimes I have to breath and make myself not care about what fundamentalism is doing to this world. In the last two days Ive found two of my close friends reading material that basically says "atheists/those of other religions are evil and should be eradicated. Also, the use of political force is a necessary means to an end in bringing about christ's work."

I dont know how, but I never encountered this sort of christianity in Flint. I heard horror stories sure, but pretty much, the most christian person I knew had a "well, I'll pray for you" reaction to finding out I don't really believe in god. Which is actually quite nice, as the sentiment really is "I want the best for you." The religiosity of it is a bit much, but it's not particularly invasive or mean spirited. What I've seen from those around me now is downright...hateful. I have no morals? Nothing means anything to me? I deserve to rot in hell? I should be marked as a danger to society? (all of these are claims I've seen in the past week)

Also, my idea for a Statistics project was rejected by a team member because I had shown a significant, positive correlation between condom prevalence in a country and it's life expectancy. It "interfered with her sensibilities." I believe some of her words were "I disagree with that." She also disagreed with including "adolescent fertility rates" and "total fertility," also significant correlations (pretty much, the more contraceptive use and the less babies people have, the healthier the country...a few caveats with that interpretation, but that's what she was running from). I'm sorry reality impinges on your religion, it must be horrible for you. We'll take every controversial part out of the model, leaving only density of physicians and access to clean water in it, even though yes, contraceptives made for more of the model than even those obvious parts did.

And then theres the everypittstudent.com thing. Tons of posters, tons of chalk messages on the ground, just saying everypittstudent.com. And what is it? An evangelical christian missionary site. I'm a bit upset about it. For one, I was thinking it was some kind of forum for discussing issues around campus. Which, if you think about it, is a pretty good idea. A message board to talk about things like what should the program council be doing, what we'd like to see from PittArts, comments on how things are managed..I think I should suggest this. But its not that, its this other thing. Which seems kinda sneaky and dishonest in the first place, but then seems to imply that every pitt student should be a christian. And really, a lot of us know what we believe and to make such a broad statement is rather demeaning and patronizing. I don't know if this genuinely upsets me or if I'm just taking out my frustration about the number of my friends who seem to think I'm subhuman out on these fliers by altering them to say things like "Not everypitstudent is a christian" and "everypittstudent will be devoured when the old ones rise."

New blog

2009-02-19T15:19:13Z

Hey, you all should go to www.knitstudysleep.com

I mean it. Awesome site, that is. go! off with you!

ebok @ 2009-01-27T10:57:00

2009-01-27T16:02:01Z

I love my lunchbox. I made mini onigiri today, can't wait to eat it. Onigiri is possibly the best dorm room cooking I've done yet. They sell little tuna salad kits at the campus quick mart, and with one of those and a cup of rice, I have myself way more of a meal than I could have hoped for. Lunch today is onigiri, crackers, peanut butter mnms with almonds, an orange and baby carrots. Everything but the orange is nicely snuggled in my little bento box. Its so cute. Well, I could make it cuter, but I'm new at this, okay? My onigiri does not smile back at me quite yet.

I have nothing else worth posting, can you tell?

btw, If you don't know what onigiri is,...well, its a ball of rice with stiff in it. Mine have tuna and mayo. Lightly salted. yum. Though I think I could get creative with the fillings. You take a clump of rice, mush it out in saran wrap in your hand, put filling on the layer or rice, a little more rice, and then lightly squish it into a ball of rice.

ebok @ 2009-01-06T15:44:00

2009-01-06T21:19:17Z

Schools back.

I think this semester will be hard, but enjoyable. My professors all seem clear, organized and generally with it, although perhaps a bit strict. I think I might get interested in prob and stat 2, or at least it would be the best thing for my sanity, as apparently the threat of 10+ hrs of homework a week is not hyperbole according to ratemyprofessors and various people who have done this before. Macroecon is going to be good, though it means more time with Laura(more on this later). Its funny, its a giant bunch of non-engineering freshmen. Those folks are strange.

Also, signing up for the 1 credit "Aquatic conditioning". Two times a week, it will get me in the pool. The instructor was like "look at it as a mandatory light workout. with a grade." And Sri's taking it, and I love Sri.

So for all of this, yay.

But Laura. Laura, Laura, Laura. Many of you have heard of her as the fan of Sarah Palin that somehow manages to be my friend. Shes pissing me off today. This may be even worse than her talking to me about how the world was fucked and she was wanting to impeach Obama the day after he was elected, though she supposed we should at least give him a few months in office.

She has said some homophobic things around me before, but never to me, and that happened this morning. Not in a menacing her vs. me sort of way, but sort of including me in it, as if it was clear I shared her opinion. This is probably what bothers me most about Laura, she says things in a way that indicates she cant conceive of anyone disagreeing. This morning it was the somewhat effeminate guy behind us talking to his friend that had her rolling her eyes and saying "My god, you can be gay, just don't share it with the rest of us!" to me. Note: she knows I'm bi. Also this guy was talking about economics with his friend, not how amazing anal sex is. Just sounded somewhat stereotypically gay.

And as many of you know, I am tired. All of the time, really. I go to sleep, and if I dont have a very loud alarm, I will sleep for 14 or more hours. At school I typically get around eight hours, but then I get really exhausted during the day and take naps. I'm getting my blood tested as soon as my phobia dies down for a day. So I mentioned after class today I was tired. Laura flippantly goes, "You're not tired, you're lazy. Trust me. I know you, I know you're lazy."

And she makes a lot of judgments on other people in the classes we have. Mean ones, too. And these are people she doesn't really know. It really, truly bugs me. I hate it. I hate it, I really, really do. There are days when she is nice, that being around her is bearable, and the conversation is pleasant. But there are days when I really think that I should not be friends with this person, that I am in some way guilty by association for all of the vile things that come out of her mouth. Though I suppose I should take comfort in that she seems to not care if she talks about you to your face or behind your back. I hate hearing about how silly and stupid the girls at the table in the middle of the room are and how jock jerkish the guys at the table in the back are. I hate the side comments on how stupid some peoples answers are to questions in class, and I hate all the things like pondering what to say to the friend of hers that almost killed herself because she had pre-marital sex after making that vow to the church so that she knows she did worng, but knows theres still a way back into god's arms.

I dont know what to say after tons of these comments, either, as usually I'm trying to pay attention in class or am too shocked to really come up with a polite response.I normally increase my rate of blinking for a few minutes and then act like nothing happened, but dang it feels dirty to just do nothing.

ebok @ 2008-12-30T14:58:00

2008-12-30T20:56:45Z

So, as there seems to be a little upswing in lj action in my life, I figure its time for an update.

As I'm sure all of you are aware, my boyfriend is perhaps the most amazing guy ever. Though I think I may have recognized him in a commercial for the Discovery Channels new show "Wreckreation Nation". Though maybe not, I suppose the number of guys with long curly brown hair who dress up in costumes and fight battles in the same area of pennsylvania that he lives in with foam swords is decently high. And the shot was only about two seconds long. but he did say he knew people that definitely got interviewed.

Hes a cutie, though. Which is recognizable.

I go back to school soon, though, looking forward to that by a lot. I should probably look up the books I need, the bookstore has that list up.

Sorry, Im a little boring. It's not terrible, though. I enjoy the boring things like knitting, sleeping in, and when I get him, I am perfectly content being near my boyfriend. I am not bored, but I highly doubt anyone looking into my life would be at all entertained.

Though I have been on prozac for a while, there is a very noticeable difference. I have been very stable. Sadly, I have not been truly horny since september. That kinda sucks. I would go into details about how much harder it is for me to get to orgasm, but I'll spare yall.

I might go take a nap. I also sleep around 15 hours a day when left to my own devices.

ebok @ 2008-10-05T23:23:00

2008-10-06T03:24:49Z

I want to knit a specific sweater- I even have enough yarn for it and in the right gauge! like the exact gauge! just need needles (24 inch circular, size 4) and the pattern, which is seven bucks.
when I get money...*sigh*

oh, and photographic proof I gave blood:

OOOH!

2008-05-12T16:05:54Z

Okay, Junkyard wars is on, for the first time Ive seen in years.

Best show ever, by the way.

..hm, if thats my favorite show, youd think Id be going into mechanical.

Barack Obama waved to me today

2008-03-28T18:17:25Z

at lo, it was awesome. He was giving a speech at soldiers and sailors today. I was very bummed when I was unable to get tickets so I arrived at eleven to physics in full knowledge that sometime very soon, the love of my political life would be speaking in the building across the street. However, as I am not the only one with a crush on Obama in physics, we got the great idea to run oer and see what we could see. We exit thaw hall at the same time Obama is walking out of his bus and into the back of the building (the back faces thaw right where the door is). We screamed, he turned and he waved at the four of us. It was awesome. We stayed out front for another hour and listened to the audio feed of the speech. I was geeked. Life is good.

ebok @ 2008-02-27T03:49:00

2008-02-27T08:55:33Z

A few things.

1. Its four in the morning. I lied down to go to sleep over four hours ago. This happens way too often.

2. This past round of exams went much, much better than the last round of first exams.

3. I love my family. You guys are awesome.

4. Sword fighting is awesome. I'll put up with the bruises, this is way too much fun.

5. I am way out of shape. I could barely do 100 crunches the other day, and well...Ive never had strength in my arms anyway, so saying I couldnt do a push up is really nothing unexpected.

6. I need to buy shampoo.

7. I really think Lady K's crossover game needs to happen. I want to know if I can make programs on my laptop and have them transfer to the staff(kinda like spells).

8. Its four in the morning. I have class in five hours.

ebok @ 2007-10-31T16:18:00

2007-10-31T21:46:09Z

So its halloween. Im not really going to do anything other than homework. I did rocky last night, it was a good show. I really like this cast, though Im not sure what they think of me. Im a little awkward. Theyre nice people though. Its always surprising just how welcoming people actually are, how there really are good people...and that theyre wearing fishnets. I might join the more year round cast, too, a few of the people in the pitt show are from that cast and said I could just come to a show, meet the full cast, and if no one wants to kill me, I can be a trannie. Which would be cool, I think I like being a trannie better than a cast member anyway.

But yeah, everythings pretty cool ight now, Im looking at next two weeks being full of exams, and I feel much better about these ones than I did about the last ones. Also, figred out that my final grade in calc 2 cannot differ from my grade on the final by more than one letter grade, so my "ohmygodohmygodohmygodicantdothisimsofuckingtired" exam in calc can be forgiven because I actually do know whats going on in there. Notice, I havent had a quiz that has not been perfect. If only they were weighted more. And chemistry is going to be amazing, because its redox reactions and all the cool reactions I worked on so much last year and can still do rather easily, and I was able to do all the problems in the practice exam before we even started covering the material on it.
Physics....well, circular motion, some trig stuff and I need to sit down and have a long chat before I feel prepared for that one.

I have a history class in my next semester! Whooo! Its not western civ, that didnt fit in my schedule. Its american history 1875 to the present, which I thought would be fine enough. f I want the major or minor in history I have to take either it, western civ or the pre-1875 american. I really wanted western civ, becuase I dont have a good knowledge of it, but I do kinda like american history, so its okay. American Way of War wasnt offered this semester.

Anyway, that my post for the next age, if anyone wanted to know I still exist.

ebok @ 2007-09-09T20:57:00

2007-09-10T00:58:13Z

oh, screw japanese.
My double major will be theatre.

ebok @ 2007-09-04T16:02:00

2007-09-04T20:03:04Z

There is a guy who plays violin on the corner of fifth and Bigelow everyday. Hes really animated about it, too. He plays with all the passion and enthusiasm of all the greats, standing there lunging into his rendition of "twinkle, twinkle little star" in a rolled up sleeves and suspenders, his faded purple ponytail sticking out of a faded brown bowler hat. He's truly, truly terrible. I walk past him everyday and wonder where the cat-torture is. I think he picked up a "learn to play violin in five days" book, but thats where Ive seen all the songs he plays in one place.

Im making socks. Theyre awesome.

Activities Fair

2007-08-26T21:12:28Z

whoo! I found karate club, theyre nice. Also found a club that helps people in inner city schools apply to college. Japanese speaking society, and thinking about the glbta society, but I dont really know about that one. Engineers without borders, and engineers for a sustainable world both seem cool...
I dont have the time, but damn it all sounds fun. Definitely going to karate. Starts tomorrow

Now I just have to work my schedule out, but I think I can. I have to catch doc, Ive missed him every time Ive tried to talk to him in the past week, he left a message on my phone with his home number, his wife keeps telling me he'll be back in a few hours. But other than that, theres an open Engineering analysis that works, and a calc 2 that is only at capacity, not over like most of them are so I think I'll have a better shot at getting signed in. Im okay, I think. It should work. *crosses fingers*

ebok @ 2007-08-23T19:53:00

2007-08-23T23:54:29Z

allegenee genac genac genac!

in pitt, whoo.

ebok @ 2007-05-14T10:57:00

2007-05-14T14:59:55Z

hee, theres a 2 credit lifegaurding class and a 1 credit beginning karate class...lets see, I need three elective credits....
okay, so I'll probably go for the karate and "japanese culture through film," but at some point I should get my life gaurding cert..

ebok @ 2007-05-11T10:28:00

2007-05-11T14:30:36Z

wow, havent posted in a bit.
meh, not much to post about. Valedictorian, got scholarships, going to pitt....yup.

ebok @ 2007-03-01T14:49:00

2007-03-01T19:49:32Z

hi ho, hi ho, its off to disneyworld I go...

Best Midlife Crisis Ever

2007-02-16T16:13:01Z

My mum needs a vacation. We're going to Disney World. Soon. Like. March 1.
I love my mum.
also, we're going to have to vote on American Idol. Theres a Flint Central graduate, c/o 1998. Lakisha Jones. I looked up the audition on YouTube, shes pretty good, Simon really liked her, too.

ebok @ 2007-01-08T22:33:00

2007-01-09T03:34:46Z

theres a spot on the couch that smells like joe. It is not the same spot that smells like vomit, though, which is why Im sitting on this side of the couch.

ebok @ 2006-12-19T22:36:00

2006-12-20T03:45:23Z

I love joe. A lot. I could probably expand on this topic for ages, but I'll spare those that still read my journal. If there were a way of subjecting those that dont read my journal, now...
anywho. Full tuition honors scholarship to pitt, I'm going, of course. didnt really apply elsewhere, and it was my first choice anywho.
I love joe. happy.

ebok @ 2006-12-02T15:51:00

2006-12-02T19:51:50Z

I got an Acceptance letter from Pitt today! yaay! my drive to fill out other applications has dropped to almost nothing, though..I kinda just wanna send pitt the check, even though we havent gone through financial aid stuff and scholarship stuff yet. But it said Im going to get some scholarship info soon, as well as my formal acceptance into the honors college (which the letter said Im can do anyway...they just have a formal notification thingy). This makes me happy.

ebok @ 2006-12-01T15:44:00

2006-12-01T19:44:41Z

Mrs. BS is denyng Japanese because it's not offered on campus. So...wait, I cant take a dual enrolled class because the high school -doesnt- offer it? We're fighting this...she cant do this to me. She just plain cant.
I hate that this system is rigged to make it as hard as possible to get an education. This is the opposite of what is good for this community. I dont get why this woman is so much of a tyrant.

ebok @ 2006-11-15T19:05:00

2006-11-15T23:05:26Z

Your Superhero Profile

Your Superhero Name is The Fire Glory
Your Superpower is Chemical
Your Weakness is Clowns
Your Weapon is Your Water Army
Your Mode of Transportation is Unicycle

What's your Superhero Name?

I think its cute.

ebok @ 2006-11-14T22:17:00

2006-11-15T02:17:18Z

yaaay, pneumonia.
oh! got named MVP for swimming. I feel special. Kinda sad, because its over. no more. thats so weird.
god, I cant swallow.

ebok @ 2006-10-14T21:00:00

2006-10-15T01:01:02Z

I want someone to be online.