| A New Year (And the longest entry ever) |
[Jan. 22nd, 2007|02:55 pm] |
*blows dust off live journal*.
Ok. Well, I'm pretty sure the readership of this journal has plummeted to somewhere in the low zeros, so this will mainly be for me I guess. Several startling developments in my life have prompted me to wish some sort of 'documentation' of where I am, sort of a State of the Union if you will. I also realized just how much joy I get from going through my older entries and seeing how I thought, what was going on, and just reminiscing. I see the new and improved live journal has a spell check, because I know I never would've spelt that word correctly. Hm, it's also telling me that "spelt" is not a word. Livejournal Spellcheck, consider yourself discredited.
JOB
The most crucial thing that is happened in my life is in the employment sector. At the time I last updated this I was working two jobs at Lowe's and General Dynamics, while anxiously holding my breath to see if my security clearance at the State Department would clear. Despite the fact that my interim clearance was denied due to my self-admitted drug usage, the final clearance was granted after about 6 months (which is pretty good considering).
I happily resigned from Lowe's and more regretfully resigned from General Dynamics because I really liked the people there, even if my job was so worthlessly easy an unborn child could do it. I definitely regret not e-mailing anyone there, because I feel like I should've at least sort of kept in touch, not to mention I'd like to know what is going on with them and whatnot even if they could give a rat's ass about what is going on with me.
Side Tangent: One of the guys I used to work with there, a temp named Steve who I actually believe I wrote about in an entry at some point, I did end up keeping in touch with. He was the closest person there to my age (23 I think?) and I managed to make it out to a bar with him one night. I think in my last entry about him I spoke highly of him, how he was taking charge with his kid even though his ex-g/f wasn't stepping up to the plate, how he seemed to have turned his life around from being a "bad kid" to a successfully employed individual. Well, he slid back a little. Actually, a lot.
The night I was with him at the bar down in DC he confessed to me that he had been snorting Cocaine earlier that day. Before we hit the bar, we had to track down his wallet, which he had left at a club last night. He seemed a bit zany, but I wrote it off as him just being a little odd outside of work, maybe. I get a call a few weeks later from him, asking if I have a place he can take a shower and do some laundry, because he has been living in his car for the past three days, after being thrown out of his house and charged by his grandmother for assault. Against my better judgment, I met up with him at the McDonald's at University Mall and tried to help him get his life together. I gave him 21 dollars, and tried to help him out the best I could.
Back in the day, I played my saxophone for a stint at an assisted living facility for the elderly, and played for some of the more mentally ill patients there. At this point, Steve would've fit in just fine. The man babbled like a madman, he could barely hold a conversation without randomly switching topics and spiraling off into some other direction. Of the highlights, he told me that the night he spent in jail after his grandmother called the police, he seriously felt a telepathic connection...with George W. Bush. He had quit his job at General Dynamics because he was "disillusioned with corporate America".
Last I heard, the charges were dropped against him because his grandmother was clearly overreacting, but after the trial she threw him out of the house because he wasn't a good Catholic or something like that. He told me he was trying to move into North Carolina with one of his friends, and possibly continue the custody battle for his child at a later date. I told him good luck. And I really meant it.
End Side Tangent
Ok, so I started work at the State Department. I came in at a good time...everyone was relieved because a giant flow of work had just ended and they were beginning to get more people to handle the load. My co-worker who had been at the job for two years had to deal with training a contractor who knew very little about computers, and has an admittedly "assertive" disposition, so he was absolutely thrilled to have someone who could pick up the job nearly instantly. His name was Rolando, and he was pretty much legendary for his inability to work with others because he had a temper, a superiority complex, and was one of those guys that would come down hard on you if you screwed up but gloss over any mistakes he had made. But again, since I am competent with technology, good at following instructions, and followed a shitty act, I was like a godsend and he immediately took to me. My other co-worker liked me too, because I listened to her and sympathized with her having to work with Rolando. My supervisor was awesome, just an amazingly nice person who loved how I was always willing to do more and could pick up tasks quickly. Unfortunately, the job become horribly repetitive, and I was so good at it that it was boring, and I got frustrated with the "people" aspect of it. To explain:
If you have a security clearance, it eventually expires after a period of time. My job was to let people know that their clearance was going to expire via e-mail, collect the appropriate paperwork and their SF-86 (big, long, story of your life form that the government uses to determine whether you should be eligible for access to classified information), and update our databases with their information making sure everything was ready to begin the re-investigation process. You could say we were the first step in the process. Sounds easy, except that some people wouldn't send in all of their paperwork, which meant you had to go and bug them about it via e-mail, which are all too easy to ignore. Sometimes they would insist they sent it, claim we lost it and get mad that their "personal information" was floating around somewhere waiting to be used to a nefarious and enterprising employee. This is despite the fact that everyone except the cleaning crew has a security clearance, so the government has determined all of us are trustworthy.
oh man, too long, can't..do..this...anymore...ok, next installment...soon...ish...ly.
Paul OUT! |
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| My greatest regret is how long this is overdue. |
[Sep. 24th, 2006|07:17 pm] |
I should've done this a long time ago.
Courtney "Kay" Richards RIP. I knew you, I shook your hand, I debated with you. I'm so sorry.
XB Boon Cox RIP. I played paintball with you, I saw your website, and for the longest time I thought you had beaten it. I found out so suddenly, and I'm so sorry.
I never thought I would know as many people as I did who passed away, way before they should've.
To be cliche, it puts things in perspective. But it really, really does.
-Paul |
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| Wow. |
[Apr. 27th, 2006|12:59 pm] |
http://bulletin.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=bulletin.read&messageID=840310344&MyToken=6715666e-a17c-4fb2-b6ba-3a5dca539bbc
Caught that on myspace. It's kind of hard to watch.
Again, Sean Hanity and the other guy. I swear they go out on the street and find the absolute most insane people to have on their show so that they can win the argument every time.
This women, in particular, is a member of a fringe Baptist organization who believes that we should "Thank God For Dead Soliders" and that "God Hates You". Essentially, and from what I can gather, she thinks that everyone that dies (prematurealy?) (sp), has suffered God's Divine Wrath and therefore has been punished for leading a sinful life or engaging in sinful conduct...thus, she condoned 9/11 and the Holocost, and other delightful massive tragedies. Here's the catch...how many members does her "Church" have? Less than 100. How many are from this woman's own family? 80%. So, why have her on the show? You can bet they didn't debate a lot. You can bet it was Hanity and Colmes just yelling at her and insulting her and giving her air time to look like an idiot while they appear Super Patriot Defenders!!!, while sending a subtle message about what religion can do to you.
I let it slide with the first guy who said our troops were "scumbags" and he had some mumbo-jumbo reason for it, I figured it could be an intersting debate to see if he actually had any good reason for his belief. This woman is justifying her's through a divine entity. How do you argue with that? How do you say, you're God is more wrong than mine? How do you say the word of God that you are reading is more wrong than mine? Where's the discussion? Why give this women ANY airtime? They should've run it as a story..the whole thing started with her organization protesting outside OF THE FUNERAL OF AN AMERICAN SOLIDER, LIKE OUT SIDE OF THE FREAKING CHURCH.
It really made me mad. But I think the real criminals here are stupid Fox News for putting her on. There was no need to have her rant and rave about her God and what he says and how it shall come to be, only to be interrupted every five seconds with Hanity and Colmes telling her how "ashamed of herself" she should be, as if she's going to give a damn. Oh, shit, well, Hanity and Colmes are telling me to clean up my act, I guess I'll abandon what I believe THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE is telling me and listen to them.
I hate that show.
-paul |
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| Swear I'm working after this. |
[Apr. 20th, 2006|10:14 pm] |
Ok. Real quick. I have to get this out.
COLLEGE IS MAKING ME MORE LIBERAL, AND I HATE IT.
I can't stand it. I've come to the conclusion that all other liberals I've met just can't articulate their views very well, because I don't know if they realize it, but on a lot of the controversial issues we have going on today, they have something that I covet very very much: Logic.
We are doing this controversial issue presentations, on all of them, for 2 hours a piece in my Democracy and Education class. (Class is 3 hours, it works). My Professor, a liberal British dude, has quashed almost all of my arguments and rearranged the way I've been thinking about things on almost all of them, and there's only been three. He gets to rip me apart next week on immigration.
Abortion: I once was of the mind that you should forbid abortion except in cases of rape/incest. Oh no, that doesn't work though, it's quite a hypocritical position to occupy. I thought it made SENSE, it was a logical compromise, but nope. Because, assuming that you are against abortion you believe that human life is sacred. But by making an except in the case of rape/incest, you are making an exception in the case of the sacredness of human life; you say which life is sacred and which is not based on how they were conceived; that isn't fair or just, and it makes the fairness and justice of standing for the sacredness of life in all other cases very cheap. I lose, and have to re-evaluate my position (just so you know, I'm well on my way to doing that, just framing the argument a different way and elaborating...less emphasis on the sacredness of life and more on...something else, I'm not going to reveal the details cause it's still a work in progress..yes I think about these things, yes it's what government majors do).
Separation of Church and State:
See if you think the below statement is unconstitutional:
The Pennsylvania Academic Standards require students
to learn about Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and
eventually to take a standardized test of which evolution
is a part.
Because Darwin’s Theory is a theory, it continues to be
tested as new evidence is discovered. The Theory is not
a fact. Gaps in the Theory exist for which there is no
evidence. A theory is defined as a well-tested
explanation that unifies a broad range of observations.
Intelligent Design is an explanation of the origin of life
that differs from Darwin’s view. The reference book, Of
Pandas and People, is available for students who might
be interested in gaining an understanding of what
Intelligent Design actually involves.
With respect to any theory, students are encouraged to
keep an open mind. The school leaves the discussion of
the Origins of Life to individual students and their
families. As a Standards-driven district, class instruction
focuses upon preparing students to achieve proficiency
on Standards-based assessments.
---
I would've been A-OK with that as a disclaimer in a Biology class before teaching Darwin's Theory of evolution. Apparently, so did a school in Dover Pennslyvania, but the Supreme Court thinks otherwise.
They use the Lemon Test ask what the disclaimer was "intended to convey" and "what it actually conveys to a 'reasoned observer'".
And of course, the Supreme Court has also decided that schools cannot endorse or bash any religion.
Ignoring the Lemon Test, my professor made a logical argument that says that guarenteed Intelligent Design endorses a religion...
To "teach" intelligent design means simply to argue that the world was intelligently designed by some "master-craftsman" (as the book Of Pandas and People puts it). This begs, what is this master-craftsman? You can't assign any adjectives, motives, or feelings to this without endorsing creationism, which the Supreme Court has ruled is NOT a science, and you certainly can't go into much detail without endorsing a religion.
What do you say to that? It's logically correct.
---
Gay Marriage
I sStill don't think he refuted the (I hate this title) "slippery slope" argument, but he did say that logically saying that if weare headed for a "slsippery slope" of decline means that here and now we are at the pinical (sp) of our society NOW and this direction would inevitably lead to decay.
But, this phenomenon wasn't unheard of back when, oh I don't know, we were letting differnt races marry, which for a long time were not recognized marriages in the US. So he says, you can view it as a slippery slope, or you can view it as progress. My main concern is that the same argument the gay community is making can be made by any group of people. I did rebuke the class for wasting time with religious arguments and the definition of marriage...you can make this argument very secular and have a credible point when arguing to an athiest...the issue isn't whether it is A REAL TRUE MARRIAGE it is whether we are depriving a minority of their Constitutional rights of equal treatment and equal protection under the law. The question for me still is, can't any minority make that argument?
I didn't give him any ground on marriage though. He insists that the government and society should recognize the imperfections in people and grant divorices liberally tto anyone that wants one (as they do now). Still, I think that more responsibility should be put on people who are engaged to be married. You shouldn't go "oops, this isn't what I wanted" after you've said your vows. Get to know someone, be SURE that this is what you want. Is that such a hard thing to ask? You shouldn't try your lot at everyone knowing the state will bail you out, that's what dating is for, and you don't need a fancy form for that either.
----
ON a final note, at Mason there were some Christians "evangelising" (sp) outside in the free speech area, yelling (literally, in a preacher kind of fashion) that gays were going to hell and that allah is a false god. Needless to say, within minutes the carvan of middle easterners and the entire Gay-Straight Alliance club rolled up, formed a mob and started yelling and screaming at them. I actually sat down and talked to one of the guys...they are really believers in what the Biblesays, and they based their conclusions on biblical passages. They weren't yelling back at the people, they sat their and took it, not once did they personally insult anyone...it was the "offended" parties that came off looking stupid. But yeah, sorry, I was talking to one of the guys who was in the middle of a circle of people calmly taking questions and debating people, again, very calmly, on their questions and concerns. I heard him talk about marriage and I agreed with him on it (it was basically my position above).
I felt bad for them, I really felt like yelling at the people yelling and saying if you really want to make a statement, just walk on by and don't listen to them. First of all, if you're Muslim, you believe that all us non-muslims are going to hell anyway, you're just not saying it. And if your gay, who cares if someone tells you you are going to hell? Why believe them? If God truly loves you, then it shouldn't matter what these people say. And to those evangelists that were there, they have my respect...they can speak and argue in a way that I envy.
Damn, I'm done.
-paul
PS: Longest...entry...ever. |
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| Way too busy to update. |
[Apr. 17th, 2006|11:20 pm] |
| [ | Mood |
| | WIRED. | ] |
| [ | Current Boom Booms |
| | System. | ] |
This summer. Taking classes with the County...WITH MY MOM!?...working at General Dynamics and LOWES!? (IMPROVING HOME IMPROVEMENT?!)
Next semester. Two classes. Living at home and commuting *tear*. Working at the State Department full time.
Next semseter...Graduate school. Ah, but what to master in? Political Science? Public Administration? Policy Administration?
AMERICA, YOU ARE THE JUDGE. YOU VOTE, AND WHICHEVER ONE YOU PICK I'LL DEVOTE MY GRADUATE SCHOOLING TO!!!
(contest results subject to alterations, void in N. Dakota, and women's votes don't count).
---
So I have a new friend at work. He's been though a lot of tough shit. I really feel bad for the guy. I talked to him about his past, and as it turns out, for reasons I can't quite discern, he was one of those kids I would've hated. He stole, he lost his virginity early, he didn't aspire to go to college...he got some a chick pregnant and has a kid.
I would've wrote someone like this off as a loser, a drain on society with no hope of reform, after all I believe that people never change. Boy was I wrong. This guy is 24, works for a Temp Agency full time during the week and works nights at a restaurant on the weekend. His "ex-girlfriend" ditched out on care for their kid and rarely ever sees him, but he stepped up and sees him every weekend at his ex's grandparents house even though he knows they despise him. He's incredibly nice and business savvy, he has no one helping him, he's entirely self-motivated and I envy him on so many levels (first off, he got hired into a higher position than I did, but this dude has work experience like no other...a temp agency will do that to you).
Why did I share that with anyone who cared to read it? I don't know, it just shocked me. I couldn't make that connection between the person he was and the person he is. But it certainly makes me have a little more faith in people. And just maybe I'd like to recind that argument that people never change.
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Quiz tomorrow on international law. I like that class so much, and I'm so ashamed at myself because last class, the day before the quiz I remember waking up late, looking at the clock saying 10:15 and thinking, "Hey, I can still make it in plenty of time, I might even be ON time" but I purposefully turned off my alarm and went back to sleep...it wasn't one of those "I'm too tired I'm really really out of it" kind of mornings, it was "I don't want to exert the effort it takes to go to that class". It was bad. Price? I don't know what's on this quiz. At least I feel bad. Sort of.
-paul |
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| And I had been so good up until now |
[Apr. 12th, 2006|11:49 pm] |
| [ | Mood |
| |  frustrated | ] |
| [ | Current Boom Booms |
| | Drowning Pool | ] |
Poker still makes me furious.
I hate when people win when they clearly don't deserve it. I hate the minimal emphasis on skill and the ridiculously large in-game dependency on luck.
I hate how it's absolutely probable to lose every hand in the game and you would have almost no influence over it, how it is logistically possible to have an inferior hand to your opponent every time due to no fault of your own, and they walk away with your 5 dollars. It's an ego thing; it's like getting punched in the face repeatedly and you can't stop it, you're locked in because you agreed to play and now you watch yourself dwindle down, hand after hand, powerless to change the tides.
It's just not for me. The highs are shortlived, and the lows are disturbingly pervasive. |
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| Most Technical Journal Entry To Date. |
[Apr. 10th, 2006|03:17 pm] |
-Begin Transmission-
Cold and frosty morning
Not a lot to say
About the things caught in my mind
As the day was dawning
My plane flew away
With all the things caught in my mind
And I wanna be there when you're coming down
And I wanna be there when you hit the ground
So don't go away
Say what you say
Say that you'll stay
Forever and a day
In the time of my life
Cause I need more time
Yes, I need more time
Just to make things right..
Me and you, what's going on?
All we seem to know is how to show all the feelings that are wrong.
So don't go away.
An essay:
Evolution of my taste for Gin Blossoms
Introduction: My favorite song was Found Out About You, but then I heard Hey Jealousy.
Body: *Song Lyrics*
Conclusion: New favorite Gin Blossoms song: Hey Jealousy.
End.
---
Memorandum of Record
From: Paul
To: Life
RE: Some concerns.
Life,
You're concerns are noted, and on the whole valid. I'll cut you a deal: I'll get my shit together if you do the same? Give me some good cards. Slip me an Ace.
My hand is OK, but I only get to play with you once in, well, a lifetime, so make this one fun. Get me through the next few months and into graduate school, and you won't hear a peep out of me.
Sincerely,
Paul
-----
To DO: (Excluding minor/everyday tasks and assignments)
1. Research political economy and stability of Japan. Make presentation. Determine whether there is a market for Cadium rods. Contribute portion to 25 page paper. Status-Fairly Incomplete.
2. Research immigration. Contribute to 2 hour long presentation, detailing early immigration and comparing present-day trends to the past ones. Status-Disturbingly Incomplete.
3. 5 page paper on whether content or teaching method is more important in civic education.
4. 12 Page paper on the Taiwan-China issue from an International Law persective.
5. 10 page paper detailing the Scopes vs. Tenenessee trial and its impact in relevance in the social and legal world today.
6. 4 page paper on the "No Child Left Behind Act" critiquing and summarizing it.
7. Strategize for graduate school.
--------------------------------
www.myspace.com/thehairyboat
www.purevolume.com/thehairyboat
End Transmission. |
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| And it's been awhile.... |
[Mar. 5th, 2006|09:58 pm] |
| [ | Mood |
| | things are great | ] |
| [ | Current Boom Booms |
| | See Below | ] |
Oh Stained. I haven't thought about you for so long. I heard Fade at Buffalo Wing Factory when I was there, and it reminded me how good you can be.
Anyway, sorry I got distracted. Lots of things going on. Lots. I feel like KT Gelderman.
Where to begin? Ok, so an entry or two back I was talking about the State Department hooking me up with a job...well, the news came that they didn't have the budget for it, so I had to bear the loss of what I was so sure was a sure thing and go job hunting again. I had motivation this time; I refused to work any job with a cash register. I ran into General Dynamics, and they were looking for a Junior HR Assistant so I applied, interviewed, and got the job. 11 Dollars and hour to file papers with opportunities for advancement within the field of Defense Contracting. I was like: Sold. Then, they day after I get the offer letter from General Dynamics, the State Department sends me the Security Clearance paperwork I had been waiting on and had assumed would never come. I guess they are still interested in having me and the budget thing ended up working out in my favor. Now I have TWO amazing job opportunities and for once the problem isn't not having a job, but rather which job to choose. I figure, it takes 2 months to process my paperwork at the State Department, so I will hang out at General Dynamics for awhile and see where that takes me. I start work tomorrow, at 8am, which wouldn't be so bad except that...
I have a midterm tomorrow. It's going to be hard. I'm not going to do well. I needed to start studying at 8 o'clock. Because, there's no way I can afford to stay up late tonight studying and still plan on making it to General Dynamics by 8 in the morning. *Sigh* Thus is the full time student + job shittyness everyone is always talking about. Speaking of midterms, I have THREE MORE after this making this the shittiest week I've ever had for midterms in college...ever. This week is going to be terrible...I work Monday and Wednesday and Friday and have to deal with 4 Midterms. I would commit suicide except that...
Over spring break I'm driving down to Daytona Beach with my roommates, and a few other people including (hopefully, please let this work) Kenny Rodgers! We have a NICE NICE hotel that is ocean front and since we are driving we will have access to a car. I can hit bars, I can hit the beach, it should be just the vacation I need after this week. Sounds good right? Yep, it was surprisingly affordable. Oh yeah, I'm 21 now. How about that. I've told several people this already but I'm going to write it here again because I want to remember how I felt: weird. I think it is strange that on Feb. 19th it wasn't OK for me to buy alcohol and then Feb 20th it's all of a sudden LEGAL like something changed and its cool. But nothing changed, except the day, and it still feels a little weird to be walking up to cash registers with alchohol. Weird. Speaking of weird...
www.myspace.com/thehairyboat. Our rap group has finally launched and hit the myspace seen featuring such illustrious members as MC Pakistan, MC Blonde Bombshell, MC Mikey Mo'Beer aside from the usual Destrukto and Poop Dawg ensemble. We have several dedicated members, and the song in my last entry is on there and it is easily my favorite (and I believe our best) song. Check it out, maybe you like it. Kristen has it on her myspace page as her song, c'mon now is that dedication or what?
Oh yeah, Lexi/Alex is learning drums. Me and my Dad (*cough* mostly my Dad) set up a drum set at her apartment. I don't think I've ever seen my Dad so happy. It was kinda creepy. Nah, I kid. But yeah, so that means there's someone with a drum set close by...I'll have to stop by and render my services as an extremely underqualified and extremely part time and extremely free instructor.
I'm so tired right now. I was planning for this to be ridiculously long, and it is certainly getting there, but I think I'm going to attempt to start studying, maybe take a hour nap and see where that takes me.
In other news, Fallout Boy is A-OK because of Dance Dance. That song rocks. Oh, and Goo Goo Dolls: Name is also very good.
For the first time, I feel like I'm moving in a clear direction. I've never felt this happy about my future before. Things are great. |
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| Ok OK! |
[Feb. 2nd, 2006|04:31 am] |
Yeah, I know I said I'd never post a rap again..actually, wait, I can stick to that!!!
I'm not going to post this...but...YOU MIGHT CONSIDER CHECKING OUT MYSPACE www.myspace.com/thehairyboat AND YOU MIGHT FIND SOME RAP MUSIC ME AND MY FRIENDS MADE.
I am so siked about Sucide Mission, it is our latest project and I can't stop listening to it, it's so good.
OH GOD, I FOUND SOME LYRICS FROM SOME THING TOTALLY UNRELATED TO RAP OR ANYTHING I WROTE. OOPS, I POSTED THEM.
My feelings break through ceilings
When I’m enraged I’m engaged
To cause alarm to do harm
Like an animal uncaged
To remove any doubt, I’ll tell you all about
How I’m so dangerous Al Quieda kicked me out
It’s a 1 on 1 bout
Rain of blood before the drought
I’m friends with the Devil so I gotta lotta clout.
I’ve gone down there before and I’ve come back again
To transmit terror into the lives of men
So I’ll Strap the bomb on
I’m commin’ for you
Crash a plane in yo’ brain
Now watcha gonna do
It’s a suicide mission
Yeah!
Whether it kills me or you is not an issue
It's a suicide mission
Yeah!
I'd rather die by my words than listen to yours (It's a suicide mission)
Look out, cause I’m a scary Emcee
So fuck the army, and just send me
Nothing left to gain and nothing to lose
Just give me my gat and a case of booze
I’ll surrender myself to the enemy
Packing a secret weapon that no one can see
So they lock me up with four steel walls
And I detonate the nuke that’s hiding in my balls
After the radiation settles, I’ll get up quick
And mow them down with my machine gun dick
Now I’m a pimp, so I just can’t stay
Shoot a smoke bomb from my ass and make my getaway (It's a suicide mission)
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Oh yes, it is good. Can't wait to get that up, waiting on Destruko's part, to be coming tomorrow. Also two additional members to the group Hairy Boat: Emcee Pakistan (Aman) and MC Blond Bombshell (Melanie).
In other news, need to go to bed earlier. |
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| UP...date? |
[Jan. 19th, 2006|10:49 pm] |
| [ | Mood |
| | good. :) | ] |
| [ | Current Boom Booms |
| | Goo Goo Dolls | ] |
Man.
Ok, lots of stuff going on.
The real point is, I stayed up till 5am last night with Kenny and Mike writing a rap song.
Highlights:
I started off making it all serious and cool sounding:
Lyrical livewires/
Beats that'll start fires/
Elements of truth that straight dissolve liars/
and then of course Mike comes in with:
Dollar Dollar Bill yall, Bling Bling/
I got a girl sucking my Ding Ding/
My dicks so big you can see it from space/
and Kenny rounds it off nicely with:
I'm the man of steel to steal your big deal/
Don't be scared I just wanna rap yah/
Don't be scared I just wanna film yah/
-------
In short, we jacked a beat from a hiphop site by just straight recording it with a mike and mixed a sound clip from The Wiggle's show with it (I did that part, and yes it sounds awesome). Was it worth the time spent on it? Not a chance. But the memories, oh the memories!
Gave my cousins a tour of the campus at 1pm today which went surprisingly well.
Best news yet: Chick-Fil-A is definitely ready to go for this semester. So much for my diet.
Speaking of diets, I'm on one. Yup, I'm admitting it, I am out of shape and unhealthy. So, with Kenny as my personal trainer, and Mom as my unappointed food supervisor, I have renouced the deepfried evils of the delicious enemy I call McNuggets. I am actually going to the gym and am presently sore from weight lifting. I'm also giving up Soda in favor of Orange Juice/Tangerine Juice combo that is not that delicious but tolerable. My treat will no long be Pibb or Pepper, but Sunny D (which I have come to know as quite tasty).
I'm also learning Ju-Jit-Su (sp) under the tutulege (sp) of Kenny and Chris. To show my commitment I had Kenny go buy some Boxing Gloves and protective gear. Chris will kill me for saying this, but I chocked him out when we went out it. I learned several moves: the Kimora (which I can do from the guard position off of a sweep move..very baddass and surprisingly simple), the Rear-Naked (sp?) Choke, and the fighting stance which I actually do not look goofy doing. Next: Knee and Arm bars. Can't wait!
Speaking of goofy
Mike to me:
Paul your rhymes suck and your style is goofy/
The only way you get girl is with the roofie/
---
Now that's just not true.
G'night.
-paul |
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| Haha |
[Dec. 25th, 2005|12:54 am] |
Ok, so I was planning on posting an entry with some contemplation about how Christmas has lost just about all of its magic for me yadda yadda whatever. I was about to, and then I accidently deleted the post instead of posting it. So I figured it was fate, and instead am going to post some Bloodhoung Gang lyrics. Man, I will hand it to those guys, they write some of the trashiest, funniest, lyrics ever...and the beats they have in their songs are UNPARALLELED and just so baddassly awesome.
Enjoy:
Does your girlfriend look like the chick from M*A*S*H?,
Dead ringer for Klinger with a thicker mustache?,
When you're at a get-together does everybody always ask?,
Ain't no Halloween party why's she wearin' that mask?,
Does she got more Chins than the Chinese phone book?,
Would you rather make out with a rusty fish hook?,
Does she stick to linoleum when she squats?,
Does she look pregnant although she's not?,
Did you first see your boyfriend on Cops?,
Or at a Star Trek convention or on top?,
Of your best friend or maybe at Wendy's?,
Workin' third shift late New Years' Eve?,
Does he live under a bridge scare kids and kill squirrels?,
Does he do kegstands until he hurls?,
Could a blind man mistake his complexion for Braille,
Does he have time to sit around and wait for the mail,
Life is a game that no one wins,
But you deserve a headstart the way your life's goin',
So throw in the towel cause your life ain't shit,
No take that towel and hang yourself with it,
Life's short and hard like a body-building elf,
So save the planet and kill yourself,
If you're feeling down-and-out with what your life's all about,
Lift your head up and blow your brains out,
Lift your head up high and blow your brains out,
Lift your head up high and blow your brains out,
Lift your head up high and blow your brains out.
So take your life instead of taking it for granted,
I'm thinking you should can it I think I'll help you plan it,
Live today like it's gonna be your last,
Hang out blow your mind have yourself a gas,
I hope you take this the wrong way,
And misinterpret what I say,
Rewind and let me reverse,
Backwards like Judas Preist first did.
====
Hope everyone is having a good break from school and the holidays are treating everyone real well, whatever you might be up to.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
-paul |
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| Life Is Bleak |
[Dec. 18th, 2005|06:27 pm] |
Oh man. Here I am, sitting at my computer at 6:30pm with a 20 page paper on my To-Do List. I'm on page 1, which is actually really good considering last time I had an assignment this large I started at 10 o'clock and didn't sleep at all that night, barely finishing it before the deadline.
Here's my problem: Once I finish this paper, I'm done with this semester. Is it a relaxing vacation from school? Nope, it's work at Microcenter. Oh, how I loathe that place. I don't want to cashier anymore, I want that damn State Department job, but oh no, it takes 2 months to process the application.
I hate retail, I was not meant to do the same damn thing over and over again and be subserviant to people because I wear a nametag that says "Hi, My Name is Paul". I don't want to answer people's questions about technology that I probably know nothing about, I don't want to go into general sales because I'm not even sure if I even remember the layout of that store. Not to mention, after me and my brother missed our first drug test, we haven't recieved a call after the second one concerning employment. I guess I'll call tomorrow and bug HR again to make sure me and Mike have employment over winter break. Frankly, I'm hoping that say "sorry, we don't need you" and I can go home and Mom can yell at me for not having a job over winter break and I can get through this month, get back to school, finish up my degree, start work with the government, and move on with my life.
College is nice, but I want some purposeful work, I don't want to write a 20 page paper examining Samuel P. Huntington's philosophy of history, I want a boss to tell me to 'process these applications and forward them to HR, and get back to the IT department regarding the surplus budget for CAT-5 cables' or at least something that sounds freaking professional.
Maybe I just feel like I don't belong at Microcenter. I'd almost rather go back to foodlion (almost). I'm thinking I should be a waiter; no one inherrently treats you like crap, your job is very clear on what you need to know and what you need to do, the pay is great, and you get to interject your own personality into your job to make it interesting I guess.
I don't even care if the government provides the most boring jobs known to man. It's the government, it's a job that LOOKS and SOUNDS good. Nobody respects Foodlion or Microcenter in the realm of serious employment, and those jobs teach you anywhere from 0-1 lasting skills that you can put on the bargaining table for a top-dollar employer at a job fair.
It doesn't even matter if the government teaches me nothing and provides me with no additional skills, the name has WEIGHT. It's the freaking GOVERNMENT, you can't ignore them...and you get a security clearance for working the INTERNSHIP? That's a trump card.
I've never looked forward to winter break less. I want to stay in classes and finish my degree and get out of here. Finally, I have a window into the future, I can see clearly what the rest of my life might look like, and I'm totally satisfied with starting out with a State Department internship and moving into Government Contracting. I don't even think I've "grown up" any, or was really that immature to begin with...I've just never been able to see so clearly where my life is headed, and I love it. I mean, what DOES a government major do? My answer was: work retail jobs for shitty wages. But wait, yes, it is possible to WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT AS A GOVERNMENT MAJOR, even if your connection/foot in the door is via some of the freakiest coincidences ever.
I'm lucky, I'll say that right now. Given how I've been living my life, the choices I've made, I'm fortunate to end up where I am. That is the strongest evidence for a divine being: the fact that I now have a hope of being successful in this life.
ARGH, but I just have to get through WINTER BREAK, oh damn you Winter Break, shrivel up and die and let me move on with my life, please!!!
Sincerely,
Paul |
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| Ok, ok, I'm retarted. |
[Dec. 15th, 2005|10:41 am] |
Jesus.
I don't know where it came from, but somehow the notion wormed its way into my head that the word "Proscribe" was synonomous with "to reccomend strongly". After having littered my 18 page paper with that word, I found out today that it actually means to "to prohibit strongly".
I should probably e-mail the Professor.
Eh.
-paul |
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| oh god |
[Dec. 12th, 2005|11:26 am] |
..........sl.............so........tired....fuck...allnighters up the ass.
Still not done
Must finish before 2pm.
DAMN YOU BURKAHADRDT!!
-paul |
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| Why am I posting this? |
[Dec. 8th, 2005|03:59 pm] |
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday.
Suddenly, I'm not half to man I used to be,
There's a shadow hanging over me.
Oh, yesterday came suddenly.
Why she had to go I don't know she wouldn't say.
I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday.
Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play.
Now I need a place to hide away.
Oh, I believe in yesterday.
----
I remember watching the Beatles Anthology, and they were talking about this song and how at a concert Paul McCartney came out alone and sat on a stool and played this song for the first time live. This song is one of those sad songs, that can make you real upset depending upon the mood you are in, but it can also slide by as a catchy, melodic tune. Either way, both are brilliant.
I'm upset.
Among other things, finals blow. Seriously, I hate how professors are just desensitized to finals and that it's funny that students get "no sleep on finals week" cause it's supposed to be hard and stressful, that's par for the course.
Maybe it's par for the course that I KICK YOU IN YOUR SKULL. WHADDYA THINK ABOUT THAT, SENOR HARVARD GRADUATE?
-paul |
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|
| spooky |
[Dec. 7th, 2005|03:38 am] |
|
Fatal Frame 3...Scary? Yes. Hard? Yes. Play alone? No. |
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| Goodbye Retail |
[Dec. 3rd, 2005|04:06 am] |
| [ | Mood |
| | damnit | ] |
| [ | Current Boom Booms |
| | it's 4am | ] |
I'm so happy. Out of the most unlikely place, I get offered a job at the State Department. It really is about connections when it comes to getting a job that doesn't involve a cash register.
----
Carlos xxxx, Chief
U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Diplomatic Security
(To his superior, I imagine.)
"Kim, what would it take to bring Paul Parrell on board under the Department's stay-in-school program and utilize his skills and talents in Ms. Wallace position. As you are aware, Ms. Wallace will be transferring to another Federal agency and I would like to fill her position as soon as possible. Mr. Parrell's resume and experience are very, very impressive and I would like to you to follow-up on the possibility of bringing him under the stay-in-school program. Anything you can do would be greatly appreciated. Thanks."
Seriously, when all you hear from people is "Where do you keep the rewritable CDs?" and then you get this from the government...how else can you feel but overjoyed?
-paul
----- |
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| I'm so happy |
[Nov. 22nd, 2005|04:42 am] |
| [ | Mood |
| |  ecstatic | ] |
| [ | Current Boom Booms |
| | System of a Down: Lost in Hollywood | ] |
Believe me, remember my last interest on Imogen Heap, how I felt like I couldn't listen to any other song but that one? It was because I was getting sick of my music. I had heard it too much, it didn't offer a thrill anymore like that song did. I turned to Celldweller and the Underwater for some temporary relief, but I was quietly begining to despair. And then, I finally on a whim ask Aman for the new/old System of a Down CDs Mesmerize and Hypnotize. I'm so glad I did. BYOB and Cigaro gave me the wrong impression about where the band was headed...those songs were OK, but nothing compared to some of the other tracks on the CDs. It is like a massive intake of fresh air and I just am enjoying listening to the music again. Oh System of a Down, why did I ever doubt you?
Look at the time, 4:45. I can't go to sleep, I can't stop hearing this music. Lyrically powerful, musically innovative (moreso than many of their past songs, not so many power chords more intricate guitar parts). Yes, the guitarist Daron sings more, which isn't necessarily a good thing but he's certainly gotten better and they are using his 'talent' more effectively to compliment Serg's awesome voice.
I am at peace. Music is once again restored to me.
-paul |
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|
| so uh yeah 9:30 career appointment tomorrow. |
[Nov. 11th, 2005|02:56 am] |
But goddamnit, I've been tagged, and I'm going to take it like a man.
TEN YEARS AGO I WAS..
- Jesus..that's a long time.
What grade was I even in?
SIX YEARS AGO I WAS..
Um, a freshman..in highschool..I think? Where are all the easy questions?
ONE YEAR AGO I WAS..
Now we're talking. I can remember this.
I was in George Mason, majoring in Government sans Business Minor.
Rooming with people I hated!
Employed at Foodlion!
Not single!
Probably a lot like I am today!
YESTERDAY I WAS..
Oh man, Yesterday sucked.
Writing a 13 page paper in a span of two days!
Attempting suicide! (see above)
Sleeping through classes!
Excited over a job interview!
Depressed that I haven't called them yet!
Gay!
Yeah, that changed as of now. Too bad guys.
FIVE SNACKS FOOD GROUPS I ENJOY:
Chicken Tenders
Pizza
Sp..sph...spheghtetti? WITHOUT SAUCE.
Garlic Bread
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ice Cream
Brownies
Candy
Oh, more than five.
FIVE SONGS I KNOW ALL THE WORDS TO:
Most Any System of a Down Song (Notably Prison Song..that shits hard)
Most Any Celldweller Song
50cent feat. Eminem: Patiently Waiting (yeah, I roll all over Em's part)
(off the top of my head/playlist)
Alien Ant Farm: Glow
A Perfect Circle: Three Libras
FIVE BAD HABITS:
1. Judgemental
2. Over Analysing (sp)
3. Slave to Logic
4. Over sleeping everything (one time, I had this nap scheduled for 3pm sharp, and I slept through it)
5. I BITE MY NAILS.
FIVE BIGGEST JOYS:
1. Feeling wanted
2. Feeling needed
3. Laughing
4. Ok ok, video games.
5. Music
THREE FAVORITE TOYS:
1. ...Playstation 2.
2. Drum Set
3. NOT MAGIC CARDS or HEROSCAPE
FIVE PLACES I WOULD RUN AWAY TRAVEL TO:
1. ITALY
2. Vegas
3. Amersterdam
4. Austrailia
5. Bahamas
TWO THINGS I WOULD NEVER WEAR:
1. Thong
2. Fur Coat
FIVE FAVORITE TV SHOWS:
1. Family Guy
2. Drawn Together
3. American Dad
4. DAMNIT, FINE PRISON BREAK.
5. case closed..if you know it, you know it's baddass.
FIVE PEOPLE I TAG
1. Kenny
2. Kenny
3. Kenny
4. Kenny
5. Kenny
Yeah, that's 5 times bitch. |
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| Indescribable |
[Nov. 2nd, 2005|01:20 am] |
Where are we?
What the hell is going on?
The dust has only just begun to fall
Crop circles in the carpet
Sinking
Feeling
Spinning round again
And rub my eyes
This can't be happening
When busy streets a mess with people
Who would stop to hold their heads heavy
Hide and seek
Trains and solving machines
Oily marks appear on walls
Where pleasure moments hung before
The takeover
The sweeping insensitivity
Of this still life
Hide and Seek
Blood and tears
They were here fast
Hmm, what'd you say, mmm, that you only meant well?
Well, of course you did.
Hmm, what'd you say? mmm, that it's all for the best?
Of course it is.
Hmm, what'd you say? mmm, that it's just what we need
You decided this?
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut-outs
Speak no feeling, no I don't believe you
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit
-----------------------
I can't describe this song. It's unlike anything I have ever heard. It is a person..presumably a woman although I can't even say that..with synth applied to the vocals, I think there is a piano but other than that no other intstrument, her voice creates the beat and changes the tempo and flow of the song all in beautiful tones and harmonies.
This song is beautiful in the most truthful sense of the word. I can't even describe it as "good" or "catchy". It is just awe-inspiringly beautiful. Is say that knowing I may well be the only person who thinks it...at first I didn't like it. But, it is so haunting in a non-traditional sense.
Imogen heap, I think, does it.
Anyone know anything about them?
-paul |
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