2.03.2010
1.28.2010
alt="Wordle: blog" style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd" />12.11.2009
Ponies and Politicos
Since when is facebook a place to shit out all of your political shit? I don't care about another mistake Fox News made or some stupid poll that doesn't mean anything. But it's everywhere and it won't stop and I wish it would, because I am sick of having to ignore all of it.
If you want to talk politics, hop-to. Hell, I am perfectly okay with people blogging their faces off about everything they found on the big wide internet this morning. But posting shit as you find it every 20 minutes and taking your stance on government and news media and blahblahblah and laughing with your bffs over how dumb an entire group of people are on facebook is so annoying. SO annoying. To me, particularly.
I've always been moderate, politically, because I don't like politics and I only care about it at all because you have to, at least as far as it affects you and your life. But lately I find myself more interested in opposing whatever fanatics I find myself amongst, and it is increasingly difficult to find a group of people who don't all lean all the way one way. I'm so tired of listening to people make the same arguments and bash the same groups and do that same old shit. So tired.
I want to talk about something good. Something exciting and interesting and worth my while.
Even if it's ponies. Because I like ponies, and ponies--as a conversation topic--never made anyone look ugly to me.
12.03.2009
I am going to bitch about this, god damnit.
And I can't think of a better place to do it.
I cannot tolerate where WREK seems to be heading. The bullshit surrounding student organizations in general, and the things I have seen happening more specifically. It seems to me that it has taken a 180 and things keep getting changed or removed or streamlined or bullshitbullshitbullshit, and I have a perma-temper about it. Because, damnit, it was my favorite thing on campus forever. My forever, since I knew I could be a part of it until. Until recently, when it took the turn. Or it was made to take the turn. I know things change, but damnit, not everything needs changing, and not all change is improvement.
I just want it to be WREK again, and I don't think it will be for a while. That is, WREK will always be WREK because it has its own momentum and everything, but I am not happy there any more, and it kills me because I want to love it again but I just can't.
Better.
I cannot tolerate where WREK seems to be heading. The bullshit surrounding student organizations in general, and the things I have seen happening more specifically. It seems to me that it has taken a 180 and things keep getting changed or removed or streamlined or bullshitbullshitbullshit, and I have a perma-temper about it. Because, damnit, it was my favorite thing on campus forever. My forever, since I knew I could be a part of it until. Until recently, when it took the turn. Or it was made to take the turn. I know things change, but damnit, not everything needs changing, and not all change is improvement.
I just want it to be WREK again, and I don't think it will be for a while. That is, WREK will always be WREK because it has its own momentum and everything, but I am not happy there any more, and it kills me because I want to love it again but I just can't.
Better.
7.07.2009
Myyy Little Life
I have been doing a lot of sitting lately On the way to work on the trolley, at home after work in front of the TV. In fact, almost all f the time I am at home lately I am sitting on the couch. It is only recently, though, that I have begun doing something with that time I am making things, and I am so happy for it. It started with some silly friendship bracelets I made several nights ago. I have also been doing a lot of reading, which I have missed. And I have been watching a lot of movies which is a kind of progress in its own right, in my opinion.
Anyhow, here are the things I have made in the last two days. I am very pleased with myself (especially since the tree is something I thought of doing almost three years ago, and the scarf is something I started more than six months ago). And so,
I like them.
Anyhow, here are the things I have made in the last two days. I am very pleased with myself (especially since the tree is something I thought of doing almost three years ago, and the scarf is something I started more than six months ago). And so,
I like them.
6.25.2009
Goodbye Rosie, The Queen of Corona
I was just watching Colbert Report, and the guest was Matthew Crawford, author of Shop Class as Soulcraft: And Inquiry Into The Value of Work
Not that I have read the book or anything, but my gut is telling me he may be ripping off (read: alluding to) Robert M. Pirsig, the author of Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. There's your immediate similarity. But it goes further. Pirsig's other book (which I have also not read, but I own and will read any day now...) is called Lila: An Inquiry into Morals. BAM! Number two.
This is Pirsig on his motorcycle with his son on the trip I can only assume is the subject of Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. (I like this picture very much.):
The guy (Crawford) was a good interviewee and I liked what he had to say, but I am territorial about books and often jump to conclusions based on very little information, so that guy can go to HELL! Not really, I just wanted to show off my literary brilliance and what-have-you-et-cetera-blah.
In other news, (note: I have come to adore this turn of phrase for no discernable reason) I recently went to California, which was pretty cool. It tested my limits in a way, because it was with my parents and sister and we were in veryveryvery close proximity for the extent of the trip, mostly in a stupidumbass car that perceivably-though-not-really fishtailed its way through all of the tiny, winding, framed-by-steep-cliffs-on-both-sides-and-sometimes-oceans-below roads in California. Or so it seemed. I basically plowed through my collection of Rolaids. Overall I really enjoyed myself, but I came back feeling totally removed from my life even though I was only gone for a week and a half. As if by some amazing force of nature, to make this feeling even more apparent I managed to misplace my calendar/datebook/beautiful Molskine/security blanket in a cold, cluttered world. I have had that particular one for well over a year, and I not only kept track of things I couldn't afford to forget, I wrote down the little things I did most days that I knew I wouldn't be able to recall without some sort of stupid mnemonic that only I would get.
I spent the first week or so I was back asking around, looking everywhere, mass texting everyone I saw before the trip, considering calling all hotels/airlines/places we were/used, and generally freaking out about it because, goddamnit, I lost my life for the last year (in a way). I put off buying a new anything to try and replace the old one, because I didn't want to give up on it, and I kept thinking it would just pop up out of my couch cushions or someone would surprise me with it because I forgot to ask them and they found it. (This is sort of the point where I began to seriously regret that under the "If found, please return to..." information, I wrote in "gratitude" as the reward for returning my book to me. I didn't even capitalize it.)
I caved a couple of days ago and went to buy a whole new Molskine. And I feel like I have lost some of myself. It sounds dumb, I know, but there are just some things you find yourself with that take on way more meaning than they were ever meant to. It was just a calendar, but it was the place I could put everything down and keep track of it all. That is one thing I have always been in need of: a means to keep my shit together. Because I am no good all on my lonesome. And here I find myself on my lonesome. (On my lonesome? Whoever coined that didn't try very hard.) Also, the calendar doesn't start being useful until the 29th, and that is not the day I am living right now. I am sure I will stop caring about it eventually, but I am still holding on to that little sparkle of hope that MY calendar, the one I have marked up, highlighted and loved and been laughed at for loving so much will turn up. (Let me know if you see it.)
Charly is in Hawaii via Reno (she is temporarily in Reno for an internship, but she is even more immediately and even more temporarily in Hawaii) going to luaus, learning to surf, trying to skydive but being thwarted by heavy wind, Hawaiiing her way through the week. And seminars or whatever. Por ejemplo:
(Text Messages From Tonight)
Me: Everyone is dead. Or just unavailable. I'm fucking sick of hanging out with me.
Charly: I'll try to think of you at the luau.
She is so darling. Of The Darling Traveler Darlings. Which (throwback to the texts) brings me rather bluntly to my next point. I have been very much on my own for the last few days. Empty house and little old me just hanging out in my living room when I'm not at work. I like myself fairly well currently, and very much most of the time, but I am very disappointed in my tendency to feel bored when I am alone. Occasionally I notice myself doing this, and then I all-of-a-sudden have got to get up and do something. I am bewildered by what it is I have been choosing, though. Last night, for instance, I made two friendship bracelets. I have no intention of giving them to anyone, and (in this moment of full disclosure) somehow fell asleep modeling the pinker of the two on my neck, and walked into the bathroom this morning with it mildly tangled in my hair.
This is my life. It's pretty okay.
West Wing is on, so here's this:
Paul is so tiny!
This is my preference though.
Not that I have read the book or anything, but my gut is telling me he may be ripping off (read: alluding to) Robert M. Pirsig, the author of Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. There's your immediate similarity. But it goes further. Pirsig's other book (which I have also not read, but I own and will read any day now...) is called Lila: An Inquiry into Morals. BAM! Number two.
This is Pirsig on his motorcycle with his son on the trip I can only assume is the subject of Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. (I like this picture very much.):
The guy (Crawford) was a good interviewee and I liked what he had to say, but I am territorial about books and often jump to conclusions based on very little information, so that guy can go to HELL! Not really, I just wanted to show off my literary brilliance and what-have-you-et-cetera-blah.
In other news, (note: I have come to adore this turn of phrase for no discernable reason) I recently went to California, which was pretty cool. It tested my limits in a way, because it was with my parents and sister and we were in veryveryvery close proximity for the extent of the trip, mostly in a stupidumbass car that perceivably-though-not-really fishtailed its way through all of the tiny, winding, framed-by-steep-cliffs-on-both-sides-and-sometimes-oceans-below roads in California. Or so it seemed. I basically plowed through my collection of Rolaids. Overall I really enjoyed myself, but I came back feeling totally removed from my life even though I was only gone for a week and a half. As if by some amazing force of nature, to make this feeling even more apparent I managed to misplace my calendar/datebook/beautiful Molskine/security blanket in a cold, cluttered world. I have had that particular one for well over a year, and I not only kept track of things I couldn't afford to forget, I wrote down the little things I did most days that I knew I wouldn't be able to recall without some sort of stupid mnemonic that only I would get.
I spent the first week or so I was back asking around, looking everywhere, mass texting everyone I saw before the trip, considering calling all hotels/airlines/places we were/used, and generally freaking out about it because, goddamnit, I lost my life for the last year (in a way). I put off buying a new anything to try and replace the old one, because I didn't want to give up on it, and I kept thinking it would just pop up out of my couch cushions or someone would surprise me with it because I forgot to ask them and they found it. (This is sort of the point where I began to seriously regret that under the "If found, please return to..." information, I wrote in "gratitude" as the reward for returning my book to me. I didn't even capitalize it.)
I caved a couple of days ago and went to buy a whole new Molskine. And I feel like I have lost some of myself. It sounds dumb, I know, but there are just some things you find yourself with that take on way more meaning than they were ever meant to. It was just a calendar, but it was the place I could put everything down and keep track of it all. That is one thing I have always been in need of: a means to keep my shit together. Because I am no good all on my lonesome. And here I find myself on my lonesome. (On my lonesome? Whoever coined that didn't try very hard.) Also, the calendar doesn't start being useful until the 29th, and that is not the day I am living right now. I am sure I will stop caring about it eventually, but I am still holding on to that little sparkle of hope that MY calendar, the one I have marked up, highlighted and loved and been laughed at for loving so much will turn up. (Let me know if you see it.)
Charly is in Hawaii via Reno (she is temporarily in Reno for an internship, but she is even more immediately and even more temporarily in Hawaii) going to luaus, learning to surf, trying to skydive but being thwarted by heavy wind, Hawaiiing her way through the week. And seminars or whatever. Por ejemplo:
(Text Messages From Tonight)
Me: Everyone is dead. Or just unavailable. I'm fucking sick of hanging out with me.
Charly: I'll try to think of you at the luau.
She is so darling. Of The Darling Traveler Darlings. Which (throwback to the texts) brings me rather bluntly to my next point. I have been very much on my own for the last few days. Empty house and little old me just hanging out in my living room when I'm not at work. I like myself fairly well currently, and very much most of the time, but I am very disappointed in my tendency to feel bored when I am alone. Occasionally I notice myself doing this, and then I all-of-a-sudden have got to get up and do something. I am bewildered by what it is I have been choosing, though. Last night, for instance, I made two friendship bracelets. I have no intention of giving them to anyone, and (in this moment of full disclosure) somehow fell asleep modeling the pinker of the two on my neck, and walked into the bathroom this morning with it mildly tangled in my hair.
This is my life. It's pretty okay.
West Wing is on, so here's this:
Paul is so tiny!
This is my preference though.
4.09.2009
I am Googleplexed.
I google myself periodically to see what I have been doing with my life, and what my dopple-name-gers are doing with my life (ah-hah!).
I found some things out tonight, and was reminded of how awesome CM is. For instance:
-I had a class with Calvin Johnson and didn't know it.
-I am featured on Ian Bogost's site under student projects and I can't figure out how a person could play our silly AvP game without an Atari2600 emulator and all that shit is a pain to set up, but still, as Bill Leahy (one of my current totally badass professors) says of Ian, he is a sort of video game rockstar and there I am on his website! Wowie!
-People in the IAC actually care! And WREK is awesome!
-The Duluth Beta Club's Xanga reminded me that some girl gave me credit for 30 hours of service when really I only accomplished about 3. And that was by selling candy. Most of which I bought from myself. I miss high school sometimes, but I never miss community service.
-There is a Kristi Champion in Van Vleck, Texas who is more famous than me. I will beat her.
-This is a really awesome abstract avatar creator my group did as a project for a class. I can't say I had much to do with its construction, aside from some intense html docs. I had more to say about the design and offered to buy my awesome, flash-savvy group-mate snacks. It is tiny and a little hard to read, but the concept is awesome.
Annnd, that's enough about me. For now.
I found some things out tonight, and was reminded of how awesome CM is. For instance:
-I had a class with Calvin Johnson and didn't know it.
-I am featured on Ian Bogost's site under student projects and I can't figure out how a person could play our silly AvP game without an Atari2600 emulator and all that shit is a pain to set up, but still, as Bill Leahy (one of my current totally badass professors) says of Ian, he is a sort of video game rockstar and there I am on his website! Wowie!
-People in the IAC actually care! And WREK is awesome!
-The Duluth Beta Club's Xanga reminded me that some girl gave me credit for 30 hours of service when really I only accomplished about 3. And that was by selling candy. Most of which I bought from myself. I miss high school sometimes, but I never miss community service.
-There is a Kristi Champion in Van Vleck, Texas who is more famous than me. I will beat her.
-This is a really awesome abstract avatar creator my group did as a project for a class. I can't say I had much to do with its construction, aside from some intense html docs. I had more to say about the design and offered to buy my awesome, flash-savvy group-mate snacks. It is tiny and a little hard to read, but the concept is awesome.
Annnd, that's enough about me. For now.
4.05.2009
Some Little Things
I thought they smelled bad on the outside.
In other news, I want a dwarf hamster. I have been craving a small animal for about two years, because I love little things and I especially love when they are living and breathing and wriggly. But I have figured out exactly what I would like. They are called Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters, and they are absolutely the cutest of the cute:
They need a lot of space, but I have read that they are okay with being alone, as they tend to be territorial and sometimes aggressive. But still so cute and tiny!
Now I just need a landlord who will let me have pets, more expendable income and time.
I am fairly confident that I could do the pet thing, as I have yet to kill my orchid. I have just found out that it wasn't dead. It was only hibernating in a very dead-looking way. But we have growth! And I am happy!
Who knew The Simpsons was back on? I didn't until tonight. I miss the old ones I grew up on.
The end!
In other news, I want a dwarf hamster. I have been craving a small animal for about two years, because I love little things and I especially love when they are living and breathing and wriggly. But I have figured out exactly what I would like. They are called Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters, and they are absolutely the cutest of the cute:
They need a lot of space, but I have read that they are okay with being alone, as they tend to be territorial and sometimes aggressive. But still so cute and tiny!
Now I just need a landlord who will let me have pets, more expendable income and time.
I am fairly confident that I could do the pet thing, as I have yet to kill my orchid. I have just found out that it wasn't dead. It was only hibernating in a very dead-looking way. But we have growth! And I am happy!
Who knew The Simpsons was back on? I didn't until tonight. I miss the old ones I grew up on.
The end!
Hot dogs, Hot dogs, Hot dogs: Ark
Hot dogs, Hot dogs, Hot dogs: Ark
Trey posted this, and I think it is well worth a few minutes of your time.
Trey posted this, and I think it is well worth a few minutes of your time.
4.03.2009
Champoon
About a million people have misspelled some part of my name at some point in my life:
Kristy, Kristie, Christy, Christie, Christi, Krissy, Christine, etc.
Champlain, Champin, Champon, Chapman, Champlin, etc.
But last night I got my favorite misspelling ever: Champoon
And I am the one who misspelled it. Dumb? Yes. Hilarious? Absolutely. My life is simple.
In other news, everything has become very frustrating/challenging in the last week. And while I have been more exhausted and stressed out than I ever thought possible, I have learned some things which I will now share with you.
ISSUE 1 - My computer got an awful virus and I have since been working to clean off everything I care about from my hard drive - buuuut, my computer overheats if I make it do too much, so every few transfers it will just shut down and I have to restart in safe mode and it is so, so, so annoying.
SUBSEQUENT LESSON - Please, for the love of whatever it is you care about, protect your computer (and so your precious memories/work/files) with all the spyware and all of the precautions you can stand.
I just lost all interest in continuing. Lucky you!
Kristy, Kristie, Christy, Christie, Christi, Krissy, Christine, etc.
Champlain, Champin, Champon, Chapman, Champlin, etc.
But last night I got my favorite misspelling ever: Champoon
And I am the one who misspelled it. Dumb? Yes. Hilarious? Absolutely. My life is simple.
In other news, everything has become very frustrating/challenging in the last week. And while I have been more exhausted and stressed out than I ever thought possible, I have learned some things which I will now share with you.
ISSUE 1 - My computer got an awful virus and I have since been working to clean off everything I care about from my hard drive - buuuut, my computer overheats if I make it do too much, so every few transfers it will just shut down and I have to restart in safe mode and it is so, so, so annoying.
SUBSEQUENT LESSON - Please, for the love of whatever it is you care about, protect your computer (and so your precious memories/work/files) with all the spyware and all of the precautions you can stand.
I just lost all interest in continuing. Lucky you!
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