tag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767all our lonely kicks are getting harder to findwe'll play nuns vs. priests until somebody criesquadruplify2014-05-27T04:34:15Ztag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:140235Pain looks great on other people, that's what they're for2014-05-27T04:30:06Z2014-05-27T04:34:15Zcomplacentpublic0Update!! :D<br /><br />••• <b>Every year on the last weekend in March my workplace holds a <a href="http://www.autismconnecticut.org/annual-conference">regional conference on autism</a>, and this year I got to go.</b> The center's executive director encouraged me to go because I didn't go last year and she thought some of the talks and workshops would be relevant to me. My dad went with me that Friday and my mom the following day, and while both of them had to pay to get in, I didn't since I work at ASRC.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/140235.html#cutid1">Under a cut because this gets long...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />••• <b>I had to go for jury duty last month, and...I actually had to serve on a jury.</b> <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/140235.html#cutid2">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />••• <b>I might have to get my teeth straightened again in the near future, and I really don't want to.</b> <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/140235.html#cutid3">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />••• <b>On the BRS front (which I talked about <a href="http://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/139876.html">in my last entry</a>):</b> I met with my vocational counselor a couple of times since then; the past two times it was with a contact/job coach from a job agency I selected that works with BRS in helping find places for ASD people to get work evaluations and more permanent jobs. <span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___4" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/140235.html#cutid4">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___4" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />••• <b>A couple of weekends ago I met up with K. again</b>, and we both had a great time! Since the both of us like sushi, I had us go to <a href="http://www.donasiancuisine.com/">Don Asian Cuisine</a>, a place in town that opened up not that long ago; I heard of them because they replaced a Chinese restaurant my parents used to get takeout from, and I read good reviews about them on Yelp. The sushi was <i>extremely</i> good; I had the California, salmon cucumber, and shrimp tempura rolls, and they were all as delicious as I hoped they would! XD Then we went to Redscroll Records in Wallingford, because K. had never been there and she'd never set foot in a record store in three years. We both bought a few things (I finally scored a CD copy of My Bloody Valentine's <i>mbv</i>), and then we hung out in the parking lot for a while. We were talking about all kinds of stuff for a <i>looooooooooong</i> time -- I met her around 2:30 PM, and we parted ways around 8. Yeah. O_o; We promised to be in touch with each other more often, so time will tell if that works out, but obviously I hope it does. ^_^;<br /><br />••• <b>Good news on the fandom front:</b> <a href="http://durarara.livejournal.com/792412.html"><i>Durarara!!</i> is finally getting it's second season!</a> XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD \o/<br /><br />Bad news: <a href="http://io9.com/community-has-been-cancelled-1574134092?utm_campaign=socialflow_io9_twitter&utm_source=io9_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow"><i>Community</i> got cancelled.</a> =_=; That really sucks, especially since the last season was actually very good. I kinda figured it was going to happen eventually, just not now. But while it would be cool to have that sixth season and a movie, I'll leave that for the more hardcore fans to fight. It bummed me out, but now I think I've been able to let go. :P<br /><br />*****<br /><br />Other than that, everything else has been going relatively well, even though I've really haven't been myself this past weekend (both the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Isla_Vista_killings">UCSB shooting</a> and my grandmother getting worringly sick was a little too much for me). The job is still going very well, my psoriasis hasn't come back (I'm only going to phototherapy only once a week now, and I'm down to 10mg of soriatane a day! :D), my sleep schedule has improved (this weekend notwithstanding), the weather has gotten a helluva lot better....yeah, not bad, not bad. How's everyone else been doing?<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=140235" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:139252What I've Been Reading: 8/24/20132013-08-25T02:56:49Z2013-08-25T02:56:49Zokaypublic0Another RL update is coming up, but for now here's another linkdump. It's long, so it's behind a cut, and the ones I recommend are bolded. ;-)<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/139252.html#cutid1">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br type="_moz" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=139252" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:138861What I've Been Reading: 8/5/20132013-08-05T06:17:05Z2013-08-05T06:17:05Zawakepublic0First off, in case you missed it, my last RL update is <a href="http://quadruplify.livejournal.com/146220.html">here</a> in case you're curious as to how I'm doing. ^_^;<br /><br />Also, one of my cousins recently opened up a jewelry shop on Etsy! I think some of you on my f-list would be interested, so if you'd like to support her (which would be awesome! :D) or just see the kind of work she's doing, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/LivingWireCreations">feel free to check out her store</a>. ;-)<br /><br />Because I haven't done a linkdump in a while, it's another REALLY REALLY long one, so it's under a cut. Obviously I don't expect you to read all of it -- or any of it, for that matter -- but I've bolded the ones I recommend the most for your convenience. Enjoy!<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/138861.html#cutid1">Read more...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=138861" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:136544What I've Been Reading: 3/7/132013-03-07T21:34:37Z2013-03-07T21:37:29Ztwitchypublic0--<a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2013/03/simcity-5s-multiplayer-blues/4860/">SimCity 5's Multiplayer Blues</a> <em>(I ended up having a lot more feelings about the new SimCity than I expected. I loved playing SimCity 3000 back when it was a thing, and part of the appeal was that I DIDN'T have to work and cooperate with others to play the game; I could build a city on my own, with whatever vision I liked. I'd be interested in playing this new version, but the offline DIY ethos of the previous games was what made it interesting, so it'll take a while getting used to.<br /><br />Plus, part of the reason why I've spent most of my life NOT playing video game [or Second Life, for that matter] is because of the interacting with complete strangers that tends to happen. I'm extremely shy and self-conscious, and it's hard enough for me to talk to new people in other contexts as it is -- and people can be REALLY immature when playing video games, which makes me uncomfortable. IDK, I'd much rather start playing with people I already know if I have to.<br /><br />And then there's the fact that you have to be online in order to play it, which I don't like at all. Considering we've lost Internet access for days on end before, I'd like to be able to play games to pass the time in a situation like that, and with something like SimCity 5 it wouldn't be possible. That is, </em>if I could play it in the first place without EA fucking it up<em>. Seriously, I think we all know by now how disastrous the rollout this week has been. :PPP)</em><br /><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/03/neither-pro-life-nor-pro-choice-can-solve-the-selective-abortion-crisis/273704/">Neither Pro-Life Nor Pro-Choice Can Solve the Selective Abortion Crisis</a><br />--<a href="http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/02/8-things-the-u-s-election-system-could-learn-from-mexicos/">8 things the U.S. election system could learn from Mexico's</a><br />--<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/mar/01/mars-mission-risk-human-life-nasa">Mars mission poses greater risk to human life than NASA would allow</a><br />--<a href="http://grist.org/list/soon-theyll-be-able-to-3d-print-you-a-hybrid-car/">Soon they'll be able to 3D-print you a hybrid car</a><br />--<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/mar/03/brain-not-simple-folk-neuroscience#_">Our brains, and how they're not as simple as we think</a><br />--<a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/03/04/vortex_motion_viral_video_showing_sun_s_motion_through_galaxy_is_wrong.html">No, Our Solar System Is NOT a "Vortex"</a> <em>(debunking myths made by a popular viral video)</em><br />--<a href="http://io9.com/5988333/a-supermassive-ice-age-may-have-led-to-complex-life-on-earth">A Supermassive Ice Age May Have Led to Complex Life on Earth</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/03/politicians-vs-constituents-charts/62730/">Why U.S. Politicians Think Americans Are So Conservative When They're Not</a> <em>(and yet I still see way too many Tea Partiers on Facebook :/)</em><br />--<a href="http://io9.com/5987942/are-popular-scientists-becoming-modern-day-preachers">Are popular scientists becoming modern day preachers?</a><br />--<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5988138/astronauts-traveling-to-mars-could-be-protected-by-a-poop-shield">Astronauts Traveling to Mars Could Be Protected By a Poop Shield</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/03/the-mixed-results-of-male-authors-writing-female-characters/273641/">The Mixed Results of Male Authors Writing Female Characters</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/03/the-benefits-of-optimism-are-real/273306/">The Benefits of Optimism Are Real</a><br />--<a href="http://io9.com/5987720/one-of-the-best-places-to-search-for-alien-life-is-the-last-that-youd-expect">One of the best places to search for alien life is the last that you'd expect</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/03/the-pistorius-shooting-isnt-about-south-africa-its-about-domestic-violence/273637/">"South African Violence" Only Explains the Pistorius Case If He's Not Guilty</a><br />--<a href="http://grist.org/food/invasive-species-this-sushi-chef-rolls-with-it/">Invasive species? This sushi chef rolls with it</a> <em>(this is a profile of the sushi restaurant K. and I went to last summer)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/02/the-birth-of-a-planet-observed-from-earth/273618/">The Birth of a Planet, Observed From Earth</a><br />--<a href="http://www.psmag.com/magazines/pacific-standard-cover-story/joe-henrich-weird-ultimatum-game-shaking-up-psychology-economics-53135/">We Aren't the World</a> <em>(<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><u><strong>HIGHLY RECOMMENDED</strong></u></span> -- on how culture shapes our fundamental beliefs, perception, and ways of thinking more than anyone could have expected, and how dangerous it is that science ignores this fact)</em><br />--<a href="http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/hesaid-why-do-people-stay-in-abusive-relationships/">Why Do People Stay in Abusive Relationships?</a><br /><br />And because I haven't done one of these in a while, a meme:<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/136544.html#cutid1">So I took a 'What Harry Potter character are you?' test. Does anyone familiar with the series think this is right?</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br type="_moz" /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=136544" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:136022What I've Been Reading: 2/20/132013-02-21T02:52:56Z2013-02-21T02:52:56Zokaypublic0First of all, thanks a lot to whoever sent me a valentine on <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://tf-valentines.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://tf-valentines.dreamwidth.org/'><b>tf_valentines</b></a></span>! I wasn't expecting it at all, but I appreciate it all the same, and it made my day. XD All right, now on to today's links:<br /><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/02/the-hard-lessons-of-oscar-pistorius/273248/">The Hard Lessons of Oscar Pistorius</a> <em>(<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><u><strong>HIGHLY RECOMMENDED</strong></u></span> -- on how the factors that make certain people wildly successful and accomplished in what they do end up hurting them, and why highly successful people do stupid and horrible things more often than the rest of us)</em><br />--<a href="http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2013/02/19/how-to-read-like-a-writer/">How to read like a writer</a><br />--<a href="http://flavorwire.com/371397/azealia-banks-and-the-other-f-word-in-2013">Azealia Banks and the Other "F" Word in 2013</a> <em>(as someone who's frequently heard </em>that<em> word used as a homophobic slur against me and other people, it makes me sick that some people think it no longer has a homophobic meaning just because they say so)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/towards-a-black-jesse-james/273162/">Toward a Black Jesse James</a> <em>(on why mass murderers like Christopher Dorner don't deserve to be praised -- </em>"I don't really know how anyone, with any sort of coherence, adopts Christopher Dorner as a symbol in the fight against police brutality, given how he brutalized those two human beings. I cannot understand, except to say that sometimes our own anger, our pain, becomes so blinding that we fail to see the pain of others. This is the seed of inhumanity, and inhumanity is the seed of the very police brutality which we all deplore."<em>)</em><br />--<a href="http://io9.com/5985638/california-highway-dig-unveils-four-new-whale-species">California highway dig reveals four new whale species</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2013/02/what-food-desert-maps-get-wrong-about-how-people-eat/4741/">What Food Desert Maps Get Wrong About How People Eat</a> <em>(on how trying to determine where </em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_desert"><em>"food deserts"</em></a><em> are is more complicated than you'd think)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/pseudo/fibonacc.htm">Fibonacci Flim-Flam</a> <em>(on how attempts to make science cool and popular can lead to harmful misinformation)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/did-this-new-hampshire-woman-take-part-in-the-rwandan-genocide/273328/">Did This New Hampshire Woman Take Part in the Rwandan Genocide?</a> <em>(on why bringing people to justice is messy, difficult, and leads to bad outcomes)</em><br />--<a href="http://mashable.com/2013/02/18/sex-on-mars/">Sex on Mars: A Dangerous Love Story</a><br />--<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5985259/this-bionic-hand-will-let-an-amputee-feel-again">This Bionic Hand Will Let an Amputee Feel Again</a><br />--<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5985259/this-bionic-hand-will-let-an-amputee-feel-again">The Internet's Kevin Bacon Effect: Any Web Page Can Be Accessed From Any Other in Just 19 Clicks</a><br />--<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5985022/the-obama-administrations-10+year-plan-to-map-the-entire-human-brain">The Obama Administration's 10-Year Plan to Map the Entire Human Brain</a><br />--<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5984828/do-colors-look-the-same-for-all-of-us">Do Colors Look the Same For All of Us?</a><br />--<a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_20251_the-5-most-frequently-misused-proverbs.html">The 5 Most Frequently Misused Proverbs</a><br />--<a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_20250_5-groundbreaking-firsts-that-your-history-books-lied-about.html">5 Groundbreaking Firsts That Your History Books Lied About</a><br />--<a href="http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2013/02/16/male-as-the-neutral-default/">Male as the Neutral Default</a><br />--<a href="http://grist.org/business-technology/the-teslan-y-times-fight-is-a-sideshow/">The Tesla/NY Times fight is a sideshow</a> <em>(on the complications electric cars still face in order to be taken seriously)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/02/the-art-of-infinite-war-ctd-the-administrations-drone-campaign/273213/">The Art of Infinite War, Ctd.: The Administration's Drone Campaign</a><br />--<a href="http://io9.com/5984371/why-well-probably-never-build-a-space-elevator">Why We'll Probably Never Build a Space Elevator</a> <em>(;_;)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.fastcodesign.com/1670640/sony-files-patent-to-make-tv-ads-into-video-games">Sony Files Patent to Make TV Ads Into Video Games</a> <em>(this is actually pretty scary if you think about it D:)</em><br />--<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5984469/what-would-actually-happen-if-the-2012-da14-asteroid-crashed-for-real">What Would Happen If the 2012 DA14 Asteroid Actually Hit Earth?</a><br />--<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/adambvary/its-time-for-hollywood-to-make-a-same-sex-romantic-comedy">It's Time For Hollywood to Make a Same-Sex Romantic Comedy</a><br />--<a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/02/17/the_hidden_curriculum_of_teach_for_america_partner/">Teach For America's hidden curriculum</a><br />--<a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/02/16/maybe_dogs_really_can_talk/">Maybe dogs really can talk!</a><br />--<a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/02/19/coming_out_to_my_wife/">Coming out to my wife</a> <em>(on rethinking traditionally-held ideas about marriage, monogamy, and cheating)</em><br />--<a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/2013/white-girl-privilege-and-the-problem-with-blaming-all-men/">White Girl Privilege and the Problem of Blaming All Men</a> <em>(a.k.a. why "misandry 4 lyfe" jokes on Tumblr are bad and why you should feel bad for making them)</em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=136022" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:135723What I've Been Reading: 2/14/132013-02-14T05:10:57Z2013-02-14T05:10:57ZRome - Swords to Rust - Hearts to Dustokaypublic0Another one so soon? Well, yeah...I have way too many tabs open as usual, as I have to close out most of them before my computer crashes. :/<br /><br />--<a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/aziz-ansari-candid-about-love-elusive-sadly-ephem,92476/">Aziz Ansari gets candid about love: "Elusive and sadly ephemeral"</a> <em>(a really enlightening interview on just how complicated it is to find and build relationships, especially romantic ones, which isn't as pessimistic as Ansari is afraid it is)</em><br />--<a href="http://io9.com/5984039/why-finding-love-is-like-finding-alien-intelligence">Why finding love is like finding alien intelligence<br /></a>--<a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201212/12-rude-revelations-about-sex">12 Rude Revelations About Sex</a> <em>(I don't know why, but the more I read this the more tempted I was to be celibate for the rest of my life D:)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/02/the-last-time-a-pope-resigned-mass-media-was-called-mass/273098/">The Last Time a Pope Resigned, Mass Media Was Called ... Mass</a><br />--<a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-02/science-confirms-obvious-men-and-women-arent-different">Science Confirms the Obvious: Men and Women Aren't That Different</a><br />--<a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-01/the-human-race-will-come-to-an-end">The Human Race Will Come to an End. What's Next?</a><br />--<a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-02/t-rex-doesnt-look-way-you-think-it-looks">Kids Are Still Drawing 1900s Idea of What Dinosaurs Looked Like</a><br />--<a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/02/13/asteroid_impact_2106_reports_of_a_space_rock_hitting_us_are_exaggerated.html">No, An Asteroid Is NOT Going to Hit Earth in 2106</a><br />--<a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-inertia-trap/201302/the-only-problem-your-argument-is-you">The Only Problem With Your Argument Is You</a> <em>(on the psychological underpinnings of why politics is so contentious, and why gridlock between political parties happens, and explains a LOT about political discourse on the Internet)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201302/100m-know-why-nflers-die-young-here-s-why-free">$100 Million to Know Why NFLers Die Young? Here's Why, For Free</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/the-art-of-infinite-war/273091/">The Art of Infinite War</a> <em>(Ta-Nehisi Coates absolutely nails it as always :D)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/02/former-political-scientist-to-congress-please-defund-political-science/273060/">Former Political Scientist to Congress: Please Defund Political Science</a><br />--<a href="http://lifehacker.com/5983577/dont-forget-to-live">Don't Forget to Live</a> <em>(on the ways pushing yourself and striving for success can go over the top)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/34336/title/Robo-Eye-to-Enter-US-Market/">Robo-Eye to Enter US Market</a><br />--<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2267504/The-sealed-bottle-garden-thriving-40-years-fresh-air-water.html">Thriving since 1960, a garden in a bottle: Seedling sealed in its own ecosystem and watered just once in 53 years</a><br />--<a href="http://www.themorningnews.org/post/pad-thai">The history of Pad Thai</a> <em>(includes a recipe)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.mtvhive.com/2013/01/16/the-only-black-guy-at-the-indie-rock-show/">The Only Black Guy At the Indie Rock Show</a> <em>(a black man's experiences involving race and culture in a predominately white scene -- <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><u><strong>HIGHLY RECOMMENDED</strong></u></span>)</em><br />--<a href="http://lifehacker.com/5982622/why-youre-so-afraid-of-change-and-what-you-can-do-about-it">Why You're So Afraid of Change (And What You Can Do About It)</a> <em>(this connects a lot with the articles "The Human Race Will Come to an End...", "The Only Problem...", and "Don't Forget to Live")</em><br />--<a href="http://lifehacker.com/5983904/the-always-up%20to%20date-guide-to-streaming-blocked-content-overseas">The Always Up-to-Date Guide to Streaming Blocked Content Overseas</a> <em>(could be useful if you're trying to watch shows on BBC iPlayer outside the UK)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2013/feb/13/mogwai-beginners-guide">Mogwai: A beginner's guide</a> <em>(to one of my favorite bands ^_^;)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/ducktales-invented-new-animated-wonderlandthat-qu,92324/">DuckTales invented a new animated wonderland -- that quickly disappeared</a><br /><br /><br type="_moz" /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=135723" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:135539What I've Been Reading: 2/10/132013-02-11T00:16:14Z2013-02-11T00:16:14ZBurial & Four Tet - Novaweirdpublic0We got a lot more snow around here than we thought we were going to get -- about 3 ft/1m of snow, to be exact. Which meant we were snowed in pretty much all day yesterday, and things aren't much better today since all 15 of the town's snowplows just <em>had</em> to get stuck. :P I just feel really bad for everyone who has to break their backs get rid of all the snow from the roads, driveways, parking lots, etc. -- I'm kinda glad I didn't have to do any of that, but I'm also a little guilty about it at the same time. :/ At least we didn't lose power or cable this time around, which helped things a lot.<br /><br />So in lieu of an update in which Interesting Things™ have Happened™ -- another one of these posts. I'm glad many of you are liking them, though I worry if some of you are getting a bit tired of these by now. ^_^;<br /><br />--<a href="http://io9.com/5983112/how-the-streetlight-effect-keeps-scientists-in-the-dark">How the Streetlight Effect keeps scientists in the dark</a><br />--<a href="http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2013/02/political-failure-modes-and-th.html">Political failure modes and the beige dictatorship</a> <em>(an attempt to explain general malaise, distrust, and cynicism in today's global politics -- lots of attempts toward a kind of political theory are used, and the comments actually do a good job of furthering the discussion)</em><br />--<a href="http://io9.com/5956962/why-youre-probably-not-as-rational-as-you-think-you-are-++-and-what-you-can-do-about-it?tag=Daily-explainer">Why you're probably not as rational as you think you are -- and what you can do about it</a><br />--<a href="http://io9.com/5970501/the-great-filter-theory-suggests-humans-have-already-conquered-the-threat-of-extinction?tag=Daily-explainer">The Great Filter theory suggests humans have already conquered the threat of extinction</a><br />--<a href="http://io9.com/5971306/why-do-mirrors-reverse-left-and-right-but-not-top-and-bottom?tag=Daily-explainer">Why do mirrors reverse left and right, but not top and bottom?</a><br />--<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5978482/why-star-trek-phasers-dont-exist-yet?tag=giz-explains">Why Star Trek phasers don't exist yet</a> <em>(a.k.a. "If you're wondering why we don't have cool things like jetpacks and laser weapons yet, there are very very good reasons why")</em><br />--<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5963652/what-happens-when-you-stand-next-to-an-explosion?tag=giz-explains">Could an Explosion Really Knock You Over Like in the Movies?</a><br />--<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5945743/how-nasa-prevents-a-space-plague-outbreak?tag=giz-explains">How NASA Prevents a Space Plague Outbreak</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/ubc-gives-all-female-tenure-stream-faculty-a-2-per-cent-raise/article8150659/">University of British Columbia gives all female tenure-stream faculty a 2% raise</a><br />--<a href="http://www.edwardrcarr.com/opentheechochamber/2013/02/06/why-science-and-technology-need-the-social-sciences-and-humanities/">Why science and technology need the social sciences and humanities</a><br />--<a href="http://skepchick.org/2013/02/proving-and-quantifying-sexism/">Proving and Quantifying Sexism</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/politics/2013/02/was-nypd-really-responsible-new-yorks-famous-drop-crime/4616/">The Study That Could Upend Everything We Thought We Knew About Declining Urban Crime</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2013/02/visualizing-how-poorly-amtraks-route-network-serves-most-us/4620/">Visualizing How Poorly Amtrak's Route Network Serves Most of the U.S.</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/02/and-now-let-us-praise-and-consider-the-absurd-luck-of-famous-men/272917/">And Now Let Us Praise, and Consider the Absurd Luck of, Famous Men</a> <em>(on how much more "success" hinges on sheer chance than anyone could possibly dream of)</em><br />--<a href="http://venturebeat.com/2013/02/06/first-ever-uk-scientists-use-3d-printer-to-print-human-stem-cells/">First ever: UK scientists use 3D printer to print human stem cells</a><br />--<a href="http://grist.org/list/revolutionary-new-grilled-cheese-sandwich-replaces-bread-with-more-cheese/">Revolutionary grilled cheese sandwich replaces bread with more cheese</a> <em>(at first I was like OMG MUST HAVE, but now I'm not so sure D:)</em><br /><br /><br /><br type="_moz" /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=135539" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:134956What I've Been Reading: 2/4/132013-02-05T00:18:25Z2013-02-05T00:18:25Zsleepypublic0I'm only doing another one of these so soon after the last one because my browser has quickly become cluttered with tabs and I need to close them out so my computer doesn't run as slowly. ^_^; I promise I'll have an RL update ready by the end of the week; I'm not feeling quite up to it just yet.<br /><br />--<a href="http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2013/02/04/context-how-do-you-play-football/">Context: How Do You Play Football?</a> <em>(on middle school trick plays and how it relates to sociology, of all things)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/everything-you-always-wanted-to-know-about-gun-violence-in-america/272727/">Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Gun Violence in America</a><br />--<a href="http://ontd-political.livejournal.com/10394825.html">How to save a public library: Make it a seed bank</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/02/why-people-chose-cars-even-when-metro-would-be-faster/4566/">Why People Choose Cars, Even When Mass Transit Would Serve Them Better</a><br />--<a href="http://thephoenix.com/Boston/recroom/150906-why-i-play-violent-video-games/">Why I play violent video games</a> <em>(on how geek culture breeds sexism and misogyny, and the ways violent video games are nothing more than exercises in wish fulfillment for sad fantasists)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.themarysue.com/i-am-an-adult-who-likes-kid-stuff-and-thats-okay/">I am an adult who likes kid stuff. And that's okay.</a> <em>(<u><strong>HIGHLY RECOMMENDED</strong></u>)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.sciencefriday.com/blogs/02/01/2013/how-to-cook-on-mars.html?audience=4">How to Cook on Mars</a><br />--<a href="http://www.sciencefriday.com/video/02/01/2013/how-owls-turn-heads.html">How Owls Turn Their Heads</a><br />--<a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/For-40-Years-This-Russian-Family-Was-Cut-Off-From-Human-Contact-Unaware-of-World-War-II-188843001.html">For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact, Unaware of World War II</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/01/the-assault-weapons-ban-isnt-happening-get-over-it/272743/">The Assault-Weapons Ban Isn't Happening -- Get Over It</a><br />--<a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/02/01/how_netflix_is_turning_viewers_into_puppets/?source=newsletter">How Netflix is turning viewers into puppets</a><br />--<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mollykateri/21-signs-youre-from-connecticut-421u">21 Signs You're From Connecticut</a> <em>(a lot of it is hyperbole, of course, but some of it is so true D:)</em><br />--<a href="http://manvsdebt.com/ditch-the-television/">11 Reasons to Ditch Your Television</a> <em>(something I'll probably do if/when I get my own place; I really don't get the appeal of most of the TV shows everyone keeps talking about, so while sometimes I feel like I'm missing out, it's not often. Plus, at least 90% of what I've seen on TV over the past few years has been shit anyway. :P)</em><br />--<a href="http://500px.com/photo/7505977">A photo of wolves being needlessly adorable</a><br />--<a href="http://giphy.com/">Giphy, a search engine for GIFs</a> <em>(finally!)</em><br /><br /><br type="_moz" /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=134956" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:134714What I've Been Reading: 1/31/132013-02-01T00:04:20Z2013-02-01T00:04:20Zuncomfortablepublic2--<a href="http://www.newrepublic.com/article/112291/france-twitter-case-prosecuting-racists-wont-stop-racism">France Twitter case: Prosecuting racists won't stop racism</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/01/why-geeks-get-bullied-its-not-necessarily-for-being-geeks/272723/">Why Geeks Get Bullied (It's Not Necessarily For Being Geeks)</a> <em>(excellent takedown of the whole "fake geek girls" controversy, and why it's even such an issue in the first place)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/01/-i-30-rock-i-s-rejection-of-white-guilt/272732/"><em>30 Rock</em>'s Rejection of White Guilt</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/01/moonrise-in-real-time/272673/">Video: Moonrise in Real Time</a><br />--<a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/01/30/water_on_mars_ridges_in_craters_show_water_once_flowed_there.html">More Evidence That Mars Once Had Flowing Water</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/01/just-how-much-is-sports-fandom-like-religion/272631/">Just How Much Is Sports Fandom Like Religion?</a> <em>(interesting connections between sports and religion, and probably has implications for other kinds of fandom as well)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/01/dolls-with-age-a-longing-for-youth-a-recognition-of-mortality/272625/">Dolls With Age: A Longing for Youth, a Recognition of Mortality</a> <em>(kinda creepy, but in a cool way ^_^;)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/jan/27/20-human-body-facts-science">20 amazing facts about the human body</a><br />--<a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/01/28/challenger_columbia_apollo_1_the_anniversaries_of_space_tragedies_and_why.html">In a Week of Space Tragedy Anniversaries, We Must Continue to Venture Onward</a><br />--<a href="http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2013/01/mars-infographic/">Infographic: The Cost of Living on Mars</a><br />--<a href="http://grist.org/news/are-you-a-terrible-person-for-eating-quinoa/">Are you a terrible person for eating quinoa?</a><br />--<a href="http://www.personal.psu.edu/jvs5425/blogs/curly_and_critical/2011/10/im-not-a-leader-and-thats-okay.html">I'm not a leader. And that's okay.</a><br />--<a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_20186_6-ridiculous-myths-about-middle-ages-everyone-believes.html">6 Ridiculous Myths About the Middle Ages Everyone Believes</a><br />--<a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_20241_6-awesome-superpowers-that-would-suck-in-real-life.html">6 Awesome Superpowers That Would Suck in Real Life</a> <em>(a.k.a. why sometimes living in a mundane world without superheroes is a good thing)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_20214_5-so-called-signs-genius-that-any-idiot-can-learn.html">5 So-Called Signs of Genius That Any Idiot Can Learn</a><br />--<a href="http://www.cracked.com/blog/3-despicable-internet-behaviors-that-are-really-your-fault/">3 Despicable Internet Behaviors (That Are Really Your Fault)</a><br />--<a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_18417_9-famous-movie-villains-who-were-right-all-along.html">9 Famous Movie Villains Who Were Right All Along</a><br />--<a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_18378_6-enlightened-ideas-brought-to-you-by-evil-empires.html">6 Enlightened Ideas Brought to You by Evil Empires</a><br />--<a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_19654_6-painful-things-nobody-tells-you-about-fighting.html">6 Painful Things Nobody Tells You About Fighting</a> <em>(a.k.a. why violence is never the answer XD)</em><br /><br /><br type="_moz" /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=134714" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:134584What I've Been Reading: 1/24/132013-01-25T00:49:30Z2013-01-25T03:26:46Zantsypublic1--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/01/theres-no-such-thing-as-everlasting-love-according-to-science/267199/">There's No Such Thing as Everlasting Love (According to Science)</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/01/this-pod-of-sperm-whales-would-like-to-teach-you-a-lesson-about-humanity/272508/">This Pod of Sperm Whales Would Like to Teach You a Lesson About Humanity</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/01/at-what-age-will-you-stop-using-facebook/267426/">At What Age Will You Stop Using Facebook?</a><br />--<a href="http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/rediscovered-long-lost-carl-sa.html">Rediscovered: "Revolver," long lost Carl Sandburg poem about guns and their evil power</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/01/the-lonely-existence-of-mel-feit-mens-rights-advocate/267413/?single_page=true">The Lonely Existence of Mel Feit, Men's Rights Advocate</a> <em>(interesting and nuanced, and helps advance the discussion on what role men play in feminist movements, even though I couldn't help but go "lol MRAs" at the whole thing)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/01/the-party-of-john-calhoun/272464/">The Party of John Calhoun</a> <em>(on the GOP's latest attempt to divide electoral votes in each state by congressional district, which would rig future elections in their favor and is <u><strong>REALLY FUCKING DISTURBING</strong></u> and something every American needs to know about)</em><br />--<a href="http://asya-ana.livejournal.com/39839.html">Why you shouldn't abandon LJ for Tumblr</a> <em>(a partial explanation of why I needed to take a break from Tumblr, perhaps permanently)</em><br />--<a href="http://steep.it/">Steep.it</a>, an online timer for tea steeping<br />--<a href="http://www.flavorwire.com/365243/foxygen-and-the-diminishing-returns-of-60s-revivalism">Foxygen and the Diminishing Returns of '60s Revivalism</a> <em>(on why it's misguided and dangerous to fetishize the past, especially the 1960s, and helps explain why I prefer new music to retreads of past trends)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.space.com/19368-asteroid-mining-deep-space-industries.html">Asteroid-Mining Project Aims for Deep Space Colonies</a><br />--<a href="http://mashable.com/2013/01/22/can-humans-live-on-mars/">Are We Meant to Live on Mars?</a><br />--<a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/01/21/earth_hit_by_a_gamma_ray_burst_did_a_cosmic_blast_hit_us_in_775_ad.html">Earth May Have Been Hit By a Cosmic Blast 1200 Years Ago</a><br />--<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/sophieinnorthkorea/">It might not get weirder than this</a> <em>(a first-timer's trip to North Korea)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/01/the-tough-new-obama-isnt-so-tough-and-thats-why-hes-winning/267355/">The Tough New Obama Isn't So Tough -- And That's Why He's Winning</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/01/separate-and-unequal-in-the-us-military/267354/">Separate and Unequal in the U.S. Military</a> <em>(on the struggles same-sex couples in the military still face)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2013/01/coca-cola-vitamin-water-obesity">Wait, People Thought Vitaminwater Was Good for You?</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/01/would-more-drivers-use-public-transit-if-it-mimicked-private-cars/4391/">Would More Drivers Use Public Transit If It Mimicked Private Cars?</a><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2013/01/reader-asks-are-some-cities-doomed-never-catch/3972/">Are Some Cities Doomed Never to Catch Up?</a><br />--<a href="http://www.aeonmagazine.com/oceanic-feeling/erik-davis-guru-trickster/">Trickster and tricked: All gurus try to undermine their followers' egos and expectations, so does it matter if the teacher is a real fraud?</a> <em>(This is partially a review of the movie </em>Kumare<em>, which I've mentioned on here before. It's a really good takedown of modern spiritual movements and their appeal, even if I don't really agree with the author that </em>Kumare<em> was as shallow as he says it is.)</em><br />--<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/01/could-human-enhancement-turn-soldiers-into-weapons-that-violate-international-law-yes/266732/">Could Human Enhancement Turn Soldiers Into Weapons That Violate International Law? Yes</a><br />--<a href="http://nicktoons.nick.com/shows/avatar/episode-guide">All the episodes of Avatar: the Last Airbender streaming online.</a> I'm told these are going to be up for a "limited time"; I don't know how long that's going to be, but if you haven't seen this series yet, here's your chance. You have no excuse now. XD<br /><br /><br type="_moz" /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=134584" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:129219I can't believe it's April already. O_o;2012-04-09T03:53:36Z2012-04-09T03:53:36ZThe Glitch Mob - Warrior Concertofullpublic0<u>CURRENT FAVORITES:</u><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17PM-UMVud8">The Glitch Mob, "Animus Vox"</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEp2zvrVWJM">Dirty Three, "Moon on the Land"</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uYGQKPt3L8">Dirty Three, "Rain Song"</a><br /><a href="http://tinysong.com/Z94f">Miike Snow, "Vase"</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QONK_4z11Qk">Retribution Gospel Choir, "The Stone (Revolution!)"</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG2aBa9Gvbw">Shearwater, "Star of the Age"</a><br /><br />Hope everyone had a great Easter/Passover! Our Easter weekend was pretty laid-back and not all that eventful; this afternoon we went to my aunt and uncle's house for Easter dinner, which included kielbasa, meat pie, babka bread, artichoke casserole, and a few other things (they also served deep-fried turkey and sweet potato casserole, but I didn't have those). My aunt and uncle also had a couple of their friends over; it's a bit rough whenever these friends come to their events because I'm supposed to act like I care about them even though I never see them anywhere else and I wouldn't hang out with them willingly, but things went pretty smoothly today. We also went to my dad's mom's house this evening to keep her company for a little bit, like we usually do whenever there's a holiday around. And on Friday my parents and I had dinner at <a href="http://www.dusitra.com/">Dusitra</a>, the local Thai restaurant. Definitely one of the best meals I've had in a long time. The previous times we've been there, the food was okay but nothing to write home about; however, because the restaurant is under new management now, we decided to try it out again, and this time we certainly didn't regret it.<br /><br />Nothing else all that interesting has been going on lately, so here's another quick linkdump:<br /><br />--<a href="http://ontd-lok.livejournal.com/11244.html">Fan-made Legend of Korra merchandise</a> <em>(YESPLZ 8DDDDDDDDDDDDDDD)</em><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/129219.html#cutid1">More under the cut...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br type="_moz" /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=129219" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:126228To know him is to love him2011-12-08T03:51:19Z2011-12-08T03:51:19Zblahpublic0First of all, a quick reminder for those of you who didn't catch it the first time: If you'd like a Christmas/holiday card from me, <a href="http://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/126080.html">go here</a>. Feel free to ask for one even if we haven't talked a lot. ;-)<br /><br />Anyway, I figure I might as well finally get around to answering these questions:<br /><br /><em>- Comment with "Hit me!" or whatever else you want to comment with.<br />- I'll respond by asking you five questions.<br />- Update your journal with the answers to the questions.<br />- Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people (if you want).</em><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/126228.html#cutid1">Responses to questions from hairspray, kalaryx, and neonstilettos under the cut...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />And here's another meme from <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='http://hairspray.livejournal.com/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif' alt='[livejournal.com profile] ' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' width='17' height='17'/></a><a href='http://hairspray.livejournal.com/'><b>hairspray</b></a></span>, because I can't resist:<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://kipling.livejournal.com/23886.html?thread=626766#t626766"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://i.imgur.com/x1MrF.png" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=126228" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:123019There's nothing quite like the blinding lights that curtains cast aside2011-06-08T05:29:52Z2011-06-08T05:29:52Zanxiouspublic0<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; ">I have to go to bed REALLY SOON so that I can get up early enough for the flight to California (which I'll go into below), and I have a bit of a headache right now, so I need to keep this short:<br /><br />--Saturday night was the Okkervil River concert, and it was <em>awesome</em>. It was my first time at Toad's Place, and I certainly didn't mind it there; I haven't been to too many venues like that, but I did find it to be a little bit on the seedy side, given that they've been around for a long time and they're coasting on their reputation at this point. The acoustics weren't exactly the greatest either, and because I went alone and didn't know anyone else there, my social anxiety kicked in big time and I wasn't able to enjoy it as much as I'd hoped. :/ That being said, though, the music was nothing short of excellent, and I had a great time.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/123019.html#cutid1">Details under the cut...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />--We went to my dad's mom's house on Sunday to celebrate her birthday, which is next Saturday the 11th. We celebrated with great take-out pizza and some pretty awesome cupcakes my parents bought in a pastry shop in Wallingford which they want to take me and my sister to because it's apparently really good. XD For my birthday, she gave me shortbread cookies as a gift -- she knows what I like, LOL :B And apparently some woodpeckers built a nest in the apple tree in her backyard, so I managed to get a glimpse of some baby woodpeckers in their nest. Pretty cool, no? ~_^<br /><br />--And today I got my birthday present from my parents -- a Teavana tea set. I for one am not complaining. \o/<br /><br />--So as I mentioned before, I'm going to California (San Jose, to be exact) tomorrow/today with my mom and sister to visit my aunt and cousin for the weekend. My cousin is graduating high school on Thursday and will be going to college in Boston in the fall, and I'm really proud of her! I'm not that enthused about the airplane rides (6 hours from DC to San Francisco --> YUCK DNW D:), and family sometimes irritates me, but it'll be a nice change of pace and I'll try to make the most of it. Here's the itinerary as I know it right now:<br /><br />Wednesday: Flight, get settled at aunt's house<br />Thursday: Cousin's graduation<br />Friday: San Francisco!<br />Saturday: ??????? (probably hanging out in San Jose)<br />Sunday: Flight back home<br /><br />Unfortunately, I'm going to have limited Internet access while I'm there. I'll still try to keep up on everything as much as I can, but it won't be easy. In the meantime, if you want to get in touch with me for any reason, e-mail me (mecteol -AT- gmail -DOT- com) or contact me through Twitter or Facebook. (And if you want my cell phone number, let me know and I'll PM it to you.) So consider this a mini-pseudo-hiatus until I get back Sunday evening EDT. I hope to have some good stories when I get back. 8D<br /><br />Hope everyone else is feeling well!<br /></span></span><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=123019" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:122301上を向いて歩こう2011-05-18T03:10:42Z2011-05-18T03:10:42Zdrainedpublic0First off, a warm welcome to <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='http://archy-the-roach.livejournal.com/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif' alt='[livejournal.com profile] ' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' width='17' height='17'/></a><a href='http://archy-the-roach.livejournal.com/'><b>archy_the_roach</b></a></span>! Glad to meet you, and if you have any questions about me don't be afraid to ask! ;-)<br /><br />Second, thank you so, <em>so</em> much for all the comments you left on the "You Are Beautiful" meme a few days ago. You guys are absolutely wonderful, and I can't thank you enough for being so awesome. ^_^;<br /><br />Third, I've started using Tumblr again recently, and it's been a major time suck, as usual. XDDDDDDDDDDDDDD I'm <a href="http://sarcasmisdead.tumblr.com/">sarcasmisdead</a> over there, so please feel free to add me if you haven't already!<br /><br />And fourth -- <strong><u>I'M DONE WITH COLLEGE!!!!!!!!!!</u></strong><br /><br />I wish I could be more excited, but I'm too tired to feel much excitement right now, mostly because my sleep schedule is once again out of whack -- I had been going to bed at 5 AM some nights, and last night I didn't get any sleep at all. :PPP The big reason was that I was working on my Japanese lit final paper all last week. As in, the one that was due last Monday but I handed in on Saturday, almost a week late. -_-; After finishing my take-home exam for Politics of Virtual Realities (which I <em>did</em> hand in on time), I was so utterly burned out, and I so didn't want to do the other paper, that I just......lost all motivation to do it. And the allergies and general low mood didn't help matters either.<br /><br />But......it's done. I put a lot of work into both papers, so I think they came out well regardless. And considering I didn't study all that much for my African Politics exam on Friday, I think I did pretty well on that too. :D<br /><br />It feels weird that it's actually <em>over</em>, that I actually don't have any more schoolwork left to do and I'm going to be graduating on Sunday -- it feels utterly surreal, after college has been a big part of my life for the past four years. Well, I do have a lot of ~feelings~ about the whole thing, but I think I'll write about that in separate entries later this week.<br /><br />Anyway, this week is <a href="http://www.middlebury.edu/studentlife/events/commencement">Senior Week</a>, which means a lot of events are going on. But unless I absolutely have to be there (like the ES department reception, the senior class photo, and of course, commencement), I don't really plan on going to most of these events; not a lot of them look all that interesting, and I don't have the energy to be all that social anyway.<br /><br />Besides, I've been doing a lot of stuff over the past week or so anyway. I've been kinda splurging in town lately; I've been going out for tea and eating out quite a bit lately, especially having dinner at <a href="http://www.americanflatbread.com/">American Flatbread</a> on Saturday night (which was seriously one of the best meals I've ever had <em>IN MY LIFE</em>. *_____* Seriously, if there's an AF near you, GO THERE -- you won't be disappointed!), and buying yet more books (<em>Cloud Atlas</em> by David Mitchell and <em>The History of White People</em> by Nell Irvin Painter, if you're curious). I've also been running around doing all the errands I need to do before leaving town, like getting a haircut, closing my checking account, and picking up my sertraline prescription (I'm back up at 150mg now). So as you could probably guess, I'm near flat broke right now. :P That's all right, though, I can survive a few more days. ~_^<br /><br />Other than meeting with my first-year seminar professor for the last time this afternoon, that's about it as far as things going on in my life are concerned. This is really just a post to let everyone know that no, I'm not dead, just busy and worn out. ^_^; How is everyone else doing?<br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=122301" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2010-09-05:594767:11856425 Days Music Meme [2-4/25]2011-04-13T21:59:40Z2011-04-13T21:59:40ZDirty Three - Deep Waters | Powered by Last.fmokaypublic0Life has been going relatively well these past few days; nothing too exciting has been going on lately, but I did get a 99 on my Japanese lit exam and an A- on my latest African Politics paper, the weather's been getting better, and I finally got to check out <a href="http://crossroadscafemidd.blogspot.com/">the new student-run cafe on campus</a>. Belgian waffle with maple syrup, bananas, and dark chocolate = DELICIOUS. XD<br /><br />Also, <a href="http://quadruplify.livejournal.com/122110.html">this meme</a> is still going if you're interested. ;-)<br /><br />Anyway, I've fallen behind on the music meme, so here goes nothing:<br /><br /><a href="http://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/118142.html">DAY 01: A song from your childhood.</a><br /><br /><strong>DAY 02: A song that reminds you of your most recent ex-boyfriend/girlfriend</strong>.<br /><br />Since I've never had an ex, this question doesn't exactly apply. (I know, I suck, but that's life I suppose. :PPP) Next!<br /><br /><strong>DAY 03: A song that reminds you of one/both of your parents.</strong><br /><br /><object height="349" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7Frumy1ttOc?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="sameDomain" /><embed height="349" width="425" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7Frumy1ttOc?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="sameDomain" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br /><br />Yeah, this is a Beatles song, but I'm putting up Low's cover version just because I absolutely adore Mimi Parker's voice. ^_^; And yeah, as much as I love my parents, this just about sums them up. >_><br /><br /><strong>DAY 04: A song that calms you down.</strong><br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/p/3F592EB6E79DC16B?hl=en_US&fs=1" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="sameDomain" /><embed height="385" width="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/p/3F592EB6E79DC16B?hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="sameDomain" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br /><br />This song is actually split into two videos, just because it's 17 minutes long and YouTube has a 15-minute limit on uploads from normal users -- fortunately, I've set it up so the second video should play after the first is done without you having to do anything.<br /><br />Anyway, it's worth listening to the whole thing, because then you can see just how good this song is at calming anyone down, not just me. 8DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://quadruplify.dreamwidth.org/118564.html#cutid1">Upcoming days under the cut...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=quadruplify&ditemid=118564" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> comments