Thankful Contemplations...

Waking up to an empty house and heavy skys on Thanksgiving Day certainly doesn't put one in the mood for thanksgiving. In fact the only indication that this day is different than any other day is the size of the morning paper and the lack of any serious traffic on the roads. I've fed the animals(Daphne's and my own), fed myself(another of Daphne's pets ^_^), taken a look at some of the ads for tomorrows homage to capitalism, and its only just past 9am. Catching a flick at the theater is the only activity I have planned for the day. So with all this free time on my hands i've decided to say a few thanks...and i'm sorry if this starts reading like an oscar acceptance speech.

Thank you Daphne for your constant love, friendship, and support these past years. You have and will continue to be my greatest source of happiness and support outside of my core family. Thank you Mom and Dad for your constant love and support these past 22 years. Without you I would be neither here nor there. You have been the rock I cling to...even when I question the rock's stability and good intentions. Thank you Washu for your undying friendship these past years. Days spent playing games, watching movies, or discovering asian treasures are some of my favorite memories here in Oregon. Thank you Smkrs for letting me in to share with you. But more importantly thank you for the love, friendship, and support you've provided Daphne. You are among the rarest breed of friends and she treasures you like nothing else...

And the list goes on and on. I will not bore you with the rest but one final entry must be written...

Thank you God for the wonders, glories, highs, and lows you have seen fit to provide me. They are beyond count. I could spend the rest of my life thanking you for the last 22 years and still not do you justice. Words provide so little in the face of all that you have given me yet here they are... Thank you.

We Will Remember...

Lost: One Ring of Power

I've found the answer!
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I know why we're having so much trouble politically!
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Frodo Failed! See...Golum has it! Thats why!!!

Sauron's turning over in his grave. I just know it.

Invictus...

“Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.”

-William Ernest Henley

I Survived Kumoricon '06...

I don't know how long i'll have this massive Anime Overdose in my system but I will say this...it was worth it. Kumoricon is Portland's Annual Anime Convention; 3 fun filled days of cosplay, games, contests, pocky, more pocky, overpriced stuff, dancing, and general geekiness. Over 4000 people decended on the site in everything from giant Gir heads (yes I got several pictures of that Daphne) to skimpy Sailor Moon leotards and guys in gothic lolita maid costumes. And yes that last one has scarred me for life. ;P There is too much to tell about the experience that i'm not even gonna try until its mostly out of my system. Even now, a full day and a good night sleep later, I can still feel the excitement; The crowd around me, the cosplayers (good and bad) posing for pictures, etc etc. I will attempt a longer post, with pictures hopefully, at a later date but for right now I'll leave you with the feeling of togetherness I still feel in the back of my mind. The fact that you could walk up to just about any complete stranger and start a passionate conversation about something you both love. Knowing that to be possible, simply looking around and seeing it happening all around you...that is a heady feeling.

Vacation is Soooo Hard...

It's true. Vacations are just down right hard on you. Especially week long trips to sunny central Oregon and beautiful Sunriver. Oh yes it was a strain. Laying around on decks reading books for hours on end. Riding bikes, eating ice cream, swimming, watching cable, floating down the river on a boat. All of this whenever I felt like it. I tell you now it was pure torture. ;P Oh there were good parts, don't worry. Getting stuck babysiting three hyperactive cousins was great fun. Doing it repeatedly was even better. Trying to cater to twelve people's wants and interests was also pretty cool too. The bug bites were a kick as well. I'm pretty fond of the bite on my forehead that makes it look like i'm growing a horn over my left eye. Unfortunately for me the bad times outnumbered the good. It was pure luck that I had a work shift back home half way through the week that I couldn't get rid of. So I had the pleasure of driving three hours back home so I could work six hours then drive back in the morning. I don't know if I would have survived without that break. Sigh. But I managed to get home in one piece. Now i've got cousins sleeping in a tent in the back yard and every available spot in the house taken by a warm body or a piece of luggage. Good old home. Wouldn't trade it for the world.
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wait...that doesn't look right.

The Post Vegas Post...

Even now i'm still not sure if what I drank there has completely left my system. My first time getting drunk and it had to be in Vegas.

The trip was pretty good. Early delays at the airport caused us to get onto the strip later then expected but once we'd settled down It was pretty much non stop from there. Had a great birthday dinner for Washu at the Rainforest Cafe in the MGM then played some slots back at the Luxor. Next day we started off with a dip in the pool, eating, and taking a poker lesson. Washu and I managed to come away with more then we went in with. Daphne, on the other hand, ended up borrowing from us and still loosing. I'll take a quote from Capt Jack and twist it a bit when next we play. "Hide the chips." After that we set off up the strip to see the sights and search out the elusive half off show tickets. The girls were determined to see one but, in the end, we never saw one. So instead we went back to our room and made a drinking game out of a card game i'd introduced the girls to called Three Dragon Ante. Really fun but kinda difficult to draw out if the winner of each round HAS to take a shot. Needless to say none of us went to bed that night anywhere close to sober. Well, I was the closest but even I felt bad the next morning so... Our last day was spent playing games in a massive underground arcade and then shuffling off to the airport where, I am sorry to say, the magic ended prematurely when the girls got into a fight over a card game. Washu split for her flight shortly afterward. I'm sure it left a bad taste in everyone's mouth that had nothing to do with the stuff we'd had the night before.

Over all it was a fun trip and a good introduction to Vegas for the two who hadn't been before. (Daphne and I) I'm sure i'll probably return at some point in the future. Just don't know when. Certainly not any time soon.

Off to Vegas...

The girls and I (that being Daphne and Washu) are headed off to Las Vegas tomorrow for two nights of shows, gambling, eating, pools, gambling, a bit of drinking, and...of course...gambling. Hmm. Can't tell whats on my mind can you? This will be my first time in the City of Sin and I do hope it lives up to all the stories i've heard. Course some of that comes from seeing bits of CSI: Vegas...not exactly the best motivator for fun. So while we're down there cooking (112 degrees last I checked) just keep us in mind and send us all your good luck! I'll write up about it when I come back, with my wallet slightly more full I hope.

Pirates 1, Ninjas 0

Oh bugger. Here I went rooting for the ninjas, complete with ninja headband and martial arts practice in the parking lot while I waited, but the pirates managed to yank the carpet out from under the ninjas and take em by storm. PotC: Dead Man's Chest is a wonderful addition to the origional. I went in thinking it was just going to be a sequal, not the second movie in a trilogy. So by the time the two hour mark rolls up i'm beginning to wonder just how long this is planning to go. Then of course they pull a couple of annoyingly interesting cliffhangers (especially the last one) that left me with no doubt of a third. Its got great action, weird plot twists, comedy (oh there's lots of that to be sure), and a bunch of good ol Jack Sparrow action...Captain Jack Sparrow that is...Savy? It pulls alot of jokes from the first movie and makes lots of whole new jokes that only a fan of the first might get. Course the comedy was helped by the fact that we were in a completely packed theater that was about half filled with badly dressed pirate wannabes. You should have seen the girl a couple seats down from us. *shudder* Anyway...I won't go into specifics about it. Just know that it's a must see if you even just kinda enjoyed the first one. But beware the butt cramps, their like have not been seen since LotR.

A Desire to Return...

For the Smkrs it's Newbold that holds the cherished memories. For me it's PUC. Despite my poor grades, roommate troubles, and general problems during that first year at college I cannot help but love it. I miss it. It was simple there. You worked, lived, and studied there. There was no need to leave the hill; No great desire to run away to the city or flee to the nearest mall. If the chance came then you sometimes went, otherwise it wasn't something that you needed. It was a true blue community where you spent Saturday sleeping in, going to church, eating with friends, then relaxing with friends.

I can't even count the number of times my dreams have turned their attention back to my freshmen year or the thought of returning there. I made some great friends there, some great memories. Laughing at the antics of the local dorm delinquents when the dead deer they'd stuffed in the neighboring guys dorm was found. Running to classes through a beautiful campus full of life and friendship. Working in the Cafe every other night and standing idly talking to the register operators. Making one of the closest circles of friends since the Harris brothers in Hawaii. Dorming with some of the weirdest guys on the planet and still managing to come out sane.

The pictures, the faces, the places. All so clear and vibrant. So strong that wistful tears can come unbidden to the eyes if they're dwelt on too long. Yet, so much like my desire to return to Hawaii, I know I shall never be able to return to PUC and love it as I did...enjoy it as I did. It will be left to memory and time till only a smile remains.

It's Summer, I'm Bored, This is a Good Thing...

I'm sitting here on a bed, with a laptop beside me and a beautiful view of Gresham out the window, wondering what all i'll do this summer. An extremely pretty red head just waltzed into the room and is busy rooting around in her backpack for some little thing. She just tried to use a flint and steel over the bed, not a great sign of higher brain functions if you ask me. But then i've done things just as odd and out of place.

I don't know what to say. Its a lazy day here in "sunny" old Oregon and i'm seriously wondering if my complacency is due to the fact that i'm done with school for a couple months or because i've simply got nothing to think about. It's weird. It's like i'm relaxed in a way yet not. I know there's nothing immediate to worry about, beyond keeping the red head from burning down the house, but I know I should be worrying about future concerns. I don't want to though. Its a good day. I don't want to worry. So I don't think I will. I'll let you other people worry for me. Cheers!

The X-treme Team Strikes Again!...

Ha! Now i've got something to talk about! X3 is out and in true nerdy fashion I went and saw it on the first day. I could have been a true nerd and gone to see it at midnight...but I didn't think of that. I just suffered a -2 to my nerd check. (ehem) I highly recommend it. Seeing the first two movies is a must, otherwise you won't get alot of the stuff unless you're a marvel freak geek.

(If you haven't seen the movie I don't suggest reading more. Major Spoilers incoming!!!)

The movie itself was great. Considering how much storyline they had to deal with from all the X-men stories and spinoffs I think they did a great job of mashing it down and making it into something that could be followed by the people who only saw the last two movies while still being relatively interesting for those of us who know a bit more about it then we should. I liked that they got rid of Cyclops early on. Granted he would have been a great asset in the final battle. I also like the fact that Mystic(sp) lost her mutant abilities before the battle. She was cool and all but she was a real witch(-w+b). I liked how she immediately went to spill her guts to the government. I liked the inclusion of Kitty Pride, AKA Shadowcat, and the use of the Fastball Special not once but twice. I liked Angel's little bit in the story including his father's rescue at the end. And then of course there was the Phoenix and the Professor. They did a great job of working Phoenix into the story and making her dual personality and troubled nature believeable. The Professor's death at her hands was hard to take but then, knowing the Marvel universe, no one really ever dies or looses their powers, they always come back some how. Magneto will get his powers back, Xavier will return, and everything will go back to square one in a way. There's alot more I could say but I think i'll stop there. Don't want to make myself look too nerdy. Gotta fit in at least a bit.

Let's See, What Next?...

Ok, (brushes himself off after the Halo3 thing), now that that's done...It's time to drool over something else. Ehehehe...but really folks. I'd love to drool over X3 but since its not out yet i'll hold back the urge and wait till i've seen it. Over the Hedge has already been done and its not really drool worthy material; good but not drool good.

So what else is there?

Hmm...

I could always rant about all the wonderful fanfiction i've been reading recently. But no...thats been done too. (If you can't tell i'm having a hard time here)

Ahh...here we go. I've been laughing up a storm because of this. Whenever someone starts talking about a Role Playing Game(RPG) lately my mind has always linked the conversation with this
http://project-apollo.net/text/rpg.html
If you know anything about Final Fantasy, Zelda, etc...and have actually played them, then you'll probably find this funny as hell. Its really amazing that people have actually spent the time to put something like this together. Worth a look.

I Have Reached Nirvana...

... and its name is Halo 3.

At the Heart of an Evil Empire...

I've been meaning to post this up since spring break but I haven't gotten the chance to nab the picture from my dad's computer till now. No its not an illusion. I actually am in a Starbucks, holding a Starbucks cup, and not gagging. For those of you who know me you know very well that I find most coffee disgusting. I said most cause Daphne would belt me upside the head for not saying that I actually enjoy some coffee flavored chocolates. Anyway, I normally wouldn't set foot in one of these places but, over spring break, I had to make an exception. I did this for one reason and one reason only. I found the evil empire's core, the center of its being, its very birthplace. It just so happens to be situated in an out of the way area of Pike's Market in Seattle. We had heard rumor of its location on a tour and, as I was traveling with my dad, we had to go looking for it. My eyes did narrow and my face did frown when I spotted it. My dad, ever the tourist, had to go in and get a drink. Not coffee mind you, only applecider, but it came in a coffee cup and that was close enough. And faster then I could say "Death to Coffee" he had me holding his cup in front of the origional sign(notice the girl's got tits in the origional) and snapping a picture, to my everlasting shame. Too bad I didn't have the time to snear. I think it would have added the perfect touch to the moment.

The Ultimate Showdown...

Ok, if you haven't seen this--> http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/showdown then you are truely missing out on one of the internet's wonders. Oh i'm sure you've seen things like "Badgers" and "End of the World" before, but this...this is truely a work of art. Not only is there superb artwork *snicker* but there's the fact that these guys came up with the song on their own. I've practically memorized the thing myself and let me tell you, there are some good tongue twisters in there. The sheer amount of time, rhymeing, knowledge of cheezy characters, and mind altering drugs(i'm guessing on the last one) is insane. Give it a look. I doubt you'll come away from it not humming the tune or finding that you've got one of the lines stuck in your head.

Kender Adventures...

I recovered a lost part of my childhood this past week; and in a place I wouldn't have ever thought to look. Backwoods adventures were a forgotten joy long lost when I left Hawaii. But surprise! I found them again...in the backwoods of my college's campus, in what my friends call Kender Adventures.

For those of you unfamiliar with dnd style fantasy settings a Kender is much like a hobbit from Lord of the Rings. They are about half a normal human's height but unlike hobbits and their kin these little fellas never really seem to grow up. Even the oldest and most learned of these halflings are as rambunctious(sp?) as children. They also have a disturbing tendancy of "finding" shiny things, much like a raven or small rodent. It doesn't matter if these things are on the ground or in your pocket, they'll somehow make their way into their pockets and you'll be left wondering where your watchbob or penny purse went. They don't always mean it either, sometimes their hands just kinda nab things.

Thus, a group of us have taken to exploring the forests and creekbeds of the college between classes and often coming home with the most surprising things to show off. It's gotten so popular with our group that we've taken to...gasp! LARPing!?! Ah yes, the dreaded LARP group. I am happy to announce that I have been named the parties Ranger due to my previous experience and they have even given me a name, Otter, for my rather graceful dip in a creek the other day. It wasn't something I meant to do and my pants, shoes, and socks ended up totally soaked. The spot is now called Otter's Dip in honor of yours truely. We shadow nature classes for fun and have created our own little hideout next to Otter's Dip. Surprisingly I am the oldest in the group, the majority of them being around 19.

I feel like i've regained a bit more "kid". *Eye twinkle*

This...is a Problem...

Does this mean God is a Socialist?

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I didn't think they liked coffee...

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I'm so confused.

Breaking for Spring

Finals are a memory, tests are a dream, and grades are a reality. Math went a little worse then expected but everything else went extremely well. As a reward for finishing the quarter I rewarded myself with a few new set booster boxes for the game I play. The newest expansion came out on friday and my buddy and I danced a happy jig when we opened our boxes. On top of that the rest of my family took off for the weekend and left me home alone. I would have gone too but I had work on last night. Then, just this morning, I got a call from work asking if I could come in and cashier for a couple hours. Officially I have six days off starting today but since I won't be going anywhere for a day or so I told em I could pop by for an hour or four. I'm also taking care of a couple of pets whose masters decided to up and leave them for a week in Turkey. Oh well, it earns me money and thanks, and both are always welcome.

Next quarter's shaping up to be rather interesting. I'm currently listed at 13 credit hours but we'll see what the parents think when they get back. I'll also be re-ordering my work hours to follow suit. I've got the ever present TKD again. Added to that are Intro to Fiction Writing, Intro to Mythology, General Phychology, and Elementry Logic. Sounds like a headache but i'm interested to see how it will all pan out, that is if my parents ok it since they're paying for it again...finally.

Don't Panic...

I've taken that wonderful phrase from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to heart. I refuse to panic this year for finals. I will not run around like a chicken with its head cut off because i'm not ready for math. I won't be a worry wart because i've got to review six chapters of political science. And I certainly won't be pulling my hair out and screaming bloody murder because history facts are mixing themselves up in my head. I've already gotten through my TKD final without a fuss. Didn't panic for that. I won't let these others get to me either.

Nope, not gonna panic at all...

not at all...

nothin to see here folks...

this college student is just fine...

no stress here...

ok... well maybe a little. ^_-

Goodluck to all you fellow panic ridden students. You're not alone.