Still no pictures

Yes, I'm sorry. I still don't have any pictures of my apartment to post. I forgot and left my camera over in my apartment. I do have most of my bookcases assembled, and even two new cinderblock and board ones. I have the boards and need to buy the blocks for one more tomorrow along with the rest of my grocery shopping (I bought meat today--and some good stuff on sale!). Then I'll move in everything from over here at my sister's place (oh, yeah, I need to do laundry first as well) and be completely moved in. I don't know how often I'll be posting since, oh yeah, I don't know what my internet options will be like.

Tomorrow I need to talk to my brother-in-law about the booster. I have a bit of extra money from my week of overtime at bigg's, and I'll use it. I could wait to save up money, but I think that is pointless. Just today I tried to put together the songs for tomorrow's service on my computers, but my ethernet cable wasn't working so I had to try to use a flash drive. However, I didn't have all of my pictures available yet as they're stored on my laptop and the computers wouldn't network. Additionally sometimes the pictures come straight from the internet and aren't already ones that I've downloaded and saved. This is hard to do without a computer. And I would like to do this all from my computer. I cannot do it from my laptop because the program refuses to work, so I need to have a wireless connection to my laptop that I can borrow by networking via ethernet with my desktop.

So unless I have to surrender the cell phone if I dare to buy the antenna soon, I'm hoping to be on-line in my apartment by the end of the week. If I'm prohibited from exploring DSL then I'll be making a one-time investment and I see absolutely no reason to put that off.

~Matt

News Flash

Apparently I'm too stupid to make financial decisions for myself. Apparently my family (to be fair not all of them, for now I just know it is my oldest brother, and my sister and brother-in-law here) must conspire behind my back and make demands of me. All my earlier musings about internet access are currently moot. I was stupid (in retrospect) enough to mention that I was thinking about procuring internet access for myself (because I do not want to walk across the street to get on-line EACH AND EVERY TIME!!!) to my brother-in-law.

After cautioning me that "it was my choice" he proceeded to dictate terms to me. Presumably this entire plan is designed to help me save money, which means that it is really about forcing me to do what they want--because letting me do what I want would be "enabling me." If I go and get internet service I cannot keep the cell phone I have under his plan--I have to give it back. This would mean I would have to fork over even more money to procure my own cell phone and plan. With as much as I'm going to be gone during the week I consider it essential to have a cell phone so that I can remain in contact--especially with the museum in relation to events. I also use the alarm on my phone each and every day, very often multiple times a day to remind me of various matters.

Needless to say I am very, VERY upset. First of all there was absolutely no discussion, it was simply a dictate handed out from on high. I must do this, or else! I'm just annoyed that I cannot make my own choices. It should be MY CHOICE if I want to work an extra night a week so that I have the money to pay for my phone bill. Or if I cut back on food, or unnecessary driving--or anything, to pay for internet access. Secondly I can give several good reasons why I would want to get my own landline and internet connection, but again none of them matter because there was no possibility of discussion, just a decree. I would like to have free incoming calls and free calls within Cincinnati, but with my cell phone being my only phone that isn't possible. I don't want to never see my sister's family again, but I do not want to be at their house to make every local phone call or to go on-line every time. I want to start to live more of my life on my own.

Oh, and just as I knew would be the case I cannot get the signal from my brother-in-law's wireless network in my apartment. He has the idea to procure a "booster," to enhance the signal. However, this would cost around fifty dollars, and I would likely need a new wireless card. Plus we'd have to hope this all worked before things were purchased, and that the signal would go through the huge tree in the yard. I'm not incredibly optimistic. Too, I can just see them saying "wait six months to buy the booster, until you're more financially stable."

Well I've cut back on on-line time this week as I'm working like crazy AND unpacking my stuff. I don't like it, and I can't function this way. If I'm this busy (or nearly so) I won't be able to pack up my laptop and run across the street every time I want to go on-line. I need better e-mail access than that for the museum, and I know they don't want me over at six in the morning, or to come over at eleven every night. I know I don't want to leave my apartment at eleven every night after I get home just so that I can check e-mail. I want to do that in my own living room as I fix my dinner or relax and watch a movie. But again, I'm apparently too stupid to be allowed to make that decision myself.

So yes, here endeth a very angry post. No, I don't regret any words that I've typed. In fact perhaps they should have been harsher. I'm very annoyed.

~Matt

PS Besides the previously (in my internet access musing post) mentioned $37.00 a month it would cost me $30 a month for the cheapest Sprint plan--but if I wanted to enjoy the free Sprint-to-Sprint calling that I now enjoy it would cost me $40 a month. :(

Almost moved in

I'm so busy right now my life is a bit of a mess. My apartment is full of books (most not on shelves) and my room at my sister's is degenerating. I'm not letting it bother me though. I leave shortly after waking up in the morning, and don't spend much time here. Most is either at work or taking care of stuff at my apartment. Come tomorrow night at 21:30 at the latest I should be free of work until Monday. This will give me the weekend to move things over, go shopping, take care of things, and generally get settled in. I don't anticipate too many totally clear weekends, so this will be nice. :-)

~Matt

PS And I'll start parking in my garage once I move over--right now I don't see the point of having to walk that much further when I park my van.

The God of Death and the Kinslaying

Yes, I did publish this story on this very blog a bit over a year ago, but at the time it was buried in the midst of a rather long post also including my reivew of Crusade and some other news. I think that it works much better on its own. The story is my own creation and is intended to enter the mythology of one of the fantasy worlds that I've created, though at the moment I do not remember which one. Without further ado those that haven't espied this before, enjoy.

Now hear a tale of murder and malice from when the world was young and the dew of creation did linger. The gods and men performed great deeds of valour, for in that age man was yet young and his days were long. Cai, the great god of death, he of ebon skin and ivory hair, ruled the yet small Black Realm of the dead with a fist of iron. He jealously guarded his few spirits and begrudged any that kept men from death.

Long did Cai look upon his brother Tulbel with envy, for the god of war commanded many legions. Though Tulbel held dominion over the arts of death and tools of war he was loath to decrease his realm to Cai’s gain. He was yet the youngest of the gods and new to his craft, never suspecting Cai’s great jealously. Tulbel taught his worshippers honour and restraint, proclaiming duels and contests of skill while war was forgot. So infuriated was Cai at this usurpation of his power that he dared to dream the unthinkable—the murder of his brother.

Though Cai held the very keys to the gates of death his brother was yet an immortal and therefore could pass out of the Black Realm as he desired. So Cai did send forth his spirit lords in search of the uncommon black rose, even then infamous as a bringer of death. When at last the dread bloom had been secured Cai did prevail upon Dala, goddess of life, to distill its essence into a most potent elixir, though she never suspected its true purpose. Once Dala had departed his domains for the bright fields of Eras Cai did turn his thoughts to the murder of his brother. Upon his obsidian throne he brooded for many moons, devising a plan in his dark heart. At last as the nights did lengthen Cai sent forth a demon herald to summon his brother to a midwinter feast.

Once he drank of the vile potion, concealed in heavenly ambrosia Tulbel felt mortality descend upon him with sure swiftness and divined his brother’s evil plot. Giving up his body as already lost Tulbel sought to set his spirit free from suddenly mortal flesh. Yet in the midst of his struggle Tulbel’s soul was strangely divided as his darker nature reveled in the brilliance of Cai’s trap. Even as Cai strove to restrain Tulbel’s spirit he divined his brother’s doubt and acted with swift speed. Calling upon Tulbel to join him Cai embraced the darkness in Tulbel’s spirit and permitted the remainder to sunder itself and flee, though he knew not where.

Even as he took a portion of Tulbel’s spirit unto himself, Cai perceived a profound stirring of his essence and grew utterly still, his calm visage concealing a raging tempest beneath. For days the two spirits waged an epic duel while Cai sat motionless on his great throne.

When at last he arose the god of death bore a cruel grin, utterly devoid of humour or mercy. He proclaimed that henceforth he would be known as Tul-Cai and he would demand fierce worship from his followers. No longer would mere death satisfy him—nothing less than rivers of blood would serve to slake his thirst.

While his darker essence tarried to be devoured by Cai, the remainder of Tulbel’s spirit did fly to Eras, the abode of the gods. Even as the allure of Cai’s darkness struggled with the not fully sundered spirit it struggled from the reach of the Black Realm to the forge of Aar, god of the smithy. As Tula, patron of journeymen, looked on in wonder the sundered spirit bel pleaded for Aar to take up its cause.

However, bel was not without guile and he wove a masterful tale of woe. As Aar opened his spirit with grief bel did delve into his heart and force a new union. Though yet much tormented in spirit Aar could do naught but accept this new life within his breast.

And then did arise Aarbel, a most fearsome and terrible god of war. As swiftly as Tula took up the mantle of the smithy did Aarbel seek out Dala, goddess of life. Yet while Dala mourned the Kinslaying of Tulbel still more was she yet gentle and full of love. All the succor she would give to vengeful Aarbel was the prophecy of her high priestess. “From sons of man shall come the doom of death. And he shall force the Dark Gates from within though the whole realm stand against him.”

Enlisting others of the immortals to their cause, long did Aarbel and Tula strive against the Dark Gates—yet to no avail were the efforts of the mighty gods. For a long age did the Kinstrife consume the minds and hearts of the immortals until at last they grew weary.

Yet while his allies flagged Aarbel redoubled his efforts, training legions of men in new and deadly arts of war.

With each death the followers of Aarbel pray they have delivered up the ‘chosen one’ into the Black Realm. And to this day such enmity exists between Tul-Cai and Aarbel that soldiers of the faith will slaughter even death monks without more cause than that they yet live.


~Matt

The Celts

In the course of my unpacking I discovered the box with Stephen Lawhead books! Before loading the box into my car I withdrew the three volumes of the Song of Albion series and began re-reading The Paradise War immediately. Following upon my earlier quotes from Hood I offer you some from TPW in the same vein.

Each night Gwenllian wove the shimmering magic of the harp with her skilled ifngers, and sang the ageless songs of Albion: of Llyr and his sorry children, of inconstand Blodeuedd and her vile treachery, of Pwyll and his beloved Riannon, of fair Arianrhod, and mysterious Mathonwy, and Bran the Blessed, and Manawyddan, and Gwydion, and Pryderi, and Dylan, Epona, Don...and all the rest.

I thought I remembered these names from before. I believe that we actually heard the story of Pwyll and Riannon somewhere in the Pendragon Cycle, and perhaps one or two of the others. Any time Lawhead puts one of these tales into his text in its entirety it is a great read. One that I thought I recognized from the Hood list came back when I read a bit further:

"Hear then the tale of Nudd, Prince of Uffern." So saying, Tegid began. "In elder days, when the dew of creation was still fresh on the earth, twin sons were born to Beli, Great of Renown. The first was Nudd, and his brother was Ludd. And this is the way of it:

That whole "when the dew of creation..." is one of my favourite opening lines. I think I even used a variant in a mythological story that I wrote. Yep, I found it. Well now I have to get back to reading and sleeping. Today (Wednesday) I have no work at bigg's, so I'll hopefully buy a mattress and get much more stuff unpacked! :-)

~Matt

Old Friends

It was a great experience to unpack many of my books. I kept running across some dear old friends--like my 1941 edition of Mien Kampf, or The Lord of the Rings. I simply cannot wait until all of my bookcases have been assembled (and I've procured a few more, ;-)) and I can properly organize my books. I think that I might organize them alphabetically by author--but then by series for each author.

If nothing else I'll have the genres separated. I figure that at least four categories would be good: fantasy, science-fiction, non-fiction, other fiction. I think I will box up the few kids books I have if I don't have room for them. What I have my nephew has already picked through, and the younger kids aren't quite ready to read those books yet.

I really cannot describe the sensation, but touching and seeing familiar books after a couple years of absence really is like a reunion. I was surprised at how many of the books were so familiar. I may not have seen them in two years, but I still remember them (at least when I see them). I'm already re-reading The Paradise War which I fount on Sunday (or Saturday?) as I was taking boxes from my storage unit. I just need to remember to sleep.

~Matt

Much better

My living room looks much better. I forgot to take my camera over, so I can't show a before and after picture. I spent the last two hours unpacking books. I sorted them in to different categories: history, geography, politics, fantasy, sci-fi, thriller/modern novels/westerns, Christian, kids, MIsc, and classics. Now I just need to tear down the small mountain of empty boxes that is resting along the opposite wall. The books may not be all put away, but to me it looks much better to see them stacked and organized instead of just haphazard stacks of boxes. I definately can see more of the floor now. :-)

~Matt

SUB

I feel almost as if I'm back at Slight Upper Back. My new apartment appears to be on the second floor, but because the ground slopes back and their are garages below it is actually the third floor of the building. I also relived unpleasant memories of hauling many, many boxes up stairs! I have no plans to move again any time soon.

Everything from my storage unit has been unloaded!! I only have to get some things unpacked so that I can live over there and buy a few essentials before I move in completely. I haven't moved anything in from my room here at my sister's. I'm saving that for a day when I have some time. I'll take at least an hour after work each night this week (and several more on Wednesday when I don't work at bigg's) to straighten stuff up and move it around so I can pretend to have a normal life.

My essentials list is as follows: mattress (I have a bunk bed from my brother--now set up as two twins, but no matresses), shower curtain, trash can, broom (the floors are all hardwood, so no vacuum required right now! I don't have much furniture (bed, table w/ two chairs, easy chair, couch, child's desk)--the desk or table will fit my desktop and/or laptop. Eventually I need to get a real desk (preferably a computer desk). I plan to drop by Goodwill or the local St. Vincent de Paul to check out their furniture. Oh, and I do get a dresser! :-) I need a coffee table someday and something to put a TV on. I won't pay for TV for a while--I'll just watch some shows at my sister's place.

However, I will have a TV--it just can't get signals, but it should work with a DVD player. Chris was going to take it to college, but didn't get the roommate he wanted so he didn't have room for it. I'll use it until my finances are straightened out and I can figure out what I can afford. One thing I do want to figure out is internet access. The building doesn't have cable--so that isn't an option, all I have available is the phone company's DSL.

They offer bundled plans, but for those you have to have a local and long distance plan from them. Right now I pay my brother-in-law to have a phone on his plan. I'd like to keep that for a while. If I go over the allotted minutes I just have to pay $5.00 for a block of 100 minutes. I don't even use many non-free minutes. I call people out west on nights and weekends. But the real reason I don't want to cancel and go to a plan of my own is that I would have to pay a $150 early termination fee--I really don't want to do that now. Additionally, I need a cell phone so that I'm accessible for work, especially at the museum.

Hmm...the local phone would be good though, it would mean all incoming calls there would be free for me--better than having to pay on both ends when someone calls me and we chat for a while. ;-). Cincinnati Bell looks like it will charge me $16.95 a month for a phone (I assume that is normal service, free local and no long distance) and $20 a month for their ADSL (for the first twelve months--but that is far enough out that I'm okay with it if I can swing that for now--unless the rate goes up astronimically then). Oh, and I just checked, it wil be about $30 for a new set-up.

*shrugs* I'll figure it out soon. I need to determine what I need and what I can get by without for a short or long while. I can skim my brother-in-law's internet for a while, but I do not (long term) want to be tied down to accessing the internet by taking my laptop over to his house. That would be very inconvenient, especially to check e-mail before work (when I have to leave at 07:30) or when I just have a couple minutes. I want in-house internet that I can eventually upgrade to my own wireless network--or just some long cables, :-). But as I said I'll figure that out soon. Even working an extra night a week at bigg's would be worth having that internet connectivity.

Wow, I didn't intend for this post to be this long or detailed--I guess I'm just windy on the keyboard. Oh, speaking of that I tested my typing skills again at the temp agencies. I'm still testing at about 80 words per minute. I should try to practice to see if I can improve that. I'm sure that I could--but I don't know if I want to put forth the effort.

~Matt

Signed

Today I signed the lease for my apartment. I've already taken over two loads of stuff from my storage unit--packing my van to the gills after removing the two back seats. I should be able to fit everything else in the van, except for my two filing cabinets. Those my brother-in-law should be able to haul in his pick-up and we'll use his dolly to load and unload them. I just need to remember to have empty boxes to put the crap from them into.

~Matt

Missing again?

Yeah, and I have good cause. I'm going to move into an apartment soon! I'm scheduled to meet with the landlords to sign paperwork tomorrow evening after work, and hopefully I'll start moving stuff in immediately after that. I'll still be at my sister's here for at least part of the week. I still have to figure out what my internet set-up will be. I may be scarce on-line in the meantime as I work over-time and try to get stuff moved in and taken care of.

Saturday I go in early (a good thing) so that I can take care of the carts we had to ignore tonight due to the lightning and heavy rain. It will mean more time before meeting with the landlord to pack my van full of stuff from my storage unit. I need to get that compeletly emptied before the end of the month so I don't have to pay for it any more.

~Matt

Wednesday

The crazy week continued today. Part of me is hoping that Mike isn't completely better tomorrow, that way I get more hours this week. It will be busy, but it could mean a good big paycheck. *shrugs* This is my last week of at least partial freedom before I go into full-time work plus part-time. More details will be forthcoming shortly...

~Matt

Hood, pt IV

I finished Hood on Monday--while I was at the library actually. If you've read any of Lawhead's books and enjoyed them, then you need to read this one. At the end of the book Lawhead explained his rationale for setting this long familiar story in eleventh century Wales. It is a good argument methinks. What he has really done is to re-Britishize a familiar story.

Realize here I use the term British in its original meaning. The first (or first in recorded history--whatever) inhabitants of England were the Celts, the British. These were the tribes that the Romans conquered--as in neighboring Gaul. Legends arose from these people that were later passed on to, or inspired tales created by their subsequent conquerors the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes (the English). These in turn were conquered by the Normans in 1066. The tale of King Arthur was embellished and largely created in the Middle Ages in England, though the tale was originally British or at least about a British hero. In his Pendragon Cycle Lawhead took the stories of King Arthur back to their British roots. Though he did keep familiar figueres that were created much later than others--he has done the same with Hood. Apparently Marian was one of the last characters to enter the tale--but she does feature.

So yes, this is a novel--it isn't a true attempt to tell the "true Robin Hood's tale" (as King Arthur purported to tell the true tale of King Arthur). Rather Lawhead exposes what he believes are the proper origins of the popular figure of Robin Hood and sets his story in that time. As I mentioned previously he does this fabulously well. Besides his usually wonderful characters Lawhead impressed me with his characerizations of the various cultures. I could really see the vast differences between the Normans and the Welsh (the Ffreinc and Cymry) and it wasn't just evil vs. good. It was a true culture clash (between two "Christian" cultures noless).

Aunt Bee, were I closer I'd definately let you borrow my copy. But I hope you enjoy your re-reading of Lawhead's earlier books. I think I'm going to go to the library's webpage next and see if I can reserve the Song of Albion--unfortunately my copies are buried somewhere deep in my storage unit.

~Matt

PS Curses, they don't have it!!!! :'( I don't know what I'll do now...
PPS And the biggest reason I want to reread these ones specifically is because the first chapter of The Paradise War is printed in the very back of Hood. "It all began with the aurochs."

The Art of the Con

Nicholas Cage reminds me of my brother Larry. I'm not certain exactly why, looks or mannerisms. It isn't an eerily similar resemblance or anything of that nature. I just can’t help but think of Larry when I see Cage. Anyway, all that is largely irrelevant to what follows, except to say that I usually enjoy Cage’s movies. Tonight was no exception.

I’m not sure where the name cropped up, but I just checked Matchstick Men out from the library. I was on the way to the library to pick it up when I got the call from work today. Therefore I had to postpone watching it until this evening after work, but the wait was worth it. The movie centers around con man (excuse me, con artist) Roy Waller (Cage) his partner Frank and long-lost daughter. Roy reminds me in some ways of Monk, they're both a bit "nuts," with phobias and tics. But they both have to function--though in quite different worlds.

The actors definitely worked well together and were great to watch. I’m not exactly sure how to characterize the genre, but it was fun. Yes, the main characters are criminals, but their story is great. The plot is definately enjoyable, but I would watch it for the characters--to see Roy interact with his daughter and achieve some semblance of normalcy is worthwile. Go see it. I won’t say any more.

~Matt

Crazy day...er, week

I was on my way to the library with my sister when I got a call from bigg's. One of the other guys in the department had to call of working today because he injured his back. Later I found out he'll be out until at least Thursday, and perhaps later. I was working more days than normal this week because another guy is on vacation--but now I'll be almost if not actually full-time for the week. I went in several hours early today and worked somewhere between six and eight hours. The next two days I'll be working eight hour days, and perhaps even on Thursday. At this point I hope I'll be back to the normal four hours Friday night, but I don't know for sure. On the one hand I hate this when I was looking forward to free days and easy nights working before my new job starts up on the 25th, but on the other hand the extra money will be nice and it is good it happened this week, the last that I'll be flexible enough to fill in like this.

~Matt

Aunt Bee knows her movies

I just finished watching Tristan + Isolde, based on the note I read on Aunt Bee's blog. I checked the DVD out from the library a bit over a week ago, but I've been so busy that I didn't have time to watch the movies. Yesterday I watched The Brother's Grimm and was quite less than impressed. However, besides a few jarring notes in the historical setting (common to the Scott's historical productions) T&I was a fabulous story.

The setting and cast were both quite enjoyable. However, I had to force myself to not see the worst in Marke--I'm only used to seeing that actor play villains [A Knight's Tale, The Legend of Zorro, and Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet] , so it was strange to see him as good. I think someone else mentioned it first, but I enjoyed not recognizing any of the main actors (Marke excluded) [Though Tristan was in Spider Man he was different enough here in sight and role that I didn't recognize him; the same holds true for Isolde who appeared in both Underworld movies--so yes, they're not brand new actors, but they're not major very well known stars like Brad Pitt or Matt Damon]. It was easier to see them as the characters rather than as an actor playing a part.

I always enjoy historical or fantasy films, partly because I love that period so much. I do like science-fiction, but time and again I am drawn back to fantasy. Right now I am at the fantasy end of the pendulum and am somewhat ignoring science-fiction. Though, I have no doubt I will swing back--and the ultimate favourite may never be resolved.

But, back to the movie. Some parts were predictable--such as the curing of Tristan and the method, I spotted it right off when they went to put him in the boat for burial at sea. Despite this I could still enjoy the plot. The story is an ancient one and though this adaptation is modern, still the original story predated the modern romance, Romeo and Juliet, and even some of the Arthurian legends. I am more than willing to allow more leeway than I would when suspending disbelief for a more currently set piece.

Please do not read the preceding and see a spirit of complaint. The only caution I would give is that there are at least five love scenes, though they are short, don't reveal much, and may be quickly skipped if you so choose. The fighting was well done and greatly enhanced the picture. If you enjoy a good story, even a good love story, or just a historically set film, then go and rent Tristan + Isolde (or go the cheap route like me and check it out from the library).

~Matt

I love irony

Here is a short snippet from an article about how Muslims are reacting to the pope's recent remarks:

In a phone call to The Associated Press, a group calling itself the ``Lions of Monotheism'' claimed responsibility for those attacks [on Palestinian churches], saying they were carried out to protest the pope's remarks in a speech this week in Germany linking Islam and violence.

I couldn't write it any better than this. Truth just tops fiction all the time...*sigh* Way to go people, proving such statements wrong...

I'm not Catholic, and see many things wrong with the church as it puts its own works equal to or above Scripture--but it is closer to the truth than Islam. Why should Muslims care what the head of the Catholic Church (which should proclaim that Muslims are unbelievers destined for hell unless they repent and accept Christ) says about them? This controversy is as manufactured and ludicrious as the rioting that followed the anti-Mohammed cartoons.

You know, speaking of cartoons, I don't recall any Jewish riots, bombings, or screams of outrage following the Iranian Holocaust-denial cartoon contest. Hmmm...

~Matt

Hood, pt III

I've heard that Aunt Bee still hasn't managed to procure Lawhead's Hood and in sincerest sympathy (I intend absolutely no mean spiritedness here) I thought I would share a particularly good quote. I'm dearly loving this book--how it delves into the Celtic culture and especially exposes the divide between the Normans and the Welsh (i.e. the Ffreinc and the Cymry). Lawhead also references his earlier works (at least I interpret the following quote that way, though those works also grew out of Celtic mythology, so the immediate source is debatable).

She sang of Arianrhod, Pryderi, Llew, Danu, and Carridwen, and all their glorious adventures; of Pwyll and Rhiannon, and their impossible love; of Taliesin, Arthur Pendragon, and wise Myrddin Embries, whose fame made Britain the Island of the Mighty. She sang of the Cauldron of Rebirth, the Isle of the Everliving, and the making of many-splendoured Albion.

I don't know exactly what it is that Lawhead does, but he breaths such life into his tales. I was talking to Fib today and he said that many of the bards tales Lawhead recounts are based on historical tales and not created whole cloth. This could be part of the charm. I especially enjoy scenes where a bard will sing (and Lawhead relates in full) a traditional tale.

~Matt

Gone?

Yeah, I was gone for a bit, but again, I had a pretty good reason. I've been job searching, and I finally have something. I don't know all of the details as the position is through a temp agency, but it looks quite good. I should start by the 25th of this month and everything that I've heard sounds good. I'll definately post more details when they become available.

In the meantime I leave you with some choice Engrish. I ran the following sentence through Babelfish several times. Here are all of the English results. I translated from English to Japanese, then Japanese to English and then repeated this several times.

Original:

Paris is the most beautiful city in all of Europe, though Berlin is often accounted a more impressive sight at first glance.

Engrish:

Paris however Berlin is explained more impressive vision of the beginning glance frequently, is the city where European everything is most beautiful.

But the Paris Berlin rather than glance of beginning being explained, impressive range of vision, the city where the European person who is most beautiful entirely is frequent.

But at the point where the most beautiful European person is frequent completely the margin which is rubbed, the beginning city, the impressive range of range of vision it is explained from the Paris Berlin glance.

But the most beautiful European person begins with the point which is complete marginal profit frequently rubs, and impressive range that of the range of the city and range of vision is explained from the Paris Berlin glance.

But the most beautiful European person friction of the profit of the complete most bottom limit is frequent, and the impressive range where the range of the city and the range of range of vision are explained from the Paris Berlin glance from the point which is begun.

But friction of the European person where the profit of perfection is most beautiful is the impressive range which from the Paris Berlin from the point where the range of of limited frequency of most lowest, the range of the city and the range of range of vision starts is explained glance.

~Matt

Longhorn

What does that look like to you? It is a stain that has been on the sidewalk in front of the house for the better part of a year. I finally took a picture today after wanting to do so for months. I don't remember when it first appeared--but I wanted to take a picture immediately. Of course every time I remembered I didn't have my camera and it wasn't convenient to go get it. But at last yesterday was my chance. I'm just glad that it hasn't washed away.

I don't know what the substance it is, so don't ask. But I think it is awesome how the random stain fell to look like a longhorn skull. Even more amazing is the fact that it has weathered months of weather, feet, bike wheels, and all manner of other abrasive surfaces and objects. It is a surviver! When I mentioned this to one of my nephews my sister said that she had never noticed it before.

~Matt

Hood, pt II

This is special--just for Aunt Bee. Okay, perhaps this is a bit mean, but I simply couldn't resist!

~Matt

Magnification

My new wireless mouse contains a fourth button that is quite a bit of fun. Technically all of the buttons can be reassigned (which does cause a problem because the scroll button on my laptop has stopped working as a scroll wheel), but I've kept them to default functions. The button causes a magnifier window to open.

You can see an example of the magnifier at the right in default mode. The magnifier can zoom in closer and the window can be enlarged. The window replaces the mouse cursor and is easily moved around the screen. It is easier to use than the default Windows magnifier that Chris pointed out when I told him about the feature.

It can be quite useful when something is just a tad too small to read easily--something unfortunately a bit too common when reading comic strips on-line. Of course I also put my monitor on the largest resolution possible so I can fit more on the screen. :-)

~Matt

Poetry

I don't believe that I have published this here before, but if I have please bear with me. I was just looking through my poems today (which regretably I haven't written in quite a while) and found a couple of my favourites. They are free verse and just a tad engimatic. I hope you enjoy. The dashes indicate where the lines should be indented, but Blogger isn't fully cooperative.

Veritas
Beguiling, truth beckons with outstretched arms,
- Seen through a mist, can this be real?
Is duplicity concealed beneath the laugh?
- May honesty be mistaken for guile?
Does truth of another sort lurk?
- Colouring vision and perception.
Can a lie be in the seeing?
- Desperately believing more than truth.
Will resolution forever be elusive?
- As courage flees before the wind.
Does innocence betray the truth or the lie?
- Does self-deception battle Veritas for the crown?

Dragon Spawn
Does a lie stare back,
- And whisper your name?
Does a lie softly promise,
- You will never be forgotten?
Can the truth be so painful?
- Waves of crashing agony.

~Matt

Today

Hood arrived today. I didn't see it until quite a while after it came though. I was at church trying to figure out what I'll be doing on the church media team. The meeting went quite well, though the program still won't work on my computer. I'm going to cross my fingers and try my brother-in-law's desktop. Hopefully I'll be able to install it there and he won't mind me running it when I need it. Anyway, I was down at church from five until seven thirty--so I didn't see the book until I was home. Though I heated up leftovers and scarfed them down before I opened the package. :-) It looks great though--I can hardly wait to read it!

~Matt

Labour Day

Chris has been visiting for the weekend, and because his first class isn't until noon he isn't leaving until tomorrow morning. It has been interesting to have him here--but I haven't seen him much. I've been working 14:00-22:00 and he typically hasn't gotten up much before noon each day (except Sunday).

Today was a very slow day at work, a welcome relief--though it started out busy, by the end of the evening I had to work quite slow so as not to work myself out of a job for the night. Now I'm off until Wednesday night--I'm only working 20 hours a week now so that I can devote much more time to job hunting. That all starts tomorrow morning. Up early for breakfast, then I'll spend the day going through classifieds and other sources of job information--hopefully I can make some appointments for this week or next.

~Matt

Honesty pays

(besides being the right thing to do)

Today I found a purse while I was bringing in shopping carts. I saw that it had a cell phone in a side pocket and was quite full. I immediately stopped what I was doing and took the purse inside. I handed it to the cashier at the customer service desk as he said "I don't want it." I told him about the cell phone and said that somebody would probably want it. Then I went back to work and didn't think about it again.

A few minutes later I was pulling carts in right by the door when a woman walked out of the store. She was carrying the purse and came up to me. She asked me if I was the one who had turned the purse in. When I told her yes she extended her hand with a twenty dollar bill! I tried to say that she didn't have to do that, but she insisted that I take it--thanking me for being honest. I said that she was welcome and she walked off. I guess I was being honest, but it never really crossed my mind to do anything with the purse but turn it in. I guess I have to blame my parents for not instilling larcenous tendencies into my mind! Darn them, ;-).

~Matt

Emperor or Empress?

You may have heard that previously the Japanese government was considering revising the succession laws. Currently the last male born into the royal family was born in 1965. The Crown Prince only has one child, a daughter. But his sister-in-law is pregnant and has not wanted to know the gender of the child ahead of time. Because of this the plan to allow females to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne have been halted.

Source: Reuters

I think it is interesting to look at succession. Many times only males take the throne--at least until there aren't any. This was certainly the case in England until they started having problems and women took to the throne. Elizabeth I was certainly a strong monarch and may have removed many doubts that it was bad to have a woman at the helm of Britain. Catherine the Great certainly didn't brook any detractors while she ruled Russia. Even in modern times Margaret Thatcher has been Prime Minister of Great Britain, and if I recall correctly the current German Prime Minister is a woman.

Of course in these Unenlightened States of America we keep women down and don't let them become president. We are such horrible people aren't we?

I personally don't have a problem with women in power (only as pastors, which the Bible says is not to be done). I just don't want the first female US President to be Hillary. *shudder* *shudder*

~Matt

Pluto may not be dead

Hooray! Read this post.

I don't know positively how things might have turned out differently, but I think it quite interesting that the definition of a planet vote was saved for the last day of the conference and that only about 10% of attendes participated. Something is rotten in the state of Prague!

~Matt

Hurricanes

I just found the naming list for the 2006 Hurricane season--it makes for interesting reading. Here it is with editorial/association comments. :-)

1. Alberto, Gonzales? Wow, I didn't know the Attorney General was that powerful
2. Beryl--is it must me or is this an old name? Or is it in vogue once again?
3. Chris--I don't think this one turned into anything, too bad Chris, that could have been interesting.
4. Debby, a fairly common name methinks, short for Debra most likely.
5. Ernesto--this is ongoing now I think, about to make landfall? Or just did?

6. Florence--I work in Florence, Kentucky.
7. Gordon--I just recently rewatched Batman Begins--Gordon was an interesting character. I'm looking forward to the sequel
8. Helene--almost the name of the face that launched a thousand ships. Hopefully it won't sink a thousand ships.
9. Isaac, Asimov? One of the best grandmasters of science-fiction. I still enjoy his stories today, even the older obviously outdated ones. Oh, and if you haven't read them you should check out his mysteries--the Black Widower story collections. I need to track them all down sometime. I don't think the local library has them and I've not yet read them all.
10. Joyce, James Joyce. A British author, right? I've never read his works, just heard of him.

11. Kirk, "Khhhhhhhhaaaaaannnnnnn!" Need I say any more?
12. Leslie--this one is both a male and female name, but obviously female here in this rotation.
13. Michael--Stackpole is one of the sci-fi authors that I frequently enjoy reading.
14. Nadine--I don't think I've ever known anyone with this name--but it seems slightly familiar.
15. Oscar, Mayer! My bologna has a first name! ;-)

16. Patty, Peppermint Patty--I don't like mint, but I can still enjoy this character in Peanuts
17. Rafael, oh, oh, he was one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, right?
18. Sandy, the valedictorian at my high school was named Sandy--though she was Vietnamese.
19. Tony, the Tiger! Does anybody not remember his advertisments? "They're Grrrrrreat!"
20. Valerie, Plame. Mark's favourite person!

21. William, Tell me, have you heard tell of the famous Swiss archer William Tell?

~Matt