I don't have what I'm supposed to yet, but in lieu of that here's something else completely different. A very odd story, from my perspective, with a cliffhanger ending.


Last night, I was...somewhere. An unspecified area of the internet in which people could meet and chat. I was using an assumed name (standard Modus Operandi) and like the first thing I saw when I signed in was a girl I'd seen there before leaving, exclaiming over how she was mad at this jerk boyfriend of hers, who was also there. The boyfriend was puzzled, and wondered what he had done. I said, "must have been something serious..." and apparently my grasp of the english language, or my fireman sounding name, struck a chord because he contacted me privately, asking me for advice. Now, this was a complete stranger, and I was slightly flattered and puzzled by this attention. So, he asked me if I could figure anything out. I figured I'd start out logical, and asked if his girlfriend (Hereafter referred to as "GF") had given a reason before leaving. He said,

"I dunno, I think she's mad about my hanging out with my ex." (hereonout referred to as "EX") At this point I literally facepalmed. I told him that was most certainly the problem, and that he should not do it. I informed him of the fact that girls tend to be somewhat jealous, and that GF might think he liked EX better than her. He, (Hereafter referred to as "BF") was unsure that was the case. ("lol, GF not like dat") I assured him that it was, and that he needed to back off. He reluctantly agreed this was a good idea, but asked how he could do that when EX was living in his house.

Insert second facepalm. I then told him that he should not seek out contact with EX, not be rude but try to make contact as short as possible. He did not see the problem with "just talkin n stuff" but I told him GF would see a problem. I asked him why EX was there at all, and he told me that her house had been lost (somehow) so BF's family was sheltering EX's family. I told him he should let GF know about this, to which he responded GF was not talking to him. Enter GF back into chat. I hoped this would mean she would communicate with BF, but I was in for a surprise.

She contacted me saying "Ugh my bf's being a jerk." That bumped up the interesting level a notch. So, not of course wanting to reveal that I was in fact talking to BF, I asked her what he had done. She told me how BF was hanging out with EX. Subtly I asked, "Is there a reason for this?" Unfortunately she was not much in to reason, and she didn't know or care. She was sure BF liked EX better. I asked if there was not a reason he had dumped her, and she said "she dumped him."

Insert third facepalm. So, I pushed for greater communication, and said that if she liked him once surely there was a reason worth a second look. She was less sure, stating that BF had given EX a real diamond necklace, and her a teddy bear. I didn't voice doubts at this point, but they were there. Meanwhile, BF is getting more and more nervous, and I told him that what he needed to do was make GF realize he loved her, and explain how hard it was NOT to be around EX, and how he was trying. At this point he made the bad news statement: "She won't believe me." I didn't quite facepalm, but felt like it. It was at this point I realized there were deeper problems than the EX issue here. I was about to make a pithy comment to this effect when he said, "She's talking to me, is that a good thing?" And I replied, "Depends on what she's saying." A few seconds later, "She just dumped me" and then he signed off.

GF confirmed this, and with a real life sigh and virtual shrug I said, "Well, that's that then. Only time will tell if you made the right decision" or some such mildly disapproving rubbish. A few minutes later, GF says "well, I'm off to feel terrible now. EX just called me and explained everything, I feel stupid now." She told the chat room at large that she was going ot call BF, and that she was leaving. Right before she did, I asked her, "Out of curiosity how old are you?" and nearly fell off my seat when she said, "13."

So, I have yet to hear from either party concerned, and I have to admit curiosity as to whether they got back together, and if so for how long. He can't be much older than her, and seriously...I doubt there is anyway that two people that young would have much of a chance at doing anything but breaking each other's hearts again. So, we'll see how it pans out. I just found it highly amusing that I was stuck in a sit or rom com for a night. I hope it doesn't happen again.



---Flynn (When did I get this new one ripped?)

Temp

So, um, my blog is about to go on a bit of a hiatus since it's finals week then I go Disney World. So, no interview for a while. It's just not important enough to take the time to put that together for one person. So, I'm not going to. In lieu of that, here's pics of me after Noshember. Or, Blogger, you could put it up there, that's cool too. So, as you can see, anyone who just looked at me no doubt had no idea I hadn't shaved in a month. Which is kinda cool, 'cause it makes me like a ninja. And it's kinda sad, 'cause it means I can't be manly like Paul Bunyan.

Bowling Alley

So, like the other night? Like, last night? I had the most screwed up dream ever, ever. It was like an acid trip. Not that I, uh, advocate drugs or anything because drugs are bad. And stuff.

Anyway, my dream, my dream was like, I had managed to travel back in time? And I was in Germany, and it was during that World War II, thing, and somehow I irritated Hitler or something, I dunno. And so I was captured, by like this really fat guy, who was like "look look!" and put me inside Hitlers, um, house. So then I was like in my room, a prisoner awaiting death, when I like disrupted the network or something, I'm not really sure what happened, but it made my jailer leave my jail cell door, um, pop open. So I started running, and these guards were chasing me, chasing me, until I finally found this door, and I went in it, and they stopped chasing me, only it wasn't an empty room, it was Hitler's bedroom.

So I hid in the um, closet, and he came out and looked around for me, but he couldn't see me or something, but then he got a flashlight so I had to come out. So then he was about to shoot me, but I was all like "aaAAAaaaAAhhh! My religion doesn't permit me to die before sunrise, and before saying goodbye to my family!" So we flew to texas, where my family had time traveled to as well, and I said goodbye as the sun, um, rose.

Um, I was like, on the honors system? So I went back to Hitler, and he shot me like six times, but I didn't die. It felt creepy coming from a Nazi guy, but I survived. So like there was this big part I don't really remember, but like over the next four weeks they shot me at least six times a day, and though sometimes it was excruciating I didn't die, so I told Hitler my God was stronger than him. Then he was all like impressed, so he decided to build something honoring my God.

A college. A Christian College. A Christian College named...LeTourneau. Then I woke up. It was really scary.


--Flynn, ala Lemon Demon (I really DID have that dream, for the record. I merely am doing it in the style of "Bowling Alley" by Lemon Demon)

The time has come! I'll do this in reverse order, so if you have problems with that get out your respirator.

10. Meaningless lists of ten. I mean, seriously, why not eight? Or seven? Seven is a prime...it's a cute number, I like it. But, for some reason, we feel constrained to do these things in tens so often. And yes, I am well aware this is a meaningless ten list. Irony, my friends, is not JUST for killing faeries any more! :D

9. People who fight attempts at reasoned logic with the stunning, "I'll repeat what I just said!" attack. Truly, these people are a dangerous force to debate that must be stopped. The "IRWIJS" attack is the most deadly form of argument, and has been known to cause DEATH. Yes, even DEATH. Please, do something to stop this. Kill someone who employs it today, and be thought of as a hero! Eventually!

8. On a related note, are those who stop reasoned attempts at logic with a single insult that breaks down communication at the cellular level. Logic then dies a slow, excruciating death as more retards insult back, until chaos reigns supreme in the court of communication and reason. This sort of escalation could lead to the death of...THE ENTIRE INTERNET. (are you intimidated yet by my blatant use of Capital letters? I know I am) So, please, think of the children. Resist the urge, I beg of you internet trolls, to type "lol ur fag" next time. For the cute little babies.

7.I could pick at various bad logic etc. all night, but here's one that encompasses a lot: Youtube commenters. I swear, something about youtube has drawn in every moron from around the globe, every opinionated person who gets indignant at the very mention of logic, who can barely spell well enough to get their vituperative point across. Here's looking at you, youtube commenters.

6. Now that I think the internet is out of the way, it's time for: Professors who give you assignments the haven't properly prepared you for. Now, I don't just mean proffessors who don't give you enough teaching to do something, though that's part of it. I also am including proffs who tell you too much, and then give you something easy and...how you say...pointless. Seriously? Writing a summary of a summary? Give me a break. Dumping a major VHDL project on my measly shoulders, without giving me ANY introduction to VHDL? For real.

5. Thinking you're better than someone because of a completely stupid area of life. Now, to be honest, I hate any "better than thou"ing, when I get real with myself, because that's a sin. And we shouldn't do that. But in my less in-touch with spirituality moods, this one bugs me to death. So you can bench 500 pounds, eh? Well, that's just great. I'm sure your fellow men appreciate that, and the greater good could REALLY use more people who emphasize muscles over mind power. Don't get me wrong, you can USE those skills in a good way, to become a better person etc. But when you start going around with a 'tude because you can kick a ball into a goal? Get a reality check.

4. There was this one time I had to HUUUG a tree.

3. Incomplete senten

2. Being up too late. Can you tell? Perhaps that's why suddenly my entries are getting shorter and shorter. Or perhaps that has more to do with the fact that my toes are being eaten off by invisible monsters I call "sekatsim" which is a word I just made up and I'll probably use it again, because it's pretty pretty cool.

1. Unecessary "humor" in movies/etc. Having just watched the new Get Smart movie, I am appalled at what could have been a great movie ruined by unneeded innuendo and blatant sexual references. I loved a lot of little bits of it...but then there are those horrible parts that are like "Why?" And don't think I've forgotten you, Japan entertainement with your stupid obsession with crossdressing. Ha-ha, ha ha. Funny funny. Now part of that's cultural...and part of that's the way it's popped up in almost every bit of entertainment I've seen ported from Japan. Seriously, get over it.


---Flynn

At long last

Sorry about the delay,  I forgot slash was actually rather busy slash couldn't find what I needed for my "completely different" blog post. Well, I found it, I remembered, and pants. So here it is: A video of my first speech in speech class at the beginning of last year, as indicated by the time and date stamp contained upon the video in question. I present it without apology or approval; I was a wretched n00b, but I still got an A. So, without further ado, the video: Me, 1.0

(note: It may not work if you're enterprising and reading this a few minutes after I post it, due to that whole U-TUBE thing.)

--The Unanswered Question of Flynn

Oh, I can't decide...

whether you should live or die...


Ahem. Despite the fact that that song is going through my head, and has been for a while, it has very little to do with what I'm really tryin' to say, which is I'm sorry for the way,
Iforgotaboutupdatingeventhoughtherewasavalidpollresultthistimearound.

So, "Something completely different" is coming, worry not; it will just be a bit delayed. To prevent you from throwing snifters, tumblers, and martini glasses containing milk at your screen...or me...I will present you with the following news update.

So, as some of you are aware, I am now proud co-owner of a dark blue 1995 GMC Suburban, which I have named Valvados, the Evil Dragon King. I generally leave off the dragon part of his title, but only because I am a miser of breath. I can't drive, because I don't know how, but I remain happy to have my first car, and have one I actually, so far, like.

I have two major projects looming over my head like the proverbial vulture, buzzard, or proverbial looming bird of your choice. One is easy to work on, but hard to get motivated to start; the other is hard to work on, but easy to get motivated to start. One is programming my PCB, that I designed, and posted the design of a while back, to serve as a voltmeter of sorts, with two display modes and multiple refresh rates. The other is my Bible Research (No, not exegesis...that's not the way this class rolls) Paper, examining the impact of the Intertestamental period (or, for you people without a Bible class to educate you otherwise, the 400 silent years) on the theology of Demons and Angels. Both are due in the next few weeks, because *gaspination* school is over with in the next few weeks!!!!!1

That's right, the semester ends in 3 or 4ish weeks...with some change. So, I must continue to go boldly where no split infinitive has gone before! To where many students have, in fact, gone before. DISNEY...PLACE! Orlando...Florida...U.S.A...Sol 3...


--Flynn I'm not as random as you horseradish

Review One: Contractual Update X

Because adding X to the end of things somehow makes more mysterious. And genetically enhanced.

Anyways, I'm not here to tell you about tired cliches of naming convention. OR AM I?!?!? This is a review after all...and I think my intellect cannons are taking aim at...*chink chink chink of Roulette wheel* "Darth Bane: Path of Destruction!" *disappointed moans from crowd, who wanted me to review "Barbie Girl" or "The Beginning is the end is the Beginning"*

So, first off, a Flynnly sum up of the book is in order. One sentence summary: "Darth Bane rises to power to reforge the Sith, while winking at Knights of the Old Republic." That is, more or less, all that needs to be said. There are, of course, ebbs and flows of the narrative, but that is the overarching plot. This is, of course, no surprise to most fans of Star Wars; in fact, were I to guess, the reason most people read it was because they knew that's what it was about. So, summary out of the way, it's time to actually get down to the nitty-gritty.

One of the things the book did best was follow a character down a convincing trail of darkness. Bane goes from a sort of bad person with no desire to kill, to a soldier in the war dedicated to killing the enemy while protecting the lives of his men, to the Dark Lord of the Sith, following the motto "those that beg for mercy don't deserve it" and killing hundreds of his compatriots. I, personally, found that aspect to be more than a little chilling, despite the fact that it occurred in a completely fictional universe.

Another thing it did well was show the inherent flaws in human constructs of good and evil. How without God as a center, our human efforts just fall short of truth. In the Star Wars universe, Jedi are pretty much the greater, if not the greatest, good. They fight for justice, light, and right. They arbitrate, are wise, and at times are simply insufferable.

The Sith, on the other hand, are the embodiments of evil. They kill, loot, loiter, turn in their library books late, crave power, and don't care who they destroy in their climb to the top. They fight for darkness, badness, and are just big meanies.

The problem is, both have admirable points, and bad things. For instance, the Jedi preach not being passionate about anything, not getting emotionally involved. The Sith, on the other hand, find strength in their passion, emotions leading them to greater heights. Path of Destruction plays up this particular facet a lot; Darth Bane would be nothing without his passion. Obviously, letting emotion cloud reason is not sensible, but neither is suppressing all emotion, and discarding any passion. There is a balance to find here, and taking either extreme is wrong.


On the other other hand, the Sith (or, more accurately, Darth Bane and the new Sith) hold the opinion, "Honor is useless to the dead." While honor needs a bit of definition here, I have to agree. But only so long as you hold "Honor" to be of the stereotypical Japanese variety: Committing Hari Kiri because you failed at something, dying with "Honor" in battle...those are really meaningless. Of course you should strive to be REAL honorable in your life, being good, kind, true, etc...but if you can die with "Honor" or live with honor, I would very much advocate the latter.

Of course the book has its weak points. There was, for instance, a rather afterthought flavored encounter with a healer, in which a page or two is devoted to how this healer is hard to intimidate, because he doesn't care at all about pain, and how Darth Bane is all stymied by this. Then suddenly he realizes there's a little girl he can threaten inside the tent, he does so, and the healer collapses instantly and within a page Darth Bane is on his way again. The whole encounter somehow just feels like "Oh snap, he needs a healer! Uh...time to retcon in a mention of him, then make him interesting!"

It also, I think, takes a little too much glee in *wink wink nudge nudge*ing Knights of the Old Republic. Some of it, only made sense, since after all Revan and Malak made a huge mark on the universe, but seriously. Enough of the cutesy references, let's PRETEND to be subtle. k?

But, one of my favorite things about it? The lack of retarded Star-Warsizing of common phrases. Such as: Fire wall = Pyro Wall, A picture is worth a thousand words = A pixel is worth a thousand sound bytes, don't put your chickens in one basket = don't put all your spawns in one container, pain in the butt = pain in the glutes...yes, these all came from one book. No, it wasn't Path of Destruction, which is the final consideration in my recommending it to anyone with an interest in the Star Wars extended universe, or anyone who knows a bit about Star Wars and wants to read an interesting character study on evil.

Sorry it's so late, but my time machine broke so I couldn't go back in time to post it on sunday.


--The Un-Answered Question of Flynn