Four Years
I saw this photo on the tumblr of a friend of mine a few weeks ago, and I’m just getting around to writing about it. It’s part of a bigger series of weird interesting facts about the body, but this one stuck me as the most prominent. (The rest are here if you’re curious - http://www.icanhasinternets.com/2011/10/mind-blown/) 
And I feel like this is not only true physically, in terms of all our cells and stuff, but also in terms of who we are as a person and emotionally. We all know we go through different stages in our lives and they happen at different times for different people. But would it be too far of a leap to assume that maybe these changes occur every seven years when all our cells from our “previous self” have finally disappeared?
Seven years ago, I was 14. I was in the 9th grade and was in the middle of maybe my second style cycle. I had ridiculously long hair, thought I was hot shit because I wore pink, played drums in a shitty junior high band and listened to Sum 41 and Blink 182 all day. I had had some random “girlfriends” but not a first kiss, and had played hockey almost all my life. I had dropped out of band class because I had hated it the year before. And I think this was about the time I got my first Facebook page. It was a few years later that my brother graduated and went to Australia, and my parents went to meet him shortly after, leaving me alone on my first week of high school. Getting to band practices in October in Calgary by bus at 6am was not fun.
I'm kind of proud to say that I'm still friends with that guy who I am wrapped around.
If you know me know, I’m sure you’ll hardly believe that that’s what I used to look like. (Aside: Part of me wants to retake this picture when we get back together at Christmas time. Kind of like these ones – http://irinawerning.com/back-to-the-fut/back-to-the-future/)
Somewhere in my grade 12 year I went through another shift. I think it a big part of it was during my trip with the high school band. It was during this trip that I discovered the rewards and the hardships of the career path I was slowly beginning down. I got thrown into a huge leadership role and kind of reveled in it. In grade 12 I was also playing and coaching hockey, had a few more girlfriends, had a first kiss, made a Grad Film, played a solo for our entire graduation class + families, and got accepted to my first university of choice. My musical tastes branched out more, I now liked screamo and emo and acoustic and punk and rock. I had almost mostly given up the drums and picked up the guitar and a mixing board. I even made a CD (Granted it’s terrible and I never want to have to hear it again – but those of you with a copy! Hold onto that sucker, you can sell it for millions later). I fought with my parents a lot – mostly about my current (and as I found out later, crazy) girlfriend.
I also cut my hair short for the first time in a while. You can always tell when a guy is ready to move onto the next stage of his life when he cuts his hair short and gets rid of the mop top shaggy teen look. Some guys keep it going out of high school, but it usually gets cut eventually. So far, the 7 year trend isn’t coming true, it seems to be closer to 3 or 4 years for me at least.
Incredibly, these people are still friends with me...
And this is where I’ve kinda plateaued. I haven’t changed much since then. Still super tall and skinny, 6’5″ 150lb, a broomstick some have said. One or two more girlfriends, maybe a bit more experienced. My style hasn’t changed all that much, I’ve grown into my “professional hipster” mentality and have learnt to rock it. University kicked my ass in my first two years, calculus almost killed me. I met one of my best friends and girlfriend here and learned a lot from her. I’ve had the same recording job now for 3 and a half years. I’ve become “that recording guy” in the school of music. Music has become one of the biggest factors in my life. Not only is it becoming my job, but I am always discovering more things about it and more styles that I am enjoying. I breached the 10 000 song mark this summer. I don’t fight with my parents anymore, or my brother – I think the distance was good for us. And I’m almost done my degree. Hopefully two more semesters and that’ll be it.
So now, it’s been 4 years since that last “style shift” in grade 12. Hold on.
It’s been 4 years since high school.
4 years.
That’s kind of gross. Most of my friends now are people I met when I was in high school. I still talk to all those people. I always wanted to be that guy who made all these great friends in University and went to all these parties. I always told myself I wasn’t going to be like my dad and never go out (at least he tells us he never went out – except for the one time he threw up over a bridge into a river – he does like to tell us that story). But I didn’t go out. Well, I didn’t go out A LOT. I mostly stayed in, I was content staying in. Partying was never my thing. I have met some great friends here though. I’ve got some Bro’s who I hope I’ll keep in contact later. And really, that’s what I’m thinking about now. What’s later? What’s next?
I’m almost done my degree.
What am I gonna do after? I’m feeling like that’ll induce another “style shift.”
Where am I going to be in four years? Who am I going to be in four years? Who are you going to be in four years?
(Also – a little more Nicole Byblow for your listening pleasure)
A Few Notes for Living with Other People
Over the past year and a half, I have had a total of 10 different roommates. And I have come to notice a few things about living with certain styles of people. I will list them here.
- If you are an OCD person, live with another OCD person, or by yourself
- People have different interpretations of dirty, loud, clean or respectable
- People are best approached head on, being blunt gets you results
- If you are not abrasive and set up boundaries within the first month, you are fucked forever
- If you are an OCD person and go to some lengths to keep your house organized and clean, your roommates will almost always give you no appreciation for it and/or take all the credit for it
- People are usually pretty oblivious to the things that upset you
- People are no longer aware of their noise in the rooms next to them
- If you share anything, your roommates will assume that means everything
This is just a small list for the time being. It is a result of me cleaning my bathroom tonight, and my roommate who seems oblivious of common courtesy/helping around the house. It’s just frustrating sometimes. Maybe we need an intervention.
2009 Photos of the Year – Photo Gallery LIFE
A bunch of really good photos from this year. Follow the link for more.
2009 Photos of the Year – Photo Gallery, 50 Pictures – LIFE.
Postmarked
Man, I feel bad. I rag on people all the time about not updating their blogs, and here I am, not updating mine. Sigh. It’s hard sometimes! I can understand. Also, there was really nothing that interesting happening in the news this past week. Yes I know you’re all going to say Obama won a Nobel Peace Prize, what do you think?!
Well I’ll let you know. I think he deserves it! He’s inspired a nation to turn around their country and a bunch of other crap. And honestly, who else would they give it to? Some random that no one cares about? Great. Another year Nobel goes on being an irrelevant part of society. But instead they picked Obama, so good on them!
“for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”
Need I remind you people that Al Gore won in 2007? I think Obama has the right and has accomplished enough to be in the same boat as some of these people, and its just a precursor for things to come. 
Thank god for a long weekend. Man it feels good. Yesterday was a busy day, the girlfriend and I had a splendid time downtown. Shopping and taking pictures. I got a roll of film developed (See flickr in the side) and some of those olympic mittens! Hurray. I feel so patriotic. I can’t wait to wear them. It’s kinda sad that gloves make me feel patriotic. Considering I’m not all that passionate about Canada to begin with. Oh well. There’s a lot of controversy over here about the olympics and building it on Native land, and the Bay making the Cowichan sweaters and now local Natives, and now there’s a law in progress against making noise and interrupting entertainment at the games. It’s directed at marketing and trying to prevent people from just handing out flyers and stuff which causes litter. But I think there are some underlying parts that prevent protesting or anything and would make it illegal. Read more here: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/10/09/bc-anti-olympic-sign-law-bccla.html
So yesterday was a good day, we ended off the night watching a documentary called “Please Vote for Me.” It was about a 3rd grade class in China, who are participating in democracy! They’re voting for a new class monitor! It’s pretty funny to see the lengths that these kids go to: backstab, memorize speeches, debate, lie, bribe and all the other things regular politicians do. It was a really cute and funny movie that you should see if you have nothing better to do and like politics, or China, or anything! 
I think B and Geoffrey (her hippo) and I are going to have our thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. We were going to go to a potluck tonight, but we were just not in the mood to get out of sweatpants today after a long day of studying. We’re probably just going to get a chicken and have some mashed potatoes or something. Thanksgiving isn’t really a big deal to me like it is to some people. I did miss the food, having a turkey and mashed potatoes and all but these kind of occasions aren’t my thing. I’m not a very sentimental person to begin with. And there’s only so much you can do to make a thanksgiving dinner different from year to year. My parents do a good job and I think I did miss that, but it’s nothing overwhelming. I’ll survive. It’ll just make Christmas that much better when I do come home. (Yes you Calgary readers, I am coming home for Christmas).
This week coming up is going to suck for me. Two midterms and a tough Software Engineering assignment. So blah. Hopefully I’ll be able to live. I always say that, and I feel like there is never a reason that I would die. I just like to talk in hyperbole.
B’s friend from Lethbridge/Calgary came last week, and it was really neat to meet someone she talks so much about. It was also interesting to see into that part of her life. I really only know the part of my girlfriend from Victoria, I don’t think I’ll ever know what she used to be like when she was in her first years of university. And hearing her friend tell stories about people and see B laugh and smile around her made me happy to know her. And to know the girl she is now. I believe strongly in who you were makes you who you are. And whatever happened to her that made her who she is now, I don’t need to know that, because I know it’s who she is now that is the person I like.
I’m not sure what else to say. I’m going to post a music I’ve been listening to lately. And I think I need to beat Em with an awesome youtube video too!
Later days,
- J
First Day (Hopefully They Aren’t All Like This…)
09/09/09 – Today was the first day of school for me here at UVic. And boy was it an eventful day.
Classes were not all that exciting. I had music theory first thing this morning, and I was in a class of about 35, which for some of you is a dream, but for a music class, it’s quite large. We were even moved to a new room because it was so big. And because of this unexpected capacity, my teacher didn’t have any handouts for me and a few other people. Which is no big deal, I met him after class to get them from him, but he told me he wasn’t ready yet, and they’d be available later in the day. (This will come into play later)
After that, I went onto my computer to confirm where my next class was. I happened to stumble upon the Apple website looking on better ways to keep my battery from dying on me all the time. I have a battery life of about an hour and a half, this is not good. As I was there, I came upon this -> http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377 Which talks about a problem with the video card of my generation of computers. Stating that it causes:
No video on the computer screen (or external display) even though the computer is on
Hey! That’s what was wrong with my computer! Awesome! Because…:
Apple is issuing refunds to customers who may have paid for repairs related to this issue. Please contact Apple for details on the refund process.
This is straight off their website. So basically, I was like SCORE. Apple is going to pay for my stuff. But I had to go to my linear algebra class by this time. We got into this room, and again packed to the ceiling. It’s ridiculous. Anywho, I’m pretty sure my prof walked to our class from the harbour this morning he’s so fresh off the boat (My apologies to any of the Asian persuasion who read this blog). He pronouces all his “th” ‘s as “s” ‘s so words like “Math” become “Mas” which is not as bad as my math prof last semester who said “Math” as “Mat”. So after spending an hour struggling to understand this guy, I went to go print off a resume.
I’m applying for a job as a music assistant at the local radio station here, so I got my cover letter and resume all printed off and went to deliver it to the head director guy here. So I hand it to him and say “I’m applying for the job as Music Assistant here.” and he’s like “Okay thanks.” And proceeds to find some file for my resume. And that was about it. I left soon after.
So now comes the good stuff. I get home, sit down and call Apple. I’m ready to reem them out about how shitty this is and how they should pay for my computer. So I get some help lady and I tell her my problem. And I point out that, Apple is paying for repairs to solve this problem. And my problem was solved, because of the logic board not the video card. She counters with, we’re offering refunds on repairs for video cards, not logic boards. I retort with, How am I to know that it wasn’t the video card in the first place? And that faulty video card is still in my computer. So after a long debate, I reemed her out because I’ve had nothing but trouble with this computer: A new CD drive within the first 10 days, a new battery after a year, a new logic board after a year and a half, and now I’m going to need a new battery again. So I don’t understand how Apple can sell me this product and say: This is a good product, good to go. And have it crap out on me like this so many times. It’s ridiculous. I ended up talking to a customer relations person and talked to him. He said that he would call the computer store and talk with the guy who did the service on my computer, and then call me back with their verdict.
So I waited for a while, and ended up having to go to my software engineering class. Which was also uneventful, but seems like it might be cool. I also talked to our prof about being a computer/music kid, and he might start gearing some things a bit towards us now. Which is cool.
I got back home, pretty pissed and grumpy and depressed about my computer, to get a call from the Apple guy, and he said that Apple would cover my costs, and that I just have to go back and get my money refunded. Good. Bout fricken time. So that cheered me up a little.
I had dinner with the boys tonight. And I guess I haven’t said much about my new roommates or moving in. I’m living with three guys that I knew from last year. And I must admit they’re pretty good roommates, one of them, D, made us all dinner consisting of chicken, rice, and salad. And I was impressed. The girlfriend and I cleaned up and then lounged around before I went for groceries. Then came home and we hung out more, I told a wonderful story about Donald Trump and his radish farm and then bed.
But yes, my roommates. We had K, D, and B. I think we should call ourselves KD-BJ. It’d be good times. But yeah, they’re all from Calgary and D actually lives no more than 10 minutes away from me. Which is really random. They’ve never lived where they’ve had to cook for themselves, but they brought more than enough utensils and stuff. It’s weird, because they share all their stuff. Like food. I’ve spent all summer with, whats yours is yours, you buy it, you eat it. Here it’s like, someone else buys it and you can just eat it. It’s defintiely a different lifestyle that I have to get used to. We’re also getting cable, and I got suckered into getting the $20/mnth/guy package. We’ll see how that goes. But it’s definitely going to be a fun year for sure.
Anywho, got another day of school tomorrow. Should be good! I’m excited! I bought a programable coffeemaker. And I’m using it for the first time tomorrow morning. Can’t wait! I also just had the great idea of putting it in my room instead of downstairs. I have the perfect little shelves for it…Wonderful.
Got more CD’s too. Look for reviews coming soon.
Later days,
- J
Grr.
Fuck I am pissed. Today is just getting worse and worse. I found out that my computer is being repaired. Yay. The part will get in…tomorrow. Around 11. Which is when I’ll be arriving in Calgary. Great. That helps me none. Hurray computer is getting fixed though, I guess.
This entire process has been so fucking frustrating. It’s going to be a month since my computer broke and it’s probably going to be another month until we get everything sorted out.
And then Apple decides to send me an email today telling me about Snow Leopard, the new OS coming out on Friday. Well FUCK YOU Apple. Just rub it in my face. I am about ready to smash some computers around here.
I’m at the point where I don’t even care any more and I just want to get my computer back. I hate having to use these lab computer’s, I hate having to be watched while I use someone else’s computer, I hate having to ask and feel like I’m always in a rush to use a computer and I can never relax while I’m on it. I hate not having my pictures, or my music. It’s sad to say it but I’m pretty sure my life is become fairly dependant on computers.
I considered staying here a few extra hours and pushing my flight back just to get my computer back. But then the guy says “Well I can’t guarentee that the part will get here then.” Well great, order the piece of shit on rush if you have too. And even if the part does come tomorrow, the store opens @ 8, which is when I have to be at the airport for my 9 o clock flight.
And then it’s going to sit in the store for a week until I can get it when I come home. I’m fairly certain that’s not even going to be the problem and when I get back it won’t work then and then I’ll be even more time without a computer. If this new logic board doesn’t fix it, I am getting everything off the harddrive, and getting a new one. I want to call Apple and complain again about how shitty their computers have been to me and how fucking ridiculous this whole experience was.
And then once I do get it fixed, I’m going to be stuck with an $1100 Visa bill until I can send it to my dad, who has to send it to MasterCard who will finally decide if they’ll cover it. Fuck My Life.
- J
Morning is a Great Time For Existentialism. Hell, It’s Always a Good Time for Existentialism.
I feel like the title of this post should be a Panic! At The Disco song title. It’s just long and obnoxious.
Anywho, Greetings Internet! How are you on this lovely Wednesday morning? I hope all is well wherever you are!
Surprisingly it’s only 9:15 in the morning, and I think I have something to write about, but not surprisingly, I was up @ 4:30 this morning. Sigh. But as bad as it may seem, it really wasn’t that bad. So, I shall explain. One thing you must know about my girlfriend before I share this story, is that she likes to ask questions. She is very curious and needs the answers to everything. Which can sometimes prove to be very frustrating. I’m thinking I’m going to have to buy her an encyclopedia soon. So for any question she asks, there is another 10 that will be asked after that. Which is what happened this morning. I think there’s more to it, but I can’t remember it all.
Laying in bed @ about 5:30, we somehow stumbled upon the topic of the Earth and how it was formed. So from what I know, there was Big Bang and over a couple thousand million years, enough dust collected, compacted, made the sun, then enough gravity from the sun caught something that became Earth. Yes, that is compressed and a compacted version of the scientific creation of the Earth. So with that out of the way, explaining how the world would be fucked if it stopped spinning because we’d lose our gravitational field and such. And how gravity works between two masses, a distance, and a gravitiational field (High School Physics Woo!)
I was then queried about space. “What is it? How does it work?” The best analogy that I could give was that it’s like a bathtub full of water. The bathtub represents a finite universe, and all the water is space. If you fill a small bucket with sand, and drop it in the tub, that’s Big Bang. Then when all the sand clumps together you have stars and planets, and all the water that is still floating around is space. I think that was a clear enough example. From that I was questioned about how big the universe was, and I couldn’t answer that without a diagram, so here it is. (It’s really big, so it doesn’t show up very well on here) http://pixdaus.com/pics/mfgFtiqVlYHDnTqPSF.jpg
With that we stumbled into religion and evolution and Big Bang. It was hard to make clear that it happened over MILLIONS of years, but it was understood that from single cells we eventually got fish, and those fish grew feet and wings and became reptiles and birds, and from that we got mammals with fur, mammals became monkeys, and monkeys became man. Evolution in under 100 words. Man I am good. The following are two small examples of evolution.
This was quite the talk for what was now 6:00 am in the morning. I was impressed by her questions and creativity, this is one of the reasons why I enjoy spending time with her and love her so much. I think this is nessecary for both of us to get down somewhere so we can actually remember everything we talked about. And I think we need to start a fund to get her this encyclopedia. Donations?
Later Days,
-J
Something that’s NOT a CD review…
Greetings,
So yesterday was a busy day, for CD reviews that is. I wrote 4 yesterday, which you can view below, and combined with the 3 others I have finished previously, I will have a total of 7 to send to the Martlet come Monday. Which may be a little overwhelming, but we’ll see what happens.
Today was my first day of training for Applebee’s. I was up @ 7 to be ready for 9:30, our training session today took place in a classroom in Clearihue (one of our school buildings here at UVic). It was basically a class on Applebee’s. Although I understand that we need to be learning the theory of the stuff, and what have you, plus the restaurant isn’t even completed, so the opening has been pushed back to Sunday, maybe even Monday or Tuesday. I just want to start working! Grr! It’s so hard to try and focus in a classroom and learn how to cook. You need to be actually doing it! Hopefully soon!
In JuST B news, we’ve been invited to a party at the Gap on Government Street here in Victoria for their Exclusive Premire Party for their new line of 1969 jeans! Pretty cool for a little time blog from Victoria with only a few hundred views. http://jstb.wordpress.com/about/
Other than that, not a lot has been going on with me lately. Trying to stay busy.
Here’s something that may be amusing to you, Smart-Car Tipping.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/pranksters-go-smart-car-tipping/article1253835/
Also, Usain Bolt did it again, another world record, I don’t understand how this guy does it. It’s incredible.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/bolt-shatters-world-record/article1253787/
Or if you want something like my blog, but not at all, go watch Jenn and Katie at http://www.youtube.com/user/thoseweekendgirls
I hope you’re enjoying my blog so far. I’m going to try and maintain the quality and quantity of posting, maybe check out my foe-toes if you haven’t already!
Speaking of photos, I’m slowly becoming my mother. I haven’t been out taking photos for just the art, and the serenity that it gives me. This may be attributed to my use of film and lack of digital camera. But I’m now taking photos to keep the memories. So that I can remember this summer and a lot of the things we did. I can definitely start to see the appeal of keeping photographs as mementos. I hope you enjoy mine.
That’s it for now,
Later days,
- J
Once Again 3:30 Conquers All
I guess it’s safe to say that 3 am has something against me. It just wants me to wake up and enjoy the rising sun and bask in all it’s splendors.
This is not what I was doing @ 3:30 this morning when I woke up. I did however, finally watch “Millions”. Hopefully my mother and my girlfriend will be grateful as they have both suggested I watch this movie for quite some time. It’s nice little happy movie about a kid who finds 229 500 pounds of stolen money, this all happening as the Pound is being cut out of circulation for the Euro. It was fairly enjoyable, especially considering the time at which it was watched, so I was pleased. I would recommend it if you’re looking for a lazy, cute, laid-back film.
In other news, the newest edition of the Martlet came out yesterday. Unfortunately my reviews did not make the presses. Perhaps we will see my name in print in the months ahead. Hopefully I can do more and more reviews in the upcoming weeks.
I have started to move out of my current place of residence preparing for the fall. The University of Victoria is pretty friggen stupid when it comes to their housing. We are asked to move out at the latest by the 23rd of August. Well that’s fine and dandy. But school doesn’t start until the 9th of Septermber, and I think the earliest we can move in is the 6th. SO. This leaves us with a problem. What are all the people who have lived here over the summer, and who are moving in again in the fall SUPPOSE TO DO FOR THOSE TWO WEEKS BEFORE SCHOOL? Hmm? Well fuck if I know, nor does the University, because clearly they don’t care. So I am currently moving much of my stuff into my girlfriend’s place so that I can keep it there while I go home. For my roommate, he might be able to move in early for a price of $40/night. I think this is pretty ridiculous.
Furthermore, UVic advising and registration sucks. I finally got my mark back in Math, a B (Yay), and this means I can become a fully enrolled member to the combined Music and Computer Science Program. For those of you who are confused, in my first year, I was a “PMUS” or a “Pre-Music and Computer Science” and I had to take all these first year courses to be recognized as a “MUSC” or “Music and Computer Science” person or whatever. So end of that sidenote, I am ALMOST fully into the program. Why you may ask? Because I have to re-register now. Which usually isn’t such a big deal, but I have to pay a $15 late fee because I am enrolling late. Fuckin UVic, go suck it. So I went to the registration desk to figure out how to do this. Here at UVic, our registration help desk consists of a phone. You dial 8142, and get connected to the person who is going to help you. After you dial this number, you can hear the phone ringing. Not just from the speaker of the telephone, but the pyshical phone of the person you are about to talk to, ringing. Followed by the echo of hearing the person talk through the phone, and then their voice traveling to your other ear. I do NOT understand why this person can not just COME OUT, and sit down with you, and have a face-to-face chat, and help you. It makes me feel like I’m not all that important. This feeling is further instilled when the person ‘helping’ you, tells you to go somewhere else! Well that’s just great, and a big fuck you too!
The only place I really feel welcome as a student is in the music department. Most of the teachers know you by name, the secretaries know you by name. Yesterday, I had to go talk to yet another secretary about my courses, and she wrote down my name, including my last, which I often get misspelled, correctly! Didn’t even ask me! I was pretty impressed to say the least. So I always enjoy going to the music department and feeling kind of like I belong.
So once I had all this over and done with, I prepared for my night on the town. As you may remember, I volunteered for VEMF, the Victoria Electronic Music Festival. They were throwing a big party for all their volunteers and provided free food and booze (Yay!) Well, last minute, the location got changed, and this is what we got for instructions on how to get to this place:
“The location we will be meeting at is in Bastion Square, behind the Yates St. Parkade. The space is new and not quite ready to open for the public, so we ask that you please not pass along the location to others at this time. Go to the parkade, look for the stairs into the parkade and look for the black door.”
Anyways, we have enough trouble finding this place, and it turns out it REALLY is in the back of an underground parking lot, my girlfriend was convinced this was the place they take us to die. And we get inside and it’s a normal looking club like place. Great. We get wristbands, why? I don’t know, they never served us any purpose. Stupid. So first things first, we head for the free booze, which was promised to be a variety of beers, hard liquors, etc. We get there, we have a choice between, beer, whiskey, and sangria. Great. I choose beer, my girlfriend, sangria. So that’s all fine and dandy. Except everything’s warm. And flat. So, logically whats next? Food. It consists of perogies, caesar salad and a variety of chips, crackers and dips. And it’s cold. Off to a great start VEMF. After about a half hour and 4 shitty drinks later, we leave. On the way out, the doorman stops us to look through a peephole, he tells us that he has to make sure there’s no cops on bikes around, natually we ask why. APPARENTLY, VEMF doesn’t have a liquor liscence or something, so the entire event was illegal. Well that’s even better. Clearly they know how to show their volunteers a good time.
Well, this is all for this morning. I think being up so early makes me cranky, this is one hell of a grumpy blog.
Later days,
- J
Today In the News
I found this article on the globeandmail, I think this is a pretty cool picture. Accompanied by the subsequent viral photoshops.
Also, a signed copy of Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” was sold on auction today for $35 000 (U.S)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/hitlers-infamous-manifesto-sold-at-uk-auction/article1250850/
Here’s how to “unfriend” someone gracefully. I prefer to just block them on Facebook. Problem solved.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/family-and-relationships/how-do-you-un-friend-someone-gracefully/article1250583/
And here’s one for my girlfriend, who keeps asking me how snakes, and frogs have sex. Or if they do. Maybe we can see this and learn!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/rossellinis-lessons-on-underwater-sex-headed-for-toronto/article1248436/
Homeward Bound and the Facebook Rant.
Hello internet!
Yes, it is official. I am travelling home to Calgary on August 27th, 9:00 am flight. I made the plans this morning and now it’s all set. I’ll be returning to Victoria on the 7th of September to start the school year on the 9th of September. I suppose I best go get my books now so I don’t have to be rushing on those two days. Blah.
So it’s even more official now. It’s on Facebook. Facebook is a weird world of it’s own I’ve found. Everyone these days makes the joke about relationships: “It’s not official ’til it’s on Facebook.” Which I can see some truth value in, but don’t fully believe it. I only recently changed my relationship status even though my girlfriend and I have been dating for almost 9 months now. She doesn’t even have Facebook and we facilitate everything through me.
And when I say facilitate, I mean creep. Everyone who has a Facebook knows what I mean when I say creep. The checking people’s profiles constantly, the staying on for hours hoping for something new, the viewing of pictures, seeing status updates but never commenting on it or making your presence known.
I do it. Ex-girlfriends, ex-friends, current friends, friends friends, people who add you who really shouldn’t have because they are never going to talk to you but you still have anyway. I’ve found ways to find out that one of my old friends who fell out of my life in high school now has a tattoo on his back, and is still the complete douche bag I remember him being. I basically use Facebook to judge you on what you’re doing(or not doing) with your life, kinda makes me feel better about my own! Knowing that I turned out better than so and so, Proxy-Connection: keep-alive
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d I’m actually a contributing member to society. (But, I know that there are some people with certain circumstances that affect what they are doing now, and this is not directed at you.) Via Facebook I don’t even have to be in these peoples lives, but I still know what’s going on in them. Hey! Kinda like this blog, which anyone can see! Anyways.
I also think it’s a really bad thing in some ways. People in relationships go crazy on facebook. Hacking into accounts, viewing blocked profiles, seeing pictures of their ex with a new girl. It’s a little ridiculous the lengths some people go to get back at, or spy on their exes, or even current boyfriend/girlfriend.
Furthermore, I think Facebook gives way for people to let go of friendships. I’ve had a few people drift farther away in terms of friendship. We rarely talk anymore, and when we do it’s often just the standard questions and then conversation stops. Then the excuse comes up,”Just facebook me” or “check my facebook” and you don’t even bother really talking to the person anymore, you just check their facebook and see how they’re doing. I guess it goes to show you the people that really matter to you are the people who can maintain a friendship outside of Facebook.
I think it’s weird that people just view you from a far and never comment on things. I’ve been trying to use Facebook more as what it’s made for, commenting on stuff, kind of actually USING facebook rather than just watching everyone. Makes me feel involved in the bigger commuinty I suppose.
But then it makes you wonder who’s viewing your profile and your pictures and such. Who creeps you on a daily basis? I know my profile is pretty restricted and only people who are my friends can see it. So not to many people can creep me. I think…
Facebook has given way to the instant world, where we know everything that’s going on with everyone at anytime. It has it’s good and it’s bad. I’ve recently re-connected with a few of my old friends from high school, and it’s nice to be in touch with them again. I also think Facebook provides a good way to network and promote yourself. Perhaps my future employer will see something on Facebook about me and be more inclined (or less inclined if pictures of me totally trashed at this party are up) to hire me. Applebee’s is a huge supporter of Facebook, our resturaunt has it’s own page, and they use it to connect with the employees, which I think is great, and an easy way to stay in touch and connected.
I think that’s about all I can say on this topic. Hope you enjoyed! Leave me a comment on your thoughts about Facebook!
Later days,
- J
Internet Infamy
Salutations Internet,
I hope you’re having a good Tuesday and that all is right in your world.
Just an update for you, my computer is still in limbo, I was informed yesterday that when buying electronics with Mastercard or Visa, they will automatically double your warranty! So technically my computer is still under warranty and thus can be repaired for free! This is good news. Now we just have to wait for the paperwork to go through and then the repairs can begin. In the meantime, I am still relying on my girlfriend and computer labs to get my internet fix.
I was talking to my brother last night about YouTube and stupid videos and people gaining fame. I showed him a few videos of people from YouTube that I know about, sxephil (http://www.youtube.com/user/sxephil) and Boxxy (http://www.youtube.com/user/boxxybabee) and Fred Figglehornhttp://www.youtube.com/user/fred?blend=1&ob=4). The last two are teenage kids who have become famous for making videos on YouTube. “Fred” has to be about 14 or 15, pretending to be a 6 year old kid, is the most subscribed all time, most viewed all time (comedians) and even appeared and won a Teen Choice Award. I never really understood this guy’s appeal, but I will give him credit for his determination. He’s got t-shirts and hats and has bascially become a phenom in the internet world. And all this for just acting stupid and then speeding it up on a movie editor. Sigh. I don’t understand why people love this stuff. It has no substance to it and adds nothing to your life. If your attention span has dwindled down to that of a 15 year old screaming at a camera for 3 minutes about his imaginary friends, then I think it’s time you changed your lifestyle a little.
It makes me wonder about my own internet infamy. I’ve got a blog and I write about nothing of any importance to anyone, and yet I’m happy when I’m over 200 total views. Everyone is wanting the world to look upon them and show themselves off. I know that I am dropping my URL to all my friends and being like, “Hey, check out my blog.” Some of them I sincerely want to read what I post here, because I don’t get to talk to them often and they have a way to know what’s going on in my life, but others, I just want to click and bump up my view count. And why? I don’t really know, I don’t think I’m going to become any international success with my great blogs about nothing. The time for that has past. Maybe if I had started a blog in 1999, when I was nine and still playing Pokemon and stuff, then my blog may have been successful, but jumping on the bandwagon now means no success will come of this.
And why is it that we’re always looking for success from everything we do? I should just be happy if the 10 people that read this whenever I update it actually enjoy it. And I hope that you do enjoy it! 
I’ve seen this picture before, and I think it’s a really good representation of what the internet, and thus blogging has become. I’ve never been a fan of twitter or tumblr or whatever, I feel like that’s just a quick way to get your two cents out and for everyone to see, “Oh hey look, So-and-so is doing this. I don’t care.” I appreciate blogs because it means the author and subsequentially the reader have to take time to read the blog.
Also. Frick. There is some stupid girl in the lab who is on ICQ, (an instant messenger for those of you who don’t know) and the stupid little “Uh-oh” sound that goes off anytime she gets a message is really friggen annoying. I just want to go over there and hit the stupid mute button on her keyboard. There it is again. Frick.
Anyways, sorry for the tangent. I find this really weird this whole blogging thing I’ve started. I found myself lying in bed last night, thinking of things to write in my blog tomorrow. Great amazing interesting antecdotes about my life that people will like. But, alas I can hardly remember any of them. (Although, Brother, what about “Engineering Ingenuity” for your blog name?)
Also! Here’s another webcomic for your enjoyment! My girlfriend and I found this a long time ago and couldn’t remember what it was called! But now we found it again. So I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do! http://eqcomics.com/ I’ve attached the first comic of the series for your viewing pleasure.
I think that’s all for today, I’ve ranted and raved enough. I hope you enjoyed. I’m off to break that stupid ICQ girls keyboard.
Later days,
- J
Mac Letter
So as you may or may not know, I have been having troubles with my computer, so today I decided to send the Mac people an email and let them know I am not happy, this is how it goes:
Dear Folks at Mac,
I have been a fan of your products for about 3 years now, and I was very happy when I bought my first laptop, a refurbished MacBook Pro. I was very pleased with the idea of getting a refurbished computer, and the 30% off was definitely a plus. But within the year or using my computer, I have not been so satisfied with it.
Within the first ten days, I had to get the a brand new CD drive installed into the machine, leaving me without my new computer for two weeks. Within 6 months, I had to get my battery replaced, because my original one was part of a defective batch that had been recalled. And now, a year and a half later, my logic board has stopped working, resulting in my computer becoming completely un-usable. I am now waiting to repair my computer.
When buying a refurbished computer, I understood the risks that came with it, but I was fairly confident in the abilities of your people at Apple to provide me with a computer that would not have these kinds of malfunctions. I am now questioning whether my next computer will be a Mac, and that has to do with my poor experience in owning my own Mac. I hope that in the future when you are putting on the shelf, ready to sell, that problems like this will not happen. Defective batteries and improper CD drives should not be happening in a computer that has been certified by your staff as ready to be re-sold. I think it would be wise to the customer to know what has happened to their computer that made it refurbished in the first place.
Thank you for your time and consideration in reading my letter.
I hope this helps you in the future in better customer satisfaction.JCS
Victoria BC, Canada
So following that, they give you a nice little blurb saying:
Thank you for your feedback on the MacBook Pro.
We cannot respond to you personally, but please know that your message has been received and will be reviewed by the MacBook Pro Team. If we need to follow up with you on your ideas for improving the MacBook Pro, we will contact you directly.
We appreciate your assistance in making the MacBook Pro a great computer.
MacBook Pro Team
Apple
Well ain’t that just great. They’re not going to respond to me. Then whats the freaking point of even sending in the feedback? I’m becoming less and less enthused about Mac’s support.
