Bob, the bringer of silliness (생쇼 잘하는 인간)

1. Pick 15 of your favorite movies. I'll do 10.
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.
5. NO GOOGLING!/using IMDb search functions or using social networking sites.

I may not do the strikeouts, but I will probably do an update after all have been gotten. I'm also recalling some quotes from memory.

1) Here, if you have a milkshake, and I have a milkshake, and I have a straw. There it is, that's a straw, you see? You watching?. And my straw reaches acroooooooss the room, and starts to drink your milkshake... I... drink... your... milkshake! I drink it up!

2) As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team... I don't know what he was talking about.

3) Sergeant Butterman, the little hand says it's time to rock and roll!

4) You should've gone to China, you know, 'cause I hear they give away babies like free iPods. You know, they pretty much just put them in those t-shirt guns and shoot them out at sporting events.

5)Insanity runs in my family... It practically gallops.

6) a: I thought you hated the theater?
b: I also hate the sight of blood, but it's in my veins.

7)I'm going to find it and I'm going to destroy it. I don't know how yet. Possibly with dynamite.

8)Space, says the introduction to the guide, is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind bogglingly big it is. And so on.

9) How do you shoot the devil in the back? What if you miss?

10)You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig.

Everything I never really needed to know, I learned from cliche posters.

So no, I don't have narcolepsy, nor do I have insomnia.

What I may have is apnea. Not a big deal. I'm going to a sleeping center tonight. They'll hook probes up to my body, and little scanners to my eyes, and put clips on my fingers to test my oxygen, and then ask me to get a good night's sleep. =P

I will keep you guys posted, but there are several possible outcomes. Here's the one which I think is most likely. They tell me to sleep on my side, not drink alcohol before bed, and to exercise more. That's fine and dandy with me.

The other option is that I sleep with a machine hooked up to me. Sounds bad, but it's just a continuous, gentle pressure that gets applied to your nose.

The goal of all this is to stop me falling asleep while driving, taking excessive naps in the day, etc etc...

I'll keep you guys posted.

Christianity has a lens through which they view human behavior. Most call it "the fall." Whereby mankind picked up the battle standard and waged war against God, a war which exists to this day. All of human action is marred as we act through this filter, our earthly bodies being opposed to He who is divine, and all of the divinity he has made accessible to us.

I'm not surprised by the state of things in this world. I saw Children of Men recently. It really underscores this notion of fall. I also saw City of God, which really depicts the same thing. Really, quite a bit of timeless cinema paints the fall of man, a sort of warranted cynicism about humanity.

The other side of the coin is restoration and redemption. I believe these themes run throughout our lives, and some themes are more prevalent than others. Often times we make mistakes. The question then is whether we find forgiveness and restoration, or whether we continue to fall. Fortunately I come from a family which tries to model the restoration of our relationships, and covering the bad things with good, I can only hope to do the same.

The saying "every sinner has a future, and every saint has a past." is illustrative. I think it's oversimplistic, of course, nothing is clearcut. Every saint still has elements of their "past" with them. What covers all of this?

Grace.

If all human interaction was graceless, we'd be in a bad place. If every time I yelled at my dad, he just yelled back at me, we'd be stuck in silly cycles. If, for every time I was selfish, someone else was selfish back, I can imagine how poor an existence this would be. Our existence would be reduced to the selfish struggle for pleasure and power that all people try to make life into. Fortunately there is grace.

People choose to forgive, to rebuild, to restore. So does God.

Grace is unmerited, not based on what one deserves. It is truly unfair, truly unjust, but no one can complain. Grace is the victory of redemption over the fall.

I want to make it the paradigm by which I exist, and through which I interact with others. I challenge you too to be focused on others rather than to be self-centered, and to consider others to be better than yourself, and hold them in a higher light than you want to.

Tough, right?

I know. Story of my life.
-----------------------------------------------

Life right now is very busy.
I'm trying not to procrastinate.
I'm working two jobs, and have evening activities M-Th. M-W-F I have the opportunity to see Shaima and chat with her as I tech for a class she's taking.
Tomorrow Suzanne will take the GRE, and then we'll be going on a road trip to Williamsberg(sp?) with Sammy to visit his famuree farm.

I am trying hard to study for a test and write an essay due next week. Also trying to brush up on my chess fundamentals, pins, forks, checkmates, and all that good MTQ stuff.
I want to get some pictures up soon. Hopefully some video as well.

Life is moving a mile a minute (aka 60 MPH), which isn't that fast... but it feels fast.
Haha, what I mean to say is, life is moving a minute a minute. Crazy, huh? Well, before my rambling completely dissolves, I'll hit this post butan. Sorry for the long entry.
Next I'll post about Humans vs. Zombies.

I don't want my friends to get the "I was the last to know!" feeling.

I guess if anything ever was update worthy. This is it.

I am an engaged man, to Suzanne McLeod.

Last Friday, I picked up the ring, which I ordered from excel diamonds. It's a real beaut.

I really couldn't wait, so I proposed within 15 minutes of next seeing her, though it felt like forever.

She was in her room on her computer, and she got up to do something, so I said "Suzanne McLeod, I can't wait any more!" and then I got down on my knee, remembered which hand the ring goes on, proposed to her, and before I pulled it out she was saying "yes!" and being exuberant and such. It was quite a scary moment for me, but much relief followed.

Telling other people over and over can be a drag, but it was on of those magical moments in life. Still, we're struggling to be emotional distance runners rather than sprinters, who fall in and out of love like a person eating gets full. Love has to be about more than personal desires, or we'll end up distorting our relationships with other people.

This wasn't supposed to be a philosophical discourse on love, but recently I'm getting a jonesing to start writing more. I feel like i've neglected you, my LJ friends, the ones who truly need to read about me, because you don't see me weekly, sometimes even monthly, or many monthly. We are going to plan an engagement party(i thought engagement engagement would be too redundant) and invite plenty of people.

If you're an LJ friend who I know face to face, you're 99% invited to the wedding. Even people like TJ and Kellen may receive invitations, despite the improbability of them coming. I truly want everyone to come!


Plan to be in the maryland area next summer! =)

Please HP fans, for your sake, don't click on stray links!! For your self, I can vouch for the fact that the whole entire book is up online.

Don't go to YTMND.com at all, either, unless you want spoilers.

I was tempted to spoil it, but Suzi convinced me what a poor move that would be.

Seeing as I still want friends.

Go out, get the book early, and enjoy.


-Rob

Updated.

Fight to the death

What does it mean?

All men fight to their death.

It's merely a question of degree.

Let's presume individuals who do not change their ideals. It doesn't change much, it just makes it easier to analyze case studies.

The pacifist fights for his ideal of non-violence in the ways he sees fit. Protests, pamphlets, argument, perhaps. Perhaps the pacifist thinks the best way to be a pacifist is to not force his views on anyone and be relaxed for the rest of his life, loving others. Some pacifists may think a little violence is the best way to bring peace, that by bombing the department of defense, or fighting police officers in the street, he can get across the point that violence sucks. Don't be surprised, it's happened before.

The politician sits behind his desk and pledges to move the country in a certain way. The good politician fights for change. He will be a republican or democrat until he dies and will fight for his views during  his life.

The tolerant man fights for tolerance of all values. His primary value is tolerance. He fights against people who are intolerant, despite the fact that he is intolerant himself.

I believe that any man who fights for anything is intolerant of his opposite. The republican intolerant of the democrat, the marxist intolerant of the fascist, the pink intolerant of the blue. The tolerant man masks his values, or fights for the devaluation of all things.

The apathetic man fights for himself. He is selfish. Whatever makes him most comfortable in a situation is what he will become. The apathetic man is like water, and will fit into a mold. He has no values other than himself. He tricks you by not fighting hard for anything, you think he does not fight to the death. Truly he just avoids all conflict. He is the proverbial rock.

Just my thoughts from today.

So, i guess i'll give all you LJers an update.
This post will include (Semester Post Mortems 'academic, interpersonal' as well as christmas wishlist)

Academic post-mortem.
I haven't gotten all my grades back
ENGL393 A
GVPT221 A-
GVPT319A A
PHIL233 ?
PHIL320 ?
PHIL428M ?

The philosphy department is obviously having fun grading ALL OF MY ESSAYS. Grr.
I'm a Government and Philosophy Double Major now. I could graduate with my philosophy major next semester if I so desired, however, I'm gonna hold my horses and finish both majors.

I know the philosophy grades are ?'s but I'll tell you what grades they're gonna get, B+, B, B-, or around there, maybe a surprise A if i'm lucky and there's a minute chance of a surprise C (in the 200 level class surprisingly enough, just because 1 essay and the final haven't been returned).

I worked well the at the beggining of the semester, but was just bogged down at the end. Consequently, i've done.. half of the readings.
The grades this semester mean I preserve my 4.0 within the government major, and I also preserve my 3.0 (if my tentative grades are right) within the phil major. Getting A's is impossible with them. To tell the truth I put 10x as much work into phil as i did into government, so i'm content with the B's, because i know I learned much.

Social Postmortem
This semester I led an Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Small group bible study. We met every thursday of the semester at 6 for food and bible study.
These guys were a real blessing to me. We started the semester with the book of Ruth, and ended the semester by starting the book of Ephesians. My Co-Leader is Diana Newsom who is the president of ODK(omicron delta kappa). She's a pre-med major who's involved in... everything. It was wonderful to work with her as she brought alot of insight to the table with regards to the scriptures. Here's a picture of them.


Awesome, I told ya.

Mock Trial, technically an academic class, took up my whole life.
I am an expert witness for the Mock Trial team. Dr Dana Haskins, a psychologist.
Mock Trial has taken me to Yale(New Haven, Connecticutt) and UVA(held in DC, sadly) for tournaments this semester. At the end of winter, I'll be going to Arizona for another tournament. Our other team got to go to Memphis, Tennessee, but I got to see Meg and Jess Jiang at Yale! I've done fairly well as the doctor, so I'm happy with the way things are. W00t.

Girlfriend. This is the first time ever i've done the girlfriend thing. Hopefully this is also the last time (for all the right reasons). She's pretty amazing. Firstly, she a geek, she plays chess, video games(age of empires, anything really), backgammon and Risk. She loves my corny jokes, and laughs heartily at them. She also cooks food for me whenever she can, and she's good at it! I'm partly resentful towards her good cooking, because i can't make fun of it, but I'll get over it. Honestly, this is a really good relationship, borne out of a really good friendship.
Here are two pictures of her.



And another



She's beautiful, perhaps to you too, but even more to me.

If you want a chance to meet her, I'll be having a New Years Party at my house. I've yet to set plans in concrete, but i'll have fun activities planned, as well as a movie (Princess Bride for the 80th time anyone?)

Christmas Wishlist
This is short.
3x Gamecube Controllers (any variety. new or used or yours)
1x Gamecube memory stick.
1x You coming to my new years party. 2xYou if you have a twin, they're invited too.

Many thanks for all the cards i've been getting. I only wish I could show you as much love as you show me. You've been wonderful friends.

I'll put the things up for my next entry, I promise.





With my Grandfather's death, alot of war collections, including pictures-which I hope to scan, various cloth patches and medals, etc, etc (we have more than 30 with eagles holding swastika's or Italian Fasces on them-probably ripped off of dead guys). There is also my grandpa's war journal, which is filled with some vivid stuff that I hope to transcribe online.

My grandpa served in North Africa in WWII.
He transcribed this song into his journal, which I presume was popular at the time.
"And when we meet, music starts
Upon the strings of our hearts
And we don't speak through the song
For words are weak when love is strong
And when we kiss there's a sound
Like violins all around
And then the moment when
We kiss again
Our song becomes a thrilling
Concerto for two
For me and you."
There are only two places on the internet you can find this song, and one charges 4 dollars for the sheet music, the other one lists the lyrics incorrectly.


War Journal Entry
"That night, early in June, when the moon came up at about 10 o'clock and set at about 5.30, was the worst night that I have yet experienced. That afternoon thousands of trucks passed through El Adam. They strafed from below the escarpment, just next to the mined areas to the fringe of the de(could not read), as far up and down the valley as the eye could see. I didn't think that there were so many trucks in the world. they stopped and about turned and made for the front again. They were still in the valley when the Fll 88's and 9 MEs arrived. The mEs acted as top cover and the Fll88s did the straffing. The ack-ack spewed up with a vengeance at the MEs. Soldiers and airmen just ploughed through the ground for funkies(think foxhole). Two armourers and myself jumped into a shallow shell crater and fired away at the aircraft with our 303s, but the reception they received from our ack-acks, machine guns and rifles was too hot for them and they made off while the going was good--That night from 10PM until 5AM we were bombed and ground straffed. We crouched and lay and huddled up and assumed all manner of position. We could hear the Fll88's droning above us and then the bombs would explode
--1...2...3...4(they came in groupings of four),
then another wait and the bombs would explode again.  Each time the 'kite' flew over the war gunner would turn his gun down and spray the tents, dug-outs, trucks. Every fifth bullet is a tracer and you could see a stream coming down, hit the ground and ricoshade(my g-pa's spelling of ricochet) all over the place. The Fll88 also dropped whistling bombs. I lay and listened to the whistle and screech of the bomb, and each time it sounded as if the bomb(s) was going to fall right on top of me, and each time I would pray and pray as I had never prayed before. I, and I suppose every other chap) expected death any second -- a bomb on top of me, next to me, or the bullets to creep up my spine. He dropped flares that lit up the whole camp, dropped anti-personel bombs, delayed action bombs, booby traps, but the worst of the straffing and the whistling bombs and you let out a gasp of relief when you saw the explosion and then heard the
'whoof, 'wh-o-o-f wh-o-o-f, W-H-O-O-F.
We lay awake the whole night and cursed because the ack-ack did not open up fire. The kites came in relays; as one finished with his bombing so another would take his place. At 5am, just as the sun was about to come up the enemy kites ducked for home. By that time we were nearly all bomb-happy."


That's all from his journal for now, so here is a quick poem which he clipped from a newspaper, presumably after the conflict. It's a little racially charged, but words like Wog didn't become offensive until the 50's.

A Soldier's Farewell to Egypt
Land of heat and sweaty pores--
Sandstorms, flies and desert sores--
Streets of sorrow: streets of shame:
Streets without a bleeding name--
Streets of filth and stinking dogs,
Harlots, thieves and pestering Wogs.
Clouds of choking dust that blinds--
Drives the fellows off their minds.
Aching hearts and aching feet,
Gyppo-guts and camel meat.
The Arab's Heaven--the Soldier's Hell--
Land of Pharoahs--
Fare thee well!

Leave Your name and...
1. I'll respond with something random about you.
2. I'll challenge you to try something.
3. I'll pick a color that I associate with you.
4. I'll tell you something I like about you.
5. I'll tell you my first/clearest memory of you.
6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7. I'll ask you something I've always wanted to ask you.

1.YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet and current street name)
Pranks Tamarack *I kinda like it*

2. YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME: (grandfather/grandmother on mother's side first name, favorite candy)
Dick York

3. YOUR "FLY GIRL/GUY" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
R-Mae (Yo peeps, all the girls are enlisting with tEH ARRRMAEEE, SIGN ON UUUP)

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite animal, name of high school)
Dog Springbrook yeahhhh

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
Richard London or Dick London or Edward London or Ted London

6. YOUR OPPOSITE SEX NAME: (name of dad/mom, cell phone Company you use)
Rosy Cingular

7. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (first 3 letters of your last name, last 3 letters of mother's maiden name, first 3 letters of your pet's name)
Maearybas

8. PORN STAR NAME: (middle name, street you grew up on)
Edward Campground, Dick Campground, Richard Campground, Ted Campground

9. YOUR FASHION DESIGNER NAME: (first word you see on your left, favorite restaurant)
Monday Macaroni Grille


It started off so promisingly.

Although the porn star one will give a few of ya kicks.

All my Chess loving friends, go to Chessmaniac.com and sign up.
I'll be holding a four person tournament, which means I need two more of you(cough John and Aleks).
It's a correspondence type chess, but it's real time. Still, the most I require of you is 1 move every two days.

Games can go quickly or slowly, but they will go.

Tell me when you've signed up. My username is 'TheStoic'

"But where is the passion?"

i asked.

1. Today I walked between classes noting the cumbersome effects of low temperatures and bone-chilling winds. People were looking down at the sidewalks huddled in their coats, praying to make it through their trial. Being that everyone was looking downwards I took a moment to look upwards... the sky was wonderful. Everyone seemed too ensconced with temporal cold to glance at the majesty above them. It made the day seem more personal. The skies were made for me.

 This is the day the LORD has made; 
        let us rejoice and be glad in it.

---

2. Grasping a mental appreciation of Nietzsche involves accepting what he says as truth, and grasping the generated outcomes. Infinite despair is an ultimate void. Infinite faith is a firm foundation. I shall cling to my hope, you may take all the despair you want.

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; 
        my hope comes from him.

---

3. A curious think happened in the shower as I considered the verse
                  "Knowledge puffs up,
                          but love builds up."
I spotted a shampoo with a seemingly grandiloquent label. Included in the text was
                 "Adds volume,
                          without build-up"
I puzzled for a second over the anti-thesis in this paralell. Had my shampoo just contradicted my bible? Hah! The advice was good for my hair, maybe, but not for my head.

                    Before his downfall a man's heart is proud,
                               but humility comes before honor.

http://kevan.org/johari?name=Maeder

It's that Johari window thing. Check it.


http://kevan.org/nohari?name=Maeder

The nohari window is my negative traits.

http://upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060207-041447-2345r

Crap! I've gotta go get that Hummer!

I like the new budget, although I hate having to see "defense" spending go up,
and i'm hoping and praying that we don't get into military conflicts with Iran and N.Korea in the near future.. at least till 2016.

and... i'm still arguing with myself about whether eminent domain is right.
the logical and pragmatic in me tells me... sure.
the skeptic in me says no.

Yeah, i'm excited for the semester.
I'll be taking existentialism, philosophy of religion, American Literature from 1865 to present, Basic Government and Politics(not the course title, but an accurate descriptor), and Critical thinking and speaking.

This is my revised schedule.



Look at that friday. Jimenez, to math, to plant sciences, to cole field house, to math. I don't particularly see how Lefrak to Plant Sciences is much harder than Lefrak to Tydings, it's really just a 50 yards, depending on where the class is.

I want to see all of you again, and i'm excited to meet transfer students, especially ones who might have gone to my high school. Seriously guys, lets do lunch.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10796064/

My opinion: It's a philosophy class. If the parents are supporting it in the majority, and if students keep taking it, leave it alone.