the good, the bad, and the ugly

the good- i'm done with the work for three of my classes and am just waiting for the As to roll in.

the bad- i just need to worry about the other two.

the ugly- my novel is due on Thursday, and i'm still at 2,500 words. yikes.

random thoughts

- i'm so pathetic. today i was so excited. about what, you ask? about the new Heroes episode. when your life consists of fifty thousand thesis papers and a neglected novel, things like Heroes are reasons to live.

- although i've been enjoying the new NIN CD, i personally think that The Fragile is a masterpiece that even the master cannot beat. years later, i am still amazed each time i hear it.

- i'm on a Red Bull, Rockstar, and pretzel diet. yes i know it's not healthy. i took a nutritional sciences class. unfortunately, my schedule only allows for energy drinks and little twisted pieces of bread. okay, so that doesn't make sense, but i've been working on my Ulysses paper. that's as coherent as i get right now.

- i'm pretty sure my sister and i embarrassed my classmate at Starbucks today. we were being our usual selves, but i forget that some people care about what other people think. and i guess staring, pointing, and laughing at other people is not socially acceptable behavior.

- i dyed my hair black. i don't remember if i've mentioned that yet or not. i kind of like it dark all over. i feel like a new me just in time for graduation. but i'm thinking of streaking it with some obnoxious color so that everyone can distinguish me as i walk across the stage to get my faux diploma. (you have to go get the real one later. what a gyp.)

- this post is stupid. i just didn't want anyone to think i kicked the bucket. the wabbit kicked the bucket. the bucket kicked the wabbit. i need sleep.

Year Zero review

well the new NIN CD officially came out today, and i thought i'd do a little review since i have a paper and a project due, and i don't feel like doing them.

-Hyperpower!- first of all, who puts and exclamation point at the end of a song title? Trent, that's who. it's his way of giving the finger to whoever the hell he's mad at since this CD seems a bit angry. (well, i guess they all do, but this one is "roid rage" angry and not "i hate myself" angry.) It's just a bunch of noise that i think got put on the CD by accident and then needed a name to look like it was done on purpose.

-The Beginning of the End- so this one isn't that angry. it's just a doomsday prophecy. like one of those old dudes holding a "the end is near" sign. not that i'm calling Trent old...

-Survivalism- you've heard this one. it's the one where the band shows off its manliness by shouting in a really loud, macho tone. it makes my little, girly heart go all a'quiver.

-The Good Soldier- (i'm not sure, but i'm beginning to suspect that this might be a politically charged CD...) nothing much to say about this one. Trent sings about trying to believe. it's kinda sing songy. might make a good nursery rhyme.

-Vessel- i have no idea what this song is about. it's long and wordy. i might need some Ritalin because there are still eleven songs i need to review.

-Me, I'm Not- watch out. Trent busts out with the falsetto in this one. he might even use a Timberlake dance move when he sings it live. (i wouldn't know because he's still touring overseas.) there are some echo effects, too. it's a treat for the ears, folks.

-Capital G- that's a G as in gangsta. what? it's not? well either way, i'm pretty sure Trent had the hiccups when he sang it. and there's some guitar work so the rest of the group will have something to do while they're on stage.

-My Violent Heart- it's only the eighth track, but Trent is tired. he's not even singing by now. he's just talking. and he's recycling lyrics from previous CDs. it might even just be a mash up of old tracks.

-The Warning- there's a funky little tune at the beginning of this song that makes me want to belly dance while shrooming. i think it put me in a trance because i have no idea what the song is about other than it's a warning. maybe pregnant women shouldn't listen to it.

-God Given- this one is very tricksy. it starts just like about fifty other NIN songs, but then when you're pretty sure you're being scammed, he changes it up. plus there's some whispering with no telling what's being told to you on a subconscious level. and i think he's judging me for being a minority. i think someone is banging on trashcans in the background, too.

-Meet Your Master- someone was playing a video game when this one was recorded. there's a lot of blips and bleeps and zoinks. of course, i can't blame whoever it was. we're already on track eleven with no end in sight.

-The Greater Good- i couldn't understand a word of this one. but, since the title told me, it's a damn good song.

- The Great Destroyer- talk about a flashback. i'm pretty sure Trent busted out the parachute pants when he made this one. there are some pretty good lyrics at the beginning followed by 6.8 hours of synthesized noise.

-Another Version of the Truth- oh oh. Trent must have just remembered that he likes to put instrumental, piano-heavy songs in his CDs. since there are none up to this point, this one is extra long to make up for it.

-In This Twilight- no comment.

-Zero Sum- more talking. it's kind of a lecture about how we knew better, and we're all douches. then it gets kinds of preachy. who needs church when you have the new NIN CD?!

overall, i must say this one is a weiner. run out and buy it this instant so you can participate in the glorious experience that is Nine Inch Nails.

random middle of the night ramblings

- i'm a little obsessed with V for Vendetta. i've seen it an inordinate number of times since it's come out on cable. well, i haven't really seen it. i put it on in the background while i write papers. i'm surprised there isn't a subconscious inclusion of the letter V in everything i tvpe.

- May 5th is going to be the happiest day of my life. it's the day that i turn in my last assignment. there will be much rejoicing the second i hand it in. of course, the rejoicing will only last for as long as it takes me to drive from Tech to work where i will immediately take a nap and/or get drunk.

- Ulysses is a dirty novel. my thesis paper is turning out to involve masochism, phallic symbolism, and other disturbing things. it still isn't any fun, though.

- i'm up in the middle of the night because i just finished my annotated bibliography. i think i spent about twelve man hours on it, and it only has five sources. my mind is pretty simpled out. in fact, i cracked myself up earlier when Bitter Half was watching Star Wars and i asked "do you think Chewbacca brushes his face? because he looks pretty groomed." you know it's time to take a break when that happens.

- well i'm off to bed. i have to get up early to do laundry since i was a complete tool and didn't do it today. ta ta.

something that i really hate

you're probably thinking that since i hate everything (and everyone) that this list will be lengthy, but i'm focusing my dark side on one thing today. and that's citing sources. i've always hated it. i understand why it's done, but why does it have to be such a pain in the ass. plus, this particular instructor is making us annotate it. wtf?!?! to make matters worse, since i'm both an English and a Psychology major, i have to use MLA and APA accordingly since apparently no one can get along and make everything the same across the board. good thing i did most of my research yesterday while at work. saves me the trouble now. if i don't kill myself by the end of these next three weeks, it will be a bloody miracle.

everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt

how sad that Kurt Vonnegut has passed away, but he was pretty old so i guess it was inevitable. if i wasn't so sick of reading, i'd bust out my copy of Slaugherhouse-Five and give her another go.

yowza

today is the parental units' anti-versary. 37 years. to celebrate, the fam is going to Furr's later to gorge on smashed potatoes and pie. after i'm in a food coma, i'm going to go home and watch some TV since my DVR is about to bust open from so many programs. i figure that since, starting this weekend, i will be working non-stop until i graduate, i can have a couple of days to sit around being slothful.

freedom!

and for once this year, i don't mean the sweet release of death. here are just some of the things that are making me free:

-i finished three more books this week, but that's not even the best part. one of them was Ulysses! yes, i'm finally finished with the book from hell. i must say that i'm glad i got to experience the genius of James Joyce, but i wish i didn't have the five ulcers that came with it. of course, i still have to write a thesis paper on it (along with two other thesis papers that i'm procrastinating on.) that means i only have two books left this semester.

-i filed my taxes. getting that chore out of the way is freeing enough, but my return will be more than i need to pay off my Honda. yessireebob. by the end of this month, i will own my precious car. i think i'm going to give it to Bitter Half and go buy a Jeep. i'm fickle.

-it's just a little over a month until i graduate. it's surreal and a little hectic to think about. but i can't wait until my time is not dictated by homework. that will truly be freedom!

more death and dying

Bitter Half's grandmother passed away. if i have to go to another funeral this year, i'm going to die. that way you'll have to go to one for a change. speaking of my funeral, i know i stated before that it should be more fun than not, but i'm going to say it again. show movies or play Monopoly or something. don't sing hymns. and as for my obituary, i hope it's fun. my sister told me that i could write hers, and since she'll be dead, i can do whatever the hell i want to, right? so i plan on writing it in nonsensical Seuss style. she's a huge Dr. Seuss fan so it'll be appropriate, in my opinion. i hope mine is just a list of profanities. well, a newspaper probably won't allow that so maybe mine can just say that i liked weasels, lowercase letters, and the name Jesus. whatever. or maybe just draw some stick figures and label them as members of my family. plus, use my death as an opportunity to milk your bereavement pay if you have any. i think that would be a nice gesture. anyhow, i'm sick of death and dying. it's a downer.

blogging in real time

i thought i'd try something different so i'm blogging in real time while i sit at the coffee shop and work on this God forsaken novel.

3:44- i've written 379 words. my damn headphones died so i have no musical motivation either. but this coffee is dee-lish, and it's hitting the spots.

4:03- i'm now at 821 words. the coffee shop put on some orchestral music which i'm enjoying. i'm tempted to visit blogs rather than write this novel, but i'm determined to stay the course! also, this employee here is really chipper. i can't understand people like that. maybe she's chewing on coffee beans.

4:34- this places closes at freakin' five. what the hell? oh, by the way, i'm at 1,313 words. i really need to get at least five thousand done today. ten thousand would be ideal. i think i may go to Starbucks after this. if i go home, i will be seduced by the TV or a nap or Tumble Bees on Pogo. i have the attention span of a fruit fly.

3:50- i went back in time. yes, that's right, i must've entered a time portal while sitting here at the coffee shop. this whole time i've been "blogging in real time" has been a lie! turns out my computer clock was an hour ahead so i still have time to sit here and write. speaking of, i'm at 1,611 words. not too shabby if i say so myself.

4:22- 2,064 words. i'm very pleased to say that i've included muff, joto, and nipple among those. (my sense of achievement comes easily.)

4:46- i'm at 2,500 words. halfway to my goal for today. i have to pee like a mo fo since i've had about thirty cups of coffee. i don't want to go here because i have a thing with public restrooms so i plan on going home in a bit to relieve myself. the coffee lady just put my coffee in a to go cup so i take it that i need to get going. everyone's so nice here! if it was me, i'd have given everyone a hearty shove out the door.

6:29- i went home and took a break. then i came to Jason's Deli only to find that aliens sucked the battery out of my laptop so i give up for today. halfway to my goal is fine with me. i'm going to use the rest of this computer's juice to read blogs. ta ta!

it's never too early...for a salad.

i wish i had my own personal narrator.