RAWR...Madrid....grumble grumble grumble

Greensboro is snowed in and doesn't have snow-fighting technology. My friends have graciously let me stay at their house. So, in order to combat cabin fever and snow madness-- I have resumed all of my old internet time-wasting activites.

National Geographic Puzzles
This is horrifyingly addictive.

Free Rice
I rediscovered this after years of neglect. I used to just think that they only quizzed you on vocabulary-- but you can quiz yourself on geography, chemical symbols, art, french, german, and spanish. You can also set the subject to "math" but I am not a LOSER.

wimp.com
Don't bother with YouTube, this has all of the best video's on it. It's good for anyone coming off a YouTube bender. There are only five new videos per day-- but they are all cool.

Dump.com
The best pictures EVER.

At the bottom of most all my applications is the statement that they won't: "discriminate in hiring on the basis or race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status or status in any other group protected by federal, state or local law." I am not so much worried about any of that-- I am more worried that you will discriminate on the basis of my lack of experience.

I am just going to have to assault them with my charming personality.

..and develop a charming personality.

------
Invictus  

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley

------
How freaking amazing is that?!

I personally enjoy that the poem was both the inspiration for Mandela during his struggle to unite a country torn apart by apartheid-- and for me in my woeful job search.

The two struggles have endless similarities.

Except that they don't...

The Good Ol' Days...

People are up in arms about Sigourney Weaver's character smoking in the film 'Avatar.' Anti-smoking groups feel that movies that have characters who smoke should have their rating changed to reflect that (i.e. 'Avatar's' PG-13 rating would become an R rating). James Cameron has recently answered these ridiculous claims (in a statement much more graceful and measured than mine would ever be) but I don't think it should have even been an issue. If your kid is that influenced by what he sees on TV that he has to go out and immediately act out whatever the characters on screen are doing-- you have more problems than your kid just wanting to smoke.

Its not as if this commercial is still on air...



Go see 'Avatar.' If you come out absolutely craving a cigarette, I'll buy you your first pack... and mourn your inability to think critically.
---

NOTE: I'll be in Greensboro, NC for a while and I am WAAAAAY behind in my movie watching quota. I will probably be calling every night to see if anyone wants to go with me. CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULES!

Cherry Cherry Boom Boom

So I just learned tonight that the noises I have been hearing across the marsh have not been from a construction crew-- they were BOMBS. Hunter Army Air Force is relatively close to us but I never put it together...

Anyway!

Just a couple of cool things you should know about in the glorious pointless world of pop culture:

1) DJ EARWORM ~ I love this guy. He has a lot of mash-ups at his site. The one that is really getting a lot of attention is his latest mash-up of all the hit songs of 2009 (called "Blame it on the Pop"). He has been doing this sort of thing for the past three years. You can download all of them for free at his website. Do it!




2) RICKY GERVAIS HOSTING THE GOLDEN GLOBES ~ Despite my massive love for pop culture, I think there are far too many award shows. Can't we love celebrieties without having to watch them fawn over themselves at these vapid ceremonies? I am psyched Ricky Gervais is hosting because I think he might be of the same mind.

"As I said at the Emmys, don't cry. It's just an award. Grow up. Don't thank your wife and kids. They did nothing towards that show. Don't thank your agent. They don't want to be thanked-- they want the money. If you have to thank too many people, you shouldn't be picking up the award because to be quite honest, it looks like you didn't do a lot. I want people to go: "No one to thank, did it all myself, you made the right decision, good night."

Nice.

Okay- this is the last one I will do. I PROMISE. These characters were always meant to be on stage together.

Featured Players: Dakota Fanning, Jenny, Mandy, Maya Angelou, and a Raptor.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The Mayans also predicted my rise to glory in 2010

You know what causes writer's block? The desire to be perfect and you shouldn't have that desire... because I have seen your work and you're certainly not

--Stephen J. Cannell

This quote was actually uttered in jest-- but I really liked it. Now that I am out of school and have already successfully conquered Europe, I have to go out and figure out what I want to do.

The Job Search makes me break out into a cold sweat. The idea of writing a resume makes me seriously consider a life of crime. Despite my parent's suspicions, I don't actually have an aversion to "work" (one can have a deep appreciation for sleep and want to have a career). I think it is more that going through school, my interests were so varied that it is kind of hard to visualize a specific application for everything that I have learned.

So I am going to try and shed my desire to be perfect and just go out and do stuff.

Desire?

BAM--Gone!

Take that, Buddha.

2010 is going to be great.