Iffy at best

Have I ever extolled the virtues of hip-hugging jeans? No? well then... I believe that these creations are the gift that this generation has given to the world. Some people might think it's just a fad and that they won't last, and they may not, but I really hope they do. They way that they meld with the female form is spectacularly tittilating and enticing. I think that true beauty is hard to show off but with these jeans it becomes seamingly simple. Amen.

I had an idea for a thesis paper. I was talking with an Orthodox priest and we started talking about Evangelical churches and how they are more like cults than churches. I had the brilliant notion that maybe these cults are so enticing for people because unlike Judaism, Catholocism, Orthodoxy or any of the other older religions, these new forums for worship don't require any intelectualizing on the part of the congregation.

This train of thought led me to surmise that the anti-intellectualism that I have noticed of late (and that Toqueville noted in the 1700s) is the perfect reason for the rise of the cults. I didn't know where to start my research on this, but i know that the first thing I need to do is to find examples of the anti-intellectual bias in writing so I picked up Toqueville's "Democracy in America" and am working my way through it right now. It's a fascinating read.

My best friend from college emailed me and apparently his relationship isn't working out the way it was supposed to so he may be moving back into town soon. I feel horrible for him, but over the last two years I've really missed him so if he comes back I thnk it will be a good thing.

Work has been going well, but I really do need to find a good TOEFL study guide for my students and for myself. I have to find something to teach them grammar with. The cool part of the job right now is that my students get really tired after about two hours of work so instead of finishing at noon, I let them go at 11. This frees me up to do whatever the hell I want with my time, which is just wonderful.

Where oh where have all the beautiful girls that just want some red hot monkey love gone? I don't know. The girl that I'm lusting after lives in California now and I every time I try to tell her how I feel about her, I screw things up even worse than they were before. I don't know how I do it, but I do it and do it well. She's in the area this week and she won't call me. Too hard to explain right now.

--Othello

Never look a gift horse in the mouth...especially if it was raised by canibals.

Why am I still awake you ask? It is because I am waiting. Waiting for what, you press? For an airplane I answer. Wait, are you going somewhere? Nope. Then why are you waiting for an airplane? Because someone I know is coming in on that airplane and I must be at the airport to pick them up. Oh. Exactly.

The dartboard in the garage was an amazing idea, but I REALLY think it needs to change because when the door is open, the ceiling is just too damn low to hit the double 20. And damn if the mosquitos weren't just frickin' ubiquitous this evening. I was achin' for some repellant, but I wasn't about to give in to those pesky critters.

Oh, a woman at the cafe today was weird to me. I was sitting at my table, kinda sideways like, looking at my computer screen, when I noticed the girl at the table behind me get up and walk to the counter. I looked over to see what she was doing and I saw an egg-salad sandwhich on her table. I went back to my computer when she suddenly sat down next to me and let out an exclamation. She then turned to me and commented about how I hadn't protected her sandwhich from the fly that was sitting on it. I just kinda grinned awkwardly and went back to my computer. Then she made the comment that when flies land, they shit on whatever they land on. So what does she do? She commences eating the egg filling from inside the bread that had been touched by the fly. AND she continues talking to me with a mouthful of this salad stuff.

The woman was in her late 30's early 40's but only looked it because of some extra wrinkles on her face. She moved like a 20 year old. Within 10 minutes of her talking, I knew exactly what her politics were, the mental state of her entire family, that she was scarred by religion, and that she was a repulblican but doesn't support Bush. In about 10 minutes I was so sick of the conversatoin that I pulled out a cigarette. That's when she decided to come out with the kicker, "You probably know this already, you seem pretty intelligent, but did you know that smoking causes erectile dysfunction in men?" That's when I burst out with, "ok, this conversation is over." and walked outside. I hate this town sometimes!

Tomorrow I'm gonna go down to the cafe and do some writing. I haven't written anything in a while and I need to. I'm going to start working on a story that has some continuity, in that the characters don't change really, but the plot just makes sudden 90 degree turns that no one expects, all the way through. Very improbable things. I'm thinking of calling "Incongruosity." heh.

peace out yo.

--T.P.

I grinned widely and gave the thumbs up sign. It meant nothing. I just enjoyed the actions.

I've been having the most amazingly horrific discussions lately with my Korean student. Apparently about three or four weeks ago he started dating a white girl who's about 19. He's 24 and I have no clue how they met. Well, the story goes that her jealous ex came over one evening just as my student was pulling up in the parking lot to her house. He saw the guy in the window so he drove home. The next day he asked her what she had been doing and she said, "oh, nothing," all innocent like. He asked if she had had anyone over and she said no. He didn't wanna rock to the boat so he just let it drop. The following day she told him that she had hung out with her ex but said at the end, "Oh, but we're just friends!" When he told me that I just wanted to scream and tell him to run in the opposite direction for an hour.

Have I just become too cynical to deal with the opposite sex at all, or are girls really that devious? My student doesn't speak English that well, so I can understand if there are communication errors, but I don't think that this has anything to do with that. I think that This girl's just a bit too young for him and I think that he should get out of the situation as soon as possible.

Today I took him down to the capitol building to hang out and take the tour but just as we were about to start he told me that he didn't like tours and didn't want to go. I said fine and we walked down to the coffee shop and then to the park to talk. He asked me what kinds of girls I found attractive and I told him that I don't really think I have a type. Some girls look beautiful and turn out to be anything but and some girls aren't physically attractive but are magnificent creatures. He kinda laughed but I don't know if he understood. Then he told me that Korean girls really like tall, blond, big eyed guys and he thought that I could make a killing in Korea. Hmmm.

I really don't know how much I should be telling this kid. He paid me privately but he got my information through a university. A private Catholic university. Yesterday he was asking me about birth control and now he's asking me about dating tips. What the hell am I supposed to tell him? Should I tell him my opinion or start spouting off some Catholic schpeal about, "well, when a man and woman love each other enough to get married..." Hah!

On the news front, I really hate this upcoming election. I've been listening to Howard Stern in the mornings and I'm really beginning to loathe the guy's politics. He says that he doesn't like what the FCC's doing, and I agree with that, but he says that he's going to vote for Kerry because of that. I think this is the worst idea ever. Yes, Bush hasn't been doing a great job, but is Kerry really gonna solve any of the problems we have? The answer is no. Kerry doesn't have an exit strategy for Iraq. He doesn't have any discernable economic policy that would help out the U.S. in the four short years that he would be president. And he DEFINATELY hasn't commented on what his opinion about censorship and the FCC is. I think Stern is looking in the wrong place. I think that if he doesn't like Bush that he shouldn't vote for him, but by putting Kerry in office I believe that the U.S. would have a much bigger problem on its hands than just an undending war.

On the artistic front, I've come to the conclusion that drawing is only my think some of the time. I draw like a fiend for a couple of days and then do nothing for a week. It's just like how I write. It's really too bad I'm not more motivated to do my artwork...or anything else really. It would be great to be motivated by something else to be able to fund my art until I can do THAT full time, but I doubt it'll happen. Of course, maybe this whole teaching thing could happen full time. That'd be really cool!

This weekend just won't come fast enough. Only two more days to go. Whooo.
T.P.

What a Tuesday!

Well, I emailed Amy, Heather, and Lucie all from down here at Vita. I forgot my headphones so now that I'm hungry I'll have to walk home with no music. That sucks. But when I get home I'll be able to play darts and eat something. That makes me unconsciounable happy! whoot.

Today's lesson went alright. I was there for about five minutes, just talking with the Korean kid and suddenly he whips out a TOEFL study guide. I was flabberghasted. in the last three weeks he hasn't given me any direction to go with his lessons and now, suddenly, he's all "hey, I'm studying THIS!" That strikes me as being fairly important. Oh well, that's only three weeks of prep lost. Hehe, his loss.

I got home and played darts today. THAT was fun. I shot the best game since I got back...but of course I was alone. Heh.

Oh, that reminds me, I think I start house-sitting tonight. The guy who's living at the house right now has tried to call my house several times but he won't leave a message. I don't know what this means, but it can't be too good. We'll see what happens when I get home tonight.

I think I'm gonna call the girls and/or Anne-Marie and see what everyone's up to. I feel the need to party...but not too much.

Last night I got attacked for what happened on Sunday. What happened on Sunday? I got the dartboard and started playing. Tim arrived, then Kristina, then Anne-Marie. Both of the girls brought beer and so we started drinking. This upset my mom because she could hear us. Why didn't she tell us to shut up? I think it's because she was in bed and didn't want to come outside in the cold. That's too bad because I would have willingly given up the music and the screaming if she had mentioned something...but she didn't. Anyway, Anne-Marie crashed in Colin's bed because she was too drunk to drive and so the next morning, after I woke up late, I had to explain that to Katia and mom. Now they're both worried that my drinking is getting out of control. Yes, I'll be the first to admit that I like a little bit to drink now and again, but the times that I binge are few. I really wish that they'd show more trust in me, but I know that I haven't exactly earned it since I've been living at home. Well, it can do nothing but get better, right? feh.

Anyway, I'm heading home to either play darts or draw...or both. Sunny and 85. Good day.

--Othello

My curious mission on this lonely planet seems to make sure I get into the strangest situations. heh.

Anyway, I got a dartboard yesterday. I spent the entire afternoon mounting it on a sheet of plywood, then mounting that plywood up on the wall of the garage. Then I mounted some old track lighting that I had used in my room at one point so the board is lit from two different angles. It turned out pretty cool if I do say so myself!

I had to teach this morning, after getting no sleep. My Korean kid told me a heartbreaking story about how he had to break up with his girlfriend over the weekend because he basically caught her making out with her ex. What a crazy world we live in, I tell you what. This girl's out there giving this horrific impression of American girls to this poor Korean guy who's actually looking for a comitted relationship. It's really too bad this one tried to screw him over. I think a beat-down might be in order, but that's up to you. I'm non-violent.

I don't really know what's on tv tonight so I think I'm gonna listen to some music, throw some darts, send an Email or two, and then head upstairs and watch tv until I pass out...which shouldn't be that far off.

--T.P.