Archive #3

March 17, 2008 - Monday

Warmness

Spring starts on Thursday!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel like I’ve been hibernating this whole winter. It’s time to wake Fontana up!

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March 15, 2008 - Saturday

Being Busy

I understand being busy. Most of us lead very hectic lives and it’s difficult to find time to keep in touch with everyone. It’s sad sometimes. I wish it was a perfect world. I wish all the good people I meet - both online and offline - weren’t so busy. I wish communication was easier....and I say this not because clicking the mouse a few times and typing a few greetings & "how are ya’s" is so troublesome, but it’s so easy to just....well, forget.

There might be some other reasons, too, why the people I’ve met chose just to drop off the face of the earth. It may have something to do with me....something I’ve done, something I’ve said, a combination of both, or something that has changed in their personal life, family problems, sickness, etc. Maybe *I’m* the one who hasn’t dropped *them* a line in a while, and they are somewhat offended. I don’t know. I’d just hate for friendships to suffer because of something stupid.

This isn’t directed at anyone specifically. This is actually preaching to the choir, probably. This is more just a reminder that jobs, money, material things, & entertainment aren’t as important as friends. Cherish the good people you meet. Don’t let them go. They’re one of the few things that matter in this life.

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March 13, 2008 - Thursday

The Pit

I was playing drums in a pit. It was pretty deep, but it had an entryway leading to it. I barely got the kit set up and the rest of the band started playing. I was being tested to see how well I played, although I’d never heard the song before. The previous drummer did it the same way...he just made it up as he went along. This is what I was supposed to do as well. Would I be better than him? Why am I in this pit? Why are people being lead on a tour in the back parts of the entryway behind me? I wanted to just stop right there and say this isn’t fair. I need to practice first. I wanted to give up. I felt frustrated. I’m not sure what happened after that. I blacked out. I woke up. I wandered. I wondered.

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March 7, 2008 - Friday

Music

Thanks, Mama. I wish you were still around. The right song at the right time can make everything clear. Your song helped me more than anything, even after so long.

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March 4, 2008 - Tuesday

Good Night

Sometimes you need to lose things in order to find things. What is it you're looking for? What will you let go of? What will life be like when you find it? Different. Life will be different. An easy trek yields little growth while a persevered journey reaps wisdom. Let go, but don't give up. Go forward and don't give in.

Good night.

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February 25, 2008 - Monday

EMO!

What the hell is emo...really? You could do a search for it online and find all sorts of definitions. I'm sure there are many blogs and sites that will detail it far better than I'm about to, but I'd like to humor myself. I'll give my perspective on it.

Emo can apply to people, fashion, music, art, etc. It's mainly used as an adjective. Of course emo is short for emotion or emotional. This doesn't really mean they are dramatic with everything. A lot of times, it's quite the opposite. However, they are "emotional" on the inside and express it through other forms, if not through speech or reactions.

Fashion: Anything black is good, whether it's clothing, make-up, jewelry, or accessories. Some color isn't against their religion (especially red or white), but black is a necessity somewhere in the equation. Hair is usually swept down, sometimes obstructing one eye & heavy eye makeup is very common. Fashion will sometimes include some emo art (see below).

Art: Again, dark colors and dark-themed. Some icons of emo include blood, hearts, tears, emo people/cartoons, death, suicide, words/phrases/quotes of dark themes, sadness, knives, sarcastic pessimism, etc. Poetry & music are common forms of expressing these images as well as normal, everyday issues.

Music: This one's tough, because there's lots of debate about it. It has it's roots in punk and goth, but with a subtle, modern flair. It started out as an underground scene, but it became popular and tossed into the mainstream. Now, it's not uncommon for many bands which were previously considered emo to disassociate themselves with the branding. Emo music has many of the same qualities of other genres of music, so it's no wonder there's debate. For me, emo is most distinctive through the singing style. The vocals are over-emphasized and almost pleading with the listener. They can range from whispers to screaming (screamo), but there's always a certain attitude involved. The music is usually upbeat, ranging from pop-punk to metal. I know, this description doesn't help it contrast with other styles of music much, but like I said, it's subtle and not even worth debating. It's like arguing if amber is more yellow or orange. Basically, if you think something might be emo, just call it emo. If the band disagrees so passionately, remind them that they are being over"emo"tional.

People: You are emo or have some emo tendencies if anything mentioned above applies to you. Remember, no matter which era you live in, there will always be a large group of people who feel like they don't fit in with normal society. You can call them hippies, punks, nerds, goth, emo, etc...it all serves the same purpose. I don't even think it's about being unique, it's just about creating a class of their own. It's a way of seperating away from what society deems standard.

So that's it...IMO.

Emo is like any other style. It'll go away, both in individuals and eventually as a whole. People change. They grow up and want to lead different lifestyles. People get bored. It'll run it's course (some say it already has). Someday, a new outcast class will come into existance and the same discussions will happen all over again. And when it does, I'm sure I'll blog about it....or zlog or hallographog or whatever exists in the future.


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February 20, 2008 - Wednesday

It Shall Happen....NOW!

There's a lunar eclipse happening right now, which made me think...

I bet the first guy who was able to predict an eclipse probably kept it a secret and used it to his advantage to wow the villagers. They probably thought he was God. At least that's what I would have done.

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February 17, 2008 - Sunday

I Feel Really Bad About This / But It’s Funny

Every once in a while I'll get an email that's meant for another person. Usually, I'll either ignore it or tell them they have the wrong person.

Recently, I got another one. It was from a web consultant discussing a spoken agreement on the percentage of commission he'll receive in exchange for maintaining and upgrading the client's website. I ignored it for a few days, but for some reason, I never deleted it. I think I mentioned it to a few people just as daily gossip. Someone suggested that I should reply back pretending to be the client. I did. Well, I'll just paste it below and you can see for yourself! It's in chronological order and I've omitted personal information for their privacy. Seems like I'm quite the persuader. ;-)

Bill,

Email from Feb 1st below...

----- Original Message -----
From: John Doe
To: Someone that's not me, but it got to me
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2008 3:40 PM
Subject: our website agreement

Bill/Tony:

10% commissions on business generated through the website works for me.

Our Agreement - 10% commissions in exchange for website maintenance/updates. That is my understanding of what we talked about over the phone the other night Bill.

Therefore, I have set things up so that both you and I will get a copy of any email from prospective customers that click on your email link or fill out your online form on the website. The only part you'll have to document is if someone finds the site and calls you directly because I will have no way of knowing that.

Thanks,

John

John Doe Web Consulting

----- Original Message -----
From: Me pretending to be Bill
To: John Doe
Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 6:10 PM
Subject: Re: our website agreement

John,

I'm actually thinking that maybe we should start the 10% commission after a set amount of $500 is made per month. It shouldn't be too difficult now to update or maintain the site. I'm sorry for the last minute change, but Tony thinks we could have rendered your services for much cheaper. Would this be workable?

Bill

{GET READY FOR THIS REPLY!...}

----- Original Message -----
From: John Doe
To: Me
Sent: Friday, February 15,
Subject: Re: our website agreement


Bill,

The reason why I re-designed every web page of the site and continue to tweak the site for SEO was our initial agreement of 10% of retail business generated through the website. That is why I haven't charged for site redesign or SEO maintenance. I am a little upset that Tony said that you guys could have gotten my services for alot cheaper. I would agree with that if I only designed the website and did not produce any search engine results at all. There are businesses that pay thousands of dollars for 1st page results in Google and MSN.

=========================================================================================================================
For Tony:
I would advise him to get a quote from a few other SEO/Website Design Companies in our area and price the work I have done. Actually, here are 2 examples for him: http://www.janescomputersmadeeasy.com/webinformation.htm and http://www.scarletsweb.com/rates.html. Computers Made Easy would have charged a minimum of $750 just for a 5 page site then SEO ranging from $500 to $1,000 and up. So at best you are looking at $1,250 minimum not included hourly or monthly website maintenance or SEO maintenance fees. And as far as Scarlet's Web, this small web design business charges $75/hour. Their starter site package consist of up to 8 pages, up to 10 photos, contact form, sitemap, and Consultation - SEO, Navigation, Marketing and it costs $2,500 not including website or SEO maintenance fees. Your site has 5 pages, photos, contact form, sitemap and awesome SEO.

Google
(he puts various search engine searches here) - 5th out of 205,000
---- - 1st out of 599,000
------- - 8th out of 1,940,000
--------- - 10th out of 69,500
---------- - 1st out of 46,200

* All first page results.

MSN
--------- - 1st and 2nd out of 2,590,000
--------- - 1st and 2nd out of 2,610,000
--------- - 1st out of 125,000
---------- - 1st out of 292,000

* All first page results.
=========================================================================================================================

Back to you Bill...

How does this sound?

10% on retail business and 5% on wholesale business, with after $500 per month made.

OR

10% on retail only, no set amount per month made.

So we are both on the same page, the shop phone number will be removed from the site and consumers will be instructed to email their order to you so we both get a copy of the email message.

Let me know.

Thanks,

John

{I FESS UP :-( ...}
----- Original Message -----
From: Me
To: John Doe
Sent: Friday, February 16
Subject: Re: our website agreement

John,

I am so sorry. This isn't Bill. You must have gotten the wrong email by accident. I thought it might be funny to play a little prank on you and take advantage of your mistake. I also thought you'd immediately detect that it was phony and realize this mistake. Again, I'm so sorry if I've caused you any stress over my foolishness. I sincerely apologize.

I know it's none of my business, but I do admire your thorough explanation of your services and worth. If anything, let this mishap reaffirm that quality in you. The previous deal you made with Bill & Tony is more than generous. Don't make any sacrifices because it seems like you do your job very well and you should get paid for what you're worth.

Sincerely,
Not Bill

12:38 AM - 0 Comments - 3 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit – Remove

February 10, 2008 - Sunday

Update

Man, I really thought this song would be finished by now. In my defense, I've been quite distracted lately. I have been working some on the music side, but I'm not sure if I'll record it to share on here. I think I only promised lyrics anyway. :-) I will be posting some pics eventually of another "project" I'll be starting. It's something I've been meaning to do for about 10 years now, so it's been a long time coming. I'm excited to start!

Hope everyone's weekend was swell. Valentine's in coming up, so watch out for Cupid this week. He's known for SAWI throughout the year. SAWI? Oh, that means Shooting Arrows While Intoxicated. His aim is all over the place sometimes. Mine was an e-arrow in a bingo chatroom. ;-) Cupid must have gotten hip to the whole internet thing from his cousin Lusty. Lusty hangs around all those adult web sites. (His arrows don't really work) Anyway, hug 'em if ya got 'em. And if you don't....well, Valentine's is just another stupid day. You can always hang out with Lusty. Cheers!

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February 2, 2008 - Saturday

Art & Life

Art is about possibilities, not rules.

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More Revisions

Moved some stuff around, reworked some sections, etc. It's coming along. Almost done. Music-wise, I have some chord ideas, with an uptempo beat. Lots of opportunities for word painting with the music, too.

Great, another hour's passed away
And there's nothing you wish to say
Old needleteeth lurks the alleys
Hiding out behind O'Mallie's
He knows me all too well
There's not a trick he couldn't sell
What is there left to do
When my lips are turning blue?

Why do I beat myself up
When I can't even stand up
Now stand up
Stand up
And take it on the chin

A right is thrown by Death
On one knee, I've lost my breath
Scratches drag down my heart
He says this is just the start
Dripping in the mud
It's only blood

Perfect, another day's been derailed
Another chance for me to say that I've failed
Even if the clouds weren't looming
I highly doubt I'd be blooming

Why do I beat myself up
When I can't even stand up
Now stand up
Stand up
And take it on the chin

A right is thrown by Death
On one knee, I've lost my breath
Scratches drag down my heart
He says this is only the start
Dripping in the mud
It's only blood

It's been a long, long night
Not sure if I can last another fight
Will morning wake up to spring
What hope will daylight bring

Gashes on my heart
This could be my new start
Spurting in the mud
It's only blood

The sun can pull me up

5:05 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

January 30, 2008 - Wednesday

Missing Something

Ever wonder where a lost thing goes? It still exists. You know it exists, but it's just out of your view. You feel the loss. You wonder if you'll ever see it again, though deep inside, you know the chances are slim. You go back and think about the times when you last had it. You can spend all day looking for it, devising a plan, retracing your steps, getting others to help you...and maybe you've already done all these things and turned up with nothing. You think, "it's gone for good." That phrase doesn't even make sense. It should be "gone for worse." You'll sit in bed, thinking about it, right up until the point where you can't hold your thoughts together and you start having trouble remembering exactly what you were thinking of in the first place. Then you fall asleep, possibly dreaming about you and that thing frolicking through the clouds, enjoying a blissful day in wonderland, only to awake the next morning with the same empty feeling in your soul. You become desperate and while in the shower, you let loose and start crying, pleading with the Man Upstairs to give you back what you long for. How can life be so unfair? Maybe you start to think of replacing the lost thing, but then catch yourself, scolding the very idea that it can just be replaced like that. It's priceless to you. You'll never come across it again. Nothing will ever be like it. You have the memories to taunt and haunt you. You never quite appreciated what you had until it was gone. Maybe that's why it's missing. You grew comfortable and let your guard down. It got away. What a cruel world we can live in. How can this be allowed to happen?

Seriously, if anyone's seen my sock, I'd be so grateful for its return. For now I will live with 33 socks...such an odd number. It doesn't have to be this way.

9:01 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

January 29, 2008 - Tuesday

Sickness

As mentioned in my previous blog, I was sick for a while....caught some sort of virus. I was getting better and then I got it again...even worse. I'm finally starting to feel normal again, but I'd like to share the symptoms I had so you can feel sorry for me.

Nausea
Fever
Body aches
Head aches
Severe chills
Sweating
Severe fatique
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Insomnia
Loss of appetite/thirst
Dehydration
Bloody nose
Dizziness
Slight Cough

I lost close to 5 lbs in a matter of a few days, too. I call it the South Barf Diet. I hear it's sweeping the modeling world. Did I mention I can't wait until winter is over?

I promise to resume the song experiment. To be honest, I've written some other things while away from the project...and I feel kind of guilty...but I will finish it, I promise.

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January 17, 2008 - Thursday

Sick

Hope no one else has caught this latest bug that seems to be going around. It's a killer! Stay inside, wash your hands, eat right, and sleep right. You can wear one of those surgical masks, too. You DON'T want this. Trust me.

8:11 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

January 7, 2008 - Monday

session 2

I picked out a few lines from my last entry that I still like. I'm not sure if they'll make it to the end, but I'll work with it. Here are the one's I liked:

it's only blood
pristeen cotton is spattered with tar
draining the adrenaline from your wings
old needleteeth lurks the alley
the sun can pull me up

I guess it's a bit of a darker song with some hope at the end.

Perfect, another day's gone by
Another chance for me to say I've failed
You were pristeen cotton on cloud 9
A cloud with a shadow over my soul

Bordeaux, here we go

Draining the adrenaline
Raining -----
Scratches on my heart
Dripping in the mud
It's only blood

Great, another hour's passed away
and there's nothing you wish to say
Old needleteeth lurks the allies
Hiding out behind O'Mallie's
He knows me all too well
There's not a trick he couldn't sell
What is there left to do?
When my lips are turning blue

Bordeaux, here we go

Draining the adrenaline
Raining -----
Slashes on my heart
Spurting in the mud
It's only blood

Hey, wasn't the sun supposed to rise
No chirps, no alarm, no alibis
The days are gone, not gone by
My feathered creature said goodbye
In my drunken manner I protest
To the fact that no one had noticed

Gashes on my heart
Spurting in the mud
It's only blood

The sun can pull me up

-----
I'll stop right there...it's all pretty much crap, but as promised, I'm leaving it. It'll probably mostly be gone by my next entry. We'll see. The dashes are just placeholders...I couldn't think of anything to fill in there, but maybe next time. Hope this is somewhat interesting anyway. Sorry for taking some time off...I'm sure so many of you were hanging on the edge waiting for me to continue.

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December 18, 2007 - Tuesday

Untitled

As with most songs, we'll start off leaving it untitled. The format of this set of entries will be kind of crazy. I want to keep a lot of the process written down, so for the sake of preserving the experience, I will not delete any ideas.
----

hidden or not existing
unseen unknown un-need
no one wants a broken heart but sometimes you need one
it's only blood
tears sting in wounds unhealed

a million soul mates to turn down
i'll decide on you, something they don't have
maybe not perfect, but perfect for me

let me be your playlist
everything you want, all in order
turn me on & turn it up
spin me around your world
just like mr denver
let me fill up your senses
just like julio
let me be your hero
read my liner notes
i'm not a one-hit wonder
i'm your greatest hits
You ought to know
i have some hidden tracks
A surprise at the end

pristeen cotton is spattered with tar
draining the adrenaline from your wings
toasting to our torture
old needleteeth lurks the alley

a breezy beach holds my key
a keyless door to which it belongs
felt more alive while parts of me died
died inside when all was done
regrowing, reforming, waiting to bloom
wilted petals at my feet
but the sun can pull me up
a long dark winter I've endured
you brought the snow I brought no shovel
a blizzard i was overwhelmed
then cold rain upon my head
waiting, waiting, waiting for the sun

Ok, that's enough for now. Lots of different ideas and contrasting moods. Some brainstorming and free-writing...I'll revisit all this later and see if i like any of it. Possibly nothing, maybe one or two ideas. Just waiting for a spark.

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December 15, 2007 - Saturday

Sick

Well, I'm sick. I hate being sick. The only thing I hate worse than being sick is when I'm sick on the weekend. While you guys are sitting comfortably in your homes, sipping some hot chocolate, I'll be here whining and complaining about my swollen, achy sinuses, stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, fatigue, and moments of surreal insanity. Cheers.

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December 12, 2007 - Wednesday

A 1st

Sometimes I sit here with a blank blog to fill out and minutes will go by. There are things I want to write, but then I realize that I probably shouldn't write them. At those points, I'll usually open up a Word document and write it there. It then gets tucked away in a folder and left alone for a long time. I'll revisit it years later and sometimes wonder to myself what rubbish it is. Occasionally I'll be in awe that I am capable of such poetic prose. It's funny how some writings seem to still hold true after so long.

Writing songs have been the same way. I have folders and folders of lyrics and chord changes. The only difference is that I've never shared a single song of mine to anyone. I've never performed or let anyone hear a song that I wrote completely by myself. Although I've blogged a few short pieces of poetry here and there, I've never blogged any of my completed lyrics. Why?

Well, most of my "demos" feature me singing. For those that don't know, I don't have such a stellar voice. I've never presented my song to the bands I've been in because I just didn't feel right about it for some reason (which I'm actually glad about in hindsight).

I probably still won't post any of my songs, but I'd like to post some lyrics...for the first time ever. And I figured, hey, why not a new song?

I'm sure this has been done, but I want to write a new song and blog each development I make, documenting the making of it from start to finish. I'll make edits, changes...perhaps even scrap the entire thing and start over. There's no time limit, so this could end up taking as little as a few days up to a few weeks to complete. You can see how a song can start out as an ugly duckling and metamorphasize into...well, another, bigger ugly duck! I'm not kidding. Sometimes a song just doesn't turn out well. Actually, MOST of the time, it doesn't become a gem, but that's the beauty of it. Sometimes, if you're patient enough and you write long enough, it becomes a swan song.

I'll start sometime in the next few days, so check back on it every once in a while to see how I'm doing.

8:42 PM - 0 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit – Remove

December 3, 2007 - Monday

The Light

I don't know how to fully explain this, but I'll try. I almost didn't want to post this, but I'll just do it. It was approximately 10:45pm tonight as I was stepping out the side door of my house to the car. As usual, the motion-sensored light came on. I noticed that it was snowing and looked up to admire the flakes falling from the darkness into the light. In that moment, a short, blinding light blasted from the sky. I'm really not kidding. I know what you're thinking...it was the outdoor light or that it was the light burning out, but it wasn't. It came from a different direction...more toward the open sky. And the outdoor light was still on through the whole thing. It was similar to a camera's flash, but also very different. It was sort of silvery and then intensified outward around me. I don't remember blinking. For the next few seconds I stood there, almost hypnotized. The weird thing about it all, is that I felt different. This is the thing I really can't explain. I don't know what emotion, if there is one, to say how I feel. It's not a bad feeling. I'm not sure if it's a good feeling or not, though. I do feel...hmm...lighter. Not physically, but mood-wise. I don't know. I knew I wouldn't be able to describe it. Anyway, I got into the car and started driving. The only thing I could think about was that light and what it could have been. I also tried to mentally articulate to myself what I was feeling beyond the peculiar nature of the event. I wanted to convince myself that it didn't happen and that I've seen too many movies. Also, no one would believe me anyway. I wouldn't believe myself, either, with all the stuff I pull. But this is different. This is no stupid blog trick. On the ride back to my house, there were rapid successions of thoughts going through my mind. For some reason, I couldn't stay locked on any one thought. It would happen in waves. I honestly don't know what the hell is going on or if my mind is playing tricks on me. It's been difficult enough getting to sleep lately. I don't need this making it worse.

8:30 PM - 1 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Week 4 Conclusion

Okay, so I failed the MySpace Friend add challenge of trying to get at least 70 new friends in 1 week. To be honest, I didn't really try too hard. I suppose I could have, but I wasn't really motivated this past week.

Any ideas for this week?

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November 27, 2007 - Tuesday

Week 4 Day 2

This week's task: Get 10 or more new friends on MySpace each day.

Well, only 1 new friend so far! Thanks, Mollyy, btw. Two l's and two y's. I have my friends hidden, so there's no way of knowing if I'm succeeding this week. You'll have to trust me, I guess. I'm going to edit the tast a little bit. Let's just say 70 by the end of the week. Haha, I need some catching up!

7:51 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

November 26, 2007 - Monday

Week 4 Day 1

This week's task: Get 10 or more new friends on MySpace each day.

Well, I requested a bunch of friends. We'll see how many accept. I know blind requests suck, but oh well.

8:49 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

November 25, 2007 - Sunday

Week 3 Days 3-7

Obviously, I was unable to complete this week's task. I wasn't so thrilled about it anyway. So if I had to axe any of them, I'm glad it was this one.

Next week's task: Get 10 or more new friends on MySpace each day.

It'll be nice to try to increase my readership. Let's see how it goes.

6:47 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

November 20, 2007 - Tuesday

Week 3 Day 2

See "Week 3" blog for this week's assignment.

Random Numbers for today: 1, 37

1.
Random Words: Tasks & Inspect
Site: Click Here
Site Name: XML-Based Inspection Modeling for Developing Field Inspection Support Systems
Comments - Ugh, more dumb sites. Another research site for web stuff.

2
Words from previous page: Abstract & Technology
Site: Click Here
Site Name: [Abstract] Technology-based Research Agenda on the Data Protection Law
Comments: More research. This time, it's about internet privacy. NEXT.

3
Words from previous page: Privacy & General
Site: Click Here
Site Name: Privacy Guidance
Comments: Ohhh, this is from the White House's website! It has a bunch of files about privacy acts and such. I wonder if the White House has a MySpace. That would be killer. I'd friend them.

4
Words from previous page: Office Sharing
Site: Click Here
Site Name: BAMAsharingchecklist.pdf
Comments: This is an outline for lawyers looking to share an office space with other lawyers. It's interesting, if you were a lawyer, looking to share an office with other lawyers...but even then, I somehow doubt it.

5
Words from previous page: For & Some
Site: Click Here
Site Name: And Justice for Some - Page 1
Comments: It's a research paper about how biased our judicial system is toward ethnic minorities.

Once again, no interesting sites worth delving into. There's always hope in tomorrow. It's pretty convenient, since I'm tired. Sorry for any misspellings in this blog, I'm not fixing anything tonight. See ya tomorrow.

Sharing general privacy for office technology, some inspect abstract task.

Type all those words in Google and I get the Department of Homeland Security General Contact Lists! Hahah. Oh, shut up. I'm trying to find an internet vortex.

7:04 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

November 19, 2007 - Monday

Week 3 Day 1 - Garbled Relationships

See "Week 3" blog for this week's assignment.

Random Numbers for today: 76, 52

1.
Random Words: Relationships & Garbled
Site: Click Here
Site Name: JSTOR - The Scholarly Journal Archive
Comments - This is some sort of place where you can search for articles or something. I think it's for school research. Not very interesting. The page I brought up had an article named "Sociological Analyses Confront Fashionable Racial Fallacies." So not interesting.

2
Words from previous page: Available & Participating
Site: Click Here
Site Name: Qwestwy.pdf
Comments: It's a PDF file that's says: WESTERN STATES CONTRACTING ALLIANCE PARTICIPATING ADDENDUM. I really thought the last one was boring, but this one beats it. I think this week is going to be rough. First of all, Wyoming is involved. I almost forgot that was a state. Secondly, Qwest Interprised is involved. What's an Interprise? I've heard of Enterprises. Interprises must not be as cool as enterprises.

3
Words from previous page: Executing & Which
Site: Click Here
Site Name: DataHandler
Comments: From the main site of this page: Jython is an implementation of the high-level, dynamic, object-oriented language Python written in 100% Pure Java, and seamlessly integrated with the Java platform. At least this is made from pure java...none of that artificial crap.

4
Words from previous page: Mappings & Particulars
Site: Click Here
Site Name: Guidelines for User Needs Mapping
Comments: I tried to read this document, but I fell asleep....twice. I still have no idea what mappings are, nor do I care. I think this experiment is bombing. Let's hope for a good final page at least.

5
Words from previous page: These & Users
Site: Click Here
Site Name: Flash Storage: what it did for these users, what it cost
Comments: The main site is computerworld.com. The article talks about flash drives versus other types of computer storage, and how it's still too expensive to compete, although some are dishing out the big bucks for it's advantages. Somewhat interesting, but I'd have to say that this first day was horrible. I hope tomorrow brings us better sites....really. Let's try to throw all the words together and make a stupid sentence.

These available particulars executing, which these mappings participating.

Haha, it sounds like our article in 4!

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November 18, 2007 - Sunday

Week 3

168 Hrs. Task 3: Randomized Rendezvous

Each day of this week, I will use an online word generator to give me two different, random words. I will then use an online number generator to generate 2 random numbers between 1 & 100. I will enter the two random words, seperated by a space, into Google and visit the first site on the search return. Then, starting from the first word on the page and using the 2 numbers from the generator, I will count the words until I reach those 2 numbers. These two new words will be entered into Google again to restart the process until 5 sites are visited. The same 2 numbers from the number generator will be used for each of the sites just for that day.

These 5 sites will be listed in the daily blog with a brief description of the site along with my comments.

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Week 2 Conclusion

I enjoyed checking out new music this week. I normally do it anyway, but not so random as this. I liked the concept of having a theme. I might continue doing the reviews, but probably not on a daily basis.

Scale of 1-10:
Difficulty: 2 - It was my pleasure finding the music and it wasn't difficult at all.
Fun: 7 - Found some good music and not-so-good music, but either way, it was fun.
Affect: 3 - It didn't affect me so much because I'm around new music so often.

Conclusion: This week allowed me to listen to music I would never have bothered looking for in the first place. There are many songs with days of the week in the title that are immensely popular. I'm sure there are also many that are dreadful as well - which is why we've never heard them! I'll be revisiting some of the artists I've found from this week. I'd love to check out more songs by some of them and browse their websites and profiles a little bit more. This experiment also allowed me to test the waters of a recurring blog element for the future. So far, I think I will at least try to continue some sort of themed music element. I might not give in-depth reviews, but at the least, I'll have them added to my profile and perhaps give a little blurb or two.

I'll be posting next week’s installment soon.

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Week 2 Day 7 - Minibike - "Sunday Sun"

This week: Each day, I will find a song that has the corresponding day of the week in the title, listen to it, and critique it. It has to be the first song I find for that day, and it cannot be something I've heard before.

Sunday Sun takes 2 cups of blues, a handful of rock, and a dash of country. Mix thoroughly, then roll it out and let it cook at 1000 degrees. You'll know when it's done when the whole house has burned down.

Kidding aside, today's track has some appealing elements, but I don't think I'd order it off the menu. Their headline on MySpace does a much better job at describing them than my rambling critique could ever accomplish. Simply stated, it says, "Truckstop Rock."

AJ's vocals have some character and the music has some sophistication to it, although the production isn't so great. That might work in its favor, because the grit almost works for them. I mean, come on. They aren't exactly looking to have Phil Spector produce them. Instead of a wall of sound, it's more like a crumbling tower of sound. Toward the end of the song, when AJ starts screaming a bit, it reminded me a little of Maynard Ferguson's voice. After I made this realization, I thought Minibike sounds like Tool if Tool formed in Alabama. I think with a little more direction and character, he could seriously front a very competent band.

The hook was okay. I wouldn't revisit this song soon, but there's enough musicianship to respect so I wouldn't write Minibike off yet. The name isn't doing much for me. Having "mini" in your name can't exactly be good if you're trying to make it big. But then again, who knows what bands these days want out of their music.

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November 17, 2007 - Saturday

Week 2 Day 6 - Whigfield - "Saturday Night"

This week: Each day, I will find a song that has the corresponding day of the week in the title, listen to it, and critique it. It has to be the first song I find for that day, and it cannot be something I've heard before.

Yesterday was Friday Night, and tonight is "Saturday Night." Whigfield takes us deep into the city for a sweaty, club-raving, dance track. I know, Whigfield is a known artist, but that doesn't exclude her from this week's blogs. Although this track was pretty popular, especially overseas, I still have never heard it. Apparently, it was the only debut single to immediately go to number 1 in the UK. To make the pot even spicier, there's even some controversy to the song. There have been a few plagiarism lawsuits which were eventually thrown out and many fans have also accused Sannie Carlson (Whigfield) of pulling a "Milli Vanilli." Audiences started this speculation because she lipsynced during her live shows and her speaking voice was drastically different from the record. Oh well.

Keep in mind this song is from 1994. From what I've read and from listening to the song, this is basically the UK cousin of the "Macarena." It doesn't have much substance, just a lot of sugar, over-repeated hooks, and a beat. Oh, and it has a dance routine. I could go into detail about the structure, arrangement, production, etc, but I think that would defeat the point of the song. It is what it is and when you listen, you'll understand. It's just a fun song that millions of British people should be ashamed of owning.

Here's the dance steps in case you want to try it in front of the computer. I highly recommend it.

* Both arms bent at 90 degrees, elbows held at waist, both pushing to the right then to the left
* Left arm stationary, supporting right elbow, right upper arm twiddles. Then reversed.
* Bend over forwards rolling arms around each other
* Hands on waist, step forwards then backwards
* Four jumps, whilst rotating body gradually by 90 degrees.

The end of the cycle is marked by a clap, and leaves the body facing 90 degrees from the beginning.
If you need any help with the dancing, like I did, use YouTube. There's no shortage of people willing to make fools of themselves there. At least I do it in the privacy of my own home and have the sense not to broadcast it.

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November 16, 2007 - Friday

Week 2 Day 5 - Unsearchable Riches - "Friday Night"

This week: Each day, I will find a song that has the corresponding day of the week in the title, listen to it, and critique it. It has to be the first song I find for that day, and it cannot be something I've heard before.

It's Friday night!!! No, I mean the song is "Friday Night" and it's by Unsearchable Riches.

I just got done listening to it and so far, it's my fav. Makes me wonder, since Friday is also a popular day, if this song is good because it's about Friday. ORRRR, if I just like it so much because today is Friday and I'm in a better mood than if it were Wednesday. Which came first: the song or the day? The day. So you know what that means? Um, I don't know.

The song starts off with a jangly piano progression. Drums kickstart the song and the rest of the band enters. The vocals remind me of Polyphonic Spree. Jeremy keeps the lyrics and melodies easy and fun, just like the song. The verses are upbeat and loud, but then the pre-chorus has a nice contrast, with a softly sung, lighter arranged section.

The chorus explodes soon after and delivers the goods. It's as if someone was funneling pure cane sugar into your ears. Nice. I picture cells in my body grabbing other cells by the nuclei and doing some fast ballroom dance, kicking out their legs and doing flips and stuff. The ending, which deconstructs the tempo, is a nice, zany way to finish what they had started. Ahh, Friday nights.

Unsearchable Riches are a Christian band, but the lyrics don't shove it down your throat or cheeze up the song at all. This could easily be a crossover, as the lyrics could be interpreted several ways. Hope you guys enjoy this one. I'll post the lyrics below.

Friday Night
Music by Jeremy Sorensen
Lyrics by Doug McKelvey, Jeremy Sorensen, Dave Corbin

It's Friday night, the house is packed
The stage is set to have a blast
Admission's free, but there's no guarantee
You'll ever get your money back

So hey now kids in the jigsaw crowd
Do you feel like you belong?
Will you lose yourself in the world beat
Or find your freedom in this song?

Pour down rivers of grace
Fill my empty space
Catch me in Your arms when I fall

Let this party crash
Let the love of God invade your past
I just wanna see you in the light
when we hit the world's last Friday night

A dance is done, they clear the floor
You know you won't be coming back
Is this the party you were looking for
or do you want the one that lasts?

Pour down rivers of grace
Fill my empty space
Catch me in Your arms when I fall

Let this party crash
Let the love of God invade your past
I just wanna see you in the light
when we hit the world's last Friday night

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November 15, 2007 - Thursday

Week 2 Day 4 - Asobi Seksu - "Thursday"

This week: Each day, I will find a song that has the corresponding day of the week in the title, listen to it, and critique it. It has to be the first song I find for that day, and it cannot be something I've heard before.

Asobi Seksu is the band. "Thursday" is the song.

The song opens up with a highly reverbed and muffled-sounding synth. It plays a beautiful, ear-opening phrase, and then you fall into the arms of this dreamy cacophony. The drums enter, hypnotically pounding the beat. Yuki's vocals are dead on with this style of Indie Pop-Rock. During the verse, the instruments pile slowly on, layering and building to the chorus. The hook sounds very Japan-Pop to me. Maybe it's the melody, or maybe it's the timbre or inflection in her singing, I'm not sure. All I know is that I like what I heard. Perhaps the layers get too bunched up at the end, but the ruckus is still somewhat appealing. The ending of the song finally releases the noise with a final, climatic chord, punctuated with a crash. I felt as though I was underwater this whole time, exploring the depths, chasing mermaids, being buzzed by weird sea creatures, engulfed by bubbles, roaming through caves, seeing yellow submarines, and then finally, I suddenly burst through the surface of the water into the sunlight and am allowed to gasp for air....air I had completely forgotten I even needed while the song was playing. I think I might dive back under very soon.

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November 14, 2007 - Wednesday

Week 2 Day 3 - Gina DeLuca - "Wednesday Morning"

This week: Each day, I will find a song that has the corresponding day of the week in the title, listen to it, and critique it. It has to be the first song I find for that day, and it cannot be something I've heard before.

I thought finding a Wednesday song might be difficult, but it didn't take very long at all. Today's entry is actually a live video from Gina DeLuca entitled "Wednesday Morning." You can watch it from my profile.

It's just Gina up there with her guitar. I click play and watch. She beings with a simple finger-picked pattern. For any music theory fans out there, it's a I-vi-ii-V progression throughout the song. The guitar tone was a little tinny for my taste, but I actually enjoyed the uncomplicated arpeggios and progression. Her voice enters and she doesn't sound bad at all. It's not really a song that would highlight anyone's voice too much, but she managed to find a decent melody.

The chorus was actually pretty good, too. Very memorable. Her upper range transitioned nicely. It made an excellent contrast to the verse. Speaking of the verse, it was very smart of her to keep the 2nd and 3rd verses shortened. The repeated last chorus drives the hook into your head even further, like a fish who took the bait. Nothing to really complain about here. Give it a few listens and let it sink in.

For just an acoustic guitar and vocals, and also being live, I must give her credit for doing a pretty good job. Most times in this setting, I scan the room for the nearest sharp object in the event I must gouge my eardrums out. Thanks, Gina, for leaving my ears in one piece...er, or two pieces...well, you know, the way they were.

Gina's MySpace can be found at: www.myspace.com/ginadeluca with more songs including some that are produced, full band arrangements.

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November 13, 2007 - Tuesday

Week 2 Day 2 - Alex Nackman - "Tuesday"

This week: Each day, I will find a song that has the corresponding day of the week in the title, listen to it, and critique it. It has to be the first song I find for that day, and it cannot be something I've heard before.

Today's song is simply called "Tuesday" and is by an artist named Alex Nackman. You'll have to click this link to visit his page since he doesn't allow users to add his songs.

Some jangly, coffeehouse guitar starts this laid back tune. I've been to many coffeehouse performances & enjoyed very few of them. To me, they all sound incredibly the same. Open mics aren't necessarily a breeding ground for hot talent, but every so often you get wowed. Alex's vocals don't knock me out here. When you have fewer instruments to work with, the voice has to be strong or at least have deep character. Also, the lyrics must really shine. In this setting, they don't have the comfort of being distracted by layered synths, distorted effects, and teenage trendsetters in tight pants and hair in their eyes.

Just when I thought I was about to fall asleep in my coffee, some harmonies and a shaker enter. It was nice, but certainly nothing I'd remember to tell my friends about the next day. Nothing much is added later in the song except a few distant backup vocals. The song really needs a more melodic line and, well, a hook. It's too bad.

The lyrics I didn't find very creative or interesting, which in a bad way, went with the song. Artists either have to tell a good story, or be very poetic, or a little of both. This song does neither for me. The lines seem scattered and misplaced. Take a look for yourself.

"Tuesday, the day that I had fallen down
One tear, I thought I squeezed the last one out
My dear, New York is now asleep, you've left me
My mind, thinks I've disappointed you this time

Oh broken eyes, I've had these days
Can't turn you off, that easily

Thursday, for once I've seemed to skip a day
And I see, the pulling strings are in my back
And I feel, I haven't had a moment's rest
Relax, but each part is distracted now

Oh broken eyes, I've had these days
Can't turn you off, that easily

Oh broken eyes, I've had these days
Can't turn you off, that easily
Oh bitter rain, is in my mouth
Can't find my way
Can I wear something, something new"

Tuesdays aren't known for being popular days. Maybe Alex should have written a song for Friday night.

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November 12, 2007 - Monday

Week 2 Day 1 - mondays menus - "Monday"

This week: Each day, I will find a song that has the corresponding day of the week in the title, listen to it, and critique it. It has to be the first song I find for that day, and it cannot be something I've heard before.

I'll be adding each song to my profile for the day and most of the following day for you all to listen. (I've had thoughts about doing this on a daily or weekly basis with various themes, so we'll see how it goes)

mondays menus - Monday

Our first song is by Swedish artist, (or group?) mondays menus. I'm not struck by the name, but at least it's alliterative. Jens Möller is the songsmith, and he categorizes the music as alternative/indie/rock. I've heard a lot of great stuff come from that part of the world lately, so I was actually pretty excited to listen to his song "Monday."

The song starts off with some rhythmic clicking, which appropriately set the mood for what was to come - a musical appetizer, if you will. Toe tap or bob your head at this point because, well, you'll have no choice. But don't get settled, because the guitar riff comes in and obliterates where you thought the beat was. A nice surprise. It's good to not be so predictable.

The main riff was VERY, I repeat VERY, derivative, but I'll compare it to bad chocolate cake. Why? Because even bad chocolate cake is good. My Sharona called up No Doubt's "Spiderwebs" and said, "Um, I'm pregnant and I'm calling the baby Monday." All comparisons aside, I ordered my glass of milk with my cake.

Now, for the single, most important 2 seconds of any song: the entrance of the vocals. If a song is a woman, the entrance of the vocals are the boobs (if women are reading this, replace "boobs" with face or smile). The voice enters in this song, and I wasn't too horrified. This says a lot. The production didn't make his voice shine as much as it could have, but at least it fit the style of the music. The verse melody kicks off with a nice ascending line filled with attitude, climbing back down to finish the phrase. The harmonies come in right here also, which I thought was a mistake. I would have saved them for the second verse, but that's just me...me getting spoiled by The Beatles.

The drum machine knocked my appeal down a notch when it kicked in. The programming wasn't too bad, but its stiffness was disappointing. Some of the sounds and mechanical nature took away the edge of what could have been a much better indie rock song.

The chorus was pretty good, which is also very important in the song...let's call it the ass of a woman (again, women reading this, substitute "ass" for personality or something). The chorus is sing-a-long-able. I deem a chorus good if I can hum it 10 minutes later after 1 listen....or if I can picture myself singing along to it in my car going 80 mph. This one was passable. Nice harmonies and backups. At this point, I also want to note, I'd have to say Jens is probably a bassist first before other instruments.

I liked the augmented last chorus and ending the song with the clicks again, which actually never really left. Good, yet a bit safe, choice. It caps the song well. Nice job mondays menus!

I was planning on rating the songs, but I'd rather just let the critique do that. At the end of the week, though, I'll pick my favorite. I hope tomorrow's song is as good or better than this one. Come back tomorrow night to find out!

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November 11, 2007 - Sunday

Week 2

168 Hrs. Task 2: "Musical Days of the Week"

Each day, I will find a song that has the corresponding day of the week in the title, listen to it, and critique it. It has to be the first song I find for that day, and it cannot be something I've heard before.

After the Fontana Water Torture task, I decided to make this one a little more fun. Although, I am quite aware of how horrible some music out there can be, so it might not be as great as I hope.

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Week 1 Day 7 Conclusion

Yesterday was the easiest day of drinking 64 oz. of water. However, I did make 1 accidental mistake. To my defense, I was completely distracted...

Last night, I attended a concert at the brand new Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The All-American Rejects opened up for Bon Jovi. The tickets were luxury suite seats, which included a buffet-style lounge located directly behind the actual seats. They were located toward the center, 2nd floor up, and to the right of the stage. The free food was very good and included salad, hot dogs, gourmet hamburgers, wings, an assortment of snacks, and your choice of water, soda, and beer. Staff came in every so often to restock and clean. There were a few high tables and stools as well as a counter where you could sit and mingle. Two flatscreens were also up on the walls, where you could watch a Devils game or flip to several other channels.

I enjoyed both acts. AAR was very tight and Tyson's voice really shined. He kept the crowd riled with his dramatics and constant yelps of "Jersey!" The arena was about half-filled and continued to grow throughout their set. BJ reaffirmed their well-seasoned status with a whirlwind set mixed with classics, newer material, and self-indulged/crowd-pleasing covers for encores. Overall, the lighting was well done, but nothing I haven't seen at other arenas. The sound wasn't anything to rave about, with occasional feedback problems and slight mixing problems (I doubt most fans even noticed/cared). When the concert was over, there were cookies waiting for us in the lounge as we left. Nice! I'd recommend seeing an event here, though I'm still not sure about the whole parking situation they have going. I hope the new park that connects to Newark Penn works out.

Anyway, my accidental slip was due to me drinking a can of Sprite. I didn't even realize it until it was too late. I was so impressed with everything, the last thing I was thinking about was drinking water! It was merely out of habit and indulgence because I knew this was a special ocassion. For the record, I did drink the required 64 oz, most of which was consumed before the show.

I'll be posting next week's trial later today, but here are the results so far for this week:

Drinking 8 glasses of water every day. (64 oz.) - SUCCESS

Scale of 1-10:
Difficulty: 4 - Fairly tough, but come on...it's just drinking water.
Fun: 2 - Deprivation of sweet fluids is not fun.
Affect: 6 - It affected me some for the better.

Conclusion: Although the task wasn't too difficult, I did learn a lot about water through the research and first-hand experience. I truly think that I had more energy because my body was thoroughly hydrated. I will seriously try to drink more water as a result of this experiment. On the other hand, I am very happy to welcome back my voluntary selection of tasty beverages!

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November 9, 2007 - Friday

Week 1 Day 5

Well, I paced myself today and finished all my required water. I must say that overall, so far, I've felt like I've had more energy. I mean I wasn't super-hyper, but I never got fatigued this entire week. I recently read that water does lead to increased energy levels. It was interesting to discover that the most common cause of daytime fatigue is actually mild dehydration. I know a lot of people that suffer from being tired so much, maybe this is a simple and easy solution. It certainly is the safest possible remedy worth trying. The only drawback is frequent trips to the bathroom. During one of my 5 daily trips today, I thought about something ironic, in a way. (Many epiphanies, great ideas, and such seem to come from the bathroom for some reason.) I thought about all the extra water I was wasting by drinking extra water. What I mean is that everytime I flush, it's using more water. I mean I'm flushing more than double than what I once did. That's like 200% or something. I hate percents, why did I even attempt that?

Well, I still have 2 more days to go. I will be announcing the next week-long trial on Sunday, so be sure to visit back.

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November 8, 2007 - Thursday

No no no

I just realized how that last entry might be misconstrued. The profanity was meant as an adjective, NOT, repeat, NOT as a verb. That would be some seriously messed up experiment.

I just chugged 2 bottles of water, and now I'm going to bed. Gee, what could go wrong? My last, agonizing swallow was taken 2 minutes before midnight. Tomorrow, I will try to even it all out over the day. After this week is over, I probably won't drink water for a year. I might even start showering with something else. Maybe cherry Kool-Aid? I'll be red, but I'll be happy.

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November 8, 2007 - Thursday

Hatred

I hate fucking water.

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Week 1 Day 4

Yesterday was close. I almost didn't finish. I wound up drinking a whole bottle of water at 11:20pm. You can guess what I was doing in the middle of the night!

I ate a Payday and I got that lump in my throat again. Someone suggested to me that I might be mildly allergic to peanuts. Hmm, very weird. But, possible, I suppose.

Did you know Andy Warhol died from too much water?

Warhol died in New York City at 6:32 a.m. on February 22, 1987. According to news reports, he had been making good recovery from a routine gallbladder surgery at New York Hospital before dying in his sleep from a sudden heart attack. The hospital staff had failed to adequately monitor his condition and overloaded him with fluids after his operation, causing him to suffer from a fatal case of water poisoning.

Water poisoning is a potentially fatal disturbance in brain function that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is pushed outside of safe limits, ironically by that which makes up the majority of it - common water.

On January 12, 2007, Jennifer Strange, a 28-year-old woman and a mother of 3, from Rancho Cordova, California, was found dead in her home by her mother hours after trying to win one of Nintendo's Wii game consoles in KDND 107.9 "The End" radio station's "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest, which involved drinking large quantities of water without urinating.

In a much-publicized case of fraternity hazing, four members of the Chi Tau (formerly Delta Sigma Phi) House at California State University, Chico pleaded guilty to forcing 21-year-old student Matthew Carrington to drink excessive amounts of water while performing calisthenics in a frigid basement as part of initiation rites on February 2, 2005. He collapsed and died of heart failure due to water intoxication.

Will I be next?

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November 6, 2007 - Tuesday

Nuts

Well, I finished my water for today. And now I have to pee again. On a completely irrelevant note, I ate something with peanuts in it, and now I have that lump in my throat that won't go away (drinking water obviously didn't help). It always happens with peanuts. After some intensive Googling, I found that eating a scoop of creamy peanut butter might help. If that isn't the best irony you've heard today, then my name isn't Fontana. Well, seriously, if you had better irony, let me know, but I get to choose my new name. I'll try the peanut butter right now, hold on...

No, it didn't work. Damn. Any other ideas?

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Week 1 Day 2

4 trips to the bathroom. It's 9:52pm and I still have 2 more glasses of water to drink. Looks like I'll need to guzzle it soon or I might not make it. Yesterday, it seemed very easy. Today, more temptation. Our house was just restocked with an assortment of soft drinks and flavored waters. Plus, there's a cider mix that I had on Sunday that was really good. Although I can't drink too much regular milk, we have Lactaid now, which in my opinion tastes exactly like milk. Looks like I picked a bad time to do this experiment. Grr.

More reasearch:
To function properly, the body requires between one and seven liters of water per day to avoid dehydration; the precise amount depends on the level of activity, temperature, humidity, and other factors. Most of this is ingested through foods or beverages other than drinking straight water. (Looks like I'm overdosing on water! more on this later)

For those who have healthy kidneys, it is rather difficult to drink too much water. (I agree!)

The myths such as the effect of water on weight loss and constipation that have been dispelled.

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November 5, 2007 - Monday

Week 1 Day 1

One day in, and so far, the task of drinking only water hasn't been too difficult. I drank half of it at work today. It's 7:42pm and I still have another 2 1/2 glasses to go. The only major change so far has been...ahem...a longer stay at the toilet. I did have more energy than normal, too, yet I'm not sure if the water had anything to do with that. I guess I'll see if the energy stays up for the rest of this week. Oh, and I was tempted (offered) a soda today, which I had to regretfully decline. I know I'll miss my hot tea at night, which I like because it warms me up. I suppose I could just have warm water...um, no.

Interesting Water Trivia:
Humans drink an average of 75,000 liters of water throughout their life.

Water regulates the temperature of the human body. If you have caught a fever you should drink lots of water.

Water leaves the stomach five minutes after consumption.

A person can live about a month without food, but only about a week without water.

There are almost 800 different brands of bottled water for sale in the United States.

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November 4, 2007 - Sunday

Accident

Ok, I know I haven't even begun the first task, but I just wanted to post this. After a brief period of research, I discovered that the whole drink 8 glasses of water a day is widely considered to be an urban legend. Nutritionalists aren't quite sure where this originated and that this amount is treated more like a rule of thumb and not a bare minimum. We must consider that a lot of our water intake comes along with foods we eat as well as other fluids which contain water. Basically, when you feel thirsty, you should drink. Regardless, I will continue the task as planned.

On another note, I also wanted to share another thing. A few months ago, I wrote a blog about an accident I saw on a highway that I frequently traveled at night. If I would have been a minute or two early this one night, it could have been me. The car was so badly mangled, there couldn't have been any survivors. Well, it happened again.

This time, the highway was shut down in both directions. It was also at night. I knew it had to be pretty bad. It happened right by a very curvy section of the highway. First of all, I have never seen so many flares in my life. As all the traffic was slowly being diverted to the exit, I looked over the flares and took notice to where a few police officers stood. Upon closer inspection, there was a white tarp covering what appeared to be a body. At the exit, the yellow and black barrier was shredded and crushed. It must have been where the accident originated. Click Here for the brief article about what happened. I snapped this photo as well, although you can't really see much. The red circle is about where the body was resting.


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Week 1

168 Hrs. Task 1: "H2OHNO!" Drink at least 64 ounces of water every day. Do not drink anything but water. (No flavored, carbonated or enhanced waters)

This might be easier stated than done. I guess we'll see. The 64 ounces comes from the popular belief that drinking 8 glasses (8 oz each) of water every day is good for you. I know from experience, that when my house isn't stocked with drinks, I tend to drastically cut back my fluid intake because of how difficult it can be to just drink water. I hope I don't wind up guzzling 5 glasses of water right before I go to bed!

Tasks will start every Monday and continue until the following Monday, where a new task will take its place. New tasks will be announced every Sunday.

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Let the Games Begin

The first few weeks of my new blog will be a bit staggered with ideas, so bare with me. Eventually, I'll have everything in place each week.

I'll start the first segment. The working title is 168 Hours. The concept is that I will be presented with weekly tasks that I must try to adhere to for the entire week. Throughout the week, I will post facts about the task, how I'm dealing with the task, and the effects it has on my normal routine. I'd love to see this idea expand with readers submitting ideas for various tasks they'd like to see me attempt or even having the readers try the tasks along with me. For now, I'm going to start with something easy just to get my feet wet. The goal of this segment is really just to have fun, but hopefully it'll allow me to experience something new or see life in a new perspective. It'll be interesting, because I know, even small things can sometimes change a person for the better. Wish me luck! See the next entry for my first 168 Hours!

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November 1, 2007 - Thursday

Don’t Read This Yet.... OK, Now You Can Read This

I'm still fleshing out how I'm going to set up my blog, but I have a few ideas. It should be fun for both the readers and me, so I'm looking forward to it. I promise, I'll be adding more to my profile soon. I added a pic at least! Sorry about the title of this entry. It's an inside joke. It's so inside, that only I think it's funny.

Anyway, I hope everyone is having a good November so far. Don't be afraid to drop me a message here. Well, it's late. I should probably get some rest. Sweet dreams.

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October 29, 2007 - Monday

I’m Back

Sometimes, art is hidden in emptiness. It can be as simple as a reflection of the artist. Picasso had his blue period. I chose an empty period. This is the best explanation as to why my profile has been so bare lately. Not that I even need to explain, because I'm sure most of you get it.

If a painter decides to leave the canvas alone, it's still a work of art. It could have been so many different things. But of all these things, it was left blank on purpose. The canvas was allowed to breathe. It almost has a suspenseful edge to it. Will it ever be stroked by the brush? Which medium will be used? What color will it be? Which direction? What type of brush? etc. If you look hard enough, you'll see the splashes of color. If you stare long enough, you'll see images and brushstrokes. If you imagine, you'll see the masterpiece.

Life can be as complex as you want it. It also can be as simple as you want it. It's your canvas.

It's nice to be back. I feel refreshed in a way. I look forward to regular blogging again. I'll be adding things to the profile, bit by bit. For now, this short message is all I have to offer. I hope you all have your smocks on. Things could get messy.

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