Legolas!!!

I have been a huge fan of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings since I was a little kid. In many ways I had a crush on all of the Fellowship (well, except Boromir) as well as Eomer and Eowyn. However, my crush on most of them was pretty platonic - I simply would have loved to have hung out with them, gone adventuring with them. (One of the biggest problems with LOTR is its lack of kickass female characters, although Eowyn is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. I also have to admit that I didn't fully understand her until I was 19 and went through my first serious case of heartbreak. And really, what was Aragorn thinking?) But when it comes to fantasy crushes, I must admit that I have always been rather obsessed with elves. And not the type of elves that hang out with Santa (those are more like Tolkien's dwarves), but the tall, androgynous, other-wordly beings of Middle Earth. (There are certainly other fantasy writers who have depicted elves in a similar fashion, but none with the beauty and elegance of Tolkien's. After all, in the Tolkien mythos, elves were the first of Eru's (er, "god's") flesh and blood creations. I'd had quite a dreamy crush on Legolas, as the elven representative in the Fellowship, and when I first heard that Peter Jackson was going to film the LOTR trilogy, my first thought was a worry that Legolas would be presented in a way that would simply kill my longterm crush. Luckily for me, Jackson's choice was perfect:

And speaking of hotties with bows and arrows, I know I mentioned a while back that I quite enjoyed Season One of the BBC's latest incarnation of Robin Hood, and am avidly awaiting Season Two. Anyway, I have crushed on Robin Hood pretty much all of my life, although I must say that the choice of Jonas Armstrong was most excellent.

And, of course, this is my original crush right here.

Now, something I should probably mention... I've also had a bit of a thing for The Bad Guy over the years. When I was a kid, watching Star Wars for the first time, I totally thought that Leia should get with Darth Vader and turn him from the Dark Side. That was, of course, before I saw Return of the Jedi and learned that Vader was her father. Whoops. Believe me, that fantasy went away right then and there.

Since I frequently imagined myself as a tenth member of the Fellowship when I read LOTR, I also managed to create a Sauron-converting fantasy. It wasn't a particularly long-lasting fantasy though.

Now I wouldn't really call this a fantasy, but the dude is hot and his character - despite being an evil bastard - actually has depth and I found myself feeling rather a bit sorry for him. I can totally understand fantasizing about changing him... although luckily for me, I've grown out of that phase. Dating one "bad guy" in real life was enough for me.

I still think he's pretty damn attractive though!

Then there's Gaius Baltar of Battlestar Galactica. I don't hate him, per say, but I strongly dislike and wholeheartedly despise the self-serving little shit.

Frack you, Gaius.

Mary Jane (she's mah main thang)

Welll howdy doody gals and gents,

I think I'm just gonna make it a short one today considering I have already blown my perverbial wad in the comments section, but I cannot believe that no one has yet mentioned Mary Jane!!!

Although I was not as much into comics as a lot of you might have been, I was quite a spiderman junkie back in the day, and I can remember a number of VERY anatomicaly correct drawings of mary jane in her seemingly endless collection of revealing nighties that led me to my first ever character crush. She was HOT!

And whats more, she was smart, strong, and was married to spiderman. How cool is that? (Its pretty damn cool).

As far as Fictional characters that I despised, (and this is taking it waaaaaaay back) I'd say I really hated Cruella Deville. A puppy skin coat?!? COME ON!!!

That bitch was crazy.

And lets see.... man crushes... Well, I can't say that this really qualifies as a "crush" persay, but I thought Goliath from Gargoyles was pretty awesome. Intelligent, stoic, able to fly, a veritable master of whoopass, and capable of turning to stone in order to foil his enemies... pretty much exactly how I saw myself in the future. And I'm pleased to say, I'm not that far off.

Have a good week. Talk to yas next time.

MagDef

My First Movie Husband

In the wild hope that he will once again don his karate uniform, wax my car and croon Chicago's "You're The Inspiration" to me every night, I have carried a torch for Ralph Macchio since I was five years old.

It must have been that endearing, squeaky-wheel of a voice, but there was something very hot about that kid in 1986. I remember telling my parents that I would marry him. Oh, how they laughed. But they never realized the full extent of my love. And I would still have him, even without his preadolescent good looks, the bonzai tree and the crane kick that would have cost him in a real martial arts tournament. In twenty years my love has never wavered.

Well, that is not exactly true.

A few years after I swore fidelity to Daniel LaRusso, in swaggered Han Solo. I always did find him more appealing than Luke Skywalker, which was strange, considering the similarities between Vader's son (oops, I didn't give it away, did I?) and Mr. Miyagi's own dark apprentice. But who would a deny a guy with a sweet ride like the Millennium Falcon?

As you could probably imagine, my feelings for both the Karate Kid and Mr. Princess Leia left me quite conflicted as a child. What if they confronted me and demanded a decision? Would they have a duel, and if so, did Daniel-san know how to fire a laser gun? I imagine the recoil would bruise him a bit.

And most important, who would make prettier babies?

Now, as an adult, I still don't know who I would choose. No, actually, I would probably take Han Solo, who has remained foxy in his silver years and stuck with Leia throughout their trilogy. In comparison, Daniel-san got pudgy, went through three chicks and didn't even score with Jessica Andrews in the end. (Dude. She left him for Ohio.)

However, this realization is not without its own debate: Han Solo or Indiana Jones? Lord. I'm fairly certain this new dilemma will secure my future as an old maid.

Yes, Uhura. Everybody could probably guess that one.

I don't really know if I can say a whole lot about this topic and have it stay interesting. Obviously, I'm a big fat Star Trek fan. Maybe you don't know that about me, but it's true. So ever since I was a kid I have had a crush on Uhura. When I was 9 and Star Trek 5 came out, she had this scene in which she did a fan dance while supposedly naked. I really thought that was totally hot, even though in retrospect Nichelle Nichols was probably like 60 or something. Plus those Original Series miniskirts? Yowza!


[She can open my hailing frequencies anytime]

Anyway, that's boring for everybody. I have a few poet crushes. For instance, Jane Hirshfield is a big poet crush of mine. Mostly it has to do with how much I love her work, but she's pretty cute for a 54 year old hippie. If I wasn't lazy, I would link a picture. But you guys can do a google search probably. (Ok, I'm not that lazy. I did this on an edit).


[Kind of cute, right?]

And she's probably my favorite living poet. I just got done reading Sarah Fox's book "Because Why," and it was pretty terrific, and she also looks cute. So maybe if her second book comes out and is great then I will develop a full blown poet-crush on her, too. Well, I just looked up Sarah Fox to find a picture to link, and it turns out she's not really that cute in any picture other than her book photo.


[Cute book photo]

Poets are really fickle about their book photos. Carolyn Forche, who is a great poet, is using a twenty-five year old photo for her jackets. Ridiculous. Also, once in poetry workshop class with another older poet I mentioned that Louise Gluck looks pretty hot for a woman her age, and the professor got all indignant and said "That's called airbrushing, hon." Oh, I have a crush on Sylvia Plath, but she's dead. Oh, if we could have been a pair! I'd like to think that I wouldn't have driven her to put her head in an oven like ole Teddy, but then if she had been happy she wouldn't have written all those great angry poems. So it's good that Ted Hughes drove her into being a suicidal wreck. Nobody's favorite book by her is The Colossus, after all.

I've already mentioned my comic book habit on this blog, but reading comics during the Rob Liefeld heyday of the 1990s I was exposed to images of many women with meter long breasts. (I'm really not joking. That guy can't draw at all, but we all though he was great for some stupid reason.) Anyway, comics were in bad shape in the 1990s, so I guess I didn't really get a specific crush on any particular comic book woman. They were all written in pretty much the same way, and the drawings were virtually indistinguishable. Although I really liked Domino, because she carried cool guns. The mind of a 13 year old is pretty shallow.

Anyway, as far as real people that I have baseless love and hate for (poets are actually fictional characters), I guess I really hate Jack White. Well, I know everybody probably hates me now, which is fine, but I determined I hated Jack White long before I'd even heard a White Stripes album. Everybody kept talking about what a genius he was, and every time I heard him interviewed he seemed like a gigantic douchebag. And so I decided I wouldn't like any White Stripes album I would ever hear. Which worked out ok, since the only album I've ever heard by them, Elephant, really did suck. Also, the White Stripes segment in Coffee and Cigarettes was fucking terrible.

Man crushes? I guess Captain Kirk. Maybe Clive Owen. Oh, man, what if they got Clive Owen to play Captain Kirk in the new Star Trek movie? That would probably blow my wad. I mean mind! I meant mind, not wad!

My Rage Keeps Me Alive

I can't say that I share everyone's Ben Affleck obsession. At all. He comes off as some kind of doofus and his buddy Matt Damon (say that like in Team America, please) just looks like a little boy...still. However, Johnnny Depp was a crush of mine growing up and now he's the crush of a new generation of girls. On the one hand, that's really kind of cool. On the other (unwashed, malodorous) hand, it's kind of wrong.

But the topic this week is love/hatred for FICTIONAL characters. I think all of us have had assigned reading in high school and uni -- probably way too much of it -- and I have always turned a bad read into a hate fest, so I thought I'd share a few examples:

1) What the fuck is up with Charles fucking Dickens? What an asshole! I have only read one of his novels (one was more than enough), but the characterization was so lame as to make it unreadable. I speak, of course, of the worst of books: A Tale of Two Cities. I hate every character in that damn thing, except that guy who died at the end. If that's what Chuck was going for, then maybe he really was a genius.

2) Musicals ruin everything. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy the MUSIC of "Les Mis," but I also really hate the fact that suddenly, when it's sung to catchy tunes and involves jazz hands, that excellent book becomes a love story. Les Misérables is about hating Cosette and Marius, not about cheering them on! Hello! You're supposed to sympathize with Javert, marvel at Valjean, and get the hots for Enjolras. In other words, you're supposed to be just like me. Curiosity started me on that book, and my hatred for Cosette and that wussy boyfriend of hers kept me going through 1300 pages.

3) Death in Venice. It should just be called Death, because, if there is a hell (let's assume I am going to it), it probably feels like reading that novella. This isn't hatred, really. It's mind-numbing apathy. That stupid book was assigned to me three times, in three different courses, at the same university. And I never finished it. Because I just didn't care.

As for LOVE, I have to confess to this as well. I'm not the angry person I seem to be.

1) Darcy. That is all.

2) Special Agent Pendergast. If you like scifi (I don't), the supernatural (we know all the original SuperGroupers do!), and "thrillers," the novels of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child are for you. Pendergast is American aristocracy from New Orleans in the form of a consummate weirdo: genteel, mysterious, practically asexual, ridiculously talented at everything. He's the world's geekiest superhero. And I think I love him.

3) Will Ladislaw. Oh my goodness. Politically engaged, artistically gifted, prone to yelling...he's some kind of 1970's cult leader god, but from the nineteenth century. You should really read Middlemarch.

4) Dalgliesh. Ok, so he's like in his 60s now, but when PD James first started on her long career as a crime writer, more than 40 years ago, he was just a youngster. The poet policeman: tragically widowed, emotionally unavailable, and not at all your stereotypical, vice-addled, asshole fictional British detective. (Incidentally, good old PD wrote the novel Children of Men, made into the movie starring dreamy Clive Owens.)

And...I'll leave it there. Girl crush? Becky Sharp.

Introducing Caitlin

Caitlin is finally living in Canada after a 7 month on again/off again stint of living back here in Lake City. Before that she lived in Switzerland for a year teaching English, and before that lived in Montreal and went to McGill University. Thanks to her, I've gotten to do a bit of traveling.

There's more to her though, than where she's lived. She's a former band nerd (with Glenn, Jane, and Melissa), and we were in chorus together as well. She's really into gems and jewelry, and can make some pretty kickass stuff. She's super smart (and obviously in good company here), and quite a smartass (and again). She's also developed this strange talent for picking up stuff at antique stores and flea markets at a cheap price, only to turn around and find they're quite valuable.

I know she's read this blog since the beginning, and will be a great addition! Welcome Caitlin!

Laurie - my apologies for not introducing you - I didn't know you were going to post, or else I would have done it. I think your own intro was great, but if you would like me (or Glenn) to do one, I'd be more than happy to.

hatred/crushes

I have to comment on something nick said... about falling for a character rather than the actor (or 'tress). i experienced a similar thing in high school drama. yes, it was a long time ago, but hear me out.
the play was "bye-bye birdie" and the character was albert peterson, the english teacher wannabe. i was about 14 and the guy who played albert (his name is raul) was "so great". the thing is, the albert role rubbed off into real life just enough that i almost transferred the crush to raul himself, even though his real personality was not what i was into. then i noticed that whatever theater role i was playing would rub off into my life - which was kind of fun when i was "wench #2" (once upon a mattress), but not so hot when i was marian the librarian (the music man). it defiinitely made a differnce in who i dated during each play. so i don't think i'm the only one who fell for a character back then.

as far as celebrities are concerned:
i can't stand affleck (sorry). there's this song on the team america soundtrack with a few lines that say: "i need you like ben affleck needs acting school; he was terrible in that film. i need you like cuba gooding needed a bigger part; he's way better than ben affleck."
i love team america. i guess one could say that i have a puppet-crush on chris. that foul mouth just does something for me... shoot, if i was single i'd probably go for trey parker - hilarious, decent looking, and he cracks a lot of great mormon jokes (for the record, i am officially a mormon myself. don't tell anybody).
i'll admit to woman-crushes on, oh say jennifer garner (which goes great with my not being able to stand her husband... i hope they break up). i might be "into" gwen stefani too - i'm still deciding. the pink hair was a low point, but she seems to have gotten past that.
i really have a problem with michelle pfeiffer. i have no idea why. shoot, i don't know why people have these weird love/hate things. my best guess has something to do with an experience i had back in the day. so, in high school (yeah, i get a lot of stories from there) there was a girl who i could not stand. i really hated her. now, i was not the type to get in trouble - i was an honor student, national honor society blah blah blah, and we got in a fight in the hallway once - i got clawed and she got punched, but it broke up pretty fast. so then i found out that the soccer team opposing her soccer team needed more players, and that it was the kind of soccer where no blood = no foul. so i had some fun slamming her into walls and such until the coach said i had to stop or i couldn't play any more... but i digress. the point is, she was a total bitch and drove me up the wall. so, years later, in a differnt country, i meet a co-worker who could pass as her twin. i am not kidding. the co-worker was nice enough, but i found it literally impossible to like her. i had a pretty hard time just being civil, just because of what she looked like (and no, i am not racist or anything like that - this was a single incident).
so maybe us non-famous types latch on to the famous types because we like their looks, or because we want to be like them (maybe just be them). seemingly that would make all self-esteem issues just dissappear - "man, if i were as cool as so-and-so, i'd have it made..."

No one crushes on Coulter

Ann Coulter on Hardball.

I know most people don't watch all the political shows; that's what I'm here for. But, I could not watch Hardball today because, when I switched it on, I saw that Ann Coulter was there. Well it turns out I should have watched it after all. That link will show you why (hint: the wife of the guy she called "faggot" and said she hopes he "dies in a terrorist attack" and whose dead son she made fun of in the '04 election cycle called in- as far as I'm concerned, Elizabeth Edwards could run for president herself).

No one crushes on Cheney

This is certainly off the topic of crushes (but maybe not so much from celebrity hatred). If you haven't been reading the Washington Post's series, Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency, I highly recommend it. They're long articles, but packed with information I didn't know before. The final section comes out tomorrow.

So what are you saying? When you get divorced you turn in your library card? You get a new license? You stop being Jewish?

I can't say I've ever truly hated someone based solely on their body of work. I mean, I could name celebrities that I disdain (it might be easier for me to name those that I don't). Tom Cruise comes immediately to mind; but that's not based on his films per se, of which, arguably, there have been one or two decent ones (the only one I would count as such is Magnolia, and if anyone has seen his character in that movie, there's a reason probably why that one is good). John Travolta also comes to mind, but mostly for being an idiot, besides doing crappy movies. But Pauly Shore comes to mind (don't ask me why) as having done really bad movies that I have just absolutely hated, but he seems like a decent enough guy. Brendan Frasier is someone whose name used to make me recoil, but I'd probably argue he redeemed himself with Gods and Monsters (and, especially, with The Quiet American). But I can't say I really dislike people that I don't know based on their entertainment work alone. Usually the celebrities that I dislike, like a Paris Hilton or whatever, I dislike because of their "real-life" persona.

That mindset seems to extend somewhat into having crushes on actresses. I mean, sure, when I'm watching a movie, I might fall for the character in the movie, like Clementine in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, or Ann in My Life Without Me, or Charlotte in Lost In Translation, or, on TV, Donna on The West Wing or Juliet on Lost, but that ends when the credits roll, or shortly thereafter. Because why would I have a crush on Kate Winslet or Sarah Polley or Scarlet Johannsen in "real life?" That's just attributable to the storytelling of the movie or the actresses portraying a roll. But I will admit to having very much "fallen" for those aforementioned characters as I was watching the movie or TV show, which could tell you something about me I guess. The closest I've come is having a very slight infatuation with the actress/singer Charlotte Gainsbourg, though that's more attributable to her music appealing to me so much, rather than her looks (she's not very physically attractive). Oh, I remember when I was little- does anyone remember that Nickolodeon show Salute Your Shorts? When I was young, I had a pretty big crush on the hippie girl on that show (I will be heading over to Wikipedia to look that up!).

I'd like to introduce a sort of sub-topic here: the man-crush. I know all of the males who post here are secure enough in their heterosexuality to admit to having had or still harboring man-crushes. I'll admit my biggest is probably John Cusack. I'll watch anything he's in- and he mostly picks good movies, I'd argue. I've also always for some reason been drawn to Ben Affleck- though he, in contrast to Cuscak, usually seems to pick shit movies to act in. Or, for the females, maybe there are some woman-crushes here? I think that might be more commonplace among women, at least for them to admit it. I think any Star Trek fan probably has or had a man-crush on Captain Kirk (or, for those Next Gen fans, Picard). That seemed to have been the whole thing beneath the surface of the movie Free Enterprise, if anyone here besides Glenn has ever seen that.

Also, has anyone ever fallen for a character in a book? Or a cartoon character? (Jessica Rabbit, anyone?) That'd be interesting to me; I mostly read non-fiction, but I would wonder if someone has read a book and fallen for a character in the book; it'd be interesting to know why, and how someone constructs a character in their mind based solely on reading words on paper-- I'm sure I have, but I'd have to think about that one a bit.

back to addictions for a minute

Disclaimer - i think stephanie's post posted while i was typing, so i'll do a separate post for this week later.

hi all.
i missed my day - at least i think i did. i finally got jane's email about posting order a few minutes ago. not that i don't have internet, but my dialup at home has been downloading some accounting software for two days and then some personal training software for some more days... i had about a billion spam emails to delete. it was great.
i guess that proves that the internet is not an addiction for me- i didn't cry, and i didn't go to the neighbor's house and ask to use theirs (our neighbor is actually pretty cool and probably would have let me, but i didn't NEED to).
i think i'm addicted to chai lattes with soy milk. i give them up every so often, but then i just gotta have one and whoops, they're a daily thing again. i got into them because i was trying to get off the white mocha (which i'd used to get me off caramel frappuccinos). i think i see a vicious cycle. it's weird how the addiction transferrs though - i've tried decaf, and they satisfy the craving, so it's not that. i'm sure the beverages serve as some kind of comfort food (okay, drink). i just feel better when i'm sipping one. mmmmmmm. good.
i'm also seriously addicted to sleep. i was insomniac for YEARS!! and then normal for a while, then i got insomniac again, and this time i over-recovered and need about 10 hours a night. if i don't get that much sleep, i'll fall asleep anywhere, any time until i fill the quota. shoot, i fell asleep at the beach yesterday - people who know me will know that i just don't do that. the beach usually gets me all hyper and i play in the water... and then one day at lunch i crawled under my desk so nobody would see me snoozing. i woke up snuggled to the computer connector thingy because it was warm. so yeah, addiction if not disorder. again, i think it's a comfort thing.
so now that i've gone off on tangents about my two biggest addictions, i get to go off about addictions in general, right? different people get involved with different things: by choice, or chance, or whatever. my husband is addicted to running. he got teased into training for a marathon, and now he can't stop even if he wanted to. he gets all jittery and grumpy (ish) until he goes out and runs about a billion miles.
i can't imagine wanting to do that. then again, i can't imagine wanting to snort weird stuff that would most likely eventually kill me, but some people do that too...
i think our brains respond to what we usually do by deciding that's the way things ought to be. i slept too little for a while, so my body decides that's enough. then i sleep a lot, and my brain changes its mind.
some people have a special blanky, some shop all the time, and some have annoying habits like sticking their hands in their armpits and then smelling them. the point is that if you do a certain thing enough times, you're addicted. if your brain decides it's the "right" thing. i also think that different people have either learned or genetic tendencies to easily addict themselves to certain things (i know that's been pretty much proven with alcoholism...). my husband's family have cigarette and alcohol tendencies. one of either and they're hooked. numerous times one brother or the other has tried to quit something, but it just ain't happening. i, on the other hand, did the cigarettes until i noticed that soccer wasn't as easy, and stopped immediately. since that day i've taken one puff -just for shock value (i somehow always get this goody-two-shoes reputation, so i had to refute it). similarly, i've tried multiple kinds of booze, but i hate them all. i can't imagine wanting to drink it enough to become comfortable with the situation.
i think it would be cool if scientists figured out a way to trigger the addiction centers in our brains so we could addict or un-addict ourselves at will. it would probably be good for me if i were addicted to some form of exercise for a while, or maybe i'd want to cancel my sleep addiction so i could be more productive. i wonder if anyone is studying that.
so that's my fifty-two cents. i didn't quote anyone cuz i'm too lazy to look stuff up, but hey, now you'll get my own thoughts, and not what i read that someone else thinks. yay.
i'll try to post in the right order next time.

Fictional Love and Unconditional Hate

This week's topic is inspired not only by a conversation we've had in the comments of this very blog, but also by a conversation I had earlier this week. (Or maybe last week - the days are blurring together). It's fictional love and hate, or to expand the topic somewhat, inexplicable love or hate for someone you don't know and have never met. Need examples?

Well as far as hate for someone I've never known or met, mine is Jaime Pressly. Some of you may argue that you hate Ann Coulter even though you don't know her, and have never met her, but you DO know some of her values (or claimed values), and can justly despise her for them. I know nothing about Jaime Pressly, but have had this weird hatred of her for awhile. It's only remedy has been My Name is Earl - she is perfect in the role of a white-trash bitch, and its hilarious.

Another example would be that my former roommate Lindsey refused to watch The Cell because J-Lo was in it. (Hopefully she's changed her mind and watched it, as it's a fantastic movie)

The flip side of this is being in love with or having a crush on someone you've never met, though specifically what comes to mind are fictional characters. I was having a conversation with some of my fellow costars (Midsummer Night's Dream) about the Harry Potter movies and series, when I said that I had a crush on the Weasley twins - and Lupin. Danielle pipes up, "Me too! But only Fred, not George, though I have no idea why." This later led to a conversation about other fictional characters we had crushes on at some point in time. I said something about Darien from Sailor Moon. (But there's also Gambit from Xmen and Trent from Daria). The conversation then moved to anthropomorphic characters. I brought up Disney's Robin Hood, and I think every girl agreed that he was a "fox" (ha ha).

Danielle then mentioned a guy friend of hers had said something about having a crush on the girl dog from Balto, but she was grossed about because it was a dog - not even really anthropomorphic - all that was different was she could talk - still walked on four legs, didn't wear clothes. Maybe it's just one step away from beastiality.

There are other fictional characters I've fallen in love with - which may say something as to why I am single (other than the fact that I am choosy, and possibly elitist) - but to keep this brief, and to keep from making myself seem like an even bigger freak, I'll just leave it to the list I've already named.

So that's the topic, do with it what you will, and forgive me if it's not something you want to write about. (Note: I said something you want to write about - you're a liar if you say you haven't done either of these things)

a dictation

Sooo... I'm pretty sure its my turn to type again on this old merry go round of fun (I like filled with FUN, thats what I love~ thank you Tribe). And the thing I've noticed in my thinking about this addiction stuff is that there was a time some 70 thousand years ago or so when addiction wasn't really such a big issue as it is today. At that point, diction was far more "in vogue". I mean, back then most of the guys were hanging out by their caves waiting for some animal dumber than they were so they could club it to death, and they were a bit too busy trying to mouth words around those fumbling jaws they had to really be worried about how much wormwood they were chewing and how often.

And hey, there's a theory that language was born of hallucinogens. Seriously though. What is the monolith if not a trip? A gateway into a perception greater than oneself, an existence beyond what one ever dreamed of, an experience that is immediately both intangible and yet incredibly real, real enough that the first thing you want to do is describe it to everyone around you. "Look at what the WORLD is doing! Caves don't just DO that! It's like, everything I ever knew was just proven false in ten minutes. Physics, man, physics. Particles, the relative softness and hardness of objects, and its RIGHT you know, about energy. It can't be destroyed, only transferred. And did you see what the trees just said? Its like they were turning into themselves, but like the ideal representation of what trees ARE man, and thats ok, you know... thats... ok." Of course at the time of the inception of language, it probably sounded a bit more like "AAAARRRHGHGHGH! AKAKLALLLLLLLLL! AAAASHIIIIIIIII! RRREEREREREEEEEEEECKKKGHGH! FLLLULULUUULUUUBHGHHGHG!"

So now we've got some crazy ass Homo Floresiensis running around camp trying to figure out what to do with his tongue in order to explain this recent experience to his buddies who are all in various stages of clubbing women over the head to take them back to thier caves or killing, eating, or skinning something dead, and then a good seventy thousand years later, WE'RE all worried and arguing about why we should eliminate from society that which was gracious enough to bring us language in the first place. Where's the love there people? I mean here we are using what came second to describe what came first through machines that we ourselves have invented which have so simplified OUR language that it can all be broken down to a sequence of ones and zeros (which is actually kind of the way our brains work anyway... either the synapse fires, or it doesn't.) And all this thanks to drugs. Thats right, drugs. Thus, from diction to addiction and back again is quite a long path my friends, quite the perverbial RIDE.

But now that we've gone and done it, now that we've opened that can of worms, lets step inside and explore a bit, shall we? Addiction... hmmmmm.... addiction, addiction, addiction.... nope, can't say I've met the gal.

But if I had, she'd probably be attractive at first, you know, the kind of woman who shows up at a party and she's got a bit of a strange vibe around her, but she talks a lot and a good number of the people there end up feeling prety easy around her... she's handing out cigs and talking about other things, things she's done that no one else has, talks about them like she's some kind of 21st century goddess of experience. But thats all gradual man, gradual, you know, because first its all like, "hey I'm havin a few people up at the house this weekend and you're welcome to come along" and you can't really make up your mind whether or not to go, but as long as your friends are going, it can't be that bad.

So you go to this chicks party and at first you're not sure you like her so much. Yeah, she's pretty hot, but kind of rubs you wrongly, abrasive, just not in any tangible way. You know, cornering you in conversation, generally controlling the topic. And you can't make up your mind how much you really like this girl, but it seems like everyone else is having a good time, your friends who have known her longer want to stay at the party even when you're ready to go, but this chick, this whole hardcore act, is kind of growing on you. And before long you're over there every weekend, hanging out, just can't seem to get enough of her. And then you're in her room and there are hands everywhere and the whole thing is heavy and wet, hot like whats left of the rainforest, fast like motorcycles, slow like the slippage of time. And you stay there in her room for days, months, maybe even a year or two. And its not even that you laugh at her jokes anymore. Its not even that you really enjoy being around her at all after a while, but she's there, and you've gotten used to her, you know, she's what you know. And you like the sex. At least you used to like it. A Lot. Now you're just kind of living in the memory of what it was.

And then out of no where she kills your grandmother.

Needless to say you're pretty pissed. You stop calling her. And you stop going to her house. You stop talking to her, erase her pictures from your hard drive, try to make friends who are into surfing or climbing mountains. Try to meet nice girls. But one day you're feeling down about something and you remember how she used to talk to you and make you feel better, so you go to her house just once, just for old times sake. And after that its over. You can't stay away. When you're not over there, she's at yours. And next thing you know you're married to the woman who killed your grandmother. And you're next. And you know this, but you don't care. She's your wife, and you're willing to look past the little things.

Yeah, that's about what I think addiction would be like. She's dangerous, but only because she doesn't really seem like it.

The truth is, I've probably had my share of addictions, the worst of which has been cigarettes, and perhaps in college when I was into the Marlboro Green. That was a tough one to quit. But I did. And now I like to drink. But I wouldn't say that I'm addicted to it. Its not like I NEED that drink or anything. There's a fine like sometimes between exploration and addiction, and as far as I'm concerned anything can grab you by the balls and not let go, and that's when you've got a choice to make. You can either cut off the fingers and hope the hand doesn't grow back, cut off your balls and change your life completely, or learn to live with a monster on your balls. (substitute balls for boobs if you're a woman).

This is an impression of me on coffee

Coffee. Caffeine, but specifically coffee. That's my addiction of choice. Put me in a dark room with no communication or entertainment, but slip me a single mocha with whip once or twice a day and we'll get along just fine.

Compared to many people, I don't drink too much coffee everyday, but it's still enough to give me a headache on the weekends if I don't have it. This may be a psychological reaction, although it's certainly one I'd like to stop because I seriously don't enjoy it. Some of my friends say all addictions are just psychological reactions, and maybe there's some truth to that. I don't know. But I do know that a soda does not have enough caffeine to keep the headaches away and that, as far as coffee goes, Dunkin Donuts has very little caffeine whereas Starbucks has too much. Yep, addiction is what keeps you coming back. But Starbucks coffee tastes like dirt, so I go most often to a local DC place called ME Swings right near the White House. It's probably the consistently best coffee I've ever had, and it has the friendliest baristas. If you're ever visiting DC, this place is worth the extra stop.

Also, caffeinated soap exists!

I consider books a compulsion, not an addiction. I enter a book store and feel almost obligated to find something I could take home, which isn’t really hard. It’s sort of like sending an 11-year-old girl into a pet store and telling her to leave with at least one cute, furry thing. My book shelves are full, and I’ve begun stacks on top of my speakers, on my headboard, and on the floor. And I freaking love it. Even if I can’t read all these books, I lovelovelove to surround myself with them. I’m Scrooge McDuck in the Money Bin; I just like to wallow.

New and Improved

My, how Blog Supergroup has changed since I last graced its page. Well I'm back to darken the doorway of the Supergroup (which I see has now become even *extra* super!), albeit as a "guest blogger." It's been a while. But now that I got a few massive problems worked out- or, at least, begun to do so- I'm back in the bloggin' business.

I have no idea what the topic is right now. I guess I shouldn't try to get on the train while it's moving. I assume topics still start on Monday, so I'll get with the program then. I saw something about addiction (my addictions tend to be intangible, like drama- except that I can't sleep usually without taking sleeping pills). I'll come back around Monday and get into the swing.

Sorry for the extended absence- I got sick (as those originals here know) back in March, and the fallout from that (medication, which I have since pretty much quit; a devastating misdiagnosis that really screwed me up for a while; lots of stupid yet stressful and at times intrusive medical tests; etc.), as well as the end of a three-year relationship and the emotional and financial toll that takes. Plus I got a promotion, and it's new territory for me, so I'm still on the proving grounds- I've been working at times some massive hours. And I'm in school. But, the medical stuff is more or less figured out, work is being managed better as I settle in, and I'm slogging through the relationship change. So I can see the light of day once again.

Glenn, I see it's beard time. I know that guys do that when they hit those late 20s for some reason. I suppose I should start to prepare mentally for The Beard Era myself in the next year or so.

Oh, lastly, I have created a blog for my own personal garbage (the good kind of garbage). I hope you all will read it.

Bonus post

Well, after posting that last rambling entry, I came across this article while logging out of hotmail. I play a lot of video games, and while the closest thing to medical authority I have is to say that I was premed for two semesters, I'm pretty sure this is further evidence in my ongoing theory that AMERICANS ARE GIGANTIC FUCKING PUSSIES.

No offense, Americans. But really. Does there always have to be somebody else to blame for your problems? I mean come on. I'm sorry your stupid nerd son decided to stop studying and play World of Warcraft so much that he became violent when you took it away. But now you're going to try to get medical insurance to cover the expenses? And blame the video game companies?

Also, look at the picture in the beginning of the article. Those two kids are playing a Playstation One. That means it's either a ten year old picture, or the dinosaur game these two home schooled Aryan motherfuckers are playing is probably called "Strange Creatures That Never Existed According To God Part III," and the PS1 was the least Satanic of all video game consoles their mother's pastor recommended they buy.

Sorry for all the vitriol!

I guess I might as well face it

I'm addicted to comic books. That doesn't really fit the song I guess. I'm not really sure how to differentiate between an addiction and a hobby. In my monthly budget I actually set aside $100 for comics, and I enjoy reading them every week. Without fail, I pick them up on Thursday, the day after they come out, in order to avoid the Wednesday crowd. The comic book store people all know my name and talk nerd talk when I come in. I give them at least $1200 a year in business. But I don't really think that makes me an addict. On a side note, the books I mainly buy are big superhero books (Batman, Spider-man, Daredevil, etc). But being in a writing program, every time I say I buy comics people always say something like "Oh, Maus is good. Have you read 'Ballistic Cunt?' It's a graphic novel inspired by feminist readings of Foucault." (Idea copyright Glenn Shaheen, everybody, so hands off). Then I always have to explain that superhero books are not really as dumb as they think, or as dumb as they were in the early 90s, but it's pretty much like telling a creative writing grad student that you really love Stephen King. For those of you who don't know, creative writing grad students are really pretentious. It's probably a good idea not to socialize with them or admit to other people that you even know any. I usually tell people I'm getting my MFA in botany, or the science of socks, or something.

As far as other things go, I've been watching Star Trek lately, but I'm slowly just trying to work my way through the episodes, so that's not an addiction. Once a long time ago I smoked cigarettes for a year just because I hated those "Truth" adds they used to have on TV that implied smoking was worse than Hitler. Remember that one? Let me see if I can find it.



Hey, Youtube is great! Anyway, I guess watching it now it doesn't really imply that smoking is worse than Hitler, but it's still a pretty offensive ad by implying they're similar. And at the time I thought it would be poetic justice for me to start smoking when Truth wanted me to not smoke, since the ads were making me feel bad anyway. I showed them! Well, except I never told Truth about it, and they probably didn't care, and I quit after a year.

Wikipedia is pretty much an addiction. There are nights when I will be exhausted and I will just stay up for hours past when I am tired following a hypertext trail through wikipedia articles. Though on the bright side I think I could totally kick everybody's ass in Jeopardy! now.

Also I'm a huge porn addict. It was actually me who found this blog by looking for Britney Spear's vagnia. Sorry guys! I'll try to type more clearly next time I use google to search for naked celebrities, like Paris Hilton naked in jail, or Lindsay Lohan fully nude, or Hilary Duff topless, or Ryan Seacrest elephantitis , or Brad Pitt skin pendulum.

That last paragraph was just written to get us some more hits.

this is your brain on drugs...

Hi everyone, new guest blogger Laurie here. I don't think anyone has introduced me yet (where's the love, people?), but I thought I'd intro myself so I could weigh in on this topic. Obligatory blurb about me: Like many of the kiddos here on BSG, I grew up in L.C. Florida, but left after high school for college, subsequently earning a BA in English Lit and a BFA in Studio Art from Florida State University. I relocated to Brooklyn two years ago, and have loved every second of it. I currently work in business development at a mid-sized tv network that I promise you've never heard of, but I'll be starting as a student at Brooklyn Law School in the fall. You can check out my personal blog, Sleeping in Brooklyn, here. So on to the topic at hand!

Just last week I read a story in Elle (yeah, I know sorry but that's where I read it) that basically argued that most people who try or even regularly use narcotics and/or other drugs won't become addicts.* This of course, flies in the face of decades of "Just Say No Dare Common Sense" public education, but it's also much closer to the truth of drug and alcohol use than any of the terror filled edicts we're normally bombarded with by various drug "authorities." Having been around the block with a pretty wide range of drugs from alcohol to opiates I can attest than no, the average person won't become a raving drug fiend the moment they take a bump of blow at a party.

Traffic offers a great example. The pretty upper middle class WASP girl chases the dragon once and is whoring herself to her big black (so much to say about the race depictions here, but that's a topic for another day) dangerous drug dealer in the ghetto 45 mins later. I'd have to argue that this is an extremely unrealistic picture of addiction. I'd also have to argue that there is an inherent danger in miseducating the public with regard to addiction.**

The real trouble with drugs is when the tiny percentage of people who have "addictive personalities" get their hands on them. The New York Times had an interesting article recently about what personality traits are commonly found in addicts and it's worth checking out before they make it TimesSelect. One thing that I find strange is how difficult it is to find statistical evidence on the internet that indicates what percentage of the American population is actually addicted to drugs. An extensive internet search this morning turned up all kinds of "drug abuse up X%" kinds of things, but they always fail to establish what the benchmark was before the rise. If heroin abuse is up 50% but it still represents only .67% of the population then that's worth noting. The aforementioned Times article simply says "many millions." I can't remember where I saw it, but somewhere I came across a figure that stated that 20 million people in the U.S. Even if the number was actually 20 mil then that's only 6% of the population. However, I have the impression from other websites that even this is a gross exaggeration (that number probably includes cigs and alcohol, too). I found an interesting little blurb about this here where the author states that "obviously, the government can't say how many genuine addicts there are, and the 3.6 million number seems like a tremendous overestimate based on counting anything approaching regular use of heroin, crack, cocaine and other drugs, both actually measured and estimated."

So what's my big point, right? Well, my point is that we need honest facts about addiction in order to have an honest public debate about it's dangers. Slate has several articles about this topic that are worth a read, especially this one about "the best anti-pot ad ever." Do a keyword search for "drugs" to turn up more like these.

A couple of concerns here that I won't get entirely into (this is a blog after all and I've already written WAY too much here), but that I'd like to throw out there to get you thinking a bit:

- "Dangerous" things entice people, especially teens, and when you convince people drugs are super dangerous it only entices them more.
- People who choose to use drugs cannot protect themselves if they don't understand what the actual dangers of using those drugs are. This is related to...
- When people know you are lying to them about some things, they will assume you are lying to them about everything else. With drugs, this could lead some people to assume all the bad things they hear about drugs are false or exaggerated.

*They cited studies and I would throw in quotes here were it not for the fact that I left my copy of the magazine at a friend's place and he's in California all week and there doesn't seem to be a copy of the article anywhere online. Sorry but that's life.

**Actually I'm of the opinion that there's an inherent danger in miseducating the public on any topic. Educate your citizens well, give them the facts, and let them make their own decisions, I say. Don't get me wrong, I haven't become a Libertarian. I firm in the belief that the people should be governed, but I also think that the people should decide how they are governed, not the elite ruling class (hello almost exclusively rich, white, male Congress).

I Can't Get No...Satisfaction

Well this topic is perfect for me, as anyone who knows me knows that I've been addicted to heroin and sex since the age of 5. Just kidding - well about the heroin at least. I can't actually say that I'm addicted to drugs (never really taken any), or alcohol (ok - I've had my share of drunk nights, but I rarely get drunk anymore), or anything else - except food, shopping, and a captive audience (with or without the duct tape and gag).

But seriously, real addictions for me? Actually probably pretty close to Jane's. I'm addicted to the internet, though it hasn't been able to be quite as severe in the past 6 month because I've had dialup at home. But no longer! My sister saw a sign saying that we could finally get DSL out in the sticks, and she told me when I got home last night that my mother had already called and we're getting the hook-up Thurs! I can finally post the pics I have on my camera! Ooh! AND with DSL we can set up a wireless network, and we can set up the other computer! So while I don't generally check my email before I pee in the morning (as it would take far too long, and I'd probably have an accident before then), that may soon change.

Also TV is a big one. I generally don't have the time to just sit and watch, but I do record my favorite shows. I love Sex and the City, Dexter, Weeds, Big Love (all the really good shows on the movie channels you have to pay for - well not Sex and the City), but I do have an embarassing love for some reality tv. The worst, I'll admit, is American Idol. I suppose I can truly say it's an addiction, because even though I'm completely embarassed and ashamed to admit I watch it, I do it anyway. The others are the competition shows on Bravo. It all started with Project Runway, then moved onto Top Design, and finally Shear Genius. I just love all the creativity, and competition, and bitchiness - and I would LOVE to be on one of those shows, but I don't have the right experience or degree.

Travel is probably my other addiction. Living in Lake City, I mean, who could blame me for wanting to get out and visit some cool places any chance I get? Oh - that reminds me - my grandmother has a timeshare in Sedona that we could trade for a week in London - anyone up for a trip? However it is a bit of an expensive addiction, and often I end up using the money I should be paying off medical bills with to go on these trips. However, I use the excuse that it has made me a more worldly and well-rounded person, so it's totally worth it.

In the interest of keeping this a relatively short post, I suppose I should end it there. I could ramble on about my love for Neil Gaiman, Jack White, shoes, and other things, but I'm sure I'll cover those at some other time on this blog.

A day late and a dollar short...

Whoops! Apparently I was supposed to start off this week's discussion. I realized this last night and opted for bed instead of wracking my brain for something intelligent and witty to stick here. However, after having slept on it, I do actually have a topic for all of you readers and co-bloggers to muse on: addictions.

In general, I do not think that I have an addictive personality. I smoked cigarettes regularly for several years because I enjoyed blowing smoke out of my mouth. In 2000 I came back to the US after having spent seven months in Russia - land of super cheap smokes - to Tennessee, which had just instituted a new cigarette tax. I decided that I was simply too poor to continue that habit, so I stopped. No patches, no Nicorette gum, and (aside from occasionally when drinking) no cravings. I've smoked pot a handful of times, although I never really saw what the big deal was. I always thought I'd rather be drinking booze. And speaking of booze, I certainly drank a lot during my college years (I went to Sewanee after all!), but I can pretty much count on one hand the number of times I've been drunk in the past year. Okay, maybe two hands, but you get the point. I simply can't imagine desperately craving smokes (legal or otherwise) or booze, although obviously there are many people in this world who do.

But just because nicotine, THC and alcohol aren't the driving forces in my life, that doesn't mean that I don't have addictions. My most obvious addiction is to the Internet. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is turn on the computer. Seriously, I turn it on before stumbling into the bathroom to pee. I check my email, MySpace, and my blog trackers several times a day while at work. The first thing I do when I get home is turn on the computer, and the last thing I do before I go to bed is turn it off. Unless of course I'm downloading something large while I sleep. I'm currently planning a roughly three-week long trip to Russia when my time in Korea is finished. Because I'll be in some rather remote places in Siberia, I'm assuming that Internet access for those three weeks will be nil. And Oh. My. God. Three weeks with no Internet? Not sure I can make it!

Then there's Jack White. I am thoroughly addicted to that man and everything he touches. I know Laurie will back me up when I say that the latest album from the White Stripes, Icky Thump, is the most addictive thing since crack. I simply cannot stop listening to it... nor do I want to. It might actually be *better* than Get Behind Me Satan - and I didn't think such a thing was possible. Also, I would totally bear Jack White's children, starting right now, without a second thought.

My most recent TV addiction is Battlestar Galactica (frequently abbreviated as BSG, kinda like BlogSuperGroup, so it has to be awesome, right?). Anyhow, too many people whose opinions I trust told me that I absolutely *must* watch Battlestar Galactica, so I finally gave in and started watching (on the Internet - surprise! - from the beginning). I'm currently almost finished with Season Two. (Don't any of you dare tell me what's coming - I want it to be a surprise!) In fact, I think I have to stop typing so I can watch some more BSG right frackin' now.

Introducing a guest blogger: Pia

Well, this is going to be kind of a weird/random introduction since I don't actually *know* Pia in real life... although I've been reading her blog (you should too!) for over a year and a half now, and I totally feel like I know her. I found her blog when I began thinking about returning to South Korea and started looking for ex-pat blogs that were interesting and well written - and Pia's was fabulous. She's no longer in Korea, but back in the States, but her blog is still fabulous. Again, check it out - and welcome her to BlogSupergroup :-)

Rrrrrraaaaadies and genteruman...

Well howdy frickin doody all you blogging mollys and misters,

I'm not really sure if it is my turn or not to blog here yet, but as per previous instructions I'll henceforth and heretofor follow in Glenn's bearded footsteps... not of course that the footsteps themselves wear beards, nor the feet (although I know my toes are hairy)... uh... what I'm trying to say is that I dig the beard man. I've actually lost mine recently in a terrible boating accident that involved no boats. I think it must have found its way over to you (the beard, not the boat). But as this weeks topic is public transportation and not facial vibrissation, I'll stick to the cold hard facts of the Japanese underground, overground, and interground. Bottom line; trains planes and automobiles, or was it the other way around?

But first, perhaps a word to describe this hooligan with the audacity to place before you all these odd shapes conventionally known as letters, arranged in small blocks of meaning colloquially referred to as words, and further combined in elaborate strings of print to form complete thoughts (if thought to be complete), a bit of explanation about this beast who babbles like an uphill stream and somehow says less, this (dare I say) man in the midst of things, about town and torn about, lost enough to have forgotten where he's going and found enough to always get there... (too much? not enough?)

Martin's the name. General tomfoolery, fooltuckery, and footluckery (dare I forget toolfuckery)'s the game. (we're not PG13 are we?) Born and raised in Florida and Wyoming, (that's right... I'm leavened) I am currently in the process of growing up backwards in a country of infinite awe and finite space: Japan. Although I am currently teaching English in the Japanese school system and working daily towards fluency in reading writing and rhythm-ticking, my true call to arms (as well as various other extremities) lies in the art of poetical undertakings. As such, I intend to grasp the language of this wonderful little country (as well as its history of wordsmithery) firmly between the teeth before moving on to some kind of gradumatorium (perhaps even Houston so that I may further follow in the footsteps of my beloved Glenn).

So if my words seem wrought of too dense a metal, if my long winded poppycocking rubs you wrongly, I do apologize, for it is only the poetry that pumps through these throaty veins. Really, I do. Adieu.

Otherwise, thank you for reading. I sometimes wear even myself out. But I do feel honored to be a part of the blog supergroup, to once again be sharing space with a community of writers (of whom I know only Glenn and Jen and damn it appears as though te addition of myself to this trio throws off the rhyme scheme. Sorry about that. But long winded introductions aside, as they say in Japan,

Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu (Please treat me well in our new friendship)

_________________________________________

And now to get down to the meat of the matter, the hatter and his puppets, the muppets and their trains, the main veins of the city that allow for the hustle and bustle, the perverbial muscle of our nominally ecological economy (a full frontal labotomy or a full bottle in fronta me, I'll take the bottle. Its more fundamentally fun to me.)

Ok, time to take it back down a bit. Sorry about all the rhymes and whatnot, I'll try to be more... serious for the rest of it. Beautiful subway stations (Russia) and rat infested piss holes (NYC) aside, I would be willing to wager that Japan has the best public transportation system in the world. But then again, the realities of existence here require it. When you have half the population of the US crammed into an island (archipelago really but whos counting?) the size of California, youd be in a frat house spanking competition with no paddle if everyone drove a car to work. Because of that, while America has screamed BIG BIG BIG, Japan has whispered tiny into the ears of teir vehicle manufacturers, and the result has been the perverbial yin to Americas huge yang.

And cars aside, te train systems here reach not only to every major city, but to most of the smaller ones as well. About a year ago, I purchased a free rail pass, packed up a bag with a tent and a change of clothes and followed Matsuo Basho's Narrow Road to the Deep North, travelling as far as the northernmost tip of Honshu... all of it by local train (with a few busses, fairies, and the occasional hitch-hike thrown in for good measure.) But for the most part, the boats and cars were only necessary to get to the really funky out of the way areas, while it is truly possible to tavel Japan tip to tail entirely by local trains. And where you can't go by train you can go by bus. And all of it is so clean you could eat off the floor (if you don't mind all the dunken salarymen staring at you and reeking of sweat and booze.) The trains in Japan from about 7PM on always have the same stringent vapors of booze mixed with the scent of dissapointment at a life wasted in a company in pursuit of material goods permeating evey available bit of space. But they'll still get you home relatively inexpensively.

When I lived in Tokyo, trains were my everyday. Now, living in Kyoto (Earth's most beautiful city), I ride my bike to work every day, unless its pissing down rain, in which case I sometimes take the bus. But its not just me. I am not the exception here. EVERYONE rides their bike. There are streets here that could be anywhere downtown USA except for the rows and rows of bicycles. I'm not making any kind of judgement call here (except that more people in AMerica should ride thier bike (even though I do recogize the difference in space).

Well, I've written too much as it is, and although there is always more to say, I will have to bid you all adieu. Good night. Which I suppose is Morning to alla yous.

I Missed The Bus

That's a reference to a Kris Kross song, the greatest rap group of all time. Anyway, I've mentioned how much I hate Orlando public transportation a few times in my comments throughout the week, but I don't have much else to say. So I'll rehash some bus stories.

When I first moved to Orlando, I was attending Valencia Community College. This was my sophomore year of college, because I got kicked out of FSU for terrible grades and fighting. Not really, though, but it's a long and boring story. Mainly I wanted to go to film school at VCC. Anyway, my roommates and I lived about three miles from VCC, and it was a straight shot on the bus. A very easy route, and quick. So that was extremely convenient. However, when I graduated and started going to the University of Central Florida, it was not so convenient. With transfers, taking the bus turned a twenty minute car ride into a three hour bus ride. So that pretty much blew. But I didn't have a car, so I basically had no choice in the matter. Plus I got to listen to tapes (this was back in the day), and I perfected my "angry Arab face." This was the kind of mad looking face I put on to stop people from trying to sit with me. I used to use it all the time on buses and at airports. Not really anymore, because I guess the angry Arab face gets you thrown in Gitmo for life.

How is this relevant? I guess what I want to say is public transportation (in Orlando and Houston, at least) sucks, and I don't really think anybody can be expected to take it. In Orlando, the buses stopped running at 10 pm. In Houston, the buses and trains run until 12am, but for a city of 5 million, that seems pretty ridiculous. If I was poor (which I guess I am, but I have a car), then how could I possibly rely on public transportation to take me to a job if it had odd hours? Or if I had to leave three hours early?

So public transportation in most of America sucks, and I don't think it's really going to get better any time soon. Also, I don't think America can really follow Europe's example of trainsportation (I just made up that word), because American cities are much more spread out. So that's nixed too.

The answer? Jetpacks.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

Thank you Jane for the introduction! I/O Psychology is nothing to be intimidated with, btw.

Last weekend I went to my high school reunion and there were several things that I found shocking, one of which is that the county I grew up in does not have a recycling program! The first part of the reunion was held in a county park and one of our classmates is now a county commissioner. We chatted some about how he like his job, etc. and as I was leaving I pointed out to him that I had not seen any recycling bins in the county park and he told me that there are no recycling bins in Columbia County! What??? He said that they had tried recycling in the past and it really wasn't fair because very few people used it, but everyone had to pay for it and so they did away with the program. Those who wish to recycle can, however, take their items to a special facility! Apparently this is not a controversial topic on the board, NO ONE wants recycling or would even consider a program! Now I agree that it is wasteful to have trucks roaming the county needlessly if people don't recycle (wasteful environmentally, not economically), but I hardly think doing away with the program is a reasonable alternative -- how about some public service campaigns? The sad part about it is that this county commissioner went to school with us, he's from the generation of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." What happened? Later I asked another LC resident about this and he said "What's really wrong with landfills? Often times they make nice parks on landfills." On a positive note, I had a long conversation with my brother who is an active resident of the same county and found out that he is independently going to speak in front of lots of clubs/organizations to encourage them to switch to more efficient light bulbs, and it appears to be having some effect. (I was pretty impressed, especially since he is a republican.)

On a related point, I agree with the bloggers here that it is important to reduce the number of miles we drive. As such my husband and I have gone from two cars to one and when we leased our new car, we picked the most efficient one we could afford (we couldn't, unfortunately, afford a hybrid). I wish that US cities had better public transportation, but regardless I believe each person must still do their part. No one would argue that Orlando has good public transportation, but when my husband and I moved here, we purposely bought a home near my university. He works for the university and could easily find a higher paying job elsewhere, but part of what keeps him at UCF is the fact that otherwise we would have to buy another car (other reasons include health insurance, retirement benefits, and getting to have lunch with me in case you are interested). I am currently looking for additional work and I have applied to several positions at UCF. I regularly take the bus to school and we car pool on the way home. It takes me 20-30 minutes to get to school on the bus; by car it takes 20 minutes + parking (which can be crazy). Am I lucky that I have a bus that is so convenient? Yes! But it's not all luck; I bought a house on a bus route near school -- that's preparation. I'm not advocating that people pick up and move tomorrow, but driving distance and proximity to the public transportation line are both worth thinking about next time you are moving or changing jobs. Also, on a more selfish note, I save LOTS of money and time having only one car and not being far from work.

Clearly not everyone can do as I have done (maybe homes are too expensive near their jobs, maybe there is literally NO public transit, maybe their jobs are in areas where they would not feel safe living). But the point is that each person should be ACTIVE in taking steps to reduce their negative impact. Each person should make changes where they can.

Introducing a guest blogger: Melissa

I've been friends with Melissa since the 9th grade and, since our 10 year high school reunion was last weekend, that was a whopping 14 years ago. Can you imagine? Anyway, I'm 5' tall, and she's a full foot taller... making this photo rather silly since (if you can't tell) I'm the one in pink. Melissa is currently in the process of getting her PhD in Industrial Organizational Psychology at the University of Central Florida, and that intimidates the hell out of me. Over the years, Melissa and I have had a lot of adventures together (including this one that I mentioned the other day), and now she's joining us in this blogging adventure. Stay tuned - she'll be posting shortly!

I Heart The Earth

I think today's my day to write...or maybe that was yesterday.

Jen brought up a good point yesterday about people not owning up to our impact on climate change. Sadly, most of these people are fundamental Christians. I'm not sure if it's an active denial, (after all, I'm sure these are signs of the end times, and why not help them along?), or whether they are just that ignorant. A lot of them believe God gave us the earth to do what we will, and take care of it. This is taking care of it? And even if hypothetically there was no global warming, why is it such an insane idea to actually take care of our home, just in case we do contribute to something worse. The whole thing reminds me of a scene from I Heart Huckabees. I've referenced it before, but I'm actually going to give you the transcript this time.

Setup: Albert and Tommy are at Steven's house, investigating several coincidences between Albert and Steven. Steven was adopted by an American family, and brought over from Sudan.

Mother: What do you do?

Albert: I'm the director of the Open Spaces Coalition. We fight suburban sprawl.

Daughter: What's suburban sprawl?

Father: Ask Steven. He could have used a little suburban sprawl in Sudan.

Daughter: Excuse me, dad?

Father: Industry, houses, jobs, restaurants, medicine...

Albert: You can preserve a lot of open spaces and have jobs for people with...

Father: I beg your pardon, Albert. I wasn't finished.

Albert: Sorry, sir.

Father: Clothes, videos, toys, cheeseburgers, cars,a functioning economy.

Albert: You can still have a functioning economy and preserve open spaces With a little planning.

Father: Yeah. - Socialism. Complete disaster.

Albert: Theodore Roosevelt was a socialist? And Yeats? -

Father: Theodore Roosevelt...

Albert: Henry David Thoreau, Robinson Jeffers, the National Geographic Society, all socialists?

Father: You're talking about socialism.

Albert: Oh, I'm not. I'm talking about not covering every square inch with houses and strip malls, until you can't remember what happens when you stand in a meadow at dusk.

Son: What happens in the meadow at dusk?

Albert: Everything.

Parents: Nothing!

Albert: Everything! It's beautiful, it's beautiful.

Father: I Work for an electrical engineering firm, son. We do a lot of commercial and residential contracts. If development stops, so does my paycheck. Then Steven couldn't be here as our guest, could he? So your ideas hurt Steven.

Albert: I'm not hurting Steven. That's an outrageous accusation.

Father: Don't use that tone of voice in my house.

Albert: I think you started that tone. And I think it's entirely possible for your engineering firm to have jobs for people, preserve open spaces, have contracts, do the...

Father: Do you have a job, Tom?

Tommy: I'm a firefighter.

Mother: Oh, God bless you. A hero.

Tommy: I'm not a hero. We'd all be heroes if we quit using petroleum though.

Mother: Excuse me?

Tommy: You say you're Christians living by Jesus' principles. Are you?

Daughter: Jesus is never mad at us if we live with him in our hearts.

Tommy: I hate to break it to you, but he is. He most definitely is.

Mother: All right. That's enough. Steven, I don't know what this is about. Why they're here...

Steven: Sorry, Mom. Sorry, dad. I did not know.

Father: Stevo, I'm so disappointed.

Mother: It's all right. Look, he's sad. He's sad.

Father: I'm sorry, Stevo. My bad. You didn't know.

Tommy: You should be ashamed of yourself.

Father: I should be what?

Tommy: You should be ashamed of yourself.

Father: Why should I be ashamed?

Tommy: You're a hypocrite.

Father: I'm a what?

Tommy: You're misleading these children. 'Cause you're the destroyer, man.

Father: How am I the destroyer?

Tommy: I saw that S.U. V. Out there.

Father: My car's the destroyer? You wanna know how many miles per gallon I get?

Albert: Steven, I need to ask a question. It's why I came here. Why are autographs so important to you?

Steven: It is a pastime with this family which they have taught me, which I can now carry on.

Mother:It's just for fun [Game Beeping] - for entertainment. No games at the table, please.

Son: Yes! 260! And I've reached the omega level!

Tommy: Destroyer. Destroyer. Destroyer.

Father: God gave us oil.! He gave it to us.! How can God's gift be bad?

Tommy: He gave you a brain too and you messed that up pretty good...

Father: I want you sons of bitches out of my house now.

Tommy: If Hitler were alive, he'd tell you not to think about oil.

Father: You're the Hitler! We took a Sudanese refugee into our home!

Tommy: You did. But how did Sudan happen, ma'am? Could it possibly be related to dictatorships that we support for some stupid reason?

Mother: You shut up! You get out. -

Tommy: You shut up. Come on. Let's get out of here.

Albert: Later, Steve.

So much for a short post.

As spread out as the US is, I don't think we'll be able to adopt any type of train system. I would love to have a hybrid car, but I can't afford a new car right now - and there is no public transportation in Lake City. So until I save some money to get a new car, regrettably I will still be contributing to the downfall of our environment - at least I can carry the guilt that goes along with it.

Moscow, Daegu and San Diego: Three cities and their public transit networks

Part 1: Moscow

I have made three rather lengthy trips to Russia, and while I certainly did not spend the bulk of any of those trips in Moscow, I still spent a lot of time there. Moscow has an incredibly impressive subway system. It is efficient and it reaches into most corners of the city. The most impressive thing about the Moscow subway system, however, is the stations. They are not simply stops on a public transit line, they are works of art. Below are photographs (not taken by me – you’re not supposed to take pictures in the stations, and I try to avoid rule-breaking in Russia) of some of the most beautiful stations, just to give you a glimpse of what I mean. They truly are “palaces of the people.”

Metro Station Komsomolskaya


Metro Station Kievskaya

In addition to the ever amazing subway system that is the Moscow Metro, Moscow also has an efficient bus and trolley bus system, plus slightly more expensive mini-buses called marshrutki. It’s pretty easy to get around the city without a car, and certainly the masses avail themselves of this opportunity. Just check out this video of the Moscow Metro at rush hour!

However, in cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg where the “New Russians” are growing richer by the day, the idea that the “better” people own cars is certainly becoming prevalent. Moscow and St. Petersburg roads are frequently jammed with cars – and, of course, the winter weather often exacerbates this situation.

Despite the ever increasing popularity of the automobile, public transportation is still the way the masses travel… HOWEVER: anyone who has ever visited Russia can attest to the fact that pollution is still a serious problem in that country. Certainly the growing number of cars is contributing to an increase in pollution emissions, but in Russia there are certainly far worse polluters in just about every industry.

Part 2: Daegu

I currently live in Daegu, South Korea. Daegu has excellent public transportation. I live close enough to my workplace that I can walk; however, if I wish to go anywhere else in the city, I can easily do so by taking either the subway or a bus (or both). Many, many people avail themselves of the public transportation opportunities in Daegu (and other South Korean cities) on a daily basis, and the subway and busses are frequently packed. That being said, cars are becoming increasingly popular here as well. Perhaps it’s a sign of status? I don’t know. I do know that this is the only country where I’ve been caught in a nine hour traffic jam!

Of course, even if every person in South Korea were to drive an SUV, it wouldn’t have nearly the impact that the US has on pollution emissions, simply due to South Korea’s size – this country is, after all, smaller than Florida.

The Daegu subway stations aren't particularly interesting...
but the cars are incredibly clean!

Part 3: San Diego

I lived in San Diego, CA for a little over two years. The city of San Diego is quite large, and San Diego County is bigger than the state of Rhode Island. The freeways are constantly jammed, and I spent a huge portion of my time sitting in traffic. San Diego does have a trolley and bus system, but they are not very efficient. In good traffic, it would take me approximately 15 minutes to drive from my house to the Mexican border. This same trip would take one hour by trolley, not including the fifteen minutes it took me to walk to the nearest trolley stop. I only ever used the trolley when I went to Mexico, simply because I did not feel that the border was a safe area to park my car. All other times, I drove. Who wants to take triple or quadruple the time to get somewhere?

The San Diego Trolley only had two lines. The bus routes weren’t very convenient. While the local government spoke of plans to add more lines and routes in the future, they weren’t sure if that would be cost effective. Because so few people rode the trolley and buses regularly, the city had to increase fees. The increased fees led to fewer people riding said transport, leading to a decrease in transit authority revenue, leading to another fee hike... and meanwhile, traffic gets worse and worse by the day. That being said, there's a lot less pollution in San Diego than in either Daegu or Moscow!

Waiting for the San Diego Trolley with my mom, 2003
(We were going to Tijuana, Mexico.)

let's go back to horses

there was a time when my hubby and i decided that we didn't need a car, especially since the ones we got kept breaking and we couldn't afford a good one. so we invested in some bicycles and bus schedules. the result was that we both got in better shape and got to know some of our neighbors by seeing them on the bus all the time. it also taught us to be better organized - i learned the hard way that i should keep dry clothes at work, since once i had soaked pants and a blow-dryer, and the store was going to open in an hour...
i'm not sure what effect that anecdote will have on anyone, especially since i haven't introduced myself yet, so i bet some people are wondering how the heck this weirdo got on the blog...
so, hi. i'm linda. i'm an animal freak. i don't know anyone who blogs here except jane (where did you get that photo?). so this should be fun.
i have a car now that i live in southern cal (from my old apartment to work on the bus took 2.5 hours, and i just can't do that every day). we try to carpool as much as possible, and moved so that we're within biking distance from work. i think we save money that way. then again, the gas and maintenance and everything cost about a billion dollars. personally, i think that cars are great inventions, but that people overuse them.
i doubt that any act of our government would make much change in the habits of over-drivers. remember, prohibition didn't work all that well...
it would be cool if more people cared about the environment, but we're a pretty self-centered species for the most part. no self-exclusion there. i have used the car to get from work to starbucks (across the street) and i would have done that, whatever the rules, because dammit i wanted coffee.

Blog changes and public transportation

I have the honor this week of announcing a few changes in BlogSupergroup! After a long series of emails among each other, we’re going to be adding some new regular bloggers and creating space for some guest bloggers as well. Our guest bloggers will include a few names you’ll recognize as regular contributors in our blog and comments sections as well as some new faces. I’ll let these people introduce themselves with their first post.

I will, though, introduce a new regular blogger, Martin, who went to school with Glenn and me and currently lives in Kyoto, Japan. Martin has a lot of interesting stuff to say, and certainly adds a different point of view to the blog. Now that I’ve vouched for him, he has to come through or I’ll loose face with these 'friends of ours' (or maybe I’ve been watching too many mob movies lately). Hope you enjoy the changes, and we’ll always take feedback. There will be another addition to regular bloggers later in the week as well.

Now to the topic of the week…

-------------------------------------------------

I was talking with a friend recently about one of our favorite topics (especially now that Sopranos has ended), climate change. We agreed that one way to help the problem is to encourage people to use public transportation more often instead of their personal vehicles. When we talked about how to do this, however, he called me a Republican and threatened to end our relationship. Good naturedly, I assure you. :)

I happen to live in a city with a very good and safe transportation (compared to a lot of other places) that I use everyday, so it’s hard for me to step back and see these things from the point of view of someone who chooses to drive themselves rather than use the subways, buses, or trains when they’re available. Full disclosure: I own a car that I park on the street and use exclusively on the weekends to either leave town for a weekend trip or to do grocery shopping and Target runs in Virginia.

The first thing most of us consider is to make driving for regular commuters cost prohibitive. I worry, though, that too many changes would make owning a car impossible for any but the rich, especially in urban environments. Raising the price of parking and car taxes mostly hurts people who live in the city and probably already take public transportation because they’re already close to where they need to go. I’m probably one of the only people who think that rising gas prices are not a terrible thing (although, I’ll admit that I do complain about them when I stop every month or two to fill up). However, they don’t seem to do much in the way of encouraging drivers to find other ways to get where they need to go. So what would?

London instituted a commuter tax in 2003, when I happened to be there studying for a semester. There was a big uproar, naturally, from the people who would have to pay 5 pounds every day to enter the city, but most of the media seemed to be in favor of it. I laughed with snarky glee at some of the editorials that lambasted the opponents of the tax as rich suburban snobs who were too stuck-up to endure a ride into town surrounded by their fellow citizens. But honestly, I laughed because I didn’t have a car in London and took subways, buses, and long walks to wherever I needed/wanted to go. This commuter tax idea was mentioned in Washington not long ago, but died quickly and without a whimper. Could something like this ever pass in the US? And is it even working in Britain ?

Obviously, increasing the availability of public transportation is essential to promoting it. As long as people have an excuse not to use it, they won’t. Some of us, at certain points of our lives can make choices around this. For example, after college, two of my best friends asked me about moving to south Florida with them and sharing a house. I said no largely because I can’t stand the idea of having to drive down the interstate or a major highway just to stop by the store after work. I find south Florida, especially the Ft. Lauderdale area, to be too sprawling and inaccessible for my taste. Being fresh out of college and unemployed, I had the option to choose a more metropolitan area where things were close enough together to make public transportation feasible. But having that kind of freedom is not something that happens too many times in one’s life.

And what about places like San Francisco? I don’t have a link to back me up here, but I understand that they have a pretty good transit system, but most people drive anyway. Why?

What does it take to get people less reliant on their own transportation and more willing to use energy- and pollution-efficient public transportation? Will the federal government ever pass bans or limits that force people into taking better care? Or maybe I’m looking at this all wrong and there are better, easier ways to save our own hides (besides those $4 florescent light bulbs that Al Gore talked me into buying…grrrr)? What do you think?

Soy Un Perdedor

I can't believe it! I actually forgot to write in the blog (on my assigned day I mean). It's not that I was too busy, I mean, I was busy, but if I had actually remembered I would've done it. I guess I was so focused on the play and getting my costume done for next week that it slipped my mind.

Anywho - on to the topic. I think I have a bit of selective memory when it comes to my jobs. During, I'll complain about stuff, but when I look back it never seems as bad as when I was actually working there.

Like my job at Halloween Horror Nights - it was pretty fun, but to go to classes and then pull those late nights was a bit of hell. The actual job was pretty sweet - 45 minutes of work, 45 minute break, and our houses (there were two in the same area) were the best ones in the park. During training, they kept warning us about people lashing out and hitting us, but reassuring us we had an exit right behind where we would stand if such a thing happened - except me. I was in this trippy room with black and white checks, fog and a strobe light, and then I wore a mask and a black and white checked jumpsuit to blend in. The room twisted around, and while my coworker got to be out in the open, I was stuck in this corner around the bend in a little corner - with no exit. So, to give me something to ward off people (and bash around to scare them and make noise) they gave me an aluminum trash can lid (which really hurt my hands when I banged it around - I eventually had to tape up my hands to keep my knuckles from getting torn to shreds).

The way the room twisted, some people thought they had to get past me to get out of the room. Thankfully I only got kicked once by a woman who was totally freaked and trying to get out, but I didn't call her on it (we could get people kicked out of the park for that). Thankfully nothing much else really happened except I got hit on - no, not beaten, I mean the woman was trying to get me to kiss her. She kept coming up asking for "one little kiss", and I kept pushing her away, and after she still wouldn't leave me alone a few minutes later, I ripped off my mask and she said "Oh, you're a girl" and walked away embarrassed.

The other sucky job story was when I worked at a camp in TN. I loved that job too, but the last summer I worked there I was kinda head of one of the missions departments. I helped make staff schedules, match work projects with groups, and was in charge of getting the awards done for the week. Well I had this Friday off, (I think it was a scheduled day off, but lucky for me I was sick too) but I came in for the morning just to do awards and schedules. About 10am this group comes up and asks where their group leader is. I look at the schedule and the person assigned was our problem employee. I had been told by others that he was just dropping groups off at their work sites, and then going home to take a nap or something. He never called when he was going to be late, and apparently didn't call that morning to say he wasn't going to be there. I was the only one still around, so I had to go out with the group (when I was sick - on my day off). The group was really nice, and wouldn't let me do anything to help them out because I was feeling so bad, but when I finally got back to camp there was hell to pay.

Pam and Rachel, the heads of missions, had already decided that he was going to be fired, but because I was livid they let me call him. I called his cell phone (yes, cell phone - so he can't blame an lack of tools to communicate), and he told me his grandfather had to be taken to the hospital last night. I relayed this information, and while I was doing so, he hung up. Oh - he was so dead now. So I called him back, and he didn't answer, so I left the following message. " Hi _____, just calling to let you know you don't have to come in Monday, or for the rest of the summer for that matter. Your behavior has been completely inappropriate and will not be tolerated." I was still shaking afterwards, I was so upset (adrenaline).

The worst job I had was probably working at the T-shirt printing place. My employer was really nice, it was just insanely hot (huge heater to cure the paint, no AC) and I worked with harsh chemicals.

These aren't the most entertaining stories I could post - no, those all come from my current job at the library. However, rather than repost them I'll just give you a link to my other blog, and you can take a search through.