The 80s

Taste of the force...

2007-05-09T01:41:10Z

MEPS was hell. MEPS was two long days of bad food, abysmal waiting (with absolutely terrible films on HBO), running to catch the shuttle, bad driving, cretinous motel staff, agitated administrators, frazzled physicians, neurotic nurses, and testy proctors. The kids weren't bad though. I managed to hold some fairly decent conversations with a lot of them to pass the time. Everyone seemed pretty optimistic or at least was finding the humor in our situation. I didn't know how I'd done on the ASVAB until today. Apparently, I'm in the 94th percentile- Wo0t! The liaisons were impressed with my score and are encouraging me to take the next test to try to get into officer training. I'm currently signed on as a delayed enlistee with starting pay grade at E-3. I'm sworn in now, so I guess this is it.

Choices so far:

Possible enlistee jobs (I might try out electronics as my aptitude area):
1. Communication-computer systems control apprentice
2. Avionic systems apprentice

Possible officer jobs:
1. Linguist
2. Navigator

BTW the 'coding' section of the ASVAB has been discontinued ^_-

Hey, has anyone noticed it's been raining ash in Gainesville? O_o

My week-

2007-05-06T14:54:49Z

Part 1.) MEPS processing.

If you haven't heard it through the grapevine, I've decided to join the U.S. Air Force.
Tommorrow I am going for processing at the base in Jacksonville. Basically, I'll be taking a standardized test that all branches of the military take. It's called the ASVAB or 'Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery'. There's easy math and reading and then sections on general science, basic mechanical knowlege, and electronics. Susequently there is an intensive physical (starting at the ungodly hour of 4am) with a weight-lifting test, and then job selection based on my capabilities. Hopefully I will get something good (the descriptions can get rather vague).
Last week I toured the Macdill base in Tampa. Of course the recruiter only shows you all the perks such as the private beach, tax free shopping mall, new condominiums. Everything else is 'classified'. The only work related thing I managed to see was a plane the size of a football field for carrying the army's tanks to iraq.

Wednesday- I start a new job at a sign shop- talk about irony. I wonder how long I'll get to work at my dream job before I get shipped out to San Antonio? The recruiter estimates that it'll be a five-month wait. Hopefully within that time I'll discover that graphic design isn't for me and I'll be raring to go. The point is to leave Gainesville, I guess.

The happy happy mad mad song...

2007-04-29T05:52:43Z

My theory is that this guy lost his passport. Poor japan. o_o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6YOWRmSCCc

Curdling the blood of children worldwide! > : )

2007-04-17T04:19:16Z

A funny thing happened to me in the supermarket today. This little blonde kid of about 3-4 years who was running amuck around the store stopped and made it a point to tell me that I was:

a.) 'ugly' and b.) 'hated'...

Then he proceeded to stick a feeble uncoordinated tongue out at me. His mother seemed oblivious- so much so that she had me and an elderly gentleman blocked into a corner while the kids ran in circles around our legs. It's funny that the woman looked up several times and didn't seem to notice and/or was intentionally ignoring the fact that she had her cart and kids blocking the way. Anyway, I promptly returned the tongue poke complete with a full maxillo-facial contortion, and flicked the little bastard off. It's funny because the kid was only voicing the very thoughts that were in the back of my mind (that he was inbred little troll and his eyes were crooked). I'm just amused that the mere sight of my face insights such recoil and derision in a youngster. Yes! Heed psychic warnings and stay away! >_>

Lifestyles of the poor and shiftless

2007-04-12T18:57:41Z

Are the neighbors looking at you funny? I just realized that I probably look like I have an obsessive-compulsive disorder. Every time I come home in my (very messy) car I have to open and close the passenger side door and fiddle with the locks 2-5 times in order to get it to lock. Damn power locks. Recently, to compound this silly situation the handle has most conveniently broken off on the driver’s side door. So now I have to either a.) gain access by opening the back door b.) Go around the car to the cursed passenger side door which takes several tries to lock. On top of that I have an inordinate amount of recycling each time I go to the garbage bins as I am too lazy to carry it out week by week. So yeah, I look like a freak.

Plans for the Revised GRE® General Test Cancelled

2007-04-06T15:54:56Z

Princeton, N.J. (April 2, 2007) — http://www.ets.org/
ETS has cancelled plans to launch the revised Graduate Record Examinations® (GRE®) General Test.
Sweet. >_> this gives me more re-take time if necessary. (Originally set to change this September)

Wo0t!

2007-04-03T16:07:46Z

Actually, why am I happy? I hate the Gators. Well, I guess this is my home town. XP

Demonic forces at work

2007-03-23T04:11:09Z

I was telling Spin the other night about how I still hadn't gotten over the fear of my elementary school bully. We're all grown-ups now, right? Apparently this person doesn't remember the bullying (actually she curiously stopped remembering the bullying in middle school, and actually changed her name- WTF?). On my end the result was trauma. I remember the repeated "pouncings"- mind you 'pouncings' not to be confused with 'jumpings'. "Pouncing" refers to an act executed by a blood-thirsty predator and implys waiting and premeditation of the ripping apart of so called 'prey.' (Prey = Me)

I can remember being in a cold sweat; looking left and right. Was the moon-climber safe? The tires? Monkey bars? Then it would happen- POUNCE! *Punchpunchpunch, stabstab, beatbeatbeat, swipe!* -My lunch money, my long awaited swing on the swing set, my ice-cream cone, my anything, and it was GONE! Just like that. I don't even remember how it started. I just looked into the beast's eyes and it hated me and wanted everything that was mine and would stop at nothing to get it for the rest of my miserable existence.

Anyway, out of the blue this person asks to join my friends list on Facebook TM. Sure, why not? I’m a forgiving person.

Well, this x-bully is really pushy about hanging out together and sends me repeated messages...and some friends of hers whom I don’t know want to be my friend too…Uh...Okay. After further examining this person's photo album I find that I am still mortally afraid of the face with the pupil-less glowing eyes that seems to stare derisively out of every picture, seemingly at ME; at college graduation *glaring*; at a party *glaring*; at a poetry reading *GLARE!!*. Now I return to see that this person's profile picture has been changed to just a single glaring EYE!? WTF?

So yeah, I invited evil into my facebook. Now I’ll never sleep.

Do YOU know where your olives come from?

2007-03-20T23:21:21Z

I gotta give the Olive-haters some credit; they can taste that somethin' ain't right...

http://www.sevilleimports.com/ripe.htm

Sounds...um, delicious?

Adventure!

2007-03-12T23:23:52Z

Dad and I were driving back from dinner in his 90's ford 'exploder' when yeah... the clutch gave out. We managed to swerve it into Royal Village where we had resolved to get it towed. However, Dad figured out that it was only the cable and somehow pulled one of his Macgyvers on it with a paper clip. Nice. The paper clip got us to Auto Zone to see if they had the part to fix it, but of course, as usual, they didn't know what the hell he was talking about. Apparently, some little plastic piece broke which could only be replaced at the Ford dealership. Dad said screw it, he'll make the damn part, and we drove it home using the power of the paperclip. THE END.

Thank you Ford. Thank you for a such a lovely adventure.

Envy... ; ;

2007-03-06T20:47:03Z

*sigh*
I wish I could increase the depth and weight of my illustrations. Some people are just fvkin amazing i.e. http://www.conceptart.org/ . It's so intimidating to try to compete with other artists. I'm just not competitive at all. That's why I backed down from the challenge at the beginning of college. There were just so many people who were too good to catch up with. Sometimes I think that no amount of practice can bring me to this point. Lately, I've been wondering if I should just put my skills to technical use instead. I'm considering applying to a scientific illustration program for my masters, but it's disappointing somehow. Nowadays, most of the stuff is just done on computers and is very sterile, not to mention it may not be necessary at all anymore. Meh, I just really don't know what I want to do anymore. I'm not an artist; not an archaeologist (not that I really wanted to be one); nothing; I’m a master of none.

Poop.

Sigh, blissful confusion...

2007-03-02T15:34:45Z

I’m unemployed again.- Or I'd like to think of it as on a much needed vacation, rather. ^_-;;

I spent some time this week working on art and practicing capoeira aside from looking for work. I've had some time to reflect on what would really make me the happiest. It's not money, although money would be nice. Somehow I got into the mindset that I needed to prove myself smart and successful, but what would that mean? Who cares? Even if I’m not recognized for anything, even if I die in obscurity, I’d rather go to sleep knowing that I tried to do what I really wanted to do. It’s been hard shaking off the expectations of others. There are times when I want to kick myself for making the decisions that I do. It’s easier to go for the path that you think will impress others. It’s a harder and poorer road to trust your heart and follow your dreams. Now I find myself in a constant battle of head and heart. Money can by endless amusements, and grants a feeling of safety. Dreams are hard and dangerous to obtain but grant the most happiness. Money or dreams; what’s more important?

din1 @ 2006-08-05T12:43:00

2006-08-05T16:39:36Z

Ah, internet...*sigh*

din1 @ 2006-05-16T19:24:00

2006-05-16T23:10:59Z

A new guy arrived at work today who was apparently more nervous and mixed up than I was my first couple of months at work. He was freaking out because he ran out of things to do and everyone was in a meeting. He's some sort of research asistant I believe. Maybe we'll be friends...or not.

On a side note- What's up with this weather? I felt an arctic chill today. When have I ever needed a sweater in may?

din1 @ 2006-05-14T17:31:00

2006-05-14T21:34:07Z

I talked to a weird guy in the laundromat today. Well, not really weird, just older, at a different point in life than people I would usually talk to. He spoke to me like a bizzaro-version of my dad, saying all the opposite things. He talked to me about my identitity as a black woman. Mostly this was a rant about how Christianity and the general attitudes of the south were smothering me into stagnant depths below my true potential, some of which I agree with. He asked for my sign and told me a fortune: I would journey physically and also spiritually. I held onto this cliche'd thought. It seemed to hold some truth.

din1 @ 2006-05-09T19:38:00

2006-05-09T23:22:24Z

I've got stomach flu. Suckage.

din1 @ 2006-05-01T22:35:00

2006-05-02T02:24:09Z

Silent Hill was pretty good, better than I expected. The barbwire-rape at the end was a bit disturbing though. I wonder who decided to throw that bit in? Eh, probably just some guy who sleeps with his mom.

To the H, to the A, to the A, to the G, to the E, to the N!

2006-04-18T02:43:00Z

Haagen Das!!!

Nothin' says "forget about him" like chocolaty toffee and almond covered icecream bars!

Loneliness returns

2006-04-16T20:24:04Z

Lonely again, but it's a good lonely. Not the loneliness of being with someone who doesn't return your feelings, but the loneliness of less gas burned driving across town to see someone you don't care to see anymore. The loneliness of reading a book in a solitary place; making a snack for one; going out without a strategy of how to bring someone along. Yes, loneliness again. Good lonely.

...now if this damn flu would just go away.

din1 @ 2006-04-08T06:22:00

2006-04-08T10:17:58Z

The Scenario:
It's 5:33 am and you wake up with chunky green mucus ready to burst out of every orifice of your head.
When you discover you've used every paper product in the house (yes even the wendy's napkins) and there won't be anything to stop the slimy deluge. Do you...

a) Use the dishtowels!
b) Wait for a supply plane
C) Eat the dead
c) Run the fuck to a 24 mart and stock up

I choose option c. Now I have blessed Puffs with lotion tissue, viva extra thick paper towels, toilet paper, and clorox wipes and I'm ravaging them like a wild beast.

My apartment has been pretty kosher up to this point. Now it has gone plague zone. Area is under red alert and is locking down and raising shields. Visitors be advised.

*End Trans*

din1 @ 2006-04-06T21:30:00

2006-04-07T01:17:05Z

Wow, I discovered an almost completely germanic english phrase: "This almost fell off" Sounds cool with a german accent.

din1 @ 2006-04-04T19:07:00

2006-04-04T22:55:29Z

I wonder why I always get in the mood for watchin movies when I'm sick? I just fall asleep part of the way through while having awful brightly colored willy-wonka style dreams.

din1 @ 2006-04-04T08:52:00

2006-04-04T12:57:16Z

Bleh, I felt terribly ill last night. Now I'm at work again after more sleeplessness. Daylight savings continues to wear away at me I believe. Still nothin' to do, nobody here. I guess now's a good time to work on the computers in the lab before a bunch of grad-zombies come in wanting to use them in their state of digital decay.

din1 @ 2006-04-03T10:33:00

2006-04-03T14:54:25Z

I'm on LJ at work. This is the pinnacle of lazyness. I mean, I'm not a "student assistant". I'm an "admin assistant". Okay, I need to invent a problem right now then solve it. There's absolutely nothing to do, so I'm losing my mind. Hrmm... I could catalog the catalogs, build the ultimate microsoft access database to contain the secret of life, or inventory the inventoried. It's not like most people aren't snacking and playing minesweeper, but I never wanted to be the bad employee. I don't want to jump at every footstep and shadow. I'm a good little monkey. I want repetative tasks to make the day pass by. Okay, don't complain. You're on the payroll, that's all that counts.

Excuse me, I have a PATTERN, a fucking PATTERN!!

2006-04-03T11:45:53Z

Okay, I like fucking hate daylight savings time. This morning I had to have had the worst start to any morning I've had all year. It all began last night after the alarm clock had been set ahead in ample time saturday night after a most awsome weekend of socializing with friends, and I enjoyed a peaceful afternoon of rollerblading, not to mention a tasty dinner at Blue Highway, Micanopy's premier (and only) pizza restaurant: I had my usual cup of evening tea, wind-down session at the computer, a "go" at the household chores, then bed at the usual time. Then I couldn't fucking sleep. I tossed and turned, my eyes weren't tired enough and kept popping open. By the time I finally got to sleep the fade-in alarm that usually fades in and wakes me gently freakin blasted a hole in my eardrums to the point where I was looking for something to just smash it. When I had fully regained consciousness I realized I had the usual itchy throat from sleeping under the fan. I opted for 20-30 more minutes of Zs to clear this up a bit which also failed miserably. Giving up on that, I shut off the alarm and paid a visit to my good old wake-up-buddy, the shower. Then I inhaled a huge blop of shampoo when I bent over which burned the freakin hell out of my throat and left me gagging, thereby leaving the morning itchy throat intact as a sore throat I'll now have to endure all day. Fuck daylight savings time. Fuck it.