Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in _bazilisk_'s LiveJournal:

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Saturday, May 17th, 2008
4:22 am	tiredhappyhopinggladdone. In my apartment for good again. This is summer again. Summer feels so different to a college kid, expected to work a job or have an internship. It's like they slowly drain it of its color. Fade to greyscale... Waiting for this new boy, who is getting here around five AM. This is turning into a pattern. I meant to meet him around 1:00. But then I was 3 hours late, it took longer to get out and going down from New Paltz then I thought it would, and he was one hour late, after falling asleep on the subway. The horrible truth is I wasted some time in town today, saying goodbye to my favorite town resident, getting a taco and a CD, and thinking about the philosophical/political conundrum of the lowest common denominator in the rain next to the starbucks. That is where my sociology professor spotted me, and we exchanged awkward conversation in the cold rain, me eating a blue tortilla with fish in it, him walking an impatient greyhound. I thanked him for forgiving my paper's lateness, he responded with kind sort of mixed pity and unsureness, knowing he was being too lax, perhaps, but allowing it. We were both walking in the same direction after the conversation ended, but I didn't want him to know that. I walked maybe 50 feet behind him, hoping he did not notice my velocity. And he did not, thank the gods of tacos and indie rock. Tomorrow is the first day of my summer. This was always epic in its laziness in high school. This year it is epic in its adventure and fear and happiness. I hope this thing with the boy goes well. At the very least I know that tomorrow will be fun. The cats are running around, mad. I missed them. I am very grateful to my friend for helping me pack then driving me and my things home in his van. He helped me out so much, when my dad could not have. Truly, friends are the best, especially mine. Yes, my friends are better than your friends. I know this because I can feel it. Okay, enough ridiculous chest-beating. It is now time for...bed..? No! Boy! Like that forgotten last black cherry soda in the fridge, this new sweet moment tonight. Then. Bed. Then. WE WILL TAKE THE FIVE BOROUGHS BY STORM. Or at least two of them. Really, there is not that much interesting outside of Manhattan and its cooler, broker cousin Brooklyn. <3 <3 Current Mood: peaceful Current Music: Beck-Dark Star (Comment on this)
Friday, May 16th, 2008
11:52 am	As I Stand, Packing... Packing to get out of here, hooray! But also! LOOK AT THESE YES ALL OF THEM http://www.nicovideo.jp/img/tpl/head/icon/nico/ Current Mood: amused (Comment on this)
Thursday, May 15th, 2008
7:45 am	That clever quote from a few days ago...Its source revealed..! "Frank Munsey, the great publisher, is dead. Frank Munsey contributed to the journalism of his day the talent of a meatpacker, the morals of a money changer, and the manners of an undertaker. He and his kind have about succeeded in transforming a once-noble profession into an eight percent security. May he rest in trust." May I now INCLUDE A PHOTO OF THE MAN WHO SAID IT? THAT'S RIGHT THAT CLEVER QUOTE WAS FROM William Allen White, "THE HEAD" HIMSELF, of TMBG fame!! Current Mood: amused (Comment on this)
7:36 am	Sociology is Hilarious: EPIC WIN! Talk About A Weight off my Shoulder! SHEESH! So yeah, the finals that my friend and I missed on Tuesday, we turned it in online yesterday, and this is what my professor wrote back. "Thanks for sending me your reflections and your e-mails. I was out of town yesterday so I'm only getting your e-mails/papers this morning. I know you are both responsible-anti-establishment-non-conforming-iconoclasts so I figured your absences were either the cause of an emergency or a mix up. Glad to hear it was the latter. We wrote haikus in class. Would have liked to hear yours. Oh well, maybe next time." I LOVE how if you have a good reputation, you can get away with murder in college. If they know you weren't an idiot, they won't punish you like they'd punish the idiots. Also I love our professor, and a discipline that encourages behavior something like this. <3 Also, I have a new phrase to describe myself with: I am now a "responsible-anti-establishment-non-conforming-iconoclast," along with Kayt. Current Mood: ecstatic Current Music: Victory music in my head (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, May 14th, 2008
6:33 pm	The final that I thought was Friday, Was actually yesterday. Well, at least it is an easy class, an easy paper, and a lenient teacher. But still. *Commits harikari in front of "Peter," her sociology professor* SHEESH. That was dumb. *Bleeds to death* Finally, the embarrassment is over! Now do I have Friday night to look forward to? Or at least the SUMMER in GENERAL? Current Mood: angry (1 Comment |Comment on this)
1:42 pm	Read Zippy Read Zippy the Pinhead. Today's is a great one, that I can relate to. (Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 13th, 2008
5:22 pm	Apparently McCain is friendly with Dictators. Does the news care? Let's see what happens here. A loud, slightly inane controversy is ripe for McCain. Will it actually lead to widespread media shenanigans? Will these shenanigans be similar to the shenanigans that Obama's pastor caused? Boy, I love the word 'shenanigans.' If you are a Flaming Liberal, the fact that another Republican loves another Dictator is no huge surprise. "Two of John McCain's senior campaign staff were forced to resign this week after revelations that their lobbying firm was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to represent Burma's brutal military dictatorship. And it gets worse—turns out this goes all the way to the top. Charlie Black, McCain's campaign chairman, ran a lobbying firm that represented brutal dictators like Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines and Mobutu Sese Seko in Zaire—along with terrorist rebel Jonas Savimbi in Angola. Together, these men have been responsible for massive human suffering. And for good measure, Charlie Black has represented war profiteer Blackwater Worldwide and Iraqi fraudster Ahmed Chalabi." But what about this. How is the media covering it? Search "McCain+Dictator" on Google News... Now search "Obama+ Racist"... which has more results...which results are more mainstream, that is, in larger and more respected as middle of the road sources, and which headlines are more damning? You'll find far more friendly, personal articles on McCain with less scary headlines, and far more political, sharp articles on Obama with scarier headlines. Sigh. Spooky black man is racist. Ooogabooga! Spooky! Another white republican is friendly with people who hate democracy. Eh, who cares. ... Okay, back to my paper... mumble...grumble...munches on granola... Stay tuned. The media is speaking its true biases. Current Mood: annoyed Current Music: Pikelet (1 Comment |Comment on this)
4:07 pm	Vague Summer Reading List "Understanding Media" by Marshall McLuhan "Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television" by Jerry Mander (this disagrees with the last book on the list) "On Becoming Fearless" by Ariana Huffington (Oh my god, a self help book. Have I sunk so low?) Something by Augusten Burroughs Something else by Dan Chaon More by Vonnegut A work of classic science fiction by a well-known master A masterpiece of modern fiction (Yet to be Found) A Best Book of the Year- 2007 (Yet to be Found) A Best Book of the Year- 2006 (Yet to be Found)         I have to catch up, I have to start reading the NYT-approved books more...if they are good. One other recommendation from a friend (Yet to be Found) ...11 books. Hoorah! Current Mood: busy (Comment on this)
Monday, May 12th, 2008
8:24 pm	Jazz. Old people like it. Musicians who really know their stuff often love it. Snobs like it. You might, too. Come on, give it a chance. It is better than drum and bass- my old homework music- because it makes me calm, instead of frenetic and crazy. Hmm. Maybe this Last.fm station should be my new homework time companion. Current Mood: content (Comment on this)
6:54 pm	May he Rest in Trust: a Great Insult from 1925 Quote from an obituary written by William Allen White, an idealist/moral newsman, for Frank Munsey, a moral-less businessman/publisher who contributed to the pattern of media consolidation. I just love angry insults from figures in the eloquent past. "Frank Munsey, the great publisher, is dead. Frank Munsey contributed to the journalism of his day the talent of a meatpacker, the morals of a money changer, and the manners of an undertaker. He and his kind have about succeeded in transforming a once-noble profession into an eight percent security. May he rest in trust." Current Mood: amused (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, May 9th, 2008
11:45 am	Highlights this week -Saw my school choir perform the "Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff and absolutely loved it, partially in thanks to the English translation of the lyrics, which revealed it to be a drunken and sex-crazed song with Pagan gods written by medieval monks (!!) -Did some work for finals next week -Realized I could get a double major in something useful (sociology) and useless (comics) at the same time if I stop doing the honors program, considered getting a minor in studio arts instead -Decided what to do over the summer -Took great photographs of goslings -Met a person who meets my exacting standards for actually dating someone and spent 14 hours in a row with them the first time I spent time with them, without getting bored, much surprising the internal pessimist in me. (Read: "I don't believe it.") Explored a mountain, got incredible food, looked at drunk people, discussed how I should not have been so trusting of a stranger, had interesting conversations, got to know each other, ran away from a dog in a dark field that we could hear growling but could not see at all (it was a new moon, unfortunately,) stayed up to see a sunrise that didn't come, tried to buy chalk that wasn't there, drew, walked an impossible amount, listened to some indie music in the car, rejected rules because they weren't logical enough, learned things, decided to meet up again as soon as possible. Current Mood: excited Current Music: White Stripes- I Fought Piranhas (Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 6th, 2008
2:15 pm	Bee Power: funny comic by some dude/tte BEE POWER IS WHERE THIS COMIC IS FROM BEE POWER AT COMICS WITHOUT VIOLENCE DOT COM Current Mood: amused (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, May 5th, 2008
2:47 pm	Looking through my inbox's crap is depressing. Failed internship requests, failed friendships, failed poetry submissions, failed everything. Sigh. How many times does one have to try before one gets things right? Current Mood: depressed (5 Comments |Comment on this)
1:45 pm	I can take pictures of dogs, too. Not just cats. Dogs I ran into in the woods in New Paltz. Owned by vagrants/hippies/travelers who were tripping on mushrooms when I came across them, so refused to have their photos taken themselves (apparently they were afraid my camera was going to steal their soul, a reasonable assumption for one who is tripping on hallucinogens.) Ah well, their dogs made fantastic subjects on their own. Current Mood: amused (1 Comment |Comment on this)
1:33 pm	STOP the unjust SLAUGHTER of MUPPETS for FASHION'S SAKE Garment District, around the 20's-30's on the Eastern side of Manhattan. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, May 4th, 2008
12:46 pm	Is Changing the World With Art Just BULLSHIT? Here is my problem. My heart of hearts wants to do two things, and it wants to do them both with an intensely hot flame. It wants to be an artist and creator first off (my mediums are both the written word and drawing) and it wants to somehow help the world (sociology being a great tool for that,) since just being an artist seems superfluous and selfish, and knowing as much about politics as I do makes me want to seriously help making some drastic change. I figured out a contract major that basically equates to a graphic-design-focused communications degree, that lets me do drawing and writing work in class, aimed at improving my skills in both those mediums. I asked around, and only recently someone in the fine arts department got back to me. So now I have an offer to switch to the “fun” creative major. But I was about to go and get a “useful” sociology major. I want to do both at once, strongly, but all of my heroes are artists and writers, and all of my childhood dreams were about being a creative professional…not a sociologist or journalist. Is doing art selfish? Is doing politically aware artwork actually useful for social change, in this crowded 21st-century, pixel-saturated, everyone’s-a-video-star culture? Is going into a field like the nonprofit sector or governmental work actually helping to change things for the better, and if so, is it that much more useful than just doing politically aware artwork after getting this “art” degree? Should I just follow my heart like a selfish artist, ignoring the world crumbling around me as I draw my little pictures in little boxes, and write my little stories, because I was just born that way, and can’t help it, and will be frustrated forever if I choose to use the academic world to focus on sociology, instead? I know the whole “do it as a hobby” option. My writing can already sometimes impress people, but my drawings can’t- and this is frustrating…and getting this “art” major would be the solution to that, since I’d be having some major in-studio time to improve my skills. SO NOW WHAT, GUYS? ... sigh. Wish art school was free like it is in Europe. Current Mood: frustrated (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, May 1st, 2008
10:59 pm	YOU ARE THE SPLEEN OF HOMELAND SECURITY: Amazing anonymous rant by anonymous subgenius "> You are the eyes and ears of Homeland Security. Report all nonstandard > callers. In your case, report all callers. You are also close to Canada, > haven to millions of Islamofascists waiting for the signal to attack the > Homeland. Be aware of nonstandard activity in your broadcast facility. > In your case, be aware of all activity. Since your station operates in > an unpatriotic region of the FM band, you may be influenced by > nonstandard opinions. Report these opinions. Take care that your art, > music, and commentaries are positive and uplifting. If there are > activities that need doing at your radio station, do them cheesefully. > Avoid activities that leave you feeling nonstandard. If you are not > sure, ask yourself: "could I perform this activity while wearing a > bright, shiny US flag lapel pin?" If the answer is no, stop and report > this activity. You are the spleen of Homeland Security. If we are > vigilant and apprehensive at all times, nothing can stop us from > enjoying life to the fullest, within reasonable boundaries. Boundaries > that must be guarded at all times to prevent waves of nonstandard people > from tearing down our Homeland. Loose thoughts sink ships. Being scared > sh1tless of nonstandard things is a cool way to act. All the sexy people > are doing it. Try some fear today. You are the taste buds of Homeland > Security. Within 12 hours of gazing upon a portrait of Michael Chertoff, > you'll be ready to express your individuality to the best of your > ability. Radio is a great medium to spread the word about Homenad > Security. You listeners will thank you. Your cow-orkers will thank you. > You will thank you. Remember, service guarantees citizenship. Close > cover before striking. To avoid danger of suffocation, keep away from > babies. LOOKOUT BELOW! " Current Mood: amused (Comment on this)
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
11:45 am	A question on writing about personal things There are really strong, really deep personal events in my history that I want to turn into drama, poetry, or fiction. But I find I try to write them out, and they seem too real. Too much like a diary entry, too raw and important. So instead I write political satirical allegory. To avoid the personal stuff. Anyone else have this trouble? Is it a good idea to give it time? The big thing is my parent's divorce. A common event, yes, but an event that makes for good drama since it's, you know, dramatic. I could milk it, I think, and it might be entertaining to readers. It happened so long ago, I was 4. But it is still around me now- not like they ever STOPPED being divorced and pulling me into their horrible fights with eachother. So it's not like someone who died yesterday, that kind of raw. But the energy of it is too pervasive, too huge, to really put down on paper without feeling...weird... But I feel like it's the main 'dramatic' thing in my life whose energy I could use for fiction. And marketable fiction at that- divorce is so fucking common, an audience who can relate to this is huge. But for some reason I can't...squeeze it out... so I just end up writing about Christians sacrificing goats, car dealers terrified of sunburn and spaceships disappearing when a girl's puberty hits. All things not that close to my heart. But I know from experience that things close to a writer's heart are often entertaining and helpful to read for other people. So... yeah, I'm stuck with this. Current Mood: creative (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, April 28th, 2008
11:21 pm	GRAARG I am filled with hope, I am on fire. I'm like one of Obama's speeches or Cloud Cult's songs. They are right. This really is the first time in my life I have learned to hope. Been trying since Samhain or so and it finally is kicking in now. It feels great to have it kick in, drop in like that... I feel caffeinated all the time. Maybe I am manic depressive. Maybe life is just plain awesome. Didn't have caffeine all day today. Don't need it. Current Mood: energetic (1 Comment |Comment on this)
9:30 pm	Rev. Billy, of the Church of Stop Shopping He was electric! And I got to go to a 25-on-2 workshop with him, his female awesome partner whose name I forget, and about 24 other students, in the afternoon. Then, at night, he performed, delivering as sermon on how evil it was that corporations replaced our hope for a better world with dreams of better-looking-shoes. It was great! We were so lucky to have him on campus. One of my heroes... Makes me want to do a massive project something like it of my own. In fact, I already have it planned. Less based on theater and more based on technology...Less about shopping and more about politics...still heavily in the works and perhaps doomed for disaster, but can anyone expect their first big project to get HUGE INSTANTLY? Anyway, yeah. Public, funny, angry activism fills me with hope for our generation... I am actually feeling hopeful about the ability of the human race to adapt and change over time for the first time in my adolesence. This is a huge change, and it is filling me with this frenetic crazy energy. Current Mood: giddy (Comment on this)