Saturday, August 28, 2004
Are you out there?
I'm sorry, maybe?
I don't want to have to be sorry, I'd like to hope there's nothing to be sorry about. I'd like sorry to be inapplicable.
The way things were, was great. The way things are is great. Could be great? Is great? Greatness all around, I'd like to think.
Dancing is always enough. I guess it's what we're built to do.
But, I've always struggled with ballroom.
Especially when I'm supposed to lead.
-Trevor
I don't want to have to be sorry, I'd like to hope there's nothing to be sorry about. I'd like sorry to be inapplicable.
The way things were, was great. The way things are is great. Could be great? Is great? Greatness all around, I'd like to think.
Dancing is always enough. I guess it's what we're built to do.
But, I've always struggled with ballroom.
Especially when I'm supposed to lead.
-Trevor
I remembered some song lyrics I wrote a long time ago...
She's got a hole in her heart where love used to be
She's trying to fill it, and she's trying to use me
I keep trying to tell her, that's not how it's supposed to be
But she can't see it that way,
No she can't see it that way.
Finally registered for all my courses now. Went back to York for the pub opening party. It's strange being back there.
I think I'm happy that it wasn't as fun and awesome as I remember it. It'll make it easier to get work done.
People there have this weird conception of me. Mostly because the only times I've seen people from school for the last few years has been at parties, where I'm naturally a bit more outgoing and crazy.
Well, I'm still pretty outgoing and crazy, but I feel like I'm ready to start hitting the books. I'd better be ready, class starts in just over a week.
Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit.
-Trevor
She's trying to fill it, and she's trying to use me
I keep trying to tell her, that's not how it's supposed to be
But she can't see it that way,
No she can't see it that way.
Finally registered for all my courses now. Went back to York for the pub opening party. It's strange being back there.
I think I'm happy that it wasn't as fun and awesome as I remember it. It'll make it easier to get work done.
People there have this weird conception of me. Mostly because the only times I've seen people from school for the last few years has been at parties, where I'm naturally a bit more outgoing and crazy.
Well, I'm still pretty outgoing and crazy, but I feel like I'm ready to start hitting the books. I'd better be ready, class starts in just over a week.
Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit.
-Trevor
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
The Less You Remember, The Harder It Came
Excerpts from my rave journal:
-Trevor
-Trevor
Monday, August 16, 2004
The Internet is now the internet. Do not be alarmed.
From Wired News:
-Trevor
Effective with this sentence, Wired News will no longer capitalize the "I" in internet.Original Article
At the same time, Web becomes web and Net becomes net.
Why? The simple answer is because there is no earthly reason to capitalize any of these words. Actually, there never was.
-Trevor
Sunday, August 15, 2004
An Interesting Pattern
I was looking at the graph of visits per month for awesomejumbo, and I noticed a cool sort of pattern:
Weird how there are those descending peaks there, huh?
What could explain the oscillations? Maybe it's months when I post more or less... or maybe it's when I'm more or less brilliant.
We'll have to keep an eye on this trend.
-Trevor
P.S. This is not just a clever way to draw attention to how much traffic the site gets, that's just an unanticipated bonus! ;-)
Weird how there are those descending peaks there, huh?
What could explain the oscillations? Maybe it's months when I post more or less... or maybe it's when I'm more or less brilliant.
We'll have to keep an eye on this trend.
-Trevor
P.S. This is not just a clever way to draw attention to how much traffic the site gets, that's just an unanticipated bonus! ;-)
Thursday, August 12, 2004
What else...
Man, I am boring recently. Unless training sessions at the Gap count as exciting. (Not so much.)
Tonight is dancing at the Velvet Underground. Should be interesting.
My new favorite show is Trading Spouses. Fox just keeps getting better and better at getting worse and worse. I figured they had bottomed out after that Midget vs. Elephant Thing, but they must have some great R&D people working on new ways to shock and amaze us all. (mostly shock)
Other small victories:
1. Found my GTA: Vice City CD after three mayhemless months.
2. Remembered a song I wrote a long time ago but then forgot.
Oh man--I interrupt this list for breaking news bulletin: CTV is making a Trading Spouses rip-off (or possible just buying one from a non-Fox American network) called Wife Swap. Personally I think that only Fox has the appropriate lack of respect for the people involved, CTV is too tasteful to make truly enjoyable reality TV (e.g. Canadian Idol). I'll keep you posted, though.
I think I'll just stop the list 'cause, well, it wasn't going anywhere interesting.
You are all special. Never forget that.
-Trevor
Tonight is dancing at the Velvet Underground. Should be interesting.
My new favorite show is Trading Spouses. Fox just keeps getting better and better at getting worse and worse. I figured they had bottomed out after that Midget vs. Elephant Thing, but they must have some great R&D people working on new ways to shock and amaze us all. (mostly shock)
Other small victories:
1. Found my GTA: Vice City CD after three mayhemless months.
2. Remembered a song I wrote a long time ago but then forgot.
Oh man--I interrupt this list for breaking news bulletin: CTV is making a Trading Spouses rip-off (or possible just buying one from a non-Fox American network) called Wife Swap. Personally I think that only Fox has the appropriate lack of respect for the people involved, CTV is too tasteful to make truly enjoyable reality TV (e.g. Canadian Idol). I'll keep you posted, though.
I think I'll just stop the list 'cause, well, it wasn't going anywhere interesting.
You are all special. Never forget that.
-Trevor
Seed Magazine
Got my first issue of Seed Magazine today. It's so damn good I subscribed before I had even finished the issue.
I think it's going to do for Science what Wired did for Tech back in the day. You should check it out.
-Trevor
I think it's going to do for Science what Wired did for Tech back in the day. You should check it out.
-Trevor
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
I don't feel bad...
Yeah I'm a lazy poster... but at least I'm not Michael Moore.
Yeah, Mike, it seems easy to have a blog, but then you gotta keep writing. I guess you're out busy saving the little guy, or maybe spending all the money you made with Fahrenheit 9/11.
-Trevor
Yeah, Mike, it seems easy to have a blog, but then you gotta keep writing. I guess you're out busy saving the little guy, or maybe spending all the money you made with Fahrenheit 9/11.
-Trevor
Things in a random order. (if such a thing exists)
1. When you go sailing, the world keeps moving for a few hours after you get back to shore. Especially if you get high. It's like an amusement park ride with no line-up.
2. If there is a really cute girl at work, it is very difficult not to keep looking in her direction, but it must be done or she'll think you're creepy.
3. Just waiting for inspiration does not get songs written.
4. Girls from high school remember the poems that you wrote for them, and in fact may even keep a copy of them.
5. If you buy a pack of cigarettes, intending only to smoke one or two, you will smoke way more than that, so you should give them away as quickly as possible.
6. It is impossible to tell the difference between a girl dancing near you because she likes you and a girl who is dancing near you because that just happened to be where her friends were.
7. Trying to avoid customers without looking like you're avoiding customers is a fun game that can make your shift go by much quicker!
8. Computer games from more than about a year ago have crappy graphics and you probably shouldn't spend more than about $19.99 on them.
9. Sometimes you don't want what you want, and you want what you don't want.
10. A station wagon with a spoiler is still a station wagon.
-Trevor
2. If there is a really cute girl at work, it is very difficult not to keep looking in her direction, but it must be done or she'll think you're creepy.
3. Just waiting for inspiration does not get songs written.
4. Girls from high school remember the poems that you wrote for them, and in fact may even keep a copy of them.
5. If you buy a pack of cigarettes, intending only to smoke one or two, you will smoke way more than that, so you should give them away as quickly as possible.
6. It is impossible to tell the difference between a girl dancing near you because she likes you and a girl who is dancing near you because that just happened to be where her friends were.
7. Trying to avoid customers without looking like you're avoiding customers is a fun game that can make your shift go by much quicker!
8. Computer games from more than about a year ago have crappy graphics and you probably shouldn't spend more than about $19.99 on them.
9. Sometimes you don't want what you want, and you want what you don't want.
10. A station wagon with a spoiler is still a station wagon.
-Trevor
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
The Drop-Out's Guide To First Year
Here's an article I wrote for the school paper. It should be in the first issue. Very exciting! I'm going to be published! (by someone other than myself!)
----
Six years ago, I was a fresh-faced seventeen year-old with a single room in residence and parents too far away to check up on me regularly. Five years ago I was a university drop-out with over a hundred dollars in library fines and some serious explaining to do when I got home.
Now I’m back for my second ‘first year’ and, to save you from a similar fate, I've tossed together some pointers that will help you keep out of the bad kinds of trouble (academic probation, debarment) and in the good kinds of trouble (getting drunk, getting laid).
YOUR T.A.S ARE STUDENTS TOO
Sure they're in grad school, but it wasn't long ago that they were shlepping it out in the world of the undergrad just like you. Most of them will cut you lots of slack—but only if you’re one of the two or three people who actually cares about their tutorials, or for that matter shows up. Make sure you get on their good side. I once got a T.A. to let me write one essay in place of four that I had missed throughout the term, and with no late marks to boot. If I had actually written that essay, I might not have failed the class.
FIND AN UPPER YEAR TO BUY YOU BEER
Sure they’re a bit older, and they look really scary, but most of the upper years are human just like you. Everyone was underage once, we’ve all been there. And a lot of them won’t be drinking as much as they used to, so they might not need that wristband once they’re past the bouncers. [wink, wink] Oh, also they’ll probably be able to help you pick courses and navigate the administration, too. But that’s boring shit, so I’m not going to waste words on it.
SET-UP YOUR ROOM RIGHT
This one’s for all the single guys in residence. Get rid of your bedframe—dump it in a common room or something--and put your mattress on the floor. There’s two reasons for this. First off everyone does that thing where you lift your bed up, and you don’t want to be like everyone else. Sure you get more floor space, but efficient use of space is for dorks who watch home design shows, not for hipsters who want to get laid. Which brings me to my second point: A mattress on the floor gets gravity working in your favour. No girls are going to climb up onto a raised bed, but nine out of ten will sit on a floor bed. And when girls sit on your bed they’ll take off their shoes—once the shoes are off the socks won’t be far behind, and where socks go pants are sure to follow!
DON’T TRY TO WOO YOUR FROSH BOSSES WITH BAD POETRY
(OR AT ALL, FOR THAT MATTER)
I know you’re in love, but trust me it won’t work. I’m speaking from experience here. (Michelle, if you’re still out there give me a call. I’m a lot cooler now, honest!)
RETURN YOUR LIBRARY BOOKS ON TIME
These people are serious. There’s no friendly old ladies charging you a nickel a week for overdue books. Fines here pile up quick, and when you’ve got ten books out for that night-before essay-writing marathon, they pile up even quicker. Especially watch out for SMIL (The Sound and Moving Images library) they charge you by the hour. Yes. By the hour. I have a friend who returned some videos a day late and was charged over $100 in fines. No, I am not making this up.
GET INVOLVED IN EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Yeah, they’re a lot of fun, but more importantly they’ll give you something to talk to your parents about that’s not your grades. That’s really useful after your first few essays come back. Also, it’s a great way to hook up.
YOUR PERMANENT RECORD IS NOT AS PERMANENT AS IT SEEMS
Finally, if you end up like I did at the end of your first year with a few less passing grades than courses, then petition petition petition! Petitions are magical things where a committee waves a wand over your transcripts and failing marks just disappear! You can only get away with it a few times though, so be careful.
So there you have it, hopefully some of this will help you do better than I did. Show up to all your classes and you’ll be fine. Wait, make that, show up sober to all your classes and you’ll be fine. Classes you attend on mushrooms don’t really count. Trust me on that one, too.
-Trevor
----
Six years ago, I was a fresh-faced seventeen year-old with a single room in residence and parents too far away to check up on me regularly. Five years ago I was a university drop-out with over a hundred dollars in library fines and some serious explaining to do when I got home.
Now I’m back for my second ‘first year’ and, to save you from a similar fate, I've tossed together some pointers that will help you keep out of the bad kinds of trouble (academic probation, debarment) and in the good kinds of trouble (getting drunk, getting laid).
YOUR T.A.S ARE STUDENTS TOO
Sure they're in grad school, but it wasn't long ago that they were shlepping it out in the world of the undergrad just like you. Most of them will cut you lots of slack—but only if you’re one of the two or three people who actually cares about their tutorials, or for that matter shows up. Make sure you get on their good side. I once got a T.A. to let me write one essay in place of four that I had missed throughout the term, and with no late marks to boot. If I had actually written that essay, I might not have failed the class.
FIND AN UPPER YEAR TO BUY YOU BEER
Sure they’re a bit older, and they look really scary, but most of the upper years are human just like you. Everyone was underage once, we’ve all been there. And a lot of them won’t be drinking as much as they used to, so they might not need that wristband once they’re past the bouncers. [wink, wink] Oh, also they’ll probably be able to help you pick courses and navigate the administration, too. But that’s boring shit, so I’m not going to waste words on it.
SET-UP YOUR ROOM RIGHT
This one’s for all the single guys in residence. Get rid of your bedframe—dump it in a common room or something--and put your mattress on the floor. There’s two reasons for this. First off everyone does that thing where you lift your bed up, and you don’t want to be like everyone else. Sure you get more floor space, but efficient use of space is for dorks who watch home design shows, not for hipsters who want to get laid. Which brings me to my second point: A mattress on the floor gets gravity working in your favour. No girls are going to climb up onto a raised bed, but nine out of ten will sit on a floor bed. And when girls sit on your bed they’ll take off their shoes—once the shoes are off the socks won’t be far behind, and where socks go pants are sure to follow!
DON’T TRY TO WOO YOUR FROSH BOSSES WITH BAD POETRY
(OR AT ALL, FOR THAT MATTER)
I know you’re in love, but trust me it won’t work. I’m speaking from experience here. (Michelle, if you’re still out there give me a call. I’m a lot cooler now, honest!)
RETURN YOUR LIBRARY BOOKS ON TIME
These people are serious. There’s no friendly old ladies charging you a nickel a week for overdue books. Fines here pile up quick, and when you’ve got ten books out for that night-before essay-writing marathon, they pile up even quicker. Especially watch out for SMIL (The Sound and Moving Images library) they charge you by the hour. Yes. By the hour. I have a friend who returned some videos a day late and was charged over $100 in fines. No, I am not making this up.
GET INVOLVED IN EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Yeah, they’re a lot of fun, but more importantly they’ll give you something to talk to your parents about that’s not your grades. That’s really useful after your first few essays come back. Also, it’s a great way to hook up.
YOUR PERMANENT RECORD IS NOT AS PERMANENT AS IT SEEMS
Finally, if you end up like I did at the end of your first year with a few less passing grades than courses, then petition petition petition! Petitions are magical things where a committee waves a wand over your transcripts and failing marks just disappear! You can only get away with it a few times though, so be careful.
So there you have it, hopefully some of this will help you do better than I did. Show up to all your classes and you’ll be fine. Wait, make that, show up sober to all your classes and you’ll be fine. Classes you attend on mushrooms don’t really count. Trust me on that one, too.
-Trevor
Notes from the Cottage
Went to the cottage this weekend... lots of fun. Got kinda drunk and wrote this:
(It's okay. You've reached the end of the page. There's still more to read under "This Was Awesome" up near the top of the page.)
Awesome people so far: