tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4070058279143483932024-03-13T22:30:13.930-05:00And Now You Have Super PowersAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-62168315993692607772012-09-30T19:56:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:15:42.729-05:00Mister Twister<p>This week’s Blogthings topic is brought to you by Tim: take a picture of something you see on a regular basis, and write about it.</p> <p>I have this one shirt. I wear it often. Actually most of what I wear, I wear often because I rotate the same five or so outfits. I stole this shirt from my brother Matt. He stole it from my brother Billy. I have no idea where it came from before that. It’s sort of a special shirt. It’s a brand called Panda Snack and it’s made out of 100 percent bamboo. The best part about it is this tornado shaped stitching under the collar.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mb4jDhiMcgc/UGjqH9P_0AI/AAAAAAAABC8/3frcQGdo1rk/s1600-h/004%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="004" border="0" alt="004" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-e_gAIn9NdCw/UGjqIRhiseI/AAAAAAAABDE/KnLgMW5TL_U/004_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="537" height="403"></a></p> <p>My friends call it my Mister Twister shirt. Mister Twister is this pretty cool guy who is really me in a bamboo t-shirt. His super power is that he can make tornados, which are really just sound effects that I make. He has a villain. She’s a nun named Sister Twister, who is really a doodle I made at a coffee shop when I should have been doing work.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-j5tG2yU2Zcg/UGjqI9atv7I/AAAAAAAABDM/jawp7SXleKw/s1600-h/sister_twister%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="sister_twister" border="0" alt="sister_twister" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FY8vOJZiQlw/UGjqJbu0pGI/AAAAAAAABDU/hdqLTV1I5EU/sister_twister_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="242" height="242"></a></p> <p>One day a theater student of mine invented a super hero named The Vortex. I told him about Mister Twister. Sometimes Mister Twister and The Vortex team up and save the world, but really it’s just my student and me playing freezes during improv lessons.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-D0NHYvRqSAE/UGjqJpp5fCI/AAAAAAAABDc/IaBDrQ3UIR8/s1600-h/013%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="013" border="0" alt="013" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-M-ikWWIixQc/UGjqKJIRvjI/AAAAAAAABDk/GlyH_bKYllg/013_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="274" height="431"></a></p> <p>I do not know what I’m trying to say about this shirt. I really like it though.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-51159045900783134102012-09-27T20:59:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:55:17.541-05:00LAUGHayette FUNstival<p>For the last couple of years, my friend Tim has wanted to do a Lafayette comedy festival. He successfully accomplished his goal a couple of weeks ago at the first ever LAUGHayette FUNstival. He sums up the experience really well over at <a href="http://frimtanklin.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-1st-annual-laugh-ayette-fun-stival.html">his blog</a>. </p> <blockquote> <p>Finally, on September 15 – after two years of existence – Ad Liberation hosted our festival. The First Annual Laughayette Funstival went from 6-10:45 pm and featured eight different comedy groups and seven standup/variety acts. There was a cheesy joke competition and a free raffle. At its biggest, the audience was around 80 people (maybe a little more). At its smallest, around 30. It went 45 minutes over time. It started 15 minutes late. Last minute changes to the lineup had to be made because of travelling difficulties or miscommunications. It was awesome.</p></blockquote> <blockquote> <p>I do give myself some credit for putting this festival on. I feel I was a major driving force behind it, and I handled much of the communication and booking for the event. However, the other members of Ad Liberation came together for it in a big way. Between inviting out of town groups, designing advertisements, running the merch table, managing check-ins, running the A/V equipment, handling music, telling butt jokes, introducing acts, pulling raffle winners, and picking up a wayward troupe in a last-minute van ride, there is no way this would have been as successful a night had it not been for my friends in Ad Lib. Plus, our set was awesome. Good job, everyone. Can’t wait for next year.</p></blockquote> <p>My favorite act was Shauvon McGill taking a modern spin on the old Pen15 joke and proposing a new business venture, but he inadvertently mistook the LAUGHayette FUNstival for the John Larroquette FUNDstival. <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:540272e4-adb5-4e1c-b9fb-07942c72c1f3" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="6a4131db-e72d-4d73-b913-5f52e9c601d1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwoDhAp2VzY&feature=share&list=PLSO_Cw3OzIdHhUBQrbz4f8SnbhUMYXFTD" target="_new"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aRlIlcvRMfk/UGUEcbwc-zI/AAAAAAAABCo/EjFHO5_0V4g/videofaf3cb4704ee%25255B37%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('6a4131db-e72d-4d73-b913-5f52e9c601d1'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"534\" height=\"299\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/XwoDhAp2VzY?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/XwoDhAp2VzY?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"534\" height=\"299\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div></p> <p>Also I did some more improv with <a href="http://www.adliberation.net/">Ad Liberation</a>.</p> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:84f7703e-4cde-4357-a263-8b921526e7f0" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="7bf4b47c-11ac-4ccf-8c40-dc0ecc1b3eda" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-USlrHspMHE&feature=share&list=PLSO_Cw3OzIdHhUBQrbz4f8SnbhUMYXFTD" target="_new"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uuUXotl2gAg/UGUEc0gLOzI/AAAAAAAABCs/_E0H7fGZEYM/video1891bdd418b0%25255B39%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('7bf4b47c-11ac-4ccf-8c40-dc0ecc1b3eda'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"533\" height=\"299\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/-USlrHspMHE?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/-USlrHspMHE?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"533\" height=\"299\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div></p> <p>The night was a huge success and it could never have happened without the dedication and hard work that Tim put into it.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-59971944507307575982012-09-23T21:48:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:15:42.726-05:00Firsts<p>When I was a freshman in high school, my grandparents came to watch my brother Matt and me while my parents went on a vacation somewhere. I don’t remember where they were taking us, but I do remember Matt was cracking me up, and my grandma was yelling at my grandpa about his driving. We made a joke about someone having mono and I made my grandma laugh by calling it “the kissing disease.”</p> <p>I asked them how they first met. I don’t know what inspired that question. I wasn’t a particularly curious kid and I was not at all aware of the world around me. In retrospect that seems like an awfully important question to ask ones grandparents. The answer leaves open a lot of what ifs. It’s a love story that almost wasn’t. It’s a love story that paved the way for countless other love stories.</p> <p>World War II had just ended and my grandma was working at a bank in Chicago. She was engaged to some guy who was working for the Army, but he was off doing something in Europe. One day she called a cab so she wouldn’t have to walk in the rain on her way to work. The rain stopped, but she didn’t want the cab driver to lose his commission so she took the cab anyway.</p> <p>The cab driver was my grandfather. He had just gotten back from serving in the Navy.</p> <p>I don’t know exactly how things progressed from there, but I do know he asked her out and eventually proposed. She waited for her fiancé to return from Europe and ended things with him before she said yes. </p> <p>They got married and had seven kids. My grandpa owned a pizza place for a while and then sold insurance for a living. One time my grandma threw a glass jug of milk across the dinner table at my grandpa. My grandpa enjoys crossword puzzles, mysteries, and handball. My grandma has the most wonderful laugh in the world. My dad once told me he tried to imitate the home life they gave him with the one he gave my siblings and me. They’re amazing people.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bc2QHUxYbmc/UF_J-AFbyYI/AAAAAAAABB8/XVkosKAEAvo/s1600-h/gramsandgramps%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="gramsandgramps" border="0" alt="gramsandgramps" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GWMN1sodCYQ/UF_J-oYRp3I/AAAAAAAABCE/uC5YjvZsunc/gramsandgramps_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="537" height="356"></a></p> <p>After they finished the story I asked my grandma how my grandpa drove back then. She laughed and said “like a hotshot.”</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-10231388589721101452012-09-16T21:03:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:15:42.714-05:00Spider-Man: Blue<p>Did you know I love love stories? I think they’re my favorite. It doesn’t matter if it’s romantic love, or love between friends, or the love of a family. I love love stories. My own love stories have turned out pretty great. Except for the romantic ones. Those have been a disasters.<br>One of my favorites is <i>Spiderman: Blue </i>by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. It is the story of how Peter Parker fell in love with Gwen Stacy (or more importantly, as the story goes, how they almost didn’t fall in love). It’s narrated from Peter’s perspective years after Gwen dies at the hands of the Green Goblin. He’s sitting in his attic and telling the story into a tape recorder. It’s beautiful. It’s heartbreaking.<br><br>I am having an incredibly difficult time writing about it because I am just tempted to tell you everything that happens word for word, so instead I’ll post an image of my favorite part.<br><br><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ueyw5Xxlwq4/UFaEzuJcQdI/AAAAAAAABAw/wSbOgws_4Bw/s1600-h/foolish_thumb3%25255B2%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="foolish_thumb3" border="0" alt="foolish_thumb3" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UtUyP8eJEN4/UFaE0nv_7jI/AAAAAAAABA4/9eBl5cp83ww/foolish_thumb3_thumb.png?imgmax=800" width="539" height="433"></a><br><br>And it’s not a happy love story. Not exactly. The story opens and closes on this idea that “things have to get really, really bad before they can get good.” And at the end of the story the reader gets to see what the good was that came from the really, really bad.<br><br><br><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-e7rzioYfAOo/UFaE1W3HTGI/AAAAAAAABBA/PNMyNE4hnqQ/s1600-h/spiderman_blue4_thumb4%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="spiderman_blue4_thumb4" border="0" alt="spiderman_blue4_thumb4" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-TCuX0K0HkUQ/UFaE1_Ajy4I/AAAAAAAABBI/TWO4pK1X3h4/spiderman_blue4_thumb4_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="531" height="821"></a><br><br> "Good follows bad. Kind of amazing."</p> <div style="text-align: center; clear: both" class="separator"><a style="margin-bottom: 1em; float: right; margin-left: 1em; clear: right" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4MC_Wdc5V3w/UFaE4MeBtrI/AAAAAAAABBo/yPPypqAESEI/spiderman_blue6_thumb2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" imageanchor="1"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="spiderman_blue6_thumb2" border="0" alt="spiderman_blue6_thumb2" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4MC_Wdc5V3w/UFaE4MeBtrI/AAAAAAAABBo/yPPypqAESEI/spiderman_blue6_thumb2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="329" height="238"></a></div><a style="margin-bottom: 1em; float: left; clear: left; margin-right: 1em" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7vwcGOOdEeU/UFaE2oOIdYI/AAAAAAAABBQ/dwRdTVNK4HM/s1600-h/spiderman_blue5_thumb1%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="spiderman_blue5_thumb1" border="0" alt="spiderman_blue5_thumb1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xoPntxEO-xo/UFaE3M-bAzI/AAAAAAAABBY/Kx10ZgfsWX4/spiderman_blue5_thumb1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="185" height="242"></a> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-47567742790345907112012-09-11T20:20:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:15:42.723-05:00New Apartment<p>So as many of you know I moved into a new apartment. I was impressed with it when I saw it back in May, but when I moved in, it just turned out to be old, dirty, and in desperate need of a paint job. As I am a big baby, I recruited the help of my friends and family to help me learn how to be a grownup. There is still a crazy ton of work that needs to be done, but I’ve made good progress. My friend Mary helped me paint the office (white) and my parents helped me paint the main room (old driftwood and hello yellow). We’ve all done a lot of cleaning (I’ll spare you the photos, but trust me: totes deesgusting).</p> <p>I’m working on making a bookshelf. I still need to stain the wood and add an eight food board as the top shelf, but I think I’m liking how it is turning out.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dh20tVfd94E/UFEoPxomegI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/oP65M3SH1X0/s1600-h/shelf%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="shelf" border="0" alt="shelf" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uFPHkriwKoc/UFEoQDSK5gI/AAAAAAAAA-c/6mVCeJVPYGg/shelf_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="524" height="394"></a></p> <p>I hung up some paintings by a super cool artist named <a href="http://www.pyramidcar.com/">Scott C</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vB8OlxOWcXU/UE_jcbiLrmI/AAAAAAAAA-g/ImMK-8xzEpI/s1600-h/004.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="plants and books and art and stuff" border="0" alt="plants and books and art and stuff" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Y09hBPL00r4/UE_jc4zJidI/AAAAAAAAA-k/u0PNCFfAY6o/004_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="334" height="444"></a></p> <p>And with a lot of reassurance from some of my best friends I even made a painting. I haven’t made art since the eighth grade, so I was nervous. I’m happy with how it turned out.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-l8ugmPIXv9c/UE_jdR55NJI/AAAAAAAAA-o/CCs1trJ2M3s/s1600-h/0067.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="I own a comically small television" border="0" alt="I own a comically small television" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-p0GIUBpYCLE/UE_jd5w5ESI/AAAAAAAAA-s/NCyqq4VFnF4/006_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" width="527" height="395"></a></p> <p>I’m really starting to like my new place, and I’m really lucky to have such good friends and family. They’re teaching me a lot. I think I can do this grownup thing because of them.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-48860180689116849902012-09-03T18:06:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:55:17.539-05:00Ten Robots, a Mary, and a Pizza Place<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9R8BGwgfQiM/UEU38TwuSOI/AAAAAAAAA8o/SfCVDVAa7IY/s1600-h/robot3%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="robot3" border="0" alt="robot3" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Y8b17QTOKFA/UEU38y4HRJI/AAAAAAAAA8s/VpbQIYNszs0/robot3_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="151" height="267"></a>Improv is this thing I sometimes do with my close personal friends. People come to watch us make up bizarre stories with suggestions they give us. It’s like <em>Whose Line Is It Anyway</em>, but instead of a bunch of games we try to tell one big coherent story. <a href="http://grownupmike.blogspot.com/2011/05/were-back.html">You should know all this by now</a>. We call ourselves Ad Liberation. <p>Ad Liberation’s theme is robots. It really happened by accident. It was during the bleak winter of 2011. We decided to pass out handbills on the unpredictable streets of Lafayette, Indiana to advertise for our shows, but we really need something to capture the attention of complete strangers: <a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/167351_159888664063279_158581650860647_348371_6708757_n.jpg">robot suits</a>.<br clear="all"></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gtR-_cOP0-Q/UEU39XJU0bI/AAAAAAAAA8w/Hy8khIwofAA/s1600-h/026%25255B18%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="026" border="0" alt="026" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-r6bGp3_prpI/UEU392dl5aI/AAAAAAAAA80/mfBbefaMCJQ/026_thumb%25255B15%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="536" height="403"></a></p> <p>This weekend we made new suits. What’s really cool about this is that we have upped our ranks from four to ten, so now we have something of a robot army. We perform a couple shows a month and we’re hosting a festival in a couple of weeks. <a href="http://www.adliberation.net/">Check us out out</a>.</p> <p> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DHKsOmI32XQ/UEU3-u42IMI/AAAAAAAAA8A/uGOUNqMZcUI/s1600-h/robot%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img src="http://www.adliberation.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/jestersposter.jpg" width="507" height="784"></a></p> <p><strong>Something that has been on my mind: </strong>don’t you think there should be more places that sell pizza by the slice?</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-9569955583760156922012-09-02T11:59:00.000-05:002013-05-30T15:15:42.734-05:00I Need an AdultDear Friend,<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-By0vnUQ5FcA/UEQ7j3di-kI/AAAAAAAAA7I/SO5qt4CDZW8/s1600-h/016%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img align="right" alt="I Need an Adult!" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Fo5WSdi5V_I/UEQ7kZ8ht-I/AAAAAAAAA7Q/R0RKaBUi5ds/016_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="I Need an Adult" width="244" /></a>My brother used to jokingly say “I need an adult,” whenever something would go wrong. This phrase has been constantly running through my mind for months now. Years really. The theme of this blog was intended to be my journey into adulthood. When I left college I was confident that I was going to rock hard and I was going to rock fast, but in the twenty-seven months since graduation I have repeatedly learned one lesson: I am not a clever man.<br />
This blog should really just be a thank you to all of the people in the world I would be lost without. The people who come to my rescue on a day to day basis. There are far too many of you to name, but thank you. Thank you thank you thank you for saving me. Thank you for rescuing me from the roach motel. Thank you for getting me through my first heart break. Thank you for giving up your Saturday to help me paint. Thank you for my funeral. Thank you for listening to my stories about Spider-Man. Thank you for letting me vent about how hard my job is even though I’m crazy lucky to have such a good job. Thank you for making me laugh. Thank you for worrying about me and praying for me even when I insisted I was ok. Thank you for playing improv with me. Thank you for the phone calls when I was alone. Thank you for giving me a place to live.<br />
Thank you. If you ever need an adult. I’m your man.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-31013466539506545912012-07-06T22:49:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:15:42.720-05:00First Fictional Character Crushes<p>My first fictional character crush was Tuxedo Mask. I was an awkward third grader and he was a tortured tall dark and handsome mystery man who helped Sailor Moon fight the forces of evil. </p> <p>I’m not really one to fall in love with cartoon characters, but look at the guy. Perhaps the reason I haven’t been able to commit to a long-term serious grownup adult relationship is because of the impossible standard set by Tuxedo Mask. I mean, the guy is prince of Earth for cryin’ out loud.</p> <p> <img alt="Neo-Queen Serenity &amp; Tuxedo Mask" src="http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk188/DarienLuver/neoqueenserenity.jpg"> </p> <p>Fun Fact: ever since I was nine I have not been able to pick up a rose without doing this:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SbVAU6uu1dM/T_ex0dwudrI/AAAAAAAAA6A/iGjBeCMvluU/s1600-h/n13732579_42844386_8248%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="n13732579_42844386_8248" border="0" alt="n13732579_42844386_8248" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0bGoax6FwEg/T_ex09Ftb9I/AAAAAAAAA6I/i0-hrdsWrNY/n13732579_42844386_8248_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="394" height="523"></a></p> <p>Additional Fun Fact: I am wearing a woman’s shirt in this photograph. No one would have known, but I felt compelled to tell everyone I ever met ever.</p> <p>So who was your first fictional character crush? Who are your current fictional character crushes?</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-45860739507760637952012-06-04T20:06:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:15:42.722-05:00Base 14 or Sometimes I’m in Comics<p>I took a creative writing class when I was a sophomore and made friends with Tyler Kupferer. Tyler is a super cool guy who does sweet multimedia projects through his company <a href="http://base14.com/blog/">Base 14</a>. He even helped me fulfill a lifelong dream by basing the character Paul in his comic <a href="http://base14.com/rightfield/">Right<u><font color="#113bcc">f</font></u>ield</a> after me. Paul is the main character’s long lost roommate who was attacked by a platypus named Phil. Phil replaces Paul as the main character’s roommate and also wants world domination.</p> <p><a href="http://base14.com/rightfield/index.php?date=20061207"><img alt="20061207.jpg" src="http://base14.com/rightfield/strips/20061207.jpg" width="528" height="175"></a></p> <p>My very good friend <a href="http://www.eliasglasch.com/">Eli Glasch</a> who I miss a whole bunch and is one my favorite people in the whole world ever moved out to Los Angeles with Tyler and is credited in Base 14’s newest animated short “The Girl and the Fox.” He’s in the credits for 3D modeling and rigging. It’s a really beautiful short. Check it out out.</p> <p> <iframe height="208" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/43332921" frameborder="0" width="500" allowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen></iframe></p> <p>Eli drew a comic for me in my notebook a couple years ago. I love it so much. He’s really an amazing guy, and I’m super proud of him.</p> <p><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/S4f-RTg-lqI/AAAAAAAAAeI/LIGT5kIxVZs/s400/scan0002.jpg" width="538" height="549"></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-91809950715646985202011-12-07T18:10:00.001-06:002013-05-30T15:15:42.733-05:00A Completely Self Motivated Post. Also, Amanda Promised Me Cookies If I Blogged.<p>About a year ago I wrote a “You’re Going to Outer Space” list of twenty-four things to do before I turn twenty-five.</p> <p><strong>1) </strong><strong>Acquire an English teaching position </strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(SUCCESS) </strong>I decided to pursue a career an English teacher. I applied for jobs all winter. Suddenly it was May and I was two weeks from unemployment, a situation exacerbated by being physically and verbally harassed by a principal of a school at which I interviewed and a thanks-but-no-thanks at a school I really wanted to work at. Five minutes after the thanks-but-no thanks phone call my current principal called and asked me for an interview. A week later I had a job. I have been teaching at East Central High School in St. Leon, Indiana. It’s a great school with great students and not a day goes by where I don’t ask myself “how did I get so lucky.”</p></blockquote> <p><strong>2) Create An Intramural Quidditch Tournament </strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(SUCCESS) </strong>I would like to direct your attention to <a href="http://www.killertofu.com/?p=1008">Matt G’s Vlog (specifically 1:45-2:00)</a></p></blockquote> <p><strong>3) Earn “The Power of Love” </strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(IT’S COMPLICATED) B</strong>ut not really a failure either. Did you see my love poems? Plus I spent the better half of the year in a healthy (albeit long distance) relationship. I’d also like to point out that this is a reference to Scott Pilgrim. Did you guys get that?</p></blockquote> <p><strong>4) Change My Brakes (or someone else’s if the opportunity does not present itself)</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(NOT QUITE A FAILURE) </strong>Mostly my dad did this one because he likes to do things for me because I am bad at doing things and he’d rather be frustrated with my car than my incompetency in regards to fixing my car. My front brakes need to be changed though so maybe I’ll give those a go on my own. Also, I think we should be proud that I predicted this.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>5) Write (and Illustrate?) A Minimum of Six Original Comic Books </strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(FAIL) </strong>Did not even come close. I have some ideas for 2012 projects though that might fall into this category.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>6) Read <em>Anna Karenina </em></strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(Thirty-Seven Pages in FAIL) </strong>I almost read five percent of the book. It was pretty interesting what I did read.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>7) Fix William Oliver Whale (my teapot) </strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(FAIL) </strong>He’s super broken. I said a really bad word when he broke. Put no effort in to fixing him.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>8) Visit Andrew Preston at Least Twice Because He Is My Friend And I Love Him</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(SUCCESS) </strong>I visited Andrew for New Year’s Eve. I visited Andrew for his birth-day. I visited Andrew for the heck of it and he gave me a super sweet desk.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>9) Dye My Hair Again</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(SUCCESS) </strong>And it was oh so purple.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>10) Get A Pet</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(SAD AND LONELY FAIL) </strong>Do you guys know how much pets cost?! An additional $100 a month added to my rent. No thank you. I should get a salamander. I’ll name him Montag.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>11) Perform An Ad Liberation Improv Show for An Audience</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(SUCCESS) </strong>I performed like five of these. They were awesome. Then I retired to start a high school improv group.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>12) Attend An Opera</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(SUCCESS) </strong>I saw Joelle Tucker wear a pizza hat in <em>La Boheme </em>at IU. It was awesome.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>13) Follow Through with What I Learned from The Fit Lunch Program</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(MOSTLY FAIL) </strong>I did pay attention to the healthy eating stuff because mostly I just wanted to eat whatever I usually ate. Also I stopped working out. But I am a member of the East Central Ladies Yoga group. It’s not really ladies yoga, but I’m the only guy and I now wonder if the invitation was meant for not men.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>14) Wear A Silly Costume to Work</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(SUCCESS) </strong>I wore a super hero costume, robot costume, and a chicken costume to work at Saint Joe’s. I feel like I left one out though.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>15) Send a Post Secret </strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(FAIL)</strong> I have no excuse for this one. I got some good secrets.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>16) Write 24 Letters</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(FAIL) </strong>I started to write 24 letters. I am the worst.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>17 and 18) Host a Fancy Party and Learn to Cook a Few Things Other Than Eggs</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PVju32rJrs0/TuAOljZI6AI/AAAAAAAAAtg/Q4TAqfdLt1U/s1600-h/P1010064%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010064" border="0" alt="P1010064" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-78_nf4j_CWI/TuAOl0yrh_I/AAAAAAAAAto/a2zPNVIp1MY/P1010064_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="512" height="417"></a></strong></p> <p><strong> (SUCCESS) </strong>It was a lovely party. I made a cheese plate with four cheeses, fancy crackers, cucumber tapas, and fried almonds.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>19) Obtain A Briefcase</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(SUCCESS) </strong>Tim gave me his briefcase because he is my good friend and wants me to be successful at life.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>20) Get Verry Very Lost (And Then Very Very Found)</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(I HAVE NO IDEA) </strong>But I get lost all the time and always end up back at home. Like Sinbad. You can say I’m like Sinbad.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>21) Permanently Delete My Facebook Page</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(SUCCESS) </strong>Suck it Mark Zuckerburg.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>22) Vacation in Some Sort of Wilderness Type Area</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(FAIL) </strong>But I have big plans for 2012.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>23) Right a Past Wrong</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(NOT QUITE A FAILURE) </strong>I know exactly what I meant here (unlike #20). I don’t think I actually met this one in the way I intended, but I do think I met it.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>24) Turn Twenty Five</strong></p> <blockquote> <p><strong>(SURE) </strong>This one was sort of an impossibility, but I turned 25 and that’s all that matters.</p></blockquote> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-38704338261719435692011-05-07T23:17:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:55:17.538-05:00We’re Back…<p>…and we brought new friends with us.</p> <p>Two years ago Frim Tanklin and I performed our last <a href="http://www.thecrazymonkeys.com/">Crazy Monkey</a> improv show. We spent the next year watching our friends bring the Crazy Monkeys to new levels. Sometimes they wowed us with their creative genius while other times we struggled to accept the new direction our old group was heading.</p> <p>After a year of talking imrpov, Tim and I decided to the only way our words could hold any weight was if we actually started to improv again. We started a group of our own, Ad Liberation. It was our friend and former Monkey Andrew P who came up with the name one fateful walk in the rain after we missed the televised Kentucky derby.</p> <p>We recruited our friend and former Monkey John S, but the insecurities of three grown men playing make believe in a garage got the best of us. It wasn’t until our friend Matt G forced us to keep doing it that we really got off the ground. The hilarious Mary Tanklin and friend-of-a-friend Katie F joined us to help ease our insecurities and increase our numbers. Katie F found the lure of make believe and laughter is hard to resist, but Mary decided to be our number one fan instead.</p> <p>Eventually John left, and we were down to four players. We practiced every other week or so. Sometimes more often than that, sometimes less. Over Christmas vacation we practiced in the Saint Joseph’s College theater scene shop which is a huge cluttered room with two walls of windows and an assortment of junk perfect for sparking imagination.</p> <p>We had our first show in February in a crowded basement turned venue called Jurassic Park. Andrew P was our special guest star and improvised a wonderful song to start the show. While the audience was large and seemed to enjoy us, the show was a mess.</p> <p>We held auditions later that months and we were joined by two strong new members, Zach B and Mike K. It was then that we began working on a new format Tim and I discussed at a high school murder mystery dinner theater performance. The six of us talked and talked and practiced and practiced until we refined and nearly perfected our new format.</p> <p>The format is simply a long form structure that incorporates elements of short form games intended to tell a story. I hope you enjoy.</p> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; width: 448px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:dce2f965-64da-40c6-9de9-e94eba655ab3" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="8e79d2b0-6b9d-4c67-8e84-05d88514176d" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWfoe24lQ6k" target="_new"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/TcYZSHVBsXI/AAAAAAAAAlw/o_elEBptW80/video3abf83d0745e%5B79%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('8e79d2b0-6b9d-4c67-8e84-05d88514176d'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"448\" height=\"336\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/lWfoe24lQ6k?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/lWfoe24lQ6k?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"448\" height=\"336\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div></p> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; width: 448px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:77149829-5a00-4839-b547-182eda9f4fba" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="ea9e0c59-e46e-4cc3-af7e-93d867c7f1ff" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxuNqRyFZPI&feature=related" target="_new"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/TcYZSZupIlI/AAAAAAAAAl0/NNOAk8kBnyc/video6b03df05e2c7%5B73%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('ea9e0c59-e46e-4cc3-af7e-93d867c7f1ff'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"448\" height=\"336\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/MxuNqRyFZPI?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/MxuNqRyFZPI?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"448\" height=\"336\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div></p> <p>For more <a href="http://www.adliberation.net/">Ad Liberation</a> information check out out our <a href="http://www.adliberation.net/">website</a>.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-23877735182876683542011-05-03T00:13:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:55:55.218-05:00National Poetry Writing Month (pt. 5)<p>Well my favorite month is over, and with it comes the last five April Poems. I was pretty self-conscious about the poems and always referenced my fair warning from part one when I linked new posts on Twitter account, but <a href="http://frimtanklin.blogspot.com/">Frim Tanklin</a> quelled my insecurities when he told me he how fun he found them. </p> <p>The inspiration to write couplets came from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quagmire_family">Isadora Quagmire</a> from <em>A Series of Unfortunate Events</em>, and the inspiration to name the poems came from my <a href="http://samuelneedham.blogspot.com/2010/04/more-haikus.html">friend Sam</a> who wrote very funny haikus with very funny titles. </p> <p>Three of poems could have been titled “Love Poem" and whatever corresponding number, but I feared I would come across as both cheesy and desperate if I wrote too many love poems, so I gave them different names. I think the love poems are my favorite.</p> <p><strong>April 26, 2011 </strong>(Love Poem IV)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Didn’t want you to find me boring, so</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">I drank a double shot of espresso.</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 27, 2011 </strong>(Love Poem V*)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">A private picnic, purple flowers at the end,</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">You held my hand and led me through the darkness, Friend</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 28, 2011 </strong>(Alone Time Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Thirteen hour day began with banana pancake,</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Ends with two hours of “me time” for sanity’s sake.</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 29, 2011 </strong>(Three Apple Mary Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Sidewalk patio of the Knickerbocker</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Tom’s doppelganger was the evening’s shocker.</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 30, 2011 </strong>(Perspective Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Racked up a one hundred and fifty-five dollar bill</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">but with Andrew I played laser tag in Louisville.</font></h2></blockquote> <h5><font style="font-weight: normal">*Co-written with my friend <a href="http://doeyfowes.blogspot.com/">Joe Flores</a></font></h5> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-6148417336619050632011-04-25T22:16:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:55:55.219-05:00National Poetry Writing Month (pt. 4)<p>So, somewhere along the way I decided that I would just write a rhyming couplet a day for this month. I still intend to write a ghazal, but that might not happen for sometime.</p> <p><strong>April 19, 2011 </strong>(Community Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Featured in today’s paper, I am found.</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">The power is out, let’s all run around.</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 20, 2011</strong> (Movie Night Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">“I’m flattered you know my favorite pop,”</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">I said twisting the Dr. Pepper top.</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 21, 2011 </strong>(Improv Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Jurassic Park Comedy Night:</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Watch Zach as a bear and I fight!</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 22, 2011 </strong>(Love Poem III)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">You prefer to let the rain fall on your face</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">I twirl the umbrella and skip, setting pace.</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 23, 2011 </strong>(Beverage Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Matt drinks iced tea while I enjoy a late night soda</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Early morning beers on Tim’s porch was last night’s coda.</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 24, 2011 </strong>(Holiday Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">No Easter candy found anywhere</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Save this three pound bag o’ gummy bear.</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 25, 2011 </strong>(Obscure Indiana Town Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Spent nine hours applying for jobs,</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">I’d even take the one by Floyds Knobs.</font></h2></blockquote> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-15699267780906837712011-04-18T23:42:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:55:55.217-05:00National Poetry Writing Month (pt. 3)<p>Here’s a week worth of poems!</p> <p><strong>April 12, 2011 </strong>(Incentive Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Twelve hours of applications spent,</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Coffee and comics are my incent.</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 13, 2011 </strong>(Certainty Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Man oh man, oh, this man is charming,</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">and </font><em><font style="font-weight: normal">Death of Spider-Man</font></em><font style="font-weight: normal"> alarming</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 14, 2011 </strong>(Celebrity Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Ate dinner with Jason LeVasseur</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">I don’t want his show to be over.</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 15, 2011 </strong>(The End is Near Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Caleb and I drink late night tea,</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">He promises he will miss me.</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 16, 2011</strong> (Love Poem II)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Impromptu drive to Lafayette,</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">How I enjoy our tête à tête.</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 17, 2011 </strong>(Certainty Poem II)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Finally, my taxes are filed.</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Now, I am no longer a child.</font></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 18, 2011 </strong>(Music Poem)</p> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Already played monthly Pandora allotment,</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">I paid coworker Laura’s son a compliment.</font></h2></blockquote> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-73170306144514081892011-04-11T20:24:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:55:55.220-05:00National Poetry Writing Month (pt. 2)<p>I am only five days behind:</p> <h2>April 7, 2011 <font style="font-weight: normal">(Small Town Poem)</font></h2> <blockquote> <h2 align="left"><font style="font-weight: normal">Drove thirty seconds to work,</font><font style="font-weight: normal"></font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Met a taciturn store clerk.</font></h2></blockquote> <h1></h1> <h3></h3> <h1></h1> <p><font style="font-weight: normal"><em></em></font></p><em><font style="font-weight: normal"></font></em> <h2>April 8, 2011 <font style="font-weight: normal">(Seventeen Hour Day Poem)</font></h2> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">I wish more days were like today;</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">I might have extended my stay.</font></h2></blockquote> <h1></h1> <h2>April 9, 2011 <font style="font-weight: normal">(A New Sort of “Night of Mistakes” Poem)</font></h2> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Crazy hot, but not habanero chili</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">At the Checkerboard Tavern we were silly.</font></h2></blockquote> <h1></h1> <h1></h1> <h2>April 10, 2011 <font style="font-weight: normal">(Love Poem)</font></h2> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Boy sits on the hill, jazz style blue.</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Let us go to before I hurt you.</font></h2></blockquote> <h1></h1> <h2>April 11, 2011 <font style="font-weight: normal">(Chupacabra Poem)</font></h2> <blockquote> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Woke up to a storm and sore throat</font></h2> <h2><font style="font-weight: normal">Referenced demon who eats goat.</font></h2></blockquote> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-13648112136262115972011-04-04T21:22:00.004-05:002013-05-30T15:55:55.216-05:00National Poetry Writing Month (pt. 1)<p><strong>Fair Warning: </strong>I am no poet. I took a poetry class once. On the last day my professor called me her most improved student. It was such a nice compliment until she followed it with “I don’t know what you were writing at the beginning of the semester, but it sure as hell wasn’t poetry.”</p> <p>The goal of national poetry writing month is to write a poem a day. I intend to explore some more complicated forms of poetry and take the assignment a bit more seriously, but in the mean time here are some silly rhyming couplets about each of the days so far.</p> <p><strong>April 1, 2011</strong></p> <blockquote> <h2><span style="font-weight: normal">What the “F-word,” Rensselaer?</span></h2> <h2><span style="font-weight: normal">Allow debit at the theater.</span></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 2, 2011</strong></p> <blockquote> <h2><span style="font-weight: normal">No, Ma’am. No. No, I don’t work here.</span></h2> <h2><span style="font-weight: normal">Thank you, I did cut my own hair.</span></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 3, 2011</strong></p> <blockquote> <h2><span style="font-weight: normal">Laundry failed to dry</span></h2> <h2><span style="font-weight: normal">Trousers adhered to thigh.</span></h2></blockquote> <p><strong>April 4, 2011</strong></p> <blockquote> <h2><span style="font-weight: normal">Coworker itemized all my costumes</span></h2> <h2><span style="font-weight: normal">Robot suit, chicken head, and Quidditch brooms.</span></h2></blockquote> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-64114456361112200342011-03-16T13:38:00.001-05:002013-05-30T15:15:42.730-05:00The Future is Yours<p>I was reading the <a href="http://www.ncte.org/newsletter">NCTE Inbox newsletter</a> and I found an article from <a href="http://chronicle.com/article/So-You-Think-an-English/125954/?sid=wb&utm_source=wb&utm_medium=en"><em>The Chronicle of Higher Education</em></a><em> </em>about a text-to-video website called <a href="http://www.xtranormal.com/">Xtranormal</a>. Before I knew the article was about the practical application of Xtranormal in the classroom (I thought it was about the challenges of English Ph.D. students) I knew I wanted to use this as a teaching tool. </p> <p>In the mean time I used the website as a recruitment tool for the residence life program at Saint Joseph’s college to get a larger selection of RA candidates.</p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:6f341d9a-7b54-4bae-a8f7-5a265f457dcd" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="eeff3782-6a6a-455b-aba2-67730ae53ae4" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs8FTRVrTEs&feature=youtube_gdata_player" target="_new"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/TYEDiQtmiAI/AAAAAAAAAls/DOaXotWIVKQ/videoc1552d08cee4%5B11%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('eeff3782-6a6a-455b-aba2-67730ae53ae4'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"578\" height=\"325\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/bs8FTRVrTEs?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/bs8FTRVrTEs?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"578\" height=\"325\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-25253351671242930362011-03-15T10:13:00.008-05:002013-05-30T15:15:42.719-05:00Because Visual Literacy is the Best Ever<a href="http://blog.ryan-a.com/post/1325972211/nif01">Here</a> is a great comic that I discovered while I was looking through <a href="http://www.scottmccloud.com/">Scott McCloud's blog</a>. It's a story about a boy who has recently faced tragedy and then borrows an umbrella. Check it out out.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.ryan-a.com/post/1325972211/nif01"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wks-vnf0p58/TX-H6pvRZlI/AAAAAAAAAlc/qf50YR6RCk8/s400/blog_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584331504668993106" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-14292672170334270372011-02-06T15:24:00.000-06:002013-05-30T15:48:54.587-05:00Hour 24: CartoonsI like cartoons. There was this great cartoon show on Cartoon Network called <em>Samurai Jack</em> about this Samurai who was about to defeat the bad guy, but then the bad guy sent the samurai way into the future. The samurai has to find a way to get back to the past so that he can stop the bad guy before he takes over the world and makes the future crazy treacherous. The show was cancelled before it was given an ending, but there was this awesome episode where Jack finds out about a man with a portal to the past. The man is the guardian of the portal and is only allowed to let the chosen one through. Jack fights the guardian and loses. The portal glows all funky like and the guardian then understands that Jack is the chosen one, but is not yet ready to go back to the past. Having this episode in mind, and the backstory and history that was put into this series, I’m really comfortable not having an ending to this series because it really is implied (that said I would never turn down a real conclusion to the series. The villain of the series was voiced by a guy named Mako who died recently so that sucks big time.<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/TU69VzOEpRI/AAAAAAAAAk0/_AubIAtTIvE/s1600-h/samurai_jack%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="samurai_jack" border="0" height="246" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/TU69W_ViG2I/AAAAAAAAAk4/cNJr9ccGEk4/samurai_jack_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="samurai_jack" width="371" /></a><br />
Speaking of Mako, have you seen <em>Avatar the Last Airbender</em>? Oh man, what a great show. I like when Aang says “Baby, you’re my forever girl.”Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-87632702047843446682011-02-06T08:48:00.001-06:002013-05-30T15:48:54.593-05:00Hour 23: 80’s Movies<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/TU60xOeLNqI/AAAAAAAAAks/Gd1jfGbYPPw/s1600-h/honeykids%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="display: inline; float: left" title="honeykids" alt="honeykids" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/TU60xY_HREI/AAAAAAAAAkw/F0hriK5616U/honeykids_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="158"></a>Have you seen <em>Uncle Buck</em>? Oh man, that movie is great; I like when he makes that big pancake. Have you seen <em>Back to the Future</em>? Oh man, that movie is great: I like the part where Marty’s Mom thinks his name is Calvin Cline. Have you seen <em>Christmas Vacation</em>? Oh man, that movie is great; I like when the old aunt wraps her cat as a present. Have you seen <em>Ferris Bueller’s Day Off</em>? Oh man, that movie is great; I like the part when Cameron says “Call me, Sir…” Have you seen <em>Back to the Future Part II</em>? Oh man, what a great movie; I’d love to have that sport’s almanac and a hover board. Too bad <em>Back to the Future Part III </em>was made in the nineties. Have you seen <em>Ghostbusters</em>? Oh man, that movie was great; I like how you’re not supposed to cross the streams. Have you seen <em>Cloak and Dagger</em>? Oh man, that movie was great; Jack Flack was the coolest. Have you you seen <em>Beaches</em>? I haven’t. Have you seen <em>Honey I Shrunk the Kids</em>? Oh man, what a great movie; I like the part where they find the big oatmeal cream pie. Have you seen <em>Labyrinth</em>? Oh man, what a great movie; I like the part where David Bowie sings that song about voodoo. Have you had <em>Tron</em>? Oh man, I like that movie, but I fell asleep during it. Have you seen <em>Harry and the Hendersons</em>? I haven’t, but I like John Lithgow, and I think there’s a part at the end of the movie where he wears shoes to leave “Harry” tracks to confuse the bad guys. I like 80’s movies better than I thought.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-4117726493167165112011-02-06T07:55:00.001-06:002013-05-30T15:48:54.589-05:00Hour 22: Awkward Moments<p> I once had an interview with someone I had met briefly before. I was nervous and in interview mode and said “It’s very nice to meet you,” and she said “It’s very nice to see you again, MIke.”</p> <p>I spilled milk all over my pants at that same interview.</p> <p>Last week I called one of the church members the name of another church member and it was not thrilled about it.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-41671628126428472302011-02-06T06:57:00.001-06:002013-05-30T15:48:54.590-05:00Hour 21: Pet Peeves<p>There are two things I really do not like. I hate when a book is held open by placing in the page face <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/TU6anTb7oJI/AAAAAAAAAkk/pB4n1TRphv4/s1600-h/peeves%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="peeves" border="0" alt="peeves" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/TU6apDqyGqI/AAAAAAAAAko/znqQ9WB9ChI/peeves_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="227"></a>face down so that the binding is pointed up. I hate weakening the binding of books like that. Especially comic books. The same thing happens when you pull the cover and the pages over the back cover while you a reading. That for some reason does not bother me as much (unless it’s with a comic).</p> <p>I also hate chewing gum. I understand it’s practicality and I will take advantage of it sometimes, but I think it’s super gross. I hate it so much that I am significantly less likely to like someone if they are chewing gum when I meet them. I don’t mind when my friends chew gum though (even though I wish it did not exist). Gum is yucky yucky.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-81491196020253166662011-02-06T05:18:00.001-06:002013-05-30T15:48:54.591-05:00Hour 20: Most Influential Year in Skool<p>I had several particularly influential years in skool. In fifth grade my teacher really pushed me to be actually be a student and started to help me become who I am today. In seventh grade I made friends that helped me through high skool, friends who I still several times a year at garden parties and Christmas Eve brunch, and surprise visits. When I was a sophomore I had a teacher who taught me improv comedy which is one of my biggest passions, when I was a junior I became friends with Kyle Cowser (that guy cries a lot). When I was a senior I began developing the leadership opportunities that defined my years at Purdue.</p> <p>My most influential year in skool was my junior year of college.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-68010873904524058772011-02-06T04:30:00.001-06:002013-05-30T15:49:14.175-05:00Hour 19: My Biggest Fault<p><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://student.vfs.com/~ca59ashley/need_more_sleep.jpg&imgrefurl=http://tegis.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/exhausted/&usg=__2znaoYjUEX-JjXRZaPwM0ik-_s4=&h=408&w=528&sz=85&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=8a_Avb5JrmggMM:&tbnh=136&tbnw=176&ei=undOTdaUJ5DUgAfK7eTWDw&prev=/images%3Fq%3DI%2527m%2Bso%2Btired.%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D699%26tbs%3Disch:10,15&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=144&vpy=198&dur=4814&hovh=197&hovw=255&tx=196&ty=158&oei=NHdOTd3UHsH38AbmsaG2Dg&esq=17&page=1&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0&biw=1280&bih=699"><img style="display: inline; float: left" title="sleep" alt="sleep" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/TU54TtiVGvI/AAAAAAAAAkg/m-ElTDT-PrY/sleep%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="185"></a>My biggest fault is that I wanted to play 24 hour blog day, and it I still have five hours to go and I just want to go to bed.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-407005827914348393.post-91907054796901902462011-02-06T03:40:00.001-06:002013-05-30T15:49:14.180-05:00Hour 18: Super Powers You Wish You Had<p>I want two. I want to be able to fly and I want to be able to run like the Flash. If I had to choose I would pick flight. I don’t know how I would like to fly though. I really love the idea of being able to fly with giant wings like Angel from the X-Men, but the idea of free flight like Superman or Ms. Marvel would be really great too. It would be practical to not have wings for things like aerial battles and getting people off the top floors of burning buildings. Giant wings are just cool.</p> <p><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs32/f/2008/189/1/7/Angel_of_X_men_by_angel_t.jpg&imgrefurl=http://angel-t.deviantart.com/art/Angel-of-X-men-90975240&usg=__nD0bBGlNQfd2fhjLXjFPCke0C0A=&h=1000&w=608&sz=305&hl=en&start=131&zoom=1&tbnid=ZoRKB8rQPdPagM:&tbnh=122&tbnw=76&ei=321OTdWvI8rVgQf42_X7Dw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dangel%2Bx-men%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D699%26tbs%3Disch:10,2169&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=119&vpy=223&dur=829&hovh=288&hovw=175&tx=97&ty=173&oei=bm1OTf3hNYP98AaIvfSrDg&esq=17&page=5&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:131&biw=1280&bih=699"><img style="display: inline" title="angel" alt="angel" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/TU5uKUbqd9I/AAAAAAAAAkc/IXcBPeelR1A/angel.jpg?imgmax=800" width="326" height="515"></a></p> <p>I’d also really like to run fast. The Flash is really cool. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/TU5sgYRDcGI/AAAAAAAAAkU/EMO9Ynwg1SE/s1600-h/flash%5B7%5D.jpg"><img style="display: inline" title="flash" alt="flash" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_gW_s2B41yRY/TU5sg3YHUII/AAAAAAAAAkY/VfRU6lJ4x78/flash_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="505" height="427"></a></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03487273436440958972noreply@blogger.com1