Trigger Warnings

I think that trigger warnings are dumb.

While it probably is that way because I'm lazy, I nonetheless refuse to label everything that could shock someone. I also think it is presumptuous for someone to say "I have a good enough understanding of other people's life experiences to label things that are traumatic for them". I think its also insulting for someone when you define things that are supposed to trigger them. I basically agree with Susannah Breslin. I will not babysit your voyage on the internet.

Also, I feel like fully embracing the self-righteousness of trigger warnings will lead to some really stupid things. Like this post, where someone chastises someone else for not having a trigger warning for a group of people who probably wouldn't demand a warning.

</rant>

Dora the Explorer - Old Post Actually Posted

Two weekends ago I drove across the country (well like 2/3 of the way). It was an awesome trip. I met an old friend along the way and caught up with where he was now. It's funny how with your old friends some things never change. I caught up with someone that I hadn't seen in a while, except strangely in a city that neither of us live in. I also met one of my friends from online and I had more fun that I've had in a long time. It is interesting in the digital age how we can connect with people far away from us. All in all, the drive was fun, and I got to see places I had never dreamed I would see before.

Last weekend I tried to start exploring my new city. Sadly, the first two Zagat-rated places I tried to go to were shut down. I did end up at a nice restaurant where I tried local food that I had never heard of before. I asked my server what to order, and he did not steer me wrong. I spent the next day climbing at a nearby National Park, going to a wine festival, and seeing Star Trek with a friend from middle school who happened to be in the area. All in all, a very good day.

This weekend, I took a less adventurous path and spent most of my time at home. I had a paper to work on, and the book that I was reading got really good. I was compulsively reading chapters of Catching Fire until I finished it and started Mockingjay. I did manage to go out and get some supplies so I could I have my first real cooked full meal in my new place.

------Time Jump 2 weeks forward--------

I just got back from my trip to India. It was an amazing experience. Things I have learned:
- Hindu weddings are awesome (2-3 days of events!)
- Traffic laws are suggestions in India
- There is a reason that vegetarians from India complain about a lock of options in the US
- Cricket is bigger in India than the NFL is in the US
- Jet Lag is a real thing, and will mess with your trip
- Mysore Palace is pretty amazing
- "Conservative" is an understatement in terms of clothing
- My friends always laugh at me when I ask "Are you feeling scared about getting married?"
- Eating with your hands is not as hard as I thought when I was younger
- Indian Pizza Hut and McDonalds are totally different than in the US

I had 3 days in MD on my way back. I met with college friends, coworkers, and high school friends, so it worked out well. Watching Firefly, talking science, and drafting Magic is a pretty good weekend.

On our next episode: A rant on trigger warnings and ironies in gender equality.

Funny Story of the Day:

When I visited my friend in Chicago we hung out watching Cops, eating pizza, talking about Game of Thrones, drinking Jack N Coke, and sharing funny things we found online. One of us didn't remember any of that the next day...

Lyric of the Day: Within Temptation - Angels
I see the angels
I'll lead them to your door
There is no escape now
Now mercy no more

No remorse 'cause I still remember
The smile when you tore me apart

2013 bucket list update

In a weird twist of fate, I have accomplished almost all my traveling to-dos, but I'm way behind on my movies and reading. This is a weird year.

Foodie:
- Have a jumbo lump crab cake from Faidley's on a Saltine. (Got calamari from The Daily Catch instead)
- Corned beef on rye at Attman's. (Crab Omlette at Little Havana instead)
- Have dinner at Brewer's Art again
- Go to a well-rated Zagat restaurant.
- Smith Island Cake (Sugarbakers)

Expanding my horizons:
- Go into the city (Six hours of madness)
- Go out somewhere into the country/mountains (NM)
- Go to a big city driving distance away (Chicago)
- Go out of the state (VA)
- Go out of the country

Movies/Reading:
- Watch all the old Batman movies
- Finish the Hunger Games
- Watch the Best Pictures from the past 5 years
- Read Atlas Shrugged
- Read all of Abbott's reports

Doing stuff I should have done:
- See live music
- Get back down to 230
- Go to speed dating
- Finish "Perspective"
- Get on LinkedIn

Lyric of the day: Power Trip - J. Cole ft Miguel
Got me up all night, all I'm singin' is love songs
She got me up all night, constant drinkin' and love songs
She got me up all night, down and out with these love songs
She got me up all night, drownin' out with these love songs

The line between good and evil

One thing that I struggled with when I was younger was when I realized that there is no clear distinction between good actions and evil actions. Realizing that so many things had the potential to help and to harm blew my teenage mind. My takeaway from that cathartic moment when I understood that no clear divider could not be drawn was that most things in life are like tools. In this sense, the outcome reflects the actions (not even intention) of the wielder. Heck, even the same actions can have different effects based on the conditions of the moment.

I was only reminded of this zen realization I had, when my friend and I were discussing religion. She had sent me a TED talk where the speaker talked about religion as something that enabled people to empathize and feel compassion for each other. I (being the constant cynic I am) criticized the speaker for presenting what I saw as a one-sided praise of religion. For as much as I understand that there are people who use their faith as a way for them to empathize with others, I believe there are those who their faith serves as a tool for discrimination. I guess my problem is that both group would say that the other is a 'perversion of the religion', and I think at some level they are both equally right.

This matter of perspective keeps raising its head in weird ways throughout this year. About a month ago I was talking to one of my friends and the topic of what we thought our greatest strengths and weaknesses were as people. I said that my greatest strength was my ability to fall asleep as soon as I become bored and my greatest weakness is that I am easily moved by anything that is emotionally charged. His response is that he would have said the same things about me, but that he saw my listed strength as a weakness and my listed weakness as a strength.

Its funny how easily it is for people, even those with similar philosophies and ideologies, to have different views.

Funny Story of the Day:

My friend and I had made plans to hang out. The day before he calls me up.

Friend: Hey, man. I'm sorry to do this, but we can only hang out for a little while tomorrow.
Me: What's up?

Friend: My wife pointed out to me that its our 1 month anniversary, and she made it clear that we were celebrating tomorrow.

Me: Is that a thing? One month?

Friend: I didn't think it was, but she made it clear that to her it was.

Me: Alright, just make sure you look online to find an appropriate gift.

Friend: I checked already and didn't find much, because even the internet does not think that one month anniversary is a thing.

Lyric of the Day: Lana Del Ray - Young and Beautiful

Will you still love me
When I'm no longer young and beautiful?
Will you still love me
When I got nothing but my aching soul?
I know you will, I know you will
I know that you will
Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?

The Weekend that Was

This weekend was pretty fun, but it reminded me what I'll be missing this summer when I leave. It's funny how a single week can change your entire year. I guess its true when they say that you never know where life will take you, though you find out why it takes you there along the way.

Friday: My friend and I made plans to go to a party. When I got to his place, neither of us were dressed. We decided instead to just hang out, crack open a bottle of wine and play video games. There was an enjoyable throwback moment where I sat back and watched him as he struggled with tech support for an MMO. It felt like we really had gone nowhere since High School.

Saturday: Went to Magic Prerelease. Even though I went 1-3, I had a lot of fun and felt better that the ones where I do well, but I am stressed out by the games. Hung out with another friend afterwards and played for a bit. He and his wife (it feels so fucking weird writing that) opened their wedding presents. Over Skype. Welcome to 2013. We also got dinner off of Potbelly's 'Secret' Menu. After, went to my grandparents and helped them avoid having to repaint an entire room.

Sunday: Went to Prerelease for redemption..Got some cards for my EDH deck. Saw my friend go 4-0 and take first, while his brother and I went 1-3. Accused of cheating in our after-prerelease guild off. Kids were just jealous I won. Went to White Marsh to pick up a friend, and passed by the Starbucks that makes me embarassed of the things high school me did. Hung out for a while and talked about a wide variety of topics, including life, work, movies, television, and music (Reminder: I need to check out The Voice). Got two books that are quite related to my interests as gifts.

Three weeks remain before I leave the state.

Funny Story of the Day:
This is a bit of an old story, but I'll record it because in hindsight it was pretty funny.
Two guys are sitting in a group that is mostly female.
Guy 1: It is rough being a single guy in this crowd. Not many lookers.
Guy 2: To be honest, I don't know many of the people here.
Guy 1: Well, you know her. *motions* She cleans up pretty well at least.
Guy 2: Huh. I thought she always looks good.
Guy 1: That is an interesting perspective.

Lyric of the Day: The XX: Fiction

Fiction, when we're not together
Mistaken for a vision, something of my own creation
Come real love, why do I refuse you?
Cause if my fear's right, I risk to lose you
And if I just might wake up alone
Bring on the night

This reminds me of a quote from 500 days of Summer that I keep on my Facebook wall.

We are the things we hold on to

I've been packing for the past couple of weeks. And by packing I mean going through my things and remembering the past. I am a sucker for nostalgia. Things I found:

- My sixth grade journal (where I reveal my desire for a stable job and a Gameboy)
- My middle school yearbook (with a thank you note from a best friend who is barely an acquaintance now)
- A reminder that my rival was still smarter than me in that yearbook
- YMA Mix CD one !!!
- My nunchucks from demo team
- A game I made for learning about vitamins
- Binders full of Pokemon
- A friend from HS's award that was left in my car on graduation day
- A syllabus from a class I never took, but attended anyway
- A report titled 'LAID'
- A purchase request (and a pledge of assistance in fowl interruption)
- A poem I started on a scrap of paper while waiting in a car on my friend's campus

Here is the last one. It was an interesting start, but i kind of want to leave it unfinished.

Identity

Man is not what he is.
He is not this collection of emotions.
He is what others see.
A reflection in the mind's eye.

I am not the thoughts in my brain,
these feelings in my heart,
or this blood in my veins.

I am a memory in the collective conscious.

I enjoy being an emo kid. And its not just for the bangs, though I do love them.

Lyric of the Day: Dev - Take Her From You

You say you know her
Well I know her too
You say you kno-ow-ow-ow-ow her
But you don’t know her like I do

You say you love her
Once upon a time I loved her too
You say you lo-o-o-o-ove her
But you don’t love her like I do

You’ve got to give me that girl
Or I, will take her from you

Where the main character ignores everything he has learned so far

I realized a little bit ago that I should probably stop planning out my life so far in advance. Who knows what city I will end up in, what job I'll have, or when I'll find Ms. Right? My love for structure and control have tended to leave me at the corner of confused and apathetic.

With that in mind, I'm going to make a decision that I think I will have control over. I want to have a pet. I don't know what type of pet. While I would like to have a baby panda that I grow into an adult and make into my personal bodyguard, I do realize the impracticality of that idea. I'll probably end up with a small, manageable dog.

I can dream, right? The important part of being a dreamer is admitting that you have a problem. I'll update you if I ever figure out how to fix that. For right now, all I've got is that you have to acknowledge the infeasibility of your more ideal ideas. That was actually unintentional alliteration.

Weekend Recap: Lab work on 2 hrs of sleep. Playing BSG with noobs. Dinner where I actually had to answer the "what do you do?" question. Drinking games to a great movie (Easy A) for a friend's bday. Starting a bachelor party at 2 am. Endless Mimosas. Saw a ball game. The earliest, messiest end to a night that I've ever had. Overanalyzed the pacing of the Hunger Games movie.

Lana Del Ray: Summertime Sadness
"Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That, baby, you're the best

I got my red dress on tonight
Dancing in the dark in the pale moonlight
Done my hair up real big beauty queen style
High heels off, I'm feeling alive

Oh, my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above are sizzling like a snare
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
Nothing scares me anymore"