So I'm sitting in a study room at R.C.C. today and I drop a Real Genius reference (the scene where everyone is studying and that one guy freaks out, yelling over and over again as he exits the room, and the only response from the characters is to move his stuff so they can keep studying) and no gets it. I mean NO ONE. For Christ's sake here, it isn't like this is some sort of hard to find movie. It's Val Kilmer, a house full of popcorn, and a voice in a guy's head telling him to stop touching himself. It made me sad.
What exactly do these people do with their time? Did I happen to find the group of people that could name every single person who had ever been on any of the Survivor shows, but weren't able to recall one of my favorite movies of all time? I started to wonder if anyone in the room with me actually had a sense of humor? If not, were they laughing to be polite? No, that couldn't be it, because I am fucking hilarious. Maybe they were just so trashed by finals that their memories of anything bright and happy had been stripped away.
I'm betting it was just that they, like so many people I have met, have no taste in movies. These are the people that went to see Stomp the Yard. Oh God, I'm going to be sick.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Updated!! Books I think you should read.
I should start this by saying that this list will grow as I read books, and as I remember books that I have read. One of my problem seems to be that my favorite book, or the best book I have ever read, is often the one I just finished. This is not a list of every book that I have read, becuase not everything that I read is good enough to be on here. I write this because I find that I use the statement "you should read this book" all the time. Then again, I did work in a book store...
Good to great books, in no particular order.
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman
Fargo Rock City by Chuck Klosterman
IV by Chuck Klosterman
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Rant by Chuck Palahniuk
I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell by Tucker Max
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Phillip K. Dick
V for Vendetta by Alan Moore
Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut
Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Marley & Me by John Grogan
Chronicles of Narnia (all) by C. S. Lewis
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
1984 by George Orwell
Animal Farm by George Orwell
All Quiet On the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn
Simple Truth by David Baldacci
Choke by Chuck Palahniuk
Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
State of Fear by Michael Crichton
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
Timequake by Kurt Vonnegut
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Dune by Frank Herbert
Winner by David Baldacci
Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
1776 by David McCullough
A Time To Kill by John Grisham
Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy
Interview With A Vampire by Anne Rice
Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman
All Calvin & Hobbes collections (ALL OF THEM)
(these are more for those interested in fantasy or sci-fi, this will also be longer as I read way more fantasy & sci-fi)
Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Tanith First and Only series by Dan Abnett (from Warhammer 40K, a very dark gothic-sci-fi series ten books and counting)
Lord of the Rings (as one book if you can, it reads better that way, it was written that way, and it's not a trilogy damnit) by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Exiles: Ruins of Ambrai by Melanie Rawn
Mageborn Traitor by Melanie Rawn
Black Sun Rising by C.S. Friedman
When True Night Falls by C.S. Friedman
Crown of Shadows by C.S. Friedman
Game of Thrones by George R. Martin
Clash of Kings by George R. Martin
Storm of Swords by George R. Martin
Feast of Crows by George R. Martin
Ilium by Dan Simmons
Olympos by Dan Simmons
Harry Potter and the Socerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Eragon by Christopher Paolini (Only because it is good material to use when discussing what is bumble gum for the brain, and what is actual literature. Eragon is the first)
Eldest by Christopher Paolini (For the same reason that you read the first)
Magician's Guild by Trudi Canavan
Novice by Trudi Canavan
High Lord by Trudi Canavan
Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
Dragonquest by Anne McCaffrey
All the Weyrs of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
Dragonsdawn by Anne McCaffrey
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series (Yes he is dead. Yes the series is not finished. Yes, I hope you start so that I can laugh at you for being in the same boat that I'm in)
David Eddings' Belgariad (5 books), Malloreon (5 more books, follows the events in the Belgariad), and the Tamuli (3 books, unconnected to the other two series)
Raymon Feist Riftwar Saga (up to 5, because that is as far as I have read, go farther at your own peril)
Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince (3 books) and Dragon Star (3 books, follows the events in the Dragon Prince)
Tad Williams' series Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (4 books)
R. A. Salvatore Icewind Dale Trilogy, Dark Elf Trilogy, Legacy of the Drow (4 books), Hunter's Blades Trilogy
Michael Stackpole's Battletech: Warrior Trilogy, Battletech: Blood of Kerensky Trilogy
I know that there are books that I am missing on here, and I will add them if I can. Post ones that you think should be on here, I'll even do my best not to disagree. At least I will try not to be vulgar when I disagree, how's that? If you want to know anything about any of these books, let me know.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Random Thoughts and Occurences
I am amazed at how quickly one can adapt to the craziest of schedules. This semester is two weeks away from being over, and it is hard for me to picture my scedule minus school and homework. I mean, I remember what it was like to wake up late and not have to decide whether it was worth it or not to run through a shower and be late to my first class. Ugh. But now I have trouble sleeping past eight in the morning unless I go to sleep after three am.
A guy, no, a gentleman in the parking lot outside of Chipotle helped me realize a couple of different things: first, my left brake light is out; second, being helpful only requires that you don't care whether the person you're helping is going to grateful or not. I knew the second, but it is rarely as evident as when someone is helping you.
I had this conversation last night about how I rarely remember the things that I do for friends and family. I figure that when someone asks for your help you should give it, if you are able to. Unfortunately I seem to lump lending money into that category. I never remember if any of my friends owe me money, though I can tell you every person that I owe money to. It's important that I pay them back, but not that they pay me back. I also feel like I owe friends that would never ask for repayment of any kind. As much as I tell myself that these people want nothing, I still can't let it go. Someday I figure these people will get something really cool from me.
Like an autographed copy of Fight Club.
Autographed by me of course.
A guy, no, a gentleman in the parking lot outside of Chipotle helped me realize a couple of different things: first, my left brake light is out; second, being helpful only requires that you don't care whether the person you're helping is going to grateful or not. I knew the second, but it is rarely as evident as when someone is helping you.
I had this conversation last night about how I rarely remember the things that I do for friends and family. I figure that when someone asks for your help you should give it, if you are able to. Unfortunately I seem to lump lending money into that category. I never remember if any of my friends owe me money, though I can tell you every person that I owe money to. It's important that I pay them back, but not that they pay me back. I also feel like I owe friends that would never ask for repayment of any kind. As much as I tell myself that these people want nothing, I still can't let it go. Someday I figure these people will get something really cool from me.
Like an autographed copy of Fight Club.
Autographed by me of course.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Just another English class
I wonder if there is some sort of mathematical equation that could tell you the chance that a question or statement will completely derail a conversation. I mean, if you could find out the likelihood that some jackass is going to say something that throws the entire conversation onto a crazy tangent (like the amount of fluoride in the water in Orange County), then maybe you could do something about it. For Christ's sake! Maplractice, meat packing, home insurance for flooding; none of these topics have the even a little bit to do with either 1984 or Parable of the Sower. Tort reform? Seriously? Why is it the lady that got burned by hot coffee at McDonalds the story that is always brought up to show how crazy our judicial system is? No, don't use a serious example as in the massive disparity between sentencing for drug abuses. No, use a stupid case involving a huge group of boneheads.
Sometimes I am left speechless by the unadulterated, undiluted idiocy of some of the people that I share a classroom with. I could have spoken up, could have returned us to the topic at hand, but I wanted to correct these people. But I cannot. It is as if they choose to be like this. Aargh!
Sometimes I am left speechless by the unadulterated, undiluted idiocy of some of the people that I share a classroom with. I could have spoken up, could have returned us to the topic at hand, but I wanted to correct these people. But I cannot. It is as if they choose to be like this. Aargh!
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Forcing the madness down
I seriously had to fight the urge to pull the fire alarm. I was waiting in line to give R.C.C. money so I could park my car on campus without getting a ticket. As if there won't be plenty of parking in a couple of weeks when half of the kids stop showing up. Which I thank them for, because their inability to keep off of their cell phones in class drives me crazy. But back to the alarm...
While standing in line I glance over and it's as if the thing is drowned in heaven's light. I can't believe that no one else has pulled it. I mean, it is almost begging for someone to do it. In thinking back on it, I have no idea where this feeling came from. Wherever it came from, I fought it down. I had the image in my head of pulling it and instead of people running all over the place they just stand here in line with me. They don't even twitch. I don't think I was looking to pull it to get people out of line. It just seemed too quiet and too calm in there.
I suppose I could have screamed and yelled and gotten some sort of effect, but I was so wrapped up in the alarm that I wasn't thinking about why, just that I needed to pull that alarm. Thankfully the girl in front of me decided to call her boo and talk at length about her surprise purchase for him. She then proceded to tell him what it was, and complain about how much she didn't need to come to school. At least the guy now has all day to dredge up some fake thanks for his suprise.
While standing in line I glance over and it's as if the thing is drowned in heaven's light. I can't believe that no one else has pulled it. I mean, it is almost begging for someone to do it. In thinking back on it, I have no idea where this feeling came from. Wherever it came from, I fought it down. I had the image in my head of pulling it and instead of people running all over the place they just stand here in line with me. They don't even twitch. I don't think I was looking to pull it to get people out of line. It just seemed too quiet and too calm in there.
I suppose I could have screamed and yelled and gotten some sort of effect, but I was so wrapped up in the alarm that I wasn't thinking about why, just that I needed to pull that alarm. Thankfully the girl in front of me decided to call her boo and talk at length about her surprise purchase for him. She then proceded to tell him what it was, and complain about how much she didn't need to come to school. At least the guy now has all day to dredge up some fake thanks for his suprise.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Stars and lightning
My summer has been awesome, thanks as always to my friends and family. I saw some of the most amazing things, met some of the best people, and had some of the best times that I can remember.
I sat with my brother Kevin and my sister Elizabeth in the rain at Millenium Park, listening to the Decemberists and Grant Park Orchestra celebrate music in Chicago. I got to see The Black Summer Crush rock the hell out of the Troubadour for the first time, and see them tear up the Viper Room the very next night. I watched the sun turn the sky to liquid gold as we left a raging lightning storm behind before landing in Chicago, and no one else saw it because they were asleep or hiding. It was kinda hairy. (Which reminds me... Midway is possibly the shittiest airport in the world.) I got to sit down to dinner, for my birthday, with almost my entire family and enjoy not only one of the best meals I have ever eaten, but also each others company for the first time in years. (We missed you David) I got to celebrate my birthday with my second family, with less eating and more drinking. I got to wander the streets of Vegas with a three foot margarita. I got to eat at some of the best greasy spoon spots that Chicago has to offer, and some of the choicest spots in L.A., as well as hitting Quark's Bar in Vegas twice.
I got to spend time with the best people that the world has to offer, and I feel priveleged to have known any of them for even the shorted period of time. Even more so to know some well enough to call them friends and family. Through them, because of them, these experiences were better. Or happened at all.
This summer I got to watch the lightning as it chased the stars.
I sat with my brother Kevin and my sister Elizabeth in the rain at Millenium Park, listening to the Decemberists and Grant Park Orchestra celebrate music in Chicago. I got to see The Black Summer Crush rock the hell out of the Troubadour for the first time, and see them tear up the Viper Room the very next night. I watched the sun turn the sky to liquid gold as we left a raging lightning storm behind before landing in Chicago, and no one else saw it because they were asleep or hiding. It was kinda hairy. (Which reminds me... Midway is possibly the shittiest airport in the world.) I got to sit down to dinner, for my birthday, with almost my entire family and enjoy not only one of the best meals I have ever eaten, but also each others company for the first time in years. (We missed you David) I got to celebrate my birthday with my second family, with less eating and more drinking. I got to wander the streets of Vegas with a three foot margarita. I got to eat at some of the best greasy spoon spots that Chicago has to offer, and some of the choicest spots in L.A., as well as hitting Quark's Bar in Vegas twice.
I got to spend time with the best people that the world has to offer, and I feel priveleged to have known any of them for even the shorted period of time. Even more so to know some well enough to call them friends and family. Through them, because of them, these experiences were better. Or happened at all.
This summer I got to watch the lightning as it chased the stars.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Richard makes up new words.
I fear that I am becoming, have already become, or have always been, an intellectually elitist snob. I seem to have only enough tolerance for the idiocy that seems to cross my plate on a nearly constant basis to keep from screaming obscenities while the offending person is still standing in front of me. I can at least wait until they leave my line of sight. And this attitude is not confined to where I work, though that certainly has been providing a steady diet of idiocy. I am certainly proof that someone with even a tiny bit of information can be dangerous, but these people come in with nothing and just seem to make it up as they go along.
One guy today told one of my coworkers that a flintlock works by having two pieces of paper rub against each other. You know, because paper rubbing against paper is how you start a fire. I mean, I know that how a gun works may not have been taught in school, but the flamability (sp?) of paper certainly was. I wonder if, in this guys world, you would have to put each sheet of paper in a plastic case to protect it from combusting by rubbing against other sheets of paper. I mean COME ON! Accountants and secretaries should be warned that their stacks of paper are a serious fire hazard.
One guy today told one of my coworkers that a flintlock works by having two pieces of paper rub against each other. You know, because paper rubbing against paper is how you start a fire. I mean, I know that how a gun works may not have been taught in school, but the flamability (sp?) of paper certainly was. I wonder if, in this guys world, you would have to put each sheet of paper in a plastic case to protect it from combusting by rubbing against other sheets of paper. I mean COME ON! Accountants and secretaries should be warned that their stacks of paper are a serious fire hazard.
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