By thePatrick
I'm alive!
So, this blog post will be a long, drawn out post to explain not really where I've been, but where I'm going to be and why. However, to explain where I'm going to be, I have to explain where I was planning on being.
Make sense? Good.
So, last anyone heard, I was applying to Graduate School. I applied to four schools: Indiana University, SUNY-Albany, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and University of Arizona. Through sheer luck and determination (and awesome letters from the professors who wrote on my behalf) I was accepted to all four schools. After talking about it with my wife, we determined that Indiana was the best place for us to go.
And we were going to go, too.
All we had to do was sell our house. We put it on the market in March. However, still no signs of selling. Bummer. But that's not the only reason that we're not going.
You see, I work at the library on campus at Utah State University. Which means I get benefits. And around April, we found out that we were going to be having another baby. This baby is due in January. So, since I have awesome benefits, we called up Indiana University and deferred school for a year.
But that's not all.
See, I was going to be in a dual Master's program and receiving a History M.A. and a Master's in Library Science. It is a three year program. Plus we were going to take a year off, so I would be done in four years.
But then, one day early this month, I was riding the bus to work and thinking. You see, Utah State doesn't have a Library Science program, but they do have a History program. And remember how I mentioned that I work for the university? Well, not only do I get health benefits for the family, but they offer half-price tuition. Which I wasn't able to take advantage of during my undergraduate years.
So, I emailed back and forth between the Graduate School and the History Department's Grad Studies director, rushed an application, got in touch with those professors who wrote letters for me in the past (no small accomplishment. One is still at USU, one is teaching at the University of Pittsburgh, and one is starting at George Mason University in Virginia), and applied.
Begging a million different people, emailing and phoning back and forth, it all ended in a new situation. Beginning Monday, I will be an enrolled Graduate Student in the History program here at USU. Amazing how plans can change.
So, we still haven't sold our place. We're not moving to Indiana. But I am going to school. We are having another baby. And we get to stay around friends and family. So if you all would take a moment and pray for my wife's sanity while dealing with a two year old, being pregnant/having a baby, and having a husband in Grad school.
Oh, and keep on keepin' on.
By thePatrick
March - The third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, and one of the seven months which are 31 days long. The name of March comes from ancient Rome, when March was the first month of the year and named Martius after Mars, the Roman god of war. In Rome, where the climate is Mediterranean, March is the first month of spring, a logical point for the beginning of the year as well as the start of the military campaign season. March has multiple holidays and observances, including but not limited to: American Red Cross Month, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Women's History Month, St. David's Day, National Reading Day, World Maths Day, International Women's Day, Pluto Planet Day, Pi Day, Save a Spider Day, St. Patrick's Day, St. Joseph's Day, Vernal Equinox, World Water Day, Pakistan Day, etc., etc., etc. Also notable is March Madness, the beginning of the Annual NCAA Men's (and Women's) Basketball tournament.
Mustache - facial hair grown on the upper-lip. The term implies that the wearer grows only upper-lip hair while shaving the hair on his chin and cheeks. Shaving with stone razors was technologically possible from Neolithic times, but the oldest portrait showing a shaved man with a mustache is an ancient Iranian horseman from 300 BC. In more modern history, moustaches have been worn my military men. The umber of nations, regiments and ranks were equalled only by the number of styles and variations. Generally, the younger men and lower ranks work the smaller and less elaborate mustaches. As a man advanced in rank, his mustache would become thicker and bushier, until he was permitted to wear a full beard. In Western cultures women generally avoid the growth of facial hair; though many are capable, the majority of these women remove it. Some women, however choose to embrace this growth, often in the form of thin mustaches. Mexican artist Frida Kahlo famously depicted herself in her artwork with both a mustache and a unibrow. Most men with a normal or strong mustache tend it daily, by shaving the hair of the chin and cheeks, to prevent it from becoming a full beard. A variety of tools have been developed for the care of mustaches, including mustache wax, mustache nets, mustache brushes, mustache combs and mustache scissors.
So why is this important? Because it's Mustache March!!! Woot! So, celebrate like you mean it. Guys and girls, grow that upper lip hair. Salvidor Dali, Burt Reynolds, Borat, Frank Zappa, Albert Einstein, Teddy Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin. It doesn't matter who you emulate, but participate in the greatest month long holiday there is. It'll make you proud to be alive.
By thePatrick
Because Presidents are awesome, and because I'm lazy:
Click here.
By thePatrick
Ladies and Gentlemen...
I was born in Utah. I was raised in Utah. I moved out of Utah, but only by 7 miles. Really, it was the Utah part of Idaho. I graduated from Utah State University. Pretty much, all this Utah influence means that, yes, I am a Jazz fan.
I'll wait for you to finish laughing.
Anyway. The after beating the Clippers last night, the Jazz are riding a 9 game winning streak. Tonight, the Lakers come to Utah.
I hate the Lakers.
Not so much them personally, I just think that I hate the media love affair with the Lakers. Also, I hate people who cheer for them even though they have absolutely no ties to Los Angeles. I hate the fact that Kobe Bryant plays injured and everyone talks about how tough he is.
Which brings me to the point of this post.
The Lakers last game was in L.A. against the Spurs. Kobe didn't play. Tonight will be their last game before the All-Star break. And there are rumblings about Kobe coming out tonight to play against the Jazz.
Why is this news?
Now, a personal message directed to Kobe Bryant:
Dear Kobe,
Don't do it. What do you need to prove? You're team is in first place in the West. There will not be anyone who catches up to you. It's just not going to happen. So you don't need to step onto the floor tonight. Rest your weary body.
-BUT-
If you do decide to step on the floor tonight, be warned. I will hunt you down. I will be like a ghost. You will not see me coming. Because everyone knows that the scariest thing that a professional athlete has to deal with is a 5'10" History B.A. who doesn't own a firearm, or have any large friends who are willing to go to jail, or any money to buy a hit-man.
Long story short, I hate the Lakers. I hate Kobe Bryant.
Go Jazz!
By thePatrick
Consider this my return to the blogosphere. However, this isn't going to be the feel good post of the year, so those of you who are looking for some witty sarcasm, you're really going to be disappointed. I promise my next post (and I'm planning on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule), will be more along the lines of what you'd expect. However, I spent a vast majority of last semester reading and writing about TODAY in history, realized that it would make an awesome Master's Thesis, and would feel a bit off if I neglected the importance of today.
I'll try to keep a Semester's worth of paper writing down and just hit the main points.
On February 8, 1968 Delano Middleton, Samuel Hammond Jr., and Henry Smith were shot and killed on the campus of South Carolina State University. 27 others were injured. All but two of the students were shot from the rear or the side. The shooting was done by members of the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division. Students were shot by law officials.
There was only one arrest made in connection with the Orangeburg Masscre. Cleveland Sellers, a representative of SNCC who was on campus trying to establish a Black Awareness group, was arrested and charged with arson, inciting a riot, assault and battery with intent to kill, destruction of personal property, damaging real property, housebreaking and grand larceny. His bail was set at $50,000, a staggering amount for the time.
Similar events, most notably the Kent State Shootings, came about after and evoked national attention, while Orangeburg was largely forgotten. One major reason: the students at Kent State were white. South Carolina State was a black university. The victims were black. In 1968, coming on the heals of the cry for Black Power, the shootings of black college students was ignored by the general public.
Every February 8 from 1969 onward, South Carolina State College (now University) has held a memorial for the slain students. This event should not be forgotten. Hammond, Middleton, and Smith are not as recognizable as Martin Luther King or Malcom X, but their story should still be told. There is an awesome documentary call "Scarred Justice: the Orangeburg Massacre 1968." My dad texted me the other day and said that it was being shown on UEN in conjunction with Black History Month. I have a copy if you want to read it. Jack Bass and Jack Nelson wrote the book on the massacre, called simply, The Orangeburg Massacre. I highly recommend it.
Sorry for the long post. Hopefully this little post will get stuck in the tubes of the interwebs so that there is my little take on Orangeburg. Thanks for making it this far. Until Wednesday...
By thePatrick
But it's Dead Week, then Final's Week. I just want to let you all know of my pending return...
I'm coming for you...
So, if you're like me and grew up all sorts of angsty while listening to Nirvana loudly in your bedroom planning your escape from your upstairs bedroom window because your parents didn't 'get' you, then this is for you.
I present to you, The Polyphonic Spree covering Lithium.
Lithium - The Polyphonic SpreeBest...Cover...Ever...
By thePatrick
And yet...nobody knows about it.
But only because I don't post. So, a quick update, then a question for all two of you (three on a good day) that read this blog thing.
First of all, school is school. I should be graduating in December, assuming that I can pass all of my classes and the stupid Computer Literacy tests that USU requires. My classes are pretty cool, at least if you're a history nerd like myself.
Work is going well. I'm really enjoying working at a place where people straight up crap themselves a bit less. The people I work with are rad-tastic, but that's not taking anything away from those poor souls who(m?) I left behind.
Baby T. is getting big. She likes to talk and thinks that she can walk. C. has taught her the names of her first Disney princesses.
For those who care, the beard is coming back. I'm a fan. Plus, now that I work somewhere that I can dress up for Halloween, I can incorporate the beard into a costume. Excellent.
So, now for something that has been on my mind a lot lately. Really, it's a question to all of you. I'm talking about "theTwitter." Basically, I am pondering to tweet or not to tweet. One of the reasons that I am thinking about it is because, while I can't always post to this blog, it feels like I can always find time to update my status on theFacebook. From what I understand, theTwitter is pretty much just theFacebook statuses. Statusi. Whatever.
So, now I turn it over to you, and I do want your feedback. Do I Tweet? Would you care? Would anybody? What say you?
Lemme know...
By thePatrick
It's been a long wait. But it's finally about to come to an end. And all of us (i.e. Raisor and myself) are about to be rewarded.
Season 4. Coming. Soon.
By thePatrick
Quit. Just quit. You're dead to us now.
Here's hoping that you tear an ACL or get mauled by a bear.
Die now,
Green Bay Packer's Fans
By thePatrick
Lady in the Water is 110 minutes of my life that I'm never getting back.
Good thing I watched it on my day off.
Curse you, M. Night Shyamalan.
If you haven't seen it, don't. Those of you that have, I just need to say two words: grass wolf.
In conclusion, this movie sucked. The only redeeming quality was that I got to watch my wife play on the floor with my little girl while this piece of trash was playing. Oh, also, we didn't pay for it. So there's that.
By thePatrick
For those of you who have been living under a rock/don't think that music is the most important thing in the world/ might have what some people would consider "a life"/ don't think that spending
$6,000 on a guitar is a worthwhile investment, this blog may not mean much.
Les Paul died yesterday.
Why is Les Paul important? Well, he not only invented one of the first electric guitars, but he helped pioneer multi-track recording. In other words, he changed the way that we listen to music.
The man was awesome. For proof, read
here,
here,
here, and/or
here.
Now, I could write my own tribute but I won't do that. First off, I never knew the dude, and second, it would be like one of a billion.
But I will share this little tidbit.
When I got back from Iraq, there were two things that I wanted to get myself as a "thanks for serving your country and good job of not blowing yourself up" present. The first was a vehicle. The second, was a new guitar. It took me all of about 2 seconds to decide that I wanted a Les Paul. The sound is awesome, they're durable, and most importantly, they are dead sexy.
I never regretted the decision. I love that guitar. More than any other one I own. If I was strapped for cash, I could sell all my other guitars, possibly my lappy, too. But if it came down to selling that one, I would be in line at the plasma center to donate. I would begin fighting bums for spare change. But that guitar would stay mine forever.
And maybe that's the best sort of tribute to a great man that one could give.
By thePatrick
Of course you did. But there's just a few items of housekeeping that I need to take care of.
First off, yes, I enjoyed my trip to the Oregon coast. All except for the part where pretty much the entire family got sick. Me? I decided to wait until we were driving home to puke my ever loving guts out. I win the award for being able to expel my stomach contents into a grocery bag while driving 75+ mph down the highway while steering with my knees, scaring the tar out of my wife, and making my baby girl wonder what the strange noises her dad is making mean.
Second, I'm done. No, not with the blog, with the job. I had been employed at a residential treatment facility for the past three years. It worked great with my school schedule. I had seniority and all that jazz. But it wasn't what I wanted to do with life. In fact, it made me hate people. But now I work at the Merrill-Cazier Library on USU campus. Since I ultimately want to get my Master's of Library Science and work at an academic library, this job is more along my career goals. Pay is the same here as the last job, and the benefits kick more benefit butt than any benefits I've ever had before.
Lastly, what I've learned from my time off. Some days I really don't want to blog. Some days, I want to blog a whole lot. So, that's what I'm going to do. No more self imposed 10:00 deadlines. If I don't want to blog one day, I won't force something out. If I have a million different things to post, I'll do that. I especially like this plan with all the things that are going to be going on. I just started a new job. I take the GRE on the 18th. School starts again on the 24th. I have to apply to Grad Schools all semester long. There may be some days where blogging isn't a real possibility. But I'll do what I can to keep the masses happy, because that's who I am.
By thePatrick
So Sick...
Can't Post...
Details Tomorrow...
Want To Die Now...
By thePatrick
This week, I present to you 100% pure awesomeness. There isn't much that I can say about today's band that their
Wikipedia page won't. So check it out. Then, realize that the lead singer played Alex in
Everything is Illuminated. That must be why he is such a premium dancer. Then, realize that his mustache is 100% real. That's right, not a fake. Then realize that they wrote an entire song based on wearing a certain color. That is what being a gypsy punk band is all about, I guess. So, I present to you Wonderlust King by Gogol Bordello.
Oh, and before I forget, we're taking off next week to Washington/Oregon, so you all get a break from the stupidity that I post. See you all in August, people!
By thePatrick
You're in good hands...
Or something. Anyway, the reason behind this post is that our car was finally done. So we had to drive up to Preston to pick it up. It's good to have our car back.
But, on to other news.
For those of you who don't know, I am looking at Graduate school so that I can get my Master's of Library Science. Pretty much, I want to work in the archives at a university somewhere.
You know, far away from people who crap themselves on a daily basis.
Well, I found a job posted at USU working at the library there. They wanted someone with, among other awesome qualities, supervisory experience. Which is nice because I've been a Supervisor at my current job for the last two and a half years. The pay was similar to my current job. This job had awesome benefits. It was going to work around my school schedule. And more importantly, it was in the field that i wanted to go into.
Plus, people in libraries tend to crap themselves less often.
Well, this afternoon, I got a call offering me the job. It took me all of about two seconds to accept. So, I'm on my way out at the group home. And finally on to something better. I'm not a lifer!
If you can't tell, I'm fairly excited.
Anyway, that's about it. Tomorrow will be the usual Music Video Friday. Plus, it's Pioneer Day here in Utah. Fireworks suck. That is all.
By thePatrick
So, the other day on
USUPhilosophy.com they asked an interesting question. Basically, if you could have lunch with one philosopher, who would it be? Then they created a poll where you could chose from Plato, Kant, Wittgenstein, Heidegger, or Nietzche.
I chose Kant.
But this brought to mind a serious question. Remembering that although I would consider myself a philosophy nerd, but an even bigger history nerd, I asked myself a reformed question. If I could have lunch with any U.S. President, who would it be?
My answer? Thomas Jefferson. For a few reasons. First, the whole 'Author of the Declaration of Independence' thing. Second, I need to ask him about the whole 'all men are created equal' phrase. Did it tear him apart to even write that? I mean, the dude owned slaves. And I'm not talking just a few around the house. He was a tobacco plantation owner. That's a lot of slaves. Yet he said that all men were created equal.
But I'm a nerd like that.
So, now I turn the question over to you, oh three readers of mine. Which U.S. President would you most like to have lunch with. I'd create a poll, but it seems silly to have a poll with 44 different responses. I'll repeat, make all the obvious assumptions: that they're not dead, that you would be able to communicate, that the food and service will all be good, etc. Who would you eat with? Feel free to leave your answer in the comments.
By thePatrick
Today is a very exciting day at the thePatrick household. No, I didn't get a new job *crosses fingers*. No, our car isn't yet out of the shop, although they have started the repairs.
Today, C. is going to go and get her hair cut.
And for those of you who don't know, this is a momentous occasion in our lives. Not because she never cuts her hair. She does. But when she says haircut, she means style change. And it is a process. It all starts out by her deciding that she needs a haircut. Then, she has to spend anywhere from minutes to days perusing the interwebs to find the hairstyle that she likes so that she can print it off and bring it to the person cutting her hair.
But this time, there was a problem.
Both of our printers were out of ink. But the ever resourceful C. came up with a solution. She saved the pictures to her computer, then found a way for her to text them to herself, so that they can be on her phone and she can show the hairstylist that way.
But all this fuss got me to thinking about the last time I changed my hairstyle. The answer was easy. 1996. Other than when I went to basic training/Iraq and the first few months of my mission, I have had the same hairstyle since I was a freshman in high school. And I have a very simple explanation for that.
I'm a guy.
See, girls seem to always need to reinvent themselves, to find the next greatest hairstyle. That way they can show the world how awesome and trend setting they can be. Guys on the other hand, well, we find a hairstyle that works for us, and we stick with it. I've had the same style for over 13 years. My dad has had the same haircut for all 27 years that I've been around, and longer judging by pictures I've seen. In fact, there are only two reasons that I can think of that guys change their haircut, at least in general. They either a) grow it out and look shaggy or b) lose their hair and trim it short.
Earth shattering, I know, but hey, this is what I do.
So C. will come home this afternoon with a new, awesome, gorgeous haircut. I, on the other hand, will dwell in my boring, stale-haired existence, just waiting for the next time that my hair gets too long and bugs my ears, so that I can take the clippers to it myself. Because I am what I am.
By thePatrick
One of the things that I try to do, at least in my own little way, is try to make whatever few readers I have better people.
Seriously. I'll give you time to stop laughing.
Whether it's through expanding your musical tastes every Friday, or reminding you of some of the awesomeness that is on television (Wipeout, The Mighty Boosh), or just helping you see what insurance company is ridiculous (*cough cough* Allstate *cough cough*). I am here for you.
So, in my daily perusings of the interwebs, I came upon
this report. There are a few things I like about this. First, it's the fact that UPI.com's slogan is "100 Years of Journalistic Excellence." I like to think that they're talking about a print version somewhere, and not that they believe they've been on the internet since 1909. Second, I like the comment by Mark at the bottom of the page. I like that he uses the phrase "business twits." I also like that he invites people to die in a fire.
So happy!
But, upon looking at the foods there, the ones that stuck out to me were ribs and wings. Of couse, they are only on the list because people think they're a good idea to eat while driving, but who are these people? Who in their right mind goes to a restaurant, one where they serve ribs, and says, "You know what, I'll take mine to go. The 15 minutes it takes me to eat these here and clean up just aren't worth the 15 minutes of driving time I'll lose."
Who are these rib eating drivers? Who is selling ribs from their drive through window? And am I legally allowed to run them off the road with my own car if I see them?
So many questions, so few answers.
By thePatrick
I have always loved this video. I was first introduced to it by Shay over in Iraq. He also, more or less, introduced me to Bright Eyes. When we first got back to the states he, Felt, Sayre, Norte and I all went to see Bright Eyes (along with Sons and Daughters, for those of you keeping score at home). Anyway, I have always loved the simplicity of this video, as well as being amazing that someone could sync writing (backwards, no less) with their own music. That having been said, enjoy Easy/Lucky/Free by Bright Eyes. Happy Weekend!
By thePatrick
Now, for those of you who are completely scared of the random merman looking seaweed hair having individual to left, consider your daily checkup of this blog finished. Seriously, move along. Nothing to read here.
Those of you, however, who recognize Old Gregg from the television series "The Mighty Boosh," well, I have a treat for you.
I'm Old Gregg!!!
Sorry. I think that's out of my system. See, I was first introduced to Old Gregg by my wife. Yep, she's a strange one. I don't know if she found a clip on Youtube, or if someone first showed her, but either way, Old Gregg came into our lives.
It really was a joyous, strange day.
But then, something miraculous happened. The Adult Swim network (who also carries such fine programing as
Robot Chicken,
Lucy: The Daughter of the Devil,
The Venture Bros., and
Metalocalypse) announced earlier this summer that they were going to start showing episodes of The Mighty Boosh.
This is a good thing.
However, we don't have television. Thank goodness for the interwebs. Adultswim.com posts full episodes online, and The Mighty Boosh is among them. And this weeks addition? That's right. The Legend of Old Gregg (aka Old Gregg the Funky Merman). And where can you find it? Why, right
here, silly.
And you say I never do anything for you.
Again, a
PARENTAL ADVISORY. Old Gregg could be considered a hermaphrodite. He discusses it rather bluntly. Old Gregg has The Funk and offers to make Howard Moon a Funk Shake, but much like a cow, you have to milk The Funk, and that involves the same parts as milking a cow. This is also discussed rather bluntly. Oh, and this is a very,
very weird show. Viewers beware.
