thecommonfate's Xanga

Absurdity

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:03:04 GMT

"Some day you will die somehow and something's going to steal your carbon"- Parting of the sensory, by Modest Mouse

I was just reading about existentialism... This to be exact. Anyways, being reminded of the idea of "the absurd" I started wondering...How many people actually believe that human existence is "absurd"? Just out of curiosity, do you believe that your life is absurd? Or maybe it isn't entirely absurd...are aspects of it absurd? Or do you find meaning in everything?

In a haze

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:26:25 GMT

It's strange to see fog in the middle of January (in North Dakota). I just went out and picked up a few groceries. At the edge of vision the whole world melts into shades of grey. It feels like a dream. I like it.

Anyways, I'm going to try out the wok that's sitting in our cupboard which we almost never use. Stir fry some beef. Yummy. I'm also going to try to whip up some homemade grenadine syrup just for fun. After that, kick back and read about feminist communication theory and research methodology. What a life, eh?

Being Married

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:38:58 GMT

My wife left for a conference last night, so I'm going to be fending for myself for the next week. I have to admit that it's already kind of lonely around here. I've spent most of today eating, cleaning the kitchen, and watching movies.

It's strange really, I believe that my wife and I are more "newlyweds" now than we were last year when we first got married. Last year we had a whole bunch of friends to share our time with. We had a lifestyle set up that we didn't need to acclimate to. We worked at odd and sometimes opposite hours of the day. It all added up to everything seeming kind of world weary and mature- working hard for our money to pay the bills on time.

Now we're somewhere where we don't have any close friends, just each other. We're both teaching assistants at the university so our schedules are pretty much the same (although who knows what will happen this summer). We're students again, which makes me feel much younger and less world weary (although teaching at the same time is bizarre, as I have said in other posts). It's really quite great. We get to spend so much time together and I have time to cook and sleep and don't have to wake up at five in the morning. I know we both REALLY miss our friends and the big city, but it's looking like this "trying time" in our life together is giving us a chance to deepen our relationship. I like that.

That being said, it has made me a teensy bit dependent- so that now as my wife is off conferencing, I am sitting at home not sure what to do with myself. Eating donuts and watching movies. Whatever, another week of school approaches.

Hi

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:30:01 GMT

Yeah, I'm writing a blog here- It's been a long time...blah blah blah, I can't make any promises to write more often- yada yada.

That's out of the way. Whew, awkward.

I think the strangest thing about being back in school, after having been out working for a year, is a return of Christmas break. Sure, I had some time off during Christmas last year. About 4 days. This year I've had 3 and half weeks. I've watched at least 6 seasons of various television shows, read a novel and a few short stories, and baked more than I ever have in my life. Not to mention that since we had so much time, my wife and I ended up at every extended family gathering available.

Now, I'm sitting on the edge of a new semester and I'm asking myself, "Do I have to?" And yes, I do have to.

Spam Mobile

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:18:36 GMT

This is a true story.

I was thinking back to the jobs that I held during the summers between semesters in college. I worked at an amusement park, I worked at my college, but most importantly...for two days, I worked in the Spam Mobile...

Those were two very interesting days. They gave me a bright yellow SPAM shirt and navy blue visor and I went to work serving people Spam-ples...*gagging on cutesy corporate phraseology*

I'll never forget my time on the Spam Mobile...and everything it taught me.

Rituals

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:13:10 GMT

Halloween is approaching and it reminds me of one of my favorite college pastimes. Sometimes when I had some time to relax and kick back I would rent a horror movie and get some Chinese take-out. I'd go home and watch a horror movie by myself while eating Chinese food. I did this many, many times during my college experience.

I think Halloween o' 2008 was the last time I practiced this, although I was with a friend and not alone...I need to do it again.

Is it just me? Or does anybody else feel like Chinese food and horror movies go very well together?

What? Flying Children?

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:04:22 GMT

I do not know what to think about this...

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=125161&catid=339

I mean...building an experimental aircraft...leaving it sitting around...so unsecured that your six year old son can take it and fly it over Denver?

Someone needs a lesson in child proofing...

Although, I know I would have loved to have my own hot air balloon as a child.

Squishy Banana

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:12:44 GMT

I found this while tooling around on Facebook...a little over a year ago a friend of mine had left their facebook unguarded during a break in the action at a wedding rehearsal. The rehearsal for my wedding. This is the note I wrote and posted using their profile.

I haven’t had a cheeseburger for a long time. Nearly eight hours. I just can’t eat them anymore. They remind me of Clay Aiken, and I just can’t stomach that.

It was a dark and stormy night, and I was cold and lonely. I roamed the pale streets for a while. Then I decided on a course of action. At approximately 11pm eastern time I attacked the offices of KDWB with an over-ripe banana. I passed by the receptionist with deft ease, and headed towards the back. I was in the sound booth in no time standing over the late night DJ, squishy banana in hand. In the last few moments of his life, he offered me backstage passes to the clay Aiken concert that weekend. I think it gave him some solace to know that the passes were in capable hands. He almost looked peaceful when I left, browning banana wedged into his gullet. I left KDWB as silently as I had entered.

Little did I know how the possession of those passes would affect me. The next morning I awoke in a spiraling vortex of insane obsession and perversion. It nearly consumed me in the those first morning hours. I didn’t know if I would make it much further.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Next week on “AJ’s Escapades”:

Will AJ be able to overcome? Or will the battle between his id and superego destroy the metaphysical fabric of the entire universe?

Your honor, I rest my case.

Is your free speech effective?

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:51:23 GMT

I have a question for everyone who has political opinions...specifically those of you who voice them on your blog.

I know freedom of speech is something of value to almost everyone who would read this (I guess I don't know who wouldn't value it).

While your speech may be free, do you feel like you have the ability to affect others political views through what you say? Do you feel that your blog makes your political voice more effective? If you don't (or even if you do) where do you feel you could go to increase the effect your voice has on the political process?

I'm just curious to hear different peoples' opinions on this.

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:48:30 GMT

Coffee is my only addiction.

Being in school is not being alive. I am not a part of the real world.

I'm considering giving up on my critical appraisal of my personal beliefs. I'm not getting anywhere and it's only making me unhappy. I might just reinstate my beliefs without the rock-solid justification I was hoping for.

I need to start writing for myself again.