What? Sarah's gone??? Where did she go? Sarahhhhhhhhhhh???????

Sarah - where are you? I'm no good at lying to your parents. (fake crying to add drama) I'll never do it again! Ever! .... but ya... where are you?

Well, I for one refuse to eat jellyfish.

I bet the intelligent raisins are in league with the jellyfish. We should eat them all to foil their evil plan!

Should the plural of Portuguese man-o-war be Portuguese men-o-war? Also, what has become of the Portuguese women-o-war?

Portugese man-o-wars can cause paralysis...I bet the jellyfish overlords are breeding millions of them in an evil attempt to paralyze us all, then they'll make their move! That attack on my father was a prilimiary trial in order to see if the paralyzing juices were strong enough, and, seeing that they weren't up to their full potency yet, the jellyfish overlords must have decided to hold off on their attack for a few more years. That was about ten years ago. The first assualt could come at any time...

Yes, beware the jellyfish! Especially those cubozoids, they scare me the most....

I've decided to launch an aggressive campaign against jellyfish. Jellyfish once dominated this planet, and I have it on good authority that they are going for the top again. Unusual concentrations of jellyfish have been found in the waters surrounding the Hague. They're trying to take over the United Nations! Not to worry though, clearly they can't be too cunning if they think the United Nations is the key to world dominance. My plan of action is to establish attack bases at Wal-Marts across North America.

Not if all you have in front of you are words on a page.

I disagree with the premise that extent of vocabulary and extent of communication of thought are necessarily correlated. A person with an extensive vocabulary can still have considerable difficulties with either writing or speaking. Furthermore, speaking and writing are only a minute fraction of communication. I once heard that non-verbal communication accounts for 98% of all communication.

I eternally cling to the hope that someone can be a profound writer if they can't spell... if not, what have I been doing for the past two and a half years? Because let's face it, we all know I can't spell to save my life, but hopefully, I can still be a great writer.... Hopefully.
But it's true that there is a definite correlation between extent of vocabulary and extent of communication of thought... so maybe you can be a successful writer without really being a profound writer, that way, it would appeal to the masses, none of whom can spell....

Natural selection. Only the fit survive.

Can a person really be a profound writer if they can't spell? On the same subject, how important is proper grammar? There are many people who have prolific ideas but are unable to effectively to communicate them through prose. There are also many people, myself included, who have severely limited powers of rhetoric. What happens to those who lack both?

I think I'd go watch the Beatles play live. Or maybe Mozart. But more likely The Beatles.

Haven.

Now the question should be where would you go if you could travel through planes, dimensions, galaxies, realms or time, and had a general ability to transcend any boundary?

Umm, truthfully, I'd probably charge people I didn't know... unless they had a really good cause, then my rates would be flexible... but I'd charge a heck of a lot to people I didn't like, and really, unless I have massive amounts of time on my hands... I'd probably have to charge a little something because I'd have to go with them, and my time doesn't come cheap.... because you can't just let random people walk around in another dimention/time unwatched.... with great power comes great responsibility....

Hell ya...unless there was a life on the line like in Buffy when Willow goes all evil and kills people and tries to destroy the world. Man, I'd be rolling in the dough!

i bet all the money i have in the world that we'd all like to think we'd do the 'right' thing and not charge - but i can't believe that any one of us wouldn't charge some small fee.

hell - what can i say? i have no faith in humankind

Question: If you had the ability to travel through planes, dimensions, galaxies, realms or time, a general ability to transcend any boundary, would you charge people to come with you?

To test my theory.... does everyone remember the knock knock joke that goes... knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Knock knock. Who's there? Banana... etc etc etc... until Knock knock. Who's there? Orange. Orange who? Orangechu glad I didn't say banana?
Do you remember how funny that was the first time you heard it? I thought it was ingenious. But now, if someone says it, as soon as they say banana, you know the punch line, and it's neer going to be as funny sa the first time you heard it. So it's not so much cynicism, as just conditioning that makes people hard to impress. And granted, it doesn't apply to every situation, some things never lose their appeal... but for jsut everyday, run of the mill kinda things....

I think that no matter what situation you're in, disappointment is almost inevitable because we always have such high expectations that we're bound to find something that has fallen short

Being disappointed with something implies that there was some kind of expectation though, doesn't it?

I don't think aging necessarily equates with cynicism. I feel like I'm becoming more and more powerful and fulfilled every year, and the positive potential of external reality is always there, just being tricky and elusive sometimes. Which is necessary- otherwise it wouldn't be any fun.
Maybe I'm just incredibly lucky and a little ignorant. Oxygen seems to stimulate the release of endorphins in my system sometimes. And I'm impressed whenever I see the law of gravity still holding. External reality is comforting that way, and never really disappoints me. If I toss my nerf ball into the air, it'll fall back down. If I bite it, it'll taste like nerf. If I study my ass off for a test, I'll do better than if I didn't study.
Simple rules to live by. Study hard and eat nerf.

I'm not really referring to expectations. Expectations, to me are limited to special events. I'm talking about everyday events. The mundane things that make up our lives. I still find the same things funny, take pleasure in the same simple things. It's not so much material reality that I'm referring to. I'm more disappointed with my interactions with people. Not all people, just many people. Many people are a disappointment to me.

It's obvious, isn't it? A simple equation: Aging = Cynicism. We've all grown into cynical bastards who are extremely hard to impress, and who express our dissatisfaction with the world through sarcasm.

So, I'm not sure if this is anywhere along the same lines as your thoughts Sarah... but I was thinking about something the other day... lets see if I can actually get across what I mean...: regarding when external reality ceases to have any positive potential... I'm not sure, but maybe it's just something like expectations become greater as one ages. Like when you're little, the simplest jokes are funny, hilarious, but when you're older, they aren't anymore because you've already heard it so many times that it's lost effect. Maybe it's the same with a lot of things. Normal responses to everyday events aren't good enough anymore, they've lost their positive response. It has to be something extraordinary, or else it's just seen as common, or insignificant. You know what I mean?

I cannot help but sigh. When did I stop sighing out of relief? It does not seem to happen very often anymore. Is there a point in the life of every human being at which external reality ceases to have any sort of positive potential. Reality just seems to disappoint me at every tiny evolution. These are moments that would seem insignificant to most, but to me they are definitive. It seems that every time reality has a chance to prove that it has something to offer to me, someone will inevitably do something so profoundly intolerable that my tiny glimmer of hope disappears into a frenzy of dark, empirical disappointment. My only solace is idealism.

Since when did everyone's blog entries become so very long?
Hehe I like the "IF PARENTS ACTED LIKE BUSH" one.

I have added a new link to the information section which I think is definitely worth the time it takes to check out. If you are interested in getting a better understanding on how corrupt and bankrupt the American government really is, this is the site to see. This site has been in the news lately because of its stance against the Bush administration and because of reactions the Bush administration has taken to it. Also, a particularly brilliant expression of the will of the American public can be found at the Bush in 30 Seconds site.

Humm, I think the only real way that a friendship would break off is if the common bond that the relationship was founded on isn't there anymore, and no new ones have been formed. If that's the case, then what does the relationship have to stand on anymore other than a history, which sometimes is enough to spawn new bonds, but sometimes it isn't, and if you can't find any common ground, where are you going to meet up? Also, I figure a lot of friendships that are formed fast are just because two people or three or whatever) have a lot in common, and just didn't know it before, so if you have a lot in common with someone, doesn't that make for good common ground and bond formation and all? What promped this entire discussion anyways Sarah?

Not what I meant. You asked about friendship that are intense and formed faster than other friendships, and that's what I answered for. And no, you don't break off the friendship. Not unless it deteriorates to a point where it's an unhealthy relationship for one or both of the friends. I believe the people you get to know fast are filling a need, spiritual or other, and that both the friends are having something fulfilled. It's not a selfish, one-sided deal, here.

i think that the reason we are so cautious about relationships is because they get really emotional and deep really fast (unless both people have set separate parametres - like fuckbuddies), and whether we know it or not, we don't give nearly as much of ourselves to friendships because they don't give us the emtional stability and love that a relationship does. I hope i don't sound pessimistic...hrm. I think that friendships start (i agree with sarah) with common ground, and grow to become, i don't know, something unexplicable...a bond between two people that is just short of a romantic relationship - simply because that isn't the purpose of starting a friendship, so already those boundaries are set - whereas, with a relationship - it can go anywhere. Geez, i hope this makes some kind of sense

Ha! I am quite comfortable with my sexuality thank you very much. Also with my vegetarianism. People seem to think I'm much more unstable than I really am. Crazies all of you! Right, so I actually have a point today. What was it? Ah yes. So when you no longer need a certain type of person do you break off a friendship? I don't know that I like the idea of friends being there simply because they fulfill a need. I guess I see it from the opposite direction. For me friendship starts out as a connection through common experience, which becomes an emotional bond. As far as needs go, I think of friends as the people who you hope will help in whatever way they can when you are in need. In terms of friendships developing too quickly, I think it is important to examine what the common connections are between two people and how they interact with one another before they make emotional commitments to one another. This is admittedly very difficult to do as it requires a personal removal from reality, but in many cases it would probably save a lot of... shall we say... unpleasantness?

hmm, I agree with Ciara (not on whether Sarah's quest. her sexuality though... but whatever hehe). And might I say... well put Ciara.... I enjoy your phrasing.

Questioning your sexuality there, Sarah? ;) Seriously though, I don't think friendships can really move too fast...as long as they stay on a friendship level. I just think the people you connect with really quickly and deeply are the kind of people you need in your life right at that time.

Can a friendship move too fast? Can you get in over your head in a friendship? I'm not talking about romantic developments, just a simple friendship. Can a friendship become too close, too intimate in a short span of time? We seem to be quite cautious about who we become involved with in romantic relationships but not in friendships. I don't really understand the grounds for this distinction.

No, m'dear. There's no way you were the spider. We all know you squeal like a girl and make Mike kill them whenever you see one, so the concept of you actually being a spider is absurd.

I was the spider.

Are you saying Bruce Lee is gay???

Disclaimer: Bruce Lee and Kung-Fu have no necessary connection. Yes, the man was a martial arts master, but it must be absolutely clear that the underground does not endorse misconceptions regarding Bruce Lee and his martial arts orientation.

As Real as The Car

Sofie, Christine and I were driving down the street late last night. We were in London. It was dark and rainy. There was no snow and it was surprisingly warm for this time of year. We weren't dressed for winter, which makes me think that perhaps it wasn't this time of year. Christine was driving our small white pinto, and Sofie was navigating, which is odd, because Sofie doesn't know London at all. I was in the back seat wearing my black winter coat.

As we came to the railway tracks at Trafalgar and Hale we saw a vehicle consisting of considerably sized pink vinyl lips and a shabby brown couch much like the one that used to occupy the basement at the Cascade house.

While passing through another intersection we noticed similar pink lips. These lips, however, were much smaller and stood in the middle of the intersection on stubby wooden legs. I happened to be aware at the time that the lips had just moved from the far right corner of the intersection into the middle. As we drove by I saw a phantom of these pink lips standing on the street corner, a vestige of a former life of harlotry.

We had turned left at that intersection, which was odd because I, wearing the white and blue jacket leant to me by Sofie, had the distinct impression that we were heading north, although we were in fact heading away from my house. At this point we found ourselves on Oxford, having somehow just turned off of Clarke, which runs north-south. We were driving westward on Oxford when we saw a dark brown station wagon that was plastered with brightly coloured stickers, giving it the appearance of a well-traveled oversized suitcase à la loony toons.

As we reached the point where Dundas became Oxford (an impossibility) we saw a large transport truck decorated in much the same fashion. At this point we were convinced that a certain art and home furnishings store, with which we were very familiar but which I cannot name at present, had fallen into some form of misfortune. Sure enough, finally driving eastward on Dundas and definitely homeward bound, we saw the store, with it's stylish bright blue signs and neon lights, ablaze.

At this point I suddenly became aware that we were no longer in Sofie's pinto but on an LTC bus. Also, Renata had joined us, but she was not quite herself. She had taken on the physical form of a personality, not a character but a specific type of personality, that I have at some point in my life personified. This personification has a name. I am uncertain at this time but I believe that it may be Peabody. Renata/Peabody made a rather intelligent observation about the state of the store and its merchandise, which I unfortunately cannot remember.

Having arrived at home, my home in reality but not in appearance, we all stood in the kitchen around a white island eating regular lays and drinking coca cola from cans. Ciara, Katie, and Anna had arrived. I cannot recall the conversation, but it was not particularly relevant. There was some discussion of the fire and generally a lot of joke-cracking and laughter.

Later on in the evening after the regular lays were finished and the gathering had dissipated into a few small groupings around the kitchen I, wearing my garnet nylon jacket, noticed a rather large spider on the countertop of the white island. After announcing my discovery the majority of my friends screamed and fussed in extremely girlish manners and I was left to address the issue on my own, while the others cringed but looked on from a distance, forming a broken circle around me within the kitchen.

The spider was a light tan colour, much like those often found within the home. He (there was no doubt that he was, in fact, a he) had six thick legs. Yes, I am aware that this means he was not really a spider. I believe that this is perhaps why he was so irate to begin with. His two middle legs were shorter than the others, and he held them rigid and back at an angle, giving him the perpetual appearance of a runner set to race. As I prepared to strike he motioned as though he was a miniature Bruce Lee, already preparing a Kung-Fu style counter-attack. His mouth, which was decidedly human in appearance and lacked any sign of pincers, contorted as though he were saying "hwaaa" in a stereotypically I-am-a-Kung-Fu-warrior-about-to-make-my-attack style.

I took a magazine and rolled it, aware that I would role it too tight and that the spider was too large to be affected by such a small weapon. Sure enough, my attack was successful only in propelling a now angry spider onto my shirt. Ciara yelled in horror and the others let out varied moans and shrieks. As I tried to bat the spider with the magazine Laura appeared and the party instantaneously returned to normal while I was left to fend for myself.

My only question: Where was Andrea during all of this?

That's true... how else can you explain the car crash, the random tumbles, the nearly being side swiped by a car... really... that's the only true explanation...

That's right Raja. You, as a system, do not tend towards chaos. You are in a permanent state of chaos. Chaos is innate in Raja.

Except me.

All systems tend toward chaos.

What are the necessary preconditions of perfection? If things are all good, does it follow that all things are good. Would it therefore follow that things are perfect? Or does a state of perfection imply that all things are better than good? Must all things be at their best in order to achieve a state of perfection? If this is so, then would it not follow that perfection would be impossible, as all things cannot simultaneously be at their best?

(And both of us laugh heartily) How is that NOT Mr. Skinny?.... Mr. Skinny.
No, you have to weigh more than that.... that's just not possibly... no body who weighs that little as that is as (for lack of a better word) built as you.... or can lift people as easily. Muscle mass weighs more than fat.... and we just don't believe you....

It's a season of returns. Welcome back everyone. Since I'm approximately the only person who really left, welcome back me. As I was saying last year, electronic communication is not real human interaction. One cannot interact with another human being through means of electronic pulses and currents. Electronic communication is an interfacing of electronic and/or digital representations of human beings and communication.