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Displaying all posts from 2008 May.

Conquests and Defeats — Victory and Blessings

Friday, 2008 May 30 1:23 AM CDT — Siloam Springs, Arkansas UNITED STATES

Here is a general question for the world at large: is it ever a bad thing to find out that someone loves you? I don't know if I really want an answer to that question. Maybe, I just want to keep on believing what it is that I want to believe… or maybe, it was just the wine talking.

Regardless, I'm thrilled. It's always better to hold on to a true and vibrant friendship rather than trade it away for an intimate relationship that's doomed from the start. I've learned that lesson before. I pray to God that I never have to learn it again.

Quote to ponder: “To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose, the next best.” — William Makepeace Thackeray

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“Charlie don't surf!”

Wednesday, 2008 May 28 12:21 AM CDT — Bentonville, Arkansas UNITED STATES

The concert of the century is this weekend. Okay, I exaggerated: the concert of the month is this weekend. KC and the Sunshine Band is going to be playing right here in Northwest Arkansas. If it weren't for the fact that I'm going to be in Colorado that weekend, I would be at that concert. There is no question about it!

Quote to ponder: “Disco deserved a better name — a beautiful name because it was a beautiful art form.” — Barry White

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“How does this movie end?”

Sunday, 2008 May 25 11:52 PM CDT — Bentonville, Arkansas UNITED STATES

“I guess I should describe myself as a varietologist (if there ever was such a word).”

After twenty-two years, I think that I've finally figured out my problem.

Currently, I'm living in a town that is about thirty to forty minutes away from the town that I'm working in and where all of my other friends live. Consequently, whenever I need to take a trip there, I make it a point to make it count since (as anyone in this country will explain) fuel is expensive. That sometime leaves a lot of slack time between things.

One day, I decided to waste my time by doing something that I would normally never do: I went to a Christian book store. I normally loathe the type of literature that comes out of a Christian book store. Of course, it would be the mark of a schmuck to deny that there is one piece of literature that I do appreciate that comes out of such a store: the Bible.

As I was browsing through the Bibles, I found myself fascinated by something: the Bible happens to come in a variety of versions. I just found the fact that there are so many different translations each with their individual character and strengths and weaknesses to be fascinating. I don't know exactly why I find it fascinating, but I do know that it doesn't stop there.

I find that I typically study things that come in a diverse combination. My minor is linguistics. Within linguistics, the topic that I find most fascinating is that of language survey. I enjoy studying the difference between different languages and the character that each individual language has. My major is computer science, and the topic of computer science that I find most fascinating is the several various computer languages that are used. Each one as well has its own individual character and advantages. Within theology, I find the existence of various traditions and denominations to be interesting. Indeed, the first thing that I think of whenever I see a church is to ask what type of church it is. If there is any type of topic that you could talk to me for hours about, it's about the rich diversity that exists in the overall Christian tradition.

I love studying variety. I guess I should describe myself as a varietologist (if there ever was such a word). When I observe the variety within myself, I guess that I would have to say that I'm your typical unique person.

Quote to ponder: “We journalists make it a point to know very little about an extremely wide variety of topics; this is how we stay objective.” — Dave Barry

Currently watching…
Amistad
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Starring Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou and Matthew McConaughey
Released on Wednesday, 1997 December 10.

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Flavour

Wednesday, 2008 May 21 11:12 PM CDT — Bentonville, Arkansas UNITED STATES

I'm reading things in the news. In particular, I'm reading about how homosexual marriage is soon going to be legal in California. Of course, there are those who say that they're going to try their hardest to overturn the court's ruling, and there are those that are going to fight the ruling overturning the ruling, and the cycle will never end.

Alright, I might have personal feeling and opinions concerning the subject, but this is America where none of that matters. Really, the feeling in this country is that we can't legislate morality.

I beg to differ. We do legislate morality. Back in the nineteenth century, polygamist lifestyles had to be banned in this country. Now, I'm certainly not an advocate for polygamy, but I find it odd that people don't object when morality concerning polygamy is fine, but morality concerning homosexuality isn't. In most of the world's religions (and really, the garden-variety religions that you're going to find here in the United States), polygamy is an acceptable lifestyle. If you look in Jewish, Christian, Islamic and Mormon scriptures, you will find many examples of honourably portrayed characters who had multiple spouses. However, in each of those religions, there are harsh penalties for homosexual acts.

This leads to my thought: why is polygamy unacceptable and homosexuality acceptable?

Quote to ponder: [When asked for a scripture excerpt forbidding polygamy] “No man can serve two masters.” — Mark Twain

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“…and this bird you cannot change.”

Monday, 2008 May 5 9:46 PM CDT — Bentonville, Arkansas UNITED STATES

Okay, so I don't technically have a diploma at this point, but I have a certificate that says that I participated in a commencement ceremony. Most people equate that to the ribbons that they handed out at field day in elementary school that everyone got for simply participating. I never had that experience: my elementary school just gave ribbons all the way into tenth place, but typically, events didn't really have more then ten people.

Anyway, I've migrated further to the east in search of employment. It's further from where I want to be, but close enough to still be near the people I love. I have confidence that things are going to turn out well.

One other thing that's interesting (and, by that, I mean worth mentioning) is my senior project that I finished for my degree. Basically, it's taking the software that runs Wikipedia and modifying it so that content can be included in multiple languages without the need for multiple configurations. It's just a theory piece. I wouldn't actually use this for enterprise-grade content management. Still, it's worth the read.

Quote to ponder: “The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems.” — Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

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“I'm as free as a bird…”

Saturday, 2008 May 3 12:40 AM CDT — Siloam Springs, Arkansas UNITED STATES

Francisco de Goya — The Third of May 1808: The Execution of the Defenders of Madrid

Technically, having a career after you graduate from college is optional… optional in the sense that it is optional to put on a parachute before you jump out of an aeroplane. However, jumping out of an aeroplane without a parachute will most likely begat certain death. Hence, I liken graduation to death.

I have nine hours to live.

Quote to ponder: “A career is wonderful, but you can't curl up with it on a cold night.” — Marilyn Monroe

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