Ma, flooding New Jersey is not going to solve anything.

This weekend I went down to the beach for one final weekend before the summer really and truly came to an end. I seem to be going down to the eastern shore a lot these days. I went to Smith Island last week. Let me tell you, if you want a truly great crab cake, go to smith Island and ignore to first restaurant. Do not be lured in by its shiny clean exterior and the fact that everyone else is going there, no. You want Ruck's, which is around the corner. Do not be frightened off by the fact that it looks like it is being held up by tape and a prayer. Or that you might catch something. It only looks that way. When you walk in, do not be off put by the mountains of stuff that for sale as well. It is, by they way, also an antique store. Instead, focus on the fact that it smells DELICIOUS.


Order the $8 crab cake sandwich that is made from crab that, only earlier that morning, had been swimming in the bay. And enjoy, slowly.

While i was on smith Island, there were a bunch of geriatric photography students, with serious and intimidating photography equipment. I was jealous. I only had my little point and shoot, but I love it anyway.


But this weekend, I went down to Ocean city, staying on the mainland (more or less, OC is on a barrier island)
This weekend, was all about water (or as I pronounce it Wood-er).

Saturday started out pleasant enough. My mother and I were watching something or other on TV, waiting for my sister to show up, when we heard sounds of distress. Across the lawn, something was going on, and my mother went across to find out what was going on. As she disappeared into the apartment, I grabbed my shoes and followed suit. What had happened was the apartment had flooded. Seriously flooded. the pip to the main switch had ruptured, so all the water for the apartment was now on the floor and spilling out onto the porch. For the rest of the morning, we got all of the stuff in her apartment out and on to the lawn and ultimately on to our porch because it was going to rain. I'd never seen wall to wall carpeting float before. The woman who lived there was a third grade teacher, a abut a year older than me, and had lived there for a month. How my mother found this out while emptying an apartment I'll never know. So that was fun.
Saturday afternoon we went kayaking in a cypress swamp.

Holy crap, Batman!

So I apparently haven't posted this year. Which is interesting, because, while my life has been fairly routine, I have done some interesting things. Like I went to Shamrockfest, which was fun, if wet (note to self: next year more people, less rain), I've hung out with various fabulous people several times, I bought a lovely new computer, and that's about it. As for the routine, that shall be ending soon, as this week is the last week of classes. And I will then be working on papers, and leaving the state for family vacation time. I don't think I will ever be too old to go on vacation with my family for the simple reason that they can afford to go to places that I can't. If i was paying, we would be visiting... Baltimore and DC and staying in my car. But I'm not and we aren't and life is good. While i've been busy with school i've also be back to work at NPM. And I might be moving out soon, if I can get all my ducks in a row. Know anyone who needs a place in Catonsville? I have one roommate, but I might need a second.
And now I should probably work on my paper on comparing American Comedy propaganda to Russian comedy propaganda.
The fun, it never ends.

I believe... Even though it's silly, I believe

Classes have largely stopped and my papers are nearly done. Ok, well the Due dates are nearly here. In fact, my last class is tonight.All that leaves now is Christmas! Yay!
Today my mother, who seems hellbent on distracting me at all costs showed me this website. Who doesn't want to see when Santa will get here?

Here is the video from "last year."

I am redefining weird on an hourly basis.

I'm trying to avoid writing a paper on Confucianism and it's political influences on Imperial China. So I analyzed my blog using Typealyzer.

I cam up with...
ISTP - The Mechanics
The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment are masters of responding to challenges that arise spontaneously. They generally prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts.

The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters.

...yeah. School ends on Dec 15. I'm looking forward to it.

Let my armies be the trees and the birds in the sky

I've been playing around on Aviary, and this is one thing that I have come up with so far.

Nazis. I hate these guys.

I'm so angry right now. My 80 year old aunt, who I always tough was a little too thought on her daughters but still respected and liked, said this evening that we have four years of Nazism to look forward to, comparing Obama and the Democratic party to Hitler and his followers.
I didn't call her on it. What would I have said? She doesn't respect any opinions that dissent from her own. She voted for McCain because he was Pro-Life, never mind that he doesn't actually believe it. Or that if he had won, he would have been little more than a puppet for the Neo-conservative agenda. Or that Obama actually had a platform with a plan to help women that decided against abortion, something that McCain lacked.
I don't have a problem with honest to goodness Conservatism. People have a right to their opinion and I also think that both sides need the other to rein them in. I also think that conservatism has its merits, I just don't happen to agree with them at all. I'm just not conservative minded. But what irks me is Neo-conservatism and its Scare tactics, using fear to control and motivate people and to divided them against one another in the name of patriotism. It's not just bad, it's truly small minded and to use these tactics is cruel and hateful.
I know that there are people who dislike the two party system, and perhaps we do need a third or Fourth party. But so far we do have just the two parties, and it works well when we agree to listen to each other instead of insist that our party is right and the other are traitors. That gets us no were. Or it gives us the last eight years.
Since it is all we have we need to work together. Not resort to name calling.
But it does give me a certain amount of satisfaction to lambaste a woman who will never find me on the Internet. It may not be the most grown up thing to do. But neither is comparing Obama to Hitler.
I feel better now.

Spitting distance? How vivid!

Did someone just cure Aids?
I read this article on my rss feeder and it just seemed so surreal. A German doctor has apparently cured AIDS. Let me say that again. There may be a cure for HIV. That disease that kills hundreds, thousands, of people all over the world everyday may have a cure now.

Why is this not bigger news?!? I mean, yay Obama and all that, but AIDS. Dude's not even in office yet and already theirs a cure for AIDS. What's next, he's going to fix the Global Economy? Ok, that's a joke. Especially since the cure was admiistered 2 years ago, which is why it's being reported now. It seems to be working.
I had heard about a vaccine, but that is still in the research stage.

This is just so cool.