oelier

And so it begins...

2009-11-03T18:02:07Z

NaNoWriMo is here. I'm participating for the first time, this year. It'll be interesting to see if I can reach the 50k word mark. It'll also be interesting to see if I can finish it within the month.

Odo reads Poe

2009-09-25T14:00:55Z

I had an awesome night last night. Isaiah Sheffer of "Selected Shorts" fame hosted a program of Edgar Allan Poe readings. His guests were Rene Auberjonois and Fionnula Flanagan. The readings consisted of both short stories and poems--a few lesser known works, but mostly his famous stuff like "The Raven", "The Masque of the Red Death", and "The Bells". Isaiah Sheffer himself read "The Raven". He gave a different emphasis and rhythm than what I was expecting, but brought out the humor in a piece not known for being funny. He also read "The Sphinx", a lesser known piece I recall from high school when doing a unit on perspective and viewpoint.

Fionnula Flanagn read "The Masque of the Red Death" and "Alone". She did a very good job with "Alone", a poem I hadn't heard before. Her rendition of "The Masque of the Red Death" was also well done. She has a very good voice for reading and she brought out the surreal quality of the story.

Rene Auberjonois did an outstanding job with "By the Sea" and absolutely knocked the audience flat with his reading of "The Black Cat". He truly brought out the sublime horror of the story of a man's descent into madness. The story itself is fairly disturbing (if you thought "The Tell-Tale Heart" was disturbing...) and the relish with which he read it elevated it far beyond written words.

The evening closed with an ensemble reading of "The Bells", each taking on the aspect of the different bells. They moved from individual reading to reading in unison smoothly, so that you almost didn't realise it.

Needless to say, you don't often get to see readings done live at this caliber. I'm truly greatful that I had the opportunity.

InCon

2009-07-07T02:58:51Z

Just got back from InConjunction today. It was my first time going. I'm not sure what to think about it. Not only was it my first InCon...it was my first convention where I didn't have to work. I met with friends...made some new ones...went to panels and discussions and events. Since it was my first time at InCon, I hung with gaelbrady and ladystarblade quite a bit and they introduced me to several people. (I'm sure most of them are on livejournal, but they weren't introduced using their lj names.)

Most of the panels I went to were panels for writers. Talk about some of the most outrageous things being said! I got some good information, but only in between recovering from side-splitting laughter. I went to filkertom's concert and enjoyed what I was able to see (I had to leave early). I went to the charity auctions (some interesting items being auctioned off). I hung out with congoddess and her group of friends some. One of the major highlights, though, was playing Thomas Jefferson in the shadowcast of 1776 on Friday night. One of the other highlights was having breakfast with filkertom Monday morning.

On the other hand, there were several things that just brought the whole experience down several levels. I did what I could, but I don't think it was enough.

This is just....wrong

2009-01-22T13:43:13Z

Watch out you Sting and Beatles fans! Songsmith from Microsoft has re-written some old classics for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypycpKQxXR0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BZk6aZp9xE

I wonder what it would do with...say...the Mikado. Or heaven forbid, the traditional songs of Ireland.

oelier @ 2008-11-15T01:36:00

2008-11-15T07:42:28Z

As long as I was doing blog-quizes, this one caught my eye:

Your Fitness Type: Challenging

You often find exercise to be mundane and too routine.

You need to be continually challenged and pushed.

Try exercise that has a potentially competitive element - like running or weightlifting.

You also may like taking on a partner in a fast paced sport like tennis or racquetball.

How Should You Get Fit?

Okay. Fair enough. Mostly true, but somehow not enough. As usual, there were a couple of borderline questions. When I tried the alternative answers, I got:

Your Fitness Type: Expressive

You find most exercise to be repetitive and dull.

But if you're able to express yourself, you hardly feel like you're exercising.

Try taking a dance class. Any kind that interests you, from ballet to hip hop.

You may also find that skiing, skateboarding, and roller skating are expressive sports in their own right!

How Should You Get Fit?

Well, now. Primary style of challenging with a secondary component of expression. Sounds like martial arts to me. (Of course dance falls into this, too.)

oelier @ 2008-11-15T01:22:00

2008-11-15T07:29:58Z

Funny, the first time I took it, I got:

You Are the Crow Pose

You have an amazing amount of strength. You don't need anyone but yourself in the world.

You are able to life yourself up when times get tough. You know how to persevere.

You are disciplined. You don't let pain or struggle be an issue for you.

Even though you are very independent, you also have the makings of a great leader.

What Yoga Pose Are You?
Then I changed a couple of borderline answers, and I got:

You Are the Half Moon Pose

You are able to look at the world from many points of view.

You don't mind if everything is turned upside down.

No matter what life throws at you, you always seem to regain your balance.

You don't really get stressed out. You just try to change your perspective!

What Yoga Pose Are You?

I dunno. I think the colorgenics thing was more accurate.

Politics sigh

2008-11-13T14:12:25Z

I like Barak Obama. I like his ideas. I like his energy. I like his style.

I don't like how people seems to have handed him all their problems and are saying, "Well. We've elected the best leader. Now it's time to sit back and wait for things to get better." He's been put on a pedestal. Never a good thing. Already the Smithsonian is planning to recreate one of his field offices. Granted, it probably has as much to do with being the first African-American elected president as anything else. But one can't help but wonder if there isn't something of idolizing also involved. In my mind, idols represent something untouchable, something unattainable. Idols are counter to Barak's central campaign message, "Yes we can!" Over and over, I've heard people say, "He's proven that it can be done." This doesn't sound like an idol. It sounds like a role model.

Leaders lead. Saviors save. Many of the people I've heard talk about how things are going to change seem to believe they've elected a savior. The problem with saviors is that all you have to do for them to save you is to subscribe to their ideology (sometimes blindly so), and they will make your life better. You can just sit around and say, "SHE will make things better," or "HE will make things right." It is an idol, a deus ex machina. Barak has shown that he is NOT an idol. He leads. He inspires, he motivates, he empowers us to play our part. He knows very well he can't fix everything, much less do it himself.

So why is he being placed on a pedestal? I don't know. My theory is that America has collective-ADHD. Putting him on a pedestal, turning him into a savior, allows people to turn their efforts to the dazzling array of 'opportunities' and activities. It allows them to get lazy. I'm not talking physically lazy, or mentally lazy. I'm talking about the inability of many people to maintain commitment to "the big picture." By putting Barak on a pedestal, people are saying, "We've hired somebody to do something about the big picture so that I don't have to."

One of Barak's biggest challenges is to take himself off the pedestal and convince people that his job is to be a role model, a leader, not an idol, a savior. The question is, will he realize it?

In for a sheep...

2008-10-30T18:51:09Z

"Copy this sentence into your livejournal if you're in a heterosexual marriage*, and you don't want it "protected" by the bigots who think that gay marriage hurts it somehow."

*or hope to be someday, or were once, or etc.

(ganked from jazz007)

oelier @ 2008-10-30T11:28:00

2008-10-30T16:38:03Z

Discovered this through the Nodwick site. Hilarious!

Sex Advice from a Dungeons and Dragons Player
Published by Joel November 22nd, 2006 in Ask Dethroner, Games, Sex, Women.

Someone from Nerve.com asked me if I played D&D and if I’d be willing to participate in their “Sex Advice from a…” column. (The theme, this time, being “…from a D&D Player.”) I just got an email from her editor saying “we need some responses that aren’t so related to the game Dungeons & Dragons.” They ask for comedy gold, yet I had already given them comedy platinum! (And they would obviously rather laugh at someone than laugh with them.) So fuck ‘em. Happy Thanksgiving!

• My lover and I enjoy role-play, but I’ve gotten tired of the same cliché scenarios like student/teacher and boss/secretary. Any recommendations for new roles that might help spice it up?
I don’t know what system you’re playing, but “student/teacher” and “boss/secretary” do not sound like choices that would inspire one to role-playing greatness. Consider a classic like “cleric of the watcher from the depths/virgin” or “half-orc paladin/gelatinous cube.” And remember, silken rope may be more expensive, but it’s nearly half the weight in encumbrance.

• I’ve been dating someone really great for a few months, but he’s never referred to me as his girlfriend. How do I take it to another Level?
While the obvious answer is “Accomplish a story task in the boyfriend track for XP equal or greater to your next level threshold,” I get the feeling you might be hinting that you want to descend into the fetid labyrinth that festers beneath his ancient wizard’s tower. In that case the stairs are in quadrant M23, behind the Throne of the Kobold Hetman.

• I’m into S&M and so is my lover, but we can’t afford to visit a dungeon. How can we create a dungeon ambiance at home without going broke?
It’s been years since I’ve seen anyone playing that proto-system “Swords & Magic!” Kudos to your fine taste; And huzzah. Do not discount the scene-setting potential of ambient background noise. May I recommend “Swords & Magic Scintillating Soundscapes: Volume IV: Bigby’s Blue Basement”? (Available on reel-to-reel and microcassette.)

• What’s more important: 18 Dexterity, or 18 Endurance (or 18 Charisma)?
Note: “Endurance” is, in D&D parlance, “Constitution.” I mean duh!
Depending on your chosen character class, any could important. A high charisma makes it dead simple to lure lusty tavern wenches up to your three-copper mat of straw. (Hint: Use clean straw for that special someone!) A high Constitution allows one to produce up to 1d3+1 draughts of seminal fluid per round, ensuring a high success percentage on any procreation rolls. I have heard — and ye be tellin’ no man n’er beast from whence this knowledge sprang — that a high Dex gives one the ability to give pleasure to others. I suspect it’s an urban arcanum legend.

• I think nerdy women are hot. Where and how do I meet them?
Where? 1. DragonCon 2. WyrmCon 3. WyvernCon 4. TiamatCon 5. The Texas Instruments Graphing Calculator Showroom.
How? I recommend telephoto lens, at least 300mm.

• My girlfriend is older and more experienced than me. What can I do to impress her in bed?
Ah ha! Clearly you are looking for Feats, introduced in the Third Edition ruleset, which offer a variety of abilities that can be used to impress or distract your opponent. Consider: “Acrobatic,” “Alertness,” “Animal Affinity,” “Armor Proficiency (Medium),” and “Athletic.” (And that’s just from the As!)
See also: “Blind-Fight,” “Cleave,” “Craft Rod,” “Deflect Arrows,” “Enlarge Spell,” “Extend Spell,” “Greater Two-Weapon Fighting,” “Iron Will,” “Mounted Combat,” “Rapid Reload,” or “Shot on the Run.” (Actually, pretty much all the Feats are gold.)

• What skills do D&D players have that can be applied to sex?
I can open a two-liter of Mountain Dew with the armored ridge of my taint. ’nuff said.

• Is it possible to have sex with someone if you don’t respect their character?
No. If you can’t pretend to respect the person they pretend to be, how can they expect you to pretend to respect the person they are? Ask them to re-roll.

• I am a 27-year old virgin. It’s not that I’m unattractive or totally uncool, I just never found anyone I really wanted. But now I’m ready. Where should I go to lose my virginity in a really memorable way?
Chuck, you asshole. It’s one thing to miss the game but you were on Burrito Supreme duty. Get thee over to my place tomorrow and we’ll do a solo adventure that should satisfy your curiosity. Bring your latex dice bag.

• I have a medieval costume fetish. How do I interest a partner in this?
Easy as regenerating a limb with troll’s blood! Are you a woman? Simply dress up in a bikini, link together a few pop can tabs into something resembling chain mail, and drape your “armor” over your crotch or breasts.
Are you a man? Oh, fucking forget about it. You can call it your “Wand of Wonder” all you like but she’s still going to laugh at your cape.

• My last lover cheated on me. How can I learn to trust again?
Experience is a harsh mistress. Or wait, no, Xytherias of Calmodorn is a harsh mistress. XP is just a bitch.

I think I may have to subscribe to this guy's blog. It can be found at http://dethroner.com/

Stopping, Pt. 2

2008-10-29T13:28:07Z

In considering the difference between “quitting” and “giving up,” there are some judgmental implications of each. I approached them, but didn’t actually cross the line and address them in Part 1. I didn’t want to complicate things too much with a potential hot button interpretation.

In denotative terms, “can’t”, “cannot”, and “can not” mean that something is not possible. In today’s connotative terms, however, this phrase and its variants are often used in place of “will not” or “won’t”. In psychological terms, this is the difference between a passive and an active approach to something. In social terms, though, it is often either used by those too lazy or timid to be decisive, or it is seen as being too lazy or timid. Though there is some truth to both social and psychological view points, I think that using “quit” as a substitute for “give up” tends to stem from lazy English. English is a wonderful language, filled with very subtle shadings and nuances between synonyms that people tend to ignore in favor of convenience.

When speaking with people, we tend to respect those who use “won’t” more than those who use “can’t,” even if we don’t agree. The term “can’t” shuffles responsibility off onto a situation. In American culture we tend to respect people, not situations, those who do not take responsibility do not earn respect.

If “can’t” means “I don’t want to take responsibility” and “won’t” means “stopping is my responsibility,” so what? What does it matter if you don’t want the responsibility? What’s wrong with not wanting the responsibility? Nothing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with declining to take on responsibility for something. (I’m talking, here, about something yet to happen, not taking responsibility for something you have already done.) The problem is that instead of saying, “I don’t want the responsibility for that,” many people blame the situation and use the situation as an excuse.

oelier @ 2008-10-29T07:58:00

2008-10-29T13:19:57Z

Happy 79th anniversary of Black Tuesday. It's been 79 years from the day heralding the Great Depression. Isn't it nice to know that life goes on?

Stopping, Part 1

2008-10-28T14:22:02Z

I’ve often been told, “Don’t quit,” and, “no one wants a quitter,” and, “quitters will let you down.” At the time it sounded like good advice. Recently, though, I’ve begun to wonder. Why, with all of these “don’t quit” messages are we supportive of some kinds of quitters? Smokers, for instance, or recovering alcoholics. Is it really quitting that needs to be avoided, or is it something else?

I tell my students, “Never give up.” It follows the old adage, “It’s not over ‘til the fat lady sings.” There are many come-from-behind stories that seem to prove the idea that you’re not finished until the task is done. And yet, what about the stories of people ruining themselves because they followed the idea of “keep going until you succeed” blindly?

Somewhere between the two is the ideal. I’ve decided that, though the definitions are similar, quitting and giving up are not the same. Giving up implies a lack of will to keep going. Whether it’s from lack of emotional commitment, the idea that a task is physically impossible for you to do, or just that you believe that the situation is hopeless, giving up is about the situation dictating your actions.

Quitting is merely stopping an activity with no intention of returning to it. Quitting is about deciding for yourself what your actions will be. If you have the mental, emotional, and physical fortitude to keep going against seemingly impossible odds, if you retain the desire to keep trying, then when you stop, you are quitting, not giving up. In many cases, quitting requires that you be stronger at an emotional and mental level (even physical depending on the activity) than to keep going.

Making this mental switch to considering where the impetus for action comes from can be difficult. Especially if you are used to thinking quitting and giving up are the exact same thing. On one level, they do mean the same thing. They both mean stopping an activity. On the connotative level, though, they are nearly opposites. If you quit, you decide to stop. If you give up, the situation decides you will stop. The critical thought patterns are completely different. The person who gives up says, “I can’t.” The person who quits says, “If I don’t like where this is going, I won’t.”

So all you alcoholics and smoke-a-holics and whatever-holics, be quitters…and don’t give up quitting.

oelier @ 2008-10-26T00:18:00

2008-10-26T05:21:42Z

Snagged from gaelbrady .

you are cadetblue
#5F9EA0

Your dominant hues are green and blue. You're smart and you know it, and want to use your power to help people and relate to others. Even though you tend to battle with yourself, you solve other people's conflicts well.

Your saturation level is lower than average - You don't stress out over things and don't understand people who do. Finishing projects may sometimes be a challenge, but you schedule time as you see fit and the important things all happen in the end, even if not everyone sees your grand master plan.

Your outlook on life can be bright or dark, depending on the situation. You are flexible and see things objectively.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

Again...anyone surprised?

oelier @ 2008-10-22T14:03:00

2008-10-22T19:03:59Z

Just out of curiosity.

What color is your soul painted?

Blue

Your soul is painted the color blue, which embodies the characteristics of peace, patience, understanding, health, tranquility, protection, spiritual awareness, unity, harmony, calmness, coolness, confidence, dependability, loyalty, idealism, tackiness, and wisdom. Blue is the color of the element Water, and is symbolic of the ocean, sleep, twilight, and the sky.

Click Here to Take This Quiz
Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

Is anyone surprised?

oelier @ 2008-10-21T09:42:00

2008-10-21T14:46:41Z

There are times when I wonder why I practice and teach the martial arts I do. Despite the fact that the Austin area has a disproportionate number of martial arts schools, no one in Austin practices this particular style. In fact I’m not sure anyone in Texas practices this particular style. There are practitioners in other, similar styles (and few even of those), but none for the specific style I practice. In other words, despite the size of the martial art community, I have very little in the way of support.

In order to progress and learn new things, I have to fly to New England for a couple weeks each year. Since I can only do this for a couple weeks each year, it kind of limits the idea of steady progress. When I go, I train as hard and as often as I can. It gets intense. Since I’m only there for a limited time, my instructor is fairly hard on me. He wants to be sure that I not only know what I’m doing, but that I understand what I’m doing. He forces me to work on details that I wasn’t able to see for myself. I just wish I could do that year round.

Since this style is unknown for the most part, it doesn’t get the name recognition that Tae Kwon Do or Shotokan or even Tai Chi Chuan get. Even the YMCA I teach out of doesn’t use the name in their class brochure anymore. No one understood it. No one knew what it meant. No one even had a clue. Now it’s listed as “Indonesian Kung Fu” because people think they know what Kung Fu is.

I’m isolated. The most common suggestion I receive is, “Why not work out with some of those who are around?” I could. And I have. And it can be very good. The problem is that the styles are so completely different. Would you expect Monet to paint the Sistine Chapel? How about Mona Lisa as painted by Malevich? Would you want to hear the 1812 Overture written by Chopin? Or Ride of the Valkyries written by Mozart? When I participate in the class of another style, I play by their rules. Most of the time, their rules are more restrictive, so I have to hold back.

Strategically, and in the business world, being an isolated style can be a good thing. It’s strategically good because no one knows what to expect. In terms of business, I have a practical monopoly in the local market for this style. On a personal level, being isolated is not so good.

So why do I continue to practice and teach? Because I enjoy the challenge for itself. Because what I offer is unique. Because in the end, martial arts is not just a way to fight. It is a way of life that kept me going when I could depend on nothing else.

No D*Con for me.

2008-07-23T13:49:27Z

Subject pretty much says it all. I won't be going to DragonCon this year.

oelier @ 2008-05-29T16:05:00

2008-05-29T21:06:06Z

Aargh! Somebody shoot me now, please.

Meanderings

2008-05-28T03:58:36Z

Well...it finally happened. I am now officially alone in the house. It feels a little odd at the moment since the only sounds are coming from me. I keep feeling like somethings going to collapse or blow up or do something equally drastic.

My roommate showed up yesterday at 6 p.m. with three friends and a moving truck from Budget. I hadn't expected this until we at least got the house under contract if not closed. Now, even though there is much less in the way of stuff in the house, the house was left in a much messier state than before. Ah well. Maybe if I spread things out it'll be easier to deal with later.

My primary concern at the moment is that I'll now have to foot the entire utility bill/phone bill on my own. Granted it'll be somewhat lower with only one person here, but I don't think it'll drop 50% (there's a base fee no matter how much electricity/gas/water/etc. is used). Fortunately (maybe), my schedule is so booked that I won't be spending loads of time here wasting electricity and what-not. I teach Tuesday and Thursday evenings, I do an aerobics class followed by slam poetry on Wednesday evenings. Friday is either a game/movie night or some other social event. Sundays I visit with my parents during the day and then I go play Ultimate Frisbee until dark. That leaves Monday evenings and Saturdays for me to sit and do nothing...like that'll happen. On some Mondays I may pay a mat fee and join in a Judo class (I love learning new physical activities). I pay the mat fee since I can't attend regularly enough to justify a month's tuition. Game/movie-less Friday evenings may be devoted to Aikido. Again this would be a pay per session rather than a full month tuition. Saturdays are kind of a wild card at the moment. Most of the time, I never know what's happening until Friday afternoon at the earliest. So yeah...my schedule is kinda full at the moment. And only the game/movie nights are a drain on the utilities, so that's a bonus.

I find myself relying more and more on the stuff I learned as a teen via Alateen. Between that, martial arts, playing the violin, and now slam poetry, I've managed to maintain an even keel. It's even been noted at work how calm I am at work, even if critical pieces of the processes stop working. All I can say is, "Thank God for past experiences, because without them we wouldn't have the tools we need today."

Pun of the Moment: What did the musician say as a thief zoomed off with his breakfast? "Allegro my Eggo."

No AC

2008-05-23T16:11:02Z

Ugh. It is hot in my building today. No AC. The only way to get air circulation is to open the windows...which means lotsa humidity. Blah. Everybody's drained. The part to fix the AC is not in Austin...closest place is San Antonio...which has pushed back the estimated fix time from 11:00 (already passed) to mid-afternoon...at the earliest. In other words, it won't get fixed until after the hottest part of the day. *sigh*

oelier @ 2008-05-12T22:02:00

2008-05-13T03:12:49Z

Has anyone else heard of Anna Russell? Although she sings opera, she's best known for her musical comedy...err...criticisms...um....comical critiques. Hilarious if you know anything about the history of music. Just be aware that, as one critic said, "she puts as much effort into singing badly as most people put into singing well." I've had one of her CDs for a couple years now. To give you and idea, it starts out with ideas on practical banana marketing. Talk about taking things to absurdity. Well. I just bought another of her CDs. It's got a history of folk music, a serious talk about the french horn, stuff about bagpipes, even a bit about beat poetry. The last track is "Hamletto: or Proscuttino", a very funny recap of Hamlet.

I'm still humming bits and pieces of "Jolly Old Sigmund Freud".

oelier @ 2008-05-12T08:21:00

2008-05-12T13:23:16Z

Snagged this from gaelbrady.

Part I: Past

1. What did you do yesterday?
Spent time with my family. Played Ultimate in Zilker Park.

2. Who was your best friend two years ago?
Define “best”. Friends I would have put at the top of the list are: Andrew, Sean, Jessica

3. When was the last time you cleaned your room?
Last weekend.

4. Name a band/artist did you used to be obsessed with:
Obsessed with? Don’t know if I “obsessed” with any band/artist.

5. How was your last relationship?
Those who want to know can ask me directly.

6. Do you remember your very first pet?
Abbie. A black long-hair cat of mixed breeding.

7. What day was it five days ago?
Wednesday

8. Do you still keep in touch with your elementary school friends?
No. Though I run across one every now and then.

9. Who was your kindergarten teacher?
Mrs. Neece

10. Did you enjoy middle school?
Parts of it. But not most of it.

Part II: Present

11. What are you currently wearing?

Grey long sleeves shirt and black jeans.

12. Why are you taking this survey?
relearning some things…those who want to know, can ask.

13. There's something else you should probably be doing, right?
Definitely.

14. How was your day today?
It’s just begun.

15. What are you thinking about at the moment?
Trying not to.

16. Are you single or taken?
…

17. What's your favorite band/artist?
Depends on the genre.

18. Are you listening to anything?
The sound of surveys being processed.

19. Look to your left. What's there?
A stapler. On my desk.

20. Pissed off about anything?
Could be. Trying not to be.

Part III: Future

21. How old do you want to be when you get married or have kids?
Married: been there; kids: don’t want ‘em

22. What kind of car are going to have when you're 20?
Already out of 20s. Cars I’ve had: Buick Skylark; Chevy Lumina; Nissan Altima; Mazda 6

23. What time are you going to wake up at tomorrow?
First time: between 5:45 and 6:00 a.m.

Get out of bed: between 6:00 and 6:30 a.m.

24. Do you think anyone else is going to repost this after you?
not from me

25. Going to college?
Been there…done that…got the degree. Will I go back? Probably…but not for a degree.

26. Do you think you'll be a successful person in life?
Define successful.

27. What's your main goal?

To die happy and content and not before my parents.

28. Do you think your life will have a dramatic change in the next five years?
Probably. But if I could predict it, it probably wouldn’t be that dramatic.

29. What year do you graduate highschool?
Graduated 1996.

30. Are you afraid of the "real world"?
Been living there for a while. It can be a pain, but not really scary.

Part IV: Just Random Stuff

31. Name:
I actually did an essay on this in high school (don’t worry, I won’t reproduce it here). Given name: Shandy. Various nicknames: Will, Unicorn, Elsewhere, Raindrop, Ghost, Sponge…probably a few more I’ve forgotten…and at least one more I’m not going to repeat.

32. DOB (Date of Birth):
Two days after Christmas.

33. Hometown:
Born: Boston. Raised: Austin. You decide.

34. Gay marriage- Support or Against?
Support

35. Favorite TV Shows?
Current: none

Syndicated: “As Time Goes By”

No longer shown on broadcast: Star Trek (original, next gen., ds9), Babylon 5, Connections

36. Color of the socks you're wearing?
White

37. Rap or rock?
Rock

38. Is there a reason for everything?
Strictly speaking? Yes. Is it divine in origin? Don’t know. Doesn’t really matter.

oelier @ 2008-05-07T23:10:00

2008-05-08T04:33:51Z

This past Sunday, I played Ultimate Frisbee in I-don't-know-how-many-years. Talk about a humbling experience. I'd gotten used to being good at any physical activity I applied myself to. I was arguably the worst player out on the field that day. I was even worse than the guy who was completely blitzed because it was his birthday. Oh I could justify my performance in many ways: it's been more than 15 years since I played Ultimate, I'm used to reacting to openings and weaknesses as soon as I see them, I'm starting to play disc golf again and throwing a golf disc is much different than throwing an Ultimate disc. I could justify my performance, to myself and others, but I find that I don't want to. I want to revel in my barely adequate, below average abilities in this sport. It feels good to push myself beyond my comfort zone. It feels good to learn new skills and relearn old ones. But most of all, it feels good to refuse to give up despite a lack of natural talent.

I expect that over the next few months, I will improve. You can't keep applying yourself to something and not make progress, no matter how small each step is. At the moment, I can barely last a single game, because my aerobic capacity is crap, never mind the four or five games some of the others played. I know my anaerobic capacity is good because it doesn't take long for me to recover enough to re-join the game as a substitute, but I still need that recovery time. Endurance is a wonderful thing, but it is hard to obtain and easy to lose. My current goal is to be able to last two full games by the end of summer. By mid-autumn I hope to be good enough to join an amateur club and play league games. We shall see. One session a week (albeit 1 session = 2+ hours) will make for slow progress.

Ponderings

2008-05-07T02:36:55Z

If the phoenix is a symbol of rebirth, being reborn from the fire of the previous incarnation, where did the first phoenix come from?

Meanderings

2008-04-28T23:39:25Z

As I sit here, listening to a cd of classical music, I find myself in awe of the artists I'm listening to.

After reflecting on my awe of the musicians, I've come to the realization that this sense of awe is not limited to musicians. I'm awed by any demonstration of mastery of a craft or skill. This is not to say all demonstrations, public or private, invoke this emotion. Oh I can and do admire someone who demonstrates mere competency. In these cases, it is not the demonstration I admire. Rather it is the courage and commitment of the person behind the demonstration I admire.

While I speak of "mere competence," competence in any skill or craft is not "mere" anything. There are many people who aspire to the level of competency. Unfortunately, there are also many people "out there" who, upon becoming competent, believe themselves "masters." It is a sad fact that these beliefs are often reinforced by fans and supporters and by those who aspire to competence (often referred to as "dabblers".) The difference in skill level between dabblers and those who are truly competent is usually vast enough to encourage the belief of mastery.

As an example, let's look at playing the violin. I am, at best, a skillful dabbler. In reality I am probably closer to a mediocre dabbler. When I compare myself to the violinists in the Austin Symphony Orchestra, it is tempting to think of them as masters of the violin. If I had not heard a few of the true master violinists, I would view the ASO violinists as masters. As skillful as these violinists may be, they are "only" competent. I once had the pleasure of hearing Itzhak Perlman in concert. The best of the ASO violinists look and sound like amateurs next to his performance.

Looking at another field, I am a martial artist. I have been told that I'm good. Some of my younger students insist I am a master. I know, however, that though I may be skilled, I am no more than competent. It is the skill difference between those students and myself as well as a lack of exposure to a true master martial artist that allows them to view me as a master.

So what, then, is the dividing line between "dabbler," "competence," and "mastery"? I do not know if there is a codified answer to that; however, it seems to me that the dividing line is best seen in terms of a demonstration's effect on an observer. Someone who dabbles usually creates an "isn't that nice" or "that looks like fun" reaction, but no more than that. Someone who is competent elicits an emotional response. There may even be an element of "that looks like fun" to it, but the defining characteristic is an emotional connection. A master will not only create that emotional connection, but will use that connection to draw an observer in so that all connections to the here-and-now drop away. The observer enters a state of being that is so focused on the display that all other emotional and psychological connections disappear. For a brief period of time, the display of a master's craft becomes the whole of the observer's universe.

Those who dabble, participate in the world.
Those who are competent, manipulate the world.
Those who are masters, create the world.

Meanderings

2008-04-23T13:53:37Z

I've been working on Irish session tunes. I realized, however, that the slowest one I've learned so far is in the allegretto/moderato tempo range (moderately fast; between 108 and 120 beats per minute). I need some slower tunes, maybe somewhere in the larghetto-andante range (slow but not crawling; between 60 and 100 beats per minute). Any ideas (preferably _not_ Danny Boy and the like)?

I've also been looking for people to play with. The main problem with being a violinist is that most of the opportunities seem to fall in the classical style. I can play classical, but I'm tired of it. Lots of people looking for guitars, drums, and vocals. Not so much for violin. Ah well.

In other areas, I'm thinking about taking up disc golf again. Haven't played in ten years or more, but I still have the discs. This past Saturday I went to a local park where I know there is a course somewhere. It took a while, but I found it. Unfortunately I didn't find the beginning. I parked somewhere around the 15th "hole". I know most courses are set up in a circuit with the 18th hole near the 1st hole; however, like a dumbass, this didn't occur to me until I'd back-tracked my way to the eighth hole. At that point it was easier to keep going backwards rather than to retrace my path and turn right instead of left. "Easy" being relative. Since I didn't know the course, I had to stand at the beginning of one hole and look around until I found the previous hole. Then I made my way straight there and looked for the start marker. Sounds easy and logical, right? I spent a lot of time ducking tree branches, jumping creeks and road-side barriers, and getting my shoes all muddy only to find out that next to the first hole, there is a map of the course that shows where the bridges are. Go figure. At least I got my exercise. I ran from marker to marker.

oelier

And so it begins...

Odo reads Poe

InCon

This is just....wrong

oelier @ 2008-11-15T01:36:00

oelier @ 2008-11-15T01:22:00

Politics *sigh*

In for a sheep...

oelier @ 2008-10-30T11:28:00

Stopping, Pt. 2

oelier @ 2008-10-29T07:58:00

Stopping, Part 1

oelier @ 2008-10-26T00:18:00

oelier @ 2008-10-22T14:03:00

oelier @ 2008-10-21T09:42:00

No D*Con for me.

oelier @ 2008-05-29T16:05:00

Meanderings

No AC

oelier @ 2008-05-12T22:02:00

oelier @ 2008-05-12T08:21:00

oelier @ 2008-05-07T23:10:00

Ponderings

Meanderings

Meanderings

Politics sigh