The Epic of Otis

In Which our Hero has one of his Childhood Fantasies Fufilled

2007-05-15T21:02:32Z

w00t

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6656635.stm

I read those books many more times than is probably healthy. Last final in two days!

In Which our Hero is Oh Dear God British Humor!

2007-05-09T18:47:41Z

Ha...haha...ha...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6637429.stm

A view of the Queen's visit with W from a brit perspective. Priceless.

In Which our Hero is official

2007-05-08T08:11:58Z

So I'm now a card carrying aikido sixth kyu!!! Which basically means that I skipped the first three or four aikido ranking tests to take this one. And I passed. Aside from my good saxophone times and my improved academics, this is what I'm the most proud of this semester.

One problem, though; I may be a card-carrier now, but I have no wallet to carry said card in. It was thieved from me, and canceling all those cards I carry around is a bit of a hassle. At least I only have two papers and one exam to go. It's around this time of year I start missing people the worst. Anyway, I should be in bed or writing my paper, so I'll decide on which one to do in a few hours. Don't forget about me, okay?

In Which our Hero has his 6th kyu test on Monday

2007-05-06T06:09:35Z

Boy do I love me some Aikido. Weekend long seminars with guys who studied with the founder of the art ain't so bad either. Watching two people test for third degree blackbelt and have to fend off five people with five different weapons all at the same time is mind blowing. New friends and sense of community=teh awesome. Oh wait... school isn't over yet. Should probably do something about that...

In Which our Hero has stolen from Peter

2007-04-30T10:44:36Z

The Everything Test

There are many different types of tests on the internet today. Personality tests, purity tests, stereotype tests, political tests. But now, there is one test to rule them all.

Traditionally, online tests would ask certain questions about your musical tastes or clothing for a stereotype, your experiences for a purity test, or deep questions for a personality test.We're turning that upside down - all the questions affect all the results, and we've got some innovative results too! Enjoy :-)

Personality

You are more emotional than logical, more concerned about others than concerned about self, more atheist than religious, more dependent than loner, more lazy than workaholic, more rebel than traditional, more artistic mind than engineering mind, more cynical than idealist, more leader than follower, and more introverted than extroverted.

As for specific personality traits, you are intellectual (89%), romantic (86%), innovative (86%), adventurous (62%).

Stereotypes
Punk Rock	87%
College Student	82%
Old Geezer	67%

Life Experience
Sex	31%
Substances	0%
Travel	26%

Politics
Your political views would best be described as Liberal, whom you agree with around 64% of the time.

Socioeconomic
Your attitude toward life best associates you with Working Class. You make more than 23% of those who have taken this test, and 99% less than the U.S. average.

If your life was a movie, it would be rated PG.
By the way, your hottness rank is 52%, hotter than 23% of other test takers.

TAKE THE TEST
brought to you by thatsurveysite

In Which our Hero is promoting

2007-04-18T04:25:10Z

Just wanted to share the promotional pic Dan and I created for tomorrow's sax concert.

Why isn't this print hanging in the Louvre?

In Which our Hero is sore

2007-04-15T00:04:14Z

This has probably been one of the busiest semesters on record for me, even though I'm low on the class load for once. The monstrous piece called Krasch (hereafter known as the HARDEST PIECE EVER), has been keeping just about everybody in the classical sax studio pretty busy. As in, for about two months, we had rehearsals three or four days a week on the damn thing. However, we had our first performance last Tuesday, and it went pretty well (the conductor slightly flubbing the ending and throwing us off aside). Because of all the work that went into it, we're actually going to be performing it more than once, once on Wednesday for our studio concert, and again at the Oberlin Percussion group concert, as the piece is for saxophone quartet and six percussionists.

As for Evenings with Saxophones, I was going to be playing two solo pieces, one for alto and one for bari. Due to time constraints, the alto piece I'm going to be saving for my sink or swim jury test-the one that if I fail, I get kicked out. I'm not nervous about that. Nope. Not one little bit. Hoo-boy. Anyway, the cool thing about the bari piece is that it's going to be a North American premier. How sweet is that? I get to play a piece that only been played in Europe, and put it on the map over here. I'm quite psyched about that.

In other news, I went to the all night Aikido-slam last night, and experienced the longest workout of my entire life, life-threatening raft trip aside. We trained in aikido, Japanese sword fighting, Xiaolin Kung-fu, Belly dancing(!), and then more Aikido. We started at seven thirty, took three five minute breaks, and a fifteen minute one for pizza, then ended at around one thirty in the morning. And guess what we did after Jim-sensei left? We trained until four by ourselves. The word sore has been given whole new worlds of meaning to me. Plus sleeping on mats in my gi (training clothes) was an interesting experience. At least I feel like part of the group now, lots of bonding and all that. Plus Jim-sensei, who was visiting from Cleveland and who is quite awesome, told me that I had a great attitude and he looked forward to training with me again.

I'm having a good semester. Who'da thought?

In Which our Hero is back

2007-03-17T04:48:58Z

So. Long time. No posting. Yeah. Slacker. Wow... um... yeah, so short news update. I am now out of a two month relationship that ended with more of my classic superbad timing. I attempted to still keep the whole 'friendship' thing going after because I really do like her just not in that way (no matter how much I hate that phrase, I don't feel like details), but her mood went ugly and I got called everything from a dog to gay with lyrics to a song called 'Not Big.' Get the picture? So yeah, my friends staged an intervention and I'm no longer in contact, and that's been okay with me.

In other news I'm in the middle of working on the hardest piece of my life, one that might bring some much needed respect to the classical sax department. We had the crap condescended out of us by the Percussion prof, so that was no fun, but we're proving him wrong big time.

I've also started taking Aikido. Chuck, once I have more practice on the bokken we'll have to do an east meets west duel type of thing. It'll be swell. Oh, and getting hurled through the air is quite fun, but it does bring one close to masochism.

Break in a week... I may see some of you... that would be awesome.

In Which our Hero is lengthy

2007-01-04T07:55:48Z

Haven't updated for a while, here's a stolen recap posting from...lotsa folks

1. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before?
Drove a boat, sprained something, worked construction.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Never really made any official resolutions, more decisions during the year that usually lasted a day or two.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth in 2006?
Don't think so.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
I don't remember if Luke Palmer died last year or the year before and that's sad, had some friends lose people close to them too...

5. What countries did you visit?
I actually didn't make it out of the U.S. this year, which is too bad.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
A stable relationship, better discipline over myself.

7. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
A certain Thursday in november, and the Saturday after fall break for the BNL concert.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I played in a proffesional orchestra and nailed my Evening's solo, I'm a real musician now.

9. What was your biggest failure?
My lack of effort in certain essential areas of my life.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Got a sprained ankle, and suffered from year-long sleep deprivation, but what college student hasn't?

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My Barenaked Ladies conert ticket

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
A lot of my friends have become very good RAs, and my sister got into Mt. Holyoke, good for her.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Don't get me started on the government, you'll get an earfull.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Quite a bit went to my cell and the truck accident, the rest was textbooks, conductor's batons, food, consumerist crap, and gifts

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Concerts I played in all year, attending the Barenaked Ladies concert, seeing all my friends again.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
Actually would probably be Muse-map of the problematique. Really spoke to me.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? A bit wiser? Hopefully slightly more mature.
ii. thinner or fatter? Stupid ass freshman fifteen (even though I'm a sophmore).
iii. richer or poorer? I worked this summer, but lost a bit with some incidents mentioned above, so probably about even.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Playing and studying, can never do enough.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
The Internets is a deadly black hole of apathy and time-wasting.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
At home with the fam, seeing as many friends for as long as is humanly possible.

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
My dad and Sara.

22. Did you fall in love in 2006?
Don't think so.

23. How many one-night stands?
Ha. Funny.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Lost, Battlestar Galactica, and Higurashi no naku Koro ni. And yes, that's three, but who cares.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not sure I've ever truly hated anyone.

26. What was the best book you read?
The Thousandfold Thought blew my mind, as did the Screwtape letters. (should be a separate list for graphic novels)

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Favorite new band is Thirty Seconds to Mars. Best piece was the rediscovery of the Muzcinsky.

28. What did you want and get?
Got some good movies, books, and opportunities

29. What did you want and not get?
An acting gig, and a steady relationship (but I'm not bitter)

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Casino Royale and Ping-Pong

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Took four exams and got taken out to dinner. Twenty, dear lord.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Gaining insight into myself a few weeks earlier...

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
I actually am much more into shirt now, and my leather coat, of course.

34. What kept you sane?
Music

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
hmmm... gonna go with Borat on this one. Nice!

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Still bugged about the war, corruption, no child left behind, civil liberties, yeesh.

37. Who did you miss?
Everyone I wasn't currently within walking distance from who I hadn't seen for a while.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Kimiko and Elle.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006:
I'm not perfect.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Shall I take back everything I've ever said and live my whole life in silence instead?

Stolen from Peter:

a Ninja

You scored 9 Honor, 4 Justice, 6 Adventure, and 4 Individuality!

You are a soldier of the night. You rely on no more than your cunning
and your repuation to strike fear in the hearts of lord and peasant
alike. You've a sense of honor, but one that comes from within, not
imposed from outside.

Black clothes and shuriken for you. You're gonna do just fine.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 99% on Ninjinuity
You scored higher than 99% on Knightlyness
You scored higher than 99% on Cowboiosity
You scored higher than 99% on Piratical Bent

Link: The Cowboy-Ninja-Pirate-Knight Test written by fluffy71 on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

In Which our Hero is TIRED

2006-11-21T07:45:58Z

So, play rehearsal started at nine thirty. I JUST GOT BACK. Dear lord. On the plus side, I got paid for the symphony gig today. I'm up three hundred and change. High five!

shinigami1386 @ 2006-11-16T22:36:00

2006-11-17T03:36:13Z

Now I know what rock bottom feels like. If it is within my power, I will never sink lower again.

In Which our Hero has been suckered in

2006-11-15T07:07:30Z

So I started following CNN.com a while ago to try to keep up on current news, you know, now that I don't have easy access to a paper and all. I realized a few weeks ago that I didn't feel like I was getting a lot of information, or, well, news. I couldn't really put my finger on what was wrong, I mean, CNN has a much better rep than, say, FOX. But this article opened my eyes. I'ma go switch me to the bbc.

<http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/10/19/125148/65>

P.S. Phone tag is fun.

In Which our Hero is now a real musician

2006-11-12T19:49:15Z

So yesterday was the concert of the Mansfield symphony orchestra. Nothing hugely special, except for the fact that they had gotten three saxophones from Oberlin to play with them for two of their pieces. I was one, my friends from my year in the studio were the other (our senior is student teaching and our Freshman needs more experience). We played in An American in Paris and Harlem. Both were really good, and pretty hard. And we kicked some serious butt last night. We had rehearsal every night starting on Tuesday, and the was the day we first got out music, but since it was an orchestra, we were expected to get it up to snuff as fast as possible, so we did. Yesterday we played an afternoon concert in an air base for a hangar full of veterans and their families, then played at Mansfield's version of the Flynn to several hundered people.

I've played in a real orchestra, and we're getting paid for it. I'm a real musician now.

In Which our Hero is Political

2006-11-07T04:38:45Z

So, just wanted to get down that I sent in my absentee ballot. I matter! Most of you can probably guess who I'm voting for, if not, feel free to question. I've found that I've been able to keep a reasonably cool head during the last few political discussions I've had with one of my really good friends here, even if we don't agree about quite a few things. I'm rather pleased that we haven't reduced each other to just throwing insults and made up facts, even though I could feel tension build with each discussion. It feels wierd to try to explain something that seems very right to you to someone who has even a slightly different view. I could feel the temptation to start belitteling and namecalling, but that wouldn't make me much better than so many of the pundits who have filled so much of this political discourse with their rapid fire b.s. I may not agree with you, but I hope that I always go with discussing my thoughts in a rational manner than react in a knee-jerk inflammitory way. Have I even come off as that way to you guys? Just wondering.

And this post was going to just be about me sending in my ballot. /rant.

In Which our Hero is back from the Concert

2006-10-29T04:15:58Z

So, saw BNL in concert today. Now I can die happy.

In Which our Hero has spent much of the week unconscious

2006-10-19T19:21:18Z

So... yesterday was the five year anniversary of my mom's death. And the five year anniversary of Ben W's thing. And I've still only found one person I allow to use 'yo momma' jokes on me. Guess I still haven't quite accepted it yet. Huh.

In Which our Hero is Insane

2006-10-08T06:27:44Z

I asked her to go to the Barenaked Ladies Concert. She just said yes. I'm going to see my favorite band for the first time. I'm taking a girl I really like with me.

...
...
...

Words fail to describe my mood.

In Which our Hero is Preturbed

2006-10-07T03:03:25Z

So I just got a call on my cell from a number I didn't know. 'Hello?' 'Hello. Would you like to take a survey on 9/11' 'Um... sure.'
'How low do your balls hang?'
'.....What?'
'*laughter* How low do your balls hang?'
'...'
'9/11 happened because you were lazy. And you're a douche *more laughter*'
'....'

then they hung up.

What. The. Hell.
I looked up the number and it's from Colchester of all places. Some people can be real idiots. And how did they get my number?

In Which our Hero is going to bed

2006-09-28T07:14:39Z

I think I've almost equaled the progress and things learned about the saxophone last year in these first few weeks. Practicing can make you better? What? When did that happen? You can't make progress without a good reed? Bwah? These 'rhythm' exercises you speak of, they can make you faster? Say what? A sonata is not a technical exersise, and requires emotion and understanding? Surely you jest! Oh. Not jesting. Right. Got it. And in relationship news, I am horrific at talking to girls that I like. That shouldn't be news either, but there you go.

Ooh, ooh! Starting next week, my student teaching begins. Ten weeks at a high school, observing and teaching with one my friends from my sax studio. Could be worse. Good thing high school kids are less impressionable then elementary schoolers (I saw a first grader on Tuesday say biatch twice, and said his mom didn't care. Gangsta in the making. Makes you feel good about society, seeing a kid no older than six act like that. Oh, and we are strictly forbidden from having relationships with the students we're teaching, even though some of them will only be about two years below us, and apparently have a tendency to develop crushes on student teachers (at the high school). Apparently that's been a problem before.

With LOST starting next week, I have yet one more reason to lament my deplorable sleeping habits. Japanese calling, must run. Jaa, matta!

In Which our Hero is Ticked

2006-09-21T20:16:01Z

So, after Practicum today, one of the girls in the class and I talked as we walked out of the building. Not much, maybe a minute and a half. But she smiled at me, and my insides went... wibbly. Kinda the only way to describe it. Damn, I don't need this now.

In Which our Hero had had a kick-ass lesson today

2006-09-21T06:54:30Z

Don't you just love having lessons that blow you away? I hit some new highs and one new low today. For the low, it was my teacher telling me that my playing on this one piece made him think of 'someone shoving a kid outside and telling them to go play in traffic' and 'that sounded like "Nearer my Street Gang to thee." God, I couldn't stop laughing. The good? I playing some technical things really well, and have him 'very excited' as to where my overtones are heading. Gotta love the controlled squeaking. And finally, he gave me some rythms to work on, and he said that I got them faster than any other person he's taught. How bout that? HEll Yes! I'm tired and still have a lot of work to do, but I couldn't care less. Damn I feel good!

BTW, It seems that my cursing goes up when I'm excited. That's probably a bad thing, but the mood I'm in says I don't care in any case.

In Which our Hero has had a looooong day

2006-09-19T06:23:45Z

I've gotten two hours of sleep since Saturday night. Stupid all nighters. I would have slept sometime earlier today, but I had class from nine to noon, a Japanese quiz, observation assignment at the local middle school, theory, and college community winds in the afternoon. Sleep is calling, I just wanted to rant. Oh, and I met a really cute girl in the mailroom who started up a conversation with me, and I forgot to ask her name. I can be really, really dumb when I'm sleepless. Consolation? I have my new Barenaked Ladies CD, and it roxors. Can barely keep my eyes open. I'm sackin' out.

Oh, wait, that's right, I also discovered today why I suck at the saxophone and how to fix it. Don't you love revelation?

9/11

2006-09-15T05:42:22Z

So it's been five years (and a couple days), and I can still remember most of what happened that day. I also now fully believe that there is no conspiracy surrounding that day. My faith had been shaken by the Loose Change video, but due to further research and articles, interviews and reports, I have concluded that those claiming foul are wrong. This may not seem like the most important announcement, but I just wanted to put this down. Feel free to tell me I'm wrong, but my mind's made up.

Full update about first two weeks back at college will come when I haven't spent several nights in a row up until three or later working on my Japanese homework.

In Which our Hero has one week left

2006-08-26T23:43:57Z

Last two weeks have been kinda fast. Year two is looming and my sax chops are in need of strengthening before I return. But there are some who have noted that I progress scary-like when I actually practice for more than two days in a row. In any case, that lump of metal is returning to the forefront of my life.

The week before last included some rather interesting events. On Wednesday I was invited to the goodbye party of eighteen female Japanese foreign exchange students, all around my age. I was one of the two males there that night. A fun evening, to say the least. Thursday brought the Vermont premier of Snakes on a Plane. Great movie. Go see it. I waited through a forty minute fire alarm and a theatre shift to see the damn thing and it was still worth it. Friday brought the karma backlash; went to Canadien's house for a college-type party. I was driving my dad's car, not the truck I usually use. After the party, I go outside and-no more car.

But wait! There seem to be drag marks on the ground! And that is a car shaped hole in the leaves on that edge of the slope... oh. Fortunately (sorta), the car was saved from the full four-hundred foot roll by hitting a tree, which only took out the rear-view mirror, the back bumper, and the reverse lights. And I only have to pay the five hundred dollar deductible. And lucky me, the car just might be ready to take me back to college. Otherwise we have to rent a car.

The worst thing to happen, though, was the Essex shootings. I was about five miles away from the elementary school when it happened, and the teacher Williams killed there was a good friend of my dad's. She had shown up to my sister's dance show the day before, which made things that much more surreal. Things like this just don't happen in Vermont. And now he's pled not guilty. I wonder how that's going to work out.

Ah well. At least the new mouse I got for my laptop has made it all better. Yeah. Right. I'm sorry to any of you that I didn't see while I was here, having a job can do strange things to a social life. At least back at college I'll be able to get back on AIM and annoy you all that much easier. Ph34r t3h internets.

In Which our Hero is not wearing his Cast

2006-08-11T22:28:32Z

Today is the first day I've gone around and done things without my cast. Hurray. It's good to have mobility back .

In other news the DVD-rom drive that was sitting next to my computer for a year is finally installed. The impetus? My sister's week old CD decided to spontaneously combust inside the CD-drive. So instead of going to bed at eleven thirty, dad and I spent three hours opening up the computer and removing the CD-drive, getting as much exploded CD out as we could, then putting the DVD-rom in. Much fun. And tiredness.