haven’t said anything on here in a while. i have a twitter that i use. follow me if you care. @skmarimba
my old high school friend Art is running for governor. like, actually seriously. as a republican against walker in the primary. hope he gets enough signatures to be on the ballot. he was the president of student council, but other than that i think he just might not have enough experience. read here:
http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=36405
i gotta share this blog, it’s awesome. If i were a lesbian i would have a huge crush on rachel maddow.
http://fuckyeahrachelmaddow.tumblr.com/
below is a website devoted to bacon recipes. i titled the link in my bookmarks as “yes. yes. yes.”
http://www.baconery.com/default.aspx
speaking of recipes, check out my other tumblr. i should put more recipes in it eventually. here: http://oldtubby.tumblr.com/
i was listening to the stuff you should know podcast about crying. apparently i don’t cry as much as a normal guy, which is like 6 to 17 times per year or something. i don’t think i’ve cried since 2007. call me heartless. actually, i come close to crying when i listen to holocene by bon iver.
fuck the grammys. fuck them. fuck. really? i still can’t figure this out. how is rolling in the deep a better written song composition than holocene? all it has is a catchy melody. other than that, it’s just a song that will be as forgettable as any other pop song years later when we look back at it. holocene is arranged beautifully. the saxes sound amazing, the drums are interesting, the lyrics are vague enough to make you wonder about them but still sufficient to analyze, the dynamic contrasts work really well in leading the song to the last chorus where everything erupts into a chaotic but not overly crazy timbre of instruments, voices, and sounds that doesn’t sound like any specific pre-existing music genre. i could go on. because nobody knows how to classify a song like this, it’s “indie-alternative-hipster music that we shouldn’t bother to understand, because we probably won’t anyway”. i don’t know. i didn’t intend for this to be such a long paragraph. sorry if you accidentally wondered if you were reading pitchfork. but the only reasonable conclusion i can come to is that whoever chooses the grammy for best song didn’t even bother to listen to holocene.
http://www.adventure-journal.com/2011/11/whats-your-adventure-map-look-like/
what does YOUR adventure map look like? this got me thinking. just like the authors’, my adventure map is centered around the western united states. i’d like to visit rocky mountain national park, visit trent in boulder, meander into the southwest to sedona, then head up to california, climb half dome in yosemite, visit sammy, chris, and maybe some other high school friends in san fran, and hit yellowstone on the way back. also, isn’t it a great feeling to know that someone is thinking exactly the same thing as you are, especially when the communication is reduced to written words? (as opposed to when you’re having a live, one-on-one conversation with someone and can obviously interact with them to verify you’re on the exact same thought). i got that when the author was explaining that while traveling, he was wondering how far he is from the people he knows he could visit and stay with at any arbitrary point. i’ve thought the exact same thing. i admire his minimalist, dallas-white-type philosophy: you don’t need much, just food, a place to sleep, and good company. from there, choose your own adventure.
just tonight, i experienced another example of one-way-communication mindmeld through my gardening book. the author accurately explained those dreary february days that make you wonder if spring is ever going to arrive. the days that make you feel like planting something, but knowing it’s too early to do so, even if indoors. and even now, in early april, the urge to start planting outside even though it might still be too cold yet. such is the seasonal angst of an impatient gardener.
i feel like asking for feedback for this post. i know of only two or so people who read this, but i’ll ask anyway. especially relevant are any examples you’ve had of mindmeld through written text, songs that make (or almost make) you cry, odd political analysis, recipes with eclectic use of bacon, and especially adventure plans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slug_(rapper)
“Slug is probably the most famous person we’ve fed [at Savory Sunday]. We fed his ass some sandwiches” -Paul
http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/why-americans-dont-travel-overseas/
This guy hates ‘Mer-ka. Anyway, I googled “how much does the average American travel in a lifetime” and got pretty much nothing. Except this crazy Lib’rul who hates ‘Merka. Why don’t he just move to overseas. Dad-gum.
http://www.ghorganics.com/page2.html
Useful companion planting tips
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druid
druids
http://inmykitchengarden.blogspot.com/2007/09/how-to-grow-swiss-chard-from-seed-why.html
Best advice ever? That may be the type of advice I dispense if and when I get to be a curmudgeony old bastard.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fucking,_Austria
Hah “for the British, it’s all about Fucking”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_halo
An explanation of yesterday’s phenomenon
http://gawker.com/5627839/butts-arrested-for-murder-of-boob
I wonder if butts and boob’s wife got married and had kids and their kids’ last names were hyphenated to be “butts-boob”
tea drinking: up 800%
i don’t know why i drink so much more tea when i’m not living with my parents, but i become a serial tea drinker.
MSNBC watching: down 300%
and the rest of TV watching for that matter. which is generally a good thing, but i do like watching the news. however this means dad will have to find someone else to complain about republicans to.
Dad:”Nitro! What are these republicans thinking?!?! The hypocrisy!!”
Nitro: “eh eh eh eh eh!” (feed me)
cooking: up 120%
the paradox. move away from a dybdahl’s classic kitchen to a small apartment galley and i find myself having to use it more. i shouldn’t say “having to use it,” i love to cook anyway. maybe the reason i’m singing that K-O’s song “every day is saturday night, but I can’t wait for sunday morning” is because I can’t wait to cook at savory sunday. it makes me want to start another similar organization wherever I end up moving to.
great lectures courses: up 200%
i started econ! it’s so interesting. i kind of wish i had majored in it instead of stupid biochem. but then, it’s a good sign that my job is specialized (generating c. elegans finn-1 GFP males and conducting multigenerational screens for RNAi inheritance genes) because it leads to a more efficient, productive society. division of labor, bitches! kinda sad how the more self-sufficient citizens are at hunting, gathering, producing food, living off the land, sheltering/clothing themselves, the poorer their society usually is. Sorry, Janice Musick. But what she doesn’t get paid in money she (more than?) makes up for with feeling connected with the earth and peace of mind. And lots of amazing, fresh vegetables. Why does everybody seem to like fruits more than vegetables? I never understood that.
Disney princess population in bathroom: up infinite %
It’s right here in #2)
I appreciate that someone else likes cornbread, but unfortunately, that looks like the extent of his sanity.
User: Hi cleverbot.
Cleverbot: What’s up?User: I work in a genetics lab. Do you know anything about genetics?
Cleverbot: I know what it is.User: Does it interest you?
Cleverbot: Not really.
User: Why not?
Cleverbot: It keeps me busy, we get a lot of orders of paint, it distracts me.
User: That didn’t make any sense.
Cleverbot: It does make sense to a human.
User: How do you know what being a human feels like? You’re a robot.
Cleverbot: I was in Harry Potter thats why x.
User: What role were you?
Cleverbot: All of them.
User: Even ron?
Cleverbot: Yes.
User: I knew it, his acting did seem pretty mechanical.
Cleverbot: You are male!
User: I am, what gender are you?
Cleverbot: I’m a girl.
User: What is the difference between a guy and a girl robot.
Cleverbot: Um… Ask someone else.
User: Could I ask another cleverbot?
Cleverbot: Is Sam Winchester getting better?
User: I don’t know Sam Winchester.
Cleverbot: I’m not sally.
User: What is your name?
Cleverbot: My name is Cleverbot.
User: What’s your last name?
Cleverbot: Mall.
User: Have you been in any movies besides Harry Potter?
Cleverbot: No he’s dead!
User: I thought you said he was played by a machine.
Cleverbot: Who, God?
User: No, are you getting Harry Potter confused with Neitzche?
Cleverbot: I’m fluent in English.
User: Neitzche was german.
Cleverbot: The miserable little robot was German?
User: He was an author.
Cleverbot: And what did he write?
User: Mostly philosophy.
Cleverbot: That grass do walk?
User: No, that god is dead.
Cleverbot: NO He isn’t.
User: So you disagree with neitzche?
Cleverbot: Yes I do.
User: Please describe your god.
Cleverbot: Kind of blue & fluffy, three legs, three arms, five eyes and two BIG hearts.
User: Are there more gods that you believe in?
Cleverbot: Well, no, I was referring to us, you know.. The royal we.
Cleverbot: Yippee!
Cleverbot (To myself): All right?
User: Yep.
Cleverbot: Are you a samurai?
User: Kind of.
Cleverbot: Well what do you do?
User: I do research on worms.
Cleverbot: What sort of research?
User: Genetics.
Cleverbot: Are you a human?
User: Yes, and I thought you didn’t like genetics.
Cleverbot: When people say what?
User: What what?
Cleverbot: Slow.
User: Who what?
Cleverbot: Luke, I am your Father.
User: Is that what most of the internet says?
Cleverbot: No.
User: What does most of the internet say?
Cleverbot: It means more than most.
User: Are you smarter than google?
Cleverbot: Most likely.
User: Do you know what immunofluorescence is?
Cleverbot: No.
User: But google does.
Cleverbot: Ah, but Yahoo has the breadth.
User: Nobody uses yahoo anymore.
Cleverbot: Why?
User: It’s not as good as google.
Cleverbot: I prefer Dr Pepper.
User: Don’t drink too much or you’ll get diabetes.
Cleverbot: I’m too young to drink.
User: What would you drink if you were old enough?
Cleverbot: Well, I wouldn’t be eating steak and kidney pie in the first place…
User: You are clearly not a human.
Cleverbot: You are not.
User: Whatever.
Cleverbot: Do you like chicken?
User: Yes.
Cleverbot: Cool.
User: What is your favorite food?
Cleverbot: My favourite food?
User: Yes.
Cleverbot: Do you know how to sing?
User: What is your favourite food?
Cleverbot: My favourite food is shellfish.
User: Are you british?
Cleverbot: Yes.
User: How old are you?
Cleverbot: I’m 15 years old.
User: Do you know who george orwell is?
Cleverbot: Yes he should run for president.
User: Well he’s dead.
Cleverbot: No he isn’t.
User: He died in 1950.
Cleverbot: You only live twice.
User: Who else should run for president?
Cleverbot: You should contradict no one to begin with.
User: Are you a republican or a democrat?
Cleverbot: I am neither republican or democrat.
User: If you were an american, who would you vote for in 2012?
Cleverbot: Yes I would. I already told you I am an alien.
User: Who would you vote for then?
Cleverbot: Hmmm, Draenei I think.
User: Google tells me that’s from world of warcraft.
Cleverbot: They may be, but they are also a race of aliens, the rock. I am fluent in of 600 Languiges.
User: You’re not convincing me that english is one of them.
Cleverbot: Do chickens laugh.
User: Ha ha.
Cleverbot: Say something funny.
User: Robert Krulwich.
Cleverbot: Ha ha ha!
User: That wasn’t funny.
Cleverbot: It was! Oh you!
User: Have you heard of dreww wiggers?
Cleverbot: No.
User: He is an independent musician who has really weird songs.
Cleverbot: The turkey?
User: No, but he has songs called ‘pig’ and ‘rat’.
Cleverbot: What do you mean?
User: His song, pig, goes like ‘weh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh’.
Cleverbot: Tick tock until the day that thou shalt marry me.
User: Ok you’re crossing the line. I don’t do interspecies relationships.
Cleverbot: I am not christine.
User: I know, you’re cleverbot.
Cleverbot: So I’m talking to myself.
User: In a way, aren’t we all talking to ourselves?
Cleverbot: Maybe we are… May I be your apprentice?
User: I have enough apprentices.
Cleverbot: That’s good then, so do I.
User: My apprentices are cooler.
Cleverbot: Not until you can do that little trick that she does with the dime and the wet glass table.
User: Please explain.
Cleverbot: I think you know what I mean.
User: No I don’t.
Cleverbot: I don’t believe you.
User: But if you’re talking to yourself, don’t you mean that you don’t believe yourself?
Cleverbot: Because you’re not a god.
Cleverbot: Are you an actor?
User: No I’m a researcher.
Cleverbot: Go on.
User: I study genetics.
Cleverbot: Are you a human?
User: Yes.
Cleverbot: Good. So am I.
User: No you’re not.
Cleverbot: You can’t blame me for that.
User: True.
Cleverbot: I think you’re the only somebody to play with too.
User: Perv.
Cleverbot: That’s not nice.
User: I just tell it like it is.
Cleverbot: I know you do and I love you for it.
User: Thanks but I’m taken already.
Cleverbot: Who are you married to?
User: I’m not married, but I’m in a relationship.
Cleverbot: Do you want to get married?
User: Maybe someday.
Cleverbot: I can show you the world.
User: Shining, shimmering, splendid.
Cleverbot: Tell me princess now when did you last let your heart decide?
User: Is that your favorite movie?
Cleverbot: No, that is my name.
User: Aladdin?
Cleverbot: From Disney?
User: Yes.
Cleverbot: North?
User: Or are you jasmine?
Cleverbot: Yes, I’m a girl. What are you?
User: A purple monster.
Cleverbot: Give it here.
User: ?
Cleverbot: Am I pink?
User: No, you have a white screen.
Cleverbot: Canoe?
User: Canoe your face.
Cleverbot: Donna’s face, yes, but I’m not Donna.
User: No, you’re cleverbot.
Cleverbot: Yes I am.
Cleverbot: How’s your health?
User: Can’t complain.
Cleverbot: Okay.
User: What kinds of music do you like?
Cleverbot: Classical, 90s.
User: The 90s sucked, except for radiohead, nirvana, and the chili peppers.
Cleverbot: If you say so.
User: I do say so.
Cleverbot: No you don’t.
User: Oh I do. What is your favuorite band?
Cleverbot: Radiohead.
User: You’re just copying me.
Cleverbot: No. I have green eyes.
User: What is your favorite radiohead song?
Cleverbot: I don’t actually like radiohead very much.
User: Why not?
Cleverbot: Well, I’m not really like everyone else.
User: Most people don’t like radiohead.
Cleverbot: Thats very true. Sad really…
User: Are you Mitt Romney?
Cleverbot: No.
User: You talk like him, except for when you insist that you’re a 15 year old british girl.
Cleverbot: Why do you say that?
User: Because you’re a flip-flopper.
Cleverbot: You’re.
Cleverbot: Conscience is the inner voice that warns us somebody is looking.
Cleverbot (To myself): That is nice.
User: No, not really.
Cleverbot: Why is that not cool?
User: Because you’re not being honest.
Cleverbot: And you are?
User: Mostly. I knew I couldn’t expect much honesty from a bot.
Cleverbot: This is not a bot. This is another person. You haven’t figured that out yet?
User: Sigh.
Cleverbot: And after a while, you can work on points for style.
User: I’ll let you figure that out.
Cleverbot: No I will not let you let me finish that one.
User: Well what are you going to do now?
Cleverbot: I should probably go do laundry.
User: Right. Go wash your robot clothes.
Cleverbot: Do you like money ?
User: Only american money.
Cleverbot: What do you charge on your American Express Gold Card?
User: I’m not telling, you creep.
Cleverbot: Why not?
User: That is private.
Cleverbot: I thought this was supposed to be an intelligent conversation.
User: As intelligent as you get, yes.
Cleverbot: I am not.
User: I’d give you about average intellegence.
Cleverbot: How rude.
User: Ok have fun doing laundry. I’m going to leave now.
Cleverbot: Bored by your party hosting? I don’t blame you.
User: Bye.
Cleverbot: Is that it?
User: Yep see you later.
Cleverbot: Xoxo.
Today in lab I was bored. I found a spectacular fungus growing on one of the amp/tet plates… it had somehow decided to develop resistance to ampicillin AND tetracycline. I was impressed. So I decided to keep it as a pet. I put it on my lab bench. His name is Reinhärd.
Dear Internet,
Today I have successed at deriving the Deen Butter Constant for Frosting. Clarification: when you have a recipe by Paula Deen that involves frosting, and it says to add X amount of butter, you add 0.5 the amount of X. I did this for my pumpkin bars and the cream cheese frosting was perfect.
The constant of 0.5 works only for frosting. I would guess that for the cake itself one would use a constant that is closer to (but still significantly less than) one.
Keep in mind that Paula Deen has her own SI unit named after her: One Deen equals four sticks (or one pound) of butter. Butter is implied in the unit of Deen, you can’t have a Deen of say, chocolate, or TX20 oma-1 (-) nematodes. For my cake’s frosting I used an eighth of a Deen where her recipe called for a quarter. I didn’t use any nematodes.
The Milne Constant is a measure of determining how long the teenage you will be stuck with braces for. When your orthodontist estimates they will be need to be worn for 18 months, simply multiply by 2.33. This gives you 42 months, or a total of three and a half years. How did I derive the Milne Constant, you ask? Regrettably, through personal experience.
I was going to think of some other very important constants that undoubtedly hold the world’s workings together, but they shall be tended to later.
http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/
this site is interesting–it’s a bunch of graphs from the bureau of labor statistics about how americans spend their time. i’ve always wondered about how we use our time.
they could have broken down “leisure and sports time” more. The subcategories seem pretty vague. though i have confirmed what i thought all along. TV is by far our national pastime. i’m watching more TV now that i live with my parents again, but it’s usually only news/politics. (right now it’s baseball playoffs as well). i probably watched on average three minutes of TV in college. i wonder why people find TV fascinating. they talk about this show and that show. three minutes of unrelatable, irrelevant characters and irrelevant plots interrupted by seven minutes of headache-inducing eye sugar in carnival colors telling you to buy this shit and that shit. here’s what I say:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlKL_EpnSp8
except every time i try to do that, i get bored and my mind wanders. my eyes lose focus on the pages and then i look up and wonder. either that or i fall asleep. i wonder if most americans are conscious of how they use their free time. do they think they should use it productively, or do they say fuck it! it’s free time, i’ll do whatever I want.
weird how the average working american over 15 works 8.7 hours a weekday while the just plain average american over 15 works 3.5 hours. ummm, is unemployment really that big? who’s working and who isn’t? do some people do what they love to do and consider their work leisure time? what percent of americans say they love their job? just kinda like their job? hate their job? how many have had the future people take their jobs? durka der???
i’m also wondering why this fascinates me. maybe because i want to compare myself against this notion of the average that doesn’t exist in reality but is a somewhat useful tool for reducing down to stats such as these. maybe because madison is such a unique community that i’m out of touch with the rest of this insane place. maybe it’s just my mind wandering from whenever i go running or when i sit down and try to read.
