Monday, August 31, 2009

I’m going to school this year; tomorrow is orientation day. It’s going to be my first day of school in eight years.

I’m somewhat anxious about this change. Though academic learning has always been one of my favorite forms of entertainment, I can claim very little enjoyment of schools; my experiences in elementary school were generally unpleasant past third grade and were of mixed value even before that point.

While I have little doubt that I will do well in my studies, I do worry about my ability to behave warmly around fellow students and teachers. I have made progress socially, but I still have a weak point in regards to feeling comfortable around strangers. A person whom I can feel relaxed around would greatly ease necessary interaction.

Tonight I will set my alarm and pack a lunch; tomorrow I will observe the social structure of the student body and hopefully isolate a prospect for friendly communication.

I will set aside these worries for now; they have no use until I can set a realistic problem to work on.

-Jess

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

And to the Ball I Shall Wear a Bright Blue Tee.

Last Saturday was the opening day of the new building at work, we of course held this extravaganza two months after it opened for business in order to make as little sense as possible. Despite the promise of a free water bottle, live music, a clown, and some guy from a local radio station, I never became exceptionally excited about the prospect of shoving a few hundred people into a building that usually houses no more than sixty customers at once.
Not that there is anything inherently wrong with the idea, an opening creates attention, raising our profile in the public eye, as well as bringing in new patrons who would have otherwise avoided us if not for the special occasion. So at least from the viewpoint of our institution I understand the reasoning behind it. On the other hand I utterly fail to comprehend the thought process that leads to someone going to a place on a certain day that they explicitly know is going to be freakishly busy; maybe I should try eating more vegetables.
Call me asocial, but I've never been fond of large amounts of people; individuals certainly, but people, especially in crowds tend to make me panic and barricade myself in the nearest supplies closet/bathroom, in order to hyperventilate in private. Gee, I really do prefer quiet, solitary atmospheres, maybe that's why I work at a library.
I can't say much for the success of the event, when I asked a few of my supervisors about how we did, they all told me that it had been very busy and seemed to be unaware that I had been working with them on the day in question, no other information was given, despite numerous solicitations. I have added this to their portfolio as further evidence of my suspicion that most of them are animatronic.
I became a bit stressed during the later half of the day, due to the noise level; thus I spent three hours pretending to be a spy.
Very relaxing
-Jess

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Random Website Recomendations.

Vocabulary Test
Via Michael M. Spear of Richmond University, this is a test featuring an allotment of the more obscure words of the English language. It's extremely difficult, but you'll feel all the more clever when you get an answer correct.

Sand Falling
Well it's... Sand... and it falls.
Beyond the obvious, in this game four different colored streams of sand fall from the top of the screen, you can build walls to catch the sand or alter it's flow as you please, as well as some more advanced options found at the bottom. Reminiscent of the first time I came to posses an egg timer similar to an hour glass; mindlessly fascinating as well as relaxing.

Television Tropes

One of the largest collections of descriptions of writing devices and examples thereof on the web. Here are a few pages to get you started:
Archetypes
Tricksters
Villains
Heroes
This my dear readers is a jewel among jewels for a archive binge junkie; don't even touch this link if you don't at least have a couple hours and/or days to kill.

Awkward Zombie
Webcomic, a favorite of mine, will probably take you less time than the previous links and is still hilarious.

Friday, August 14, 2009

My favorite exhibit currently on display in the Prairie Art Gallery is a Japanese rock garden with a small fountain in the centre. My favoring this particular exhibit with fondness is primarily due to it's peacefulness and ascetically pleasing nature; but more importantly, because like every decorative fountain I have ever encountered, people have been throwing money in it.
Incongruous it is, little Asian fountain filled with little Canadian coins, in honor of an old European tradition.
-Jess

Karesansui
Wishing wells

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

When to fold

I recently veiwed a public service announcement about ‘gambling wisely’ featuring Kenny Rodgers’ The Gambler. The apparent purpose of these advertisements is to cheerfully remind people that it's 'okay' to gamble, as long as one knows when to stop.
Now I can see why the government would want people to avoid driving themselves into poverty via bingo and blackjack; those people who's gambling difficulties had caused monetary difficulties (as well as their families), might then become dependent on government support... and there are probably some people in government circles who actually care. Intentions aside, my view is that this ad is a waste of money, and of no help to anyone.
Problem gamblers, (the people whom this ad is aimed) have what the American Psychiatry Association likes to call an ‘impulse control disorder’. What this means is that for people who have extreme gambling problems, even if they do realize that they need to stop to do so is difficult as to be nearly impossible; thus this handy reminder to quit while you're ahead can only help people who already know how to quit and is absolutely no help at all to the those who need assistance.
Setting aside the issue as to whether one can truly gamble wisely or if that is an oxymoron, what I am truly bemused by is the choice of song.
Some rather interesting subtext of The Gambler is that the old gambler who gives the advice of the chorus had most likely learned those words of wisdom through experience of what happens when you don’t know when to fold. As one can infer from the lyrics; the gambler was freight hopping as a means of transportation, had to ask his fellow traveler to supply him with whiskey, a cigarette and the means of lighting it, and was dead by the end of the song. Clearly not a man who's life had gone well. If anyone had bothered to listen to the entire song instead of just the chorus they would have noticed this.
‘Stay away from risky situations’ is a far more intelligent message to receive from the gambler’s story than ‘gamble wisely’.
-Jess


The Gambler Lyrics
American Psychiatry Association
Gamblers Anonymous

Sunday, August 2, 2009

I have received my very first cell phone; admittedly not the most impressive thing considering the ten year old ‘crossing guard’ at my niece’s school got one months ago, but be quiet this is a big step for me.
I was pretty nervous when we went to set up an account. My mother remarked that my reluctance to possess new technology was highly abnormal for someone who owns a personal laptop and operates it several hours a day. My being upset with the addition of the phone to my repertoire is most likely due to my dislike of spending money, or my more irrational dislike of change in any form.
Despite my misgivings I do realize the convenience of being available for contact regardless of location (inability to reach me while out of household was a major reason for getting the cellular) and I have made attempts to accept the concept. After all, raging against the change is irrational, and unlikely to negate the necessity of it.
In other news my mother has supplied me with so much perishable food I will have to eat 0.7 kg a day if I hope to consume all of it before it expires; this is either an expression of affection or a nefarious plot to make me eat until I am extremely ill. The first is far more likely as I am unable to think of anything I have done that could have earned her displeasure and the blueberries are very tasty.
-Jess