Our Kith - Stories, Reviews, Discussions

'Me Talk Pretty' pretty good

Kevin — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:48:39 -0400

I first heard the author and comedian David Sedaris from the radio show This American Life. He spoke of an incident during his regular visits to France where two American tourists, assuming he spoke no English, loudly proclaimed in their native tongue how David was a stinky French thief. For ten minutes he described the scene as it played out, the two tourists reciting the rudest remarks, somehow forgetting that English is a language even most native-born Frenchmen know.

The story was a delight to listen to, one that makes you want to retell it to everyone, even though there's no possible way you could recreate it. You finally end up telling people, "Just download episode 173 of This American Life and it's the final act, around the 40 minute mark" but that does even less for the person you're trying to convince.

When I heard David again on TALand spent the 10 minutes in the same grinning stupor as before, I knew I had to get more. While I was hoping for the title Dress your Family... they were sold out and I in turn chose Me Talk Pretty One Day. He had other books at the store, but I went with this one because it was the most recent.

Me Talk Pretty One Day spans the entire life time of David Sedaris, starting with speech therapy as a kid for his lisp and ending with his pack-rat father visiting him overseas in France. He never talks about how he came to be a writer, but it's an adventure learning his previous occupations. One chapter recalls his work as a English Professor, despite his absolute lack of experience in both teaching and writing. The funniest line of the chapter recalls the reason the job opened up, "when the scheduled professor found a better-paying job delivering pizza."

The book does have it's funny moments, but I couldn't help thinking, 'This would be funnier if I were someone else'. It's not that he isn't a good comedian, I just don't think I'm the right audience. I didn't do enough drugs, which he has several chapters on and I just don't have enough experience with the subject matter he recalls.

All in all, Me Talk Pretty One Day will get some laughs out of you, but it didn't crack me up the way his audio biographies did. I recommend listening to some of his live performances over this book, but if you can't, Me Talk Pretty One Day is a nice backup.

2008 Summer Olympics

Kevin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:58:41 -0400

The 2008 Summer Olympics are here, along with all the human rights protests and pollution issues. You may have remembered our discussion about the Winter Olympics a while back. Same goes for this, what are your favorite Summer Olympic events?

Dolly

Kevin — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:13:49 -0400

The spiral bands dance circles around an empty core. Vivid greens, oranges and specks of red filll the map in front of me. I watch as together these blobs of color march to the top left of the frame. Soon they will no longer hide the sea blue filling, but shift their way on top of the dull brown mass.

Straight black lines stretch across the higher brown. Below a more random, jagged nature composes these dark streaks. Intersecting one from the other, a bold and familiar line of particular importance runs northwest, drains to the southeast.

If the track carries more north than east, 300 million will be drawn to attention. 'No, it's not as bad as her, but do still watch'. If she lowers herself below the great divider, more pressing issues will be reported. A meager 50 mile difference will sell the show.

Her outer arms have made contact, stretched themselves to collide with the grayish brown. Do their hearts now beat rapidly as the air speeds up, pushes itself against them? The band is thin, but there's pressure behind it. It's thrusted forward by the main system. An early warning, a late night light show. The time for preperation has passed. Now they wait; sleep, if they can.

Summer is here

Kevin — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 17:58:11 -0400

June 21 signifies the official start to summer. Being from Texas, this means heat, swimming, bbq and more heat. What are some of your favorite summer memories?

Attention span

Kevin — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 23:01:26 -0500

In the upcoming election, the most important issue for voters has jumped from the war in Iraq to healthcare and now, all of the sudden people care most about the economy. Does our nation have a short attention span and if so, has it caused a government that jumps from issue to issue without resolving half the problems?

Storytelling you should hear

Kevin — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:28:23 -0500

One of the perks of my job as a web developer is the ability to choose my own soundtrack to the day. While the musical melodies of Radio Paradise are the usual background noise, once a week I get the treat of two quality radio shows. Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me being the first and This American Life the second. While Wait Wait's comedic broadcast of the news makes for a hilarious hour, I'm going to focus on the latter.

This American Life is a triplet of stories tied around a central theme. The theme is loosely placed, so the stories are always very varied. Last week, they retold adventures in becoming an unexpected adopter. One narrator (each story has its own) tells the story of working at a doll adoption agency in FAO Schwarz, where parents pay an adoption fee so their girl can become mother to a doll. Sales were good until the stock dwindled down to only African and Asian babies, in addition to one less than fortunate white doll (flippers for hands is all I have to say). Listening to the worker recall parents struggling to ask "why are there no white babies?" was a joy, especially in the formal setting the toy store tried to create.

Ira Glass, the host of This American Life, has a voice that's made for the radio. It's not gimmicky nor nasally, just honest. While he doesn't do the majority of talking during the show (that is taken care of by the narrators), he plays a vital role in developing the mood. His introductions to the stories place you in the storyteller's mind, allowing you to instantly connect with the tale.

The real reason why I love This American Life is its pure uninterrupted storytelling, not relying on explosions or nonsensical plot-twists to keep you watching through another commercial break. And since it's only in dialogue, you can listen while working, driving or just relaxing. I highly recommend it!

Katie's Kronicles: Celebrating Monday

Katie — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:23:56 -0500

I overheard one of the kids at my work relating his weekend to his therapist. “I ate pancakes and I jumped on a trampoline and I went to a birthday party and I waited for Monday.” I couldn’t contain my delighted surprise - I burst out laughing. I love the sound of that! Unlike the rest of us, who spend our weeks waiting for Saturday, this wise child spends his weekend waiting for Monday.

This kid, in a passing comment, articulated the best career and lifestyle advice I have ever heard. Whatever I do with the rest of my life, whatever work I choose to fill my days, my goal will be retaining that passion that makes me impatient for another week to begin. I will aim to find myself rejoicing in my achievements, eager to continue my constant progress, because every day of “work” is leading me to great prospects. I will not just have a job, I will not just make a living, I will not merely pass the time. I will actively choose that which gives meaning to my life.

Through this emerging adulthood period of discovery, I have found myself wasting some of this precious time waiting to discover my calling in life. As if my own destiny has nothing to do with me! I was waiting for the perfect occupation to fall into my lap, ignoring the fact that as a born perfectionist, I am only ever satisfied when I create my own way. The only one who can choose my life is me. The only way I will ever find meaning is by creating my own meaning and purpose in life.

What can be more fulfilling than living your life exactly as you choose to live it? What more exciting challenge is there? “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. It is that we are powerful beyond measure.” This Nelson Mandela quote serves merely as a diagnosis, not a prescription. We will fear this power only if we are not using it to the greatest extent.

So let’s summon that power, let’s meet this challenge, and let us all celebrate our Mondays.

The New Our Kith

Kevin — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 15:03:29 -0500

So I'm reviewing my own website, that's kind of a funny thing. But I needed a first review to fill the spot on the homepage, and I also wanted to give a brief overview of the new design. So I figure, why not kill two birds with one stone? To start things off, let's go over the new features. Well, I'm using one of them.

Yes, reviews have been added to Our Kith and I think it's a really good thing. With reviews, we can talk about books, movies or even people we love or hate. For example, the radio show 'Wait, Wait, Don't Tell me', absolutely hilarious.

Moving on, you'll also notice featured images being displayed throughout the site. I liked the idea of the photoblog, but realized it wasn't utilized much on the old design. Using the same basic idea, I decided it should show pictures of things we love, not pictures of us.

There are other changes (new design, ability for members to add discussions, quotations or photos) but that's all for your discovery. I hope you enjoy the new site and feel free to leave feedback in the comment form!

Looking Back

Kevin — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 23:22:37 -0500

A lot has happened since I first started this site. Sometimes, we get to share the journey, but most of the time our lives are separate. Writing allows us to share our lives with others without them actually being there. With that in mind, tell us the story of a memorable moment from the recent past.

Sleeping Heroes

Kevin — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 01:00:00 -0500

Our bodies must rest. We require inactivity. Yet we're so afraid of the dark. The sunsets hours before the TV shuts off. The lights of the city never go away. "The best never rest" is a rather appaling quotation. The best require rest.

I took a deep breath today. It's been long. Illness and layofs do cause insomnia. When I breathed in the night air, I felt power in my body. Like in the movies, when the hero becomes their true self. As if they were asleep in their bodies, only to have presently waken up.

This is how I feel. I am waking up from a deep slumber. I know my faith has been shaky and my actions have been few, but I was simply sleeping. And while I may not wake up tomorrow, I'm about to come alive.

Our Hope

Kevin — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 01:00:00 -0500

The recent new movie, Children of Men, portrays a society where Humans can no longer conceive new life. Without a future generation to follow, Humanity seems to lose hope and civil war breaks out. A chilling reminder of what life without hope is like.

What in your life gives you hope for the future, even when things aren't going well?

No Need to be Perfect

Kelly — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 01:00:00 -0500

Baseball he used to play.
Watching him made my day.

In German class, he sat by me
which filled me with such glee.

When he left, I was blue
but chocolate got me through.

That was 4 years ago
and our friendship is still aglow.

I wrote that poem about a week ago b/c Kevin told me that in order to get over my need to be perfect when I write, I should write a stupid poem about an old crush because once I write something that bad, then everything that comes after it will be good. Smart boy that Kevin. The poem's about Scott, my crush during my freshman year of college. I adored that boy. When I wrote that poem, there wasn't any correlation btw. Scott and my perfectionism, but at 2am one suddenly dawned on me. Scott taught me a lot of things but the main thing is that love doesn't need to be perfect. He showed me that I could open my heart to someone with flaws and still love completely. Writing is like love; you must accept the flaws and still write anyway.

And that is exactly what I'm going to do.

Let it snow!

Kevin — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 01:00:00 -0500

As a Texas native all my life, the white powdery stuff has always been celebrated. Maybe it's because it never snowed that I became so fond of it. Then again, there are quite a few native Texans here who might have differing opinions. What's your best/worst memory of a snow day?

Thankgivings treats

Kevin — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 01:00:00 -0500

Per Kelly's request and the fact that this hasn't been changed in ages, here's a new one. Being that I'm writing this on Thanksgiving, what's your favorite Thanksgiving food. The turkey, the stuffing or the dessert after the meal? And if you have a tradition like snapping the wishbone, don't be afraid to share that either!

Why writing left me...

Kevin — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 01:00:00 -0500

So, I've been running Our Kith for over a year and a half now. It's been dead silent for the past six months. I blame it on people being busy with school, too stressed or too drained to spend a good hour working up something to write. Since my time in school last semester, I've written less than one paragraph. There's a reason for that.

Last semester I took a leap and enrolled myself in a self-guided Literary research class. I was going to write a good story and get it into a contest. It was very easy to plan out. I already had the idea for the story, in fact it was already started; some parts even posted on Our Kith. In my idealistic world, the story was already written, I just had to get it onto paper.

I also did three other stories that semester per request of the teacher. I barely eeked them out and I'm guessing it showed. The teacher wasn't too impressed with the work, at least that's the feeling I'm left with, and the whole situation has me feeling really uncomfortable about writing in general.

I think it taught me something. Right now, I'm not that good at it. I have everything I want to say right in my brain but only half makes it out. That leaves you, the reader, missing half of the story you're diving into. That's just not fair to you.

Another lesson I learned is this. After spending hours pouring out sentences into a story, when your done, the last thing you want to do is read what you just wrote. It ain't fun. And I'm not even good at it anyway. Like I said, only half of my story makes it to paper. The rest resides in my head. Which is really handy when re-reading the writing. Unless of course you're trying to get a feel for how the reader will understand it. I have no idea what you're going to get out of this because I'm too close to my writing. I can't step back and take a fresh look.

What am I trying to say here? I'm saying that I've become afraid of writing. I just don't feel that I'm any good at it and that I'd be wasting other peoples time by making them read something I'm not willing to put much more work into. I've always written for myself, so whenever I was done with something, I was done. It's not that I'm lazy, I just had more entertaining things to do.

Now it's been six months since anything has been posted. I blame this one on me. Our Kith is and has always been my project. It only changes when I want it to change. You never have a say on the look and feel of the site. There's certainly no good way to entertain ideas on how to improve it.

All this means is that Our Kith has failed to build a community. Communities are unique. Sure, only a few lead them, but they're built by the people. Each individual enters their input to make a whole picture. A community is a mosaic, a combination of many different pieces, with a person here or there quietly rearranging the bits so the gaps between don't get too wide.

So it's time to build a community. And what better way to build a community than feedback from the ones building it. This will be done step by step until we have something we all can say is ours.

First off, I need to know, are you still there and can you devote time to the project? Not a lot of time, just a good quality moment or two. If you are interested, please reply saying so and throw in a few words about what you like and what you'd like to see. If not, don't say a word. No one will feel insulted.

I hope I got more than half of what I wanted to say out, because I sure don't feel like going back and reading this again.

Virtuality

Kevin — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 01:00:00 -0400

I've been browsing through an Internet site called “Home of the Underdogs” recently. The webpage hosts downloads for a plethora of decade-old games that many of us in our twenties remember very vividly. Games like 'Gobliiins!', 'Space Quest', and 'Outpost' captured our minds during our youngest years. As I feverishly download old game after old game, I can't help but be overwhelmed by nostalgia.

When going through the screenshots of each game while waiting for them to download I repeatedly exclaim, “Oh! I remember that!” My neighbors can vouch for this excitement. It's so amazing to relive the fun those games brought to my life. I recall casting spells as a magic user in 'Quest for Glory' and laughing out loud at the horrible puns planted throughout the 'King's Quest' series. Also how I built a metropolis out of $20,000 in 'Sim City 2000' and then rebuilt it after half the city was destroyed by a vicious fire. I couldn't count the number of great stories I've lived in every game I've played.

Tet there are those out there who find it easy to discount the gaming community. After watching an ad for 'Grand Theft Auto', it comes naturally to think, 'My gosh, what a lazy bunch of no goods who teach our children that violence is fun.' It's the easiest answer to the moral question posed by the game. It's much simpler than really studying the facts and determining the truth. If I kill this virtual character in this virtual game, does that make me a bad person? It's a tough question. There are many gamers who will happily comment that they've played violent video games all their life and they've never once wanted to shoot a prostitute or rob a bank. And there are studies that show how children watching violent situations makes them more aggressive. It goes both ways.

Overall, we have to be careful what our children take in. This includes movies, music and yes, games. Some individuals have expressed wishes to censor violent video games, but is that really a smart choice? Why is it acceptable for Shaun Connery to shoot a bad guy in a movie but unacceptable for an imaginary character do the same in a game? And why is censorship the answer? It would be a terrible sin to ban a game because of content, something along the line of banning books. Limiting access to the game, however, is not such a bad idea. As long as the kids can't get to it there is no problem. All in all, there's a tender line between protecting our rights and protecting our children.

I've been missing out on games for the past several months. School and work have consumed the majority of my time, making it hard for me to get lost in my virtual playground. It's rough keeping myself away from the digital world. The ability to create, whether it be amusement parks in 'Rollercoaster Tycoon' or game characters in ‘The Sims’, is such great fun. I am an artist and the game is my paintbrush. Life isn't the same without that outlet of creativity.

This leads me to look to the future. After graduation, when summer sets in and life settles down, I look forward to going back and implanting myself in the diplomacy of 'Rise of Nations'. Maybe I'll treat myself to a new computer so I can fully enjoy riding the roller coasters I create in 'Rollercoaster Tycoon 3'. With the new hardware, I'll be ready to tackle the newest line-up of digital entertainment. I've been reading about the future in my monthly subscription to 'PC Gamer'. There's a game being produced by Will Wright named 'Spore' that will be groundbreaking. Your job is to create a species of life, follow it through evolution, and release it into the on-line arena. Nothing else like this has been done before.

Also within the covers of 'PC Gamer' are some really great stories involving massively multi-player online role-playing games, or MMORPG for short. The first article I read involves the betrayal of an imaginary solar-system-spanning company in the game 'Eve Online'. The collaboration between individuals across the globe to bring down the corrupt company is like a symphony. Everything is perfectly planned out and beautifully executed. There's another article about the end of an online world in the game 'Asheron's Call 2'. Suffering from falling income, the company hosting the servers decided to shut the game off once and for all. The scenes from the last moments couldn't be topped by Shakespeare drama-wise. The world of MMORPG's has given us writers many new subjects to scratch our pencils to. What happens when we create a scientifically acceptable life form online and then threaten to shut off the computers hosting the species? Does the government come rushing in and prevent us, taking us into jail for attempted murder?

It gets even fuzzier when you start discussing virtual property. Any item picked up in an MMORPG for your game character is considered virtual property. But what happens when someone comes in and steals your treasured super sword? Do you have the right to protest to the police that someone stole your property? This is one of those situations that we have a hard time wrapping our minds around because it blurs the lines between reality and the virtual world. It’s this blurring that leads me to coin the term Virtuality. I’ve written a science fiction story about the not so apparent division between real life and virtual world. The narrator has to choose whether to win a game, or do what he feels is morally right. The real decision is whether or not there actually is right and wrong in games.

While you're thinking about that, let me change thoughts once again. My mom would often tell me, “Get off that computer and do your homework. You can't make a living playing video games.” My, how times have changed. Not only can you make a living playing video games, but you can make a hell of one. Some game tournaments offer prizes over a million dollars. That ranks up there with professional athletes. And if you don't think it takes a great human effort to make it through ten hours of gameplay on cold pizza and Mountain dew then you're dead wrong. That is a feat of stamina right there. And it's not just the competitors who are living out their dreams, the gaming business is also booming. Whether it's the growing appeal of technology or just the players wishing to be more social, the gaming community has been making its voice be heard. E3, a video game conference, is one of the biggest technology related events of the year. College Degrees in 3D modeling and computer game design are becoming more prominent in universities. My own degree has classes in digital animation, game production and graphic design.

As the technology becomes more and more advanced, look for a revolution in gaming platforms. What if, instead of sitting in front of a glowing screen repeatedly clicking your mouse, you could put on a magnetic suit, step into a large sphere, place goggles around your head, and become immersed in a 3D world? You walk forward in the game and the sphere you're inside rotates to keep you standing straight up. You go to pick an object up in a game, and magnets in your suit are pulled by electrons on the sphere to create the virtual effect of weight in your hand. You run, the sphere turns faster. You shoot a gun and to make the illusion of a backfire, magnets on your shoulder are pulled towards the sphere behind you. For me, the future cannot get here soon enough.

With all the advances in the visual department of games, the programmers cannot forget the real joy in these simulations. It’s the way they let us do the storytelling. No matter what type of game I've played, be it a first-person shooter or a real-time strategy, I always lose myself in a great story. Only a tenth of the time is the story something that the writers of the game created. The other ninety percent I remember from a game are written in my head. The tale of how I saved my city from ultimate destruction, telling the fire department where to go and repairing the damage done. The epic of how my brother and I defeated Ad Avis and freed Mordavia from the grip of the Evil one. The legend of my fake field goal attempt in the final seconds of the fourth quarter which led my team to victory instead of overtime. They cannot forget that the most appealing part of entertainment is the stories that are told, not by the game, but by the people playing it.

It's hard for me to imagine a time without computer games. What did the people do? It's like trying to imagine a time without the Internet. How did anything ever get done. What happened when you needed to look up the names of the Three Stooges? I don’t know. But no matter how much we wrap ourselves in the newest technology and the latest toys, we cannot forget the real joy of it all. The creating and sharing of really good stories. Now, if you'll excuse me, my downloads are done.

Cartoon Censorship

Kevin — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 01:00:00 -0400

- Courtesy of Paul Lamping - South Park tried to show a parody of Family Guy where Peter Griffin and Mohammed are in the same scene. They essentially tried to convince Comedy Central that it would be wrong to censor that cartoon image of Mohammed. Comedy Central censored it anyway. Was Comedy Central right to do so?

Only You

Briana — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 01:00:00 -0400

Disclaimer: This poem is evidence things CAN be done when drunk.

It doesn’t matter how much muscle you have
It doesn’t matter how much you weigh
All that matter is that daily life
And how much you have to live for today.

Nobody cares if your body has wrinkles
Except for those Hollywood types
But everyone knows that they don’t
Live in the ‘real’ world.

Nobody cares if you were the class geek
Or the one that everyone called ‘fat’
All that matter is who you are inside
And the rest is just opinions.

No one can make you feel insecure
No one else can make you feel dumb
No one else can make you feel beaten down
Except for the person that stares you in the eye in the mirror.

Live for yourself
And not for what other people think
Because 9 times outta 10….
That person is more insecure,

Messed up,

Spun out,

Then you could ever imagine…

Geez, Can't you take a joke?

Kevin — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 01:00:00 -0400

Its true, laughter is the best medicine. Nothing is more joyful than struggling for breathe as your body convulses in a fit of laughter. Or hearing a joke that is so genuinely funny that laughter itself would be an insult.

Making people laugh is also one of my favorite hobbies. It's addictive, like heroine. You tell a funny joke to a couple of friends and see them laugh. It makes you feel great. You wish to tell another, make them laugh even harder. You do and they crack up. You lose yourself in the act, consumed by the wonderful feeling of making people happy. You get so addicted to the pleasure it inhibits you. You are so hooked, two things happen. You cross the line and hurt others for laughter, or you cross the line and hurt yourself. The latter leads you to saying or doing things that, while making others laugh, degrades their view of you. Soon they are not laughing with you, but at you. Realizing this, you are ashamed and soon come to the understanding that no one respects you anymore.

It becomes a circle. Wanting to rid yourself of low self-esteem, you look to the one thing that has really made you happy. You tell another joke, see them curl over in laughter. You're addicted. You want it so bad you make a fool of yourself again, losing any respect you might have had left. You lose it for the hopes of one smile, one giggle.

Hi, I'm Kevin and I'm a comediholic.

This is why I hate the phrase, "Can't you take a joke?" or "I was only kidding". It implies that you have no emotions, that you are not really human. The truth is, everyone can take a joke. I love joking with me friends, no matter if I'm the subject or not. That is not the problem. The problem comes, and it usually does, when one person is left not laughing. It is at that moment that the joke is no longer one, but rather an insult. Sure, there may still be one thousand other people laughing, but if one person still does not find it funny, it remains an insult. Don't get me wrong, I do not wish for everyone to stop telling jokes in order to eliminate the chance someone may be insulted. That's impossible. We, as mistake driven humans, need laughter. But with it comes crossing the line; going too far. It happens.

'Hey, she thought my last joke about her messy office was funny, she'll die when I say this one about her kitchen?' Seconds later and you're left thinking, 'Oh, it seems someone forgot to laugh at that one.'

This is alright. Like I said before, it happens. But please, PLEASE don't follow it with, "Hey, can't you take a joke?" It only adds injury to insult. Sure, they got offended, it happens. It's not a crime against yourself that they didn't laugh when you made fun of them or something they care about. It doesn't mean they can't take a joke or are upset at you for saying that. You just said something they care about too much to take jokingly. Or maybe your joke was just one too many added to the constant barrage they've experienced about the subject many times before. Maybe it just wasn't funny. There are literally a million reasons why a joke can become an insult, and not having a sense of humor is never it.

So the next time you tell a joke someone doesn't laugh at, just say, "Oh, sorry, I didn't realize I shouldn't go there." Then move on and joke about something else you can all agree with. Implying they can't laugh is the worst insult of all. And with that in mind, I must go work on my next essay, "My most embarrassing moment".

Hearing this makes me...

Kevin — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 01:00:00 -0500

Kelly and I were talking about sounds the other day. She mentioned that one of her favorite what the sound of a ceiling fan. I whole-heartidly agree. What are some of your favorite sounds?

Favorite Hobby

Kevin — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 01:00:00 -0500

I just got done planting my first apartment garden ever. Now my fingernails are blackened from digging dirt. It makes eating a difficult thing to stomach. But I get a garden and that's all that matters. What is it that you do that may get you down and dirty, but you love doing?

Lady and the Tramp moments

Katie — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 01:00:00 -0500

Have you seen the commercials for the new special edition DVD of Lady and the Tramp? One of the few commercials that makes me smile every time I see it. Lady and the Tramp has been one of my favorite Disney movies since I can remember. Although I’m much too annoyingly practical to be labeled a romantic, I admit I’m a sucker for the courtship between the classy and charmingly naive Lady and the streetwise Tramp. The scene at Tony’s could explain why spaghetti is a favorite food of mine. The other night I had my very own Lady and the Tramp moment.

Kevin and I went out to dinner at La Cocina, a Mexican restaurant right across the street from our apartment that we had never been to. We dressed up for the occasion and even showered, which of course is quite an accomplishment for college kids. The restaurant proved to be a classy place, with delicious food and a romantic atmosphere. We had a great time - we always enjoy what we call our “real dates”. Afterwards, Kevin took me to the fountains in front of the Eismann Center - my favorite place so far in the greater Dallas area. Since it was night, the fountain was lit, and looked incredible - the water honestly reminded me of fireworks. It was chilly outside, and he wrapped his arms around me as we watched the water show. After awhile, he smoothly (so smoothly I didn’t even know it was coming) pulled out a small box, opened it in front of me, and softly asked me to marry him. Still snuggled in his arms, it was indeed a perfect Lady and the Tramp moment.

So we’re engaged! I’m more excited and genuinely happy than I ever thought I could be. We still have plenty of time to plan the wedding, since we will wait until after I graduate from UTD in May 2007 to actually tie the knot.

For the girls, I will put in a note about the ring. It is white gold, with three small diamonds in a row. It is perfect. The diamonds came from a ring that once belonged to my dad’s grandmother, and that my dad proposed to my mom with. Someone pointed out to me that three diamonds are a great symbol for marriage, representing the unity between God, Kevin, and I. “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

Thinking back, I am surprised I did not hear the peals of laughter ringing across heaven the day in my childhood when I decided I was never going to get married. It’s not that my parents set a bad example – they are still happily married today, and still happily driving each crazy in the way I now know that all happily married people do. It’s just that, from the time I was a kid, it was hard to comprehend forever. It was easy to see the way my parents made each other insane, and easy to miss the quiet love underneath. Why would I want to stick myself with someone, for the rest of my life, if there was nothing except straight jackets waiting at the end of that road? So I made a vow, and I swore off marriage. And God laughed, as I am sure He does every time I start thinking I have this whole life thing figured out.

Then He sent Kevin. We had some growing up to do before we were ready for each other, but once the dust was cleared away by a particularly intense pillow fight, we finally understood. He is more than I ever imagined, and has put my dream man to shame. I am the luckiest girl in the world, and am looking forward to my happy ever after, and a lifetime sprinkled with Lady and the Tramp moments.

movie rant

Briana — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 01:00:00 -0500

There are very few things in life that bother me enough to want to talk to someone or post a message about that bothersome thing somewhere. That is the fact that when movie-makers take a movie that I think was done very well and then decides to bank on the popularity of that film and come out with a sequel. There have been many instances of a case such as this....Godfather III, Rocky V, Bambi II...But the movie that I was watching tonight just set me on this rant. The movie was The Prince and Me II: The Royal Wedding .

I loooooved The Prince and Me. Luke Mably was hot and Julia Stiles is one of my favorite younger actresses, so I liked the movie a lot. So upon venturing to my neighborhood Blockbuster's today, I happened to see that the sequel was in the New Release section. I first noticed that Julia Stiles was NOT reprising her character, and then the flash of all other failed sequels came to mind. Since this one came straight to video it made me pause, but only long enough to remember how much that I liked the first one and then I preceeded to checkout (along with Rent and without West Side Story which had been my original intent all along).

And upon finishing the film I must say that I fell for one of the classic sequel dangers out there. I had never heard of this movies production, conception, or release, so that should have set off alarms right then and there. But like most anxious movie-fanatics, I loved the first one and thought that my love for that would magically turn this next one into a continuation in the affection that I felt for the latter.

I usually don't have that bad of taste in movies. This is not one of the finer choices.

This movie fell into a typical 'straight-to-video' release. The script was dry, the acting wooden (Mably did an admirable job with the material he had to work with)-there were a few good performances, but for the most part the acting was rather crappy-and the movie has a whole looked very hoeky and rushed. I didn't feel the same magic that I felt whenever I watched the first one.

A movie-goer (or renter in this instance) should always be careful not to fall into the pitfalls that are STV sequels. Usually, I like to give the movie the benefit of the doubt and rent it anyway. There are many sequels that prove me wrong (Indiana Jones, Spiderman, Lord of the Rings) but these movies all got lots of hype when they were released and they all were working on a somewhat fresh script and a big budget (usually). So you can see how I must digress here and not lump all sequels into this category of horribleness and send them straight to DVD hell.

Movies are a big part of what I like to do in my spare time, and while the ones I chose are normally very enjoyable, this one left a bad taste in my mouth and had me talking to myself about all the things that they simply smoothed over or completely IGNORED from the first movie when making the second. It's those little things that I, and others like me (you know, movie whores) tend to notice because of our love for the movies and many times our knowledge of the previous film.

All in all, just be cautious when entering the vidoe store. Granted there are many titles lining the shelves that got no press whatsoever and they might be wonderful films. I just urge you to watch out for the number or Roman numeral following that title. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and is sporting that 'they-made-me-in-3-months-and-with-no-budget-' look to it...maybe cruising on down to another aisle wouldn't be a bad idea.

Sunday Devils

Katie — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 01:00:00 -0500

I wrote this Katie's Kronicles on Ash Wednesday LAST year. It's kind of goofy but I thought I would post it in honor of the start of Lent.

Happy Ash Wednesday!

Today marked the first day of lent - only 40 days plus Sundays til we hunt for brightly colored Easter eggs, pack artificial paper grass around large quantities of chocolate, and watch the pews fill with the biannual arrival of the "Chr-easter" churchgoers. The tradition, even for many non-Catholics, is to give something up for lent, like TV or sodas, or to do something extra, like reading the Bible more or volunteering. Kevin and I did some Pooh-bear-like pondering today, but had a hard time coming up with our lenten promise at first. We couldn't give up TV, because due to Comcast's wonderful customer service (more about that later) we've only had cable for a few days. We can't give up internet because we use it for school. Kevin can't give up video games because then he'd be bugging me all the time...haha just kidding, but since he doesn't have time to play them much anyways, that doesn't work. So as we were talking on the phone, and Kevin was enthusiastically vocalizing his opinions of Dallas drivers, it occured to him that letting go of that road rage just might be the answer. I took it a step further and we came to a conclusion and sealed our lenten deal.

We are giving up our TEMPERS for lent. That's right. No more tempers. Now don't get too excited - this does not mean that we will be regular Pollyannas for the next month and a half. I realize that I will of course still get upset, sad, and/or angry; but I can't lose a temper I don't have! I will take a deep breath instead of working myself into a tantrum, murmur a prayer instead of profanity in times of frustration, and quench the twitch in my finger when the horns start to blare during rush hour. I'm fairly sure that this lenten promise, in and of itself, will try my patience (or lack thereof) from time to time, but the one who inspired this thought has promised: "my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). We have been instructed to "do everything in love" (1 Cor 16:14) and "love...is not easily angered" (1 Cor 13:5). What a way to GLOW, right?

However, a bit of irony can be found in the lenten loophole; namely, that Sundays do not count in the 40 days of lent, so tempers technically only have to be relinquished six days a week. Does this make us weekday angels and Sunday devils? Hmmm. Talk about watching out for those Catholics leaving mass. In any case, I'm excited about this new goal, and will keep you updated about my lenten experience. I'd love to hear about yours too. Have a nice, calm day!

Winter Olympics

Kevin — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 01:00:00 -0500

With the 20th Winter Olympics in full swing, we want to know what your favorite event is of the games. If you prefer the Summer Olympics, then give us your favorite from then.

Sexual Harassment at age 6

Kevin — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 01:00:00 -0500

http://tinyurl.com/dsvq5

A 6-year-old boy [was] suspended last week after school officials said he sexually harassed a girl in his class...

...school administrators told [his mom] that her son's infraction was to place his hand inside the waistband of a girl's pants, touching the skin on her back.

The Brockton school district's student sexual harassment policy, drafted in January of 2004, prohibits ''uninvited physical contact such as touching, hugging, patting, or pinching."

''This was done right by the book," said Cynthia E. McNally, a district spokeswoman. ''This was thoroughly investigated."

'He doesn't even know what that word 'sexual' is. I don't see how I'm going to explain it to him," [his mom] said. ''I can't. He's just too young for that."

Sexual harassment or simply a case of boys being boys?

Dreams

Kevin — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 01:00:00 -0500

How do you feel about dreams? Do you think they are a look into our sub-conscience, a look at who we really are? Or are they just our imagination running wild? Maybe both?

Reducing the Discrepancy

Kelly — Sat, 07 Jan 2006 01:00:00 -0500

I'm taking a Holocaust course this January. It's an amazing class because we focus on the sociological and psychological aspects of it instead of just the facts and number of fatalities. These are my thoughts on some of the things we have talked about in class so far.

The last two days we talked about Freud and I love talking about Freud. People automatically disregard him b/c of his sexual tendencies or what have you, but I think he was a very bright man. I love his notions about how we repress things and a lot of our troubles and insecurities can be traced back to when we were younger. I know a lot of who I am today can be traced back to my childhood, how I was raised, my family's personality traits and so on. But my professor talked about something Freud believed that I had never heard of before. Freud believed that we have animal tendencies that we try to repress or hold back so that society doesn't have to live like barbarians or animals. An example is our pointy teeth. Not sure what they are called, but we have them in front so that we can tear through meat. We eat with silverware now so there really is no need for these teeth, but we still inherit them. Furthermore, our tendencies are to take what we want no matter what the cost. He said that a lot of time we want things, but we can't just go out and get them. For example, my professor told us that we can't just go out and get any guy or girl we want and do whatever we want to them. I mean some people do and that's a tragedy, but most of us have something inside of us telling us that it is wrong, something holds us back. This thing that holds us back, Freud calls the thin veneer of civilization.

Is Zero a Number?

Kevin — Mon, 02 Jan 2006 01:00:00 -0500

Is zero a number?

Or is silence a sound? How about this, is black a color?

The answer is no.

Because black is the absence of color and silence is the absence of sound.

Zero is the absence of a number.

What I'm really asking is, how can something represent nothing? How can anything represent zero? If someone wanted you to show them a representation of the number zero, what would you do? Point at the sky and say, 'Zero is the number of fish up there'? Besides sounding like an idiot, you are still trying to represent nothing with something. (Perhaps I'm not making any sense, but that's alright because I usually don't anyway.)

The same thing that bothers me about zero being a number, bothers me about the idea of Atheism. A cosmos full of life and beautiful planets and comet's tails. And you say they represent nothing. Spectacular sunsets followed by an full orange moon hovering over the dark blue horizon with bright dots speckled across the night sky. That's because of no one? In the words of my most favorite soccer coach, “How can people look at [the rising Moon] and not believe in God?”

In the words of the band Live:
“I don't need no one to tell me about heaven
I look at my daughter, and I believe.
I don't need no proof when it comes to God and truth
I can see the sunset and I perceive“

There is so much wonder going on around us. There are so many beautiful things happening every second. Such amazing things do not merely exist. They represent a Love that is written in the grains of time and scattered throughout the universe for our discovery.

So the next time my faith is faltering, I must remember, 'There is no number zero.'

(Please don't get me wrong and mistake my silly comment about zero not being a number as theology. It's like Chris Rice trying to “Smell the Color 9.”)

New Year's Resolutions

Kevin — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 01:00:00 -0500

New Year's Eve is here, the end of the year is near, any resolutions we'd like to hear?

Holiday Traditions

Kevin — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 01:00:00 -0500

With family beginning to come together once again this wintery season, we all want to know, what's your favorite holiday tradition?

Winter Wonderland (Remix)

Kevin — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 01:00:00 -0500

I remember one cold winter morning on my way to the bus stop, a frozen snow-covered tennis ball being launched in my general direction. It was such a saddening experience because I couldn't launch one back. I had school to go to.

See, in Texas, it RARELY snows, so imagine the delight of little kids as they wake up and see this "white stuff" all over the ground. A once in a lifetime opportunity to sled down hills, build snowmen, and pelt each other with snowballs. Once in a lifetime wasted because the schools wouldn't close for a snowday.

Anyway, last winter I remembered that occassion and decided to give my own spin on the famous "Winter Wonderland" song. Enjoy!

---------------------------------

School bells ring,
Children listening
So much pain,
Tears are glistening
A horrible sight
This pitiful blight
Chalking up a Winter Wonderland.

Gone away is the curse word,
Here to stay is a new nerd
He tells us we're wrong
As we say "so long"
Chalking up a Winter Wonderland.

In the playground we can make a game plan
we'll amend that we should hunt him down
He'll say: Are you harried?
We'll say: Yeah Man!
And if you fight this mob
You're going down!

Later on
We'll conspire
As we scheme by the fire
To start a crusade
Against the first grade
Chalking up a Winter Wonderland.

In the hallway we can smash a trash can
and extend our forces all around,
We'll say "Principal, now listen up man.
We're no longer gunna settle down!"

When it snows,
We're unwilling
To listen to all your trilling
We wanna go play
and have a Snow day
Chalking up a Winter Wonderland.

Chalking up a Winter Wonderland.
Chalking up a Winter Wonderland.

Favorite Singer/Songwriter

Kevin — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 01:00:00 -0500

Who's your favorite singer/songwriter that isn't well-known?

The Bird Flu

Kevin — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 01:00:00 -0500

The Avian Bird Flu has been causing some ruckus around the world, earning spots on about every news source available. Questions range from "Is this a major threat?" to "Are we prepared?". If you haven't heard much about it, plenty of information can be found here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4949542&sourceCode=gaw The question is, is all the media coverage about this possible problem a good thing. Do we have the right and need to know something that could possibly be as big as the plague? Since we can't do much about it individually, do we, as a public, need to be so exposed to video and pictures of those affected by this deadly strain? Will the fear of the flu cause more problems than the flu itself?

Evolution Vs. Intelligent Design

Kevin — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 01:00:00 -0500

A news report from the Vatican this week claims that Cardinal Paul Poupard defended Charles Darwin and his controversial theory. "Cardinal Paul Poupard, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture, said the Genesis description of how God created the universe and Darwin's theory of evolution were "perfectly compatible" if the Bible were read correctly." You can read the rest of the article here: http://www.news.com.au/ How do you think this news will affect those concerned about our distant past? Should the Catholic church openly express its views on a scientific theory? Does their position make you rethink yours?

Pieces

Briana — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 01:00:00 -0500

He hurt her
When she tried to hurt him
She tried to push him away
but he plunged on through.

Why couldn't she listen
To what her head was screaming?
But that never seems to happen
and now it's happened; what she's been fearing.

She blames him
He brought it to light
even though she avoided it
She soon gave up the fight.

Now she misses him
But surely in a way
That he doesn't miss her
making her feel dark and gray.

She'll try and be happy
but now she's scared
of the day when she faces him
and realizes that she still cares.

"Get away from my heart
and leave it in one piece
If you don't I'll be shattered
and my remaining illusions will cease."

Pumpkin Perils

Katie — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 01:00:00 -0500

       HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I woke up this morning with those words on my lips. I knew it was no ordinary day. As a child, every holiday and birthday arrived with a bang, and the events of that special day were far from routine. Greetings consisted of tidings of good cheer instead of just the usual “hi”. Meals became feasts, involving a fancy cooked meal, a birthday cake drowning in frosting and ice cream, or a pillowcase full of sweets. Even school activities were marked with the festivities of the day, and more geared towards having fun than preparing us to ace the TAAS test or complete a graduate degree. And on Halloween especially, the day is not over when the sun goes down. It is a holiday and the whole world knows it, and celebrates accordingly.
       In the spirit of celebration, I decided last minute that I would indeed dress up. I ransacked my closet for items from which I could construct a costume, and finally decided to be a hula girl, complete with a twirly skirt, flip flops, tank top, Hawaiian lei, and a flower in my hair. I grabbed a jacket on the way out the door, despite the balmy weather, in order to abide by the dress code at the research lab where I work. After kissing my nerdy boyfriend (see picture) goodbye, I was on my way, with a carefree smile to match my cheery outfit, ready for the delightful day that awaited me.
       Upon my arrival to work, 15 minutes late, the only parking spots to be found were in the lot a million miles away. The morning went by very uneventfully; no haunted house pictures to color or scary stories shared, and I was the only one in costume. That afternoon, as I swung my bag over my shoulder and headed for the door to leave the lab, I suddenly noticed the darkness that had enveloped the sky. I was just registering the lakes of rainwater flooding the sidewalks as a blast of cold air and water greeted my emergence from the building. As I ran across campus through the steady rain, my bare feet quickly transforming into blocks of ice as I splashed through the puddles, it occurred to me that my enthusiastic expectations for the day may have been a bit too lofty.
       I arrived home this evening, pockets devoid of candy, with a wilting flower hanging from my damp hair, to find a front door that exemplified the holiday spirit I had been searching for all day. In anticipation of trick or treaters, Kevin had lit Goofy Gus (see picture), wrapped the stair railing in spiderwebs, and hung Halloween garland and a very real looking plastic spider from the door. Now it’s time for some fun! I thought to myself.
       It is now currently three hours later. The bowl of candy remains untouched, apart from the greedy fingers of the two college kids who occupy the apartment. I have given up on my damp costume, and donned comfy pants and a sweatshirt. The scary Halloween literature consists of nothing more than the review that I must study for tomorrow’s test. Hopefully, the hot water will begin working again in time for tonight’s shower. No this is not quite the Halloween dream that I conjured up in my imagination this morning, nor is it the entertaining, relaxing holiday of my childhood. But it is my Halloween. I got to dress up, carve a pumpkin, eat candy, and run in bare feet. The world is my playground, no matter the color of the sky. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Hallo-mas!?!

Kevin — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 01:00:00 -0500

The Halloween spirit filled the air in the store the other day. Aisle's of orange and black.. and red... and green?!? Ghouls and Ghosts and Witches... and Santa?!? Stacks of Pumpkins, big and small... right next to the Christmas trees?!? Not content with overtaking Thanksgiving, the Christmas season seems to be striking at Halloween. I'm afraid Christmas tunes will fill the airwaves soon, along with grill guard wreaths and fake santa's. It all seems too soon. Has the spirit of Christmas spread itself out too far? Are we ruining the holiday by making it a 2 1/2 month ordeal of shopping and decorating? Or can there never be too much holiday spirit?

Mr. Merry-Andrews

Kevin — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 01:00:00 -0400

Greetings Merry Andrew,
Upon seeing your most recent actions
and viewing your days work.
My heart begs to ask this question

Could it have been Peter Pan?
coming to your window to sprinkle some dust,
take you to never-never-land,
to valiantly attack Hook and his grown up men?
Where freedom is being five

And if he really did visit,
please tell him that I have found his rebel shadow,
so he'll fly to my bedside.
Where i will be ready with my sword in my hand
and he shall ask,"Will you go?"

Because I've been dreaming of something bigger,
something deeper than my wealth
and when i wake up from my slumber
i'm still dreamin' of that wonderland
Where freedom is being five

And when I look at the one in my reflection
it's never who they tell me to be
I see a young boy, war paint on his face
with two teeth missing and one big smile
coloring outside the lines drawn for me.

So Merry-Andrew, spill your secret.
Was it really Peter Pan,
who came to your window, took you away
to fight captain hook in never-never-land,
Where freedom is being five

Sandals and the Three-legged Newt

Kevin — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 01:00:00 -0400

Earlier this year, a story was started here about a loved sandal and a three-legged newt. Visitors and members added one sentence at a time, formulating a funky story. Below is the result. "The events leading to the destruction of my sandal two years ago have all but been forgotten. But my feet still mourn for that beautiful sandal that was taken from it's existence much to quickly. There was something about the way it gripped my foot that made me feel loved. Even my toes felt happy and joyful, even that gimpy one at the end that kinda....just hangs there and looks are sullen. But my forlorn feet just haven't felt free since that fateful fourth of July. It all began as I sat there, drinking my Capri Sun under the colorful array of lights exploding from the heavens above. When that noisy kid from down the block dropped his triple decker ice cream cone right on my foot. As I looked down in shock at my newly soiled sandal, I realized that the high pitched sound ringing in my ears was not another firework soaring into the starry sky, but the wail of the kid as he pointed at me and blubbered "I don't want any sandal in my ice cream!!!" I could soon feel the damp freeze begin to capture my toes as the creamy, cookie-dough speckled, vanilla ice cream oozed in between my wiggly's. Then, to my surprise, Oreo came to lick up the melted ice cream between my wiggly's leaving a sticky residue on my foot. But Oreo is not a dog like you might have come to believe, he is my three legged newt that loves feet, he was pretty upset about my sandles too. As the ice cream culprit continued to bemoan his lost treat, Oreo and I began to formulate a plan of revenge, to vindicate my wrecked shoe. In the middle of the formulation of the plan, Oreo and I realized the Spurs were on tv. As we travelled along, I quickly realized the pain of losing my best sandal as I hobbled over the sticks and stones composing the walkway to the neighborhood fort." Let's continue the story with almost the same rules. Responses now can come in the form of one to two sentences, depending on the need. Have Fun!

Real Religion

Kevin — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 01:00:00 -0400

What matters more to you in a religion, what they profess to believe(their doctrine) or how their appointed members act? Can a religion that believes it's members cannot fulfill the beliefs they profess be a true religion?

Favorite Story

Kevin — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 01:00:00 -0400

Sometime in the future, OurKith plans on having a section called the "Library", where members can post reviews on books, movies, and other media that they liked. But until then, let's share our favorite book/movie/song/etc. and why it works so well with us.

There was a Bonfire

Kevin — Sat, 10 Sep 2005 01:00:00 -0400

A thick layer of dust began to coat my lungs, brought in from the cavity on my face known as a mouth. White specks swirled around in the air, caught in the all-revealing spotlight of the early evening sun. Celebrated with a plentiful supply of sneezes, each new dose of dust rose off the colored covers as powerful bursts of air lifted them from their static state.

Oh now, this was exactly the one I was looking for. I recognized the purple cover made white in various areas from boredom's eraser, which was conveniently attached to the opposite end of my very friendly "Paper Mate Sharpwriter Mechanical Pencil". The fragrance of rubbed eraser intoxicated my nose, traveling through time to reach me in this alternate universe. The white words on the cover, "I [heart symbol] [named girl]" cheated on my current loves' obsession.

Curious of my past relations, I broke the invisible seal on my past, opened the journal, and began paging through the many words I once wrote:

"Where lies my fault?
Changed from my past
I can't, I won't, no more!"
a despaired voice cries

and

What I'm saying is that maybe what we need isn't what they want. Maybe we don't need a better hairstyle, maybe we don't need a bigger car, we don't need a louder horn to complain and strut our anger.

Maybe we should all shut the hell up, maybe I should shut the hell up.

Emotions burst from the page, aimed straight at my soul. Evidence of a bonfire that once consumed my heart, so powerful the flames still lick at my being through years passed. I read on:

I wanted to dance, to leap from star to star, shining brightly in reflection of their intensity.

I wanted to live, to be free, free from myself, my world, my humanness.

and

I collide
the warning signs spinning fast around me
the fire is burning far out of sight
left behind

let's rewind
I knew it was once deep inside me
the passion forgotten cannot fight
I subside

I'll reveal
the perfection I can't become
and conceal
the pain I still run from

don't forget
the promise of centuries past
sometimes you can't run too fast
from regret

These words, this writing, how could I forget it? It was passion, flames and fury, burning away the pains, uncovering my humanity and setting me free. There was movement as my soul would dance its way from pencil to paper, laughter as imagination took my mind and I was invincible. It was when I wrote.

Hurricane Katrina

Kevin — Mon, 05 Sep 2005 01:00:00 -0400

Hurricane Katrina is being labeled one of the deadliest storms in century's. This is due to the fact that the destruction didn't come only as storm surge and wind, but the flooding of New Orleans. This has led to major controversy over the issue of how this Hurricane should have been handled before, during and after it made landfall. Did Government ignore the poor state of the levee's and pumps? Were the evacutions before the storm exclusive to only those with a form of transportation? Did supply and aid arrive to late? Or is this just a natural disaster that no one can anticipate or plan for?

Pearl - Part VII

Kevin — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 01:00:00 -0400

Here's a quickie from my on-going adventure. While I took a nice break from writing, it's about time I got back into this story.

-----

Level VII

A salty mixture of water and fear began streaming down the agent's ghost-white face. While neurons fired repeatedly in a futile attempt to comprehend the situation, time was quickly escaping from Exodus's wild game. With his eyes caught in a showdown with the flashing stones below, there was one final thought formulating in the head of the exhausted boy.

ASCII Code... It was the next logical step. First there was the digital output, and now, as promised, things are getting a little more complicated. Focusing on his former days of programming, he recalled the numeric code for 'D'. 100. 'E' would be right after that... so 101. 'A' came earlier at 97 and then came 'D' again.

Removing the first two digits, 100 could stand for 0, or false, and 101 can stand for 1, or true. It made sense to the frazzled mind. As a kindness, they must have left two d's to step on, much easier for navigating one's foot onto at the correct time. So no, he couldn't trust the speaker. Unfortunately, he too easily trusted his thoughts.

The room filled with anticipation as Exodus adjusted his footing, hoping to time the landing of his foot perfectly. He planned on hovering right about the symbol-shifting stone, waiting until his eye caught sight of 'A', and then pounce on the rock before it shot over to 'E'. Carefully he watched until the exa-'AUUGHHH!'

Pain flew from the boy's thigh up into his brain and suddendly a wave of darkness fell onto the injured agent.

Artic Soon to be Summer Hotspot

Kevin — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 01:00:00 -0400

This could be the case with rising global temperature's. CNET reports: "Ice-free summers--a phenomenon that hasn't occurred in the Arctic in a million years--could become a reality in a century because of warming trends, researchers said. Looking at data on the rate of ice melt in the Arctic, researchers from the University of Arizona and other universities concluded that the rate is accelerating and that no foreseeable natural forces will counteract that acceleration. As a result, ice-free summers loom. The situation will have worldwide ecological impact, the researchers said. The progressive melt will cause sea levels worldwide to rise, flooding coastal areas, where a substantial portion of the world's population lives. Huge sections of Bangladesh, for example, consist of river delta at sea level. The melt could also thaw permafrost, which could lead to an increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere." Global Warming has moved from a theory to a fact -- What are we as humans to do about it? Can fuels cells open the way to a cooler planet and are hybrids the best immediate choice? Or have we pushed our luck past the limit? Can humans change their wasteful ways for a better future or will everyone ignore the solid facts?

Respect

Briana — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 01:00:00 -0400

I was talking to Kathryn (my roommate) about this Unitarian Universalist church that she was going to with her cousins, and she said something that one of the pastors had said and it made me think. Basically the minister said (on the Jewish day of atonement) that just because there is a specific day set aside for making peace with the people that you have wronged, doesn't mean that you should wait till that time or wait at all. I whole heartedly agree. Life is too short and people take each other for granted all the time, but if a wrong could be righted with just a simple "I'm sorry" and there could be just that much less animosity in the world, then I'm all for it.

The whole principle behind the Unitarian church is that everyone is welcome and that you do not have to believe in what anyone else in church believes in but respect everyone else's beliefs as they do your own. Sounds like something that I could be interested in looking at. But giving the fact that I'm against organized religion, then this is problematic.

In my opinion, organized religion is a breeding ground for hypocrits. Not all of the people that attend church are, but a fair amount of them are indeed. Many churches preach tolerance and acceptance, and yet instances of religious intolerance occur all the time, and more often then most people would like to believe.

These are not new battles that are being fought, far from it actually. It's an issue that people have been contending with throughout known history. The Romans persecuted the Pagans, the Christians to the Muslims, Muslims to the Jews....and so on and so forth. More wars and more conflict has been started over religion then over any other reason in history. Or the leaders merely stated a religious purpose ("the taming of a heathen/barbarian race in the name of God") to appease the masses of men that they would need in order to accomplish this goal.

The Crusades are a perfect example. The men that followed their Lords and Barons to Jerusalem had been told that they were doing God's work and taking the holy city away from the 'heathens' and bringing it back to the Christian holdings. They were also promised wealth and riches either upon their return or while protecting the holy city if they served for their God and did 'His' work. Power hungry and greedy land mongarers fighting in the name of God to only further gain treasure of land for themselves was not something that I believe God would have wanted.

People being slaughtered in the name of God I think is the most cowardice reason to kill someone. Hiding behind God as a reason for killing people is still murder. YOU killed someone. If God is this caring and forgiving individual, then why do people believe that they must kill the people of a different race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender? The Bible, the Koran, the Torah...all of these religious texts...they all claim to be the word of God. All have different stories and lessons and morals weaved throughout their pages. But all the words were written by man. Who's to say that the message didn't get lost somewhere in translation? Or who's to say that this is truly the actual word of God? In history, it's always true that the winners write the history books. There could be another part of these texts that we aren't getting, some that might have been cut out or left out purposely, for the reasons that are the writer's own. What do you think would have happened if during the Civil War, the South had won? The history of the Civil War would probably be viewed in a different light then how we see it today.

I'm much more of an agnostic then I claim to be at most times. I do believe that there is something greater then anything that we could ever imagine. But I can't say that it's one God, two, three, etc...But I will not say that there is no God. I believe in something greater and I know that something is very powerful. But I do not need a place of worship to go and talk to Him/Her. I do not need someone interpreting the words of 'their' book to me. I do not need someone telling me that because I don't believe that Jesus was the savior of man that I'm going to burn in hell. Or telling me that my homosexual friends will burn in hell as well for going against 'the word of God'. And I especially don't need someone telling me that I'm an ignorant child for the things I do believe in. Reincarnation, karma, fate, and destiny are among them.

My beliefs are my own, I respect the religions of others and I even though I might not agree with your point of view, I will never say "that's just stupid!" towards anyone with regards to their religion. This is null and void with talking about those that have extremist points of view (terrorists, skin heads, etc) only because these religios fanatics are going way beyond anything that resembles a normal following of their faith. I don't claim to anyone an over abundant knowledge of these things, but I'm only speaking from what I think and what I believe. Anyone that is so dogmatic about their faith that they begin to kill in the name of their God, persecute other religious groups, or participate in terrorist acts against those that have wronged them...I have no words. It just makes me angry and saddened.

I don't know what started this very long post today, talking about organized religion normally makes me clam up, because it has (and always will be) a hot button topic for many people. I do not talk about my beliefs a lot, especially with certain members of my very large family because many of them belong to churches and they are very strong in their beliefs. I've gotten many monolouges about the importance of the church in their lives, and more power to you. If you know that this is where you want to be, then I'm all for it. Go for it and be happy in the place that you choose to be. But let me be happy in the place that I choose to be as well. And if that doesn't involve a church, a priest/pastor/minister/prophet, or even a structured thought process on my own beliefs...then let me be. And I'll reciprocate.

Many people can still be good and honest people and not have to believe in an organized or unorganized religious group. Character is what I base my judgement on. Not money, not religion, race, or orientation.

Anti-Advertising

Kevin — Fri, 19 Aug 2005 01:00:00 -0400

Advertising has become a HUGE business these days. Major league sports are fighting over the idea to open their jerseys and home plates to sponsors logo's and movie advertisements. And while many advertisements work just as planned, there are some ads that can turn a customer off from the product being sold. Have you ever encountered an advertisement that, due to the nature of the ad, made you not want to buy the product?

Life's a Beach

Katie — Wed, 17 Aug 2005 01:00:00 -0400

With toes buried in sinking sand, I watched another wave roll towards shore and topple over to swirl around my ankles. "Let's go!" Kevin shouted, struggling against the wind, boogie board in hand. As we made our way to deeper water, wrestling against the powerful current that longed to sweep us away, the gentle waves that had caressed me on shore became increasingly callous and formidable. I was glad for the ability to see them coming, but they always daunted more threateningly from a distance; once they actually reached me, they usually just traveled right under me with nothing more than a peaceful lift. I soon turned around to watch Kevin ride on top of the water towards shore, and leaned back, floating, to enjoy the gentle sway beneath me. It occurred to me how much more relaxing it was with my back to the waves – I was able to enjoy the intermittent rise and fall without the initial trepidation from seeing the water towering from afar and tense impatience as I wait to get slammed by what I think is a liquid wall. I could enjoy the unexpected thrill of rising high and sliding back down, with no previous knowledge of what was headed my way.

I have reached many times in my existence when I would give anything to have my life offered to me in the form of a "choose your own adventure" book, with all the solutions contained within. If you do this, that will happen. If you go here, say this, buy that– each decision will lead you down a different road. But in the book, I could always just trace my steps back when I don’t like the outcome. What better way to choose a college, or a major, or decide where to work, when to get married, when to run away to Colorado? To be able to anticipate the ripples and swells surging towards me - it just seems so much easier that way. But maybe my lifetime search for that crystal ball finally found clarity in the salt water. Maybe there's a reason God planted us with our backs to the waves. My mom once said that if she knew all the big bad things that would happen in her life, it would’ve been difficult to enjoy the good things. That makes sense to me because it is the little joys, the everyday pleasures, that make life worth it...but looking ahead, it is the looming disasters that we would notice and that would determine our actions and attitudes. How could we relax into the pleasing lull of the ocean if we were wound up and overanxious, preparing ourselves for the tsunami in the distance? Even the Bible instructs "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matt 6:34) It would be difficult to live today in the shadow of tomorrow.

So as my beach time comes to an end, I will relax into real life, without craning my neck to see the breakers that have not reached me yet. I will enjoy the sometimes serene, sometimes thrilling twists, and simply shake off the water when I get toppled by a harsh swell. I will live my life with my back to the waves.

'Shake your Buddha', Funny Phrase or Religious Insensetivity?

Kevin — Sat, 06 Aug 2005 01:00:00 -0400

At Foley's the other day, seeing a shirt with the aforementioned saying seemed very politically incorrect. Obviously it was meant as a joke, but is it alright for someone to wear a shirt using the God of a major religion as a reference for booty?

Take the time

Briana — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 01:00:00 -0400

There are certain times during the month or even a couple of times a month that it's important to give some time to yourself. You have the rest of the month to spend with your family, friends, and/or classmates. But since your sanity is imperative to you being able to survive everything that the above-mentioned people come to you with every day, it's MONDO important to take the necessary steps.

Now I'm not saying blow off everyone and change plans around so that you can have your "you time". But just be aware that you can't be there for everyone at every time that you need to be, only because you need some time to recollect your thoughts and/or feelings.

There are many things that you can do, your own personal interests and tastes can come in here (running, listening/playing music, taking a walk, etc, etc). People just have to remember that they need to take this time, before they feel they have to cancel something planned with the aforementioned parties in order to keep themselves from going crazy.

So, in conclusion...take that extra long shower, go for a walk in the rain, take a long drive, go to the batting cage, or anything else that you need to do by your lonesome in order to regroup and come back. And if you're a loner by nature, then you already have this figured out. :) That's just my opinion-take it or leave it. Random Ramblings at...3:05 in the morning, haha.

Taking a Trip

Kevin — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 01:00:00 -0400

In the spirit of the summer, we ask: What is your dream vacation and why haven't you lived it yet?

Violent Video Games

Kevin — Wed, 20 Jul 2005 01:00:00 -0400

Video games are an exploding form of entertainment these days. And some of the problems with the gaming industry is how explosive these games can be. Many people find faults with how realistic these games have become. Grand Theft Auto and Brothers in Arms are strong examples of this. The gameplay of Grand Theft Auto involves stealing cars, killing police officers and blowing various object into pieces. Brothers in Arms takes the player to a visual recreation of the Second World War with supurb detail. Are games like this too much for any audience? What affect may they have on children and do they create altered views on how to act in society? You decide.

The Pearl of Linsaldondram (Level VI)

Kevin — Sat, 16 Jul 2005 01:00:00 -0400

Level VI

Having his two supports back in place, Exodus found himself at a recess from actions. As pounds of adrenaline pumped through his bloodstream he felt more alive than ever. There was something so authentic, so adventurous about these moments that pushed Exodus towards ecstasy. Ever since he dreamed as a little boy, fighting imaginary battles against enormous armies with a single cardboard sword, his yearn for adventure grew with each victorious battle. Games were a simple extension of this desire.

Nostalgia set in as Exodus remembered the hours he’d sit at a glowing screen, typing in his desired action through a command line. Misspelled words were quickly corrected and basics keystroke combinations, like ‘Walk’, ‘Talk’ and ‘Open’, were committed to memory.

Fast forward to the icon age. Images of animated eyes, hands and feet replaced the use of typed commands. There were hundreds of right clicks on the mouse until the desired symbol appeared followed by several slight movements of the pointer towards the goal. The circle ended with rapid left clicks putting the hero into action. All this repeated time and time again. It was the formula for hero success.

But never in his wildest dreams did he believe he’d engage in such an immersive competition. The character Exodus had total control over his actions, total customization of his moves, and total sensory overload. Nothing in the electronic industry could touch this game play.

But right now Exodus’s wild ride could easily de-rail. The riddle needed to be answered and the Agent was unsure. Frequently had the agent guesstimated in the past, so now should be nothing new. He was somewhat sure that the water did leave the land where the land dropped faster than the water could fall. It was complicated, but he understood. Forgetting the fact that he had never actually seen the falls, Exodus gained confidence.

Unwilling to prolong the situation, he forged ahead and yet again positioned his boot over ‘I’.

Luck. The computer couldn’t know what convinced Exodus that the water leaves the land on the island of Gyern, just that he answered correctly.

There were now two more riddles until the end. The voice arrived with impatience, “You will now only have 1 minute to answer the following question.” A short pause separated the rushed sentences. “Can you trust me?”

A look of bewilderment struck Exodus’ face. His mouth curled in the most peculiar shape, mimicking the question. Precious seconds passed as the Agent stood baffled.

Tick

The sound, which truthfully had reached Exodus’ ears since the end of the question, finally pushed its way into his brain. Acknowledging this new noise, he attempted to act, but fear had found home in his heart and once again he struggled to even breathe.

Tick

Like sand drifting through an hourglass, time quickly fell away from Exodus. He tried again to think, to gain some ground against impeding death. The next 55 seconds - Tick -…54 seconds may be his last. A steady pounding grew thunderous as Exodus’ heart beat with a fury.

Tick

Unfortunately for the Agent, his next move would bring a knock-out punch. Without any hope of an answer, he searched the floor before him only to find his familiar 4 column Alpha-numeric row missing, and instead he witnessed just one stone rapidly cycling through 4 different markings.

Tick

His eyes struggled to read the foursome of options. One by difficult one he fought to know what they read.

Tick

With thirty seconds remaining, Exodus finally deciphered the erratic code.

Tick

The letters delivered an awful word.

Tick

“D-E-A-D”

Tick

Quotation Time

Kevin — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 01:00:00 -0400

-- Suggested by Katie Lewis --

So, what's your favorite quotation? It may be a bible verse, from a famous writer (Paul) or favorite movie (Bri), or just something one of your friends said (Kelly). Don't be afraid to list more than one.

And keep this in mind --
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."
-- Dr. Seuss

Alien Invasion

Kevin — Sun, 03 Jul 2005 01:00:00 -0400

Let's get speculative... With the remake of H.G. Wells War of the World's now out in movie theatres, many will catch the 'Are we truly safe from an alien invasion' craze that we've seen happen previously with the film Independence Day. Stepping aside from that idea, let's take a look at how human culture would react if we were to find not just life elsewhere in the universe, but intelligent life. How would the religious community react now knowing we aren't the only one's God made the universe for? How would businesses react, seeing a brand new market for their products? How would you react?

The Pearl of Linsaldondram (Level V)

Kevin — Sun, 03 Jul 2005 01:00:00 -0400

Level V

His footing halted its descent one inch deep from the level of the pathway. Exodus had failed to breathe since his boot first touched the cold stone. There was a moment of tranquility as no sound could be gathered. Silence, for this short moment, was his best friend. The quiet stayed while the sound of poison-tipped arrows hurtling forward remained absent. He was still alive.

Then the voice came back, “Congratulations, you’ve answered the first question correctly. Each riddle will now grow harder with each correct response.” Had he breathed yet? It continued, “Do the men of Gyern known about this passage?”

Forgetting his near recent encounter with the afterlife, he thought back to the caves. What about the two who helped him find this entrance? Did they have to go through this trail? Surely they had some method of avoiding the deadly ordeal, possibly a secret passageway around the hole-filled wall. What if they were watching him right now, hoping he’d answer wrong?

“Yes,” he attempted to answer. Even before the word had departed his tongue, he knew his speaking was the wrong choice. And just as he had experienced only a few seconds earlier, silence emanated from the walls.

There was a pause in his actions as the Agent decided his next move. He knew his response must come in the form of a step, but knowing where to place his foot evaded him. For some obscure reason, using ‘I’ as a footstep proved the choice for life. The reason he wasn’t dead still escaped him.

He thought hard, much wearier of dashing his foot onto the next stone. Giving up seemed a hell of a lot easier a few inches back, when his life didn’t seem so fragile. Sweat was beading from his forehead as the temperature seemed to grow hotter than the blazing sun he rarely saw. With his gun in his hand, he raised his arm in an effort to wipe off the sweat and noticed his palmy hand.

Its color must have bled from it ever since he stopped breathing. He could barely keep his hand steady as he struggled with the heavy weight of the rifle. His digits were turning a brilliant grape purple. He lol-ed for a second, remembering when he was a kid when he would tie rubber bands around his index finger and wait until the exact moment, right before it fell off, to relieve his digit of its starvation.

It hurt to laugh.

He put his hand down for a second and struggled to breathe. The sound of air filling his lungs released a raspy noise. He tried breathing deeper, taking in as much as he could. Nothing seemed to quench his suffocation. His head grew dizzy and he noticed black burning into his field of view. Trying desperately, with his life in the balance, he fought to regain composure of his lungs.

Mere moments before a collapse, he miraculously regained composure. His lightheadedness began to disappear and his breathing quieted. He looked down to his empty palm and noticed the color of healthy flesh beginning to fill his hands. He began to count the fingers that had returned to their regular color. Being the computer nerd he was his sum was in binary. 00, 01, 10…

Three fingers had returned to color when he realized the key to the riddles. His mistake was thinking along human lines. Being in a computer game, of course, the answer had to be in computer terms.

Confidently, Exodus moved his right foot over the next number ‘I’ and returned the value TRUE.

As the sole of the agent’s left boot departed from its resting place, the new home of Exodus’s feet reached its lowest level of descent. Now, with both feet firmly planted on the square rock, he awaited his newest riddle.

The voice appeared once more, “Agent Exodus, you have succeeded in answering the first two challenges. As promised, you will now be required to answer more intricate inquiries. In a form of response similar to before, answer this next question.” The voice paused, as if searching for the appropriate question according to his skill level.

“On the Island of Gyern, are there areas where the waters leave the land?”

This question caught the agent off guard for a second. Waters that leave the land? Were there mystical powers that he would have to encounter later in his adventure? Or maybe it was just screwy wording meant to throw him off. It irked Exodus to think the ones who chose him were hoping he’d fail.

There had to be the knowledge within the Agent to answer the quirky question, why else would they ask it? His brain ran through the sentence repeatedly. He thought back to when he first arrived, hoping to recollect the memory of this hovering H20.

He woke up, everything was blurry, heard the ocean, saw the clouds above, there was, what sounded to be, a waterfall in the distance, a med-pac most certainly appreciated, and the forest failing to hide the “hidden” entrance. It had to be the clouds. He recalled watching the repetitive motion as the white puffs rose from the ocean, attempting to appear from the distant horizon, and traveled to the roof then trekked across the ceiling. They didn’t specify what form the water came in, whether water, steam or ice, just that it rose from the land.

Secure in his theory, he began to step forward once again with ‘I’ in mind. But before his foot crossed into the next row of rocks, he faltered in his thoughts. He was having trouble with the word, “land.” The water left the water, not the earth below. Sure, there was land below the ocean, but Exodus, with his life on the line, had found enough reasonable doubt to take an extra moment and rethink the situation. His foot returned along with his thoughts.

The 5th Amendment

Kevin — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 01:00:00 -0400

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/23/AR2005062300783.html

"The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that local governments may force property owners to sell out and make way for private economic development when officials decide it would benefit the public, even if the property is not blighted and the new project's success is not guaranteed.

...

Opponents, including property-rights activists and advocates for elderly and low-income urban residents, argued that forcibly shifting land from one private owner to another, even with fair compensation, violates the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits the taking of property by government except for 'public use.'

...

The Supreme Court's decision removed a possible obstacle to the District's plans to build a baseball stadium along the Anacostia River waterfront."

What do you think? Does the government hold the right to buy your property for private use? Is society better served by Mega-malls made possible by government sponsored takeovers?

The Pearl of Linsaldondram (Level IV)

Kevin — Sat, 18 Jun 2005 01:00:00 -0400

It's fun writing this story. Sometimes I can just sit down and punch out many paragraphs, others time's I just sit there wasting my laptop battery. Still, I'm enjoying writing this adventure and
creating situations for Exodus to encounter. While I really want to go back on it and tidy it up in many places, it's enthralling thinking of ways to explore this gaming world.

I really have no idea how to end this story, so plan on having many more levels to come. Enjoy!

Level I

Level II

Level III

Level IV

There’s that old saying, ‘Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice.’ It repeated again and again like a broken record warning quick judgment calls. So initially Exodus was weary of jumping to conclusions. Just because the pattern before showed the same didn’t mean it would offer a similiar conclusion.

He had to know more, so he tested this theory of different doubles by taking a look at the second row of stones. A, E, I, 0.

And the third set: A, E, I, 0.

Beyond those rows, the markings became blurred.

He was stumped, again. For the second time in a few minutes, Agent Exodus hit a rock wall running full speed. Still panting heavily from his sudden stop, he attempted to focus on the task at hand. It was like counting stars while someone yelled random numbers in your ear. A steady mind could take it, but for Exodus, the thought of sudden death being so eminent shook him deeply.

He hadn’t really thought of it before. Sure, the idea of death in a video game was rampant, but those were just one’s and zero’s. What would happen when he finally took the wrong step? Could he reload his life like he loaded up every lost battle? It was all 1’s and 0’s then. 1’s and 0’s.

He looked down at the forbidden path: A, E, I, 0. He remembered his visit to the marshy land: A, E, I, O. Wait! There was something different about that last letter. 0 not O. It wasn't a letter, it was a number!?! Why would a numb--.

“Congratulations Agent Exodus,” A familiar voice in his head sounded, “you’ve reached the Passage of Wesley and are one thought away from gaining access to the knowledge needed to pass these stones.” As suddenly as the voice arrived it left. Where had he heard it before?

Well, if there was anything good coming from that mysterious voice, it was the evidence he was getting closer to completing his mission. Ah ha! His mission commander, the voice he heard at arrival, that was it. His sense of success grew larger as the familiar voice echoed in his head.

So what can it be? If what he thought to be ‘O’ was actually zero, then could any other letter’s actually be numbers? ‘A’? ‘A’ could be… it could… no. E? Maybe ‘E’ could be ‘3’ backwards. One never knew in this alien world. The letter ‘I’ was a pretty simple answer. One. Just like the roman numeral.

Abbrubtly, the voice arrived again, “Answer the following riddles correctly, and you will find your way safely across the stones.” He gained confidence realizing he had made progress. “Is your name, ‘Agent Exodus’?”

“Yes,” he replied, forgetting his past calling, his past that didn’t matter now.

There was silence.

He stood there a moment, backpack beginning to sag from the weight of his equipment. His camo had become worn from trudging through the caves, and his boots were caked with mud. But these were the least of his worries, he still hadn’t heard anything. The lack of response made him doubt the validity of his answer. Maybe they really did mean his past name. It never really occurred to him that they would know about his past history. They would have to though; they scouted him, right? He was the man for the job, no other could do it but him. His expertise in the gaming world qualified him for this experience of a lifetime.

“No?” he gambled.

Still nothing.

What was going on? Surely he would get three strikes before the riddles were over. It was a shame to lose one of the three on the first response, but still. Where was the rest of his riddles? How can he complete his mission if he can’t even get past this roadblock? Why isn’t the mission commander helping him?

He had enough waiting and, after deciding he messed up the riddles, took matters into his own hands. He moved his tired legs to the edge of the inscribed pathway, placing his foot over the stone which gave him success years ago during his adventure in the Lands of Neccesi.

His foot came down over the number I.

Go Spurs Go!

Kevin — Sun, 12 Jun 2005 01:00:00 -0400

Ok, so if the Spurs win the NBA finals, I, Kevin Lamping, am going to go a day wearing my giant Spurs finger. And where does this madness come from? For those who have lived in San Antonio for more than, let's say, 2 seconds, you know what Spurs Fever is. And for those who haven't graced the Alamo city, you've most likely seen those adorned with silver and black , promoting their team. Perhaps its contagious effect is due to the fact that this is San Antonio's one and only Major League sport. Or maybe it's the great example the Spurs set on and off the court. So let's help those out there who don't understand why we love our Spurs the way we do. If you're a Spurs fan, let us know why, and if not, convert.