Here I Stand Against the Night

Right now, not only would I not save the world from it's own self-immolation if I had the power, but I'd let out a mighty cheer to see the lights of the world fade into campfires.

Just sayin'.

What are the justifications for late-term abortion? Any thoughts you like in the pro-voice of this. I'm not talking abortion in general, specifically I mean THIRD TRIMESTER abortions. Defnd this concept as an intellectual exercise if you wish.

NOTE: -ALL- posts arguing against this practice, in any way, will be -deleted-, even if I do or do not agree with you. Not censorship, just the rules of this forum for the moment. I want to hear real humans defend this practice if they care, not people ripping into it.

FURTHER NOTE: Yes, this is part of my ongoing decision to hear out opposing views and rationally dissect them, for good or ill.

This is a further exploration of magic via science as by my strange mind.

INTERRUPTION! JENMONSTER OMG OMG OMG! DOWNLOAD THIS NOW! : http://www.megaupload.com/?d=EAHVBZSP
/INTERRUPTION!

I was hoping one of my Pagan/wiccan/etc friends could make a charm for me. Something simple, but don't tell me what it is. I will wear it everyday, all day, as recommended, for one month, at the end of which, I will attempt to discern any noticeable alteration in my daily life. I will make a locked post about this and then an open one asking what it was. Then I'll unlock the observation post and we'll compare.

I must note, however, this falls under the same category as testing the Holy Communion wafer for transubstantiation, in my mind. I understand if testing faith is considered off-limits for anyone here, but I'll pursue this one way or another.

Stolen from driftingfocus via gwystal.

These are the top 106 books most often marked as "unread" by LibraryThing’s users. As in, they sit on the shelf to make you look smart or well-rounded. Bold the ones you've read, italicize the owns you own but have not read.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Anna Karenina
Crime and Punishment
Catch-22
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Wuthering Heights
The Silmarillion : Technically this is Xenia's, and I'm still working on Two Towers (Fuck off, I'll get to it)
Life of Pi
The Name of the Rose
Don Quixote : GOD. DAMN. LONG.
Moby Dick
Ulysses
Madame Bovary
The Odyssey
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Eyre
The Tale of Two Cities
The Brothers Karamazov
Guns, Germs, and Steel
War and Peace
Vanity Fair
The Time Traveler’s Wife
The Iliad
Emma
The Blind Assassin
The Kite Runner
Mrs. Dalloway
Great Expectations : I liked it more than the movie. Any of them.
American Gods : Never got around to picking this up.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
Atlas Shrugged : Like you didn't know?
Reading Lolita in Tehran
Memoirs of a Geisha : Never got around to picking this up.
Middlesex
Quicksilver
Wicked
The Canterbury Tales
The Historian
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Love in the Time of Cholera
Brave New World
The Fountainhead : Of Course.
Foucault’s Pendulum
Middlemarch
Frankenstein : Literally Backwards and Forwards.
The Count of Monte Cristo
Dracula
A Clockwork Orange
Anansi Boys : Never got around to picking this up.
The Once and Future King
The Grapes of Wrath
The Poisonwood Bible
1984
Angels & Demons : Never got around to picking this up.
The Inferno I'm Assuming Dante's?
The Satanic Verses
Sense and Sensibility : Never got around to picking this up.
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Mansfield Park : Never got around to picking this up.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
To the Lighthouse
Tess of the D’Urbervilles
Oliver Twist
Gulliver’s Travels
Les Misérables
The Corrections
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Dune : Been FOREVER, though.
The Prince
The Sound and the Fury : Never got around to picking this up.
Angela’s Ashes : Never got around to picking this up.
The God of Small Things
A People’s History of the United States
Cryptonomicon
Neverwhere
A Confederacy of Dunces
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Dubliners
The Unbearable Lightness of Being : I fucking DESPISED this book. And Always will.
Beloved
Slaughterhouse-five
The Scarlet Letter
Eats, Shoots & Leaves
The Mists of Avalon
Oryx and Crake
Collapse
Cloud Atlas
The Confusion
Lolita : Surprisingly BORING.
Persuasion
Northanger Abbey
The Catcher in the Rye : Also boring.
On the Road
The Hunchback of Notre Dame Which version?
Freakonomics : Never got around to picking this up.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
The Aeneid
Watership Down
Gravity’s Rainbow
The Hobbit : Also Xenia's... Getting to it!
In Cold Blood
White Teeth
Treasure Island
David Copperfield
The Three Musketeers


Some of these... people really haven't read? Huh. Makes sense, I suppose. I honestly don't recognize a lot of the titles I didn't mark, and, frankly, most of their titles seem to imply that I'd either be bored or infuriated by them anyway.

But sometimes you just need a dick.

*snicker*

Vote for me. Or vote for M, 'cause she's also V. cool and we love M, don't we? *Hairy eye + Baseball bat gently tapping palm*

Gimme more ideas for blogging to you. What do you want to hear me blather about? Note it may get filtered, depending on subject.

Tomorrow's post assuming reality doesn't EAT me: Sex and Role Playing. (Filtered, ask to view unless you already asked for that filter)

Me being curious and thinking of an experiment, however!

Does one need believe in magic (Spell however you so wish) for it to work upon oneself? Specifically, I mean charms. Can you wear a charm for something and have it aid you without belief? I'm specifically asking for those who believe/study this sort of thing as I really only looked into practice and methodology in my earlier, more curious days.

Zombie Quiz

I am 100% Zombie


Good for you! You're a brain eating, human cannibalizing, mindless, flesh-eating drone!

Mmm! Baby!

You Are Very Sexy

Damn! You are one hot number. You have a lot of sex appeal. You know you're sexy, and you're not afraid to put it all out there. And while you're very appealing, you're careful not to be trashy or over the top. Sexy is all about attitude. And you totally have the attitude that people love. How You Are Sexy You accept your body as it is, and that's sexy. If you feel attractive, you are more attractive - no matter what your shape is. You are flirtatious and fun with most people. You know how to keep things light, friendly, and sexy. You keep your body fit and healthy, and that's hot. Plus, sweating is also sexy! You wear sexy underwear, and that's definitely hot. Feeling sexy is important to being sexy, even if no one knows what's underneath your clothes.

*shrug* Dunno, I'm not really much to note this sorta thing. 'Cept for that last one. I don't do underwear to begin with, unless I have reason. I've got too much to worry about to give a /damn/ about yet /another/ piece of clothing.

Your Famous Movie Kiss is from Cruel Intentions

"I'm the only girl you can't have, and it kills you."

Hated the movie. The scene was... *ahem* 'okay'.

You Are Somewhat Virtuous

You are occasionally a good person, but you often stop short at doing the right thing. It's just a lot easier (and more fun) to be bad! You do have a reputation to uphold. Deep down, you're a fairly good person. But no one's perfect. You're just a lot less perfect than most people! Where You Are Virtuous You have the virtue of tranquillity. You do your best to keep your life peaceful and calm. You have the virtue of Frugality. You spend your money wisely, and you are not wasteful. You have the virtue of Temperance. You don't eat or drink excessively. Where You Are Not Virtuous You lack the virtue of Cleanliness. You are quite messy... and maybe even a little dirty. You lack the virtue of Chastity. You aren't guarded when it comes to intimacy. You lack the virtue of Order. Many aspects of your life are chaotic and a total mess.

Yeah, life is chaos, but that and creation keep things moving.


Also, changes in the wind for the world. Info in my 'Bux filter (Nothing specific, I'm a /good/ Barista!)

driftingfocus asked about my user info. Why I define myself with certain words. Here's the idea behind the words.

Artist

It's a thing I do. I draw because it's better images get out than stay inside. Actually, I haven't drawn my thoughts and nightmares at all lately... which might be part of why I've been having more trouble with my head lately.

Writer

I write, much for the same reasons as above and also because I can create with nothing but my imagination. I can build worlds–imperfect but right–without the resources I'd need to bandage this one.

Libertarian

Because "Anarchist" is hardly an effective democratic stance.

Gun Rights Supporter

We all know I follow guns–I think they're a good and valuable thing to have and be competent with. hell, you needn't own one, but should you stop others? Criminals, yes–but law-abiding citizens?

Martial Artist

I learned to fight a long time ago. I try to keep in practice. I can still hit harder than most–or just in smarter spots.

Combat Specialist

Give me an item, I'll weaponize it. Give me a situation, I'll fight it. I studied the theory of combat, I've played war games. I'm not tested under fire, yet, but I've responded well to muggings, so that's a good sign. And as a note to those who say "If you have a gun, you'll find a reason to use it"–I was armed every time someone tried to take from me. I responded with empty hands and handled myself well, thank you.

Rogue

I've never been much for following set ideas and patterns. I do what I see as needed. I speak my mind as I see it true. And I don't need others to support me–I can do it on my own and will if I need to.

Survivalist

Ever find yourself almost /wishing/ civilization would crash? God forbid it should–I doubt we could re-build. Ever. But I do intend to be one of the ones who doesn't lose my head when the shit hits the fan–whether it's the end of the world or just a bit of chaos.

Mad (like a march hare)

To say I'm eccentric is to say the Empire State Building's a bit tall.

SO FULL OF HATE(-juice)!

I've no idea where "So full of hate!" comes from, but I found it amusing. And I'm fairly spiteful in regards to the state of the world.

Elitist

I have high standards and no problem ignoring or using that which doesn't measure up to what I wish to see. People included. Respect is only given with reason for me. I don't bow kindness to that which I disapprove of. No, I don't care that this means many people and things will simply never be good enough for me. Not my problem. I don't spit on it, but I needn't love it. All are not equal.

Asshole

I can be a prick. Get under my skin, fuck me off, or get in my way and I'll mow you down. I do not bend and scrape, I don't shuffle to the side. I get where and what I want, and go through any obstacle. I'm the type to simply step off the subway–through anyone waiting outside the door. I walk on my side of the sidewalk and if someone isn't watching where they're going, I stop and let them walk into me. Or I go through them. It one thing if we try to make room for one another, but I'll only give others the consideration I receive. For my understanding of the "golden Rule", I've been labeled an asshole. *shrug* Cool by me.



Out of curiosity, any other labels ya'll'd attach to me?

You Are An ISTJ

The Duty Fulfiller You are responsible, reliable, and hardworking - you get the job done. You prefer productive hobbies, like woodworking or knittings. Quiet and serious, you are well prepared for whatever life hands you. Conservative and down-to-earth, you hardly ever do anything crazy. In love, you are loyal and honest. If you commit yourself to someone, then you're fully committed. For you, love is something that happens naturally. And you don't need romantic gestures to feel loved. At work, you remember details well and are happy to take on any responsibility. You would make a great business executive, accountant, or lawyer. How you see yourself: Decisive, stable, and dependable When other people don't get you, they see you as: Boring, conservative, and egotistical

Executive, Accountant, Or Lawyer, eh? Like hell.

Your Personality Is Like Acid

A bit wacky, you're very difficult to predict. One moment you're in your own little happy universe... And the next, you're on a bad trip to your own personal hell! At your best: You understand the world completely, and every ordinary experience is sublime. What people like about being around you: You say and do the craziest things. You're very entertaining. What people dislike about being around you: You're unpredictable. Your mood swings are quite intense. How addicted people get to you: They pretty much don't get addicted to you.

Accurate even if, Ironically, I never took acid.

Your Personality Cluster is Extraverted Thinking

You are: Organized and logical - a master at puzzles Competitive in almost any arena of life Objective when necessary, but passionate about what you truly love Intolerant of excuses and incompetence

Also True.

You are a Lavender Rose

You represent love at first sight and enchantment. Your vibe: intense and intriguing Falling in love with you is: deep and meaningful

FrooFroo meme is FrooFroo.

You Are 80% NYC

You are probably a real New Yorker, though there's a good chance you really live on Long Island.

Long Island, Staten Island... Big Diff.

You Are A Blueberry Martini

You are a eclectic drink - liking to change drinks and venues often. You are usually the first of your friends to find a cool new dive bar or cocktail. You should never: Drink mystery drinks strangers hand you. Unless you want to wind up in foreign country. Your ideal party: Is mobile, hopping from party to party. Your drinking soulmates: Those with an Orange Martini personality. Your drinking rivals: Those with a Chocolate Martini personality.

No. Such. Thing.

Martini: Gin. Vermouth. Twist Lemon or Olive garnish.

Everything else is a different drink.

Note: Don't ask for a Martini unless the guy seems VERY competent. The Guy spinning drinks at the Montauk... I asked for it dry, but it was awful DX

You Are 16% Emo

You're the furthest thing from emo. Sensitivity is not something you exactly cultivate... and you can't imagine weeping over song lyrics.

EEEEEEMMOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Tony MUTHERFUCKIN' Stark. Hells Yeah.

Also: Stay for after the credits. Do NOT disobey!

*SPAZ*

Looking For Group

I'm chuckling still. I LOVE LFG...

Take THIS and go STUFF yourself, Heir Bloomberg, you pretentious FUCK.

HEIL BLOOMBERG!* *Clicks Heels*







*If that were anymore sarcastic, I'd have to wear a "caution, sarcasm!" sign

Okay, dearies, I've some ideas to make my journal more interesting and get me back into journalistic and essay writing.

Suggest concepts and vote on ideas. I'll add more to the list as they're suggested nd try to keep a running tally.

My current blog ideas (Yes, I stole this idea from driftingfocus who is incredibly cool and makes pretty pictures):

Sex and Role Play–I mean that very broadly.

What people read/watch and why–my theories, mostly.

How to get an intentionally bad drink at the 'Bux–It's surprisingly hard.

History of Madness–The Complete story of why I am... the way I am. (Abridged)

Screw the old Sexuality graph, I got a new one! With color!–exactly what it says. Images included (Of the graph, you pervs)

"Safe" and what we do for it–my examination of the concept of being "safe".

The Story of Job: 2008–rewriting what we used to know.

Last post before The New Filters kick in.



Because of Jack's latest story arc, I got to wondering:

Ever think God won because Job got off light?

I mean, yeah, he got Fucked over. But faith isn't usually challenged by tragedy, it's challenged by time. Job got hit hard, but he stayed loyal and got it all back. What if the bet had gone on longer. What if "evil" had said, "No, wait longer. I don't think he can hold out." And maybe Job would have cracked. Maybe not.

The meaning isn't really affected–Job stays faithful, Job wins. That's the important part of the tale. But I can only imagine if Job hadn't gotten it all back; what if he'd died destitute and ruined? Would he have lived his crumpled, lonely existence in faith and hope for years–decades–believing in the great plan, or would he have folded shop.

I imagine most would give in. But, then, an omniscient God wouldn't fuck up like that. He'd know who had the faith, and who didn't.

Which means, tangentally, that this story has to be apocryphal. No kind and loving, or even reasonable, "God" would do such a thing. It's horrific. It's petty. It's frankly sick.

So here's my take on the story as it /should/ have gone, in a few sentences:

Evil: "Job only loves you 'cause you're nice to him. Take away all his blessings and he'll curse you! I double dog dare you!"
God: "Go stuff yourself, I've a universe to run."

...

Aaaand now I want to re-write the story of Job for real...

Dammit.

ANON is now on.

RULES:

Post a confession to me, about me. Something you haven't and won't tell me to my face.
Post this in your Journal.
Turn Anonymous Comments on.
Remember that replies to ANON comments don't get sent to the poster, don't be a Douche.

READY STEADY GO.

Gods I am dead on my feet.

Ass.

Whatever... -_-;;

Also, I recommend turning IP Log off for this... just sayin'...

Last:

THE SECRET LOVERS MEME

Ignore the intarweb speak above, that has nothing to do with anything. Except the subject of my post which is, in fact, My filters. I'll be revamping most of my filters and actually trying to use them from now on (Shock! Awe!). Reply with which of the public filters you'd like to watch:


Socio-political: My thoughts on what makes man man, and what he should do with it. (YEs, I intended that joke, but the filter is for serious discussion)

Sex: Well... yeah.

Gaming: Feel my nerdiness. Touch it. I'm making a note here: "Huge success"

Art: I now has Deviant art account, so I'll try to post updates... more than never.

Barista: Tales from the OTHER side of the bar. Ever wonder what working for the 'Bux is like?


I'm sure people immediately think of politics and the like with socio, but it'll also be copyright,relationships, freedom of speech, my random thoughts on how people act, all that random interpersonal crap.

Sex.... you'd be surprised by me, perhaps. People are always surprised by my sexuality when the subject comes up. Really, I'm not so tame, and I'm not that weird.

The gaming one is pretty much only going to be of interest to geeks who LARP, but maybe you're curious what I see in the world of the nerd...

I DO intend to get back to doing more art work! I do!

Ye gods you have no idea what it's like unless you've worked food service. No. Idea. And 'Bux is a whole new ballgame. Note: I have to check our disclosure agreement before I really get into this one.

Also: It's time to redo my icons. I can have six... I need to think of new stuff. The lightning is getting old.

I found this in Zayden's journal. Dear gods I'm still fucking laughing.

"This would never happen at Black Mesa..."

I am: H.G. Wells The first major literary talent to make himself at home in the science fiction field, greatly expanding its popularity.

Which science fiction writer are you?

Amusing, though I find his morality repugnant in a vague manner.

You are Strength

Courage, strength, fortitude. Power not arrested in the act of judgement, but passing on to further action, sometimes obstinacy.

This is a card of courage and energy. It represents both the Lion's hot, roaring energy, and the Maiden's steadfast will. The innocent Maiden is unafraid, undaunted, and indomitable. In some cards she opens the lion's mouth, in others she shuts it. Either way, she proves that inner strength is more powerful than raw physical strength. That forces can be controlled and used to score a victory is very close to the message of the Chariot, which might be why, in some decks, it is Justice that is card 8 instead of Strength. With strength you can control not only the situation, but yourself. It is a card about anger and impulse management, about creative answers, leadership and maintaining one's personal honor. It can also stand for a steadfast friend.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Cute. But predictable, much like any Tarot reading of me.

And goddamnit, I am NOT Wesley fucking Crusher!

EDIT!



I am a pretty damn well-educated reader and I KNOW this bloody book. And I'm a damned Agnostic.