And Good Riddance...

Nope, I'm not done with this yet. So much to your dismay, or disappointment (or whatever strange feelings inside you may get), the only time I'll stop is when I'm on the lam. And I'm not... yet. Or at least I don't know if I am... am I?

Anyways, today is that day. The last of the last. Number 365. Day 365. And for 2006, good riddance, what a pretty pathetic year, if at most, tepid, or I'd like to define as 'meh'. Unfortunately that's all we can agree to, now if we could get some solution for world peace. But it's a start.

Now, rather than write out some convulted and horribly incoherent list, I have decided to simply point you in the direction of this Wikipedia article to tell how horrible 2006 was. And to start, it's just world events. Think about it. To quote the following, is the month of January. Read it, fall into a fetal position (thumb sucking optional), then soldier on to the next month. Repeat until December. Or scoff at Wikipedia. Some of you may. Go ahead.

January, a bad start to a bad year:

January

January 1 - Russia cuts natural gas to Ukraine over a price dispute.
January 2 - The Bad Reichenhall ice rink roof in Germany collapses after heavy snowfall in the Bavarian Alps, killing 15.
January 3 - Twelve deceased coal miners and 1 survivor are discovered in the Sago Mine Disaster near Buckhannon, West Virginia in the United States.
January 4 - Powers are transferred from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to his deputy, Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, after Sharon suffers a massive hemorrhagic stroke.
January 5 - A hotel in Mecca, Saudi Arabia collapses, killing 76 pilgrims visiting to perform hajj.
January 6 - The record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season officially draws to a close as Tropical Storm Zeta dissipates.
January 7 - Embroiled in multiple scandals, former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay announces he will not seek to reassume his former post.
January 7 - U.K. Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy resigns after revelations that he has a drinking problem.
January 8 - A powerful, magnitude 6.9 earthquake epicentered off the coast of the Greek island of Kythera shakes much of Greece and is felt throughout the eastern Mediterranean basin. Only a few minor injuries and no significant damage are reported.
January 9 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 11,000 for the first time since June 7, 2001, closing at 11,011.90.
January 11 - The Augustine Volcano in Alaska erupts twice, marking its first major eruption since 1986.
January 12 - A stampede during the Stoning of the devil ritual on the last day at the Hajj in Mina, Saudi Arabia, kills 362 pilgrims.
January 14 - A natural gas explosion in a coal mine kills 8 in Romania.
January 15 - NASA's Stardust mission successfully ends, the first to return dust from a comet.
January 22 - Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers scores 81 points in a regulation NBA game, second only to Wilt Chamberlain who scored 100 points on December 8, 1961.
January 23 - Stephen Harper wins the federal election in Canada, forming a minority government.
January 25 - Hamas wins the majority of seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections.
January 25 - Deus Caritas Est, the first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, is promulgated.
January 27 - Celebrations are held in Salzburg and around the world for the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
January 28 - A trade hall roof collapses in Katowice, Poland, killing 65 people.
January 31 - Samuel Alito is sworn in as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.


Pretty crappy for the most part already, eh?

If you disagree, that's what the Comments are for. Or send me threatening email. That always works. Fan mail would be a first for me, be it hate mail or not. So go ahead, write! It doesn't have to be as clever as what I type (or it could be better, dazzle me, please), but as long as it looks like English, I just might as well read it.


But onto my 2006.

2006 for me meant I finished high school. The second semester wasn't all that bad, but I could've done better. My summer could've been better, as I'm still stuck on whether or not that we didn't go on a family vacation this summer was good or bad. Well summer ended, as they all do. And to everyone's surprise, the Spring of 2006, the University of Toronto admitted me. (Well, more like late May infact). Laugh it up all you want. I find it hilarious myself, when my parents kept lecturing me on how hard university would be to enter, ad infinitum. Well, maybe I applied to general arts. Maybe that's why. But I'll have to say physical chemistry really nailed my ass, along with the rest of this semester's students in CHM139H1. I didn't get much done from September to December 31st. 3 papers, alot of late nights up either doing work or not doing work and waking up Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays before the sun comes up to get downtown (and it will continue this semster).

Long complaint short: I hate Tuesdays, where I have essentially 10/12 hours of classes (U of T is open from 9AM to 9PM). Sounds like fun, right? Maybe in some sick, sadistic sort of way.

About my general laziness: I hate writing labs. I hate writing labs for a Tuesday because simply, I work myself to death on Tuesdays. And to you who think arts courses (e.g. English, history, etc) are bird courses or something, you have been lied to. And, oh how those labs infuriate me. (repetition is always good to get a point across, something I learned in history). Now's a good time to stop complaining.

Luckily, something good of this year can be salvaged in my advantage. TIME named me one of the People of the Year. I'm not kidding. Okay, so you're probably one too, but I'm more important because I'm doing this... unless you're doing this too. (i.e. blogging)

Here's hoping I get more done in 2007, such as being more diligent with my work, and getting it done early. Well, probably not. New Year's resolutions? Maybe to write real New Year's resolutions for 2008. Or 2009.

Happy 2007. In about 8 hours and 15 minutes. At least for the Eastern Time Zone...ers.

p.s. I turn 19 on the 5th, January. If that really matters at all. Or if anyone reads this at all.

Gearing up for Christmas

Christmas. Yes, Christmas.

And if you seem offended, well, too bad. I celebrate Christmas. You can celebrate whatever, I really don't care. But more power to you. This is what I hate about people turning "Merry Christmas" into "Happy Holidays". What happened? I seem to remember a time that when you told it to someone they didn't care less if they celebrated it or not, but now it seems like it's some kind of racial slur. Tolerance has gone down, just noone sees it.


Anyways, I was never the politically correct type, you have to put so much effort into not offending anyone, but that's what I'm much better at. And besides, there were times when you didn't have to be politically correct. Ah, yesterday. All my troubles seemed to far away.


But to the matter of Christmas. It's not being ruined by the fact that (again) there are more rambling morons who insist if you wish someone a "Merry Christmas" and they don't celebrate you, you deserved to be lynched in the public square. No, it's not that fear of some bombing or anything. If you live in Toronto, you'd know.

THE SNOW IS MISSING. WHERE IS THE SNOW? I DO NOT KNOW.

But I know who does.


This is a travesty. A TRAVESTY. A week before Christmas and where is the snow? I blame global warming. Everyone, Americans, Western Infidels, Mexican illegal immigrants (or aliens for your politically correct nutcases), the Kyoto protocol, the Taliban, Al Qaeda, Kim Jong-Il, George Bush, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Smurfs, the Carebears, WHATEVER. Blame whoever you want for Global warming, but why do we have to suffer for it? I, myself, had only one other ... (I shudder at the thought) Green Christmas. Back when I was maybe 7? But that doesn't matter. I don't want another one. But maybe I know who to ask. I shall address it in the form of a letter because prayer service is probably backed up at this time of year. Did I give it away? Probably. Well, He can read it for Himself and maybe I'll make him feel guilty and it'll snow within the week. We don't live in freaking Arizona.

My letter is as follows:

Dear God,

Why hasn't it snowed in Toronto yet? Is this your cruel idea of punishing us? We would very much like a White Christmas, please. And those poor souls who run the snow plow fleet every year would like to see work themselves. See, I'm not at all inconsiderate and only think of my own intentions. So, to reiterate, please have it snow by Christmas in Toronto, because not only is it unnatural for a Green Christmas in Toronto, there are others who need to find work during the winters of our city. Otherwise, please forward this to the appropriate deity who controls the weather, whether global or over the assigned area of Southern Ontario.

Thanks,
Kelvin





Yes, I'm going to Hell, but I might as well make the most of it :)



Now, with a week coming up before Christmas, there's much to be done. I actually bought my parents Christmas presents. I won't say what but I bought them ahead of time (last week of November, first week December). Now all I have to do is wrap them. And that is a difficult task for a guy. I'll admit it, but I'm willing to learn, only because I don't want to pay someone to do it. Also, I paid for these gifts myself, but I'll be nice and put my little brother's and sister's names on the tags anyways. Only because I should. What does that mean?

Me: Hey Winnie (sister), do you have 20$, help me pay for Christmas presents for the folks. Then we won't look like the bloodsucking leeches we are for at least a day.
Sister: NO.

Now I have a week to figure out how to wrap presents, and do it twice (and maybe more for practice). Wish me luck.


Now, last but not least, the decorations. Pictures later, but it's the standard fare at our house. 2 foot tall Christmas tree, lights being fixed outside the house (we don't take em down, we're lazy over here), and figures of angels and Xmas trees on the windows that flash. Then we have the family Christmas party where we usually invite whoever we're related to who's over in Canada to come. More of them means more presents for me.


Now, as for myself, I need to find my Santa hat. It is imperative that I do. Why? Many reasons why, but I shall tell you now. First, it is confortable; sure it gets hot if you leave it on for too long, but it is oh so comfortable. Second, it makes the ladies irresistable. You may think I'm lying, but I do not. I wore the exact same hat during Grade 11 and 12, and I can clearly recall (especially in French class) everyone wanted to wear it. And Carmen Chan kept trying to kill me to wear it. You can ask her. She'll deny it, but it's true. I don't lie.

Well, maybe I do, but not there.


Happy Holidays, but I only say that because it is the holidays. It'll be Merry Christmas when it's December 25th, and there isn't a thing you can do to stop me short of either killing me or ripping out my vocal chords. Do you worst.

"Yes, you look lovely, now JUMP!"

The Runaway Bride ... no the other one

This is the only reason I'm waiting for Christmas.

21 days and counting.

Freedom! ... Pending?

DAMN!

Almost... Just when I think I'm done with this term, I remembered I had some tests and an exam this term. But I didn't expect alot more than well... what I was expecting. My history paper was dead easy, 1000 words, short of trying to keep it at 1000 words maximum. My last lab report was due just yesterday, and like other lab reports I had no idea what I was doing. But I handed it in on time.

Tests? Chem Laboratory test is next week Friday. Poli sci test is Tuesday and a final Chemistry exam and I AM DONE. ... for this term.

So anyways, away from such brooding topics. I want to tell you about my day at school, because I can do that and it's really coooooooool.

Yesterday was Poli Sci day, which I generally loathe because... well let's start somewhere else. At least I'm not the only person. Only person what? Okay, my brain is still fried. Anyways, this week, I found out the people in my poli sci tutorial (note: I am the only yellow guy there - yes, I know it's Poli Sci) also equally find the professor just maybe a few sandwiches short of a picnic. It seems they're not the supersmart political science philosopher wannabes (maybe 2 of them are), which is extremely relieving because I felt like I was trapped in a room as the only complete idiot. Also, my poli sci lecture is extremely boring. I spend my time generally browsing the internet and copying down whatever comes up on the PowerPoint slides. But there are total Poli Sci nerds in this lecture. Naturally, they sit at the front. Luckily everyone in my tutorial pretty much agrees those idiots ask the most pathetic questions (Osama bin Laden while we're on the topic of constituions? I'm not that stupid but those are barely relevant) and waste maybe 20 minutes out of the 2 hour lecture and our prof always goes off on these crazy tangents, mumbles at times and worst of all, in a large lecture hall, he tries to use the blackboard at the front of the room. Noone understands him, and its unanimous in our tutorial that we're pretty much screwed for the midterm test. And I do not want my Poli sci essay back, or "2200 words of my arrogance and lack of political knowledge".

And here I was thinking Political Science for white people was what Math is for Chinese people. But it sort of still is in a sense. I mean, we get a 10-minute break in class, and people do discuss politics during this time.



Also, I'd like to mention, I posted (or will soon be, I'm writing both at once, but I'll be quick about it) in this post on my Xanga how to subscribe to RSS feeds (e.g. how to subscribe to my blog) if you haven't already did or tried to figure it out.

The Power of Two

No math, I promise. But my mind has been messing with me again. I see two too many twos. (See what I did there? Maybe in the morning it will). So what about two? That could mean anything, so to let my mind wander and let it take control of my fingers which will commandeer the keyboard:

• I wrote my second chem test yesterday, Tuesday, which I am sure is the second test I won't do so well on in this course, the second half of two halves of a chemistry course(yes, that's quite a stretch, so bear with my insanity).
• My second history paper is coming up, (due Monday, okay you got me), which means I need to read another book to write this up. 1000 word papers usually take me two hours to do if it's really late, and the night before.
• I noticed, I have two thumbs, two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet, two b... ok, human anatomy ends there. I think you get the point.
• It's now 2:00AM as I write this exact line.
• Ummmm.... 1+1 = 2, unless you believe in synergy, 1+1 = 3.

Okay okay okay, so time to stop putting off what I was really going to say about two.

What I really was going to say is that I really like duets - oh hell, don't think I sing them, or watch any reality shows on the subject, just listening to them. Don't ask me who/what/where/when/why/how, make up your own inane explaination as to why I would like listening to duets, because if I had an explaination, it would drive you mad. And when I mean duets, I mean real duets, I don't mean some "run-of-the-mill dollar store rapper featuring some ho off da streets". Those aren't duets, that's probably just an excuse for extra groping during recording, and in any subsequent music videos.

Oh and when I meant me not singing, it means not out of the shower or in my head, and only the guy's lines. So if you ever drag me out along to a Karaoke (in Chinglishnese: Kah-Lah-Oh-KAY), and you want to make an idiot out of me, some unfortunate girl (or guy, but the former, okay?) will need to suffer as we pretend to sing mushy lines to each other. Don't wonder how I like it, just feel fortunate I said I like it.

I'm not good with conclusions. No music tastes were discussed were there?

Maybe next time I'll tell you why I think ABC sucks (the TV network).

Yes, how about that, nothing witty to end this post. I don't always hand that out for free.

A Test of the Emergency Warning System

Duck and cover! Batten down the hatches! YES, RUN! In a vain attempt for power, or through another delusional dream, I have decided to fortify this location the the Internet. (It's not easy to see if it is of any strategic importance, but I sure hope so, for my sake). For those simply hit the "Next Blog" and coincidentally will find themselves here reading the first of hopefully many entries into this blog, I hope I don't scare you away. If I am, stop reading now, and hit that "Next Blog" button again at the top of your browser window; perhaps the next one you hit will be in Spanglish, or dedicated train engines, or a blog that stars three 16-year old party girls from Timbuktu. Who knows? The world is a big place, and if you cannot accommodate me in that world, I will not cry. Again, if you must, RUN. DON'T LOOK BACK.

For those who would associate themselves with me (read: my friends, but you don't have to use that for your sake), you had better find it in yourselves to be obligated to read whatever incoherent babbling I post. You don't have to comment, but at least take it to heart, or at least take an attempt to process it into coherency. I would do the same for you. I truly would.

So what is this? This is a blog, obviously. But beyond that, it's just as simple to explain; none of that mystical mumbo-jumbo, if that's what you were expecting. I run this blog - simple as that, and I shall post (hopefully on a regular basis) anything I find relevant to amuse yourself at my expense (those are usually fun, aren't they - ADMIT IT). And you, as the reader, read, or at least take an attempt to understand what I am trying to communicate. I would like to think and tell myself that I have some measure of wit, otherwise, this entire post and in effect, the entire blog is just a waste on my efforts and would be an extreme waste of my time to continue further. I'll make it clear I'm not neccessarily going to stop posting if I don't get comments. I'm not an emotionally broken 14-year old boy from Wisconsin whose mother dropped him on his head as an infant and whose father was afraid of pen protectors and Clint Eastwood movies. Perhaps if it has to be so, I will use this blog to document my descent into madness, provided I am still lucid at the end.