sées

i had one of my best experiences at college yesterday
no, seryusly
SERYUSLY

i got a text around noon–thirty sunday afternoon
asking if i wanted tickets to the women's basketball game
being the women's bball fan i am,
i immediately said yes and took the offer
but holy shit did i have no idea what i was in for

the reason i got them is thus:
rha does a housing bash/signup/thing every year called 'rock the block'
and they have a raffle they do every year at said bash/signup/thing
you sign up for housing, you get entered
apparently this year's prize was free tickets to the women's bball game
but, because rha took too much time telling people about it,
no one came to pick them up
one of my friends happens to be a deskie who works in abbot
and, seeing that there were multiple tickets available,
asked if they would be available if no one claimed them
they were, so she grabbed a couple and invited some people
i happened to be one of the lucky few

turns out, they weren't just game tickets
they were tickets for box seats
in one of the two boxes available at breslin
[apparently the other one is usually taken by lupe izzo]
so i got to watch the game like this [though slightly more to the left]
which was pretty fucking cool
not only did we get to sit in the luxury suite,
we were fucking CATERED. FOR. FREE
we got anything to have anything they offered
and believe you me, it was pretty damn good food

in addition to that,
it was free tshirt day for students
so i got me a shirt that says 'BEAT PURDUE' on it
and, because students like looking for free stuff,
we found basketball posters in one of the drawers of the kitchenette
so i now have a women's bball poster hanging in my room

the best part of all?
the ladies very thoroughly handled purdue, 76–57
with that, they move up #2 in the big ten
and #11 in the country
hopefully, if they keep playing like they have
[and if the men can't pull themselves together]
and make a strong run through the ncaa tourney,
these women will actually get sold–out home crowds
and the credit they deserve
cuz hot damn, they are good
maybe someday i'll get to see them play uconn
and with that fantasy, i'll stop


ADDENDUM:
i saw this on stumbleupon,
and laughed too hard not to share this:
"As a homosexual MLIAer, can I just say—
stop calling Edward Cullen gay.
We don't want him either. MLIA."

penny sit–up

a moderate collection of thoughts:

people are freaking the fuck out over this blizzard,
and i think it's hilarious
this is the shit we live for, people!
this is what living in the midwest is about
absurd amounts of snow, wind, and cold
just be grateful that msu gave us a snow day

[ADDENDUM:
i saw a national guard helicopter fly over on my way back from qd
shit just got serious]

i really lucked out with my choice of classes this semester
after realizing that geology class wasn't for me,
i managed to pick an entomology class with a great prof
go figure
now if only i could get rid of these damn nat/sci requirements,
i'd be all set

i'm debating which video game i should stay up all night playing
current slate:
–grand theft auto III
–killzone
–king kong
–max payne
thoughts?

as much as i enjoy doing graphic design,
i don't think i could ever do it for a living
i'm not nearly creative/artistic enough for this shit
thankfully most of my stuff doesn't look bad
but it doesn't look great either
at least i'm getting a little better at it

i bought a six–pack last night to drink throughout the week
and, by coincidence, also have an unopened box of cheerios
what does this mean?
tonight, i'm having beerios

marija

what's the matter, mary jane, had a hard day?
so place the 'don't disturb' sign on the door
you lost your place in line again, what a pity,
you never seem to want to dance anymore

it's a long way down on this roller coaster
the last–chance streetcar went off the track
and you're on it

i hear you're counting sheep again, mary jane
what's the point of trying to dream anymore?
i hear you're losing weight again, mary jane
do you ever wonder who you're losing it for?

well, it's full speed, baby, in the wrong direction
there's a few more bruises if that's the way
you insist on heading

please be honest, mary jane, are you happy?
please don't censor your tears

you're the sweet crusader, and you're on your way
you're the last great innocent
and that's why i love you

so take this moment, mary jane, and be selfish
worry not about the cars that go by
'cuz all that matters, mary jane, is your freedom
so keep warm, my dear, keep dry

tell me, what's the matter, mary jane?

vyras

i can hear my train comin'
it's a lonesome and distant cry
i can hear my train comin'
now i'm runnin' for my life
what makes a man walk away from his mind?
i think i know
i think i might know

i can feel the wind blowin'
it's sending shivers down my spine
i can feel the wind blowin'
it shakes the trees and the power lines
what makes a man spend his whole life in disguise?
i think i know
i think i might know

i can see the sun settin'
it's casting shadows on the sea
i can see the sun, it's settin'
it's getting colder and starting to freeze
what makes a man what to break a heart with ease?
i think i know
i think i might know

well i can hear my train comin'
looks like time is not on my side
well i can hear my train comin'
i'm still runnin' for my life
what makes a man pray when he's about to die?
i think i know
i think i might know

peregrination

i feel the need to share this,
mostly because i can,
and partly because i'll forget to if i don't now

i just got back from the longest trek i've ever taken in e/l
in short:
i started at knob hill apartments in okemos
i ended at phillips hall in east lansing
i left at 3`30 a/m
i got back at 5`06 a/m
distance? 5 miles
temperature? –2º
beard? frozen
it was well worth it

and now, to bed
cuz i'm fucking tired

huracà

no walls can keep me protected
no sleep, nothing in between me and the rain
and you can't save me now,
i'm in the grip of a hurricane
i'm gonna blow myself away

no home, i don't want your shelter
no calm, nothing to keep me from the storm
and you can't hold me down
'cuz i belong to the hurricane
it's gonna blow us all away

i hope that you see me,
'cuz i'm staring at you
but when you look over,
you look right through
then you lean and kiss her on the head
and i never felt so alive,
and so dead

i'm going out,
i'm gonna drink myself to death
and in the crowd,
i see you with someone else
i brace myself,
'cuz i know it's going to hurt
but i like to think at least things can't get any worse

repost

i posted this on my other blog
but i figured i'd throw the link up here, too
cuz i dunno how many of you schmucks read the other one

at any rate,
after putting it off for the better part of 18 months,
i finally went through my hard drive
and put my photos from russia online
i had no real reason for doing it now,
other than i was INSANELY bored on the train ride back
and i needed something to do,
so i went through and edited all the photos on my computer
[and i do mean all of them]

so, here for your viewing pleasure
[along with my photos from new york/chicago/dc]
are my photos from russia
enjoy

picasaweb.google.com/nuyorussia
[in case it isn't clear,
'vg' stands for volgograd
'sp' is saint petersburg
'msc' is moscow]

rossinyol

ríu, ríu, chíu
la guarda ribera:
dios guardó del lobo
a nuestra cordera

el lobo rabioso
la quiso morder,
mas dios poderoso
la supo defender;
quisola hacer
que no pudiese pecar,
ni aun original
esta virgen no tuviera

este que es nacido
es el gran monarca,
cristo patriarca
de carne vestido;
hanos redimido
con se hacer chiquito
aunque era infinito,
finito se hiciera

muchas profecías
lo han profetizado,
y aun en nuestros días
lo hemos alcanzado.
a dios humanado
vemos en el suelo,
y al hombre en el cielo
porque el le quisiera

yo vi mil garzones
que andaban cantando,
por aquí volando
haciendo mil sones,
diciendo a gascones:
"gloria sea en el cielo
y paz en el suelo,
pues jesús naciera"

yltäkylläinen

щедрик щедрик, щедрiвочка,
прилeтiла ластiвочка,

стала собi щебетати,
господаря викликати:
"вийди, вийди, господарю,
подивися на кошару,

там овечки покотились,
а ягнички народились.
в тебе товар весь хороший,
будеш мати мiрку грошей,

в тебе товар весь хороший,
будеш мати мiрку грошей,
хоч не грошi, то полова:
в тебе жiнка чорноброва."

щедрик щедрик, щедрiвочка,
прилeтiла ластiвочка.

madwar

i call you my friend
and that's all that i do
why do i have to pretend
to find ways to be around you?

you've been there all along,
holding my hand like you do
why do i feel that it's wrong
to love to be around you?

do you feel what i feel?
well? do you feel this way too?
that every wound seems to heal
when i am around you

and i think i'm losing my mind,
maybe i've been hopelessly blind
to your beauty
and you have a sweet, sinful smile
i'm in trouble
cuz you turn me upside down
and around and around

and i must be losing my mind,
maybe you have a sweet, sinful smile
i'm in trouble
cuz you turn me upside down
and around and around

my feet don't touch the ground
when i'm around you

hladový

rien de dormier cette nuit
je veux de toi
jusqu'à ce que je sois sec
mais nos corps sont tout mouillés
complètement couvert de sueur
nous nous noyons dans la marée
je n'ais aucun désir
tu as ravagé mon cœur
et moi j'ai bu ton sang

tout le monde est à moi
je l'ai gagné dans un jeu de cartes
et maintenant je m'en fous
c'était gagné trop facilement
ça y est alors ma belle traîtresse
il faut que je brûle de jalousie
tu as ravagé mon cœur
et moi j'ai bu ton sang

mais non pouvons faire ce que nous voulons
j'aurais toujours faim de toi

no matter what i do,
i'm still hungry for you

över

you better crawl on your knees
and the next time you say that you love me,
fall on your knees
cuz this time i won't be so kind
can't you see that this is life, and life
is killing me?
is it yours? is it mine?
our sky fell down tonight,
to wash away our pain

you better see how evil you can be
when you see my evil smile
it's the one that you'll remember
when i am not so kind
can't you see that this is death, and death
is saving me
i say burn all of your bridges
while you still have control of the flame
i know it's hard, but you

tell me, over and over and over and over and over again
it never was the time for us,
it never was the time to let me in
show me, over and over and over and over and over again
the time for us,
it never was the time to let me in

you're hard and to the point,
so hard and to the point

the new movement

i'm writing this post on the bus to my hometown
where i'll be spending thanksgiving with my family
[and hopefully some of the few friends i still keep in touch with]
i don't think i've ever been on a bus ride this smooth before
cuz we all know how fucked up the roads are in michigan
and the ones in new york are just as bad, if not worse

also, it seems i have a new favorite cramped sleeping position
sitting, with my backpack in my lap
one foot on the footrest, the other curled underneath me
arms crossed over my bag, face down in my arms
and my head squarely pushing on the seat in front of me
that's how i've fallen asleep on every single trip i've taken this year
it seems to be developing into habit,
and i'm not sure if that's a good thing or not
at least i've managed to find a non–painful position
every other time i've fallen asleep on transit,
my neck always ends up in excruciating pain for a day or two

at any rate,
if anyone needs to get a hold of me,
i'm gonna be off the grid until monday at some point
which feels like a fucking treat after living in new york
fucking everyone's always wired into the system
no wonder they try to get away from it so often

speaking of getting away
i love coming back to places i haven't seen in years
it always gives me such a visceral reaction
tons of memories come flooding back,
and i get to see places i haven't seen in too long
fuck i missed connecticut

रोग

i awoke, only to find my lungs empty
through the night, so it seems i'm not breathing
and now my dreams are nothing like they were meant to be
and i'm breaking down,
i think i'm breaking down

and i'm afraid to sleep because of what haunts me,
such as living with the uncertainty
that i'll never never find the words to say,
which would completely explain
just how i'm breaking down

i've become the simple souvenir of someone's kill
like the sea, i'm constantly changing from calm to ill
madness fills my heart and soul,
as if the great divide could swallow me whole
oh, how i'm breaking down

someone come and, someone come and save my life
maybe i'll sleep when i am dead,
but now it's like the night is taking sides
with all the worries that occupy the back of my mind,
could it be this misery will suffice?

ţară

'twas halloween and the ghosts were out,
and everywhere they'd go, they'd shout,
and though i covered my eyes i knew
they'd go away

but fear's the only thing i saw,
and three days later, was clear to all
that nothing is as scary as
election day

but the day after is darker,
and darker and darker it goes,
who knows, maybe the plans will change,
who knows, maybe he's not deranged

the news men know what they know, but they
know even less than what they say,
and i don't know who i can trust,
for come what may

'cause we believed in our candidate,
but even more, it's the one we hate,
i needed someone i could shake
on election day

but the day after is darker,
and deeper and deeper we go,
who knows, maybe it's all a dream
who knows if i'll wake up and scream

i love the things that you've given me,
i cherish you, my dear country,
but sometimes i don't understand
the way we play

i love the things that you've given me,
and most of all that i am free
to have a song that i can sing
on election day