Rag Land

This post is mainly for Zhubin and Joe but anyone else, feel free to read along...I was just being polite...I didn't think you would actually intrude further where you weren't welcome...so that's how it's going to be then...fine...

Anywho, thanks to a recommendation by Joe, I just bought a book called Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life written by Alister McGrath. Thought you both might want to check it out as well as it is a followup to most of Dawkins' works by a fellow scientist and former atheist (McGrath's credentials will be up to even Mr. Parang's rigorous criteria, methinks) and simply reviews from another perspective how scientific and imperical knowledge doesn't naturally lead to an atheistic viewpoint in any intellectual human being.

Just starting the book so you two should as well (and anyone else who's still reading) and we can discuss it and in a month have Zhubin applying for seminary. Ave Maria, Zhubin...Ave Maria...

Well, this post is specifically for Zhubin, Bone, Rachel, and Zack. I started rehearsals on monday for the national tour of Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I am playing Levi, singing One More Angel, riffing like a gospel singer in Go, Go, Go Joseph and otherwise doing all the crazy stuff this show entails. I have a 6 month contract that goes all over the UK. Anywho, having a great time with the cast but wanted to let you all know that the amount of diversity in my cast is sadly lacking when compared to the cultural stew that was our most august performance "way, way back many centuries ago"... So, just wanted to let you guys know so you can fly over here and beat my cast members up and save the day by taking their places...excellent...need a big, black brother and a short skinny Persian one...is there anyone dad wouldn't sleep with?!

Just a quick thought. Is anyone else a bit troubled by the hanging of Hussein. I mean, I agree that he has committed crimes against humanity and that he must face the consequences, but I think the speed with which the execution was carried out is a little chilling. It may be the first time the length of time in the American judicial system regarding executions seems like a good idea.

Anywho, for the largest tangent jump in history, also hope everyone had a wonderful new year. As I am 5-8 hours ahead of you all, I will of course keep you informed of events that are happening in your future so you can be ready. Also, just picked up the His Dark Materials trilogy and am working on that. Any others who have read it, your thoughts would be welcome (and Zhubin feel free to wax philosophically about the merits of it versus truly great literature...like Sons and Lovers?! Freak...)

Happy New Year to you all...may it be fun and full of excitement...and cake...mmmm...cake...

PS: New Year's resolution...use even more elipses...yeah...good idea...that's the ticket...these rock...Zhubin loves them...sweet man...neutered...

Ok, I have a gripe about people as a whole. One of the campaigns that I answer phones for at the call center I work part time is Weight Watchers. Now, I think that it is a great program and has helped a lot of people. In fact, my gripe isn't with weight watchers, but with the mentality that often manifests itself regarding this and other self-help programs. So often people want weight watchers to be a fix-all that they can come and learn the secret that will allow them to eat lots of cake and lose hundreds of pounds. In fact, I often get very angry people on the phone if the food's not working for them or if they are told what they can't eat as if we are being unreasonable saying, "Might not be a good idea to eat ten cakes." It's as if them being overweight everybody's fault but their own. When did everything become someone else's fault?

Just a thought.

Well, I will (again) make a concentrated effort to do this more often, as I'm sure there are thousands out there who have been almost catatonic with despair, having not had any new thoughts from me in...oh...about six months. After the threat of eradication from others' blogs (you know who you are), here is my update.

Builders suck! Just wanted to lay that out there. As most of you probably don't know, the flat upstairs from ours had a leaky radiator that caused a 4 foot by 4 foot segment of our roof to collapse. This was about 4 weeks ago. Finally, last week the builders were supposed to come on tuesday and fix the ceiling...AT 7:30 IN THE MORNING!!!!! However, it would be nice to have a lounge again, so I got up and was waiting at 7:30...8:00...8:30...9:30...11:30...finally at 12:30 we finally got in touch with the guy to find out he couldn't come and would reschedule. SO, this morning I am up at 8:00 again waiting for the fella and he finally arrives at 9:30. Now the flat next to ours had the same thing happen to them so the company was going to fix both roofs. However, they decided to have us both up and waiting for them and when they got here, I was told that they weren't going to touch my roof till TOMORROW AT 11:00. So, now I have the blow torch, chain saw, and thumb screws out and feel justified.

I find it funny that being on time is so important in every other area of life, but when it comes to builders, repairmen, etc they do what they want, when they want, and we all accept it.

MONEY MAKING IDEA: Start your own building company, be on time, do the job for what you said you'd do it for, and finish on time. You'll never stop working...EVER!

Ok, that's my diatribe for today. Hope you enjoyed it.

Well folks, the time is fast approaching that I will be back with you. As I think of all the important things I need to do when I am back, the most important is, of course, POKER! I know that I am coming in on the 6th and Zhubin is coming in the next week so I leave it up to you (Graham, Scott, Joe, (insert your name here)) to arrange nights of fun where I can say such things as, "Well, in England that hand you just won wouldn't buy me a pint of ale or a bloody kebab...blimey...." You have been warned...

Just to let you all know, it is less than three weeks until I will once again join you in the country of our birth. For those even luckier, I may even see you in the town of our formative years. That is right...I am gracing Knox Vegas with my lovely self. I will be flying into Knoxville on the evening of the 6th of July and will flying out the morning of the 20th. So in that time, I expect all of you who are from Knoxville to be at your house with your phone charged waiting for my phone call for maximum chillage! For chill we shall my children...chill we shall...

In other news, I must let you all know that England is great in a lot of ways and there are many things here that I love. However, the US seems to have (at least in my experience) a slight edge in the "not stinking" department. The idea of deodorant here doesn't seem to matter as much as...say...letting one's teeth get worse. Needless to say, the tube reeks every day and I got brained by an ill formed molar...USA here I come...