Handwashing Whites...

Hmmm...hand-washing whites sounds more provocative than I had intended...therefore it SHALL remain!

It's my first time hand-washing my white clothes, and I'm a little curious about how the whole ordeal will unfold.  I mean, on one hand, I'm saving energy and seducing the environment and all that jazz.  However on the other hand, I'm probably going to have to buy some more white undershirts soon.

I washed my whites once with a half cup of detergent, wrung out the shirts and socks, dumped the old and added six gallons of new hot water, added a cup of concentrated bleach for the next phase.  Write now...Effing English.  Right now, I'm letting the clothes soak for about 15 minutes before I start washing and wringing again.

Yuengling Case

One bottle of Yuengling finished.  Nomnom!  Two bottles finished!!

Giverny

Giverny is located on the River Seine in Upper Normandy, France between the towns of Vernon and Gasny.  After Claude Monet, a famous French painter and founder of Impressionism, acquired wealth from the increased sales of his paintings, he purchased land and developed a large area into a floral garden.  This locale is best known as the location where Monet had created paintings mostly based on water lilies resting on a pond near a Japanese-style bridge.

I had a great day.  I went to the National Guard Recruiter in Woodbury, NJ and spoke with a staff sergeant about options, donated blood at the American Red Cross of Camden and Burlington Counties in Camden, NJ where I discovered the refuted term 'Golden Triangle,' and most importantly, met up with a much prettier, more soulful Bruce Leroy at the Philadelphia Museum of Art aka The Rocky Museum.

I don't want to shoot myself in the foot, but the singing birds returned after Cupid's lethal accuracy, and I'm so excited about what's to come!  (Full disclosure:  I'm seeking a better mantra than "Don't screw this up")

The Little Frog

-written 101012

Under the palm tree, the little frog did hide

scared of company, ever fiercely he eyed

greedy men in suits of gold, silver, and wool

gobbling tropical fruits by the blue green pool.

So hungry was he, for nothing did he eat, 

so fed up was he, broken shells scorched bare feet,

so confused was he, that Rich Men made this happen,

all the while we see, his poor family lay napping.

Under the island sun, did rays of hope ignite,

Little Frog to cry, “To arms men, let’s fight!!”

With his beetle gun, he’d rampage all night

for his people to dance joyfully, right before his sight.

“But alas little frog, you’re no match for Fat Men

iron machines have they, and they bring destruction!”

“Try I must, for there’s no right they own

to sit on our home as if it’s their throne!”

The little frog ran, as furiously as he could

to defeat the Fat Men, whose houses reeked of dead wood.

“I’ll show those bad guys, just how tough I can be.

 They’ll cry and then flee from my strengthpowerandmight

I’m 3 years old I’m not a boy, but a man! 

With this beetle gun, they’ll be crushed in my han---”

But as he said this, the little frog didn’t see

how quickly his power and life ceased to be. 

As the friend of his foe, one curious puppy dog

took a bite out of our hero, the brave little frog.

train to Newark

I think I'm happiest when I'm traveling. I'm sitting on the train after transferring from Trenton's  Riverline and I'm at peace. I was thrilled with Korea because I suppose I was perpetually and unceasingly in motion.

Should I become a truck driver or a reporter who travels?  I choose the latter.

State of the Union Address 280114

I'm watching the State of the Union Address now.  I'll comment on observations taken and statements made.

Creating new jobs - This should be the utmost priority for the U.S. government.  Americans DO want a year of action, not talk.

President Obama mentions the American Dream, which is "If you work hard and take responsibility, you can get ahead in America" and I think he's made his point by saying that it has been a struggle and upward mobility has been difficult.

He's talking about creating jobs, but is this just more rhetoric and talking points?

President Obama is now referring to his wife and how she sets a good example of bipartisanism.  Childhood obesity rates have decreased for the first time in thirty years?  I'll have to fact-check that.  I only see kids getting fatter.

The President stated that higher education and university is going to be more accessible and attainable for youth.  I don't believe that's what we should be focused on.  We need ALL students to either go to trade school or university because to have high school graduates remain stagnant is what's crippling the recesses of the city.

Vice-president Joe Biden and Speaker of the House John Boehner are sitting in the background.  I'm not entirely convinced that VP Biden is listening.  He just took out a pen, and I'm pretty sure he's doodling...hopefully it's not pictures of what Boehner looks like as a duck.

Obama just said that we need to reinvest in technology and businesses that focus on innovation, and he received a standing ovation for his comments.  The audience, all politicians, of which I assume are Senators and House Representatives, and they all appear soulless to me.  I see no passion, no fire in any of their spirits.  They are going through the motions and doing what the others do, mindless sheep grazing about on the lands of not being noticed.

I wonder if he's going to discuss the US military actively seeking to replace soldiers with robots.

See here:  http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9244060/U.S._military_may_have_10_robots_per_soldier_by_2023?pageNumber=1

Terrible idea.  Am I the only man who has seen Terminator 1, 2, and 3?  I'll write another blog about this soon enough.

Snowstorm 21.01.14

10:00 AM - First snowfall.  Wispy, windy, fine dandruff blowing sideways.  Some particles floating about in circles by the balcony.

10:21 -  Roofs and roads/sidewalks unused, lightly covered in snow.  Driving lane's blacktop still visible.

11:01 - Roads covered, all white outside.  One inch.

12:00 - First bus drops kids off.

12:25 - Huge flakes coming down.  Blustery winds seem forlorn and confused about which way to blow, but mostly coming in from the northeast towards southwest (I guess).  After I finish sewing this patch, I'll check how many inches have fallen.

Flock of Seagulls - Best of Album is doing the trick right now.

1:21 - Still sewing...just like how it's still snowing outside...although it's plummeting as if scorned at this point.  Heavy and wet, considerable accumulation on the ground.

Duran Duran - Greatest Hits...phenomenal bassist

1:52 - At least 4 inches on the ground.  Still sewing.  Harumph.  Broke a needle, sore fingers, poor baby I know.  This either means play more bass or sew more patches...both!

2:25 - 6.5 inches of snow.

6:03 - 8 inches of snow

D-U-M-B

As I sip on my second glass full of tequila, I think of how my new goal for 2014 is to travel extensively and absorb unabashedly.  Nothing has made more of an impression on me than the experiences I've had while wandering sometimes aimlessly in countries whose language I could not natively speak, so why not make it my sole goal for 2014?

The United States is a wonderful country, and I relish being able to produce at customs that navy blue booklet with the golden eagle which subtly proclaims "F- You, I'm American.  I do what I please,"  yet this is a nation built on capitalism.  Too often, a person feels ashamed for choosing to NOT be productive to their society and instead decides that taking care of their own families is more of a priority.  What I'm speaking of is the housewives and stay-at-home fathers who know that their children are of the utmost significance in the world.  However, because this great nation is preoccupied with an indefatigable business sense, we somehow managed to build a shame in those whom are not an integral component of the paradigm.  In other words, it's all about the Haves and the Have-Nots in this geographical spectrum of East and West Coasts.  If you choose to be neither, what place have you in this society?  I can't easily judge, so I'll dismiss you as useless.

Maybe I want to be amongst the productive of the useless, so I choose to travel given the fact that I have the resources and opportunity to do so.  (Thanks to resigning from the greatest school in Camden...)  To be more elaborate, I'll divulge a little in my reasoning.  There was that time in Japan while the one whom we will not mention was taking her GRE exam, and I had the entire city to myself for 3 hours, and I had a true unbridled blast speaking to Koreans in Korean, drinking as many beers as I could muster from the 7-11s, Family Marts, and Lawson's, and just in general, enjoying life as it came. 

I'm heading to San Jose, Costa Rica in a few days, and I'm procrastinating as I'm about to wash my clothes five hours late according to the plan.  I honestly am so excited about this trip and the people I will meet, and I really am looking forward to landing a job there teaching English.  Honestly, I have the know-how and experience to be able to overcome any dire situation, yet I'm heading there to mainly bone up on my Spanish and find a productive means for 2014.  Sure, I'll only be making $1000/month, but the 4-month jaunt will be so conducive to my development as a human which is eternally priceless.

Let's wash and be merry in 2014!!