Five

It’s been over two months since I took the AP European History exam. The results have been available by phone since July 1, but since you have to pay a fee for that, I’ve been watching the mailbox intently, waiting for my scores to come in the mail. Last night, Ms. Vazquez, my teacher who talked me into taking the class (and who taught it for the first few months), sent out an e-mail to her former students asking how they did. I told her that I didn’t know yet, but I would tell her as soon as I found out.

There was a lot of speculation about how each person in the class would do on the test. Both Ms. Vazquez and Mr. Miller, her replacement, showed a tendency to predict students’ AP scores. Both said that a 5, the highest score, was within my reach. Toward the end of the year, Kelsey bet me ten bucks that I would get a 5, and I with my low self-esteem took her up on it. I myself had made some calculations based on my results of practice tests, and I concluded that the worst I could do was get a 4, which is also very good. Still, there’s always that nagging feeling of inadequacy.

Today when the mail came, I went out as usual to see if we (that includes my sister, who took the AP English and Psychology exams) had gotten our scores. Sure enough, there were two envelopes from the College Board. I ran back to the house and we quickly tore them open. My score: 5! I wish I could find out how I did on each part of the test, but apparently they don’t reveal that information. I guess it’s good enough to know that I did as well as I could possibly do, despite all my worries.

Today I got this e-mail with the subject “UG5.” It was from one “Wilma Mcgraw,” a very spammy-sounding name. Curious as to why my spam filter didn’t catch the e-mail, I opened it to read:

Since I view messages as plaintext by default, I figured that there must be more to it in HTML — but no dice. That’s the whole text of the e-mail. (Remember when spam e-mails tried to sell you something without being entirely incoherent?) I marked it as spam only reluctantly because I don’t think Thunderbird‘s Bayesian spam filter is smart enough to know the difference between this and legitimate e-mail. I don’t think it’s ever given me a false positive, though, so hopefully this won’t screw it up.

Wiki + Google Maps = Wikimapia, where you can find information about places. Of course, it’s a work in progress, but you can contribute to make it better.

We customarily think of the future as being ahead of us and the past as behind us, but the Aymara people of South America have it the other way around. They kind of have a point: you know what the past looked like, but you can’t see the future.

One year ago: “And I’m sure if you arrange all the words I’ve ever typed on the blog, you get vertical columns that spell out the secrets of the Freemasons (like: what the hell do they do?) and say things like the world was supposed to end back in ’87.”
Two years ago: “Buying a new digital camera that has exactly what you want for a good price is like trying to dig to China with a plastic shovel.”

Birthday plans

It’s that time of year again. My birthday (andmysister’sbirthdaybecausewe’retwins) is Thursday. In years past, we had dance parties. We would have a lot of friends come to our back porch, play some music, and let things play out. Of course, no one ever really danced, probably because we had no professional DJ to goad people into doing it. Reviews were mixed. Some people thought that these parties were boring, but others thought they were fun, probably because they just gave people a chance to socialize with their friends during the summer.

Last year, we set a new precedent by inviting some friends out to dinner. This year, we’re doing the same. There was some debate as to the time and place, but it’s been agreed that tomorrow night we’re going to Macaroni Grill. Inviting my friends was also a difficult task, as I could only pick six. Luckily, almost all of them will be able to go. It’s difficult to get a lot of people together during the summer because a lot of people go on vacation. It should be fun, though. It’s nice to get all your friends together and eat Italian food.

I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest yesterday with my sister and her friends. They’re obsessed with the whole franchise, having gotten hooked back in the day. All put-downs aside, I thought the movie was pretty good. It was hard to follow at times, and that the gross-out factor was pretty high (come on, a guy with an octopus for a head?). But overall, it was fresh and exciting — anything but an uninspired sequel. There was a lot of action, suspense, comedy, drama, you name it. I wouldn’t see it again so soon (it was two and a half hours long), but I’d like to see the third installment when it comes out next year.

On YouTube: It’s Paul McCartney… and he’s making mashed potatoes.

Here’s a Photoshop tutorial on how to falsify beautify a face. I don’t know about anyone else, but I get tired of seeing retouched photos all the time in magazines and places like that. Why can’t we see people as they really are?

One year ago: “Tonight should be much better, with us just sitting around and talking like old times.”
Two years ago: “This year’s party passed without incident (and dancing).”

Starrstruck

Last night was the Ringo Starr concert that my friend Nick and I went to. Nick and I were set on getting autographs after the show. I brought my Abbey Road sleeve, and Nick brought his as well, but it looked completely different because it was from a rare box set that his late father had purchased and (of course) never played. We figured it was going to rain, so Nick brought a large plastic bag that we put our record sleeves in.

Before going into the amphitheater at Mizner Park, we cruised around behind the place to see where Ringo et al. would leave after the show. That was where we were going to go after the show. Then we got dropped off and entered. They were frisking everybody going in, and I was worried what would happen if they found my camera, but I hid it and they didn’t find it. We got up to our seats, which were in the tenth row. The place was packed. Luckily, it wasn’t long before the show started. Ringo sang the first few songs, and then he mostly handed it over to the others.

Included in Ringo’s All-Starr Band were Richard Marx, Billy Squier, Hamish Stuart, Rod Argent, Sheila E., and Edgar Winter. The only one I had heard of besides Ringo was Rod Argent, who was the keyboardist from the ’60s British rock group The Zombies (“She’s Not There,” “Tell Her No,” “Time of the Season”). He looked like my fifth-grade math teacher. She’s a bit worse for the wear. Later, though, I realized that I had heard of someone else: One time in class, my sixth-grade English teacher put on a song by Richard Marx. During the show, the name just came back to me. I don’t think he played the song that I heard in class, or I would have remembered that too.

I think Edgar Winter was the only person who played more than one instrument; he excelled at the saxophone, keyboard, and drums. Richard Marx and Billy Squier were great guitarists, and Hamish Stuart, who didn’t really have any of the spotlight, did a cool bass solo. Sheila E., who joined Ringo on the drums, was amazing. I’ve never seen anyone hit anything so fast. It’s no wonder she had to leave toward the end of the show due to heat exhaustion. Nick later said that he was so inspired by Ringo and Sheila that he wanted to play the drums in our new band like he did in our old one.

Of course, the biggest pleasure was getting to see Ringo Starr with my own two eyes. Earlier that day, I had watched him in A Hard Day’s Night, and now there I was in his presence. I could hardly believe it, of course, and I’m sure Nick couldn’t either. Seeing a Beatle! One of the highlights, by the way, was Ringo singing “Never Without You,” his own tribute to George. (I still can’t believe George is dead.) Even as it started to rain, nothing could keep my spirits down. It rained and rained and rained. I was drenched but happy.

The show ended with Ringo singing “With a Little Help from My Friends,” and the two and a half hours that had passed seemed like two and a half minutes. We got out of there as fast as we could, which wasn’t very fast considering there were a ton of people also getting out. Then we headed out back to where Ringo would be leaving from. A security guard told us to go away (“across the street” is what he actually said), so we walked down the sidewalk back and forth until we found some bushes to hide behind.

It was definitely suspicious hiding behind bushes and watching the stage door, so I suggested we move to the median on the street, where two men had been standing. They were apparently fans also. We went to stand next to them, and sure enough, they were talking about Beatles songs. After a few minutes, a security guard (probably the same one as before) said to us that Ringo and the others (except Sheila E.) had sped away in a van a minute and a half after the show ended. Nick and I went home disappointed and wet (it was still raining) but still happy to have seen one of our musical heroes live in concert.

Like cool cars? Here are ten Cool Cars with Awesome Features.

Your tax dollars are well spent at the official site of Barney, the “First Dog.” No matter your race, creed, color, or political beliefs, everyone can agree that dozens of pictures of Scottish Terriers are just what this country needs right now.

One year ago: “I hope everybody likes nonperishable foods and bottled water.”

It don’t come easy

Yesterday I did something I should have done almost two years ago: I got my learner’s permit. So did my sister. I thought we’d run into trouble because she had made an appointment and I hadn’t. It turns out that you don’t absolutely need to make an appointment, and I think we hit the place at a convenient time.

Having passed the requisite courses, all I needed to do was get my hearing and vision checked at the DMV office. It turns out that they don’t really do that much to check your vision — they just have you read a line from a chart. They don’t check your hearing at all. I guess if you don’t shout “Huh?” a million times while they’re talking to you, you pass.

So I presented all the information, including my birth certificate, social security card, permission forms, and proof that I had passed the tests. After asking a few questions and posing for the photo, I received in my hand a new learner’s permit, hot off the presses. We were in and out of there in less than an hour.

I’m really glad I got my permit before my 17th birthday. Now that would have been really embarrassing. It’s good to know that I can say I got it when I was 16. So, all I have to do is spend the next year learning how to drive, and hopefully I’ll be able to get my license before I’m 18. That would also be pretty embarrassing also.

Today is another exciting day: my friend Nick and I are going to see Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band in concert at the Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton. His band includes Billy Squier, Edgar Winter, Richard Marx, and Rod Argent. I’ve heard of Rod Argent. He was in The Zombies. You’ve heard of them, even if you think you haven’t.

Nick and I have long been Beatles fans, so this should be really exciting. Actually, he’s been listening to The Beatles since he was a little one, so he beats me by quite a while. Being able to see and hear your favorite musicians in concert is pretty much the most that a fan can ask for, and I’m glad that we can go. But it would be even better if we could actually meet them in person.

My plan is for us to try to catch Ringo & Co. at the stage door when they’re leaving. It’s worked for me before, so the only thing stopping us is the security personnel. Hopefully they’ll understand that we’re just harmless young autograph seekers and not, say, aspiring assassins.

Actually, another force we’ll have to contend with is the weather. Darn that summer South Florida weather. It’s not too bad right now, but this concert will be outdoors, and the forecast for tonight isn’t looking very good. However, it doesn’t seem that any large thunderstorms are heading directly toward Boca Raton at this time. So let’s hope for nice weather, friendly security guards, and a good show!

Here’s everything you ever wanted to know about William Shakespeare. You’re welcome!

Here are some works of art that have to be seen to be believed; when viewed properly, they challenge the very concept of perspective. It’s hard to describe, but check it out.

One year ago: “You’ve probably seen these, but hey. It’s those pavement drawings that appear lifelike when viewed from the correct angle.”
Two years ago: “I’m wearing a Beatles t-shirt and listening to Beatles music as I type this. I just finished watching one of the Beatles Anthology DVDs.”

Slammed

A few weeks ago, Michelle invited me to an open mic or poetry slam sponsored by Coral Springs for Peace. I thought about doing a poem or song or something, but I figured I’d spare myself the embarrassment this time. I just wanted to be a spectator and get a feel for the whole thing. The event was at a coffee place, as you might suspect. The address of the place didn’t sound familiar, but I realized when I got there that I had been to the shopping center before.

Anyway, the event itself was pretty interesting. There were mostly older teenagers there, but there were also some adults, who I assume were part of Coral Springs for Peace. So these people who were most likely older than me read their poetry. Much of it was either whiny, depressed stuff (stream-of-consciousness angst) or hip-hop stuff (stream-of-consciousness social commentary). I don’t think I would have stood a chance with the audience, as I don’t write in either those styles. Anything I could write would be simply more juvenile. Angst and social commentary are attractive. (Michelle read one of her poems, and though it didn’t fit in either category, it was still pretty stream-of-consciousness, from what I can remember.)

The remainder of the performances were music. Ah, sweet music. There was one guy who sang anti-war songs a cappella. I thought he was really bold to do that. Even more impressive was a father-son duo. The father sang and played the guitar and the harmonica, while the son played one of those huge upright basses. They did a few songs, including “The House of the Rising Sun,” which happens to be one my favorite songs. They sounded so fantastic that they almost made me want to give up music. Okay, maybe not, but they were darn good. If I were playing a song, they would have been a tough act to follow.

It was a learning experience. Besides meeting interesting people in an intriguing scene, I think I’ve learned about the nature of poetry in the twenty-first century. There are many different kinds of poetry. Hip-hop seems to have made an indelible influence on popular poetry. Hip-hop has little to no influence on me. Therefore, I churn out unpopular poetry. Actually, I don’t really write poetry at all. I just write songs, some of which can pass as poetry when read without the music. Hip-hop has no influence on my songs, either. Note to self: Do not perform at an open mic. Long live rock and roll.

I may be very, very close to getting finally, getting my, uh, learner’s permit. It’s really embarrassing, you see. I’m almost 17 and I haven’t even gotten it yet. But the day before yesterday, I passed the required drug education course, and yesterday, I somehow passed the tests on road rules and road signs. That means all I have to do is go down to the DMV to have my hearing and vision checked. Then they’ll snap my picture, and I’ll never have to keep my student ID in my wallet again.

There’s one problem, though. My twin sister, who passed her tests some time before I did, scheduled an appointment for today, but since I only passed yesterday, there was no way I could get scheduled for the same day. So, rather than scheduling for a later day, we’re going to try to convince them to take me along with my sister this afternoon. We’ll have to use our twinly charm or something. Maybe we’ll have to do a trick like finishing each other’s sentences or making things float. Hopefully that’ll work.

Ryan North, creator of Dinosaur Comics, does it again. Inspired by this comic of his, he’s created the Regret Index, where you can find out how much you might regret certain things.

If you’re obsessed with Google, this would make a handy home page: Simply Google. It’s everything Google on one simple page.

One year ago: “The world is no longer safe.”
Two years ago: “Computer Randomly Plays Classical Music”

See the Beatles!

A few weeks ago I found out that Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band were going to play at the Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but I do like Beatles, and when the subject came up again, I decided that I wanted to go. My dad offered to pay for it and asked if there were any friends I wanted to take. My friend Nick immediately sprang to mind. Four years ago, when Paul McCartney played in the area, Sean, Alex, and I all got tickets to the show. (There were so many people there that we didn’t see each other.) Nick was just as big of a fan as the rest of us, but he couldn’t go, so I got him a souvenir.

So, thanks to my dad and his money, Nick and I are going to see Ringo Starr in concert. I’m surprised at how good our seats are. I think we’re in the tenth row. Can you say awesome? Better yet, the concert is in two days: it’s on the 8th at 8:00. That should be easy to remember. Hey, maybe if we’re vigilant enough, we can meet Ringo after the show, just like how I met some of my comedic heroes. It’s worth a shot, I guess. The worst they can do is throw us out.

I’m pleased to announce that in my quest to have lucid dreams, I’ve attained a major breakthrough by having a lucid dream. I didn’t take much control over the dream, but I did realize that I was dreaming, and that’s a good start. Here’s what I wrote in my dream journal for this dream (or series of dreams).

Now for my commentary. I didn’t really try any special induction methods last night. I just tried to relax and I hoped that I would be aware that I was dreaming. And that’s precisely what happened. Seeing a clock in the hallway at school should have set off a red flag, but it didn’t. Only when I realized that the hallway was extremely long did I realize I was dreaming. (In the past month of writing my dreams, I’ve noticed that being at a strange school is one of my biggest dreamsigns. Apparently it has been for quite some time.) From that point on, I had a vague feeling of controlling what I was about to see, but I apparently went with the flow most of the time.

I’m proud of the fact that I thought to do a reality check. The old “looking at some words or a clock and then seeing if it changes when you look at it again” test is nearly foolproof. (Some other reality checks I use include holding my nose and seeing if I can breathe, looking at my hands to make sure they’re normal, and jumping to see whether I float away.) Apparently it’s true that if you do them enough in real life, you’ll do them in your dreams. I’m also impressed that I was aware of my real-life body toward the end of the dream. Maybe that was because I was about to wake up, but I do remember noticing how vivid the reflection of the sun (which shouldn’t have been out) was.

If any of your passwords matches this list of the Top 10 Most Common Passwords, it may be time to change it. I might add, however, that the list comes from a survey of predominantly British users, which explains why “liverpool” is #3.

43 Things is a site that allows you to list any goals that you might have and network with other users that share the same goals or have accomplished them. It sounds interesting; maybe I’ll sign up.

One year ago: “Paris was expected to win, but London narrowly beat it out in the end.”
Two years ago: “Be polite or else!”

I hate soccer, so sue me

I’m glad this World Cup thing is almost over. I’m probably risking being chastised by readers when I say this — I can’t mention my soccer opinions without getting a verbal lashing from someone — but I think soccer is boring. Doesn’t anyone else think so? I enjoy playing it for fun, but to a spectator, it’s a slow, low-scoring game that’s void of any excitement. Fans guess what the final score of a game will be. That’s how boring it is.

The frivolousness of it all is compounded by the degree to which most of the world goes ga-ga over the sport. And it’s all “My country’s better than your country.” The rabid devotion of fans to their national teams is disgusting. That’s how World War I started, by the way. I don’t think worldwide sporting events such as the World Cup do anything more than inflame national tensions. Don’t believe me? Soccer makes people go crazy.

I’m probably just pushing myself toward further bashing, but I might as well add that I’m glad that Brazil is out of the competition. After the last World Cup (of which I had been blissfully unaware), the Brazilians all went crazy because Brazil’s team won. I was in a car at Sample and Dixie, and people were honking their horns, running around, and generally causing a ruckus. I didn’t feel safe. I mean, who cares if their team won? What does that prove? It doesn’t say anything about them personally. I guess people just want to feel like they’re better than everyone else, and that’s no good. Try to control yourselves, people of the world. Just wanted to let you know: this soccer thing, it’s gone to your heads.

I should probably add that I don’t like sports in general. You probably hate me already, so what does it matter?

Yesterday, Independence Day, we had some relatives and relatives’ relatives over. We played this game called ladder golf, which is actually fun. After having some all-American fare like corn, some beef thing, and other stuff, we went to see the fireworks show on the beach. It was pretty nice in spite of the fact that a zillion people and Lee Greenwood were there. (Oh, speaking of which, God blessed America yesterday. All those incantations have paid off!) After that, we went back home and burned firework-type things. It was fun.

Top Ten Stock Photography Clichés. You probably know them all too well.

Look Around You is a British show that parodies old educational programs programmes. The first season, which aired in 2002, poked fun at cheesy science films/videos of the 1970s and ’80s. Each episode was about 9 minutes long. Now, thanks to the miracle of YouTube, you can watch them all: Maths, Water, Germs, Ghosts, Sulphur, Music, Iron, and The Brain.

One year ago: “I have a good mind to marry into Irving Berlin’s family.”
Two years ago: “It’s not even really funny, but it might claim the title.”

Independence Day

It’s Independence Day in the USA. What does that mean? Fireworks and barbecues, of course. It’s odd that when the Fourth of July falls on a Tuesday, people tend make a four-day weekend out of it. Actually, it’s not odd at all. But what about next year, when it’s on a Wednesday? Five-day weekend, anyone?

Anyway, fireworks and barbecues. Last year was the first time I ever went to the beach for the fireworks show, and it was really something. It was worth being crammed in a crowd of a million people. Seeing fireworks from a distance is something, but seeing them up close is another experience entirely. Well, there can be something good about being far away. A few years ago, two years in a row, I was at my great-aunt’s condo for the Fourth of July, and we went up to the roof (just the penthouse the second year) to see whatever fireworks we could see. I think there were at least 10 fireworks shows going on in all directions (except toward the ocean).

Today it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be that spectacular. We’re just going to have some guests at home and eat food and probably swim in the pool. But I guess it’ll still be cool. We’ll probably still see a lot of colors in the sky — predominantly red, white, and blue, I’m sure. Ah yes, the colors of the flag. But I’ve noticed that that color scheme is hardly unique. A quick look through Wikipedia’s gallery of sovereign-state flags reveals that the following countries’ flags have the same color scheme (ignoring coats of arms and other insignia): Australia, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, France, Iceland, North Korea, Laos, Liberia, Luxembourg, Myanmar, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Russia, Samoa, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.

So let’s hear it for the red, white, and blue. And while we’re at it, how about the pink, yellow, orange, green, brown, black, and purple as well. You don’t want all this jingoistic fervor to get to your head, after all. We’re all on this planet together, like it or not. You’ve got to think of the rest of the world, even though that can be hard for an American. If you’re an American who’s having this problem, start small. Think of Canada. It’s kind of like America, but not. Happy belated Canada Day, by the way.

But seriously, folks. Let’s take some time to remember the freedoms we have in this country, because not everybody is so lucky. If ever your freedoms are challenged, stand up to protect them, because if you don’t, who will?

Now, here are some non-Fourth-of-July-related links.

In 1969, children’s TV show host Fred “Mr.” Rogers appeared before the Senate in response to President Nixon’s request to cut funding for the then-new Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Mr. Rogers had to convince Sen. John Pastore to allow a $20,000,000 endowment to stand. Watch the effect that Mr. Rogers has on the abrasive senator in this YouTube video.

Here’s a collection of historical sounds in MP3 format. It’s interesting to listen to old recordings and hear that weird accent that people used to have.

One year ago: “To avoid sounding even more like a cheesy informational video, I’ll just throw out some relevant links.”
Two years ago: “The Fourth is a time to remember the freedoms we have as Americans.”

Advice for the aspiring teenage blogger

Are you an aspiring teenage blogger? Yes? No? Maybe so? If you are, there are some things you may need to know. Blogging, of course, is a great experience when done correctly. With that in mind, here are some pointers for fellow young persons to enjoy the blogosphere in a responsible and cool manner.

1. Be anonymous. Give no clues as to who you are or where you live.
2. Don’t get a domain name. You don’t need one. You don’t want one. Unless, that is, you can pay for it without using your parents’ credit cards.

That’s it. Why? Because people you know will Google you, and by identifying yourself, you only make it easier. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing, but this is the blogosphere we’re talking about. There will inevitably be some things you don’t want certain people to read. Anything you say can and will come back to bite you in the ass — or, shall I say, the behind. (And no, I obviously don’t practice what I preach, but it’s probably too late in the game for me anyway.)

I got my senior pictures back last week. I took a look at them quickly and then put them away. They were pretty bad. A few days later I surmounted my fear of looking at them and saw that some of them looked okay. For that reason, I’m sort of glad that they took about a million pictures. You can pick the ones you want and not pick the ones you don’t want. I don’t really care which ones my parents pick, because they’re the ones that are going to have them in their wallets.

The wishes of fans everywhere have come true: Whose Line Is It Anyway? is going to be released on DVD. The first ten episodes (plus extras) will be released on September 26. There will be two versions of the DVD: censored (as seen on TV) and uncensored. I can’t wait!

Can you cause another person to dream? The answer may surprise you.

Having trouble with bees? I know, who isn’t? Here’s a trap that’s guaranteed to get rid of yellow jackets.

One year ago: “Thanks, me.”

Isn’t that wild?

I’ve been practicing lucid dreaming, which can be defined as “dreaming while knowing you are dreaming.” The first step, of course, is to remember your dreams. For almost a month, I’ve been writing down every dream I can remember. Fortunately, just having a dream journal will give your mind a reason to remember your dreams. I’ve succeeded in remembering at least one dream almost every night since I started writing them down.

Over the past few days I’ve been starting to try techniques that will actually get me to dream lucidly. One technique I read about is called wake-induced lucid dreaming (WILD). The main principle behind it is that you keep your mind awake somehow while your body falls asleep. Another technique is called mnemonic induction of lucid dreams (MILD). As I understand it, the way to do it is to concentrate on waking up when you realize you are in a dream. Then, when you’ve awakened and remembered your dream, you go back to sleep while imagining that you are lucid in the dream. I decided to go for the latter.

Last night I was setting my intention by repeating to myself, “When I’m dreaming, I will wake up.” While my eyes were closed, I relaxed them as I usually do to help me go to sleep. After a little while, my eyes started jittering around on their own. I realized I must be entering the REM stage, and so I tried to go along with it. Suddenly, a wave of semi-paralysis swept down my body, and I felt very vividly that I was falling into a dream. However, I was still aware of my real-life surroundings. My heart started racing as I suppose it normally does during REM. I’d never felt this way before — not consciously, at least. I was excited at the prospect of having a lucid dream, but I was also very nervous at how fast my heart was beating. My body must have picked that up, and after a short time, my heart slowed down and I felt that my palms had been sweaty. I opened my eyes easily and was very much awake. It took me a long time to finally fall asleep, and when I woke up, I didn’t remember any of my dreams.

I asked about this on the LD4all forums, and I was met with a confused reaction because I said I was practicing MILD, but I was describing a WILD experience. Apparently I actually did have a WILD episode because focusing on my little mantra was keeping my mind busy while I was falling asleep. How’s about that? I guess I should focus on WILD rather than MILD. It sounds easier, anyway. In fact, it’s so easy that I started doing it by accident. Hopefully if/when it happens again, I won’t freak out. Maybe I’ll even have a lucid dream.

Yesterday some chicks or dude sent in this Ask Jordon question.

dude: what did you get on your AP exam?? results are out today … 1-888-308-0013..

Sorry, Rockefeller. Since I can’t find anyone who will pay the $8 fee by credit card or other means, poor boy’s going to have to wait until the results come in the mail.

According to recent research, everyone alive today has a common ancestor who probably lived in East Asia 2,000 to 5,000 years ago. It’s a pretty crazy thought, considering how much we differentiate ourselves from others.

Humans have always wondered about the origins of the earth. Before there was science, people were content with making up stories to fill these gaps in their knowledge. These stories varied from culture to culture and reflected the ideals and customs of each culture. Here’s a large collection of creation myths from around the world.

One year ago: “Now I’ll conjugate the Esperanto equivalent (‘ludi’) in not three, but five tenses.”
Two years ago: “All you have to do is exploit the mechanical defects of the lock with the right pick.”