We were born approximately eight years, eleven months, and one week apart. Now you know when to send me a card.

Looks like the Pope's finally going to die. Or not.

Have you seen what VeriSign has done? I found out last week. Enter a nonexistent domain name and see what happens. Seems almost sinister. I felt offended. They're also making money from people's mistakes through this.

This isn't going to be funny to anyone but members of my family, but I'll write it so I won't forget it (the main purpose of this whole thing). My dad has to make a lot of phone calls for his job. About fifteen years ago, he was on the telephone with a lady in Charlotte who he spoke with regularly. They were nearing the end of the conversation and saying goodbye, and my dad says, "Night-night." He then immediately hangs up the phone wondering how in the world that came out and what she must be thinking. When he told me this story the other day I couldn't stop laughing. I suppose "night-night" surfaced from his addled brain because when I was a little boy he would say it at bed time. I hadn't laughed like that in a long time. I can only imagine what that woman must have thought.

I don't know if this is better or worse, or equally as bad as the previous. I was just getting sick of the way the bottom of the home page looked. So, I threw it over to the side. I know how many people hate frames, so I'm including a frame free version. It's not like that many people come here, anyway. Then why do all this? I guess I just like playing around with html.

The Albemarle Library had a book sale today. I only found a few I liked enough to buy. I don't know when I'll be able to read much of anything, though. As would be expected, seventy-five percent or more of the people browsing the book sale were old. Sad commentary?

I added a couple pictures from the UNC/Duke game back on March 9, 2003. Last season was a horrible one. That game was the highlight of the year.

This is the last day of our Fall break. I've done nothing related to school, and I've slept a whole lot, so it was good.

I was in Albemarle this weekend for general reasons when I (nearly literally) ran into an acquaintance from school. I asked how he was and he said he was fine, proceeding with accepted protocol to ask the same of me. I responded and then we went each our own way. It got me to thinking. Etiquette serves its purpose, and it isn't a bad thing, but how many times when you are asked of your condition does the inquiring person actually care? Do they even listen to your response? They're usually not looking at you after they ask the question. Remember that I'm speaking of strangers or acquaintances, not friends. If you answer negatively, and they are listening, it's as if you urinated on their leg. By that I mean it's a surprise. "You didn't say, 'fine,' or, 'I'm doing good'? Then, you broke procedure. You didn't abide by the protocol. Now I have to act like I care. Thanks a lot." Yeah, it's not like that with everyone, but the fact that it's prevalent enough to cause me to write this is a shame. Just know that if I ask how you are, I mean it.

Nazi   Earhart   ut-oh   Simpsons

Michael Newdow is proving a point I made years ago. I said, and have been saying, that eventually the Pledge of Allegiance will be altered to remove the reference to God. This will be the same for coins, paper currency, and everything else referring to God including important United States documents. I understand their point. What I don't understand are all the Christians who get in an uproar over it. It's been obvious for a long time that this was coming. And, most importantly, they should not defend the idea of maintaining it. Have I surprised my Christian friends? I'll prove my point with this: Christianity (the belief that Jesus Christ, the Son of God who visited Earth in human form, died a physical death after taking on the sins of the world, and went to Hell for three days after which He returned to Earth alive again and finally ascended to Heaven) should not and cannot be forced onto someone. To be Christian is to believe this by free will. A person cannot be made to be one, he or she must accept Christ on his or her own accord, right? It's true that I would like to see it stay, but the facts stated above remain as they are: facts.

While I'm at it, I may as well "talk" about some other things related to Christianity. I've noticed that a lot of people claiming to be Christians appear not so. Christians shouldn't have expensive cars and clothes. How can you not feel guilty about such things when tens of thousands of children in other countries die each week from starvation? How can you possibly justify your excess? Real Christians do not have large bank accounts. Maybe these hypocrisies result from ignorance of the Bible. Jesus said not to gather treasures on the Earth, but to accumulate treasure in Heaven. True also is the fact that many, many people claiming to be Christians haven't even read the Bible. One of the reasons I stopped going to church was hypocrisy. Many times I would see members of my church somewhere else and they seemed like different people. Outside of church they acted differently. We even had a couple in which the woman had been cheating for years. Everyone knew about it, and nothing was ever said. I was just disappointed in the whole thing. I can certainly understand why some people are so against Christianity. A lot of people claiming to be Christian just aren't. I constantly encounter women who I know aren't Christian (they've said they don't believe in God, they drink all the time, sleep around, etc.) but think it's a fine idea to wear a cross necklace. Everytime I see this I want to ask them why.

Speaking of church, when I was little I remember wondering why there was no discussion. Why do we just go, listen, and leave? I began asking more questions as I grew. Why do a few men meeting in a room alone make the decisions for the whole church? Why do we go to church as if it is a social gathering where we meet to compare clothes and gossip? Why are we not helping those in need instead of simply sitting in church? Would an all-powerful, merciful God who loves us want us to sit in a building and look at each other—shouldn't we, people who can afford nice clothes, cars, video games for our children, and so on, help less fortunate people instead?

It seems as if the number of people against Christianity is continually growing. I know exactly what one of the main problems is. "Christians" speak God's message but act in a way that renders that message void. They don't live the way they say to live. If we all say to be a certain way but then act the opposite, it doesn't work. You can go to church all you want, and say that you believe in God and you're a Christian and all that, but if you don't act as one then all those things you say mean nothing. It's like the story Jesus told of the sons. One told his father he would go do something for him, but didn't. The other said he wouldn't, but changed his mind and did. Just because you say you're with God doesn't make it so. You must also live as such. No one would have believed in Jesus if early Christians had acted this way. It's why Christianity is on a decline in the world. Atheists sure have a lot of good arguments against Christians, and people find them much more believable.

Another big mistake, I think, is that many ignorant "Christians" hate people because of what they think the Bible says. The most appropriate example is hatred of homosexuals. I'm not sure if godhatesfags.com is a joke site or if the creator is serious. Either way, this is what I'm speaking of. A lot of Christians hate homosexuals based on reasons that aren't even justified. We shouldn't hate them, or anyone. If Christians are hateful to anyone it goes against the foundations of the religion and makes them look all the more hypocritical. I've known three people in my classes that were (and I suppose still are) gay, and I spoke with them quite regularly. I had the courage one day to speak with one of them about this. We had been talking about related topics and I thought it was an appropriate time to do so. He commented that I was one of the "better Christians" he's encountered. As it turned out, he was quite knowledgable of the Bible. He said that most people who speak to him as I had did so in a different, more aggresive manner. They were only concerned with changing him and it totally hindered their ultimate intentions by blasting him with stories of Hell. Although being parted from God in eternity is a real possibility to some, I think it's better to tell of God's/Jesus' purpose, forgiveness, and love to people you think may be lacking them. Casting judgement is something that shouldn't be done. Telling a homosexual he or she is going to Hell is not our place to say.

Who am I to say these things, anyway? I sin like everyone else. But, at least I try to be a decent human who cares about all others. I'm not trying to preach here, I'm just stating my opinion. You have the freedom to disagree. I'm one Christian who won't dislike you just because you don't believe everything I do.

I think I finally found something even more pathetically moronic than Toby Keith: click

I stayed up far too late last night. When the alarm went off at 6:30 I shut it off and got back in bed. I woke up ten minutes before I needed to leave. I have never gotten ready so fast in my life. I did everything including a shower. I was glad I shaved the night before.

After three days of tryouts, notes were passed 'round to the hopeful. Carlyn made the middle school basketball team.

I'm on page 113 of 1984. It's just as I thought it would be. I was disappointed that Julia turned out to be a slut, though.

As you probably noticed, I'm "watching" Jesus of Nazareth. This is probably the best Christian movie I've seen. Actually, it was a mini-series on NBC in 1977. It's over six hours long, and it's good.

Marco   122   video games   Bond

De Niro has prostate cancer. It shocked me at first but after a little research it looks as if he'll be fine. They caught it early because of routine checkups. That's one thing I hate having done. It sure is no fun. It hurts.

Impersonation of a schizophrenic De Niro: "Am I talking to me?" I think that's hilarious.

A year ago today was the last day I could illegally drink.

But, I don't drink so I guess that's irrelevant. You know what I hate? The fact that everyone likes Scarface now. I can actually say I liked that movie before it became a fad. I still have the old VHS two pack I bought at Wal-Mart years ago. I guess after Grand Theft Auto III people got interested in it. Now they have this $60 gift set with the 20th anniversary edition, the original Scarface movie from the 30s, and some other crap. Eh, I'd probably buy it if I had the money.

Anyone need a Web site built for them? I'm cheap.

I've been having lots of trouble sleeping lately. Let's say the previous night I didn't fall asleep until 2am, woke up that morning at 6:30, had a full day of school and then reading/homework that afternoon and night... I would probably still not be able to fall asleep until up in the morning. I don't know what it is. Even if I'm tired I can't fall asleep. I've had to resort to sleeping pills over the past several months. But, they don't seem to work as well sometimes. I hate getting only a couple hours of sleep because then I feel bad all day and I'm easily angered.

fish   game   game   pumpkin

The other day I was behind an old redneck going about 10mph below the speed limit. I know it was a redneck because of the two bumper stickers with which he had so wisely decided to adorn his Datsun. The right one was white with SKOAL in large green letters. The left one sealed the deal:

I just finished reading a few articles on abortion.  I must admit, I was never very knowledgeable of the subject.  It was pretty boring at first, but I really wasn't paying very much attention.  But then they started to explain how the abortions are done.  I had never read anything so funny in all my life.  I thought I would share.  Here's a brief summary.  I included the most common methods, which also happen to be the most comical.

Suction

This one is very popular and is usually done within the first three months of pregnancy. The mother is given anesthesia and her cervix is dilated thereafter. A suction curette (a kickass tube with a knife-edged tip) is inserted into the womb. The vacuum suction, thirty times more powerful than a household vacuum cleaner, tears the fetus and placenta into small pieces which are sucked through the tube into a container and discarded.

Salt Poisoning or Saline Injection

For the more caring mother, we have this option. The saline injection method is usually only employed after four months of pregnancy when there is enough fluid. A large needle is used to inject a strong salt solution through the mother's abdomen into the womb. The baby, of course, consumes this and is poisoned. To a fetus this is nearly as bad as acid, and wears away the outer layer of skin. After the stupid baby suffers for an hour or so, it's finally (more than likely) dead. Labor induces within a day and the mother will give birth to an already dead or dying baby. If it's still alive by some mistake of fate, it will be thrown away to die among the garbage and accompanying dead fetuses.

Partial Birth Abortion

This is the funniest one. As you can tell from its name, the partial birth abortion is basically an elaborate practical joke on the baby. It's been inside the womb, lazy as hell, for seven or eight months. All of a sudden there's light. The abortionist grabs the baby's legs with some forceps and pulls it out into the birth canal. He continues to deliver the baby, but leaves the head inside. Then, get this, the abortionist rams scissors into the back of the infant's head, quickly squeezing them to enlarge the skull. A suction catheter is inserted and the kid's brains are sucked right out and the body is thrown away.

The little ingrate thinks he's about to be born, but then he gets a pair of scissors to the back of the head. HAHAHA.

---

Some of you may be thinking, "What about the mother?"  The women are the ones who benefit from this wonderful miracle of science.  Why should they have to suffer for having unprotected sex with anonymous partners and accidentally becoming pregnant?  Getting drunk is not a crime.  And neither is this.  Lives are enriched every day by way of this convenient procedure.  Just look at these satisfied participants.

Before an abortion	After an abortion
Before an abortion	After an abortion

So parents if your teenage daughter gets pregnant, please consider the most glamorous, quick, cost effective method of abortion. I mean, God, do you really want to take care of a baby? You have more important things to do... on the Internet and in that guy's basement.

Students, wives, women everywhere: Having an abortion is the best thing you as a woman can do.  It will make you thinner, save you money, and make you a better person.  Every good American exercises their rights.

Everyone agrees, abortion is by far the most fun method of population control.

Update (11-11-2003): I hope you all realize this is extremely sarcastic. I don't like abortion; I'm very much in favor of life. I was trying to get my point across with ugly satire. I guess I've been reading too much Maddox. Anyway, how do you feel about abortion?

Bad Religion continually makes good music. I've always disagreed with some of their beliefs (anti-Christianity), but many of their songs reflect my opinions on other matters. Even their songs that bash Christianity can be easily applied to different things. By that I mean that the lyrics could certainly be thought to be about something else. I'm sure Greg would hate that: his words about madness and mediocrity being applied to the evils of America instead of Christians (when his intention). Shattered Faith, Parallel, Epiphany, A Walk, Materialist, Kyoto Now, Sorrow, I Want to Conquer the World, Modern Man, Generator, Mediocre Minds, Turn on the Light, 21st Century Digital Boy, Pretenders, You, I Love My Computer, Inner Logic, Entropy, No Direction, No Control, No Substance, Hear It, In So Many Ways, Tiny Voices, and American Jesus are my favorites. With over 200 songs, it would've been hard to pick just 3 or 4. I also just listed the tracks of one of the best CDs you could burn. All of those are great. Warning: You must have a brain to understand some of the songs.

I think tomorrow might be a bad day.

Since it's Halloween I thought I would put up a scary movie. No movies scare me anymore, but when I was young, Fire in the Sky was just about the scariest of them all. Every kid has one thing of which they're deathly afraid. For me, it was aliens. Not the big monster-looking things like in the Alien movies (which, by the way, I wanted to go see in the theater for the Director's Cut release, but our shabby little theater decided against). The "grays" are what I'm referring to; the little ones with large almond eyes.

They were the only things that really scared me as a kid. I saw so many documentaries and movies about alien abduction that it seemed plausible. I guess that's why it was so scary to me. I was terrified that I would wake up with them in my room, ready to abduct me. It's kind of funny to think about it now. Anyway, I still like that movie, even if solely for nostalgia value.

I've been having some problems in a certain area. I was really worried about it for a while, and then it suddenly got worse, so I finally went to the doctor. This is NEVER a good sign:

Why do I put even the most embarrassing things on here? Eh, I don't care. I'm human. And after seeing this today, I was right to go.

Since we're on the subject of rectums, I hate it when people say they're afraid of clowns. You know exactly what I mean. Every one of you knows at least one person that claims they're afraid of clowns for one stupid reason or another. Here's the deal. Girls say they're afraid of clowns to be cute. Guys say it because they think it'll add a little youthful charm and maybe make a nearby female say, "Aww." There's nothing scary about clowns. If you truthfully are afraid of clowns, and aren't under 10, then just go ahead and castrate yourself right now.

I've gotta lay off the Maddox.

Thank you, Leslie, for all your help. I talked with her and some other person today about my plans. Actually, I just casually walked into her office to talk and she pulled out several papers, saying she had been going over some things about my classes. Now that's something to appreciate: someone thinking about your well-being and using their time to do stuff for you before you even ask for assistance. So, we looked over the classes I've taken, what I need to take, which classes I can take here, and what I'll have left to do at UNCC (or wherever). As it seems now, I'll finish this degree in May, have 19 hours left of general education classes that I'll take here, and then four semesters at the university to get my degree in education. Of course, that's just generalization. I still have time to decide exactly what I want my major to be. I might go for English. I could still be a teacher (English in that case of course) but also have other options. That's one of the major decisions I have yet to make. So, right now, it looks like I'll be completely done with school in the fall of '06 or the spring of '07. I'll be 25 either way. I guess that's not too bad, especially since I'll have two degrees.

pumpkin   game   Dalí   10?   generator