Middle Eastern Debates

So, the beginning of the Middle Eastern Debates were today. I gave a rough-edged, sketchy, and somewhat rushed speech, but I can blame that on the way Chris controlled the television camera to pan away from me. Whatever. I'm optimistic about the next few days of debate. But first, some time off for the weekend. If anyone wants to hang out, call or IM me; I got a relatively full weekend but I can shuffle stuff around easy.

I'm a little worried about Sharif. He says he has something on me (Olmert) in the debate which I apparently don't know about. It involves nuclear weapons...and me giving them to someone. Plus he wrote a 70 page paper to prep. But I can play psychology well enough too. We shall see what happens.

Today, after school, a couple of friends and I walked downtown to the Commons. After grabbing the obligatory coffee, we...no joke, we hacked a sack for I swear like two hours. Something transcendental about it; I definitely improved mad skeeelz today. Granted, we did eventually leave and chill over at Sasha's. And then saw 300. It's my 3rd or 4th time seeing it, but it doesn't get worse, it just becomes more...internalized. Unfortunately, it came at the cost of coming home at around 12:30AM.

It's strange, but I have a sudden urge to listen to Japanese-German techno music. What's it with those two countries, producing the cheesiest shit ever? Maybe it's a post-axis-of-evil syndrome of some sort...perhaps one day, North Korea and Iran will come up with their own versions of disco-house. Oh god, I'm so politically incorrect.

A fleeting dash of ego

"Donc, mot...?"

Good evening, everyone.

Homework assigned to us for French V on Tuesday was a French analysis of Guilliame Apollinaire's Le Pont Mirabeau, a simply yet aesthetically beautiful poem about...well, that's up to interpretation. Doing poems is enjoyable, because not only do I love poems, but sometimes, it's a poem I know by heart, like this time. Thus, the work was relatively easy for me.

Sous le pont Mirabeau coule la Seine
Et nos amours
Faut-il qu'il m'en souvienne
La joie venait toujours après la peine

Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure
Les jours s'en vont je demeure

Les mains dans les mains restons face à face
Tandis que sous
Le pont de nos bras passe
Des éternels regards l'onde si lasse

Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure
Les jours s'en vont je demeure

L'amour s'en va comme cette eau courante
L'amour s'en va
Comme la vie est lente
Et comme l'Espérance est violente

Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure
Les jours s'en vont je demeure

Passent les jours et passent les semaines
Ni temps passait
Ni les amours reviennent
Sous le pont Mirabeau coule la Seine

Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure
Les jours s'en vont je demeure

"Le Pont Mirabeau"
Apollinaire, Alcools (1912)

French poetry's not everyone's taste. It tries a little too hard to be profound sometimes, but I find that Apollinaire does a good job making sure that the interpretation works literally as well as symbolically.

For an English translation, see Sasha's page. I do believe, however, that poetry was not meant to be altered, changed, or translated in any shape or form. You want to read Mongolian poetry? Learn Mongolian. The concept of poetry was created not for just the meaning (which can also be undesirably altered during translation) but also the aesthetics of the words and phrases themselves.

If you want to hear the song, the one that's NOT by the Pogues, check out Sophie Auster. It's quirky, but it's definitely pretty.

_____________

"If my penis were as big as my ego, I'd be King Kong."

- Dylan JJ

Thanks for the insight, Dylan.

So the uh, Physics midterm started today. First problem and I already skipped over it. Over at Sasha's house I began to calculate my grade if I say...uh, well forgot about the rest of the problems. When you start counting your score before you even finish the test, you know you're going to fail. Fail hard, too.

It seems like such a simple algebra problem, too, that I'm actually beginning to doubt myself. I used to have a pretty big ego when it came to being logical, but I figured that I'm not all that. Besides, that ego was all formulated. It wasn't ever really there; it started to fool the teachers into thinking that I was actually working, but I guess I let the little lie grow a little uhm, big. I'm not actually a member of the smart people crew. Haha. Member. Get it? MEMBER. Tee hee.

Whatever. My ego could use a beating.

____________

It's always fun getting into philosophical debates over trivial matters. That's how I spent my afternoon though, debating over cappuccino and 5-layer chocolate things and sporadic internet at Juna's. Nothing too hardcore today, though, just the usual relative good and bad that makes our world worth living in, and that perhaps human intelligence will outlive its usefulness one day, where one day civilization will stagnate because we have nowhere to turn.

Sasha and I pretty much rock.

Tuesday

Granted, it's not Tuesday, but I thought I'd write about what happened at lunch.

It's funny how I find so much to write about so little. So at lunch the French exchange group had a lunch meeting about personal accounting vs. group accounting. (Capitalism versus communism, basically.) And capitalism won by a landslide in just ten minutes after Sasha's concerns got widely ignored.

Then for the next forty minutes, Therese insisted on us continuing to argue the topic. So then a couple people (I won't name names, since arguing when there's nothing to argue about is a common symptom of pigheadedness) decided that we should continue to reiterate the same point (group accounts keep work from being fair!) a couple dozen times. Then someone would interject about a new idea, and Therese would immediately dismiss it on the grounds of "it's been decided!"

So what were we arguing? Someone please tell me.

Things got better around 3:00 when I went down and ran into Lukas and Maddy at Juna's. I couldn't stick around since I was meeting Simon for a snack. I allocated a vast majority of my day's money on Sammy's cheese pizzas and went home a couple pounds heavier.

Oh and other all that shit outside of school, my day was pretty much a wreck for reasons unknown. It still bothers me that I don't know what's bothering me so much. Hmm. If that sentence is any indication of what's wrong, then I don't know how I'm gonna get myself out of this self-perpetuating loophole of um, being bothered.

Um. Yeah.

And yes, I'm in the mood for something sunny.

Telepopmusik? Electronica's not the first thing you think of when you hear the word "sun," but it'll do.

Telepopmusik - Breathe

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Early January

But this time it's not. I got the '07 thing down by 1st period. Today was considerably more enjoyable given the recent week-long break. And most of all...there is no snow.

I was planning on doing some riding today in this unseasonably balmy, 50 degree weather but I figured my time could be better spent on the Commons. I don't even know wwhy I'm down here; I was going to meet a friend but I figure he's not coming; it would've been rather inconvenient anyway, so I don't blame him.

It's all good. I like spending time down here whether I have a point or not. It's calming, it's interesting, and best of all, I never feel obligated to do my homework. Which, today, I have a considerable amount of. I'll do it down here anyway, since I'm *psh* uh, such a good student.

Spill/Simplicity?

as if i left my sanity at home
i part with Juna's door
one hand on the handle
one on my existence
i take five steps forward
aimless steps
worthless steps
five bricks forward
that do nothing
but to deprive
me
of life
as my life
my life
falls out of my
hand
falls out of my
and fills the cracks
in the street so i go back in
to grab another one for
one dollar and
twenty-five cents

_________

First day home?

Feels like shit. I can't function today. You know what it feels like?

Okay. So think of a great big can of Dr. Pepper, all shaken up and ready to blow. And think of, instead of opening the top, suddenly the can is turned inside out and the gas dissipates ingloriously.

Oh, and simplicity? Ah, yes, the ever-so-elusive New Years resolution that's put somewhere on your list, and forgotten just as you realize that you want to keep the byproducts of life. You want to stay an incorrigible pack rat, hold on to the trash that accumulates in your house, or your computer, or your mind. It won't go away, because in reality, you don't want it to.

But I do. I want it out. Last month I remember sitting here at Juna's cafe after school, telling myself that I was scared of change. I told myself that I'd never feel the same way, that there was no way I could revert to my stagnant self. But weeks, later, I'm thinking to myself, where's the change? What have I to be scared of? What's happened to me?

On the bright side, my dreams have disappeared altogether. Sleep is a void.

Vicious cycle? Maybe. But if it's not change, then what is it? Am I complaining too much?

Am I thinking too hard?

__________

Oh, theres a change. This is odd...there's a line at Ned's Pizzeria.

And after watching this video, you can't say you don't have any respect for JT.

Come on people.

__________

“i'm convinced you're sad”

an unexpected response?

not really; predisposition is not

a crime

is it?

The Concert at LACS

So ASM was first period, which meant no one showed up.

I had an interesting experience today once I was settled in at Juna's Cafe. I had been talking with my friends online, watching people and sketching them, when I realized that I was being watched as intently as I was watching them. It's kind of an awkward feeling, but I know it was inevitable.

I got downtown at around 3:45, and by then it had already been getting dark. It was totally empty. Ever get that feeling that there's some big event that's going on and you don't know about it? Yeah. That's how it feels. Okay, maybe I just got here early. Oh finally. Hey Sam.

I finally understood why no one was there.

_________

So the LACS concert was tonight. I didn't realize it until it was already 5:30. It started at 6:30. I got a ride up to ACS and jammed with the rest of the bands for a bit. We were the third to last act, but I had been so fired up on coffee from Juna's that it hadn't worn off yet. Consequence: couldn't keep a real beat, forgot what songs were being played, and oh um yeah, forgot the other musicians' names.

But it was still pretty fun, I gotta say. Some of these people are going to go pro one day. I think ACS has a lot more talent than we're credited for; I don't think I credit the musicians enough for their work. At least 10% of the school performed that night. To imagine a public school where that sort of musical population exists...is beautiful.

Unfortunately, I was too busy being totally out of it, and also playing music, in order to take real photos. But I did ride Max's bike through the hallways. I doubt that Dave was very happy with it, but he didn't speak up.

So I said goodbye to my friends and left. When I got home, I had a message from Simon asking me if I was going anywhere over the break. I said yeah, Montreal. On Tuesday.

But wait. Oh shit. It's his birthday.

Shit!

We're not losers...

I feel the need to point out that there is a difference between erotica and porn. Seriously people. Stop asking. They're not the same thing. Erotica has a higher artistic purpose than just aiding the release of sexual tension. I have little taste for porn.

I dare not call it a busy day, but the week is already putting me into a uhm...quagmire. Three more days to go before the busy weekend. Who's not psyched for the break?

After school, I joined Chris and Dylan for the brisk little walk downtown. Then Parker and Mo. I was rather tempted to watch people do their shit again like I did yesterday, but I realized I was only here until five; I wasn't really stranded this time. Psh, there goes a legitimate rationale.

I spent some time snapping photos, though. I also snagged two cups of coffee and hung with some friends for a bit before chilling with Kono and giving him decent Myspace pictures.

I sympathize with him. Mhm, indeed the title of this disjointed post isn't representative of its contents. Because truthfully, it's safe to call us losers.

Funny story, actually. Hate to get sidetracked, but this morning, I opened my email to find 22 Myspace messages waiting for me. You don't understand how much of a loser that made me feel. Seriously, I don't think that site is doing any good to anyone's self-esteem.

That means you, Nelly.

Love,
- Mirko

Still downtown...

You know what I absolutely love?

The fact that I'm stuck downtown. My mom's not signing on to IM, and I don't have a cell phone with me. So yeah. Pretty much I don't have a way to get home.

Yep. Still stuck downtown. On the orange couch.

Still. Some random girl just IMmed me. Pretended to be my sister. Ok your name's actually Felicia. Cool. Bye.

Still downtown.

Someone please save me from my own boredom.