Kill the Beast

You scored as The Beast. Your alter ego is The Beast! But that is only a name... you are kind hearted and sweet, people just misunderstand you.





Which Disney Character is your Alter Ego?
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The Beast		100%
Cinderella		100%
Peter Pan		88%
Ariel		88%
Goofy		88%
Sleeping Beauty		81%
Donald Duck		81%
Snow White		63%
Pinocchio		38%
Cruella De Ville		31%

Maximus rules

You scored as Maximus.

After his family was murdered by the evil emperor Commodus, the great Roman general Maximus went into hiding to avoid Commodus's assassins. He became a gladiator, hoping to dominate the colosseum in order to one day get the chance of killing Commodus. Maximus is valiant, courageous, and dedicated. He wants nothing more than the chance to avenge his family, but his temper often gets the better of him.

Maximus		83%
Indiana Jones		79%
Captain Jack Sparrow		79%
The Amazing Spider-Man		75%
El Zorro		75%
Lara Croft		71%
Batman, the Dark Knight		63%
Neo, the "One"		58%
The Terminator		54%
William Wallace		50%
James Bond, Agent 007		50%

Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0
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La pura vida

Today, Clare, you are motivated by the irresistible need of changes. You want to rebel against the very foundations of your life. Your entourage might not appreciate this frame of mind and you might even feel that they are moving away from you. Anyhow, don't be afraid to go beyond the boundaries of your normal life today.

I really like these horoscopes! They are useful and usually right on target! They seem to be honest and don't just pander to ideas of wish-fulfillment. The website I receive them from is www.astrocenter.com, and I highly recommend it. I certainly don't live my life by horoscopes, but I do find it helpful to meditate upon a particular theme each day; it's something to focus on and be mindful of in my interactions with others and with the world. Anyhoo--if that kind of thing rows your canoe.

Yesterday I had my advising appointment with Luke to discuss my academic calendar for next semester, and through graduation. He suggested that I go ahead and declare my second (anthropology) major. He reserved my spot in two Honors seminars: Classical Archaeology of Greece and Rome with Dr. Hale, who is AMAZINGLY COOL (he also does underwater archaeology and is famous for, among other things, his research at the Oracle of Delphi which proved that the priestess/spiritual medium was totally high on cave fumes when she communicated her revelations, which is, by the way, not to invalidate them, because having spiritual experiences while on drugs doesn't make them any less real, I believe), and the seminar on Urban Waters which is part of a larger collaboration between Metro Louisville and the Honors Program to increase environmental education and change in Louisville. Another one of the seminars in that series will help to plan a new park in Louisville! and another one will deal will the geo-political problems in environmental study. There are a few others, but those were the most interesting to me. Urban Waters will look at water quality in Metro Louisville through direct observation, meaning we will canoe on ALL the streams in Jefferson County, of which there are 790! I'm really looking forward to it.

After my advising appointment Luke lent me his "best of 2006" compilation, which I copied into my iTunes. He called it "2006: The Year of Balls!" which is a little nod to marriedtothesea.org (see picture below). It's a fantastic collection of songs; among my favourites, right off the bat, are:

"Store Bought Bones" by the Raconteurs
"UMO" by this crazy Japanese girl band called OOIOO
"Jenny Again" by Tunng
"We Are the Sleepyheads" by Belle & Sebastian
"Young Folks" by Peter, Bjorn and John
"Daydreamin'" by Lupe Fiasco featuring Jill Scott

But ALL the music is SO GOOD. Ahhhh.... Good music. It's been a long time since I made any effort to listen to music. I have missed it. Thomas has been playing a bit o' Bowie lately, which has been lovely, and I've been listening to some Dead Prez and Regina Spektor and Caetano Veloso, but not enough. NOT. ENOUGH. Must have more music. Music = happy. Music = strength and energy to greet the day. I forget that sometimes because I get so focused on NPR and keeping up with current events. *sigh*... one must 'un-plug' a little with some regularity, or one wilts.



marriedtothesea.com

Hijo de puta -- Ayyyyy.....

Definiciones de la jerga:

"tal por cual" : Locución eufemística usada como insulto equivalente a hijo de puta. Existía ya con este valor en el español clásico y hoy pervive sobre todo en el español americano: «Ojalá no hubiera jamás otro tarado tal por cual que apareciera en su vida» (Azuela Casa [Méx. 1983]); «Ese tal por cual tenía las de quico y caco, no sería nada extraño que resucitase cada vez que él lo asesinara» (Aguilera Pelota [Ec. 1988]); «¡A la mierda mandé a una tal por cual que se me arrejuntó y resultó encinta!» (Asturias Hombres [Guat. 1949-53]).

The explanation in English: "tal por cual" means the same as "hijo de puta," although slightly less offensively (possibly...?). In any case, it's not something you'd say to someone you wanted to remain friendly with.... Oh, yeah; "hijo de puta" literally means "son of a bitch."

Good times. Also, I am pleased to announce that Honors Student Council has its website up and running! Finally! Please check it out:

www.louisville.edu/rso/honors

Happy slanging! (oh, and also: "la jerga" is Spanish for "slang")

Seeker

My horoscope du jour:

A creative project of some kind might render it necessary for you to dig into obscure sources in order to secure some information that isn't easily found. You might feel as if you're playing detective! Whatever it is you seek to learn today, Clare, you're probably going to find it. Your mind is especially sharp right now, you're particularly curious, and you have the ingenuity to make the best of use of what you find.

I really like this horoscope. This is a theme that I have been meditating upon a lot lately, as my studies bring into sharper and sharper focus my priorities. The more Anthropology I study, and the more I immerse myself in the intellectual life of the campus and myself, the more grounded and confident I feel. The importance of learning, of thinking, of realizing is becoming more and more evident; I know that thinking and learning are what I want to do with my life. And I think the best way to accomplish this is to teach. One learns by teaching, by explaining and talking through and reconsidering and listening and observing. I want to do this. I do do this; but I want to get paid for it. :) So I will teach.

I have a biological anthropology test today (woohoo; we're related to apes. Whoop-dee-do). I have little passion for this branch of anthropology, but it heartens me to realize that it is certainly not beyond me. In fact, my professor said that there are opportunities to do research in the field at UofL, specifically looking at cytokines and their role in autism and their genetic origins. Cool, eh?

I frequently want to post lists that I have read in McSweeney's Book of Lists, but I am intentionally staying away from it so as only to read school-related material. Amina Wadud is great and everything, but she's not nearly as funny as McSweeney's. Something about women's rights in Islam that doesn't have the same zing to it.... :)

Rumi is the man

I got the coolest Valentine's Day present ever! McSweeney's Book of Lists: Mountain Man Dance Moves! Woo hoo! As well, I received a BEAUTIFUL box of Godiva chocolates (must hide them before the kids get home). And so for Valentine's Day, I leave you with this:


“In your light I learn how to love.
In your beauty, how to make poems.
You dance inside my chest,
where no one sees you.”

- Jalal al-Din Rumi

Mo' Money Mo' Problems Mo' Plays

marriedtothesea.com

Married to the Sea just never gets old.

Jesus Horses

marriedtothesea.com

another Tarc musing

Thoughts I hope to develop more as the year goes on...

What I like about anthropology:

It takes as its data and evidence specific instances, informal occasions, particular people and moments, and other very specific, non-‘official’ phenomena. The implication is that these sub-official phenomena are just as important and valid in the construction or experience of reality (‘the truth’) as are more ‘mundane’ or ‘traditional’ kinds of scientific data, as in those produced by scientists (natural and social) who are supported by large financial sources, honoured (a.k.a. privileged) institutions and other structures of prestige/officiality. It makes sense to me that individual experience has truth in it as much as other kinds of data. It is part of the observable world. But can it be replicated? (This is a main criterion for what constitutes valid ‘scientific’ data.) Of course it could be, if a person and his/her exact life path could be replicated in exactly the same way. (This is, obviously, not possible at this point in our technology, nor would it be necessarily desirable.)

Why does more distance = more truth? I feel it ought to be more like

more vantage points = more truth, or perhaps

more dynamism = more truth.

I think anthropology makes room for this viewpoint—this way of knowing, of evaluating—more than any other discipline. And although there is a large strain of mechanistic thinking (which is useful within its scope, as with other conventional ‘sciences’), by far anthropology is the most self-aware and inclusive scientific discipline.

Reminder: Do Not Be an Ass

This is my horoscope for the day, but I think it's more like a life-long meditation:

Your words may get you into trouble today, Clare, so be careful of what you say. Try to keep a lid on hasty comments that are spurred by intense emotions. These comments may come out the wrong way and be used against you at a later time. Bring your cheerful disposition to the group, and leave your stubborn attitude at home. Goals and discipline are apt to be major themes for the day.

Hmmm... The quintessential picture of Clare: foot in mouth.


Today I am going to be extra-careful to be (1) prudent with words, (2) cheerful, and (3) not stubborn.

This may be a challenge....

written last week.

My life has been knee-jerk--
automatic respones to
questions I was capable of thinking through
myself

Pavlov's dog of a decision-maker (decider)
¿Was it the chicken of self-doubt
or the egg of overwhelmedness
that came first?


I can think
I can decide
I can take time
--keep time
--live outside time, even
I don't have to pressure myself
I CAN do it
I can think
I can live a better way

The Colts are a veinteno better than the Bears

Spanish word of the Day: veinteno, veintena:

adj. num. ord. Que ocupa el número veinte en una serie ordenada de elementos, vigésimo: llegó a la meta el veinteno corredor.

También pron. f. Conjunto formado por veinte unidades: el carrete tiene una veintena de metros.

English translation: veinteno = a score, as in a set of 20 (from Spanish 'veinte' = 'twenty')

Oh, and by the way....

GO COLTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!