December 25, 2004, 8.52 pm


Public websites.

There should be publicly-funded websites for things like donating hair for cancer patients.


categorized as life of donzilla



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 25, 2004, 8.45 pm


"And the name of the bar... the bar is called Heaven"

- Talking Heads, Heaven




hat-tip: Newsfeed


categorized as music



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 25, 2004, 7.13 pm


I want someone to make - are you listening? - a wireless g, usb 2.0 adapter, with a removable antenna (either reverse-polarity TNC (Linksys) or reverse-polarity SMA (D-Link)).

You guys have got the first two, c'mon!



categorized as tech



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 25, 2004, 6.39 pm


I was getting this weird error caused by the microsoft bluetooth stack after installing Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2. My bluetooth drivers for the no-name bluetooth dongle I bought would not take over from the Microsoft stack, but after enough scraping - and installs, uninstalls, reinstalls, cursing-installs, I got it sorted out.

I've been doing this on a half-computers, on three continents, so you'd think I'd be good at it, but...


Accessories - Bluetooth USB Adapter
ASK YOUR QUESTION





If you install the WIDCOMM Bluetooth software on Windows XP SP2, you will get the following error as soon as you double click on the blue-red system tray icon: "Your Bluetooth Software license does not include use with this Bluetooth Device [6] After that you will be asked to point to a valid license.dat file. However if you select the license.dat that came with your manufacturer's driver (be it on CD-ROM or downloaded from the manufacturer's website) it still won't work.






In the Service Pack 2, Microsoft included a generic Bluetooth driver, naturally being WHQL-certified. The WIDCOMM Bluetooth driver however is not WHQL-certified, so Windows XP continues using the generic driver. This interferes with the WIDCOMM Bluetooth software resulting in the above error. To force Windows XP to use the WIDCOMM driver, perform the following steps:
Don't plug in the Bluetooth device yet.
If you have any Bluetooth software apart from the included Windows drivers installed, deinstall them and reboot.
Install the WIDCOMM BTW 1.4.2.10 Bluetooth software. When it asks you to plug in the Bluetooth device and click OK, don't, and click Cancel instead.
When the WIDCOMM setup has finished, plug in your Bluetooth device and let Windows install the driver (there should be two Bluetooth icons in the system tray; one blue-white: this is the Windows driver - and one blue-red: this is the WIDCOMM driver which is deactivated).
Now go to the Device Manager, right click on the "Generic Bluetooth Radio" and select "Update driver". Don't let Windows XP connect to the Internet, then select "Choose software from a list or specified location". In the next window, select "Don't search, but select the driver to install".
In the next window, activate "Show compatible hardware" (if it isn't activated already) and select your manufacturer's driver instead of the "Generic Bluetooth Radio" driver. Click next until the new driver is installed. Now the WIDCOMM system tray icon should be blue-white as well, activated and ready to use. If you now double click on "My Bluetooth Places" (e.g. on the desktop), the WIDCOMM software installation will be continued and finished.

This should solve any compatibility issues with the WIDCOMM Bluetooth software and Microsoft Windows XP SP2.




categorized as tech



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 25, 2004, 2.36 pm


MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas with the family, the way it's supposed to be!


categorized as life of donzilla



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 25, 2004, 1.49 am


Uh, whoops.

Meaning, was I supposed to wrap those presents?!

Being new to the whole gift-giving thing, I kindof forgot that it was going to be Christmas tomorrow. "Was" because now it "is."

So, Merry Christmas!

I'm gonna go wrap a few presents before going to bed.


categorized as life of donzilla



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 24, 2004, 4.38 pm


The house now has "zones" for music.

Out of the bathroom, past my brother's room, where Steel Pulse is laying down a reggae groove, into the kitchen, where the "Christmas bells are ringing" can be heard from the living room. Then downstairs, and as you turn the corner you can hear the Talking Head's Wild Wild Life.

Wow.


categorized as music



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 24, 2004, 4.21 pm


And now you knowwhy I left Ireland.




categorized as life of donzilla



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 23, 2004, 8.44 pm


Home.



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 22, 2004, 6.58 pm


Is it bad when you begin referring to beer-in-cans as "the little ones"? Just 'cause I've been drinking pints for so long now...


categorized as drinks



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 21, 2004, 7.12 pm


Forget jets. I want to be a space pilot in the time-honored tradition of Chuck Yeager.


hat-tip: gut rumbles


categorized as life of donzilla



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 21, 2004, 6.36 pm


I've been digging Seldom Sober's recent poetry. Unfortunately, his comments are currently broken, and he's waiting for me to get back to Cali to fix them (where I'll have uninterupped broadbanding & boozing from my own computer in my own room).


categorized as life of donzilla



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 21, 2004, 6.34 pm


A few notes:

- It's nice to have the "@" back where it belongs, above the "2" key on the keyboard, and not where the ";" key should be.

- It's weird to be back in the same time zone as (most) of the the people I am communicating with. I no longer have to look at my clock and agonizingly calculate the time difference to see if it's ok if i call.

- I finished The Brothers Karamazov while in Cork City. I started working on The Beautiful and Damned on the way over.

- I am looking forward to driving. In MY car. With MY music, and MY subwoofer.

"Do you drink coffee or tea?"
"Yes."


categorized as life of donzilla



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 21, 2004, 6.21 pm


And then one day we grew old.
The trousers, torn and soiled -
Skin, like bad milk, smelling and spoiled.

The day yawns, once triumphant and bold.
A weariness creases the book's spine;
The future ceases to consume the mind.

We are no longer content to be cold.
No longer life on top of the pile,
Innocence, painlessness are gone from the smile.

And another sheep enters the fold.


categorized as the muse



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 21, 2004, 5.17 pm


I'm in North America! In the time zone I was born in! Yay!

I am up in Vancouver, at Liz & Patty's house. I expect to be home via a bus and an airplane (and a car ride) thursday evening.

But first some partying in Vancouver.


categorized as on the road



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 20, 2004, 7.56 am


I'm blogging from the heathrow airport, terminal five, using one of thesestupid silver, metallic keyboards that don't work very well. The Cork airport was cool: free wifi acess. Too bad I don't have a laptop...

Well, i am leaving England now, Vancouver-bound. Lots of traveling these last few days; won't be home until thursday.


categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 17, 2004, 9.26 am


It's cold, cold here in Cork!

I just climbed a hill, and looking out over the city sang a few songs for Ireland.

Then I frantically hurried down the hill and into a local pub to avoid hypothermia, and have a few pints of Murphey's, which, incidentally tasted better than any Murphey's I've ever had before.

Then back to downtown Cork City, where I just found a cheaper (but still expensive) internet place to warm up in and blog from.


categorized as on the road



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 16, 2004, 3.42 pm


Cork is cool!

Liz and I kissed the Blarney Stone today! Many pictures! Spent the day exploring Blarney Castle and suchlike, now in Cork City, going to explore a bit tonight, methinks.


categorized as on the road



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 16, 2004, 3.38 pm


...watched Garden State a few days ago while in Bradford...

[I liked it _uite a bit (sorry, the _-key is broken on this keyboard)]

I think it is in the class of movies such as You Can Count On Me and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, movies where the charcters are so real and suffer in such a real way that it hurts to watch it.





categorized as movies



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 15, 2004, 10.59 am


...and one more internet cafe has a firefox install...

I have spread it across the world now!

get firefox! take back the web


categorized as tech



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 15, 2004, 10.53 am


Landed in Dublin yesterday. Am in Cork now, to see a miss J.C.!

Went to a pub last night to hear a live Irish band, and drink a pint of true-blue, pure-blood Irish Guiness.

I hear that the craic's good done here in Cork, and it was a beautiful pleasant train ride down...


categorized as on the road



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 12, 2004, 8.19 am


I had a dream last night that I had laser eye surgery.

But it wasn't like from a legit doctor, it was from this place on the street where you sat down and looked into this machine, and a dude on the other side did the surgery. Real sketchy. In fact, I moved away before he was done and he had to call me back. Eventually he finished, and he said that my eyes might hurt, but that in half an hour I would be able to see.

In a few minutes my vision went blurry, and I took off my contacts (that had been on throughout the entire operation!). Suddenly, I could see fine, just like that scene in Spiderman 2 where Peter Parker goes back into Spidey mode and no longer needs his glasses.

It was cool.

--<0X0>--

Very vivid dreams these last few nights; maybe it's the Yorkshire cold. Or the alcohol.

I drank about a third of a bottle of Jack over the course of a few hours, without feeling it at all. Tasted nice, though. Had a gin and tonic later, and some red wine (South African) even later, and felt pleasantly warm.

Watched some good break dancing at the Love Apple in Bradford, but did not join in due to fear of injury... Kindof out of practice when it comes to breaking right now, gotta get back into it... slowly...

We took a taxi home (only 8 quid) from Bradford at a little past five in the morning, and crashed.

I got up, found a church and mass, went, walked back... Had breakfast - these English breakfasts are GREAT... Then went for a spin in the countryside... Would've liked to have gone for a bike ride, but the weather's too frigid...


categorized as life of donzilla



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 12, 2004, 8.04 am


I'm in Cleakheaton, Yorkshire, near Bradford. Been partying, exploring with one of my best friend's families.

Ireland on Tuesday.

I land in Dublin, then make my way down to Cork, where I have a banjo-playing friend.


categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 10, 2004, 7.30 am


Q: Would you ever return to the UK?
D: Definately. Absolutely. Without a doubt, yes!


Woah. I haven't even left yet!


categorized as on the road



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 10, 2004, 5.47 am


I'm thinking I may not shave today because I am going to Ireland soon, and I may need the extra scruff to protect me from the cold, cold weather.

However, I did just read The Twits, which i received in a box of Honey Nut Cheerios - which are inferior over here, I might add, which was written explictly against those with facial hair. And it ends badly for Mr. Twit, so...

Think good thoughts, good thoughts.

Ok, that's enough randominity from Manchester for today. Or at least for this post.


categorized as life of donzilla



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 10, 2004, 3.45 am


NYC to Dublin for $153, round trip from $332. That's USD, too. I love this airline.




categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 10, 2004, 3.14 am


Just gonna stay in the hous long enough to drink my coffee, yup... um, and check my email, yup... um, and book a flight to the emerald isle, yup, um...

If I give (just got another text from a friend saying "you should do it!") myself three days to get from Dublin to Cork, by hook or by crook, hitching or rail, that should be plenty, right? Especially if I want to go via Limerick?

Maybe I ought to empty something out of my pack, because my feet are basically like big callouses now...


categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 10, 2004, 2.52 am


Didn't do ANYTHING yesterday, but got a whole TON of stuff to do today!

That's the way the razor slices, though. Going to change my digs from Manchester to Bradford this evening, and going to firm up my plans to jet over to Ireland for a few days (my buddy here is going "Do it! Do it! Do it!").

Alright, more later, but if there isn't, it's 'cause I'm running around like a crazy man... which is not a change from the usual, but...

And blogging from a 12" ibook feels, um, restricting when I've been doing it on a 1280x1024 PIV.


categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 9, 2004, 12.37 pm


Another day spent in Manchester, just decompressing. Unwinding. BEING LAZY. Listening to music, playing music, tweaking code, drinking coffee, thinking about things. Writing about things.

-~+~-


categorized as life of donzilla



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 9, 2004, 12.37 pm


Finally made EC validate (HTML 4.01 Transitional, Yeah I know that's weak...), as you can see if you click the "code is poetry" link there...

Turns out the problem was in the RDF/XML/RSS parser. I had to re-write a bunch of it, but learned new skilz in the process, of course. So if anyone needs a RDF/XML/RSS parser written for them, let me know...

That also means that I'm one step further to hand-coding a RSS feed for EC, which would be cool, methinks. Of course, I'm probably the only one who thinks so, but screw it.

I'm also getting closer to a complete Content Management System, written in PHP of course, but with the unique (I think) feature of not using any backend database except txt files. Security provided by php authorization to access those files... It's a fascinating programming challenge, really. Meanwhile I am getting into databasing with MySQL on my home computer, thousands of miles away.


categorized as tech



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 9, 2004, 11.18 am


"Menards on any Saturday is busier than the toy stores at Christmas."


...and that's an inside joke for one A. G. ...


categorized as life of donzilla



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 9, 2004, 5.19 am




...our friend Dominic...


categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 8, 2004, 4.53 pm


Just received this from The Hud, and it's pure poetry, so here goes:


Don I am applying for work in London so if you are going to stay there let me know and we will get a flat together, now that you are well i am ill, i have the shits hard core, left from kenya and am on pills. S.A is awsome and it is wild to see the family history and the cultue not to mention the birds the ladies are quite lovely so life is good could do d with some prayers and I will see you soon
God bless Ghud


More later.


categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 8, 2004, 4.39 pm


Here is an email that I just received from a friend:


its good to hear there's still ramblin in the rambler. stop by anytime. GOD BLESS


That's what this rambler likes to hear...

And one of J's housemates just stumbled in absolutely, appalingly drunk. I may have to go fly damage control.


categorized as life of donzilla



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 8, 2004, 4.32 pm


The Mass in C Minor by Mozart was astounding. I'm still blown away, part by the music itself and part by the graces flowing from the various sacraments I received today and prayers I said today and things that happened to me today.

So I'm riding on a cloud right now. Had a fine wine, Italian Chard-Pinot Grigio blend; I've actually been focusing on these blends the last few days, and this one was definately far superior to the Fetzer (Pacific Bay, I think) that I had a few days ago.

Anyways, must go to bed soon.

I need to get a recorded copy of that Mass.

Just played tournament-style Texas Hold 'Em with J for a few hours/tournaments worth. Won two out of three, but there was some stiff competition. We didn't actually put £'s on it, but the chip value was about $1000 each. We used cut-up quarter straws, which worked out pretty well. They were color coded; reds being £25, blues and greens £15, and yellows 35. It did work nicely.


categorized as life of donzilla



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 8, 2004, 8.05 am


Went to see The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-la-la Band at Bier Keller, here in Manchester, with J, last night. Rocked!




categorized as music



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 8, 2004, 7.59 am






categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 8, 2004, 7.51 am




...Darren picks up where Don left off...


categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 8, 2004, 7.43 am




...playing guitar in Madaraca Flats, No. 31...


categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 8, 2004, 6.27 am


syndicated from Donzilla's outbound email...



Tonight I'm going to 'The Catholic Church of Holy Name of Jesus@ here in Manchester, where there is to be a solemn high mass with the St. Philip Neri Singers performing Mozart's Mass in C minor K.427 (with orchestra) and Borroni's 'Tota pulchra es.' I am going to go to confession before hand, and am preparing to be totally blown away by the Mass.

I'm beginning to think it would be worth it to come to Manchester just for this church and the services here. It was pretty funny, after I went to Sunday Mass there, I had breakfast at a little pub just down the road. I was in there for maybe 20 minutes before both priests from the church, in full cassocks, sauntered in and order pints. One of the priests then was called away on some urgent business, and you could see him - tall guy - through the window, striding away with his cassock flowing. Then he returned.




categorized as on the road



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 7, 2004, 11.34 am




See?


categorized as africa



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 7, 2004, 11.33 am




mombasa is a paradise...


categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 7, 2004, 11.25 am


Working on the admin side of things here at EC. Spent a lazy day here on South Chichester Road, in Manchester. Took care of some business via email, read some in the Brothers K, did the dishes, and now some PHP goodnesss. Trying to fix my broken PHP upload script. Going out to see a band in a few minutes...


categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 6, 2004, 12.19 pm


I haven't read enough Robert A. Heinlein, though Starship Troopers is an old favorite (and it is nothing like the movie, d"£$ it!).






categorized as literature



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 6, 2004, 10.23 am


Explored Manchester today, all over, with a good friend, drank LOTS of coffee, rode a ferris wheel, saw the sights, will post pictures if I can get the bluetooth up and running on this computer.


categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 5, 2004, 7.26 am


Once there was a friend of mine who died a thousand deaths
His life was filled with parasites and countless idle threats
He trusted in a woman and on her he made his bets
Once there was a friend of mine who died a thousand deaths




- Neil Young, Barstool Blues


categorized as music



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 4, 2004, 4.25 pm


This site used to be a full-truth, no-holds-barred, gut-spill of a blog.

Then I went to Africa and two things happened. (1) I did not have regular internet access, and so my journal took the place of my online journal. (2) Lots of family-type people started regularly checking the site for news-type things, and this has, unfortunately mitigated and compromised the content, much to the chagrin of blog ethics.

I am thinking that I will change this, and go back to the old ways, but right now I am going to watch a Woody Allen film [Sweet and Lowdown], something I haven't done in a while.

I am streaming Phish's Bathtub Gin from my home computer whilst sitting in J's flat in Manchester. Cheers!


categorized as meta-blogging



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 4, 2004, 11.23 am


First on google for "blood sucking parasites"!


categorized as meta-blogging



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 4, 2004, 7.14 am




I risked my life to take this photo. The large, African bull elephant wasn't sure if he wanted his photo taken.


categorized as africa



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 4, 2004, 7.08 am


Yesterday night we went out in Manchester, went to three different places, met up with two lunatic actors, Carri and Sean, who were a veritable boatload of fun. They randomly sat down at our table because they were "tired of each other" and wanted to talk to us.

I found out that a shot in England is only 2/3rds of our shots back home (25mL compared to 36mL). Which is terrible, of course.


categorized as drinks



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 4, 2004, 7.05 am


I now have the ability to read photos off my xD card (via a USB keychain device). So I have some great pictures of wildness from Kenya that I will, perhaps, post soon.


categorized as africa



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 4, 2004, 6.59 am


Yesterday day went out and explored Manchester a bit... found a £1.45 deal for breakfast - served all day - by two crazy-old, little-old Italian ladies with wicked accents.

People say "wicked" a lot here. And "cheers."

"Cheers" means pretty much anything you want it too: "thank you," "you're welcome," "here's your change," "see you later," etc...

The English also name places names that I, myself personally, would NEVER have thought of calling anywhere.

All you have to do is look at a map at random and see places like "Lower Peover," or "Goostrey."

Anyways...


categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 3, 2004, 5.20 am


Even the best sundials...don't work half the time...

A Digital Sundial?!






categorized as tech



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 3, 2004, 4.26 am


I hate all things monetary.

I've heard this said before, but I reiterate it. Only a corporation as inherently evil as a bank would charge you for money that they know you don't have.

Like when you overdraw your account, which I shouldn't be able to do because it should have been linked to my credit card, but... enough of that.



categorized as life of donzilla



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 8.26 pm


It still boggles my mind that we can just drink water out of the tap in this country. No boiling, no filtering, no dosing with chlorine - and no worms!

Incidentally and unrelatedly, I used to swear A LOT on this site.


categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 7.43 pm


I eat everything that's put before me, drink all that is poured for me, voraciously consume bandwidth and internet time, immediately spread all my junk all over the vestibule, and shed hair everywhere.

But I make ya laugh, constantly. So why not have me over?


categorized as life of donzilla



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 7.39 pm


Pleasantly, AT&T celluar roaming and data rates are cheaper in the UK than in Africa.

Don't know why you'd be interested, but I am, and this thing (blog) is all about me, right? Right.




categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 7.37 pm


2:35 am. Cease Blogging. Commence (Post) Midnight Snacking.


categorized as meta-blogging



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 7.21 pm


[A]ll people should be able to have a satisfying and safe sex life.




Check. Yes, that would be nice. But, having "satisfying and safe sex life" is NOT an inherent "right" of a member of the human race, however much people may not like hearing that.

PRINCIPLE: NO PERSON HAS AN INHERENT RIGHT TO ANOTHER PERSON'S BODY.

In fact, we say that we only hold our basic rights if they do not infringe upon the rights of others.

The basic rights in the American traditional are "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," and the subtext there is so long as the exercise of these for any one person does not obstruct the 'life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness' of any other person."

Sex naturally requires another person's body, and thus cannot possibly be one of our inalienable rights, since we have no inherent "right" to another's body.

Proper (Christian) Marriage establishes a kind of "right" to another's body: a "right" established by mutual and entire gift of self. The man and the woman, in marriage, give themselves entirely to each other (necessary but repetitive subtext: in Christ): their hearts, their minds, their bodies - their future lives, and in a way, their souls. (To give their souls completely would be (A) a metaphysical impossibility, and (B) a grave offence against God methinks, but more thoughts on that later...)

Marvelously, this principle also shows why abortion is wrong. That baby inside is not the mother's body - science, which deals purely with the facts and objective, sensory evidence, will tell you that. And morality tells you the principle written above.


categorized as love of wisdom



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 6.34 pm


http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/11/23/wall_st_analyst_iraq_casualty/


''He knew there was more to life than getting a job and making a living," his father, Chris, said yesterday, sobbing on the living room couch. ''Our only consolation is that he went for a noble cause."




(original source of image::http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Third_Party_Photo/2004/11/23/1101209891_7662.jpg


categorized as heroes



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 6.10 pm


Some things on AIDS, a subject I am now keenly interested in, having worked directly for some of the victims of the virus in Africa.


Ogola said the same, dramatic change is happening in several other African countries. "We are now allowed to use American money to treat tuberculosis, malaria, and AIDS with large sums coming in. This year alone, we will have sums coming in to put 45,000 of the 200,000 Kenyans with AIDS who require anti retroviral drugs on treatment."




additionally,
< href="http://www.pureloveclub.com/chastity/index.php?id=7&entryid=234">AIDS Q&A with FACTS


categorized as africa



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 5.42 pm


Wow, it's like the old days of blogging... Actually blogging...


categorized as meta-blogging



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 5.36 pm


I'm going to write a book on Africa. It probably won't get published though, because I won't be able to find a consistent viewpoint or style to write it in. And I'll have to go back in order to do so.


categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 5.33 pm


Been sorting through a mailbox of mine with several months of (then-new, now-old) news. Lotsa stuff I wasn't aware of. A lot of it from CatholicWorldNews, which y'all should check out, despite your religious what-have-you's... says donzilla...


categorized as meta-blogging



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 5.10 pm


It's an amazing thing to travel thousands of miles away from your home, arrive in a new city, and immediately feel at right at home.

It takes only three things: (1) incredible hospitality, (2) good music, and (3) fast internet.

A back massage would be nice, but... that would be icing on the cake. I'm still pretty sore from my last two workouts - I had to take a break from the SEAL training that G and I were doing so I could get rid of typhoid and bronchitis, and so its a bit rough getting back into it.

Did I mention that I wrote twelve pages (well, a sketch or two too) in my journal while on that train? Funny, how I didn't think that I would write in it when my Mom gave it to me... I will scan in some of the more accessible pages when I get back to a scanner, so y'all can see whatever there is to see...

I actually got a comment on my handwriting - a positive comment - from a lady the other day... Wild... Sometimes I can't even read it.



categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 4.20 pm


I think I want to be a writer. As a profession. And, as every twenty-two-year-old-writer-want-to-be thinks, I think I'll work for the BBC, and be an international journalist correspondent (keeping my long hair, and adding a nice tablet pc to my wardrobe). Yeah.


categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 4.16 pm


I'm in Manchester. It was a heckuva train ride, met my friend J at the station (Piccadilly) and now have FREE internet access.

Which is a step up from the 50p every five minutes that I paid this morning to post the previous entry and check my (negative) bank account balance.

So I expect to blog some more, later, and maybe even post pictures, if I can unobtrusively install bluetooth on this machine or something like that. Maybe I should get a MMC card reader (I would have, but I haven't found any that read XD, SD, and MMC, which would be ideal, for sale here, just on the internet).

FURTHER BULLETINS AS EVENTS WARRANT


categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

December 2, 2004, 9.05 am


I'm in Guildford, flat broke. My bank account balance is $0, and in fact, I get digned a negative $1.50 when I try to check it from an atm, and then the bank dings me for that as well... It's rough, man... If only I'd consolidated my savings accounts when I first thought of it two weeks ago, but oh well...

I've got £5 in my pocket (borrowed) and a free place to stay (if I can walk back there, being unable to afford the bus).

That's what Africa (and rambling) does to you: it's two miles into town, you've got a 30-kilo pack on your back, and £5, and you say, I'm just going to walk into town, to save on the bus fare. And you do.


categorized as on the road



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 29, 2004, 9.08 am




'ere's a cheery mug, with a cute black baby!


categorized as africa



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 29, 2004, 8.17 am




Gareth, Michael Omollo, Don, Liz, and one of Michael's children...


categorized as africa



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 29, 2004, 7.41 am




Darren and camera-shy Mystika!!!


categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 26, 2004, 10.09 am


I think of you so much. I think of us, and all the funny, nice things we've done, and all the nicer things we're going to do. I think of nice places and people, and, when I think of them, you're always there, always tall and death-mouthed and big-eyed and no-voiced, with a collegiate ribbon or a phallic hat. I think of us in pubs and clubs and cinemas and beds. I think I love you.


- Dylan Thomas, January 28 & 29, 1937

Cwmdonkin Drive, Uplands, Swansea

...from a letter to Emily Holmes...


categorized as the muse



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 26, 2004, 4.15 am


Hud and I split ways two days ago in Nairobi, and now I am traveling around the UK by myself. I am currently in London, hostel-jumping, and hoping to leave and head up country (where I have free lodging pretty soon).

There are some incredibly cheap flights from AerLingus (http://aerlingus.com), and I am thinking of taking a train to Liverpool, a £5 flight to Cork, hitchhiking from Cork to Dublin, a £5 flight from Dublin to Rome, and then back again. Now, wouldn't that be something?!

Incidentally, I ran into an Australia climber originally from Brisbon, name of Yogi Bear. Apparently he's pretty famous in climbing circles, and I was wondering if you'd ever heard of him. He used to be HUGE physically, and while bouldering would catch people falling from 15 meters in a bear hug. Great guy, met him in Westlands, Nairobi.


...from an email I just sent, so I don't have to repeat myself...


categorized as on the road



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 26, 2004, 4.13 am



Random Journal Entry :: 8 Sept 2004 :: Wed 10.29 :: Dominican Friars, Swahili Villiage

...

After mass and briefly greeting the sisters, we went to St. Monica's Hospital and visited the sick. Father Lewis prayed with people of every denomination - protestans, muslims, Assembly of God - and gave Communion to the Catholics. In one of the sick wards, I caught and crushed a lingering mosquito with a swift one-hand grab. When I opened my hand, it was covered in blood that the mosquito had apparently just drank.

If you are in a matatu and it wrecks, and you are covered in other peoples' blood, you stand a 50% chance of contracting HIV. In a hospital ward where the people are dying of AIDS, the risk is probably 90-100% if you are exposed to their blood. Chances are that the blood smeared on my hand was HIV-infected.


categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 26, 2004, 3.58 am


Did I mention that it's EXPENSIVE here?!


categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 26, 2004, 3.43 am


A friday morning in London.

Internet for 1 hour for £1.

A book full of journal entries from the last three months at my side.


categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 25, 2004, 11.31 am




Staying just off Picadilly Circus, in the heart of London...

Um, things are really expensive here. I spent £40 today, including train from the airport (all-day pass), breakfast, some snacks, dinner, coffee, internet. That £40 took $76 out of my bank account, however. JD.

This rather uninspired photo was not taken by me, but rather was scrubbed off the internet simply for illustrative purposes.




categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 25, 2004, 4.40 am


I'm in London.

I'm going to explore it by myself for a few days, and then head up north to a friend's family's house.


categorized as on the road



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 23, 2004, 9.28 am


Number 1 on MSN Search for "bolting down a toilet."

Does it get any better than this!?




categorized as meta-blogging



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 23, 2004, 8.59 am






categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 21, 2004, 4.38 am






categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 21, 2004, 4.36 am


Teary-eyed at the Kisumu airport, after leaving our good friends...






categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 21, 2004, 4.00 am


Nairobi!!! Pictures coming soon!


categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 19, 2004, 9.50 am


NEWS FLASH::

I'm heading to london after Nairobi. I'll be there for an indeterminate length of time, but I'll prob return to North America before Christ's birthday.

Further bulletins as events warrant.


categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 19, 2004, 9.33 am


Yo, we're on the move again.

We left our projects in Kisumu, Kenya today... With many tears shed, and many sad goodbyes. We've made some close friends in the last three months, and we are all sad to leave them.

It's a breath of fresh air to be back in Nairobi again, however. We spent enough time here before to be familiar with the city and layout and such, and we are seeing it through much-changed eyes now, after working in and around "the bush" for so long.

We are staying with a terrific family, friends of friends who are now our friends, and are enjoying ourselves immensely.

The maladies (typhoid and malaria and bronchitis and dysentary etc) that we have faced are fading into the past, as the antibiotics and anti-inflamatories and prophylactics take effect. I have never taken as much medication as I have on this trip, nor have I felt so weird for so long. I get weird feelings of exhaustion during the afternoons and other unexplained symptoms. I am sure that our bodies are constantly fighting strange diseases.

Karibu Nairobi!


categorized as africa



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.
Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 12, 2004, 5.26 am


because you asked for the pictures of the worm that was in our drinking water...

unfortunately, the pictures did not come out so well, but there have been plenty of these little buggers, so maybe i will take a picture of the next one...

Note that the chlorine did not kill it...

I am using coffee filters now...





categorized as africa



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 9, 2004, 1.50 am


Note:

Even double doses of chlorination do not kill the little red worms that come out of the tap.

I'd post a picture but, ugh...

I guess we oughta filter too.

And that website says boil for minutes. Those d#%m electric kettles only boil for about 30 seconds.


categorized as africa



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 9, 2004, 1.42 am


...from the it's-not-just-me dept...



What about water purification?


Only drink water that you know is safe. Don't drink tap water or brush your teeth with it, stick to bottled or canned drinks - well known brands are safe. Have bottled mineral waters opened in your presence, and regard all ice as unsafe. Alcohol does not sterilise a drink!




emphasis added by me


categorized as africa



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 9, 2004, 1.30 am


I updated my Windows XP Home (don't ask) laptop to Service Pack 2, and was promptly unable to access any of my Remote Desktop Servers, two of which were Windows XP Pro and one of which was Windows 2000 Terminal Services. So I took off Service Pack 2... Perhaps both machines need to have the same service packs?


categorized as tech



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 9, 2004, 1.25 am


...from the Richard,-this-could-have-been-you dept...



Ugandan priest arrested, charged with aiding rebels


Kampala, Nov. 03 (CWNews.com) - The Ugandan government has arrested a Catholic priest, charging that he has been collaborating with rebels of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA).

Father Mathew Ojara, the pastor of Christ the King Church in Kitgum and a member of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative, was arrested by soldiers on Monday and detained at the Kitgum police station. The priest's mobile phone, computer, and documents were confiscated.

Archbishop Baptist Odama described the arrest as shocking. He told the Monitor , Uganda's only independent newspaper, that "I do not know the reason behind it."

Authorities in Kitgum stated clearly that the priest would be formally charged with assisting the rebels. Lieutenant Okot Lapolo, speaking for the military, said Father Ojara "is going to appear in court, where evidence will be displayed."

Father Ojara is one of several Catholic priests in northern Uganda who have been in conflicts with the military for some time. Catholic leaders in war-torn northern Uganda have frequently criticized the army's conduct in the 18-year civil war, which has now displaced over 1 million people.







Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 9, 2004, 1.23 am


As all of you know, we've lost another member of our little TAC community, Paul Levine.

In the early afternoon on All Saints' Day, Paul crashed his motorcycle in Camarillo. God took him from us a few hours later.

We will miss you, Paul, may you rest in peace.

I still can't believe he's gone.



categorized as heroes



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 9, 2004, 1.02 am


...Hmm, I've been out of it for a little bit...

I've had a little run-in with amoebic dysentery... Tho' I was the last of our little family here in Africa to fall sick with it...


categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.
Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 3, 2004, 5.24 am


Nothin' like a nice, fast internet connection and a cappuccino to keep you warm and fuzzy when there's a Kenyan typhoon outside...


categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

November 1, 2004, 4.40 am


Equivocal Catharsis is...

1st on Google

4 out of the top 5 on Yahoo Search


...for the search "Shastine Hudson"...



categorized as meta-blogging



Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

October 30, 2004, 6.41 am


The Kenyans here have a response to things that it "It's just OK."

Now, on the surface that would seem like an affirmitive, but the way that they say it you never know.

It's like saying "Yes" when someone at a restaurant asks you "Soup or Salad?"...


categorized as africa



Pen a comment.Permalink.

October 30, 2004, 6.33 am


Haven't checked my eamil since the 26th. 44 new emails. ^#$%^#. And I'm not on a fast connection. Blogging may be light today...


categorized as meta-blogging



Pen a comment.Permalink.

October 26, 2004, 4.54 am



Open Letter to the American Public:

Look, folks.

This election is friggin' important.

And it tells you something that the Bush campaign is simply using pictures of Kerry to disenfranchise him.

Myself, personally, simply cannot trust Kerry with my nation. End of story. I don't trust the man. Bush may not be the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but at least I know he's a man I can trust.

If you support Kerry, especially on the WMD/Iraq things, please read this linkage. It has quotes from Kerry about his "position" on the issue, the very issue that, for many of the people I talk to, is the cornerstone of their (vocalized, anyway) support for JFK.







Read the comments.Pen a comment.Permalink.

October 26, 2004, 3.07 am


Countries that have visited this website (a few names are types of networks):

Network, Commercial, USA Educational, USA Military, Czech Republic, Non-Profit Organizations, USA Government, Kenya, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Japan, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States, Italy, New Zealand, Denmark, Philippines, Mexico, Old style Arpanet, Norway, France, Hong Kong, Belgium, Taiwan, Israel, Romania, India, Thailand, Cyprus, Finland, Croatia, Austria, Pakistan, Hungary, South Africa, Poland


categorized as meta-blogging



Pen a comment.Permalink.


home | archives | e-kwuv-vical ca-what-sis? | view posts | admin