I decided to wait a bit more time to do a full anime special, so today I’m making a list of some of my favorite things (in no particular order):

1. Spirited Away

Or anything else by Miyazaki, for that matter. I’ll get into this in more detail soon.

2. Trance Music

DJ Sammy and 4 Strings, to be exact. Obviously the best kind of music, though I do like Green Day and Blue Man Group as well.

3. iPod Mini’s

Extension of number 2. I’m taking my blue Mini to the grave.

4. Tomb Raider Movies

I’m actually watching the first at this very moment. I can’t really explain my love for these movies, they aren’t even my exact style. Of course, the first came out in 2001, which brings me to number 5:

5. Anything circa 2001

That had to be the best year of my life, despite the fact that my aunt died that year. In particular, Tomb Raider, DNL (the drink) and the PS2.

6. A Series of Unfortunate Events

Go. Read them now. They’re about three children who, after their parents die, go to live with a series of miserable guardians that all spring from Count Olaf’s plot to steal their fortune. Yes, it seems a bit depressing, but they are really quite hilarious.

7. Japanese

I wish I could learn it. Japan has a wonderful language, culture, and I hope I visit the country some day.

8. The following drinks:

The switch, Strawberry Kiwi Snapple, and Root Beer. Gotta love ‘em.

9. TiVo

I never have to miss an episode of Stargate or Charmed again!

10. Chocolate/Sushi

Best foods ever invented! Depends on the kind of sushi though.

Check back in with you later,

#m

High school was definitely much different than I expected. People were nice, my teachers are awesome, and I’m actually getting in to most of my classes (except for PE). Anyway, my favorite class would definitely be history. Has anyone seen that Old Navy jeans commercial? The one where there is a girl in a lecture hall, and she’s getting really excited about history class. “I love history! Something happens, and then something else happens! So sequential! Thanks first guy, for writing history down!” Of course, the point of this commercial is that Old Navy denim (plus low prices) have spontaneous and positive effects on your behavior. Now the thing is, that’s pretty much how I feel about history right now. Who wouldn’t want to learn about the Olmecs and their influence on early American religion?

now that I’ve got that out of my system, let’s get on with the post. My parents pick me up in the parking lot outside my school. However, the parking lot is full of teenage drivers, while the sun makes it impossible to see if any lights on the car are on (if they are at all). Not to mention that the super-reflective power of most windshields make it extremely difficult to see if someone is even in the car. In other words, one moment there could be no moving cars in a lane, and then suddenly without warning, I’m surrounded! I almost walked right into open traffic about four times while getting to our car.

Yay, another link! I can’t tell you how often I wish I could surf the web circa 1999 (hey, kinda like history class!). But really, google’s cache of web pages are fine if your looking for something three days ago, but what about three months? Years? That’s where archive.org comes in. They started back in 1996, crawling the web and archiving them. They even keep the pictures. Try it out for yourself, you’ll love it. But be warned, it’s the slowest web site I’ve ever been to.

Tomorrow, the wonderful world of Miyazaki, and all things Japanese! Later,

#m

I want an iPod Mini. Who wouldn’t? They’re small, they come in cool colors, they don’t scratch, and they’re the cheapest iPod available at the moment. But, as anyone who has tried to look for one this summer will tell you, they are impossible to find. No one has them in stock, and the Apple Store has a waiting list longer than the ticket line to a new Star Wars movie. So instead of waiting for who knows how long on a list, I did what anyone as impatient as myself would - I got one on eBay. Unfortunately everything did not go so smoothly, considering that was 26 days ago and it still hasn’t shipped. I did find a real store that has them in stock yesterday though, and will be getting one from there once my eBay order is cancelled, but not everyone is that lucky. Who would have thought that so many people would want these things?

Now that school starts in less than 2 days, I’m going to have to face the worst part about it. No, it not the incredible amount of homework, or the fact that this will be the first school with over 150 people that I’ve gone to since preschool, not even that it marks the end of summer. The thing that I dread the most it having to wear a watch again. Now, the watch itself isn’t that uncomfortable, I just don’t want to have to know what time it is every minute of the day, or realizing just how little time there is after 4PM.

That’s all I have right now, so I guess that means it’s time for another link of the day (see, it’s already a tradition!). I couldn’t go long without pointing this site out. Have a computer? Then why wouldn’t you want to continue in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (plus, the name has that cool little @ symbol, that sealed the deal for me)? I’m talking about SETI@home. They recently moved to a new program so some bugs are still being worked out, but your computer can still be working in the mean time.

#m

I’ve made an attempt at making a blog once. Yeah, it was really bad, you have no idea how grateful I am that you can delete blogs. Hopefully, this one will be different. So, some info about me: I live in Charlottesville, Virginia, I’m going into 9th grade on Monday, I like video games, trance music, the UN, Windows, movies, Japan, Stargate, iPod Mini’s, and checking my email (at least that’s what I like today).

It’s actually a complete coincidence that my first post is on my birthday (my 14th), but it does give me something to talk about. I really don’t care that it’s my birthday today. In fact, that’s true about every other holiday I used to look forward to. Is it just me, or life get seriously anti-climactic as you get older? Well, for your sake, I hope it’s just me.

Here’s something that freak’s me out, though. My cousin (14), who is just under a year younger that my sister (15), was able to get his drivers license on Wednesday, less than a week after my sister got her permit. Oh, if only I lived in North Dakota. Then it would be legal to get my permit tomorrow (scary thought). But seriously, what is the DMV thinking! Sure it’s a flat state without a lot of things near the road to run into, but still, like me he’s not even in high school yet. By the way, if you’re reading this Matthew, I have nothing against the way you drive, just the thought of how many Middle School teenagers are on the road at any given time.

And now, today’s link! Now, this may seem like it would only be useful for people obsessed with TV, but if you ever want to see the name of a show episode, or a summary, or several dozen raging fans talking about the mistake the writer made on episode number T1411, it’s a great place to go. Of course, I’m talking about epguides.com/tvtome.com.

Well, I better save some stuff for tomorrow. Later,

#m