Muses of a City Boy

Run on the Morris Co-op

chroniclesoflawrence — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:02:51 +0000

Well today one of my housemates decided to show me where the local co-op place is. They’re all going tomorrow/later today as well. The Pastor that runs the Compound told me that this place has high quality black liqourice and dark chocolate. So we went down to the co-op. Along the way I found a friend, and reminded him that our little pre-Erntedankfest was this Sunday at 6:00 PM.

Anyways, after entering the Co-op through another store’s entrance I noted where everything was. I mistakenly bought a 100% cocoa bar, so I’ll have to buy ice cream to eat that soon. It was a quaint small shop, and the liquorice available was imported from Finland, I prefer British imports, but I’ll make due.

I left content. Later at Pamida I found a 85% cocoa bar. It is very nice chocolate bar, but not for those faint of heart. It’s an acquired taste, and by my third piece, later today, I should not have a reaction to the slightly bitter aftertaste.

That’s all for now.

Karate Test

chroniclesoflawrence — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:54:21 +0000

I now have my orange belt. The test went by ok. I gaffed on a few side thrust kicks, but besides that it went well. I got to see many of the guys from camp this past June, which was a treat. So now it’s practice, practice, practice until next year.

Away

chroniclesoflawrence — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:18:28 +0000

I will be away for a few days. This is due to my preparing for my Karate test on Saturday, the test on Saturday, and to relax on Sunday. That is all. Oh, and I also wish the Berlin Wall a belated 20th Death Day.

Exercise!

chroniclesoflawrence — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:06:28 +0000

I start a new exercise regimen tomorrow. I am to follow it for two weeks, and the report to my “personal trainer.” (Thanks Nick). So we’ll see what happens.

Oh, and I am testing for 7th Kyu (Orange Belt) in Karate this Saturday, so that’s a plus.

What do you guys want

chroniclesoflawrence — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:36:22 +0000

So I’ve been wondering. What to my viewers want to see on this blog? Videos, pictures, grandiose speeches? Do you want to hear my views on everyday life, or views on politics. I am as they say, all ears.

Papers

chroniclesoflawrence — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:25:29 +0000

What are the point of papers? We spend hours writing them, heck, most of us write them hours before they’re due. I wrote a five page paper on the differences between a fork and a spoon in high school. I wrote on how handling a fork in different ways was not necessary because there is only one way to hold a fork.

I mean I have to do a senior seminar for my political science major. This used to be writing a paper from scratch. Now one has to expand on a previously finished paper. I don’t want to do that. I like the papers I have written in the past. They were of decent length, and going over would be like killing an ant with a sledge hammer, over kill.

So I now have to do my senior seminar on a non-existent paper. I will admit that I did not foresee the political science department make this decision last year. If I had, I would have actually backed up my papers. So I am going to write my senior seminar paper on an issue of my choosing. Most likely on how the United States can deal with a resurgent European Union, or the prospects of an alliance with Russia, China, and these United States. To my knowledge the latter is one of military fiction, but it is doable.

Ink and Pants

chroniclesoflawrence — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:10:56 +0000

I somehow left a pen in my pants when I put them in the wash. This caused ink to get on my karate gi pants, up by the waist, so the top part will cover it. But that’s it so far.

New Day

chroniclesoflawrence — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:36:04 +0000

It is Sunday right now. During the last karate practice, I apparently heard that Sensei will come visit today. I am not sure about that, but I will find out later today.

Because of that, I won’t be able to attend church today. However, I do have my Bible, and a Catholic thing. But I now know when the Baptist church has worship. So I will be attending soon.

More to come later today.

Stars and the Milky Way

chroniclesoflawrence — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:05:21 +0000

I decided to go for a walk earlier tonight, clear my head. I didn’t have my usual walking buddies because they are either in St. Paul, or in the campus apartments slaving away on their xboxes, playstations, and who knows what else.

As I walking from the path leading to Pamida from campus to out past the baseball fields, I heard horses, smelled the barn from far away, and saw dozens of cars drive into the north parking lot.

That was of no interest to me. What interested me were the stars. It was spectacular. Jupiter was bright in the sky, and I could see numerous constellations I learned as a youth. I also saw the Milky Way for the first time in a great while.

I saw Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Cygnus, Capricorn, Cassiopeia, and a great many others. My regret was that I could not share this sight with others. It reminded me of a poem from Astronomy class, which I leave you with tonight.

 Reach me down my Tycho Brahe, I would know him when we meet,
 When I share my later science, sitting humbly at his feet;
 He may know the law of all things, yet be ignorant of how
 We are working to completion, working on from then to now.

 Pray remember that I leave you all my theory complete,
 Lacking only certain data for your adding, as is meet,
 And remember men will scorn it, 'tis original and true,
 And the obloquy of newness may fall bitterly on you.

 But, my pupil, as my pupil you have learned the worth of scorn,
 You have laughed with me at pity, we have joyed to be forlorn,
 What for us are all distractions of men's fellowship and smiles;
 What for us the Goddess Pleasure with her meretricious smiles!

 You may tell that German College that their honor comes too late,
 But they must not waste repentance on the grizzly savant's fate.
 Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
 I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.
                   Sarah Williams

Camp Wellstone Day Two: A day of sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll

chroniclesoflawrence — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:58:33 +0000

Camp Wellstone day two was awesome. The best bits were stories our leaders told. My favorite was one where our leader was an RA at his school. This guy is a very open homosexual who kept on saying he was the “Queerest guy you will ever meet!” I thought that was a little queer personally. Anyways he decides to have his freshmen tag along to a fetish BDSM shindig.

These freshmen were all dressed up in all sorts of bondage gear, leather pants, the whole nine yards. And as young people do, they went along in little clumps pointing, giggling, laughing, and taking pictures, as their RA had a gay old time.

Eventually the RA got into a cage with another guy. The cage was promply locked, and he was told he had to do something before leaving the cage. His freshmen took pictures of his predicament, and gave him a t-shirt the following day, with a photo of him in the cage with the caption “Best RA Ever.”

Rock ‘n’ Roll consisted of a game. Each table had to sing parts of songs. My table was the second table out (it is really hard to sing “Under the Sea”). Songs sung were by Billy Joel, Disney songs, patriotic songs, but no U2.

The downside was lunch. There were only sandwiches. I felt sorry for the students that had to pay $8.00 for two pieces of bad bread, and some cheese.

Eventually it ended with closing remarks, and many questions by those introverted types that will not stop asking questions. Campus Camp Wellstone was a great success, I was happy to be a part of the planning committee that brought it here, and will be looking forward to seeing how Morris will be changed for the better by this two day event.