Category: Livejournal

Taken from an anonymous 14th Century samurai (and submitted by Cowboy Ron), this little credo was one of the first things I ever saw when I started studying bushido. I’ve seen many interpretations and translations of the text, but this one is my favorite. Enjoy.

(after our conversation last night)

A terrible thought has moved into my mind
Like an unwanted room-mate drunk on wine
It feeds on my happiness won’t pay the rent
I must take proper measures to evict it

A terrible thought has moved into my mind
A giant rat that’s nibbling on my pride
It’s tearing away my patience and my wit
I must take proper measures set a trap for it

What a terrible thought

I don’t care what you’ve done
I don’t care who you’ve won
I know in the end you’ll have your fun

But you can’t have it hear
And I won’t let you steer
You know I don’t want you in my mind

I must stay calm you know and I must be clear
It’s gonna take a hundred thoughts to make this one disappear
A train like that could travel a soul for years
A terrible thought could have a terribly long career

What minds have you shredded
I bet they regretted
Having ever thought you up
Just look at you shine
Commiting your crimes
You know I don’t want you in my mind

‘Cause you’re breaking my stride
You poisonous vine
You’re strangling me inside
You’re breaking my stride
You poisonous vine
You’re strangling me inside
You’re breaking my stride

What a terrible thought…

(from “Haunted,” by Poe)

This from my buddy memento_mori who found it on James Randi’s site…

I’m sure any good Christian believes prayer should be balanced by action.
So here, in support of the Prayer Team’s admirable goals, is a proposed
Constitutional Amendment codifying behavior and based entirely on Holy
Bible principles:

1. Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man
and one or more women. (Gen 29:17-28; II Sam 3:2-5.) Marriage shall not
impede a man’s right to take concubines in addition to his wife or wives.
(II Sam 5:13; I Kings 11:3; II Chron 11:21)

2. A marriage shall be considered valid only if the wife is a virgin. If
the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed.(Deut 22:13-21) Marriage
of a Christian and a pagan shall be forbidden. (Gen 24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra
9:12; Neh 10:30)

3. Since marriage is for life, neither this Constitution nor the
constitution of any State, nor any state or federal law, shall be
construed to permit divorce. (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9)

4. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the
widow. If he refuses to marry his brother’s widow or deliberately does not
give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe and be otherwise
punished in a manner to be determined by law. (Gen. 38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10)

5. The law must preserve the duty of each citizen to burn an ox as a
sacrifice, regardless of whether the odor pleases the neighbors — as it
does God — or not. (Lev 18:22)

6. Each citizen shall have the right to sell his daughter(s) into slavery,
setting his own price. (Exodus 21:7)

7. All citizens may own slaves, like in the good old days, both male and
female, so long as they’re foreigners. (Lev 25:44)

8. Any citizen who finds his neighbor working on Sunday must kill him.
(Exodus 35:2)

9. Eating shellfish of any sort must be deemed “an abomination,” with
penalties set by local law enforcement. (Lev 11:10)

10. Any citizen with poor eyesight and who nevertheless goes to church,
shall be guilty of an abomination. (Lev 21:20)

11. Trimming the hair around the temples should be a capital crime. (Lev
19:27)

12. Since touching the skin of a dead pig makes one “unclean,” no one can
wear gloves made of pigskin. (Lev 11:6-8)

13. Anyone who plants two different crops in a field, who wears garments
made of two different fabrics, or who curses or blasphemes, must be stoned
to death. (Lev 19:19, 20:14)

So much happened this weekend, and I just don’t have the time to get it all down. Or the energy. I’m completely drained from everything. Let’s see how much of this I can get down…

Friday
Kill Bill.

Un.
Fucking.
Believable.

Qualifies as my favorite movie of the year. If you haven’t seen it, you’re cheating yourself.

After, there was sushi with the potentious latentblue. It was yummy.

(potentious: one who shows great potential)

Saturday

Sleep in. Get ready for the One World By Night game. It was a blast. Seven Nosferatu showed up — including Marcus. There was good roleplaying all around, Marcus got to sing and freak people out… I had so much fun. At the end of the night, I had to drink hot tea to get my voice back. I’d need it for the next day…

Sunday

… because today is Part Two of the Scorpion Coup.

We ordered sushi. It may have made Trekhead ill. I hope not. I hope everybody else is okay.

We had fifteen people. FIFTEEN PEOPLE. I am now convinced if I wanted to run an LA L5R LARP, I’d have no problem getting together a crew.

Also, I hope everyone involved is now convinced there are no “sacred characters.” Like latentblue said: “History hasn’t happened yet.” Aramoro is dead by a player character’s hand. Continuity is not a concern. Nor is it an influence.

The Emperor is safe. Toturi is walking into what could be a trap. Nobody has seen or heard from the Great Bear.
Part III will not be kind. Be ready.

(There is a scene at the end of all this I cannot do alone. I need Hoturi.)

*do I need to say anything else?*

You get three today.

The Soup Faerie: http://www.neopets.com/neopedia.phtml?neopedia_id=201
Escape from Meridell Castle: http://www.neopets.com/neopedia.phtml?neopedia_id=200
The Spyders are Coming!: http://www.neopets.com/neopedia.phtml?neopedia_id=199

The Catholic Church is guilty of many crimes. Many, many crimes. Too many to count.

They are now guilty for mass murder. Not “in the name of God.” Not a crusade against unbelievers. No. Nothing so noble.

They are now mass murderers in the name of… I just can’t say anymore. This is UNFORGIVABLE. UN-FUCKING-FORGIVABLE.

If you’re Catholic (I used to be — my mother still is), read this. If you aren’t Catholic and you know someone who is, read this. If you never wanted to be Catholic in your life, read this.

Read this and realize that when Sinead O’Connor ripped up a picture of the Pope on Saturday Night Live, she was WAY ahead of her time… AND SHE WAS FUCKING RIGHT TO DO IT.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/aids/story/0,7369,1059068,00.html

has turned me on to Rob Dougan. You may know him from sountracks like THE MATRIX and THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS.

His album, Furious Angels, is… well, like nothing else I’ve ever heard before. And that makes it a #1 priority in my book. So, I’ll spend the rest of the day listening to it, pining for my own copy, and planning for purchase tonight at Best Buy or Tower or Virgin.

‘Cause love, like an invisible bullet has shot
me down and I’m bleeding — yeah I’m
bleeding
And if you go, furious angels will bring you
back to me

from

MAREO: rare; uncommon
People of your personality type should visit:
www.life-blood.cjb.net

What would your Japanese name be? (male)
brought to you by Quizilla

Just for a laugh, I’m spending this morning listening to Britney Radio on RadioNetscape.

I really can’t tell any difference between the artists. They all sound the same. Identical. They use the same vocal tricks, they all sing in the same register, the composition of the songs is almost identical. Chord structure, syncapation, everything.

I mean, it’s catchy, but after ten songs from ten different acts, I feel like I just got done listening to a greatest hits album from a single artist.

They all start out with a beat and the artist whispering over the track, “Yo. (Insert my name.) (Insert the date.) Keepin’ it real. Yo. Yo. Let’s go.”

Then, the song kicks in with a pre-made beat and a sampled riff from a ’70’s pop song. The song talks about how cool the artist is, how they get to fuck who they want, spend a lot of money, drive big cars, fuck who they want, spend a lot of money, fuck who they want, spend a lot of money… then a break from a rapper who talks about how cool they are and how cool the singer is. The song finishes off with a bunch of “uh uh uh” and rapping in syncapation with the chorus.

I shit you not. I’ve been listening all morning and that’s how every song goes. Same key, same orchestration, same arrangement, same beat, same everything.

It isn’t that I’m old. That isn’t it. I’ve been in bands, I’ve written songs, I’ve studied songwriting, music theory, and all that stuff. This shit is identical.

And, frankly, the rapping isn’t all that original. Barenaked Ladies have much more original, fun raps when they improvise on stage than these guys have with prepared raps.

Shit, I can do this stuff with my eyes closed, both hands tied behind my back.

I need a band.