Some soma would be great right now...

And by that, I mean a reference to Brave New World, not the actual addictive muscle relaxer. Today's been a pretty "meh" day so far (I have afternoon classes in twenty-five minutes). I spent the first several hours of the day finalizing my schedule for next term, though it really still isn't actually finalized. But I DID finally succeed in getting all of my stops removed. I successfully petitioned for Enrollment Overload (although my academic advisor told me she was only doing it "conditionally" because of the high crazy-level of most people who apply for 24 hours), I successfully bullied my psych advisor into granting me another Special Permission for a course I'm taking with a friend of mine next term, and I called and had it out with the Bursar's office. For some reason, the BURSAR'S office had a stop on my enrollment. When I called, and finally spoke to the supervisor she said (and I quote): "Well jeepers, I havenna clue why they locked your enrollment. Musta been a mistake!" Mistake, my hiney. They probably just wanted to draw my attention to the gobs of money that my high enrollment requires (which, Daddy-dearest, is going to be paid for by my happy-making scholarship) ... sadistic #!%&!%^s.

Although I may not be able to take Judo like I wanted because it may conflict with the class I'm hoping to TA next term. I may have to do Pilates instead, or just scrap the exercise class altogether. We shall see ...

Then, tomorrow, I get to go pick up my car, hopefully. They tell me it should be done finally, though they refuse to promise me, which makes me suspicious of their intentions... either way, they better've fixed it well! I do have high hopes for the repairs, though, since it was the dealership that did it ... though not-so-high hopes for my checkbook ...

Oh well. On a sidenote, we're almost to April Fool's day. I hereby propose an armistice to everyone on prankage, considering I will probably be too busy or frazzled this week to do much sufficient pranking anyway ...

Alright ... time for my National Security Policy class. Tata, dear readers.

Bella is behind me being my spell checker.....it's rather degrading really.

-.-

Sad Katie

Prison and wHales! there I put an H in 'Wales'! happy now Bella!!!!

I was looking at Mom the other day while writing my IWA and said "I'd like to do one of those lock in things, you know at Azcaban"

Mom: "Azcaban? Honey I don't think you can do that."

Me: "Sure you can! Al Capone went there!.....Oh no wait I mean Auschwitz!"

Mom: O.o "Uhhh, I don't think they do lock ins there Katie."

Me: "Yes they do! I've seen articles of scout troops going there all the time!"

Mom: "Not to Death Camps."

Me: "Hua?.....OH I mean Alcatraz! Yeah....pretty sure it's Alcatraz."

But I am not the slowest one mind you! Today during a cookies for questions game we'd goten the question "What's the most famous opening line of a book?"

Asa: "Once apone a time."

Well that's probly true, but for those who don't know it's "Call me Ismale." Well then it gose to what book is that from? Moby Dick. Now watch.

Mom: "Bella who is Moby Dick?"

Bella: "Uhhhhhhh......"

Me trying to help: "He's really big! You might say a big as a WHALE. hint hint cough cough."

Bella: "He's a GIANT!!!"

the cats know how I feel...

You know those days when things just don't go right.

No madder what you do there's always more?

"Do this do that and now do this and that and tuna a flip and land on your little toe!"

And you can't get a brake. 

People just sneak up on you and say....

"Oh buy the way you've missed two tests and a quiz and a class project I never bothered to tell you about! Hope you don't mind but you also will have to go....."

And all you can say is. "Oh...." smile nod and walk away thinking not nice things. 

In your head–"Now you !)#%&@$!~#%&( tell me!"

But still they go and throw more at you.

And when they explain things you don't understand or missed in a very dry tone and not so in-depth your just

Oh and then you run to one of the last practices you have of the year, and two of your captines come in with negative energy and can't say a thing with out snapping. 

and the voices start talking....

And it's realy hard yo act like GEE THIS IS WONDIFORUS!!!!!

But you do 

and when thigs goof up WHO do they point to!?!?

On the bright side your frinds rock out loud for you!

And awlays got your back!

and will do any thing with/for you to get things done

And to marow another day just put your best foot froward and.....

Oh well ... try again later after I find life's reset button.

now....

Cегодня—медленный день

"Today is a slow day." // "Sevodnya—medlennee den."

Nothing too exciting is happening in the World of Zekiel today, folks. But I figured that I should probably report in, considering I hadn't written in a while. A few things of note:

I'm sans-vehicle for another few days, it turns out. On my way back from Dallas on Friday, the camshaft sensor (they say) went kaput, and so I was towed to a shop in Gainesville (by the way, there's freaking NOTHING in Gainesville except a Holiday Inn, a McDonalds, and a Chili's), where my car currently sits. I took a call this morning, however, from the mechanic, who said that although they've replaced the offending sensor, it's still not turning over, and they aren't sure what the problem is. They're running diagnostics on it today and troubleshooting, so I eagerly (and somewhat apprehensively) await the results of their fiddling. But, just four days without a vehicle has given me a new, very enthusiastic appreciation for having one on campus.

Next thing of note, I'm looking at TA-ing next term for an Intro psych class. I'll get upper-division psych credit toward my major, plus I'll have the experience on my CV, and maybe, if I finnagle it right, I'll get a faculty/staff parking permit out of it. =)

Along those same lines, here's the lineup for next term (tentatively speaking):

• Advanced Russian
• Industrial Psychology
• Research Methods I: Statistics
• Developmental Psychology
• Human Sexuality*
• Beginning Judo*
• Introduction to Personality
• Abnormal Psychology
• Beginning Piano

*These classes are subject to change depending on whether I can get major credit for HS, and whether either conflicts with the class I TA if I end up going that route.

And lastly, another little boasting moment: I received an "A" on my National Security Policy midterm (the one I was kind of worried about, actually)! But that's not the great part. The truly great part is that I was also awarded extra credit for two things:

1. I typed the questions above my the response for each I turned in. Seriously. He gave me extra credit for copying the questions.
2. We've been discussing, all term, what President Obama was going to call the product of the National Security Council (the name of the document changes practically every administration). No one had bothered to look it up, but I, being the thorough individual I am, decided to Google it, found a Wikipedia page, and threw it into my essay question responses. I was given extra credit AND a "Hat Tip" on the class Web site for being the only person to go and actually find what they were called (In case you're interested, they're called "Presidential Policy Directives"). And people say Wikipedia will never get you anywhere. =)

Okay. I'm done. I have a Russian exam tomorrow, so I'm off to go study. Later.

Boys on the chain gang

(from Steve)

Friday when I landed at the airport I had a voicemail waiting for me from my bride. Two things, one that my oldest son had broken down on the way back to OU and needed a lift, which she was providing and two, that my two youngest sons had waited until she left and then had run up the street in violation of their grounding. I asked to get the punishment side of this little fiasco.

When I got home I didn't say much about the incident until the next day. Then, has they headed for the door I said, "boys it is now time to pay for your transgressions." Dishes waited for them, then a pirate style scrubbing of the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room floor (this involves being on your hands and knees with a scrub brush). Then mops were used, then we shifted to the garden and the yard. By Sunday afternoon the boys were looking a little beat down.

But I am not done, yet.

Doggies

The good nabor kids have this little golden lab puppy that loves to play with bandit....well really jump up and down on top of her flopping and sprawling all over our big pare shaped dog. This goes on till Bandit jumps up and chases Daisy around the yard and hands her little puppy tail to her. Then Bandit goes over to the shade lays down and the whole thing repeats. 

The West Texas Town of El Paso

(From Steve)

This morning while in El Paso for work I was standing next to the counter at the hotel. In front of me was a thin, very pale man who could not look any more anglo if he tried. He was asking for directions in downtown Juarez. Juarez, which is right across from El Paso, has been the site for over 1,000 murders in the past year and just the previous week nine headless bodies were found in the desert outside of town. NOT the place to go for a Pepsi and a taco. Anyway, the staff from the hotel are trying in many ways to discourage this fool from wandering across the border.

Sir, there are many wonderful things to do on this side of the border. Downtown El Paso is lovely and there are many fine restaurants.

But Gringo boy is not paying any attention to these folks. So, I assisted them in a less than friendly manner.

"The bridge these folks are pointing to is what we like to call THE BRIDGE OF NO RETURN" since most fools like you never come back across."

This caused a few snickers from the staff

"And it would probably be a good idea to leave an next of kin contact since you are determined to be the next innocent victim."

The snickers are now open laughter at gringo boy. But he is now bound and determined to go across the border. Seeing this I left him with one last nugget as I headed out to my rental car.

"P.T. Barnum always said one was born every minute"

Hay-yo!

Hay I'm here with all the munchn's plus 1! Yep Dyliee is down here! (But every time we call Dilion that I think of pickles.) 

Any way Grandpa and Uncle Mike were down here for two days too and when Eli and I took Uncle mike in to the grocery store we knocked down a bottle of wine. Hate to see how bad our staring would be if we had, had the wine. ^v^...

Uncle Mike said he was driving back. 

Dyliee has had a blast here, especially after he found my tickle spot......(Right now he's heading off to go swimming)

Uhhhhhh I'm pulling a blank on what to put so....

Peace!

The Ghosts of Christmas Past

Uncle Rafe says HEY! Eat your wheaties. :)
Christmas, 2007

A Moment of Pride

So, three things to blog about really quickly:

Firstly, I received a batch email earlier to IAS students from Career Services saying that our résumés that had been posted on HireSooner (the Career Services Web site) had been reviewed by the CS Counselors and that we should schedule an appointment with the office to come in and discuss the corrections and suggestions made to our particular document. So, being the proactive student I am (pshaw), I immediately call up the Career Services office and ask to speak to the advisor who looked over mine. When she gets on the phone, she tells me that the only correction she has is that she would like to see me change my margins a little and increase my font size a point. That's it. These people exist to critique résumés. That's practically all they do there! And the ONLY correction she had on mine was that I should change my font size some. She said it was "perfect," "impressive," "one of the best [she's] seen." I can't contain my pride. =) I just had to share that.

Secondly, I just finished my second Psychology midterm. The best question of the evening? "According to contemporary research, dreams are: (b) a wish your heart makes." Don't worry, that wasn't the answer, and I didn't choose "b," but I did have a laugh at that one.

And lastly, I have redone my Web site. Right now, the "Professional" site is the only part that's up. My "Personal" site is still undergoing facelift after facelift after facelift. I'm afraid it'll start to look like a Web version of Michael Jackson by the time I publish it. Keep a good thought. Anyway, if you're interested, the address for my Web site is web.me.com/zekielj. Enjoy, dear readers.

Music!

Hay It has been a musical moments in time sice i last posted. For starters, I ran out of focus meds....so while doing Physics homework that involved circles bell and I came up with (sing to the first Noel)

No pie! No Pie!!

There is no pie in Physics classs.

We looked up and said Miss Ojo why? why is there no Pie on Physics class?

Course

She looked at us and said shut up, there is no pie because dead guys said so!

dead guys said so dead guys said so dead guys said so there is no pie in physics class.

Than there was last night. Dad and I are waching the Phantom of the Opra. I look at him and say. "Man there's a lot of singing in this movie."

Thank you good night!

The Zekiel Party's Official Platform

In three words?

Complete, Abject Apathy.

I have discovered why it is that "my" generation really doesn't give a rat's posterior about politics. Why they're really not interested in discussing the issue with those who are. Why, for that matter, they really don't care to even vote. Know what that reason is?

It's People Who Do Care.

Let me get it out in the open now: Yeah, I voted for Obama. And frankly, I'm perfectly at peace with my choice. In four years, you all can come back and we'll discuss whether his presidency was successful or not. But right now, I'm not interested—it's all just speculation anyway. So just save your breath.

But you know what? I voted. I participated in our democratic system, and for that much, I am relatively proud. At this point, however, I have entered into that relatively blissful state of Youth Political Apathy. Why, you ask? Because I'm SO tired of hearing about (a) my vote; (b) speculation over whether his campaign promises will be upheld; (c) party affiliations; and (d) politics in general. Yes, I'll come out and say it: it's the OTHER generations of voters who are largely responsible for MY generation's apathy. Not to say that my generation gets off scot free for its apathy, but I REFUSE to believe that it is entirely at fault. The frustration that my generation feels at being coerced into participation in the political system followed by strict criticism of their participation is DIRECTLY causal to its resulting apathy.

Let me explain this idea of voting to everyone: we choose the candidates we do because we agree with [most of] their stances. Unfortunately, we live in a country that is essentially controlled by TWO parties in a remarkably BIPOLAR system. In fact, most voters do not *actually* identify COMPLETELY with one party or another, but instead are moderates. Guess what, though: there's no such thing as the "Moderate Party." We're stuck picking one of two very different set of values, some of which we will inherently disagree with.

You likely voted McCain because you felt HE best represented the views that you cared most about. Have you stopped to consider that maybe I have just as good a reason for voting Obama? That perhaps there are issues that *I* find important that *I* felt Obama best represented? Likely, no, you haven't. I will be the first to admit that yes, Obama has some very upsetting views about some things. I DO disagree with his stance on Iraq, and I DO largely disagree with his stance on abortion. Those are things that are unfortunately just part of the package. But, historically speaking, most democratic presidencies have been marked by economic prosperity and growth whereas most republican presidencies have been marked by economic stagnation or decrease. Liberal presidencies have been marked with social openness and reform, whereas conservative presidencies have been marked with a sickening constriction to very narrow conservative social views that I largely disagree with. These examples, which I MAKE NO CLAIM constitute the entirety of the issues in this election, begin to illustrate why I voted the way I did.

For those of you who voted McCain, congratulations on getting out the vote. I don't care. But for the purposes of discussion, let's say that I did. If we were to engage in a political discussion, I think that we would both find that NEITHER of us actually completely agrees with the candidate we voted for. But we could agree probably by the end of our discussion that YOU had legitimate reasons for your vote and I had legitimate reasons for mine.

Whether you believe Obama is America's savior, the Antichrist, or just a frustrating oreo (yeah, I said it), that's YOUR opinion. I respect your opinion, so start respecting mine.

As for politics, frankly, I do not care to discuss them with anyone. I have returned to my youthful apathy, and there I intend to stay until 2012 (when the world ends anyway, right?)

Leave. Me. Be.

Caption this picture!

I think they are watching Lisa do the Hula. Barry looks shocked and Steve looks impressed.

a ton and a half of poop

I figured up this morning that Lisa and I have changed over 3,240 pounds of poop since we started having kids. I figured that the kids were in diapers on average 2 years and on average had 2 dirty diapers a day and that the average "diaper deposit" weighted .25 pounds. When you multiply all that up it comes to over a ton and a half of poop.

No wonder I feel so "poopy" sometimes.

My response to my Son's desire for "change"

Hi Son,

Aunt Laurie was telling us about your voting choice this year in the presidential election. And since you voted for change, I believe you should receive some change. For starters, you can now sleep in a tent in the back yard when you come back to visit. And, as a reliance in government is part of your change, I am sure that president obama will provide your tuition/room and board as part of some government program. So, I will go ahead and change out the Texas Tomorrow fund to one of your non-change related siblings. And, since your new change president is surely going to tax me in to the poor house to make all his campaign promises come true, we will be selling all your possessions in our house on eBay to pay for grocieries since your Mom and I don’t fall into any protected ethnic group. You know, like obama’s mom’s side of the family.

You wanted change.

Love,

Dad

Zeke's 20th and Lulu's 1st Birthdays

Steve, I know the economy is bad....

But did you have to shake down your own nephew?? At Christmas time, no less! Poor kid, didn't even have a quarter on him.