Quizzes and a Short Eulogy

Eulogy first...
As some of you may or may not know, at one point in time I attended a really, really lousy school. I attended it for a few months before deciding that it wasn't worth my sanity to continue there and quit. The only reason I even bring up that hateful place is because I have several mementoes of JROTC-ish variety from that school. Most of these I'm attempting to sell on Ebay or Half.com. Except for one- my woolly-pully. I realise that one should endevour to detach from worldly goods and get rid of things you don't need or want, but black goes with everything and I really did want it. All else I would happily have thrown to a bonfire of vanity, or at least donated to Catholic Charities, but my woolly-pully was my one constant companion through those awful months in that drafty building with those wretched fellow students (Mrs. Panos is not a student and if she's reading this, I'm sorry for not giving you more of a headsup that I was leaving because really you were the only person in the whole place who I felt I could talk to freely and happily).
Back to the eulogy. The woolly-pully was not perfect- it had a hole in it, right beneath the cuff of the right sleeve. It was a small hole when I first got it- I didn't even notice it. It got fractionally bigger when I caught it on the lock-thingy of my locker. It was black, as previously mentioned, with cool patches on the elbows and shoulders. I thought it was A Very Cool Thing, and I had been wanting one since I was 12 and saw a similarly styled sweater on an English cop show. When I finally got it, it was, as I have previously mentioned, a constant companion. Even after they made the stupid rule about wearing one's (mentally-challenged looking) nametape on the patch provided for it. It was still the Very Cool Thing. And I put it in the cedar closet.
You may ask, if I liked it so much, why did I leave it? I'll tell you. I was trying very hard to put drill-team/JROTC/CAP geekiness behind me as I was entering university my freshman year. First semester I didn't quite succeed, I brought all of my CAP gear and was going to join the local squadron until Latin ate my life. Second semester I had to bring everything back as I was transferring. Both of my roommates from sophomore year can attest to the fact that though I left almost all of my gear (bar really useful stuff like my flashlight and poncho) at home, you can take the geek out of drill-team/JROTC/CAP, but it takes a long time for things like drill-withdrawl to wear off.
Junior year thus far, I think was doing quite well until I had to start writing this post (Jen and Laura correct me, if I was rambling on about CAP etc to all hours and just don't remember it).
So I got home, and in the privacy of my house decided to retrieve my woolly-pully from the cedar closet for the purpose of wearing around the house. I walked down stairs and searched the closet. No woolly-pully. I searched the cedar-chest. No woolly-pully.
My mother disavowed any knowledge of its whereabouts, but after my dad _gleefully_ announced that he had given it to the newly promoted CPO W____, she remembered that she had indeed condoned this act of charity. It's not like we didn't have _two_ woolly-pullies, both mine and my brother's but Dad gave away _both_. I can only picture the expression on CPO W____'s face at this. "Err.. Thanks?" Mine was a medium and my brother's was a large I think. So, one to grow into? One to give to a bigger friend? So it could be worse, it could have been burned. My woolly-pully was given away. A nice act of charity. I think it would be much nicer had I known and approved of it. Also, because my woolly-pully has a hole it it, I'm inclined to think that CPO W___ will fob it off on the nearest unobservant person as quickly as possible. But really, that woolly-pully was my only worthwhile and happy memento of a miserable few months, and now it's gone. This is probably a little overdramatic/overwrought for the tastes of most of my readers, but it needed to be posted. Farewell where you fare, my woolly-pully.
An Aside- I really wish they'd given away my coverlet and/or curtain-thingy in my room. Despite all my attempts to the contrary, I still regard them with abject loathing, much as would a Jain presented with a T-bone steak.
~~**~~
As promised earlier, the quizzes follow- mostly ones that I saw on Jenne's blog and decided to try out.

You Passed 8th Grade Spanish

Congratulations, you got 7/8 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Spanish?

Your 2005 Song Is

Since You've Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson "But since you've been gone I can breathe for the first time I'm so moving on" In 2005, you moved on.

What Hit Song of 2005 Are You?

You Are Likely a Second Born

At your darkest moments, you feel inadequate. At work and school. you do best when you're evaluating. When you love someone, you offer them constructive criticism. In friendship, you tend to give a lot of feedback - positive and negative. Your ideal careers are: accounting, banking, art, carpentry, decorating, teaching, and writing novels. You will leave your mark on the world with art and creative projects.

The Birth Order Predictor

The very eerie thing about that answer is that super-technically it's right...

You Are 36% Politically Radical

You've got a few unusual political ideas, but overall you're a pretty mainstream person. Chances are that you're turned off by both the radical right and looney left.

Are You a Political Radical?

You Date Like a Woman

According to studies on dating, you date like a woman. You tend to take romance seriously, and you're not really out for a fling. A mental and emotional connection always comes first for you. And rushing the physical stuff is likely to turn you off. You're highly selective when it comes to dating, and some may say you're too picky. You know what you want, and when you find it, you're ready to commit.

Do You Date Like a Man or a Woman?

I should hope so!

What Your Soul Really Looks Like

You are quite expressive and thoughtful. You see the world in a way that others are blind to. You are a very grounded, responsible, and realistic person. People may not want to hear the truth from you, but they're going to get it. You see yourself with pretty objective eyes. How you view yourself is almost exactly how other people view you. Your near future is still unknown, and a little scary. You'll get through wild times - and you'll textually enjoy it. For you, falling in love is all about the adventure and uncertainty. You can only fall in love with someone who keeps you guessing.

Inside the Room of Your Soul

Err.. I'm almost afraid to ask, but how does one textually enjoy something? Does it involve textiles, or actual texts? Or what?

Your Theme Song is Back in Black by AC/DC

"Back in black, I hit the sack, I've been too long, I'm glad to be back" Things sometimes get really crazy for you, and sometimes you have to get away from all the chaos. But each time you stage your comeback, it's even better than the last!

What's Your Theme Song?

Who Should Paint You: Andy Warhol

You've got an interested edge that would be reflected in any portrait You don't need any fancy paint techniques to stand out from the crowd!

What Artist Should Paint Your Portrait?

You Should Be a Film Writer

You don't just create compelling stories, you see them as clearly as a movie in your mind. You have a knack for details and dialogue. You can really make a character come to life. Chances are, you enjoy creating all types of stories. The joy is in the storytelling. And nothing would please you more than millions of people seeing your story on the big screen!

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

You Are 77% Indie

You're a very indie person, and admit it, you look down a little on people who strive to be normal. You'll indulge in a little mainstream pop culture every now and then. But for you, anything not indie is a guilty pleasure!

How Indie Are You?

You are a Social Conservative (31% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (31% permissive) You are best described as a: Totalitarian Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

Nanny State. Literally.

Article can be found here:
http://www.slate.com/id/2155101/?GT1=8900

Wow. I can't say I'm too terribly surprised, but I am a little disappointed...
"dedicated parenting experts" ? One wonders what exactly this means. I mean, the article elaborates on it, but I'm wondering if said parenting experts are parents themselves or do they just have degrees in teaching people how to raise their children?

First I have to make it clear that I think that there is nothing wrong, indeed there is something commendable about new parents going and signing up for classes on how to look after their children. Fine, good, etc. But as for the parenting experts... I _think_ people have done fairly well with them before now...

"He promised not to interfere with "normal family life."" My, what a relief. Because we all know that politicians keep their promises and that social workers are really interested in the health and wellbeing of the family. Yay.

"(this idea) prompted libertarian grumbling about government incursion into the family sphere. This seemed like a fair criticism in light of Home Secretary John Reid's statement that parents who shut the door on the supernannies might find themselves facing a court order to open it."
Err?! I don't think it takes a libertarian to grumble about that... I mean, I'm an independent (insert obligatory comment about how I'm throwing my vote away here) and I'd grumble about that too. I mean, isn't it the parents' business how they go about raising their children? Can't they tell the state politely: "Thanks, but no thanks," without getting into trouble? All right, they're disadvantaged, but should the state be going about helping them- with court orders no less? Admittedly the article doesn't seem too sure about whether or not said orders would be issued, but the possibility is there. Where is a non-governmental (ie religious) outreach program to these people? Do they _want_ such a program? And if they don't, should it be forced on them? Should home-life be mandated by the government? Because it starts here and ends up with the government telling you who you can marry, when and how many children you can have... All right, that may take a while but I'm sure there's a plan somewhere for it...

I'm all for two of David Olds' goals- "To improve prenatal health and outcomes at birth; to improve child health and development by reducing bad or abusive parenting." The last one "and to help mothers space out future pregnancies, go to school, and find jobs." I'm not so sure about. So, the problem is mainly the mothers who are _obviously_ having children irresponsibly (because it's not like they actually _think_ about these things, they just breed like animals >mind the sarcasm<), _obviously_ would love to go to school except for these pesky new lives they've brought into the world, and _obviously_ take jobs because that would be much more fulfilling than being a stay-at-home mum. Nobody does that anymore!
Arrgh.. It's frustrating. Maybe these women would like to be in school and getting jobs. Maybe they'd prefer to be _able_ to stay home, to not have to work insane hours to keep their family fed. Has anyone asked them? I think that some of their own lack of shall we say... talent? in parenting, is due to the fact that their _own_ parents didn't teach them how. Somewhere along the line, other things were just too important, and given how the modern family seems to be unravelling it's a bit of a wonder that _anyone_ still raises their own children!

I just wish that people (not necessarily in this order) had more common sense, spoke to their neighbours more often, joined a church with a good outreach program (preferably a Catholic church), and tried to connect to their family a little more. Yes, the modern family needs help, but I don't think it needs state-funded and legislated help to raise the children. I think that the only way they'll really get it right is to go inward as it were. But no one does that anymore. Religion is _so_ passe! Unless it's Wicca, 'cause then you can curse people or bless them with stones. Isn't it kewl?!
>Sigh<

And now for something completely different- courtesy of the Rinkworks crazy libs.


We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created blue, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable hopes, that among these are Joy, Anonymity, and the pursuit of Endurance.--That to secure these hopes, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,--That whenever any Form of Government becomes battered of these ends, it is the Right of the People to ignore or to irritate it, and to embellish new Government, laying its foundation on such thoughts and confusing its memories in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Studiousness and Endurance. Intelligence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long plinked should not be changed for light and rubbishy causes; and perfunctorily all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to yawn, while realities are sufferable, than to whack themselves by prophesising the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and bookshelves, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to clean them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their religiousity, to fork such Government, and to lift new fools for christ for their future security.--Such has been the messy sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which maligns them to drop their former Systems of Government. The history of the present Plumber of Shopworn Britain is a history of repeated injuries and memoires, all having in direct object the establishment of a well-read Tyranny over these States.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America do solemnly publish and blink, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Red and Modern States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Chair, and that all political connection between them and the State of Shopworn Britain, is and ought to be totally spoke; and that as Red and Modern States, they have full Power to upend War, skewer Peace, ninjafy Cupidities, defeat Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Modern States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually rule to each other our socks, our hangars and our sacred stupidity.

-- Corrupted excerpt from "The Declaration of Independence

How. Very. Nice.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061130/ap_on_re_mi_ea/pope_turkey

If I could add ice to my words, I would. I know I'm going to get flack for this and I don't care. The Pope, God bless him, is a wonderful man. I know he's far holier than I'll ever be, and I know that he's God's Vicar. All right. Fine. Good. Wonderful. I know, he's seeing the big picture. I know. And for all I know, he could have been saying the words of unmaking for that mosque he was praying in. I just feel... disappointed. No, I didn't expect him to go to Constantinople and preach a crusade. No, I don't want him killed by an angry fanatic while he's over there. No. I just... It's just...
Constantinople was a city. Cities have good things and bad, good people and bad. I'm under no delusions as far as that's concerned, having just spent the past 3 months in Rome. But I'll think of it this way. How would I feel if Rome, modern Rome, today's Rome was sacked? Most people killed, churches destroyed, the whole place in ruins. And I imagine that St. Peter's is taken. The Swiss Guard dead in the Pope's defence, the Pope dead or an exile. And St. Peter's is whitewashed and looted. I would be devastated and I don't think I'd be the only one. I know, Constantinople fell a long time ago. There's no one to avenge, there's nothing to take back, the city is almost thoroughly Moslem. Still. To have the Pope pray in a mosque. Talk about scandal. I mean, I'm not allowed to go to a Lutheran friend's Sunday service so no one thinks I'm an indiferentist, but the Pope is allowed to go pray in a mosque?
A quote from that nice little news article-
"Haghia Sophia, once a spiritual center of Christianity, was converted to a mosque in the 15th century. The site became a museum following the secular reforms that formed modern Turkey in the 1920s."

My revision of the same
Hagia Sophia, once the largest church in the world was desecrated and turned into a mosque in 1453 after the conquest of Constantinople by an invading Moslem army.

I'm glad I don't believe that the ghosts of the faithful departed hang around too much in this world (outside of those who come back from Purgatory to ask for prayers, more on this later), because I would think they'd be very unhappy with the Pope. I dunno. Maybe he's doing the right thing. I don't think so. Opinions anyone?