Post Exam Depression

I wouldn't be surprised if this affected tens of millions of college students. Opera should cover this on her show, but since she is busy, I'll post the details here.

From Lavender:

Ok, what did I do after getting my results?
I grieved for a couple of days. Cried my eyes out...
Got back on my feet. Tried to stop feeling sorry for myself and get on with life.

So, I sat in front the computer for 5 hours struggling to figure out what course to take up. Then, joined in a couple of forums. Asked a few advice, met up with my school counselor and did some research of certain courses that I may/eligible to take up. [...]

So what might be the "purpose" of me not obtaining flying colours in my exam?
Educate me on what exactly?

It is my future here in stake!!!

My advice? Don't ask me for advice (as the future can be scary). But one quote I've often recited in the face of obstacles is from Rem Saverem:

"And if you keep your vision clear you will see the future.

What happens in our future is our own responsibility."

So sit down and relax. After all, every human being has options...unless of course you live in North Korea.

Tags:

• College
• Exams
• Career Paths
• Frustration
• Ticket to the Future

Thoughts And Prayers to Diane And Terry

I was in a festive mood today, until I came across this post by Susan.

My best friend in the world has ovarian cancer. So far it's been a long haul with her surgery and chemo treatments. But, as ever, she keeps in amazingly good spirits and actually boosts the morale of those around her.

Today she called to say that her husband is in the hospital, diagnosed with severe pulmonary disease pneumonia. A cat scan also shows that he has a nodule in his left lung which the doctor says may be from the infection...or it may not.

Cancer is probably the least fun disease on planet Earth. I have several friends and relatives who have survived this monster, and lets pray that Diane and Terry do as well.

Tags:

• Cancer
• Prayers
• Hope

Happy Saint Patricks Day!

I almost forgot that it was St. Patricks day. Google had to remind me, as one can see from their ivy logo on their front page (not to mention the ivy within Ad Sense...pretty cool, huh?).

Some fans are also dressing up for the occasion, as the Google Community is sporting a special addition of green today.

What am I doing? Well, I forgot to wear green (so nobody pinch me) but I did find a couple of Irish blogs that may be of interest. ;)

Irish Pennants has an interesting post about the war in Iraq via Real Clear Politics.

During a recent visit to Baghdad, I saw an enormous failure. On the part of our media. The reality in the streets, day after day, bore little resemblance to the sensational claims of civil war and disaster in the headlines.

No one with first-hand experience of Iraq would claim the country's in rosy condition, but the situation on the ground is considerably more promising than the American public has been led to believe. Lurid exaggerations and instant myths obscure real, if difficult, progress.

I've never been to Iraq before, but what Jkelly mentions on the blog kinda does line up with what I've been hearing from Iraqi bloggers.

The second weblog, Irish Elk, sports some bagpipes, an instrument that you are either great at or should be imprisoned until you are great at (it separates the men from the boys).

Faugh a Ballagh! Erin Go Bragh!In the spirit of the day, allow me to suggest the Quiet Man set & Garryowen.And to inspire the bald Eagles this weekend: "For Boston," with bagpipes, by the Dropkick Murphys.

Heh! Happy Saint Patricks Day everyone, and if you are in New York, beware of the "happy" parade...unless you're Irish of course. ;)

Junk Mail, And How To Fight Back!

Virtual Nobody is fed up with receiving junk mail on a daily basis and has decided to fight back.

So I've decided that from now on I will package up everything in these little bundles of wasteful joy and send them to their destination. Back to the company that is soliciting me. I think they need to be completely aware that I am in no way interested in their products or services. [...]

So how about joining me. You know they don't have to pay postage for those business reply envelopes unless they actually get mailed. So stuff those buddies up and put'em back in the box.

Simply stuffing the envelope is not enough. I think it may be more amusing to go a bit further and insert broken markers, pens and baby-chewed crayons as well.

After all, if you are going to return their own spam, you might as well add interest to the blessing that you have received.

Tags:

• Spam


• Annoying


• Envelope


• Junk Mail


• Crayons are yummy

Monday Mondays...

I get the distinct feeling that it is bad to get between a mother and her coffee...especially on a Monday.

Do you ever feel like this on a Monday? Sometimes, I wish I can stick out a loooong tongue and wag it at people who are not polite on Mondays. Maybe even blow a bit of fire out them to scare them just a bit.

'HEY, QUIT HOLDING UP THE LINE TO ORDER YOUR SPECIAL COFFEE DRINK WITH A THOUSAND INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR GROUP OF FRIENDS, ALL I'M ORDERING IS A FRIGGIN DRIP WITH ROOM!

Fortunately for me, I am not a coffee drinker. But if I ever was in the mood for coffee cakes, I may encounter random acts of violence--from the caffeine addicts. ;)

Tags:

• Coffee


• Caffeine


• Mondays


• Star Bucks


• Decafe is better


• I love Fridays

Rize Up You Say?

Beau reviews a show called Rize over on Seasons Under the Sun.

If you are a prosperous, white, urban professional living a pleasant life in the suburbs you probably haven't asked yourself what's happening on the streets of South Central Los Angeles these days.

In fact you'd probably prefer not to think about that tough, gang infested environment at all. Fortunately, I was visually yanked onto those streets while channel surfing when I discovered the best cultural documentary you could imagine called Rize.

It looks like an interesting movie. Reminds me of Save the Last Dance, with more skin exposed. Although some of my friends are into the dancing "hip hop can't stop" films, I favor the epic adventure movies such as Lord of the Rings (not to mention sci fi).

Tags:

• Lord of the Rings


• Rize


• Movies


• The White Man


• Ghetto Dance

Violent Seals, Artic Meals

If the Daily Show had a blog, this would probably be it! It looks like The Spine has it's own version of kooky, quirky and sarcastic news.

Breaking news coming from the Arctic Circle. The notoriously vicious baby seal has launched a violent attack on Paul and Heather Mills McCartney.

Our resident artist, here at The Spine, has tried to capture what this incident might have looked like but, without doubt, the cruelty of the episode is likely to cause renewed appeals for the authorities to reconsider the place of baby seals in areas populated by well-meaning multi-millionaire pop stars.

I never knew that seals could be this violent. Perhaps I should consider bringing along a taser just in case this happens. ;)

Tags:

• Seals


• Artice


• Humor


• My Leg


• Animals


• What Would PETA Do

Blog Alert...And Then Some

I can not believe that I missed reporting these two items, but here are important notices for those of you who have not only a heart for blogging, but for people as well.

(via Committee to Protect Bloggers) Jill Carroll, a freelance reporter working for the Christian Science Monitor newspaper, was kidnapped in Baghdad over two months ago. All indications are that she is still alive. The Monitor has started a campaign, using Iraqi television, to distribute a video asking for Iraqis to help find and free Jill.

Jill is not a blogger but she's got that spirit. She's an independent intellect who is fascinated by the world and has a desire to speak what she sees. So let's not leave it up to the newspapers and television stations. She's ours as much as theirs.

Free lance journalists are in my opinion "bloggers on the frontlines" as Michael Yon proved awhile ago in Iraq. People like Jill and Michael are necessary as their are still those in this day and age who think the suppression of information will lead to harmony when the opposite is true.

If you come across this post, spread the word.

And for the optimists out there, apparently Abd al-Raziq al-Mansuri (the Libyan internet writer) has been freed.

Muhammad and Me?

It seems when it comes to mocking Muhammed, things go from bad to worse.

Upon arriving at Blogger's home page, I came across a weblog entitled Muhammad and Me by Bobby. His weblog theme is "on the road to mecca there are many stops," and this is probably one of the many reasons that Pakistan has banned Blogspot hosted weblogs.

A Blogpulse search reveals that Muhammad and Me is already gaining exposure, with one weblog issuing a death threat. Scary.

Tags:

• Muhammad


• Islam


• Death Threats


• Cartoons


• Religion


• Can We All Just Get Along

The $10,000 Challenge

It seems as if one blogger is out to make "blog history" and is actually putting his money where his mouth is--$10,000 to be exact.

(Blog Herald) SEO John Scott, widely known more recently as the man behind the v7ndotcom elursrebmem SEO contest at v7n, has thrown down the gauntlet to bloggers to subvert the A-List.

Loren Baker writes at Search Engine Journal that Scott feels that the blogosphere is being controlled by a clique of A-list bloggers "who are sitting on top of their blogostools, and adding to their perceived level of divinity by playing link grab*** with each other" and thinks that bloggers don't link enough.

Scott's internet $10,000 challenge can be found here. I am very much interested to see who comes out on top and it will be an interesting experience to see if the "A-List" can truly be subverted.

Tags:

• John Scott


• Ten Thousand Dollars


• A List


• Money Money Money


• Bloggers

Say It Ain't So! Blog Explosion Up For Sale

(Hat Tip: The Blog Herald)

Alas, it seems as if the blog universe around me is changing. First the Blog Herald gets bought out by Blog Media, and now it seems as if Blog Explosion is selling out as well.

This is definitely not a typo or an early April Fool's joke. BlogExplosion will be going up for sale next week. We will be sending out a special email early next week with full details about how we plan to sell the site.

After many long discussions over the last couple of weeks we have decided that it is time to find a company that can take BlogExplosion to the next level.

I would not be surprised if this site sold for $50,000 or more (probably closer to $100,000) but it will interesting to see who owns one of the best blogger networks out there on the web.

If I had a 100 grand, I would pick up this company in a heart beat!

Tags:

• Blog Explosion


• Blog Herald


• Blog Network


• Blog Media


• Blog Selling To The Highest Bidder

A Homeless Blogger?

(Hat Tip: Blogger Buzz)

Who says you can not blog away from home? Apparently their is a homeless person in Greensboro, NC who has decided to blog about his adventures on the street.

One trope the homeless -- or any poor person -- faces is that life slows down once you've lost your home/all your money.

No it doesn't, either. If anything, it speeds up.

One loss you feel is the loss of routine. A home is more than a roof over your head and a place to raise kids*, it is also a base from which to conduct your life. The old adage "a man's home is his castle"** applies here in the sense that a castle also served as headquarters and seat of power for the noble in charge. You just feel, well, more capable when you know that you have a base to return to where you can recharge and keep your stuff.

The blogger is getting help from some churches, which generally do a more effective job IMHO than the government when reaching the needs of others.

Word of this blogger's adventures have been getting around the world lately, and with his story appearing in Germany as well.

Hopefully someone will hire this blogger, who seems to have a skill in graphic design. Any takers?

Tags:

• Homeless


• Greensboro


• Blogger


• Germany