I'm into nuggets, y'all
When I see this image, I want to believe there's a story behind it and it's not just some artsy shot.
Schachboxen - the winner has to win in both a few rounds of boxing as well as chess. Also known as Chess Boxing.
It's been, what, six... seven years since my last real post? I haven't gotten my game back yet. Not fully. I'm half the livejournaler I was a year ago.
What's been new.... ah. Well, Bill and I are flying out to California on the 19th. We're going to be there for a week. We're flying into San Diego because it's cheaper than flying into Los Angeles and our friends Chris and Marie live in Escondido. It's Asshole Chris, whom you may recall from earlier posts. He and Bill went to high school together and he's one of my more favoured of his friends. Also, Marie is a cool person. She's really chill and drama-less, and has a Marla Singer look to her.
Here's an unflattering picture of them both.
So I suggested we fly into SAN and spend cross paths with him since we'll be so close. There. I earned my girlfriend points for January.
The reason we have to go to California in the first place is for me to get my driver's license and thus begin establishing residency. I have to do this by January 25th in order to be considered an in-state student when it comes time to pay up for Spring '09 grad school at California State Fresno. After spending some time with Chris and Marie, we're going to head up to Los Angeles. Alaina has a really sweet 4-bedroom apartment and said we could stay there as long as we wanted. I don't know how much time she'll be able to spend with us, but there's a writer's strike and she works for a writer, so... who knows.
At some point before or after my appointment at the DMV, Bill and I are going to drive up to Fresno. I've contacted the person heading the joint doctorate programme up there and am now waiting for my latest reply and an answer as to whether or not he'd be willing to meet up with me when I visit the campus.
I'm tingly.
I keep going through these waves of certainty and uncertainty in terms of my ability to get into the programme. Based on my bachelor's title alone, Dr. Ryan said I seemed well-suited for the programme and was all about rushing me information. This was without seeing my transcript, knowing my GPA, or receiving any saucy letters of recommendation from Dr. White or any other hot names in forensic this-thats. Needless to say, I hope I get in.
According to Dr. White and Dr. Hagen, grad schools seem to not care about GRE scores as much as I think they do. That's my biggest concern, the GRE. In fact, just saying "GRE" freaks me out a little. But they both kind of seem to wave it off as though it's some kind of formality that no one really cares about. Even when I was certain I was going to be studying Human Sexuality at Widener in Chester, PA, the girl I spoke to who was in the same programme I was looking at said she pretty much bombed hers and it didn't matter. I wonder how true this is.
....Oh, so, I graduated. Fancy that, eh? I was able to rock out all of my finals and nail me some straight A's for the semester, securing my magna cum laude status.
I growled for a moment about how it would have been higher, had my ex, Kevin, chosen a better time than the week of finals to break up with me back when I was a junior, but there's nothing that can change that, and I seem to care less and less.
Speaking of Kevins, Kevin Krueger, another high school pal of Bill's, came down to visit with family and friends over the holidays. I always dig it when he comes down because Kevin Krueger is a funny motherfucker. Thinking back to how we'd met, one might think our interaction would be awkward (he was trying to pick me up the night I had met him [and Bill]). But he's all around awkward, and funny as hell, and really fucking bright. I love the guy.
For graduation, he gave me this:
Sweeeeet!
That was awesome. I really love Kevin. I consider him a pretty good friend. Plus, flirting with him is innocuous and fun. He plays with me.
Speaking of entertainment. I must advise you all to GO SEE NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN.
It has been so long since I've seen a film that actually thrilled me. No Country for Old Men is the best film I've seen in a long while. I don't have to think twice about declaring it my favourite movie of the new millennium. Javier Bardem is amazing. AMAZING. It's so well-shot, well-directed, well-acted... well-cast, with the exception of Tommy Lee Jones, whose casting gives me a bittersweet feeling. Overall I accept him because his general aura of reliable-guy-who-gets-shit-done is necessary for any absence of that feeling in the movie.
God DAMN that shit is hot.
I love this film.
I can't and shall not go into the specifics of why this movie, but need to stress that it was indeed phenomenal. Bill, Lech and I went to go see it shortly after it came out. Upon leaving the theatre, some random guy asked us what we thought and I said "I liked it, but I wouldn't pay to see it again."
I was wrong. Not only did I pay to see it again, but I paid for Jesse to see it as well, because he needed to see it, and he needed to see it in the theatre before it left.
Now that it's won Best Picture, it should stay in theatres for a short while longer.
No movie has kept me feeling so tense, exhilarated, nervous, and actually thrilled in my adult life.
Anton Chigurh is an ominous and scary as fuck.
I'm gonna stop now, because if I don't, I... well I really could just keep going, you know.
Speaking of having gone to see No Country for Old Men, Lech and I have been hanging out and speaking more regularly, and as mentioned above, Bill's come along a few of times as well. I'm glad they've met, because they seem to get along pretty well, make each other laugh, and most importantly, make me laugh. You see, people's interactions are merely devices for my enjoyment. Alright, perhaps not, but they have had some exchanges that tickle the shit out of me.
Anyway, Bill just got up from a nap and is getting fussy. I'm gonna go take care of that
Happy Birthday (tomorrow) Nick.