No Thank You, Cleveland.
Originally published at morosophos. You can comment here or there.
What sort of demented narcotic drug has given Drew Carey such a terrible dillusion as to think that “Cleveland rocks?” I hate that city, and guess where I get to go this weekend? My cousin is getting married in Cleveland, and we as a family have been invited. Despite the invitation, our welcomeness is rather ambiguous, because tonight my cousin is hosting a party of sorts at his hotel, to which we are not invited. The event will ultimately amount to a get-together on my mother’s side of the family, the side which was raised by a wealthy family in the suburbs of Cleveland, the side to which I have a cousin who a few years ago threw a coniption fit when she saw a “coloured man.” Perhaps I’m being too critical.-I’m sure I’ll feel better once my aunt prepares a feast of convenience food and Jello, then we all go out and bash-up some pinkos. One would have thought that the 50’s went out with the 50’s, but evidently not. 1
Dad’s not too pleased about going either. Between the two of us, we’ll likely whine the new couple into divorce. Dad has been radiating beams of hostility since the shoes I left in the doorway ruined his weekend, and any placid feelings left him were ripped away when I chose a different outfit to wear to the wedding than the one he tentatively suggested. He treats everything as if the future of the world depends on it going smoothly, so when he bosses people around or suggests something, he does it with such an attitude of desparation and urgency that I get confused, and so I inevitably either do something entirely different or wholly diregard it. I suppose it’s my job to put the “fun” in “dysfunctional.”
In addition, I discovered that on the 14th of October, I’m supposed to be going to Pike Lake, a woodsy state park, for my parents’ anniversary. The date also happens to be the same one for Katie’s Power Ranger birthday bonanza. Guess what nature-fearing ninny gets to be subject to the great outdoors as opposed to maintaining a dwindling social life? That would be me, and-boys and girls-”nature-fearing ninny” happens to be my middle name.
At the risk of sounding like myself, math is a lot more fun when combined with classical logic. I parted with nearly $50 a few days ago at the Book Loft, where I bought a set of books on logic and semantics. Three books I’m particularly proud of are:
- Introducing Logic - a very low-level book, though it thoroughly explains the basis of common logic. It also goes over a lot of logic history and evolution; witnessing how logic is derived is very convenient for remembering it. The setup of the book is very nice too, because it explains most of the axioms and theorems using cartoons, so I really don’t have to think while I’m learning how to think.
- The Laws of Thought (George Boole) - written by the same man who discovered boolean logic. It relates logic to numbers, expressing logical progression of thought with algebra and calculus. Chances of me reading the entirety of this book and completely comprehending it: very low. Significance of the book and chances that getting caught “reading it” will make me appear to be wise beyond my years: very high.
- The Philosopher’s Handbook - complete with essential excerpts from various philosophers. All I have been reading is Nietzsche, who in my opinion is infallible (not paying attention to his later years where he went insane and thought he was Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and festivities), and Voltaire. Although both brilliant, they’re frankly bitter and biased as well. And despite Voltaire being ceaselessly amusing, I need to expand my horizons.
There’s a lot of reading to be done ^^;; In these times, reading isn’t even necessarily an antisocial activity, because every five minutes I get a phone call, though the feeling of friendly warmth swiftly dissipates when the voice on the other end is an automated message calling on behalf of the GOP to solicit my vote for Kenneth Blackwell. In speaking of Kenneth Blackwell, guess who really, really should not step foot in office? Guns for everyone and re-integrate church and state?-Why didn’t I think of that idea? Ah, yes: because it sucks.
Go Libertarians.
- Perhaps the only good thing to come out of this wedding is the fact that I have chosen some of the music for any dancing that goes on at the reception, which at the moment includes obscene amounts of disco and the beloved Devo. [ back]