For those of you without facebook:

I'm sure lots of you will be shocked by my current status, [Graham Kingsley---It's 5:30AM, my mom was just taken to the hospital....and I think I might just skip school today. Oh WHY isn't anyone here?] so I'm going to explain it before everyone asks all at once.

Yesterday morning (9AM), my mom slipped while going down the stairs, hitting her back. She had the wind knocked out of her, and was just barely able to walk to her bed, though she was close to throwing up/passing out.
Once she was in bed, she took Advil and got into the most comfortable position she could.
The EMS came and checked her out, seeing if she had broken her back, etc, but they didn't take her to the hospital. They said that the severe pain should subside within 2 hours.
My dad and my sister were home at this point, but they had to leave soon because of a school camping trip. I got the fateful phone call (and yes, the second you get the phone call, you could care less if the teacher sees you on your cell phone in school), literally ran home, and finally got filled in.
At this point it's been about 2 hours, but the pain hasn't subsided much, she describes it as a "sharp, hot knife" in her back. My dad and sister regretfully leave (if you know my sister, you know how regretfully she leaves...
So now I'm stuck here doing everything in my power to make sure that she's all right, getting food, setting up the TV, etc. Of course, I need to get back to school, so I leave her at 12:15 and walk back. Warning all my teachers that I might need to leave at the drop of a hat (or cell phone call), I sit through 2 periods. Sure would have liked to miss that chem quiz though...
Anyways, after school I come straight home, sit on the bed with her, etc. Our great friend Julie came over (Julie, thank you SO SO much, I could never have done it without you) and stayed straight from about 8 or 9PM, and is currently still with my mom, wherever she is.
Now then, I go to bed at 11:30, knowing that I have to get up early for band. I go to sleep pretty easily, but then at 4:30 Julie wakes me up telling me that the EMS is going to be here in a few minutes. I get up, put yesterdays clothes on, and then they're here. I don't even have a chance to see her before they do.
3 EMS guys come in, do whatever stuff they do, then give her a 2.5mg dose of morphine. My mom is really unsure at this point because of the long wait times at the hospital, but knows that as soon as she gets the drugs, she has to go. After the morphine kicks in, she's able to sit up on the bed (slowly, and still with much pain). A second 2.5mg dose and they get her into a chair, carry her down the stairs, and get her on the stretcher. She's really nervous still, but I'm getting a bunch of her stuff together (blanket, clothes, toothbrush). Pretty much by the time I turned around, she was out the door, the ambulance doors were closed, and they were slowly pulling away (and I'm starting to water up again). So really, I didn't get to say goodbye. I know it shouldn't matter, but it's something so viciously important to us, even though people know we love them, if you don't say it, you just feel so bad about it.
Anyways, she's probably at the hospital right now, Julie followed behind them with the stuff (and her baby too!), and she's going to call me at about 7:30 to let me know how it's going.

So that's where it's at right now, I'm going to go try to get some more rest, skip band, and then hopefully I won't have to miss too much class. Please pray for me and my mom (and my dad and sister too).

I'll post updates as I become aware of them.

Gripe, gripe, gripe

All right, first off, I'll get my complaining over with: my back really hurts. Like, really really hurts. Hurts so much that I can't move too fast. But enough of that...

I want to say a welcome to the person who responded on the poll that this was their first time visiting. Maybe they've come and gone, or maybe they're reading all my entries, or maybe they'll be a dedicated reader. Either way, welcome!

Now as for the people who visit more often, thanks again for reading. It's really nice to know that people read your blog. Putting text out on the internet doesn't mean a thing unless someone reads it.

Now reading through this blog, maybe you'll notice different moods throughout. At times I'll be really mellow, writing deep discussions and thoughts, and then other times I'll write something that sounds like I just ate pure sugar, and can't stay on topic long enough to write a complete sentence. However, I think that for the most part, I'm pretty good at keeping it varied, not boring you with what I had for lunch, what the recent gossip is, and what I want to complain about at the moment. I've seen lots of blogs like that, and yeah, ok, they're interesting to read, but they can get dull.

Let's see...what have I been thinking a lot about lately?

Well, love is one of those things I talk about incessantly. Personally, I think it's time I talk about something other than love.

...

...

...

Hmm, ok, so I've got nothing.

What I would like is if you've got something for me to talk about, leave a comment, and I'll write about it. Please? I want some audience participation here! Is that too much to ask?


Devonian Gardens:
Have you ever been there?
It's such a pretty park. And the cool thing is, it's inside, so you don't have to worry about weather. Some day soon I hope to be able to go and take a bunch of photos there, because it's just such a sweet place.

But for now, I shall sign off and go eat my dinner. Oh wait, I don't write that kind of thing...

Metaphor

This was an assignment for English we had to do. I'm happy to say that my English teacher called it the "best [she's] ever read!" I'm happy to say, it turned out quite well. Maybe I'll get a good mark on it too!

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And now, introducing Graham Kingsley 2.0, the latest in personality technology. After years of updates, our developers have finally decided it is time to release a second version, now available at your nearest personality software shop. Features new to this release included a much faster start time to within 5 minutes from boot-up, more expandability options, larger database of information, and a completely new user interface.

Blazing start-up time

Similar software today can take up to an hour to be fully operational, minimizing your productivity. With GK2.0, we have sped up and simplified almost every start up routine, ensuring that this personality will be ready and working in as little as 5 minutes from start-up, when express start is used. For optimal performance however, regular start-up is recommended, taking around half an hour to full functionality.

More options

Some people spend years learning every single feature within their personality software. We feel that this is a waste of your time, and should be able to operate it within minutes of installing. With QuikLearn, GK2.0 suggests features that will help you to find your way around faster by prompting you through your regular online chat application. You will notice more buttons on the startup screen, and each one will take you to a wealth of hidden features that are just waiting to be found.

Larger database

Now in our eleventh year of professional database development, along with the standard online sharing service, it is now easier than ever to find the right word, get advice, have something explained, edited, or even appraised. Always in a professional yet human manner, all information is presented in a way that ensures you are not left completely confused by a new wave of information, and if you are still having trouble, we offer examples, stories, videos and metaphors that are linked in our databases.

Guaranteed up-time

Some personalities will seemingly drop out of existence, leaving you disconnected from the database, and any of the features that usually work in your personality. This leaves you out of contact with your personality software, with no way of reconnecting. With GK2.0, our servers are always running, so help is never harder to get than it is to send an e-mail, text message, chat message, or make a phone call. Our support line is always available, offering one on one discussion on any feature within GK2.0.

We are very excited to have you start enjoying this new personality, so we have made it available on our website free for download immediately! As is perfectly normal with the GK personality, there are no subscription fees, and the download is perfectly free and guaranteed secure. Why wait? GK2.0 is ready now!

Results Day

And after a remarkable turnout at the polls this week, it would appear voter apathy has reached a climax, with an record total of zero votes. Way to go readers! Go Communism!


Anyways, a new poll is up....

Things to ponder

It's done. I'm not adding any more. PLEASE!!!

There are 113, so make them last! I had to go through the entire code searching for words like "this" and make it like \"this\", and then at the end, there was one quote that was like this:
Quotation[103] = "Why is abbreviated such a long word?"

when it has to be
Quotation[103] = "Why is abbreviated such a long word?"
VERY ANNOYING!!! Anyways, hope you enjoy them!

And now a message from your [political party] representative

Yes people, it's a commercial. Time for a question. Did you even get to the end of the movie before you got bored? It was CRAP! What a terrible commercial. Watching them on TV, I start to realize why the government of Alberta has to come up with junk like this:



And so, dear readers of mine, I have come up with a solution:

A funny election commercial!!!

Oh my, the amazement!!!

Let us go through the visualization process:

So [Politician 1] is riding down the street when suddenly he is at an intersection, and in the lane beside him is [Opposing Politician 2].
CONFLICT!!!
[Politician 1]: Hey you! I think your ideas about [political argument] suck!
[Politician 2]: Oh yeah?
Both get out of cars
[Politician 1]: I believe we should [suggestion 1] *punch*, [suggestion 2] *punch*, and [suggestion 3] *big punch*
Politician 2 pulls out gun
[Politician 1]: And [group] violence!! How can you support that?
Politician 1 takes off tie quickly
[Politician 1]: And your [environmental policy regarding air]! Just as easy to breathe as this?
Wraps tie around neck
[Politician 1]: People should vote for me because I have a plan for [governing area], and I know that I will make a difference. Any last words [Last name of Politician 2]?
[Politician 2]: *Barely can talk* But the [Political bill] should be passed!
[Politician 1]: And that's why we won't vote for you.
Quick fade to black, "Hide and Seek" plays, [Political party] logo shows.
Screen shows "No intelligent politicians were harmed in the making of this commercial.
End

And that, dear readers, is a commercial that would be so funny, so controversial that every single person in the country (or province) would see it, it would be talked about endlessly, millions of views on YouTube, and very likely a large turnout of people who only vote because the commercial was funny.

Now for the reasoning:
The superbowl ads are funny. Honestly. They have to be good, because millions of people watch them. And if it's good and funny, you'll think about it afterwards. For example, the Pepsi commercial:



As some very intelligent person posted on the comments a few weeks ago, people will want to buy the Pepsi Max because they can then do the head bob and be funny. It's one of those things you'll remember when you're in front of the many choices of pop. Now apply that to an election. A really good, funny commercial gets your attention. You can't stop laughing about it. You think that, hey, that guy really is a cool guy. Then you look down at your ballot, and see their name, and what do you do? Put an 'X' beside [Politician 1]'s name. Simple as that!

More brain goop

Thoughts pop into my head, and I like to share them:

If you are suffering from internal turmoil, and not feeling as if everything were all right, then you are in a state of dissonance.

*Pause for oohs and ahhs*

Yes, because dissonance is the quality of sounds which seem unstable, and need to be resolved. Apply it to life, and Voila! You have emotional dissonance!

And yes, this brain goop is not very well refined quite yet. Too bad for you!

Polls

Well then, I've decided: I'm going to do a weekly poll. They'll be up for a week, then I'll post a new one. Maybe do a follow-up. Ready for that?

Angsty

Well as usual, there are things that bug me. I'm sure there are things that bug you. But this is my blog, so I'm going to write about me.

In English class, we read a story called "The Broken Globe". A good story and all, but I'm not going to take the time to scan it.
The thing that bothers me is this: The story is about a geophysicist and his father. Now his father is an old guy who has lived on the prairies pretty much his whole life. And for that reason, has always believed that the world is flat. Now his son KNOWS better, but there's one point of conflict: The father is Christian, and since he was taught by a bishop (or something) that the world was flat, anyone saying that the world is round is being sacreligious (sp?). So now these two men won't even look at each other because of a conflict of belief.

Maybe it's not the greatest example, but really, Christians are quite often cast as the "crazy zealots" and the "nutjobs for God". That really bugs me, because well, I'm certainly not crazy, nor a nutjob (no comments, please), yet I still whole heartedly believe in God. So why am I faced with this stereotype Christian attitude?

Really, everyone faces a stereotype. Blonds, blacks, jocks, cheerleaders, whatever. They just happen.

One more final thought before I go, is that when I'm looking at Facebook, it's almost startling to see how many people have some form of Christianity listed (I don't care if it's Catholic, Protestant, or whatever else. It's the same thing to me). I like to think of it like this: If there are so many people who believe it's true, I think there's at least some sort of a chance it's true. I mean, really.

Now, a video clip that I found really insightful:

Duelity


And finally a poll. Please take it so I can get (a) a survey of how many people actually read this, and (b) so I know if I'm writing what people like.

iTunes and love?

A few facts:

817 songs in my library (amazing, isn't it?)

Search for "love" comes up with 92 songs.

Number of songs that clearly are about love:

#. Track name (Artist)

1. Liars, Inc (Freakhouse)
2. Nu Sensation (Madison Park)
3. Opus One (Madison Park)
4. I love Lovin U (Perfect Project)
5. Mother Madam (Carey Ott)
6. Something in You (Orange Peels)
7. Jealousy (Will Get You)
1. Notice how Jealousy is Jea and LOUSY???? hmmm
8. The Indiana Sun (White Hassle)
9. Sometimes Love (Chris Rice)
10. My Tree (Chris Rice)
11. OK Alone (Gabriel Mann)
12. Lighted Up (Gabriel Mann)
13. When We Are One (Gabriel Mann)
14. Here We Go Again (Ray Charles)
15. Sweet Potato Pie (Ray Charles)
16. You Don't Know Me (Ray Charles)
17. Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word (Ray Charles)
18. Fever (Ray Charles)
19. Do I Ever Cross Your Mind? (Ray Charles)
20. It Was a Very Good Yeah (Ray Charles)
21. Hey Girl (Ray Charles)
22. Crazy Love [Live] (Ray Charles)
23. Knowing Me, Knowing You (ABBA)
24. Take A Chance On Me (ABBA)
25. Mamma Mia (ABBA)
26. Lay All Your Love On Me (ABBA)
27. etc
28. etc
29. etc
30. etc

I don't want to list out every song in my library, but as you can see, there are a few. Seems to be a pretty common thread, doesn't it?