Member Updates (what's going on in your life)

[axon]

First of all, I hope that all of you are well.

secondly, it seems that the distribution of new members and along with that, new threads/posts has peeked in the early Spring of this year, and ever since it has been slower and slower.

I, however, would like to know, what all of you are up to.

I just started my senior year (computer science engineering major) and instead of it getting easier, it got a helluva lot harder. The reason for this, is that my school is trying to climb the Midwest and national rankings so they are stepping up the load. This isn't very good for me, as it wont matter by the time I graduate - at least not immediately. Nevertheless, I have been swamped with school work - I literally am putting in 6 hours of studying every night, and some times more.

I'm taking mostly computer science courses and one English class - American lit, beginnings to 1914. There is a lot of reading, (more then I expected or wanted) - seriously it is a book a week, and the books range anywhere from 150 to 400 pages. some of the better books: "Last of the Mohicans" - Cooper, "What Maisie Knew" - James, "Blithendale Romance" - Hawthorne. There were quite a few bores though, like early Puritan writing, and "Hobomok" by Child...other than those, pretty average.

In the meantime, I'm also (not very actively ) looking for a cs internship...I landed one sometime ago, but there were huge schedule conflicts, and after a month they wanted me to work 35 hours a week - with my school, that was impossible.

I try to leave the weekends as free as possible, so far succeeding in having free Friday nights and whole Saturdays. Plus football on Sundays. Friday and Saturday nights (now that I'm unattached - previous thread) I go out with friends to bars/clubs/cafe's whatever to drink and have a good time. Recently, actually sometime ago to think about it, I saw Tiesto and Paul Van Dyk - good times!

Overall - student's life - and enjoying it!!!

Now its your turn (yes you) to vent off about your existence - I'm looking forward to reading your responses.

[Mogwai]

axon, nice thread and post!  Yes, the senior year of college is always quite stressful and time-consuming.  Enjoy it while you can, though!  

I've been overloaded with web work (new website deals and maintenance) for the last 5 months now which is good for the wallet but bad for the body.  I had to post on Monster.com for contractor help and I now have 2 contractors helping with the workload (you can see my work at http://www.lighthousewd.com/portfolio.php).  I just moved this website and my business website over to my own server space yesterday.  There are still a few kinks on my business website I need to work out but the Dostoevsky site has moved over quite well, I think.

I have a beautiful girlfriend now that, unfortunately, took a 9 month contract position at a dance company (ballet) out in Virginia following graduation from college.  So, I've flown out several times in the last two months to visit her.  It's very difficult to be this far away from her (in Denver) since I love her so much.  So, while she's gone, I've been slaving away with website work and making some good money (maybe enough for a ring here soon?).

I'm re-reading 'Patrick' by Stephen Lawhead - one of my all-time favorite novels.  It is historical fiction on the life of St. Patrick in Ireland.  It is a masterpiece and a great read.  It really needs to be made into an epic 6-hour movie.

So, other than those things, that's about it - other than watching all the great football, of course.  

-Wes

[Pavo]

I didn't know you were a Steven Lawhead fan.

I personally liked Byzantium.

Have you heard of Jeff Johnson?  He is a musician who has made a number of CDs based on the work of Lawhead.  He has kind of a Celtic/Hearts of Space style, but it is hard to characterize.

I recommend his Prayers of St. Brendan.

Check out Ark Music at:

http://www.arkmusic.com/index.html

Pavo

[Mogwai]

I didn't know you were a Steven Lawhead fan.

I personally liked Byzantium.

Have you heard of Jeff Johnson?  

Pavo, I'm a HUGE Jeff Johnson fan!    Small world.  I thought I was the only one that listened to his instrumental brilliance.  I have all of his CDs from the last decade - his latest (The Katurran Odyssey) is quite good although I think Byzantium, Patrick, Psalmus, Navigatio (aka Prayers of St. Brendan) and The Enduring Story are his best works.  

I'm also a subscriber to the Hearts of Space broadcasts on their website.  I'm into a lot of underground, instrumental new age music that they play on there (D. Darling, Tim Story, Erik Wollo, Tom Barabas, Amethystium, Will Ackerman, Moya Brennan, etc.).

Sorry to continue the tangent, axon.  Everyone, carry on with posting how things are going in your lives.    I just couldn't believe I finally found another person that listens to Jeff Johnson since he is as underground as they come.

[axon]

>>I've been overloaded with web work (new website deals and maintenance) for the last 5 months now ....<<

Thats great that you do have work; some web developers are really struggling. Plus, I must boost up your ego a bit - I've looked at the sites you've built, and you are one of the few people that create usefull flash/html/php integrated sites - which look great. Most other flash sites out there in the vast chaos of the internet are extremely hard to navigate. Flash is nice and all, but if you can't integrate it simply and affectively it looks like crap.

And Fyodor, thats what this thread is all about - conversation - something we've been lacking lately.

[Pavo]

Wow, it is a small world.  I thought he was a pretty well-kept secret.

We just recently discovered Jeff Johnson through his connection to a great books program in Oregon called Gutenberg College where my son attends.  They have a L'Abris-style operation called MacKenzie Study Center that Jeff was part of for a time, and is still affiliated with.

I also have the Katurran Odyssey CD, outstanding, and the book which we are reading aloud.

I love the Prayers of St. Brendan, especially the Latin.
This Sunday evening I hope to attend a concert he is giving in the Seattle area.  I will buy some more CD's there.

Pavo

[Worm]

I've been busy with lots of things.
Other than the usual reading of Dostoevsky and plunging myself in my own pen/self, i've been working and going out and having beautiful moments.

I've been to a Rammstein concert yesterday.  Es war gut.
Flamethrowers, fireworks, ... and heavy music that just gets into your blood.  I was in the pit in the front, of course.  I felt the heat of the flames on my skin.  I threw myself between people, pushed them aside, got thrown on the floor, danced ecstatically to the music, screamed my lungs out, ..... beautiful.
Not bad for a "reader", ey?

The reader is a new race, which will crush all of the non-readers.


- Worm

[Mogwai]

Worm...'The Intelligent Mosher'.  

[Worm]

I stood out amongst the mohawks and skinheads and bare muscled torsos.  I wore a nike sweater.  I rocked hard.

Luckily, nobody there started a conversation with me, because i'd have talked them down in 1.3 seconds, and i'd have brought correlations to The Karamazow Brothers and all into it.  Don't play with the 'intelligent mosher'.

[Worm]

Recently, actually sometime ago to think about it, I saw Tiesto and Paul Van Dyk - good times!

I love DJ Tiesto.  His music is good.
I've heard his concerts are with a round podium, with the people in a circle around it.  Did you go to one of those concerts?
Does he give speeches in between his music, or does he just stick to his music?

I believe he is a Belgian guy.

[axon]

yeah I saw a few concerts (not live, on tv) with the round podium - this unfortunately was in a club, and not a very big one - so no podium; the atmosphere wasn't what I was expecting - don't get me wrong, it was still great - but I could feel that Tiesto was not giving his 100%. 3 of my friends are going to his concert in Belgium in a few weeks - maybe I'll tag along as well

[Mitya]

After many moons of believing that The Internet was Not My Life, I have come to, once again, believe that The Internet is My Life.

So... I'm back, I guess.

I'm doing the starving artist thing, actually. I've got some auditions and stuff coming up within the community, and I'm pretty excited. I just finished a play and I'm in an oratorio society shindig right now.

I'm writing a lot more than usual now, due mainly to the fact that I wish to switch schools. Community college is not fun enough or intellectual enough for me.

I still quote Dostoevsky on a regular basis.

[earth]

Where do I start with me?

I'm in a comfortable job that allows me to post all day, which is a shame cause this board doesn't see much action .  I've currently taken up spoken word again, which I'm really enjoying.  Going to start cutting it into hip hop soon.

Relaxing and enjoying the Christmas season.  It's all good.

[Rinehart]

I'm a big Faulkner fan now! Yay!

[markw]

Off topic: Nice Sig, Rinehart
On topic:
right now whats going on is school and Dostoevsky. I just finished Crime and Punishment, and I wan't to read more by him.