Pacific Nights

I lost a battle the other day.
Well, not really lost, gave up, actually. It’s a rather sad story.

My old Mouse is currently sitting in the dust bin next to me. Originally, I thought that it was suffering from a terminal illness: The symptoms had my more technologically minded friends, such as Becca and Josh mystified. The cursor would periodically jump all over the screen, clicking everything in sight. The erratic nature of its movements was terrifying to behold and I honestly thought that my computer was infected with a virus, or worse. But eventually I came to a more logical conclusion.

The Mouse was possessed.

I discovered after numerous attempts at exorcising the Mouse that the only cure was to pick it up at shake it up and down really fast… Like the old shock therapy they used for schizophrenics…That would work, temporarily, but eventually, the demon would come back, and I’d have to either resort to my old treatment, or to restarting the computer…

Restarting the computer is always an awful thing to do. My computer, though not yet possessed, has borderline depression issues, and is very very moody… It takes a long time to boot up,(we clocked it at 5minutes and 14 seconds) and occasionally, suffers a nervous breakdown after being restarted, and has to be restarted again, which takes a long time again and… you get the idea…

Now that my mouse problem has been taken care of I am looking into getting a new computer…However, I write this in fear and trembling lest my current machine, upon reading this, despairs entirely and sells its soul in an attempt to buy back my affection…

Well, I feel like a hypocrite. Last I succumbed to the influence of peer pressure and mass media hype and finally watched Dogma. Not only that: I was screaming with laughter all the way through. It was really funny. However, I’m interested…Is this really the common view of Catholicism? Is that really what people think that we believe?

I’m referring, in particular to the major thematic theme regarding the Plenary Indulgence. In Dogma, (for those of you who haven’t seen it) Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are fallen angels, who, rather than being condemned to hell, have been banished to earth. They feel that they have been treated unfairly, and concoct a massive plan to get back into heaven. This plan involves cutting off their wings, and thus turning themselves into humans, then walking through the doors of a church that is celebrating its centennial. These doors are only opened once every hundred years, and are equipped with a special blessing; all those who walk through them will gain a plenary indulgence. According to Ben and Matt, the plenary indulgence removes all sin, and once walking through the doors, they will, as mortals, die, and go straight to heaven.

The humor in this movie is great. I especially liked the fun poked at Catholics who attempt to “jazz up” their religion in a push to make it more “modern” (represented in the movie by the “Catholicism Wow!” campaign with its “Buddy Jesus”). I do, however, take serious issue with the theology.

The plenary indulgence does not remove sin. I, as a Catholic, do not believe that if I walk through a special door, and then get hit by a bus, I will go straight to heaven. That’s every bit as ridiculous as the movie makes it appear. What a plenary indulgence does is to remove the temporal punishment for sins that have already been forgiven.

As I’m sure most of you know Catholics believe that sin is absolved in confession, where a priest, as a representative of God, listens to our sins, and, speaking for God, forgives them. What you may not know is that Catholics also believe that even these forgiven sins still carry some modicum of punishment. Confessed sins will not send one to hell, however, they will send one to Purgatory, a place of temporal punishment, where the injury that has been done to the soul by sin is healed. This is what a “plenary indulgence” removes: the necessity for temporal punishment in purgatory. A plenary indulgence can be gained in a variety of ways: The most high profile is still walking through the doors—actually just a representation of the pilgrimage that was taken to get to the doors, however, there are other ways as well (eg. Various prayers, said after making confession and receiving communion, etc. etc.).

Well, this post has been a lot longer than I anticipated, and I apologize for the theology lesson. I can appreciate the humor of a movie like Dogma as well as the next person, but I don’t want it misrepresenting my religion unchallenged. :)

From: Sarah Clarke
Monday March 3, 10:54am
To: Matthew Mullenweg

d.nnr mayyw C erb-y tbr, ,day C-m ercbi d.p.vv jg; mf t.fxrape co cb eprkajtvvvv C-e allp.jcay. abf d.nl cb ydco e.lapym.by!!!

:) Brownie points for translation without the help of any software!

Computers are complicated animals! Who would have thought that keyboards had different languages and that the transition between said languages could cause so much confusion for a non-geek such as myself :)

Josh is convinced that my last post contained the worst picture of him in the world…I have startling evidence to the contrary…

Hopefully THIS consoles you, Josh :)

Well, last night was amazing. Many thanks to my friends who took time out of their busy lives to make my birthday so wonderful.

There was Nevena-who took a holiday from ruling the world (though she is still the uncontested queen), Nina- who missed a club meeting, and Eric-who tagged along, Josh-who didn’t lurk all night (!!!), Iram-who took time off of tomb-raiding and studying, Chester-who cancelled the Misery Solidarity for the day, and of course the famous Matthew (aka Mullenweg) who took the day (well, the night actually) off from pimpin’…

We started the evening at Star Pizza, where the food was matched only by the company. I felt a bit sorry for the non-St. Thomas students, as our conversation invariably drifted to our colorful, though self-important, student government. It was good catching up with Iram too! Between her schedule and mine, we rarely see each other, so it was quite a treat.

Matt came after dinner. He had spent the earlier part of the evening at a Jason Moran concert with Sarah W. After his arrival, we opened the traumatizing, but amusing package thoughtfully prepared for us by Rebecca. (And yes, Becca, you were right, it was a little difficult to explain ;) )

Then we went to Dessert Gallery for our sugar fix. Great place! I don’t know why we don’t go there more often! They threw us out at closing time, and the party disbanded. Iram and Chester went home, but for Josh, Matt, Nevena and me, the party was just getting started. We retired to my house, where we indulged in a movie marathon… Well… semi-marathon… We watched “About a Boy” and “Fight Club” (If you haven’t seen either of these, do yourself a favor and rent them! Excellent movies both!) after which, the boys went home, leaving Nevena and me to one of our typical discussions. Solving the world’s problems in just one night. :)

All in all, it was a fantastic evening. I have great friends.

Photos Compliments of Photomatt
Comic Compliments of InsaneStudios

Running through my memories
Like a tired roll-a-decks
I come upon an unusual entry
A forgotten one
A boy I once knew
Loved then,
Love now,
Though not with the giddy passion of long ago.

Tenderness
Affected affection
It all affected me
Made me what I am today-
Running through old forgotten memories

A grandmother’s chest,
Filled with old dress up clothes
and childhood dreams,
within my own mind.

I remember nights when it rained,
And we lay, breathless in our innocence
Blushing at a kiss.

I remember days filled with thunder
Smelling of trees.
Te fertility of earth
Holding us,
Two of its own.

I remember pacific days
A gentle glance between us
A touch of hand on cheek
Brushing away that stray wisp of hair.

I remember when pacific times ended,
And I sat, dry eyed, waiting for you
And the sun shone bright and cold
And the gentle rain wouldn’t come
Where were you then?

An old dollhouse, peopled with my imaginations…
Geraniums on windowsills
Children in the kitchen
And then the house is left,
It gathers dust,
It grows cold,

Abandoned rooms house new tenants.
The spider and her brood:
The ants, searching for the last crumbs
Taken from the fairies tea party.

And then the house is abandoned.
Confined to a dark place.
Like my memories.

Then one day, the dead dream is discovered.
Exhumed by chubby hands once more,
Restored to its past glory,
Seen for what it was and is and could be.

Such are you, my love.
A house for dreams, but not for mine.
Yet I can still remember you, my love,
When I return to that dusty place
Where our days have been preserved.

Your dreams and mine diverge like streams.
Our dreams together gather dust
But as the ghosts of dreams,
They still gleam softly
And smell like rain.

So last night I was a workin on a PAPER
Put it off and told myself I’d do it LATER
So I spent a million hours surfing WEB SITES
That’s the way that I’ve been wastin’ most of MY NIGHTS

Now it’s Monday morning and I’m feelin’ FRIGHTENED
Of the paper that I’ve got to finish WRITIN’
So I rush it and I put BS TOGETHER
Bitch I’m a slacker fake assignments any WEATHER

Put your hands up! If you’re a SLACKER
Playin’ games and making your school records BLACKER
Writin’ papers that you know are far from PRETTY
Join ME in procrastination CITY

“Most users ever online was 7 on Tue Dec 10, 2002 3:39 am”

I miss my mom and I hate my mouse…
But my friends are great…
Thanks guys!

Photomatt[4:22 PM]: oh nooooooo
Photomatt[4:22 PM]: that’s so wrong

I never thought I’d hear him say that!
GRIN

How was it? They ask.

Well… That’s a long story… Oddly enough, the troubles with Valentine’s day did not spring from any deep seated psychological need to be in a relationship, but from the sheer stupidity of basically everbody I talked to.

First of all, I went to school… Most of you are IN school so I dont’ think that needs any further explanation… I skipped my math class, thinking that THAT would make the day… and it WOULD have, if when I got home, my Phone hadnt been disconnected…

Apparently, I hadn’t paid a bill since November, (since my mother paid the November bill, that means that I have NEVER paid one) Surprisingly, this was not due to any irresponsibility on my part, but a result of the simple fact that I did not GET a bill. Now, talking to the phone company without a phone is quite challenging… Fortunately, Nevena was over, and had a cell phone (though I shudder to see her bill…) Grownups take FOREVER to understand such simple concepts as “you don’t charge me, I don’t pay you” I finally managed to convince this guy that my phone should be turned on BEFORE I paid for the past three months of service, but I only have an extention till March 10.

Blah…

The good news is that I think I have a job! (So I WILL be able to pay my phone bill).
The evening was much less annoying and pathetic than the day….
Nevena slept over, and we watched Three good movies, Ate an entire pizza, and a lot of ice-cream… (not really comfort food, per-se, but it sure is a good excuse )

Then we crashed…. Good night… Actually, come to think of it, there’s nowhere I’d have preferred to be :)

Matt was just kind enough to inform me that he and Josh are not lesbians…

Last night was the first meeting of the H-town crew since Becca left… True to form, I found out about it at 11:30pm when Matt called asking me if I wanted to watch a movie—at my house… :)

We went to House of Pies, then back to my place where we watched Zoolander… I fell asleep for the movie, but the features on the DVD were great.

The funniest part of the evening was the drive home…
We were talking about Alex Jones, commenting on how we never see him anymore, when to our right, there appeared a blue Civic… And yes, Alex was in the Driver’s Seat…
Weirdest. Coincidence. Ever!

Right now I’m supposed to be mopping… I would make a truly terrible housewife…cleaning is the most boring occupation…

Argh…

Anyway… I never really thought that I would keep in touch with everyone like this! It’s really great! Kudos to Rachel or Julie or whoever it was who initially came up with Diedrich’s night…
The night has died, but the spirit lives on!

Freshman 45!

Need I say more?

Midgetfarms Personality quiz…

Your score is
25/50

what does that mean?
Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest…Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who’s extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over it if that trust is ever broken.

I’m feeling much better since the last time I posted… I haven’t been getting much sleep, but I have been accomplishing stuff in between my wasting time… For example, I FINALLY mopped my bathroom floor and I am on the road to having a clean house, (complete with throwing away all moldy fruit,Josh )
:)

Anyway… The H-Town gang came over 2 nights ago and we had a great time, watching beautiful people on television and playing Monopoly :-D

Last night I went to see Lord of the Rings!!!! YAY!!!!! I am so happy! That movie was SO much better than the first one… They took some liberties with the story, but unlike the liberties that they took with the first one, they were all minor and I understood why they did it…
Except that one thing with Aragorn falling off a cliff.. What was up with that? Or am I just forgetting it in the book… If anyone is more dorky than me and can correct me, please do!

Gotta go clean now… Ciao!

Josh currently has lipstick-warpaint all over him… That’s what he gets for falling asleep :)

Watched Amy’s O last night… hmmm… decent movie… but definitely not to be watched in mixed company… Poor Josh!!!

I do want to read that book though!

“I see the monkey…but how do I get to the monkey?”
“Now leave me alone so I can get my monkey!”
“Oh my god! My Monopoly properties are colored like Barney! Purple and Green!”