rants: keeping myself busy (sane)

Although for a while I've had trouble concentrating hard enough to read the ebooks I've got (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2011/01/rants-so-many-books-yet-nothing-i-care.html), I've been able to read the Guide to Divinity (http://www.themonastery.org/jcontent/training/12-guide-to-divinity) a little bit at a time.

I've also been holding whatever's left of my sanity (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-sons-first-ever-seizure.html) by writing system documentation and cleaning up some code. As a matter of fact, my pet project in the past three days has been changing a website from ColdFusion (CFM) to PHP. All this work's actually for a temporary step to move the website to a new hosting company as soon as possible. Then I'll start working on the brand new site using WordPress. For me this is lots of fun although I still have about 136 bugs as I'm writing this entry. Of course, the best part is finally moving this site back to a much more reliable Unix environment.

Watching TV is another thing's that's helping me -- especially comedies like Two and Half Men (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369179/) and science fiction like Doctor Who (http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/).

monsters: demons & other undead

As much as these movies could be heavily criticized and even condemned by the Church at times, I can't get enough of them -- especially Japanese gore and Thai horror films. The whole idea that a soul can take revenge on others or even kill once its body's died fascinates me.

These films portray the folklore, fear and romanticism of death and the human desperation of being eternal. Besides I do believe in demons, the devil, hell and the eternal damnation (suffering and horror) of evil souls as punishment from God.

The whole topic brings back memories of watching Frankenstein with Boris Karloff (1931, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021884/) as well as TV series like The Munsters (1964-66, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057773/) and The Addams Family (1964-66, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057729) on TV as a child. Surprisingly enough, I'm not sure why I remembered this movie and two comedies in the order I did (same order as listed).

By the way, just because I like what I wrote in my previous entry, I'm quoting it here.

"In all, regardless of the intelligence humans have achieved since Adam and Eve compared to other beasts, humans are and perhaps will ever be the worst monsters humans shall ever meet."

http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/12/monsters-vampyr.html

moving: finally getting TV service connected

After living a month in my new apartment (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/11/no-internet-no-tv.html), I finally had TV service connected this morning. It's taken a month to get this service installed properly and finally running.

It was a painful month without my favorite shows. Other than channel 31.2 (Qubo, http:www.qubo.com/) and 13.1 (PBS, http://www.pbs.org/) as well as a handful of comedies (mostly re-runs, syndicated), over-the-air (OTA) television programming's pathetically boring in my sole opinion. Of course, ATSC makes things worse if the signal isn't strong enough. At least, an old NTSC signal could fail and at least displayed a weak and/or distorted b/w image.

Then again, it could've been much worse. At least, I was able to watch some material that I'd recorded on my DVR and lots of movies on-line -- the latter being the second best thing to do.

Now I only have to connect my DVR to the DSL modem/router, which aren't close to one another (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-sons-first-ever-seizure-so-much-to.html). It either means running about 50 feet of CAT-5 making the apartment look fairly shabby ($25 to $40), getting a proprietary 802.11 adapter ($65) or using power line communication ($70; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_line_communication). I'm still not sure what I'll do.

no internet + no tv = tired all the time

I've been tired as of late. Since I moved two weeks ago (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/11/moving.html), I still haven't got the internet and TV service connected (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/11/no-internet-no-tv.html).

The internet company messed my account having the wrong address on record. Now I need to cancel my account and open a new one.

At the same time, the satellite service (TV) hasn't been connected. The technicians don't have the proper experience and don't known how to do the wiring coming from the roof through the walls.

So far, it's the worst moving experience that I've ever had. Ironically the new apartment's right across the hall from the old one. How difficult can the new set-up be.

Since I've got no TV (other than old recordings in my TiVo) and no internet in the apartment, I keep cleaning and fixing things in this apartment to avoid getting bored. I'm literally exhausted.

bad thoughts

Once again, I've having bad thoughts in a somewhat constant basis. Maybe I need to be more heavily medicated or even sedated. Otherwise the demons in my head will get me in serious trouble.

"How does it feel to accept you're gonna sink into despair.
How does it feel to lose the fight, the battle with yourself."

http://tattooofpain.pragakhan.com/lyrics/howdoesitfeel.html

Maybe this is why I keep listening to "How does it feel?" from Tattoo of Pain (http://tattooofpain.pragakhan.com/) -- a side project of Praga Khan (Lords of Acid; http://www.lordsofacid.com/) from Belgium (nu-beat).

Of course, no internet access and no TV service don't help my mood (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/11/no-internet-no-tv.html).

no internet & no tv

I moved a week ago and I still don't have internet access or TV service.
Let's just say that I'M NOT IN A GOOD MOOD.
http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/11/moving.html

questions: TV & music

Understanding that I write on this blog about my faith and sometimes lack of, I should ask myself the following questions.

1. Could I -- as a Christian -- watch and/or like material like Sherlock (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/11/sherlock-holmes.html) about murderers and how the hero saves the day?


2. At the same time, is it appropriate for me to listen to the music I've listened to for the past 31 years -- like Tattoo of Pain (http://tattooofpain.pragakhan.com/), Lords of Acid (http://www.lordsofacid.com/), KMFDM (http://www.kmfdm.net/), Rammstein (http://www.rammstein.de/), Judas Priest (http://www.judaspriest.com/), KISS (http://www.kissonline.com/) and many other rock bands (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/10/as-music-saved-my-soul-suicide.html)?

Of course, I'd say there's nothing negative about the material I like regardless of the sex, violence, social criticism, religion and other topics -- as long as it doesn't affect my religious beliefs. I must also admit that many Christians might want me to listen to Christian contemporary music like Carman (http://www.carman.org/) or Rebecca St James (http://rebeccastjames.forefrontrecords.com/).

In any case, if I needed to comply, I'd choose Stryper (http://www.stryper.com/).

Sherlock (Holmes)

I've been watching Sherlock (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t4pgh) on channel 13 (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/sherlock/). I actually knew about the program before being aired in the US and I was looking for it on DVD or any other medium. I'm trilled that it's now aired in the US -- without commercials no less, just like in the BBC One (UK; http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcone/).

The show's got that sort of witty, silly, cerebral, dark and wicked humor that I enjoy from directors like Guy Richie (Locked, Stocked and Two Smoking Barrels, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120735/; Snatch, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0208092/; RocknRolla, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1032755/, etc). Further more, the new Sherlock Holmes serial's from the same group of producers and writers as the new Doctor Who serial (2005-present; http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/ & http://www.bbcamerica.com/shows/doctor-who/).

I can partially identify with the main character who gets easily bored due to his high intellect and hence risks his life solving crimes. In my case at least, I'm no hero, but I tend to do stupid things when I'm bored that at times have put my life and/or health at risk. Maybe this is why I enjoy British crime dramas like Wire in the Blood (http://www.robsongreen.com/wire/, http://www.itv.com/drama/copsandcrime/wireintheblood/ & http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/115/index.jsp).

Nonetheless is this serial appropriate for me as a Christian? I believe so.
http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/11/questions-tv-music.html

me -- who, what, where?

I write all the time (several times a day) about several topics -- as of late plenty of material on religion, but who/what am I?

1. I'm Christian fairly curious about religions, theology and mythology. I don't shy away from asking and learning about other religions and/or faiths.

2. I've lived in Queens, NY (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/09/this-old-jewish-town.html), for 27 years. I almost moved to FL, but I don't like hurricanes. I almost moved to NJ, but you need a car there and I don't drive.

3. I like hard rock, metal, industrial, electronica, country and some other genres of music. I've also owned several guitars and other music equipment since 1986.

4. I watch lots of TV -- as of late lots of material from BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/), ITV (http://www.itv.com/) and Channel 4 (http://www.channel4.com/) from the UK. American TV needs more edge. What happened to shows like Starsky & Hutch (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072567/).

5. I write poetry, music and whatever comes my way. Read the beginning on these entry.

6. I work as a systems programmer and operator. I've gone through several computers since 1984. I also have a degree in computer science and one in audio engineering. I currently use Ubuntu Linux at home, which my nine-year-old prefers to use.

7. I've been a vegetarian for 15 years. I like Italian, Mediterranean, Indian and some Middle Eastern food.

8. I've been an advocate for the disabled (mentally especially) for several years.

9. I was diagnosed with ADD, OCD and BPD. Therefore I take a whole bunch of medication in the morning. If curious, I do have a bad temper. I guess it's the Italian blood in me.

10. I guess I don't have a #10 right now.

cosmos, aliens, nukes -- what a mess!

According to the following article, aliens are spying on us. Now this is funny indeed!

U.S. Nuclear Weapons Have Been Compromised by Unidentified Aerial Objects
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-nuclear-weapons-have-been-compromised-by-unidentified-aerial-objects-102962064.html

Maybe these aliens want to see if we're stupid enough to blow ourselves to smithereens with nukes. Then again they might be looking after us and might protect us if we screw up.

As I've mentioned before, I believe in aliens (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/05/aliens-monsters-and-other-weird.html). I just can't believe that God could be selfish and only make us in this space-time.

Mork from Ork

I remember watching Mork & Mindy (ABC 1978-82; http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077053/) with Robin Williams (Mork; http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000245/) and Pam Dawber (Mindy; http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001118/) when I was a kid. There was a particular episode, in which Mork traveled to another world (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0651242/). In this trip, his mind went into another being's body and that being into that of Mork. Vacationing was as simple as mind swapping.

This is one of those stories that reminds me of the belief that the soul inhabits in a body (person) -- considering the argument that the mind, the spirit and the soul are the same. Of course, we're taught to believe that we all have souls and these are eternal. At the same time, there are many (not necessarily Christian) stories of souls "walking" the earth, which we'd normally refer to as ghosts. As Christians, we believe that the latter is true. There are some who even believe that the soul escapes from or simply wanders off the body while asleep (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/09/as-my-soul-ran-away-at-night-every.html).

Going back to Mork & Mindy, it'd be so cool for our minds (souls) to leave our bodies and travel of course returning to our bodies when returning from holiday.

By the way, I'm going to rent the whole series. I've got font memories of staying at my maternal grandmother's flat weeks at a time watching this show in my old beat-up portable (handle on the top) 13" b/w TV set.

foreign TV & music

In the past several years, my liking of British drama and comedies has increased. It turns out that lots of the shows I grew up with are British (Doctor Who, The Avengers, The Saint, etc) -- not American I thought then.

I've always listened to American rock & roll like KISS and The Ramones, but lots of my favorite material is also from other lands like Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest, The Clash, Motorhead and Black Sabbath from UK; Rammstein and Wumpscut from Germany; Blood from Spain; AC/DC from Australia; U2 from Ireland.

religion, science fiction, real science

What does me smile is the hidden meaning while using the word "Babel" (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2011:1-9&version=KJV) its or concept in science fiction and computer science. In "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" (BBC, 1981; http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/hitchhikers/ & movie, 2005; http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371724/), the Babel is a fish that people would put in their inner ear that would translate what others would say. In "Doctor Who" (BBC, 1963-1986 & 2005 to present; http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/ & http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/) the TARDIS (the character's space-time vehicle, practically a secondary main character with an intelligence and life of its own; http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/characters/TARDIS) can translate languages directly into the mind of those who travel in it and are its proximity. In the computer field, Babel Fish (perhaps more of a reference to "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" than to the Tower of Babel, http://babelfish.yahoo.com/) is a translation service that has a fish as its mascot and as part of its logotype. Maybe I'm too much of a nerd mixing religion with science fiction and "real" science.

aliens, monsters and other weird creatures -- what if?

Growing up I used to watch lots of science fiction movies and TV shows with aliens, monsters and other weird creatures (lots of black and white "horror" movies, especially with characters like Dracula and Frankenstein). Well I still wonder if there's life elsewhere in the cosmos.

Maybe earth's not the only inhabited chunk of rock in the universe. Maybe there are more of us somewhere else. Maybe, just maybe, we're not his first children, perhaps not even his last. Could this explain the missing link?

a joke as such...

I normally write here and promote what I write on Twitter (http://twitter.com/project05952381). This time I did it backwards (in chronological order).

"so uptight for nothing, JC (#Jesus #Christ) on @ComedyCentral, good idea http://www.catholicleague.org/release.php?id=1850 @CatholicLeague"

"how about the #Jesus #Christ character in Tripping the Rift http://www.trippingtherift.tv/ @Syfy"

"#Jesus #Christ as a cartoon merely a way to remind people of the Son of #Jesus #God with some humor -- thanks for understanding @CatholicLeague"

So take a joke as such. Laughing is good for you.