The Other World

Remember the worm game I put as the MOTD last Friday. Yours truly got herself in the all-time (for the time being, anyway) high score list with 3121 points she got before crushing the wormie straight to the wall. Well, now as I'm writing this entry I'm fourth on the list. Not bad from someone who got over the thousand border earlier the same day.

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For some reason I have some kind of a baby fever going on. The whole day I've been thinking of having a child, and during the evening I ended up reading through several web sites about pregnancy, childbirth and the actual care after the child is born. I have now decided that if everything goes well my wish is to have a water birth with epidural. I even have the name of the child (who I constantly keep visualising as a daughter) thought through; I'm just not sure whether the Finnish law allows such a name. Well, we'll see when the time comes. Unlike someone might think it's not now or anywhere near future (that's the advantage of being a lesbian; you are highy unlikely to have any surprise pregnancies), I just want to think about it. And because artificial insemination is expensive, I need to have all the basics worked out: a regular job, a house or an apartment (my own would be the best) and some kind of a social network to support me throughout the whole thing, starting from pregnancy to the time when the child grows up. All this is still far away.

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The Meme of the Day:
I watched "Small Potatoes" earlier today which, to educate the x-philicly unenlightened, is an X-Files episode. Anyway, in it Mulder asks Scully whose life she would want to lead for one day if she could. Scully wanted to be Eleanor Roosevelt (for reasons remaining veiled). What would you want to be if you could have that possibility? And, although Mulder said that the object should be alive, let's allow the dead enter the competition as well.

I would like to, for one day, dwell inside Her mind. Preferably so that She would be She but I would just observe Her thoughts somewhere in the background for that day. One of my motivations is, being so damn narcissistic, would be to know what She really thinks about me? Which reminds me... I once read a book that listed questions for one Ethics Game. One of the questions side-tracked the Meme: if you had the choice would you want to know what other people really, genuinely, and brutally honestly thought of you?

Damn it! I've been working on my linguistics take-home exam since Thursday, and since Thursday I've been using the essential Finnish vocabulary because there are three things in the exam that are NOT even mentioned in the book or in the exercises that are based on the book. Seven bloody points so close falling into oblivion! Okay, I could find a reliable source on the web for one of them but now I have to wait 'till Tuesday (which, as it so happens, is also the damn deadline) to get to the library. Who the hell was the first one to propose the deadline to be right after Easter, anyway? Damnn you! At least I have an excellent idea for the structure of the required essay. Even if the facts are not always exactly correct I get extra points for writing an unusual, even humorous essay on a generally speaking not-so-enticing subject. Speaking of which... now that I've done the rest of the exam I can (...) I could write the first draft of the essay so I can re-write it tomorrow and re-write it again as I type it in on Tuesday (after tracking down the missing definitions, that is).

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I have two job interviews scheduled for next week. Let us hope I'll do better in those than in the previous one. How much can you bend the meanings of words until it's classified as lying? Or are white lies allowed in job interviews (after all, everyone does it as far as I know)?

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The Meme of the Day:
A quiz that makes hasty people seem closet blondes.
http://www.arppe.fi/test/oletko_fiksu.htm

According to this I am a Homo Sapiens with an average intelligence. My advice... pay attention. As a linguist I should have known better.

HE WON! ARI WON! YEEHAAA!

Beware Tony Kakko, Ari sang Full moon as well as you do. The Black holed sun was a nice catch, too. Didn't hear the third one, and the fourth (the one to be released as his first single)... didn't light my fire. Ari's voice is excellent but I'm not willing to buy that kind of music. I think the Finnish word "mitäänsanomaton" covers all my feelings towards the song. I'm slightly disappointed.

Let us hope he'll get to do the kind of music he wants to even though his record deal is, as far as I know, pop music that's written to him.

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The Meme of the Day:
A new version of the classical worm game in cell phones: http://www.dickshouse.com/games/donger/donger.htm

My straight sister send it to me via email. The message was titled "A worm game for girls" so boys, it may require you some sense of humour.

Why, why do I have to go and visit my parents for the entire Easter? Four days away from my life; nothing but me, and my Zen player and reading. Any other time of the year that would go, but right now I would have so much to do. And who the hell is responsible for putting the deadline for an essay right after Easter. Hello, people, the library is *closed* during the holidays; no access to the books you need, but which cannot be taken from the library. Choke on your Easter eggs! Which reminds me... I have an Easter egg of my own. I think I'll open it on Sunday night after BodyCombat.

I suppose my malevolent attitude is due to the four days ahead of me. I have to remember to go get Kate Chopin's The Awakening from the library tomorrow on my way to the bus station. At least I then have some kind of a link to my life here.

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The Meme of the Day:
I decided to gather a collection of poems, songs and book excerpts that remind me of Her. Among one of the poems I found the following by Tommy Taberman.

Kun sinä hyväilet
ei puukoniskulla
ja hyväilyllä
ole mitään eroa
Kun sinä hyväilet
tahdon kuolla siihen paikkaan
ja elää ikuisesti
Sylikkäin me muodostamme
ihmiskilven
hyväilyjen suojaksi

I want Her so much!

I saw a documentary of plastic surgery today. I have a vague memory of, at some point, saying that if I were a doctor I would like to be a pathologist. At that time I thought its opposite would be to be a gynaecologist (the idea doesn’t attract me at all, against all the lesbian stereotypes). Now I can say from the bottom of my heart that being a plastic surgeon… when I was a kid I once saw some clip on TV in which some guy’s head was cut open and his brain was tampered with as he was awake. It left me a mark of feeling slight disgust towards moving pictures or close-ups of the brains, but this feeling of disgust is nothing compared to the physical reaction seeing that plastic surgeon in action. There was a time when I thought of going under the blade if I ever got enough money, but that is now and forevermore forgotten and buried. Never will I be part of something like that. Whoever I have sex with will just have to tolerate my not-so-perfect body if the alternative is that.

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A few days ago I learned of a short story competition here in Finland. I think I will take part in it. I’ve had this story and its structure dwelling in my mind since last autumn; I think it is time to let it out. Who knows, I may not even send it there but at least I would get it out of my system. Although I’m not sure if I *should* send it there; after all, it is based on my childhood and won’t present my parents in a particularly good light; if I were to get among the ten best (they’re published in an anthology next year), I would have to keep it to myself, despite the fact the stories are probably published using the nicknames, not real names. I don’t think my mother, let alone my father, will be too pleased of the literary accomplishment of their first-born if the text is an implicit statement why being a straight couple isn’t parallel to being excellent parents bringing up stable and productive members to this society.

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The Meme of the Day:
I rediscovered the pleasure of the fine art of origami. It can be really painstaking and extremely frustrating when you’re just not getting something right but once you do… it’s like struggling with a difficult mathematical problem and suddenly you experience this moment of enlightenment. So, give it a go. It builds your character and patience, and quite possibly also the pile of crumpled paper with weird folds on your desk.

Here’s is a good site; the examples consist of coloured paper but mundane graph paper will do as well: http://www.origami-club.com/en/

After swearing, screaming, pounding the desk in frustration, crumpling up way too much paper and doing all of the above at once for about four hours, I managed to complete six origamis. On my desk I know have an almost perfect 2D star (I’m still not quite sure how it is possible to have a symmetrical star just by folding a piece of paper), a heart (I needed something simple to start with), a bat (couldn’t resist), one fluttering beast of doom (another simple one), a shuriken (my personal favourite of them all albeit I still prefer Xena’s chackram) and a clam (“Have you ever tasted a Whitstable oyster?”).

This particular origami dragon was folded by a 23-year-old Japanese named Satoshi Kamiya. It took him 40 hours spread over several months (for a reason, I think). I'm afraid to think how many steps it required.

In other words... The Infinitely Dum and Incapable of Own Thinking of South Carolina.

”The South Carolina legislature passed a measure today [22nd of March] that would force women planning on getting an abortion to see the ultrasound image of the fetus before the abortion may be performed. Although the measure has passed through the legislature, it must pass through one more time before it can officially become a law in the state.

According to lawmakers in South Carolina, the purpose of the law is to make women “think twice” before going through with an abortion. Some lawmakers, however, are not too happy with the law because they do not approve of making women do something they do not want to do. In addition, some have expressed concern that an amendment has not been added to the law that will make an exception for women that are victims of rape or incest.

Lawmakers in support of the law contend that the fetus has a right to life regardless of the way it is conceived. They further argue that women looking to have an abortion performed will simply claim to have been raped or to be the victim of incest in order to avoid having to see the fetus.

Despite the fact that more women fail to report a rape than make up one that never happened, the majority of South Carolina lawmakers are against adding an amendment to the bill. In fact, a proposal to grant an exception to this rule for rape victims for whom a judge has determined probably cause or has issued a warrant did not pass among the lawmakers.”

http://blogsbywomen.blogspot.com/2007/03/south-carolina-requiring-women-to-see.html

Despite the heavy generalisation... what the hell is wrong with those people in charge? What the hell is wrong with the people who let them be in charge?

I wrote my very first fan fiction short story a while ago and put in on the internet, in fanfiction.com. Now I received a review from a girl who said she found the story touching and very well written. Someone really read it and liked it enough to bother to tell me so. I am honoured! Who knows, I may be writing another one when my Potter fever reaches its boiling point; The Deadly Hallows isn't published until 21st of July this year. It's Saturday, though, so I may have to wait 'till Monday to get my pre-ordered copy of the book unless Suomalainen is open on that day. Well, we'll see.

The story, by the way, can be found at http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3091705/1/ in case anyone's interested in reading Harry Potter fanfiction in Finnish.

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The Meme of the Day:

The other of my two phonetics teachers once left in the class when we had a small break and he decided to ask us a question: what would we do if he gave us 60 000 euros right now? Most of my co-students, for some reason uncomprihensible to me, wanted a new car. My answer, amidst all those shiny Porsches, seemed to puzzle him a little; I would book a flight to South Africa. As I explained to him, I would want to go to the world's highest supervised bungee jumping location (216 metres, the bridge over the Bloukrans river). His reply made me smile a little: he's afraid of heights.

Can't sleep. I would do with a regular daily rhythm. Actually, I did have one but combining the daylight savings time and this passive three weeks caused by Easter turned it upside down again.

Might have something to do with tomorrow as well, though. I was talking with someone the other day but I couldn't hear him that well; he kept repeating the word 'Monday' but I have no idea what it is that he wants with me on Monday. Alas, he hasn't replied my e-mail to clarify the matter, either. Oh, the irony, if he wanted to see me tomorrow; without intending to, standing up the first person I haven't met at school. Fate is a bitch.

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I ended up taking a religion test at SelectSmart.com (http://www.selectsmart.com/RELIGION/) to kill some time. Here are my not that surprising results; especially the last ones, which were mainly different branches of Christianity, were correct. I find it difficult to classify Unitarian Universalism as a religion because it holds so many other religions within it, not to mention it has roots in the Christian tradition which I am prone to reject. Nevertheless, it's nice to know I have some kind of clarity when it comes to knowing my inner thoughts on spiritual matters. There is one religion missing from the possible results, however, one I think should undoubtedly be there: satanism. LaVeyn satanism, to be exact, since it is the well-known branch of the left hand path. But no can do, although I think it may have been quite high on the list.

1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Neo-Pagan (90%)
3. Liberal Quakers (88%)
4. Reform Judaism (72%)
5. Mahayana Buddhism (72%)
.
.
.

23. Seventh Day Adventist (18%)
24. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (18%)
25. Eastern Orthodox (9%)
26. Roman Catholic (9%)
27.Jehovah's Witness (2%)

Do you hear that crushing sound? Yeah. That was my personal record, and quite possibly some other records as well, being crushed like cockroaches. I just finished the longest, single Tetris game so far and came to a conclusion that the speed really does remain the same after a certain level. After that, it all comes down to your ability to resist monotony.

This time I lasted to the level 53! If I could bold that I would. Level 53, 808 lines (...) and 28 640 points! This really is my night. I rule!

Let me repeat that: twenty-eight thousand six hundred and forty points. Whohoo!!!

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The picture below is from the NES Tetris version, which I have. It's just so old it takes a small eternity to make it work and even then it might tilt any second.

A bunch of questions in groups of three I got from http://thedailymeme.com/lost/. That's where you can find the original, I modified this questionnaire a little.

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE ME:
01 | Insecurity
02 | Loss of independence
03 | Lepidopteras

THREE PEOPLE WHO MAKE ME LAUGH:
01 | Wanderer
02 | The guys at Uutisvuoto
03 | A person who don't know me and suggest to me things everyone else know won't happen as long as I live

THREE THINGS I LOVE:
01 | Books
02 | The scent of autumn
03 | Good music

THREE THINGS I HATE:
01 | Swimming
02 | Doors that are ajar (actually they only irritate me)
03 | Rap music

THREE THINGS I DON'T UNDERSTAND:
01 | Rap music
02 | Christian Democrats
03 | Badly pronounced language

THREE THINGS ON MY DESK:
01 | Post-its
02 | An envelope leaning against the wall
03 | A pile of books

THREE THINGS I'M DOING RIGHT NOW:
01 | Typing
02 | Listening to t.A.T.U. (Friend or foe, at the moment)
03 | Drinking caffeine

THREE THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE:
01 | Learn to ice-skate
02 | See Sonata Arctica live
03 | Know what sushi tastes like

THREE THINGS I CAN DO:
01 | Write tolerably well, even in my opinion
02 | Get myself into a state in which I can have several strong orgasms per hour without having to do anything special (anytime, anywhere)
03 | Complain

THREE WAYS TO DESCRIBE MY PERSONALITY:
01 | Splenetic (mood constantly changing from one extreme to another)
02 | "narcissistic, overzealous, self-righteous egomaniac chasing paramasturbatory illusions"
03 | a half-blood psychopath

THREE THINGS I CAN'T DO:
01 | Ice-skate
02 | Be friendly without trying
03 | Have a daily rhythm like other people

THREE THINGS I THINK YOU SHOULD READ:
01 | Eve Ensler: Vagina monologs
02 | Toni Morrison: The Bluest Eye
03 | Isabel Allende: Fortune's Daughter

THREE THINGS I'D LIKE TO LEARN:
01 | Speak Welsh flluently
02 | Cling strictly to deadlines
03 | Trust others more

THREE BOOKS I LIKED WHEN I WAS A CHILD:
01 | Philip Ridley: Meteorite Spoon (Riitojen kirja)
02 | Some kind of a Little Mermaid book
03 | Handbooks for children of different things, like detective work