Despite what I say in the lengthier discussion, I'm not really sure what compelled me to try my hand, voice, and visage at a video log -- but here we go. So yeah, if you've never seen me in person and would like to point and laugh at my awkward mannerisms and rambling speech, now you can! The 24-second test video is below, followed by a much lengthier three-part discussion behind the cut. As note at one point, I really hadn't intended for it to be so long -- I neglected to time myself and ended up rambling on for 23 minutes. Eat your heart out, Vice President-elect Joe Biden!

Part 1 (6:40)

Part 2 (8:35)

Part 3 (8:06)

And get this: there's even more stuff that I wanted to discuss, like that this mindset mine is arguably unhealthy because it makes me significantly less motivated to go out and "succeed" in social and/or material contexts, since I largely have everything that I want -- or at least what I feel it is important to have -- aboard the floating citadel in my psyche. (Even a room filled with mannequins!) Perhaps I'll save that for a future vlog or a text follow-up (or even the comments section below, if it comes up there).

Anyway, let me know what you think. I may post this on YouTube, but I obviously have no aspirations to be some widely-watched YT celebrity -- I don't ever plan to care enough to add special effects (beyond the fades) or cut stuff out or even work from a script (though outlines or checklists may be helpful in the future) so keep that in mind when offering criticisms, comments, et cetera. There's also no need to suggest that I not ramble so much or make shorter videos, since I am both well aware of those issues and inclined to agree! And while I certainly have no plans to transform Wesoteric into a vlog -- this would be a biweekly feature at the absolute maximum, and probably more like a monthly thing -- do let me know if you'd balk at video entries even that infrequently. I certainly have no problem with text entries, and as noted I'm infinitely more comfortable with them. 🙂

I was having an okay day before that, too. Not a fantastic day, but I did end up getting some mahi mahi free at Weis because the register wouldn't ring up the sale properly. Plus Phoenix will be on television tonight -- always a good thing. So the day wasn't shaping up to be completely miserable... but then, on the last leg of my three-mile trek back home, I saw something flying towards me! Gravity ensured that it hit my shin and not my face, but that was still pretty fucked up and I was still pretty furious.

I initially thought it was a Big Gulp, since there was enough fluid left in there to splash all over my leg and up to get my left hand and forearm all sticky, but since the cup was plastic and had a spoon straw in it I now think it was a melted Slurpee.

Anyway -- as if I hadn't gotten the message -- this is just more proof that people fucking hate me and will always go out of their way to make sure I know it. Whether the incidents involve students and administrators accusing me of all manner of nefarious deeds, book store customers treating me like shit, interviewers exhibiting uncalled-for rudeness, people driving by shouting, "Faggot!" and now people throwing fucking Slurpees at me, it seems like the human race just has to throw me a big fucking middle finger every time it seems like I might momentarily forget just how mean people can and will be where I am concerned.

Rest assured, humans, I have not forgotten. 🙁

The first sentence in the CNN political ticker report about the death of Tony Snow reads:

Former White House press secretary Tony Snow -- who once told reporters "I'm a very lucky guy" -- died at the age of 53 early Saturday after a second battle with cancer.

Why would they choose that quote, only to follow it up with something that is so decidedly unlucky? I enjoy an ironic and/or morbid crack as much as and probably even more than the next guy, but even I would curb my wicked sense of humor when writing news articles about the deaths of public figures (excluding entertainers, of course). That's just tacky.

And not one of the several that I put there, either. This dead lizard was not housed in a small jar of alcohol (or not, in the one case where the alcohol has evaporated) -- it was lying on the floor in the room where I keep most of my action figures. If it climbed on them, its death is well deserved.

I do not think I will keep this dead lizard (I only keep dead animals that were my "pets" in life), but I have placed it in a ziploc bag and left it on the porch in order to see how my mother reacts. I doubt it will be highly entertaining.

(Do the repeated references to dead animals make anyone else think of the Wayside School books?)

UPDATE: I predicted correctly -- my mother was not in the least bit fazed by the dead lizard in the ziploc bag. In fact, she had already seen (and ignored) it in the basement! She didn't even realize this was the same one... for some reason she thought I had found it outside and brought it home. Why would I do that?!? I am not a cat.

...and then Google searches for lyrics yield zero results.

oh I would like to see a dinosaur
I know they're not around here any more
but I've been shown
some great big bones
and picture books galore
oh I would like to see a dinosaur

oh I would like to feel his scaly skin
to walk around his legs and pat his shin
I'd stretch up high
and really try
to touch his face and chin
oh I would like to feel his scaly skin

oh I would like to hear a dinosaur
I bet he'd have a loud and scary roar
or he might howl
or shriek or growl
or maybe even snore
oh I would like to hear a dinosaur

I'm tempted to buy the CD and reacquaint myself with all of those zany dinosaur songs.