tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18354890927220472072024-02-02T02:14:17.553-05:00Argus BlogThe personal blog of Andrew R. Gustin, discussing what time (will) bring(s).
www.andrewgustin.com ~ www.igity.comArgushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-4589804662356466542012-03-05T18:43:00.003-05:002012-03-05T18:49:33.608-05:00The Golden FewWhile always trying to bring you joy<div>Great lengths were gone just to avoid</div><div>But only so much cover can</div><div>Be purchased by another and</div><div>To those who feel too overwhelmed,</div><div>Intense emotions we both felt</div><div>But now, alas, to be forgot</div><div>Perhaps intended, maybe not.</div><div>Or even worse, to be ignored</div><div>And maybe it just straight occurred</div><div>But as for now, I need my peace</div><div>I need your love, to be released,</div><div>Continue searching, wish you well</div><div>For I'm already damned to Hell</div><div>But all we need, the golden few</div><div>A shame it will not include you.</div>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-10744506075603141252011-03-21T19:29:00.009-04:002011-03-21T21:49:36.102-04:00Red River Gorge<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRY5fmeUm2_ixdcH0ouaFteWjAZGZmWAUNMz-btZO6vCTjLzJOETMz2JhvdCK-sBWfwfe0tTqwwY27fv1EoIrteHZEhzJF0HH3RTyBhIt5nzq7HLSc1x7FTuF2ECTmBqJQuMw9onnlmshK/s1600/IMG_1959.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRY5fmeUm2_ixdcH0ouaFteWjAZGZmWAUNMz-btZO6vCTjLzJOETMz2JhvdCK-sBWfwfe0tTqwwY27fv1EoIrteHZEhzJF0HH3RTyBhIt5nzq7HLSc1x7FTuF2ECTmBqJQuMw9onnlmshK/s400/IMG_1959.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586714497201499090" /></a><div><br /></div><div><div><div><div>As a third year master's student, this could be my last spring break as a student. I probably would have been better off just staying at home and working over the break, but my wandering fever caught a hold of me and I took a trip to Red River Gorge, Kentucky with my buddy Andy.<div><br /></div><div>I went here the previous spring break and knew of a nice area to do some hiking and camping. We got a bit of a late start on St. Patricks Day and didn't make it down there until 7:30 at night. Last year I was introduced to a nice little pizza and rock climbing shop named Miguel's. I took Andy here to get some pizza for dinner. We decided that we would also camp here the first night, as it was already getting dark (and camping is only $2 a person. The atmosphere at Miguel's is very chill, with outdoor lovers and social bonfires abound. I was enjoying a peaceful vacation in a welcoming setting.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then everything changed...They didn't call our pizza and after 45 minutes and complaining they refired it. So it was twice baked and not very fresh. Then the kicker: apparently only climbers are allowed to camp there. When we inquired about camping they asked us what we were down here for. The response "To do a little hiking" was enough to be refused permission to camp at Miguels. As if owning a rope and some climbing shoes makes people "better" or more deserving to be around. I am not often discriminated against this blatantly. It's not like we were going to be a nuisance or start fights with the climbers. We were just running late and needed a place to camp. I feel greatly offended by the snobby attitude displayed by Miguel's Pizza and the climbing community. If you really are this elitist and judgmental, I can promise I'll never be a social climber. In my mind, any person with a love and appreciation for nature is just as good as any climber.</div><div><br /></div><div>So at 10 o'clock at night with bellies full of overpriced asshole-made twice-baked pizza, we went to the gas station to purchase a backcountry camping tag. Turns out it is even cheaper than staying at Miguel's. And there is no discrimination in the wilderness. We reach camp on top of a narrow ridge surrounded by cliffs at 12:30 am. Here are a few pictures from this night.</div></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCIsSZrVZkd2FI99Yd8k7L_KTfMDPyTno1aIvqCkCcxa1zSJoWTNzbYXFCphsIR4Xw1ZGENJhNDvh0NfUYwNieLQ_b9eFSzlw_cgqNcsjyg02YQiA340l0PbGZz7CHsWoK2YZeeaY2Ykm/s1600/IMG_1933.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCIsSZrVZkd2FI99Yd8k7L_KTfMDPyTno1aIvqCkCcxa1zSJoWTNzbYXFCphsIR4Xw1ZGENJhNDvh0NfUYwNieLQ_b9eFSzlw_cgqNcsjyg02YQiA340l0PbGZz7CHsWoK2YZeeaY2Ykm/s400/IMG_1933.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586703424498342914" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6W81RSJyBOdgvy4yfU8BhBowjwcNRdtkJcTtJoB8MjdX_9uQPSYrdtuDtM8tzTD-jyrWFeFrR_4g5WBLN4XabsX6pZQmkwOJls7LN2Y6WDD16srG2lUiFMbRoiDoqEFC2gPWkqHcpGVt/s1600/IMG_1942.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6W81RSJyBOdgvy4yfU8BhBowjwcNRdtkJcTtJoB8MjdX_9uQPSYrdtuDtM8tzTD-jyrWFeFrR_4g5WBLN4XabsX6pZQmkwOJls7LN2Y6WDD16srG2lUiFMbRoiDoqEFC2gPWkqHcpGVt/s400/IMG_1942.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586697372935188434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /><div>The first night was clear so we both set up tents and I slept without a rainfly. The breeze was cold and swift and the moon shone brightly through the pine trees casting shadows on my face. Despite trouble getting used to the slight slope and hard ground, it was one of the most restful nights of sleep I've had in a long time. The next morning came and we did some day hiking to get water and to explore around the area. The best water source was in a trickle waterfall. It took a few minutes to fill a bottle but the scenery was so grand that it didn't matter.</div><div><br /></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFmoH_6LdncMp_uWU47deg7bsbaf2wAW_07m-J_thCfvFW2DvxtqUJk16IavK1yYqIdbpfwP4lIMv_n9HHoqHfx9iW9WFaXk0dm2xaQbRj-cVf3I_Jib9lqK18keKJra0cdjdjpUey6LY/s1600/IMG_2030.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFmoH_6LdncMp_uWU47deg7bsbaf2wAW_07m-J_thCfvFW2DvxtqUJk16IavK1yYqIdbpfwP4lIMv_n9HHoqHfx9iW9WFaXk0dm2xaQbRj-cVf3I_Jib9lqK18keKJra0cdjdjpUey6LY/s400/IMG_2030.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586707208186447410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5fv3_CdqfwO1SrE1Ya3mWwEne8RjZB-bv86BqMH3KVCg1jIJ4y8zNZP9TT_6KuYjeAULxAtFRnRdER5C73tD3t6Lf37LPkMA2NpZHmWPXojysHxHQ0A7CtJGmr3C3sybBnNw-tX_gIa0/s1600/IMG_1988.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5fv3_CdqfwO1SrE1Ya3mWwEne8RjZB-bv86BqMH3KVCg1jIJ4y8zNZP9TT_6KuYjeAULxAtFRnRdER5C73tD3t6Lf37LPkMA2NpZHmWPXojysHxHQ0A7CtJGmr3C3sybBnNw-tX_gIa0/s400/IMG_1988.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586707596110485506" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>After a day of hiking around and getting views, we returned to camp just in time to beat a thunderstorm. Andy was using a cheap and non-waterproof tent, so we tore it down and stuffed it under the rainfly of my tent. Being gone all day, we were both hungry, so we took dinner supplies and portable speakers into a small cave near our campsite. As the thunderstorm blew through, mix vegetables and beans were cooked to a backbeat of Joanna Newsom newest album.<div><div><div><br /></div></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaUvw_6VPfrUzUruaZiAytI3qx4TY3Bno5LPt_jx5OI02OjHEAR_AplaE2EE0lye8nY1_bN4f1aXJiSpIMDUpfeLUzUOLp7shn5pbdVzq64dC_G2wt8Nof8BqI4jBaAMzU1ykvjKXwkGK/s1600/IMG_2040.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaUvw_6VPfrUzUruaZiAytI3qx4TY3Bno5LPt_jx5OI02OjHEAR_AplaE2EE0lye8nY1_bN4f1aXJiSpIMDUpfeLUzUOLp7shn5pbdVzq64dC_G2wt8Nof8BqI4jBaAMzU1ykvjKXwkGK/s400/IMG_2040.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586709005179729074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>A few rounds of cosmic wimpout and whiskey made for a distraction while the last of the storm passed through. How wonderful of an adventure this trip turned out to be. Being in the wilderness provides an infinite number of opportunities for exploration, discovery, appreciation, and unpredictability. You never know what is around the next bend in the trail. And with so many things to see, you can't help but to be sucked into a constant meditation brought on by the density and variety of textures and forms in every direction. Instead of being in a confined room of walls with geometric objects and simplicity, you are inundated by vastness and complexity and randomness and variety. Like roads there are trails but you don't have to follow them. Ultimately your path and destination are hardly limited. It is easy to convince yourself that you're seeing things nobody else has ever noticed. Even if this is far from the truth, the sense of discovery is yours to hold.<div><br /></div><div>After a rainy night next to a snoring friend, I awoke with a spring. My muscles were getting used to sleeping on the ground. In a couple more days I would probably have my stride again. The acclimation period for backpacking is usually a few days for me, but after that I feel like I could continue indefinitely. I know in my soul that hiking will always be an essential part of my life. I'm starting to think pretty seriously about doing the Appalachian Trail in 2012. Better get it under my belt before the world ends, right? And before I am too old or professional to have the energy or time.</div><div><br /></div><div>When we got to the car, we were packing things up and changing into driving clothes. A girl that we had passed on the trails the day before approached us and asked where we were headed. We ended up giving her a ride to her car and having a conversation. After a little smalltalk, we discover that she was childhood friends with the wife of my boss. What are the chances? It really is a small world... The trip back went a little quicker than the trip down, with lots of reflection and optimism for the future. I hope this trip is just what I needed to help me move on to the next phase of my life...whatever it is.<br /><div><div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJl9j4uamcXi370B_5HoPmQqv_kJNItKepVmvbXrqcEBU03j1bAOM7DJRF3urKp56CoBP9cpWWSqBjMy3T891-BqwtKfaesBvJDWO9G5A5oGNAt7F2aq2vxqSqAYm7AepJTO5OWQnux-O/s1600/IMG_2059.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJl9j4uamcXi370B_5HoPmQqv_kJNItKepVmvbXrqcEBU03j1bAOM7DJRF3urKp56CoBP9cpWWSqBjMy3T891-BqwtKfaesBvJDWO9G5A5oGNAt7F2aq2vxqSqAYm7AepJTO5OWQnux-O/s400/IMG_2059.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586713787702981794" /></a><br /><div><div><div>Oh, and if for some reason you want to support a discriminating place like Miguel's Pizza in Slade, Kentucky and aren't a climber, make sure you lie to them and say you are. Or if you want to boycott them and help to expose the truth about their unfair treatment of paying customers, please join me!</div><div><br /></div></div></div>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-44197038573413918282011-01-24T22:06:00.002-05:002011-01-24T22:31:27.307-05:00I feel infected with a fever. Not the ill type, at least physically. The more I think about life and time, the more I realize how important time management is. Ideally you find a balance between being productive and rewarding yourself. Too much of the former and you grow miserable. Too much of the latter and you accomplish nothing. But as I gaze at my plate of cheesy bacon fries from Outback Steakhouse, flakes of pepper falling like black snow upon a mountain of grease, I realize that I better suck it up and start eating. <div><br /></div><div>There is too much to be done and too little time. I have to budget at least 25 hours a week to paying the bills, and would like to budget the same amount to finishing my thesis in a decent hour. This makes it hard to reward myself as much as a balance would suggest. I am forced to reconsider how I live each and every moment in order to extract a respectable amount of reward during any given day. Its so much easier to simply meditate my way through driving or a work day or chores, but much more of a challenge to actually make the most out of it. Realize and recognize the small things that remind you to appreciate the fact that you are alive, regardless of what you are doing. The infinity of variety which exists in every single gaze, yet fails to be entertaining if we forget to look. The simplicity masking complexity beyond understanding. The wonder which can be had by anyone willing to seek it out.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes all it takes is a new perspective...or a longing for change; a readiness for adventures which cannot be had until some loose ends are tied up. An attempted guidance for the future, ensuring that whether or not everything works out how I might imagine or dream it to, at the very least I will still get the most out of life. There are several different routes which all lead to the same destination. The only choice I have to make is when to branch off of the trail and blaze...</div>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-7310103492968057382011-01-01T22:49:00.003-05:002011-01-01T23:10:33.544-05:00A New Year RealizationI attended an excellent New Years party at the Antler house last night. Lots of karaoke and champagne. Dalton asked me to compose a short bit on time for reflection...this is what I came up with on 12-30-10:<div><br /></div><div>And through the lines of time</div><div>Another year has come to pass</div><div>A time to pine on all things</div><div>That are different from the last</div><div>Reflect upon dynamic fads</div><div>The music and the news</div><div>Accomplishments that humans made</div><div>In their fruitless pursuits</div><div>And memories which you have kept</div><div>From this year and the past</div><div>The grudges that you always held</div><div>And those that didn't last</div><div>But also all the times of joy</div><div>And love for fellow man</div><div>When once again you were convinced</div><div>Of goodness in this land</div><div>But if we dwell on what is done</div><div>The things we cannot change</div><div>Then we forget to guide ourselves</div><div>Toward fortune, fear, or fame</div><div>And so we try to plan it out;</div><div>To have control of life</div><div>Idealize a perfect plan</div><div>With your ideal wife</div><div>Decide which things would be enjoyed</div><div>And buy them with a card</div><div>Accept the scripted humor and</div><div>Consume the processed lard</div><div>Direct which way your future goes</div><div>For better or for worse</div><div>Develop expectations for </div><div>Your net financial worth</div><div>And if by chance it doesn't work</div><div>Your dreams reduced to trash</div><div>Your mind will become bitter</div><div>And your lust for life will crash</div><div>So best you are to minimize</div><div>What you expect to come</div><div>While guidance can be helpful</div><div>You should only permit some</div><div>The future is an open book</div><div>Influenced by the now</div><div>Its not about what you could do</div><div>Or what you've done, or how</div><div>The choice you have is in the</div><div>Present moment of your life</div><div>So stop to smell the flowers</div><div>And forget about your strife</div><div>The journey is the destination;</div><div>Joy is in the ride</div><div>It really doesn't matter</div><div>What's ahead or what's behind</div><div>Time will stop for nothing</div><div>And it never runs reverse</div><div>Living in the moment</div><div>Is a blessing, not a curse</div><div>Make the most of every day</div><div>For each could be your last</div><div>Live to love and love to live</div><div>For time will move too fast</div><div>Make your resolutions and</div><div>Remember where you've been</div><div>Never stop exploring</div><div>And you're guaranteed to win.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I guess that captures the essence. Maybe I will add a couple of stanzas each year as my understanding of the world becomes more seeded in experience. The only thing I am sure of is that that nothing is certain. I hope this year is a great one for all of us...</div>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-75250265550163795062010-11-28T22:55:00.003-05:002010-11-28T23:14:18.987-05:00A few stanzas of thoughtWell I want to be heard<div>And I struggle to hear</div><div>Or to listen descriptions, illicit sincere</div><div><br /></div><div>You can preach what you pray</div><div>But you preach to the choir</div><div>As the soloist lead is procured by a wire</div><div><br /></div><div>The intentions are true</div><div>The attack non-misguided</div><div>A perception, it always exists multi-sided</div><div><br /></div><div>So you see from your own</div><div>And perhaps from another</div><div>But the vantages left cannot ever be covered</div><div><br /></div><div>You can go with the flow</div><div>You can settle for now</div><div>Your selection of options is always known loud</div><div><br /></div><div>But to never explore</div><div>What you think could bring joy</div><div>To ignore what reality tells you is good</div><div><br /></div><div>We must follow the path</div><div>Bounded by least regret</div><div>For this life is too short and there's no time to bet</div><div><br /></div><div>I can say what I think</div><div>I can do what I say</div><div>I will cherish the moments and life for today.</div>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-33558388694666373462010-09-11T12:39:00.002-04:002010-09-11T12:44:46.738-04:00fearI write in this blog as if I have something that needs to be heard. Like there is some supreme secret that only I have realized, and that if I just blog about it someone else will see and their lives will be changed. All we really want to do is have a positive impact on the world and its people. All we really want is to make the world a better place. I know there are several ways to go about it, but how much of a difference can words really make? I suppose it depends on who is reading the words, and how elegantly they are pasted together...<div><br /></div><div>I have a lot of thoughts and I want to share them with the world. I have the desire to be desired, I have the drive to be driven. All I need is the proper machine to take me to my destination. A machine crafted out of thoughts expanded to ideas expanded to webpages. Pages that most people will never read, and out of those that do most will never really understand. Perhaps that is because what I say isn't right. Everyone makes mistakes. But I feel like it is, and some of the people who have read the pages seem to agree to some degree. The inkling that I am onto something bigger makes me press on and keep writing. Whether or not my writings will ever be of any use to anyone other than myself, I'm unsure. But this fear alone is not enough to prevent me from trying. If we live our lives encapsulated by fear, we will never feel the breeze of freedom.</div>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-56753470268263531312010-08-18T13:26:00.002-04:002010-08-18T13:37:49.252-04:00Another year for me and several million others. Today isn't a special day, but historically it has been. Way back long before I ever fully understood what birthdays were really about. I mean, I guess it is what you make it...but I don't always want ponies and cakes and elegantly wrapped imported presents. And who cares what day a celebration occurs on? Its just another day....signifying another year, another lap around the sun from the time which its rays first hit my skin. 26 all together now, here's to 26 more...Its almost like a new year in that you can make resolutions, set directions and goals, and strive for self-improvement in all aspects of life. Never before have I done or not done anything at this age. A new beginning. I hope I make the most out of this year. Finish my thesis and make some good money. Further my band and record our first album...write songs and learn skills. Travel, hike, experience, live in the moment. There is a lot I hope to accomplish in my life, and I think this year is as good as any to keep checking goals off of my list. I plan to keep my webpage updated, with a few new Igity pages in brew...I wish I had more time to do the things I want to do, rather than the things I have to do. But alas, I just need to do more with the time I have. No need to waste a life this short...Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-48862565006674670492010-05-15T13:00:00.003-04:002010-05-15T13:19:43.744-04:00Unreasonable NeighborsSince living in my geologically founded house for over two years, one thing has become clear: the neighborhood is good, with the exception of those folks next door. Pieces of trash lays strewn in the treeline between our yards, the raspy unpleasant voice of the live-in stepfather can frequently be heard cursing at the wife and daughters, years of spent kitty-litter is piled up in the back corner of their yard, and a pride of non-fixed cats continue to produce litter after litter of kittens that aren't properly cared for or loved. Well, things just got worse. Despite politely asking the stepfather not to, he has taken it upon himself to remove the row of 10 foot tall tree/shrubs between our yard.<div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUxaF0scXWZudbckE247z2BXDCLCCzCFUx2GW59bcwKxaIkW7tfa0Zh9g0-s0zncftDk996G00T2xFOSPC2G-72dcZWAd1BUttAuglLip9cCRHvdBEsrk8nI6nOy8-XThAQoi572oQHTE/s1600/IMG_3684.JPG"></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUxaF0scXWZudbckE247z2BXDCLCCzCFUx2GW59bcwKxaIkW7tfa0Zh9g0-s0zncftDk996G00T2xFOSPC2G-72dcZWAd1BUttAuglLip9cCRHvdBEsrk8nI6nOy8-XThAQoi572oQHTE/s1600/IMG_3684.JPG"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUxaF0scXWZudbckE247z2BXDCLCCzCFUx2GW59bcwKxaIkW7tfa0Zh9g0-s0zncftDk996G00T2xFOSPC2G-72dcZWAd1BUttAuglLip9cCRHvdBEsrk8nI6nOy8-XThAQoi572oQHTE/s400/IMG_3684.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471546191344765042" /></a><br /></div><div>Where there once was a lush thick green line of vegetation separating my property from that of my despised neighbors, there now is just the trash that was caught in the treeline. He claims that he is going to put up a 4-foot picket fence in place, but that doesn't allow for the same amount of privacy or beauty that the bushes did. I'm not even sure that the bushes were on his property, but one thing is clear - there is no reasoning with people this ignorant and selfish. If he wants to do something, he is going to do it and if you try to stand in the way, you're likely to be next in line for the chainsaw. I guess all I can do now is hope that he follows through with the fence, but decides to make it 8 feet tall instead of 4 to hide the ugliness of their trash-ridden yard.</div><div><br /></div><div>These bushes were one of the bigger selling-points of the house when I bought it two years ago, so I am confident that my property value has just been decreased significantly. Thanks a lot, assholes!<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-89987471455487158162010-05-14T19:40:00.003-04:002010-05-14T19:47:44.876-04:00exiting gracefullyAs the last semester of my educational career came to a close, I realized that I had 1275 pages in my print allotment that hadn't been used yet. The semester officially ended last Saturday, so I spent the entire week before preparing a "chordbook" or songbook for guitar. I went through my entire music collection and looked up each artist that I thought could potentially be covered on guitar. With just hours of the semester remaining, I was able to print off all 1275 pages and create two massive books, pictured below:<div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCaeNL5J-2yTGhb7JJ_sk73gVcc1s9Eqb7MDe251Q14CqDG8iWkE3ZlSw1uniwrbUq3A-Hv9bnrYgAJvmP7vTJLuCVohmLtx8ncgL3y4cMGit-iMiSVmwBiNSVilrr9CFJRBHp1ruL6Zp/s1600/IMG_3683.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCaeNL5J-2yTGhb7JJ_sk73gVcc1s9Eqb7MDe251Q14CqDG8iWkE3ZlSw1uniwrbUq3A-Hv9bnrYgAJvmP7vTJLuCVohmLtx8ncgL3y4cMGit-iMiSVmwBiNSVilrr9CFJRBHp1ruL6Zp/s400/IMG_3683.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471275699952182034" /></a><br />So it was stressful enough to try to use my allotment before it expired, but to complicate matters more I realized that I got another 1000 pages to use for the summer allotment. Since the summer officially ends before I return from Montana (Oh yeah, I'm going back to Montana for my fifth summer to be AI for 429), I must use the print allotment before I leave at the end of June. This means that I am constantly trying to think of songs and musicians that I have missed to add to the chordbook. So far I have 5 songs. only 995 more to go. If you have any suggestions or ideas, feel free to post a comment on my blog! </div><div><br /></div><div>Everything is starting to fall into place. Not my thesis so much, but the end is within view...but it is certainly peculiar how life has a tendency to work itself out...</div>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-7122539610645090322010-03-26T16:20:00.001-04:002010-03-26T16:22:52.262-04:00This blog has moved<br /> This blog is now located at http://argustblog.blogspot.com/.<br /> You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click <a href='http://argustblog.blogspot.com/'>here</a>.<br /><br /> For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to<br /> http://argustblog.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default.<br /> Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-7641771959648155512010-02-25T14:44:00.001-05:002010-02-25T14:45:02.520-05:00Jimmy Johns supports false advertisement<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.homesteadweaver.com/andrewgustin/blog/uploaded_images/jj.jpg"><img src="http://www.homesteadweaver.com/andrewgustin/blog/uploaded_images/jj.jpg" alt="" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " /></a><br /><br /><center><br /><img src="http://www.homesteadweaver.com/andrewgustin/images/jj.jpg" style="width: 429px; height: 227px; " /><br /></center><br /><br />For those of you in certain parts of america, there is a little sandwich shop known as Jimmy Johns.<br /><br />I was first introduced to their product as a freshman in college. I lived in Eigenmann dorm, which is across the street from a Jimmy Johns that stayed open until 4 am. I bought many a sub on those late freshman nights.<br /><br />My first issue with Jimmy Johns came a few years ago whenever my friend Trad and I took our guitars to play on the streets in front of their Kirkwood Avenue restaurant. I bought a drink, and we sat on the sidewalk outside their store playing guitar and singing. Soon thereafter, the manager came out and told us that he would call the cops if we didn't leave.<br /><br />But for some reason, my hunger and cheapness got the best of me and I started eating there again this year. I always order a "slim" because all of their sandwiches are overpriced, and most of their extra ingredients don't appeal to me. The slim comes only with meat and cheese. They give packets of mayonnaise upon request, but nothing else.<br /><br />One day, while ordering my slim, I confirmed a line on their menu with my memory. There is a line under "Side Items" that lists "Hot Peppers ..... Free". Here is an actual scan of the Bloomington Jimmy Johns menu taken from the local student newspaper. The Jimmy Johns in Bloomington list a side order of hot peppers as "Free".<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.homesteadweaver.com/andrewgustin/blog/uploaded_images/JJ-SCAN-large-730162.jpg"><img src="http://www.homesteadweaver.com/andrewgustin/blog/uploaded_images/JJ-SCAN-large-730158.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 317px; " /></a><br />Here is the full menu that this section was taken from (for all of the idiots who don't believe my story):<div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.homesteadweaver.com/andrewgustin/blog/uploaded_images/jj-full-784526.jpg"><img src="http://www.homesteadweaver.com/andrewgustin/blog/uploaded_images/jj-full-784523.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 284px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><br />One would assume that this means that I can get free hot peppers on the side with my slim sandwich. So I ask for hot peppers on the side. The lady starts to argue, but then turns to the sandwich maker and tells him to give me a side order of peppers. Excellent! I can now get hot peppers with my sub! The next time I go in there, I try the same thing. This time a goofy looking and likely not too bright kid says that they can't give out hot peppers with a slim. I ask him what the line on his menu means and he ignores me, saying that the slims are meat and cheese only. I ask to speak to his manager, and he says that he is the manager. Realizing that if he is the boss than I stand no chance, I turn around and leave the store, frustrated and angry.<br /><br />I immediately write to Jimmy Johns through two different contacts on their site and try to figure out why the hell I can't get free hot peppers with my slim. After a round of emails where my question was completely avoided, I finally got a real response from someone:<br /><div dir="ltr" align="left" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); "><span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Andrew, you are correct. This line is a "loop hole" or idiosyncrasy in the menu. The goal of our menu and policy is not to offer any items on the side. We want to keep our concept simple and efficient and to offer the fastest and most accurate service for our customer. What you are asking adds a complexity to our operation. I will inform our corporate office of your concerns and work to correct this error.</span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" align="left" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" align="left" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Thank you,</span> </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Sincerely,</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" align="left" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Clay Longardner</span></span></div><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">followed by</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><div dir="ltr" align="left" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Just to clarify one issue. Hot peppers are to be placed on the sandwich. All other side items are not put on the sandwich. Hot peppers should not be listed as a side item.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" align="left" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); ">Clay</span></span></div></span><br /><br />HE SAID IT! <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; ">"Hot peppers should not be listed as a side item."<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">So wait. Not only are peppers not free, but they shouldn't be a side item all together. Even in Jimmy Johns that charge for their side order of hot peppers cannot sell the peppers on the side anymore?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; "><span style="font-size:85%;">What I know is this: Jimmy Johns claims to have the worlds greatest sandwich. This is in no way true. What you get from Jimmy Johns is cheap shitty food, stuck up managers, and reformed corporate businessmen that decided that giving free hot peppers isn't a good idea anymore, but are too cheap, forgetful, lazy, or oblivious to change their menus.</span></span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">And so, again, I have effectively terminated eating at Jimmy Johns. Every now and again I get that craving for their cheap little carb-bombs, but I resist. And I strongly encourage you to resist as well.<br /><br />To help me fight this injustice, contact your local Jimmy Johns or contact their head offices at<a href="http://www.jimmyjohns.com/company/contactUs.aspx">this page</a> . I have received a response by filling out that form, and also by filling out the comment/suggestion form linked to on that page.<br /><br />Go ahead, ask them why they advertise free peppers if they aren't allowed to give them!<br /><br />Until this problem is solved by Jimmy Johns, I will continue to boycott. Please join me.</span></span></span></div>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-26352690831677389492010-01-01T17:30:00.003-05:002010-01-01T17:34:03.497-05:002010Yes, another year. 2010. Another decade. This is a good turning point. Time to buckle in and write my thesis. Time to improve myself and my life. This sounds like a typical resolution but it is sincere. There is to much to do before we die and I have no time to waste. I must put the past behind me and make the most out of my world. Today marks the beginning of the rest of my life.Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-31636086906589630632009-10-09T19:50:00.000-04:002009-10-09T20:13:06.429-04:00The last hour and a half has been spent trying to use my computer. I now remember why I leave it on for weeks at a time, despite the fact that I hate wasting energy. My wireless connection had been established for 22 days before I turned my computer off this morning. <div><br /></div><div>And there is no good reason for turning the thing off, it isn't like a few hours will make a difference if I leave it on for nearly a month before then. I just gave it a chance to sleep. And in this cold house (62F) the old hard drive grew chilly. The metal components cooled and the metal casing and parts contracted. This hard drive has lived through at least three power sources, three processors, and three motherboards. The DVD drive hasn't worked for over a year so I couldn't repair or reformat the operating system without a major hardware upgrade. And with a system this old, what is the point? I couldn't get an XP disk anymore, anyway.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have already purchased a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate (well before its release date and for practically nothing) thanks to IU and my student status. I got a 64 bit version, but I am still waiting for the prices of quad-core processors to drop a little. I do have limited funds, however there is no sense in buying a lower frequency processor...I want the most out of the cores.</div><div><br /></div><div>So how long can this last? The first several times that I tried to boot up the computer today, it started checking the hardware and then stalled. I let it still try to load, because even if the hard drive isn't booting, at least things are spinning and the metal components are heating up and expanding. It is frightening how long it takes for the hard drive to warm up before it is able to boot windows xp. NOW I REMEMBER.</div><div><br /></div><div>This time I am not shutting down unless it freezes, and then I will be sure to restart before the hardware cools. Even when this beast is on, it takes 15 minutes to load windows and once loaded I am lucky to run more than one program at once. Google chrome usually does pretty well once it is established, but occasionally it will have a brain-fart. Any heavy image or video editing is out of the question, and even viewing videos can be troublesome at times.</div><div><br /></div><div>I could use my laptop, but I tripped on its cord last spring and knocked it on the floor, busting one of the hinges. With continued gimpy use, the hinge eventually broke completely off, with help from gravity again. It still works, but the screen is quite annoying. I could use the laptop and plug my monitor into it, only I removed the extra gig of ram from the laptop in order to boost the performance of its twin brother, the stand-in internet "television" for a house without cable tv. So even if I did fire up my laptop, its performance would be no better than this beast I currently use. But like I said, once it is running, it keeps running...</div><div><br /></div><div>I just hope it will hold out until I can afford a decent quad-core processor. Everything else is pretty cheap now, unless I go for a nice video card. I hope to do some video editing with my new camera if I ever get a break, but I know that won't happen for months. So whats the rush? I don't need to distract myself with the trials of building a new system right now anyway. I just hope this guy stays on for a year or so.</div><div><br /></div><div>In other news, grad school sucks. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.</div>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-54476853044378883272009-09-27T23:04:00.004-04:002009-09-28T18:47:44.412-04:00America the obeseSo I want to be healthier. I want to resist temptations and eat the right foods and have an active lifestyle. But I am in grad school and working on my thesis and the spare time just isn't very forthcoming. To make matters worse, I have a 3 mile commute from the south side of town to the geology building, and back, every day.<br /><br />So what? This is a short drive so I cannot blame that for my lack of time. However, along this 3 mile drive, there are a ridiculous number of eateries. Places that (mostly) don't care about how healthy a food is. Regardless, places that overcharge for the convenience of making food for you. And It is near impossible to resist stopping at some of these places when I am tired and hungry and depressed.<br /><br />Here is a quick tally of what I drive within 500 feet of every day<br /><br />2 Taco Bells<br />1 Dairy Queen<br />1 McDonalds<br />1 Wendys<br />1 Burger King<br />1 Arbys<br />1 Rallys<br />1 Waffle House<div>1 Ice cream Shoppe</div><div><div>2+ chinese restaurants<br />3+ Starbucks/coffee shops<div>2 Subways<br />2 Dominos Pizzas<br />2 Pizza Huts<br />2 Papa Johns<br />1 Avers Pizza<br />1 Pizza X<br />1 Rockits pizza<br />1 Mad Mushroom Pizza<br />1 Square Donuts<br />1 Sonic<br />1 King Gyros<br />1+ Diners<br />10+ Bars, most which serve food<br />1+ Food Courts on campus</div><div>3+ Liquor Stores!<br /><br />There are probably several that I missed, especially if I include the downtown area and all of the restaurants I forgot there. I just wanted to hit the major chain places so you can see how gross my commute is. I am tempted by 30 different restaurants every day while driving six miles.<br /><br />There is also a supermarket along the way...and a couple gas stations. The grad school life is pretty rough...No time to waste time, too much work to get done. Another exam in remote sensing Tuesday, and lots of grading remaining. At least I don't have to pay rent!</div></div></div>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-57358582305996214452009-08-31T21:39:00.002-04:002009-08-31T21:45:55.329-04:00Three lost yearsI am referencing a GLS song called Three days at sea (three lost years),,,<br /><br />I have changed, I have...<br /><br />Tomorrow is my first of three labs that I get to teach each week this semester. It should be pretty straight forward - scientific notation, unit conversions, and reading maps. I also begin my semester of spatial stuff with my two Geography classes tomorrow...I think I would rather work with GIS than be a hydrologist anyway...don't tell my advisor!<br /><br />Too bad GIS work doesn't involve being outdoors unless it is GPS work...but I guess that is on the up and up, and even if its all remote sensing, at least I get to look at air photos. But this is all too long-term for right now, I have to shift back to third gear (a maneuver that is now impossible in my car, at least at mis-matched rpms). I need to take it a day at a time and stay on top of my work. How is that for self-motivation?<br /><br />I think this will be a pretty easy semester. I hope.Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-3568446462837663912009-08-26T17:25:00.004-04:002009-08-26T17:50:17.965-04:00an asideThis is a nice stand-alone entry about some memories I have conjured up. While in Elementary school I considered the group of kids that lived in nearby subdivisions to be my best friends. I would go over there to play on weekends and hang out. There were two subdivisions, the kids from each subdivision didn't really interact with each other, and I lived right between the two on a private drive. <br /><br />I spent the most time at my friend J's house. Despite being physically shorter, he was the neighborhood kingpin, so to speak, and most people looked up to him. Little did I realize just how low I was on the totem pole with these groups. I can remember going to a pool with them and being abandoned. Sure, I was never the most fit kid, but I was always picked near the end of every backyard sports draft. Any time I had an opinion, it was unlikely to be heard. Even the kids that were younger than me tried to pick on me.<br /><br />As soon as we moved on to middle school, J and the others quickly cut ties with me as their new-found popularity couldn't be weighted down by having such an outcast friend. I made a new group of more accepting and less accepted friends, and in some ways became one of the kingpins of my new group. This wasn't getting me very far, but luckily I was able to move away after my Freshman year of high school and reinvent myself at a new school. This move was good for me, but I cannot forget my roots. <br /><br />I recently reestablished contact with J and a few of the other friends from my Elementary days. It was nice to hear from them again, but also evident that they had no desire to even be acquaintances online. I guess it is pretty disappointing that a stigma developed in Junior High can have such a lasting effect on someone's psyche. I don't know if I am talking about myself or my old friend. I guess in a lot of ways I am a little bitter now...and just saddened by how shallow our friendship must have been all of those years. And once there was popularity to be had, what a tarnish I was on their reputations. <br /><br />I think despite all of this I have turned out fairly normal...If anything it has helped me to see through the facade of forced social situations and helped me to realize the unpleasant and selfish person that perceived popularity can create. I think for a lot of people, they peak too soon and never reach that point again. <br /><br />At the rate I am going, I doubt I will ever peak. It is more like a gradual plateau. All I know is that I don't talk to anyone that I knew before college anymore, and that is probably the best thing I have ever done for myself. When you are forced to be friends with people you might not otherwise get along with, you are given just that, a forced friendship. Very little is real about it, and the relationships that you make seldom last.<br /><br />Thanks for that lesson, J, and all of the other people that I was once convinced were really my friends. I wonder how you fared?Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-88650426897631939082009-08-21T10:50:00.002-04:002009-08-21T11:00:58.727-04:00A simple rock song courses through my head this morning. The beat mimicking my heart, the guitar mocking my step. My cat purrs on my lap as I write this, wondering why my hands are making noise on the keyboard instead of petting him.<br /><br />A routine is beginning to develop, yet it is unrelated to my cat or the simple rock song...a routine to carry me through this transition from late summer to early autumn. This year should be good, I know I have the power to ensure that. So much of what we experience is in our heads that you can take the same situation and interpret it in two completely different ways. It is all in our perception and our reaction. I am making more of an effort to control both of these aspects in my life, and so far it has worked pretty well.<br /><br />Changes in attitude, changes in latitude, changes in elevation, changes in humidity. At least I have a car, can live the American Dream, go to college, make something out of myself. But there is so much that can be made without a Masters Degree...They lie. They make you think that everything worth living for is related to higher education and a career with good healthcare benefits. Don't let them fool you too...The secret to life is to be happy, you just have to figure out what that entails.<br /><br />Try buying a cat!Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-54191292010027001802009-08-16T23:26:00.003-04:002009-08-16T23:34:31.483-04:00And back againJust like that, another summer gone. Scotland, Rock Glaciers, and now back to reality. Must go to work tomorrow and earn some money. Getting ready for the semester and to teach again...time to relearn what the bulk composition of an andesite is. <br /><br />Got four games of racquetball in tonight...a good workout, even if the HPER is disgustingly hot and humid. Sort of like Indiana in general, really. I cannot say that I missed the mugginess. Or the increased probability of being mugged. I much prefer driving out in Montana too...cows are easier to see than cats.<br /><br />I am still cooking some camp meals now and again. Ramen and tuna never tasted so good as when it is eaten at a table. I do miss camping and cooking meals with breathtaking vistas. I miss the vistas. And you can't have vistas without altitude...The way your lungs desperately suck each oxygen molecule out of the air and hand them off to the blood. more seamlessly than at a track meet!<br /><br />But it sure in nice to be back with my cat...he seems pretty content himself.Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-89629352113479895612009-06-28T20:47:00.002-04:002009-06-28T20:54:06.998-04:00ummer-sayThe humidity a response to the sun and the water. Vapor fills every void and awaits to precipitate on you. Summer in Indiana is a great thing. The animals know it, the plants know it, and the humans (a special variety of animal, not really though) cannot attack or praise these temperatures and this mugginess enough. Outside of the sweat, it really is great. A walk in the woods and beginnings of work on the throne. But this is all just a distraction from the bigger picture, the imminent summer plans which creep less than a few days away. How will I ever get ready? Did I take too big of a bite with this one? I have a pretty big mouth, but this leather is getting tougher and tougher to chew. rawhide...heeeeeeeeyaw. I just have to go there and get used to the altitude and hike around and collect data. fill out one sheet after another with my trusty assistant and I have the beginnings of a full fledged thesis. greatest GIS statistical geomorphological thesis ever, if I get my way. I better collect a lot of data.....<br /><br />The life of a geologist, the life of a masters student, the life of a dreamer, the life of a hiker, the life of a wanderer, destination unknown.Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-3385060684853500192009-06-17T09:35:00.002-04:002009-06-17T09:39:59.013-04:00immobile moverJust thought of this one - can God create a rock so large that even Time cannot eventually erode it away? I would say only if the sun or global warming boils all of the water off of our planet and geomorphology ceases to exist. Otherwise, NO! Time trumps God as long as there is water. And <span style="font-weight:bold;">nearly</span> all living organisms need water...not to imply that water should be God, but it might be thought of as the blood of the earth. However, all living organisms need time.Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-37547551225066528312009-06-14T16:31:00.004-04:002009-06-14T16:38:02.547-04:00Scotland and onI made it safely back from Scotland. Traveling is a blast, and alone it holds great potential for self-discovery. We all need to reset or correct our mindset every now and again. Now I have to bunker down and get ready for Montana. I am nowhere near that point. I don't even get time to reflect. Off of one adventure and on to the next.<br /><br />The new Swan Lake album sounds pretty great on first listen...I never got too deep into the first, but this one has some real potential. crazy Canadians...A Hand at Dusk is the first song that pulled me in. I better be careful not to burn it out.<br /><br />You know, when you get back from a vacation, it is easy to forget how liberating and enjoyable driving or even mowing the grass can be. When it is routine it is just a chore...but driving is ultimate freedom in reality. Unless you are on a toll road. I guess the limit to the freedom is the set of traffic rules you have to follow...but thats just common sense mostly. I don't feel too inhibited by the department of transportation rules of the road. Do you?Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-71691175623009461472009-02-04T11:35:00.001-05:002009-02-04T11:37:17.118-05:00funnyI found this on a Christian website...<br /><img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q8/acureton/seneecaandamy.jpg"> pretty funny...Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-78607904139989702642008-11-14T00:00:00.002-05:002008-11-14T00:01:38.864-05:00hehehehehe<center><img src="http://www.moltz.net/~john/images/struggle.jpg"></center>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-11112435011668819712008-11-07T18:00:00.004-05:002008-11-07T18:07:22.532-05:00Who are you?Parts of this writing was inspired by memories of a lecture by Alan Watts</p><br /><br /> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Who are you? You are just an organism living on a planet in a solar system in a galaxy in a cluster in a supercluster in a universe…and who is to say that there aren’t bigger levels than a universe that we just cannot detect with light (energy)? We know that you as an organism can be divided into organs, composed of tissue, made of cells, governed by DNA, which is made of atoms, made of electrons, protons, and neutrons, which are made of quarks, and who is to say that this too doesn’t continue infinitely.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">But as an organism, living on a planet for a finite amount of time, there are only three things that matter in your life. Your experiences, your memories, and your predictions.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><br /><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Your experiences are a series of events which occur at a particular location in space, at a particular moment in time. Some experiences span large distances of space and time, others not. Whenever you remember something, the event occurring is “experiencing a memory”. The only memories that you experience (for any duration of time) are the significant ones - the ones that have shaped your life...or is it the other way around? The only experiences that you remember (for any duration of time) are the significant ones, the ones that will shape your life. Both statements must be true.</p> <br /><br /> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So with increasing time, only the most significant events remain remembered. And as you experience events in present time, only the most significant events are committed to memory for any length of time. The less significant the event, the sooner it is forgotten.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /><br /> <p class="MsoNormal">Experiencing a memory is living in the past, experiencing an event is living in the present. Using your memories of experiences in the past to predict the event that will occur is living in the future. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <br /><br /> <p class="MsoNormal">Knowledge is nothing more than a set of rules deduced from events to help predict future events. The better you understand the true physical nature of events which occur, the more accurately you will be able to predict future events / the more knowledge and understanding you have. But then you just spend your whole life dissecting past events, instead of living in the present. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <br /><br /> <p class="MsoNormal">So life is a balance, a yin and a yang. During events that you decide are enjoyable, you want to experience the events and not worry about remembering them…but then after the event you want to be able to remember experiencing it. What governs whether or not we enjoy an event/experience? Our predictions based on the memories of similar events in the past. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <br /><br /> <p class="MsoNormal">For an event experienced for the first time, there is a large amount of uncertainty, which leads to fear in most organisms, and bravery/aggression in some. The more knowledge/understanding an organism has, the more likely that they will have some memory of a similar event to base predictions off of. The less knowledgeable the organism, the more likely it will interpret events with uncertainty and caution.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /><br /> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So events are more likely to be enjoyable the better you understand them, however the more you understand the less there is to enjoy. Getting there is the fun part. The mystery is what keeps it interesting. But perhaps it reaches a plateau, a point where you have reached equilibrium. This is the tipping point, so to speak. Now the more you understand, the less you can enjoy. <span style="font-weight: bold;">You have to find the balance.</span></p>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835489092722047207.post-80884272906135456592008-09-27T19:14:00.002-04:002008-09-27T22:52:43.195-04:00Grad SchoolSo i've neglected my blog for a month or two. Here is a brief update: The house is looking great, with a recently installed horseshoe pit, leak-free pluming, and paint on half of the walls. Work is still in progress, but its about 80% there. I've also started graduate school, and that has been a pretty drastic change. It takes some getting used to. I am slowly relearning the ways.<br /><br />I was playing horseshoes the other night and threw a game-winning ringer. It hit just right so that it knocked the stake and wood out of the ground and then pinned the stake down. I thought it was photoworthy...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.homesteadweaver.com/andrewgustin/blog/uploaded_images/2008-horseshoe-train-001-765635.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 427px; height: 320px;" src="http://www.homesteadweaver.com/andrewgustin/blog/uploaded_images/2008-horseshoe-train-001-765152.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Argushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15302807103685151105noreply@blogger.com0