:: Pedantic Platitudes ::

Greetings! My name is Sam J and I am a student at Harvard University. Perhaps this blog will present a little look into the mundane yet unique events that make up my life.
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:: Friday, February 28, 2003 ::

Today, I got to hear highly acclaimed intellectual and founder of modern linguistics Noam Chomsky. He was part of a panel discussion entitled Another World is Possible, which discussed alternatives to policies around the world, from education to poverty relief. The panel also featured a representative from an organization of woman peasants in Bolivia who delivered her speech in Spanish, a girl from a high school in Boston who talked about the importance of education and other youth issues, and technology director who talked about intellectual property and its uselessness if it it is not used to help people. Unfortunately, Noam Chomsky, who was the main attraction, could only speak for about 20 minutes because he had to rush off to another engagement, but he did give an excellent speech, as always.

Two quotes I got from the discussion:
"The world has two superpowers: The first is the United States; the second is world opinion." -Noam Chomsky.
"Nelson Mandela's body was in prison, but his mind was free; some people's bodies are free, but their minds are in prison." -Mel King.

Afterwards, I went out with some of my friends to get some ice cream. I had the cheesecake flavor. It reminded me of how much I miss Coldstone Creamery in SLO-town.

Wow, today has got to be one of the best nights in my life. I was invited to go to the Freshman Formal, and I had a blast. It was sort of a last-minute affair, but I was able to procure a ticket, and I had a suit already. I couldn't go until nearly 11 because my date had a previous engagement (a presentation of the upcoming film The Dancer Upstairs hosted by director John Malkovich). But we got to the formal, which was held at this really nice hotel in downtown Boston, and headed to the ballroom. There was some nice food - crackers, cheese, fresh fruit, brownies, nachos, etc. - and some nice drinks - sodas, punch, etc. Unfortunately, the food ran out too quickly. The music was hip-hop, but they had some good dance mixes as well. They had a really neat light show, also. I had a blast. When the party ended at 2 a.m. (which was way too early), we boarded busses back to school because the subway was closed at that time. We went to 7-11 to get a snack and hung out for a while. Then sometime around four in the morning, we went to see a little of the India/Pakistan cricket match that was broadcasted live on television. It was neat... only in college do you have experiences like that. Then we talked for a long time into the early morning hours.

:: SL 2:38 PM [+] ::
...
Yay! My article was published today on the front page of The Crimson! They even spelled my name correctly! Unfortunately, this is not reflected in the online version of the article. Read it here:
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=308418
Yay!
MSNBC has also done a story on this topic:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/878445.asp?cp1=1

:: SL 9:40 AM [+] ::
...
:: Thursday, February 27, 2003 ::
Well, I wrote my second article for The Crimson today. Guess what it's about? Blogs. This blog software expert is coming to Harvard to encourage students and faculty members to use blogs for personal as well as academic purposes. In researching the story, I found out a little about blog culture at Harvard and even got this blog listed in a directory for Harvard blogs.
See it here:
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/directory/36/harvardWeblogs
So, because this blog is now listed on the official Harvard website, I guess I should try to make this blog a little more intellectual or discuss things of greater importance than just my laundry... Just kidding! I can still post anything I want, from the mundane to the crass to the pedantic! For example, I can post the following sentence: "The frigidity is stifling my formerly unfettered eroticism."
Please forgive my thinly veiled excuse to reprint that sentence.

Ah yes... now it's off to do my chemistry problem set, which will require my staying up all Thursday night/Friday morning for the third week in a row.

:: SL 9:17 PM [+] ::
...
:: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 ::
Today's blog post is dedicated to those who let bygones be bygones... to those who realize that forgiveness is divine... to those who can still reconcile after all these years...

Anyways, I made a feeble attempt today to restart my rigorous daily exercise regimen after the week-or-so hiatus from all physical exertion because I had a cold.

I also participated in an interesting visual memory study where I had to look at lines on a screen and figure out if a line had changed direction, color, or size.

Random link of the day:
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/South/02/25/offbeat.alligator.arrest.ap/index.html
More proof that the best intentions can still land you in jail. There’s not even a happy ending to this story.

:: SL 11:03 PM [+] ::
...
:: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 ::
Today was one of those long class days; I had classes and then a two-hour chemistry lab until 6 p.m. At least I got a lunch break.

I also did my laundry today... woo hoo!

I am thinking I need to devote more time to my social life. I had an extended conversation with a friend of mine, and it made me realize how nice it is to talk. It's as if all the problems of the world are exhaled in the breath of speech.

I forgot to post yesterday that I went to hear Jesse Jackson Jr. speak at the government school. He is the son of the famous Reverend Jesse Jackson, and he is a Democratic congressman from the state of Illinois. He gave a rousing, fiery, and passionate speech about the importance of adding more constitutional amendments in order to guarantee certain rights for us American citizens. He suggested the right to an equal, high-quality education, the right to affordable housing for all Americans, as well as several other things. Some interesting and new ideas being put forward. He was definitely interesting to listen to, though. His speech was delivered with much gusto and great arguments.

:: SL 9:36 PM [+] ::
...
:: Monday, February 24, 2003 ::
In a stroke of pedantic genius reminiscent of my high school days, I crafted the following utterance today: "The frigidity is stifling my formerly unfettered eroticism."

:: SL 10:49 PM [+] ::
...
Welcome to the longest post in history. Grab that cup of Chai, sit back, and read away.

What a wonderful weekend trip! I got up early on Saturday morning and took the subway to Boston’s Chinatown, where the charter bus left for New York at 7 a.m. I was tired, so I slept most of the way, but it was a four-hour ride with a stop in a town in Connecticut. It was cloudy and raining heavily, so I didn’t really see any familiar landmarks from faraway; I wasn't sure that we were almost there until the bus crossed Manhattan Bridge into Manhattan. We arrived at about 11 a.m., and the bus stopped at an obscure street in New York’s Chinatown. Thus, I had to stop and ask for directions a couple of times. I finally found my way to a nearby subway stop.

One great thing about New York (among a gazillion others) is the subway system. Although it costs $1.50 to get to anywhere in the city via the subway (it’s only $1 in Boston), day passes for unlimited rides are available for just $4. It's a great deal, considering how much the subway will be used to get places. So I walked up to a cool touch-screen kiosk, deposited my money, and out popped a cool credit-card sized pass with a magnetic strip that you just swipe at the turnstile (like Disneyland!). I took the subway and I had to make a connection at Grand Central Station, so I stopped and took a few pictures. It is magnificent. The high, painted ceiling was bordered with detailed stonework. Then I boarded the 7 Train and made my way to Flushing in the New York borough of Queens. There, I met up with my aunt, who is visiting a college friend who is now an acupuncturist.

We had a wonderful lunch in Flushing’s Chinatown. Then my aunt and I took the subway to Times Square, where we spent a little time shopping. The place is huge. All the buildings surrounding the square are many stories tall. I never really realized what a small-town guy I was until I was in New York, gawking at the tall buildings and crowded streets. The ads lining the streets were huge, also. There was this five-story-tall model in underwear right on the street. The huge video screens flashing advertisements were impressive as well. Too bad the weather was so horrible; the rain was pouring, and the wind was freezing. My aunt and I walked a few blocks down from Times Square to 42nd Street, Broadway, and we managed to procure tickets for a Broadway show: The Producers. The prices were steep: $100 per person, but I suspected they would be worth it, considering the rave reviews it received when it opened a couple of years ago.

We then took the subway to Central Park, where we stopped only briefly because the rain was so bad. Then we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where we saw a special temporary exhibit showcasing the largest collection ever of Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches. It really says something when people wait in line up to an hour just to see sketches from your notebook. It really was incredible. We saw Leonardo da Vinci’s early sketches when he studied the anatomy of humans and animals. We also saw some sketches for some of his most famous works, most notably The Last Supper. His amazingly delicate drawings really reveal his genius and remarkable talent. It really was worth the wait.

By this time, it was almost 7 p.m., so we grabbed a quick sushi dinner from a small restaurant. We took the subway back to 44th Street and made it just in time for the 8 p.m. showing of The Producers. It turns out that we had fourth-row tickets! We would be seeing the critically acclaimed musical in a couple of the best seats in the house. After much anticipation, the musical began.

The Producers is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. (Yes, even more thrilling than The Vagina Monologues.) I was blown away by the huge production numbers, the extraordinarily talented actors and actress, the sweeping and full score (provided by a live orchestra), and the colorful and detailed sets that moved in from the sides and descended from the ceiling. The Producers is absolutely hilarious. The musical tells the story of a couple of guys who want to get rich by producing the worst possible musical in Broadway history; by producing a flop, the show will close very quickly, and the con-men producers will get to keep all the money put in by the investors (a bunch of little old ladies). So they pick out the worst script, actors, director in the business. The end result is the unbelievably hilarious “Springtime for Hitler and Germany: A gay romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgarden,” which portrays the evil dictator as an effeminate queen making his way up the political scene. This play within a play was the highlight of the production, and it absolutely must be seen.

There were many show-stopping numbers, well-written jokes and lyrics (“And now it’s springtime for Hitler and Germany/Winter for Poland and France/We’re marching to a faster pace/Look out! Here comes the master race!”), and lots of action-based comedy. It was offensive at times, but hilariously so. And at three hours, you got more entertainment for your buck. So was it worth $100 per ticket?

Absolutely.

By the conclusion of the show, it was rather late: 11 p.m., but my aunt and I went back to Times Square and visited a little while longer. Mind you, everything was still open. Even in Boston, things close at 11, but in New York, the stores were still bustling as busy as the daytime, and the streets were still crowded with visitors. There was just this wonderful atmosphere of aliveness. Also, the lights from the video screen and the huge advertisements made the place as bright as day. Yay for big cities! Today was one of the best days ever.

The next day, Sunday, my aunt and I went to a Dim Sum restaurant for lunch. Then, her friend drove us to Manhattan again, and the traffic was really bad, so by the time we got to the bus stop, it was time to go. But the rain and heavy fog that had plagued us the whole weekend finally cleared up the hour I left, so I finally got to see the Empire State Building, now the tallest building in New York City, as well as the Chrysler Building and the beautiful skyline of Manhattan. The bus also passed by the park that was formerly the site of the World’s Fair at Flushing Meadows in Queens, New York in 1964-5. I could see the giant globe and the huge towers (I believe they are featured in the first Men In Black movie). Anyways, the significance of the 1964-5 World’s Fair is that Walt Disney created four attractions for it, and they all made their way to Disneyland after the fair. The attractions were Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Primeval World (the dinosaurs you see on the Disneyland train), the Carousel of Progress (now at Walt Disney World), and “it’s a small world,” and they are among the most famous attractions at the theme parks. Again, I slept for most of the bus ride. I didn’t get back into Boston until about 6:30 p.m., but I got back to school at 7, just in time for my math section. It was a great weekend; now I just have to catch up on all the work I was supposed to do this weekend!

Everyone go visit New York! (and stop by Boston to visit me!)

:: SL 7:35 PM [+] ::
...
:: Friday, February 21, 2003 ::
I will be going to New York tomorrow! My aunt from California is in New York City this week to visit a friend, so she invited me to go down and visit her. This will be quite thrilling, as I have not been there since I was, like, three, so I have no memories whatsoever of that trip. I will be taking a bus, and it will probably take about four hours. I will be staying overnight at the house of my aunt's friend. I will have a trip report when I return on Sunday, so there probably won't be a post tomorrow.

My trip this weekend is super-exciting, but there always has to be a drawback: My uber-cool Canadian friend is throwing a big party on Saturday night, when I will be in New York. I found out about the party after I found out about New York. Sigh. Oh well.

Sorry if I don't post much these few days. Have a great weekend everyone!

:: SL 10:05 PM [+] ::
...
Yay! My article was published today in The Crimson! You can read it here:
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=272792
They spelled my name wrong!!! Tee hee!
It doesn't seem to cheery that my first article is an obituary, but I neglected to think about that when I signed up for the story. Next time, I will try to sign up for a more cheerful news item.

:: SL 12:22 PM [+] ::
...
:: Thursday, February 20, 2003 ::
Today, I wrote my first article for The Crimson, the daily newspaper of Harvard College! It will be published tomorrow. I actually managed to set aside an entire afternoon to write the story, but I will be paying dearly through the nose tonight as I toil to finish my chemistry problem set that is due tomorrow.

While researching for my psychology paper, I stumbled upon this link:
http://www.planetpsych.com/zSelf_Help/catinhat.htm
It's hilarious... Psychology can get a little... crazy... sometimes.
Selected Quote: At this point, the fish, an obvious Christ figure who represents the prevailing Christian morality, attempts to warn the children, and thus, in effect, warns all of humanity of the dangers associated with the unleashing of the primal urges. In response to this, the cat proceeds to balance the aquatic naysayer on the end of his umbrella, essentially saying, "Down with morality; down with God!"

:: SL 8:06 PM [+] ::
...
Recommended Link of the Day:
http://www.masturbateforpeace.com
Selected Quotes:
"I cum in peace."
"War is silly; whack your willy!"
"My bush doesn't declare war!"
"Touch your sack, not Iraq!"
"War can wait, masturbate!"
"Onanism, not pugilism!"

:: SL 7:57 PM [+] ::
...
:: Wednesday, February 19, 2003 ::
I spent most of today finishing up my psychology paper before it was due. Other than that, it has been a pretty uneventful day. One interesting thing: I saw Paloma Zepeda, a classmate of mine from back in the day at Charles E. Teach Elementary School. Some time before high school, she had moved from San Luis Obispo to Irvine and then went to a private boarding school here in Boston. I had no idea she was here. It's interesting that people can go such separate paths and then randomly meet each other again.

:: SL 9:32 PM [+] ::
...
Am I annoying?

According to www.amiannoying.com, I am "tolerable, if not pleasant. You should be proud of your annoyance rating." I got a score of 32 after I took the quiz to see if I am annoying or not.

:: SL 9:25 PM [+] ::
...
:: Tuesday, February 18, 2003 ::
Well, it was back to school today. It was so nice to have the day off yesterday. The several feet of snow made it difficult to return to classes. The Extension School here had all its classes canceled today, but the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (the college) wasn't so nice. Oh well.

I had a math test today. It dealt with the many different ways to perform integration. Ahhhh!!! Integration!!!

Well, it's going to be a long night tonight as I endeavor to complete my psychology paper.

:: SL 10:54 PM [+] ::
...
:: Monday, February 17, 2003 ::
Well, the storm came. The snow has been coming down all day, and there seems to be at least two feet of snow piled up outside. It has even become difficult to walk into my entryway because of the snow blocking the door. We are all crossing our fingers that maybe classes will be canceled tomorrow, but that seems unlikely.

This evening, I watched the final episode of Joe Millionaire, the show that proves that trash TV is still as popular as ever. I had not been following with the series, but tonight was the finale, and the show basically boils down the the woman's reaction at the end. The show was sickeningly sweet as they tried to portray it as a happy ending in a fairy tale. I predict the relationship will last for about a week. Well, at least the couple has a million dollars now. Little known fact: The guy in Joe Millionaire, Evan Marriott, used to model skimpy underwear online.

:: SL 10:52 PM [+] ::
...
:: Sunday, February 16, 2003 ::
Random conversation:

Male Student: I went to get my hair cut today; do you like my new haircut?
Female Student: I don't like it when guys get haircuts; it makes them look naked.
Another Male Student: And that's a bad thing?

Another random conversation:

(In the rodent section of a pet store.)
Boy: Rats humping! I want to see rats humping!!! Where are the rats humping?
Girl: You're disgusting.
Boy: What do you mean? Don't you want to see how you were conceived?
Girl: Not by rats humping...

:: SL 10:14 PM [+] ::
...
It was another frigid day today; the temperatures this week have been the lowest it's been in ten years! I'm glad that Mother Nature has decided to welcome the first winter of my four-year stay here on the East Coast with the coldest winter in a decade. Actually, frigid doesn't even begin to describe it. I'm walking down the street and I actually feel my face going numb. I have to smile/frown to give my face some movement to keep it from freezing over. I was calling on my cell phone outside, and my fingers were exposed to the biting wind; after about five minutes, my fingers were numb and had a hard feeling to it. The skin had turned rigid and extremely dried out. I couldn't move my fingers at all. I went back inside and moved my fingers around, and it took several minutes to regain feeling. In the mornings, some people go outside with damp hair, and it quickly becomes frozen. I now go outside bundled in my snow jacket, beanie, gloves, and scarf. It's suppose to snow tomorrow (there's a huge snowstorm moving its way up the East Coast from Washington DC), so that means the temperatures will go up. Thank goodness.

Today, I went to a comp meeting for The Crimson, which is the daily newspaper of the college. I hope to begin writing for the paper this semester. I had planned to do so last semester, but things got in the way. This time, I hope to complete my comp (I have to write 10 news stories, 2 feature stories, and one in-depth investigative report) this semester.

:: SL 12:47 AM [+] ::
...
:: Saturday, February 15, 2003 ::
Now that I have recovered from my cold, I have resumed my exercise routine. It was good to go back to the gym to run. I really felt as if I had accomplished something by the end.

Today, my friend and I went to see the movie Daredevil. I was a bit wary because all the reviews I had read were negative, but my friend, who is obsessed with superheroes, insisted that I go with her. I was completely blown away by the film. It was great entertainment, despite the fact that we went to see it at a theater in downtown Boston at night, so it cost $10, and we couldn't even movie hop because they were aggressively checking tickets. Believe it or not, this was the first movie I had seen since winter vacation! This was also the most I've ever paid to see a movie.

We went to the North End (the Italian district in Boston) to have some delicious gourmet pre-movie pastries, and then we headed to the movie theater. Daredevil was great. It reminded me strongly of Spider-Man; there were many moments when I thought, "Oh, this is just like Spider-Man." There was a romantic kissing in the rain scene, a random jumping off of tall buildings in New York City, a superhero avenging a close family member's death, etc, etc. Plus, there's Ben Affleck in red leather, as well as Colin Farrell, except he has a hideous tattoo on his forehead. The special effects were nice, and there were some good lines, though many were kind of inane: "That light you see is not heaven... It's the C train." It seemed to be a summer blockbuster film, so it was unusual to see it in the middle of February. But overall, I recommend the movie to anyone who liked Spider-Man, the film that defined my summer of 2002. Perhaps I will go back and watch this movie again. Everyone go see Daredevil!

:: SL 10:52 PM [+] ::
...
:: Friday, February 14, 2003 ::
From the Modern Blog of Daniel S. Gonzales: I'm single. I'm not going to get laid. But I'm not going to say, "I hate Valentine's Day."

I concur.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Today, I went to bed "early" because I had slept very little the previous night to finish my problem set. I also participated in another psychology study, which tested the effects of social humiliation and embarrassment.

:: SL 10:31 AM [+] ::
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:: Thursday, February 13, 2003 ::
Today, I went to see one of the greatest theatrical experiences ever conceived: The Vagina Monologues. All in all, I had a wonderful time. The Vagina Monologues is so much more than women just talking about their "private parts." It was tasteful, yet crass and loud at the same time. There was a huge cloth representation of a vagina for a backdrop, and various women came onstage throughout the course of the production to deliver poignant portrayals of their vaginas. Themes included maturation, sexual violence, gratification, and love. My favorite piece was called "My Angry Vagina," which begins with, "My vagina is angry; it needs to talk. My vagina is furious..." There was a strong message of equality for women running throughout the performance, and many humorous anecdotes were shared by the cast members. Eve Ensler, the author, would be proud. The proceeds from the production go to women's charities for V-Day, a day to remember and end violence against women. Because tonight was opening night, everyone was dressed up in formal wear. I got to wear my suit, which I hadn't worn since Graduation 2002. God, that seems like so long ago.

:: SL 9:08 PM [+] ::
...
:: Wednesday, February 12, 2003 ::
Tonight, my friend and I went on a random walk at 1 a.m. to get pizza because we were both hungry and wanted a break from studying. On the way back from the pizza shop, I saw the most disturbing thing: a couple of guys with their cocks out, urinating on a tree. Ah, the old feature of college boys engaging in an act of public urination on a tree. I had heard so much about it before I came to college, but I only saw it for the first time tonight. I'm sure it's not as bad here as in some other colleges where many more males wander about in a drunken stupor after a night of drinking, stopping only to relieve themselves on public streets. It was still jarring, nevertheless, to see the sight.

I slept a lot today between classes. I feel much better now after getting more rest.

Well, I went to the first read-through of the musical I'm in. I only have four lines (basically a cameo role, according to the script), but I do get to say the line, "And on top of that, I think I'm pregnant!" The musical is hilarious. It's a satire on freshman life in college, particularly Harvard, and is filled with many inside jokes. The music is really nice, also. The tunes they wrote for this piece are fun and nice to listen to. The musical's Web site is
http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~fm. There's a song preview under "The Show."

:: SL 6:54 PM [+] ::
...
:: Tuesday, February 11, 2003 ::
*Cough* *Cough* Sorry about that... I'm a bit sick, you see. I hope to recover soon.

I saw this on a poster, and I thought it was cool: "In a sea of foaming pleasure, I ride on the waves."

I also bought a new CD today. It's by the sibling rock trio Justincase.
Check them out at http://www.justincase.com

:: SL 6:19 PM [+] ::
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:: Monday, February 10, 2003 ::
I did my laundry today. Okay, sorry for such an inane post today... nothing really happened. Well, a lot happened, but nothing really worth mentioning. I'm going to try to avoid posting about routine things, like, "Today, I took a shower," or "I ate food today."

Oh yes. Something exciting did happen. I got a part in a play! It's called "Get Some," and it's the one with the line that says, "I love you, in a gay way," though I don't think I was cast in the part that says that line. My character's name is David, and I will find out how many lines I have on Wednesday. I had been worried because I wasn't asked to do any callbacks, so I thought I wasn't going to get a part in any of the 20+ plays that will be put on this semester. I'm glad things turned out OK in the end.

:: SL 11:59 PM [+] ::
...
:: Sunday, February 09, 2003 ::
I tried again to clean up my room again. It has now become a weekly ritual for me to clean my room because it accumulates so much stuff as the week progresses. I did make some new binders for all my classes, so hopefully that will cut down on some of the clutter, also.

For some reason, I am feeling happier than I have felt in a long time. I hope this continues; it's a good feeling to smile and love life.

:: SL 4:39 PM [+] ::
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:: Saturday, February 08, 2003 ::
Today was the birthday of one of my entryway-mates, so many of us went to a New Orleans-style restaurant for dinner. I had catfish strips. Dinner was good, but even better was the fact that my crush was also in attendance (the hot Canadian). We came back, and then I had a great conversation with a girl in my entryway from South Africa. We then all went out to a party at the graduate school. Man, they do not know how to party. The music they played was horrible (on par with the 2002 MBHS Prom, where they played the song "Clint Eastwood" by Gorillaz), and many people just sat around. Well, who am I to complain... I myself do not party; the one time I decide to go out with my roommates to a party, they go to the most boring one they can find. Oh well.

:: SL 11:14 PM [+] ::
...
I'd like to wish Disney's California Adventure a Happy Birthday! The much-maligned and troubled theme park turns 2 today.

:: SL 12:43 PM [+] ::
...
:: Friday, February 07, 2003 ::
Wow, it really snowed hard today. The snow has piled up on the ground, and everything is covered in white. I've never seen it snow so much and so heavily. Good thing that there are people who drive little bulldozers that scrape the snow off the sidewalks. Otherwise, we would all sink into the snow.

Despite the excessive snow, today has been a wonderful day. I woke up with a really sore throat (which had begun last night); I really thought I had caught something, and I was like, "Noooo!!!" because I don't want to get sick (well, who does?). But by the end of this afternoon, specifically after I had gone to the Malkin Athletic Center (the MAC) to exercise, I felt much better.

I then waited in line to get tickets for, and subsequently went to see, the performance of the Harlem Boys Choir, which had come to visit Harvard for the week. The boys of the choir had stayed in the school's dorms, sat in on some classes, and rehearsed with some of the musical groups on campus. Tonight, they performed to a sold-out theater. They were absolutely amazing. The production team and orchestra really did a good job building up to the choir's first notes with lights and dramatic music. The Harlem Boys Choir truly was incredible. Their voices blended perfectly in harmony and sounded so rich and full together. In addition, their vocal ranges stretched from the lowest to the highest notes, so even though there were only boys, their talented voices made them sound like a complete chorus of men and women. The founder of the group also spoke a little, and then the choir performed some numbers with some of the a capella groups on campus, and then they performed some more songs by themselves, this time adding spectacular and lively choreography. It all looked like a production number from a huge Broadway production, with tap dancers, flashy costumes, and sweeping dance moves. It was worth the two-hour wait for tickets.

Following the performance, there was a reception, where they served the most delicious catered desserts I have ever had the pleasure of tasting. I really am a huge fan of those little desserts that they only serve at exclusive parties... desserts like little fruit tarts, key-lime tarts, chocolate-dipped strawberries, miniature cannoli, cinnamon bars, lemon bars, brownies, cookies, and fresh fruit. They had all these and more on the tables. At the reception, I also got to have an extended conversation with my crush from Canada, who is so eloquent with a hot Canadian accent and well-read, too. Dreamy! This delightful ending made my day wonderful, and now I am off to bed.

:: SL 10:58 PM [+] ::
...
Harvard students are all so talented... in so many different ways...
This week in the student weekend magazine there was a little feature on Harvard's very own gay porn star. Read all about it here:
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=270104

:: SL 1:18 PM [+] ::
...
Gotta love that Japanese humor...

I have found a rather likeable cartoon character by the name of Doraemon, who has his own comic strip and cartoon show in Japan. He is kind of like the Japanese equivalent of Mickey Mouse. Doraemon is a blue robot-cat who has a fourth-dimensional pocket from which he pulls out gadgets to help other people. Usually, however, something goes awry, and hilarity ensues. Nevertheless, everything is resolved at the end, and there is some moral or lesson learned or taught. There's a wonderful analysis of Doraemon here:
http://www.time.com/time/asia/features/heroes/doraemon.html
As it says, Doraemon "transmits a message that transcends every language: the future can be likable, the present is redeemable, and you can be happy even if you're blue." Yay!

Anyways, here's a funny Doraemon scene:

"In another silly story, Nobita (Doraemon's owner) is deeply touched by his teacher's morale-raising lecture, but can't seem to convey the "touching" part of it to anyone else. Doraemon then produces for him a microphone/speaker that makes anything he says deeply inspiring. Nobita of course runs off to show it off to his friends; they are all busy watching the local videotaping of a popular idol. Nobita is determined to inspire and move them more than the celebrity can; unfortunately, he has gotten his microphone switched with a baby's toy, and has to recover it. Finally, with the microphone in his back pocket, he rushes over to his friends to impress them --- but accidently farts while trying to pull the microphone out of his pocket. There is a moment of stunned silence. The last panel shows Nobita fleeing in sheer embarrassment from a mob of pursuing people who are shouting, "What a deeply moving fart that was!" "

:: SL 8:07 AM [+] ::
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:: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 ::
Today has been the longest day; I had classes nearly continuously from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It's good to be back at my room, where I can now start on my homework! Yay!

Today at school was Study Card Day, when I had to turn in my study card, which is basically a registration sheet declaring what classes I will be taking this semester. I have decided on taking Chemistry, Calculus, Psychology, and a course about the Vietnam War that satisfies a history requirement.

Here's another reason why California is the greatest state ever:
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TRAVEL/02/05/offbeat.naked.bridge.ap/index.html

:: SL 4:40 PM [+] ::
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:: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 ::
Well, same routine as yesterday: classes, exercise, auditioning. This evening I auditioned for The Freshman Musical, where I got to say the line, "I love you... in a gay way," and Phaedra's Love, where I got to say the line, "Go fuck someone else and pretend it's me," in response to the line, "I wanna make you cum." Tee Hee. As one of my friends would say, I'm still innocent!!!

To the Ben Admirers: Did we ever consider Bonecollector Ben? Or did we ever do BARRAGE OF BEN? I think that's a rather unique and imaginative concept. Imagine: Eleven guys named Ben who dance, sing, and play the fiddle on a stage about the size of a small coffee table. It really would be a barrage of Ben! They would exemplify the height of fashion and be lively and spirited. At appropriate times, they would gesture dramatically to their speech. How about it? Isn't it a great idea? I don't believe I've thought of that yet. Unfortunately, getting eleven Bens of sufficient caliber together to cavort about onstage with fiddles remains something to be desired, but hey, I can dream...

:: SL 11:09 AM [+] ::
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:: Monday, February 03, 2003 ::
Well, I went to exercise for the second day in a row. I actually enjoy exercising now! There's something about the entire room full of other people exercising that seems to motivate me even more. If I make this a daily routine, I will be in excellent health in no-time. I also really like the facilities, which are clean, modern, and high-tech.

Today began common casting for the spring productions of all the drama groups on campus. Common casting is where every student actor within a three-mile radius of our school (which ends up totalling to trillions of auditioners) goes and tries out for every single play that they find interest in. There was no preparation necessary... You just go in and read some lines and sing a few scales and then they'll do callbacks next week. I went to try out for the musical "Chess" (which was written by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA fame). One song in the musical is called "I Know Him So Well," and it was covered by the now-defunct British pop quintet Steps for an ABBA tribute album. I also tried out for a newly-written farce called "Farce of Habit." I have come to enjoy farces ever since Claptrap, which was a most hilarious and unforgettable experience. The last play for which I auditioned was "Dybbuk," which is based on an ancient Jewish tale. I hadn't planned to audition for it, but one of the producers came up to me and asked me if I wanted to audition, so I thought, "Why not?" and tried out for it. I will be going back to try out for some more plays (common casting goes on all this week). I just hope I make it to at least one callback; the callbacks will be announced this weekend.

I still need to see the movie Chicago! I've heard such great things about it. I will need to set aside time to go see it this weekend.

:: SL 9:42 PM [+] ::
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:: Sunday, February 02, 2003 ::
Today, I went to a men's volleyball game. Harvard was playing Sacred Heart University, and my roommate, John, was playing. John, as you may know, is 6'8", so he makes a wicked volleyball player. Unfortunately, we lost today, but it was still a good game to watch. Well, I feel as if I should talk more about my roommate, John. He is really cool. And he's tall, too. He's one of the tallest first-years. There's a student from Germany who's taller, but his head is shaven, so it looks disproportionately small compared to the rest of his body. John is very considerate; he is the best roommate anyone could ask for, and I feel lucky that I got to room with him.

This evening I went to the athletic center to exercise. There are really nice facilities, with a pool, a cardiovascular room, a weight room, a sauna, and individual rooms for various sports, from table tennis to wrestling to fencing. I ran 1.5 miles on the treadmill and biked 3 miles on the stationary bike. I hope to make this a daily routine now.

:: SL 9:48 PM [+] ::
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:: Saturday, February 01, 2003 ::
Happy Chinese New Year! Per tradition, I handed out "red envelopes," which contain a monetary gift, and wore new clothes. By coincidence, the new sweater I wore was red, which is the traditional good-luck color for Chinese New Year. I also hung up red banners proclaiming good luck for the new year around my dorm. I hope everyone has a healthy, happy, and prosperous new year! Gong Xi Fa Tsai!

I've spent most of today writing thank-you cards to my relatives in Taiwan. I wanted to get them all finished by five in the afternoon and mail them before the post office closed, but it turned out that the post office had closed at three in the afternoon! Oh well; I'll have to mail my cards on Monday.

Now, I am in the process of cleaning up my room, which in the course of a semester, has accumulated quite a bit of clutter. It shouldn't be too massive of an undertaking; I should finish in time for bed.

:: SL 3:01 PM [+] ::
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