December 2011
3 posts
Here’s to the new year, and hopefully to moving on. (Ha. Right.)
Holly Lisle Is Always Right
You know, I can’t think of one time when Holly Lisle has been wrong. She’s always preached that if you’re having a fight with your Muse, leave them alone and eventually they’ll come back to you with a good idea that you can then make great.
I’ve been pushing ideas out of my head all semester, demanding something better than the ideas I had in Mali (which...
Rachel and Ross...story of my life.
September 2011
4 posts
think
when you really think about it —and you’re already up by ten if you can really think about anything at all— any kindness left in the human heart is a miracle and proof of someany one gOd’s (realness
is distinct from existence) having control over society supersedes (underscores?) the presence of (love or as believers say
Love) is God and gOd is lOve and if we all know Love is real,...
8 tags
“Mathematical ling,
With all your useless symbols:
Please turn into words.”
– Haiku by Brian Cansler
August 2011
1 post
Refreshing
Today, after about a week of tossing around a few ideas, I started writing again.
And damn, does it feel good.
June 2011
2 posts
A Villanelle
the ticking of the clock leaves me behind. though i pretend that i no longer care, the syntax of her love still kills my mind.
alone, i wish she’d once again be kind. since time has failed to dull my long despair, the ticking of the clock leaves me behind.
parentheses of kisses soon did find a way to hold my life between each pair. The syntax of her love still kills my mind.
another hour into my...
Three Turns and Forever
I stepped back into some very familiar territory the other day and wrote a poem in my spare time: “Three Turns and Forever.” It’s been quite a long time since I last wrote a poem, and I’m pretty happy with the result. Like most of my poems over the last few years (and almost all of the good ones), it’s very inspired by E. E. Cummings (my favorite poet). I’m not...
April 2011
2 posts
Exam To-Do List
Phonology Exam-7p 29 Apr
Syntax Exam-7p 30 Apr
Phonology Final Paper-11a 2 May
Syntax Final Paper-7p 30 Apr
Lingala Exam-8a 29 Apr
Wolof Exam-12p 2 May
AFRI Exam-12p 29 Apr
Afri Paper-2p 25 Apr
ANTH Paper-11a 13 Apr
ANTH Exam-12p 5 May
Four down, six to go. God, get me through until Monday at 11a. That’s all I ask.
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered, forgive them anyway.
If you...”
– unknown
March 2011
6 posts
“What is there to thank our soldiers for? They are not defending our freedoms....”
– I respectfully disagree with this sentiment. Whether the wars the U.S. is involved in are moral or not (and I believe there are arguments to both sides), the obedience and willingness to put themselves in harm’s way is the reason to thank our soldiers. Whatever the threat, whatever the mission, they...
My Views on Sex, Homosexuality, and... →
Over at my other blog, Islam as I See It. Check it out and follow me there!
Islam as I See It →
my blog for those of you who want to hear about my musings on Islam.
God as I Know Him (Or, Why I'm Becoming a Muslim)
I have always had a number of problems with religion, especially in recent years. I was raised Catholic, and none of that utterly absurd dogma never made a bit of sense to me. Even the theology was bizarre: Jesus Christ is God…and God’s son? And that’s just the beginning of the things that just don’t make sense to me. If you feel that Christianity represents Truth and if...
February 2011
1 post
stand up straight: i hate you Justin Bieber →
imrollinandtumblin:
breadcrumbtrail:
excerpt from Justin Bieber’s interview in the latest Rolling Stone- He isn’t sure what political party he’d support if he was old enough to vote. “I’m not sure about the parties,” Bieber says. “But whatever they have in Korea, that’s bad.” He does have a solid opinion on abortion. “I really don’t believe in abortion,” Bieber says. “It’s like killing...
January 2011
5 posts
“The Eskimos had fifty-two names for snow because it was important to them: there...”
– Margaret Atwood (via littletrumpetgirl)
This might be the most grossly exaggerated and wide-spread misconception about linguistics.
What's the name of that Tim Burton film that has a...
emmaeuphoria:
thebroph:
pandoricacenturion:
thatweasleygirl:
liquidswords-:
I think Johnny Depp was in it.
The one with Helena Bonham Carter?
I think they shot it in claymation…?
It’s that one….you know, the one with the really over the top costumes?
Oh, do you mean the one where everyone was really pale?
Religion is fucking scary
It’s interesting how terrifying religion can be sometimes.
A friend I used to have has recently decided he’s very devout. He’s reading the entire Christian Bible this year and blogging about it, and I realize now how religion has changed him for the worse. The level of blind acceptance of things that don’t really make sense at face value is horrific. I’ll give you a...
December 2010
4 posts
“Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.”
– Anne Frank
You know, it’s funny. Remember that girl I mentioned the other day, Ami? The devout one I can’t get out of my mind? I wrote her a letter explaining two gifts I got her, and part of my explanation was that the fundamental human endeavour in life is to overcome that part of...
Dear Tumblr
Please make sending messages, seeing notes on posts, and adding and replying to comments much easier. Right now, these are all utterly impossible to do even though you allegedly have the options for them. Also, please start playing nice with Google Chrome. If I have to choose between the two, I love you, but I love Chrome more.
Sincerely,
Angry Customer
“Mr. Buckland life was about the pursuit of knowledge rather than the expression...”
– Tracy Chevalier, Remarkable Creatures: A Novel
As my friend and coworker Nathalie said, this is “a flaw in the world of academia.” I vow never to make this same mistake.
“Talent renders the whole idea of rehearsal meaningless; when you find something...”
– Stephen King, explaining why I work so damn hard on linguistics and why I love that work so much.
November 2010
4 posts
revelations 11.29
sherry:
everyone is limited in different ways, and the sooner you accept that, the happier you’ll be.
talking (v):
howhelovedme:
When two people are not exclusive with each other nor have established what they are as a couple, but have some sort of relationship.
try explaining this to your mom. it is border line impossible.
(via ourtimeisalmosthere)
True story.
Amen.
Counting My Blessings
Every Thanksgiving, I actually stop to think about all the people and things in my life who make living it worthwhile. In no particular order:
my family, whose company I enjoy a little more now that I’m away at college;
melanie, who understands me and puts up with me and loves me no matter what, and for whom i do the same;
gloria, who’s been beside me through everything without...
October 2010
4 posts
“I think in the best case, religion gives people bad reasons to be good when good...”
– Sam Harris, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 10/4/10
September 2010
5 posts
“He’s gay, he just doesn’t know it yet.”
– I have one hell of an earful for the next person who says that about me. Don’t you think I’ve contemplated that possibility by this point in my life? Fucking hell. Get off it, people.
o heart, why are you so fickle?
why can’t you make up your mind? why do you wander so? what is going on?
August 2010
4 posts
One Day, One Room
I love linguistics a lot. A whole lot. It fills me with a burning, driving passion that, in a way, defines who I am. It always will.
But no matter how much I love linguistics, some part of me will always yearn for just a touch of psychology so I can understand how people react, so I can feel the real, raw emotion of another person. (I think that’s what draws me to writing, too: that...
I feel so grown up!
I’m having a paper published.
I have three jobs, one with an office.
I have health insurance that I’m paying for myself.
I have a credit card. A real, high-interest credit card.
I have a yearlong research opportunity in Africa lined up.
I’m hosting two linguistics colloquia at UNC next year.
Damn, I feel so grown up! It’s pretty crazy.
July 2010
5 posts
Career Song
My new “career song” is the full version of No Floods by the brilliant Lady Gaga. Every time I listen to it, I get very hopeful about my career. So that’s that.
In other news, Alyson’s twin sister died, not her. Sarah Sheep-herd, your plot is as awful as Stephanie Meyer’s style. If that’s what really goes down, PLL has REALLY lost its charm for me.
Do you want to know why we don't talk anymore?
I got tired of being someone you had to pencil into your “busy schedule” wherever it was convenient for you.
I got tired of the secrets and the betrayal at your request.
I got tired of being nothing but an audience for your somewhat boring anecdotes so you can brag about which guys you fucked and how big their dicks are and how good they feel inside you and who doesn’t know...
I've figured it out. Sorta.
I haven’t talked about my three New Year Resolutions very much lately, so here’s an update.
1. Before I turn 20, I want to write a book.
This has always been a goal of mine. However, I haven’t decided to continue pursuing it for the moment. Why? That’s a good question with a good answer.
It’s just not what I really wanted more than anything anymore. I still want...