One last thought before ending the month of romance and love. There comes a time in every one's life where they feel like they are the only one on the entire surface of the planet. There are times when you sit and stare at the couples that walk past you. You mentally shake your fist at them because you wonder why not you. We have had our hearts broken and swear off love for eternity. Other times we become so numb that even if that special someone was right in front of you, you would not know. I hated the "more fish in the sea" bullshit condolences that were often doled out. Why do people think that saying something like that repairs everything instantly? Why do people feel that going out and getting ripped solve the hurt?

I've been there, more than once and it sucks the big weenie.

Then there are times when you find someone that comes out of your blind side and captures your very being without warning and without you seeking them. The feeling you get is an amazing one because you realize that someone out there gives a damn about you. It is almost as good as (for men) wearing silk boxers on a very windy day or even (for women) chocolate. The first hug and the first kiss as well as other firsts are all new and exciting and we want to hold on to that feeling forever. Call enamorment or any other condition that we find ourselves in when really attracted to someone, when it happens, it rocks! Soon enough you find yourself with someone who really wants to see you nude, multiple times in fact. The emotions run even deeper and the amount that you care for that person increases.

My point is this, we seem to only remember the highs and the lows especially during this crazy time of the year without considering too much about quiet time with someone you love and care deeply for. Sounds kinda hippy-ish but what ever happened to "...if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with...?" I can't blame it all on the 80s, but I think the counter to the counter culture started there and we have left some of those ideals behind.


-WTS

There are certain times in life when we come to different conclusions about where we want to be and how we want to feel. I am sure that a vast majority of us would just like to be happy, secure, and full of energy. There are others who not only want that but be extremely rich and have the ability to squash those who pushed them around earlier in life. In reality though, we find ourselves sometimes going from routine to routine without even a sideways glance at what is passing us by.

I am one of those who for one reason or another, has refused to pay attention. I am also guilty of letting my world become more and more black and white. I have reread some of the postings over the past 18 months and I really did not like what I saw. Sure, the funny stuff was great and it is always worth the time to shoot the proverbial finger at those who think the human race is too stupid to think for themselves.

No, I am talking about the self-reflective crap that I was feeling at the time that was, well, down on life which goes against everything that I was taught while growing up. Sometimes bad things happen and we have a choice to make. We either wallow in the misery looking for compassionate souls to feel sorry for us or we face the problem and deal with it head on. I faced the problem that was in front of me but was feeling miserable about the whole thing and I let it get to me.

There is a Chinese philosophy that states, "A man takes a drink, the drink takes a drink, the drink takes the man." These are the three stages that we go through before losing who we are. The man taking a drink is symbolic of us being in control of a situation. Drink taking a drink shows us that after awhile, the person is not a full participant in the situation until finally the situation overwhelms and dominates the person. I was in the middle position and soon heading for the last and I hated it. I lost my voice, my self-respect and was in danger of losing myself.

I spoke about light houses last year and coming to a tough decision. It was right then that I decided that I was no longer going to let "the drink take a drink." It is one thing to decide a course of action and yet another to make it happen. I made a choice and it has indeed affected the way I was looking at the world. Those who know my story talk to me about bravery and the like With all love and respect, I wish they wouldn't. Please understand, I hate being put on a pedestal and would rather stay down here with the rest of you. I am just a regular guy doing what I believe is right and I am nothing out of the ordinary. (I am not fishing here so finger off the reply button)

A few weeks ago, I made another decision that I am fucking sick and tired of looking at the world in gray scale. The entry I did about sitting on a hillside demonstrates to what I believe is my turning point. Instead of trudging up that hill, I sat down and waited, listened, and allowed myself to be still. I have been, as Rob put it, blogging like a freak. He is right and it is possible because I have found my voice.

More importantly, I have found my heart and I am not afraid of it. I am coming out of that dark corridor in Kansas to the explosion of technicolor (minus the singing little people). Thank you to those who have watched me bump around and let me do so. I am going to make a better effort of seeing things with open eyes. I do fully intend to still wield the Sword of Sarcasm whenever I see the need...

-WTS

Funny thing, after blogging about the human obsession about hair, it would seem that locally, hair color is in the news. In a town just west of the Asylum, a girl was suspended from her elementary school because she had pink hair. Her father is taking her side and standing up to school officials. Even better, many of the child's classmates are going to dye their hair in a form of silent protest.

I am of two minds on this issue. First of all, the hair coloring and styles issue surfaced in my district because certain gang members were dying portions of their hair to signify their alliance. Then again, we had to ban colored shoelaces, bracelets, certain types of necklaces, bandanas, hats, made sure all of the trays in the lunch line were the same color, and put the kids in uniforms in order to combat the problem. In other words, just because a few were doing something that is considered illegal, the entire student body lost their right to self-expression.

Back to the elementary scene...

This is a great opportunity for the students to practice civil liberties. Even though theoretically school policies are set into place to protect students, I wonder why the fuss about colored hair at the elementary level. Why are adults so concerned with placing every child into the cookie-cutter mold and making sure that everyone looks the same, as another culture did during the 1930's?

Is it self-expression and the almost state of rebellion that adults fear? Is it because they grew up during a different time? (This argument is growing weaker since a majority of today's parents came out of the late 70s and 80s and I once had blonde streaks on one side of my head and a rat tail) I can almost draw a parallel between the cookie-cutter syndrome and the reasons why there is an achievement gap with special populations. Self-expression is not a bad thing at all as long as kids are not placing metal spikes in their head.

-WTS

I am not sure if this is true for all men, so I will speak for myself. I really, really despise the night of the Oscars. I like to find out who won what, but that is all. I can not stand the pre-shows and the red carpet zoo parade. Now we are going to have to listen to for the next week who wore what and who brought whom. The catty comments made by the reporters who they themselves look like they just picked something out of Boy George's closet about drive me crazy.

This is not intended to be sexist, but being a male in a profession which is dominate female, the conversations revolve around the parade of gowns for days. Me and my other male associates commiserate over the fact that football is over with. I guess the Academy Awards occuring right after the Super Bowl is significant?

Originally, the Academy Awards was intended to honor the best of the best in Hollywood. I am sure that it started out with good intentions, but over the years, I have noticed some questionable calls almost as bad as Jethro Tull getting heavy metal artist of the year. I also notice that the quality of the presentation of the awards has degraded. I mean, how many times do we have to suffer from Selene Dion before our collective brains revolt and run away.

-WTS

I want it long, straight, curly, fuzzy
Snaggy, shaggy, ratty, matty
Oily, greasy, fleecy
Shining, gleaming, streaming
Flaxen, waxen
Knotted, polka-dotted
Twisted, beaded, braided
Powdered, flowered, and confettied
Bangled, tangled, spangled, and spaghettied!

I am once again tired of our obsession with teen stars gone wild. Night after night, I am faced with the horrible realization that at one time or another during the hour that I watch the news and my favorite news magazine that I will have to hear something about Ms. Spears. (Does anyone else think that it is somewhat ironic that her initials are BS?) What exactly makes Britney such a special case that we have an influx of her latest escapades?

I am not hip on her current cult status with the kids, but the constant focus on her makes me worry on the impression that she leaves. Married twice and working on her second divorce before reaching the ripe old age of 26, Britney is leaving the impression that disposable marriages are the new "in" thing. Mother of two babies, she carouses the city life and acts as if she did not have any sort of responsibility.

Her latest commando escapades probably have done wonders for Frat boys and voice-cracking adolescents, but the message once again is bad. Now, in a stroke of pure genius, she shaves her head and goes in and out of rehab. The news forums are alive with talk about Britney losing it. Look, it was one thing to slip Madonna the tongue, but it is quite another to continually ignore your children and act like you are still on top of your game.

Was is Hollywood that drove her to such depths or the pressure of being in the limelight all of the time? Myself, I blame Paris. Think about it, tick off the number of people who have hung around Paris that has ended up in either Rehab or the adult film industry. Either way, Britney needs to set the bar (figurative bar that is) higher and grow up. She needs to become more like her idol Madonna and learn that with children comes responsibility...

-WTS

On the hillside I waited
Facing the world with arms outstretched
Senses alive
Waiting for you to be with me

In the day's warm embrace I stood
Anticipation playing on my skin
Senses alive
Knowing that you were coming

In my mind's eye I envisioned you
The scent of you
The sound of you
Knowing that the time was near

In my heart's desire I felt you
The sensation of you next to me
Your heat replacing that of the sun
Senses Alive

The latest from those who scan the heavens is that there may be a 1-45,000 chance that an asteroid may careen into the Earth causing catastrophic change.

On April 13th, 2036 that is...

The United Nations is concerned enough to begin formulating a plan to divert this possible menace. The question becomes, are we concerned enough to do anything about it? I am not a great oddsmaker, but to have an actual plan is one thing that I would place good odds on. To collaboratively work in an international forum to solve this problem is one I would say is a long shot.

I'm not the Chicken Little in this scenario just someone who is interested in the aspect that we as a global community could actually accomplish this great feat. We in the US do not have a monopoly in the smarts section. To believe that we do is to ignore every other culture on the face on the Earth which is isolationist in nature, even xenophobic.

In fact, since the end of the space race, we have slowly, but surely lost our edge in scientific know how and interest especially when it comes to space exploration. Sure, we push the envelope with technology when it comes to how many MP3s can we place in a handheld device or how horrific can we make the next video game. When it comes to settlements in space and colonization of the moon, we take the back seat. We have the drive when we feel like it but the quesiton becomes do we feel like taking this challange whether or not the asteroid is actually going to strike Earth?

Are we ready to meet the next challenge?

-WTS

Growing up it seems that most of us had a best friend. Over time and space, we lose contact with that friend and every once in a while we wonder...

I met my best friend in the first grade. We were not immediate buddies. I had just moved from California and he from North Carolina. We met through school and basically ignored each other until Indian Guides would bring the duo together. Through grade school and up through middle school we would share adventures, hang out, and reek havoc on his younger, and only, little brother. We were not aware of our differences unless they were pointed out, usually by his mother who had a real high opinion of her "upper crust" station. (My bud would tell me of occasions where his mom would protest at the amount of time he was spending with those who were not on his intellectual level)

We never worried about what others would think. We never shared classes together because he was mostly in the GT program while I lingered with the rest of the pack. Yet, lunches were usually a hilarious affair and if we shared a gym class, tomfoolery was the norm. A nerd and a geek going through life not worrying about much.

One thing about my sidekick is the man could fight. I remember once he was up against one dude who put a fellow geek in the hospital. (He was allowed back because an administrator screwed up the paperwork and it was during the era before zero tolerance) I was scared crapless, but my friend was strong as hell and kicked a couple asses to prove his point as he did on that day.

I did my share as well, but I also lost more rounds than he did.

Throughout high school, he achieved high scores and accolades while I just coasted and achieved only if I thought my life was in danger. Yet, here we were, quite the pair seeing eye to eye on many things and ribbing each other about the differences. We did share one class together and even though I did not qualify for the level, the teacher let me in because, as he put it, it was about time that someone believed in my potential. I learned more in that class than during any other period in my life. I discovered something that my friend had been trying to tell me all along, I had a brain and could hold my own even against the best the school had to offer. Even when my counselor told me that college was not for me, my friend believed in me and it is because of him and that one teacher that I even dared college.

High school has come and gone and so has my friend. He is in north Texas somewhere in a big house, career-driven wife, the kind that his mom approved of. Yet, he is the same dude i knew in school. A real kindhearted chap who has no airs about him and would let you have a kidney if you asked. Yet, I owe him big for the gift he gave me, friendship without any bounds.

-WTS

One of my most favorite movies to date would be Revenge of the Nerds. The obvious reason is the part where the main characters get theirs and vengeance on the jocks has been completed. Even though I am not a nerd, I found the movie entertaining and it spoke to me on certain levels. More importantly, it gave me strength to admit who and what I am. No surprise to many, I am now willing, and proudly, admit that I am a Geek.

If you could, if there were no boundaries and you would get an honest answer, would you ask anyone three questions?

What would those questions be?

I think back to the numerous media events where people ask questions to the stars, candidates, and even world leaders. Few have asked more than 3 questions in a row that were good, solid questions. Remember what the MTV audience asked Clinton? Have you clicked your tongue in anguish because no one asked your question?

So, if you could ask any of the visitors to the corner a question or two or three, what would they be?

-WTS

Looking at some of the stuff that I posted over the past few days, I have drawn the conclusion that when it comes to love, sex, and relationships, I really need to say what I really think.

To Sum Up:

• Relationships are a good thing as long as the partnership is based on equality and being open with one another.
  
• It does not matter if the relationship is male-female, male-male, or female-female as long as the above criteria is part of the relationship.
• Respect the one that you are with.
  
• Sex is as important as talking to each other, quietly watching a movie, and just being yourselves. If sex becomes the dominate reason for being together, you can count the months left in your relationship on your fingers.
• Sex is also something that you should not avoid talking about. Shame in the act tends to lead to being uncomfortable with the one that you are with.
  
• A relationship is much like Columbus on the first voyage. Not only was it an adventure into undiscovered land, but it was a journey of lessons that needed to be learned. In other words, a relationship, a real one, takes time. If you rush too fast, you end up drinking wine made of old lady spit. (See Columbus' journals for historical reference)
  
• Cheating on your mate/partner/whatever just for the thrill of it is not a good enough reason. However, since I don't wear the robes of a judge, there are some that I would understand if they did.

There is another aspect of love and relationships that deals with sex directly, cheating. The concept and act of cheating is something that is quite personal and damaging to one's self-worth. I am almost assured that all who come to the Corner have either been the cheater, the cheated or even both. Cheating is one of those human processes that transcends generations and is looked at differently by different cultures. Either way, it is a very sensitive topic and I do not intend on belittling anybody's feelings.

One of the risks of being in a relationship is whether or not your preferred mate will try someone else out. From what I have noticed there are different types of cheaters.

Type 1 - The "Grass is Greener"

This one looks for one relationship after another without paying attention to whether or not he/she is currently in a relationship. This type of person loves to begin new things and can not commit to anything.

Type 2 - The "Conqueror"

This one loves to acquire as many "notches on the bed" as possible even if currently dating/married to someone. Unfortunately, this type is typically a male who tries to maintain one relationship as a back-up plan just in case he did not get lucky at the bar/hangout.

Type 3 - The "Ignored"

This person is one who is a relationship that for one reason or another is void of emotion and/or physical contact. It could be because of physical or mental illness in one of the members of the relationship. For whatever the reason, one may have no desire while the other stifles his/her feelings.

Whatever the reason, going outside of a relationship is an indication that something is either missing (love/maturity/commitment) or there is a considerable amount of openness that either mate does not care/mind. For those who have had someone step out on them, the feeling of hurt is insurmountable because they tend to blame themselves instead of looking at the causes behind the action.

While I have no answers for those for who have gone through this, I can offer one thing, "To thine own self be true."

-WTS

As mentioned yesterday, there were two conversations that came to mind and after exhausting the first, it is time I moved on to the second.

The scenario for a male is thus:
You are chatting up someone who you really want to get to know better. She is wearing something low-cut and is buxom. One thing leads to another and you end up alone with her. During the undressing, you find out that she was wearing a bra that was enhancing her cleavage and thus (as was put to me) she does not have as much to play with as you thought.

The question put to me was:
Would you feel like you were cheated out of something?

I responded that, no I would not feel cheated out of something. When pressed for an explanation, I demurred because for me boobs do not make the woman. In all honesty, I am not a breast man, the order in which I notice things are: 1) Shoulders 2) Eyes and then 3) butt. How a person feels about themselves is often reflected on how they carry their shoulders. The eyes can tell you much about the person as well. It is not usual for both the shoulders and the eyes to tell different stories. Call it a hang-up but it is important to me to have someone who can talk to you and have those two areas tell the same story. As far as the butt, well... I just like them.

The other guy in the group held his watch on high as if to signal an influx of bullshit into the room. After my explanation he put his arm down and just listened. I asked the ladies that if they noticed a man who was bulging and later on you found out it was a roll of quarters and/or a sock, would they feel ripped off. I was rocked by their response because they both told me that size was not an issue and quite frankly, they just don't look.

Not looking is a blow to any male's ego and I am beginning to wonder if they fake looking as well... (joking ladies, fingers of the hate email button)

More Later

-WTS

Sorry, I thought the catchy title would draw your attention and "perk up" your, uhm, senses.

I was half-tempted to create an entry that was a basic bitch and moan session about the typical barrage of corny "I'm alone and Valentine's Day sucks" and "Lame husband buys a blender for his wife" scenarios that we have to put up with on the television. However, I am going to take off the television-cynical hat for now and think happy thoughts in honor of the day. (Sidenote: I am really tired of the same crap every year and I wish Hollywood would be a bit more creative next year or just skip the themed show all together)

I have had two conversations on the topic recently that really got me pondering. One friend told me that everything boils down to sex. (A very titillating concept and one worth pondering on) I am sure Evolutionists will cry out that it is the basic instinct of the human race to procreate that makes us want to do the horizontal mambo. Creationists will shame us first for have such desires in the first place, but will condone them if we are only doing "it" to procreate.While to some degree I think my friend is correct, I would like to explore the following statement a bit.

Is it the seconds of Nirvana that we crave or is it the human contact that makes sex so desirable?

While I am not an expert with PhDs to the nth degree, I can make some judgements based on my observations. Men will use love to have sex and women will use sex to get love. Therefore in theory, if they stick to it long enough, both will get what they desire. However, we tend to complicate this wondrous joining of lovers so much that at times we take the joy out of sex.

Many men tend to create complicated strategies that invoke the hunter within themselves. Basically, they will pick out a female and begin to plot To many men, it is a matter of conquest and dominance to see how many women they can charm and have. Men are held on high for the amount of sexual encounters that they rack up.

Many women attach an emotion to sex and want to be romanced. They do the "bob and weave" in order to work their man up from level to level until they are ready for "the act" to occur. Women are made to feel like deviants if they dare engage in sex beyond what the current man that she is with thinks is acceptable.

The inequity of it all makes me want to scream. One group needs to grow up while the other needs to realize that they are not what uptight conservatives think they are.

SO, I will return to the initial question, "Is it the seconds of Nirvana that we crave or is it the human contact that makes sex so desirable?"

I can only speak for me when I say that we as a species crave the contact while the seconds of undulation is a bonus. To be with someone that you are attracted to when you are young is typically about getting the experience. With age, it should become more about feeling your partner out and enjoying the sensation of contact. When it comes down to relationships, sex should be a part of it and a signal of very strong attraction for one another.

But there are other shades that we will explore tomorrow...

-WTS

• If you publish something on the Internet before it is ready, are you suffering from premature e-publication?
• If you forget to attach a file to an email, are you suffereing from Attachment Deficiet Disorder?
• If someone is late twice, how come they are not retardy?

Tongue

Say it out loud. It has to be one of the most ridiculous words in the English language. First of all, it is not even spelled correctly. It should be tung, but as usual we who speak the English language must mangle every word possible just to make it tough to learn. Also, it is such a idiotic way to label a part of the human anatomy. (There are others on my list such as uvula and patella but I won't get into them right now)

The tongue is one of the more repulsive organs to look at, well at least the ones that you are able to see without being intrusive. I wonder who's master plan thought this one up? It is full of bumps, ridges, and spit. Not too attractive on its own, but it is a masterful muscle that when wielded properly.

We use the tongue in our language to describe daily events. "I got a severe tongue lashing when I got home," was something said to relate that you were in deep poop. "Her tongue was wagging," expressed either that she was speechless or full of desire. "Tongue in cheek" is used to describe certain types of humor.

Think about it, without the tongue, we would not be able to speak, sing, or even whistle properly. We would become a world of throaty hummers and grumblers who's Top 40 would pretty much be the same tune. (Gives new meaning to American Idol, doesn't it?) Teenagers would not be able to click their tongues at us in adolescent disgust. We would miss the taste of our favorite meal and not be able to relish the wondrous experience of beer/wine/whatever. Gene Simmons would be out of a job without his trademark.

Consider this as well, we use our tongues to express emotion and feeling towards one another. To our parents, we stuck out our flag of rebellion and pretended to scratch them when caught doing it. We used our sound makers to recreate flatulence during class time, especially when the teacher bent over to pick something up. Those who could would curl theirs (Yes, I can) just to make the weak shiver in horror. We gave people the raspberry, the Bronx cheer, and the bi-labial fricative to let them know just how we felt. We trained our younger siblings to hold their tongue and call someone an "apple." (Try it out) During our youth, the tongue was a handy thing to have.

As we grew older, we found out that the tongue had other uses as well. We experimented with the French kiss but only succeeded in causing drool to cascade down each other's chins. Some pierced them and the extreme ones forked them. We use this handy little muscle to express a certain desire by sticking a little piece of it through our front teeth, by licking our lips in a sensual manner, or by a blatant licking motion. Deep kissing involves the tongue and (yes I am going there) can make a lover squirm with delight.

So, celebrate this wonder of anatomy and think about where you would be without it.

-WTS

One of the more enjoyable things about day-to-day geekdom is subscribing to the world of podcasting. Yes, I know, podcasting is old hat since it has been around for about two years now. However, I have not talked about it yet so I will invoke writer’s privilege and talk about what I damn want to!

Put simply, a podcast is nothing but an audio file that someone has put together for others to listen to. It gets its name from the fact that many put these files on their iPods to listen to whenever. It began as a geek thing where anyone who had aspired to be a broadcaster would put together his or her own show. Then fan podcasts began to show up and the fever caught on. Apple, being the outward thinkers that they are, decided to add podcasts to iTunes and podcasting became the new “in” thing.

Radio and television broadcasters along with movie studios caught on and decided to begin issuing their own podcasts in order to catch the attention of the listeners. There is hardly a new movie release that does not have a six-part podcast series to hype it up. Television series, including soap operas and Battlestar Galactica, have podcasts.

Even with all of the professional grade casts out there, my favorites are the home-grown variety. Listening to some dweebs babble on about their latest theory of the final Harry Potter book makes me giggle with delight. Tuning in to Disney lovers of all sizes argue about which park has the better Haunted Mansion creates a huge distraction while trying to get to work. I find joy in the fact that Bill Maher releases all of his Real Time episodes for podcasters. In other words, podcasting is an escape for me and gives me a variety of viewpoints to ponder upon.

If you care to join the podcasting world, here are some simple steps:

1. Go to http://www.apple.com and click on the iTunes tab.
2. Download the latest version of iTunes and install on your computer.
3. Open the iTunes application and on the left side, select iTunes store.
4. In the upper left, select Podcasts.
5. From there, you can search for topics or surf through the different genres until you see something that you like.
6. Once you find something that you want to subscribe to, click on the SUBSCRIBE button and iTunes will begin to download the latest episode.
   
7. Switch over to the Podcasts section of iTunes and you will see the new podcast.
8. If you click on the arrow next to the name of the podcast, you will see all episodes for that particular podcast.
   
9. If you want, you can download older episodes as well!
10. Once things have downloaded, you can transfer them to your iPod, burn them to a MP3 CD or create an Audio CD. The last I do not really recommend because of the size of some of the podcasts.

• Colonial Williamsburg
• Bill Maher's Real Time
• Mad Music Hour
• The Adventures of Dr. Floyd
• The Meandering Mouse
• Trapped on Vacation
• Mousepod
• Inside the Magic
• Old Time Radio (There are about 8 different shows within this genre)
• The Bob Rivers Show

There are times that all I can do is shake my head and wonder at the ideas that are generated by our national government. For an example, recently the US Mint announced that they will be releasing a new Presidential series of $1.00 coins. Just like the state quarters, the US Mint will be releasing so many of these coins per year. In addition to the Presidential series, collectors can purchase the corresponding First Ladies $10.00 coin series.

I am shaking me head and asking the simple question of, "Why?" We can take a look at the recent history of $1.00 coins and trace the failure of such releases. The Susan B. was a great concept on honoring one of the greatest women in American history. However, in typical poor-planning, the dollar was the same color and almost the same size and weight as the Washington quarter. The public reaction was poor and it was taken out of circulation quickly. Then, we had the Sacajawea release and the Mint tried to fix the Susan B. issues by making the new release golden in color and larger. Once again, the Mint does not seem to get the point, Americans on the whole hate carrying coins, especially large ones.

Think about it, how many of us and those we know have a special jar in which we routinely place change? How many of us have taken the 1976 and state coins out of circulation because we want the whole set? The point of printing and coining money is to stimulate circulation. Then again, I am not a great economist and maybe I am missing some points here.

• It makes sense to create large, golden coins that will sit in someone's collection
• It makes sense to mint the penny that costs on average 1.4 cents to make
• It makes sense to make a $10.00 coin for collectors only

When Rob got me started on blogging in October of '04, I did it as a way to voice an opinion about the state of education and the shameless commerce/advertising campaign of Disney Edutainment. I really had no intention of making Blogging a hobby of sorts. I was taking a look at the format of the Corner wondering if it needed another change, Geeks are apt to do this, when I realized that the last post was my 300th since switching to Blogger.

This kinda blew my mind on a couple of different levels. First of all, I am not a paperwork/journaling kind of person. Growing up, I stuck to a journal for about a week and soon got bored with entering the same thing day after day. Now, it would seem that I actually enjoy blabbering on and on about what is on my mind. Not that anything that I have written has been earth-shattering or will change the world but at the very least, I have gotten it off of my chest.

Then there are the rare occasions when I felt like a bit of prose is what the Corner needed. There was a period in my life where I wrote quite the collection and actually kept up with it while in college. A former girlfriend acquired the notebook and the chances of me ever seeing again are ziltch. Although this fact somewhat irritates me, it is probably for the best since most of it was page upon page of college-aged angst.

Another wonderful thing has happened since I began this modern-era type of self-expression. I began to meet some amazing and inspiring people. To me, community is more important than having an opportunity to whine about the laundromat or Walmart.

-WTS

In an amazing display of government once again thinking that we are too stupid to exist without their guidance, a New York State Senator has drafted legislation to outlaw the use of cell phones, iPods and other similar devices while crossing the street. In a Reuters article, Senator Kruger was quoted as saying, "Government has an obligation to protect its citizenry. This electronic gadgetry is reaching the point where it's becoming not only endemic but it's creating an atmosphere where we have a major public safety crisis at hand."

Before I begin on the implications of this statement, I would like to take a look at the verbiage used...

Endemic - Usually used as an adjective to describe a disease particular to a region
Crisis - A condition of instability or danger, as in social, economic, political, or international affairs, leading to a decisive change.

By nature, humans are easily distracted and this distraction quite often leads to accidents of some sort. In the Senator's Brooklyn district, three people have been killed recently crossing the street while fiddling with an electronic contraption of some sort. I am not hip on the current population of Brooklyn, but three is really not an endemic even when the word is used in the proper context. Nor would I consider the growing use of electronic devices in the real word leading to a so-called crisis.

The problem is not the technology. The problem is the people using the technology. Passing yet another law banning people from using something will once again prove that we are too stupid to exist without the wisdom of those who apparently know better than we do. Thank goodness we have people like Senator Kruger to tell us when we can listen to music and talk on the phone and when not to. While we are at it, here are some other laws the honorable Senator Kruger should consider introducing...

While driving/walking there will be no

• talking
• looking at the babe/hunk in the car next to you
• picking of the nose/ear/crotch
• listening to music/talk radio
• eating/drinking
• yawning
• reading (including street signs since they take your attention away from your driving/walking)
• humming/singing/whistling
• daydreaming
• thinking of anything else besides driving/walking

Another point made by Madison Avenue on how even editors of airline magazines know nothing about geography...


Taken from This is Broken


-WTS

I was trying to explain to a colleague about blogging and the joys of it when the question came up about anonymity. I smiled slightly and replied that keeping anonymous on the web is like trying to hide an elephant behind a flagpole. Although hiding an elephant is quite difficult, many will not notice it because it is an unbelievable thing to attempt. If someone was determined enough, I am sure my alias could be stripped. However, being an eternal optimist, I think that most like playing along with the nom de plume and will behave themselves.

The next question that occurred was why did I choose the handle that I currently use. Well, the nickname was given to my by a friend and fellow teacher and it kinda stuck. Wonko is a character from Douglas Adams' So Long and Thanks for All the Fish who thought the world so insane that he built his house inside-out to keep the inmates happy. He called his place the Asylum and got the idea for it when he read directions on a box of toothpicks. Well, the name kinda fits on me and so far I have been allowed to use it without any trouble. So those of you who thought that it had something to do with a chocolate factory, sorry.

-WTS

What is the connection between shoes and women?

There seems to be reasons abound to get "a new pair" ranging from going to a dance to gardening. Then there are the ones with different types and thicknesses of heels ranging from 1 inch to the (and I was told this was a proper term) F*** Me Heels. They differ in style, thickness, color, fabric, open-toe, closed-toe and the list goes on and on.

Men basically use the same pair of shoes to mow the yard, change the oil, walk through mud and go out dancing. Shoes to us are an utility, not a luxury. So I contemplated yet once again, what is the connection? This was indeed a puzzle until recent information has come across my path.

I caught a recent episode of "Big Day" (the show is freaking genius) and there was a scene where the groom's father was rubbing the bride's mother's feet and she had a intense orgasm when he his a special spot. Eureka! I took notes carefully as part of the female conspiracy was being revealed to me slowly. There has to be yet another erogenous zone on the female anatomy and shoes must stimulate this feeling of euphoria.

As a male, I do somewhat sulk at the thought that once again nature has given women not only the ability to do multiples, but walk around with a grin on their face as well. True, all we need is a flat surface or a really strong wind to stimulate us, but still...

So men, a piece of advice, take lessons on how to rub feet and let's see if my theory is correct!

-WTS

Being a product of the 80s, one of the artists that I am real familiar with is Prince, or whatever he is calling himself now. Purple Rain was one movie that drew my interest and I still watch it even today. His music is often hard-hitting and sometimes controversial. I still remember parents being up in arms because of Little Nikki. (You know, the one with a fetish for magazines) Then there were others that had titles that I will leave out only because I want to keep this posting somewhat clean.

Needless to say, I was surprised to find out that the NFL had chosen Prince to perform at the halftime show. I was sure that after Janice's floopy (refer to Douglas Adams' lexicon) performance, that we were going to get another boring, safe performance like Paul McCartney.

His performance was not what I expected. He bookended his set with two of his hits from the 80s. In the middle, he sandwiched in CCR and even the Foo Fighters. The man is a total genius and I know I am getting email on this. What really got me was that he totally got away with the shadow image of him and his guitar. Check out the video on YouTube and look for the end of the set. Let's just say he made it seem that he was happy to see you...

Yet, the jaws, as of Monday morning, are not flapping about his outward expression of phallic imagery. Like I said, the man is a genius...

Oh, if you missed any of the commercials, go to YouTube and all of the ads are there. (Most of which sucked leading me to believe that the think tank of Madison Avenue is getting watered down)

-WTS

No more than two months after announcing the title of the final Harry Potter book, J.K. Rowling announced the release date of the book itself. Here lies the problem...

I have been waiting since the summer of '05 to have all of my questions answered. Being a geek and all, I have the books on CD and have listened to them over and over again hoping to glean some understanding of what is to come. I have posted the pattern that Rowling has basically followed since book 1 and now that pattern is in question. This drives the global learner in me insane since patterns are the bread and butter of how I understand the world around me.

Another dread point of reading the final installment is just that, it is final. You can listen in on the fan-based podcasts and join in the betting pools of who is not going to make it through the end of the book. Rowling has promised that there will be death (thus the titles) and this worries me a bit. Strange as it might seem from someone who is not seven, I have grown to understand and sympathize with the characters. They have literally grown up before our eyes and quite frankly, I am not ready to see any of them fall victim to the death curse. Well, Malfoy and the like can get ganked for all I care.

Rowling has promised that everything will come together within the pages of book 7 and I am somewhat at a loss at how she plans on getting all of the unanswered questions tied up in a bow. There are hints for those who understand the Legends of King Arthur and the talismans that Arthurian legends hold high above all. (If you are not sure about the reference, Google around and discover the pieces as part of a quest) As I mentioned before, I will be sadly disappointed if we end up with another Huckleberry Finn ending...

As for me, I am counting down the days until the final book is released with both anticipation and a heavy heart...

-WTS

Birthdays and the like do not bother me at all. I am not over-philosophical about the aging process nor am I over anxious about getting older. It is what it is, another day. Yet people will insist on hanging black balloons and caution signs declaring "old fart - beware" around my desk. Men asking me things like "still getting it up?" Women asking if any new balding patches and the kind have appeared. To answer their questions I usually use a grin that I reserved to make people uncomfortable and reply things like, "Yes, BIG time" and "Yes I am, but not where it shows," and to people who I don't care what they think I will answer both with, "Ask your wife/sister"

To those who mean something to me, I love hearing from them not because it is (as my mom put it) "My special day." I love hearing from them because they are happy for no other reason but to speak to someone who is celebrating another year on this rotating rock. Their happiness is infectious and I fin myself grinning through the bad jokes, blue pill greeting cards, and warbling renditions of "happy birthday."

Rob, BA, Clio, Ash: Thanks for your warm greetings and thoughts, they kept me grinning throughout the day!

-WTS

To say that we are sadly ignorant of our history is an understatement. Even with the push by Senator Byrd and the Teaching American History grants, history is sadly placed on the backburner. NCLB does nothing to place pressure on districts to teach history and social studies. For you see, because federal money is tied into student performance, many schools only worry about for what they are accountable for. Therefore, since social studies is not part of NCLB, many administrators would rather hedge their bets.

Another problem that historians face is the stigma attached to being one. Many have the perception that we sit around exclusive, musty clubs, smoking Sherlock Holmes pipes and get into long-drawn out conversations about the Battle of Hastings. (Look it up if the reference was not in your mental encyclopedia) If you haven't seen Brad Garett's latest series 'Til Death, you really should because it makes fun of the stereotypical history teacher. In reality, many of us do not sit around and contemplate Plato's last words. (which according to Real Genius was "I drank what?") We are typically a social group who do like to see the sun.

Another problem is that many do not understand subjects such as geography. Geography to many brings back horrible memories of memorizing maps, countries and capitals. Many are surprised to hear Geography teachers talk about culture, economics, government and human-environment interaction. Speaking of Geo, National Geographic did a survey of geography awareness and found out that a shockingly amount of students could not find New Orleans on the map and had no clue where Iraq is.

Social studies is more than studying maps and cutting feathers out of construction paper every November. A society that does not know its history is a society without a soul. There are also in danger of being horrifically ignorant about the world around them. How many are aware that the Chinese government is spending enough money to educate only 1/3 of its population? Oddly enough, that number is equal to the population of the United States. How many know the origin of the Star Spangled Banner or the sacrifices made to make this country what it is today?

If you want to feel more pain and loss, check out Leno's page - Jay Walking

Break out the tissue

-WTS