A Vital Read

Dear Citizens,

Now, more than ever, we are grateful for those who can take our thoughts, feelings, and emotions and put them into words.  Some of those words are found at the link below:

http://www.aynrand.org/site/DocServer/ARC_Health_Care_Is_Not_A_Right_2009.pdf?docID=2161

Thanks for Your Time,

Blessings,
Matthew


--
May Your Days Be Long and Bright.
May You Always See That Light
Beyond the Darkness Waits

http://www.google.com/profiles/msplanchard

A Venture

The mist lay heavily upon the lake.  John’s eyes struggled to see the shore as he steadily dipped his paddle into the water, rowing the canoe closer and closer to what had to be the dock.  Hadn’t he turned a light on before he left?  He shook his head, his eyes squinting in the darkness.  Suddenly, there was a bump on the bottom of the canoe.  The motion of the paddle ceased as John’s muscles tensed in preparation of the sudden jolt as the canoe beached itself, but it never came.  The canoe continued to glide along the smooth, black water, completely silent except for the occasional chirp of a cricket.  Then, even that ceased.

The darkness that had been nearly absolute began to fade.  John looked up, expecting to see the moon peaking from behind a cloud, but the sky was just as blank as it had been before.  He looked back down and saw that the light seemed to be coming from the water itself.  The black ripples shimmered as though exposed to some light, but there was nothing that could be causing the reflection.  The canoe continued to glide forward through the still water, as if some unseen force was pulling it through the still water.  In this strange light, John once again looked forward, searching in vain for the shore, and seeing nothing.  It seemed as though the light emanating from the water was only in the area right around the canoe, and farther off faded out again to an inky blackness.

John felt a tightness in his throat as his hands grasped the paddle convulsively.  His breath caught in his chest as he fought to control his fear.

It’s just some trick of the light, he thought, or some kind of glowing algae.

He vaguely remembered having learned in school about a luminescent bacteria that collected in the wake of ships, causing the water to glow as the ship passed through it.  He grimly hoped that that was all it was as he clenched his jaw and began to once again dip his paddle into the water, determined to clear himself of this strange glowing bacteria or whatever it was.

 

As soon as the paddle hit the water, the light went out, leaving John again in nothing but absolute darkness.  A gasp escaped his lips.  Slowly, his breath coming in thin streams through his unnaturally tight throat, he edged his gaze over the side of the boat.  There was nothing but blackness.  But wait, there! Somewhere deep beneath the water, he saw the faintest of lights.  He bit his lip and stared as hard as he could, rubbing his eyes with one hand, trying to dislodge the illusion, but it remained.  In fact, it seemed to be growing brighter.  And bigger.  He shook his head and looked again, but there it was, and it was definitely getting larger.  It was now at least the size of the boat, and getting bigger every second.

Panic seized John’s muscles and he dropped his oar.  Without even a splash, it sunk down into the murky depths.  He barely noticed.  His eyes were still fixed on whatever it was coming up underneath the canoe.  It was impossibly large now, stretching from horizon to horizon in every direction.  With a shock, John realized this could not possibly be the same lake he set out on.  It simply was not this big.  His mind raced, trying to think of possible explanations, but he came up empty.  It didn’t matter.  At this rate, he was bound to find out in a matter of seconds.  He looked around, searching desperately for some means of escape, but he was alone on an infinity of water, under which an infinitely large something was rising faster and faster.

In the distance, John saw something break through the water and rise into the air, higher and higher.  It was jagged and huge.  With a start, he realized it was a mountain, and it was glowing. 

It can’t be, he thought to himself, and yet what else could it be?

The mountain rose higher and higher into the sky, until it seemed like it would pierce the clouds.  Suddenly, there was a massive jolt and he was thrown from the canoe, catapulting forward into the air, his limbs searching desperately for purchase as he plummeted.  He seemed to fall for a long time.  He hit his head, and there was darkness.

Testing Windows Live Writer

Does this work?  We will see.

Blessings!

The One Handed Typist

Hi everyone! Peace be with you!

Have you ever tried typing with only your non-dominant hand?  I'm surprisingly good at it.  It's a good opportunity to increase the right brain's presence in the natural world.

Very nice.

I hope you're well!

Blessings.

Beyond Good and Evil

I don't know if there is any inherent significance in the title of this post, but it is the first thing I thought of when I saw the title post.

Anyway, there isn't much to say today.  I am enjoying a lazy holiday, allowing mind and body to rest for the upcoming year.  I hope that everyone else is also enjoying a time as lazy as they possibly can.

Blessings!

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Getting Ready to Write

Alright.

Here I am, getting ready to write an English paper.  It is essentially our final exam, and it is due a week from today.  I am hoping to finish it by Sunday, though, that way when I finish up with the rest of my exams, I can go home.  The rest of my exams end on Wednesday.

Today has been a good day so far.  It is a dead day, which means we have no classes and no exams.  I got to sleep a little bit late and then go to a new instructor's audition at our recreation center.  Then I went to lunch.  It was a combination of delicious and not so delicious.  I then went to the Barnes & Noble to get some Shampoo and some lip balm and a couple of other little things.

I then made a trip to the post office.

I got two types of lip balm, because I could not decide what kind looked better.  I got Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm and Blistex Medicated Lip Balm.  Regardless, I am glad my lips no longer feel dry.

I really am tired, but I need to work on this paper instead of taking another nap.  I take a lot of naps, because I usually wake up really early.

I have a couple of books here that I am meaning to read eventually.  I will probably do that.

Oh, our newspaper also came out with their official "Top 10 Records of 2008" list.  I am going to try to get all ten by next December.  The first one on my list is Fleet Foxes, by Fleet Foxes.

Here's the total list, in reverse order:

10. Lil'Wayne - The Carter III
9.  The Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances
8.  Max Tundra - Parallax Error Beheads You
7.  TV On The Radio - Dear Science
6.  Man Man - Rabbit Habits
5.  Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
4.  The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
3.  Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now Youngster
2.  Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
1.  Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping

So, that all sounds good.  So if I get one record per month, that will take ten months.  That leaves me two months to get other records.  For one of those months, I'm going to get Electric Arguments by The Fireman.  I have yet to decide for the other month.

Anyway, it's time to get writing.  I will talk to everyone later!

Blessings and Love to You and Yours

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Politics and the English Language

George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language," 1946
I like this essay.  It clarifies many things that I often do unconsciously.

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A lighter note, A Propos for Such an Opus

Well, it turns out that today, 21 September 2008, is the International Day of Peace.

It is a day to celebrate Peace, Love, and world wide care.

I invite any readers to join in a prayer for peace.

May all those who live in peace
Continue to receive God's blessings
May those who are at war
See it come to a swift end
May those who are suffering
Experience a respite from their pain
And may those who are blessed
Continue to bless those around them

May the Lord accept our prayer for Peace, and bring peace and joy to the world through us and through his ministries on earth.

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A Neverending Story, Streams of Uncensored Thought

I am simply and quite potently tired of being trapped in this world of indecision.

I make decisions and pursue goals and do all that I can do, but while it may not be obvious to all, my heart is seldom in what I do these days.  It is held in reserve, waiting constantly for what it is already attached to.  How can I disassociate my heart's longing?  I have tried and tried, but to no avail.  Time, they say, will cure all wounds, but I see time causing nothing but a festering rot, an infection that threatens to reach to the very core of my being, unless it is cured.

What is the cure?  To study the root of the wound?  To open the wound up for the public to see?  To apply all new salves, herbs, and creams, hoping that one of them might take away the deepening tendrils of dark rot?  To walk the dusty road of each day until it has become a path solid enough for an elephant to tread, hoping that somewhere, somehow, God will provide release?

I pray for an answer, I pray that my messages be delivered, I pray that this wound can heal.

Perhaps in order for it to heal it must be bled again.

To throw myself into the flames is what I often wish
Allowing their cleansing fire to burn
Burning through the past, the present and the future
Leaving this world and its indecision
To float as ash upon the wind

I am fortunate, and life has been kind.  Things are going well, and all is as it should be.

As I am cleansed and purified in the light of each new day, the darkness comes nearer and nearer to the surface.

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A Speedy Venture

So this is just a quick post in between classes to say "Hey, sorry I haven't updated this in soooo long, but school has been whipping my tail recently (in a good way, though, and I apologize for the misplaced metaphor).  Anyway, there is not really a whole lot to talk about at this very moment, so I will take my leave for now.  Enjoy your day!

Namaste.
-Matthew

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Coastally Centered, Sleepy Time

Well, I'm about to go to sleeeep, and I just thought I'd give a quick post.

I am on the coast, hanging out, doing things, especially cleaning up after our lovely animals. We're up to four now, which is relatively both a small and a large number of pets.

I'm using Banshee audio player, which I can't recommend if you're not on Linux, but I can recommend Amarok, which is totally awesome. I'm not sure if the Windows/Mac version is as great as the Linux one, but it's worth a shot anyway.

Of course, I also recommend Linux, so who am I to talk?

Goodnight everyone, I hope you've all had a great day. Let's do something before I have to go back to college, okay?

The Best Day Ever!

Hello everyone!

I hope you are all having excellent days, although based upon the laws of balance it seems less likely than usual. Today I went to an audition for teaching yoga and was accepted! I will be an instructor next fall at the USM Payne Center.

Thanks so much for all of your support as I worked my way toward this goal. And if you're ever in the area, feel free to drop in and take a course.

Love and Blessings,
Matthew

An Odd Question

For some reason on this job application they ask for "Hometown newspaper" which is of course The Sun Herald, but why?

Fourth attempt at posting class schedule

Here's (hopefully) my schedule for the fall semester:

Select	Class	Description	Days/Times	Location	Instructor	Units	Status
	AOS 201-H001 (1468)	Evolution Air Space (Lecture)	Th 1:00PM - 2:15PM	GHB 103A	D. Haven	1.00
	AOS 201L-H001 (1469)	Air Force Lead Lab (Laboratory)	Th 3:50PM - 6:35PM	GHB 113	J. Giron	1.00
	BSC 111-H001 (2000)	Prin Of Biol Sci II (Lecture)	TuTh 9:30AM - 10:45AM	TEC 106	D. Beckett	3.00
	BSC 111L-H003 (2004)	Prin Bio Sci II Lab (Laboratory)	Mo 3:30PM - 6:15PM	WSB 109	A. Lee	1.00
	CHE 106-H001 (2315)	Gen Chemistry I (Lecture)	MoWeFr 10:00AM - 10:50AM	WSB 137	D. Booth	3.00
	CHE 106L-H004 (2320)	Gen Chem I Lab (Laboratory)	Tu 2:25PM - 5:05PM	WSB 245	T. Masterson	1.00
	ENG 102-H003 (1633)	Composition Two (Lecture)	MoWeFr 8:00AM - 8:50AM	CH 201	R. Boada	3.00
	MAT 103-H004 (2804)	Plane Trigonometry (Lecture)	TuTh 8:00AM - 9:15AM	SH 304	E. Howell	3.00
	REL 131-H002 (1903)	Comparative Rel (Lecture)	MoWeFr 11:00AM - 11:50AM	LAB 102	Staff	3.00

I know about half of this won't show up, but the important stuff is on the left side of the chart anyway.

19 hours, should be fun. Two of the courses are Air Force courses, and I am really glad I didn't have to drop chemistry or math. I would have had to, but the school added a new class time to trigonometry at the last minute.

Another One Bites the Dust . . . Another Exam that Is

Alright, so I just got back after finishing my biology exam, which was relatively easy. There were about three, maybe four questions I might have gotten wrong (out of sixty-five), and I knew all of the bonus questions except 1/4 of a listing question that was worth one bonus point total. So I am definitely hoping for an A.

I have a Yoga teaching audition at two o' clock this afternoon in the gym (the Payne Center, if you can believe it). I am starting to get nervous, but I am confident things will work out as they are meant to be. I still have something on the order of 30 questions to answer for the English self-evaluation project. I am thankful I have already completed my revisions and I hope to have the rest of the questions done by this evening. My applications for employment are all filled out and all I need to do is print the class schedule for next fall.

I already talked about the flood, right? Everyone I've talked to so far has insurance, so I think we're alright as a community. Enjoy your day.

Blessings.

A Strange Fact

The manatee is the elephants closest living relative.

Yep, the sea cow is more like a sea elephant.

How weird is that, bro?

Natural Disasters, a lot to Write, and Life to Study

Today in Hattiesburg we had what the weather service define as a "Flash Flood." I understand why. I got caught in it on my way home from running errands . . . (bank, library, post office) . . . and it was, well, amazing. The water was up to my knees at least in some places, and well up past the wheel wells of some cars. I was running through it trying to get out of these huge pools of water before a Flash of lightning came down and gave me a real nice toast. Anyway, I feel very sad for everyone whose cars got flooded. I know some of them probably won't work anymore. I hope everyone has flood insurance.

I don't have a car, so I avoided catastrophe. However, I was at a much higher risk of getting struck by lightning than most people, except Monica, who ventured out into the storm to driver her car away and save it. If Monica could do it, everyone else should have been able to do it to! She is by no means lithe and agile, and yet she managed to do it.

See what I mean? There are always two sides to every position.

Other than that, I LOVE the folks at IEs4Linux for being awesome enough to make IE available for, well, Linux.

Anyway, I have to get back to studying now.

I downloaded a bunch of music creation software today (free software, linux software, done right) so I'll be creating some music in the future. It will be good, or it will be bad, but either way, I will see that it is good.

Blessings all,
Matthew

Recycled Plastics Shining Out of Endless Seas of Waste

So I just wanted to post this really quickly because I came here to the computer lab to print out a few marketing things and bulletin board notices when I sat down at this Apple iMac. I cut my fingernails recently (for those of you who didn't know, I was letting them grow until one of them broke, and they got really really long) and so I am now able to use this keyboard in a way that I never have before. For those of you who are not sure about the iMac keyboard, it is white, flat, incredibly tactile, and it boasts a really solid and easy to type on feel when compared with traditional keyboards. The buttons give just the right about.

Anyway, I am going to go now and finish what I was doing. May you all be blessed throughout this eternity and here is to seeing you again in the next.

With Sincere Love, Prayer, and Meditation,
Matthew

Filtered Rays of Light Streaming through a Stained Window

Cracks traverse the dirt stained floor as the light plays on a chair left unattended.
Outside the sun beats down on grass going brown from the dry summer.
A playground swing stirs in the face of a soft wind.
Inside, the people pray.

Pioneers of new art forms - fools are geniuses.

Things are good here. I perhaps overstated my case, but I believe it is a case worth stating. Perhaps I should just get a button or provide a link to an essay.

Here we go again
There beyond the shores of yesterdays dreams
Lies a world that the eyes of men has never seen

Would you mind if instead of talking I just take your hand?

Piles of Leaves Littering Autumn Strewn Walkways

Okay, so I felt like writing a note, and don't have a whole lot to write about. I wrote a paper over the past few days about not procrastinating and developing meaningful relationships. In the spirit of not procrastinating, I'll use this space to put today's Self Procrastination Evaluation:

Homework:
None past due, all done for tomorrow

Quizzes:
Done

Notes:
Taken, ready for tomorrow

Projects:
One done, working on another (due Friday)

Alright then. That's that. The self evaluation is completed.

A song, what?

Pouring out over the waters of elder days
We walk along the paths we used to know
There was a little place that we could sit
And now the darkness is all you know

I stay beside you all this long while
While you cast about in darkness
Looking for the splendor of
The life we've always shared

Very well.

So who has signed up for EagleAlert? I know I did. I signed up for e-mail messages and phone messages. That way when something goes on, there is a chance I might know about it.

So here's the thought of the day:

We will never live in a truly free world until every person realizes that a minute or a dollar spent on self-destruction is unjustifiable while there are members of our own species dying of hunger every day.

What can we do about it? Donate time, donate money, play silly Facebook games and sign petitions. Maybe. Maybe some of it works. Maybe none of it works. It's best to try. Pray.

Gosh, on a lighter note, kids, we've got a million reasons to get up every morning.

Give yourself a pat on the back. Be as honest as possible. Don't be afraid to sound like yourself. Love the little things you do that no one seems to notice. Live in the moment. Feel your life.

Blessings to you all, and may you have fabulous days for all your existence.

That was posted in Facebook on a note. It'll go here and on Xanga. My blessings to you all, and to all those who are connected to you, for now and for all time. May your existence be as eternal as you wish it to be.

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