Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Another Birthday Bites The Dust

March 29th was my birthday. I had a great time. My family made me a spaghetti dinner and I got to watch movies. My personally favorite things to do.

Oh in case I forget, don't forget to check out our new "Other Links" section over there on the right. It will link to various pages with execptional photo content that is particularly close to my heart.

To all those who have recently experienced (or soon will experience) a birthday: Happy birthday! I hope you have a great day, and I feel your pain.

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Very, Very, VERY Important Advice

Advice I felt was imperative that I share with you. Lemony Snicket is wise beyond his years.
If you are allergic to a thing, it is best not to put that thing in mouth, particularly if the thing is cats.

Taken from Lemony Snicket's Book: "The Wide Window."
Read those books if you get a chance, they are for kids but are entertaining to children of all ages.

I need a tan.

Most people have friends that have faded into the past. And just like everyone else, it turns out that so do I. I'd like to take a moment to talk about some of these friends as they have been on my mind lately.

There are certain people that upon meeting them an instant connection is made. A jolt of understanding that in at least some way what you are sharing is special. The number of times this has happened to me can be counted on one hand.

One person is now in the east, living their life out helping children learn. One I alienated out of a false belief that I knew what was right for them (she is now-hopefully- happily married with lots of kids). One person was last scene in college with a heartfelt goodbye. One person lives three thousand miles away and is training to be a genius. And the last person I think I also alienated because I was stupid (I actually don't know what I did, but I'm sure the fact that I'm dumb, played a part), and I can't be sure because she lives three thousand miles away.

These people don't know it, but in my mind their are all luminaries and they blaze like the sun.

Sunday, March 27, 2005

News Flash: Dog Bites World



Everyone, meet Niles. Niles say hello.

As you might have guessed this fine example of co-mingled breeds (read Mutt) is my dog. I got him as a puppy from some people who had taken in a dog before asking their parents if it was OK. Now, at the time, no one in my family was, what you might quaintly call, a "dog person." In fact I believe that we had four well established cats who's plans for world dominion had to be put on hold because of the new addition to the family.

Niles is a dog with ADD--who doesn't listen to reason when he's excited--who sometimes can't wait to be let out before doing his business, and barks more often than our neighbors would like. However in spite of all these "dogish" traits, he is the most loyal, friendly, wholesome, smart and funny dog I have ever encountered.

If you should see him exploring the streets he's probably just run off (being chased by me) because of something a squirrel said to him.

One person to annoy them all

Time: 2 am - Sunday
Place: senseless Online Video Game

Have you ever encountered anyone with such a pro-active personality that no matter what they did they tore chunks out of your patience? The type of person who has an opinion on everything you do? I think you are starting to see where I am coming from.....

Well I had the distinct pleasure of meeting someone like this. And lucky me I got to spend hours with them. Every step of the way he had something to tell me to do, and by the end of my special time with him, my patience was torn and abused. Having watched CSI religiously I was contemplating a truly perfect crime, and making sure that future generations would not have to deal with him.

However instead of a felony, I resorted to snapping at him and making sure he understood that I was not happy with him (I did this in front of enough people to make him silent for a bit). To tell you the truth, though, I feel like I lost a battle to him. I let him get under my skin, and normally I'm able to deal with obnoxious people. I shouldn't have had to resort to ridiculing him, especially in front of people. It's very annoying to feel guilty about this guy.

I think my diet is getting to me; I think I must be digesting my patience for lack of sustenance.

Saturday, March 26, 2005

A weekend of note

This weekend I'm staying at a friends apartment. While I like getting out, something else of note happened today. I got an opportunity to actually talk to a friend with whom I had only had a typing relationship with in the past. I was a bit nervous, and didn't know what to expect at all. It turned out that as soon as I heard her wonderful British accent I forgot about my nervousness.

We had first met on the mmorpg Final Fantasy XI, and after many moons and electronic adventures we became good friends. It's always strange to jump accross the digital divide and actually talk to someone you've met on-line. However, I must say that it was a very satisfactory experience, and I wish that all mmorpgs would include voice chat.

I mentioned that she was British. It's unfair the effect that that accent has on the American psyche. Hearing it made me constantly check my posture to make sure it was correct. I also found myself speaking with much better grammer than I normally posess.

If you are wondering how I was able to talk to her, let me apease your curiosity--the person I'm staying with this weekend has xbox live, as does my british friend and they know each other. So it was in fact an easy matter to set up the voice chat. Now on the subject of xbox live.... It gave out on us twice and had to be restarted once. The sound quality was horrible, but I loved the chance it gave me to communicate on a level above "hunt and peck."

P.S. Watching "The Princess Bride" makes me remember there are some very important things in this life.

Thursday, March 24, 2005

The other opening statement

Sooooooooooooo.....

I am also new to blogging, but thought it would be fun to voice some opinions on things (BELIEVE me, I've got some opinions I want to voice), but also post information about myself, things I find that are interesting, put up pictures, etc.

Some information about me: I am currently finishing my MFA in Fiction. This means that I consider myself a writer! ...and I am using this forum as a distraction from the real writing I am supposed to be doing right now, which is my MFA Project, a novel that I have been working on now for about four years. I've also written some short stories that I'm trying to get published, and I've even dabbled in some poetry, even though I'm pretty bad at it.

I like to read (even though that's a bit of a lie because I hardly have the time to read anymore, beyond class reading requirements), I like to scrapbook, and garden (something else I'm quite bad at). I also like to procrastinate--at least this has been true lately, since I'm so close to being finished with my degree, and I have so much to do right now. Another way I procratinate is playing Final Fantasy XI. >.>;;

I'm looking forward to posting more here. See you soon!

Opening Statement - Insert something catchy here

Seeing as this is a brand new blog for me, I'd like to take this time to introduce myself and my intentions.

My name is Mark Jazayeri, and I am currently trying out extended adolecence to see how it fits. Just between you and me, it fits like a well worn and adored pair of pants (the kind you wore when you met your first love). I am at times a student of some sort, and I'm sure I must've worked in some sort of industry for a time, because I have the scars to prove it.

I'd like this blog to be a forum for my interests and adventures (of which I have had too many-- please refer to the scars discussed above). I plan on posting pictures of things you may or may not find interesting, and I also plan on posting some of my thoughts once and a while. Vague enough for you? Don't worry, I plan on filling in the blanks in the days/weeks/etc.. to come.