the angry young man

transrelativity — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 04:53:36 GMT

I have yet to process the horror of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, much less the nuclear reactor problems. Have donated once so far, a pitiful 10,000 yen, but I don't intend it to be the last. It's unbelievable. Just unbelievable.

Battlestar Galactica postmortem

transrelativity — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 21:39:03 GMT

I finished watching Battlestar Galactica today (the new series, not the old one) and decided to write down my thoughts. If you have no interest in the show, move along.

General impressions:
From the first episode, I found the series gripping and engaging. It's a dark, gritty, high-stakes universe whose conflict is made readily apparent from the start. Throughout the show there was a little more focus on religion than I really cared for, but that's something that in general I can overlook. I did find, however, that the same dark, gritty, suspenseful mood that drew me in at the beginning became wearing over time. There was very little humor in the show and very little relief; I recognize that this is part of what they were going for, but after a while the drama started to verge into melodrama and it no longer had as much of an impact. I'm a firm believer in levels when constructing narrative; without some "down" time, the "up" time either becomes too relentless or too commonplace and loses its meaning.

The show's themes were interesting, if a little dated. I recognize that they were probably more relevant when the original series was in production. I also appreciated that each episode contained elements of the larger plot, that there were few to no "throwaway" episodes, but at the same time this made the series run together in my mind. Other than portions of the show where, for one reason or another, the action took place in a different and visually distinct setting, the episodes run together.

Overall, I would say I enjoyed Battlestar Galactica, though I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I hadn't been disappointed by the ending.

The ending:
Highlight the text under the spoiler cut to read my specific thoughts on the ending.

---Spoilers start here---
I really didn't like the ending. I don't feel like it adequately resolved any of the issues of the show, not even the most basic ones, and it left way too much unexplained. Who or what was Kara Thrace? What purpose, if any, did Hera serve? Was there ultimately any justification for all the brouhaha surrounding her? Why, after everything that happened, did Cavil shoot himself rather than regrouping to try again? Why would Admiral Adama fly off and leave Lee, Saul, and all his men forever? Yeah, I get that he wanted to take Roslin off to die in peace, but is he seriously going to abandon everyone else he knows for the rest of his life? It's not like he's about to croak when the series ends, either, and he still has the raptor. He could easily pop by for a visit. What happened to Galen, anyway? Did I just miss him trotting off to a new life on the new Earth, or was his last shot the one after he killed Tory? (I did appreciate that, by the way. She had it coming for a long time, and I'm glad she got hers.)

And above everything else, WTF is up with the song?? Okay, so it represented jump coordinates to the new Earth (our Earth). All right, fine, I get that. But why? Why that song in particular? Why did it switch the cylons on? Why did Kara know it? (Unless we're simply supposed to assume this is part of her "destiny" like everything else.) Who was the mysterious piano player, anyway? It doesn't make any sense, and rather than coming off as mystical or mysterious, it just seemed dumb to me.

The flashback scenes to Caprica City that seemed meant to contextualize the finale were pointless. What did we learn? Adama would have died on Caprica if he'd been willing to take a lie detector test for a desk job? Roslin's family was killed by a drunk driver? Sam Anders was a perfectionist? Caprica 6 cared about Gaius' dad? Lee and Kara almost-but-not-quite slept together before Zak died? Did any of that really add to our understanding of those characters? Did it matter at all? Do we care? I was actually really excited about it when the flashbacks started, but by the end of the three-episode finale I just found them frustrating. None of it really mattered. It just felt like filler and more melodrama.
---Spoilers end here---

So that's my take on the whole thing. Good series for the most part, but what an unfortunate ending. Next I think I'll try Babylon 5, but not until I finish my thesis for good.

transrelativity — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 02:25:26 GMT

Apparently I have a LiveJournal. Who knew?

I wasn't really planning on reviving this, but I noticed that a few people I know are still posting entries, so I'm going to give it a shot and see if I can keep up with reading it. I went through my friends list and deleted any names I didn't recognize or remember, so if I've deleted you in error due to spacing out on who exactly you are, please forgive me and let me know so that I can add you back.

Anyway, hi. I'm alive. I'm back in the USA. I've written two out of three chapters of my Master's thesis, and the rest is forthcoming. My defense will be April 6th. My life is a lot of reading and writing interspersed with a moderate amount of socialization, video games, TV shows, doctor's appointments, and the gym. I'm taking testosterone as part of my transition, which is documented elsewhere. That's about it, I guess.

transrelativity — Wed, 13 May 2009 22:45:09 GMT

okay, maybe it wasn't so bad to hide out at home and sleep last night. i feel better than i have all week. then again, i haven't been to work yet today.

transrelativity — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:33:23 GMT

normally, i feel pretty awesome about my life, but i guess everyone's entitled to a bad day.

transrelativity — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:43:31 GMT

so the deal is, a house could be procured for slightly more than i pay now, but it's bare-bones. not acceptable; not livable. my argument: if i don't move, the BOE has to buy furniture for the new person. if i DO move, why don't they buy it for me? seems logical... we'll see what they say.

just fyi

transrelativity — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:01:36 GMT

i have not posted in a very long time.

um, to sum up?

japan rocks, my girlfriend joins me in august, i kept my bedroom clean for AN ENTIRE WEEK. also, i champion the frozen wastes. also, i am going to write bestsellers and become a millionaire. the end!

tonight

transrelativity — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:38:15 GMT

tonight i am frustrated and annoyed beyond measure, but that's not why i am here. i'm here because i suck at livejournal, and have for a long time, but i still miss the people here. especially you, patchouli. i wasn't ignoring you. i just never really managed to reply.

i don't read much here anymore (i.e. ever) but i want to try to change that. posting comes first. i'm still working on posting.

i'm pretty sure that tonight is the one-year anniversary of my arrival in japan. it's had its ups and downs--more downs in the beginning--but by this time i'm definitely glad that i came, and that i stayed. i've made so many great friends and i've learned a lot. i haven't accomplished everything that i set out to do, not by a long shot, but i am functioning adequately as a human being on my own. perhaps more than adequately. i guess it depends on one's point of view.

i don't think i've figured out any of the things i meant to. a lot of the questions i had when i came here are still unanswered. yet somehow, that doesn't seem like such a bad thing anymore. maybe i'm growing up.

in geeky news, i've been consumed by a ds game called the world ends with you. anyone with the hardware and the capital should pick it up. it's innovative, engaging, and addicting. i've also been missing warcraft, but i'm still not playing it. it just took up too much time in my life, and i think i'm better off without it for now. a lot of my internet time at work is spent on a website whose name i won't disclose here because it's too damn embarrassing, but if you ask me privately i might be willing to spill the beans.

i still roleplay, and i've discovered a new love for seifer almasy along with recapturing my old love for some very ancient characters. i'm also (sort of) keeping up (poorly) with a lj game, but i mostly play by email because i can't access lj at work, and i'm usually too busy when i get home to bother with internet things.

in less geeky news, i recently ran into an old friend who i hadn't spoken to in a long time. the experience was a positive one and made me wonder why we hadn't contacted each other sooner. so to anyone reading this who's grown apart from me, please throw me a line. i can't think of anyone from my past who i wouldn't welcome talking to again, and it would be nice to chat with folks i haven't seen in a while. transrelativity at gmail is probably the best way to reach me.

sorry again for not posting much or reading at all. i'm a horrible blogger, i admit.

my parents are on youtube!

transrelativity — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 04:16:32 GMT

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hK4E99GinkM

not dead

transrelativity — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:08:03 GMT

been a while, hasn't it?

i'm not dead. well, not yet. i've been making friends, enjoying japan, enjoying my job, spending time with my girlfriend. just spent the last half hour or so releasing, for the first time, my frustration and bitterness at the way academia, grad school, and lit crit destroyed my love of reading and writing. feeling a little raw.

i spend my time talking to my girlfriend, watching selected tv shows and anime, working out, attempting to cook, and halfheartedly keeping my apartment in a state of controlled chaos.

i haven't read my friends' page and i don't intend to, so if you want to get in touch with me please comment or email me.

transrelativity — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:23:15 GMT

lately, i suck at lj post.

and with this, i suck only slightly less.

transrelativity — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:35:32 GMT

AHHHHH I CAN POST TO LJ FROM WORK NOW! WINNNNNN

transrelativity — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:38:16 GMT

yesterday was a pretty good day. the closing ceremony was short, though unfortunately, it included the news that a couple of the nicest teachers are leaving, like the really sweet gym teacher who sits across from me and often talks to me. that was a real bummer. the enkai was fun though, and even though i was seated between two people i barely speak to, i managed to carry on a fairly good conversation. it always surprises me how much english people know... and how much japanese i can get by with, when needed. it's pretty good for me, i think.

i also got my easter basket package in the mail from my mom, and my absentee ballot in the mail from delaware county. i can't even say which is more thrilling because both were awesome. my mom sent an obama button in my easter package. that's how i know she loves me.

of course, now, i REALLY don't want to go to work.

audacity

transrelativity — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:53:16 GMT

other people on my friends list have already posted this, but i wanted to add my voice.

it's 40 minutes long. i won't lie. if you're reading this, please set aside 40 minutes out of your day to sit down, watch, and listen. even if you're an ardent hillary supporter, even if you're a republican, take the time to listen to what this man has to say. it doesn't have to change your mind. he talks very little about the election itself, explicitly speaking. it's just something that i think we should all hear.

please give it a listen.

also, i am in a good mood

transrelativity — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 22:15:51 GMT

i would just like everyone to know that it is well and truly spring here, and it is lovely.

meme at last...

transrelativity — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:46:24 GMT

another memething. you can ask me for picks if you like, but expect that i will be very slow.

1. Reply to this post, and I will pick seven [or as much as you want] of your icons.
2. Make a post (including the meme info) and talk about the icons I chose.
3. Other people can then comment to you and make their own posts.
4. This will create a never-ending cycle of icon squee. Whoo!

this is unfortunately about as typical as you can get. it's not a picture i took; it doesn't even really mean anything. i was just feeling like an icon with a backlit tree so i google image searched and pretty much made an icon out of exactly what i found.

ahahaha. this one came from some comic nancy linked me to. it was actually a picture of a guy punching the polar bear in the face, but it wouldn't all fit, so i just took the surprised look from the polar bear.

this was from a penny arcade strip about kh2. i think it was speculation? anyway, i'm not sure why "poohiroth" was created, but i put up the strip on my journal and threatened to make an icon out of it, and people took me up on it. so i did. not my best icon making; it's too cluttered. hard to tell what it is unless you already know.

i made this when i was mopey, i guess. i honestly just wanted a tree covered with snow, because i think that's one of the most exquisitely beautiful things in this world, but i added the text i-don't-know-why. i guess as aforementioned i was mopey? whatevs. i use it now when i'm feeling numb.

this one speaks for itself! i love firefly and you all should too. "you can't take the sky from me" is of course from the firefly theme song, and that is the ship right there. this icon is a little grainy. i wish i'd paid more attention to the image quality.

ohohoho. for those who don't know, this is ruka, a character from revolutionary girl utena. i don't really want to type out the whole story in case there are some who haven't seen it, but his story and the woman he truly loves are my favourite damn part of that entire show. touga gets second place though.

this last one is both cool and embarrassing. the picture is of the mandelbrot set, a visual depiction of chaos mathematics, specifically fractals. point of information: a greyscale mandelbrot set used to be the background for my entire journal, and still would be if it hadn't been on my college account and therefore purged some years ago. the idea for those who don't know is that the pattern repeats, infinitely smaller, forever. google it if you're curious. as for the text, this is the embarrassing part. i was looking for a really cool quote with "chaos" in it, and found some russian guy talking about "revolutionary chaos." i thought that was perfect, since chaos mathematics does seem to me like a revolutionary branch of science, and it was only afterwards i realized the guy was a politician, and he was talking about the chaos of the RUSSIAN revolution. oy.

there we go. if you want to describe icons, you can ask and see if i get to it. if you want to pick more of mine and have them described, comment here with the links. and now i am late to work omg! *runs*

D< this iz mai happi face!

transrelativity — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 13:48:16 GMT

whyyyyyyyy caaaaaaaan't iiiiiiiii sleeeeeeeep!? my head will not stop pounding. ugh!

in other news, i am annoyed that i am nearly finished with the first phoenix wright and have no way short of ebay, which i don't trust and also suspect would be madly expensive, to get a copy of the second (or third) game in english. i should have bought them all over christmas, but how was i to know i'd like it enough to want to play the sequel? curse my shortsightedness!

i have a meme to answer but there is too much head pounding now. i haven't forgotten though. also, more on graduation (which was today) at a later date.

meme things are good fun yes

transrelativity — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 06:14:34 GMT

tagged by patchouli

A. List seven habits/quirks/facts about yourself.
B. Tag seven people to do the same.
C. Do not tag the person who tagged you or say that you tag "whoever wants to do it".

1. i am both extremely messy and an extreme lover of cleanliness. i hate it so much when my house is a pit, but i get so upset about it that it's hard to do anything about it. i know it sounds lame, but it's a neurosis, OKAY?

2. i hate eggs. HATE them. hate hate hate. omelet, scrambled, sunny side up, sunny side down, you name it, if it isn't (a) separated and whipped into foamy goodness or (b) part of a baked good, do not let that egg get near me. for serious.

3. i absolutely adore going outside and Doing Things, whether it be heading into nagoya for a day trip or just going down to the conbini, but it's incredibly difficult to convince me to do it, because i never think i need to get out of the house until i'm actually out.

4. another thing i hate is shopping. grocery shopping can be okay sometimes, if i have a clean kitchen to cook in and time/inclination to go do it, but shopping for anything else seems like such a chore that it's almost impossible to convince me to do it. this is why i have no clothes.

5. despite its frequent scary moments, i have really grown to like school lunch.

6. i have discovered that i can control the 2nensei classes better than the 2nensei english teacher can.

7. yes, i admit it: now that project runway is over, i've started watching top model. not the same, but hopefully it'll tide me over until season 5. ;_;

i tag colibri, lokabrenna, binary_pi, rokikurama, erinmuse, gossamerrain... uh... is that seven yet? shit. and angryjonny!

transrelativity — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 22:41:06 GMT

i can't believe i got through this entire week without doing laundry. here it is, on friday, and I AM STILL WEARING CLEAN UNDERWEAR. so much win.

and now, to work!

OH I FORGOT

transrelativity — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:52:17 GMT

i DID do something useful today. I MADE THREE TIM GUNN ICONS.

aww <3

transrelativity — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 22:40:36 GMT

thanks to the folks who sent me valentines! they were a good pick-me-up after i had a sort of lame valentine's day. i miss you guys (well, one of you i'll see today, but i still miss you all!)

i survived super tuesday!

transrelativity — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:45:24 GMT

and so did obama, better than i feared when cnn called california with 16% of the vote in, but not as good as i would have liked. at the very least i can say that i was directly responsible for one californian going out to vote for him, so i guess i've done my part. my super tuesday was actually a wednesday and a very busy one. i had four classes in a row followed by paper grading, and then left work and went straight out with narita to help teach the adult class in kuwana. of course, we had dinner first, and i had shabu shabu for the first time. it was awesome.

not much else to report at the moment. i have to do a lot of cleaning for the weekend coming up. i'll most likely split that over today and tomorrow. other than that... i've been trying to post more often, as evidenced by this. i'm hoping that it'll eventually inspire or shame me into doing some real work, since i'm incredibly behind on every kind of personal task that you could possibly mention. at least the house will get cleaned this weekend. i'm not looking forward to it, but that's half the reason i'm having a party: to make myself clean. yeah. i'm like that.

OMG.

transrelativity — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:26:29 GMT

BEST. DAILY SHOW INTERVIEW. EVER.

also, if you're bored, consider making me a lj icon! :D

transrelativity — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 08:00:30 GMT

point 1: do not ask me about the super bowl. just don't do it.

other than that, my day was okay. after the phenomenally depressing conclusion, i was slightly cheered by sushi for lunch. when we have school lunch sushi, they give us a packet of nori, some sushi rice with scant veggie type things, and a bowl with some tuna and tamagoyaki in it. it's basically do it yourself sushi, and i love it. yum yum good. i also have a fantastic dinner planned for tonight, if i can manage to wash enough dishes to cook it. sigh sigh.

in terms of my lj life, i haven't been saying much because i usually check lj at work. if i am signed in when i hibernate my computer, i can check my friends page all day, but i can't interact with the site at all, meaning i can neither post nor leave comments. by the time i get home, i'm usually busy doing other things...

...like my latest obsession, finishing full metal alchemist. i had watched about 20 episodes back when it was newish, then didn't have the rest, so i forgot about it for a while. i'm now about 9 episodes from the end and i can't think of a moment that i didn't like. it's really exactly my kind of show, and i'm glad i picked it up again.

my new job is much better than the old one. i now work at toin second junior high instead of toin first junior high, and it somehow makes all the difference. the teacher i mostly work for uses much more interesting and creative teaching methods, and i'm a lot more involved. also, i get to take my computer to work, so while i don't have aim and have limited internet access, i can read cnn and chat on gmail all day long. unless i'm in class. yes. you know what i mean.

i'm having a small (very small) party next weekend, and i think it'll be fun, despite the crazy cleaning effort i'll have to put in beforehand. also, i wish i could motivate myself to wash my clothes, but in the Land of No Dryers it can be taxing at best.

february should be an abnormally social month for me. there's the aforementioned party, as well as two nights this month where i'll be going into kuwana to help teach the adult conversation class, two days of elementary school teaching, and avery's visit, which hopefully will coincide with a three-person trip for avery, erin and i to hiroshima for the weekend.

i'm still clean when it comes to warcraft, but i do miss it a little. surprisingly, i don't really miss raiding--or maybe that isn't surprising, since i've finally found job satisfaction in the real world. anyway, what i miss most are my friends in the game and playing my lowbie alts.

in conclusion, french bread is awesome, i miss my cats, and i'm completely irresponsible but somehow happy. parse that, if you will.

also, send me valentines.
Get your own valentinr

the end!

valentiiiines

transrelativity — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 22:39:50 GMT

i'm late on this, but do it anyway? cause you love me? i promise a more substantial post after work. i swear.

Get your own valentinr