the secant log |
9.12.2001
I thought it might have been a bad dream when I woke up, but it wasn't. My first bad dream in months was reality, not just a dream. Bad dreams are always like those broadcasts, repeating the most horrifying images. People you think you know and people you don't know at all. Every channel on TV and on the radio focused on one terrible event. Rumors and speculation, experts and eyewitnesses. Even the date had the eerie significance of being 911 (9/11/01). How can New York ever be the same? How can the country ever be the same? It won't and maybe that's good. Some people might finally feel threatened enough to feel a kinship with other people from this country. Maybe we'll start answering the question "What are you?" with "American" instead of "Irish" or whatever nationality your ancestors were. Maybe we'll actually use the phrase "fellow citizen" more than the phrase "total stranger". I know it's the total opposite of a good thing right now, but it has got people thinking and people talking and those things are always good. I love this country, I really do, but people here have some serious attitude problems brought on by isolation. Imagine countries being children for a second. America would be the big, rich kid who is raised next to a kid that does whatever America does and another one that is poor and doesn't speak the same language. Naturally, we're going to have some social issues here. Maybe this attack will be the character building scar that teaches the kid a valuable lesson. Or maybe people will cover it up and ignore it. I just hope the kid doesn't flip out and start an all-out war with whatever country they find the psychos in. If that happens I'm going over to visit the kid next door. I think it's interesting how people think this may be a religious omen of some kind. If your religion is one that believes in free will, then aren't you surprised this hasn't happened sooner? Like maybe New Year's Day 2000? Plenty of disasters have happened before in other countries, why weren't those a sign of the Apocolypse? What makes America so religiously special? I think it just goes to show that we don't need to fear governments nearly as much as terrorist groups. Technology and resources can only be guarded secrets for so long, so are we headed for nuclear war with terrorists? Eventually, maybe. I'm just curious to see how many countries oppose the SDI plans now (not that this would have been stopped, but it proves how vulnerable America is). To all my friends (yes You), I hope you are doing well in school or at work or wherever. I know things will be ok and I know you'll be there if they aren't. Thanks. 9.10.2001
What the h happened to weekends? I work all week like a madman, looking forward to the weekend. Then it comes.....and there it goes. I did get to go out for Indian food with my sister on Friday, but that was about it. I'm 24 and I have all the weekend fun of a 42 year old. I guess that comes with being in a new city where I don't know anyone. The majority of my friends being dozens of miles away in sleepy Lowell, Mass (a place that can be visited, but makes me feel bad when I do). I suppose I could have wandered around the Gravity Games by myself, but what's the point? On a positive note I only spent $10 on groceries last week (and I ate decent stuff). I am the Master of Modern Frugality. Ok, I have to back to Monday now. 9.6.2001
It's insane how quickly I've improved as a runner (wait, John Foley...a runner?...yeah, shut up!). When I run during a trafficky time of the day I go to the Roger Williams Memorial Park and run around it several times. Yesterday I ran around it 9 times. It's about .6 miles for one lap. It took me less than 30 minutes. What the h? My last lap was actually my fastest, because I felt really good and couldn't believe the pace I was on. I've never been able to run a mile quicker than 6 minutes (actually never quicker than 6.5). Now I can run over 5 miles, averaging less than 6 minutes a mile. I told Jesse I think I missed my calling in life. I was never meant to be a math teacher. I was meant to be a superstar long-distance runner. If this is the result of 2 weeks of running, what's going to happen after months? Well, I can't go to the Piebald/Center of the Earth tonight for four reasons.
9.4.2001
I don't like waking up in the dark. What an awesome start to the first day of school. I had to back out of my driveway, because my upstairs neighbor parked too close for me to be able to turn around. When I got to the end of the driveway (which has no visiblity to either side) there was a guy walking on the sidewalk right behind my car. This caused me to panic, because I almost hit him, but instead I chose the iron post next to my driveway. Luckily, it's only scratches, no dents, but it's still going to cost me. My day was already ruined at 6:45am. On a brighter note, I did some rad lighting design in my room last night, which came out really good. It's dumb things like little lights that make me smile in the morning. I guess it's just that ingrained fascination of fire. When I wake up, I swear it takes me 5 minutes to become civilized. The first things I think of are basic survival needs (food and water). It's a good thing I never wake up with a spear next to my bed and a random large animal running by. 9.2.2001
So last night I went to Somerville to check out Center of the Earth with the disclaimer that they'd be bad, since they hadn't played in 3 months. But no, they rocked. There were alot of people there I didn't expect to be there, which was a bonus. Running has been going really well. For the first time in my life I really like it. I've been psyched about being able to run around my new city and get better every time I run. Today I ran farther and faster than I did anytime before AND I wasn't really winded at the end. Why couldn't this have happened sooner?  |