Today, I have this strange craving for a Shamrock Shake. I've not had one in many, many years... so I'm not sure what has sparked this craving.

I don't even know if I can get one in this area.

I used to love these things as a kid. I don't know if it was the green-ness of the milkshake, or the minty coolness. I just remember getting these things every March.

When I was in high school and working at the local A & W, we offered a flavor-of-the-month milkshake. March was always our mint shake month, and I remember the first time I tried one with the chocolate button and the mint button both pressed halfway... watching the brownish-green shake fill the paper cup as I stepped on the feed pedal.

That one tasted much better than it looked! =^)

The A & W, the shake machine, are both long gone... as are the Shamrock shakes that inspired them (for the most part).

I wonder if anyone around here is offering them. Might be worth a field trip tonight!

What i'm listening to:

Ice Chase
John Barry
The Living Daylights

Quote of the day (from LiveJournal):

I thought half the fun of sex as a teenager was not knowing what you were doing and then quite by accident "rescuing the princess" and making your girlfriend soak the sleeping bag and wake the children in the next campsite.

This came as a reaction to a sex education class in Illinois teaching students how to find the G-spot... among other lessons. Parents found out, the teacher has been dismissed.

Now, clearly I'm no prude. However, I have to agree with this reaction. Maybe there's a bit of old-fashionedness in me. I think sex education is valuable, because there are a lot of scary things out there you can get that don't just wash off...

But beyond an explanation of what equipment you carry, how it works, and how to keep it safe and clean, I don't believe students need to be taught much more. To me, this is one step closer to pairing off as "lab partners", and finding a section of the room to experiment under the watchful eye of the instructor.

Which is going too far. Parents need to take responsibility for teaching their children about sex... even (or should I say especially?) if they do NOT want their kids to have sex. It is not the government's responsibility, nor the school's, to instill a value system in these kids. Only to educate them and provide a safe learning environment and safety.

I'm not one of those people who believe that by teaching sex ed, we give children our blessing to go try it out. I also don't believe that good kids who are waiting to have sex will change their minds based on the typical sex ed class or an HPV shot or whatever and rush out and have sex.

Sure, some might... but if you look at how they are raised you'll probably see some accountability needs to fall on the parents.

For the most part, good kids are just that... good kids!

However, adding the education of some of the mysteries of sex... well that falls into the realm of marketing. We are not only showing them how it works, but by explaining about the G-spot and soaking the sheets, an element of temptation, wonder and awe is added that is better discovered intimately with one's special partner.

Not in a classroom. Next thing you know there'll be a bed in the classroom and the instructor will demonstrate how things work... which positions are most challenging... stuff 13 year olds don't yet need to know.

When they are adults, they can research this stuff on their own.

Am I wrong in thinking this?

The article that spurred this lives here: Illinois Sex-Ed or 'Porn 101?'

What i'm listening to:

You Know My Name
Chris Cornell
You Know My Name

Have you ever tried to explain time?

Look at it this way, which is longer? The past, present, or future?

On one hand, one might consider that the future is longest, because it stretches into infinity. The past would be next, because it stretches to that ambiguous "beginning." Then the present, which is but a fleeting moment, because as each nanosecond passes, the last one is added to the past.

Ok, so now let me submit this: Neither the past nor the future exist at all. We cannot revist the past. The future is always just that, in the future, we never actually get there. Because of this, the present is infinite in size. The moment we live in now is eternal, because all we can ever live in is this moment. We can plan for a future which may or may never come, we can dote on a past that doesn't really exist... even though it may have shaped who we are and how we react.

Now, let me add space into the equation. This moment is infinitely large, because this moment I'm writing this... this moment you are reading this, thousands millions of people are doing something, in this moment.

Just thinking about how awesome the notion of time is threatens to blow my mind! I mean, when I look at this way, how can I not live in the moment? How can I not appreciate what I have? How can I not act, instead of thinking about acting?

What an inspirational epiphany!

What i'm listening to:

Touch Me (I Want Your Body)
Samantha Fox
Touch Me

All I can say is, "Wow!"

I finally saw my first movie since the Narnia movie... back in the before time. I decided to treat myself to Casino Royale. And, wow!

I've been a huge James Bond fan since graduating high school. However, unlike a lot of fans, I wasn't apprehensive about the casting of Daniel Craig, I wasn't concerned about the change of direction in the Bond franchise. In fact, I went into the movie with an open mind, and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest.

Quite the contrary, in fact!

I'll admit I was a little confused by the timeline, but it didn't take long for me to suspend it. I'm sure somewhere on the internet there is an explanation... I'm not that big of a Bond-geek.

Craig's performance as Bond was fabulous, he was cold, calculated, charming and confident... all at once! He brought a very real sense to the character that has never been there. The closest we've seen to this quality is Connery's Bond.

Sure, some of the scenes stretched my suspension of disbelief pretty thin... but I thoroughly enjoyed the movie anyway. Totally!

And Eva Green as the leading lady? My God, she's absolutely stunning! I might just have a new favorite Bond girl!

I am so glad I saw this on what's probably my final opportunity to see it on the big screen... those freckles made me melt into the seat! =^)

I suppose I'll have to pick this up on DVD Tuesday... absolutely! Here's to hoping this film sets a new standard for future Bond movies.

And *finally* getting the martini right was a definite plus! =^)

What i'm listening to:

Reason Why
Rachael Yamagata
Happenstance

For the past week or so I've been having these weird dreams.

In these dreams, I'm back in my hometown. I'm with my high school girlfriend, working at my high school job, doing high school things.

But the high school is very different... it is ruined, destroyed.

So, today I had to look something up. I've known this was coming for a couple of years now, but last Thursday it started. My old high school is being torn down.

I guess I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I didn't expect it to affect me like this, but it is depressing me a little bit.

Part of the building is only nineteen years old. Yes, 19.

There is a time capsule in the cornerstone of the building that probably has something I put there. My freshman year of high school, that section was being constructed. At the time, it was state of the art! The building it replaced had existed since the early 1900's... maybe around 1910 or 1920.

I have this passion for buildings anyway, and the older they are, the more character they have and the more passionate I tend to get about them. But this is different.

I guess I have a real problem with throwing away a building that was largely redone only 19 years ago. It seems like such a waste.

While I've thought about this for the last couple of years, I haven't dreamed about it.

Until now.

The halls where many of my "first experiences" happened will soon be gone forever... only to be memories. I should have taken more pictures. I shouldn't have lost my diploma, which had a gorgeous sketch of the high school inside. The first crush, the first kiss, the first fight... all gone. The steam tunnels, egg drops from the roof, the "dead" spots on the basketball court... all gone.

I suppose to some, a lot of demons will be put to rest. Maybe even some of mine.

Well, this weekend I discovered a small problem with making an exceptionally well mixed and upbeat CD.

I can't seem to keep my foot out of my fuel injectors. =^|

I played hooky from work on Friday and spent the day with my little sister, who had the day off. We had pizza for lunch, went shopping at the mall, got some pictures taken, and then went out with her boyfriend for some fine Italian food.

Then I had to get back to work on some homework.

Anyway, while wandering the mall, I learned something that has had an effect on me. My sister is a very, very nice and thoughtful person. Clearly, that isn't hereditary, because if it is, I didn't get it.

She isn't a narcissist. At least, not as bad as I am. She takes the time to form relationships with people she works with, customers where she works, and people in her life.

I've always been somewhat of a loner. I don't really know how to escape myself... which is a major part of why that is such a critical element of my New Year's goals. If I don't learn how to escape myself, I will probably fail at all of the more challenging goals.

It's between that and learning to embrace my imperfections... but that's another story.

While we were talking, I realized that she has so many stories to tell because she interacts with so many people on a daily basis. She genuinely cares about the people she encounters, rather than finding them an annoyance.

Yes, I have to admit I find people an annoyance if I'm going to get past that hang up.

I have made leaps and bounds in that area, but I still have a ways to go. Take this post for instance. The "I, me, my" count is staggering!

Last night, I was pleasantly surprised by T₂ at the club. I haven't seen her since mid-December, and she was very, very excited to see me! She had all of these wonderful stories to tell about what she's been up to over the last three months. She talked about her trip to Chicago, snowboarding lessons with her son, that she kept landing on her face with the snowboard, so her eight-year-old told her to stick with snow skis, getting stuck with jury duty and possible outs.

She also told me that I look great... which stroked my ego a bit. We had a bit of fun and spent most of the evening talking and stuff.

I really do adore that girl... there's just something very special about her. However, last night wasn't about that. I was just grateful for the fun evening with someone I geniunely want to get to know better!

What i'm listening to:

Grace Kelly
Mika
Life in Cartoon Motion