DESIGN MAX'S GIRLFRIEND CONTEST

In celebration of the raging speculation as to the identity of my lady-friend, I am declaring a contest.

It's the first annual "DESIGN MAX'S GIRLFRIEND CONTEST!"

Using your (yes, even you!) abilities of MS Paint, PhotoShop, Google, satire, literature or even gardening, create what you believe to the visage of the girl I am dating.

SUBMIT to me, through email or otherwise, your creation.
CREATIONS must be received on or before 11:59:59 pm on NOVEMBER 13, 2006.

One winner will receive a FABULOUS PRIZE (for real!)
Four runners up will receive PRIZES OF LESSER VALUE (but equally awesome)
EVERYONE will get a hug.

Here is the only information you are given:

1. Her name is "CLAIRE"
2. She is an ARCHAEOLOGIST
3. She lives in CHICAGO

That's it.
No design is too outlandish, no feelings will be hurt - no matter what! I swear!
NOW GO - GO AND MAKE FOR ME THE PERFECT WOMAN.

Water Damage - OH NO!

I got pretty freaked when I found some of my books wet today. They had been in the shelf, under the plants, next to the window, so I guess it was only a matter of time. No serious damage seems to have occurred, though some ink did run on a very handsome drawing and I am pretty bummed about that.
The problem is solved now, I moved everything to other shelves. But the balance of my room is all whacked now - I think the Chi in here is messed up royal now. I better suspend a red plant, facing east, in the north corner of my room's root chakra.

Classes are finally settling in, thought it might just be the post-midterm lull. I am hoping this is not the case, but I am open to the possibility. The magazine is what has really got me bummed right now. I am workin' pretty hard on it, but I am not sure that I will be able to make the deadline I had planned on. Changes may have to be made. I've also lost the support of some people within the Gargoyle - had some quittages. This is troubling not just for deadlines, but I am starting to worry about the WORKING DYNAMIC within the magazine itself. Again, changes may have to be made.

But it's not all doom and gloom. Today was the first day in a long time when I felt like I was really on top of things. Furthermore, I seem to have done pretty well in my classes so far. Here's the lineup:

Eng 305 - Intro to Modern English: Test Monday. Felt pretty good about it.
Eng 223 - Creative Writing: No exam. Poetry portfolio turned in last Wednesday.
Eng 383 - Jewish Literature: Paper last week, felt OK about it. Exam Nov. 8
Hist 318 - Euro History 1870-1945: Test and Paper over the past few weeks. Felt OK.
ACABS 393 - Zoroastrianism: Good grades on both quizzes.

Hopefully this trend will improve.
I also made spaghetti last night.
And I am involved with a very nice girl named Claire.

Yeah, things are pretty good.

They're Wrong

"They" say that you learn more about English grammar from taking a foreign language.
"They" are wrong.
I am doing the reading for my English class right now, and I am learning more about the grammar of my language than I did from 11-odd years of German.

HW Bush All At Sea

They named a giant chunk of impenetrable steel after him. How appropriate.

Update From The Land Down-Under Michigan

Hi ho, children of the internet.

I’m cooling my heels in Phil’s most fantastic apartment, drinking Dr. Pepper (prune flavored) froma 32oz plastic mug and watching his cat run laps back and forth like the dang little thing was on fire.

But what I want to say is that the concert was amazing. And it was.
However, the show featuring “America’s most exciting live rock band” (eg. Wilco) was marred by sadness and perhaps a little unease. It was reported to day in the Purdue Exponent that Jeff Tweedy’s mother passed away a few days before tonight’s concert – the beginning of their tour. After the worst opening band I have ever seen (6 guitar players doing some kind of spaced-out, cheap, irritating impression of The Sonic Youth, as heard through a coffee can, across a freeway) a black clad Tweedy took the stage.
Determined to carry the show, Tweedy plowed through several standards (and a few new tunes) with nary a word to the audience. When he finally spoke his distress was clear, his usual banter with the audience being marked with a kind of bitter sarcasm. Yet the show kicked into an even high gear right after, with the band launching into some of their most intricate songs.

The show featured several new songs, one of which was a debut (or a ‘de-butt’) for the band. These songs marked a notable departure from the almost avant-garde approach that the band has taken in recent years. A more rootsy, rocky element has entered their music proving that this band is far from stagnation. Indeed, each album seems to evolve and grow into a totally novel direction.

Despite the efforts of the opening band, and the obvious grief on stage, the show was amazing. Though Tweedy’s effervescent stage presence was muted, a real energy was exuded into the audience. Rarely can a band make me not regret standing for over two hours. This time, I could have stood and cheered all night.


I also got to see Mike totally rocking out. Phillip’s special lady friend, who had only heard two Wilco songs in her life, declared that the show was “filled with romanticism, but that may be because I was being held by [my huggly bear]” I can confirm the holding. We all felt a great appreciation, that in the face of such a tremendous personal loss the show was not only a spectacular success, but that it went on at all.

Monitor Update and Games

I went down the Gargoyle office with the hopes of hooking up my new monitor there but alas! the computers we have are too new!
In other bad news, I have been blocked by the University from having the Garg-Cart on the Diag. This is particularly unfortunate because the Gargoyle is a pretty weighty publication. We'll struggle onward. We're also having trouble getting our CandySale program (aka. Project "CashCow") off the ground. Again, due to pesky permits.

However, there has been some good news! Tomorrow I travel to Indiana for much merriment with Mike, Phil and Susan. Also, I have been able to pull far enough ahead in my homework to take 30min to myself and read Allen Ginsberg's 'Howl.' It's pretty awesome, I must say.

But, like the title says, I have been looking at Video Games again. Nanostray looks like a fun little number. A reworking on your classic 2D space shooter, which has been a favorite genre of mine.
Also interesting looking is Final Fantasy : Reverant Wings. This will be the first original FF title to come to the DS, and will be based around aerial combat! Man, that sounds interesting. You know me, Al. I have a thing for airships.

Phil, Mike, Susan - See you tomorrow. You too, Jeff.