The Scrolls

Archive for August, 2007

Silly Mistakes and Use of Tone

Upon logging into Blogger just a few minutes ago, I typed in the Blogger name I had used for several years until just recently Google took it over and I had to upgrade my account to use my Gmail address. I didn’t even realize I had done it, even though I hadn’t used that name here or anywhere else for ages, it was just so ingrained. I had to chuckle.

To another subject about which I would like to make a few comments: the tone I use on my website. I tend to use a more formal tone for several reasons including credibility, longevity, representation and simply practice of the English language.

I feel that some of the information I provide – such as the sex section and the website primer – gain credibility when I use a formal tone. I think that you, the reader, will be more inclined to believe that the advice I give is more credible because I am using a formal tone rather coming off like a teeny bopper. I feel that using this tone helps to set apart my site and give the content validity.

Furthermore, a formal tone will always be in style which gives it longevity. Over the years I’ve adopted many styles of typing and talking, many of which were not for the best. As I moved on to bigger and better things and, most always, back to normal typing (-grins-) I would find the need to go back and replace all those “Zs” or apostrophes or uniquely abbreviated words. Writing in a formal tone requires me to write normally and doing this initially means my message is go to good as long as we both shall live – my site and myself, that is.

Moreover, I use a formal tone simply to practice formal English. While I may allow myself to relax when chatting online, writing or talking in a casual situation, `I do have a better grasp on the English than those situations call for and I know that – as the saying goes – I must “use it or lose it” so I use this outlet as a way for me to practice the proper use of English language. Really, I find a sense of pride in this.

Lastly, I use a formal tone as a way to represent myself maturely and with dignity. I can never be sure who might find my site and what opportunities will arise or base me by because of how I represent myself here. Although not likely, perhaps a potential employer will not consider me for hire because of what they see or perhaps someone may run across the site and see that I may have something to offer and, in turn, he or she may have something to offer me because of that. We all know the the internet is hardly anonymous anymore and real life consequences can happen because of what you post on the world wide web so it’s always best to play it safe.

College

As always, I’ve planned to go to college but it just hasn’t worked that way. The way I see it, life just got in the way. I know you’re thinking “But, Cole, how can that be? Life doesn’t get in the way!” But I disagree. Life does get in the way. Life, as they say, is what happens when you’re busy planning and this certainly is true for me.

Right out of high school, I was planning to going to school for graphic design with an emphasis on web design, something which I obviously have an interest in. However, I wasn’t able to attend either of the schools which most interested me: IADT Chicago and Collins College. I worked for a while and my interest began to wane for a bit so perhaps not being able to attend was a good thing. I also became a little intimated by just how many people are going into this field and how this could be detrimental to me when it came time to joining the career field, especially with a lowered interest than some and less of a drive to be the best (if I even could be the best).

Between now and then I would marry Rian, move to Milwaukee and finally move to Japan, none of which were conducive to going to school though all offered me a different vantage point in life and possibly a little happiness to boot. Over time I would come to realize that most of my interests would pique and wane, none of them lasting more than a few years and perhaps I would be happy doing anything in which I had a mild interest or perhaps I have just not discovered what it is I would actually do, yet.

To date, I’ve shown at least a mild interest in architecture, law, graphic/web design, medical examinations, sex education, teaching, make up artistry, interior design, journalism/writing, singing and, most recently, mortuary science. All of these are as different from eachother as can be; although, they all offer some degree of structured freedom – under which I usually thrive.

As I mentioned, the most recent is mortuary affairs which, if you’re the linguist or even a logical person, you would notice the key word: mortuary. Yes, the interest in being a mortician or funeral direct, the more politically correct term. This job ranges from embalming bodies to post-mortem make up to the organization of funeral services and counseling of loved ones of the diseased.

There just seems to be something to serene about thinking about dead bodies (hang in with me, there, or skip down a paragraph to avoid the subject) and I really love people, but hate to be around them so what better solution than to surround myself with those who have already passed from the living? Furthermore, I love playing with make up and, though you might not recognize it, I love to organize and plan things (though getting them off the ground is sometimes a different things -lol-). Plus, black is a career wardrobe staple in this profession. Really, how much Gothier can you get? -lol-

I’ve been looking this way for a while because I wouldn’t need a 4 year degree so I would be able to enter the work force a bit sooner and start to work on something I’d at least enjoy, if not love, while I still try to discover that “it” thing, my true calling I guess. Many of the fields I’ve considered are actually not your typical liberal arts (4 year degree) fields, thus I’ve looked at many more private and technical colleges than public ones.

I’ve been focusing on 2 schools recently, with the intent of enrolling as soon as we’re back in the states or Rian is out of the Air Force, whichever works better though, preferably, the sooner the better. One is San Antonio College, obviously in San Antonio and the other is MATC or Milwaukee Area Technical College. One, basically, for where I come from and one from where Rian comes from and hopes to be stationed after this. My attention has been on the former’s Mortuary Science program and the latter’s Funeral Service program.

Additionally, I had been considering taking some courses here, which could be transferable to either school, at one of the schools on base (which are actually all offered online): Central Texas College, Troy University, University of Maryland University College and University of Phoenix. However, trying to find courses which fit the bill has been a little more difficult than imagined. On the other hand, both SAC and MATC do offer online courses in their respective programs so I might be able to take a few courses while we are here, still.

I recently sent inquiries to both schools about admissions requirements, transferring credits (and recommended courses to take in order to do this) as well as online courses. So far, I’ve heard back from MATC which had online classes and I haven’t realized but I haven’t heard from SAC, yet. I know that they do have online classes but I’m not sure if I can take them or if I would need to be a resident of Texas, but changing legal residency is not completely out of the question. And, if I could take the courses through the school I wish to attend and not need to worry about transferring credits at a later date, I’m all for it. Additionally, since I am overseas, I may be able to look to the military for tuition and expense help – although, I am not positive.

So, I will be looking into the online classes and enrolling if I can and, if not, I’ll see what courses might be available to me here because transferring courses is better than nothing.

I really am excited about the idea of attending college, finally!

You Can’t Win ‘em All

Do you ever try really hard to like someone, or at least be tolerant of them, and fail miserably? I know I’m much more tolerant than I was. I know, now, that in some situations you simply bite your tongue and shut up in order to get along with someone because you have to, even if that someone is ignorant or foolish or just plain difficult. Of course, since we’re all wired with differently personalities, the people who fit the bit of being ignorant, foolish or difficult to me may not be the same for you; I may even be one of those people to you and that’s fine but because we need to live and work and exist alongside others, we must learn to deal.

I used to write people off because of face value – how they looked or what they said but first impressions can be, and often are, misleading. I was missing out on people because I was quick to label them as boring, too different, unintellectual, sheep, so on and so forth. What was really happening was that these people played the part, often unawares, in certain situations which led me to these incorrect assumptions. After all, in most social situations, we all modify ourselves ever-so-slightly as to fit in and get along?

But take an individual person or two out of these situations and provide the opportunity for me to become better acquainted with them, and my eyes would be opened to just how unique a person he or she was. This then inspired me to be able to see more of this unique person, in a group situation.

A few of these opportunities which I wasn’t so keen on, would make me much more interested in getting to know other people and, eventually, I would become much more tolerant to others and even when I wouldn’t have the chance to make someone’s acquaintance, I was much less likely to write them off or lump them in with another nameless group.

So I recognize the value and necessity of tolerance, today, and look forward to new friendships and relationships that I might otherwise have missed because of my former intolerance. Still, it’s not always easy to tolerate some personalities. In particular, 2 people are currently being very intolerable which leaves me with a rather bitter taste in my mouth and a resentfulness within me.

One of which is someone who has always rubbed me wrong but I thought perhaps I was being too intolerant and that this person needed a second chance. I went out on a limb trying to build a friendship, which never went anywhere because of their response – which is fine. I still tried to be tolerant but I noticed the things this person said and done were extremely hypocritical, rude and often condescending. While some people loved this person’s “confidence” and free spirit and others even thought of this person as fair and objective, this person only came off and arrogant, bitchy, stubborn and pretentious to me. And you know what, I don’t like that. I don’t like this person and I think that I don’t have to tolerate that sort of bullshit. M I Rite?

The other situation which comes to my mind easily is one with a coworker. Generally, I didn’t like her at first impression: clothes, make up, voice, laughter so on and so forth. Though, all of that can generally be ignored, I found I didn’t really like her any more the deeper I would delve. But, while I disliked this person overall, it was difficult to pinpoint a specific reason. We would greet eachother in the morning, bid adeu in the evening, chit chat during the day and be generally courteous but we weren’t making any effort to become fast friends. I figured that acting friendly might translate in actual feelings of amicability and truly being friendly but such just isn’t the case so I go on faking. Of course, the side of me which isn’t the better person sort of likes ‘holding’ that over someone – the not liking them but pretending nothing’s wrong thing. -eg-

Fonts are back!

There’s been some edits here and there – most notably when it comes to the splash pages and I added some new (as well as updated some old) opinions here.

PS – the font section is back up, and completely revamped! Tell me what you think.

Join JRI!

It’s poll-a-rama over at JRi. Why don’t you go check it out?

Especially if you’re a recent refugee from Lux, Bang or BebeDawl boards.

Unexpected

Sometimes I like to be mushy and listen to love songs and bawl my eyes out. But is it because I’m happy or sad?

I love bass drums

I’ve been listening to the “Unforgiven II” on repeat – actually, I’m too lazy to change my CD player to ‘repeat’ so I just keep clicking the back button after the song finishes – as I work on the pictures section. I forgot how hot I can be. Wowzers! I added some pictures from March of this year.

I also added a new song to dowload: “The howling” by Within Temptation. Lyrics below.

The Howling

We’ve been seeing what you want,
You’ve got us cornered right now
Falling asleep from our vanity
May cost us our lives

I hear them getting closer
Their howls are sending chills down my spine
Time is running out now,
They’re coming down the hills from behind

When we start killing
It’s all coming down right now
From the night that we’ve created
I wanna be awakened somehow
(I wanna be awakened right now)

When we start killing
It all will be falling down
From the hell that we’re in
All we are is fading away
When we start killing

We’ve been searching on and on
But there’s no trace to be found
It’s like they all have just vanished
But I know they’re around

I feel them getting closer
The howls are sending chills down my spine
Time is running out now
They’re coming down the hills from behind

When we start killing
It’s all coming down right now
From the night that we’ve created
I wanna be awakened somehow
(I wanna be awakened right now)

When we start killing
It all will be falling down
From the hell that we’re in
All we are is fading away
When we start killing
When we start killing!

I feel them getting closer
The howls are sending chills down my spine
Time is running out now
They’re coming down the hills from behind

The sun is rising
The screams have gone
Too many have fallen
Few still stand tall
Is this the ending
Of what we’ve begun?
Will we remember
What we’ve done wrong?

When we start killing
It’s all coming down right now
From the night that we’ve created
I wanna be awakened somehow
(I wanna be awakened right now)

When we start killing
It all will be falling down
From the hell that we’re in
All we are is fading away
When we start killing
When we start killing!