Cheating Out

Not how or why.

2009-09-08T21:19:10Z

I take pleasure in the fact that there are a select group of people out there who, when turning on the television to hear news of the apocalypse and the walking dead, would breathe a sign of relief and say, "FINALLY!"

Blake gave me The Walking Dead to read and I fell asleep over it today. I had a dream that we were scheduled to hang out and, upon leaving my apartment, I found that there were zombies. I went back inside and got my machete (which I actually do own) and made my way to his apartment. It was fairly violent except I think, when I got to his elevator (why I wouldn't take the stairs I have no idea) I think a zombie pushed the floor button for me... When I finally got to his apartment and he opened the door my reaction was, "BLAKE! ZOMBIES!!!" Happiest day ever. Then I woke up.

Damn.

The good news is that I definitely spent the majority of last week/this weekend eating jello brains, hanging out with an amazing German boy, spending time with Gina the Magnificent, and watching French films and Mike Judge movies. This has been the most relaxing little break from JTIC and school I've had in a while.

Also Gina and I might move in together. I gave her the keys to my apartment the other day. Our relationship is going places. Shea: watch out.

- As Always -
Tucker

I only know it is,

2009-09-04T20:59:27Z

Holy Judas it's been a long time since I updated. So we're going to go with the standard list-thing until I get back up to speed.

Here goes:

Chicago rocks.
Join the Impact Chicago rocks.
Cleve FUCKING Jones. Brunch. Me. Whoa.
Film students.
School started.
National March on Washington D.C. is in October.
Two dykes getting engaged on a float.
Watching movies at a private showing.
Planning a Great Nationwide Kiss-In.
Cleve FUCKING Jones.
Quit smoking.
Moving the fuck ON!
GREAT people.
Adorable little nest of an apartment.
Jello brains.
Adorable Italian friend.
CLEVE FUCKING JONES!!!
High heels and dresses.
Establishing freedom from my family.
CLEVE FUCKING JONES!!!

Phew... I think that's about it.

- As Always -
Tucker

And close connecting link,

2009-05-07T03:33:43Z

After a long drive, a very emotional night, and a day of fun around the city, I am feeling more at peace with everything. Without going too in-depth I've had some reservations about moving up here but, ultimately, I think it'll be a good move. There are good people up here and even if I've had some issues with them and don't feel as close to them as I have, they're still good people. I'm a very social person. I can make friends.

What's more, though, is how important it is for me to get back in school and how good that'll be for me and my life, overall. I think this city will be the best place to pursue an education and being around people in school (which is almost all my friends up here at the moment) will be very motivating. Of course, I'll miss all the people in Champaign. I am leaving a lot of really good people but I know that I'll be back. Probably not as often as I anticipate right now, but if there's one thing that having friends up in Chicago has taught me it's that it's not really that far away from Champaign.

Also I got a hair cut. It looks adorable.

- As Always -
Tucker

Sole meat and sweetest drink,

2009-04-29T19:26:12Z

This looks really good. Any Chicagoans want to see this with me when it opens?

So I got a place in Chicago. Signed the lease and I'll be moving up June 1st. The place is on 6341 Magnolia (off the Granville stop on the Red Line). It's a cute, studio with a separate kitchen (which is really nice). I'm excited to go up to Chicago but, honestly, I'm a bit more apprehensive. Thankfully I do know that it's probably the best thing for me and, after about a month of living up there, the apprehension will have disappeared and the problems will have most likely worked themselves out in one way or another.

I think I may try to go for an RN at Truman College. I figure I can be an RN in three, maybe four years and then I'll have a career job. One that I can actually rely on for money. RNs are in such a high demand in this country right now that, once I have it, I can go almost anywhere in the country (or another country for that matter). I can actually afford to live in New York City if I so choose. Then, once I've found a place to work, I can go back to school if I want (most places provide funding for further education). So if I don't want to do it for the rest of my life I don't have to. But even if I don't, I'll always have that and it'll help me out with almost every job opportunity. It'll be one of the few jobs where my over critical nature can be beneficial (if you order a salad and you don't do it JUST the right way, it's okay and people get upset if you criticize them. However, if you put in an IV and don't do it JUST the right way, it's a problem and needs to be addressed). I'm smart enough of enough levels to do it and I think it could be good for me.

Mary Beth still thinks I should be a writer.

- As Always -
Tucker

And while I think,

2009-04-08T06:08:55Z

I desperately want a personal trainer like the ones on The Biggest Loser.

Anyway:

My grandmother's birthday was today and I went over to her house with some flowers to wish her a happy one. She wasn't there so I phoned my Mom hoping maybe she knew of my grandmother's whereabouts. I talked to my Mother for a few minutes on the phone when my grandmother's home phone range. I asked my mother if she thought I should pick it up to which she, unsurprisingly said that I should. It turned out to be my great aunt Rosemary (you can't make up the stuff that she says). I told my Mom, still on my cell phone, that Rosemary was on the phone. She told me to tell her "hi," to which Rosemary told me to tell my Mom something else, to which my Mom responded, to which she responded...

...I ended up having a half an hour conversation mediating between two New Yorkers. I felt like I had suddenly and inexplicably developed multiple personality disorder. Only my family would let something like that go on for more than a minute and a half - tops. Finally, after quite some time, my Mother told me to tell Rose that she was going to call her in a few and give me a chance to finish talking to her. I told this to Rose and then the both of them, at the same time said, "Okay - bye!" and hung up. So then I was left with NO ONE to talk to!

...the women in my family are absolutely mad. The unfortunate part is that it has nothing to do with the above story.

- As Always -
Tucker

I think a while of Love,

2009-04-03T21:45:57Z

Man has this been an interesting month. I'm going to be moving up to Chicago June 1st (or something close to that), and the living arrangement I had been hoping on for quite some time has fallen through. I'm frustrated but at peace about it (if you can, in fact, be both things at the same time). The good news is that I've put in my application to Truman and been accepted (surprise, surprise), so I can start up school in the Fall when I do get up there. I'm madly looking for a place. I'm thinking I'll sublease a place for a few months before I commit to something more long-term. I want to know the city a bit better before I decide upon a place to stay long-term.

I've been reading through the book The Five Love Languages. It's been really hard on me since it reminds me so much of my relationship with Matthew and my parents' relationship. But I'm almost done with it and I'm fairly proud of myself for taking the initiative to sit up and just read it. There's a lot of good stuff in there and, despite how difficult it's been to read it, it's been very healing. Even though it's been good, I'll be glad to be done with it. After that I'll move onto the book Boundaries. While I've been reading these I've been slowly getting through The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and I'm now on The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Fantastic books - I've no idea why I haven't read them before now. I'm thinking maybe after these I'll go through the Ender's Game series.

I'm going to try to update a bit more than I have lately. We'll see how that works...

...also I've had a migraine for about five days now and the weather's not showing any signs of giving me a break soon. Awesome. Go pills, go!

- As Always -
Tucker

Sans everything.

2009-03-31T09:10:13Z

Wow has it been an interesting month.

A breakdown of what's happened:

Started doing respite care through Developmental Services Center for my family. Despite my concerns about it originally, it's working out pretty well. Justice is doing a lot better and, as long as he has his medication on time, he does pretty well with the exception of a few nights where he's thrown himself around a bit.
I took in a seventeen year-old girl named Krystal who I know through my friend Ash Scarbrough. Her Mom kicked her out of the house so I let her stay with me until the end of the month (tonight we packed her stuff and she's staying with someone else now). It went well at first and I'm glad I tried to take it on. She's incredibly sweet and well-meaning but apparently never learned how to say "Thank you" or validate (which, unfortunately for us, happens to be one of my sensitivities). She didn't really get the concept of how much money I was spending on her (she's never had a job, so that kind of makes sense), and took a lot of stuff that I did for granted. After having a big blow-out today because of something pretty minor that was just the straw that broke the camel's back we sat down and I told her that I wasn't giving up on her, that I was just not emotionally prepared to deal with this right now. She was supposed to live somewhere else at the end of the month anyway so I guess it works out pretty well. To everyone who took care of me when I was fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen: Thank you. I know I've said it before but thank you very much. I probably haven't said it enough (but at least I didn't steal shit from you...)
I'm still planning on moving up to Chicago although there's been a big change of plans regarding it. I was originally planning on moving up to Chicago and into a big place with some friends who are already up there and some who were looking to move up there. Despite the fact that I was involved in this planning process from the beginning stages, I got kicked out of the housing arangement because one person wasn't comfortable with me being there. Apparently how long you know someone marks seniority in deciding things like this and I (again, despite being in this from the beginning and helping plan some stuff out) have to find a place to stay by June 1st. Awesome.

That's pretty much all for now.

- As Always -
Tucker

Sans eyes,

2009-02-16T07:46:37Z

Ten Rules for Being Human
by Cherie Carter-Scott

You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it's yours to keep for the entire period.
You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, "life."
There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work."
Lessons are repeated until they are learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
Learning lessons does not end. There's no part of life that doesn't contain its lessons. If you're alive, that means there are still lessons to be learned.
"There" is no better a place than "here." When your "there" has become a "here", you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."
Other people are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.
What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
Your answers lie within you. The answers to life's questions lie within you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
You will forget all this.

- As Always -
Tucker

Sans teeth,

2009-02-15T05:25:23Z

A survey for all actors/actresses to fill out:

LAST SHOW ADDED TO YOUR RESUME: Laughing Stock

LAST SHOW YOU AUDITIONED FOR: Laughing Stock

DID YOU GET IT: Yep! And it was a total blast!!!

LAST SONG YOU USED AT AN AUDITION: "Magic To Do" from Pippin

FAVORITE MUSICAL(s): Fiddler on the Roof, Hairspray, Into the Woods, Ragtime and Wicked

FAVORITE ROLE YOU'VE PLAYED, AND FROM WHAT SHOW?: Raja from I Never Saw Another Butterfly.

FAVORITE ROLE OVERALL THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO PLAY: Mercutio from Romeo and Juliet.

SUPERSTITION: You must not name "The Scottish Play," and yellow roses for good luck.

YOUR GOAL IN SHOW BUSINESS: To enjoy my work.

WHAT WAS YOUR VERY FIRST SHOW?: Professional: Cheaper by the Dozen (nothing like the movie) when I was eight, and I did a few church plays before that.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A DANCE SOLO?: Nope.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A SINGING SOLO?: Yes.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THE LAST PERSON TO TAKE A BOW? Yes.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO NEW YORK?: Yes - love it!

HAVE YOU BEEN TO LA?: Yes.

WHAT'S THE SCARIEST PART OF AN AUDITION?: The first five seconds after you walk in the door, when you're just getting your bearings and trying to look like you're totally calm and collected.

WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF AN AUDITION?: When it's over. At that point you know it's done and, even if you didn't do well, there's nothing you can do now but wait.

NAME A SHOW YOU WOULD NEVER DO AGAIN: Can't think of one right now.

NAME A SHOW YOU COULD DO FOR YEARS: Les Miserables.

WHAT ARE YOU AUDITIONING FOR NEXT? Wish I knew.

DO YOU KEEP IN TOUCH WITH PAST CAST MEMBERS?: Sometimes.

ON A SCALE OF 1-10, HOW IMPORTANT IS GETTING PAID?: 2. You still need to eat but if I was concerned about money I would have chosen a different field of work.

SOMETHING EMBARRASSING OR UNEXPECTED THAT HAPPENED TO YOU WHILE ON-STAGE?: Announcing to the entire audience that I wasn't wearing any underwear without realizing that my mic was still on... awesome sound crew. Awesome.

WHO IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PERSON (ON STAGE OR OFF) THAT YOU HAVE EVER WORKED WITH?: Myself. I'm a very tough critic of my own performances and always beat myself up over every little mistake.

EVER BEEN NAKED ONSTAGE: Nope.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN KILLED?: Yes.

PLAYED DRUNK?: Nope.

PLAYED SOMEONE HALF YOUR AGE?: Nope.

PLAYED SOMEONE TWICE YOUR AGE?: Nope.

CRIED?: Yes. Most of my on-stage tears were shed during Godspell. After all, "If you're not crying real tears you may as well not be crying."

FIRED A GUN?: No. But I've had one fired at me... does that count?

BEEN DRENCHED? (I'll go with Collin's answer) I've been drenched with sweat. HUGE wedding dress dress plus waltzing plus turning stage plus partner who really doesn't know how to waltz (god bless 'im) equals Les Miserables.

BEEN IN A DREAM SEQUENCE: Nope.

BEEN KISSED?: Mope. Plus I'm saving myself anyway (HAH!).

- As Always -
Tucker

Is second childishness and mere oblivion,

2009-02-15T00:14:12Z

I just found this and HAD to share it:

Good LORD I wish I was there!!!
(thank you TW)

- As Always -
Tucker

That ends this strange eventful history,

2009-02-15T00:04:03Z

Quick observations on life:

I have horse eyes (apparently).
Riding my new bicycle is awesome... but cold.
Regardless of ice or no ice, if you're wearing four-inch heels... and you've been drinking... you will slip (trust me).
Wikipedia is a dangerous thing. You start searching for Linux and you end up on migraines (Linux>Penguins>Barotrauma>Migraines). And that's one of the more G-rated trees.
Linux is fantastic but now that I understand terminal I may be more confused than before (kind of like LOST. You understand one thing and then suddenly you realized that you're more frustrated than you started. "Sudo fuck yourself" computer.)
Girls' pants are completely impractical. I can't fit anything in my pockets except maybe one lipstick and a credit card (if I'm really motivated and can jam it in).
If I say, "I don't want you to contact me." that includes phone calls, showing up randomly at my house, and letters. All three are a direct violation of the "contact me" clause. Sudo fuck yourself.
Everything's better with friends.

And, finally, to cap of the post:

- As Always -
Tucke

Last scene of all,

2009-02-12T19:41:35Z

Here's something that Rachel Rubin introduced me to (while some of you, I'm sure, know about this wonderment already I am aware that there are a handful of people who read this who don't know of it already... for those people: prepare to be amazed!):

Garfield Minus Garfield

The creator of this website takes the daily Garfield cartoons one would find in the newspaper and simply removes Garfield from every frame. The result is Jon Arbuckle appearing as a lonely and deranged person. It's absolutely hilarious and just seems more and more pathetic as you continue on.

Here are some of my favorites:

Go to the site. Read some more. They're fantastic (if not a little sad).

- As Always -
Tucker

Pipes and whistles in his sound.

2009-02-07T22:33:06Z

GUESS WHOSE INTERNET IS WORKING, NOW!
(mine)

I officially have set up my computer with Linux (Ubuntu) and I finally have internet access.

Since I don't really have time to do a solid update, I'm going to quickly go through the things that have happened recently:

I no longer work at Biaggi's. It's all for the best.
I went to Chicago to see Matthew. I ended up hijacking his XBOX 360 for a few days and now I want one real bad.
I went to see the Aztec exhibit at the Field Museum and it was great. We also saw the exhibit on evolution. Rachel was deemed our official buzz-kill and it was her job to remind us that everything was a lie, and from the devil and his worshipers throughout the tour. She did an outstanding job.
Also I want to move to Chicago. Ideas anyone?
I've been going out a lot and it's been awesome.
Yesterday I dealt with two separate instances of really bad migraines due to it getting a lot warmer throughout the day. While my migraines suck I'm willing to take one for the team this time if it means that it gets and stays warmer outside.

That's basically it for now. I'm going to fuck around with my new operating system now. If you need me I'll be nerdin' it over here.

- As Always -
Tucker

Turning again toward childish treble,

2008-12-08T19:47:30Z

(I am such a nerd...)

- As Always -
Tucker

And his big manly voice,

2008-11-08T01:24:14Z

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dreams of our fathers is alive and well in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy; tonight is your answer."

"...and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from the earth. This is your victory!"

"There's new energy to harness. New jobs to be created, new schools to build. And threats to meet; alliances to repair. The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am to night that we will get there. I promise you that we as a people will get there.

(yes we can yes we can yes we can)

"There will be set-backs and false starts. There are many who will not agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem but I will always be honest with you both the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above al, I will ask you to join tin the work or remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two hundred and twenty one years: block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand. What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It can't happen with out. Without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice. So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything it's that we cannot have a thriving wall street while main street suffers. In this country we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship, and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican party of the white house, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and and individual liberty and national unity. Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic party has won an great victory tonight we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal he divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, 'We are not enemies, but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.' And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight but I hear your voices. I need your help, and I will be your president too."

"And all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our story is singular but our destiny is shared. And the new dawn of American leadership is at hand."

"To those who would tear the world down, we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security, we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright tonight, we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals; democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope."
"That's the true genius of America, that America can change."

"America we have come so far. We have seen so much, but there's so much left to do. So tonight let us ask ourselves, if our children should live to see the next century. If my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Anne Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made? This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids, to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace, to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth that out of many we are one, that while we breathe we hope, and where we are met with cynicism and doubt and those who tell us that we can't we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people, 'Yes we can.'"

Yes, we did.

- As Always -
Tucker

A world too wide,

2008-11-06T06:07:05Z

Your result for The Social Orientation Inventory ...

The Social Flutterby

+Attent/Other/-Attach/-Emo/-<3/Broad/Secure

You scored 81% Attention-desiring, 57% Other-directedness, 34% Attachment-desiring, 44% Emotionality, 43% Romance-seeking, 97% Range, and 79% Secureness.

Your Bonding Quadrant: Distant

Summary: You crave regular interaction and like to keep the focus on other people. Although you have many acquaintances, you don't get too close, and you don't put much effort into keeping particular people in your life. Interpersonal relationships are more about shared interests than shared emotions for you.

Here is a glossary to help you understand the cryptic, septapartite notation of your SOI type:

-Attent=low desire for attention, acknowledgement, and/or interaction

+Attent=high desire for attention, acknowledgement, and/or interaction (specific attentional needs vary from type to type)

Self=more interested in oneself than in others when interacting

Other=more interested in others than in oneself when interacting

-Attach=does not seek out long-term attachments

+Attach=seeks out long-term attachments

-Emo=prefers unemotional relationships

+Emo=prefers emotionally intense relationships

-<3=low desire for sex and/or romance

+<3=high desire for sex and/or romance

Narrow=interacts with few people

Broad=interacts with many people

Insecure=expects negative evaluation from others

Secure=does not expect negative evaluation from others

Merging=High attachment-seeking, high emotionality (merging types are prone to obsession; devotion; identity crises; offspring)

Companionate=High attachment-seeking, low emotionality (companionate types are likely to be loyal, cool-headed, and dependable, with a long-term temporal orientation)

Acute=Low attachment-seeking, high emotionality (acute types tend toward extremes, and temporal orientation is mostly immediate)

Distant=Low attachment-seeking, low emotionality (distant types are the most autonomous and the most avoidant)

So there.

- As Always -
Tucker

Well saved,

2008-11-01T21:25:18Z

For those of you who haven't seen it yet:

SO EXCITED!

- As Always -
Tucker

His youthful hose,

2008-11-01T15:19:05Z

MY BAND:

Name: "Union City, New Jersey"
Album Title: "The Words Will Come"
Album Cover:

1 - Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to Random quotations: http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

If you want to do this again, you'll hit refresh to generate new quotes, because clicking the quotes link again will just give you the same quotes over and over again.

3 - Go to flickr's "explore the last seven days" http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

Put it all together, that's your debut album.

(TAKE TWO:)

Name: "Presbyterian Church in the United States"
Album Title: "About Their Personal Lives"
Album Cover:

- As Always -
Tucker

Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,

2008-10-27T06:14:53Z

My jaw is killing me.

I went out and played broomball with some friends tonight and oh.my.gawd. I got nailed in the jaw with the ball (mind you, this is the jaw I've dislocated twice already... awesome!) and ripped my pants at the knee (to be completely honest that just made me feel like a badass... so I can't really complain about that). It was loads of fun but Stephen smacked me in the face and kicked me twice and never said a damn word to me (no "are you okay" no "oops - sorry"). If everyone there was like Stephen I would never go. Ever. ...cocky bastard.

The good news is that the machete (which Ash and I have yet to name - yes... we're awesome like that) is now with me. Ash and I decided joint-custody was the best plan for our little machete and it makes me feel really awesome. I think my awesomeness went up about 200% since obtaining it, actually (margin of error is about 5%). So I got to walk around a church with a machete half in, half out of my bag. Awesome.

Other than that life is continuing to kick major ass. Today I didn't work at all and tomorrow continues my brief little weekend (laundry and sewing... woohoo!). I'll try to make it out to the chiropractor sometime between that too because something tells me this isn't going to get better on its own.

I should take some ibuprofen. ...now.

- As Always -
Tucker

Full of wise saws and modern instances;

2008-10-21T20:47:31Z

This is why I love Demitri Martin.

In other news I've been hanging out with the boys a lot (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, chili night, 30 Rock) and that's been really awesome. I miss being with them and it's been great to be part of the gang again. Work has been good but busy so they're keeping me on my toes. And I'm still not talking to my family which is working out fantastic for me right now (why didn't I do this sooner?).

- As Always -
Tucker

With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,

2008-10-10T00:43:47Z

Want another take on the book of Genesis? Don't we all?

In other news I've got a pretty good set-up going on here regarding a few different things in my life. I'm enjoying it very nicely, thank you very much. Of course there's always going to be crap going around but I believe I've come to accept that and adapt to it as necessary. I've got a great group of friends via a few different venues and I love all of them very much. Pretty good so far. Pretty good.

- As Always -
Tucker

Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,

2008-10-07T06:06:45Z

Just some wise words with some inspiring images.

- As Always -
Tucker

Seeking the bubble reputation,

2008-09-30T09:02:55Z

I have finished The Stand, by Stephen King, and want to post a few excerpts from the book that I've found particularly enlightening.

   "Abagail Freemantle was her name, born in 1882 and with the birth certificate to prove it. [...] She was old. She wanted to rest and enjoy the cycle of the seasons between now and whenever God got tired of watching her make her daily round and decided to call her home to Glory.l But what happened when you questioned God? The answer you got was I Am, Who I AM, and that was the end. When His own Son prayed that the cup be taken from His lips, God never even answered... and she wasn't up to that snuff, no how, no way. Just an ordinary sinner was all she was, and at night when the wind came up and blew through the corn it frightened her to think that God had looked down at the little baby girl poker out between her mother's legs in early 1882 and had said to Himself: I got to keep her around a goodish time. She's got work in 1990, on the other side of a whole heap of calendar pages."
- Chptr. 45, The Stand by Stephen King (Mother Abagail Freemantle P.O.V.)

   "'Nick, all things serve the Lord. Don't you think this black man serves Him, too?  He does, no matter how mysterious HIs purpose may be. THe black man will follow you no matter when you run, because he serves the purpose of God, and God wants you to treat with him. It don't do no good to run from the will of the Lord God of  Hosts. A man or woman who tries that only ends up in the belly of the beast.'
   Nick wrote briefly. Ralph studied the note, rubbed the side of his nose, and wished he didn't have to read it.  Old ladies like this didn't cotton to stuff like what Nick had just written. She'd likely call it a blasphemy, and shout it loud enough to wake everyone in their places, too.
   'What's he say?' Abagail asked.
   'He says...' Ralph cleared his throat; the feather stuck in the band of his hat jiggled. 'He says that he doesn't believe in God.' The message relayed, he looked unhappily down at his shoes and waited for the explosion.
   But she only chuckled, got up, and walked across to Nick. She took one of his hands and patted it. 'Bless you, Nick, but that doesn't matter.  He believes in you.'"
- Chptr. 45, The Stand by Stephen King (Mother Abagail Freemantle P.O.V.)

   "She guessed behind the conscious evil there was an unconscious blackness. That was what distinguished the earth's children of darkness; they couldn't make things but only break them. God the Creator had made man in His own image, and that meant that every man and woman who dwelt under God's light was a creator of some kind, a person with an urge to stretch out his hand and shape the world into some rational pattern. The black man wanted - was able - only to unshape. Anti-Christ? You might as well say anti-creation."
- Chptr. 50, The Stand by Stephen King (Mother Abagail Freemantle P.O.V.)

   "The Free Zone Committee was full of bright ideas, he thought with contempt. The committee would be just fine... as long as they had good old Harold Lauder to make sure their shoelaces were tied, of course. Good old Harold's good enough for that, but not quite good enough to serve on their fucking Permanent Committee. Heavens, no. He had never been quite good enough, not even quite good enough to get a date for the Class Dance at Ogunquit High SChool, even with a scag. Good God, no, not Harold. Let's remember, folks, when we get right down to the proverbial place where the ursine mammal evacuated his bowels in the buckwheat, that this is no analytical, logical matter, not even a matter of common sense. When we get right down to it, what we end up with is a frigging beauty contest."

- Chptr. 54, The Stand by Stephen King (Harold Emery Lauder P.O.V.)

   "All any of us can buy is time, Stu thought.  Peters lifetime, his children's lifetimes, maybe the lifetimes of my great-grandchidlren. Until the year 2100 maybe, surely no longer than that. Maybe not that long. Time enough for poor old Mother Earth to recycle herself a little. A season of rest.
   'What?' she asked, and he realized he had murmured it aloud.
   'A season of rest," he repeated.
   'What does that mean?'
   'Everything,' he said, and took her hand.
   Looking down at Peter he thought: Maybe if we tell him what happened, he'll tell his own children. Warn them. Dear children, the toys are death - they're flashburns and radiation sickness and black, choking plague. These toys are dangerous; the devil in men's brains guided the hands of God when they were made. Don't play with these toys, dear children, please, not ever. Not ever again. Please... please learn the lesson. Let this empty world be your copybook.
   'Frannie,' he said, and turned her around so he could look into her eyes.
   'What, Stuart?'
   'Do you think... do you think people ever learn anything?'
   She opened her mouth to speak, hesitated, fell silent. The kerosene lamp flickered. Her eyes seemed very blue.
   'I don't know,' she said at last. She seemed unpleased with her answer; she struggled to say something more; to illuminate her first response; and could only say it again:
   I don't know."
- Chptr. 77, The Stand by Stephen King (Stuart Redman P.O.V.)

   "Well, it would come in time. Rome wasn't built in a day, nor Akron, Ohio, for that matter. And the place didn't matter.
   The place where you made your stand never mattered. Only that you were there... and still on your feet."
- Epilogue, The Stand by Stephen King (Russell Faraday, A.K.A. Randall Flagg, P.O.V.)

   "Life was such a wheel that no man could stand upon it for long.
   And it always, at the end, came round to the same place again."
- Epilogue, The Stand by Stephen King (Russell Faraday, A.K.A. Randall Flagg, P.O.V.)

- As Always -
Tucker

Full of wise saws and modern instances;

2008-09-17T14:26:30Z

"And I can see Russia from my house."
Ohhhhh fantastic.

- As Always -
Tucker

With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,

2008-09-17T04:54:02Z

Guess who works for Biaggi's, now!

- As Always -
Tucker