This amused me. So... enjoy.

In marginally related news, check out Hipster Hitler.

Please to enjoy.

T

The many names I call my dog, Dexter Albus Thurman.

New post about a local Christian cult is up at Suscitatio Incendia.

And, because my former roommate got hitched and moved to Oklahoma to go to grad school and become... God knows... an astrophysicist or something, here's a cartoon that came across my radar today.

Liberal Arts Student Blinded By Science

As a frequent debaucher without regard for mortality, a respect for the artist's infinite infectiousness, an unconquerable affinity for the insubstantial wishy-washy nature of the humanities, I've always considered myself--and other students and professors would agree--fairly intelligent. A senior in college, I'd blown my English and Psychology classes out of the water; state the facts and your golden, exercise your rhetoric a little bit and you're the star of the show (i.e., ENGL 4463 or PSYC 2517 or the like).

Last semester, all that changed. Sacrificing my soul for a science-based degree, I signed up for the most sciencie classes I could push myself into (Evolution Psychology and Evolution-BIOL), I was determined to become a neuro-scientist. Two weeks in, I'm downing books on genetics, The Origin of Species, documentaries on the nature of, well, nature. I love it and I hate it. In the arts, you deny there is a god and then debate the relative nature of deism, constructed reality, and theology. In biology or chemistry or physics, you get to the bit about divinity, shrug your shoulders, and keep studying Mandelbrot sets

EG

(from WikiEducator: 

http://wikieducator.org/images/9/90/Mandelbrot.jpeg)

There's certainly a compelling reality that seems completely disconnected from what I've studied up to this point. I've always considered myself this great mind exploring the avenues of academia, but aside from the occasional documentary or nonfiction article, I realize how little I know about the scientific community. It's challenging to make the mental leap from Faulkner to Watson and Crick, but I feel it's also important to break free of that system of self-aggrandizement, the safe lull of the MLA format and dive into the Council of Biology Editors style.

The Grand Design

Suscitatio Incendia

So I've started a new blog. It's supposed to be a way to journey along with me as I explore my spirituality. I've been planning to start this for a while, and so finally, I've bitten the bullet and begun.

So... first post is up. Check it out. Share your stories. Be something beyond yourself. Even cynics are welcome to read along.

http://suscitatioincendia.blogspot.com/

T

Posting online about how much I hate my job is so last season. So I won't. But I do.

One of the major purposes of South Village was to address how we in this area are actually not ridiculous, backwards, barefoot sister-screwing hicks. However, I think it undercuts some of society to make such blanket assumption assumptions. I don't know that everyone outside the American south thinks that we're all illiterate bastards. Furthermore, this is the land of Faulkner! Recently Patton Oswald tweeted that the south is America's Ireland: it's literary and alcoholic and dysfunctional and mythical all at once. I think this is one of the most astute observations that I've heard about the south as an entire region in a long time. One thing that's true of the south, though, is that we like to find new and creative ways of bitchin'-and-moanin', especially about the heat. And the humidity. We love to hate humidity. And I've never grown tired of saying things like, "It may be 100 degrees out, but it's the humidity that's killer!" I'm sure Faulkner would have said such things, only sideways, and if I had more time, I'd research that and give you a pithy Faulkner quote about how the fish swim backwards through the water above the ponds or somesuch.

Nevertheless, I'm southern AND literate. So I'm bandwagoning and reading Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It's ok so far, but I must admit that it's a bit too John Grisham-y (I know, another southerner) at this point. I am hopeful that it will pick up, though. I'd still recommend it, but with some reservations.

Anyway, it's humid. Go read something. Your Kindle is getting lonely!

T

Growing Up, Moving Up, Throwing Up?

So, great big world of readers, I have an announcement to make. I have sent out a resume for a big boy job at a really awesome organization. I realize this is ridiculously long-shot-ed, just given the actual position, the specifics, and my particular credentials, but I think it is a step. And thus, I think, I should probably send out about 500 more such resumes and then throw a party with Jell-o shots just to subvert the possibility of becoming too much of a grown-up.

It isn't so much that I feel any real likelihood of getting this job, though it would be amazing. It's just that I'm proud of myself for finally sending out a resume to someplace that is legit, and not just waiting for the people who cruise Monster.com to call me and try to make me into a telemarketer. No offense to my multiple telemarketing friends, but I'm looking for a job that actually notices that I have a degree and international experience and skillz.

All that said, today I'm going to shop at the Goodwill for a vest to complete my ensemble for a wedding this weekend. I guess growing up and shopping at Banana Republic and having a car with air conditioning and having health insurance are all steps that are in the future. Maybe the future is coming on.

T

A recipe

History Channel

2 cups Nazis
1 cup Jesus
1 1/2 Tbs. Nostradamus
juice of a pseudo-scientist "expert"
dash non sequitur reality tv
sprig of Egyptology (to garnish)

Mix all in a large bowl, let rest while consuming wine and HotPockets, then bake at 350 until you awaken in a drunken stupor with an irrational fear of the year 2012. Enjoy alone.

T

Man and Superman + next Victorian Book Club selection

Fantastic meeting for Man and Superman. Greg, for his creative project, composed a beautiful poem entitled "The Pomegranate Paradox" (posting tk) and b_kronos created a delightful work entitled "In Fate's Eye of the Needle" embodying the themes discussed by Don Juan, his lost lover (Ana), Ana's father, and Lucifer himself in Hell.

Now, for our next book, we're doing something super interesting: Pick a Bronte! That's right, just what you've always wanted. A plethora of Bronte all in 6 or so weeks. Now, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre have already been taken, but you can feel free to read them as well. However, if you want to go out on a limb and read one of their less popular books (eg, The Professor or Villette) or even a poetry collection, we congratulate you!



So here's to happy summer reading of Victorian lit. in the South, y'all!!!

1ère reunion: Art Haus--RAW

Calling all art-types!

This just in: A revolution is brewing in central AR. That's right, some fags and their stag recently got together and decided to get artsy. Check out the new blog and get active--

http://larevolutionsurrealiste.blogspot.com/

What You Need to Know about Trousers

So, a friend of mine is making the leap into his first post-collegiate corporate job, and he asked for a little help in revamping his wardrobe and learning how to make good choices. So, I'm setting out to help him, and I'm hoping to be able to learn and teach myself and everyone else along the way. So, here's part one: Pants.

They cover your private square and keep your legs warm. But there is a lot more to trousers than putting them on one leg at a time. First, a bit of an anatomy lesson.

The rise of a pant is how high it sits on the waist, so that's the length between the waistband and the crotch. If a rise is too high, it makes the pants come up too high on the torso and shortens the abdomen, making the wearer look shorter and more squat. Otherwise, a high rise will hit properly on the waist and then the crotch will hang too low, and one will look like a hip-hop artist from the early 1990s. On the other end of the spectrum, a rise that is too low is a sin against humanity akin to clubbing baby seals. A low rise says either "this is how we wear 'em in the pen" or else "I'm waiting for Abercrombie to call me back" (I actually do blame Abercrombie for some of the low-rise craze, as a few years back they were advertising denim with rises so low that the world was suddenly privy to the models' crotchal curls). Nevertheless, the rise is important, and in my recommendations, I'll explain how to get it right.

The break of a trouser has to do with the way that the leg of the trouser falls on the shoe. This is initially indicated by the inseam length if buying off the rack, so the appropriate size should be located. The break will already be in tact, but it is one of the most easily altered points on a trouser, and gentlemen usually have their trousers hemmed or let out as necessary. That said, there are a few options when it comes to breaking down the break. As best I can tell, "break" is in reference to how the trouser leg breaks away from the shoe when walking, and a bit of sock is shown. Anyhow, the full break is when the hem of the pant mostly covers the heel of the shoe. This can be tricky, because no one wants to look like he is standing in a puddle of fabric. No break is when the trouser leg just hits the top of the shoe. This is a much more trendy cut, and it is mostly worn by Europeans (and their new world pretenders) who are bold in their style choices. I do not discount this, but it is not especially flattering for my body (I'd look like I was expecting a flood). A medium break is one that covers about half-way down the heel. This is the safest bet, at least while one is figuring out what looks best on his body. A pair of trousers can be tailored, and the standard break is about 1/2 in. down the heel.

Cuffs and pleats are among the finer choices to be made, and they work together. A trouser with pleats may or may not have cuffs, depending on the wearer's preference. A trouser without pleats does not have cuffs. The only real problem here is that cuffs provide extra weight to the pants legs and let them fall more smoothly. Without the weight of the cuffs, the trousers may be more apt to flap about a bit. That being said, pleats are a point of contention. Modern trends (and I agree) say that pleats are, indeed, the devil. They create bulk around the waist and can be awkwardly blousey in the front. The most a trouser should ever have is a single pleat, and this helps to create a crease down the leg line. However, a flat front is perfectly acceptable. It is slimming, and it helps create a sleek silhouette.

A trouser's legs should be cut close to the body without being tight. This creates the illusion of height and slenderness when worn properly. There should not be a taper in toward the ankle. Trousers should stay close to the leg, but after the knee, there is a little leeway so that they do not create an upside down triangle. This doesn't flatter anyone, as it heightens an appearance of bulk about the midsection and unbalances the figure.

Those are the basics, so here is a general list of trouser suggestions:
-The rise of the pants should hit between the navel and the hips, at the natural waist.
-A medium break is best until a style is determined.Talk to the tailors. Most larger department stores have tailors in-house, and it is not difficult to find tailors in the community. Minor alterations are generally not expensive, and since we are looking at more business-oriented clothes, this is an investment in looking professional.
-Flat front pants, no cuffs. Keep the lines long, lean, and simple. There should not be a taper in toward the ankle.
-Fabrics are one of the places where individual style is expressed. Most suit trousers are made of a lightweight wool, and these come in every shade of black, grey, blue, etc. There are also summer weight fabrics such as linen, cotton, and linen/cotton blends that are perfectly office appropriate. Beware that these lighter fabrics are more prone to wrinkling. In the winter, heavier wools are easy to find, such as tweed and the like. For less formal office situations, cotton khaki-weight trousers are acceptable, as are corduroy during the winter.

So, friends, this is my layman's overview of trousers. There are more to come eventually as we cover the basics of a wardrobe. Any questions?

T

Lighten Up! Wear It Now: GQ.com

Lighten Up! Wear It Now: GQ.com

And so begins my foray into the world of telling people how to dress. More on this later today, but for now, click through what GQ says to wear. I don't approve of everything in this slideshow, but I find it interesting.

T

second book club selection!

Get it while it's hot, George Bernard Shaw's Man and Superman. What could be better than spending your summer reading a play by everyone's closeted Irish, quintessentially British playwright introducing us to not just Don Juan and a theoretical Übermensch, but Satan as well! 

For all of you who've been missing out on regular meetings (and I wag my finger forebodingly at all of you),  pBc finally joined everyone and told everyone how it is. Gregory, inspired by the necessary mistreatment of all, created a non-profit meant to serve it's beneficiaries as well as its contributors. Luke, suffering from a stroke of genius, ordered smoke flavored Chinese tea. All in all, we had the wing-ding of a century. (And don't you feel just awful for missing out!)

bad poetry series

I was going through my old stuff recently and found some notebooks of awful poetry dating back to when I was 13. For sentimental value, they're some of the most invaluable thingsI have. Here's an example from when I was 16:

"Coffee Shop Intellectual"

Insomniac nights with coffee shop hours,

You belong here because I say so.

Nicotine, caffeine, dopamine sifting through

   our veins,

Lighting the scene with manic expressions

   and epiphanies.

We know nothing like no one else,

Explain the universe better than our gods.

Our degrees and numbers prove our worth

Like the Picassos, van Goghs, and Monets 

   peering

Down at odd angles from the shelter of

   Easter-colored walls.

If you were any better, 

Any smarter,

Or simply sober,

I'd be your lover. 

This, of course, comes after some really bad haikus and progressively worse poetry. But nowadays, having completely given up on having a literary career (for obvious reason), it makes me happy to see where/what I've come from.

And so I challenge you! Write bad poetry or seek out the pages you've already mangled in your youth.

Summer Reading (Here Comes Paris)

As many of my fans know, I, b_kronos, am heading to Paris this Fri. Before I head out, I just wanted to mention that I'm not forgetting the beloved book club or that I promised to discuss Hemingway and Joan d'Arc. So here we go:

1. The first book club meeting is scheduled for today at River City coffee at 5:30. If you can't make it, I understand (I can't make it), but it's important that you get in on the democratic process and submit your 2 cents.
2. Best choice among the assigned Joan d'Arc books (the winner, if you will) is Shaw's Saint Joan. It has all of the trappings of a made-for-stage acid trip--Joan's got pluck and transcends space and time (not to mention death) to come to King Charles VII in a dream vision along with everybody else in the play. I plan on sharing my thoughts on her and the "Holy Transvestites" (e.g. St. Catherine--that's a legit academic term, I'll have you know) on my personal blog.
3. The winner among the assigned Hemingway books is The Sun Also Rises. Yes, it's depressing and nothing really happens, but it captures the lost generation in a way not too unfamiliar to my many middle class buddies. Furthermore, it's pretty sexy.
4. In Paris, I'll be reading Sartor Resartus along with Three Guineas; oh, and I'll be learning all about binocular rivalry and other physiological psych. stuff (if anyone's interested, you can certainly hit me up out of of blog space as I don't really believe anybody wants to hear about stuff like that on a seemingly artsy-fartsy blog-thing).

I leave you with this--Grammar Nazi!


Much love to all my adoring fans, aur revoir  and je te manquerai unless I find an eligible computer on the other side of the pond.


--b_kronos

Let's Do It Utilitarian Style!

Hear ye, hear ye!


Summer 2010 book club getting started off with Thomas Carlyle's Sartor Resartus, the delightful tale of one gent's descent into psychological oblivion after attempting to find spiritual completion in an age in which the individual is lost "for the sake of the greatest good for the greatest number." No, there aren't any epic fencing scenes or great wars--although Napoleon is referenced quite a bit--but the narrative and observations do reflect an age not unlike our own. 


Meetings will be held at River City Coffee in Little Rock (2715 Kavanaugh Boulevard Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 661-1496; http://www.rivercitygiftco.com/catalog/). Anyone and everyone can feel free to join, and we won't judge you (too much) if you don't make it all the way through. We're gonna shoot for weekly meetings but understand that because of time constraints and such, it's not feasible that everyone shows for every meeting. Which leads me to my next point, this site will serve as a record of what we talk about as well as a forum for anyone wanting to contribute to the conversation. 


Look for future updates including specific times and dates. Also, provide your email and we'll get updates out that way as well.


Happy reading and hope to hear from ya!

What is this "free time"?

Oh, end of semester, how I have longed for you. So many papers written, so many tests studied for, and now it's all over, for the time being at least. So how exactly is it that I'm already kind of bored when I haven't been finished with you, semester, for more than a week? The part-time job waiting on snooty children at the Little Rock Racquet Club might take up some of my newly found free time, but five hours three days a week is non satisfactory. Enter summer projects:

One: get the nightmare portion of my thesis project out of the way. I've spent two semesters so far cataloging, photographing, and hunting down all the pieces of two donated collections, and there's finally a light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe a trip to Mexico for research will ensue?

Two: study for the G.R.E. Self-explanatory. Non update worthy.

Three: learn to spin. I've been an off-and-on knitter for a little over two years now, but I can't possibly be satisfied with making my own sweaters and scarves. Nope, I have to learn to make my own damn yarn before I'll be happy. This one is in process; I bought some prepared hand dyed fiber at Toadsuck, have made my own spindle, and spent about twenty minutes looking up Youtube videos about spinning. Turns out, making yarn out of a bunch of balled up sheep hair is a lot harder than it looks on the Interwebs.

Four: fix up Boyfriend's furniture. As of now it's kind of a drab green, but I'm thinking a cool Asian theme. More to come on that.

This, my friends, is all for now. Excuse me while I go examine faux bamboo covers.

try this one on for size

I am one of the single biggest Dr. Who fans you could ever meet, but you will have to tune into my personal blog to catch my fanatic rants about the greatest Time Lord of all time. That said, this season is the best yet. Yes, for those of you out there who follow the show, you may have been hesitant after Russel T Davies' departure from the scriptwriting team, but just watch "The Empty Child," "Blink," or "Silence in the Library" from previous seasons and you'll know beyond any doubt that Stephen Moffat is more than capable of heading up the show. Furthermore, even though the show's budget has been cut, the show's visual appeal and storytelling complexity is better than ever. Moffat said in a recent BBC interview: "Budget cuts are tough: I don't like them, but they force you to be creative. You've seen that trailer. Does it look like we've had a budget cut?" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8580299.stm).


What I'm getting at is right now is a time for creativity. We're all piss broke and ain't got nothing better to do. So instead of figuring out things we'd buy if we could buy them, why not make stuff? Better yet, why not take the time to enjoy the stuff other people have made. I'm not advocating theft, but how about looking at the infinite nature of human potential. Like the TARDIS, the human mind is so much bigger on the inside. Let's see what it generates.

Dixie

For those of you who did not grow up in my hometown, we have a long lost secret. Well, secret is a bit of a heavy word. A long lost bit of juicy gossip. Back in 1946, Texarkana was haunted by a serial killer known as the Phantom Killer and the Moonlight Murderer. The series of murders were the basis of the film "The Town that Dreaded Sundown" in all of it's ...ahem... glory. And now that I am finishing my screenwriting class this last semester of school, I'm visiting the information again. I'm in the process of using this time as a backdrop for a screenplay about my maternal grandfather's childhood. I think it will be interesting, though I don't pretend that it is based upon much more than articles I find online and a snatch here or there of borrowed memory.

In other news, my final movie of undergraduate work is all but done and being readied for release. Excitement and the daunting task of entering film festivals are at my doorstep.

Finally, Dixie Carter died and no one told me. It isn't that I've had some especially strong connection with the actress, but I certainly don't think she deserved the treatment she received in death. That is, I found out by seeing her picture on the front of People magazine while waiting in the check-out line in Kroger. God rest your soul, Dixie. She died on April 10 in Houston.

T

Welcome to the real world

I suppose an introduction is in order. I'm T, and I'm graduating college, and I'm not sure about much else. This summer is supposed to be the ignition of my pursuits of creative ventures from gardening to fiber arts to film making. Well, I mean, I've done these things before. But now I'm standing at the precipice of the semi-structured excuse that has been college and looking around with mouth agape at the possibilities. I'm going to be a grown-up, and all I want to do is dig in the dirt and make stuff with my hands while I blare Amy Winehouse (she's good, even if she's cracked-out crazy) on my iPod.

So here I stand, alluding to John Mayer lyrics and putting off writing the last shreds of papers I must do for my undergraduate work and pontificating into the vast emptiness that is a blog with an unassured readership... But I bought a bag of felting wool and some florist wire yesterday. I get the feeling that a bustling store on etsy.com is right around the corner. Right next to my organic produce stand.

T

Hey, what about this one? I feel like b_kronos's blog is already kind of its own thing.

T