May 29, 2009

This is what Portland is: the ironic picture of James Dean or some other 50s icon smiling down on a small, cramped turn of the century kitchen while we talk of bicycles and knitting. I am showing my zine to my friends, while another tab of firefox plays the theme from hackers on repeat. Glowing Fish says that Hackers is the worst movie ever, something I debate based on the fact that I saw part of it on TBS when I was 17. My other friend is moving into this apartment, and all of us feel in transition, dealing with the changing of decades and also wondering how and when the refrigerator can be fixed. This apartment's name of "The Victorian" is not a random name, it was given to reflect its age and modernity when it was built. The conversation shifts back, to how the apartments are switching around, something that came into being because someone passed away, someone who had lived in this apartment since having any refrigators at all meant the same thing as a Linux loaded laptop means today. And then the conversation shifts again, to moving to florida, we seal it with a hand shake. The sake flows, talking about gym memberships and what else there is to do in Portland. Portland feels immortal.

And even though we can't laugh through the night forever, and in a few days we will be doing the same banal shit as always, waiting in line, and forget all that we are feeling now, but right now we can imagine that the night will go on forever.

Lionheart! We beseech thee, return to us, thy lost children.
We stumble in the night of forgotten knowledge, as sheep without a shepherd.
Our pleas are lost in the calling, as stars falling in the darkness.
Our families weep and waste away, our lights grow dim, our vision fails us.

Lionheart! We beseech thee, return to us, thy evanescent children.
We grow old, and none replace us.
We are brought low, and none elevate us.
We find eternal slumber, and none awaken us.

Lionheart! We beseech thee, return to us, thy dying children.
The light of madness struck us, and we know not why.
We beg of thee, enlighten our minds and hearts, that we might climb from this quiet tomb.
We crouch at the foot of the mountains, unable to return to the heights we once dwelt upon.

Lionheart! Hear us, thy dwindling children!
What madness is this, to find ourselves ruined, wandering in twilight?
We fade from the face of the Earth, as the sun falls below the horizon.
Grant us thy guidance, that we might push back the darkness, that we might reclaim our former glories, and once again flourish under the sun.

Wordmongers' Masque: Poets' Ball

Originally posted as Bitchin'
Moved to Node Heaven with a -4
For the Wordmonger's Masque
Resurrected

There once was a poet so bitchin'
A whole site he started bewitchin'
"The word on the street
If you can't take the heat
You'd better stay out of the kitchen."

So, I don’t check my student e-mail all that often (as you probably can tell by the date of the letter below), but sometimes I feel the need to clear out the junk my university sends me. This was what I found near the top of the pile. I find it pretty humorous.

May 13, 2009

The New Mexico Department of Health informed UNM late this afternoon (May 13) that H1N1 (swine influenza) has been confirmed in a student who is a dorm resident at Hokona Hall on the UNM main campus. The student has recovered and is now well.

H1N1 generally causes a mild illness, which is similar to that caused by other influenza and respiratory viruses, with fever and sore throat and/or cough.

Increased testing in our community in the last several weeks has shown that many different types of respiratory viruses are circulating at this time.

Anyone who is ill should not attend any group activities or mass events, including graduation ceremonies.

Ongoing precautions are recommended for all students, faculty and staff at this time, including good hand hygiene practice. Students are also encouraged to leave the campus for home promptly after their last final or graduation.

Graduation ceremonies will continue as planned. Extra precautions are being taken during graduation, including the availability of hand hygiene stations. There will be no shaking of hands during the ceremony.

Students and staff with acute febrile respiratory illness (fever and sore throat and/or cough) should stay home, return home, or, if not able to return home, stay in their dorm rooms and not attend group activities. Students should follow standard procedures as outlined by their faculty if they are not able to take final exams.

Students who are ill with the symptoms described above should call Student Health at 277-3136 to inform them of their status.

More information is available at the hot line at 866-850-5893.

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This list is used for emergency alerts for the UNM Albuquerque campus.
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So, if handshaking wasn't allowed at graduation what did they do? Bow to the dean after he handed them their diploma?