Tabellae Antiquum

2002

March
February
January

2001

"A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any other human invention in history... with the possible exception of handguns and tequila."

- Ralph Mitchell

April 2, 2002

Well, it would seem I'm back on the HTML wagon - but don't get your hopes up, I've managed to find a few spare minutes today before taking a bunhc of students out to see Panic Room as part of the school's extracurricular activities. It's funny, but it seems as if I'm the only person here who ever makes it out to one of these affairs - I'm not sure if that says more about my dedication to the school or about my current lack of anything resembling a life. It's one of those questions I try not to look too closely at, for reasons which should be obvious.

The astute members of the audience might recognize the general layout and format of the page this month. And last month. And the month before. Deal with it, I say. Even the superficial cosmetic changes I like to make from month to month take up far too much time and energy these days. I've even had to forsake some of the bonuses I'd started including in my monthly content production: Jake & Ray, for one; the secret hidden poem, for the other. Speaking of the secret hidden poem, by the way, I've noticed that very few people so far have actually discovered any of them, so I don't feel to badly about it. Given a little more time, I'm sure it will resurface, so keep your eyes peeled.

I'm feeling somewhat fragmented today, so my thoughts are appearing as they form inside my noggin and are transferred directly to my fingertips (and the accursedly astute among you will be wondering how this differs from the norm).

I've been quite good about conducting research into the design for my next tattoo and have stumbled across a few interesting gems. Prior to this point, I was mostly just interested in inscribing a centipede into my skin for the simple fact that I'd spent 3 long years battling them in Japan and felt them to be worthy enough adversaries to carry one around with me wherever I went. Well, that and it seemed like a decent way to make peace with them after the war. Turns out that there is a whole lot more to the affair than I had ever realized.

Flipping through dozens of art history and Japanese history texts in search of a kamon (family crest) that fit the idea I had in mind, I discovered that the humble centipede is considered to be one of the vassals of the Buddhist god Tamonten, also known as Bishamonten or Vaisravana. There are several websites loaded (or lightly sprinkled, depending on your point of view) with information on the subject, but I haven't the inclination to link to them at this particular juncture. Sorry. Anyway, as I have a mere 5 minutes before I've got to run, I'm going to give y'all the info, stacatto style.

Bishamonten is:

• Protector of the Northern Direction
• God of Wealth
• God of Learning
• God of Winter
• One of the Seven Gods of Luck
• Protector of Warriors
• God Who Listens to Sutras
• The Many-Eared God

... and more, I'm sure. Busy fellow. I'll be sure and provide additional updates and information as my research progresses. Heck, I might even sit down and explain what all of this means to me someday. Although it might have to be done in a more personal fashion. Drinks in a darkish cafe, perhaps. Currently entertaining offers.

April 8, 2002

Picking up Go in the afternoons after school - it's a nice new activity for me. I get to think in all kinds of lateral ways without having to concern myself with any of the workings of daily life. I can feel my cerebellum stretching in all kinds of delightful ways. It leads me to wonder whether the last 3 years in Japan were spent in excessive decadence and debauchery... no wonder I loved it there.

It's funny - I used to pride myself on my strength of will and acuity of mind. These days it seems my will has left me and my mind has softened; I suffer from far too many addictions and I neglect intellectual stimulation. Why is that? How could I let this sort of thing happen? Worse yet: having recognized this fact, why do I let it continue? It feels like I'm looking for answers in all the places I know there aren't any. Strange.

I'm also wondering what the hell is going on in my humble abode. I've been finding myself rather itchy these past few days and I'm starting to worry that a host of nasty critters have set up shop in the apartment. Not that I'm trying to gross anyone out or completely rerwork whatever image you folks have of me, but finding pinkish patches of suspiscious-looking bumps on different parts of my body everyday is kind of the only thing on my mind right now. It sucks. Any dermatologists or entymologists out there? I could use a little help.

Anyway, now that I've announced my cootie condition to the world, I've got to run and pay all kinds of late charges for overdue videos... which are doubly upsetting because my VCR is currently broken. I didn't even get a chance to watch them; well, at home, that is. My feelings of late have been of the 'what-else-can-go-wrong' and 'gee, I'm having such a wonder-fucking-ful time here in Vancouver' varieties. I'm a regular ray of sunshine.