So, I tackle 12 books at a time and then stress out and read nothing. This carries on until I start reading a NEW book and then I discard my previous stack o' books. Here's my current reading list:
1. The Hobbit - done
2. The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe - done
3. Egil's Saga - in progress
4. Orthodoxy - in progress, neglected
5. Grendel - in progress, neglected
6. The Fellowship of the Ring - done
7. The Two Towers - in progress
8. Mere Christianity - haven't touched
9. Die Leeu, die heks en die hangkas - in progress, neglected
10. Hero with a thousand faces - haven't touched
There's that. I am enjoying reading Tolkien again. When I talk to myself these days, I do so with an elevated speech I have not used since I last read his books.
That's when I decided: there is no difference between spoken English and written English. This idea that there is a difference, it was made up by lazy folk who don't want to be held accountable for the errors in their speech (my speech is fraught with errors, so feel free to correct all you wish here). But why must errors be seen as so evil? These mistakes of speech give rise to new dialects and languages! South African English isn't the same as the tongues of the North, and America English is horrendous.
Errors. I would like to argue that more changes in language come from laziness and errors than anything else. These two factors combined make language. In Xhosa, before white people came, it took over a minute to tell someone what the time was. That is awesome, but now people just say "iFive" instead of whatever it was before.
Hobbits call the Baranduin river the Brandywine and somehow Aux Arcs became Ozarks. Error and laziness combined make language(,) awesome.
30 September 2005
25 September 2005
2 Years!!!
Hey!
Another awesome bit of news: the 8th of October, the day I return to America, is the 2nd anniversary of Kristina and me dating.
Excellent.
Another awesome bit of news: the 8th of October, the day I return to America, is the 2nd anniversary of Kristina and me dating.
Excellent.
Heritage Day
Yesterday was South Africa's Heritage Day. Awesome. People had spontaneous parades and the like because we have 7 world heritage sites and we are the best country ever. Especially when it comes to weather.
Anyway, so I had my own heritage day today. It went like this: I made a fire and roasted lamb and fish and cow and then I drank beverage out of a steel goblet. When the mood took me, I tossed bones and charred meaty bits to my hound. This was done to remember the awesomeness that is my European blood.
Don't get me wrong, I am fiercely proud of my Africaness. I want very much to get back into speaking Xhosa (I bought a bible and a dictionary to help me with that) and I've been reading some Afrikaans here and there to keep it up. Also, Africa is more beautiful and awesome than any other place on Earth. I could never completely leave this place...
... but I'm an unapologetic Westerner too. I am fiercely interested in Anglo-Saxon things (and Sub-Saharan things). I find the far east strange and in an attempt to avoid exoticising the cultures of the East, I have decided to prefer my own kin. I haven't read a lot of Asian national myths and the like, but I've read enough to know that they are awesome, but not for me. I think the west's obsession with the east to be condescending at best and rather idiotic. It's also often out of pretence that people get interested in ANYTHING eastern. Makes a person look "intelligent", you see.
Now, before you call me closed minded or whatever, let me say that I respect these cultures and their achievements. And there are aspects of them that I would love to study even, but when it comes to all encompassing AWESOMENESS... I feel that only for my own heritage, both North and South.
I think this is healthy.
Most people do not. They're ashamed of the past and they try to destroy it. This is a silly thing to do and it gives rise to a generic, superficial culture.
Let me explain: When I look at South Africa, my impression (IMPRESSION, mind you) is that the Xhosa have an identity, the Afrikaner have an identity... but the English speaking whites have no clue. They want to be European, or Australian or American. Tradition is gone. Maybe I feel like this because I'm NOT Xhosa or Afrikaans and so I don't know what it's like to be either. However, there's one thing that separates us souties from the rest: singing. We don't do it.
The university music schools are full of black vocal performers. I remember being in primary school and having these 15 kid choirs coming from a school in the local squatter camp. How they sang! And I wanted to sing like them. Unfortunately, I have no gift for singing... but even if I had had one, there was no opportunity for me to realise it. Why? Us souties don't sing.
Case in point: South Africa's latest Idols competition: virtually no rooineks. Lots of Afrikaners, lots of blacks, lots of coloureds. We've lost a part of our humanity, I'd say, when the only time we might sing is in church. That's heritage gone. The oldest bits of writing we have in English were meant to be sung or chanted.
So, singing is one things that we have lost. We've also lost the art of storytelling. I've met about 2 good story tellers in my life and their stories... DAMN! But you don't have to be good to tell stories. I suck, but I tell them anyway. I'm not good at singing, but I sing anyway. Why? Because I am fiercely proud of my European and African heritage. My genetic and geographic ancestors told stories and sang, therefore I will do the same. These are relics that live on in my bones.
Anyway, so I had my own heritage day today. It went like this: I made a fire and roasted lamb and fish and cow and then I drank beverage out of a steel goblet. When the mood took me, I tossed bones and charred meaty bits to my hound. This was done to remember the awesomeness that is my European blood.
Don't get me wrong, I am fiercely proud of my Africaness. I want very much to get back into speaking Xhosa (I bought a bible and a dictionary to help me with that) and I've been reading some Afrikaans here and there to keep it up. Also, Africa is more beautiful and awesome than any other place on Earth. I could never completely leave this place...
... but I'm an unapologetic Westerner too. I am fiercely interested in Anglo-Saxon things (and Sub-Saharan things). I find the far east strange and in an attempt to avoid exoticising the cultures of the East, I have decided to prefer my own kin. I haven't read a lot of Asian national myths and the like, but I've read enough to know that they are awesome, but not for me. I think the west's obsession with the east to be condescending at best and rather idiotic. It's also often out of pretence that people get interested in ANYTHING eastern. Makes a person look "intelligent", you see.
Now, before you call me closed minded or whatever, let me say that I respect these cultures and their achievements. And there are aspects of them that I would love to study even, but when it comes to all encompassing AWESOMENESS... I feel that only for my own heritage, both North and South.
I think this is healthy.
Most people do not. They're ashamed of the past and they try to destroy it. This is a silly thing to do and it gives rise to a generic, superficial culture.
Let me explain: When I look at South Africa, my impression (IMPRESSION, mind you) is that the Xhosa have an identity, the Afrikaner have an identity... but the English speaking whites have no clue. They want to be European, or Australian or American. Tradition is gone. Maybe I feel like this because I'm NOT Xhosa or Afrikaans and so I don't know what it's like to be either. However, there's one thing that separates us souties from the rest: singing. We don't do it.
The university music schools are full of black vocal performers. I remember being in primary school and having these 15 kid choirs coming from a school in the local squatter camp. How they sang! And I wanted to sing like them. Unfortunately, I have no gift for singing... but even if I had had one, there was no opportunity for me to realise it. Why? Us souties don't sing.
Case in point: South Africa's latest Idols competition: virtually no rooineks. Lots of Afrikaners, lots of blacks, lots of coloureds. We've lost a part of our humanity, I'd say, when the only time we might sing is in church. That's heritage gone. The oldest bits of writing we have in English were meant to be sung or chanted.
So, singing is one things that we have lost. We've also lost the art of storytelling. I've met about 2 good story tellers in my life and their stories... DAMN! But you don't have to be good to tell stories. I suck, but I tell them anyway. I'm not good at singing, but I sing anyway. Why? Because I am fiercely proud of my European and African heritage. My genetic and geographic ancestors told stories and sang, therefore I will do the same. These are relics that live on in my bones.
24 September 2005
Land of the Dead
My review, dogs and doglets:
Look, I don't know when this zombie film came out over there, but it came out here pretty recently. Like most films here... well, the only advertising is a poster stuck to the busstop. But anyway.
I'm glad zombie films are back. They offer wondrous gore while giving the audience one degree of separation. Basically, one more degree and you're watching a robot film. But I digress...
So, this film - it blew me away. I had no idea what to expect and I was excited and appalled.
While the film's political agendas are clear, the writing better than average and the acting was, well, not half bad. The zombies were mildly sympathetic characters... but they didn't push that angle too much.
Mostly, enjoyed the anarchy, the gore and the blatant rip at president Bush's "security" protocols and other anti-liberty/equality stuff. Go liberal media, go!
Look, I don't know when this zombie film came out over there, but it came out here pretty recently. Like most films here... well, the only advertising is a poster stuck to the busstop. But anyway.
I'm glad zombie films are back. They offer wondrous gore while giving the audience one degree of separation. Basically, one more degree and you're watching a robot film. But I digress...
So, this film - it blew me away. I had no idea what to expect and I was excited and appalled.
While the film's political agendas are clear, the writing better than average and the acting was, well, not half bad. The zombies were mildly sympathetic characters... but they didn't push that angle too much.
Mostly, enjoyed the anarchy, the gore and the blatant rip at president Bush's "security" protocols and other anti-liberty/equality stuff. Go liberal media, go!
Yahoo! 360, dude
Ok, so here's the URL for my 360 thing:
http://360.yahoo.com/carl_burgers/
There are some photos in the album of me as a pirate. Awesome.
http://360.yahoo.com/carl_burgers/
There are some photos in the album of me as a pirate. Awesome.
I'm been holding out on you
I've not shared this wondrous resource with you:
Here
There are all kinds of sound clips from the dawn of SA TV and the site also has old SA radio clips. Awesome.
Here
There are all kinds of sound clips from the dawn of SA TV and the site also has old SA radio clips. Awesome.
23 September 2005
Worms spotted outside our sietch, Paul!
Yeah, so I'm doing my annual deworming. Why? I don't want the friends of lampreys in my gut.
In case you weren't aware, I have one enemy on this planet... he is the lamprey. And, although they are not related, most nematodes are his friends.
Now, I don't normally eat my pork rare and I don't eat that much soil these days, but I have a dog and he eats sand and chews his own arse and licks his heuvos and all kinds of things (when he was castrated, he had to have this aloe rub put on his scrotum scar. This was how I realised how often the average person tastes dog balls. It goes like this: dog's nose rubs against his balls in a lick fest, you pat dog's nose and forget to wash your hands -BLAMMO! dog balls in your mouth! anyway) And he has worms right now. He's been pooing them out in the garden (we put him on a regiment of worm meds too).
So, in an attempt to kill the worms that might be living in my gut, I am taking the six day programme (two boxes of meds) and then I'm taking the UBER tab to get 'em even better (don't worry, Kristina, the chemist said this was a good idea as the drug doesn't have any side effects and it is unwise to simply tickle a worm the size of Smaug when he is inside your tummy).
As of yet I have found no worms in my poo - but I haven't looked too hard, I must say. Anyway, here's a some good reason to take your worm medicine once a year:
MOUTH of a tapeworm
Yeah, so if these meds just make the worms angry (if I have any in the first place) I can then go and get the HEAVY stuff from a doctor. But I'm not going to hold my breath. I doubt I have any worms... but it's better to be safe than sorry.
In case you weren't aware, I have one enemy on this planet... he is the lamprey. And, although they are not related, most nematodes are his friends.
Now, I don't normally eat my pork rare and I don't eat that much soil these days, but I have a dog and he eats sand and chews his own arse and licks his heuvos and all kinds of things (when he was castrated, he had to have this aloe rub put on his scrotum scar. This was how I realised how often the average person tastes dog balls. It goes like this: dog's nose rubs against his balls in a lick fest, you pat dog's nose and forget to wash your hands -BLAMMO! dog balls in your mouth! anyway) And he has worms right now. He's been pooing them out in the garden (we put him on a regiment of worm meds too).
So, in an attempt to kill the worms that might be living in my gut, I am taking the six day programme (two boxes of meds) and then I'm taking the UBER tab to get 'em even better (don't worry, Kristina, the chemist said this was a good idea as the drug doesn't have any side effects and it is unwise to simply tickle a worm the size of Smaug when he is inside your tummy).
As of yet I have found no worms in my poo - but I haven't looked too hard, I must say. Anyway, here's a some good reason to take your worm medicine once a year:
MOUTH of a tapeworm
Yeah, so if these meds just make the worms angry (if I have any in the first place) I can then go and get the HEAVY stuff from a doctor. But I'm not going to hold my breath. I doubt I have any worms... but it's better to be safe than sorry.
and the booking of tickets
So, I've booked my flight. It leaves South Africa on the 7th of October. Later than I would have liked, but such things can't be avoided.
As it stands I will be visiting the US for a few months and then I will run away again to the better weather of Africa. Seriously guys, who needs hurricanes? I do not.
I like mountains that are pretty and access to multiple oceans and people who speak 3 languages similtaneously (like on Takalani Sesame - I have no idea how the kids keep up with all 11 languages all at once).
Anyway - expect me in Fayetteville on the 8th or 9th of October. Rock.
As it stands I will be visiting the US for a few months and then I will run away again to the better weather of Africa. Seriously guys, who needs hurricanes? I do not.
I like mountains that are pretty and access to multiple oceans and people who speak 3 languages similtaneously (like on Takalani Sesame - I have no idea how the kids keep up with all 11 languages all at once).
Anyway - expect me in Fayetteville on the 8th or 9th of October. Rock.
21 September 2005
Of magic and books
I've been reading lots of awesome books over the last while (yes, even when I was spending hours upon hours playing Raptor and other AWESOME games from the mid '90s)...
but I digress...
I've been enjoying "Egil's Saga." So far... death and more death. Love it. Pretty much, Egil is a badly behaved dude who kills, berserks, raids, writes poetry and is bald. Awesome.
Reading "Die Leeu, die heks en die hangkas." Nicely done... and sexy. Here's a snippet:
"Dis baie oninteressant, seun van Adam," sê die koningin naderhand, "om te drink sonder iets te ete daarby. Wat eet jy die heel graagste?"
"Turkse lekkers, asseblief, u Majesteit," sê Edmund, want hy was vreeslik lief vir dié jellierige pienk en wit lekkers (wat ons ou mense sommer altyd Turkish Delight genoem het).
Awesome.
Also, just read about Tom Bombadil - this, my friends, is one of the finest things anyone can read... but anyway, it reminded me of Vainomoinen in the Kalevala, but maybe more because I knew Tolkien like the Finish national epic than because of my own awesomeness.
Yet, there is a similarity in both their magical sources: it is song. Vainomoinen is a bard and he sings AWESOMELY. Here's an excerpt in which Vaino kicks some bum:
Angry then grew Wainamoinen,
Wrathful waxed, and fiercely frowning,
Self-composed he broke his silence,
And began his wondrous singing.
Sang he not the tales of childhood,
Children's nonsense, wit of women,
Sang he rather bearded heroes,
That the children never heard of,
That the boys and maidens knew not
Known but half by bride and bridegroom,
Known in part by many heroes,
In these mournful days of evil,
Evil times our race befallen.
Grandly sang wise Wainamoinen,
Till the copper-bearing mountains,
And the flinty rocks and ledges
Heard his magic tones and trembled;
Mountain cliffs were torn to pieces,
All the ocean heaved and tumbled;
And the distant hills re-echoed.
Lo! the boastful Youkahainen
Is transfixed in silent wonder,
And his sledge with golden trimmings
Floats like brushwood on the billows;
Sings his braces into reed-grass,
Sings his reins to twigs of willow,
And to shrubs his golden cross-bench.
Lo! his birch-whip, pearl-enameled,
Floats a reed upon the border;
Lo! his steed with golden forehead,
Stands a statue on the waters;
Hames and traces are as fir-boughs,
And his collar, straw and sea-grass.
Still the minstrel sings enchantment,
Sings his sword with golden handle,
Sings it into gleam of lightning,
Hangs it in the sky above him;
Sings his cross-bow, gaily painted,
To a rainbow o'er the ocean;
Sings his quick and feathered arrows
Into hawks and screaming eagles;
Sings his dog with bended muzzle,
Into block of stone beside him;
Sings his cap from off his forehead,
Sings it into wreaths of vapor;
From his hands he sings his gauntlets
Into rushes on the waters;
Sings his vesture, purple-colored,
Into white clouds in the heavens;
Sings his girdle, set with jewels,
Into twinkling stars around him;
And alas! for Youkahainen,
Sings him into deeps of quick-sand;
Ever deeper, deeper, deeper,
In his torture, sinks the wizard,
To his belt in mud and water.
Now it was that Youkahainen
Comprehended but too clearly
What his folly, what the end was,
Of the journey he had ventured,
Vainly he had undertaken
For the glory of a contest
With the grand, old Wainamoinen.
When at last young Youkahainen,
Pohyola's old and sorry stripling,
Strives his best to move his right foot,
But alas! the foot obeys not;
When he strives to move his left foot,
Lo! he finds it turned to flint-stone.
I told you it was awesome!
but I digress...
I've been enjoying "Egil's Saga." So far... death and more death. Love it. Pretty much, Egil is a badly behaved dude who kills, berserks, raids, writes poetry and is bald. Awesome.
Reading "Die Leeu, die heks en die hangkas." Nicely done... and sexy. Here's a snippet:
"Dis baie oninteressant, seun van Adam," sê die koningin naderhand, "om te drink sonder iets te ete daarby. Wat eet jy die heel graagste?"
"Turkse lekkers, asseblief, u Majesteit," sê Edmund, want hy was vreeslik lief vir dié jellierige pienk en wit lekkers (wat ons ou mense sommer altyd Turkish Delight genoem het).
Awesome.
Also, just read about Tom Bombadil - this, my friends, is one of the finest things anyone can read... but anyway, it reminded me of Vainomoinen in the Kalevala, but maybe more because I knew Tolkien like the Finish national epic than because of my own awesomeness.
Yet, there is a similarity in both their magical sources: it is song. Vainomoinen is a bard and he sings AWESOMELY. Here's an excerpt in which Vaino kicks some bum:
Angry then grew Wainamoinen,
Wrathful waxed, and fiercely frowning,
Self-composed he broke his silence,
And began his wondrous singing.
Sang he not the tales of childhood,
Children's nonsense, wit of women,
Sang he rather bearded heroes,
That the children never heard of,
That the boys and maidens knew not
Known but half by bride and bridegroom,
Known in part by many heroes,
In these mournful days of evil,
Evil times our race befallen.
Grandly sang wise Wainamoinen,
Till the copper-bearing mountains,
And the flinty rocks and ledges
Heard his magic tones and trembled;
Mountain cliffs were torn to pieces,
All the ocean heaved and tumbled;
And the distant hills re-echoed.
Lo! the boastful Youkahainen
Is transfixed in silent wonder,
And his sledge with golden trimmings
Floats like brushwood on the billows;
Sings his braces into reed-grass,
Sings his reins to twigs of willow,
And to shrubs his golden cross-bench.
Lo! his birch-whip, pearl-enameled,
Floats a reed upon the border;
Lo! his steed with golden forehead,
Stands a statue on the waters;
Hames and traces are as fir-boughs,
And his collar, straw and sea-grass.
Still the minstrel sings enchantment,
Sings his sword with golden handle,
Sings it into gleam of lightning,
Hangs it in the sky above him;
Sings his cross-bow, gaily painted,
To a rainbow o'er the ocean;
Sings his quick and feathered arrows
Into hawks and screaming eagles;
Sings his dog with bended muzzle,
Into block of stone beside him;
Sings his cap from off his forehead,
Sings it into wreaths of vapor;
From his hands he sings his gauntlets
Into rushes on the waters;
Sings his vesture, purple-colored,
Into white clouds in the heavens;
Sings his girdle, set with jewels,
Into twinkling stars around him;
And alas! for Youkahainen,
Sings him into deeps of quick-sand;
Ever deeper, deeper, deeper,
In his torture, sinks the wizard,
To his belt in mud and water.
Now it was that Youkahainen
Comprehended but too clearly
What his folly, what the end was,
Of the journey he had ventured,
Vainly he had undertaken
For the glory of a contest
With the grand, old Wainamoinen.
When at last young Youkahainen,
Pohyola's old and sorry stripling,
Strives his best to move his right foot,
But alas! the foot obeys not;
When he strives to move his left foot,
Lo! he finds it turned to flint-stone.
I told you it was awesome!
19 September 2005
Table Mountaineering
Did my hike from Constantia Neck to the cable station on Sunday. A 4.5 hour walk, one way. I was SOOOO unfit. Might have something to do with Classic DOS games.
We're doing Devil's Peak next week, maybe. That one is 4 hours up and then, well, you have to go down. Nice walk. And a lot tougher. Hopefully I'll stop walking up at 10am and get a bit fitter before that one.
In other news: I am awesome. Maybe I'll see you in Fayetteville sometime. I'll call you.
We're doing Devil's Peak next week, maybe. That one is 4 hours up and then, well, you have to go down. Nice walk. And a lot tougher. Hopefully I'll stop walking up at 10am and get a bit fitter before that one.
In other news: I am awesome. Maybe I'll see you in Fayetteville sometime. I'll call you.
Let me make my peace with CLASSIC NES roms
Dinosaur Comics - on Abandonware
Ok, so why am I enthralled by ancient games? In the last, er, 3 months I have been obsessed with Heroes of Might and Magic, Dune 2, Raptor, SKUMM games... anything and everything that I used to have on my 386.
I was planning on compiling a list of the most awesome games of all time. After much thought, I have made this list. Here it is:
1. Dune 2
And that's it.
But anyway, I've been pretty hectically playing old games. Civilization, Settlers II, Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, Adventure Islander III, er... lots of things.
Possible reasons why I've been all up ons these nasties:
1. Boredom
2. Mid-life crisis
3. modern games are too initimidating
Awesome.
Ok, so why am I enthralled by ancient games? In the last, er, 3 months I have been obsessed with Heroes of Might and Magic, Dune 2, Raptor, SKUMM games... anything and everything that I used to have on my 386.
I was planning on compiling a list of the most awesome games of all time. After much thought, I have made this list. Here it is:
1. Dune 2
And that's it.
But anyway, I've been pretty hectically playing old games. Civilization, Settlers II, Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, Adventure Islander III, er... lots of things.
Possible reasons why I've been all up ons these nasties:
1. Boredom
2. Mid-life crisis
3. modern games are too initimidating
Awesome.
17 September 2005
16 September 2005
Pirate Party
It was awesome. Well, I don't know, really. I danced the whole night - probably spoke to two people. Awesome. Pictures will follow soon.
List of things I won't drink (again):
1. Cane
2. Rum and its cognates
3. Whiskey
4. Brandy
5. Wine wot is not dry (excluding the awesomeness of Sherry or Port)
6. Urine
7. Gin
This is not because I am hungover post-pirate party, for I am not. I just thought I should put this in writing to protect my arse in the future. And not my literal arse either. That is and always has been safe.
Really.
2. Rum and its cognates
3. Whiskey
4. Brandy
5. Wine wot is not dry (excluding the awesomeness of Sherry or Port)
6. Urine
7. Gin
This is not because I am hungover post-pirate party, for I am not. I just thought I should put this in writing to protect my arse in the future. And not my literal arse either. That is and always has been safe.
Really.
08 September 2005
05 September 2005
Forgot what I wanted to write about
BUT, here's an entertaining piece of GAMING history! Man, I used to read this and DREAM ...
01 September 2005
Two words...
Pirate PARTY!
Yes. It's true. A pirate party. Way better than a goth party, and I already have the costume.
...although, I might go dressed as a goth... or a ninja. Maybe a viking. I'm not sure yet, but I was pretty close to buying a real sabre and everything.
Awesome? Hell yes!
Yes. It's true. A pirate party. Way better than a goth party, and I already have the costume.
...although, I might go dressed as a goth... or a ninja. Maybe a viking. I'm not sure yet, but I was pretty close to buying a real sabre and everything.
Awesome? Hell yes!
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