On writing essays

Hehe, first essay of the semester... and thanks to procrastination all I have is my introduction done T_T Damn you Magic the Gathering!

Obedience and You

Society, past and present, dictates to its youth, or rather all members of what is considered to be “civilized society” that in order to be a constructive part of this society there are rules and regulations that must be followed. In order to maintain what we have become, and in order to advance that which we strive to become you must follow those rules and regulations. Many times we are expected not to be individual members of our society, but rather to be part of the mass, part of the legion of society. Our government on every level expects this legion to follow those rules and regulations mindlessly and without question. Still, many individuals who have helped our society to progress to the point that it is now have been individuals who broke away from that mindless mass obeying of rules and regulations. There are times and places where it is imperative that in order to maintain our humanity, and in order to be a productive member of society, that we break free from our rules and regulations and become the individual, that we disobey the laws set down for us.

On remember remember the 11th of February

Tomorrow is the 11th of February... how nostalgic. Every year that goes by it means a little less to me thankfully, and yet when February rolls around I can't help but think of it. And while generally I would be the one to form the resolve to bring it up, this year it wasn't me... not entirely, I may have over looked or forgotten it this year thanks to some more recent turns in the tides of my life... but I guess it just can't be helped. Eventually it will all subside and everyone will move on with their lives, but that isn't this year apparently.

BU... I sent in an application for it today, hopefully I get in. As much as I am enjoying BCC this semester, I really don't want to go there. It's not my idea of college, it seems so much like a watered down version of high school minus the drama. And while I enjoy my professors its kind of lonely not having anyone in my classes I really know, not that BU would be better in that respect but at least I would be proud to be going to BU. Still I generally doubt I will get into BU. I have my high school grades and a semester of BCC to send to them with my application. It's all a very mehish kind of thing, and probably a waste of my 40 dollars. But at least I am trying, and who knows, maybe my self doubt in other aspects of my life are carrying over to my self doubt in applying to BU and I will get accepted. Would be awesome. Things to do Thursday: Get my transcripts sent over.

I also got a free Blackberry Pearl today. Of course I had to renew my contract with Verizon and tack an extra 30 dollars a month on for the whole Blackberry experience, but it's worth it. I've wanted one for a while now, and from what I have heard from some Blackberry Storm owners the Pearl was better anyways. If nothing else it's an upgrade to what I have now, and should be fun to fandangle with.

I should have my new car on the road this weekend, adding to my list of things to do Thursday includes going down to my car insurance agency and getting the new insurance cards for it. I think eventually I will fix up the tad of paint that came off and get myself some Autobot Decals for it. Should be a good time

Wow this entry seems so uncoordinated... guess it's kind of like my mind right now

Life is cheesecakey

A mehish Travy


Far away
This ship has taken me far away
Far away from the memories
Of the people who care if I live or die

Starlight
I will be chasing a starlight
Until the end of my life
I don't know if it's worth it anymore

Hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold you in my arms

My life
You electrify my life
Let's conspire to ignite
All the souls that would die just to feel alive

I'll never let you go
If you promise not to fade away
Never fade away

Our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations
Our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations

Hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold you in my arms

Far away
This ship has taken me far away
Far away from the memories
Of the people who care if I live or die

I'll never let you go
If you promise not to fade away
Never fade away

Our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations
Our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations

Hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold

On my Shards of Alara Release event

I need to start having a little more confidence in my deck building. I am pretty cocky as is when it comes to constructing decks, but there is always a form of lingering doubt when it comes to playing draft or sealed events. I lack confidence in my decks initially, and then they end up working just as well as I would have hoped Arguably I didn't do as brilliantly as I usually do last night as a result of my least favorite aspect of MTG... mana screw. Oh well, here is my sealed deck:

//Creatures
1 Wild Nacatl
1 Valeron Outlander
1 Deft Duelist
1 SIgiled Paladin
1 Wandering Goblins
1 Sunseed Nurturer
1 Knotvine Mystic
1 Rhox Charger
1 Rafiq of the Many
1 Meglonoth
1 Skyward Eye Prophets
1 Rockcaster Platoon

//Artifacts
1 Kaleidostone
1 Obelisk of Bant
2 Manaforce Mace

//Spells
1 Resounding Silence
1 Might of Alara
1 Gleam of resistance
1 Traumatic Visions
1 Fiery Fall
1 Resounding Thunder
1 Bant Charm

//Lands
4 Plains
4 Island
4 Mountain
4 Forest

Looking back on it I really shouldn't have run Rockcaster Platoon, he was generally worthless and I have no idea what I was thinking other then "OOoo Big menz with hurtz to flierz and playerz." In reality he is very not good... But on a positive note, one of my MVPs was Wandering Goblins, many people overlooking the fact that I could pump his ability more then once.

The Match Rundown:

Me and Paul decided to run our decks into each other quickly. He ended up getting a Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker... and managed to drop it against me, blowing up my Manaforce Mace equipped to my Meglonoth. Luckily I had a second in hand, and managed to swing back into his planeswalker to murder it down and eventually take the game.

0-0

I ended up playing Kyle first round, and the only thing better then pwning one friend wicked bad when they drop a Nicol is managing to pwn another friend after having to mull to 4. But Kyle called it, saying I would probably still manage to win somehow. He dropped a couple of dudes that managed to take me down to 10 before I drew enough removal to take them out. Then I dropped Rafiq of the Many and swung throwing a Might of Alara my critters way. 16 damage in one hit and I took him out the next turn. The second match I ended up dropping a Wandering Goblins with my trusty Manaforce Mace. Kyle underestimated the goblins ability (and wasn't the only one) and ended up taking a bit too much damage from him.

1-0

The next round I played a kid named Chris. Game 1 I got mana boned, and he swung into me repeatedly with his Esperzoa. That game ended up quickly. Game 2 nearly ended in his favor as well, with him managing to swing into me with evasion critters and use Sludge Strider and Onyx Goblet to slowly wittle my life down. But some removal later and dropping my Sunseed Nurturer managed to offset my loss of life, and eventually I managed to overpower him with dudes. Game 3 was another close one, but swinging with a Mana Force Mace'd Sigiled Paladin and Wandering Goblins, with another underestimation on the goblins part won me the game.
2-0

I had actually gotten pretty tired at this point and forgotten to take down my opponents name for this match... and the next one. The first game I managed to win as my opponent decided to underestimate a Wandering Goblins once again... with my mythic Rafiq of the Many out... it was an easy one shot. And my next 2 games I would draw almost nothing but lands... giving him the match
2-1

After my mana boneage the last round I kind of wanted to drop this one. I could still top 8 though, not that it ended up mattering. More mana flood for me and an easy match win for my opponent.
2-2

In conclusion I really can't stand the random aspect of the game that is mana screw. It doesn't matter how brilliant a player you are you can still easily take it to the face just because of poor luck. It happened in Philly, and it happened again tonight. Oh well, it generally can't be helped... honestly anyways.

I am honestly kind of disappointed that I didn't get a Progenitus. While it is probably very Timmyish of me, I really want to build a deck around him... a 10/10 pro everything, that two shots people! I have an interesting idea for a deck I think, and hopefully I can get my hands on him.

Bleach had a pretty epic dialogue today
Ichigo: Take care of Inoue. If Inoue's Rikka can't shield her from my energy, shield her with your body.
Ishida: I would even if you hadn't asked.

Hehe, Ishida is such a cocky mother trucker.

Kyle gave me a copy of FF7 whoot :D



Life is pretty fricken wonderful, and only stands to get better at this point IMO

A mana boned Travy

I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles
In our eyes are mirror images and when
We kiss they're perfectly aligned
And I have to speculate that God himself
Did make us into corresponding shapes like
Puzzle pieces from the clay
True, it may seem like a stretch, but
Its thoughts like this that catch my troubled
Head when you're away when I am missing you to death
When you are out there on the road for
Several weeks of shows and when you scan
The radio, I hope this song will guide you home

They will see us waving from such great
Heights, 'come down now,' they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away,
'come down now,' but we'll stay...

I tried my best to leave this all on your
Machine but the persistent beat it sounded
Thin upon listening
That frankly will not fly. you will hear
The shrillest highs and lowest lows with
The windows down when this is guiding you home

On King of the Hill

Ever since I was a kid I enjoyed the game king of the hill. Hold the high ground is the name of the game, and all throughout my life the things I have enjoyed most involved holding that high ground. The simplest thing to look at is my former love of MMORPGs. I picked classes that could sit there and take a ton of monsters/mobs/players, classes that could hold that high ground.
Travy, my Tibian Knight would grab up dragon lords and dragons, tank the damage and bring them down. My Warlock Travstopher on World of Warcraft, and my Paladin Travy, could aggro a dozen plus mobs of their own level or higher and take them down.
In Magic the Gathering I build decks to bring to the multiplayer table that absolutly have to be stopped or they will win. I build those decks with tanking multiple players in mind, and my favorite games are those games where everyone teams up to stop me and just can't bring me down.
That is part of my pride, these king of the hill scenarios. These one against the world scenarios.
I also pride myself in my general moral well doing. My going against the will of society in favor of doing what I think is right.
Unfortunatly I fear I have given up some of my moral high ground, taking a hit to my pride. But my pride still seems to be fully intact, unshaken in any way shape or form.
I suppose time will determine what damage, if any my pride has suffered.

A contemplative Travy

No one gets out of life alive.

On refrences and terrible drafting of win

I finally read Orwell's essay, Shooting an Elephant and understand the reference in Meet Bill. It's pretty funny.

I ended up doing a draft last night/this morning. My first tournament since Morning Tide probably... and it went a lot better then expected. The first pack I opened ended up having Excommunicate in it, so I decided to draft something with white. Initially I thought the card was an instant, and once I realized it wasn't I was pretty disappointed. It still won me a couple of games though, I hear getting rid of blockers is pretty good. Then I was passed Realm Razer, which I ended up taking because I need him for another deck. I ended up going Red Green White... the decklist obviously follows. I lucked into a couple of big beasts, although someone else was in my colors as well so I didn't get as many as I wanted, but took mana ramp in the form of Obelisks regardless seeing how as the orignal plan was to abuse Realm Razer. And then my second pack I got Hellkite Overlord. I'm not going to lie, he was orignally just a rare draft for me. But I saw I had obelisks to fit his color and in the deck he went. The following is the end result:

Hellkite Overlord Ftw

//Creatures
2 Wild Nacatal
1 Bull Cerodon
1 Welkin Guide
2 Sanctum Gargoyle
3 Elvish Visionary
1 Naya Battlemage
1 Knight of the Skyward Eye
1 Wolly Thoctar
1 Realm Razer
1 Hellkite Overlord
//Spells
1 Excommunicate
1 Angelsong
2 Resounding Roar
1 Branching Bolt
//Artifacts
2 Obelisk of Grixis
2 Obelisk of Naya
//Lands
1 Naya Panorama
5 Plains
5 Mountain
6 Forest

Some of these cards like Angelsong, and Welkin guide are probably by no means picked in decks normally. But I figured they might help me out of a rough spot, and they did. Namely one of the last rounds I played I had my opponent down to 9, with him having the kill on me next turn. Luckily I had my trusty Thoctar out with Naya Battlemage out. A topdeck into the Welkin guide for 9 overhead damage and the match win was most excellent. I ended up going 3-1 and taking 2nd place.

I would go into more detail but this has been sitting on my computer for the last few days, and really can't remember my matchs all that well xD. The Draft was enjoyable because Kelly was there though, even though she got mana boned almost every game... too bad this week the naab is going to Comicon >:[

But with magic the gathering in mind, it looks like we are going to start doing casual friday MTG, and drafting thursday nights. It should be a good time! I have all ready worked my Hellkite Tyrant into his own little deck ^_^

Ah well

A magic playing again Travy

On Nyeh

Well I am still pumped about this semester at BCC, my professors continue to be amazing. My English Professor especially is pretty nicer dicer, and makes me look forward to coming to class every day. Today's discussion started with a poem with an epic line, "The best lack all conviction, while the worst are all full of passionate intensity." We even had a discussion on prejudice against emos. How much more nicer dicer can it get?

Unfortunately my shitty car broke down today, making me quite the emo. I really can't stand life sometime, especially when I am correcting a problem a month with my car. How exactly am I supposed to save money.

Nyeh... at least there is a new House out... that will distract me for a while

An emo Travy

Oh, my life is changing everyday,

In every possible way.
And oh, my dreams, it's never quiet as it seems,
Never quiet as it seems.

I know I've felt like this before, but now I'm feeling it even more,
Because it came from you.
And then I open up and see the person falling here is me,
A different way to be.

Ah, la da ah...
La...

I want more impossible to ignore,
Impossible to ignore.
And they'll come true, impossible not to do,
Impossible not to do.

And now I tell you openly, you have my heart so don't hurt me.
You're what I couldn't find.
A totally amazing mind, so understanding and so kind;
You're everything to me.

Oh, my life,
Is changing every day,
In every possible way.

And oh, my dreams,
It's never quiet as it seems,
'Cause you're a dream to me,
Dream to me.

Ah, da, da da da, da, la...

On Tradition

One thing that always seems to consistently leave me awestruck, and doesn't seem to ever change, is just how well the combination of lust and greed go together. I suppose all of the original sins combo well off of one another, but lust and greed strike me hard as a c-c-c-c-combo. They have been around for ever, with the exceptionally attractive leeching off of the exceptionally rich and vice versa, an almost symbiotic relationship.

I suppose I look at it as being shallow, money buying love that is. But on who's end really? Is it wrong of the terribly well endowed to ache for money? I mean I know I would love to happen into a ton of cash, but would I be willing to trade my body over to someone for their own pleasures in exchange for a comfortable lifestyle? I would really hope not. As a matter of fact I am pretty sure I wouldn't, not in most cases anyways...
Unfortunately if you tangle the second part of the equation I might just be tempted, as one also has to ask themselves could you resist someone who is infinitely attractive to you. While I seem to be able to easily manage avoiding pursuing the whole lust bit (Arguably because I am not that confident with my own looks and that probably helps), if some incredibly attractive chick wanted to pay me to sleep with her I don't know how well I could resist. A comfortable lifestyle + sex with someone I would be all lusty over? How amazing could that be.

Still, I try to keep to the mindset of money can't buy you love, what's sex without love, etc etc etc. Doesn't everyone in the end seek someone who is both physically attractive and mentally attractive as well? Honestly, I wouldn't date someone who I saw as unattractive regardless of their level of mental intellect, or how well we matched up. Does that make me a terrible person? Does that make me shallow? I think so, if an individual is unattractive to me it just isn't going to fly, so be it.
But everyone is shallow. It's another one to add to my list of laws on humanity. No matter what anyone says or does, in the end they would really like to be with someone they are physically attracted to in addition to their mental attraction. And for some people, the physical attraction is all they want, more then willingly sacrificing any chance of what I deem to be a real relationship. We are all shallow, just everyone has different tiers as to what they find attractive.

And speaking of character flaws, I really need to stop procrastinating, I still have English and psychology to do for tomorrow and I should all ready be going to bed. It can be helped according to some people, but I am quite content in my ability to procrastinate. Even without world of warcraft I still mindlessly browse the intrawebs....

A still procrastinating Travy

I'd never lie to you
Unless I had to I'll do what I got to
Unless I had to I'll do what I got to, the truth
Is you could slit my throat
And with my one last gasping breath
I'd apologize for bleeding on your shirt