So Much Love For Geek Humor

I think I've never mentioned my love for bash.org and german-bash.org. Both sites are hilarious actual transcripts from IRC-chats, and it's very geeky, so unless you're a real computer geek, a lot of the humor will go over your head (as it often does for me), but even then there's still a lot to laugh about (although it really helps if you know what WoW and pwned mean).

By the way, General Buster wants you all to know that he is not happy with today's achievements. At least the item "sign up for recruitment events" can be crossed off from the task list. Better than nothing, he guesses.

General Buster: A Hesitant Thumbs Up

Edit: I removed the Borat-picture because it was generating a disproportionate amount of traffic to my blog and it's not like I own a copyright to that picture...

Subject initially responded well to yelling. Continued to be generally more productive, but has not fully met all goals. Still much room for improvement. The beginning of a new week will hopefully aid efforts at motivation. Volume of yelling will be increased from level 6 to level 7. Adjustments may be made at any time as seen fit.

Goals for this week include signing up for various recruitment events, going swimming, preparing lessons, teaching, reading the book on international private law, scheduling dates with neglected friends and buying light bulbs. New goals will be added if subject, against all expectations, finds herself ahead of schedule.

Random (Morbid) Question

How do manufacturers of body bags feel? I mean, any business should be happy when business goes well. But in this case I'd assume the sentiments are a bit more conflicted...

Any other depressing professions come to mind? Like casket manufacturing? Grave digging?

Disciplinary Measures aka General Buster

So, in my last post I brought up the question whether the chaotic state of my blog was a reflection on my life. I have now come to the conclusion that that is indeed the case. I have horrible self discipline and being aware of this fact only makes it more terrifying because deep down (maybe very deep down) I am also a perfectionist.

Now, if I were a rich person (like, let's say our poor trainwreck Britney Spears), the solution here would be quite simple. I'd just hire a personal trainer slash general kick-me-in-the-behind-er. Unfortunately I am not rich and therefore have to resort to more unconventional methods.

As a child, I never had an imaginary friend. I think it is time to get one, although it wouldn't so much be a "friend" as a huge pain in the ass. I think it will be a guy and I shall call him General Buster. Hi Buster!

Buster is 2m tall and weighs a minimum of 100 kg (pure muscle!). He is very scary. Fortunately, as opposed to childhood imaginary friends, Buster takes up little to no space and doesn't have to be fed. I also do not expect other people to be able to see him. He has also served in the Army and has learned to yell at people and make them do stuff they don't really feel like doing. And yell at them some more.

Buster's job description shall be varied. Not only will he make me finally commit myself fully to finishing my thesis, he will also make me prepare my lessons at the KV well in advance, clean and vacuum my apartment once a week, take the stairs instead of the elevator and many, many, many more useful things.

Obviously, I will hate Buster with the passion of a thousand fiery suns. I also hope he succeeds in his mission.

I have given Buster permission to update my blog readers on my progress or lack thereof in an effort to up the embarrassment factor in case I should fail. Welcome to my world, Buster!

PS: I'm not crazy, I promise...

Damn, This Blog's A Mess!

In case you haven't noticed, this blog's a mess. I am still trying to figure out whether this somehow represents my personality and whether that is something I should be worried about.

The TV updates have stopped because all new and returning shows (except Men In Trees, Viva Laughlin and Samantha Who) had already premiered and therefore there was nothing new to add to the already exisiting posts.

The political posts were just things I needed to get off my chest, sorry. Now that the elections are over we can all calm ourselves again and I promise I'll shut up about this topic for a while.

In other news, Olma has just come to an end here in St. Gallen (pictures of my time at the Olma with fellow CouchSurfers from the region are here) and since I live right next to the fair that goes along with it, I'm happy to report I now have got my peace and quiet back.

Also, after struggling with my Thesis topic for a year, I've decided to drop it and completely change my topic and professor (not that the ones I had so far weren't good enough, it's just that I need a fresh start). So I'll be writing some important e-mails today that I should have written days ago but somehow I didn't feel like doing so while hung over...

Hangovers were due to 1. Seeing Berit for the first time since her return from Ghana (Wednesday), 2. 2Many DJs gig in Zurich (Friday) and 3. the aforementioned Olma (Saturday).

This week I'm looking forward to getting everything in order for my new Thesis topic, having my friend Elisa come over to my place on Thursday (to watch Battlestar Galactica together! Yay!) and teaching again on Wednesday and Thursday (ok, that one's more of a chore than a pleasure, but they're good kids and at least I no longer teach on Fridays!).

I am decidedly less excited about having to clean my apartment which is something I really really need to do. On the plus side, the new vacuum cleaner I got for my birthday from my mum is amazing so that takes away some of the dread.

Speaking of my mum, she and her ex (see the photo in this post) are opening a restaurant and bar together on December 7th in Goldach, they've got a preliminary website here, if you're interested. They hired a really nice Hungarian cook and they will be serving Mediterranean dishes. Wish them luck!

Spiegel.de Authors Know Their Stuff

I'm so happy! These articles about the Swiss elections on spiegel.de look like they've been thoroughly researched and the authors actually get exactly how the Swiss political system works! Admiring High Five!

In other news I'm happy for the green liberal party who managed to snag three seats, unfortunately none of which are from St. Gallen though, so my vote was kinda wasted. Probably should have tried to strengthened the FDP a bit, poor election losers.

No More Politics

That should be my motto. It's just so frustrating. The closer our elections get the more I get worked up about superficial statements and knee-jerk, irrational reactions from all political parties and the media. How very naive that it took me 24 years to realize that apparently logic and rational arguments have no place in politics. I find it amazing that countries and governments still manage to kinda sorta work (at least on a day-to-day basis) despite this. I guess we get the politicans and policies we deserve?

At least we get a colourful variety of parties in our executive branch as well as in our parliament. I am really holding on to the belief that seven people probably make better decisions than one in the long run. Plus, they've got power in numbers if there is ever a Politician Deathmatch. Leuenberger, Calmy-Rey, Leuthard, Merz, Couchepin, Schmid and Blocher could totally kick Bush's ass in a fight. Not sure about Merkel though. Chick's tough!

Sigh

Sigh. I wonder how long it's going to take until foreigners living in Switzerland will be asked by their friends and family around the world whether they can leave the house without risking being attacked. We've already had Nazi and Mussolini comparisons - are we burning books and destroying our local Kebab-stands yet? I almost forgot, we're Europe's Heart of Darkness!

In other news, I'll get to vote in Parliament elections in Switzerland for the first time this month! Yay, they gave me one of those precious red passports (well, not literally, I haven't ordered one yet...). I think I'm gonna go with the green-liberal party, so far they seem to be the only ones I even remotely agree with.

Today On (North American) TV: Thursday

Personal favourites:

My Name Is Earl (3x02, find last week's recap here)

Grey's Anatomy (4x02, find last week's recap here) - Yes, I'm still watching this one, though I am definitely not sure why anymore. Last week's season premiere didn't exactly manage to convince me that this show's still "got it".

Also on tonight:

30 Rock (2x01), The Office (4x02, recap), Supernatural (3x01), Smallville (7x02, recap), Without A Trace (6x02), CSI (8x02), Law & Order: Criminal Intent (7x01), ER (14x02), Ugly Betty (2x02, recap), Big Shots (1x02, recap), It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (3x07&3x08), Mad Men (recap), Survivor (15x03, recap)

Today On (North American) TV: Wednesday

Personal favourites:

Dirty Sexy Money (find last week's recap here)

Gossip Girl (find last week's recap here)

Premiering:

Pushing Daisies - Ned, the pie-maker, can revive the dead with a single touch in this Amélie-like fairy tale. Unfortunately his gift comes with a caveat: if he touches the revived again, they die, this time for good. And if he keeps them alive for more than a minute, someone else has to die instead.

I won't give any more away, but in my opinion this was the sweetest, most colourful and endearing pilot of the entire fall line-up. Creator Bryan Fuller previously had equally peculiar shows on the air, Wonderfalls (college drop-out gift shop employee at the Niagara Falls starts getting instructions from the toys in the gift shop) and Dead Like Me (18 year old college drop-out dies when hit by a MIR-toilet seat and becomes a grim reaper), which both only lasted one or two seasons respectively. Let's hope third time's a charm!

Also on tonight:

Criminal Minds (3x02), Back To You (1x03), 'Til Death (2x03), Kid Nation (1x03, recap), America's Next Top Model (9x03, recap), CSI: NY (4x02), Bionic Woman (1x02, recap), Private Practice (1x02, recap), Life (1x02), South Park (11x08)

Today On (North American) TV: Tuesday

Before we look at Tuesday's tv shows, I have to apologize - I managed to skip over the fact that The Daily Show and The Colbert Report are on every night Monday to Thursday! And now you know. Good.

Personal favourites:

Reaper (1x02, find last week's recap here)

House (4x02, find last week's recap here)

Eureka (2x13, Season Finale!)

Cane (1x02)

Premiering:

Cavemen - Whoever thought it was a good idea to turn a series of commercials into a sitcom about cavemen living as a minority in today's society should be fired. Seriously.

Carpoolers - A sitcom about 4 guys who drive to work together every morning. Since I almost fell asleep just reading the premise, I'm probably not gonna watch.

Also on tonight:

Boston Legal (4x02), Bones (3x02), Law&Order: Special Victims Unit (9x02, recap), Damages (1x10), The Unit (3x02), NCIS (5x02), LA Ink (1x09), The Beauty And The Geek (4x03), Lincoln Heights (2x05)