Saturday, August 29, 2009

An interesting philosophy...

I have been going about my daily life, and I realized there are a lot of modern day uses for light sabers other than use against your enemies.

- Hair removal: for a clean shave, every time. If we tinkered with the technology a little bit and made some small versions, then we could use them for making quick and easy hair styles in a flash! I mostly thought of this for guys who need to sculpt their beards to the perfect shape, and I had the inspiration from Zenon, Girl of the 21st century when I saw a guy shaving with a laser thingy.

- Landscaping: for a prize winning lawn in a flash. Weed whackers and lawn mowers use so much gas and can really be a pain to push around all day long. BUT if you had a light saber, you could just trim the grass really quickly and save yourself the energy. We may need to make some flat models to accomodates for large lawns and extensive grass trimming, but the idea is still pretty solid.

- Fashion: the fastest way to move from your winter wardrobe to your summer wardrobe. Don't need all that bulky fleece or long pants? Make a pair of shorts with just a swipe of your light saber, and you're good to go to the beach or to the park! Also, for those in between times, make yourself a vest from your favorite winter coat by slicing off those pesky sleeves. Or do you have the same problem as Philosopher #1 (the good philosopher aka Lisa) where pants and skirts are just TOO LONG because you are a normal height and stores make clothes for giant people. Just trim a few inches off those pants/dress/skirt to save yourself a trip to the tailor!

- Crafting: don't you just hate it when you cut fabric and you accidently cut it wrong and then you get those annoying strands coming apart from the fabric? WELL NOT ANYMORE! Just use your lightsaber for a clean cut everytime. Save yourself the frustration and precision of trying to cut with a pair of scissors that may or may not have a sharp blade...you can always count on your lightsaber.

- Music: is someone playing a little out of tune? Just take your lightsaber through their instrument and they won't ever be out of tune again. Not advised with vocalists.

- Home Remodeling: Sometimes you just DIDN'T measure those tiles right and it's too late to buy the smaller ones now. Just take your handy dandy lightsaber and cut them down the the desired size. No extra tools required, no dusty mess to clean up. If your tiles are too small, then your lightsaber cannot help you. Just do it right the first time. Also, if your doors are too large for the frame...cut them down. You wanna remove that ceiling fan? Lightsaber. Need to replace those old cabinets? Take out the old ones with your light saber. Your refrigerator running? Your lightsaber can see to it that it no longer runs.

- Prank callers: Are you being awaken in the middle of the night by someone who wants to ask you about a survey AGAIN?! Lightsaber to phone. No more prank calls.

- Coupons: Hate cutting out those dang things all day long to save $.23 cents on your toilet paper? Your mini-lightsaber can help you cut them out in half the time.

- Chip bags: I can never open those dang things the first time. Either my hands are not gripping the bag or the bag is just sealed way too tight for the average person to open. Use your lightsaber on the top of the bag, no more frustration.

- New Electronic Purchases: I hate those plastic packaging things they all come in...you know where the electronic is in the inside and the outside is a thick plastic and the ends are all krimped together so you need to use heavy duty scissors or a strong man to help you open them?! Take your lightsaber to the packaging ONLY (not to your new electronic purchase...) and save yourself 15 minutes of anger and perhaps sore hands from trying to open it yourself.

- Room Entry: Forgot your key? Use your lightsaber to cut through the door (think Episode 1)

- Escape routes: I learned on mythbusters that shooting into the floor to try and make it fall through to the next level DOES NOT WORK. But your lightsaber will work. Also, if your master or padawan is in jail, just take your lightsaber to the bars of the jail cell or padlock keeping them in, and POOF they are free! However, this technique will not work on laser bars since we all know that lightsabers repel other lightsabers...so if they used lightsaber technology to keep the person there, you need to improvise with other methods of escape.

- Self-defense/Vanquishing enemies: Now, this use has two parts because there are always two sides to consider. The dark side and the other side (that we will call the light side even though they never call it that in any of the movies). The dark side of the force will use their lightsabers for evil instead of good, so instead of trimming grass, they trim arms and legs. And sometimes abdomen removal. The light side uses it for self defense: repeling laser bullets, blocking other light sabers, and defeating the dark side. Hopefully you'll all use your lightsabers for good, since the dark side never wins anyway (and there's only really room for two of you...). Good light sabers come in many colors, the most common being green and blue, but the pink, purple and teal editions are also acceptable. The dark side only has one option: red. Not a good choice for you creative types who want to express yourselves through your lightsaber.

Your lightsaber is not recommended for many uses on the body. If you are trying to trim your hair with a normal lightsaber, please be careful not to decapitate yourself. Please don't try to remove finger nails or toe nails with your lightsaber, unless you are extremely skilled. Lightsabers are best used with all fingers to keep the balance and precision of the instrument. Missing fingers or toes can hindure the user of the lightsaber and accidents are more likely to happen and cause further damage to digits and limbs.

Please be responsible, and keep checking for more updates on common uses for your lightsaber.

And that's my new philosophy
-Philosopher #1

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

A start of a new school year...

Your two favorite philosophers are getting down to business again with a start of a new school year.

As some of you may not know, Ben and Lisa are both RAs at CNU - they have been training for the year since last thursday (Aug 6th). It's pretty amazing. Harry Potter themed training is way better than you'd think.

Some of the sessions include:
- Care of Magical Creatures
- Taming Dragons
- Going to the Chamber of Secrets
- All meals in the Great H. H. Hall
- RCFs with Filch!
- Muggle Studies
- Out and About in Hogsmeade
- Planning the Yule Ball
- Learning about Butter Beer and Fire Whiskey
- Wizengamot aka CHECS
- Rooms of Requirement

Isn't it awesome?! Who knew training to be an RA would coincide with being a wizard so well!?!? Someone thought it through. Maybe they are wizards in disguise...and us muggles don't know about it...

Hopefully Philosopher #2 will get on the ball about talking and philosophizing about his training experiences, but until then you'll only get to hear what I think about it.

I lurve Harry Potter

A. lot.

So this is a pretty fun two weeks for me :) I can't wait til the residents finally move in because that's why we are all here and I wanna get things started!!! :D I get impatient when they give us all these wonderful things we can do with our residents then they say "oh yeah just kidding wait two weeks til you get to do any of it." Dang.

But I'll have more to philosophize about once things have been moving for an entire week.

However learning to be a magical RA is a lot of work and it takes a lot out of you. I hope to philosophize soon, but in the mean time...philosophize in the comment section.


And that's my new philosophy.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

That's right...


Sorry, Ben. Points, like hips, don't lie.

And that's my new philosophy. -- Philosopher #1

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Who would really be the winner?

Who should really be the winner here? A themed restaurant with an inviting exterior... (and great ceiling lights!) (and an outdoor seating area!)


...with customers who flock to eat wonderful delicious food? (and a dart board!)




Or a silly plain restaurant with a big roof?


And no customers?! And no dart board?!

I feel like we all know who the winner should be. GO DUELING WIZARDS!!!! WOOO!!!!







Our only other picture together:

P.S. The ratings are bubkis.


And that's my new philosophy!!

Before you know it you're eating fish flavored wang.


At one time or another we all run into something in the grocery store that just isn't right.


I have had one of those times.



Anchovy flavored rice noodles. By Wang. Only $2.49!!!


Monday, May 25, 2009

Summer summer summer time!

As you all know, school is out for the college kids so your two favorite philosophers have gone their seperate ways for the break.  

But don't fret!  I have updates!

Ben spent two weeks running around the mountains!  Sounds...fun?  I mean, from a philosophical standpoint, I don't see any fun in running around with all your junk on your back in the woods...with no plan!  Perhaps he had a plan and I didn't know about it...perhaps Ben will have to write down a few of the philosophical visions he had while he was gone in the woods playing with squirrels and bugs.

Lisa, however, hasn't been doing anything quite worth documenting in our blog...I've read all the twilight books (for the second time), had a twilight party with my friends Maddie and Emily (they know a lot more about it than I do...), I started reading the Harry Potter series again so that I can be prepared for the WONDERFUL movie premire in July (can't wait!).  Other than that I've really just been hanging out with friends, catching up,  making plans to drive around VA to visit college friends and such.  A great relaxing summer is ahead.

Now on to philosophy.

Cats are wonderful little creatures.  I happen to have two lovely kitty cats (Pumpkin and Buttons) who are friendly and playful.  Now, I realize that not all cats are like this...some can be distant, snappy, "snobby", and even sluggish.  Not OUR cats!  Buttons in particular loves to just run around the house, chasing your feet and racing you to wherever they point, and even creating mini-forts for himself and his captured prey.  His favorite fort?  My mesh hamper I use to carry dirty clothes from school in.  He jumps inside and grabs at things outside his "fort"...unfortunately he loses the element of surprise considering we can SEE THROUGH THE MESH!  But he doesn't seem to mind (or realize...).  He also likes to "hide" under the large rugs we have in the living room.  It doesn't feel like home until you see a huge lump in the rug that claws at anything that walks by.  Today my mom was walking by to sit on the couch and Buttons tried to drag her feet under the rug...like her feet were his prey.  It ended up not working out in his favor but he did put up a good fight.  Too bad his prey happened to be 10 times his size.  And the rug really isn't a great hiding place.  He is our family speed bump.

Pumpkin is not as playful during the day, since Buttons pretty much attacks him whenever he sees Pumpkin getting attention (when we brush him, let him sit on our lap, pet him, etc.)  But at night Pumpkin waits outside my bedroom door waiting for it to open so he can RUN inside and sniff everything in the room.  Then, if I try to go to sleep, he jumps on the bed and stares at my face...probably asking himself "why isn't she petting me?  this is not okay!!"  and rubs his face on my face, leaving cat hair all over me and my pillow, until I pet him.  Pumpkin is much older than Buttons, a lot more relaxed, doesn't meow or hiss or scratch anyone...he is such a great little pet.  Pumpkin likes people once they let him smell them.  No one can pet him til he gets a good wif of who you are.  Buttons will let anyone pet him since it won't matter after he eats their fingers.

Sad to say that I hear even our second favorite philosopher has a cat that is unfriendly...but no matter how good of friends we become, I want to let the world know that he is not allowed to trade his lame cat for my cool ones.  He has tried to convince me, but I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!
 
My philosophy is that the cat reflects the owner.  It's obvious the owner of such cool and fun cats MUST be a cool and fun person, but it also means that sad lame cats must have learned it from someone...right?  Am I right?  And who do they see more often than their owner?  Right?  Right.

And that's my new philosophy.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Rain rain go away!






So today.

Ben and Lisa (the philosophers) were enjoying a nice day outside while Lisa was enjoying her breakfast. Then Lisa felt a drop of rain and decided it would be a good time to go to Potomac South so she can make her bulliten board. Ben and Lisa go into the library, grab Ben's laptop and study things, then walk back to the door where they find...

A DOWNPOUR!!!!!!

Sigh. Horrible luck. They wait for a moment, decide they have no other choice but to venture out into the rain, and they walk out of the door into the horrible storm waiting for them.

They cross the Trible Plaza....

...run under the overhang of the DSU...

...rush through the openings of the overhang...

...stumble through the muddy grass to the concrete walkway...

...realize the concrete walkway is flooding and walk through the gravel-y part where Lisa gets mud and guck all in her flip flops..

...Lisa realizes that when she takes a step she slips out of her shoes, slowing them both down...

....and finally reach their destination completely SOAKED from the rain.

Deanna, Lisa's little, was working the desk at the time. She saw Lisa and Ben walk in looking horribly pathetic in wet clothes, and thought this was funny.

She was wrong.

Lisa and Ben did NOT find this amusing...except a little bit maybe...but what made it less funny was that the rain let up soon after Ben and Lisa got inside the building.

After some drying off, Ben left to go to Hampton while Lisa stayed in PoSo to make her May bulletin board. By the time Lisa was done with everything, it was raining again..but thankfully Krystal, Lisa's boss next year, was kind enough to drive her to her residence hall where she could change into dry clothes that fit her and did not look like bummy maternity wear.

It was quite the adventure...not a lot of philosophical thought process, but an adventure none the less with two great philosophers.



Here is a philosophy:

What was it that caused this sad sad situation to occur?

Was it bad luck? Were Ben and Lisa just both in the wrong place at the wrong time with no umbrellas just by happenstance?

Was it fate? Were Lisa and Ben meant to have a poopy time walking from the Library to PoSo because the gods decided it was to be so?

Was it karma? Had Ben or Lisa (most likely Ben) done something evil to deserve this to happen?

Something to think over.



And that's my new philosophy!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

I ponder

Right now I consider friendship....

When one friend requests the presence of another friend/philosopher and that friend/philosopher chooses work over the ever wonderful company of another how do you treat that relationship in the future?

As Immanuel Kant stated "Do what is right, though the world may perish." What is more right, a draft of a paper or an everlasting friendship?

I choose friendship....

And that's my new philosophy.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Dear Ben.

Please Philosophize.

Always, Philosopher #1.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

A philosophers priorities

With only a few weeks left of school, I've been thinking about what is really most important.

Is it the 10-15 page paper?
Is it the SSKB?
Is it the French test?
Is it a Greek Week event?
Is it your friend who is upset?
Is it your sanity?
Is it your sophomore checkpoint?
Is it your 0 credit class that you need 8 semesters of?
Is it the mess collecting in your room?
Is it making sure you catch the latest episode of dorm-life?
Is it reading your favorite blog? (this one...duh)

How do you decide when there are overlapping things? What do you choose to deal with first? Grades? Friends? Personal health? Dorm-life? It's so difficult.

Sigh. Sometimes you have to make tough choices. And the last 3 weeks of the semester is not the time to realize you'd rather read Twilight than do work. Not a good time to develop a book addiction.

And that's my new philosophy.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Speed Philosophy 2


Is anything more annoying than having the i-have-to-sneeze feeling and not being able to make yourself sneeze?

Can't think of any right now. Please, comment and let me know if you can think of anything else.

And that's my new philosophy.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

"Who disturbs my slumber?"

Best feeling in the world?

Waking up in the morning and staying in bed.

Worst feeling?

Getting out of bed.

Best part of the day?

Falling asleep...in the afternoon for a nap or at night for the long haul.

Second worst feeling?

Around 3pm when it's nap time, but you still have class, and you still fall asleep.

For me, I happen to have piano class around 3pm, so it's real difficult for me to nap since I am sitting on a piano bench falling asleep on the the keys...and it's real obvious when you start to nod off, but you can also pass it off as being REALLY into the piece you are playing if you are still moving your hands around the piano. You've seen them - the really passionate piano players with their eyes closed and moving their torso forwards and backwards...the only difference is they play beautiful music while you, the student falling asleep, has to continue to poorly play your sonata. It may sound fine to you, but if anyone could hear through your headphones, it would sound more like "soNOTa good piece.."

Philosophical idea: no class from 3pm-4:15pm. Scheduled nap time for everyone. Including teachers.

You may be thinking that a serious academic institution wouldn't pass such a rule, but has anyone tried? Has anyone else had this wonderful epiphany? I mean, I am a philosopher, and I think...A LOT...so it could be that I am the first to have this idea, and it's my duty as the idea maker to then pass on the responsibility of making it happen to some other person. Perhaps a freshman.

We will see where this takes us. For now, I am going to participate in the best part of the day...going to sleep.



And that's my new philosophy.


Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Unfortunate Philosophy

Spring in Newport News = warm weather for a day or two, coldish weather (upper 40's) then all of a sudden without any real warning...
BAM!!!!
It's suddenly 38 degrees (feels like 31) and way more windy then any weather philosopher would predict. With a high of 48...which means it will kinda get to 45 then stop and we all just really want those two degrees.
-Philosopher #1
(Philosopher #2 really needs to get on the ball, here and start philosophizing!)
And that's my new unfortunate philosophy.

Speed Philosophy


My newest philosophical realization:


Staying up too late could possibly perhaps make you so incredibly hungry that you eat half a box of samoas and not realize until you are upset that you have to save the rest for when you "really need them" But my question is when would you really need a samoa? What am I saving for?


I'll continue to ponder while I sleep...hungrily...



-- Philosopher #1


And that's my new philosophy.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Our First Philosophy

Question of the Day: Have you ever hung a plastic slinky from your ear and heard the many sounds it can produce?

Today is the beginning of RA appreciation week, and Lisa (Philosopher #1) recieved a plastic slinky jr. as a gift.

It is red, much like Ben's facial hair, so when it was wrapped around his head, it looked like a very fashionable beard.

Then one side of the slinky fell off his ear!

Creating a very odd sound to Ben, since he was the only one with a slinky on his ear.

Then he said "Oh man, when you tap that, it makes a funny sound!"

Then Lisa said "You've only just met!"

Ben said "No, you try!"

Lisa then went on to try this herself. "Alas!" she said, "It indeed makes this odd sound! Like a language from another planet in Star Wars!"

Later in their conversation, Ben suggested they try a new experiement. "What if we both put one side of the slinky on our ear and then heard what it sounded like!" Ben then talked to himself.

Lisa said "Yeah! Let's try it!"

They both took opposite sides of the slinky jr and then moved the slinky about to hear the different sounds it could make.

"It's really not the same as it was before..." Ben said. Lisa then explained to Ben that when the sound is being absorbed by two ears instead of having one end free to move about freely, the slinky does not make as many cool space sounds as twas previous.


And that's my new philosophy.