Reading Matter (sticky post)
I've started writing a series of stories about Stevie the Lab Rat. Stevie really needs readers, so please visit ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
steviethelabrat. Thanks a bunch!
steviethelabrat. Thanks a bunch!(0) The best friends I've ever had! From left to right
d_h_m_o , Chris, Doom and Fabi trying to carry the considerable weight of yours truly. ^^ That really was a great birthday party. Such a pity it got dampened in my memory by the unpleasant events soon afterwards... But then again, that great time did help me keep my head up in the following rapids.
( See the rest... )
And this is mostly it - you didn't miss much. I did miss photography though. I'll try to improve, but photo trips are kinda difficult right now... And when I'm able to walk normally again (five weeks to go), the semester will start. But we shall see. I still have a few pics of the recent events to post until then.
- Where:Engelberg
- Feeling:
weird
- Sound:Freedom Call - Ocean
For those who are now confused: ( Read more... )
Oh and since I'm kinda stuck in Engelberg without Facebook, I just might post a little bit more often. ^^
- Where:Engelberg
- Feeling:
cheerful
- Sound:laptop cooler
First thought: unbelivable.
Second thought: outrageous.
What on Earth could a minaret possibly do to harm the good Swiss people?? Apart from providing habitat for terrorists, of course. And disturbing their sleep with the muezzin calls. Which are, without doubt, meant to destroy the sovereignty of the government, to deform the Swiss horizon with their ungodly shapes and to deprive the people of their sleep. And, of course, if it isn't forbidden, all the muslims in the world (and all the muslims are extremists and kill Christians for fun) will run / fly into Switzerland and build their minarets all over the place.
Enough sarcasm. Switzerland clearly demonstrated to the world ignorance, intolerance and unfamiliarity with basic human rights. And those are things I really, really hate. Believe whatever you want - but let the person beside you do the same!!! As for people who say that they didn't actually forbid the Islam - it's true, they didn't. But they've started to. Just like church bells, the muezzin call is traditional. Imagine it for Christians: first, you forbid church towers and bells. Then, you find it inappropriate to have Christians wear a cross - it's a religious symbol, after all. Afterward, you find that the ceremonies of Christmas and Easter are disturbing the public peace. Until one day, nothing is left.
The prohibition itself may not seem very significant for the muslims living in Switzerland. The fact that it's racist, malignant and intolerant is as significant for them as it is for us: Switzerland, who claims to be oh-so-liberal, open and tolerant, has somehow missed the most basic, most important principle of peaceful coexistence - we are all breathing, living, feeling human beings and therefore absolutely equal. It is sad and infuriating. I hate to think that every fourth person I see on the street is a racist and every second doesn't give a damn about human rights at all.
And who knows, how the campaign might have went, if the majority of posters on the streets had been these instead of these? I wonder how many of the Swiss base their votes on pictures on the wall? On what some fancy politician said? How many think "He must know better" or "Forbid the minarets? Why not." And how many decided "I don't care either way"??? Those people don't have a horizon, they have tunnel vision. As in right-before-a-curve-in-a-very-long-tunn
I should try to stop being angry and go to bed...
Art. 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."
- Where:Tom's place in Adliswil
- Feeling:
angry
- Sound:none
Well, Hegg loved it (the last show in Europe, after all), he looked really happy with himself. ^^ He also surprised us by speaking German quite well. Hell, I still can't believe I've seen them so close. ^^
This is so far the fifth concert I've been to, after (don't be surprised...) Placebo, Jethro Tull, Ten Years After Now and Dream Theater. And t certainly wasn't the last! There are some GREAT news: Rhapsody of Fire are BAAAAACK!!! The new album, "The Frozen Tears of Angels", is coming out in March, and I bet there will be a tour - which I won't miss for the life of me - and I *will* be in the front row! Just have to take care not to miss the tour dates and get some tickets at the nearest location for the lot of us - Tom, Doom, Chris and me. Life rocks. xD Such a pity you can't order the new album yet!
*sits in the ACACI lecture wearing this*
And for those who have nooo idea what I'm talking about:
"Cry of the Black Birds" by Amon Amarth (Death Metal)
"Unholy Warcry" by Rhapsody of Fire (Symphonic power metal - they are very varied, though)
- Where:HCI G7
- Feeling:
- Sound:Kissner's boring Gelaber
Dying In the Snow
Under the sleeping trees I saw
A blackbird dying in the snow
I heard it sing its one last song
In the sun's fading golden glow
A song for those without a home
Who roam unseen the autumn dusk
To whom the sky is like a dome
And life is just another task
A song for those who have grown old
Without seeing how their life was hollow
Until one day they'd woken in the cold
To have no place to go, no one to follow
A song for those who tear apart
Their fragile bodies just to feel alive
Whose broken, empty, mangled hearts
Life its own self could not revive
A song for those who carry on alone
Forgotten and forgetting how to trust
Their memories the only thing they hone
Their feelings bits of soft grey dust
Those hurt and scarred, with broken wings
Who shouldn't stay but cannot leave
It is for them the blackbird sings
Despite its fear, despite its grief.
It wants to shield them from their pain
To give them hope, a faintest glow
But it cannot and sings in vain
For those dying in the snow
(03.10.09)
- Where:Home
- Feeling:
lethargic
- Sound:Autumn Twilight by Rhapsody of Fire
- We all failed the exams spectacularly, so we are repeating the first year. Fabi passed, which is is good, but it means that she hardly hangs around with us fails anymore...
- My mother hates me for that
- Everyone else is disappointed (including me and my friends)
- I spend my free time gaming Metin2 in order not to spend it actively hating myself
Now some good stuff. Which is worth its weight in gold, seeing the major "Life sucks"...
- I finally met korpun - he visited Zürich for a few days in the middle of September and we had a great time!
- The Chinese were here (bad) so I stayed with Tom for a few weeks (GREAT!). I got him hooked on Metin2 and he got me hooked on Sledge Hammer. xD
- My books keep multiplying. I sometimes wonder if they do it by themselves. Then I wonder where all my money has gone. Then I usually get the idea.
- We've been at Doom's place on Friday, eating cheese fondue (yum!) which I had been made to cook (under careful supervision, though, so nobody died. xD). My stupid, shouldn't have complained about not knowing how to cook. Then again, I have to learn sometime. ^^ After that we went on to Chris's (losing poor ill d_h_m_o on the way), where the guys played Halo 3: ODST for an hour and I actually enjoyed watching it. (They would've let me play, but I fail at Halo controls. I'm not a gamer. Yet. XD) Then we played some brainmelt together.
- (We do actually study, even if it doesn't sound like that. -.-' There just isn't that much to do at the moment.)
- I'm too lazy to do a "This Month" now, so: watch the british TV movie "Skellig", listen to Rhapsody of Fire ("Autumn Twilight" closely followed by everything else) and read a lot of Terry Pratchett. Also, read some poems by Rainer Maria Rilke, check out a few animes/mangas like The Legend Of Basara and Loveless, watch "Equilibrium", play Metin2 through the night, listen to chemistry/biology/physics/it/math lectures through the day, and you'll have my creative input. As for creative output, there is none. Except my exercises and the next post.
Cheers
A.L.E.
- Where:Home
- Feeling:
- Sound:none
Species: studentus nerdus preexamini
Description: Pale, with a pronounced slouch and limp limbs. The eyes are swollen and blood-shot with distinctive circles in various shades of blue, black and green. Older individuals may have smoke coming out of the ears. Slurred speech with an extensive usage of population-specific terminology is quite common. Teeth often chatter.
Habitat: Can be found almost anywhere but usually accumulates around educational facilities such as libraries and campuses. Some individuals show a tendency to migrate to mental institutions.
Lifestyle: Diurnally-nocturnal, very erratic (has never been found sleeping in nature). Spends most of the time with studying, the rest with panicking, hitting its head against the wall (for exercise) and taking up nourishment.
Diet: Caffeine-based. Other essential components include taurine, chocolate, vitamin pills, acetylsalicylic acid, amphetamines, valeriana and ethanol. The species is basically omnivorous, the diet may vary.
Behaviour: unpredictable. Exists in 3 states: frantic, depressed and unconscious. Oscillates between those at a high rate. Subject to panic attacks, fits of rage, uncontrollable laughter and insanity.
Hazard Symbols:
Hazard Symbols:
Xi Irritable
E Emotionally unstable 
F May set fire to books and buildings
O Head may ignite spontaneously
T Terrible character; becomes murderous very fast
N A danger to the environment. Avoid releaseThis post-midnight stupidity will probably be the last post in a while. It BETTER be the last post, because there are only some 30 days left and the books don't seem to jump into my head by themselves. This is where I leave you, enjoy your life if you have one, always look on the bright side of life, keep away from dangerous stuff (especially studying students!) and I'll be back to you in 7 weeks. And I'll be 20 then. If I'll be. ^^
Cheers
A.L.E. (aka Crazy Russian, aka Black Rose, aka Schrödinger's Cat etc.)
- Where:Home
- Feeling:
tired
- Sound:Кино
Books of the month
- Сегодня, мама! by Сергей Лукьяненко & Юлий Буркин - A children's book, actually. I listened to it (read by the authors) and enjoyed the adventurous story about travels in time and space tremendously. It's kind and funny, and really well-read.
- Жук в муравейнике by Братья Стругацкие - I always liked the Strugatsky brothers. Their books always make you think out of the usual patterns. Beetle in the Anthill takes place in the Noon Universe (ignore this if you've never read a Strugatski book) and deals with the influence of secret agencies on people's lives, showing, that no matter how good the intention, nothing good comes of such control.
- Униженные и оскорбленные by Ф. М. Достоевский (Humiliated and Insulted by Dostoyevsky, in case anyone read it) - Only the second book by the great Russian classic I've laid hands on. I wasn't disappointed. No one understood human nature like Dostoyevsky, nor could ever convey it to the reader so subtly. Besides the beautiful language and the insights, there's another thing I love about his books: despite all the evil in humans, there's also some good and it does win in the end. Utopic, maybe, but very comforting.
Photo of the month
I like this one most. ^^
Songs of the month
Difficult to tell... But mostly these two:
Кукрыниксы - Звезда
Rhapsody of Fire - Rage of the Winter
I haven't really watched any movies this month. ^^
And now I have to look busy in order to avoid getting busy.
Currently reading:
"Johnny Got His Gun" by Dalton Trumbo
- Where:still E'berg -.-'
- Feeling:
- Sound:Rahpsody - Rage of the Winter
korpun 's journal, and even doing it myself, but I never got around to uploading the picture. ^^ This was taken from chris_tisha Write the following on a piece of paper and then take a picture/scan it and post it in your own journal.
Name:
Age:
Location:
Currently listening to:
Favorite movie:
Favorite book:
Describe yourself in 5 words:
Weird thing about you:
- Where:Engelberg
- Feeling:
- Sound:Amon Amarth - Runes To My Memory
lautenist , his friend Markus, Markus's daughter Sarah and yours truly went to the Dream Theater concert in Wettingen! I can't really say anything, except that it was FANTASTIC!!!!! The music, the crowd, everything! I really need to go to concerts more.
Listen to Dream Theater:
The song I nicked my name from long ago:
By the way, Amon Amarth (!!!) are playing in Zürich in November!!! =D I'll be ordering those tickets if they're still to be had in two weeks. Anyone interested?
- Where:Engelberg
- Feeling:
- Sound:Dream Theater - The Spirit Carries On
The guys came over yesterday for some Russian food. I really missed the lot, and it was fun. ^^ A pity that Fabienne couldn't join us. ='( We drank wine and mead, ate, laughed, talked, played "Verflixxt" and when
d_h_m_o caught the last train home to Zürich, Chris, Niko and me went over to Niko's parents' holiday home (a seriously cool chalet) and spent the rest of the night putting together a 200 pieces jigsaw puzzle. We didn't get anywhere near finishing, but we did manage a large piece in the middle. So now I seriously want another Jigsaw puzzle. And I seriously have no time for it. =/I finally got a pic of us all. ^^ The guys'll kill me, but I love them all in it and I don't even mind me.
From left to right: Dominik, Simon, Christian & me in the background. ^^
Now I'm really dead because I came home after five in the morning (After nearly falling asleep at Dominik's place). And this week-end will probably finish me off: I work tomorrow afternoon, then, on Saturday I work from 6 am to 9 am and then from 12 am to 17:30 pm, and *then*
lautenist w. friends and me all go to the Dream Theater concert in Wettingen. =D All this time, the BLOODY Chinese are totally occupying my place so I have to stay at lautenist 's. O.o Then, I stay in E'berg until the Chinese depart for home and my family for Greece, which will be about the middle of next week. And then the fun definitely ends - already now, there are only 39 days left to the exams, we're all going to die, amen. And the learning pace should be at least doubled in the time to come. =(BTW: I'm going to be 20 on the 22nd of August. O_o (crap, I'm old) It's also a Saturday and the first exam-free day.
Anyone got any suggestions for a birthday party? I'm at a loss (as always when it comes to parties). And I should really decide soon in order to get all the people I want to come. Besides, I'll never have time later.
- Where:Engelberg
- Feeling:
- Sound:Francisco Tàrrega - Recuerdos de la Alhambra
For now, the pics that I *did* take ^^
(1)
( The rest of them... )
(13) Nr. 6 edited (my slightly melancholic wallpaper)
- Where:Engelberg
- Feeling:
- Sound:none
d_h_m_o and uploaded the photos from my phone to my computer...( Brain melt and else in here... ) wants to go for a swim.... (I *so* would have helped him! *muahaha*)
Shadows
d_h_m_o possibly studying xD
</div>Целым был и был разбитым,
Был живым и был убитым...
- Where:Engelberg
- Sound:Сплин - Приходи
Ah, even though no one can read it, here it is. ^^
Ночной разговор
Два кота подрались ночью на крыше
Я проснулся от воя и прокричал им "Молчать!"
Котам это было слегка все равно, но услышал
Меня мой сосед и полез их водой разливать
Я вышел во двор, закурил сигарету
Сосед водворил на место ведро и спросил огонька
Мы курили вдвоем в тишине, только где-то
Тихонько бренчала гитара приезжего паренька
Потом мы с соседом пили холодное пиво
Вокруг лампы вились комары и толстая муха
А заросли тыкв в огороде качались лениво
Один из котов там зализывал рваное ухо
И сосед мой, вздыхая, вспоминал то, что было
Говоря, что так счастлив не будет уже никогда
Он жалел, что все лица так быстро превращаются в рыла
И гадал, почему все хорошее в жизни прошло без следа
Я же с ним все никак не мог согласиться
До веревки недолго, если думать, что время твой враг
А рассорившись с жизнью под забором в стельку напиться
Это, в конце-то концов, сможет каждый дурак
"Да ведь ты холостяк, тебе хорошо рассуждать..."
Говорил мне сосед и печально косился на темные окна
А потом он вдруг начал во всем жену обвинять
Все громче и злее, с пеной у рта и весь взмокнув
Я, как мог, попытался его успокоить
Но к несчастью соседа чуть-чуть опоздал
Вышла соседка и стала на все лады сквернословить
Проклиная и мужа, и меня заодно. Получился скандал.
Ну, сосед, понимаете сами, в долгу не остался
И слушать их ругань под утро не было сил
Я встал незаметно и сквозь тыквы к калитке прокрался
Мокрый кот увязался за мной (я его, помнится, мясом кормил)
Я сидел до утра у обрыва над морем
Сначала я думал, кто все-таки прав, а потом - ни о чем
Как много на свете людей, за злобой скрывающих горе
Кошачьи глаза безразлично горели зеленым огнем
(21.06.09)
As always, I started with a single sentence, and I never knew what it would become until the third verse... Explains my surprise.
- Where:Engelberg
- Feeling:
amused
- Sound:none
This is why I love Russian rock so much. Hадо мною - тишина, Hебо, полное огня, Свет пpоходит сквозь меня, И я свободен вновь. Я свободен от любви, От вpажды и от молвы, От пpедсказанной судьбы И от земных оков, От зла и от добpа. В моей душе нет больше места для тебя!
- Where:Engelberg
- Feeling:
- Sound:above
And now I should continue with OC...
55 days, 20 hours and 59 minutes left.
We're so going to die.
- Where:HCI D267
- Feeling:
- Sound:Myself humming "Wir werden alle sterben", water outside
lautenist for the great trip! The only negative thing was the fact that it was a holiday - and you really got a bad impression of children (and sometimes their parents).I'm not posting all the pics - there's too many. Be nice and choose your favourites. ^^
(1) Stork
( More, more, MORE )
Thanks for looking through and commenting, hope you liked them (I sure loved my models!)
Cheers!
- Where:Home (= ZH, of course)
- Feeling:
- Sound:The Mouldy Peaches - Anyone Else But You
On Ascension,
lautenist and me went to the Affenberg Salem, a park near Lake Constance, where about 200 Barbary Macaques live and can be watched, fed and, of course, photographed. There are also a lot of birds: storks, ducks, etc. After the Affenberg we drove around a little and visited the beautiful Rococo church in Birnau as well as the Zeppelin museum in Friedrichshafen. Of course we took a lot of pics, and mine are here for you to enjoy. ^^(1)
It's quite fascinating, how many different expressions the monkeys can achieve. They all look different, too.
( Birds, monkeys, churches, and what not )
All in all, it was a very interesting, educational and fun day, thanks a lot to
lautenist ! It ended nicely with our discovery of a very decent steak house just around the corner from my home. 
Life is good!
(To be continued)
- Where:Thomas's place in Adliswil (Chinese invasion at my home...)
- Feeling:
- Sound:highway (how nostalgic!)
April Rain
In the cold April rain all the colours are dying
I watch as the city dissolves into gray
Whatever you do, please don’t blame me for trying
I’ll be happy enough if you just let me stay
The train leaves the station and all of a sudden it’s chilly
Or maybe I just didn’t notice before
Wherever you are – though this may sound silly –
Be happy and safe. I can not ask for more.
The drops on the pavement keep up their dances
The people look sullen and lonely and bleak
I thank you for each of your smiles and your glances
Forgive me for being so selfish and weak.
The wind walks alone in the empty streets of the city
I’m sorry if ever I’ve given you pain
It’s never myself, it’s the rest of the world that I pity
When I think of you in the cold April rain
(29.04.2009)
For... well, it's not that hard to guess. ^^
- Where:Home
- Feeling:
calm
- Sound:Та что - Бумбох
Here are the 13 songs that mainly make my Sound of April 2009. I'd call it metalo-melancholic. ^^ It's beautiful at any rate.
Sleeping Sun (Nightwish)
Il Canto del Vento (Rhapsody Of Fire)
Nights In White Satin (The Vision Bleak)
Dead Boy's Poem (Nightwish)
Bittersweet (Apocalyptica)
Scarlet Rose (Edguy)
Bloody Red Dungeons (Rhapsody Of Fire)
Romance (Apocalyptica)
Eva (NNightwish)
Never Ever (Hammerfall)
Son Of Pain (Rhapsody Of Fire)
Heimdall's Ruf (Equilibrium)
Betrayal / Forgiveness (Apocalyptica)
And now for the blah blah. ^^
The Easter vacations are over - and of course we didn't study half as much as we intended to. But we were prepared for that. I'm chilling my last half-hour before Biology in the cafeteria of the HCI right now, after finishing one of the the three lab reports I'm supposed to hand in one of these days. *whistle*
I have a lot of cool ideas as to what to do with my free time - unfortunately, I lack free time. XD I want to meet with
muchtibuchti again, watch "Wolverine" with either her ord_h_m_o or both, visit lautenist at his new place, and so on. Well, maybe when I'm past the bachelor. xDI really need to sleep more. -.-' *goes to get a coffee*
Hmm, now I'm not inspired to write about my life anymore. There's too much to it to really put into words. But I love it. ^^
So, greetings, everyone, I hope I'll be with you again sometime soon.
- Where:Science City
- Feeling:
- Sound:Nightwish - For the Heart I Once Had
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