Condo # 8

My dad, wherever he goes, has an obnoxious talent of finding the most random radio stations on the air. What am I listening to right now? "Miss Independent". When was that popular? Something around 5 years ago, I think. And "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera? To give you a frame of reference, the first time I remember hearing that song was at the Christmas part of some family friend in Alabama. I was always the eldest, both in age and maturity (there were two boys my age, Hunter and Alex, but I never hung out with them because they were mean. Turns out that the fact they were so mean was because they liked me. Boys.) so I was too old to talk to the kids, but too young to talk to the adults, although (trust me) I tried. I went off to a bedroom and started watching t.v. and eventually, other little kids found their way to me and were watching too. The video for "Beautiful" came on. I don't know if you've ever seen it, but as far as I remember it consisted mainly of gay couples kissing. I just thought it was sort of wierd, but I didn't really care because I loved Christina Aguilera. The kids' parents came in, saw what was on t.v., and asked me to change the channel. I was pissed.

And that was a long, long, long time ago.

My favorite parts about skiing/snow:
- The mountain. I've been hiking, skiing, and snowboarding on this mountain. I love it. Shaun White has also been on this mountain.
- Meeting a fmaily from Cancun in the gondola who had never seen snow before and speaking to them in Spanish. They were so sweet.
- Jesus, French people are everywhere.
- Snow! Although none fresh.
- New years, tonight. December 31st is one of my favorite days of the year.

Santa Magic Hands

Today is Christmas day. Oh Sufjan Stevens, what joy was brought to me by the smooth, glossy pages of the Songbook accompanying your Songs For Christmas album collection appropriately delivered to me by Santa Claus this morning. Oh Sufjan Stevens, what love courses through my body as I study the chord charts you so generously included for my future playing pleasure. Oh Sufjan Stevens, what exaltation do I feel when reading the entertaining essays, short stories, and memoirs you so commendably chose to print in the book.

Oh Sufjan Stevens, be mine, you and your musical gifts, witty lyrics, and silky voice.

I love you, Santa Claus.

Whether you're a brother

My dad came home from Germany today and brought me back a Santa Clausette from the Breuninger Confiserie. I love Breuninger. It's like the German Bloomingdale's, and it comes from a city I partly rep, Stuttgart.

Santa Clausette? Yeah. It's actually somewhat racy, but cute. I love it.

Academics

I wish that the brilliance I demonstrated in ridiculous math (aka a mathematical inequality about the prospective awesome of hypothetical families' initials) were equally demonstrated in real math.

PSAT results are in, and I still hate standardized testing.

I think I might be going to a "Jesus Dance' on Sunday. I have never been to a "Jesus Dance", and am absolutely bewildered as to what that entails. I haven't actually been to a church in 5 years, I think, if I were to exclude Jewish temples.

Daft Fad

I saw this book in a small bookshop in Apalachicola, Florida, and I liked it. I would like it for Christmas. I did not, however, put it on my list because, as much as I love coffee table books, I do not actually own a coffee table upon which to place it.

On to my actual topic: palindromes. Possibly my favorite part of any language, period. Even the name sounds promising. Below, a couple of my favorite things about them.

1. פ ר ש נ ו
   ר ע ב ת ן
   ש ב ד ב ש
   נ ת ב ע ר
   ו נ ש ר ף

   Some palindromes can be put into word squares and read horizontally, vertically, and diagonally, like this Hebrew one.
2. In girum imus nocte et consumimur igni
   Which in latin means "We go wandering at night and are consumed by fire." Which is beautiful.
3. Aibohphobia is a jocular palindromic word meaning fear of palindromes.
4. Palindromic numbers are studied in recreational math. I wish I could study recreational math.
5. Palindromic music exists.
6. Infinite palindromes (no joke) exist in Russian.
7. Palindromic DNA
8. My all-time favorite English palindrome is "Satan, oscillate my metallic sonatas."

Once I saw a movie named Palindromes. Unfortunately the maturity level of the movie was way above my head when I saw it, but I saw it anyway. My parents thought it was weird and didn't like it, but I still thought it had some legitimate ideas and artistic value.

There are oodles more of random facts about Palindromes that you can find on my favorite website, Wikipedia.

"There's a meat market down the street
The boys and girls watch each other eat
When they really just wanna watch each other
Sleep
...
And it's been a long time since before I've been touched
Now I'm getting touched all the time
And it's only a matter of whom
And it's only a matter of when
...
An addiction to hands and feet-
There's a meat market down the street
The boys and girls watch each other eat
When they really just wanna watch each other sleep."
- Dance Athem of the 80's
Regina Spektor

Lot's Daughters

I.
white girl on the morton box
never looks back.
her salt spills
in the rainstorm
- Lot's Daughters
Opal Moore

From my signed copy. Procrastination is the devil, I swear.