ZachsMind

What's your favorite Disney movie?

2011-04-18T00:20:00.001-05:00

If I happen to like a movie, it's not cuz Disney put its name on it. In fact it's probably in spite of that fact.

Why are people so selfish and uncaring in my "real" (not virtual) life? Why don't I deserve better?

2011-04-18T00:19:00.001-05:00

I think some ppl are more selfish and uncaring than others. I tend to be both when it suits me and the opposite when it doesn't, but one way or the other i'm rather self-serving.

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In the real world, are you a risk taker, or a little more reserved? Optimist or pessimist? outgoing or shy? confident or hesitant?

2011-04-18T00:15:00.001-05:00

I'm a little of both extremes depending on the situation.

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I love this response! I just watched the news and read the paper, so this response really made my day! so I'm sharing it.. thx @LindaHNH ~~~~>Q: "Do you believe there's intelligent life on other planets? Ans: Compared to Earth?

2011-04-18T00:14:00.001-05:00

I do not believe there is intelligent life on other planets. I don't believe anything. I have reviewed the evidence and the probabilities and I think it's likely. That's not a belief, but it's not a fact either. It's an hypothesis based on available data. I also think the odds that mankind will ever encounter aliens are not good. We live in an expanding universe. Everything outside the Milky Way is further away from us every day. Even the milky way itself is slowly drifting apart. Our moon is a tiny fraction of distance away from us than it was yesterday. And the universe is so big, if there were say thirty planets in this galaxy that have Life As We Know It, we're so far apart from one another the odds of encountering each other are extremely remote. Those odds grow lower every year as the universe continues to expand. So regardless of whether or not we're alone in the universe, chances are we'll never be able to confirm it.

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ARE YOU STUCK IN YOUR WAYS, OR ARE YOU WILLING TO CHANGE?....HMMM...CAPS LOCK ON....

2011-04-18T00:08:00.001-05:00

I would need to be given sufficient reason & evidence to change my ways, but I'm not completely stuck in my ways. If the argument was compelling, I'd make the change. For example, most recently I've removed sodas from my diet again because compelling evidence necessitated my change of behavior. It's a health thing, and probably a permanent choice, but I'd be open to maybe try a new drink in the future and see how it made me feel.

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favorite thing to do over spring break?

2011-04-18T00:05:00.001-05:00

Avoid beaches and pretty much anywhere ppl under 30 are gathering.

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Thinner or richer? Why?

2011-04-18T00:02:00.001-05:00

I'm working on both but not very hard, so I guess neither, really.

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Do you have a favourite font?

2011-04-18T00:00:00.001-05:00

Not really. Depends on my needs. There's times when I choose Verdana over Arial but that's an aesthetics thing. I don't like Verdana more than Arial. It's just that one font sometimes more suitable than another.

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Trebuchets or catapults?

2011-04-17T23:54:00.001-05:00

I like how trebuchets kinda do the work using gravity. With a catapult you're using this spring action thing but you need horses or manpower to pull the arm back. If I had to make one, catapults are easier to engineer than trebuchets, but for functionality and elegance, trebuchets are the better way to go. More working parts tho so higher chance it'd break down just as the bad guys were coming. Ideally you want at least one of both behind the wall so you have more options, and if one breaks down you got a backup.

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If you met yourself, do you think you'd be friends?

2011-04-17T23:50:00.003-05:00

Nope. I'm way too annoying. and I'd always agree with myself. That's no fun.

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Would you want to be a celebrity? Celebrity of what? rockstar? acting? eating the most chicken wings? ? something else?

2011-04-17T23:50:00.001-05:00

When I was 20 this was a dream of mine, but those dreams got shattered rather undramatically. I might settle today w/the knowledge that millions of people in the world knew my name & thought of me fondly, but didn't go apeshit and scream and run after me that's just stupid crazy. I wouldn't want to be seen as a celebrity. Those guys get no privacy, theyr'e treated like things instead of people, and most of the time that kind of notoriety is short lived. Many have compared it to catching a wave, like in surfing. Something happens in a person's life and a lot of ppl notice him at the same time and they tell their friends and for a few weeks or months you can ride this "heat" until things cool down. Your time is no longer your own. You have appointments and interviews and scheduled appearances & you have "handlers" that make sure you're at X doing Y during Z and it's frenzied and fast paced and strange and then one day it's over, usually as quick as it began. From that point on, some people spend the rest of their lives reminding people how great they once were. When I was 20 I coulda ridden a wave like that. Today, something like that might give me a stroke.

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I think I would enjoy making secret rooms and trap doors. I always liked the idea of castles with secret passages. Would you ever hire somebody to design/build a secret hide away?How about furniture with secret compartments?

2011-04-17T23:43:00.001-05:00

In my youth I thought this would be a good idea. Get rich and have a place made just for myself which would be filled with secret passageways and essentially be a grownup playground. Nowadays if I were ever well off enough to do something like that, I'd probably just save my money and buy a comfortable readymade house that served my needs & was functional. The ground floor would be a living area where I entertained guests and up the stairs there'd be more personal space and a guest room. The bells and whistles would be much less extravagant than my imagination in my youth. I doubt I'd even bother with a "panic room" because the worst thing one can do in any crisis situation is head for a dead end & cage yourself within it.

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do you sneak food into the movie theater when you go?

2011-04-17T23:38:00.001-05:00

I've been w/others who did but I rarely think that far ahead myself, and in recent years I don't go to movie theaters for that and many other reasons. Just the fact they don't allow ppl to bring their own stuff is in my opinion bad customer service. I'm spending money to be there. I shouldn't be made to feel like a criminal because I don't abide by their absurd rules. Sure it's their place. They have the right to make up stupid rules, and I have the choice to wait till a film hits DVD. I hope cineplexes go the way of the drive-in. They shoulda treated people more like people and less like cattle.

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*shower questions: Listen2music during shower?

2011-04-17T23:34:00.001-05:00

Usually it's news on public radio. I take longer in the shower if its music cuz I'll end up doing a dance number.

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*shower question: Ever been caught outside in a huge rain shower or thunderstorm with no umbrella? Did ya just have to let your clothes air dry the rest of the day? (brr..air conditioning)

2011-04-17T23:33:00.003-05:00

I now sometimes bring an extra shirt in the backpack just in case this happens, but yeah.

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*shower question: Ever splattered somebody when driving thru puddle? Feel bad? laugh?

2011-04-17T23:33:00.001-05:00

If I ever had I doubt I noticed.

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What's your favorite TV show from the 1990s?

2011-04-17T23:32:00.001-05:00

Northern Exposure, The X-Files, Politically Incorrect, Late Night w/Conan O'Brien, Star Trek Next Generation, Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, 3rd Rock From The Sun, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Mystery Science Theater 3000, and Quantum Leap. There were others but those stand out the most a couple decades later.

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What is your favorite part of this new season? (What is the season where you live? It's Spring here)

2011-04-17T23:17:00.001-05:00

Spring here too. I prefer fall but spring's a close second. Summer is too hot & winter is too cold. Autumn has an air of melodrama & mystery to me that the other seasons don't quite share. The world is performing a very long Shakespearean style death scene that's ultimately fake cuz it's gonna come back to life in a few months.

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What are your views on polygamy and polyandry?

2011-04-17T23:14:00.001-05:00

Great gig if you can get it. Not for everybody. In practice, more trouble than it's worth.

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American Idol? (Or Canadian Idol, British Idol, Australian Idol, German Idol, etc... Whatever country you're from)

2011-02-11T22:52:00.001-06:00

Not a fan. Didn't like Simon Cowell and not gonna start watching now that he's gone. Enjoyed last year's America's Got Talent, tho.

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What is your favorite way to wake someone else up (like your kids, or your college roommate, or even spouse _ i don't usually care about spouse because I don't have one)

2011-02-11T22:51:00.003-06:00

shouting

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What is your favorite way to wake up

2011-02-11T22:51:00.001-06:00

alarm clock

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What's that thing some do with the strokes, and the balls, and the holes? You know, it can be a quick thing on a mini level, or an all day event with refreshments?

2011-02-11T22:49:00.001-06:00

Golf? Bowling? Sex? I dunno.

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What do you do for a headache? (I mean to get rid of one, not to get one)

2011-02-11T22:48:00.001-06:00

I pop a pain reliever & drink plenty of water. Usu when my head hurts it means I'm dehydrated.

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Looking back, do you see Twitter & FaceBook as Gossip Central?

2011-02-11T22:47:00.001-06:00

Naw. I see them as tools that ppl utilize each for their own purposes and agendas. Not bad or good. Just there. They are what we make of them.

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What's the best practical joke you've done?

2011-02-11T22:46:00.003-06:00

I don't generally do practical jokes. They tend to backfire.

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What the best thing that's happened to you in 2011 so far?

2011-02-11T22:46:00.001-06:00

My birthday came and went without a single person wishing me a happy birthday or otherwise making a big deal out of it. It was heavenly.

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tell me, if you had a million bucks, a jet fueled up and waiting, and a bag of M&M's ....what would you do?

2011-02-11T22:44:00.001-06:00

Sell the plane, buy a laptop with wifi, hire a camera crew, ride to Vermont from Texas by limo. Film the trip. Call it ZachsMind Takes The Scenic Route. Merchandise it via interactive website. The goal would be to entertain and enlighten about our country's history and future. Sort of a cross between a documentary and a reality show. Think "SuperSize Me" but w/less of a message and more absurd silly fun. The tralier tagline: "They say a fool and his money are soon parted. Watch me learn that the hard way." The bag of M&Ms would remain unopened, and would accompany me on the trip. At the end of the trip I'd do something with it, that would be decided organically based on the adventure itself.

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I'm a big believer of living in the moment. Which doesn't necessarily mean to not think about the future or make plans. I just think that we shouldn't clog our heads with these things so much that we miss out on today. Did you make today memorable?

2011-02-11T22:17:00.001-06:00

I don't believe in making days memorable. Sounds too much like effort.

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If you could only listen to one song for the next month, which would it be?

2011-02-11T22:16:00.001-06:00

Vienna by Billy Joel

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When is the last time you actually sent a hand written letter?

2011-02-11T22:15:00.001-06:00

I sometimes scribble a note by hand when I use postal mail for business purposes, which is about once a month or so.

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What was the best advice you've ever received?

2011-02-11T22:14:00.001-06:00

"Go Your Own Way" Fleetwood Mac

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"Closer" by NIN or "I Touch Myself" by The Divinyls?

2011-02-11T22:13:00.001-06:00

"The Masochism Tango" by Tom Lehrer

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Did you know a female ferret will die if it goes into heat and cannot find a mate?

2011-02-11T22:12:00.001-06:00

I did not know that. I would not call that a very intelligent design. LOL

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what gets your adrenaline flowing the most?

2011-02-11T22:10:00.003-06:00

exercise..?

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What;s the weirdest thing you have ever put into your coffee?

2011-02-11T22:10:00.001-06:00

pecan sandies

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What flavor do you REALLY like, but are afraid to admit to liking? I like smoked oysters - that's a flavor, right?!

2011-02-11T22:09:00.001-06:00

If I like something, I admit it. Not sure if I understand the question.

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If you could ask Ben Roethlisberger a question, what would you ask him? I'd ask if he was too stupid to understand that sexual assault is WRONG.

2011-02-11T22:07:00.001-06:00

I have no questions to ask Ben Roethlisberger. I don't know who he is and I doubt I would care if I knew. Sowwy.

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So, what's with the stupidity of those who want to keep the poor living in poverty? Especially when the poor who are doing everything they can to better their situations to not be there. Why make it harder for those people who are REALLY TRYING?

2011-02-11T22:05:00.001-06:00

Ever see Doctor Zhivago? It sounds almost noble to some to do the Robin Hood thing. Persuade, convince, or coerce those with money to give philanthropically to those who didn't earn it. In practice it's complicated and doesn't seem to improve things in the long term. If you give something to someone, oftentimes they don't care for it the same way one who earned it cares for it. Easy come easy go and all that. There is no easy answer to this. Some struggle all their lives and are never paid what they're worth. Others hardly work at all and make money in their sleep. No one said life was gonna be fair. In theory if everyone is productive everyone will benefit, but in practice, that doesn't work either. I strongly believe capitalism is the best option available, compared to alternatives. However, it's far from perfect.

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Do you find it strange how you can talk to people all over the world as if they're almost in the same room as you?

2011-02-11T22:00:00.001-06:00

Not anymore. A decade ago it was a new frontier for me. Like the first settlers of America heading west. Now it's a daily routine so I wouldn't call it strange. This reminds me of TheStrangeFamiliar.com You should check them out.

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What is the funniest joke you know?

2011-02-11T21:58:00.001-06:00

One told by somebody else.

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If you could only have one of these four things, which would you choose: car, tv, cell phone, computer?

2011-02-11T21:57:00.003-06:00

Computer. I don't own a car or cellphone now, and the TV is just gathering dust.

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Does a secluded outdoor bathtub/shower off the master bedroom of your house sound cool?

2011-02-11T21:57:00.001-06:00

Not cool. Sounds chilly. Drafty, even.

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what is the one thing that gets you instantly angry?

2011-02-11T21:56:00.001-06:00

Stubbing my toe.

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does money run your life?

2011-02-11T21:55:00.005-06:00

If it does, I'm usu running on empty.

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what comes to mind when you hear the word: discombobulated?

2011-02-11T21:55:00.003-06:00

"Bob" of the Church of the #SubGenius

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Women are people. Human beings EQUAL TO men. Do you thoroughly believe this truth, or are you some sort of nutbar who believes that a penis gives the right to declare superiority & ownership of woman as property? Give reasons, please.

2011-02-11T21:55:00.001-06:00

I do not believe anything. Evidence suggests the equality issue is complicated in detail, but simplistic in execution. There are ways women are far superior to men. There are ways men are far superior to women. The evidence also suggests this evens out. There is no reason to believe one gender should get special treatment over another due to genitalia or hormonal imbalances. It is a cultural artifice that has generated this debate and practicing its tradition needs to cease. I feel it simplifies life & makes everyone happier if we strive to treat one another equally regardless of any differences. I don't know if this is objectively right. I don't believe anyone should believe this without further research. It feels right to seek equality not just via gender but via other differences. For now, that's enough for me.

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All's Well That Ends Poorly..

2011-02-07T20:49:00.006-06:00

Well that was fun..

Now that the year of ZachsCast fiasco has come and gone, and it's like when DC Comics did that whole "52/A YearLater" thing and a year later everybody was like, "meh," I wonder if I should drag my sorry butt back over here and just pick up where I left off..?

For anyone who doesn't know, which is pretty much everybody, this past year since Groundhog Day of 2010 I was working with a buddy creating a website called ZachsCast where I did audio blogs and linked to youtube vids and occasionally even posted text like I'm doing now. The idea was to take what I'd been doing here and expand it. See if there was an audience for my unique brand of idiocy. I trudged along as best I could, with sputters and restarts, until Feb 3rd of this year. About four days ago. The last recording I made was that day. I uploaded it without a hitch. Several hours later, the website went down. Not with a bang or even a whimper.

As it turns out, in cyberspace, no one can hear you fail.

All the work I did for the past year is gone. I can't get any of it back. That's what I get for partnering with a guy who disappeared three months into the project. Seemed like a good idea at the time. How was I to know? I still have copies of the audio files, but I have no place to put them online, and even if I did, they have bumper music in them that I don't own, so I guess if those ever see the light of day again, the guy in question could sue me. I can't afford getting sued. If I ever win the lottery, I still won't be able to afford being sued. So it's like all the work of the past year never existed. It never happened.

No great loss. I think three ppl may have noticed what I was doing over there. That more than anything is probably why my partner fled. Like when rats leave a sinking ship. I told the guy up front I ain't doing this to be famous or make money. I pretty much do it cuz I can't not do it, and if I happen to get an audience along the way that's gravy. I've been online in one form or another for over fifteen years. I can't stop now.

Back last May I thought about doing a music project at ZachsCast where I'd critique and showcase some of my favorite local artists. I got their permission to include their music in the podcast, but I never actually got around to finishing that project. I was in production. Got some early taping down, but didn't upload any of their material. I didn't like how it was shaping up in early passes, and at about that time I was beginning to smell something rotten in Denmark regarding the situation or my partner's lack of details regarding his motives for helping me or future plans, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I couldn't tell what was wrong, and his lack of communication has left me in the dark. I could just sense something was off. In hindsight I'm glad. I don't understand the legalities very well, but if I end up regretting what happened in 2010 with the podcast, I don't want to drag anyone I love down with me. So all's well that ends well, I suppose.

Audio wise I still have cinch. You can find me there. I also have my twitter page, facebook, vyou, youtube, tumblr, and a few other places here and there. I'm not going away. I'm just downsizing. It was nice to have somebody who believed in me for awhile, or at least pretended to believe in me, but maybe that's not what I need. Like a crazy old man on a street corner shouting from a megaphone, maybe all I need is some time, some space, and my own unique brand of crazy.

It's curious that this Blogger site is still here. I've gone to other places over the years but somehow I always wind up back here. I can remember many years ago I met the Blogger team in Austin and I thought I'd be welcomed with open arms. That was a sobering experience. The response was anywhere from "who are you" to "omg you suck get away from me." Good times.

Turns out I suck. *shrug* I guess they haven't noticed me in this small corner of their great empire, scratching at the dirt. I'm not bothering anybody. I'll leave them alone. I hope they'll leave me alone.

I think I still have that Blogger shirt around here somewhere. They were giving out free ones. It never really fit me, but beggars can't be choosers.

My cousin and I had a small "tree house" that was basically a couple of boards, then my uncle got involved and made a tree house that was 3 trees long.. it was awesome. Did you ever have a tree house?

2011-01-17T17:15:00.001-06:00

Nope.

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What country are you from? I'm asking because I'm nosy - lol

2011-01-17T17:14:00.001-06:00

Texas. We are our own country. We're the only ones who know it.

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Do you feel bad when you have to hit the "block" or "delete" button with online people?

2011-01-17T17:13:00.001-06:00

Nope.

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I'm frustrated right now with a person that claims to know something that they definately do not....Does anybody else talk to brick walls much?

2011-01-17T17:11:00.001-06:00

I'm a #skeptic We talk to brick walls all the time.

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What is your favorite music?

2011-01-17T17:10:00.007-06:00

The kinda that doesn't make me wince.

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What is your most embarrassing habit?

2011-01-17T17:10:00.005-06:00

Answring random questions on the Internet.

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Gamboge, Fallow, or Feldgrau?

2011-01-17T17:10:00.003-06:00

Faldercarb

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What is your favorite vitamin?

2011-01-17T17:10:00.001-06:00

I'm a fan of all the vitamins & minerals.

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I love a hot summer rain at night. Probably my favorite experiences growing up were during these times. Do you play in the rain, or avoid it?

2011-01-17T17:08:00.001-06:00

I don't play in the rain nowadays but I don't exactly avoid it either. I just put up with it if it's there.

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So, I want a place to blog. I've tried blogging on social networks, and not had success. I don't like blogger. anyone have a suggestion for a good place to blog?

2011-01-17T17:07:00.003-06:00

There's a 'notes' section in Facebook, but I don't recommend it. I think I'm using WordPress, but this guy set it up for me so I didn't have to try to figure it out.

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What is your definition of romance?

2011-01-17T17:07:00.001-06:00

she says yes to sex. see previous question.

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Sheep or llamas?

2011-01-17T17:06:00.003-06:00

I like turtles!

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What is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for you?

2011-01-17T17:06:00.001-06:00

Say yes to sex. You had to have been there.

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Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Encyclopedia, Phone book, Fiction, Non-Fiction?

2011-01-17T17:05:00.003-06:00

Yes, maybe, yes, maybe, not recently, yes, and yes.

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My legs look like "gorilla my dreams" legs. Can you tell I haven't been on a date in decades?

2011-01-17T17:05:00.001-06:00

Hairy legs are not necessarily a deal breaker. Well, it depends on the lass. Some can pull it off.

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I have to rearrange my bedroom. Who wants to help?

2011-01-17T17:04:00.001-06:00

Depends. Will there be a pillow fight?

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I am super sensitive to high EMF. Are you affected by things like that?

2011-01-17T17:03:00.003-06:00

Electro Magnetic Fungi?

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Anyone else allergic to chlorine & copper?

2011-01-17T17:03:00.001-06:00

I think I'm allergic to oxygen. It makes me sneeze now and then.

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have you been bitten?

2011-01-17T17:02:00.005-06:00

bugs, yes. ex-girlfriends, yes. vampires, not recently.

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what's a clown afraid of?

2011-01-17T17:02:00.003-06:00

not being funny.

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Terminator, Alien, Predator, Blade, or shimmery vampires & shirtless werewolves?

2011-01-17T17:02:00.001-06:00

Yes to Alien. No to the rest.

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Do you put your pants on one leg at a time like everyone else?

2011-01-17T17:01:00.001-06:00

yes, except of course for when I don't.

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do rodeo clowns like circus clowns?

2011-01-17T17:00:00.001-06:00

Yes. My dad was (among other things) a circus clown who had respect for rodeo clowns, but to be fair they're not quite playing the same game are they?

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If you had the opportunity to live one year of your life over again, which year would you choose?

2011-01-09T23:54:00.001-06:00

The year before I married my ex-wife, back when we both still loved each other. That was fun.

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Who's the most underrated athlete?

2011-01-09T23:49:00.001-06:00

Guys who play wheelchair basketball. That's awesome!

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What's your favorite movie quote?

2011-01-09T23:48:00.001-06:00

"The, uh, young lady with the Uzi, is she single?" ~ River Phoenix, Sneakers

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What was the best advice you've ever received?

2011-01-09T23:45:00.003-06:00

I don't know. I doubt I took it though.

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If you could wake up as anyone tomorrow, who would it be?

2011-01-09T23:45:00.001-06:00

Me. I can't do what John Malkovich does for example without at least an instruction booklet. Also it's too soon. I'd need time to prepare. Maybe my answer would be different if I could wake up as someone next month. Give me time to read up on them and get it right the first time.

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Why would you "waste your time" answering the horrible questions I am asking? (someone just answered one of my questions this way)

2011-01-09T23:37:00.003-06:00

Why are they horrible? I thought they were fun! =)

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ah, good point you make. I'm a bit limited on time, so I was going to make a decision on one or two ideas. Eventually I will do many. Trying2keep my NYears resolution to dedicate more time2artistic ventures, small steps 1st. Did you get new glasses yet?

2011-01-09T23:37:00.001-06:00

Nope. Finances aren't allowing it at the moment. Instead I put a band aid where these glasses fall so they don't scuff up my nose. Looks funny but I'm not much into looks anyway.

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Porque aqui no forms pelomenos 80% das perguntas sao relacionadas a sentimentos ?

2011-01-09T23:35:00.003-06:00

Sorry dude I don't speak Portuguese and babelfish.yahoo.com had no idea what you were talking about.

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Are you acutely aware of ?how fortunate you are to be alive, and to live as you do

2011-01-09T23:35:00.001-06:00

No. I'm completely oblivious to how fortunate I am and actively waste my life doing nothing substantial or meaningful.

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What animal would you totally love to have as a pet?

2011-01-09T23:33:00.003-06:00

A dragon wielding a guitar.

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What would you do if your home came under attack suddenly, either because of war, or because a crazy person was simply wanting to wreak havoc and hurt you and your family?

2011-01-09T23:33:00.001-06:00

I'd call 911 and defend myself where necessary.

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If you knew someone was "out to get you" for something they perceived as a wrong done to them, what would you do?

2011-01-09T23:31:00.001-06:00

If I can prove they're breaking the law, I'd call the police. If it's just idle threats, I'd probably snark back at them cuz i can dish it out too.

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Are you being affected by adverse weather? How are you coping?

2011-01-09T23:30:00.001-06:00

It snowed this afternoon. I responded by going back inside. It's already melted. I cope by staying where it's warm.

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Do you have enemies that you know of?

2011-01-09T23:29:00.001-06:00

Not that I know of, but just cuz I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not after me. *smirk*

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formspring.me

2011-01-06T21:14:00.003-06:00

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/ZachsMind

are people getting prettier? every time i turn around, there's more pretty people. where are all the people that said looks aren't important? geez, should I step up my purty? guess I need a haircut....

2011-01-06T21:14:00.001-06:00

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It's all subjective.

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I will admit I listened to the bangles and wilson philips and ace of base, if you will admit some of your secret bands, deal?

2011-01-06T21:13:00.001-06:00

The Bangles looked pretty & their music is fun, but I was never more than a cursory 'fan.' I can't recall anything ace of base recorded, but I'd probably recall a song or two if I bothered to go blip them I really did like the first Wilson Philips album. Their harmonies were fantastic, but the schlocky pop-ness of the songs overshadowed the talent. Also I wasn't very impressed by their actual 'public persona' thing. It was all kinda meta, cuz they were children of celebrities so seemed to behave as if they were expecting similar treatment, while simultaneously feigning humility and not really revealing their true selves. They shunned compliments & recoiled from criticism, so ultimately fans didn't really know how to relate. The Dixie Chicks have suffered a similar faux celebrity fate, although admittedly I found them to be more talented (unlike Wilson Philips, The Dixie Chicks could do more than sing).

Not sure if I understand what you mean by 'secret bands.' In some ways I have a wide range of tastes in music & in other ways I'm very particular, but can't think of any artists that I'm ashamed to admit liking.

I suffer a kind of opposite form of "secret bands." I have a lot of artists I have enjoyed over the years who I wish I could tell the world and convince the world to beat a path to their doors but despite multiple attempts over the years I've never been successful. They're secret only because I tired of talking about them to proverbial deaf ears. Many of these said artists & bands no longer even exist cuz they broke up or left the music scene. So they're so secret I may be the only one who remembers them.

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did you eat your vegetables today? (best way to keep up immune system and maintain energy) TAKE CARE, MY FORMSPRING FRIENDS! HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR'S EVE!

2011-01-06T21:01:00.001-06:00

i think there was a slice of tomato in my burger. i'm not big on veggies but try to eat bananas as often as possible, for the potassium.

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where do you like to hang out to get away from the world for a while? Library, park, bar, friends house, under a table....? have a great Thursday my friends!

2011-01-06T21:00:00.001-06:00

I like to hang out at my house. That's where I go to get away from the world for awhile. Whenever I go out with friends, that's not decidedly away from the world, but rather being a part of it.

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I'm going to do some self portraits any suggestions? Probably photograph myself to start the project. Scene suggestions....colors..sketch? watercolor? playdoh? silly putty? daytime? night? etc. whatever, I'm open to all comments. Haven't decided yet.

2011-01-06T20:59:00.001-06:00

If you're talented in all those media, try doing a self-portrait for each one. Why just pick one if you can do them all?

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advance meri xmas and appee new year.. :))

2010-12-18T16:34:00.001-06:00

May all your Columbus days be turquoise.

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would you rather go to the office xmas party or your partners family xmas party?

2010-12-18T16:33:00.001-06:00

I don't have a partner so I'd have to say office party.

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If you were Santa....would I get a present?

2010-12-18T16:32:00.001-06:00

That would depend on The Naughty List. Since I'm not Santa, I can't check to see if you're on it or not.

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do you think formspring would be cooler if it let us give props for great answers, and have a comment space?

2010-12-18T16:31:00.001-06:00

Those sound like good ideas. I also wish Formspring and Vyou.com could join forces. But then I also think it'd be cool to watch pigs fly. What do i know?

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what's your new year's resolutions?

2010-12-18T16:30:00.001-06:00

To get new glasses, maybe a better paying job, and to make no new years resolutions.

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Do you have a tattoo you regret? why? don't like the subject..don't like the placement....don't like the color....etc..

2010-12-18T16:01:00.001-06:00

I don't have any tattoos. I have considered getting a pale blue dot on my left wrist over a faded birthmark. I regret not having already done that.

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Bible study is essential part of the Christian experience. I have done it for many years and have come to many conclusions 'outside' of anyone's curricula. But I still believe God is who He says He is. What did you believe about the person of God/Jesus?

2010-12-02T23:32:00.001-06:00

I believed that God was the Father of Jesus and the Creator of all things. I believed that God had a personal relationship with each and every part of his creation, and being omniscient and omnipresent, was able to commune regularly with each and every individual on the planet if he so chose simultaneously. I believed he was God, so he could do anything. However, without even questioning the logic of this, I often assumed he would be on my side of any issue, unless I was given evidence otherwise, which was also, often. So over time I observed that what I would want and what I would get were two different things. I'd desire to have my prayers fulfilled but they'd either be ignored or answered in the negative by events that occurred around me. So I became the butt of God's jokes, and I felt I was little more than a victim of his sick sense of humor.

I believed that Jesus died for the sins of all mankind and resided in a special place in my heart and was there for me whenever I needed a shoulder to lean on or an ear to bend. Prayer was like calling up your best friend on a cellphone. This was before there were things like cellphones. I wouldn't have to talk out loud. I could just think and he'd hear my thoughts. Listen to whatever my problem was and say he'd look into it. While God towards the end grew more and more vindictive, Jesus was always my arbiter. I saw these two as both the same guy and separate entities, and it wasn't until later, over time, that the sheer absurdity of that occurred to me. As for The Holy Spirit, after my dabbling in mystic stuff in my youth, I'd decided the Holy Spirit a gift that I returned like a pair of socks. Speaking in tongues can be really scary if you actually believe in it.

Many years later I realized how magic - all magic - doesn't exist. You can't pick and choose. You can't say well there's no such thing as unicorns but some ghosts might be real. You can't dismiss fairies but accept angels. If magic functioned in this universe, subatomic particles would be unnecessary. Everything would be made by mystic energy. Alchemy would have worked. It's all or nothing. Science or Magic. You can't have a reality in which both co-exist.

So when someone feels they've experienced magical events, there is ALWAYS a more rational explanation. I had to face the fact that every time I thought I was communing with ghosts or angels or "guides" or fighting demons on others' behalf, I was really talking to myself. That's sobering. It's a form of insanity, and it's disturbing to me now realizing just how many people walking around every day are as guilty of that as I was. We're talking billions of people worldwide who believe this stuff is real without any actual evidence. They believe because it's what they feel.

The other day I was at a restaurant and witnessed four people quietly hold hands and bow their heads and it made my skin crawl. I used to do that. It's very subtle, but when you see that there's literally nothing to that. That it's just people fooling themselves into believing something that's not real, that's sobering. Leaders of the free world talk to air & think they're communing with the creator of all things. People who operate heavy machinery from cars to airplanes honestly think a god is their copilot. It boggles the mind.

I used to believe all that too. Frankly I'm surprised mankind hasn't metaphorically driven itself off a cliff by now.

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I know very few Christians who would say that they feel or even have ever felt, the presence of Jesus (or the Spirit) in their lives. I consider you 'lucky'. When you experienced His presence what were you doing? How did it make you feel? Do you miss it?

2010-12-02T23:11:00.001-06:00

It's not luck. You can experience this yourself if you want. At the time I was exploring speaking in tongues and other "gifts" and I was reading up on Edgar Cayce, ESP, meditation, dream interpretation, OBEs, channeling, automatic writing and before me and some friends scared ourselves silly I teetered over the edge of "the dark side" and for a time I had convinced myself I was able to communicate w/spirits by just holding a pencil on a pad of paper and putting myself into a light trance.

This is essentially a trick the mind can play on itself. Multiple personalities and schizophrenia are extreme forms of the mind convincing itself that reality is not as it actually is, but that there's layers delving beyond tangible reality that can be tapped via the unconscious mind. However, for a few years there, this sort of stuff was very real to me and many people around me. Family and friends. I looked into parapsychology and over time became frustrated that at every turn all I found was double talk and inconclusive evidence. Countless sightings but no evidence that scientists would take seriously, and back then I thought the scientists were the villains; that they were either arrogant, ignorant, or in some cases there must be some sort of conspiracy where the truth of this phenomena was being kept from people.

Now I simply see that there's no conclusive evidence, because none of it was real, but it took decades of convincing before I'd relent to that inevitable conclusion.

Throughout history mankind has uncovered ways in which we can alter our perception, and sometimes this is mistaken as touching the divine spark. It's all chemical imbalances and can be scientifically explained. In recent years scientists have been exploring something called The God Helmet which I recommend googling. Fascinating stuff. Drugs can also be easy ways to try triggering an apparent experience w/your god. Some athletes find adrenaline rushes akin to communing with their creator.

As Charles Dickens once wrote, "there's more gravy than grave to you spirit." Turns out in that fiction, Scrooge was wrong. However, in reality, the ghost of Marlowe really is just something we ate.

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Religion does make people afraid. But even Jesus says to question, even question Him. People should always ask questions and seek answers. What was your most pressing question as a believer?

2010-12-02T22:51:00.001-06:00

I don't recall Jesus saying to question him. That's certainly not a tenet of any Abrahamic cult of which I'm familiar. Generally knowledge outside accepted dogma is deemed sacrilege. Fear is a tool that leaders in churches use to manipulate and control their flocks. As for the most pressing question? I don't know if this qualifies but perhaps the first question I recall having which stumped the youth director and began to set me apart from others in our Wednesday bible classes was how did Joseph take all this? Mary has a meeting alone with one of God's angels. God himself doesn't even make an appearance. it's one of his angels that appears before Mary and the angel tells her she's gonna have God's son, and she tells Joe this. She's got a baby on the way and Joe knows he had nothing to do with it. How's he supposed to take this? How did Joe know the kid was god's? There are other explanations. That got a laugh in the room that night, but I was seriously curious. I mean how do we know this wasn't some normal human who somehow convinced Mary he was an angel, so she'd sleep with him? Maybe that's how date rapes happened two thousand years ago. I'd think Joe would go on a murdering rampage hunting down any guy hanging out at bars talking up girls about how he's secretly an angel sent from heaven.

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