kaiser is back

the lengths you’ll go to hide from the other

knitcore — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:41:10 +0000

So far, I've read the killed chimpanzee referred to as ‘it’ (don't call him by his name then, asshole). And then there's this tidbit from this article:

The drawing is a reference to the mauling of a woman by a pet chimpanzee, which was then killed by police. In the cartoon, one of the officers tells the other, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."

Not who? God forbid it has its own personality, preferences, and thoughts. And then there's this:

Experts say the unusually human relationship would have been confusing for any animal. It may have also played a role in Travis' savage attack Monday on Herold's friend, 55-year-old Charla Nash of Stamford.

"This is a crazy relationship," said Stephen Rene Tello, executive director of Primarily Primates, a sanctuary for chimps in Texas. "He was probably very bonded with her. I can kind of see it in his eyes this is his surrogate mother."

No shit? Some thing that can pick up our sign language (yet we can't decipher theirs), can make tools, can do a lot of things when taught – like a child – and yet, it's really just an oddity because it's capable of doing human things, feeling human emotions, bonding to some other being, but it's not human? Weird, right?

Who would ever fucking expect anything like that from something with blood, bones, muscles, nerve endings, brains, thoughts, emotions, ability to feel pain, and a will to live? Something we're modeled after? Most of all that from this thing that happens to be one of our closest relatives?

(And apparently the fact that Travis was drugged with Xanax beforehand is being ignored.)

I hate sounding angsty in my writings, but fuck humans.

let life begin

knitcore — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 08:23:42 +0000

Not necessarily a loaded statement, for today, I am ceasing active development on Moda in lieu of a chance to live less without the constant stress of work. I wish Raymond well with the company. (I've still got documentation to catch up on, but that's an on-going, low-stress project.)

As for me, I'm going to hopefully start focusing and working on the things that fundamentally matter. Music, icon design, video games, my self-anticipated application framework, animal rights awareness, volunteering, running and physical activity, cooking, and, of course, Asma and the babies.

I am exhausted. The past few weeks have been stressful and draining. And it's going to take a few weeks to shed the feeling that, once I wake up, I've got loads of things I need to get done. But that'll fade soon?

I keep imagining a hook being shoved into my ass while I'm still conscious and being hoisted up. And on occasion, my flesh ripping apart and me falling to the ground. Good times, world.

Here's to a better tomorrow!

DC drive-by

knitcore — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:49:37 +0000

Oh yeah, so we were in DC from January 23rd through the 29th. And despite it being so cold (after 60+ degrees in winter in Oakland), it was a good visit.

I went to Poplar Spring a couple of times (Asma went three or four times), which was really nice. I missed all the critters and people there. We haven't found any like-minded people here, but hopefully that's only because we haven't gotten out much and not because a lot of those people don't exist here.

Arabelle has gotten huge. She's a little fatty. And I'm now sponsoring her.

Lola looks ridiculous with all her wool.

I also went to work for a day. I miss being around my team, but I can't say that I actually miss being onsite. The vibe is too stuffy. Among other things.

And of course there's the family. And Lily. Lots of wonk under one roof. Lots of ADD too.

And I'm even more convinced now that Sticky Fingers is one of the best vegan places ever. I didn't get a chance to go to Yuan Fu this time, but definitely next. It's odd that DC has my favorite vegan places and that nothing here is as good overall. Well, there's Millenium, but we can't exactly drop $100 on dinner whenever we want.

I need to put up pictures soon to compensate for the insightful fluff.

I'm winding down work with VarLabs. The idea that I'll have free time soon is starting to take over my will to work. I can finally start to repair my brain and body after 3.5 years of stress and workaholicness. And start getting active in this new, ugly world.