Mich

michegas @ 2008-01-08T14:29:00

2008-01-08T19:29:54Z

shit, i have to find an entry and have no idea how to use this thing anymore

Saint Bernard Relief Effort

2006-07-01T06:02:52Z

"Last night I returned from a week with Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans. Ive come back with mosquito bites, fiberglass arms, a beard, and an unbelievable appreciation for the human spirit and scorn for the government. 9 months after Katrina, everything is still the same as when the water receded. Broken cars, shambled houses, boats in the middle of roads, and people waiting for loans financially unable to do anything about the chaos."

Yea...I started to write that 2 weeks ago and never got around to posting. I think I'll try to finish so I dont forget the experience.

When me and Linger arrived in New Orleans around 10, we were greeted by our lovely cab driver with no teeth, Boogie. Boogie is a man from Saint Bernard's parish, the real place that people sign up to help when they go down to "New Orleans". Boogie smoked a full pack of cigarrettes on the ride plus he revealed that hes been a student for 63 years in the School of Hard Knocks. He also decided to take us on the "Boogie tour", free of charge, and showed us his house (went in, it was gutted but he was still waiting on a loan), his daughters house, the levis that broke and the houses that were devestated in its path, the different areas of the parish, his place or work (went in, barren) and ultimately Camp Hope, where we stayed. Boogie explained to us the situation, because he wanted us to spread the word to people in the north. Although New Orleans proper suffered 5% devestation, and the 9th ward suffered 40%, Saint Bernard's parish, which is a suburb county of 80000 people, suffered 100% devestation. Every house had water damage and needed to be gutted and destroyed. Not a sole was able to live in their house. Those who returned were living in FEMA trailers and trying to gut their houses, though they would only have these for a few more months since FEMA declared that its no longer an emergency situation and that they can pull out now. So far, only 1800 of the 17000 homes that Habitat for Humanity has on their list of homes to be gutted have been, and congress passed a law the week we were there that if any house is left ungutted and unpower blasted by August 30th that these people have to pay a $3000 or more fine. Many of these people are people who are too poor to pay for the treatment and cant do it themselves, and are simply waiting and hoping for Habitat to come to them.

The situation is this. Since the houses were all siting in water for several days to weeks, water built up in the walls destroying the drywall and insulation and leaving only moldy and mildewed remains. Plus, everything in the house rose with the water and fell, so everything in the house is obstructing work and moldy in its own right. What has to happen, therefore, is that everything in the house needs to be put on the curb (we try to give the people their valuables though, I found my first houses' antique coin collection). All we leave in the house are the rafters/beams, electrical, heating ducts, and bricks. After that, the house needs to be power blasted to get rid of mold and mildew. Then the owners need to let the house breathe for a while. And then, and only then, can they rebuild...whenever a loan agency agrees to grant them money.

Anyway, Boogie finally dropped us off at the camp, camp hope, and then we went inside with no clear explanation of where we should be going. We were rushed through reception, and then sent to do whatever we felt like doing. Camp Hope was the gutted remains of a parish school. The walls were blue sheets. This was the first week of the camp, since FEMA pulled out of the other camp (and billed St Bernard's parish 20 million for their work, by the way). The place really reminded us of civilization starting over after the apocalypse. There were no rules, we asked a guy what we should do, and he told us to build a shelf, so me and linger went to the woodpile got nails and made the best damn shelf we knew how to make. It looked pathetic, but it could hold a lot. We were given cots donated by walmart and were in a room with about 30 other volunteers (it had an air conditioner, which was nice). We had our first dinner (all meals were free) and it was surprisingly delicious. In the evening we had a power point presentation of what we were up against and what different snakes look like, and then we went into our groups. Ours was "Black 5", destined to be the group that 5 other groups claimed to have a rivalry with. Many didnt wear masks, we drove our own cars and disregarded calls to end working, our first house owner made us jamalaya, we ate it all before the other groups we invited showed up, we drank some of the second house's massive ammounts of liquor, and we ended up having a ridiculous last night in New Orleans together that was completely paid for by the three middle aged people in the group. Our driver that night, Seth, had 10 drinks, went outside to find some coke "so he would be able to drive", but we ended up staying in the middle aged people's penthouse sweet in the Mariot.

Anyway, the first day of actual work our team arrived at the site at about 830 (every team or about 10 people worked on their own house) and we were in no way prepared for what we were about to see. Linger and I were overwhelmed by what the area looked like on the outside, but this was the first time we went in. The floor was coated black with moldy insulation that fell from the cieling when we walked in. Me and linger were assigned to the first bedroom. This room had a thick carpet. The carpet was still drenching wet and on top of it lay an inch and a half of sludge. The stench was unbearable. The place looked as though a bomb blew up. Everything in the room was toppled and devestated. It took us 10 minuetes to shovel our way a few feet into the room. We took away the TVs and other large items in the pieces they crumbled into. Finally we went to the bed. When we tried to pick it up, it fell apart and exposed a mess of rusted broken coils. Linger gave up, but I went to the bed with pliers, pulled off all cloth and took apart the springs in strips, carrying them out. Finally we got the mattress out, then we rolled out the masses of wet cloth, got the bedspring out, and then rolled up the wads of sheets and comforters and wheelbarreled it out in a wet unbelievably heavy mass (took 3 of us). Underneath it all was a pair of bluejeans. I went to pick it up, but my fingers passed through them. I called everyone over as they marvelled at it. The sludge had disintegrated every peice of clothing and left only the color. After this, me and linger began taking down the walls to get insulation, using the sledgehammer for the tile and our bare hands for the drywalls (they were that weak!) By the end of the day we had cleaned 4 rooms completely. Next day, however, we had to deal with the crap in the attick and the insulation in the cieling. I pulled all the crap down and the Georgian kid kicked down the cieling. That day was hellish, fiberglass everywhere. Unfortunately, we didnt finish the place completely.

The third day, we finished the first house by noon, the owners thanked us immensely and showed us all sorts of "southern hospitality", as they had been doing all 3 days. They were new grandparents, the man had hepatitus and so was unable to work on the house significantly (he had been trying, though). They were amazing people. After noon, we went to our second house. This house was a little different...a lot different. The firs thing we saw was a 5 by 6 foot TV unit, behind that were bags of beads and sound equipment, and behind that were around 50 bottles of hard liqour, including everclear. Plus, around the house were many articles of S+M equipment. To fuck with these people, we left their S+M equipment and their beer funnels in their pile of valuables. This family wasnt even there, but their mother came by eventually (to pick up their drinking wheel and thank us), and it turns out they were both 30 year old able bodied people on vacation. They had no right to be leaving this to habitat to do, when there are thousands of impoverished handicapped and homeless waiting for help. Their house was much easier, but since we didnt care about them, we worked a little slower. I kept going, and was sometimes the only one working, but it didnt feel as good as the first house. On the last day, half of our crew left, but we fought on and managed to completely clean 2 more rooms...when a thunderstorm hit a parish over and we were asked to evacuate. We only had about an hour left of work, so we were really pissed off. After that, the middle aged people drove us to the place where the second levies broke, we were awestruck, and then we went into the city to eat mufalatas.

New Orleans, by the way, the tourist part IS FINE. There is no problem there AT ALL. It is the people everywhere outside of the tourist parts that are suffering. Only a handful of stores are running again, we went to one for Po-boy sandwiches and felt the desolation of it all. The look on peoples faces alone show it all. One boy we met in the shop said he "never had a livin' house" and that he has to work to help the family. He was 8. People would be living in FEMA trailers next to trailers that were destroyed. The parish for the most part is made up of blue colar workers, and since the government and the media doesnt give a damn about the poor, they recieve no aid from the government and no exposure from the news. The area is still devestated. Houses are in the middle of streets, boats (even a huge shrimp boat that we went onto) are in the middle of streets, houses are on top of cars, cars are on top of cars: and the huricane hit 10 months ago. I have pictures, but I cant find where the card went, Ill post them on facebook soon. Anyway, I know this was long but I hope it gave you a better view of how things really are in the world.

michegas @ 2006-06-06T02:40:00

2006-06-06T06:57:06Z

Its been many months, ill post.

I loved my first year at TCNJ, though some times were very very excrutiatingly busy. I was elected Vice President of Legal and Governmental affairs, the only person in my ticket of 8 people to win and maintain an elected position :-)! This is a very high up position, allowing me to make consultation appointments with lawyers (ive done this for 2 students already), head the lobbying department, manage all bills and new clubs, and update the SGA's constitution. Its probably the closest thing to an important position ive ever held, so I am honored (plus I won by the largest margin of any candidate). I also managed to pull off all A's once again this semester despite not having read any of the required texts for two of my classes, I even did a book report of a book I didnt read and got an A for it! Plus I had great times with friends and almost always had someone wanting to hang out. It couldntve been a better first year.

Now summer has come and so far it has been relaxing and fun. My house is still the hangout spot for my friends and I love it. Looking back, I am incomparably happier now than I was but a year ago, and I thank everything for that.

Lastly, hopefully I will be heading next week to New Orleans to clean up for a week with Linger in Saint Bernard's Parish. It should be good.

Birthday week!

2006-02-28T08:18:14Z

Ah, havent posted in over four months...nows as good a time as any.

Im just going to list what ive been up to lately, thats all.

2 Fridays ago: Joint birthday party in the Townhouses for Chris Rindosh and Me. Turned out being one of the best parties Ive ever been to, it was just my favorite type w/ only friends and no waiting for anything. My main man Berns came up for this one, and we pre-partied with hardcore Smash Bros.

Last Monday: Cake off for the "freshman of the year title" between me and Matt Pihokker. He won, a crushing defeat on my part, but afterwards I did strangely well on a spanish test I thought Id bomb.

Last Tues Night: Festivities in the townhouses

Last Weds Night: Taco Bell Squad reference calling and interview of Arun Gurunathon, our newest applicant. Id tell more, but ppl in my school (coughArtcough) might read this and know what we're up to.

Last Thurs Night: Taco Bell Squad Induction of Arun, always amazing. This time a group tried to stop Arun from being inducted, so we untied the B-day party balloons, and filled them up with water. When the protestors rang the doorbell, we had them wait by the gate. We exited slowly, pelted them, and ran like hell to the second story of the parking deck a ways off. We all got in, but then one of the pesky kids jumped on the car and we had to drive around until his friends coerced him off. Then the initiation, confidential.

Afterwards, there was a firedrill at midnight and I took it as a sign that I should go home, so after hanging out with friends till 130, i went home, arrived around 3, and went to bed as my bro left for work.

Friday: MY BIRTHDAY!! In the morning, my mom gave me a nice lunch and then took my volvo in to get inspected (It failed on FOUR counts!!!!!). Berns came over, and after the volvo returned in failed triumph, we took it to the barber to get my hair cut. Afterwards, we ate an amazing greek dinner my mom prepared and I opened presents.

In the eve, I returned to TCNJ around 10 to a mini party waiting for me and we chilled in the Townhouses all night. I went to bed at 5

Saturday: Woke up miraculously at 9 and took a roadtrip to Sonic in Virginia. We got there at 2, ate the awe inspiring food, and then decided we would pass time to eat again there for dinner. We checked out the chesapeak bridge, went to firework stores, and returned at 7. Sooooooooooooooo good, anyone whos been there must agree (and must agree that they should be in the north). Got back to TCNJ at 1, anyone who wants to see pics, check out facebook.

Today: Microeconomics midterm (fun times ended harshly), but now they should return again.

Hope you enjoyed.

Happy Halloween!!!!!!

2005-11-01T05:21:00Z

Havent updated in a while, Im gonna be posting things from the last month that I dont want to forget (many of which ive forgotten already).

Today started off bad with a midterm and then 2 classes...but then the most rediculous night began.

10 of us went to the town of Princeton and went door to door Christmas carolling in Christmas clothes. Absolutely rediculous. We found a random frosty the snowman trick or treater and took her with us to sing frosty the snowman. We even sang Dredle Dredle Dredle because 3 of the ppl there were jewish. After that, we went to T-bell and carolled in there. Then we got group pictures...with the Taco Bell employees.

This weekend:
Friday started out with me being too sick to take my midterm....but it was also the weekend we planned a month before to go backpacking through the appalacians. Though I said I couldnt, they whined their way into making me go (and I took my bed mattress to sleep the first night). Got a goodnights sleep and began a glorious day of hiking...then they tried to get me to go to bed at 8PM...I spent the next 13 hours wide awake and then had a very very bitter breakfast. Came back, unsuccessful nap, unsuccessful studying, unsuccessful Manhunt game...didnt start well, but to see how it ended, read above!

Last weekend:
Our "fall break". Saturday afternoon I went with a girl in my art class to my art teacher's house in Philly to view a sculpture we had to report on. I was intreaged and she ended up showing us her sculpture studio (with her tools...chainsaws) and her house, which she showed us to "show you how people shouldnt live"--much of her apartmenent complex was in shambles. Saturday night I went home and watched Doom and played Doom 95 with Berns. Sunday I went to my grandparents house and saw my Cousin who was there as well and had a generally good time with them. Monday I came back and stopped by Rutgers for dinner at the Greasetrucks (amazing) with Jim and then drove back in the rain. Monday night went to Tom Sales' birthday party, another senator, with Chris and another kid. He is able to blow fire. The night was rediculous and ended back in Chaz's dorm with Chris face down on the floor saying "Chaz....you have no idea how much fun I'm having right now" and the other classic, "Mich, youre a senator, get me some chicks".

3 weeks ago.
Starting out with the senate, only 2 meetings but I had gotten the hang of it. The President of SGA gives a presentation for my freshman seminar class, then the next day im manning a booth with her. She talks to me about openings in the senate from people who dropped out and how she would be bringing them to the senate soon. I got excited and asked her if we were voting them in. She said no...it was an executive board decision, they were just being presented for formality. I told her that that wasnt a good idea, especially with the animosity expressed in the senate over too much executive board control, and that a vote would be better. She told me that it has always been this way. The next senate meeting...she announced that "Based on a conversation with Senator Michael Strom I have decided to host the first in Senate election for new Senators". It was glorious.

If I remember anything else I'll add it in, but otherwise, thats how my life's been.

michegas @ 2005-09-28T02:17:00

2005-09-28T06:30:22Z

I WON!!!!!!!!!!!

I am now Senator of Culture and Society at TCNJ!!!!!

When I started, I was running against two popular Junior twins (Kenny and Keith Lucas), a sophomore girl (Kristen), and another Freshman guy (dan). There were two openings. I made stickers and posters and campaigned with all my might, staying up late every evening due to campaigning all day. However, the biggest event came at the senators' forum. Although it was supposed to spread views to the students, it managed to expose my views to Kenny Lucas, who decided to drop from the race and endorse me because he saw that I was more passionate about SGA than he was and because he liked my views. Ravi and Keith were also impressed, and they placed me onto their "winning ticket" for the campaign. I redoubled my efforts, revised a facebook group and invited my friends list, facebook messaged hundreds of students and emailed even more. Plus I redoubled my sticker and poster efforts and made chalk signs on the walkways of TCNJ at 3 in the morning after a rain. At this very moment, I havent slept for over 2 days and Ive only been able to eat one meal a day.

Results came in at 8
Winners: senator of culture and society
Michael Strom: 458 votes
Kristen (something): 402 votes
losers:
Keith Lucas: 370 votes
Dan Scapardine: 354 votes

So there it is, I managed to become senator of the most contested position at TCNJ as only a freshman.

I nearly killed myself doing it, but I am soooooooo glad that it paid off.

since we're all talking about college life...

2005-09-12T06:26:32Z

college is good
a lot is up in the air
a lot is crazy
homework can get rediculous
very different times with different people
late hours are killing me
every day feels like a fresh start
every day feels like forever
im enjoying it ;-)

michegas @ 2005-08-13T19:44:00

2005-08-14T01:19:54Z

Well...I'm thoroughly fed up.

This week I made numerous attempts to not waste time and be good to everyone and to achieve. I was up late nearly every night doing something else. All i got for my troubles was a cold. Not a single fucking call from Ewing regarding parking at TCNJ. Even statistics class, all the hard work, i ended up with a 109 average...it only transfers as a credit.

Tomorrow hopefully my cold will be gone, and i will leave. Parents made the mistake of leaving me their cars, so the van will be sufficient as a trailerhome if i cover the windows.

as I am very bored right now, however...feel free to ask me anything (on this or aim, email, etc.) that youve wanted to know, and i will answer truthfully. I know that online crap will transfer with me, but i doubt im going to care about them anymore, especially this (not exactly the manliest thing in the world now is it?) So its a limited time offer.

michegas @ 2005-08-08T00:12:00

2005-08-08T04:50:17Z

Its so odd how even after being awake for more than 36 hours and facing dozens of caffiene crashes I always end up being the most awake at the time when i should be going to bed.

This morning was exhausted and not bearing the best colors, but I am extremely grateful for it.

Ive begun to say godspeed to people who I will probably never see again and counting down the days I have left with the people who are most important to me. Its hard to consider, and ive tried my best to stop thinking of college as a death sentence of my life as i know it, but i really cant help it. I want this summer to last as long as possible and i want friends to promiss me that they will not lose touch. But i fear they will...

I have been really thinking that to spend a year free of all bonds and restrictions would be quite a more enriching education than college. Everyone around me cant understand why i am not looking foward to college at all and have done so little for it. As of this moment, i have no desire to go, and i dont think i have the strength any longer.

This message is mainly for myself, so if you found you didnt care at all when reading this, i expected you wouldnt, youre probably feeling similar things. Anyway, goodnight.

P.S. Emily, the March of the Penguins t-shirt is amazing! I cant believe you thought of that, thank you so much!

michegas @ 2005-07-27T00:35:00

2005-07-27T04:54:01Z

This is getting fucking surreal.

Tonight, honestly, still drained from statistics, I drove to OAS to do some laps, its one of the few places i know around here thats usually free of people. When I pulled in, I was stopped by two fucking cop cars, as though they were following me waiting to do it, even though i was driving well bellow the speed limit. They let me go so I start driving around looking for another place thats barren. Another cop was waiting there! I pulled away, drove right home, parked, stayed in my car for like five minutes and just said, this is rediculous, I'll go to the back of the high school. Before I even cross West End Place another cop is there!! None of them do anything, and i dont have a criminal record, so this is just regodamndiculous!

NJ, the one place where your never alone but always lonely.
And it traps you there.

What have I done?

michegas @ 2005-07-23T05:00:00

2005-07-23T09:07:19Z

5 am, wide awake

yesterday was ironic. Spent three hours driving around looking for a spot to be alone, couldnt find it and was sad, and then by the end of the night i was alone, and even more depressed.

michegas @ 2005-07-21T02:15:00

2005-07-21T06:34:40Z

For summer, and for not doing too much, i have an unbelievable lack of time.

Today went into NYC with berns and jim to see the Mark Pender Band. Mark is the music guy for Conan O'Brian, and manages to play the trumpet/sing and sound like a smooth black man while being middle aged, white, and bald. Mark said hello to us, and was grateful that we came out to see him unlike the rest of the freeloading locals in the audience. He invited Jim and Berns up to play and im sure they shed a silent tear for leaving their instruments home. Jim asked how Mark is able to hold a note so long, and to impress him, during the concert he held a note on the trumpet for 4 minutes! He addressed us during the concert as friends of his and then autographed my cd with "thank you so much, Mark Pender". Awesome guy. I had fun naming the members of his band, "Skizy", "P-daddy" and "Apple Juice", and we addressed them as such (Apple Juice was playing with a bag in the wind at one point). Lots of drunks in NYC, and at noon no less.

Statistics ruins my soul two days per week, i averaged that the whole course takes 144 hours of time +-6 hours total standard deviation=statistics blows.

TCNJ $%@&ing sucks, out of 5 total APs, only the 5s on Bio and Calc will count, the 4s on European History and American History are virtually worthless, and the 3 on English is right out. Plus retaking the Spanish placement test seems too frightening, so i have to accept two fucking semesters of it.

Went to Streko's Castle at the shore this weekend, since he finally allowed the common folk up. ;-) It was really awesome, attached a tube to his Yacht and went 40mph. Berns fell off both times, and Linger was always airborne. Very silly. After that pain in my chest coupled with laughing caused me to be dying for a while, but its almost all better now.

Im just rambling on at this point...so...Godspeed!

michegas @ 2005-07-07T14:01:00

2005-07-07T18:34:38Z

I am so exhausted, i miss the days of having nothing to do that i took for granted. Yesterday i got caught in traffic and guilt of leaving my grandparents before dinner, so i was stuck there most of the day, didnt see the penguins, and zoned out completely when friends came over. This morning i had to wake up really early (7) to do something i never want to do again, then i had to do homework for my statistic's class. Next ill be off to statistics class at 5 to listen to my father teach for five more hours...he wont be pleased seeing me migrate into and out of sleep right in front of him.

do me a favor, if your online tonight, give me an aim message so that when i come home at 10 after being heckled by a room full of elderly, black, female nurses i dont feel completely out of place.

silly little sidenote on UCC. My dad gave a multiple choice test, 30 questions to test algebra skills. I got a 30 out of 30. No one else in the class got double digits. Three people scored 2 right. MULTIPLE CHOICE. That means that if they just answered A they would have had at least 7 right. They had to work for that ...

michegas @ 2005-07-05T13:15:00

2005-07-05T17:22:23Z

Does anyone want to see "March of the Penguins" tomorrow night (Wednsday) in NYC?

To see what I'm talking about, look here http://movies.aol.com/movie/main.adp?tab=showtimes&mid=21987&date=20050707
and click watch trailer. It is a glorious, glorious epic cinematic achievement...narrated by MORGAN FREEMAN. Therefore, anyone who doesnt want to see this movie is a racist. There, I said it.

So far Linger and Streko are good to see it tomorrow, any other takers?

Punked myself

2005-06-28T23:07:45Z

OH MY!!

Prom night I tried Alana's cd in the car to see if it was a fake and we thought it was blank, so I gave her mine. I just tried it out on my computer, though, and its one of the Hava Negila CDs!!!! Its in MP3 format so it wouldnt play in the car.

Looks like the jokes on me!

Once again, look at your prom cds to see if you recieved a glorious fake.

michegas @ 2005-06-23T22:14:00

2005-06-24T03:18:58Z

Damn I become a whiny bitch when I'm tired--disregard the severity of my last post, ill delete it if i get around to it.

PRE GRADUATION
Decorated the Volvs in a less than traditional style. Berns painted a scull&bones on the window, and other decorations. As for the rest of the Volvs, I gave the beast horns, ductape horns. And a ductape tail. And a ductape "V" in the front with the small letters back to the future style "olvs". And a ductape V on the trunk. Interesting sidenote discoved later: ductape pulls off paint or leaves a sticky residue and should NEVER be placed on a car. Dont worry, I pulled it off well with no paint loss, but now I will forever have the decoration in sticky residue.

GRADUATION
Rain made it go wonderfully fast, dejavu of my brothers graduation 4 years ago where seriously the EXACT thing happened.

Grossy paused at my name, "Michael"...1 minute..."Michael Strom". Huge buzzkill. Not nearly as bad as Pender, however, who she completely skipped and didnt realize until 5 graduates later. He was freaking out, very fun to watch.

Emily's speech and Keenan's executive address were great.

The moment that made my month, however, was my tassel "speech" at graduation, begun in the voice of the melodramatic mastermind Charlton Heston, drifting into normality, and concluded with "Godspeed!". To any of you that heard, I hope it was marvelous.

AFTER
Berns and I hopped into Mechanized Death Revisited (decorated Volvs) and went around with waterguns/balloons hitting fellow seniors and damnable kids doing the same to us. Damn near killed the volvo on a 360 turn to chase after a PK car, worth it though. Driving music of choice: Hava Nagila Happy Fun CD.

PROJECT
Not bad, got boring quickly though. In the first 30 minutes I sumowrestled Ross and jousted with the Mad Polok RJ Sobosinski. I got a gash on my knee and a bruise on my chin from those experiences and spectated after that. Really wish we went swimming, but hackey sacking with the blow up ball was silly. It didnt feel as much as a closure as I would have liked, though, so that took me to...

Road expedition at 3 AM
Extremely liberating, I cant describe.
Once again the Hava Nagila Happy Fun CD makes wonderful chase/liberation music, I have two extra copies if anyone wants one, its much more enjoyable than you would believe. Consider it a graduation present. I made them on Argen's request, one of my few Hebrew Hombres.

The full capacities of freedom have not yet sunken in, as the summer of freedom seems like it will be over before it begins. I really do hope that its an amazing summer and that the road trip will happen and be glorious. I also hope to go to everyone's summer home and/or trailer park sometime, and i thank those who have offered.

Well, Happy Graduation and Joyous Summer everybody.
Godspeed!

damn it all

2005-06-19T05:37:26Z

i had no energy today, didnt sleep last night, but i had to feign enjoyment at three different graduation parties.

didnt go well

dumb things are said after so long without sleep.

water balloon fight didnt go too well either, because ass holes like Jim didnt show. It was fun the brief time we had enough people or when we used the catapult (which hurled big balloons 30 feet), and it is my fault for giving out so few invitations and only the day before.

at least school is done and none of the dissappointments over the last few days will matter.

I may take my road trip right after graduation, I cant take this life I built here anymore.
It will be good to leave it all behind and start over.

i doubt ill have the energy to try again, really makes me wonder if im tired from lack of sleep or just tired of it all.

fuck college courses, fuck fathers day, fuck love, fuck it all.
I'm out.

this is probably my last post

michegas @ 2005-06-16T18:50:00

2005-06-16T23:14:32Z

June 16, 2005. 4 PM. The world holds its breathe as the Mechanized Catapult makes its maiden voyage. The spectators stand clear, the water bottle is placed in the launcher, the word is given: launch! The bar swings up, the water bottle zooms through the air!

Distance: 5 feet

hehehe...comically lame start, the 50 extra pounds of Grade A Walmart weights should make it good but no way of telling in this rain. Nothing broke for once, so that is an achievement. Tomorrow will be amazing, assuming it doesnt rain.

Today my independent study presentation went well, dispite julius being 45 minutes late. Now i am officially done with school, and I used a condescending voice to Grossi to prove it.

Tuesday during school I went to my house and back a record 7 times.

That is all for now, lets see what the future brings...

All good things come to an end

2005-06-13T19:39:49Z

This weekend was rediculously fun, good times and good people. Beach badminton/vollyball, good temperature water, the delitizer, poker, golf, and the pool were all times of great happy fun. I cant remember being as genuinely happy as the night I spent awake all night hanging out with friends, watching pulp fiction, seeing the sun rise, and running to the boardwalk and back. Then to top that all off, we finally got to see Streko's beach mansion! It had rooms like his house, where "space" becomes palpable, and he had a yacht which had silly birds flying around. We met him and Kelly at a pizza place and then we went to a comical/surreal beach with sand dunes, freezing water, and sand that squeeked. Combine that with seeing "Big Fern", sad mexicans in funny hats, and dozen eggs man and I consider it the best weekend imaginable.

To go from that back to reality was unbelievably depressing. I was so tired from two days with no sleep that I passed out after family guy with my contacts still in. Sadness dawned in school, however, when i was told something that was much better left not said. I'm glad that school is almost done.

Other than that, I learned that I get to say "please move your tassels from the left to the right signifying that you are graduates" at the graduation, and I learned that I need to immediately do the presentation for my independent study. End.

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2005-06-09T05:43:10Z

Well, I think it is only right to comment on the recent event that is on everyone's mind right now. The mechanized catapult is awesome, welded to perfection. ;-)

Tomorrow, or perhaps today by the time I finish this post, is prom...

I cut out the rest of this post because some people saw it and didnt like what they saw im my rant, as it is enormously bitter and sad. If you want to see it, depending on who you are i will show you, but if it doesnt concern you at all, lets keep it that way.

My original post was offbase on some of the topics. I had a good time at prom, much better than i predicted.

Happy Prom,
Mich

P.S. 260 prom cds with the phrase "happy fun!" and the citation "Mich Strom, Vice President" makes me smile. Check to see if your cd is kosher or if it is one of our little surprises.

It all winds down

2005-06-04T05:01:29Z

Just came back from the last meeting/marathon of the club I created (with Berns and Streko). Although I have recently grown tired of the club and its connotations, it was good to see that I have made a lasting impact on the school. The club is well established by now, with numerous teachers supporting it and roughly 50 members, and since its mainly composed of freshmen and sophomores, i can only see it getting better with time. I am very glad to have created a lasting institution that provides members with so much joy.

Believe it or not I have just experienced unbelievable good luck. For the catapult, we need to weld two pieces of metal pipes together, and have been looking for alternative methods for several weeks because welding is impossible without a precision badass welding machine. Well, my brother rented said machine to weld a muffler onto his car's illegal exhaust system and out of the blue jokingly asks me "do you need to weld anything by any chance?" Ah, good fortune.

Margie Pye gave me Lilian's cup of Elijah as a gift because she said Lilian was always impressed with my fluency in hebrew and devotion to judaism. That was very touching.

Yesterday, 3 woods legs lathed in 30 minutes, 1 per 10 minutes. I dont want to pat myself on the back...but i will. Today, nothing b/c of damn fire drill, theres so little time left to finish.

Need to cram study spanish for a TCNJ placement test...if i get a good score i dont need to take any spanish. El examination es mal. Muy, muy mal.

Prom is coming up, I should probably be more excited than I am. I know that it will either be a good meaningful comfortable time, or more likely a hedonistic pagan festival that I feel uncomfortable with. I originally didnt care at all about it, but now i see it will either be good or bad, no in between.

Anyway, its late. I should stop writing these lengthy posts, no one comments and probably few care. Farewell.

Random thoughts on the weekend.

2005-05-31T05:27:54Z

Thursday night walking home I was enjoying the night at hampton park leaning on the peanut shaped rock when a middle aged guy comes out of his car and urinates about ten feet behind me. It really pissed on my train of thought.

Friday, i started senior cut day by mowing my lawn in plain view of the highschool, felt comically rebellious. Then i went to berns and jim to confirm what should have been a good trip to the shore to learn that they were lame and declined, prefering to play video games. The rest of the people assumed that i wouldnt want to go without berns/jim so they left. Then i was pissed. Thankfully, streco called saying he wanted to hang out, then everyone else who was going to the shore came back b/c of trafic and we would all spend the rest of the day playing frisby and eating free food. Things had a nice way of working out.

Saturday bought supplies for the mech catapult with linger, should be awesome. Im glad that that kid still supports my pursuit.

Sunday, me and linger chased streko's car blasting hava nagila, that was hilarious. Then badminton with friends and many sophmore friends. Revelations. Then a strange motivation to go to Linger's Barnes and Noble at closing to get directions to buy birdies we broke and to prove to myself that i can drive without directions. Relative success.

Monday, Berns' BBBQ. Good fun, many people. My football perfomance left something to be desired, but i had fun frisbeeing beforehand.

Not a bad long weekend, i'd rate it a 6, would have been a 10 without lameness.

On a further note, Ive grown rather weary of myself. Ive chosen to equate making this livejournal with George starting to use a cane in Seinfeld.

Ive decided to try out this "livejournal"

2005-05-27T02:18:50Z

Hello there. Its Mich. Just came back from a funeral, rather bored and sad, so I decided to try out this online journal nonsense to overdramatize my life.

Many people have asked me what I do, to clear that up, ill give the example of the last 10 and people can judge what they may. You are about to see far more of Mich than you ever have before. Saddle up.

Saturday: Eagle Court of Honor. Thank you to those that came, it was a good time. It helped to undo my feeling of nonaccomplishment a little, and it was nice to get so many honorable awards. Went to linger's afterparty, dinner with relatives, then back to Linger's afterparty. It was a really good day/night.

Last Monday: went to Boy Scouts for the last time

Last Tues: My Brother's graduation. Left school early, they should be glad I came at all, and saw the stunning rendition of what it would be like to experience the graduates walking across the stage by projecting the image from a camera into a secluded room in another building. Eric got an award in Visual Arts, that was unexpected and nice. We ate at the Cheesecake factory, that was also unexpected and nice.

Last Weds: Eye doctor appt and Alana's Hebrew School graduation. I finalized the decision to go to contacts, more trouble than its worth in many ways, but i grew so tired of glasses. Went to temple for the first time in a rediculously long time for Alana's graduation. It felt good to immerse myself in the Jewish culture again, mine mostly consists usually of eating matzah on passover and picking up change whenever possible. I remembered all of the Hebrew prayers from long ago and that made me happy. I also saw that many of the Jews shared my belief system of questioning the religion but embracing Zionism wholeheartedly, that was inspiring. It was a good night.

Last Thurs: Crazy Aunt came in from California. I had to clean for this woman to make room for an airmattress that she made us buy for the one night she was spending on the premisses. I suppose we should be honored she graced us at all.

Last Friday: During school some people came to the Casa to eat lunch, it always feels good to escape from the stiffling atmosphere of that establishment to the glorious freedom of the Casa (I returned two more times during school that day). Somehow they got caught, that perplexes me. Went to Streco's mansion, CVS, then back to school to govern my club. After the club meeting I had a long awkward dinner with my grandparents and aunt where we were so strained from talking about my aunt's diet of not eating anything white that we actually talked about stephen hawking and papal history for much of the evening

Last Saturday: Awoke in a tired haze. Day got much better when I recieved a letter from TCNJ Honors Society indicating that there were "simply too many applicants". I spent so much time on that damn application and I based my decision off of being offered two weeks before. I was less than delighted by this news, frankly it devestated me. My post TCNJ acceptance depression reached its worst effect and I just couldnt take this shit anymore. With failure and emptyness enraging me, I took to the Volvs and drove away. For two hours I drove. I tried to get myself to calm down by listening to all the components of the Mich Mix in order of angryness, random Metalica, random war music, Piano Man, Cheers theme, Hava Negilla. It left me unsatisfied and thorougly pissed off. Had an awkward lunch, told my relatives i wouldnt be joining them for that day.
Then my friends arrived at 2 and I was able to forget about my troubles. We worked on the catapult, made it better than ever, with a sturdy rope configuration to launch it adjustably and securely...a little too securely. After several hours building this, the launching bar SHATTERED on our first launch (at least the rope configuration held :-) ). After laughing for a good time, we went to get a metal bar at the home depot, the one on 22, and ended up on the parkway (in the Volvo) after directions went horibly horibly wrong. We returned home and picked up Linger and went to KFC. Went back to his house, waited out the rain, and then played extreme frisby games for a rediculously long time in a parking lot. We returned to my house about 930, had a smoothy off (linger won) and then went our separate ways.

Sunday: Went to my grandparent's house for the last dinner with my crazy aunt. It was rainy which stiffled my release a bit. Dinner wasnt bad, however, and I got a good game of ping pong in with Pop Pop (it pleased me that he can still beat me at 87). He gave me the profits of his Staples scavenging adventures, much needed CD labels, pens, and my precious fix of cocaine (just seeing if youre still awake ;-) ). Overall it was a good dinner and a good send off for my aunt. After that we raced home and my friends and I saw Star Wars at Rialto, a very good time.

Monday: Tired from staying up so late the night before, this was one of my "off" days.

Tuesday: Managed to lathe an entire leg for my woods project from last year in only 25 minutes, which is damn impressive. Keenan came over after school and we designed the Prom CD labels. At night we hopped in Linger's car and went to his job, Barnes and Noble, to get 1/2 price food, then finally went to the rt 22 Home Depot and started to figure out what we would buy, despite Ryan's lame attempts to make us give it all up.

Wednsday: Gave a hell of a fight in gym trying for 1st place in volly ball, lost. Sad when that is the most exciting thing to happen in school for the day. My computer finally worked again so I took a break from my ban on computer video games for the day.

Thursday: Went to the funeral memorial service for our family friends' mother Lilian. The Pye's are a really close family to us, so Lilian was practically an aunt of mine, there at every Passover and other holidays. There were many tears and my mom and Margie Pye were crying too much to give their speeches, but it was a good tribute to a good woman. I felt worst for Paul Pye, Margie's brother, who lost his house, son, and mother all in the last 5 months, but I was inspired, and told him so, that he was so strong. And now I'm back, writing about it all.

Well, thats my life recently, judge it as you may. This will be my first and last rediculously long post. I appologize if there was a somber tone to this post, funerals dont exactly make you peppy. Anyway, if you have seen this, pass the word along because im not going to add a link in my aim profile or hassle other people's profiles. For now, this is Mich signing off. Godspeed!