Opening up new Windows

it is finished.

my two day binge on computer installation has been finished. i learned not only how to build my own personalized computer, but also how to fully customize it as well. thanks to an anonymous resource, i have been granted access to programs that would have otherwise stretched my wallet.

but just as is the story of life, the building of my computer did not come easy. there were trials and tribulations, faults and frustrations. nothing good comes easy, my friend. you have to put work into it. you have to mess up in order to learn how and why you messed up in order to fix it. you can not give up. ever. now, this may be a tad hyperbolic applying these kinds of maxims to my computer production, but they are true when applied to life.

i almost gave up on building it. i got frustrated and was about to send a part back into the manufacturer claiming that it was defective and did not work. that would have been the easy way out. psh, actually the easy way out would have been throwing that computer under a bus. but if i had done that, i might as well have taken a good chunk of my money and lit it on fire a la the joker in the dark knight. but anyways, i was very close to shipping it back, until i made a crucial decision.

i reached out for help.

another vital life lesson. ask for help. do not be afraid that you will look dumb if you ask for help. now, keep in mind that if you ask something dumb, like what if the hokey pokey is what it's all about, then you will get a dumb response. reach out to others and know your limitations. what person wouldn't be happy to get the chance to a)talk about what they love doing and b)do what they love doing? in this case, it was computer stuff and i reached out to the right people. i may not be able to help you out when it comes to repairing computers, but if you want to talk basketball, poker, or dental stuff, i'd be more than happy to share with you.

the sweet just ain't as sweet without the bitter. i tell you, when that power button was pressed, and i saw the fans start spinning inside my computer, i felt... speechless. in a sense, i had produced life. i felt like dr. frankenstein. it's alive. it's ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE. much like a gourmet chef prepares a delicious dish out of individual ingredients, i had produced a machine out of separate parts.

i created and it was good.

now, it's time to rest.

thanks for reading.

-jdv

Etymology

what's this? two posts in a single day? why, that's unbelievable. either that, or i have a lot of free time.

i realized that i hadn't explained the name of my blog. what exactly is a "jamesawockee"? what does that even mean? what's with the mask on the side?

those are all relevant questions. well, "jamesawockee" is an adaptation of a hip-hop dance group's name "jabbawockeez" which is an adaptation of part of a Lewis Carroll poem from Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There. the verse reads: "beware the Jabberwock, my son! the jaws that bite, the claws that snatch." apparently, the poem is one of the greatest nonsense poems ever written in English (thank you, wikipedia). likewise, the jabbawockeez are one of the greatest dance groups to walk this earth.

their claim to fame was winning mtv's first season of america's best dance crew. they did so with unparalleled synchronicity and mind-blowing creativity. their performances week after week were linked and were flawless throughout. their dances have been copied and uploaded onto youtube by so many different people. they went on to get sponsored by gatorade and now have their own show in las vegas. to say that they have become successful and influential is an understatement.

obviously, they have influenced me if i named my blog after them. the reason i have the mask over there is because all of them wear these masks when they dance. it brings a sense of unity among the group and makes you wonder just who is under each one. little does it matter since they can all dance extremely well.

here are their performances from week to week on the show.

live audition special: we came to party by tony yayo
week 1 (crew's choice challenge): apologize by one republic
week 2 (video star challenge - incorporate moves from a music video into performance): ice box by omarion
week 3 (dance craze challenge - must include illusion that they can defy gravity): lean wit it, rock wit it by dem franchise boyz
week 4 (movie character challenge - act as thieves): ayo technology by 50 cent and JT
week 5 (thriller challenge): PYT by MJ
week 6 (broadway remixed challenge - incorporate the charleston): all that jazz from chicago
week 7 (last chance challenge/ encore round - leave the final mark on the competition): the red pill
week 7 (evolution of street dance challenge - tell the history of hip-hop): mix of 5 different songs
week 8 (step challenge with other finalist group status quo)
week 8 (championship performance): harder, better, faster, stronger by kanye west

enjoy!






thanks for reading (and watching).

-jdv

LOST and Found

i've given in.

i delayed as long as i could. i didn't want to be one of those people that followed the show religiously and talked about it and all its little nuances all the time. i refused to get caught up. call it non-conformist, call it stubborn, call it whatever you want. i never saw a single episode of LOST.

until now.

starting at the beginning a few months ago, i am currently in the middle of the fifth season and am still loving every minute of it. i must say, it's nice getting "lost" in a tv show again (the first one was with friends and the second one is the office, even though the latter is lagging on me). anyways, the show got me to thinking of the desert island game.

3 people i would like to be stranded with (have to be alive since this is desert island 2010):

1) Tom Hanks [this was a no brainer. he's obviously had experience on a desert island. yes, i realize that castaway was just a movie, but he made it look so easy. plus, he just seems like an all-around nice guy. it'll be good for team morale to have tom hanks on the island. ]

see what i mean? great for team morale.

2) i really want to put Lady Gaga in this slot. you have no idea. but i mean, what could she add to the group? entertainment? psh, we're on an island. although, her singing and flashy outfits could attract wildlife and therefore, food. hmm, this is proving to be harder than i thought (twss). on second thought, give me elisabeth filarski/hasselback. if you don't know her, she's from the second season of the show "survivor" and she finished in 3rd place. or if you're a woman, she's from the morning show "the view." once again, she's had experience as well which would definitely prove crucial and pay dividends in the long run. hands up if you think i'm taking this too seriously? yep, that's what i thought.

another smiling face. i almost want this desert island scenario to come true.

3) easy. evangeline lilly. she plays the character kate in the tv show lost. she can track trails, run and swim like a champion, and she'll even out the ratio of guys and girls. experience and more experience. how can i stress this enough?

please, can this scenario come true? pretty please?

now, i realize that i put entirely too much thought into this. so, my joke answer would be 1) michael jordan, 2) lady gaga, and 3) christina hendricks. but that's no fun. i actually want to survive and thrive on the island. oh, and of course, my family would obviously be first, but that doesn't make the game fun. not that i'm saying my family isn't fun, but you get my drift.

3 items to have:

no cheap answers like cell phone so i could call and get off the island or boat so i could sail away from the island. some other conditions. if you bring something running on batteries, they cannot be replaced. also, no endless supplies of anything as an item such as "endless amounts of food" or "endless supplies of matches." ok, moving on...

1) hand-crank flashlight which doesn't require batteries or a bulb. (yes, these exist. i amazoned it.) light is of vital importance especially at night. this will definitely help during those late night hunts.
2) knife with sharpening kit. another no brainer. the knife can be used to kill and skin animals. it can be used to create spears or other weapons. it can cut fruit. an important tool for survival.
3) compass. can't get "lost" right? with this instrument, we'll never get lost and always have a sense of direction. no need to look for the north star or looking at trees to see which side the moss is growing on. we have a compass to lead us in the right direction.

joke answer: 1)iPod with headphones, 2) angel soft ultra soft toilet paper, and 3) a deck of cards. see, it's no fun with the joke answers.

who would you want on your desert island with you? what would you bring along? joke answers? real answers?

maybe one day, my lost scenario will play out. i mean, the odds of that happening are a billion to one though. oh well, i'll settle for living in the real world. wow, i think i'm way too into the show. somebody find me!

thanks for reading.

-jdv