Hey there Hera, marriage mistress,
Love lady. Hark. Hear.

There’s this girl, goddess.
No: she’s a goddess, girl!

She makes me crazy, Corinth.
Argos, attention: I’m telling you, it’s almost time.

Help me have her hand in marriage,
Let me love the lass,
For the foreseeable future. For forever!

Ok, wife woman, husband helper?
Come on, you!
Hera, help us do the union thing.

Five items of business:

First: did you see last week's Battlestar Galactica? OMG, guys. OM. FG.

Second, I sprained my ankle doing a kung fu maneuver that would be be described on a scale of 1 to "Whoa" as "Whoa."

Third, I am somewhat buffer than I use to be. You have to keep in mind how buff I use to be, however.

Fourth: today, I ordered a Japanese import CD by a chica named Rie Fu based purely on the strength of the closing credits to an anime called Bleach. She's like, Dar Williams meets my ideal of a country singer (all soulful and resonant) meets the Rising Sun. At least, she is in this one song. Hopefully the rest of the album too.

Fifth, as in five gold rings or, better yet, five years, Ari and I had our five year anniversary last Friday. She already provided the itinerary of our weekend away more evocatively than I could probably hope to on her LJ, but I think it's worth telling you all how much I love her. I've been trying to write a poem for a little while now about an image that popped into my head when I was thinking about her a little while back, and it's not working so well, so I might as well tell it that way: simply put, I'm the desert and she's the river flowing through me. It makes me think of what Jesus said to that Samaritan, living water. I drink her in and I come to life, and when I have to leave her I sip the dream of her greedily, and when I'm away too long I parch. This weekend I was bathed, and it was good.

Totally worth putting off Galactica till Monday.

I'm actually making this post at Ari's behest. See, I've had this thing for an actress for a good long while, name of Amber Benson, played Tara on Buffy the Vampire Slayer back in the day. Well, she's a woman of many talents, Amber, and she co-authored a book. And then the tour to promote the book took her to the Barnes & Noble at Boston University, but I didn't find out till almost a month later.

It struck me today... well, let me recount it for you.

Dave: You know, there are lots of people at this university who have met Amber Benson.
Ari: Doesn't that make you so mad?
Dave: Do you think if I took their eyes as trophies and made a fetish out of it it would be like meeting Amber Benson?

I bear them no real ill will. Happy New Year!

Jayne or Dave: You Decide!

Oho! Forgot I was here, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU!? Well, Livejournal seems extremely reluctant to delete my journal after a little something like months of inactivity, so I may be here for a good while yet... if I can write this post in the next 80 seconds!

So, two things, two little items, two small things:

1. A little movie called Serenity came out. Not bad. You should check it out.

Actually, I'd consider it a personal favor if you did. Twice.

With friends.

Hell, bring that girl you've had your eye one, or that boy who keeps making eyes at you during class.

In fact, what better way to meet the entire extended family of your potential mate than bringing them to a fine, fine film like Serenity (not Flightplan. The Future In-Laws of America Film Society roundly condemned it... as did Members of the Appropriate Sex Who Might Have Sex With You In The Future and/or Ever Again (and daughter organizations Members of the Opposite Sex Who Might Have Sex With You In The Future and/or Ever Again and Members of the Same Sex Who Might Have Sex With You In The Future and/or Ever Again). They all liked Serenity, though.

2. Speaking of potential mates, in case anyone hasn't heard, and I know you all have, I've lost a number of potential mates and gained one sure-to-be mate in my darling, darling ex-girlfriend/new fiance known to some as Ari, to some as noabsolutes (see? I CAN use lj tags!). I love her very much, I miss her when I'm away from her, and all in all I want to be with her for the rest of my life as often as possible, and this message is a way of announcing that to you all. The other way was a bit pricier, so I thought I'd follow up this way.

EDIT: I know what you're all thinking... he can't use lj tags! Well, stop griping and tell me how to do it right!</s? <3 Honey.

I wish to announce to the world that my darling Ari has been a help and support during the recent difficult weeks of finals. I love you, baby.

Mwahahahahahaha! There were those who said it couldn't be done! There were those who said it couldn't possibly happen! But yesterday, May 5, 2005, (05/05/05, clearly an auspicious day to begin with, and also the Day of the Dead down Mexico way, for extra help from the spirits) I, David Nickerson Rogers, Sage of Chelmsford and founder of Friday Evenings on the Hellmouth (Boston University Academy's first and, so far as I know, only, Buffy the Vampire Slayer viewing club), he who brought so many into the blissful fold of Buffy/Whedon-love, achieved the next level of fanboyhood by standing outside the Loews Cineplex located across the street from Boston Common until, at 9:55 PM (Eastern Daylight Savings Time), a young woman wearing a Buffy the Vampire Slayer t-shirt emerged from the theater, spent several minutes in conversation via cell phone with a friend who was, obviously, elsewhere, and thereafter sold him (David Nickerson Rogers, Sage of Chelmsford, not the friend), for the price of $22, American, one ticket to a special advanced screening of Serenity, the movie that became of the brilliant but supremely canceled television program Firefly.

Ladies and gentlemen, truly, this was an occassion to remember. The charming Sean Maher (aka Simon Tam) and the lovely Morena Baccarin (aka Inara Serra) were both present, and signed a poster for the inimitable Sage. More importantly, of course, a rough cut of a certain movie was seen, and supreme satisfaction was derived. It was good. Shiny. Very shiny. Shiny.

In closing... MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

(P.S. The movie really was really good!)

Date:	2005-04-05 00:37
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	drunk

DEAR WORLD.

I DON'T UPDATE NEARLY OFTEN ENOUGH.

ALSO, ARI IS THE GREATEST PERSON IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. IT IS TRUE. JUST ASK HER.

KTHNX.

Date:	2005-02-26 12:51
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	enraged
Music:	88.9

I read this infuriating article today. I haven't had much opinion of Massachusett's inexplicably Republican governor one way or the other up until now; his social views are unfortunate, but he's been a competant administrator during a difficult economic period. His conduct while addressing this crowd of Utah Republicans, however, was nothing short of disgusting.

Yes, yes, there was all the usual blather about how he wants to protect families by keeping them from forming, which I think is sheer lunacy, but which is in fact the consensus among a very large portion of the American electorate. Whatever. What bothers me is that he stands up in front of a crowd in Utah and insults Massachusetts citizens, talks about how immoral we are and how we have to be stopped, or else America will fall. Basically, he makes a call to arms: "Listen, patriots of Utah! We have stop those communists in my 'home state' [he refers to Utah as his home away from home. So much irony] or else they'll destroy this country with their wicked, wicked, wicked ways."

We're your constituents, you disingenious blowhard, not your "adoring" crowd of Utah republicans. If you think the commonwealth's going in the wrong direction, come here and try to fix it, don't travel around the country telling everybody else all about it. We are not a cautionary tale to frighten conservative children (born within the bounds of a good, Christian marriage, naturally). We are your constituents, and we didn't elect you so you could campaign for national office by pissing all over us.

I never voted for Romney, never felt any particular affection for him, but now I honestly feel like there couldn't possibly be any nobler cause than dashing any ambitions he might have to national office. What would he do as President? Stand up at an OAS summit and start ragging on the US?

I'm sorry, sweetie.

P.S. In two weeks, you'll see this post on your friends page and laugh about it.

You never miss the waiter till the well runs dry, huh? Or maybe it's 'any port in a storm.' Regardless, I need this thing now, so I guess I'll actually use it.

We live in an odd world, where people I know will find this out from here and not from me or gossip or whatever. My parents are getting divorced. It's not such a shock, really - they haven't loved each other for years. It's very much for the best, I think. It needed to happen, but it sort of gets in under the radar, if you know what I mean. I've become very good at looking at my feelings from the outside, appreciating why people do things that piss me off, figuring out what externalities are putting me in a bad mood, etc., but that's not working here. Something's upset inside me, something's out of place, but I can't quite pin it down.

I will be ok. It's just a matter of time, of letting scar tissue form, letting myself settle into equilibrium again. Don't worry on my account, and don't feel a personal responsibility to find me and piece me back together - that has to happen on its own, I think. I've been finding myself more withdrawn since I found out, anyway - I think I could use some time to myself. On the other hand, keep in mind that I'm not destroyed, sobbing in the dark somewhere, just upset. If something fun's going on, invite me along, and I promise not to be despairing. If you see me and you're in a good mood, greet me with a smile and tell me all about it, and it'll be a bright spot on both our days. Just don't be surprised if I don't come online, or if I'm not around as much.

Cheers, friends.

The American people believe that gays are an abomination against nature.

The American people believe that women don't have the right to control their own bodies.

The American people believe that war brings people together...

...that all the terrorism and chaos in Iraq is... what?... going to blow over?

The American people believe in supply-side economics.

I've had this feeling for a while now, that my world and the people like me are just a scum on the surface of this country, that everyone would be much happier if we'd go away and they could string up gays and those little sluts walking into abortion clinics, and hell, those butchers that perform the abortions, and they could just nuke Iran and North Korea and China and (actually) the whole Middle-East and don't forget France, that place is downright un-American.

THERE WERE NO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION! THERE WERE NO TIES BETWEEN IRAQ AND AL QUEDA! YOU ARE NOT SAFER BECAUSE SADDAM HUSSEIN ISN'T IN POWER! You're in so much MORE danger! We've made so many enemies picking a fight because the Bush administration really, really wanted Iraq to be a threat to national security.

People - and I speak now not to those who voted for Bush, or only a little to them, but to those states that have taken completely absurd steps to insure that nothing can in any way shape or form EVER be easy for gay couples - why the hell do you care? I don't get it, I really don't. What's the difference? What is it? I do not get it. Do you think they carry ebola? Are you religious fundamentalists? If so, why don't you follow every law in the Bible? Why just the ones that make other people's lives more difficult? Could it be because you're just hateful, you small-minded relics of the 18th century, that you just hate gays? Honestly.

Dear Buffers,

Hil's house in the 'burbs, Sunday 3-10 PM. Content to be decided. Discussions to be held about a certain projec.t Be there. Or be dumb.

Date:	2004-07-11 12:38
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	dirty
Music:	sneezing sheep

omg i am dave wtf i never update.

oh yeah ari is pretty.

I had a dream last night that the world was ending... I think an asteroid was going to hit it?... and people were being evacuated on spaceships, but space was limited. Naturally, I applied for a spot on the ships late, so in order to get one, I needed to have an IQ of 230. Hmm.

So I was waitin', waitin', waitin' in line to take the IQ test. This blonde girl who went right before me came out looking all discouraged - she didn't qualify. I commiserated, and told her she should wait for me, we could hang out till the world ended if I didn't make it. I was thinking, "Yes! Either I live or I score!"

I went in for the test, which was being administered by a black woman, but I was so nervous that she said I could get a glass of water. When I came back, I felt much better. Now, the IQ test did not test intelligence and spatial relations, or whatever it actually tests. It was a series of moral questions, something about the efforts of extremist eco-terrorists who had tried to save the world but killed a lot of people in the process. I said that they presented an impossible moral quandary, and she pretty much said I passed the test. So that was good.

Sorry for the interruption.

Everyone in Dante's Paradise is on fire - literally, they're all burning all the time, like some of the people in Hell and Purgatory (fire is surprisingly uncommon in the Inferno, of course). Now, the main difference between Heaven and Hell for Dante isn't what happens to you, it's who you are, how you feel. The souls in Hell are myopically self-obsessed, and endlessly attached to the material. They feel the same thing as the souls in heaven, but they don't realize it's wonderul. They can't; they're too caught up in the idea that fire hurts too realize it's wonderful.

I am Dave. I am dumb, because I never post and I am very boring. I am also not as cute as Toby.

Kill Bill vol. 2, unlike vol. 1, comes close to being self-indulgent crap. The first movie was defined by unspeakably beautiful action sequences, as good as (or better than) the best scenes from The Matrix or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but making up almost the entire movie. It was also excellent because it didn't take itself entirely seriously; funny little touches like katana-holders on airplanes, the absurdly scenic setting of the climactic battle, the great swordsmith who also owns a sushi restaurant, and Uma Thurman's brilliantly overdone performance. That wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but nobody could deny that the film reached perfection of a sort (even if they might claim that particular kind of perfection isn't worth much).

Surprisingly, there's relatively little action in vol. 2, though what there is reaches the same level as the first film's best moments. The crowd-pleasing katana fights are, for the most part, absent, and Tarantino tries to tell a story about violence without much actual violence. There are a few close calls, but ultimately, he succeeds.

By filling the space that was taken up by prolonged fight sequences with dialogue, Tarantino manges to develop a few characters who are not just interesting, like vol. 1's Vernita Green and O-ren, but substantial. The Bill of the title is an interesting enigma, but his brother Budd is the deepest and most interesting character in either movie, stuck halfway down the path of redemption, jarred out of his complacency by the arrival of the Bride, who's name is finally revealed. The dialogue still tends towards to ironical joke-opera formality of the first film, which is harder to deal with in a movie that's so much about dialogue. Some lines fall flat, and cross the line into the realm of the unforgivably campy, but Tarantino has a gift for dialogue, and he infuses enough humor to make even the most rambling speeches, of which there are a few, especially in the climactic final scenes, interesting.

Tonight, I shall read four cantos of the Purgatorio. And tomorrow I shall see one volume of Kill Bill - the second. I expect it to contain at least three really cool fight scenes, a huge number of cool shots of Uma Thurman wielding a katana, and perhaps that sword-maker guy making a few more cool speeches about the nature of vengeance. Will it say, "Quentin Tarantino's Fifth Movie" at the beginning? I don't know, and I don't care, as long as there's some samurai sword - fightin' action.

(Problematically, though, I just can't picture a guy named Budd wielding a samurai sword. I'm sure he'll have some other ingeniuous way to fight the Bride. Actually, kind of begs the question - where was the sword when the Bride was fighting the black woman?)

Can somebody explicate this turn of conversation to me?

Background: Ari and I have rented two movies, Lost in Translation (my choice) and Matchstick Men (her choice). I've heard good things about both movies; I want to see them both, but I do admit to wanting to see Lost in Translation more.

Me: Do you want to watch...
Ari: Buffy?
Me: I was thinking one of the movies.
Ari: Matchstick Men?
Me: Or Lost in Translation.
Ari: Or Matchstick Men?
Me: Or... (realizing my cause is hopeless) Ok, Matchstick Men.

At this point, I go to lie down on the bed, for no particular reason. Ari comes over, lies down next to me.

Ari (not in a very serious tone): Why don't you love me?
Me: What? I do.
Ari: Why don't you want to watch Matchstick Men?
Me: I do.
Ari: You're lying to me.
Me (not lying): No. I want to see both movies.
Ari: I'm not going to return them till Tuesday...
Me (baffled): Ok...

Ari goes over to the desk. We lapse into silence. Several minutes later:
Ari: Fine, we'll watch Lost in Translation.
Me: What? No, that's ok.
Ari: No, we'll watch Lost in Translation.

What happened here?

Later, after reading this post, before it was posted.
Ari: I want to watch Matchstick Men!
Me: Ok, we'll watch Matchstick Men!
Ari: No, you don't! Well, I'm going to watch Matchstick Men!

Even now, she's putting the dvd in.

WHAT???!!!!