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Antiochus of Seleucia

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  1. Antiochus of Seleucia
    Just saying hi, as I don't have much for homework tonight. Seems that college may actually be easier than high school. Sorry I haven't been on for maybe a year. Too much going on these days. A nuclear engineer wannabe has lots on his plate. I may make a conscious effort to try to hang out more, but I think I may have overtired my interest in history. Actually, to better put that, I've learned enough here to satisfy my interests, which is mostly the combat. There's prolly a boatload of ppl here that I don't know now. Ehhhh.
     
    I recently joined a local SCA group and am taking up Historic Rapier Fencing. Looks really fun, but I'm starting out on footwork. When I get good enough and actually get some money (college is expensive), I want to get a swept-hilt rapier and make a sweet tunic and paint my mask. Months down the line when this happens, I'll be sure to post pics!
  3. Antiochus of Seleucia

    Idiocy?

    By Antiochus of Seleucia,

    You may have seen the story on the news about the diabetic girl that died because her parents wouldn't take her to the hospital because they thought praying would heal her. I knew her. She sold me food at the cafe...
     
    Idiots.
  4. Antiochus of Seleucia
    Hi. Antiochus got a concerned e-mail from Gaius and remembered this place. Any classics have been thrown aside for everything that's been happening lately.
     
    I've been accepted into college. I am currently working on one of 17 scholarship essays. I just finished my last first semester of high school; no more gym class for the rest of my life. Yes! I applied for a high-paying summer job designed for college-bound students. Current economic conditions are jeopardizing it. My very expensive new computer I bought is amazing and can do anything 10x than normal computers. My girlfriend has put up with me for over four months already. Senioritis sucks. My ambition got its leg cut off, but it's fighting back. I have a weird guilt for being lazy. The real world sucks. Scrubs is the best tv show ever. Muse is the best band ever. I go from 3 classes with homework a day to 6. I need to brush up on my early 20th century commies for a forensics project. I can't really describe things right now, it's just that weird feeling of being trapped in between the lust for staying a kid and having to grow up. Senioritis is a bitch, there I said it again. I should really try to spend more time here, I miss all of you people. Apparently we aren't supposed to say "Ho ho ho" around here anymore. According to my calculations, I will make a whole nine dollars on my certificate of deposit I made last year in an effort to familiarize myself with common banking practices. The song I'm listening to is pure genius; it almost brings tears to my eyes. It's taken me 22 minutes of daydreaming to record all of these fragmented thoughts into here.
     
    I shall return. Well, before I go, I'm going to update my profile stuff for kicks now that I'm not particularly busy at the moment.
  6. Antiochus of Seleucia
    Tomorrow I have a day off. I've worked after school and on weekends for the last 13 days.
     
    Now that AP US is done, the class gets to do pretty much whatever we want. I'm writing a DBQ (Document-Based Question) for the kids in next years class to do. A DBQ is a question a student must answer in a 5-paragraph essay format by reading primary source documents given, and outside knowledge. The question I am asking is: "How effective was the United States government in combating the spread of Communism is post-war Europe?" Cold War is soooooooo cool.
     
    Richard Nixon's Seize the Moment is a pretty good book. I've learned and concluded today's terrorism problem is aftermath of Soviet intervention in 3rd world countries. I was born only a year before the Evil Empire fell, so it is very interesting to learn about one of the most elite conflicts in world history.
     
    I got "The Economist" magazine. Really freakin' sweet.
     
    Ancient history is on the backburner right now... sometime the interest will peak again. Right now Cold War and American Foreign Policy is obsessing me. Don't worry, I still prowl the forums.
     
    I need to raise $5000 by next February so I can go to Europe. Damn. Time to go rob a bank.
  8. Antiochus of Seleucia
    AP US is the coolest class on earth.
     
    Today I learned that the US saved the world from communism! We spent billions of dollars in foreign aid to hapless countries to prevent communist uprisings and combat the spread of this form of government. We saved Greece, Turkey, South Korea, and pretty much all of western Europe from them damn commies. I'm not sure how Amero-centric this unit is, but many of the facts are quite reinforcing to the unit thesis, and we even discuss many of the stupid things America did during this time. The cold war is very interesting.
     
    I think you are a commie. Yes you!
     
    General Macarthur wanted to drop circa 50 atomic bombs on China, commies, and create "a wall of radiation between the communists and the free world!" Damn!
     
    JFK is a jelly donut.
  9. Antiochus of Seleucia
    Lately I've been having weird dreams.
    The ***** has hit the fan for four of my friends and their respective girlfriends. (Within the last two days)
    I'm becoming more cynical of our government.
    I'm still freaked out by sleep problems and my weird dreams.
    I'm confused. The world I know is crumbling in this little village I live in.
     
    I cope by doing photomanipulations in photoshop cs2. Here's my latest of myself... "Kiddies, Don't Play With Fire."

  10. Antiochus of Seleucia
    It's late on a muggy summer night. Thought I'd drop in for a while. You know, catch up a bit.
     
    Some things recent to me:
     
    My summer greenhouse job ended; I applied at a retailer where I get paid copius amounts extra for knowing spanish. I also applied to the place I got my senior photos taken... a professional photography studio where the artist uses the same photomanipulating software I use-- Photoshop CS2-- and my skills will be put to good use!
     
    I re-did my room. Threw out all the garbage and re-arranged everything. Before- Slob American. After- Trendy Spartan Minimalist American. Painting walls coming soon.
     
    Just made an account at BookMooch about 5 minutes ago.
     
    The 29th of July, Antiochus goes to Minneapolis to see the Warped Tour Concert with his lady-friends.
    The 2 - 5 of August Antiochus goes to Chicago the Lollapalooza with all of his friends. I <3 Muse.
    Sometime in the fall, Antiochus will probably go to NEW YORK. This may incur the attention of select individuals!
    Living is goddam expensive.
     
    I got a cellphone. Yay. I don't talk while driving, mind you.
     
    The Economist is a wonderful magazine. They send them faster than I can read 'em.
     
    I can't think of much more off the top of my head. Enjoy.
  11. Antiochus of Seleucia

    Bliss

    By Antiochus of Seleucia,

    I am taking the most wonderful and beautiful Lady to the prom this year.
     
     

    (Oh so fitting...) 
    Everything about you is how I'd wanna be-
    Your freedom comes naturally-
    Everything about you resonates happiness-
    Now I won't settle for less!
     
    Give me
    all the peace and joy in your mind!
     
    Everything about you pains my envying-
    Your soul can't hate anything-
    Everything about you is so easy to love-
    They're watching you from above!
     
    Give me
    all the peace and joy in your mind!
    I want the peace and joy in your mind!
    Give me the peace and joy in your mind!
     
    Everything about you resonates happiness-
    Now I won't settle for less!
     
    Give me
    all the peace and joy in your mind!
    I want the peace and joy in your mind!
    Give me the peace and joy in your mind!
  12. Antiochus of Seleucia

    Chicago

    By Antiochus of Seleucia,

    As mentioned in my last blog, I headed out for Chicago Friday. Our high school band was chosen to be in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in the Windy City. We were all excited and ready to go.
     
    We were heading down the highway, it was nice and sunny out, nothing unusual, when all of a sudden it got really snowy and windy out. brown fields gave way to snow and slush everywhere. Suddenly the bus slowed down and came to a crawl. Uh oh. Traffic was backed up, and we found out why. Countless cars in the ditch, Semis bent out of shape, cars underneath semi trailers... it was a mess. Continuing on the snow stopped, it was sunny out again, and there was no snow to be seen anywhere.
     
    Our first stop was some little school we were going to play a quick concert for. The band director of that school was once in training under our teacher, so they set this little thing up, since they we on the way. We were a little late, considering the conditions above, but we pulled it off without a hitch.
     
    Our second stop was for food. There was this little area surrounding the highway that had all sorts of restaurants and such, so they let us off and we ran around everywhere. My friend Ryan and I went to Pizza Hut and ordered to go. We were so eager to dig into this grease-dripping heart-attack-in-a-box when we noticed we couldn't get back on the bus yet. We just went into the nearest restaurant, KFC, and ate our pizza there. To cleanse the pallate we walked over to a Wallgreens and bought ice cream. I got this Hagan Dasz thingy. After I ate half of it I decided to read the nutritional values thing. Let's see.... saturated fat.... 87%?!?!?!
     
    Everyone gasped in excitement when we pulled into the parking lot of the hotel outside Chicago. The 5-story building looked nice. I was rooming with my friends Andrew, Ryan, and Jason; on our last trip in Indianapolis, we got stuck with crappy rooms, and we were hoping it wouldnt be a repeat of last time. Oh boy, it wasn't. The rooms were awesome. Big screen tvs, super soft beds, and a refridgerator! We packed it with soda.
     
    We had a few hours to burn, so I went swimming ( ). I got bored after a while, so I went back and changed into my clothes. I then basically walked around the hallways sipping Mt Dew from my glass. I found the fitness room and burned 7 calories walking on the treadmill while drinking soda. After I left I coincidentally found the room of some of my other friends, and we played with a ouija board. I found out my girl was a lesbian and my friend Steve was a sexy beast. The thing also told me that I wouldn't die in a blaze of glory, but in the struggle for my life I would take someone with. Ok. Someone is pushing that eyeglass around.
     
    Around 6:30 we left to attend a show called "Mideaval Times." We had supper there, which we had to eat with our fingers. Messy. They had guys doing tricks on horses, and jousting matches. I think we were a little too old for this, because I could easily tell it was pretty fake. The little kids loved it though. Some guy came around during the show and took a picture of my chica and I. I figured they wanted to sell it too us, and I knew I was going to be a sucker and buy it. The show was fun, but again, I think we were all a little old for it. As we were exiting into the main hall, I glanced over to the photo section, and sure enough, they had our picture, a LARGE picture, in a frame thing at the top of the rack where everyone could see. Great.... it made me blush.
     
    Yea, I bought it...
     
    We got back to the hotel and the teach asked me to stay and help him with something. Boom- first thing that pops into my mind, "***** now what happened?" Whenever a teacher asks you to stick around, it means something not the greatest has happened, and you are somehow involved. I know this because I never really do anything bad enough to merit alone time with a teacher. To reinforce my thoughts, he stopped Jason and Ryan, two of my roomies, also. *****. Teach said, "I need your help with something. Right before we left, we discovered that your room smelled like smoke, and we found ashes in the toilet." Great... just what I need.
     
    Now, please allow me to make a long story short. Everyone who knew what happened were able to instantly narrow down whom may have done it to about 4 people. There are only few people in the whole band that is known to be associated with tobacco. After a discussion in our room, we basically knew who did it, but just had to prove it. What happened was that two of Jason's friends didn't follow him out of our room. Jason didn't have his key, so he couldn't get back in. The kids smoked in our bathroom, sprayed the place with Tag, and left. The way anyone even found out was because Andrew soon after got his jacket and left for the busses to Mideaval Times. Someone told him his jacket smelled like smoke.
     
    Well, we managed to get enough evidence to prove it was the two specific individuals. First, we had a phone convo with culprit #1, on speakerphone, without him knowing it. Afterwards, Ryan realized his mp3 player had a built in micrphone. Woo hoo! Hard evidence was better than 3 earwitnesses. The next day before we left for the parade we set the mp3 player in the corner and invited the two kids down to talk about how we were going to sort this mess out. We got enough evidence on the recorder, and were happy to find out the four of us were not going to have to pay the $200 cleaning fee for the non-smoking room. Whew. Btw, stuff like this doesn't just happen everyday, so I was pretty mad and surprised I had to be part of it.
     
    The next day we went over to the parade. We were number 102 in line of over 200 bands. It was around 32* because for some of the time it started to snow a little. It was super cold, so more than hald the band huddled together like penguins to stay warm. It was so fun, and it actually worked. I was fortunate to be near the center, and I stayed warm. Since we had to wait like an hour in this mess, the big huddle started singing "99 bottles of beer on the wall." It was the first time I ever sand through the whole song, and the whole mass jumped and cheered when we finished. I guess we even put on quite a spectacle for bystanders. Some drunk people even came over and joined us!
     
    The parade was great, we got lots of cheers, and we were all really happy. The bus ride home was uneventful. My chica and I managed to find a comfortable position on our two seats and watched the movie on the bus tvs.
     
     
    Now we await next year's trip to Washington DC.
  13. Antiochus of Seleucia
    I bought Nixon's Seize the Moment for $.75.
     
    I got a 28 on my ACT, but would have done a lot better if we had 20 more minutes in several sections. But whatever, I did better than 93% of kids in the U.S.
     
    The internet connection went out in the store yesterday and I fixed it. Saved everyone.
     
    Saw Spidey 3 yesterday, pretty good movie.
     
    I'm brainstorming all sorts of schemes for ways to raise several thousand dollars by next summer so I can go to Europe.
     
    Ummm
     
    I'm kinda bored.
     
    Yeah.
  14. Antiochus of Seleucia
    Wake up: 6:00AM
    Leave house for school: 6:30AM
    Start first class: 6:50AM
    Leave school, go to work: 1:45PM
    Begin work: 2:00PM
    Leave work: 6:00PM
    Go to review sessions for AP exam May 11: 6:00PM-8:00PM
    Homework: 8:00PM-11:00PM
     
    Rinse and repeat, this is my week.
  15. Antiochus of Seleucia
    Hurrah! I am a full-fledged member of the community now! :wheelchair: Beware, this will be a place of ranting and miscellaneous jolly banter. You know you love it.
     
    I am here against the grain. My parents think I'm nuts for an interest in history. I was called "Rome boy" the other day. My dad thinks Gaius is my stalker because he sent me an e-mail. I keep getting asked, "What's so great about Rome?" Answering won't stop 'em either. I will not persue the medical field. Biomechanical engineering sparks my interest but that's my niche.
     
    Breaking news. Just got back from the dentist. Wisdom teeth gotta go.
     
    Got my school schedule. Chemistry, Physics, AP US History. Ect. Ect. I'm not too thrilled over Algebra II.
    Must play pep band at a football game Friday. I think my guitar would be more fun than my clarinet.
     
    There will be more to come. Don't worry.
     
    Antiochus of Swissconsin
  16. Antiochus of Seleucia
    I was very pleased when I got mail the other day. I have been asked to join a group of musicians for a tour of Europe next summer as a "Music Ambassador." We are going through VIL, a 16-day trip through 7 countries in Europe. Our travels will include, in chronological order: England (London and Windsor), France (Paris), Switzerland (Crans-Montana), Liechtenstein (Vaduz), Austria (Innsbruck, Seefeld), Italy (Venice!), and Germany (Munich/Dachau, Rothenburg, Frankfurt).
     
    Hell yeah. My clarinet and I are traveling the world.
     
    If any of you are in any of these areas, give me a holler.
  17. Antiochus of Seleucia

    Sieze The Day

    By Antiochus of Seleucia,

    I was in 6th grade and I was sitting in english class. We were (ironically) working on current events. Someone came in and said the World Trade Center had been hit by a plane. We were not permitted to watch the news despite accumulating bits of news. I thought it was against our rights, no matter the age, to withhold us from watching the news. Only until after I got home I learned the rest; only until recently have I truly comprehended the magnitude of the outcome that day. Despite the times we live in, we should never live in constant fear of what may happen- we should always sieze the day and continue on strong. That would be the greatest gift we could give to all those who died.
     
    What were you doing that fateful day?
  18. Antiochus of Seleucia
    I got my license.
     
    -----------------------------------------------
     
    I wrote this story for my writing workshop class. You can tell I didn't have a good day.
     
    I arrived to the pit before the sun rose. It was cold and wet outside; the slush oozed from beneath my feet like stepping on a bug. Through the doors I entered. I took a left, my eyes squinting. The walls were white, the floors were white, the ceiling was white- and the lights were bright. I trudged up some stairs, each step more painful than the last. The garbage bag on my back seemed heavier each stair. After another white-washed hallway I arrived to my little personal blue box. The blue box was a small rectangular garbage can-like enclosure with a small lock on the front. After fumbling with the security lock, I managed to open the rusty door with a creak and proceeded to dump my garbage in. Another day has begun! I want to go home.
     
    Instinctively I worked my way through several more blinding mazes until I reached this certain room- if one asks where it is, you know where it is in your mind, but can not explain it. I entered the room through a slit in the wall, single file with other pale, soulless entities to the front and back. This room was cold
  19. Antiochus of Seleucia
    Talk about the longest four hours of my life!
     
    The inglish part had us answer 75 questions in 45 minutes.
    The math part was rediculously easy. I even laughed to myself. Then I hit question 41, and the next 20 I had never seen before.
    Read four stories and answer questions in 35 minutes.
    Blah blah blah
    About 3/4 way through I got bored and couldn't stop thinking about a certain someone.
     
     
    Hopefully I'm smart enough to continue my education!
     
    ---
     
    I got my nametag for my new summer job. Now I work on a tree farm, a greenhouse, and a guitar store. What next?
  20. Antiochus of Seleucia
    Global warming is all over the news.
     
    Anywho, I almost cried today in my physics class when we calculated the efficiency of a standard coal power plant. It's around 25% NOT including energy required to transport the coal, energy to maintain itself, energy dissipated through lines, and reduction of efficiency due to moving parts/friction within the plant's thermodynamic system. :'(
  21. Antiochus of Seleucia
    Ah! It is but a mere hour before the new year! As I type this the east coast of my beloved country already passed into the new year, with many of its inhabitants already passed out! :drunk: Happy New Years to all!
     
    My new years resolution: Carpe Diem!
  22. Antiochus of Seleucia

    Life.

    By Antiochus of Seleucia,

    Wow, I haven't made on of these in a while. Actually, right now I am "making" time for this- I need a break from the damned homework. Need a little UNRV time...
     
    I thought at the beginning of the year my AP U.S. History class would be boooring. I always thought U.S. history would be boring. Boy, was I wrong. Right now we are covering Jacksonian Democracy, and I have become somewhat enchanted with the figure of Andrew Jackson. Despite a few personal flaws and a bad decision or two, he probably was an excellent president. He was orphaned at age 14, and taught himself law, passing the bar exam at age 20. He was in over 20 duels defending his wife's honor! He was even shot in one, got up off the ground, and killed the guy! He never removed the bullet and really deserved the nickname "Old Hickory." Although he was quite rash and was over-forceful on even small issues, he had very high moral standards and was generous to a fault. He was an excellent statesman and served a record number of offices in the three years before he became president. One thing he did wrong was kill the national bank out of ignorance, and he also narrowly avoided (and almost started) a civil war. He was undoubtedly one of the most popular presidents. He was the "Self Made Man."
     
    One thing I still want to look into:
     
    He fought in the Revolutionary War at age 13 as a messenger. He made himself into a great general. He was an amazing general. He destroyed an Indian warband (Seminoles?) of over 2000 men while losing three men. He also did the same to the British at the battle of New Orleans, killing 2000+ soldiers and losing three during the battle and ten dying later. Wow. What I want to research is just how good of a general he was, for he may be overlooked too often on the "greatest" lists.
     
    -------
     
    My Siege of Masada project is going well. I got responses from all the professors I sent to, and even got a reply from the tour guide himself! (Masada is in Jeruselum) Now me and my research partner just have to log some of our sources into NoodleBib, and start looking for video footage for our documentary.
     
    -------
     
    I recently helped my employer build his new guitar shop he has expanded into; the store is 12X bigger and has a warehouse and omg it is awesome. I learned how to do a lot of things I never knew how to do before. I helped turn an old motorcycle store into a guitar shop, putting up slat-wall, painting walls, putting up siding... I feel rewarded enough just knowing I can walk in ten years later and say, I did that! The only complaint I could have is that now the store is in a larger building, it has lost that "small shop" feeling- the original was about 900 square feet of store and office combined- a tight fit but had it's own special feeling, especially on those summer days I would go down to hang out or work... But the new place is awesome, and sales will be so much better due to the better location and... well, everything! I'm excited to see what the future has in store for the place!
     
    ------
     
    And yes, I am being a good boy... so whatever Lost_Warrior and her ninjiggy subs say are all lies. (She gets inside looks into my caffeine/boredom induced adventures with friends I have on weekends off my myspace blog)
     
    (And when you live in a village of 5000, yes, one does get bored.)
     
    Whew.
  23. Antiochus of Seleucia
    I just started reading an old book I found deep in a recess of my school library's bookshelf. It is called Roman Military Law by C.E. Brand. It was published in 1968 (give or take a year), and is my first serious study of the Romans. This book is very unlike many of the other books I have read. This one is a serious scholarly work, and I am already engrossed after the first chapter because of the knowledge contained within. I can't wait to finish and provide a review! I am very fortunate I found this book- I looked all over the net for a place to buy it (because I can constantly refer to it), but I could only find it in the "out of print" section at the Barnes and Noble site for $100+. I don't know why it costs so much- the inside cover of the dust jacket says $6.50!
     
    Perhaps I can cut a sweet deal with the librarians... (I'm sure they don't know how much this book goes for...!)
     
    Interesting excerpt I want to share:
    One of the Censor's duties was to uphold public morality, but perhaps they overdid it...
     
    ***Important Question***
     
    Has anybody heard of Theodor Mommsen, R
  25. Antiochus of Seleucia
    Well, as of late, I have become interested in money after I got an "Investing for Teenagers" book for christmas from my aunt and uncle. Today I began collecting info on government bonds I own, ect. Well, I dug out an old fire-resistant lock box from the back of my closet that I'm going to use to store my stuff in. Inside I already had my coin collection. I was curious and went through all my old coins and bills. I have various pieces of money from many, many different countries, but with my newfound Roman knowledge, two pieces stood out remarkably:
     
    The first is 100 Bosnian Dinara...
     

     
    Question: In plate 1 it is called a Dinara. Does this word have any connection whatsoever to the old Roman Denarius? (Denarii)
     
    The second bill is a Ukranian dollar... or whatever they call it.
     

     
    Now, I have no idea who the 'king' in plate 3 is, since I can't read it, but what really caught my eye was the ruins in plate 4. They look a lot like Roman ruins. I see columns... what do you think? If they are... I do know ancient Ukraine was somewhat outside the Roman sphere, except maybe the sliver bordering the Black sea.
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