I love Halloween but this year it definitely hasn't been a priority. With no money and little time, finding a costume seemed impossible. Yesterday I still had nothing and was invited to two parties. I decided not to go to them, because I worked until 7:30 and what could I do in this short amount of time? I told (e:mike) that I wasn't going to the party of (e:timika), (e:nejiffer), and (e:decoyisryan).

As I sat by myself I decided I would at least try and find something in the house and if I couldn't find anything I would at least have given it a shot. Really I don't have much, most of my stuff is packed away and stored at my Dad's. My best option, or so I thought, would to be an Abu Ghraib torture victim. I had an old sheet, which I think was supposed to be black but is now bluish. I got some speaker wire and ran it through my sleeves so it would dangle outside the sheet. Really it looked just ridiculous so I scratched that idea.



I ended up being a Gangsta of some sort and was really proud of being able to pull something off. I think (e:metalpeter) will probably post pics. I went to (e:three)'s company party only because I didn't want to be out that late, they live super close and (e:mike) was there. I feel bad for skipping out on the other party because I really love them and they have great Halloween parties. Had a good time and (e:metalpeter) and I were terrible at beer pong. Thanks for a great party!

I found a new coffee that I am in love with. Actually, I got it at Latina's cause it was cheap. It's called Café Oquendo. It really reminds me of the Cuban coffee I so loved every morning at the convent.

Due to the storm, food stamp participants received 73% of their October benefits back on their ebt cards. Somehow this rumor got started that they would lose these benefits if not used by midnight on Monday. They fled to the stores in droves filling up carts and snatching up milk. Chaos was reported at Latina's Food Market. When announced on the intercom that it was a rumor and the benefits would remain for 270 days, some fled, leaving carts filled with food.

Here is a sampling of the rumor...

Elizabeth Feeney: "I thought I was going to lose my food."

Rob Macko: "Who did you hear this from?"

Elizabeth Feeney: "A friend told me his sister told him that she heard it too."

source

Gotta love rumors.

Has anyone else noticed green moss on the trunks of trees? I have been meaning to ask this for a while. It doesn't seem right. Is this indicative of disease or weakness in the trees? This green moss is pre Arborgedon and i'm stealing the term from artvoice who stole it from someone else. (e:jim) has spoke about tree health maybe he has an idea? Tree moss seems ok if it were in some dank forrest, but along streets?

At Buffalo State yesterday I noticed all this stuff falling from a tree. I'm thinking to myself not again, but then I notice there is a squirrel fight. They were trying to cause physical injury to each other to get a nut or other morsel from the other's mouth. It was disturbingly violent. It seems like maybe some of the squirrels secret stashes have been disturbed. I think (e:leetee) is concerned about this as well.

Is (e:neckbreaker) a Buffstate student too?

People are asking me to take on roles requiring responsibility that demand commitment. What do you think about taking on more responsibility? Not necessarily job related but for something that you don't have to do. Responsibility makes us stronger beings. Likewise, when getting physically stronger, it also doesn't happen magically. I don't want to bail out or not perform my functions if I accept the responsibility. I have to decide tomorrow.

I had to write a sonnet for my class. The instructions were to tell how a future student could receive an A in his class.

¿Deseas una A en la clase de Dr. Neira?

Primero hay que rogar a dios
Saberías más que los chinos
Jesucristo da me la A
Estudantil y listo será

Ruega a dios todos los días
Si me das la A, no pecaré nada más
Cree en el padre, el hijo y el espíritu santo
no es difícil ganarás tanto

Los que están más cerca a dios
Por cierto son los más ricos
Todos los días de la semana
Ruega con la fuerza de una hermana

Nada más necesitas
Sólo dios nos da benditas

---

UPDATE

A request is made for translation. I didn't translate cause it messes it all up, but here it goes.

Do you want an A in Dr. Neira's class?

First you have to pray to god
You will know more than the chineese
Jesus Christ give me an A
Smart student I will be

Pray to God every day
If you give me an A, I will never sin again
Believe in the father, the son and the holy ghost
It isn't difficult, you will earn much

Those that are closest to God
For certain are the richest
Everyday of the week
Pray with the force of a sister

Nothing more you need
Only God gives us blessings

So yea it sounds dumb in english, but I thought in spanish it was clever. It is sarcastic of course. It kind of plays on a class discussion we had. It isn't an attack on anyone's faith.