Hooka Happy Jason

Myself and some fellow YE alum went to a hooka bar last night. It was totally sweet. Nick & Jess who were both on the same YE team, not mine, and Jess's friend Bob, and I all went.


Am I biting the head off a snake, or smoking a hooka?
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YE alum Jess. She was on Nick's team.
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All of us chillin.
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This toilet can accommodate an 800lbs person.
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On Beyond Zebra or a Sperm Whale of a Blog Post

Both fitting descriptions for what will prove to be a massive post. Get the popcorn now...no really I'll wait.

I realize a lot has happened that I haven't posted about. Unfortunately that means a long blog post in which I will lose like half of you, half way through. I will try to follow Eminem's lead and just "keep shit simple."

I got to go to the lakehouse with my extended family for my birthday. I played 36 holes of golf and went swimming and what-not. There that was brief. More stuff happened but meh.

So then I get back home and I have an email waiting for me from one of my professors. This particular professor totally loved me. During the spring he mentioned a programming job that he wanted me to apply for. It entailed programming a GUI (nerd speak for Graphical User Interface) for a supply-chain monitoring program that was gonna be developed by someone else who knew stuff about supply-chains. I thought that was great because I'm studying graphics and it sounds fine. Well nothing ever came of it. But this email that was welcoming me home asked if I was still interested in the project. I of course replied that I was since I've been doing jack or crap or jack crap so far this summer (no innuendos intended). So he sets up a meeting with him, me and the other professor involved to "talk about the project" and "see if [I'm] a good fit for the job." I went. And I got totally bum-rushed...tag-teamed. One moment we were discussing the project, I was realizing it had little to do with graphics and was less than interested, and they were saying things like "if turns out you are a good fit fo the job..." and the next they're saying, "well we'd like you to start on monday so if you can fill out the proper paper work before the weeks end that'd be great." I didn't know what to do. I didn't know whether I wanted it or not and I didn't wanna disappoint this professor so I chickened out on being like, "whoa whoa gentleman, I haven't even agreed to do this yet"...I was so trapped...it was like fricking blitz-krieg. Walking out of the meeting I was talking more with one of the professors and he asked me, "So when do you graduate." "Probably next May." "Ohhhh good, we can probably finish the entire project by then." WT-Fricking-F. I emailed my professor after the meeting and backed out of the whole thing very gracefully. He still likes me. I told him that my focus was graphics and I didn't wanna get tied down to a non-graphics project. It was pretty crazy though, they really tried to trap me.

In other news Jon and I have no food. We've been living off packets of rice for a long while now. Despite this, the last time we went to the store we made the following purchases: Pork (to be eaten later that night), eggs, shredded cheese, bread, beer, and ice cream sandwiches.

Lastly for this post I want to encourage everyone to go check out Loose Change 2nd edition. It challenges the official story of 911 and is rather interesting. I feel like I've already mentioned it but I don't see it on this blog.

k love you all,
in Christ,
jason

N.T.M.Q. "That's the thing with dames, sometimes all they gotta do is let it out and a few buckets later there's no way you'd know. "

It was hot in the apartment and uh...we don't have an air conditioner yet and uh...I was sick of my mullet so uh....
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So I buzzed my hair off.
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My hair.
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Notice anything strange about this picture?
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Jon spilled rice on his chest and the intensity of Tiger Woods Golf necessitated that he leave it until we finish our round.
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Jon's GameFace just before his stroke...golf stroke that is in Tiger Woods Golf.
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Jon's GameFace just after he lands safely in the fairway.
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Jon falls through our camping chair out on our 9th story balcony (why do they call it a story?). The funniest part is that he didn't even pause in what he was saying, it wasn't till I started laughing that he stopped talking.
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Rockford, Camping, and Beyond

I've been busy lately let me tell you. And I am...going to tell you...because this is where I talk about my life and you all feign interest right?

Last friday I went back to Rockford for Mother's Day weekend. I hung out with my sister julie Friday night. We went to dinner at Mary's Market because our usual spot, Fazzoli's like just decided to stop existing. What's the deal...anyone know? They seemed to have pulled out of Rockford or did they go out of business nationwide? Then we went to see a certain someone & Starlight Radio play a concert at Meg's Daily Grind on Alpine. This was so awesome. The certain someone was really good and Starlight Radio had to play with a stripped down sound since the space was limited and it sounded all really excellent. Nothing like coffee and chill music.

Saturday Julie and I went Mother's Day gift/card shopping in the morning, marcus ditched me in the afternoon (Holly, I'm calling you from now on), and I went to dinner with the 'rents and the grand'rents in the evening.

Sunday was brunch at Forest Hills and then I ran for the hills of Minnesota to go camping with Bristol, & Erik and Claire Johnson. This was a blast. We got lost on the way there...slightly, because Erik was navigating (sorry dood). But we found the Sedan in the middle of Minnesota. More correctly, the town of Sedan. It was in the middle of the night and we went through this totally creepy town that had toasters hanging from trees (I wish I were joking...we took pictures).

Also, Everyone told us the weather would suck but, as if just for us, we never saw rain. We did hear it in the middle of the last night we were camping, but that's it. We day-hiked. We peaked a killer 1352ft...hill & dipped in the freezing lake. We played lots of Crack the Case, an awesome minute mystery game that I love (aaron I know you feel me on this one). We also played Apples to Apples which I had never played before and from that game I would like to pose a question that arose. What's more mysterious...Stone Henge or Pengiuns? Come on. Penguins are like birds but they don't fly, their feathers are all oily and look like suede, they swim under water and survive in some of the coldest places on earth...hasn't anyone seen march of the Penguins?

So this went on from Sunday night till Wednesday morning. Then we took Claire back to the Twin Cities, stopped at a tiny town that had a military tank that we climbed and good ice cream, and camped in Wisconsin Wednesday night right near the House on the Rock. And we went there Thurday morning. I was tickled pink...er something. It was awesome is my point. I love that place. Bristol had never been there and she had even read a story that had scenes that took place there. I love that place...really. I decided it's gotta be the DisneyWorld of the Midwest. If you haven't been there...go there.

Then I had a packed weekend socially because I made it back to Chicago on Friday to find out that my brother, my good friend from college Emily, and my parents were gonna be in Chicago at various times throughout the weekend. I went to dinner with my parents and bro Friday, breakfast with Emily Saturday morning, and the Lincoln Park Zoo with my bro on Saturday afternoon. Then Sunday was church and awesome breakfast food at the Original Pancake House with Bristol and her friend Chelsea.

So yeah, that was all probably totally boring but I gotta do what I gotta do...report stuff.

Hopefully pictures will come soon.

All your comments were very well appreciated and enjoyable to read.

So it looks like Gummi Worms win (although sarah's defense for why gummi worms are better made me rethink gummi bears, she said gummi worms because we all like to eat bugs every now and again, but man how awesome is it to be eating a frickin' bear! It's like you are defying nature). Nimalee, you should expand on your thoughts girl...I wanna know the WHY. Although, you know I totally agree.

Sarah, bacon on hamburgers is totally sweet, your opinion on burgers has been disqualified.

I mean speeding up a hill Sarah...Nick is totally reckless.

General announcement...Viv is Aussie so that's why most of you Americans reading her comments might be confused. Oz is another name for Australia. I don't think I had those lollies while I was in Australia girl...I missed out.

Mike Papes comment rocked so much I have to post it here:
"I'm glad you finally asked. I don't care about BBQ sauce, but ketchup definitely needs to go on hamburgers, and mustard on hot dogs/brats/italians/polish sausages/anything shaped like that. Texans get this wrong all the time. I have come up with a clever rhyme that expresses this rule:
Don't be a rube, use mustard if its shaped like a tube.If it's shaped like a patty, use ketchup, you fatty."

I love it.

in Christ,
jason

N.T.M.Q.
"Girl: So, you've got children?
Guy: No, but I was hoping you could help me with that.
Girl: So, you want me to marry you then?
Guy: It's a bit sudden but alright."

This vs. That

I had myself a nice little wednesday I must say. I went frolfing today (those who aren't down with the lingo, that is frisbee golfing...yes it is exists, there is even a PDGA: Pro Disc Golf Association). I sucked basically. Everything was shanking off to the left which is just a sign that I need to increase the spin I put on the disc among other things. I went with my YE friends Nick, Seth, and Becka. They're fun people.

We then got some stuff together and grilled out. And this is where the "This vs. That" trend began. We got in several discussions about mundane Seinfeldian things. I'd like some votes in the comments section if you would please.

"Bbq vs. Ketchup": when do you apply bbq to a burger and when do you use ketchup. Nick was very adamant that when including bacon on a burger you should go with bbq sauce. I disagreed. Thoughts?

"Speeding up a steep hill is dangerously reckless vs. it's just good fun": I'd like to see someone effectively defend the second position...I know Nick couldn't stand up to me on this one.

"Willow Creek is overally extravagant vs. it's honoring God with it's indoor waterfall and book center": Despite my sarcastic tone I came out nearer to the first position. This wasn't so much an argument either...Nick and I definitely discussed this one with no clear division between us.

"Gummy worms vs. Gummy bears": To end off the evening bristol and I tossed this discussion around. I had some pretty concrete points that gummy worms are better but who knows...let me hear your opinions.

So I'm going to bed now...well, I'm playing some Mario Sunshine and then going to bed.

love you all,
in Christ,
jason

I went to my friend Sam's wedding in LA, CA this weekend. This is him urinating on his fence after a really good cuban cigar and some shots of jack.
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Sam and Kristine say their vows.
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A funny sign on the jetway
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Another funny sign on the jetway.
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The picture of the guy jumping onto the inflated slide in the plane instruction manual was totally sweet. He had a molester stache and her arms are extended.
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This was a blue band that played in my favorite coffee shop in Chicago located in Bridgeport (a neighborhood). Apparently they have anywhere between 15 and 36 members or so. They never know which are gonna show up for a gig. It was totally sweet.
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So Brian and I got together to get 120 stars in Mario64 in just one sitting...it took us like 13 hours or something.
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Brian and I push the jump button together to aquire the 120th star.
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Seth, one of my YE buddies, tries to distract his opponents in Cranium.
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Jon looking creepy.
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My cous kevin sports a tiny jacket while bowling...he cracks me up.
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My fantastic bowling form.
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This roll actually happened in a game of Risk.
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I was looking particularly studly so I just had to take a picture.
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Michael Glabicki does some solo stuff at Kryptonite and I was there!
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Today

I woke up...that was pretty sweet.

I'm actually checking myspace like daily. By daily I mean the last two consecutive days. So maybe this trend will continue who knows?

I started playing Mario Sunshine yesterday. I was able to finally crack it open since I beat Resident Evil 4 (which was totally sweet). I like it...I'm planning on beating it in one sitting at some point (Brian?). It's basically Mario64 with a face lift. A lot of the same basic moves exist with some new tricks that make it most entertaining!

I might be working at Midway Games this summer! I'm currently being evaluated. If I get this job Jon says that I have to promise to bring games home. I don't know about that, but it would be pretty good pretty good.

Well that's it for now.

in Christ,
jason

Craziness Completed

Okay, so I promised an actual update in my last post so here goes. [deep breath].

I'm a grad student at University of Illinois at Chicago working on my masters in Computer Science with a total focus on computer graphics. You can see some stuff I've been doing here: http://www2.uic.edu/~jgorsk2.

The semester is finally over! I had a crazy finals...fortnight...and then I flew immediately too California to attend my x-college-blind-roommate Sam's wedding. It was awesome. I love that guy so much. Him and Kristine are totally right for each other too. I had a fantastic time meeting new people, and chilling with old friends from college. Shout out to Nimalee, Maria, and Ester, and any other rockin family members and friends I met. And of course hanging out with the hawkeye alum was so fun.

I flew into Burbank on thursday and got picked up by Sam's parents. Then I met like a ton of his extended, very puerto-rican, family. I was the only friend there at this point. I met his aunts Ester and Maria-Alaina and really enjoyed chatting with them. We went to a terrible chinese buffet where sam proceeded to eat pretty much the grossest things there.

Anyways, I was pretty tired the whole time because I was running on the least amount of sleep I can remember sustaining for a week. But we hung out all through till sunday. The wedding was on saturday.

So, I volunteered to sorta shuffle people around all weekend in Kristine's car and let me tell you, I'm usually really good with directions, but it was a no-go this past weekend. I got lost picking people up from the train station...got lost coming back from LAX after dropping people off sunday morning...and worst of all, Kristine's car ran out of gas on the way to the wedding. Me and the people I was driving missed the first 20min while I ran in my suit to the nearest gas station and back. Terrible.

Well, I'm back in chicago now...i will try and post pictures soon. Take luck.

in Christ,
jason

Man O

So I checked myspace today and good garsh people are pushy about me keeping my life online.

Here's the thing, if you want me to update this site, check myspace, and reply to emails then you need to hassle me in the real world. You need to call me and hassle me. Do it! Even if you call and are like "Check your myspace dick" and hang up, or "I'm bored with your f#$%ing blog, change it" ... that'd be cool.

Anyway, I can't update much right now because I'm in California attending Sam's wedding (you know, my blind roommate from college). I'm having a frickin blast though.

Also, I don't have much going on for the summer so hopefully I will be posting more often...I love you all!

in Christ,
jason