Snaarsissism nixed? Check out the Elegant Snaarsiverse!

I have recreated this blog on WordPress and titled it "Elegant Snaarsiverse." If you like this blog, please check out the new version at http://snaars.wordpress.com/ and let me know what you think.

It's time for some sort of change, whether I end up staying with wordpress or not. Snaarsissism is a good running joke, but it's not truly what the blog is about.

When I come to any dramatic realizations in relation to what this blog is about, I'll let you know, dear reader.

Blog update: time to hang up the old header.

Since I've been blogging again recently I decided to update my profile. My old profile was more of a blog description anyway, and since I was getting tired of the old header, I moved the description from the profile and put it in the blog header.

The old header read:

Welcome. Rejoice at the discovery of this website, for your eyes do not deceive you. Truly I say unto you, the universe is One, dynamic, and flowing with creative beinghood. Do not deny what you know to be true. Prepare your deepest self for the life-journey that is snaaaaaaaaaars.

Snaars Times

Here's a brief update for my online friends. Sorry I haven't been in touch the last few months. I've been working two jobs. When I am home I spend a lot of time with the snaars spouse and snaars kids.

It's hard to believe Saadia turned one year old last month - but it's true. Simcha is in kindergarten and Havilah is in the second grade. They are, each of them, fantastic kids. Every day there's something I want to write about. They provide me with enough material that I could write a full-length post every day, if I had the time and energy.

Yesterday Havilah told me she loves science, but she doesn't like math, and she wants to be a figure skater when she grows up. Lately, her favorite game to play as a family has been "20 questions."

Today I watched from our apartment balcony as Simcha nervously crossed the street all by herself on her way to the neighborhood playground. While Simcha participates in "20 questions," she much prefers "I spy with my little eye," which is basically the same, only easier.

Saadia has a glowing personality, and is working hard at breaking in tooth number eight and tooth number nine. While I was comfortably seated on the balcony watching Havilah and Simcha in the playground across the street, Saadia discovered the unique and satisfying sound an orange makes when it is dropped from the third story to the concrete below.

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I would like to draw your attention to the new scarlet letter "A" in the sidebar. This is the official symbol of Richard Dawkins's atheist OUT Campaign. Since I came out as an atheist about two years ago, and because this very website was instrumental in that regard, I felt it was appropriate to add the A here.

This blog's address has been added to the OUT Campaign's blogroll, but it took some doing. Initially, the OUT Campaign's site administrator thought that my site had been hacked by Christians! I thought: "Oh my, that administrator didn't take much time to read it, did he?" I supposed that my spiritualized theme had caused confusion! In fact, there was a typo in my submission. The administrator was looking at snaars.blogpot.com. (Blogpot, you see?)

Anyway, it's all fixed now. I plan to peruse some of the other sites on the blogroll, maybe make some more friends.

Perhaps I'll provide some details on my employment situation next time.

site update

Added all sorts of post labels today. They're not perfect because they're still somewhat inconsistently applied, but I like having them. Enjoy! Who likes my new profile picture?

The Veil is Torn

The veil has been lifted. Now anyone can view the snaarsliest of snaarsies.

(Keep your thoughts pure. Don't go blind!)

post labels

Today I've started putting labels on all the posts in the archive. It's a lot of work, but it will be worth it. Anyone that clicks on the labels links for the next couple of weeks should keep in mind that I'm still working on them.

Adieu

I've completely run out of steam where blogging is concerned. I thought I was going to write a series on objective morality, but it is just not going to happen.

I think my blogging phase has run its course. I've worked through the issues that I needed to work through, and a lot of it was on other writers' blogs.

I just don't have the time to spare! What I've been doing this past year has not been working well.

I need to re-think my career strategy, by which I mean I need a job that can sustain my family. Blogging is a luxury I can no longer afford. Survival has to come first.

The financial crisis continues. I don't think we'll end up homeless - but I do need more focus. There was a long period there where the blog provided a much-needed escape and safe avenue for expression. Now I consider it a distraction at best.

This blog never fulfilled its potential - by which I mean that I always wanted to do it better, and more regularly, and I have always been a little disappointed for not being able to take the time to do it right.

I've had a few good posts, and had some good interactions.

Thank you, all my snaarsissistic friends. I may or may not post on occasion. I will continue to visit your blogs once-in-a-while. In time, perhaps there will be a resurrection ...?

Retrospective, Prospective

I went back through the ol' archives last night. I'm happy with the quality of my writing generally; I just wish I could turn out a bit more of it! The first few months saw a fair amount of output. The past year has been sporadic, with a few good posts out there nonetheless.

Can't believe the blog has been around two years!

I don't know if I've written of it in this space previously, but my dad used to tell me: "Son, if you don't ever want to worry about making a lot of money, just major in English or Philosophy." Incidentally, his bachelor's degree is in English.

Interestingly, I predicted my current career situation during my very first month of blogging ("Amateur," January 28, 2005). Lately I've come to realize there's an element of self-fulfillment involved in that prophecy. I'll just say, I've learned a lot about myself the last year. There's been plenty of genuine hardship to boot, so I can't take upon myself all the blame. There was just no way of predicting some of the things that happened.

When I learned about the features available in the new blogger beta, I chose to convert to a private blog. When it all started, I freely and cheerfully distributed the address among my friends and family. I was secretly disappointed in the lack of response. Now I believe it quite probably that my in-laws have read it and will continue to read it. They have proven to be quite vindictive and I have no desire to have contact with them. I don't think they deserve to know anything about my family; and yet I find I do not wish to deprive myself of an outlet.

I toyed with the idea of changing the URL of the blog, but an internet search for my daughters' unusual names would undoubtedly unearth it. The only other option would be deletion, and I'm unwilling.

Here's to my new and lucrative career (whatever it might turn out to be), and to a time when I can once again publish in public, and to good blogging in the coming year!

Snaarsissism goes private

If you are reading this, then you are part of an exclusive club. Aren't you honored? Enjoy!

(Sorry there's no new material. More to come soon. I've not given up.)

Using blog as a release or escape

Hello. My name is Snaars, and I am a blogger. I use my blog to ease the stress of daily life. I've written a lot of things I'm not proud of, but that's a fact and that's who I am.

I read somewhere that the biggest stressors are lifestyle changes, financial problems, moving, having a baby, going through a divorce, and changing jobs or careers. In the past year and a half I've openly "come out" as an atheist, graduated from college, moved twice, and changed jobs three times. Oh, and had a baby!

Probably the icing on the cake was that five-month debacle with my in-laws while we lived with them. We're still not talking to one another, and we moved out six months ago. We've done everything we can to mend relationships, to no avail. I think they are the poster children of familial dysfunction. We should have heeded the warning signs before we agreed to move in, but we just didn't know how bad they were. It really hurts that they choose to push us away - but then again, who needs people like that, anyway? I just wish we hadn't made ourselves so vulnerable, because we're sure paying for it now.

I've always had a tight budget, but this is the first time in my life that my monthly expenses have exceeded my monthly income.

The worst part is not having clear goals, other than finding a way to survive.

I'm willing to work and do whatever "it" takes - but I don't know what "it" is! My only real desire other than to provide for my family and raise my children well, is to go on to graduate school. But, I don't know how to accomplish that while we are still floundering.

computers suck

This new template is fun, but I'm having difficulties customizing it. The other night, it took me about two hours to figure out the code to get my clock displaying properly.

Now I want to create extra sidebar boxes for links to other sites, and for any other stuff I might want to put there. I want them to be different colors. Problem is, all the code I know is self-taught, and there's something about the structure of this new template that I'm not getting. I think it's the style sheets. There must be something about the way they work that's going over my head.

Ah well, I'll figure it out. Eventually. [sigh] The old template was so much easier.

On a positive note - I think I finally got my laptop computer running smoothly. For the first time ever! The thing's about - oh, I don't know, nine or ten months old. It crashed every time I turned around, had slow bootups and shutdowns, and several times it would not boot into Windows and I had to use Dell's PC restore feature, losing all my personal files and settings in the process. I tried all sorts of tune-ups, nothing worked. I even wiped the hard drive and did a clean install. Didn't work.

I went to Dell's tech support forums and found that a lot of Dell customers are really pissed that their computers don't work.

Dell kept telling me it was a software or malware problem. I didn't buy into that because I've never had problems on my desktop, on which I run all the same software and visit the same - reputable and safe - internet sites.

I visited tech forums, I researched Microsoft and Dell knowledge base articles, I googled the error messages I received. KB articles suggested that it might be a hard drive problem or some kind of hardware conflict. I ran all sorts of diagnostics, and was frustrated because all the hardware ran perfectly. I updated drivers. I downloaded updates. I disabled hardware deviced one by one and in groups. Nothing worked.

I even upgraded my memory to 1 gig.

Turns out it was the OS. Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. When you install .net framework before certain other critical OS updates, some components of the registry get corrupted and everything goes haywire.

It's taken me literally months of research, and I finally happen upon this information by chance. That made me mad, because from what I've read there are LOTS of people with this problem.

On top of that, Microsoft's recommended solution did not work, and THAT is not unusal, either.

I googled again and found a blog site run by a software developer who had the same problem. He he took matters into his own hands and wrote a little program that un-registers all the MCE components and then re-registers them. I figured it was worth the risk, so I downloaded his program and ran it.

I used to avoid running all mce features because of the increased chance of a crash. Now my computer is all-around faster, and I have not seen one of the error messages that I used to see. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Countdown

Well friends (if anyone's still reading),

I wish I had found more time to write lately. There's been no shortage of things to write about; i just haven't had the time.

I'm packing up the computer and I don't know when I'll be able to resume blogging. There's just so much to do.

What we've done, basically, is tear down our lives in order to build new ones in Delaware - or wherever we end up ... could be Maryland or Pennsylvania.

I'm currently unemployed. They had a great going-away party for me at work. That was touching. I'll have no shortage of good references, anyway.

My parents are arriving at the Lafayette airport around 4 this afternoon. Tomorrow we pick up the moving truck and load it. Wednesday morning we start driving. We will arrive Friday afternoon at the home of my in-laws, which will be our home until we can make better arrangements.

It's all about family and the ones we love. Life is good. Fresh starts are good. We'll miss the ones we leave behind.

Wish us luck, friends. We'll "see" you after we get settled.

We have a winner!

The blog naming competition is over.

"Snaarsissism" wins! (Congratulations, Ron. Your prize is getting to see the title you invented on the one and only genuine snaars site.)

Thank you everyone for your imaginative responses.

naming competition and new photos

Thank you one and all for your contributions. The naming competition continues.

So far, the list of prospective titles* includes:

• The Magnificent Snaars
• Conceited Snaars
• Chippy Snaars
• ... I'll get back to you
• I'm thinking....
• Soar with Snaars
• Snore with Snaars
• ... I'll give it some more thought.
• Through the Third Wall with Snaars
• Omega Snaars Prime: More Than Meets the Eye
• Snaar Wars
• Snaars-issistic Sermons
• Snaarsissism
• Snaarsimus Prime
• Roll your Rs with Snaars
• Don't contract SARS; stay home and read Snaars
• Pungent Snaars
• Shtick with Snaars
• Minion Snaars
• Sentience Snaars
• Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Snaars
• Suave, Sophisticated Snaars
• The Inscrutable/Insightful/Insidious Snaars
• Semiotic Snaars
• Semiliterate Snaars
• Spastic Snaars
• Snaarsilicious
• Simply Snaars
• A Snaars by Any Other Name
• Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Snaars
• Snaars the Subversive
• definitive Snaaring
• Snaars: He's Almost As Cool As Mayfly
• enSNAARed
• Citizen Snaars

I'm gratified by the efforts to help me choose a name for the blog; however, some do not seem to be approaching the project with the proper spirit. I won't name names, but if one contributor had been born a Native American in Louisiana, (of the Kosati or Choctaw tribe, say) instead of in Canada, then he might be named "Snoring with Alligators."

While you all try to think up some REAL titles, feel free to view some recent pictures at my photoblog.

* Updated periodically as new suggestions come in.

Name the Snaars blog competition!!!

I kicked the google ads to the curb. They didn't contribute much to the site other than a little running joke*.

When I started this site, I thought it would be a place to do a little philosophy, and to keep in touch with family and friends. I have found myself reluctant to post anything seriously philosophical, mostly because it takes so much work. Also, there are plenty of good sites and discussion forums out there already.** Most of my family and friends have strictly avoided this blog.***

So the blog has not fulfilled its intended purposes. Nevertheless it has been fruitful. I have had the pleasure of "meeting" and interacting with some insightful and interesting and wonderful people. I have enjoyed taking the time to do a little creative writing, which is good for me.

The time has come for me to re-evaluate this endeavor. I would like to get some feedback because I enjoy writing for an audience.

The feedback I would like is in the following form. I would like everyone to suggest a new title for the blog. Titles should have the word "snaars" in them****. In a few sentences, explain and defend your suggestion. Why should I use your title?

The "winner" will get the satisfaction of seeing the name he or she chose adorning the top left-hand corner of the page whenever s/he visits!

* I'm so sorry, you pitiful simple-minded manic zombie clicking robot consumerist insomniac shop-a-holic. I'm closing up shop. Go get your google ad candy somewhere else! You disgust me.
** And these are generally eclipsed by the huge number of bad ones.
*** My Mom posted once. My wife has posted maybe three times. Arglor has posted, but he has his own blog, which I vist frequently. I think that's been it.
**** In a sense befitting the awe, veneration and sheer wonderment engendered by that name.

Where's my inner artist?

I was checking out some other random blogs today. A lot of people just write about their feelings. They get so passionate about things. I'm passionate about things, too ... but I notice that I don't seem to express my feelings anymore. That is, I don't do it very much or very often. I don't seem to dwell so much on my feelings as do a lot of other people out there. Some of these folks seem to me to do a lot of feeling and not much thinking.

I'm very cautious about my feelings. I try not to react emotionally to things. I mean, I'm aware that I have feelings, but i try not to make decisions based solely on feelings. Maybe that's one reason I've studied philosophy ... I realized that I was making bad decisions based on whatever I happened to be feeling at the time. I figured there had to be a better way to go about leading this life.

Still, my feelings are very important to me. A certain amount of objectivity is important in decision-making, but it has never been my goal to become a robot. Our passions are what make life interesting. I'm going to work on expressing my feelings more. I should get a hobby that provides that kind of outlet. (Or is that why I started this blog?) Anyway, I'm going to work on it.

A new beginning

Just created my own blog. On a whim. I hope this will be a good way to hone my writing skills. I want to just type and let the thoughts flow. This is the area of my writing that needs the most work. Once the thoughts are out, I can refine them.

Issues of the day:
175,000 estimated dead from the tsunami, and my customer is upset because she still hasn't gotten the customized plaque she ordered as a Christmas present. I'm sorry, really I am. But she needs to get a sense of proportion.

Graduation in May and I am apprehensive. What will I do afterward? Michelle and I want a house of our own, but we also want to be in a good school district just in case homeschooling doesn't work for us. So many things to think about. Still, I intend to enjoy this last semester to the fullest. Metaphysics and phil of law are good classes. Also taking a fitness course and a management course in small group dynamics.

This morning got up at 6:30 and exercised. Felt good but now I am completely winding down and it's only 3pm. Of course, this is no different from any other day, so I'm still glad I exercised. But today is a little different in that I think I'm going to have to get to bed early.

I don't know why I started this. So far I'm just rambling on about mundane inconsequentials. Oh well. i'll try to make it a habit anyway, 'cause it's good for me.