Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Justin Grays' LiveJournal:

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Saturday, May 5th, 2012
7:02 pm	The MS Walk is in 11 hours! Hello all. Tomorrow (6 May 2012) is the walk, and I will begin walking the path with my team at 8AM CDT (6AM PDT, 9AM EDT, 2PM BST, 3PM CEST, Midnight on Monday VUT, 1AM on Monday NZST). As a team, we have raised $1,805 so far; you all combined have donated $260 of that amount. I want to thank you for donating so much, especially in these hard times; I know how hard it is to be able to give, and your efforts are going to go a long way: your tax-deductible gift helps fund cutting-edge research and programs and services for people affected by MS. Movement is something many of us take for granted, but for people living with MS, movement isn't a guarantee. Support me and together we'll move forward on behalf of those who cannot. Donate online by clicking on the link at the bottom of this message or by sending a check to the National MS Society, Minnesota Chapter, 200 12th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415. Please write my first and last name and Walk MS in the memo line. We all know either somebody with MS or somebody who has a person with MS close to them, and I appreciate your helping put an end to MS. If you are able to, or know someone who wants to help out, it is not too late to donate. Just follow this link: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/MNMWalkEvents?px=10657813&pg=personal&fr_id=17313 For more information about the National MS Society, how proceeds from Walk MS are used or the other ways you can Join the Movement® to end MS, please visit walkMS.org. Current Mood: accomplished (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, April 23rd, 2012
12:22 am	The MS Walk is in less than 2 weeks! Hello, my dear friends and family. Multiple sclerosis stops people from moving and I want to make sure it doesn't. And so, that is why I'm participating in the MS Walk. Please help me celebrate hope for the future and move toward a world free of MS by supporting my fundraising efforts. Your tax-deductible gift helps fund cutting-edge research and programs and services for people affected by MS. I will be walking on May the 6th, which is just under two weeks away. We all know someone who has MS, or knows someone who is close to a person with MS. Therefore; I walk for those who can no longer, because we want to find a way to put an end to MS. Movement is something many of us take for granted, but for people living with MS, movement isn't a guarantee. Support me and together we'll move forward on behalf of those who cannot. Donate online by clicking on the link at the bottom of this message or by sending a check to the National MS Society, Minnesota Chapter, 200 12th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415. Please write my first and last name and Walk MS in the memo line. For more information about the National MS Society, how proceeds from Walk MS are used or the other ways you can Join the Movement® to end MS, please visit walkMS.org. View my page or donate here: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/MNMWalkEvents?px=10657813&pg=personal&fr_id=17313 Current Mood: hopeful (Comment on this)
Thursday, April 5th, 2012
11:28 am	MS Walk 2012 is in 31 days! My dear friends and family, Your participation makes a difference in the lives of people affected by MS, and we all know someone with MS or know someone who knows someone with MS. If you have the means to, please support my Walk MS: Christopher & Banks Walk presented by Walser, which benefits the National MS Society. Multiple sclerosis stops people from moving, and the National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. Please help by making a donation — large or small, anything at all — to move closer to a cure for MS. You can also join me on the day of the event. Become a participant and side by side we will move together to raise funds that make a difference. We walk in 31 days. I appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress. Imagine a world free of multiple sclerosis — it can happen with your help. Yours most truly, Justin Grays Click here to visit my personal page and make a secure, online donation. To send a donation: Make all checks payable to: National MS Society Please note my name and Walk MS on your check. Ask me for my address to mail donations to me directly. Current Mood: hopeful (Comment on this)
Wednesday, April 4th, 2012
2:30 pm	More non-specific advice. On 21 Jan 12, I made a Facebook status that said, "Time for more advice. And go." Here is the advice: jmanna: Buy high, sell low! No...wait... jmanna: A bird in the hand is worth three beavers? jmanna: A stitch in time saves seven of nine. Betsy H: Don't eat yellow snow... it's NOT Mt. Dew. T Saidak: Stay away from the race tracks - it's the only place I know where the windows clean the people.... Myndie T: Believe in yourself! T Lopes: IT'S A TRAP!!! B Conley: ‎42 B Conley: Do NOT listen to advice. C Neumiller: Do a barrel roll! Annie W: All advice is autobiographical. M Farrell: You will never be good enough, so fuck it all and do what you want. Haters gonna hate. 4dramatic_flair: Don't walk naked in a snowstorm. Cale A: Never drink anything stronger than Gin before breakfast. Also, never pet a burning dog. ihateswine ‎1. never get less than 12 hours' sleep 2. never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city 3. never date a woman who has a tattoo of a dagger on her body stick with that, everything else is cream cheese M Griffiths: Don't eat the flowers christmonger: Never play leapfrog with a unicorn Jessica D: Always wear clean underwear. Dowg: dont stand up in a canoo sarahfish: Exercise at least 3x per week! E Salo: Use bombs wisely. Allana O: Nuke the Whales A Norstedt: Whey protein powder: Just say no. Allana O: trust your new years resolution Current Mood: amused (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, March 25th, 2012
10:22 am	MS Walk 2012 My dear friends and family, Your participation makes a difference in the lives of people affected by MS, and we all know someone with MS or know someone who knows someone with MS. If you have the means to, please support my Walk MS: Christopher & Banks Walk presented by Walser, which benefits the National MS Society. Multiple sclerosis stops people from moving, and the National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. Please help by making a donation — large or small, anything at all — to move closer to a cure for MS. You can also join me on the day of the event. Become a participant and side by side we will move together to raise funds that make a difference. I appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress. Imagine a world free of multiple sclerosis — it can happen with your help. Yours most truly, Justin Grays Click here to visit my personal page and make a secure, online donation. To send a donation: Make all checks payable to: National MS Society Please note my name and Walk MS on your check. Ask me for my address to mail donations to me directly. Current Mood: hopeful (Comment on this)
Sunday, March 11th, 2012
11:03 pm	It's hard to break the cycle of emotions. I am convinced that I will be forever alone. I am alone because I believe that I will be alone (or so they tell me). I believe that I will be alone because experience has taught me that I will be alone. Experience has taught me that I will be alone because I am alone more often than not. I am alone more often than not because I never learned to form long-term relationships. I never formed long-term relationships because I am told that I am not worth being with. I have been told that I am not worth being with because I am forever alone. ... Might as well get used to it. Still have 3-7 decades left of this adventure. Current Mood: depressed (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, February 26th, 2012
2:42 pm	Haven't done one of these in a while. What Kind of D&D Character Would You Be? (version 5.1EZ based on NEPPYMAN'S version 4.10) http://easydamus.com/character.html I Am A: Neutral Good Elf Wizard (4th Level) Ability Scores: Strength-13 Dexterity-15 Constitution-10 Intelligence-15 Wisdom-11 Charisma-13 Alignment: Neutral Good A neutral good character does the best that a good person can do. He is devoted to helping others. He works with kings and magistrates but does not feel beholden to them. Neutral good is the best alignment you can be because it means doing what is good without bias for or against order. However, neutral good can be a dangerous alignment when it advances mediocrity by limiting the actions of the truly capable. Race: Elves are known for their poetry, song, and magical arts, but when danger threatens they show great skill with weapons and strategy. Elves can live to be over 700 years old and, by human standards, are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. Elves are slim and stand 4.5 to 5.5 feet tall. They have no facial or body hair, prefer comfortable clothes, and possess unearthly grace. Many others races find them hauntingly beautiful. Class: Wizards are arcane spellcasters who depend on intensive study to create their magic. To wizards, magic is not a talent but a difficult, rewarding art. When they are prepared for battle, wizards can use their spells to devastating effect. When caught by surprise, they are vulnerable. The wizard's strength is her spells, everything else is secondary. She learns new spells as she experiments and grows in experience, and she can also learn them from other wizards. In addition, over time a wizard learns to manipulate her spells so they go farther, work better, or are improved in some other way. A wizard can call a familiar- a small, magical, animal companion that serves her. With a high Intelligence, wizards are capable of casting very high levels of spells. Find out What Kind of Dungeons and Dragons Character Would You Be?, courtesy of Easydamus (e-mail) Current Mood: sick (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
12:24 am	So, what do you think? So, after a discussion with friends, I was wondering what properties of wood do you find that I match? Choose three. There are some sites that have listings: http://www.bardwood.com/woods.htm http://www.dragonoak.com/Magical-Wood-Properties.html http://paganwiccaforum.com/node/19 Current Mood: curious (Comment on this)
Thursday, January 12th, 2012
10:46 pm	Non-specific advice. On 2 Jan 12, I made a Facebook status that said, "Advice. And go." Here is the advice: Luci R: keep the rubber side down aevumcaruivos: Don't stick your feet on the sides of moving escalators. They are cleverly disguised monsters just waiting to pull your shoes and not-swift-enough feet into their evil maws. Dave M: On what? Tom S: Avoid race tracks. The only place I know where the windows clean the people.... Susan W: Allow people to miss you. crystalstar: ‎*Bring water to a boil BEFORE adding the pasta. *Eat a banana at some point in the day before going swimming (or if swimming in the AM, eat it the night before). The potassium will work to prevent cramping. *Pay attention to expiration dates. They're there for a reason. *Shop at Aldi to save money, but don't trust the cheese. *Bite the bullet and pay for the checked bag when flying. Your carry on may end up on the other side of the plane from you, and who knows who will put their grubby mitts all over it before the plane lands. Camilla N: Enjoy hugs. Like yourself. Accept that you and life are not perfect. Allow for constructive dissatisfaction. :) Camilla N: Oh, and give up having bad days; limit yourself to bad moments. :D danny279: Don't waste time with people who don't like you for everything you are. And there's no such thing as saying "I love you" too much to the people you care about. For them or you, there may not be much time left. (That sounds depressing, but trust me on that one.) Michelle G: Don't sweat the small stuff, and don't pet the sweaty stuff. Unless the "sweaty stuff" is your lover. Then, pet away :) Theodora B: It is better to be pissed off than pissed on. Theodora B: Flammable and inflammable...same fuckin' thing. praecorloth: ‎1. You ask a girl out twice. After that, let her come to you if she will at all. 2. There's that thing. You know, that thing you should be doing. Yeah, do it. 3. There ain't many troubles a feller can't fix, with a quart of Jim Beam and a .30-06. 4. The troubles that can't be solved by #3 are very troublesome. Handle with care. 5. If you trust your data to Windows, you're going to run in to category #4 trouble. 6. All meat should have sea salt or kosher salt rubbed in before it is cooked. 7. For the love of all that's good and holy, don't forget your towel! (I'm surprised no one has mentioned this one yet.) Katie F: Don't eat the crab dip. YEEYEEEAH. never_again4: don't fear the reaper? praecorloth: Oh shit. I forgot. If anyone asks if you're a god, you say, "Yes!" Daniela C: Do more of what makes you happy. Do less of what makes you feel less then. Genna Z: Laugh as much as you can! Smile often, know you can do anything! red_oonagh: Cold wet is bad. idiosyncracy: Always look before you leap, and never send a finger to do a qtip's job. Cassie H: Do not fear mistakes- fear only the absence of creative, constructive, and corrective responses to those mistakes! Current Mood: contemplative (Comment on this)
Friday, January 6th, 2012
7:38 am	This came to mind as I was waking up. I do believe in fairies. They are real; it is true. They bring hope to life, and make our children’s dreams come true. I do believe in fairies. I have seen them, and so have you. They are real, they are tangible, and the children love them, so why don’t you? Current Mood: awake (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, December 26th, 2011
1:34 pm	For some reason, I sent out two alliterations to a friend of mine. Flamboyant flamingos flailing fun fiery feathers finally. Dangerous Dachshunds doing dirty dishes dangerously. Yeah, I don't know either. Perhaps more later. Current Mood: amused (Comment on this)
Friday, December 16th, 2011
10:57 am	Thought this up in the shower. As I stand alone in this long night of solace, I look to the horizon and remember how things use to be. Future dreams lay in ruins; the journey’s end is too near. The candle has burnt out; the fires have left without a shout. I call tranquility base to send me a signal home, for I want this trek through the undiscovered country to be over. Current Mood: listless (Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
10:16 pm	Hm... My Liberal Identity You are a Working Class Warrior, also known as a blue-collar Democrat. You believe that the little guy is getting screwed by conservative greed-mongers and corporate criminals, and you’re not going to take it anymore. Take the quiz at About.com Political Humor Current Mood: exhausted (Comment on this)
Thursday, December 8th, 2011
10:41 pm	What is wrong with me? The title is a rhetorical question. There is something in my head. It's whispering to me, "you can't possibly finish this paper and pass this class. You are going to fail. Accept it." That is, when it isn't calling me fat. I need to call to get an appointment to see someone at NIP, but that same thing is keeping me from getting tasks done. I need to get this something to shut up and let me go about my business. I need to finish this paper. 25 hours, 15 minutes until it is due. Crap. Current Mood: broken (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, November 12th, 2011
4:49 pm	Huh. I would have expected Hufflepuff. Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into? Current Mood: amused (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, November 8th, 2011
1:53 pm	I should get at least on Doctor userpic... On the 24th (on Facebook) I asked which Doctor I am most like. Aside from getting proctologist, Pepper, and Seuss, one person said either the 7th or 10th Doctor, and another said the 2nd Doctor (because I can be serious in my Fest clothes and can walk around with a male companion in a kilt and think nothing of it). What do you all think? Or perhaps I'm more like a different Doctor in your opinion? Why do you say? ^_^ Current Mood: curious (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
10:05 am	Calling Honor Harrington fans! Hello, all! Are you a fan of David Weber's Honor Harrington series of books? Interested in meeting like-minded people who are out to have fun? Then The Royal Manticoran Navy: An Honor Harrington Fan Association is the place for you! The Twin Cities Chapter, HMS Merlin, is the chapter that I belong to. We are currently planning game nights and events. The more, the merrier! Ultimately, you get out of the association what you put into it. If you join, you can show up to a couple of game nights or help out with community events! It's up to you. If you're interested at all, let me know! Current Mood: awake (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, October 13th, 2011
7:59 pm	Behind on posting notebook entries. 11106.19 The goals that I had set for myself may have been too much at once. Though I've made some progress on my homework (not enough, but it's a start), I have not touched my desk, nor have I been out on walks, nor have I done pushups. Lucas is right; baby steps are needed. Counseling has been helpful, though, in helping me get started on getting back in gear. My counselor leaves in August, so I don't know what I'll be doing after then. Oh, having a counselor through school! But that's how it is. But anyway, it has helped a bit, and perhaps I can get back into the fill swing of life. I hate walking alone, it seems; the last time that I did, I got really anxious very fast. The last time that I had tried, I got very anxious just standing at my door. Fortunately, Ninfea has been taking walks with me as of late, and on a fairly regular basis. Fiona and Genna have some exercise equipment that is small enough for me to take off of their hands, and for that I am very thankful. Let us hope that I start exercising again for the benefit of my health. That, and break my Dr. Pepper habit. Cleaning has been very difficult. Every time that I feel that I am making progress, I look around and see how far I actually have to go. It is very disheartening. But one step at a time. Baby steps. I haven't been writing much as of late. I have all of these ideas in my head, but as soon as I try to get it onto paper or my computer, it goes away. That is very annoying, to say the least. Could it be that there is too much going on in there? Is there a short-circuit that makes my brain fry whenever I try to use that channel? And what does that mean for NaNoWriMo? So many questions! So few answers! My service from T-Mobile seems to be acting wonky these days. I'm randomly losing cellular service while in my apartment without rhyme or reason. I didn't lose service in the past, either; this has been happening within the past month. I need to remember to tell Dad about that. While I'm thinking about it, I also need to tell him that my phone randomly restarts every so often. Aside form a spree of rebooting a couple of weeks ago, it seems to be happening about once a month, give or take, and has been for a long time. Not quite since I moved back to Minneapolis, though, but before the New Year, I think. Oh, the universe. For the record, I'm not going to the Basilica Block Party because I hate large crowds and I don't feel like using up the massive amounts of energy that it takes to deal with it. I'd rather stay home or go do something someplace less noisy and crowded. As for donations to the needy, I don'ate to food and clothing shelves. Greedy as it may sound, but I hold on to the $100/month that I make so that I can slow down the drain on my finances from rent and utilities. But that's just me. It looks like RenFest will not be feasible for me this year at all. This will be my last year of school. 11106.29 I never finished my thought in my last entry. It should have said something along the lines of "This will be my last year of school, so I have to put that first. On top of that, Metro State cut my financial aid, the state cut it further, and I'm goin gto have to work more to shore up some funds." Well, due to the events during PRIDE weekend, I may be able to attend Fest after all. I just have to check with Shannon about a place to stay, as well as with a variety of people who all offered to help with transportation. Hopefully I'll have a car next year, as well as a better financial situation. I just have to keep working at it. But, w00t, Fest. I may be getting back to rights; I got Module 1 of my homework done, and am working on Module 2. 2 & 3 need to be done before July 8th, so I need to keep at it (especially since I'll be at CON this weekend). Oh, and I need to stop at the library and return these books. And borrow Sula from Dad. Oh, stuff to do, stuff to do. I forgot to eat today. Oops. (Comment on this)
Saturday, August 13th, 2011
1:08 am	You disagree with me? Then I certainly do want to hear from you. As some of you may remember, I had posted a dream in early July. In the dream, the DoD contracted me out to teach gender studies and do sensitivity/acceptance training, and the people taking my class were less than receptive, throwing paper and the like when my back was turned. I have no idea why I had that dream, as nothing like that has ever crossed my mind, but there it was. But it was a dream, the brain playing things out subconsciously as the body regenerated. Anyway, I received a email that was headed with a line about the rest of the message meaning to be informative and without spite, and then proceeded to lecture me about walking in combat boots before lecturing the military. He also said that he realizes that I'm not trying to detract form the honour of the services, and that he believes that I'm trying to make the world "nicer" by targeting a collection of the "mean guys." He closed by saying, "Come play infantry and see if you still feel that we should receive 'nice guy classes.'" I was very confused and figured that he mistook my meaning of 'dream' to mean 'goal' or 'aspiration,' so I responded to him informing him as such, pointed out that I was in the service (for a very short time, which I'll elaborate on in a bit) and explaining that I understand the importance of the infantry, hoping that he'd understand that I'm not anti-military, and said the following in closing: "I understand that you don't want this to sound spiteful, and I can see how this dream could have been seen if you had missed the dreaming part, so I'll lay it out for future reference so that we can avoid further misunderstandings: I rag on the politicians or on society, not on our fighting forces. If I do have something to say about the infantry, it is about a specific person or persons if they screwed up egregiously. I apologize for any misunderstanding." After sending this out, I commented on my own post and made a new update that I had offended somebody by my dream and that I was disappointed; my friends on Facebook thought that it was ridiculous. With this, I had thought the matter was closed. I was wrong. A week later, I discovered that he sent me that message because it was the latest in a string of politically offensive statements that I have posted. He respects my freedom of opinion and doesn't want to restrict my free speech, he says, but since we have little in common, he didn't want to hear about my postings. He then said, "For the record, my objection to homosexuality has very little to do with alternative orientations. My objections are couched almost entirely in my frustrations with the lack of respect, decency and humility I see in the loud community - I maintain the same objections to heterosexuals who are just as loud with their orientation," told me that he withdraws instead of lets his anger get the better of him when people are unprofessional at him, and stands by his views about my dream. Well, that's that, I'd say. Aye? Apparently, I also come off to him as claiming to be a veteran of wars, a gloryhound. I really don't see how, and I declined to ask him. I've only mentioned that I've enlisted in the past, and that I wasn't in for very long, and I've only mentioned that if it is relevant to the topic at hand. If we stay on topic for another moment, I also say that I was in for a week before being hospitalized. Or perhaps I mention that I was in JROTC when I went to STA. I have some profile pictures of high school up, but who doesn't? I'm not a veteran. I had lots of pain, and I still have nightmares about my time at basic, but I AM NOT A VETERAN. If I ever mislead anybody about it, I want to apologize. That was never my intent; I only state things relevant to the conversation at hand. Why do I make this post? Well, two reasons. The second reason, actually, is because I wanted to apologize to anyone whom I accidentally mislead into believing that I am a veteran. I joined the navy. I was put in the hospital right away. It was a traumatic experience for me, and I did have to go to therapy after I got home finally. But I am not a veteran, I don't want to be called one, and I'm not to be treated like one. The main reason is because I'm politically offensive, and I want to hear from you! Do you disagree with me? Tell me! I post something that you don't agree with? Comment on the post! How are we, as a people, supposed to learn and grow and understand if we don't hear differing views? Then we become complacent, get lazy, don't do anything with our lives. Want to know one of the people whom I respect the most? Captain Billy Boland. Here's why: some time ago, I posted a Cracked article (5 Myths About the Military You Believe (Thanks to Movies)), and he told me what he thought about the article and what posting it meant to him. And you know what? We had a discussion about it. I see his view, and I believe that he saw mine. I respect that immensely. Discussion. Conversation. Multiple people growing. There is no way to get greater respect from me with opposing viewpoints than to have discussion. You know who else has great respect from me for this kind of reason? Courtney Skow. Will Vincent. Bekka Porth. Chris Neumiller. Larry Heller. Bent Angle. Often enough, we are on different sides of issues, and yet discussion has it out. No anger, no threats, just learning about each other and seeing different viewpoints. Ultimately, if I made you believe that you can't disagree with anything that I've said or posted, please know that I do want to hear from you! Feel free to comment! Let us grow and understand more and have discourse! Also, if I'm not responding to comments on a post, that is because I want to read what you all have to say without my interfering in any way (unless I have to steer the conversation back on topic). I want to see not only how you all interact, but what you all are saying without my colouring it any. Okay? Current Mood: contemplative (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, August 12th, 2011
6:29 pm	I want your opinion on something. One of the one bedroom apartments two floors up is opening up. I currently live in a studio. It is only $100/month more, and my savings have been increased due to working at the temp agency, and I can expect more work now and then. Should I go for it, or let it pass and wait for next time around? I forgot to mention: I'd be going from about 270 square feet to about 738 square feet. Current Mood: thoughtful (12 Comments |Comment on this)