Wandering aimlessly online I stumbled across this poem. It is very beautiful and I like it but I am having troble figureing out what it means. Read it and send you interpritation to me at somethingmorbid88@yahoo.com

Touchstone, The
by William Allingham

A man there came, whence none could tell,
Bearing a Touchstone in his hand;
And tested all things in the land
By its unerring spell.

Quick birth of transmutation smote
The fair to foul, the foul to fair;
Purple nor ermine did he spare,
Nor scorn the dusty coat.

Of heirloom jewels, prized so much,
Were many changed to chips and clods,
And even statues of the Gods
Crumbled beneath its touch.

Then angrily the people cried,
"The loss outweighs the profit far;
Our goods suffice us as they are
We will not have then tried."

And since they could not so prevail
To check this unrelenting guest,
They seized him, saying - "Let him test
How real it is, our jail!"

But, though they slew him with the sword,
And in a fire his Touchstone burn'd,
Its doings could not be o'erturned,
Its undoings restored.

And when to stop all future harm,
They strew'd its ashes on the breeze;
They little guess'd each grain of these
Convey'd the perfect charm.

North, south, in rings and amulets,
Throughout the crowded world 'tis borne;
Which, as a fashion long outworn,
In ancient mind forgets.

My aunt and I were planning to visit each other in DC. It was a pain in the ass to get all the plans together and several people started screaming at each other. The day before it all happened my aunt's boss finds out she wants to leave tomorrow and they won't let her because some guy is coming in and they want everthing done by the end of the week. So, that was a waste. But a relief at the same time. Everything was getting a bit much. Vacations can be so stressful.

My mother, a friend Bill, and myself went to French creek for a picnic. The food was good, escpecially my mother's potatoe salad. My mum then gave me a handfull of pretzels as desert. I don't like pretzels very much and found an oppurtunity to get rid of them. A goose family. I crumbled up three pretzels and threw it at them. They seemed to like it so I gave them more. Eventually there where over twenty geese eating these pretzels. Now, I really don't mind geese to much. But when there are twenty geese surrounding you and your family, hissing sharply for more food, you get a little freaked out. It was like that one Alfred Hitchcook movie "The Birds". My friend Bill thought it would be cool to have them eat out of his hand. So he got some bread and tried it. The geese seemed to like his fingers more than the bread. The hissing and the inconsistant "ow"'s became a constant background noise. I got very frightened at the hissing and continuous nipping. So I did what any somewhat rational person would do in the situation. I ran. And I refused to come back for 10 minutes when all the 20-some geese where gone.

There more to the story. It has to do with fishing, Irish men, and hot dog meat, but I don't feel like it right now.

Mark

by the way, this is the website I used http://www.geocities.com/superkickassdesign/l33t.html

try it out, it's pathetically amusing...

mY fR1eND d14N4 Ju$t $H0W3D M3 TH1$ oNe W385i+E +H@+ W1Ll tR@N5l4+3 wH@+EV3R J00 wr1TE IN +O le3T. i dON'T kn0W 3x4cTlY wh@+ L33T I5 BU+ IpH J00 c4n r3@d +H15 m35$4g3 j00 9eT th3 1dE4. i'M TErri8LY bOR3D. @nD i +RuLy h@Ve NO+h1ng b3tt3R t0 DO +H4N wR1tE +h1$ 5tUPId pO$T In l3E+. *$19h*

m4rk 1n l33+

I want to write an essay. I have this great idea for one. And I wrote a killer opening paragraph. It was great! But I was writing it in church and my one friend that I was sitting with wanted to chit chat with me and I wasn't able to finish it. It's a great idea, i swear it. Just the thought of it is really intelligent. But I don't know what I'm going to do with it once I write it. It's a mean idea. I don't think it is but I know others will. I write it with no ill-will to anyone. I write for my own benefit but I want to share my ideas and writings with others. So I'm going to write it, when I get the inspiration again, and post it one here.

Wow that was a worthless blog. The entire thing is just me rambling on about some essay I want to write. I didn't even say what the damn thing was about. Sorry about that folks.

Church was o.k. Nothing special. Amy, my youth leader, gave me christian fiction book about Noah's wife's mother and she wants me to read by the end of the week. Yah right. My Mum just gave me two books that she wants me to read so that I can see what the authors do with annoying characters. One is about this super ditsy pre-teen that, if I knew her in really life, i would hunt her down and murder her in her sleep. Or maybe while she was awake and aware of her surrondings. That would be exellent. Luckly for her she doesn't exist. The other is about some old rich widow whose biggest fear is becoming the main topic of gossip in her small town. She's an odd one. Not to metion I just started Jane Eyer which is an wonderful book and I really want to keep read. And now I have Amy's book on top of it all.

Holy Snickerdoodle, this blog just keeps getting worse and worse. Now it has even more worthless ramblings then before. And none of it is nessaecary. Oh dear...

Too bad

Stubborn Mark

Ok, so your probably all wondering why I haven't written in this blog for so long. I could give you the truth or the exaggerated truth...

Truth- I have been at a christian camp meeting for the Penn. Conv. of SDA church at Blue Moutain Academy in Hamburg. I was there for one week, exculding comeing back for the last two days of school. I made many new friends and met up with some old ones. And I got to see the movie Equilibruim which is as good as, if not better than, the Matrix. Don't believe me? Watch it. It's on sale at Best Buy for $10.

Exaggerated Truth- My mother grew tired of all my complaints (I sleep on the floor, I have to obey whatever my two evil step-sisters tell me to do, I have to clean the fireplace so often I get cinders all over me, etc.) and she threw me out on to the street. I decided to go to my grandmothers house on the other side of the woods. She's old, senile, and completely bedridden but because of all the morphine her doctors have been shooting up in her she's a hell of a lot nicer than my mom. So I head out with only this little basket of food and my red wind-breaker across the woods to my grandmother's house. I get half way there and I see these three pigs in this one brick house be terroized by a wolf. I knew it wasn't any of my buissness but I had to help out the poor piggies. So I sneaked up beside him and karatie chopped him in the neck. He was out like a light. The pigs were very grateful and gave me a lift to my grandmothers house. Once I got to my grandmother's house I went in to find that she was out by the lily pond. I went out back to find her but all I found was this really big talking toad that wanted me to kiss it. I have no problem with toads unlike all those ditsy girls out there so I did. And what do you know, it turned into a hansome prince. He was very grateful to and gave me a free coupon for his dragon-saving-services. As it turns out, my grandmother got turned in to a pumpkin-shaped carriage. And her famous spoon collection got turned in to pretty gray horses. Now, I know it was mean to take advantage of this but I got in to the carriage and it took he to an enchanted castle where this pretty girl was chatting up a big beast thing. I tried talking with them about the Inappropriateness of inter-species relations but they just gave me a magic bottle that said "Drink me" on it and left. Now, if my mother had given me any good advice it was always to relay on the kindness of strangers. So I drank the stuff and found myself in a high school computer lab where I am now relaying this entire story to you. What will I think of next?

I maybe going to Italy this summer. hooray.

Mark

I was looking outside my back window and saw the brand new patio furnature that my mum just bought cheap. I thought that it was a shame to let them go to waste so I went out and sat in one of the chairs. I live in a nicely wooded area and I got to watch the wind in the trees and listen to the chirping of the birds. It was all very pleasent and serene. I was breathing in the warm soft spring air. The sun was almost set. It was beautiful.
I decided to take a walk around my backyard. Then I impulsively did a cartwheel. Being successful at that I tried a forward flip and ended up on my back. Not hurt bad I tried again and again. I couldn't make it work for me. Then I came up with the bright idea to bend my knees and land on my hands and go from there. So I get as far as bending my knees and as I lunge forward I chicken out and land very painfully on my right shoulder. It still hurts.
And the worst part is that I can't complain about it because I hurt it being really stupid. Dammit.

Outside just isn't as appealing anymore

Injuried Mark

Just finshed Catch-22. At first it seemed like such a silly book but it changes on you. It is actually a mind-reeling satire that shows the stupidicy of war and those who wish to benefit from it. I really enjoyed it and recommend it highly to anyone that has three weeks to spare. It's a very long book but it's worth it.

I also read Oedipus Rex. I thought that it would be very boring and dry but it was surprisingly modern. I could relate with all the characters. The plotline, though a bit unorthodox in a way that I disliked, was logical and made sense. Except for in one scene a random messenger is very much intwined with the controversy of Oedipus's misfortune. I thought that Sophceles resorted to a very convientent coniencidence with that one.

Now onto On A Pale Horse by Piers Anthony.

*sigh* I have no life.

Bookworm Mark

shit happens people. Deal with it. Not much else you can do.

My Dad's girlfriend just sent this to me.

Jake was dying. His wife, Becky, was maintaining a candlelight vigil by
his side. She held his fragile hand, tears running down her face Her
praying roused him from his slumber He looked up and his pale lips began
to move slightly.
"Becky my darling," he whispered
"Hush my love," she said. "Rest, don't talk."
He was insistent. "Becky," he said in his tired voice,
"I have something that I must confess."
"There's nothing to confess," replied the weeping Becky, "everything's
all right, go to sleep."
"No, no. I must die in peace, Becky. I ... I slept with your sister,
your best friend, her best friend and your mother!"
"I know, my sweet one" whispered Becky,
"let the poison work."

Dumb guy. He should have known better.

For more morons that were killed by their stupidicy, check out
www.darwinawards.com

Mark

My tribute to the beloved seniors now leaving my school.

To Sara: I was friends with you since I first meet you. I have never heard you get mad or curse anyone out. You are by far one of the sweetest people I have ever meet. I wish for you many babies with Davie Havok from AFI and the lead singers from the bands Cradle of Filth and Orgy. Rock on my clairnet buddy. All the best at Art school. You are a truly talented and worthy artist.

To Cory: Our gym class was the best ever. The memories of our little group were sweet. Since the begining of this year our friendship has wilted, but I still hope the best for you. May the road rise to meet you.

Diana: Though I meet you only this year, you have become a good friend. You introduced me to Counter-Culture and that alone would have made me remember you. But you are a wonderful girl and a better friend. We will always remember the B.O.B. sleepover and the great Round-Robin-Story. Good luck with college and the world out there.

Carrie: I know we haven't got to know each other very well but I still think of you as a friend. Your werid little outbursts never fail to make me laugh. May you always be as cool and clever as you are now. All the best to you in whatever future you chose.

Sarah Lyn- The Lunch table wouldn't be the same without you. I'm sorry that we couldn't become closer friends. It is truly a shame. I have only myself to blame. Nevertheless I hope you do well in whatever you chose to do. Good Luck

Carol- we never got to do all the things we talked about but that doesn't matter. You were good company in gym class and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have no idea what I would have done without you. Good Luck finding decent work.

Erika- Your an amazing artist and a greater friend. I had wanted to be your friend since the first time I met you and I'm glad that succeeded. You're off to France now and then on to Art school. You have an amazing talent to share and I know you will succeed in whatever you chose to do. Good Luck Bus Buddy.

Ben- Thank god for you, red, and sara in band. I couldn't have survived without you three. The memories of your conversations will be cherished for ever. You have made a lasting impression on everyone you have ever meet. In this way you have made the world a better place already. And now you are going off to make it even better. Being a missionary isn't for everyone, but I know you can do it and do it well. Thanks for introducing Melt Banana to us all. God bless you and keep you well.

So many good friends leaving this year. None of these can ever be replaced by the measley freashmen taking their place.

Sentimental Mark

Today was longer that Nixon's camel. Every class period went on for five hours. It was worse today more than ever since I just relieased that I wish painfully extended demises to everyone in my school expect a select few. It's getting bad.