WikiCulture

Trail Mix, when one reads those words they immediately comprehend 1 of 2 things. It is a mix that you take on a trail (hikes...etc), or it is a mix of trails (hiking enthusiasts). For me however, because I am different then you people who can only think of 1 or 2 things, I have a 3rd option. I think of one of my favorite foods. Like anything that is my favorite, I like to know a little bit of background on it, so I research.

Through my research of trail mix history, I stumbled upon something that I found quite interesting. Like most students, I began my research on Wikipedia. I typed the words, did the click, and got straight to the Trail Mix article. It was a short article, pretty interesting to an extent, but something else caught my eye.

At the bottom of the page someone had thrown in a sentence about how "..although trail mix is readily available in prepackaged forms, enthusiasts like to prepare a batch of there own". It caught me on two levels, 1 that it was pretentious, not necessarily irrelevant, but most certainly not needed. Secondly it seemed like a line ripe for a punch line. So while the original read like this:

"While the prepackaged commercial variants of trail mix are readily available, many outdoor enthusiasts prefer to mix up a homemade batch."

After my edit, it read more like this:

"While prepackaged commercial variants of trail mix are readily available, many outdoor enthusiasts prefer to mix up a homemade batch of "deez" nuts."

Juvenile, I know, but regardless, I got a giggle or two (I lost count) out of it. 

Oh but thats just the beginning of this story ladies, gentlemen, and Steve-Dave. After my clever, witty, and much needed pun, I went to the talk page on Wikipedia, which is like the city council of nerds, and noticed that there was some hot debate over the proper name for the article. 

The battle was between the "Trail Mix" camp, and "Gorp" Camp. The latter felt that gorp was the proper name of trail mix, and the trail mixers respectfully felt that it should be trail mix. Ultimately the trail mixers won. Though there are suspicions that the voting was manipulated. You see at the same time votes were being tallied up, World of Warcraft was hosting some serious raiding action. The trail mixers knew the gorp camp could not pass this up, so they held the voting around the same time. So the article is now dubbed Trail Mix. 

Not minutes after my edit had been done, some hot shot Wikipedian decides to message me about my alleged vandalism. I was infuriated, but for unrelated issues. About his message though, I was in a state of "LOL". 

Now we are all familiar with facebook, myspace, and all that crap. Well Wikipedians have something sort of similar to that, but not so advanced. Well anyways I went to this Wikipedian's profile to see what he was all about. Lo and behold I was once again bewildered on the ridiculousness of it all. 

On his profile page, it said he considered himself a "WikiGnome". I was wondering what that was, and after clicking on the word, if I recall correctly, it stated that a Wikignome is some person who edits the pages on wikipedia for minute details such as grammar, and all that. The funny part came later, when I found out from the wikignome page that there are all kinds of classes of Wikipedians. There are WikiFaeries, WikiElves, and the what not. Do a google search of Wikignome to get to the page I was at.

I found it amusing that these nerds on their time off from playing World of Warcraft, spend their time editing wikipedia, and debating over the proper name for an article about trail mix (or Gorp, for you 18th century folks). They have created this whole online society of nerdation, where they spend the majority of their time creating classes, and ranks of wikipedians, joining wikifarms, and demonstrating their bias against the infamous "Deez Nuts", especially when it is so suiting on a page that is in fact about nuts.

Anyways, the nerd who messaged me said that if I continue "Vandalism" on the Great Wikipedia, my school authorities would be notified! After that he cast a magic spell on me and made me read Harry Potter, because allegedly I "Didn't get it".

P.S. 

I came up with a WikiTerm for the whole wikipedian society thing, it is an umbrella term that encompasses the whole idea, membership, and related concepts of, the term is"WikiGay"

First things First

So I am sitting at my computer desk here in my plain white dorm room of boredom, and was feeling compelled to put some of my thoughts down on...well its not paper, but you know what I am getting at. Anyways I finished cleaning my dorm not so long ago, that was fun, considering I was blasting music as I did so. The room is fairly clean now, and looks nice, especially with my vibrant red Les Paul adorning it. 

I guess it's only natural that today being Sunday, should be a day of renewal and cleaning. Of course as only good metaphors can, it implies cleaning from the inside also.  That is where I am at today, there are things that I have to come clean about and renew myself. Mostly my tendency to compromise, especially these previous few days. I can't say that it is such a hardcore wake up call, but it definitely gets the message across. I got a Citation for Minor in Possession of Alcohol, this Friday. Now before everyone starts thinking various suiting names (idiot, alcoholic, retard, etc...), lets remember that I am not a saint. 

If I were to count all the days in a Month in which I drink I would count maybe 3. I never get drunk except by accident. I guess I mostly do it as a way to relax, and socialize with the crowd at parties, and I don't really feel like I am doing something bad. Of course lets get back to the Citation. 

I think the citation is more of a little tap on the shoulder saying "Don't you think you have been compromising your values too much lately?". 

Too which I now respond, "Yea." and then grimace in shame. 

Too top of the fact that I have been compromising my values, I have been ignoring my God given morals. When I got the citation, I told what some people consider a white lie. They asked for my home address, I asked if they needed my dorm address, they said no. So I began giving them my parents home address, where I used to live, as soon as I gave out the numbers to the street, I said "hold up" and gave them my neighbors address. I claimed it was my mailing address, because UPS and Fed Ex do not deliver to the other address. Which is true, I do have UPS and Fed Ex ship to my neighbors place. Immediately I knew it was not a good idea, and told the officer I felt concerned about the address portion as it does not reflect what is shown on both my Drivers License, or school records. The officer waved it off as not a big concern, but I having stretched the truth, felt my sin against God settle in my heart. 

So sometime this Month I must go to court, and hopefully be allowed to plead Diversion, as it is my first and only offense. This will allow to be wiped off my record, and unfortunately I will have to pay some money. Hopefully I will receive mercy, and if needed correct the address portion so I may be redeemed. 

The rest is up to God, and please pray for me that I may be able to hold on to my convictions and stop compromising.