As an Armenian, I appreciate going on Hubski and seeing this. My family is in Stepanakert where the Azeri artillery landed, they all evac'd and drove a few hours out of the way safely. My uncle was on his way to Belarus for vacation this morning and was told all adults under 55 years old are to stay in place in event of re-conscription if they're not already currently drafted.

I can probably contribute a lot of different articles and information for exposition on the subject but I just hopped on to say thanks for the coverage. It's hard to find accurate reportage from internationally recognized news outlets, and if I post an objective (if still inaccurate or shallow) Reuters or BBC report on my personal social media I get flamed for being a turncoat and not recognizing an attempted reanimation of the Armenian genocide :[

Had the greatest weekend in years. It was fun, but it was important for me too.

An organization working on various activism for/in Armenia invited me to a conference at Columbia University. I went alone to hear the presentations because there were some big names in Armenian academia speaking, and the person who invited me is a role model of mine. I intentionally stay unaffiliated with Armenian-American organizations because they're always politically affiliated somehow and I can't get involved in the mess of Armenian politics yet.

I opened the door to the conference, a lecture hall in the Columbia's math building, and my heart stopped when I saw 50-odd Armenian faces looking back at me. I realized that I haven't seen my people in years, apart from my mother, some family friends and my family back home on Skype. These were college-age Armenian kids, mostly grad/PhD age, all here from all over the country just to spend the day being American-Armenians in a room together. It's very difficult to describe why being a part of this conference was so significant to me, but I felt like I was in love with 50 people at once. Some of them were activists and good-thing-doers for Armenia, others were simply Armenians in America doing their thing, but they were all high-speed individuals doing big things, and it gave me hope for my people's survival and success in the future.

I went to the proceeding dinner/social event and introduced myself to everyone. A group of kids invited me back to their hotel, to "get over the politics and start this pre-game so we can fucking party." And party we did. We destroyed midtown Manhattan.

Then I met an Armenian girl who stole me out of the bar before I could even say goodbye to everyone, and took me dancing at a nightclub in Chelsea. Getting me to dance in a group is difficult enough, I was nervous about dancing with her alone, but I fucking danced yo. She took me back to her apartment near Columbia, where it turned out she was in a grad program on economic development. For the first time in months, I woke up calm and happy instead of wired and in a hurry. She said good morning in Armenian and made Armenian tea. I was in heaven. I left before breakfast to get back to school, but she told me to let her know when I was back in the city, which will be this weekend for spring break. There are two small red flags with her but it's difficult to acknowledge them in my current infatuation, I'll call them later-me problems.

Last weekend was the closest I've been to high without drugs, even better than some at that. I realized the gigantic hole in my heart for being around fellow Armenians. I got inspired by the fact that there are Armenians that are going to be leaders in their field, Armenians that will yield power for other Armenians, and that things won't be as bad as they appear back home right now. And as touchy as it is, this girl made me realize how low I was stooping with girls at my school just to get their attention, I don't respect them for their work or their general (lack of) ambition and dialogue. I'm linking up via e-mail with the kids and some of the professionals I met, and figuring out my own shit with this girl, and overall enjoying the view from cloud nine.

It's official, my roommate lost everything gambling on cryptocurrency. He went 80% of his savings and cash in on a two-week-old coin that turned out to be a scam. The other 20% is tied up in a crypto ponzi scheme that he was sure would give him steady returns, except he is unable to ever pull out. Him and some other kids in my company are now "investing" with a guy named Teeka Tiwari who runs a pump-and-dump scheme out of Florida on coins with very low market caps. Oh and they owe him a couple grand each per annum for his, uh, financial guidance?

Anyway, I'm finally going home for the first time since the summer on 4 days of Thanksgiving leave. Taking my mom to the Met for an opera, catching up w friends in my hometown/NYC, and being irresponsible with alcohol.

Also, haven't smoked cigarettes in a month!

Here is how the presentation went (without excuses), and here are my key takeaways.

Here's how I intend to do on the next one now that I have experience from the presentation.

Here's how I plan to achieve my intention.

Fast-forward to each step in the plan. Here's how I executed my plan.

Fast-forward to the next presentation. Here's how I kicked ass in the next presentation.

Command the conversation away from what just happened by discussing it in terms of implications for the future. Set yourself up for success by taking control of the future outcome.

If there are high schoolers reading this:

Get you school work done and then get out. Like, leave the house and go outside. Find friends, see things, get lost, and come back in time to be prepared to take on the next day.

Read a fucking book. Get yourself in discussions and debates with people. Learn to not be an asshole. Do things you're not comfortable with. Get laid.

Do what you have to do, and then go do what you want to do, whether you know its something you like or not. Anything you try that you don't like, recognize why you don't like it, and don't do it again. Don't be afraid to move from a friend group to another if your friends turn out to be toxic. That might happen a lot, it's OK.

Have fun.

I am dark purple. FKA Russia. While focused on betraying some of my immediate neighbors with the help of my distant neighbors, I was betrayed by the one I never suspected so soon. For my first WebDiplomacy game and especially against other members of Hubski I lasted way longer than I should have.

The personal implications of being defeated by Turks as an Armenian is another matter.

Czar out.

One week of leave before I’m off to Ft Stewart, GA to shadow a platoon leader for a pretty badass field artillery unit.

Booked every hour of the week to the absolute fullest. God I missed freedom. Hope everyone’s spirits are as high as mine :D

12AM Pubski feels wrong somehow. I suppose it's more realistic though.

Going home this weekend for 3 nights. I've got a date lined up, and a party with which to kick back. I won't be bringing the date to the party. Just happy to talk to a girl that isn't from my school-- they're very strange here.

It might be worth an hour of therapy in advance of my date to avoid unloading myself on that poor girl.

e- dont be gross you know what I mean

1 cup iced coffee

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup rum

Am I doing this right?

Got an A on a big Philosophy paper. I argued that the Earth is flat.

Oo, first one here. My mom bought me this big scented candle thing and it's been a college game changer. Stinky roommates? Nope, they smell like eucalyptus now.

Interning at a law firm for a few weeks, until I leave for West Point's basic training at the end of June. I'm on the 69th floor of the Empire State Building, a statement that embodies the two halves of my personality.

Prom tomorrow, LOL. My hideously wealthy classmates have organized quite the set of shenanigans before and after prom in NYC, and as they go to the Hamptons for prom weekend, I'll be seeing a bunch of awesome artists perform at Governor's Ball '16 with the homies.

I hit the gym at 10PM last night, partly to vent a lot of newfound frustration, and found out that anger is a fantastic pre-workout drink. Like most pre-workout drinks, though, too much anger could leave you with a kidney stone or worse. I'm a doctor.

My life, at the moment, is a bullet train in a Persian bazaar. I have no idea what the fuck is going on but it sure is stimulating.

Giving Hubski a sort of exclusivity may make it appear more valuable to new users, like ello. But it's hard enough getting into Hubski and getting comfortable. There's no social hype for people to get on Hubski like there was for ello, and we're tight-knight and small enough as it is.

I think we could juggle the idea of gating this community, but perhaps we could make it so that it's not really exclusive in reality-- call it Splenda exclusivity. Here's my idea:

Everyone, always, can access the site whenever they want. When they Sign Up though, they verify with an e-mail and you say, "Thanks for registering to our community waiting list! We will contact you when(if?) new invites are sent out to be a member of Hubski."

then you send 'em an email one week later. This does, in a way, also cover the very controversial ideas during the "Mute Wars" regarding a waiting period between registry and activity.

Whaddaya's think?

edit: I still dont think we should be doing anything at all, this was a compromise idea:)

I always end food delivery orders with "Love you!" regardless of gender to amuse myself with how they react and maybe even find love. Today I got a big heart with "Love you" in all caps on my receipt and my order for free!

Curious if anyone would bite on a discussion of whether or not giving a lifelong friend a few more years to live in exchange for the money you've earned, taking into account having your own family to put the money toward too, is something y'all would do. I would say I would, but I have earned neither real money nor children.

I have an overhanging shadow of guilt that my monthly stipend comes from your tax dollars, so I'd like to donate to this guy's fund if you think that's appropriate, I think others here would want to as well.

well that doesn't really help the situation

My name isn't pablo.

#notmypubski

2016

Senior year is great, I love weed!

My friend's house has been abandoned by his parents, getting foreclosed in two months. It's a massive house, grill and patio out back, A/C still works somehow, ton of furniture around and just books on top of books and old clothes everywhere.. looks like the most contained typhoon of all time had a field day indoors and left the shell of the mansion intact.

He put a drum kit in the den by the fireplace. Three couches, four amps and another four-speaker sound system across from the drums. Three kids living life, blasting Aphex Twin trying to match the beat on the kit, basking in the pure beauty of what finally feels like freedom.

That was last night, and I just got back in the office. I don't know what the fuck my life is at the moment, but minus having to come home to my mom, it's incredible. I don't know how I'm going to back to school after all this. What the hell is school?! Damn.

All of you guys who are feeling bleak and shitty and bored, it's in your head. There's a ludicrous amount of awesome to be found in every single day; I hope you guys all take a moment to cut yourself a slice of freedom pie.

Just sent in my three applications for congressional nominations pre-West Point. Both NJ senators and my district's representative– I gotta contend with the whole state of New Jersey for 10 nominations per Congressman, just to get "permission" to apply to USMA.

Sweet shit the anxiety is mounting. I hope my mom can keep her shit together so I can actually focus on my apps and schoolwork next semester, cause she is wired at the moment and it's getting really hard to keep it from getting to me.

.

On the other hand, my best friends who are all seniors are pretty much on their way out to college within a month, and I'm gonna be the lone kid in the crew who has yet to graduate. God damn, we had some crazy fucking fun together, really gonna miss these dudes– anybody ever spend two days downing Glenlivet your friend's parents gave her, so she can spend her 18th partying in the mansion they left her since September?

Anyway, considering this is real life, things are really surreal nowadays.

Haven't left campus in a long time. Slowly losing my

mind.

If I had a badge for every time I said this and didn't come back, I'd be kb

Passed my first semester classes! Got my physical fitness score up pretty high and close to a 300 (technical max) which is my goal for now.

I'm starting my courseload to major in Econ a semester early thanks to a surprisingly quick and helpful Registrar.

Will hold myself to a higher standard than "if I pass Chem 101 I'm good" next semester, but for now, a couple all nighters in finals week did the trick and fuck it, keep rolling!

By the way, all nighters in college are way more taxing in college than high school. I crashed in the 3rd quarter of my chem final and had to run outside in the cold and take a lap to stay awake. Whew.

"The Hubski Team Goes to Vegas"

My physics teacher gave me shit in class because I was 20 minutes late to a 1.5 hour period, with an excused pass from the office. She was acting like a shit the entire class, telling me to start participating while I've got the fucking pen in my hand doing my entire group's project for them.

I was late because PSE&G cut my power off because my mother couldn't make the payment. It took them two days to place the order for a technician to drag himself over and flip a switch in my building, and I was the only one in my two-person household who could stay to receive the heaping carcass of a human that took their sweet time in the basement.

God damn people. Take a moment to recognize that there are other people around you with other shit to worry about. Fuck.

Just got home from a concert in Brooklyn, cops shut it down and we didn't get to catch the band we were waiting for. That said, we got to chill with the band outside and talk about their music and the Europe tour they just returned from. I got to witness an indescribable environment there, where abandoned factory buildings covered sidewalk to roof in mind-blowing graffiti art turned out to be not so abandoned at all, in fact housing rows of huge, high-ceiling apartments whose owners furnished their spaces into art and concert venues.

It had never occurred to me that an artistic scene could sustain itself the way I witnessed it do so in the dumps of BK. Host a show, pay the rent with it, make more art, host a show. Like-minded artists and ironic hippie contrarians alike will come out of the woodwork to support one another and keep the dynamic going. It was really inspiring to see.

Currently

I am in

Physics class

I am pretty sure the

teacher

knows

Army school? Dude, these girls just graduated from Ranger School.

Watch the documentary on what happens at ranger school called Surviving the Cut. It's.. insane.

(and they're West Point graduates!!!)

Student body elections. I'm running for president against my 5-year rival. The last time we ran at the same time, we tied. There are 1,000 kids in my school.

The competition is pretty much at full pace and we're a week before official campaign declarations. Speeches to each of the four grades coming up in 2 weeks, luckily that's my strong point. Competitiveness is at the point that I'm on google searching for common political tactics and how to counter attacks, how to strategize as an incumbent vs. a competitor, etc. He's already tried to pull some crazy shit that I can elaborate on later, idk if I should be firing back or not.

There's no way to tell who has the upper hand at this point, but he's far more "popular" than I am. This hasn't stopped me from winning in the past, but I'm not so sure this time because the "Student Organization" we're running for ties into the entire school, as opposed to being a "Class Cabinet" presidentdoing work relating to just our grade. I'm pumped and anxious at the same time. Tips?