For The Love of Music

There is a moment that any fan can recall when they fell in love with a band.  While parts of my record collection I have been given for free – and I mean in a physical way (my iTunes account is made up completely of music that I’ve personally downloaded from CDs and vinyl). But each record that I’ve bought, and some that I’ve been given have a very specific purpose. They remind me of someone, or some particular life event, or resonate with a part of me that I can’t quite explain, but somehow that album can make whatever I’m feeling make sense.

I am not the only person who feels this way, and I think most of my friends would agree – I can say that because most of my friends and I are friends because of a common love for a certain band. It’s kind of a litmus test when I meet people, not because I’m trying to be a dick, but because an interest in music and a love for it is often a quality people that are curious and observant and well, interesting, have.

They get it.

I don’t remember the first time I heard Pulp, but I do remember when I realized that those songs that I had been dancing to were by them. Spinning to the chorus of  “Do You Remember The First Time” – there aren’t words for that.  That probably seems silly to a lot of you, and that’s okay.

Today tickets to see Pulp at The Warfield here in San Francisco went on sale at 10 am. I set three alarms, just in case I slept through the first two (I didn’t) so that I would be up and have my information plugged in as their website allows. This was followed by an invitation to the “waiting room” – a virtual line of some kind before tickets went on sale. I did this on two computers – not because I had an interest in buying 293487 tickets, but because I wanted to make sure I had a decent chance of getting tickets at all, and I called their ticket provider AXS, and stayed on hold for a solid 20 minutes before I was told that they had sold out in five minutes.

Five. Minutes.

I looked around the internet yesterday to see if any tickets were for sale elsewhere, maybe leftover from a presale and there were. They were. I posted on The Warfield’s Facebook page asking when the presale had occurred. They said there wasn’t one, unless there had been one on Pulp’s page without their knowledge. I couldn’t find anything that would lead me to believe there was one of any kind.

I digress. The scalping. The website allowed for you to buy eight tickets at a time.  I know it’s up to the venue, but to allow the sale of such a high quantity plays right into the scalpers grubby little hands. I have been to a lot of concerts, with and without other people, and I’ve never known of anyone to need that many, let alone be able to afford it off that bat, and let their friends pay them back later. Maybe I just have poor friends.

One would think that if you own a venue, you do it because you love music, because you’re a fan. And The Warfield isn’t an arena, it is a dedicated music venue, with a capacity of about 2000. If you’re really a fan of music, and enjoy sharing that experience with others than why would you allow policies that fuck over the fans? With big names, you won’t lose money by restricting the quantity – people will still buy their tickets, though probably not quite as fast.

Which brings me to scalpers. Whether you’re charging ten or a hundred dollars more, you’re still making it that much more difficult for fans, presumably poor bastards like me who spend all our money on rent and going to shows, from seeing a band we love. You can’t love music, or really anything and willfully fuck over other people. 

Social Media Monster

When I was in high school, I had a MySpace page (okay, I still do, but I don't remember the last time I checked it). I frequently got into arguments over the most petty things. Then I started reading blogs and had similar arguments there. Stupid.

I've always been opinionated. This isn't something I've ever tried to hide. But when I go back and see the things I said and the arguments I was a part of, it's no wonder people found me so irritating. I didn't have anything better to do, but wanted to feel involved in something. Feeling involved and being involved are two very different things. Being petty online is in no way being involved. It took awhile for me to learn that.

I wrote for Brightest Young Things, then I started writing for VCU's student publications and then a few other blogs. I was writing before in all the petty comments I made, but I wasn't being constructive and I didn't have a focus. Of course, I was also unhappy and unhappy people tend to be a little nocuous. Finding a focus and realizing that someone could be entertained, or relate to my stupid life changed that.

All of that, the blogs, the "networking" sites, and now Twitter and Foursquare and Flickr, and everything else, all of that is Social Media. It's so weird that three years ago I didn't know the phrase, and now am involved with it all the time (maybe too much).

Most of my friends don't use Social Media beyond Facebook. They might have a blog, but most of them don't. To them Facebook is mostly about staying in touch with people they already know, stalking frenemies, and reconnecting (stalking) people they knew years ago. They are missing the point.

I admit, I do use Facebook mostly for personal relationships. The people I'm "friends" with there are people I know and see and plan on seeing again (or awkwardly running into), and more importantly, would be happy to see again. However, my blog and my Twitter (which I use as a microblog) are available for public consumption.

The things I post in public are meant to be shared. I believe that the internet, but specifically Social Media, allows for us to grow beyond our comfort zones and create larger, more supportive communities. It's not meant for hiding behind a screen to argue petty issues, it's about relating to others, whether through similar complaints, senses of humor, or concerns.

So when I complain about bad drivers, or make fun of people that are (in my opinion) badly dressed, or Sketchers, or Mormons, or hair, or any other thing around me, know that it's a superficial comment. I don't have a disregard for people that drive badly, I'm sure they're fine people, most of my friends are bad (i.e. slow) drivers. When I comment on someone's hair, it's only because I do hair for a living, and in my head I'm thinking of all the things I'd like to do to it. Because at the end of the day, I only notice because for some reason, I care about strangers and feel insignificant surrounded by so much that's bigger than myself.

Richmond Drivers

I'm not sure how your car pertains to a higher being.

I love driving, on highways and parkways and expressways and toll roads and any other place that doesn't have stop lights and stop signs. I am great at driving in those places. I have a tiny car that's relatively low to the ground. It's only a four-cylinder, thankfully. If I had anything with a larger engine I'm sure I would have had my license suspended by now. I like speeding, not because I'm in a hurry, but because I like getting wherever I'm going as fast as possible. I drive as though I have to pee really badly, all the time.

This type of driving doesn't really work in Richmond. People here are not in a hurry to get anywhere, ever. They take their time. They're okay with not honking at people who take more than ten seconds to go at a green light. They also don't mind going ten under the speed limit on heavily trafficed roads. I don't understand it, I'm anxious to get where I'm going, whether it's the grocery store, to meet friends, to get to DC - it doesn't matter. This also applies to drives I take on late nights to nowhere, it's nice to move as fast as my mind is moving sometimes.

While discussing our upcoming trip to Savannah, my friend says to me, "It's supposed to take what eight hours to get there? So, that means you'll have us there in six."

I grew up in Northern Virginia. I know traffic. I know my way around it. And I know like 92473 ways to get wherever I need to go. I have no concept of what a mile is, but I can tell you how long it will take to get somewhere. Since moving to Richmond I don't like driving anywhere that takes more than fifteen minutes to drive to (unless it's another city's limits). If it takes more than fifteen minutes to get to, it's probably not worth going to anyway, i.e. the suburbs.

These are my issues with Richmond drivers:

1. Signals

Every car made ever has two of them. They work when you push a lever up or down. They allow people around you to anticipate your turn. It's a courtesy to those around you, prevents accidents, and when both are flashing they let people know that they should go around you. Anyway, they're really great, and I highly recommend using them.

Though, they can be used improperly, like when you need to change lanes and you do so, but you forget to turn your signal off after your move and proceed to irritate everyone around you. Stop it.

2. Speed Limits

No one in Richmond seems to be aware of what they mean or how they work. Sure, you're not supposed to go faster than they say, but you're also not supposed to got ten under the speed limit. I get it, if you do this you're probably really stupid and not sure where you are (get a GPS) and aren't stopping for directions, or you're really old. I don't care, just think of all the people that have to pee and get out of their way.

3. Abrupt Stops

Oh! Hi! I see that you're a chick my age and apparently a terrible driver. You've stopped in the middle of a main street, cool. You're picking up your friend? They're taking forever? I know how that goes. I also know that you have a button on your dashboard with a little red triangle on it, you should push it. See what happens. Oh, crazy, it turns both your signals on. Thanks! Now I know to drive around you when the other lane is clear. That was like so easy.

4. Parallel Parking

Richmond has shit public transportation. The buses are undependable, and...oh wait, there is no other form of public transportation, so we drive everywhere. That's fine, but we live in a city and there are a lot of us. You don't need six feet between you and the other cars to pull out properly. Really. You are part of the parking problem. Don't complain about not being able to not find a spot if you typically take up two.

If you don't live in the city and aren't accustomed to parallel parking, please stay in the suburbs with your giant car. We live here, and we park on the street and you're wasting space.

5. Cobblestone

There is a particular stretch of cobblestone called "Shockoe Slip." I have to drive down it every day on my way home. The speed limit is still 25 MPH there, and it is still two lanes. I promise.

6. Lanes

These are conveniently marked in contrasting white or yellow on the black asphalt. In most areas there are two lanes. Pick one! Stay in it. And if for some reason you need to change lanes, use your signal!

7. One-Way streets

I get it, you're drunk. We all are. I assume that you know how to read arrows. Follow them.

8. Trucks/SUVs/Other giant vehicles

You (I'm assuming) live in the city. Why would you need a giant car? Do you transport things frequently? If you do, it's probably a company car, in which case there's probably a company lot you can leave it in. Do that.

9. Magnets

Your car is covered in them. They support some really noble cause, I'm sure. But you're not really raising awareness, you're saying, "Hi, I feel the need to advertise everything I'm associated with in public, all the time." We don't care. And I will remove them from your car when I'm drunk. You are welcome.

10. Vanity Plates!

Virginia has an inordinate amount of these because they're really cheap here. Cheap also sometimes (most of the time) implies tacky. It's great that you're "OPNYN8D" or "AWWWSUM" - we all feel this way about ourselves, but the rest of us let other people find out in a personal, less public way.

Moving is Living

I made the mistake of watching "Up in the Air" again. I saw it for the first time when it was in theaters with my friend Spencer. We were escaping out families around Thanksgiving, I believe. He and I were both speechless at the end of it. I mean, what can you say? It's about our supposed realities that we create for ourselves based on delusions of our future.

Anna Kendrick's character, Natalie, is a foil to the selfish, conceited, condescending Ryan, played by George Clooney. Natalie is young, naive, indignant and Ryan has to show her the ropes and generally all the flaws in her way of thinking. That idea, of course, is that life is empty, meaningless, and weighing us down. He thinks it's revolutionary, Natalie thinks he's lonely and a pathetic shell of a human being. His love interest, a woman named Alex (played by Vera Famiga) seems to share his philosophy and love for travel or as she puts it so curtly they are "turned on by elite status."

Ryan and Alex make a point to see each other and fuck on their respective business trips. It's supposed to be a purely physical, maybe intellectual relationship - she seems to be the only person to understand his bubble. So, as movies go, their relationship deepens, or seems to. This is the part that I love because movies are always made about stupid women falling for jerks. But in this movie, he is the stupid one and ends up getting his heart crushed. I know on some level it's probably wrong for me to feel good about this, but this movie is about that guy who refuses to acknowledge anything beyond his glamorous career, and for once, there's not a fairytale ending. He doesn't see the light and she doesn't decided to be with him, they move on and I would assume are more careful in communicating their wishes with other lovers in the future.

It was already in the DVD player when I watched it again. My roommate recently got Netflix, I probably wouldn't have watched it again - not because it's not a good movie, it's a great movie, but because it makes me feel restless. All the feeling that I have right now are the exact same that I had the first time. And their very familiar. Their the ones that I get whenever I get too comfortable. This is a trait I inherited from my father and am drawn to in others. It's terrible. Wherever I am, I feel like I'm missing out on something else. If I'm in Richmond I want to be in DC, if I'm in DC I want to be in Baltimore, or Annapolis or New York or fucking Kinston, North Carolina. And if I'm in Kinston, I usually end up feeling terribly depressed and want to be in DC.

I have never lived in DC-proper, but I can honestly say that it will always be home base. One day, when I travel and have elite status at various hotels and frequent flyer miles I will also have an apartment in DC and will stay in it when I get tired of being elsewhere. And I probably won't go out while I'm there, unlike my current over-socialized trips to DC, I imagine that at the point in my life when I can have this, I won't go out much at all.

Until then I will continue to pretend.

Nineteen, Once and Never Again

I have been twenty for exactly one week. It's really such a crap birthday. I mean, the only thing that makes it at all distinguishable is that I am no longer considered a teenager. Though I have never really felt like a teenager, and I've always looked older than I am - it's just all finally catching up with me. BUT I still can't drink in public or go to certain venues/events. Lame.

In reflection upon my nineteenth year, I have decided it was complete shit. Though, I have grown a lot in the past year, found out a lot about myself and all that other David Copperfield kind of crap. Richmond has had a lot to do with it to. I no longer hate this city, but I am much happier in DC as those who have spent time with me in both can attest.

I am a generally outgoing person, and meeting people that are worthwhile is so much easier in DC. I can go out on any given night there and meet someone new, and they'll be interesting, pursuing something they are passionate about and maintain a list of hobbies that keep them busy at nights and on weekends. Not to mention, the boys. The boys know how to treat a girl. Chivalry still exists there, and it's not passe, it's not old fashioned, it's traditional and not at all sexist.

When I go out in Richmond, it's usually to a party, and everyone there is there with their three best friends and they only interact among each other, but call it being social. They are the most unsociable people in the most social situations. Though, in their defense, most of them grew up in the Northern Virginia suburbs or the Virginia Beach areas and think it's "weird" to randomly start talking to the first person you see at a party. This works in DC, anywhere in DC. But imagine (humor me) that you are twenty again and that you are the only one that isn't excessively awkward, but because you're not, it seems as though you are. And then later when you mention it to someone they call you the awkward one. Richmond is awkward.

In the last year I have learned to be more tactful. This may surprise you, and in the company of those that I feel comfortable being myself completely I still say things without filtering them, but around those that I meet for the first time and in certain people equations and in certain public forums, I have learned to keep certain opinions and thoughts to myself. Though, for those that appreciate my honesty, they may notice my being more polite than usual and ask what I'm really thinking. Eleana does this a lot. She always acts shocked when I give her compliment and insists that surely there is something to criticize. There usually is, but I've been making a conscious effort to not be so critical. Richmond doesn't really allow or appreciate criticism. It has everything to do with how "open minded" everyone is. And that whole chivalry thing that still exists elsewhere, that would never fly here. Ever. I cannot count how many conversations I have had with people about dating that end with us wholeheartedly disagreeing about what is and isn't appropriate on a bonafide first date.

Being raised Mormon, I have been indoctrinated all my life about women's and men's roles in society. And while i disagree with most of what I was taught, I do believe that whoever asks someone on a date should pay for it, and I like it when a man walks on the street side of the sidewalk, and I like having doors opened for me. And flowers. (If there is anyone reading this that is unaware of how much I love flowers please read this and know that nothing in the world makes me happier than yellow roses.) Boys in Richmond are not straight. They are all slightly gay. All of them have had some sort of homosexual experience. And that doesn't bother me in the least, what bothers me is when I get flack for not being into girls at all. Somehow my lack of "experimenting" makes me less of a person. It's their indecision that irritates me. Many of my male friends have all been "celibate" this week and polyamorous the next. I have kissed one girl, and that was a friend who drunkenly, and quite literally, threw herself at me. And it was not something I enjoyed. I like boys.

And even the concept of marriage, I don't know that it's natural or that I even want to get married, though I do know I want to eventually have children, and marriage usually goes along with that. But I have had arguments with people who refuse to acknowledge that it works for some people and that it's not the most absurd concept they've ever heard of or been exposed to. Again, because I was raised in a Mormon household, I feel that I am more receptive to both points of view. It the whole being "open" to countercultual norms while being staunchly against things that are considered mainstream. Maybe it's just because I'm a journalism major, but I believe in trying to maintain objectivity in all things. While I certainly agree more with Keith Olberman than Glen Beck, I'll watch both. I even listen to AFR sometimes...but mostly for the nuts that call in to share a scripture they think qualifies the Iraq war or Obama being from Kenya.

Nineteen made me appreciate the middle, being the youngest and feeling old, but being naive. It gave me a lot of time alone to ponder and to realize that being self-aware is more important than most things. And while I'm naive about most things, I learned a lot of lessons this year, and I wasn't happy about most of them at the time. But, I wouldn't change it. Not in the least.

So, here's to Year 20. I think it's going to be better and bigger and more important than the last.

pro-choice/anti-stupidity

Today on BYT, a link to this site was posted.



I typically see teen parents and wonder that a lot myself. And upon looking at all the pictures I couldn't help but think of a girl I took Cosmetology with. I'll call her Ashley. Ashley was a pretty cool, if not self-loathing chick. She was the type of girl you would look at and label "goth" or the exact opposite of me. She was also the stereotype that kept my parents from supporting my decision to take Cosmetology instead of other elective courses.

One week towards the end of my first year in Cosmetology, our teacher had us read over some letters that the second-year-students had written for the upcoming crop the next year. All the letters said the same things, "Mrs. Burchell is strict, but she cares about you," "do your theory," "it gets easier," "a lot of people will drop out," and the most notably prophetic, "at least three girls will get pregnant."

Ashley was one of at least three girls to get pregnant (not to mention those that had abortions and miscarriages), but her's wasn't an accident. It was completely planned. She and her boyfriend felt that they loved each other enough to bring another person into the world. And while that may have been true, that didn't make it at all responsible. She figured that she'd be able to support a kid on her salary from the Haircuttery and with whatever her boyfriend made at Costco. In theory this could work, but certainly not in Northern Virginia.

I have since had lunch with her and her beautiful baby girl. Everything about their situation is stereotypical. They live with his family, he's enlisting in the Army and they're engaged. I could not do that. She's not the only person I know who's having kids and getting married that's my age. I'm nineteen! I couldn't want to not have kids more than I do now, I certainly do not want kids before I'm thirty.

So when I see teenage girls with babies on their hips and meet guys who have gotten multiple girls pregnant and meet people that don't know where to get free condoms, or cheap contraception - I'm in awe. I just don't get it. And it's not so much "why the fuck do you have a kid?" it more "why the fuck did you decide to have sex without any sort of contraception and when you found out that you were pregnant why did you decide to have the child and how are you content living this life that limits you in every way possible?" I don't mean to sound so negative because I don't believe that children are simply mistakes and ruin peoples lives if born at the wrong time, but I do see pictures like these and think, "fuck, how could they have not known?"

While I can appreciate the humor of this website, the fact that it exists I feel defines what is missing in our education system. Sex education, and not just the kind that explains the various forms of contraception and sexually related diseases and infections, but the kind that says "hey, don't you want to be able to give your kids everything? Don't you want a great life for yourself and for them? Because if you have a kid now your life, and their life is going to be hard and life's already complicated enough."

I Like to Ride My Bicycle

I love my bike. It takes me everywhere. Literally. I spend at least an hour on it every day, sometimes two, and on average bike at least six miles. It takes me twenty to thirty minutes to get to work and that's about three miles, so I figure I'm going about a mile every nine minutes. That's slightly faster than I'm sure my running a mile time would be. But I'm excited because I hate running and I'm still getting cardio.

On my way to work on Friday, about halfway there, I got a flat tire. Now I've had flat tires before and not realized it, but because this one happened so suddenly, it was hard to miss. A piece of glass punctured the back tire. Lame. I was initially just going though a "of course this happened to me" phase before calling work and telling them that I would be late, which was fine because I didn't have an appointment for another hour anyway. But as I was walking, and hitting my right shin on my left peddle every few steps and then progressively tripping, I started thinking about how much I hate litter. I hate litter. It is disgusting. And in my complete self-righteousness I will tell you, I do not litter, ever.

I really do not understand why or how people can. Really? Are you really going to throw your McDonald's on the ground? In front of me? When there is a trash can not twenty feet away? Really? You are? Well, I just want you to know that God hates you and you are going to hell. Yes, please look at me while I flip you the bird and pick up your trash and walk to the nearest trash can. The other day I did that. I was locking my bike up in front of the student media center and a girl and what looked like her mother got in their car, which was right in front of where I was locking my bike. There was a trash can a few yards away, but the girl threw her fast food garbage on the ground, next to the car, as she got in. I picked it up and threw it away, all before they pulled out. She started yelling at me as her mother rolled up the window.

I am blaming everyone who has littered for my flat tire. If people would "have fun" recycling instead of throwing glass bottles around, this wouldn't have happened. But people don't think about that, and they don't think about their environment and how gross and dirty it is because of what they do. But it's not their fault... it's always their fault.

After I finally got to work I was able to run my bike over to Re-Cycle, a bike repair shop that is not quite two blocks from where I work, and get my bike fixed in time to go home. Then yesterday my back brakes weren't working. So, after I got to work I took it there again and once again they were able to have it done in time for me to go home. And while it's been irritating the past couple days, my bike is now in almost tip-top shape. And it was all done for twenty bucks, Richmond is so cheap.

So much for Harmony

I have done absolutely nothing productive today. I did however cut Garrett's hair, which looked pretty good, if I do say so myself. I ate some fruit snacks and watched Gossip Girl, after spending way too much time looking for the third episode and then waiting for it to load. And now I'm listening to Mates of State and watching an argument unfold via BYT. I did not mean for that to go where it has. Yikes!


Anyway, Mates of State are probably one of the least talked about indie bands right now, despite having just released a sixth album. I'm pretty sure it's their sixth anyway. They are a married couple that has a couple of kids and live in Connecticut. She, previously a teacher, and he, previously a cancer researcher. Overall, they're adorable. She plays the organ/keys while he bangs on the drums, and they harmonize perfectly. Can you imagine what a wonderful world we would live in if we all could harmonize like that with our loved ones? Arguments would sound so much nicer.

If you have an Imeem account listen to them here. Or you can always check them out on MySpace and YouTube.

Left-wing Limbaugh

I talked to my professor today. He thinks that I am too negative. He doesn't like my "generalizations." Our discussion regarding my "problem" led to my admitting to not going out of my way to be nice because I don't care about offending people. I have yet to meet a journalist that is "nice" i.e. boring. Nice people suck. They lack substance. They aim to please and are easily trampled. I'm not saying I'm mean, I'm just honest.

In my papers it's been revealed that I worship Anna Wintour and Graydon Carter, and he asked me how I would feel if he told me that he hated what I was wearing. I am sick, and I was wearing my jim-jams. And I typically don't care because I'm not trying to impress anyone. If I look nice, it's because I felt like looking better than usual that day. I typically wear jeans, a band-tee, and vans, but if I had more money I would probably dress better all the time.

Anyway, I don't think he believed me when I told him that it wouldn't bother me.

We went on to discuss my hatred for the majority of my peers. Apparently I shouldn't call them stupid, even if it is true. And despite giving examples, he said that is wasn't enough.

He went to Yale for his undergrad, that's pretty impressive, even if it was for acting. He agrees with me about the overall Richmond attitude, but came here because VCU has one of the best acting programs in the country.

He also said that if he were to present my papers to anyone in the journalism department that they would be offended. I doubt it unless they're broadcast, I called broadcast-journalism majors people that have the "I-want-to-be-on-TV-but-have-never-acted-and-have-no-real-talent-but-have-a-huge-ego-and-want-to-be-famous" mentality. Which is true. He also called me cynical. I have never denied this, and I don't see anything wrong with it. As a journalist I want the truth, I shouldn't have to be tactful about it. If someone is screwing up, I'll say so and present evidence. I'm not going to try and paint a pretty picture in the name of tact. That's just silly.

After class the other students in my group wanted to know what we talked about. I told them. We had all discussed my opinionated nature before. Karl compared me to Rush Limbaugh, who, I disagree with on almost all accounts, I do respect. This wasn't the first time I've been compared to Limbaugh, I had a couple teacher in high school who also had that opinion. But, Limbaugh is a college drop-out who just wanted to be on the radio. His opinions are heard everywhere and influence thousands of people in the States. I'm not going to discredit that, that's amazing. I don't plan on dropping out, but I'll certainly be doing something similar.

I think you're Fat

Today at lunch Garrett and I started talking about this past weekend and the rediculousness that ensued (that was his ex that we ran into). And then of course we talked about Richmond and I gave him yet more reasons as to why it sucks, today it was mostly the overabundance of Fat People.

"Do you hate fat people?" (Isn't Garrett cute?) Of course I hate Fat People. They take up too much space. They are often angry and overall unpleasant.
Now, I don't want you to get the wrong idea. Do not confuse Fat People with being overweight. Being overweight describes most people at some point in their lives. I have plenty of friends that are overweight, I am probably a little bit (but losing weight could cause damage, i.e. the loss of my wonderful breasts and ass. You've seen them, they are amazing! I believe that if I were to ever lose them it would be detrimental to society.) but my friends and I aren't fat. Not at all.
Fat people are typically obese, dress horribly (they wear sweatpants from Wal-Mart and oversized t-shirts with some cartoon on them, you know what I'm saying) and are overall painful to be with. The later is the most important. Fat People just do not understand how to get along with other people.

There are some Fat People that dress well, you may even mistake them for an overweight person. Do not let this throw you off. Stay on track. Their fatness will soon manifest itself as soon as they open their mouths. For example, I was at the Ting-Tings show this summer and there were these two fat girls in front of me. They were not dancing, they were not having a good time, they were complaining about all the people (at a sold-out show), they were upset that people were touching them, and the were especially upset when me and Zak (intern) shoved past them to the front. Now, I could go on a rant about how annoying it is when people in front don't dance, but that's another post. These girls tried to tell us that they were there first, blahblahblah... They were dressed well, but were breaking all club-show rules. They suck, right? Exactly! Character flaw.

Well what about those that can't help being overweight? I already explained this by differinciating between Overweight People and Fat People. Now, if you are a fat person and have health issues, well, I just don't have any sympathy. Like people with Diabetes. Man, that sucks, but were they taking care of themselves before they were diagnosed? Did they eat healthy food and excercise? Or did they sit on the couch and eat Doritos while watching Lifetime?
If it's the former then I can sympathize. I certianly don't have bean-pole-body, or a high metabolism. In fact I have a thyroid disorder that's under control, but if I didn't take care of myself I would certainly gain weight, and that could lead to Diabetes and Heart Disese, both of which run in my family.

If it's the later, well then they deserve it. Nothing good comes from Doritos, they just make me bloated. And even less good comes from Lifetime;I swear that channel was developed for overweight women just to turn them into vapid Fat People by encouraging them to relate to depressing stories.

*Mom, I'm talking to you! Watch it, I mean, don't watch Lifetime, I know you do!

Last year Trevor and I agreed that Fat People shouldn't be allowed to wear athletic shorts and sweatshirts.Isn't it ironic that they can be cuaght in athletic gear when they never take part in physical activities? And isn't it a shame that that's one of the few things that fits them?



In other news, my Focused Inquiry teacher wants to meet me before class on Monday to discuss something that will take about twnety minutes. He wouldn't say what. I'm pretty sure that it's going to be about my negative attitude in his class, or the questionaire that we had to fill out at the beginning of the class, on which I encouraged him to stop parting his hair down the middle and to grow some facial hair. He is one of those people that is happy all the time, in a creepy way; like my eighth grade french teacher Mme. Rustan who smiled all the time except for the times she would look down to relax her mouth before continuing what she was saying with a smile. She didn't like me either, expecially when I wrote "busy work" in the heading of my paper where the name of the assignment was supposed to go (it was on a day we had a sub). I had to show my parents and get it signed and she gave the entire class a lecture about busy work and how if you were to use that term you had better have an A - I did not have an A. My FI teacher and I have a similar repoire. This year will be interesting, to say the least. Who knows, maybe we'll be best friends by the end of the year. Probably not, but he will probably say something about how he wants to be my friend on Monday. Oh, dear.

Good Question(s)

My roommate is a polysci/history major. I appreciate this because she is not stupid in the slightest, and I'm pretty sure I would cut off my ears if I had to deal with someone stupid.

Anyway, she was reading The Nation last night and gave me the link to this article on Sarah Palin. After reading that one I found this one by the same person.

Sure it's "liberal media" but hell, she is right.

Now the last article I'll touch on a bit. I don't agree with it 100%, more like 95%. I don't think that girls/boys are being forced to have babies against "their judgment" because they already had bad judgment when they chose to have unprotected sex and I believe in contraception and wish that she had talked about that more. I understand that Palin was in a group that supported contraception, but she's stated over and over again that she will not support sex education that includes the teaching of contraception. If everyone would take care of that tiny detail we wouldn't have all the fuss about teen-pregnancy and abortions, now would we?

everyone loves a debate

You all know who Christopher Hitchens is. He is a complete arse. He is an atheist. he is an anti-theist. He Is also, most importantly a journalist/author/critic. He is probably the most important intellectual on the placnet currently and if not, he's definitely in the top ten.

Last night he spoke at VCU and debated some guy named Turec, Turek? Turreck? I don't know, nor does it matter. The debate was whether or not there is a God. Obviously Hitchens was against and the other guy (who I will now simply refer to as T) was for.

I myself believe in God, I also reject organized religion. So, I agreed and disagree with them both. Now, we all know that Hitchens likes to go on and on about how horrible religious people are and all that, and he did last night, it has become apparent (as he's gotten older) that he does have morals. Which raises the question, and was proposed by T last night how can one have morals if one does not believe in a God, or at least a higher being?

I don't know, I believe in God. But I don't think that one must have religion to know right from wrong,but I do think that we all as humans are born with that knowledge, from a higher being. It's all interconnected, and I am entirely to inarticulate to explain it, so I won't.

Anyway, I have great admiration for Hitchens and his peers in the journalistic world. If I am half as successful as he is I'll be happy. I luckily got to speak with him last night.

We've met a couple times before because he lives next to a friend of mine and while he didn't remember my name he did recognize me (gush!). I was able to speak with him after - it's common knowledge that he is a heavy drinker, it's also typical that alcohol is forbidden on all college campuses - I noticed/smelled his drink and asked what it was (i thought they were doing product placment with the pepsi cups, because it was recorded, vcu doesn't have money blahblahblah...) when he replied, ever so casually, "scotch! do you want some?" I declined and sat behind him as he spoke with hundreds of fans before leaving. My favorites were the Christians who stood in line to tell him how much they loved him and how they're praying for him and how they hope that one day he'll "find God." Oh dear! they were so cute! Anyway, I asked him if he wanted to go to Penny's, but he couldn't because he had to go out with the crazies that invited him to speak, and it just so happened that that is where they took him. Though, I didn't go, I did get a raincheck.

Prior to the debate I met a man whose name I won't post, but he works for a large PR firm in Reston and chatted with me for awhile. Anyway, I got his information and if an internship at the Post doesn't work out this summer I may have this to fall back on. Maybe I should go into PR, this networking thing is just too easy.

Election 2008

In an effort to find this quote:

"Men always want to be a woman's first love - women like to be a man's last romance."

I found this one, and I do believe that is sums up my complete feelings about the political world this year:

"Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes."

Both are by Oscar Wilde.

How to use a Telephone

Everyone I know is incapable of using the telephone, more spceifically, their cell phones. I believe that I am one-hundred percent correct in thinking that the reason we have telephones is so that we can be reached virtually any time.

I'll admit, I'm needy, and am very much a phone person because I like to be in constant contact with the rest of the world. Unfortunately all the people that I'm closest with are idiots in the telephone realm and never pick up. This becomes a large problem when I'm having a shitty day and need someone to vent to, am having computer problems, have made plans with them, etc.

Now I understand that sometimes people need time to themselves or whatever, but this isn't an occasional thing; this happens to me all the time. Literally.

The only acceptable reasons for not answering the phone are as follows:

1. You are using the bathroom - Now, I know people that use that phone while they're taking a dump. I personally find this repulsive.

2. You are in the shower - I also know people talk on the phone in the shower (I hear them here at school) but I don't see how combining electronics and water is ever a good idea.

3. You don't have service/are on the metro/bus - Alright, so these could all be separate, but they're very similar. If you don't have service, that's fine, or if you lose it while we're talking, have the decency to call me back. If you're on the metro/bus, everyone knows you should never talk on the phone because you will annoy everyone around you.

4. You are having sex - Actually, I hope that for all the times I call people and they don't answer that they are having sex because that would mean that they have an exceptionally healthy sex life. And everyone knows that they more you have the happier you are. So when you're done, you should be in a really good mood and therefore even more pleasant to talk to, so call me back.

5. You're at work - So, this isn't really an excuse unless you have a government job and aren't allowed to take your phone to work. At every other job, you most likely have your phone at work and will be fired if you're talking on it excessively, I understand that, I really do, but that's why you have a plan with texting, so you can tell me that. Duh.
If you don't have texting then we will probably never be in contact again.

If I'm calling I obviously have something to say, and when you don't answer or call back you just make me mad.

Yesterday my sister and I made plans to hang out today. She told me to call her at any time today so that she could come pick me up. It's been two hours since I first called. Her husband also didn't answer, so by God they better be having sex.

because Ben thinks I'm mean

Just for the record, I am not a cold-hearted, mean-spirited, person. I do my best to get along with those around me. I may not like certain people, and they will know that I'm not their biggest fan, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to go out of my way to be rude and disrespectful to them. I'm very opinionated, and somewhat confrontational, and have to be in a very sour mood to be blatantly mean to someone.

Now, contrary to popular belief, I like people. I also think people are stupid, ignorant, close-minded, intelligent, open-minded, pretty, ugly, fugly, gross, delightful, engaging, insecure, "too cool", etc. I find people to be all these things. Mostly, people amuse me and sometimes bother me.

When they amuse me I laugh. When they bother me I tell them.

I've made people cry, and then I start crying because they're crying, and I'm so sorry if I've done this to you, but then I usually feel bad and apologize, but really if you're reading this and you think I'm mean, and I didn't apologize to you, well then, I must really hate you. I'm pretty sensitive to people's feelings, and expect people to be sensitive to mine. This is a mistake on my part, because I expect too much from people, especially this.

appropriate songs for commercials...

...should be heard on the radio, not OK Go, but after their MTV stunt, and songs on JCPenny's commercials, well they've sold out and that's sad.

And just now i heard Ingrid Michaelson's song "Take me the way I am" was on a Ross commercial. I find this very upsetting. I had such high hopes for her.

I'm a music snob, I am sorry. I really am, but selling out for clearance clothing! That, that is ridiculous.

Despite her outedness, i still hold the opinion that she is a great musician/vocalist and you should check her out.