Friday, April 30, 2004

daughters



John was just on Conan. And did I call it or what? He played Daughters. A month or so ago, I had a divine revelation, and it was revealed to me that his next release would be this song. Looks like I was right because he usually only plays songs that he's going to release on these shows.

He's going to be on Today in the morning. Watch him. Not just because I said so. Because it would be wrong if you didn't.

Thursday, April 29, 2004

and one for springer...franklin...r...c...c..

in my ears
come away with me
artist: norah jones
song: nightingale


Well, it's official. Tuesday/Thursday classes are over with the exception of the finals. It's a little A Tale of Two Citiesesque because one of the classes was my favorite and the other was the one I hated the most. I am so glad to see grammar over with. On the other hand, I'm gonna miss Hovie like the dickens. (Did anyone catch that completely unintentional pun?)

So last night was the Freekee Teekee. Let me say, it went over much better than anyone had expected, I believe. Holly and I sold all but thirteen or fourteen of the T-shirts at five bucks a pop. Since we were selling them under cost, it was no surprise that everybody was excited about the price. But what I love is when the girl came up and asked if they were free. That was almost as good as when a group of girls got upset with me when I told them that the mocktails were alcohol-free. "Um, yeah. Where are those daiquiris that y'all have?" "Well, they're over there. They're mocktails." "Oh." And then they scurried off all disappointed-like. Rumor has it that some girls really thought they were alcohol and not just frozen Hawaiian Punch and ginger ale. After having drank several, they were over at the rock climbing wall acting very intoxicated. Talk about the placebo effect. Yes, ladies. We're selling cocktails for seventy-five cents a piece. Anyway, the whole thing went great. I had a good time. But now I'm worn out and sunburned. Here is the evening in pictures:

Holly and I sold T-shirts and got pseudo-tipsy.


The other vice president is pre-med. So he didn't have to do anything.


Jen helped sell the mocktails beside our little hut. I made the sign. It's supposed to say "Freekee Teekee HQ," but it looks like it says "Freekee Teekee HO." Heh.


Jenny lei'd everybody. Well, you know. It's what she does.


The RAs had a water balloon and pie-in-the-face thing going on. This is Rachel after she's been assaulted and Liz behind her laughing, probably because she did the assaulting.


Ken, on the other hand, seems rather blissful after being pied. Makes me proud to say he's the college head.


A big attraction of the night apparently was the rock climbing wall. The ROTC boys had patrons all night long.


So this afternoon, I think I may take a little nap. Sure, I have things to do, but sometimes, I just don't care. I am worn out.

Wednesday, April 28, 2004

get your freek on



If you are within driving distance of Murray, come out tonight to the Freekee Teekee. Please. Help us save face. We need participation. C'mon. It'll be fun. And get a t-shirt for $6.50. Well, between now and set-up time at 4:00, I have to write a paper, so I better get to going on that. Adios. (Oh, speaking of that. I rocked my Spanish oral exam's face off. I'm practically Mexican...)

Tuesday, April 27, 2004

so it looks like it's time for an update

As most of you (or all of you) already know, I'm moving out off-campus next semester. It hasn't in any way been an easy decision. I am proud to say, however, that my decision to do this has not come from any outside influences. You know I avoid decision-making and risk-taking like ten plagues, but I feel like I've made one of the first steps toward growing up a little bit. I'm not saying I'm a full-blown realist or anything, but I guess I've realized lots of things.

The first one of those is that I have to make progress. Yes, it requires change, and yes, I am scared of it. But I have a peace about it. I know now that I'm getting somewhere. It's not that I don't like residential college life. I wouldn't trade these last two years. I feel like it has taught me so much and given me a foundation for future experience. But two years is enough. I do not want to graduate college and be spat out into the real world having spent four years in the dorm. I feel like it is time to make my next step toward growing up and be on my own a little. I still wouldn't call it the real world because, honestly, I still won't be supporting myself. It's about growing up, not sprouting up over night. And you may be thinking, Why are you so bent on growing up? Well, I'm just as scared of growing up as the next kid. (A little shout-out to Blewis: I've got Peter Pan syndrome, too.) But what I am more scared of than growing up is growing up and not being prepared. To keep myself from freaking out about the future, I've always told myself that I'll be ready for the next step when it comes. It's like being in junior high and being scared of college. Well, easy, dawg. You gotta get through high school first, and then you will be ready. I feel like this is a middle step that I need to take.

Another thing I've realized over the past two years is that I thrive on being alone. Granted, living by myself may make me want to let a wild animal gnaw my eyeballs out, but I seriously doubt it. It will definitely be a drastic change from the setting I'm in right now. Again, there is nothing I've loved about this experience quite as much as I've loved the eternal slumber party it has been. But maybe that's part of what's got me thinking it's time to go. With so many people around, I feel like sometimes I don't have room to breathe or think. And maybe it's the psuedo-only-child coming out in me, but I'm kinda tired of living in a group effort. But it's not like I'm going to be a hermit, the UnaBomber, if youwill. Yes, efforts to sustain relationships will have to be made. Maybe that's the best way of testing a friendship, though. Real friendships survive on more than constant physical presence. And it's not like I'm transferring schools or moving more than two minutes away.

Ah, and then there is that. I'm not exactly sure where I'm living yet, but there's no turning back. I went by housing and cancelled my room request today. But it's not as if there was a chance of turning back. I'm absolutely firm in my decision, and I am actually very excited about it. I'm not nervous at all, and that's huge for me. I honestly never thought I'd see the day when I was ready to move on. But geez, that almost sounds cheesy. It's not like this is some outlandish decision. Kids make this decision every day. Sophomores campus-wide are seeing their last days of on-campus living right now, too.

And it is bittersweet. The convenience of living on-campus is unmatched. I'll join thousands of commuters in the War on Parking. There may be many a day when I have to pack a sack lunch and set out on my pilgrimage from Yonder Gravel Lot to campus. But then again, there will be no more circling the dorm lots like a buzzard trying to find a parking spot at 10:30 at night. There will be no more floor meetings or door decs or housing-keying-ins. But I'll finally get to light a candle or two. So when I burn the place down, it will just be me and the people in my complex instead of me and the entirety of Springer College. ;-) I don't know. There are some things I'll miss, and there are some things I certainly will not.

I remember the first day I moved into Springer. It seems only moments ago, now. But I sure was young. I didn't want to stay here long. In time, I learned to love it. I adapted to it like a duck to water. And at some point, I thought maybe I'd never leave. Now I am ready to, but the reasons are so different. The two years have flown by, and I'm not who I was when I came in. Springer has been good to me. I've realized a lot about myself. But it's high-time. I'm ripe for leaving. I feel like I've taken all I can from this experience, and I'm not too immature to leave. But this place has started closing in on me, and I want to leave before it kills me.

So after today, I've got ten more days here. For academics' sake, you can't get me out fast enough. I cannot wait for classes and finals to cease. And the end of the semester always brings a longing to be out of the dorm, too, and I admit, I'm feeling it. But this is it. I might be reading, studying, and writing papers the whole time, but I want it to be good. I don't want to do anything differently. I want to remember life in Springer as it was. Home.

Saturday, April 24, 2004

a means to the end of nothing

I have again successfully gone a day without working on my papers. Two of them are due on Thursday, and I'm going to have very little time to work on them between now and then. I'm also supposed to read an entire book by that time. Yeah, I'd like to see that happen.

But today. Today, I have actually done some stuff. I went and saw the apartment. Great times. It's very cute, and I'm excited about living there. It's townhouse style. It's in a good location: I'll be living between a professor and a dentist. Interesting... There is not a whole lot I'm going to have to bring as far as big stuff goes. After we did the whole grand tour business, Bybee and I sat down for a good, long chat. I'm so glad she's giving me the opportunity to stay there this summer. After that, I came back and did laundry. While that was washing and drying, I had a good, long chat with Dale. As yet another means of procrastination, I got up the energy to paint the second Freekee Teekee banner. It took a while, but I like doing stuff like that. At 10:00, I finally went for supper. I came back and attempted to continue my work-avoidance by playing guitar, but that wasn't holding my attention. So here I am explaining to you what I've done to procrastinate as another way to keep myself from being productive.

This cycle is vicious.

Friday, April 23, 2004

springer squirrel

monsoon season

Every year at Murray State, there is a monsoon season. Ladies and gentlemen, we are in it right now.

I know this is going to sound about like the geekiest thing you've ever heard (I know. I am geeky. Oh, well.), but I wish I knew so much more about CSS and HTML. In case you've completely missed the webmastering boat, those are website design languages. I know I play around on this site too much anyway , but here's the deal. What I really want to do is create my own design. You know, with neat stuff. The way it is right now, it is just a continually modified version of a template someone else made. If you want to see what this layout originally looked like, see my January archives. It's come a long way, but it is still very relient on the original. I don't want that. I want to make my own. And I don't know why I want to so much. I guess because finals are near and I cling tightly to anything that will promote procrastination. Take our little CD we're recording for instance. ;-) Anyway, while I'm chilling down here this summer, between reading, re-teaching myself Spanish, and whatever else, I'll educate myself in ways of CSS and HTML. Goo mother, my life is sad...

So I dropped one of my summer classes. That's right. I am now taking six hours this summer instead of nine. Not too much of a relief, though. This executive decision will not reduce the number of days I have to go to class, just the number of hours I'm in class. I dropped the course that I would have been taking during the middle 5-week session. It was a night class. Maybe now I can get a job.

But first, I must get through the rest of this semester. Five days of class (and counting) and then finals. Crazy, crazy. It's hard to believe that I've knocked out two years of college. I wonder where it has gone.

Wednesday, April 21, 2004

i made things

in my ears
welcome to the cruel world
artist: ben harper
song: waiting on an angel


That's right. Today, I made things.

I made music. I learned this song, "Waiting on an Angel." It's one of those beautiful songs that puts you right to sleep. I have numbed the fingertips on my left hand learning how to play this song today. I don't play guitar often, but when I do, I love it. I think I finally explained my relationship with the guitar to Dale this afternoon. I don't play to get better. I play because I feel like it. It's not some "guitar phase" I have gone through. I've learned a little bit, and that is enough to keep me hooked and interested for the rest of my life. But it's like this, I said. It is like a person who writes poetry but doesn't consider himself a poet. I don't feel like I'm neglecting it went I don't play, but it is wonderful when I do. I play for me. Not really for others to hear. It's what I do when I'm stressed. I've been playing a lot these past couple days.

I made my new blog headline thing. I really enjoy it. The first picture is the same photo I've used in the past in my info section off to the left and as my MSN display picture. The middle one is one I took as I was driving south on Highway 41-A. That's in the direction of home. The one on the right I took at the park on Sunday. Sitting at my usual picnic table, the sun was high and casting neat shadows onto my journal. The only thing I am not pleased with is the title of my blog. I really love the "back porch poet" line from "New Deep," but I wish I had an original title. Keep an eye out for one of those in the future.

I made Freekee Teekee posters. That, the silliest program, is a week from today. Stress, stress, stress. But I did enjoy using some paint. It's been a while since I've been able to get that stuff on my hands. I'd like to do some real painting, not just sign-making. I guess I'll have time for that when I'm old, eh?

Well, that's all I've got on the creative end of things, I guess. I went by Student Support Services today to put in my application, and it turns out that they probably won't even need me this summer. I left that place disheartened, appropriately enough, in the rain. I felt like John Cusack. Okay, not really. But I did go on over to Waterfield Library and put an application in there. I'm sure the "no" I put in the blank after the question "Do you have library work experience?" will get my foot right in the door...

What's tomorrow? Thursday? Yes. See, for the past couple weeks, I've had my days all confused. I think Monday/Wednesday/Fridays are Tuesday/Thursdays and vice-versa. Well, I need to go by the apartment I'm staying in this summer some time soon, if not tomorrow. Mom is getting anxious, and frankly, so am I. Oh, the uncertainty of my future. But could I expect it to be any other way?

Tuesday, April 20, 2004

at the end of the day

I liked today. I knew everything was right with the world when I got to grammar and my professor announced that we were doing course evaluations. This means I had fifteen minutes to bubble in lots of "very poorly"s and fill out a suggestion sheet. Like I said, the course named Standard Usage of the English Language has great potential; sadly, that potential was never reached. After that exercise of catharsis, I went to Hovie, which is always wonderful. Today, I decided that if in the future I ever have a choice of what type of literature I teach, it will definitely be American literature. I love it. Tonight at the library, I was working on my paper for that class, and I was actually enjoying myself. Scary, but good. Very good. Anyway, the afternoon brought great tidings: The air conditioner is on! So I curled up on the futon that is conveniently placed directly in front of the A/C unit and caught up on my humanities reading.

The night was good as well. For supper, Jenny, Holly, Val, and I went to Cracker Barrel where we continued the tradition of having socially unacceptable dinner conversations. We also were graced with the melodies of a little band we like to call Ye Old Mountain Holler.



A wave of ambition swept me to the library for some essay preparation that I spoke of earlier. That American literature paper is due April 29. That's more than a week from now, and I was actually working on it! I guess I have to become responsible at some point in my life. I'm not in any kind of hurry... After I exhausted by literary analysis efforts, I decided to make my way over to Habitat for Humanity's Shack City. Members of the organization raised money to sponsor their cardboard homes that they made on the quad. They are staying tonight and tomorrow night if the weather holds out.

These are my suitemates, Ashley and Lesli. Lesli is Murray State's Habitat ring-leader.


Jenny is taking one for the RCC team.


This is my friend Becca's "log cabin," she called it.


Here are some other cardboard constructs that teams made to create awareness of homelessness:






And in case you are wondering, this is the view from inside one of these things.


Also tonight in the quad-region were different musical practices. On the steps of Lovett Auditorium, a group was practicing for tomorrow night's All-Campus Sing competition.


And at the corner of Fine Arts, what I gathered was the percussion section of Racer Band was rehearsing.


Back in the room, I am resting from a semi-busy day. It was productive and enjoyable. I'm thinking of changing the water in poor, poor John's bowl and then going to bed. G'night.

Monday, April 19, 2004

western kentucky heat and humidity

It is a miserable place, Murray State. Right now, I'm sitting with the windows open, the door open, two fans running only to circulate the steamy air, and all the lights off so as to not generate any more heat than necessary. I'm actually halfway comfortable, but I have a feeling I won't be when bedtime rolls around. I believe last night was most miserable night of my college experience thus far. I didn't even try to go to bed until 1:00 am, but the only sleep I actually had was about a mere forty-five minutes a while after the sun had risen. It was just so hot, and I was uneasy anyway. I was worried that I wouldn't wake up at 5:00 am to schedule classes for the summer and fall. (By the way, I did over-sleep a little, but that term just isn't right. I didn't over-sleep.) I had two Spanish exams today, a written one and an oral one. (The oral one was cancelled because my professor was sick. I guess that's why he left six times during our written exam to go to the restroom to blow his nose. Yes, we could hear him honking.) Therefore, every time I closed my eyes to make an attempt at sleep, I began conjugating verbs and placing object pronouns in Spanish. Zero rest.

Today ended up better than I thought. I accomplished a lot, including getting an application to tutor through Student Support Services this summer. After I journeyed to Faculty Hall only to learn my oral exam was cancelled and I paid the financial aid office a visit, I came back for some of the most guiltless napping I've ever experienced. I had accomplished practically everything I have to do for tomorrow, and hey, I honestly needed some sleep. So with the door wide-open, I attempted to sleep on the futon. It was a success, though not an overwhelming one. I guess I'm just weak. I cannot take the heat. But rumor has it that the air is supposed to be turned on tomorrow.

Saturday, April 17, 2004

for the sake of my soul

I write not for the sake of glory, not for the sake of fame, not for the sake of success, but for the sake of my soul. -Rachel Scott

Rachel Scott was one of the people murdered at Columbine. After her death, a collection and translation of her journals was published, and I bought it. In many ways, I feel like I could have related to her. I am an avid journalist (the definition of the term also includes those who keep a journal), and I understand what she meant when she wrote the above statement on the cover of her last journal. Indeed, this blog is not my real outlet. I keep a journal that I believe keeps me sane. I don't write in hopes that someday it will be found and published. Certainly not. I don't write because I'm trying to create some literary masterpiece. Not at all. I write because I can't help it. It is innate in me. It is cathartic. If I do not write, that which is inside me weighs me down and is almost toxic to my system. It is a means of survival. I write for the sake of my soul.

good morning

So it's the two o'clock hour of the morning. I don't know why I am not in bed asleep. I definitely should be, and it's quite a surprise, seeing as how I love few things as much as I love sleep these days. But I'm a little wired, so I'll ramble for a bit.

Today's been pretty good. Holly, Ashley, and I didn't have our 9:30 class, so that is always good. Before class, I went to the Curris Center to the bookstore to buy The Message Remix. That's a Bible. I've been looking at in the bookstore for a while now, and yesterday, I decided I was going to get it. So I left for Spanish a little early and stopped by to pick it up. I saw RhinoMo, whom I haven't seen in like years. I talked to him for a little bit, which was good, of course. Then off to Spanish. There, I decided I like Medina. He might be a very scatter-brained, partly insane Puerto Rican man, but I think he's a genuinely good and nice scatter-brained, partly insane Puerto Rican man. Ed's class was hilarious today. Jenny and I decided he redeemed himself for the day that class was painfully boring. As usual, I took a nap this afternoon due to my end-of-the-year narcolepsy. Once Jenny's friend from home showed up, we headed out to Ken's. He's the silliest college head. That's all I have to say as far as he goes. Our short visit at his and Chris' house was fun. We are pictured in his yard here:



When we returned, we went for the 9:55 showing of Kill Bill, Volume 2. Aw, man. Amazing. I didn't think I was much on the action-packed, blood-and-gore, Samurai-type of film, but goo mother, I thought wrong. Those movies, wow.

Well, I think I've finally done away with my insomnia. (Is it possible to suffer from both narcolepsy and insomnia?) I'm the sleepiest dawg.

Friday, April 16, 2004

spring is back



It's a fine day on campus. The weather is beautiful. There is sun. There are clouds. The grass, be it ground maintenance crew's psuedo-stuff, is green. And people. People are everywhere. Outside of the Curris Center, MOZZ was advertising auditions, and different people from the dance company were just out there dancing. Student ambassadors are running around with groups of prospective students with entourages of twenty people. One of the SGA presidential candidates was having a fish-fry to gain potential voters. A group outside of Faculty Hall was crying their baked goods for a fundraiser. I love this time of year. Yes, it is stressful, but when the weather gets warm, people get out. And then it is bittersweet to see the end of the year rush come to an end.

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

i'm ex-so-cited

in my ears
artist: john mayer
song: break away


I just really, really feel like blogging, though I really don't have anything specific to say. I don't know what might follow. I'm just going to write some stuff that I'm thinking about. But, hey, isn't that supposed to be what this is anyway?

Well, it's a little more than two weeks of classes left and then finals. I was talking to Val at lunch today about all the stuff I've got to do in those weeks, and I realized that it's a heck of a lot. But no, I'm not all that stressed. What's so stressful about four papers, two Spanish written tests and an oral interview, two grammar tests, various quizzes, and a book to read? In 'round about three weeks? Nothing at all.

The reason I am ex-so-cited is because next semester, Murray State is doing a trial run of some kind of campus readership program. Basically, for four weeks, we will have the opportunity to pick up a USA Today and another periodical of the university's choice on campus for free. I think this is a wonderful investment. Maybe I'll finally know what's going on in the world.

I don't know what made me think of this or what is possessing me to write about this right now: Last weekend, Mom and I went to Eastland Mall to do a little shopping. We were walking through Cafe Court, and there was this adolescent girl in one of those cheerleading competition squad things doing some sort of recruitment or fundraiser. You know what I'm talking about? These are the little girls who can't be more than thirteen years old running around in little chearleading uniforms with curled-ribboned-and-hairsprayed ponytails and three-inch-thick glitter-and-make-up faces. They look like they haven't eaten in weeks, maybe so that their painted smiles will look monstrous on their tiny, gaunt faces. You know these girls. Anyway, there were some of those parading around the mall doing their thing, and at first, I just wanted to slap them all. How annoying and fake and disgusting these girls are. But if you look hard enough, you can see little girls under all that grotesque glitz. And then I felt sorry for them. I don't like to make generalizations, but isn't it almost obvious that these girls have been pushed into this kind of situation by their mothers who want to live vicariously through them? It's just sad to me. "Well, the girls like it. They just live for this stuff." Yeah, because someone has forced it upon them. It's just not natural. Where are their childhoods? Anyway, this isn't just these cheerleaders. It's anything of this extreme. The girls in the beauty pageants. I think of Jon Benet Ramsey. But it's also stuff like sports or even academics. It just seems to me that these children are nearly killing themselves to please their parents. It's a tragedy. I don't know why I just went into all of that incoherent babble, but it's what I was thinking of as I was walking through the mall last Saturday afternoon.

Tuesday, April 13, 2004

what on earth?

in my ears
heavier things
artist: john mayer
song: new deep


What on earth? That's a fine question to ask this mid-April day. As I woke up at a little after 7:00 this morning, I looked out the window to see a small blizzard. I admit that this isn't exactly the highest quality photo, but it's the best I could do, as I was half asleep. Because of the moisture on the window, you can't really see how much it was snowing. Anyway, it's April 13, for Pete's sake! Why is it snowing?



Welp, I'm going to work on my paper for Ed and then, of course, probably take a nap. I don't know what's wrong with me. All I want to do is sleep. But I got this headache. Maybe I can sleep it away...

Saturday, April 10, 2004

the past couple of days

Friday morning, Holly, Ashley, and I got up and ate Winslow breakfast at 8:30. All the Winslow folk gathered 'round for a reading of the newpaper during a slow time.
winslow folk

And little ol' precious JD sat by himself. He's better than them.
jd

Last night, Dale and I just kinda hung out. A couple hours included sitting in his room playing guitar. This was at about 1:00 am.
dale and his guitar

Before we left to come to Calvert City this afternoon, I took some pictures outside. Outside of the house is the only halfway safe place to be while my parents try to get things packed for an overnight trip.
willow and sun

My dad says Coca-Cola from the glass bottles tastes the best. Apparently, he also thinks the bottles are worth keeping around.
coke bottle

To me atleast, dogwoods and Easter go hand in hand. My mom always told me that the petals look like the cross, white for purity. There is a reddish brown spot on the tip of each petal, for blood. The center looks like a crown of thorns. I don't believe I remember an Easter when dogwoods haven't been in full bloom.
dogwood blossom

Every year we dye eggs. I don't think it matters if there is a kid around or not. Eggs will be dyed come Easter.
sissy and victoria

And someone always drags out the white crayon to write or draw something on the eggs that will only appear after they are dyed. I've never been much on the appearance of this technique, but you know, tradition is tradition.
mom

Thursday, April 08, 2004

it's a bad day to be a wrap

I'm in a weird mood. I don't know, today was okay. Because of the fact that Hovie failed to have the bookstore sell us the book we needed, we didn't really have class today. We were in there for twenty minutes, tops. He handed back our papers, an act which proved to me that despite his immense beauty, he is a joke. I got an A on that piece of crap paper. Anyway, during those few moments we were in class, the daughter of this non-trad who came along for the ride drew a picture of Hovie. That's right. On her notebook paper, she sketched a likeness of him. It caught my eye, and I almost laughed out loud. It looked like him, but I just couldn't believe she sat there and drew it. She was waving it around, and the chuckles I heard erupting around the room told me other people were seeing it. I think Hovie might have even seen it while he was explaining some extra credit opportunites because he paused for a few seconds, looking bewildered. While he was handing our papers back, I hear the girl's mom whisper, "Just wait until he comes around." My heart sank. This kid is going to give him that picture of himself. Goo freaking mother... And sure enough, she did. It was quite an awkward moment in the history of ENG302-02, let me tell ya. But hilarious indeed. So after lunch, I came back and did a bunch of nothing for the afternoon. Then I took a nap, went to supper, TNT, and then a little Richmond soccer game. I guess the highlight of my day was Hovie, as usual. Oh, and my advisor finally took the hold off of my account so I can schedule classes when April 19 rolls around. Woo.

But this mood. I don't know. I guess it's the end of the year business. You know, can't wait to get out for the summer. A change of pace. Then I realize that hey, I get to stay in Murray and go to school all summer. Of course, I do get three weeks off before classes start, but sheesh. I'm all confused. I don't want to be home and bored all summer, but I have a feeling staying here isn't going to be wonderful either. I'm taking all these classes in hopes that I can actually graduate in four years, but the irony is that I'm not excited about getting out of school. I suppose it's just that thing of not wanting to grow up. I truly don't want to. I would say that I'm fairly mature in my thinking or whatever, but I'm about not responsible or adult-like. And I don't want to be. Gaw, it's disgusting hearing (er, reading) myself whine like this. But for now, I'm just waiting for the moment when my fairy godmother comes and turns me into a responsible adult.

Wednesday, April 07, 2004

here on springer-franklin isle...

I should be doing something. But I'm not. I should be reading, but apparently, ol' Hovie Hovis forgot to add the book we need for tomorrow to the list when he told the bookstore what books to sell to my class. I searched high and low in the bookstore and couldn't find it. I even mustered up the courage to call Bradley Book Co. to see if they have it. Nope, and of course, I wouldn't make it out of the phone call alive without some smart aleck remark from the woman who works there. I could hear her smiling at the fact that my precious little professor made a mistake... Anyway, I found the two stories on the interent, but they are freaking long. I could read them, but that's no fun. And if nobody has the book tomorrow, can he really teach the stories anyway? Watch me get into class tomorrow and I'm the only one without a copy of Edith Wharton's Short Stories. That'd be my luck.

Thus far, it's been a pretty good day. I made a 96 on my Spanish test, and I'm completely thrilled. I was pretty sure I did okay on it, but I wasn't expecting that. I've made a 75, 86, and 96 on these tests. Hope he takes improvement into consideration.

Tonight is our final doom. The RCC bid packet skit goes underway at 5:45 pm, Freed Curd Auditorium. I'm a little worried about Rhondasaurus eating me whole, that's all. But after this, the bid packet is finished. We have to go to a stinkin' NRHH banquet where we'll find out who won RCC of the Year. Well, to heck if I care. But I gotta find me some Hawaiian attire for the event, I suppose. I don't foresee too much effort being made on my part. I'm tired of all this business.

Okay, I'm going to set my mind to do something. Well, I'm saying eff a bunch of Hovie. (Hmmm...) I think I'll read a little Let the Dead Bury Their Dead.

Tuesday, April 06, 2004

the silliest ho(e)

in my ears
waiting for my rocket to come
artist: jason mraz
song: you and i both


We finally got the stupid RCC skit all lined out. All we have to do now is do it, but that's another story... So I'm taking this opportunity to waste my time by filling out this survey thingie.

Spell your name with bands/singers:
Cranberries
Aerosmith
Spice Girls
Sinead O'Connor
Incubus
Def Leppard
Yellowcard

Have you ever had a song written about you?
Nope.

What song makes you cry?
Not too many things make me cry, but "Cry In The Sun" is a good one.

What song makes you happy?
"The Remedy" has been doing a lot of good lately.

What do you like to listen to before bed?
Whatever is in the three-disc player. Usually a little Maroon 5, BTE, Matchbox 20, or Goo Goo Dolls.

Height
5'4", I think.

Hair color
Brown.

Skin color
Some really pale whiteness.

Eye color
Hazel, I guess. I got some green, blue, and brown up in there.

Piercings
One hole in each ear. I'm not daring.

Tattoos
None of those.

What color pants are you wearing right now?
Blue. They're jeans.

What song are you listening to now?
Nothing anymore. Holly's quit playing stuff on her computer for the moment.

What taste is in your mouth?
Nothing really. Well, maybe I need to brush my teeth...

What's the weather like?
It was beautiful today. I guess it still is out there.

How are you?
Better since we finished up working on that skit.

Do you get motion sickness?
Not like a lot of people. I can sit in the backseat of a car and read, so I guess I'm good to go.

Do you have a bad habit?
Who doesn't?

Do you get along with your parents?
Yeah, we do all right.

Do you like to drive?
For the most part, yeah. Especially if the other person who is willing to drive is a maniac, and by driving myself, I'll lower my risk of death.

Favorite T.V. show?
I don't really watch a whole lot of TV. We watch American Idol on Tuesday nights, and if RCC wasn't all up in the way of The O.C., I'd be all over that.

Favorite conditioner?
Well, I'm using this Matrix Curl Life business that the hair lady rooked me into buying. It ain't bad.

Favorite video game?
I'm not much of a player, but I like watching me some Donkey Kong.

Favorite book?
Currently, A Visitation of Spirits. Good stuff.

Favorite magazine?
I don't even know how long it's been since I've really picked up a magazine and read...

Favorite non-alcoholic drink?
Nothin' like a little M-T-N Dew.

Favorite thing to do on the weekend?
A whole lot of nothing, really.

Favorite band/group/singer/rapper?
Well, John Mayer obviously wins this.

Have you broken the law?
Well, yeah. Never been caught, though. ;-)

Have you run away from home?
No, but when I was a little kid, I was always trying to plan my escape.

Have you ever gone skinny dipping?
Welp, no, but even if I did strip off and swim, they'd call it something else, I'm sure... :-)

Have you ever made a prank phone call?
If our answering machine games count, which I'm sure they do, I've made plenty of 'em.

Have you ever tipped over a Porta-Potty?
Proud to say I have not.

Have you ever used your parents' credit cards?
Well, Mom and I kinda have a joint credit card thing going on, if that counts.

Have you ever skipped school?
I did skip on senior skip day. I'm such a rebel.

Have you ever fallen asleep in the shower/bath?
Hmm, I don't think so, but that sounds like something I would do.

Have you ever been in a school play?
Hello, Nutcracker.

Have you ever let a friend cry on your shoulder?
Pretty sure I have.

Sexuality?
Hetero, thank you.

Children?
What about them? Kids last. No, no. I do want some, some day....

Have you ever been in love?
Hmm...

Have you ever had a hard time getting over someone?
Yeah.

Have you ever been hurt?
Indeed.

Your greatest regret?
Eating that Matt B's for supper. ;-)

Do you have a job?
Sadly, no.

In your MP3 player right now:
Well, I don't have an MP3 player, folks.

If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Bittersweet. That's a real Crayola color, too...

What makes you happy?
Lots of things. Being people I can laugh with.

Who makes you the happiest?
That's a hard one.

What's the next CD you're gonna get?
Well, the next CD I'm going to burn is probably Jason Mraz's Waiting For My Rocket To Come if I can find someone to burn it off of.

Whom do you consider good friends?
I have lots of good friends.

What do you like to do?
Could we please find a more general question? I don't know, I like to do things. ;-)

When was the last time you cried?
I don't know. And that's bad. I need a good cry. The last time I can really think of when I cried was back like a month ago when my youth minister and his family left our church.

When was the last time you got a real letter?
My mom sent me a card that I got today, but that's not a real letter, huh? Those don't happen often. Um, I guess my aunt sent me one about six months ago.

When was the last time you got e-mail?
If we're talking an email where someone actually is personally addressing me, a couple days ago.

What was the last thing you purchased?
Hmm, besides food, I guess it was Randall Kenan's Let the Dead Bury Their Dead.

What was the last TV program you watched?
American Idol.

What was the last movie you saw at the theatre?
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Excellent film.

Sunday, April 04, 2004

Saturday, April 03, 2004

nothing like a little western kentucky appreciation

in my ears
gutterflower
artist: goo goo dolls
song: here is gone


Today's been a good'un. After three treacherous hours of class (well, two tests that weren't all that bad and a video on tattoos, piercing, and other body mutilations that made me squirm like a mankey), it was good to have a little Freak Suite action in Winslow. We came back to the room for some Donkey Kong. Watching Lesil play is a good time, but it sure did put me to sleep. I ended up taking a lengthy nap on the ol' futon, and when I got up, it was 'bout time to venture off to Hazel, K-Y for some Ann's Country Kitchen. There just ain't nothin' like it. We sat around there for a while soaking up the cigarette smoke, eating like it was our last day, and romanticizing our up-bringing. We made our way back to Springer and settled in for Steel Magnolias. Again I say, there just ain't nothin' like it.

Words to ponder:
Okay, okay. It's good to see 'em. They do what can. They're a good lot. Yeah, they are.

Thursday, April 01, 2004

because it all amounts to nothing in the end

in my ears
love actually
artist: eva cassidy
song: songbird


I wrote a rather intriguing post last night that I lost at the mericless hands of Internet Explorer. Okay, so maybe it wasn't that intriguing, but I liked it and mourned its loss.

It has been a very, um, cultural week. On Tuesday, Holly and I went to an interactive feminism panel discussion, which was interesting and entertaining. Last night, we went to a fiction reading by Randall Kenan. We read his novel A Visitation of Spirits in humanities--a very good book. He read from his contribution to Killing the Buddha, and it was great. I really enjoy his writing. So much so that I came back and ordered his collection of short stories Let the Dead Bury Their Dead from half.com. Anyway, he signed our books (and Holly'll have a picture in the paper tomorrow of her and ol' Randall Kenan), and I got the "Hovie touch." I count myself blessed. That is until tonight when a slew of us decided we should go see Murray State's production of Medea. Okay, some went because their classes required it, but I was among those foolish few who went for kicks. I quote my comments from directly after the play: "I just came for kicks. Yeah, I wanna kick myself in the face." I'm going to let that be my only formal negative comment about the play because I know a lot of work went into it and what not, but sheesh...

So I've got both a humanities test and a Spanish test tomorrow. I am relatively unconcerned. The humanidades test doesn't scare me that much. Espanicular, on the other hand, can never be good. I feel somewhat comfortable with the material, but I need to work on my vocabulary more. Oh, well. I'll have a little cram-session tomorrow morning. And I wonder why I'm not going to be able to pull an A off in that class.

I was a classless lot today, but I am pretty tired. I think I would've rather had classes to get me a-stirrin'. At least I'd have an excuse for why I accomplished nearly nothing today.

heterosexual, lover of rainbows