Been too long I know...

So it's been forever and a bit since I've updated, but you mustn't hold that against me - in my defense I am a lazy butthead.

Further proof of this is the fact that I am logging this entry instead of revising yet another draft of my final essay for my WR121 class. It is titled: History Is Written By the Whiners and will be posted here once the final and 6'th draft has been completed to my somewhat narcissistic instructor's liking. He has the most frustrating comments I, with my admittedly limited imagination, could possibly have thought up. For example, to the paragraph:

"...Today, however, thanks to the modern achievements in archeological and historical interpretation, we are faced with another slightly more anthropological question: 'Does matter it what really happened?' Does it matter that 'Remember the Alamo' technically invites people to remember the U.S.'s shameful participation in an undeniably unrighteous war? Does it matter that Richard the Lion-Hearted, passive hero and patron of beloved Robin Hood, was a mass-murderer in the midst of genocide, while simultaneously bankrupting his own country? Does it matter that there were, in fact, no Weapons of Mass Destruction?"

He insists I add 'in Iraq' to the last sentence. Everyone who has read that paragraph, including those of a somewhat lesser intelligence, have managed to grasp which WMD are implied.

He also fervently disagrees with my representation of the 1917 Russian Revolution; particularly he takes issue with my claim that it was brought on in part by the peoples 'despair and poverty'. God save us from rabid anti-communist humanities instructors. However, thanks to his... I shall use the word 'nitpicking' in order to avoid a burst of vulgarity... I've discovered a few things I did not know about the execution of Nicholas II and his family:

The basement in which the Romanovs were murdered had a handwritten poem scrawled on one of its walls - part of a poem by one Heinrich Heine: "Belsatzar ward in selbiger Nacht / Von seinen Knechten umgebracht," "Belsatzar was, on the same night, killed by his slaves." Referring to the king and the writing on the wall from the Book of Daniel. Heine's original spelling was 'Belsazar', one of the killers creatively added the 'tzar'. Ah, puns in the midst of carnage somehow lose what little humor they had.

In other news, I miraculously managed to cook eggplant Parmesan for the very first time this Thursday, and my roommates and I read the book of Ruth. Iliana and Yui had never read it, so I had the pleasure of presenting it as a Biblical Cinderella story. We had farewell/birthday party last night, for me as well as many other recent/soon to come birthday people, as well as many departing international friends. I spent 50% of my time pouring drinks (you move faster than you ever realized you could when you see someone trying to mix Kahlua and orange juice, or Tequila with cream, not to say Voldka and Dr. Pepper), and another 25% outside shivering and happily arguing Western Philosophy and Middle Eastern Politics with a very nice young man whose name I don't remember, but whose plans to "either go to grad-school or work at Quiznos" might possibly stay with me forever.

Tomorrow a sweet and 31 year old classmate is coming over so I can help her with her Argument Analysis, a requirement for the WR121 class and what appears to be an exercise in cruelty on the part of the instructor - public speaking, yes, it is an important skill, but Dr. Mackay, my dear sweet despotic instructor, feels the need to sound his criticism to the entire class, while the student is still standing at the front clutching their measly sheaf of notes and quaking for all to see. One girl was moved to tears last week. Fucker. [disclaimer: I did very well on my Argument Analysis (A++) but I have roughly 20 years experience being a stage performer so I don't count.]

In other news... there is a batch of CoMecs set to go up once they are scanned, but between the essay and... to be honest, the copy of Good Omens I just received from Powells this morning(THANKYOUHOULTS), it might be a while before I do anything that requires... well, getting out of bed.

Not a bad existence overall.

Half Hearted

The past weekend was a great amount of fun; Danika and Yui traveled up to Portland to see their beaus while Iliana and I stayed in, hit some of the bars, and had an all-around incredible time. We baked all weekend to keep the apartment warm, and reached the point of inventing a new kind of cookie/biscuit/thing. They are called Monster Cookies and look like tumors - but they taste wonderful. A combination of honey, strawberrys, bananas and oatmeal. Go figure. On MLK day, Monday, we each donated $30 to the relief efforts in Haiti, via our cellphones - For people in the US, text the word HAITI to 90999. Automatically $10 will be donated to the American Red Cross.

Has anyone heard of Project H Design? It's a non-profit organization attempting to better the lives of the less fortunate through efficient and intelligent design. I let Colbert explain better than I can, my favorite are the glasses, what a brilliant concept!

In other news, I am enjoying my calculus class to what might be construed to be an indecent extreme. I have now become one of the people in the classroom who helps the other students while the instructor is busy with someone else. I hope I'm not jumping the gun too soon, since my first test is tomorrow, but so far all my homework and take home projects have received perfect scores. I despise my graphing calculator, admittedly, but the instructor has given me permission to solve what equations I can algebraically, or by graphing. Calculus is rather awesome, so much fun compared to Algebra, blech. Functions make me happy.

I have sadly dropped my Ice Skating Class, due to Dworsknees, but I and another girl who dropped the class on account of her ankles, have decided to take occassinal private lessons.

My voice lessons have apparently taken a turn for the serious - Here I was thinking I'd do some silly excersizes and sing a jazz standard or two, by my instructor, Siri Vik, will have none of that. I am, apparently, a coloratura, and expected to learn such pieces as Caro Mio Ben by Giuseppe Giordani, Bellini's Vaga Luna, and a spiritual I'm admittedly more comfortable with, called City of Heaven. Oh Boy.

Right now I am almost late for something silly; Yui and Danika, my roommates, have together formed a Women's Group called Confused; R.A. (Relationships Anonymous) in which a bunch of us young yet apparently jaded women gather together to bitch about men. The first meeting is today at the Starbucks on UO Campus, I am bringing some Monster Cookies, because why not? I helped with naming the club and adding to the manifesto, and am apparently expected to design us a poster as well. I will get right on that. Here is the manifesto, see if you can guess which were my suggestions?

1. Admit that we have problems.
2. Admit all problems are men’s fault.
3. All women are beautiful.
4. All men are wrong.
5. We are too hot handle.
6. We are beyond the help.
7. We are too cool for school.

It's all for fun, and if anyone dare get offended, they will be forced to watch a series of College Movies, read all works by Hemingway, and why not? Wax their legs.

I am getting later, so goodbye all and LOVE!

Okay Now...

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update, life has been a bit hectic but oh so very fun. Last night was my roommate Iliana's 21'st birthday and we tore up the town as was and thankfully still is age-appropriate.



While the dancing was fun and the liquor was good, I have to say my favorite part of the night, as are most of my favorite parts of night-outs, was the parts where we were simply wandering the midnight streets laughing too loudly and offending the local architecture.




This is one of my favorite little places in downtown Eugene - a statue memorializing Ken Kesey there is another wonderful one of Rosa Parks at the bus station.

We started our night in a Sushi bar, club hopped until roughly 2am - my ankles are actually bruised from dancing - then ended the night at Rennie's, the bar that is right across from our bus stop. As opposed to the one that is actually in our parking lot... Rennie's is much, much nicer, and they have specialty shot called Duck Farts.


I voted today in the internal elections, yes on measures 66 and 67 that will raise the income taxes of families making more than 250,000 to 11% as well as raising the minimum tax on corporations. I was intending to join some people I met last week in going door to door with fliers, today.... but I find myself somewhat unable to tear myself away from my bed's convenient proximity to the bathroom.

I am meeting a UO counselor tomorrow afternoon, so that will be interesting.

My roommate Danika (the adorable little redhead to my right) has been causing me immeasurable pain lately, a pain that I will now share with you. Prepare to cringe, these are all real.

Myself: It's easy to forgive Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde, Mel Gibson is not on the same level, remotely.
Danika: But you said you liked the Lethal Weapon movies!
Myself: Yeah, but it's no "The Importance Of Being Earnest"!
Danika: Well he's not Shakespeare, y'know!

Danika: Thank yo'!
Myself: Thank yo'! ...I told you you'd like the Marx Bros!
Danika: Yes, Marko and Harpy were my favorites!

Danika: What are you doing?
Myself: Watching Stephen Colbert
Danika: The prime minister of France?

Danika: I've always wanted to play Jazz clarinet..!
Myself: Well you should probably start by listening to some Jazz music.
Danika: Yeah, who was that guy you were talking about? Charlie Coltrane?

I leave you with a wonderful insight into stupidity. I am going to go attempt to consume something now... hopefully it will remain inside of me for the appropriate time frame.

EDIT: Okay, for some reason the pictures I've posted here are disturbingly and inefficiently large, so in order to see them you'll have to click on them.

EDIT2: Iliana and I got tickets to Gabriel Iglesias!!!!!!!!

Weekend

It's raining now, but it was a nice day.

It was a nice day, but it's raining now.

I've been going on an orange binge, the last couple days. It's flu season, and I guess my body knows what it wants, so I've just been heeding it and eating orange after orange and little else. Finally made it to the gym today, so hopefully the sugar levels won't be too horribly effected.

Made it to the bank around four, and wouldn't you know? They close at three thirty on Saturdays. Gah. Oh well, at least made it to Target and got the SD card for my camera, as well as a new pair of gloves and a hat! I finally found the hat to match my bogy coat!I'd like to quickly apologize to anyone whose sensitivities were offended by the unlit cigarette in my mouth, it was simply necessary to complete the image.

Today is Danika's birthday, so we're taking her out to dinner tomorrow to celebrate at an Applebee's. Should be fun, despite the latest unpleasentness regarding 'dish duty':

Iliana, Yui and I have naturally taken it upon ourselves to simply do the dishes when they need be done, regardless of whose they are... but Danika doesn't understand why she should do anyone's dishes but her own. After all, that's Socialism. As the only white girl in the apartment, we have resolved to humor her.

Tired now, and a bit headachey for no apparent reason, but still would like to call your attention to a few wonderful things:

My friend Jason has brought the movie Pray The Devil Back To Hell to my attention; I've yet to see it, but it revolves around the Women's Silent Protest in Liberia, and looks absolutely wonderful.

William Philips, a ten year old boy from Arkansas has refused to say the Pledge Of Allegiance, based on the grounds that 'Liberty and Justice for all' does not apply to the gay and lesbian community. He is a very eloquent and compassionate child, and strengthens my desire to be a teacher more than ever. He mentions wanting to become a lawyer in his CNN interview, and I honestly hope he does become one some day, this country needs people, and children like him.

Stephen Colbert can sing. This makes me inordinately happy.

There will probably be another post this week, with a rant or at least some Heine/Ovid quotes, but right now I'm going to curl up in bed and watch The Music Man for this first time. Good night and love to all!