Welcome to the Jungle

Got to the big DC last night - 9 hour uneventful drive. Going to have to be a city-slicker for the next 3 months. Gotta go for the "professional" appearance, not an out of town tourist holding up the metro map. Within spitting distance from the AU Tenley campus is the Presbyterian National Church and Center, various ambasador residences, Network studios, and other pretty unique stuff. Our orientation was in the sanctuary of the Church and right off the bat medics were called for someone who fainted or something. After that, I learned just what I would be doing for the next semester academic wise.

Overall, I am a bit overwhelmed. Feeling like a freshman all over again does not help the situation. Soon enough I will be set in some what of a routine and feel like a pro, but now everything is encompassed under the broad "unknown." Regular classes and sooner or later an internship will set me on the right path.

A little worried about the stories I hear here... http://dcinterns.blogspot.com/. Going to try hard not to be "that intern."

On the dorm front, my one room mate that is here is pretty cool. He is from South Korea (Seoul) and is doing international trade. My other room mate, is a German who is not here yet. Supposedly he is finishing up exams at home and will be here soon. Our small triple will be a little cramped, but will hopefully encourage me to use my time wisely and see the city a lot.

Happy Birthday Flame

Well, today (technically yesterday) was the Flame's 40th Birthday.  The Flame is a distinguished member of the Centre College community who has proudly stood near the front of our library.  It is a piece of abstract metal sculpture so near to our hearts with the following quote at its base.

"Where the light is brightest, the shadows are darkest." 

- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

The college administration decided it would be good fun to host a Birthday bash.  It was well attended with over 300 students (there are only 1,200 at Centre), the President of the college, various Deans, and lots of professors.  With good intentions, people gathered at the Flame after the last classes of the year.

What the party planners failed to take into account is the reason for the Flame's notoriety.  It is tradition here at Centre to "Run the Flame,"  to dash stark naked from your dorm, prance around this piece of modern art twice (counter-clockwise), and sprint home before the DPS officers storm after you in their golf-cart.

Well, just as our most esteemed professor began speaking to the gathered audience, 15 to 20 masked birthday suits came whopping and hollering from behind a building straight towards the festivities.  They entered the circle, did their laps, and took off before the administration could comprehend the display of nature that was before their eyes.  What an epic celebration.

Happy Birthday Flame.

The Gay Gestapo

The whole situtaion disgusts me.  It makes me think that there are some people out there that always need to be angry or always need to be a victim.  

What I'm talking about is the recent debacle between Miss California and celebrity blogger Perez Hilton.  During the Miss USA competition (the last round I believe), openly gay Hilton asked Miss California her views on gay marriage, and this was her response; 

"We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite. And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

-Carrie Prejean (Miss California)

She stated her opinion, clear and simple.  She acknowledged the other side, but reiterated that she was stating how she felt in response to a direct question.  Do you want to know what Perez Hilton's reaction after the contest was to this answer?

The "B" word, a dumb bitch.  And thinking the "C" word (pretty sure he didn't mean charming)!  No apologies from Perez.  He said that her answer was divisive, but I feel his asking the question was naturally divisive and polarizing. There was no remorse, no respect for opinion in the vicious attacks on her opinion.  There were a number of factually wrong things said in the interview which I don't feel like enumerating here since some might stem from my innate bias against MSNBC.  Either way, Perez says that this ladies opinion on gay marriage cost her the crown - is that fair?

I heard these attacks phrased earlier as coming from the "Gay Gestapo."  This isn't meant to describe all gays, merely the handful that use their status as the perennial victim card.  The ones that think being gay gives them the right to say whatever they want with no accountability.  The ones that generally lower the general opinion of the gay community in general in my opinion.

Is there no double standard, no hypocrisy?  Isn't the Miss America Pageant supposed to empower women, not just women with politically correct opinions?

Done for the Year

I am so ready to be out of here.  It is always that way, the end of every semester.  You let the work pile up on top of exams and papers.  And I have 10 weeks of camp to look forward to.  It's not that I don't like school, or even the learning part.  I enjoy it all.  I think it is that I know the year is over.  My mind knows what the deadline is, and has for months.  I guess it is all relative.

"When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute and it's longer than any hour. That's relativity."

-Albert Einstein

It's the same when you have to go to the bathroom.  You can hold it for 15 minutes in the car, but the 5 seconds unlocking the door is hell.  So, we (at least I) mentally set myself to deadlines.  It's even how I consciously set up timetables when I do assignments, always using the last second.

What does this say for how we live our lives?  Always anticipating or dreading the next deadline?  Can we just enjoy every second we have, or is it our tendency to look ahead [and behind]??

Bathrooms

Currently listening to:   My AC dying

So, after 2 years at college and soon to be 3 summers at camp, I have decided that once I get my own place the bathroom will remain spotless.  Thank God we have some one that cleans our dorm bathroom almost daily, or I would start cracking heads.  I really don't think people think of others when they act.  There are fellow residents who leave clothes on all the hooks, their soaps and shampoos on all the shelves, and various and random things on the counters.  

And a carpet of pubic hairs.

Please, if you share a shower with anyone anywhere, try and rinse your hair out when you are done.  Common Courtesy.  At camp, we have the kids clean their cabin AND bathroom every morning.  They slowly realize over the summer that when they make less of a mess, there is less they have to clean up.  Summer Camp teaches you how to aim.  Miracles behold.

My bathroom, when I make my first million, will include tile, large beam wood rafters, a bay window, marble counter tops, and with out a doubt a urinal.

What about yours?

Txting

Currently watching: Law & Order CI

I feel so lost when it comes to texting.  I refuse to take shortcuts in grammar, thus forcing me to spend 5 minutes per text.  And I was just introduced to T-9, that's a whole new world.  I used to think that texting served no purpose whatsoever, and that calling was the way to go.  Slowly, I have come to understand that texting is the technological small talk.

I hate small talk - hence the problem.

I feel that if I'm talking to someone, let's talk about something worthwhile.  Let's have a heart to heart.  Let's get to know each other, not the score of the latest series.  I guess we can put ourselves out there to everyone, what a shame.  Imagine if we were all transparent, the truth that would set us free.  But small talk is a function of societal norms, and we all have to conform.  Now I try and catalogue things to recall and chat aimlessly about.  Or text aimlessly.

In slowly discovering the art of the Small Talk,

Young & Old

Currently Watching:  Fox News

Last night, I was working with my church's youth group on their youth Sunday program.  This happened as we were walking into the sanctuary to practice...

Me:  "What does it smell like in here?"

9th grader:  "Old People, It always smells like old people in here!"

Kids are the voice of society's thoughts.