Today's quote: Oh, please, last night it was like trying to sleep next to a paint-shaker.
Sudden insomnia...I don't know why. I haven't slept all night, and I'm still wide awake. Is it stress? I have no idea. Seems a bit early for the stress insomnia to hit when the semester hasn't even started :D
I must be getting old, most of the music videos I saw on MTV seemed awfully stupid. Maudlin alternative videos, the typical hoochy/rich car-infested rap videos, etc. One thing: props to Missy for losing so much weight, I'm sure she feels healthier now. And Bow Wow is so buff for such a skinny little guy! I feel really old now that I realize he's dropped the "lil."
So I was discussing Dakota Fanning with a friend who was also up at this ungodly hour. What's the general take on her? I think she's been very good in the roles she's been cast in, but I also think she can only do serious roles. Whenever she laughs it looks a bit freakish to me. Maybe it's because she appears to be a 45 year old peeking out of a child's body?
And what is this stupid Kept show on VH1? I have to admit it's somewhat entertaining to watch sometimes, especially when the guys were forced to play polo against a bunch of little girls (most of them were bouncing around on their horses like sacks of limp potatoes :D), but the show got really stupid when there was a hypnosis episode. Puh-leeeeze. Like we're going to believe that bullshit really happens and that these guys are honestly hypnotized? The entire premise of the show just seems retarded to begin with. In fact, I didn't know what the premise was and had to look it up. It's not as easily apparent just from watching the show like it would be on Apprentice or American Idol what they're competing for. Apparently the guys are competing to share in Jerry's life of luxury and attend all the glitzy functions with her as her date. Uh huh. I think they get some money too, $100k?
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Saturday, July 16, 2005
A new tide of HP-crazed fanatics
Today's quote: These are my sleeping socks. My feet like a little air at night.
Alright. I admit it. I was at Barnes & Nobles with the rest of the crazies last night, waiting to buy the newest Harry Potter book, because I wanted to read it too. After having a mild sense of loneliness and feeling that Iowa City was somewhat deserted over the summer, it was quite a shock to enter B&N at 11:20pm and see the masses of people crowded around, dressed in various HP dress. Literally, there was hardly any room to maneuver anywhere. So I picked up my wristband (the one for those who had reserved a copy in advance) and gaped in dismay at my number: 358. Apparently people had come as early as 6pm to get their wristbands. I cursed myself, wondering why I hadn't treated this like an opening night at the movies (where I go the day before to buy tickets, and then show up 45 minutes before the movie is due to let in to stand in line to make sure I get good seats). Whatever. I wandered around for about 20 minutes trying to find a spot on the floor somewhere in the store where I could sit. I found a corner of the store, conveniently in front of the copies of Digital Fortress, and proceeded to camp out and glare at anyone who tried to encroach on my territory.
The unveiling happened at midnight sharp, whereupon the staff told us we'd be called in groups of 50 according to the numbers on our wristbands to buy. Stupid me, I fell for it again. I am always the one who follows the rules. I stop for stoplights at 3am, even when there are no other cars on the street. I'm the one who will wait to have my seat numbers called on the airplane even if there's no one else waiting to board. It's not like I want to always abide by the rules, but it seems that the one time I try to slip by, I get reprimanded sharply at the least, or publicly yelled at and humiliated at the worst. Case in point: I got a ticket from a cop because I crossed against the Don't Walk sign, when someone else had done it about 6 feet in front of me. And the ticket was $91!!! So I actually waited an hour, and finally started to get impatient. That's when I asked a staff member how long it would be until they called the 300's, only to have her stare at me as if I was daft. She couldn't believe that I'd actually waited my turn, and told me to go get a copy. Apparently even people who hadn't reserved a copy had gotten theirs before me. It made me think of every moment I had stood in line to get waited on at a cashier's, only to have them dash away to answer a phone for another 15 minutes for a customer who hadn't even bothered to make the trip to the actual place like I did. I had a moment of feeling angry, and then shrugged. So what if I'm not totally cutthroat and ready to get what's "mine"? I finally got my copy and left. However, what came to mind was one question: why should I bother following the rules if even the people who made them don't follow them?
Alright. I admit it. I was at Barnes & Nobles with the rest of the crazies last night, waiting to buy the newest Harry Potter book, because I wanted to read it too. After having a mild sense of loneliness and feeling that Iowa City was somewhat deserted over the summer, it was quite a shock to enter B&N at 11:20pm and see the masses of people crowded around, dressed in various HP dress. Literally, there was hardly any room to maneuver anywhere. So I picked up my wristband (the one for those who had reserved a copy in advance) and gaped in dismay at my number: 358. Apparently people had come as early as 6pm to get their wristbands. I cursed myself, wondering why I hadn't treated this like an opening night at the movies (where I go the day before to buy tickets, and then show up 45 minutes before the movie is due to let in to stand in line to make sure I get good seats). Whatever. I wandered around for about 20 minutes trying to find a spot on the floor somewhere in the store where I could sit. I found a corner of the store, conveniently in front of the copies of Digital Fortress, and proceeded to camp out and glare at anyone who tried to encroach on my territory.
The unveiling happened at midnight sharp, whereupon the staff told us we'd be called in groups of 50 according to the numbers on our wristbands to buy. Stupid me, I fell for it again. I am always the one who follows the rules. I stop for stoplights at 3am, even when there are no other cars on the street. I'm the one who will wait to have my seat numbers called on the airplane even if there's no one else waiting to board. It's not like I want to always abide by the rules, but it seems that the one time I try to slip by, I get reprimanded sharply at the least, or publicly yelled at and humiliated at the worst. Case in point: I got a ticket from a cop because I crossed against the Don't Walk sign, when someone else had done it about 6 feet in front of me. And the ticket was $91!!! So I actually waited an hour, and finally started to get impatient. That's when I asked a staff member how long it would be until they called the 300's, only to have her stare at me as if I was daft. She couldn't believe that I'd actually waited my turn, and told me to go get a copy. Apparently even people who hadn't reserved a copy had gotten theirs before me. It made me think of every moment I had stood in line to get waited on at a cashier's, only to have them dash away to answer a phone for another 15 minutes for a customer who hadn't even bothered to make the trip to the actual place like I did. I had a moment of feeling angry, and then shrugged. So what if I'm not totally cutthroat and ready to get what's "mine"? I finally got my copy and left. However, what came to mind was one question: why should I bother following the rules if even the people who made them don't follow them?
Saturday, July 09, 2005
Why, gunner, why?
Today's quote: It's strange how pulling a trigger is easier than playing the guitar. Easier to destroy, than to create.
Do you ever wonder what possesses some people to do or say the things they do in class? Right now, I am confronted with a very irritating example of a gunner in summer school.
Day 1: I was overwhelmed with the most shockingly violent urge to smack the person as they prattled on about the "genius of the American constitution" or the "great Iowan so-and-so."
Day 2: Someone else in class did the classic cough/stage whisper "Who cares" when the person tried to do the same thing again.
Day 3: The person sat silently throughout the lecture.
Now, it's a shame when someone feels restricted by others from freely expressing themselves, but it's also another matter when they speak of subjects that really bear no relevance to the course. It's also quite disrespectful when the student in question takes on an aggressive stance towards the professor, almost of the attitude that the student knows better. I think I could put up with almost any amount of rambling or going off on tangents, but it's that last part that really pissed me off. I've always been taught that once you enter the classroom you set aside any notions of your own superiority, because it is here where you are a student to that teacher. Sure, teachers are wrong sometimes and maybe some corrections are needed. But the kind of blatant aggression displayed towards the professor seemed very out-of-line to me. I don't know if someone else spoke their mind to that person, but they seem to have temporarily become quiet. At least the professor seemed to bear it all in good humor, even if most of us students most certainly did not.
To a large degree, I've noticed a fair amount of cockiness in law students, but really no more than to be expected. But there is a line that is crossed when that cockiness is displayed to a professor, coupled with an attitude of condescension. What is going on here?
Do you ever wonder what possesses some people to do or say the things they do in class? Right now, I am confronted with a very irritating example of a gunner in summer school.
Day 1: I was overwhelmed with the most shockingly violent urge to smack the person as they prattled on about the "genius of the American constitution" or the "great Iowan so-and-so."
Day 2: Someone else in class did the classic cough/stage whisper "Who cares" when the person tried to do the same thing again.
Day 3: The person sat silently throughout the lecture.
Now, it's a shame when someone feels restricted by others from freely expressing themselves, but it's also another matter when they speak of subjects that really bear no relevance to the course. It's also quite disrespectful when the student in question takes on an aggressive stance towards the professor, almost of the attitude that the student knows better. I think I could put up with almost any amount of rambling or going off on tangents, but it's that last part that really pissed me off. I've always been taught that once you enter the classroom you set aside any notions of your own superiority, because it is here where you are a student to that teacher. Sure, teachers are wrong sometimes and maybe some corrections are needed. But the kind of blatant aggression displayed towards the professor seemed very out-of-line to me. I don't know if someone else spoke their mind to that person, but they seem to have temporarily become quiet. At least the professor seemed to bear it all in good humor, even if most of us students most certainly did not.
To a large degree, I've noticed a fair amount of cockiness in law students, but really no more than to be expected. But there is a line that is crossed when that cockiness is displayed to a professor, coupled with an attitude of condescension. What is going on here?
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Pulling the plug
Today's quote: Dude...where're your ears?
Ok, so I finally managed to convince myself to stop playing warcrack, and get back to some semblance of normal life. Of course, things are going to be hectic very soon, what with working, finals, and moving to a new apartment all at once. Not looking forward to any of it, especially not the moving thing. Let's see...in undergrad I rarely stayed in any place for even one year, and usually moved out around the 6-8 month mark. Reasons? Either hated my roommates or wanted to be closer to campus. Reason for moving this time? Hated the neighbors. It was funny hearing that the landlords were reducing my rent after all if I decided to stay since they were having such trouble finding people to sign on. Instead of raising the rent to $600, it is now $550. Still, no deal! I found myself a nice apartment in Seville, and hopefully life will be more pleasant and less filled with angry plots to make their lives as miserable as they made mine. I guess I can take the Iowa PD off my speed dial too, ha.
One thing...what is going on with the annoying move-in/out dates? These places have all the flexibility of a steel rod. Almost every place I've heard of makes you move out July 30, whereas almost every place also will not let you move in till August 1. Where is the justice??? What the hell am I supposed to do with my stuff and my pets for the two days? As if moving all my stuff around wasn't annoying enough, but add to that fact the problem that it's very likely I'll have to move my stuff twice puts me in a foul mood. So....anyone up for a moving party?
Ok, so I finally managed to convince myself to stop playing warcrack, and get back to some semblance of normal life. Of course, things are going to be hectic very soon, what with working, finals, and moving to a new apartment all at once. Not looking forward to any of it, especially not the moving thing. Let's see...in undergrad I rarely stayed in any place for even one year, and usually moved out around the 6-8 month mark. Reasons? Either hated my roommates or wanted to be closer to campus. Reason for moving this time? Hated the neighbors. It was funny hearing that the landlords were reducing my rent after all if I decided to stay since they were having such trouble finding people to sign on. Instead of raising the rent to $600, it is now $550. Still, no deal! I found myself a nice apartment in Seville, and hopefully life will be more pleasant and less filled with angry plots to make their lives as miserable as they made mine. I guess I can take the Iowa PD off my speed dial too, ha.
One thing...what is going on with the annoying move-in/out dates? These places have all the flexibility of a steel rod. Almost every place I've heard of makes you move out July 30, whereas almost every place also will not let you move in till August 1. Where is the justice??? What the hell am I supposed to do with my stuff and my pets for the two days? As if moving all my stuff around wasn't annoying enough, but add to that fact the problem that it's very likely I'll have to move my stuff twice puts me in a foul mood. So....anyone up for a moving party?
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