What's So Great About Them? (Part 2)

Names: Peter Bishop and Olivia Dunham
Show: Fringe
Quote: Real is just a matter of perception. I am here, and I'm a part of you that you have to hold on to. You can't forget who you are, Olivia. You can't forget where you're from. You can't forget this.
What's So Great About Them? If you've ever seen Fringe, then you know it's a completely insane show. There is nothing normal about that show. Impossible does not exist. And yet, two of the main characters in the show act like all of this is completely normal... like it's just another day at the office. Olivia is always cool, calm and collected, while Peter is always up for a sarcastic or rather dry remark about whatever current situation they're in. And in the three seasons the show's been on air, these two characters have grown so much, eventually coming to trust each other. It's yet another story of an interesting partnership that, all things considered, really shouldn't work, but does anyway.

Ummmm.... Duh!

I love my mom. Seriously, I do. She's completely amazing... has helped me through some of the toughest situations ever. And she's an incredible role model... had 2 kids, went back to school, became a RN... seriously, I'm convinced she's Wonder Woman in disguise. I guess all superheroes have their forgetful moments, though, as I discovered earlier this week while I was talking to her on the phone.

See, my brother's doing a lifeguard certification course soon. And I'd already been though it (same company, same class, just a different instructor), so she decided to ask me what he needed to bring with him to the class. I gave her the usual list... you know, a bag lunch, pens/pencils, a highlighter, a sharpie (to write his name on his CPR mask and the CPR mask case), a couple of beach towels, and a pair of goggles ("So he can see while he's swimming his 300," I told her). She then proceeds to ask me if he'd need to wear a bathing suit to the certification course.

I nearly fell off my bed laughing.

See, I figured it'd be pretty obvious that a lifeguard certification course would require a bathing suit, seeing as you're in the pool a majority of the day. I even mentioned that he'd be swimming a 300 on the first day. Obviously, none of that registered with my mom (who has actually spent a summer working as a lifeguard as well).

*sighs, then chuckles*

Yes, Mom, he will need a bathing suit.

Dear HIST395 Paper...

Dear History 395 Paper,

I wish you would write yourself. Please learn how to read and analyze books, and write a decent twenty-page paper within the next 48 hours. It would make my life a lot easier.

Thanks so much!

Sincerely,
A Stressed College Student

Still In Awe...

"The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called 'truth.'" -Dan Rather

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the Teachers Of Promise Institute. It was a rather interesting two days, filled with laughter, smiles, inspiration, and occasionally, tears. I guess I should first begin by explaining what this event was. Throughout history, we see various teachers get recognized for what they do. One of the foundations that does this is the Milken Foundation. Well, a group of these teachers, along with other nationally, state, regionally and locally recognized teachers in Virginia decided to begin recognizing the education students they believed were going to be the next great teachers.

Personally, I'm still amazed that I was chosen for this event. Let me put this in perspective for you- most of these students were juniors, seniors and Master's students. They had experience in the classroom and were positive that teaching what was what they wanted to do. I am a sophomore. I have only fully taken one class on Education, and have very little classroom experience. In fact, my classroom experience technically isn't classroom experience because all I've done is tutor two students. That's not classroom experience... not compared to these people.

It's been over 24 hours since the event ended, and my head is still spinning from everything that went on. In less then 24 hours, I met several nationally recognized educators. I "rubbed elbows" with some of the best teachers out there. I was recognized for being a great potential educator (and I'm not even half-way through school!). I learned more about education and how to manage a classroom than I ever expected to. I listened to amazing speeches. And I rubbed the worst blisters ever on my feet (Note to self- buy a pair of good heels).

I'm still attempting to soak everything in. Seriously, my head is spinning, and has been since Friday. How can they expect such high things of me, when I'm not even out of school? Why do they have such faith in me when they barely know me? Do they know something about me that I don't know? What makes them so confident in my skills as a teacher?

I don't know what they see in me. I wish I did. All I know is that I've been though an amazing weekend. And I hope I can live up to their expectations.

"To teach is to touch the heart and impel it to action." -Louis Sullivan

So Tired I Could Cry

Warning: This post is being written purely for cathartic reasons. A massive rant is about to commence. If you are faint of heart, easily scared, or just don't care, then I suggest you look away... Now.

It is currently 02:40 AM EST. And I am still awake. I still have history work to do, poli sci to study, and a GKIN100 fitness log to bs. And I am nowhere near done with my work. In less than four hours, I have to wake up to make it to my hellacious 8 AM, where I will do absolutely nothing aside from bust my ass as I walk to class because my college is too fucking stupid to put a delay on classes. And as I'm walking to class, I'm going to be freezing my ass off because it hasn't gotten above freezing here for the past week. Yes, the past week. I am finding that no matter how diligent I am about managing my time, there is still not enough time in the day for me to get everything done. Thus, I feel like I am constantly playing a game of catch-up, trying to keep up with everything as my studies slowly slip away.

Did I mention that I'm so tired I could cry? Yeah, I'm mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. There is nothing I want to do more than taking a coma, waking up, and doing something completely and totally unhealthy and self-indulgent. But, I can't. My friends need me, and my stupid big heart won't allow myself one second of me-time. My suitemate has even pointed out that I attempt to please everyone (not in a sycophant sort of way, mind you), and I don't allow myself a chance to decompress. Due to everything that's going on, I've lost all patience with humanity (not to mention all hope) and I'm pretty sure m mental state is close to breaking point... worse than it was last semester even. No wonder I feel like a bitch all the time.

Now, you may argue that I can take some time to relax this weekend. Wrong. I can't do that because of a fucking HIST395 midterm that I have due next Tuesday. Seriously, the History Department wasn't kidding when they made the shirts say, "I Survived History 395." And, as I watch my friends with their respective majors, I can't help but to wonder if I'm some sick sort of masochist for putting myself through this hell.

Seriously, I feel like a puff of air could shatter my very being. I really want to turn to my parents... ask for something like a little care package or some advice, but to do that would mean appearing weak, and I can't appear weak. I WILL NOT appear weak. So, I have to keep all complaints and problems to myself. Besides, they've got enough to deal with as it is. They don't need my shit added to that.

My friends can't really help either. They'll probably tell me their own sob stories, try to convince me that I really don't have it that bad. They'll probably tell me to suck it up and deal. Thing is, I've been doing that for so long... days, weeks, months... hell, I feel like I've been doing it for years. But hey, how much damage can one more day of sucking it up and dealing possibly do? After all, it's not like I can really do anything else.

So, this is me, shoving all my problems to the back of my mind. This is me pretending that everything is hunky-dory. See that smile? Yeah, it's fake as shit. But who cares, so long as a complaint doesn't pass from my lips. It's Ok. Ignore me. I'll be fine. See, really, I'm fine.

...

I swear, if I survive this semester, it'll be a miracle.

Dear Mother Nature...

Dear Mother Nature,

Enough is enough. Lemme be the first to tell you the East Coast has had it with you and your blizzards. One every winter is cool. We can handle that. But two in a week? And four over the course of winter? Have you lost your mind?!?! Sweet Saint Patrick, you must be attempting to freeze us away!

What you fail to realize is that for us, snow sucks. We do not have enough resources for your wintery wrath, nor do we have the patience. People are tired of snow, tired of not being able to go anywhere, tired of winter.

I'm sick of slipping on sidewalks as I walk to class. I'm sick of bitter cold winds and soaked jeans hems. I'm sick of waiting with baited breath to find out if classes are cancelled. And I'm sick of snow. Holy Merlin, I'm sick of snow. You fail to realize that my college campus has been under at least 2 inches of snow for the past week. Now we're at two feet. Sure, I should thank you for getting me out of two days of classes, but you got me out of my easy days.

Weathermen are saying we're going to get more snow on President's Day. Please, Mother Nature, I'm begging you- let this be the last snowfall this year. No more. All I want is to be able to go more than a week-and-a-half without seeing a single snowflake.

Thank you so much.

Sincerely,

Someone Who Is Snowver the Snowpocalypse

In Review: Super Bowl 2010

It's an American tradition... the culmination of a year's hard work... the end of football season. Yes, I'm talking about the Super Bowl.

Usually, I don't pay much attention to NFL football. I prefer to watch college ball... there's just something about it that I like better. But I always make a point to watch the Super Bowl, just 'cause it's almost blasphemy to be an American and not watch it. Anyway, I found this year's Super Bowl very interesting, not because of who won, but instead by who did the music.

I didn't watch much of the pre-game show, but I did see the 30 minutes before the game. The first musical performance I saw wasn't really a performance, but a video. It was Jay-Z and Rihanna in "Run This Town/Posthumus Zone." I love "Run This Town" and I love "Posthumus Zone" (By E.S. Posthumus for those of you who don't know), so I thought this little remix was great! I loved everything about it, and in fact, I'm wondering if I'm going to be able to download it somehow.

Next to perform was Queen Latifah. Oh my goodness... I'm wondering how she made it as a recording artist. See, she didn't sound that good to begin with, and on top of that, she sounded nervous. Her voice was all sorts of pitchy, and it was just rough to listen to. Even my roommate said she sounded bad, and that's really saying something.

Carrie Underwood sang the National Anthem, and I couldn't have been happier. She did it just the way I think it should be sung- plain and simple, with little embellishment. Yeah, she sounded a bit strained on a couple of spots, but otherwise, I thought she did great. Bravo, Kari, bravo.

Finally, there was the halftime show. I called my family after watching this, and they agreed with me- it was BAD! It was like I told my brother and dad- when the fan's sound better than the actual singers, you've got major issues. The Who just sounded like they weren't up for this... they seemed out of breath and tired. I mean, it just wasn't pleasant to listen to. I was actually really glad that I missed part of the performance when I went to go put my laundry in.

So, in regards to the music for this Super Bowl, I give them a C-. Yeah, there were some good spots, but overall, it just wasn't that good.

Now, on to the game. I personally was pulling for the Saints, so naturally, I was a little nervous when the Colts opened up strong. The field goal at the end of the 1st half helped assuage my fears a bit, though. It's never good when a team goes in the locker room and are behind by over 6 points. But the second half? Holy crap! Where did that stuff come from?! I was blown away at how the Saints came back. My favorite play by far was the interception in the 3rd quarter where Manning threw one of his favorite passes and it was picked off by a linebacker (or was it a lineman?). Seeing that white jersey come bursting out of a sea of blue made me whoop for joy. I mean... damn, for a defensive player, that guy was fast! It totally came out of nowhere. I think it did a lot psychologically to both teams as well, by shaking the Colts' confidence and giving the Saints that little boost they needed.

In the end, the Saints won (31-17) and I was very pleased. This year's Super Bowl was probably one of the better games I've seen, and I was very happy to see the "underdog" take the Lombardi Trophy home with them.

Holy Weather, Batman!

So, if you've spent any time in the state of Virginia, then naturally, you'll know that it has bipolar weather. During the summer, it can be 95 degrees and sunny one minute, and then 75 degrees and storming the next. Or, in the case of winter, it's sunny and 65 degrees one day, and 20 degrees and snowing the next. My initial reaction to all of this weather?

What. The. Hell?

I mean, I've lived in VA all my life, and I'm still befuddled by our weather. And I've never heard of anywhere else having such crazy weather either.

Another typical trait of VA weather is snow. We don't get a lot of snow, but when we do get any, it practically shuts the entire state down. 3 inches of snow = 1 week off of school, which is great... so long as you don't go to college. In my opinion, snow sucks. It's cold, it gets everywhere and makes everything wet, and if you're a college kid (like me) it means your eating options are limited, and you have to brave the outdoors to go get something aside from Ramen to eat. Not to mention, snow causes all kinds of traffic problems (have you ever tried to drive a Kia Spectra in the snow? Not fun... or easy) and leads to the accident-prone having more accidents. I do believe it's safe to say that snow in general just isn't a good thing.

All of this leads me to wonder what the hell is going on with our weather this winter. We've already had 2 major snowstorms (within roughly a month of each other) and 2 minor ones. And the forecasters are saying another system is supposed to move through this weekend. 2 snowstorms in a weak?! Jesus Christ and everything holy and unholy! The end of the world really must be coming soon!

I guess the only thing that can be done, though, is to just suck it up and deal. After all, I can't affect the weather at all, nor can anyone else.

That said, bundle up, don't slip, and look out for snowballs!

Haiti

Earlier today, there was a 7.0 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter about 10 miles outside of Port Au Prince, Haiti. It is said to be one of the strongest earthquakes to ever hit the small island nation.

My cousin is over there. He just started a several-month-long mission trip there. Thankfully, he, his friends, and the orphanage they are at is Ok. However, there are still thousands of people who are injured, displaced, missing, or worse, dead.

I know that there is not much that we can do right now; the country is still reeling from the event, and it is probably too soon for foreign aide to be organized. Despite that, I would like to ask a favor of you guys. Please please please pray, meditate, think or just take a moment of silence for these people. It may not seem like much, but it may help.

Thank you.

Happy New Year

Yes, indeed, it's that time again. New Year's Day has come and gone, and now many people are looking at their New Year's Resolutions and trying to figure out how the heck they're going to manage to pull those off. I too have made some resolutions and am now currently doing the same thing.

Resolution #1: Eat healthier.
Now, I don't know about you, but I happen to go to the college with the 4th best food in the state (or is it the nation?). D-Hall is God, and I've been known to eat too much there. However, my school also has a lot of choices in regards to food. Ergo, I have a feeling that with a little self-control, I can complete this resolution. All I've gotta do is stop snacking while writing papers.

Resolution #2: Exercise More.
This will be easy this semester. After all, I'm taking a swimming class. It's the rest of the year I'm worried about. Generally speaking, a full-time lifeguard/asst. manager who works 40+ hours a week doesn't get much personal time. More often than not, I'm up at 07:45 AM (Earlier this year, if I have to fight for the bathroom with my brother), at the pool by 10:00 AM, and leaving the pool anytime between 07:00-10:00 PM, depending on the day. That said, I don't have a lot of free time. I guess I'll have to work something in between shifts. Swimming laps while on duty? Perhaps...

Resolution #3: Stop Procrastinating.
This is a big one for me. I am queen of procrastination. It is a way of life I've perfected over the past several years. Heck, I was procrastinating on school projects when I was in second grade. And now I'm a college student. Who am I kidding? It'll take one huge miracle for me to pull this one off.

So, those are my resolutions. Will I achieve any of them? Who knows. I guess the new year will tell.

I Am From Virginia

You Know You're From Virginia When...

• Speed limits are just suggestions
• You have at least two friends who have no idea what their relatives do...because its "top secret" government work
• Most of your senior class wend to Mason, JMU, Tech, VCU or UVA
  
• You've never told someone you're from Virginia without putting "northern," "central," or "southern" in front of it
• It's not actually tailgating unless your bumper is touching the car in front of you.
• You know yellow light means at least 5 more cars can get through. (Yeah, man...at least. Probably also happens everywhere else.) A red light means 2 more can.
• You actually know what the black boxes at stoplights are for.
• You took a field trip to Williamsburg as a kid
• You or someone in your family has a Smart Tag
• An inch of snow and you miss 3 days of school
• All the potholes just add a little excitement to your driving experience
• Crown Victoria = undercover cop
• Subway is a fast food place. The transportation system is known as Metro, and only Metro.
• If you stay on the same road long enough, it will eventually have three new names.
• You have never been served tea without the waitress asking "sweet or unsweetened?"
• Your favorite past time is telling West Virginia jokes.
• Anyone who can't trace his or her ancestry back to at least four generations in Virginia is an outsider.
• "Going to the beach" means anywhere from Ocean City to Virginia Beach to Myrtle Beach.
• You measure distance in minutes
• You use "fix" as a verb. Example: I'm fixin' to go to the store
• You find 100 degrees Fahrenheit "a little warm"
• You know there are three type of summer weather: Hot, hazy, and humid (with the occasional thunderstorm thrown in there just for good measure)
  
• You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from Virginia.

I am from Virginia. I am a southerner, and I am proud of my heritage. My college loyalty is to Virginia Tech, and now, more recently, JMU (though I swear I bleed Chicago Maroon and Burnt Orange). My high schools couldn't have been more different, despite the fact that they were thirty minutes away from each other, but I didn't mind going to either. Belle Isle and Maymont Park are two of my favorite places, but I hate going "north of the river." Despite that, Carytown is one of the best places to shop, and the closest mall to my house is about 45 minutes away. Paying tolls means paying fifty-cents, and without my SmartTag, I'd be hopelessly lost, missing on the first throw. I do believe that speed limits are only suggestions, but I also abide by George Carlin's quote of "anyone going slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster is a maniac." I have tailgated, been tailgated and probably will have both occur sometime soon. I applied to four out of the 5 major colleges here in Virginia (UVA, VT, W&M and JMU) and planned on attending one of those four. Both of my parents came from Smalltown, VA, but I still love going back there and visiting family. Speaking of family, mine is very large and close. I have more cousins than I can count on my fingers and toes combined, and the number of second cousins I have is beginning to creep close to that. And yes, people, I have been to a family reunion (and enjoyed most of it too). To me, Ukrops was more than just a grocery store- it was a way of life, and I will miss it dearly when they're gone. Yes, the school system here sucks, as do the SOLs, and some of the teachers, but hey- I got my education. My neighborhood is small, but tight-knit. And a year-and-a-half ago, I was so ready to get out of there... out of the house, out of the county... I was ready to leave. But when I got to college, I realized that I was no longer the big fish in a small pond, but now I was a tiny fish in a huge pond. As time goes on, though, I stop and reminisce about my time spent at home and everything that went on there. One day, I dreamed of getting out of Virginia and moving on to something bigger... something better. And maybe that will happen. All I know is that Virginia is home and I love it. And one day, when I'm older (and wiser), maybe when I'm about to graduate, I'll look back on those memories. I'll remember my hometown, and everything I used to hate about it. And all those things will seem nice. I might hate everything about it now, but I know that one day I'll be saying, "Those were the best days of my life, and I can't wait to go home."

It's Basic Economics

Dear Obama,

Please take a college course in Economics before you decide to give or make anymore fiscal decisions/advice. In fact, don't just take one course. Go ahead and get an entire degree in Economics!

You tell us you're going to bail us out of the current economic rut we're in. And then you turn around and spend over 1.1 trillion (yes, trillion!) dollars on things like your inauguration, bailing corporate companies out and stimulus checks. The thing is, all this money you're getting is tax money. And all the tax money is coming primarily from the middle class people. Guess who makes up a majority of society, Obama? That's right: Middle class workers.

It's basic economics, Obama. If you do not have the money, then you cannot spend it. In personal finance terms, it's called over drafting. And if you're someone like me, an average middle class citizen, it's something that can get you thrown in jail for what's called "check fraud."

You wonder why the banks are floundering and many are going under. Perhaps it is because they don't have enough money. They cannot afford to give out anymore loans, especially to people who aren't going to pay them back. In fact, it's lending like that, like what you're calling for, that's gotten us into this current fiscal mess as it is! Just take a look at history. It's plain as day. Don't try to say the Republicans caused this mess when it's your Democratic policies from the 1980s that did this.

Speaking of history, have you heard of this thing called Keyensian economics? Yeah, that whole idea of if you spend a lot of money, more money than you have, then you'll get your economy back in order? It's only a quick fix. Keyensian economics will never work. It didn't work for Europe. Why do you think it will work for us? Sure, it's worked for the past few decades, but now look where we are. We're a politically and fiscally unstable country full of middle-class workers who are starting to get rather disgruntled.

Open your eyes, Obama. Look around you. Learn some basic economics and history. Once you do that, then you can consider talking to us about what you want us to do with our money. Until then, I highly recommend you keep your mouth shut. Obviously you know nothing about what you're taking about. Like the old adage goes, "it's better to remain silent and appear a fool than to open your mouth and confirm it."

Sincerely,
A Concerned American With Some Common Sense

PS: If you keep going the way you're going and keep attempting to tax the middle class more, you can rest assured that you're going to lose their vote in the 2012 presidential elections. Just thought I'd point that out to you.

"Battle Studies" -A Review

As a fan of John Mayer's, I've followed him throughout his career. I distinctly remember the poppy, almost bubble-gummy feel of Room For Squares. Then he released Heavier Things, which had a more rocky, edgier feel to it. Later, we got Continuum, which showed a new stage of evolution in Mayer's songwriting. Continuum had a very bluesy feel to it... it felt real. Today, Mayer released his fourth studio album entitled Battle Studies, and I'll admit it- this album is very different. It's not what I expected from Mr. Mayer. So, here's my take on it.

1. Heartbreak Warfare: This is probably my favorite track on this album. It's got layered guitars that almost has a U2 feel to it, and lyrics that are incredibly poignant. I really like Mayer's comparison of love to warfare; while I know that the two are in no way similar, the imagery sticks with you. I also love the bluntness with which this song is written (ex: the line "If you want more love why don't you say so?) It's such a perfect tale of love and the trials that come with it.

2. All We Ever Do is Say Goodbye: This is a simple song with almost a minimalist feeling to it. Acoustic guitars over a piano, drums and bass guitar with Mayer's voice floating over it... it's definitely a different style for him. However, it kind of feels like something's missing... it doesn't exactly feel full enough. I'm not quite sure what it is about it, but I feel this track is a little weak.

3. Half of my Heart: When I first heard this song, I thought I was listening to a country song. And then Taylor Swift began singing. I was blown away! Their voices blend very well, but I feel that for a duet, Swift just didn't exactly get her chance to truly shine on what could be a wonderful song. Don't get me wrong- I do like this song. Once again, it's a very different sound for Mayer, and it's not exactly something I was expecting to hear from him. But all in all, it's a pretty good song.

4. Who Says: Yes, it's a song about everyone's favorite subject! No, not sex. Pot. Indeed, Mayer wrote a song about smoking weed, talking about his personal opinions about the drug (and his possible use). Now, I personally don't really like the message of this song, nor do I really like the song in general. It just feels too short. Personally, probably one of the worst tracks on here.

5. Perfectly Lonely: Now, this song sounds a little more like his previous works. It's got a pretty bluesy intro, and fairly typical Mayer lyrics that talk about his love life, or lackthereof in this case. But I like this song, probably because of the familiarity of it. It sounds full, with just enough of everything in it. And I like the message of independence that's being passed along... the idea of being cool with being single, but also accepting the fact that he knows one day he'll find someone. In general, I like this song. It's pretty good.

6. Assassin: This song definitely doesn't sound like anything we've heard from Mayer before, but it's cool. I like it, personally, and think it's a sound he can definitely pull off. I love the groovy bass line that seems to kind of drive this song, as well as that xylophone (I'm assuming that's what it is) that is played. I also like this lyrics of this song. They're very interesting. From what I understand, it's about a one-night-stand, or something like that. It's a tale that's poetically told, though, with an interesting comparison to the lovers being assassins. This song definitely has a cool funky, and though I used this word before, groovy feel to it. It's something that you can just kind of bob your head to... dance to a little bit. This is another one of my favorite songs on this album.

7. Crossroads: I've heard the original version of this song done by Robert Johnson, and I liked that. I've also heard the version Eric Clapton did with Cream, and I loved that. I also saw a live performance with Clapton and Mayer doing this song, and I thought that was absolutely wonderful! But this version? Ehhh... not so much. In fact, I really don't like this version at all. There's just something about it that I don't like. Maybe it's all the harmonies that are layered over a simple melody. Maybe it's the strange sound of the lead guitar. I'm not sure what it is. But I just do not like this song. In fact, this was the song I was looking forward to the most, and it was just a huge let down. Basically, I really just... yeah. Don't like this version of what could be a great song.

8. War of my Life: This song is Ok. It's just kinda got a soft feeling that I'm not exactly used to hearing from Mayer. But I like the lyrics, especially the line "If fear hasn't killed me yet/ then nothing will." It's a good song, with a very mellow feeling to it. I'm still warming up to it, though.

9. Edge of Desire: This is a kind of slow, almost ballad-type of a song. I'm sure how I feel about the vocals on this track; they almost seem a little stressed or strained. But I like this words. The chorus is blunt; the last line in it almost feels like a suckerpunch to me ("There I just said it / I'm scared you'll forget about me") This song seems to speak to anyone who's been in a relationship and has had a major fight or problem with their significant other, and I love that. It's a song that almost anyone can relate to. It's also an incredibly passionate, moving song. Once again, this is a track that I really like.

10. Do You Know Me: This is another one of those quick little songs on this album. I kind of like this, but it just feels so short. I like the guitar that's played on it, though. But... it's just so short, it's feels hard to get a grasp on it.

11. Friends, Lovers, or Nothing: I love the piano in this song. I almost love the questions that are posed in this song. It's kinda funny in a way, because I'm pretty sure that almost anyone could relate to this song as well. I do like the style of this song. Once again, it's a style that's different for Mayer, but he makes it work.

Like I've said before, Battle Studies definitely has a totally different sound than any of his other albums. Personally, I find it to be a little lacking. It doesn't sound full enough... it doesn't sound complete. There's just something about it, and I can't quite put my finger on it. Regardless, I think Where The Light Is and Continuum remain tied for the position of my favorite album. This could be a really good album with a little more work, but for now, it's just not doing it for me. I'm hoping that if I listen to it some more, it'll rub off on me. I don't know. I guess we'll see. For now, though, I give Battle Studies 3 out of 5 stars.

What's So Great About Them?

In this day and age, television is readily available for the watching, whether it's On Demand or on your computer. It seems, though, that TV stations are constantly premiering new shows, as if they're unable to find a show that works. I've been watching a few shows for several years now, and personally think they're pretty good. After all, what would NCIS be without Tony DiNozzo? Or Bones without Booth and Brennan? How would Sgt. Colbert survive without Ray Person? The list of questions goes on and on. So, here's a few of my favorite TV show characters, past and present.

Name: Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo
Show: NCIS
Quote: I'm the wild card. You know, the guy who looks at the reality in front of him and refuses to accept it.
What's So Great About Him? Every TV show needs comedic relief, and indeed, DiNozzo fills this role for NCIS. His constant jabs at Special Agent Tim "Probie" McGee and amusing flirtations with former Mossad Liaison Officer (now Special Agent) Ziva David provide a light air to a normally serious show. However, his role goes farther than that. Tony is the Senior Field Agent. He's the guy to turn to when Gibbs isn't available. He sees things in a different light (perhaps from his time spent as a homicide cop and all of Season 4 which was spent with him doing and under cover op), and slowly, but surely, we're seeing his character evolve from the chauvinistic playboy he was in Season 1 to the now complex, slightly more mature, and sometimes dark field agent that he is today. His constant references to old movies may drive you insane to begin with, but scratch a little deeper than the surface, and you'll see that he always comes through in the end.

Names: Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan and Special Agent Seeley Booth
Show: Bones
Quote: You see two people and you think they belong together, but nothing happens. The thought of losing so much control over personal happiness is unbearable. You love someone, you open yourself up to suffering, and that's the sad truth. Maybe they'll break your heart, maybe you'll break their heart and never be able to look at yourself in the same way. Those are the risks. That's the burden. Like wings, they have weight, we feel that weight on our backs, but they are a burden that lifts us. Burdens that allow us to fly.
What's So Great About Them? These two are complete opposites, but they show us how other people can fill in our gaps. Bones is a forensic anthropologist who works in conjunction with the FBI via Booth, and in the beginning, all the two do is bicker. However, as the show has progressed, we're being shown more and more about these two. And, indeed, like many shows, this is one of supposedly unrequited love. The ironic thing is, Booth loves Bones, and vice-versa, they're just too dense, or too afraid, to admit or see it. Perfect in their imperfections, though, at the end of the day, they bring out the best in each other.

Names: Sergeant Brad "Iceman" Colbert and Corporal Josh Ray Person
Show: Generation Kill
Quote: Oh, no. Now not only do we have to worry about all the Charms you've eaten, but now Brad's just pissed off God.
What's So Great About Them? Once again, we're greeted with a tail of two opposites thrown in the middle of the same situation. This time, though, it's in the middle of Iraq, during the 2003 invasion. See, Generation Kill was originally a three-part set of articles that was turned int a book published by Evan Wright, a Rolling Stones reporter embedded with this platoon of Marines. HBO turned it into a miniseries, and a pretty good one at that. It focuses on the Humvee that Wright rode in, and these two happened to be in it. Brad Colbert is cool, level-headed and collected, even in the heaviest of battles, thus attributing him his nickname. Josh Ray Person, however, is loud, occasionally obnoxious and rather foul at times. He's self-described as trailer-trash, and more often than not, he gets on the nerves of his fellow Marines instead of helping them. Despite their differences, these two are two of the best people you could ask to have on your platoon. Person is described as being the best RTO in their company, and Brad is looked upon as a heroic figure. These two figures are both self-sacrificing and funny at the same time, as seen when the convoy get's stuck in an ambush one night. Instead of panicking (as I would've done), Colbert begins engaging the enemy while Person gets out of his Humvee and starts yelling at the drivers to "Please! Back the f*** up!" In general, these two men are a wonderful example of a partnership you wouldn't think would work out.

Name: Gabriel Gray/Sylar
Show: Heroes
Quote: Help find a way. Give me salvation. Give me that damn list so I can sink my teeth in! I'm a natural progression of the species. Evolution is a part of nature, and nature kills. Simple, right?
What's So Great About Him? Ahhh... yes. Now we get to the serial killer on my list. Sylar is just... well, he's Sylar. Part tortured soul, part homicidal maniac, all completely amazing. His view of the world is just so incredibly different from anyone else's, it's hard to think that someone like you or I came up with his character. Whether he's telekinetically slicing heads open (and possibly satisfying that cannibalistic urge) or torturing our favorite heroes, he's guaranteed to deliver. After all, he's that villain you love to hate and hate to love.

So, that's my list so far. Perhaps I'll update it and include a few more characters. I'm sure there are plenty out there that deserve recognition. We'll see. In short, I seriously urge you to go and check these shows out. They may very well be worth your time. :)

Ball In Hand

Recently, my friends and I have taken to playing pool every Monday and Thursday night at TDU. It's an interesting game to play (and for those of us like me who never did well in Geometry and/or Trigonometry, it's a challenge). We're not very competitive; and truth be told, none of us are really that good (well... Lauren's a beast, as are Spencer and Logan... maybe it's me who just sucks at this game). It's just a nice way to blow off some stress and have fun.

It's interesting, though, if you look at the game of pool in detail... do more than scratch the surface. See, each time you hit the cue ball, generally speaking, you hit another ball, which could hit a couple of more balls. The entire game is cause and effect. If X occurs, then Y will happen.

Now, what's interesting is if you apply it to real life. See, I think we fail to realize that our actions are that cue ball. We are the billiards player, lining up the shot. There are several different factors affecting our decision as to which ball we hit with the cue ball, such as location of the cue ball, location of the ball we want to hit, and what game we're playing. In the end, though, we hit the cue ball, making our decision, and ultimately changing the fate of someone else.

Sound confusing?

Yeah, I thought so too until I thought about it some more.

See, I think we fail to realize that our decisions affect more than one person. How we live our lives and make our decisions affect people on the outside, too... people like friends and family, or even strangers that we may not know. Just like that billiards player lines up the shot and hits the cue ball, thus affecting the other balls on the table and players, our decisions help progress our lives but also have repercussions outside of ourselves.

When my friends and I play, we have a rule called "ball in hand." Basically, when the person shooting fails to hit a ball, scratches, or hits the wrong ball, the person after them gets to take the cue ball and set it anywhere on the table. I challenge you to be that player who's followed the person who's scratched. How will your actions affect those around you? What consequences, positive or negative, will they have?

The ball's in your hand.

Make your shot.

The Luckiest

I've been going through an interesting stage of life and self-discovery for the past couple of weeks. It's been rather interesting, too. But, I guess I should start from the beginning.

I've never been a very religious person. I mean, I was raised in the Methodist Church, baptized in the Methodist Church, confirmed in the Methodist Church. But, I guess the idea of religion never really took to me... or perhaps I distanced myself from it at some point. Either way, somewhere a long the way, I "stopped being Christian."

Now, this is not to say I was an atheist. No, I wasn't an atheist. I'd say I was more... agnostic. I believed that there was some guiding force out there. I believed that there was some form of intervention. I just wasn't sure what it was.

Perhaps this whole journey began back in my sophomore year of high school. See, I had a Sunday School teacher whom everyone loved and enjoyed being around... except for me. I didn't agree with what he taught, nor did I really agree with how he taught it. And this all just happened to coincide with several events that affected the youth group I went to. I guess the combination of these events led to my rejection of what they were attempting to teach me. I still went to church on Sundays, but it was reluctantly, and with great frustration (and by my senior year of high school, it usually involved a big fight as well). I still went to youth group, and I even became the president of the youth group during my senior year (a grand total of.... 10 people! And that's on a good day), but I didn't enjoy what I was doing.

It probably didn't help that I had a personal crisis during my senior year. See, I've never been a very emotional person. That's not something I like to delve into. I compartmentalize things... tuck them neatly into their little boxes where they're supposed to stay. And in the beginning of my senior year, my entire world was rocked.

My Poppy died during the first week of school my senior year after a long battle with Congestive Heart Failure. For five years, I watched him fight this condition, and it was always one step forward and two steps back with him. And for those five years, I constantly wrestled with one question- how could a God who's supposed to be so merciful cause my Poppy so much pain and suffering? Poppy had never done anything wrong; why was he the one to go through this?

Throughout my senior year, I continued to grapple with this question. And in the meantime, I was forced to confront my own mortality and my own emotions. I'll admit it- I was bitter after Poppy died. I was depressed after Poppy died. Hell, truth be told, I'll still bitter, and to an extent, I'm still depressed. And strong emotions like grief and I don't do well together. We butt heads because grief needs to be fully expressed before one can accept it and go on, and I simply did not want to deal with that. I wanted the grief to get tucked in its little box in the back of my head.

As my senior year went on, I found that I gained no comfort in anything. My parents couldn't comfort me because more often than not, we were at each other's throats. I couldn't bury myself in school work or actual work because eventually, I'd run out of things to do. I couldn't attempt to supress my emotions with running because running can only block out but so much. And I couldn't find comfort in religion because I was constantly questioning it.

Eventually summer came, and my parents couldn't force me to go to church because I was working most Sundays. May led to June, which in turn led to July and August, and eventually I found myself up at college. At Student Org Night, I gravitated towards the Wesley Foundation table out of sheer habit; after all, being raised a Methodist, it was only natural that I checked out the Methodist organization that was on campus. But I never went to any of their events or meetings. And when I was home, I only went to church on holidays, like Good Friday or Easter. Once more, I found myself home for summer, and once again, I was working most Sundays. However, I noticed a new trend- my parents had stopped going to church. This puzzled me. Here were the people who just a year ago had forced me to go to an institution I hated with a passion, and yet they were sleeping in every Sunday morning. I took it with a grain of salt, though. They were adults; they could make their own decisions. Instead, I took to working all the time, occasionally pausing to consider the possibility of religion.

Now, I find myself back up at school again. A week ago, I decided to take a leap and go to the Wesley Foundation's Tuesday evening Bible Study. The next day, I found myself hauling my tired bones out of bed at 06:30 AM to go to 08:00 AM Communion. I was shocked at how I was treated, but in a good way. The members of the Wesley Foundation welcomed me with open arms. They knew I was grappling with the idea of God and Jesus and whatnot, and yet they still welcomed me. And truth be told, I'm still in awe of it. I'm in awe of it, but I'm also thankful.

I'm still wrestling with the idea of religion as I write this post. I'm sure I'll be wrestling with it for a long time after this. After all, I'm the logical person in my family. It's only natural that I attempt to understand something that I truly can't. But for now, I'm Ok with it. See, I think I've found a place where I can voice my opinions and questions without prejudice. I think I've found a group of people that I can talk to and trust. I think that maybe, just maybe, I've found a community.

And for that, I am thankful. Truly, deeply, utterly and completely thankful.

I don't get many things right the first time
In fact, I am told that a lot
Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls
Brought me here

And where was I before the day
That I first saw Your lovely face?
Now I see it everyday
And I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest.
-Ben Folds, "The Luckiest"

Insanity At Its Finest

Main Entry: in·san·i·ty
Pronunciation: \in-ˈsa-nə-tē\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural in·san·i·ties
Date: 1590

1 : a deranged state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder (as schizophrenia)
2 : such unsoundness of mind or lack of understanding as prevents one from having the mental capacity required by law to enter into a particular relationship, status, or transaction or as removes one from criminal or civil responsibility
3 a : extreme folly or unreasonableness b : something utterly foolish or unreasonable
4 : doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results

My friends and I were the definition of insanity earlier tonight. After all, who'll drag two guys and a middle school-aged child down into the kitchen and make brownies? Absolute and complete insanity!

I guess I ought to start from the beginning. This weekend was family weekend at my school, so we had a lot of guests up here. My suitemate's younger sister came up and was staying with her, so we decided that we were going to make brownies. Friday night, we began the preparations, "we" being me, my suitemate Lauren, her roommate, Stephanie, and our friend, Logan. We all piled into Logan's car and drove over to Wal-Mart. Logan bought a Snuggie and a Nerf gun, I bought Apples to Apples and The Chronicles of Riddick, and Lauren bought brownie supplies (including the Perfect Brownie pan- As seen on TV). After running around Wal-Mart and scaring a few fellow customers, we decided it was time to head back to campus. It was only when we got back to our dorm that we realized that we forgot two crucial ingredients for our brownies- oil and eggs. No one wanted to go buy them from the convenience store on campus; after all, they charge an arm and a leg for EVERYTHING! So, we decided to wait until the next day to go get the supplies.

Fast forward 24 hours, and we're back at Wal-Mart again. Lauren's younger sister had arrived earlier in the day, so she'd joined us for our trip. Immediately, she and Logan get to bickering back and forth (in a nice, slightly humorous way). And oh was it funny. Logan got owned by her! I swear, I don't think I've ever laughed so much in my life!

Eventually, we get all of our supplies and make our way back to campus. As I head to go get the kitchen key from the RA on duty, the rest of the group goes to rally the troops and meet me down there. When I get to the kitchen, I find that we've been joined by Lauren's roommate, Stephanie, and Logan's roommate, Spencer. As I walk into the kitchen, Lauren pulls me aside, telling me everyone's in the cabinets. Well, sure enough, Logan's hiding in the tall one that runs from the floor to the ceiling. Spencer's somehow managed to stuff himself into a tiny cabinet under the sink and Stephanie's in another small cabinet across the kitchen. Immediately, I could tell this was going to be interesting.

As we got ready to make the brownies, we realized that we epically failed in the planning department, as we had no bowl to mix the batter in, nor did we have anything to mix it with. Eventually, we got a pot from the RA and I found a spoon and fork in my room that were clean. I ended taking over the measuring duties, Stephanie mixed everything and Lauren's sister watched us like a hawk, waiting for one of us to give her the bowl to lick after we were done with it. Lauren poured the batter into her "Perfect Brownie" pan, and Logan made makeshift oven mits with the box (another oversight of ours) while Spencer stole Stephanie's flipflops and she chased him all around the basement trying to get it back. In the middle of all this, Lauren's sister finally got her wish, and was perched happily on the counter doing nothing other than licking the bowl.

With the brownies now in the oven, we did what any college student would do on a Saturday night- hang out in the study lounge. Mind you, it was completely empty (thank goodness). As we waited, we found our own different ways to entertain ourselves. Logan and Spencer took to ambushing any misfortunate soul who happened to venture down into the study lounge with their soda bottles. When they weren't ambushing people, Spencer continued to steal Stephanie's flip-flops. Lauren, Lauren's sister and I did the Cupid Shuffle (though I did mine in the traditional Midlothian style, much to their confusion). And Logan continued to be tormented by Lauren's sister. In short, it was just another normal Saturday night.

Eventually, we checked the brownies (Logan got burnt while taking them out, and then got burnt again when putting them back in after Lauren and I decided that they weren't done enough). So, we went back to creating chaos in the study lounge again. I've got to be honest- I've never had to much fun in the study lounge before. Logan and Spencer were running around like lunatics, Lauren and I were laughing at them, and in general, it was just a great night.

After a few more minutes, we checked the brownies and decided that they were done. This only added even more chaos, as we were all attempting to get brownies (om nom nom nom nom nom... inside joke, sorry). With our baked-goods craving satisfied, we continued to create chaos in the study lounge. All good things must come to an end, though, and soon enough, we were all tired and ready to go to bed. I know, it's amazing! Who would've thought that college kids could get tired?

But, yeah. That was my Saturday night. It was completely crazy, and truth be told, you probably had to be there in order to realize just how great it was. All I can say is that I've got the best friends here, and this past weekend was probably one of the best weekends I've ever had. :)

25 Things

A while back, these "25 Things" notes were floating around on Facebook, clogging up users feeds with new stories from their friends. Now, I never posted one of these things, but I have written a few of them (I think I really have 100 random things saved somewhere). Anyway, I've decided to post one of my lists here, just for the heck of it. So, here it goes. My 25 things.

1) When I played softball, I rolled down the top of my right sock for good luck
2) This habit of rolling my right sock down eventually led me to win 3 championships in 6 years.
3) If I ever disappear in a store like Wal-Mart or Target, chances are you can find me in the books or TV on DVD section
4) I tend to be really intuitive to the point of knowing when something bad is going to happen before it actually occurs
5) Call it a gut feeling, an ability to read body language, or an extension of this whole intuition thing, but I also tend to know how someone is feeling before I talk to them.
6) I think it'd be really sweet if I could beat-box
7) My sense of humor tends to be very dry and twisted. As a result, I'm often the one laughing at inappropriate moments.
8) I know how to operate a really complex pump system for a pool, but often get confused when doing simple things (like using a microwave)
9) I'm pretty convinced that I suffer from undiagnosed ADD
10) I respect the members of our military with every fiber in my being and wish I was tough enough to do what they do and make the sacrifices they make
11) "She Don't Want The World" by 3 Doors Down makes me want to cry
12) For a year, I couldn't listen to the song "Without You" from RENT because it made me think of my Poppy
13) Sarcasm is my second language
14) And George Carlin is my favorite comedian
15) I am absolutely clueless when it comes to doing math. Seriously, I am
16) I have a horrible habit of picking at my cuticles/nails when I'm nervous or uncomfortable
17) I get really frustrated when people are lazy, incompetent or just plain ignorant.
18) I also have an extremely low bullshit tolerance
19) My dad and I are similar in more ways than I'd like to admit, but it's Ok. We have a lot of interesting conversations (mostly about politics)
20) Speaking of my dad, I've learned more from him that I have from all of my teachers/professors combined. I don't know what I'd do without him
21) I am a libertarian and believe that our government needs to undergo a complete overhaul and return to the original ways of the constitution
22) I have little sympathy for people who refuse to get up off their asses and work for what they want, and then complain about everything
23) If a good song is playing on the radio while I'm in the car, chances are I'll start dancing. And I'm not a good dancer.
24) My favorite TV shows are NCIS, Bones, Fringe and Heroes
25) I'm a sucker for the guy next door. I'm also a sucker for a man in uniform, and a guy with pretty eyes.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Break out the facepaint (or warpaint, whatever you want to call it), jersey's and fire up that grill. Football season is back!

Now, football's never been really big at my school. We've got a small team in a small division. We're not one of those teams you're going to see on ESPN or Fox (unless we make the playoffs like we did last year). My cousins and friends are jealous because instead of praying that I win a lottery to get a ticket, I just have to show my student ID and walk through the gate. In fact, I think most people are a little surprised that we even have a football team.

I support my football team, and I always will. However, my loyalty also lies with a couple of other teams. If our football game is an away game, then you'll probably find me sitting in front of the TV, yelling at my beloved Hokies (or Chokies, as they're affectionately known in my household). On Sunday's, you might find me watching some NFL. I tend to avoid watching them, though. There's just something about watching the NFL that I don't like. I can't really put my finger on it. Let's just say that I live for college football, and that sentiment is shared by my father.

It's amusing, actually. Dad usually has three football buddies (four, when I'm home). On any given Saturday, you can probably find him lying on the couch with Cleo (my cat) sitting above his head, and Kodi and Callie (our dogs) lying at his feet as they settle in to watch his alma mater play. By the second quarter, all four of them will probably have fallen asleep. It's Ok, though. They'll wake up in the middle of the third and watch until the end.

If there's a major game that's going to be played later in the evening, then sometimes dad cooks chili. He and I (and sometimes my brother) will go out and get all the neccessary ingredients earlier in the day, and when we return home, we begin the process of "building" the chili. Dad has a sworn by recipe that's never been written down and depends on constantly changing proportions of spices, meat and tomato products. Each pot of chili is a little different, so we've got to be flexible. While one batch might need more cayenne pepper, another might need more salt. Or maybe we need more tomato paste in one while another needs more water. Either way, we're constantly testing the chili as it cooks, making adjustments as need. By about 02:00 PM, we've usually got a rather large pot of chili simmering on the stove. About fifteen minutes before kickoff, we'll all gather around and dip out our bowls of the thick stew. This is where things get interesting.

Each member of my family has their own unique way of fixing their chili. Personally, I prefer to put a fair amount of shredded sharp cheese in mine, with a small dollop of sour cream. Dad tends to steer away from any cheese or sour cream, instead pulling out the Fritos Scoops that serve as his preferred method of consumption. My brother will also use the Fritos, but he usually throws some cheese in his chili as well. Mom's never been a huge fan of chili, but she'll eat it when Dad takes the time to cook it. She usually throws sour cream in hers, but no cheese.

One pot of chili usually produces enough thick, red stew for all four of us to go back for seconds (and sometimes thirds). In fact, usually we've got enough left over for us all to have at least a couple of bowls later in the week.

Chili is my family's big football tradition. It brings us all together in one way or another, even if during the beginning of the day, we'd been all doing our own things. In my humble opinion, I don't think there's anything better than coming into the house after running errands while home from college and smelling that distinct chili smell. At the end of the football season, I may not remember the final scores of all the huge games, or who even played the Super Bowl. I can bet you money, though, that I can remember those days where Dad and I stood around the stove, discussing what exactly was missing from the pot.

Once again, though, I am faced with the reality that my chili days are numbered. I'm away at college, and to be honest, chili doesn't exactly ship well through the USPS. So, I cherish those moments I have with my dad, cooking that chili. I cherish those nights spent sitting around the TV, yelling at the players and coaches as spoons (and Fritos) scrape the bottoms of bowls. I cherish that time I get to spend with my family, because I know that those moments are slowly beginning to dwindle in number.

So, whether your family's football tradition is wearing jerseys and face/warpaint or watching the game with friends in your team-themed room, remember this- these are the important moments. These are the moments that you'll remember for a lifetime. These are the moments.

With that said, I've got one last question for ya...

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!?!?!?!

2010- Bring it!

And... it's official. At 03:05 PM today, my '09 pool season ended. No longer will I be spending days upon days maintaining and managing a pool. Instead, I get to go to classes... YIPPEE!! (yeah, right)

Though there were many trying moments this year, I've got to admit it- I think this was the best season I've had in my 3 years as a lifeguard. The people were great, the days weren't hugely stressful (most of the time) and, seeing as we had only 2 rescues (which were really just assists), I'd say we had a really successful season. Sure, in retrospect, I can pick out several moments that I'd like to do over... things I could've done better, but hey. Live and learn. I'll do better next year.

In so many ways, I learned so much this season. Not only did I learn about pool chemistry (anyone need their water tested??) and more about pool maintenance (how about diving boards? I could probably fix your diving board...), but I also gained better people and time management skills. My patience was tested several times, so I most certainly gained more of that virtue. And I think one of the biggest things I learned was to let go.

When I was first hired, my safety coordinator told me something I didn't even know about myself. Apparently I'm one of those people who believes in the saying "if you want something done and you want it done right, do it yourself." Looking back, I can definitely see where he'd say that. Anyway, when I was hired, he pointed that out and then told me he wanted me to stop that. I was a manager, and it while I did have more responsibilities and had to pull my weight, he didn't want me doing that. And so, over the course of the summer, I attempted to back off and let my guards do it... things like testing the water, cleaning the bathrooms, etc, etc. Sure, I did slip up a few times (but the tiles were never going to get scrubbed if I didn't do it!), but over all, I think I did and Ok job.

With that said, I think it's pretty clear in my mind that I'm optimistic for the 2010 pool season. True, I'm not sure if I'm going to return to my pool from this year. I've been at it for two years; it's probably time for a change of scenery. But, I think things will go well next season, and I've got faith in my supervisors. They'll put me where I need to be.

So, farewell, '09 Pool Season. You were fun (at times) and made life interesting.

To 2010: Bring it! I'm ready for you! :)