Friday, November 30, 2007
Last Blog!!
The time has finally come. That's right, it's my last blog. I bet everyone is glad that these blogs are over. But come to think about it, I actually enjoyed the whole blog thing....and I bet as much as everyone complained about it, they liked it too. I found the blogs a way for me to release some feelings and share things that I would normally not. This is the best class I've ever had and Wendy is the best teacher I ever had. I have never liked writing. That was my least favorite part of English class. But somehow Wendy made it fun. I actually liked getting up at 9 to go to my earliest class, and even though we had a lot of work, I never had a problem finishing it. I'm really sad that this class is over. I've become really good friends with almost everyone in the class. I'll miss going to class every Tuesday and Thursday and just chatting with everyone for a while. My favorite thing was how Wendy made us feel so comfortable and relatable to her. She almost inspired me to want to be an English major...almost. I just feel really lucky that I ended up in this class. I have about 7 new best friends. I hope we all end up in another class together some day. But I know we won't have as good of a teacher. Wendy better throw some parties and invite us...or else I'll be sad. What are we all going to do when we don't have Phillip to make fun of anymore? Just kidding Phillip...we NEVER made fun of you! Anyways...I don't really have anything else to say. I'm about to go eat at El Porton because it's El Porton day and I'm starving. So I'll see you guys around!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
writer strike
So apparently there's this writer strike going on in Hollywood. It sucks. If they don't fix this, eventually our shows are going to stop. If all the writers stop writing, the shows will stop. Then the actors will be out of work. And not to mention our favorite shows will cease to exist!! I mean last night Private Practice didn't come on. And I heard a rumor that tonight Grey's Anatomy is going to be a repeat! It better not be a repeat tonight or I'm going to be pissed! I mean last week was supposed to be part one of a two-part show. If there's no second part tonight, then we won't know what happened!!!! I can't stand for this. I mean these people deserve to be paid right? I really don't know why they are on strike. I'm assuming it's because they aren't being paid enough. But seriously, I don't really care why they are on strike as long as they get over it so I don't miss any of my favorite shows. Desperate Housewives is apparently written through December, but what happens after that? I don't know what will happen, but nothing good can come of this. Grey's Anatomy is my favorite show. It can't just end. What am I going to do? I mean maybe it's sad that I rely on television so much...but you have to admit...you're scared too! What will happen to television as we know it if these writers don't go back to work? So I guess we'll see if Grey's Anatomy comes on tonight...if it doesn't, I will be furious!
STILL?
I talked to Daniel and Meg today after class and it really just got me thinking. It's something I've thought about before, and everytime I think about it, it STILL makes me mad. It started when I was telling them something that happened last Wednesday. Last Wednesday I had a party. One of my really close friends was there, I'm not going to say his real name, so I'll call him Jake...you'll see why. They party was going good, everyone was having fun. Daniel and his best friend (who is also my friend, and happens to be gay too) came. Now Jake is very prejudice and I knew this, I just have always chosen to ignore it. He's one of those people that is always going to think what they want no matter what you say, so I just ignore him and never try to change his mind when he says prejudice comments. Well he had a problem with Daniel and his friend being there because they are gay. I'm not even going to mention the obscene comment that Jake said when they arrived, because it's just so uncalled for and completely appalling that people still say things like that. Well I was in the kitchen with Daniel and Jake and some other people when Jake starting quizing Daniel. He first asked him if he went to church, in which Daniel replied 'no'...which Jake then said "well that explains it"...At that point I just told Jake to stop talking. Because that comment was totally unnecessary and I was embarrassed that he was saying this in front of Daniel. At some point he also mentioned that Daniel and his friend were going to hell. That did it for me. It was totally uncalled for. I told Jake to get out. If he was going to be rude to my friends, which in turn is disrespecting me, I didn't need him there. I told him to leave. He didn't budge. I started yelling. Just FYI, I don't yell at people like I yelled at him. I'm not an angry person, I do not scream at people (except my parents occasionally), especially not my friends...which he was supposed to be. As I became more enraged, he just stood there kind of grinning, like it was amusing to him how angry I was. I told him it wasn't funny and I wasn't laughing and he needed to get out. Still, he stood there as if he were deaf. I grabbed the drink out of his hand and threw it. Everyone at the party was silent. They were all watching. My brother was there and started to realize that I was serious. He knew this was a big deal because he knows I don't yell at people like that. Again, I told him to leave. He said he wasn't leaving because his ride wasn't leaving. I told him I didn't care how long his ride stayed, but if they didn't want to leave, then he could go sit on the front lawn for all I cared. At that point I was so furious that my brother pulled him out of the room to talk to him and everyone else tried to calm me down.
As I told them the story, Daniel and Meg were shocked. Daniel was there, but he wasn't sure exactly what had happened...so I was recapping him. It's just so astounding that people still think that way. Hasn't our world progressed past this? My favorite part of the whole thing (and when I say favorite...I'm being facisous) was when Jake tried to quote the bible for me. He said "do you want me to show you the scripture where it says gay people are condemned to hell?" At that I asked him if he wanted me to show him the scripture where you aren't supposed to have premarital sex...something he had done. Or the part where you aren't supposed to drink, which he was doing at that very moment. Apparently only certain scriptures in the bible are important. Afterwards I got to thinking about it. Jake tried to call me for days after the party and I never answered. Finally he sent me a message on facebook and I wrote him a response. I asked him if he forgot to read the part of the bible where no one has the right to judge except for God. Or maybe he missed the part about no sin is greater than another sin....which means if they are going to hell, then he is going to hell for his sins too because they are just as great as theirs. I told him maybe next time he should get all the facts straight before he decided to quote the bible. I just find it completely ridiculous that someone could say those things and act that way towards someone they don't even know. I hate ignorance. And his comments were completely ignorant. I'm not perfect, but I'm also not going around preaching to people and being totally hypocrytical. I will never make him realize how wrong he was. Because he thinks he is totally right. He had also made a racist remark because Daniel's friend was black. I was completely baffelled by that because Jake's best friend, who was at the party, is black.
That gets me into what I meant to focus on. After telling her what happened, Meg mentioned that she had never experienced so much racism until she moved to Memphis. Meg is from Franklin, Tennessee, a little country town where you would think everyone is a red-neck and racist. You certainly wouldn't think they are less racist up there than here, in Memphis, which is suposed to be a melting pot of cultures. Memphis is a very racist city, which is hard to fathom because it's overwhelmingly black. She pointed out how segregated we are. We talked about dating black people (because her boyfriend is black too) and the kind of comments we get. She told me the things she's heard black girls say about her dating a black guy. It just seems so ridiculous. Memphis was the center for the Civil Rights Movement, and we're still so prejudice. It's just so hard to understand. Why do people hate people based on their skin color or their sexual orientation? Just because I'm not gay doesn't mean I can't be friends with someone who is. Jake said at the party that he didn't want them to touch him. That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I like guys, but that doesn't mean I'm going to touch every one of them. I just don't understand. How can people think these ignorant things? Why does our world STILL hate? Isn't the golden rule in the Bible to 'love thy neighbor'? Maybe Jake missed that part too. Is it ever going to get better? Is our world ever going to progress? I think of something my grandmother said to me when she found out I had a black boyfriend. She said "I don't understand what you see in those BLACK boys." He's the same person no matter his skin color. As long as he's a good person, why does it matter? I find ignorance such a hard thing to deal with. It was so hard for me to yell at Jake, my good friend. I just felt so disrespected and embarrassed.
Don't be that person. Don't be that person who makes an ignorant comment and looks like an ass in front of everyone. If you have stupid opinions, don't express them. You are entitled to your own opinion, no matter how ignorant or prejudice it may be. But you do not have a right to judge people. Unless God himself handed you his job for the day, then you have no right to tell anyone that they are going to hell. I hope I made you open your eyes. And I hope this gives someone the courage to stand up to prejudice-ism(?) It seems nothing has changed. People STILL have this hatred. And there will always be that person. I just don't understand it.
As I told them the story, Daniel and Meg were shocked. Daniel was there, but he wasn't sure exactly what had happened...so I was recapping him. It's just so astounding that people still think that way. Hasn't our world progressed past this? My favorite part of the whole thing (and when I say favorite...I'm being facisous) was when Jake tried to quote the bible for me. He said "do you want me to show you the scripture where it says gay people are condemned to hell?" At that I asked him if he wanted me to show him the scripture where you aren't supposed to have premarital sex...something he had done. Or the part where you aren't supposed to drink, which he was doing at that very moment. Apparently only certain scriptures in the bible are important. Afterwards I got to thinking about it. Jake tried to call me for days after the party and I never answered. Finally he sent me a message on facebook and I wrote him a response. I asked him if he forgot to read the part of the bible where no one has the right to judge except for God. Or maybe he missed the part about no sin is greater than another sin....which means if they are going to hell, then he is going to hell for his sins too because they are just as great as theirs. I told him maybe next time he should get all the facts straight before he decided to quote the bible. I just find it completely ridiculous that someone could say those things and act that way towards someone they don't even know. I hate ignorance. And his comments were completely ignorant. I'm not perfect, but I'm also not going around preaching to people and being totally hypocrytical. I will never make him realize how wrong he was. Because he thinks he is totally right. He had also made a racist remark because Daniel's friend was black. I was completely baffelled by that because Jake's best friend, who was at the party, is black.
That gets me into what I meant to focus on. After telling her what happened, Meg mentioned that she had never experienced so much racism until she moved to Memphis. Meg is from Franklin, Tennessee, a little country town where you would think everyone is a red-neck and racist. You certainly wouldn't think they are less racist up there than here, in Memphis, which is suposed to be a melting pot of cultures. Memphis is a very racist city, which is hard to fathom because it's overwhelmingly black. She pointed out how segregated we are. We talked about dating black people (because her boyfriend is black too) and the kind of comments we get. She told me the things she's heard black girls say about her dating a black guy. It just seems so ridiculous. Memphis was the center for the Civil Rights Movement, and we're still so prejudice. It's just so hard to understand. Why do people hate people based on their skin color or their sexual orientation? Just because I'm not gay doesn't mean I can't be friends with someone who is. Jake said at the party that he didn't want them to touch him. That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I like guys, but that doesn't mean I'm going to touch every one of them. I just don't understand. How can people think these ignorant things? Why does our world STILL hate? Isn't the golden rule in the Bible to 'love thy neighbor'? Maybe Jake missed that part too. Is it ever going to get better? Is our world ever going to progress? I think of something my grandmother said to me when she found out I had a black boyfriend. She said "I don't understand what you see in those BLACK boys." He's the same person no matter his skin color. As long as he's a good person, why does it matter? I find ignorance such a hard thing to deal with. It was so hard for me to yell at Jake, my good friend. I just felt so disrespected and embarrassed.
Don't be that person. Don't be that person who makes an ignorant comment and looks like an ass in front of everyone. If you have stupid opinions, don't express them. You are entitled to your own opinion, no matter how ignorant or prejudice it may be. But you do not have a right to judge people. Unless God himself handed you his job for the day, then you have no right to tell anyone that they are going to hell. I hope I made you open your eyes. And I hope this gives someone the courage to stand up to prejudice-ism(?) It seems nothing has changed. People STILL have this hatred. And there will always be that person. I just don't understand it.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Wendy's reading
Well tonight I went to hear Wendy read her work at Otherland's. My roommate and I were starving so we stopped first at my work to eat. We were afraid we wouldn't make it to Otherland's by 6 (which is when Wendy said it started), so we put our food in a to go box and left. On the way I made a sharp turn and the boxes went flying, spilling french fries all over my car! So much for dinner later. We got there and Wendy told me that it didn't really start until 6:30, meaning we didn't really have to rush to get there, which means I never would have spilled my food...but that's ok. I forgive you Wendy. My roommate, Angie, and I were waiting with Navid, Sarah, and Jen when we heard Wendy introduce her husband to someone. We were in the next room over so I was curious to see her husband and wandered over. The only man I saw in the room with them was this old man and I was like uhhh....is this her husband? Not that I would've cared if it was, but I was relieved when her real husband walked in and he was her age. I mean that's fine if she had married an old man....just a little awkward. Turned out, the man was an old family friend...sorry for my confusion. Finally it was time for Wendy to start reading. She seemed a little nervous at first, but she quickly got into her work and seemed more comfortable. The title of her piece was PDA...as in public displays of affection. Personally I don't like public displays of affection, but I think only because I don't get them. I think I'm really just jealous when I see PDA. I always say something like "get a room", but really I'm thinking, "I wish someone kissed me like that in public." Her reading might have been awkward for some and she jumped right into referencing her husband's "cock" but I thought it was cool that she could just talk about that and it not be weird to her. I like her courage to speak what's on her mind and not care if someone thinks it's too much info. I think that's why people think things like that are too much info...because no one speaks of them in public. If everyone talked about their husband's cock, maybe it would be more accepted. But that's not what I'm trying to get at here. Her story seemed to have 3 seperate stories in one. At first I was confused, but she tied it all in together by the end. It was so cute when Wendy spoke of how everyone tells her that she and her husband have the perfect marriage. When she read that line I looked at her husband and he was beaming. It was so cute. It does seem that they are the perfect couple. I long to have that some day. It wasn't a very long reading, but it was really good. I love Wendy's honesty. I don't know if this was an excerpt from the novel she is writing, but when it's published I'll be sure to run out and buy a copy. And I'll read it. And I don't read unless required to do so....so Wendy you should feel honored. Just let me know when it comes out. It was great to see Wendy finally read her work, considering she's read so much of ours. I thoroughly enjoyed it. (And I'm not just saying that so she'll give me a good grade....although I wouldn't oppose to that.)
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
exsquisite corpse?
I was in the hospital waiting room for five hours. I was waiting for my sister to have her baby. It had been a long day and I was starting to halucinate. All I could do was sit and watch the hands on the clock, waiting for the news of a birth. I had almost dozed off when all of a sudden a blue boy ran up to the ugly clock! Yes, a blue boy! Why was he blue, you ask? Well this boy had also been sitting in the waiting room, playing quietly with his toys. I think his mother was in surgery. Well he was sucking on a lollipop when he looked out the window and saw an amazing bicycle anthropomorphize into a pretty tree. The boy had never seen anything like this before and went into a state of shock, thus choking on his lollipop, which in turn caused him to turn blue.
and this is as far as i got because wendy didn't give us enough minutes!
and this is as far as i got because wendy didn't give us enough minutes!
Thanksgiving Break
So we're back from break. It didn't seem long enough did it? It was a mixed emotion break for me. It was fun...but at the same time it wasn't. Last time I wrote about waiting for Corbin to show up; well he didn't come that night but he came the next night. And as soon as he got up to my room in Richardson Towers, the stupid fire alarm went off! I was like are you kidding me!!! But now I'm kind of glad it did, because it caused my roommate and me and him to go out to dinner together. My roommate doesn't really like him, just because she's a good friend and she's trying to watch out for me...it's not because she doesn't like HIM....she just doesn't like him as my boyfriend. But since we had to go out to eat together, she got to meet him and spend a little time together and realized he's not as terrible as he seems. Well when we got back, we hung out for a little while and then went over to our friends house. Things were perfect the whole night. I hadn't seem my boyfriend in 5 weeks, and things were kind of difficult since we're on a break, but Saturday night was perfect. Well he went back home and then came back Tuesday. I hung out with him Tuesday night at his house and it was great again! I was thinking, wow this break was just what we needed! Thursday I went over to his house for Thanksgiving dinner because my parents were out of town. I hung out with his dad for a while because he was cooking dinner and Corbin and everyone else was getting ready. When Corbin came down he whispered to me "Em, have you ever had black people food for Thanksgiving?" I was like no! haha...it was different that's for sure. They had turkey, ham, macaroni and cheese, stuffing, potato salad, cranberry sauce, and collard greens. I got turkey and macaroni and cheese and stuffing. I had never had stuffing before, but I felt bad because everyone else had their plates piled high and I only had two things....because I didn't really like the rest....so I got stuffing, and it was actually really good! I was a little disappointed though because there were no rolls. I am definitely a bread girl. My grandmother makes homemade potato rolls every year and I eat about 30...so when they didn't have ANY bread, I was like WHAT?!?! Haha...but it was good. And I made a cheesecake for them since they invited me over and damn, I make a mean cheesecake. No lie. It was good. So anyways...after that I hung out with Corbin again and things just weren't as perfect as they had been the days before, so it was kind of disappointing. I think the mistake we made was hanging out so much, because we said we would be on a break until Christmas and we weren't really supposed to talk or see each other before then, so we kind of cheated. But you know, there aren't really defined rules when you're "on a break." It's difficult. But we talked Saturday night/Sunday morning until 6:30 am...just about everything...and I guess I'll just wait until Christmas break to see how things go. So I'm glad we got that break, and I'm already waiting for Christmas break to be here! I guess I'm just tired of school!
here's my paper guys...give me feedback
Reality vs. Illusion
I had a hard time choosing at least three essays in which I would analyze to try to find a common theme. There seemed to be nothing in common with any of the couple dozen essays I had to choose from. However, looking beyond the surface I found a theme running throughout “The Fourth of July” by Audre Lorde, “The Rake” by David Mamet, and “Under the Influence” by Scott Russell Sanders. Just by reading the essays I didn’t see similarities between a story about a young black girl in the 1940s going on vacation with her family, a story about a man describing awful childhood experiences within his dysfunctional family, and a story about a boy dealing with an alcoholic father. But looking beyond the surface of each essay, I realized that these three authors’ stories did relate to each other. The essays all have an underlying theme of reality versus illusion. In Audre Lorde’s case, reality versus illusion was in the form of equality. She lived in a place where equality was preached daily, but in fact came to find out that was not necessarily the way things really were. In the stories by Mamet and Sanders, the illusion was that of a perfect family, whereas the reality was not so perfect. I believe everything is a matter of reality versus illusion. These three stories show that through their words and symbolism.
In “The Fourth of July,” Audre Lorde mentions numerous times how her parents ignored racism. If her parents didn’t talk about racism, then they would not be affected by the injustice. Her parents supported the illusion of equality when really there was no such equality for people of their race. When riding on the train to Washington, D.C., Lorde asked her mother if she could eat in the dining car. Instead of telling her the truth, that blacks were not allowed in the dining cars in 1947, her mother simply stated that “dining car food always cost too much money and besides, you never could tell whose hands had been playing all over that food, nor where those same hands had been just before” (Lorde 568). This example of her parents’ willingness to ignore the situation is similar to that in “Under the Influence”.
Throughout his whole life, Scott Russell Sanders struggled with how to deal with his alcoholic father. Never once, though, did he or his mother or brother or sister, mention to anyone outside their family of his father’s ailment. The family chose to hide the problem, in a way ignoring the mere existence of a problem. To the outside, Sander’s family seemed perfectly normal. But that was an illusion. The reality was that his family dealt with a monster every day, and never told anyone. This was a secret, as was racism to Audre Lorde’s parents.
When David Mamet referred to the house he grew up in as the “Model Home” for the development they lived in, it gave a new meaning to the phrase. I find the fact that they lived in the model home very ironic. As a matter of fact, his family was far from being any type of model family. I think a lot of people get their ideas of “model” families from what they see on television. This was the kind of family that Mamet seemed to long
for. Sander’s family was similar in this way too. He certainly did not have the model family that people see on television. He and Mamet were the same in that way. Sanders even said how he thought he could make his father better by “doing all my chores, earning A’s in school, winning baseball games, fixing the broken washer and the burst pipes, bringing in money to fill his empty wallet” (Sanders 734). Those were the things that Sanders viewed as being perfect. Things that the perfect son would do. But those were not realistic. All of those things gave the illusion of being perfect, but in fact were not.
I referred to television as being a culprit of making illusions. Showing how things “should” be. Sanders also makes references to television. He goes on about how “it is a mostly humorous lexicon, as the lore that deals with drunks-in jokes and cartoons, in plays, films, and television skits-is largely comic” (Sanders 734). Obviously to someone who deals with alcoholism, the matter is not funny. He also says at one point that on television, beer promises to deliver the essence of life. Of course that isn’t quite the case. That’s just another illusion.
In “The Rake”, Mamet describes how when his family would go out, all of them were in “good spirits”. This shows how they put on a front for everyone else. Much like Sanders did. Sanders mentioned how he grieved behind a “phony smile”. All of these examples show these illusions that their families lived with their entire lives. Never once did any of them let the realities of their household escape past the front door. Something that stood out to me in “Under the Influence” was when Sanders said “In the United States alone, some ten or fifteen million people share this ailment, and behind the doors they slam in fury or disgrace, countless other children tremble” (Sanders 734). Millions of people deal with this disease every day, but none of them admit it. Every one of them hides behind the walls of their house, away from the outside world. Maybe if people came out and spoke more freely of these things, more people would get help.
Going back to “The Fourth of July” by Audre Lorde, the illusion exemplified in this essay is again, equality. How though was the country equal when black people could not even eat ice cream in the same place as whites? The reality was that the country was not equal at all. Here, in the nation’s capital, were all the statues that were supposed to stand for freedom and equality. But instead, racism was the reality. Until the end of her family’s visit, Lorde did not know of her parents’ secret.
In “The Rake”, Mamet described a scene in which his sister overhears her grandfather, stepfather, and mother, who seem to be having some sort of altercation. Turns out that her grandfather just simply can not tell her mother that he loves her, which she is upset over. Just three simple words could have solved the situation, but her grandfather remains silent. Much like Mamet’s grandfather, Lorde’s parents do the same thing. “My mother and father believed that they could best protect their children from the realities of race in American and the fact of American racism by never giving them name, much less discussing their nature” (Lorde 568). Her parents refused to talk about racism and the injustices of America. If only they had discussed racism and the facts with their children, maybe Lorde would not have been so shocked or angry. People seem to hide from their problems more than they are willing to face them. Hitting them straight on though seems more logical. No long would their problems be hidden. I think the reasoning behind this is because most people are too afraid of reality. To most, illusions are easier to deal with than real life.
I could not believe that Audre Lorde had never realized the racism around her. She was only a young girl, but still, how does one not notice the signs, the stares, the comments, as I am sure they got plenty. The same goes for Scott Russell Sanders. He mentioned that he had never heard the word alcoholism. He had convinced himself that his father suffered from demons. He hoped that someone his father could receive an exorcism or something of the sort to free the demons from his body. Unlike Lorde though, Sanders knew something was wrong, he just didn’t know what the name was. Lorde on the other hand was completely oblivious to anything that might be wrong. She lived the illusion that her parents set up for her.
Symbolism was a large part of each of these three essays. In “The Rake” one of the first symbols set forth was the kitchen table. Mamet went on to describe how the table to them “was associated in our minds with the notion of blood” (Mamet 69). Much like the table brought bad feelings to Mamet and his sister, the Liberty Bell and Lincoln Memorial did the same for Audre Lorde. These monuments were supposed to be representative of freedom and equality. But in fact, the D.A.R. refused to let Marian Anderson sing at the Lincoln Memorial because she was black. Lorde’s parents did not stop at the Liberty Bell on the way to Washington D.C. because they knew it stood for false pretenses. Symbols are just illusions.
So many things seem to be something that they really are not. Everyone has illusions of themselves that no one but they know the reality to. Most people find that hiding behind illusions is easier than being truthful or exposing reality. To many, illusions are security blankets that keep them in their comfort zone. The difference between reality and illusion is what people see. “The Fourth of July”, “The Rake”, and “Under the Influence” all show the same theme of reality versus illusion. The authors show the theme through their symbolism and use of memories.
I had a hard time choosing at least three essays in which I would analyze to try to find a common theme. There seemed to be nothing in common with any of the couple dozen essays I had to choose from. However, looking beyond the surface I found a theme running throughout “The Fourth of July” by Audre Lorde, “The Rake” by David Mamet, and “Under the Influence” by Scott Russell Sanders. Just by reading the essays I didn’t see similarities between a story about a young black girl in the 1940s going on vacation with her family, a story about a man describing awful childhood experiences within his dysfunctional family, and a story about a boy dealing with an alcoholic father. But looking beyond the surface of each essay, I realized that these three authors’ stories did relate to each other. The essays all have an underlying theme of reality versus illusion. In Audre Lorde’s case, reality versus illusion was in the form of equality. She lived in a place where equality was preached daily, but in fact came to find out that was not necessarily the way things really were. In the stories by Mamet and Sanders, the illusion was that of a perfect family, whereas the reality was not so perfect. I believe everything is a matter of reality versus illusion. These three stories show that through their words and symbolism.
In “The Fourth of July,” Audre Lorde mentions numerous times how her parents ignored racism. If her parents didn’t talk about racism, then they would not be affected by the injustice. Her parents supported the illusion of equality when really there was no such equality for people of their race. When riding on the train to Washington, D.C., Lorde asked her mother if she could eat in the dining car. Instead of telling her the truth, that blacks were not allowed in the dining cars in 1947, her mother simply stated that “dining car food always cost too much money and besides, you never could tell whose hands had been playing all over that food, nor where those same hands had been just before” (Lorde 568). This example of her parents’ willingness to ignore the situation is similar to that in “Under the Influence”.
Throughout his whole life, Scott Russell Sanders struggled with how to deal with his alcoholic father. Never once, though, did he or his mother or brother or sister, mention to anyone outside their family of his father’s ailment. The family chose to hide the problem, in a way ignoring the mere existence of a problem. To the outside, Sander’s family seemed perfectly normal. But that was an illusion. The reality was that his family dealt with a monster every day, and never told anyone. This was a secret, as was racism to Audre Lorde’s parents.
When David Mamet referred to the house he grew up in as the “Model Home” for the development they lived in, it gave a new meaning to the phrase. I find the fact that they lived in the model home very ironic. As a matter of fact, his family was far from being any type of model family. I think a lot of people get their ideas of “model” families from what they see on television. This was the kind of family that Mamet seemed to long
for. Sander’s family was similar in this way too. He certainly did not have the model family that people see on television. He and Mamet were the same in that way. Sanders even said how he thought he could make his father better by “doing all my chores, earning A’s in school, winning baseball games, fixing the broken washer and the burst pipes, bringing in money to fill his empty wallet” (Sanders 734). Those were the things that Sanders viewed as being perfect. Things that the perfect son would do. But those were not realistic. All of those things gave the illusion of being perfect, but in fact were not.
I referred to television as being a culprit of making illusions. Showing how things “should” be. Sanders also makes references to television. He goes on about how “it is a mostly humorous lexicon, as the lore that deals with drunks-in jokes and cartoons, in plays, films, and television skits-is largely comic” (Sanders 734). Obviously to someone who deals with alcoholism, the matter is not funny. He also says at one point that on television, beer promises to deliver the essence of life. Of course that isn’t quite the case. That’s just another illusion.
In “The Rake”, Mamet describes how when his family would go out, all of them were in “good spirits”. This shows how they put on a front for everyone else. Much like Sanders did. Sanders mentioned how he grieved behind a “phony smile”. All of these examples show these illusions that their families lived with their entire lives. Never once did any of them let the realities of their household escape past the front door. Something that stood out to me in “Under the Influence” was when Sanders said “In the United States alone, some ten or fifteen million people share this ailment, and behind the doors they slam in fury or disgrace, countless other children tremble” (Sanders 734). Millions of people deal with this disease every day, but none of them admit it. Every one of them hides behind the walls of their house, away from the outside world. Maybe if people came out and spoke more freely of these things, more people would get help.
Going back to “The Fourth of July” by Audre Lorde, the illusion exemplified in this essay is again, equality. How though was the country equal when black people could not even eat ice cream in the same place as whites? The reality was that the country was not equal at all. Here, in the nation’s capital, were all the statues that were supposed to stand for freedom and equality. But instead, racism was the reality. Until the end of her family’s visit, Lorde did not know of her parents’ secret.
In “The Rake”, Mamet described a scene in which his sister overhears her grandfather, stepfather, and mother, who seem to be having some sort of altercation. Turns out that her grandfather just simply can not tell her mother that he loves her, which she is upset over. Just three simple words could have solved the situation, but her grandfather remains silent. Much like Mamet’s grandfather, Lorde’s parents do the same thing. “My mother and father believed that they could best protect their children from the realities of race in American and the fact of American racism by never giving them name, much less discussing their nature” (Lorde 568). Her parents refused to talk about racism and the injustices of America. If only they had discussed racism and the facts with their children, maybe Lorde would not have been so shocked or angry. People seem to hide from their problems more than they are willing to face them. Hitting them straight on though seems more logical. No long would their problems be hidden. I think the reasoning behind this is because most people are too afraid of reality. To most, illusions are easier to deal with than real life.
I could not believe that Audre Lorde had never realized the racism around her. She was only a young girl, but still, how does one not notice the signs, the stares, the comments, as I am sure they got plenty. The same goes for Scott Russell Sanders. He mentioned that he had never heard the word alcoholism. He had convinced himself that his father suffered from demons. He hoped that someone his father could receive an exorcism or something of the sort to free the demons from his body. Unlike Lorde though, Sanders knew something was wrong, he just didn’t know what the name was. Lorde on the other hand was completely oblivious to anything that might be wrong. She lived the illusion that her parents set up for her.
Symbolism was a large part of each of these three essays. In “The Rake” one of the first symbols set forth was the kitchen table. Mamet went on to describe how the table to them “was associated in our minds with the notion of blood” (Mamet 69). Much like the table brought bad feelings to Mamet and his sister, the Liberty Bell and Lincoln Memorial did the same for Audre Lorde. These monuments were supposed to be representative of freedom and equality. But in fact, the D.A.R. refused to let Marian Anderson sing at the Lincoln Memorial because she was black. Lorde’s parents did not stop at the Liberty Bell on the way to Washington D.C. because they knew it stood for false pretenses. Symbols are just illusions.
So many things seem to be something that they really are not. Everyone has illusions of themselves that no one but they know the reality to. Most people find that hiding behind illusions is easier than being truthful or exposing reality. To many, illusions are security blankets that keep them in their comfort zone. The difference between reality and illusion is what people see. “The Fourth of July”, “The Rake”, and “Under the Influence” all show the same theme of reality versus illusion. The authors show the theme through their symbolism and use of memories.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Boredom at midnight
ok so i am so f'ing bored right now. I've been sitting on my bed/ walking around my room for like 4 hours now. Like, I told myself that I would stay home tonight and all day tomorrow and tomorrow night so I could write my synthesis essay. My goal is to be done by Monday night because my boyfriend comes home Tuesday night and so I want to be done by then and not have to worry about it. Well today while my roommate and Meg and I were eating at El Porton, as we do every Friday, my boyfriend texted me and said he was coming in town tonight! They were coming so they can go to the Ole Miss game tomorrow and then go back to school before coming home again for Thanksgiving. Well, that just got me excited and unfocused. So basically I've been sitting around all night focusing on him coming over to see me. First I went tanning, then I took a shower, I cleaned our room, then we went to get dessert, came back and took a few shots of rum to keep us energized, then I sat on facebook for a while, then I took out my essay and pretended like I was going to get some actual work done. I didn't. I re-read one of the essays. Then I got up again and just walked around and got online and looked at random things. I seriously could have written half my paper by now, but I just can't focus. I've been waiting for my boyfriend to call me and tell me he was coming over. Well I finally got tired of waiting and called him....so now I'm just waiting for him to come over. I'll be pretty disappointed if he doesn't make it. I mean not because I won't get to see him, because I'll see him Tuesday, but just because I wasted my entire night waiting for him, and then if he doesn't show....I will have accomplished nothing. I just got done making daquiris for my roommate and myself. That's how bored I am! I'm promising myself right now though that I'm working on my paper ALL DAY tomorrow! I have to finish it! If you see me out and about at all tomorrow, hit me in the face and tell me to go write my paper! Anyways....this has kept me occupied for about 6 minutes. BOREDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok I'll stop being obnoxious now....Later!
Friday, November 16, 2007
9/11
This morning in my American Government class we watched a movie about 9/11. It was an interview with a columnist from the New York Times. Umm...his name was Thomas something. Anyways, he spent a long time travelling to different Islam countries asking them about 9/11. It was a new perspective on 9/11 that most Americans don't see. Many of the people in the countries he visited were happy about what happened to us on 9/11. He talked to some students and asked them what they thought the purpose of 9/11 was. The overall response seemed to be that they didn't like how the Americans looked down on them and killed innocent people in their country like it was nothing; but when it came to killing innocent people in our country it was unfathomable. It was interesting when he spoke to one girl in particular. She said that it's funny how now anytime the word 'muslim' is mentioned in the U.S. now, it is associated with terrorists and killers, and Americans think every muslim is a terrorist. His repsonse to her comment was that it was a fact. He said it wasn't 19 Norweigians that attacked us; if it was, we would be wary of Norweigians. I thought that was interesting. The documentary didn't really have a plot or anything, it was just another view of 9/11 from the point of the other side. It was sad some of the things that the people thought about America...things that they had seen on the internet or read in their biased newspapers. Some people actually thought that Americans had bombed NYC on 9/11! It was just crazy to see this side of the issue. Most of us just think about our side.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
my likes/don't likes
My likes: /My dislikes:
love /hypocracy
food/ drama
friendship/ rules/restrictions
loyalty/ parents
clothes /drugs
talking/ confrontation
uniqueness/ decisions
simplicity /school(work)
pink /judgement
money/ racism
work/ closedmindedness
freedom/ 'your' instead of 'you're'
coffee/ frat boys
traditions/ shyness
cleaning/ change
my birthday/ periods
music being under 21
the south/ stupidity
morals/ fakeness
fate/ hopelessness
memphis/ bad tippers
sleep/ high school
tv/ reading
procrastination
4A is like 9B:
Loyalty is like judgement because the really go hand in hand. Loyalty is an important quality to have. It is sticking by someone no matter what. It's being there for a person because they are important to you, even if you might not necessarily believe all their ideals. Judgement is a discusting habit that everyone is guilty of. It's looking at someone and thinking things about them that you have no right to. It's placing an opinion on someone else's life or situation, that you may know nothing about. Judgement can also be good. It is important to know when to use good judgement. When you compare the two, they are both qualities of one's personality. To be loyal, you have to have good judgement. good judgement can stop you from making mistakes or putting yourself in situations where you could be unloyal.
Interpretations of column A:
If you sum up all the items in column A, they are overall happy things. A lot of them are somewhat materialistic, but for the most part, they simply describe a laid-back, happy attitude. If using the list to describe the person, you can see that the list is that of someone who is outgoing, confident, and independant.
5B causes 3B:
Drugs cause rules/restrictions. This one is pretty much a no brainer. Obviously when it comes to illegal drugs, there has to be rules and restrictions. If we let everyone walk around, go to work and school, etc. while being on cocaine or meth, we would have some problems on our hands. Drugs can be a serious problem that affect everyone. Not only do they put the user in danger for their health, it risks the lives of those around them. You can not predict the actions of someone on drugs. Therefore, it is crucial that there are rules and restrictions against drugs.
love /hypocracy
food/ drama
friendship/ rules/restrictions
loyalty/ parents
clothes /drugs
talking/ confrontation
uniqueness/ decisions
simplicity /school(work)
pink /judgement
money/ racism
work/ closedmindedness
freedom/ 'your' instead of 'you're'
coffee/ frat boys
traditions/ shyness
cleaning/ change
my birthday/ periods
music being under 21
the south/ stupidity
morals/ fakeness
fate/ hopelessness
memphis/ bad tippers
sleep/ high school
tv/ reading
procrastination
4A is like 9B:
Loyalty is like judgement because the really go hand in hand. Loyalty is an important quality to have. It is sticking by someone no matter what. It's being there for a person because they are important to you, even if you might not necessarily believe all their ideals. Judgement is a discusting habit that everyone is guilty of. It's looking at someone and thinking things about them that you have no right to. It's placing an opinion on someone else's life or situation, that you may know nothing about. Judgement can also be good. It is important to know when to use good judgement. When you compare the two, they are both qualities of one's personality. To be loyal, you have to have good judgement. good judgement can stop you from making mistakes or putting yourself in situations where you could be unloyal.
Interpretations of column A:
If you sum up all the items in column A, they are overall happy things. A lot of them are somewhat materialistic, but for the most part, they simply describe a laid-back, happy attitude. If using the list to describe the person, you can see that the list is that of someone who is outgoing, confident, and independant.
5B causes 3B:
Drugs cause rules/restrictions. This one is pretty much a no brainer. Obviously when it comes to illegal drugs, there has to be rules and restrictions. If we let everyone walk around, go to work and school, etc. while being on cocaine or meth, we would have some problems on our hands. Drugs can be a serious problem that affect everyone. Not only do they put the user in danger for their health, it risks the lives of those around them. You can not predict the actions of someone on drugs. Therefore, it is crucial that there are rules and restrictions against drugs.
Friday, November 9, 2007
"a-ha!"
So an a-ha moment? Well it surely isn't that I've realized how I am like my mom...that day will NEVER come! Not because I will never REALIZE I'm like my mom...but because I will never be like her!! Ever!! Unfortunately I never had that a-ha moment of what I wanted to be when I grow up. I still don't know. I'm waiting for that a-ha moment....if it could just go ahead and happen, that would be great. I don't know how many a-ha moments I've ever had in my life. But I guess one thing that has been on my mind a lot...that I've gotten some perspective on....and you could say I've had maybe a few a-ha moments about...is my relationship with my boyfriend.
Jenn pretty much outed the fact that we broke up to the whole class...thanks for that one Jenn! But no, it's a very good thing that we decided to take this break. You know, after being with someone for over a year, you start to realize some things. Or at least I did. I just realized that I wasn't me anymore, and I wasn't being fair to myself by letting him get away with a lot of things that he did. I love my boyfriend more than anything and my a-ha moment was kind of when I realized that despite this set-back, we will be ok. We will get through this and it will make us stronger. I hate telling people that we're on a break because everybody's response is "yeah that means y'all broke up. a break means that he's hooking up with other girls, but still wants to know that you're there just in case." Well that's not how it is. And I hate it when people try to tell me it is...because I think I know my own situation a little better than you do. Ya know? Like who are you to judge my relationship? But anyways...things just were not good anymore. I wasn't happy at all. And it's because I never spoke up for myself. I never told him when things bothered me, and we kept so much stuff locked up. And that's not like us at all. For the past year, he's been my best friend...we told each other everything. I don't know if it was the distance between us-him going to school 4 1/2 hours away-or just that we had never really experienced anything else...just each other. I think there was a lot of curiosity there...the mere fact that there were so many people we didn't know. So needless to say, things were not good. And we both knew it, we just didn't want to admit it. Even though things weren't good, I still loved him and nothing would change that.
So for fall break I headed up to Sewanee, TN. I promised myself that before I left to come back home, I would sit down and have a talk with him, because I could not go on being that unhappy. It didn't look like it was going to happen because it was the last night I was there and we still hadn't talked. But after a few parties and a lot of drinks later (me, not him) we ended up in his room, talking. Eventually, through tears, questions, confessions, and tons of emotions, we decided the best thing to do would be to go on a break...mostly for him, so he could take some time to mature, and to find himself, and his feelings. It was so bittersweet. Bitter because this is the boy I love and I knew how much it would hurt to be apart. Sweet because I knew deep down that things could not get better until we took this step. I set the rules. I didn't want to talk until the holidays and at that point he would be home and we would go on a date and figure things out then. I thought it would be too hard to talk to him knowing we weren't exactly together.
So I came home. I wasn't expecting to talk to him for at least a month. But the next day I had a voicemail from him. Then I got on facebook and had a message from him. And I won't go into too much detail (I'm not sure how thrilled he would be that I'm sharing all this with the world), but the basis of what I was hearing from him was that once he realized he lost me, he knew how much he loved me. And at that point I knew everything would be ok. Things would be good again and we would get back together. It's still hard to not talk to him every day like we used to, but we talk at least once a week...just to make sure we know what's going on in each other's lives. I can't wait until he comes home in two weeks for Thanksgiving. I miss him a lot. But I just keep telling myself, this was good. We needed this, and things will be ok because of this. Somewhere I heard this phrase: "If you love someone set them free, if they comes back it was meant to be." And I truely believe that...you know, everything happens for a reason.
Jenn pretty much outed the fact that we broke up to the whole class...thanks for that one Jenn! But no, it's a very good thing that we decided to take this break. You know, after being with someone for over a year, you start to realize some things. Or at least I did. I just realized that I wasn't me anymore, and I wasn't being fair to myself by letting him get away with a lot of things that he did. I love my boyfriend more than anything and my a-ha moment was kind of when I realized that despite this set-back, we will be ok. We will get through this and it will make us stronger. I hate telling people that we're on a break because everybody's response is "yeah that means y'all broke up. a break means that he's hooking up with other girls, but still wants to know that you're there just in case." Well that's not how it is. And I hate it when people try to tell me it is...because I think I know my own situation a little better than you do. Ya know? Like who are you to judge my relationship? But anyways...things just were not good anymore. I wasn't happy at all. And it's because I never spoke up for myself. I never told him when things bothered me, and we kept so much stuff locked up. And that's not like us at all. For the past year, he's been my best friend...we told each other everything. I don't know if it was the distance between us-him going to school 4 1/2 hours away-or just that we had never really experienced anything else...just each other. I think there was a lot of curiosity there...the mere fact that there were so many people we didn't know. So needless to say, things were not good. And we both knew it, we just didn't want to admit it. Even though things weren't good, I still loved him and nothing would change that.
So for fall break I headed up to Sewanee, TN. I promised myself that before I left to come back home, I would sit down and have a talk with him, because I could not go on being that unhappy. It didn't look like it was going to happen because it was the last night I was there and we still hadn't talked. But after a few parties and a lot of drinks later (me, not him) we ended up in his room, talking. Eventually, through tears, questions, confessions, and tons of emotions, we decided the best thing to do would be to go on a break...mostly for him, so he could take some time to mature, and to find himself, and his feelings. It was so bittersweet. Bitter because this is the boy I love and I knew how much it would hurt to be apart. Sweet because I knew deep down that things could not get better until we took this step. I set the rules. I didn't want to talk until the holidays and at that point he would be home and we would go on a date and figure things out then. I thought it would be too hard to talk to him knowing we weren't exactly together.
So I came home. I wasn't expecting to talk to him for at least a month. But the next day I had a voicemail from him. Then I got on facebook and had a message from him. And I won't go into too much detail (I'm not sure how thrilled he would be that I'm sharing all this with the world), but the basis of what I was hearing from him was that once he realized he lost me, he knew how much he loved me. And at that point I knew everything would be ok. Things would be good again and we would get back together. It's still hard to not talk to him every day like we used to, but we talk at least once a week...just to make sure we know what's going on in each other's lives. I can't wait until he comes home in two weeks for Thanksgiving. I miss him a lot. But I just keep telling myself, this was good. We needed this, and things will be ok because of this. Somewhere I heard this phrase: "If you love someone set them free, if they comes back it was meant to be." And I truely believe that...you know, everything happens for a reason.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
The House of Judgement
I was flipping through the tv channels the other day when I caught a glimpse of something that made me want to stop and watch. Surprisingly, it was Dr. Phil. I've never been one to watch Dr. Phil. If there was any one of those talk shows that I was going to watch it would be Oprah....or Ellen...but certainly not Dr. Phil. But what I saw infuriated me so much, that I couldn't bring myself to change the channel. I'm not sure what the exact topic for the show was, but it had something to do with judgemental people.
The episode focused on 6 people in the audience who had been brought on to share their completely judgemental views on life. The first one I saw, the one that made me stop and watch, was a chauvinistic man. He went on and on about how woman are worthless and the only thing they are good for is having babies...but then they don't even raise them right...and spending men's money. He went on to say that women can not hold positions of power or leadership, and commented that if there was ever a woman president we would pretty much be screwed becaue women can't make decisions. He said that women shouldn't even be given the right to vote! I was so mad! How are there people in this world that even think like this? And it's those kind of people that no matter what you say to them, they will never change their view.
Next was a woman who was "morally righteous." She walked around the streets holding a bible and preaching to people about all the ways they would go to hell. She would just walk up to people and tell them they needed to change their lives or they would go to hell...she didn't know them, for all she knew, she could be talking to a priest. But she wasn't preaching the word of the bible...that's just what she claimed to be doing...she was preaching her way of life. She walked up to a girl on the street who had piercings on her face and told her that God didn't like that and if she didn't repent she was going to hell. Well damn! Looks like I'm going to hell then too! She said that you would go to hell if you had sex before marriage and to that Dr.Phil asked if she was married and she said no, then he asked if she had ever had sex and her reply was "Well..." These people are complete hypocrites! They refuse to listen to what anyone else has to say...they are right no matter what, even if what they are saying contradicts itself.
Then they had a man who hated society. He said that 90% of people were morons and that they were just sheep following the crowd. I would say he was the least of the bad. He didn't try to push his views on anyone else, he kept it to himself. But still...the fact that anyone could believe that is dumb. Then there was a woman who "hates ugly people." She said if you're ugly, you might as well not talk to her. She walks down the streets and just make comments about anyone that passes her. There was an overweight woman pushes her child in a stroller down the street, and when the woman saw that, she said she should turn around and beat that woman's ass. The best part about it thought is that the woman who said all this was not attractive in the least! She had crooked, yellow teeth, her hair was greasy, and she looked like white trash.
The one that made me the most mad (and you'll probably understand why) was a woman who was extrememly racist. The woman was racist against black people, but SHE was black!! She said that black people are just whores, prostitutes, gang bangers, they have no education, and on and on...She went on to say that she would never let her children play with black kids. She married a white man. But whenever Dr. Phil asked her questions, she would get tripped up, because she was so hypocritical, that she didn't have anything to say back without making herself look stupid. I mean if you think all these things about black people, is it ok for people to think that about you? And she was like...no, she's not a prostitute or a whore. But you're black....so you must be a prostitute right? I mean seriously. I was getting so pissed off
The last of the 6 I missed because she cam on before I flipped to that channel, but apparently she was the opposite of the chauvinistic man-she hated men. At the end of the show Dr. Phil brought all 6 up to the stage and announced what his "therapy" was going to be. With people whose views are this extreme though, they normally don't care what anyone says, because they think they're right no matter what. But Dr. Phil announced that he was going to put all of them in the "Dr. Phil house." They would all have to live with each other, with their views and opinions. He them went on to assign roommates. The chauvinist man and the woman who hates men will room together. The man who hates society and people who are materialistic will room with the woman who hates ugly people. And the racist and morally righteous woman will be roomies. So this should be interesting. It starts Monday...and they're going to cover what happens in the "house of judgement" as they call it. I hope I get a chance to watch it. It just makes me so mad to know that there are actually people in this world that think like that. And they aren't the only 6. There must be some serious psycological things going on with these people. They are so unsecure with themselves, that they have to make it out to be other peoples' problems. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with these people. To see if there's any hope at all.
The episode focused on 6 people in the audience who had been brought on to share their completely judgemental views on life. The first one I saw, the one that made me stop and watch, was a chauvinistic man. He went on and on about how woman are worthless and the only thing they are good for is having babies...but then they don't even raise them right...and spending men's money. He went on to say that women can not hold positions of power or leadership, and commented that if there was ever a woman president we would pretty much be screwed becaue women can't make decisions. He said that women shouldn't even be given the right to vote! I was so mad! How are there people in this world that even think like this? And it's those kind of people that no matter what you say to them, they will never change their view.
Next was a woman who was "morally righteous." She walked around the streets holding a bible and preaching to people about all the ways they would go to hell. She would just walk up to people and tell them they needed to change their lives or they would go to hell...she didn't know them, for all she knew, she could be talking to a priest. But she wasn't preaching the word of the bible...that's just what she claimed to be doing...she was preaching her way of life. She walked up to a girl on the street who had piercings on her face and told her that God didn't like that and if she didn't repent she was going to hell. Well damn! Looks like I'm going to hell then too! She said that you would go to hell if you had sex before marriage and to that Dr.Phil asked if she was married and she said no, then he asked if she had ever had sex and her reply was "Well..." These people are complete hypocrites! They refuse to listen to what anyone else has to say...they are right no matter what, even if what they are saying contradicts itself.
Then they had a man who hated society. He said that 90% of people were morons and that they were just sheep following the crowd. I would say he was the least of the bad. He didn't try to push his views on anyone else, he kept it to himself. But still...the fact that anyone could believe that is dumb. Then there was a woman who "hates ugly people." She said if you're ugly, you might as well not talk to her. She walks down the streets and just make comments about anyone that passes her. There was an overweight woman pushes her child in a stroller down the street, and when the woman saw that, she said she should turn around and beat that woman's ass. The best part about it thought is that the woman who said all this was not attractive in the least! She had crooked, yellow teeth, her hair was greasy, and she looked like white trash.
The one that made me the most mad (and you'll probably understand why) was a woman who was extrememly racist. The woman was racist against black people, but SHE was black!! She said that black people are just whores, prostitutes, gang bangers, they have no education, and on and on...She went on to say that she would never let her children play with black kids. She married a white man. But whenever Dr. Phil asked her questions, she would get tripped up, because she was so hypocritical, that she didn't have anything to say back without making herself look stupid. I mean if you think all these things about black people, is it ok for people to think that about you? And she was like...no, she's not a prostitute or a whore. But you're black....so you must be a prostitute right? I mean seriously. I was getting so pissed off
The last of the 6 I missed because she cam on before I flipped to that channel, but apparently she was the opposite of the chauvinistic man-she hated men. At the end of the show Dr. Phil brought all 6 up to the stage and announced what his "therapy" was going to be. With people whose views are this extreme though, they normally don't care what anyone says, because they think they're right no matter what. But Dr. Phil announced that he was going to put all of them in the "Dr. Phil house." They would all have to live with each other, with their views and opinions. He them went on to assign roommates. The chauvinist man and the woman who hates men will room together. The man who hates society and people who are materialistic will room with the woman who hates ugly people. And the racist and morally righteous woman will be roomies. So this should be interesting. It starts Monday...and they're going to cover what happens in the "house of judgement" as they call it. I hope I get a chance to watch it. It just makes me so mad to know that there are actually people in this world that think like that. And they aren't the only 6. There must be some serious psycological things going on with these people. They are so unsecure with themselves, that they have to make it out to be other peoples' problems. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with these people. To see if there's any hope at all.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Stupid Fire Alarm!
Ok so I'm kind of still mad right now from this morning when the fire alarm in Richardson Towers went off at 10 am. I was still in bed and wasn't planning on getting up for at least another hour when all of a sudden I hear the most annoying noise in the world and see a bright light flashing in my room. I woke up and realized it was the fire alarm. I didn't even have any pants on. Just underwear and a tank top. Well I was in no hurry. I got some shorts out of my drawer, put a sweatshirt on because I figured it would be chilly, put my shoes on, then I grabbed my purse and put my phone in it and got my keys out and left with my roommate. I made sure to lock my door because I was told that people sometimes pull the fire alarm and then go room to room and see who left their door unlocked and then steal stuff. So I always make sure to lock the door. So we go outside and we're standing out there for more than 30 minutes. I was really getting pissed off. I didn't get enough sleep, I had to pee, and I was hungry. It's just so dumb. There's not a fire, someone just pulled the alarm. I know they have to pretend like it's a real fire, but everyone knows there was no fire. Even the firemen probably get tired of coming to towers for our fire alarms. I bet every time they get the call they are thinking "Oh great, another 'fire' at Richardson Towers." It's just so annoying. What thrill do people get from pulling a fire alarm? Sometimes I guess it goes off because people are dumb and they burn things in their microwaves. But seriously people, this is ridiculous! Goh, I'm just so furious about it. I was getting so mad just standing outside for 30 minutes when I could be sleeping. And of course I couldn't go back to sleep when I got back up here. I was already awake by then. I'm just so mad. That's that.
Hairspray
Last night my mom and I went to see Hairspray at the Orpheum. I don't really prefer to hang out with my mom, but every now and then we go out and it's kind of nice. We just don't normally get along very well, so I try to avoid seeing her, but last night was fun. First we went to eat dinner at Big Foot Lodge. I don't know if you've ver been there, but they are famous for their 5 pound burger. Only one person has ever eaten it and they were a professional eater. The rules are that you have to finish the entire burger with all the dressings in 60 minutes. Well while we were there, someone ordered it. I walked over to see exactly how big it was and that thing was ridiculous! It looked like a cake! The bun was bigger than my head. How anyone could ever eat that is beyond me. I used to work at Cheeburger Cheeburger and we were famous for our one pound burger. Well I ate that one time and I just barely finished it....I can't imagine trying to eat a 5 pound burger!!! crazy!! I don't know if he finished it, we left before then.
After we ate dinner we headed down to the orpheum to see Hairspray. I love going to the Orpheum. It's so fancy and fun. It's like you're in New York going to Broadway. In fact, the Orpheum is a lot nicer than a lot of theatres on Broadway...so it's really fun. I saw the movie Hairspray when it came out in the summer, so I was super excited to come see the show. If you've never seen the show you're truly missing out. It's set in 1962 in Baltimore. The main character is Tracy Turnblad, an overweight teen whose dream is to be on the Corny Collins Show, which is about the equivalent to what our American Bandstand was. After she gets on the show, she makes it her mission to make "Negro day" everyday. This of course was in a time when many things were segregated. It's a great show because it covers the issues of segregation and racism but in a lighter, more fun tone. It's not heavy or sad...just lighthearted fun. Through the course of the show Tracy falls in love with the main male dancer Link Larken. Tracy's best friend Penny also falls in love, but with Seaweed, a black guy. Of course Penny is my favorite character for that. It's so funny because Penny is very sheltered...her mother doesn't let her do anything and certainly wouldn't approve of her dating a black boy. It's also refreshing becausse it was during a time when that definitely wouldn't be accepted, but they don't care, they are in love. There's one song in the show called without love and Penny sings a line saying "In my ivory tower life was just a hostess snack, But now I've tasted chocolate and I'm never going back."
It's a great show. The actors were great. The part of Tracy was actually played by the understudy last night and she was great. I can't wait for Rent to come in a couple weeks. That will be my next Orpheum outing. My mom won't be here though....anybody want to go?
After we ate dinner we headed down to the orpheum to see Hairspray. I love going to the Orpheum. It's so fancy and fun. It's like you're in New York going to Broadway. In fact, the Orpheum is a lot nicer than a lot of theatres on Broadway...so it's really fun. I saw the movie Hairspray when it came out in the summer, so I was super excited to come see the show. If you've never seen the show you're truly missing out. It's set in 1962 in Baltimore. The main character is Tracy Turnblad, an overweight teen whose dream is to be on the Corny Collins Show, which is about the equivalent to what our American Bandstand was. After she gets on the show, she makes it her mission to make "Negro day" everyday. This of course was in a time when many things were segregated. It's a great show because it covers the issues of segregation and racism but in a lighter, more fun tone. It's not heavy or sad...just lighthearted fun. Through the course of the show Tracy falls in love with the main male dancer Link Larken. Tracy's best friend Penny also falls in love, but with Seaweed, a black guy. Of course Penny is my favorite character for that. It's so funny because Penny is very sheltered...her mother doesn't let her do anything and certainly wouldn't approve of her dating a black boy. It's also refreshing becausse it was during a time when that definitely wouldn't be accepted, but they don't care, they are in love. There's one song in the show called without love and Penny sings a line saying "In my ivory tower life was just a hostess snack, But now I've tasted chocolate and I'm never going back."
It's a great show. The actors were great. The part of Tracy was actually played by the understudy last night and she was great. I can't wait for Rent to come in a couple weeks. That will be my next Orpheum outing. My mom won't be here though....anybody want to go?
Friday, November 2, 2007
Choir Tour
Man I'm exhausted! I just got back from our choir tour to Jackson. We left yesterday morning at 6:30, had three concerts yesterday, then woke up today at 7 and had two more concerts, then we drove back. I don't think I've ever been so tired of singing! My calves are killing me! I've been wearing heels while standing for pretty much the entire past 36 hours. My right arm feels like when you go to the gym for the first time in like a year....it's really sore from holding up our music folders while singing. I know that sounds super pathetic right? We can't even hold a folder. But seriously a thick, choir folder, with about 10 pieces of long choral music, and holding it up in the air for a good 12 hours or so...yeah it hurts. Gosh, the pain us singers go through! Yeah I know...I'm a baby. But it was so much fun. As tired as we were, I really enjoyed going to the different high schools and seeing the reactions we got from the kids that we sang for. We sing this one gospel song and that's everyone's favorite. As soon as we bust out that song, everyone is clapping. I love it. It's my favorite too....I wish I had one of those huge gospelly voices. Anyways....I just had singing on the brain, since I just got back from singing and all. IF anybody's bored next Sunday, the 11th, we have our fall concert at Cathedral of Immaculate Conception at 4:00. So come on out if you don't have anything else to do, or if you just really love choral music! Theres a good gospel song in it for you....it's worth it!
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