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Saturday, September 30, 2006
I love Grey's Anatomy 9/30/2006 01:47:00 AM

I just watched the 2nd episode online tonight, and was laughing out loud. Alot. 'Tis good. I'm glad my show is back. Although this last episode was full of smut. I mean, really everyone was being slutty. It could have been called Slutty Anatomy for this night.

Anyways. Today was pretty cool. I got to sleep in which was nice. Although I woke up to find out that a water main had been shut off at Webster, so none of the food places would be serving any meals at all. Which sucks, cause I haven't gotten any checks from working yet, so I'm still kinda poor, and would prefer to eat my mealplan meals, which are already paid for. And you can't really do that off campus.

Irregardless, Sam and I went to Mokabee's a little coffee shop with free internet, and sat in a little booth box upstairs (where its kinda dark, but they have miniature lamps on each table, they're cute) and had a "Photoshopping Party". She's trying to learn for a class, so I installed the program for her, and helped her a bit, but then there was a good three or four hours of just photoshopping. It was fun. I also like that I'm finally beginning to actually 'make' things with it. I used to just consider it as making graphics, or playing with image editing, but the other day someone referred to it as my 'artwork' and that was pretty cool. At first I was like...pshh, I don't have 'artwork', but now I kinda feel like I'm at least in the beginning stages of making some type of art. Even if its mostly fan art right now. I hope there's potential for growth. I mean, it's taken about 2 years of working with this program alone, and working with general image editing since like 7th grade where I was just goofing off with it, but I'm liking the progress I've made.

The two pieces I worked on today are probably the two easiest I've ever done. And I don't mean they were the easiest to do, technically speaking, but more like they came the easiest without having to think much about them. One is just a cool alteration of a photograph, and another I even made with a sub-context consciously influencing it. Basically I wanted to make a piece that was simply outlining simplicity itself. Black and White. Comedy vs. Tragedy. I kinda wanted the drama masks meaning, only in more human form. Well, I'll just let you see for yourself. It's not anything deep and meaningful (remember 'simple') but it's the first time I think I've made something that could have any meaning resonating from it at all, and everything had reasons for being placed exactly where they were, should people look for meaning in it (like the word 'black' under the sad face, and 'white' under the happy one). Which felt kinda cool. So here's what I came up with today (of course featuring my most recent muse - and some lyrics from one of her songs).


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Thursday, September 28, 2006
Lobster Bisk 9/28/2006 07:17:00 PM


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Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Oh Mary...how you can brighten my day 9/27/2006 12:37:00 PM

Well, I was coming to post about work. As that's where I am.

Which of course is the source of the frustration that causes me to come post. Only I get here, and see my little tagline "Anything Can Happen If You Let It" and suddenly that song (uh, only the best, and most addicting/annoying if you were Erin in London and had to listen to me sing it constantly) on the Mary Poppins the Musical Soundtrack.

I was feeling all ansty and stressed because this computer I'm working on now is trying to kill me. Not really. But I'm only in the early stages of scanning it, and it keeps shutting down randomly in the middle of the scan..in Safe Mode mind you, while its scanning this kid's D drive. He has 2 hardrives for his little mini-lap-top which was encouraging (or so I thought) when he brought it in. Cause then I'm like, oh good, he probably has it for backing stuff up and making sure his computer isnt swamped with too little spare space.

Well, I was wrong. He's a Japanese Foriegn Exchange student, and both of his hard drives are completely full of games. It took 4-6 hours to scan the C drive apparently (as reported by someone working last night) and this morning I started the D drive, and it spent an hour on some movies, and then another whole hour on just the Games:\ folder, on only 2 games. Which is where it's shutting down, so you know we're not even a third of the way through that folder yet.

So I was all stressed and twitchy, because if I can't handle freaking out when MY computer is acting strange, how am I supposed to be there when someone else's is doing it, and feel responsible if something really bad happens. Even if I'm only following exact procedure as written in the documentation.

Then of course, I come here, and see the line from the song, the song then begins playing in my head, and its such a happy song, that I feel completely rejuvinated and inspired to boot, in a mere matter of seconds.

Just another reason for it to be up there, looking to find me on days like this.

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Monday, September 25, 2006
Two hours left..and I'm already blogging. 9/25/2006 10:48:00 AM

What shall I do.

Well. Another morn at the Help Desk. Even though it's technically not the Help Desk. It is to me. It's in the same damn building. Working under the same damn people.

Only I am alone. In a sad sad room. But on occasion I can hear the reasurring tones of the help desk assistants through the doorway, soothing computer illiterate frustrated citizens over the telephones.

Maybe I should bring in some posters to pep up the walls.

1 Comments:
At 9/25/2006 8:24 PM, Blogger Charley said...

you should get a plant. or a fake one. so that it wont die. something bright and cheery. then you should name it Melvin. and buy a cheap pair of black rimmed glasses and set them in the plant. that way Melvin, has a face.

 

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Friday, September 22, 2006
Are You Kiddig Me!!?? 9/22/2006 04:34:00 PM

I just lost a huge huge post, that I was only even halfway through writing. Omg! I'm gonna kill blogger! What the crap was that about? Ughh. Nothing else to do except start over I guess.

Well, what I originally wanted to blog about is now two days past in occurence.

Wednesday started off kinda crappy. I woke up feeling kinda sick, but didn't think much about it because I was too excited to go film my one-page script for my video class. I felt quite nautious the entire time, but was enjoying myself much too much to care. First of all maybe I should explain why I was happy to be at the video shoot. Well, for one, its a video shoot, it always has that 'energy' buzzing around. Secondly, the subject matter was also really exciting for me to shoot. If you know me then you might understand why.

Well, remember back in high school, when I really really wanted to do a Friends scene for an OID? Well, I cut a piece from the episode titled "The One with the Embryos" better known as the episode with the trivia game the guys vs. girls play to see who wins the apartment. You know, the one with the "lightning round"? Yeah, now you know, right?

Okay, well anyways, Hoss wouldn't let us do it because the seniors that year had already chosen an OID they wanted to do, which meant Hoss got to pick the OID for the JV team. So, I waited, and come my senior year, brought it out again since myself and some others still wanted to do it, only we got shot down again. So I quit speech.

But to continue: We got this assignment for Video II to shoot a minute long scene, and got a script from our teacher even though he said we could find our own if we wanted. And well, how do I put this...his script sucked. When we weren't laughing out of our confusion partly due to the innumerous grammatical errors, we were just bored with it. The only problem? Where do we find a new script in a day? Well, I mentioned that I did happen to have one saved on my computer, if we needed it, but that it was a transcript from a Friends episode (a show which our teacher absolutely loathes). So needless to say everone loved the idea.

I was really excited to finally see this project come to some sort of fruition, and even though none of us wanted to act in it (because we're behind the scenes people and suck at acting) I think we did alright. It took us from 10:30 to 1:00 to set up, and we used 3 cameras to film, much like live standard television series are filmed, but we then also did about 4 takes of the scene with each camera at a new angle each time, so we can shake things up a bit with the editing and not be so 'standard'. It should be really interesting, I'm excited.

The actual filming wrapped up pretty quick and we were done before 2:00 which was good cause then I had time to run to Wal-Mart and print some pics before the KT Tunstall show at the pageant the same evening.

So I arrived at Wally World only to find that there were already 3 people in line waiting to print, and the 2 girls currently at the machine had somehow managed to break something, and it was spitting out pieces of shots, instead of full prints. Finally after at least an hour had passed (as well as my lunch period) I was able to have a go at it.

I only had $5 with me, and a full page was $4 something, so I decided I'd print a sheet of two 5x7s of the wallpaper I'd made (one for me one for KT) and use the remaining cents for a 4x7 for Holly and one for Jon in case I was lucky enough to get something signed for them too.

By the time I was done there, I got back to the dorms, and just as I was pulling up, Sam was getting back from class, so we ran upstairs to get our stuff, and took off for the Loop to wait outside for the remaining four hours before the show. We ended up being 2nd in line, and consequentially also missed supper, since we were unwilling to lose our spot. So once we got inside my already angry stomach only became more angry with me while we waited the hour before the opening band started, and then while the opening band played. I was also freezing, but according to Sam that's because we were under a vent, and not because I had a fever.

It didn't matter anyway, because as soon as I heard "Teenage Kicks" come over the PA System, my gut *knew* that KT had to be coming on after that song, so I rushed from the bathroom (where I was trying not to faint) back to my seat, and all was forgotten.

Suddenly I was swaying and grooving to the music, completely entranced. Minus the 30 seconds I broke out of it to yell at Arnie how sexy he was. I didn't think he heard me, but he very well might have, because he continued to stare and occasionally smile/laugh at me throughout the night. That also may have been because I was dancing like an idiot. Which KT only encouraged mind you.

In fact when the show started, she mentioned that the way the pageant is set up (there's sitting down benches/stools/seats around the edges, and then a bit of a rectangle open in the middle of it for the pit) reminded her of junior high/school dances where everyone is kinda hanging out on the edges, too cool to go to the middle right away, but as it gets later, start moving in. She also said that should we feel the need to go ahead and dance like lunatics, and all dorky like, as if we were still in junior high at a dance. So...really....she gave me permission. I mean, you've all seen how I danced in high school, so I'm assuming you can imagine for yourselves.

KT herself was looking very cute. She had her hair up in two side bun/knot type things kinda like pigtail-ish, and commented on how she looked like a 12 yr. old girl this evening, and also mentioned that it looked like Kenny had washed his hair, so he was looking 'lovely' as well.

Sam and I actually saw Kenny outside before the show. I made her come with me and leave the line briefly to go back to the car and get my water, because I needed something to try and sooth my stomach, and we weren't that far away. Right by the big bus (Bio-deisel by the way, good on ya KT) as a matter of fact. This was before there were many people there, so it wasn't a big deal but she was still kinda peeved at me, even though she was only there because I got her a ticket to go with me as my gift to her for her birthday, lol.

Anyways, so we're walking back from our car and behind this guy with greyish hair, and a red jacket, and I'm like "Sam, I think that's Kenny..." which of course meant nothing to her, so I explained who he was, and she didn't really believe he was in the band, cause she thought he looked too old. I was like, 'uhhhh, I'm pretty sure it's him" and I really just wanted to yell Kenny Dickenson and see if it was him but she wouldnt let me. Can you say deja-vu, anyone who's heard the me and Sam walking past Mraz story, and her not letting me assault him? Why does this always happen to me?

Once we saw Kenny on stage Sam admitted she was wrong, and it WAS him. Boo. I missed my chance. Anyways, back to the show. As expected KT was superb live, and much better than on record. Which is pretty impressive when you see an artist who is better live than under the control of fancy studio equiment which is made to make them sound better. To me its what makes an artist truly a great one >> who is meant to be doing what they do. Not just recording because they can (*cough* Paris Hilton).

Some of the songs I love so much performed live. The live version of False Alarm is just amazing on its own (with the different vocal parts) but seeing it with the flashing lights, and the full band, gave it an amazing energy. Right after I had decided that it was my favorite, I was suprised by "Heal Over" (which was my favorite on the album) and it is ten thousand times better live. It's slowed down alot, and done almost completely acoustically.

Plus, the addition of the cello (uh, strings people, c'mon ,you know my weakness) makes it absolutely fantastic. Not to mention that Arnie kicks ass on the cello solo. I'd downloaded alot of KT's live shows before (thinking I'd never see the scottish artist play in the states, and if she did, not anywhere in the midwest) so some of the songs I felt like I had kinda spoiled for myself, knowing the setlist and live versions, and all. But somehow I'd managed to never hear this version of "Heal Over". Once I got home I found a show with it in the set, and downloaded it, and I swear I listened to it on repeat for at least an hour. It's almost Seal sounding with the reverb, and overall feel of it. It's SOOOOOOO good. I've just decided to add a link, in case anyone wants to download it becuase it needs to be heard: Click Here

I could go on about this one song/performance of it for hours, so onto the next one. "Silent Sea" was also stunning, in the same, slow, quiet, beauty.

Some funnier moments in the show were during "Other Side of the World" where KT asked how many people in the audience were in a long distance relationship, and then told them to call their 'other' and then toss the phone up onto the stage, and she will break up with them for you. Haha. She was trying to convince everyone that it's just a waste of their time and a bad idea to date anyone that lives more than 5 miles away. They could start a new fad, right now if they do it. Start the date locally movement.

Then during the intro to "Universe & U" mentioned that if you were there on a date, maybe with someone new, and you decided, "yeah, we'll get tickets, it'll be a good first date" that this song would be the opportune moment to try and "slip the tongue in" hahaha.

Also the last show they played before this gig was at the Austin City Limits festival, and apparently they'd met Willie Nelson there and got to hang out on his bus a bit, so after sharing this story, she intro-ed the next song with "speaking of psychedelia...here's a song by the Flaming Lips" haha. Nice, I love Willie Nelson...and all the stories of his bus ;) Oh right, so the Flaming Lips cover of "Vaseline" was awesome, I loved it. Not many chicks can pull off the covers that KT does, like Radiohead, Bob Dylan, Jackson 5, haha.

Also highlights of the evening were "Stoppin the Love" (in the running for my favorite KT song, but not the version off the album) and "Black Horse" of course, the best part was that they broke into "Baby Please Don't Go" in the middle of it. <3.

Of course I also loved "Suddenly I See" the closer of the set where KT gets up to play the drums. That's right she rocks. The encore was "One Day" from the acoustic album. After starting off, she decided that the beat she looped (from beating the guitar) wasn't quit right and she wanted to start again. She said we probably all thought she was crazy and that after she did it again it sounded the exact same, but to her it was different "it IS", lol. So once the vibe was fixed, the song was off. Then even though it was the 'last song of the evening, we all love it anyway, even if it's slow' and played the piano for "Through the Dark".

I think alot of people were stunned to see that she plays like 7 different instruments during the show, lol, and plays all of them extremely well (seriously she can play guitar like a mother...) and then to see some of her artwork for sale at the merch booth, not to mention the t-shirts that she designed. She's just too damn talented. But it becomes obvious fast that she's much more than the average 'girl and guitar playing chick music'.

Right now it probably sounds like I'm in love with her. But just wait. Now we get to Part 2: After the show.

So Sam and I went to hang by the bus as soon as we got out, and we were like the only people there, untill this other dude and his friend showed up. They were glad because they didn't want to be the only ones there either thinking they would be too creepy/stalkerish. Ends up he had drug his friend there as well, and also brought specific stuff for KT to sign. Somehow Mraz was brought up, and I was like, "I LOVE MRAZ!!" Same thing ensued with "Kelly Clarkson", "Alias", and "Grey's Anatomy". Also found out that he has a best friend named "Steph" and also has a computer tech job, and two parents who are both teachers. We totally bonded. He was like the heterosexual version of me. Only probably gay, hahaha. Which makes sense. I think if I were male, I would probably be a gay man. Anyways, after finding out that we were soulmates, I agreed to let him use my cool silver metallic sharpie to get his black poster signed, if he got my e-mail/myspace so he could send me his pics of the show (I was sad that I didn't have a camera since I still haven't replaced mine after it was stolen).

So we buddied up and decided we wanted to be last in line (by this time a lot of people had seen us waiting, and decided they wanted their tickets signed), to get more time with KT, which kinda backfired, because she walked through, and explained that she would be right back, went to the bus, got a jacket, and came back from the opposite direction, so we were at the front of the line.

While we had been waiting though, I spotted Luke (drummer) walking away, and was like, "Hmm, I think that's Luke, and refusing to let the same, "Hey is that..? -> Let person walk away situation I'm becoming known for, I decided I needed to speak up. So just when he was getting away, I yelled "LUKE!!" Poor guy, I didn't mean to scream that loud or that suddenly, I think he expected to turn around and see a mob pounce on him. But I ran up to him and asked if he would mind signing my wallpaper I made. Up close he was so much more cute than normal. Besides being the drummer he's also KT's boyfriend, and kinda lanky and geeky looking, so I had always kinda wondered how a women with such a strong personality would date someone seeming so timid/quiet. But as soon as he opened his mouth I could tell I was wrong. He had an Aussie sounding accent which kinda caught me off guard (I found out he's actually from New Zealand..he's a Kiwi!!!) and I could have melted right there. He was also incredibly sweet, and seemingly not bothered by the fact that I kinda attacked him, haha.

Then I saw Arnie, and kinda did the same thing (there was NO way I was letting him get away). Only by this point I think the rest of the crowd caught on that I wasnt just yelling at buddies and running up to them, but that I was catching members of the band, so a little crowd kinda followed me over to Arnie, so I felt guilty and apologized. Arnie (full name "Arnulf") is from Vienna, Austria and had himself a nice deep accent as well. I also really wanted to hug him, or at least touch the leather jacket he was wearing. I was telling him how great the show was and he thankded me for coming, so I thanked HIM for coming and started talking to him about how glad I was they came back to St. Louis, because the last time they where there in March at Blueberry Hill I was actually in London, so I thought I'd just missed them, and they wouldn't be back for a while. Anyways, somewhere in here Sam started screaming at me, and I was like, "What!" she yelled at me to get back to the line because KT was out now, so I kinda ditched Arnie sadly...and totally forgot to get my hug.

But I mean....I had to go back for KT since she was the reason I was there in the first place. So when I got back Sam had decided that she really wanted something signed too, and in the flurry of excitement going around, I ended up caving and giving her the pic I was gonna get signed for Holly, cause she really really wanted that picture. And the night was her birthday present, which she told KT, and said was a great one, so that pleased me. So here's a pic of Sam's autograph:



Oh also, because I was the sharpie queen, I had of course lent my silver marker as promised to Derick (my lifemate) and given the black one to a younger girl, who had a shirt she wanted signed since this was her first concert, and lent my green one to someone else without a marker, so when KT got to me, I was suddenly really frazzled, looking around to try and get my sharpies back so she could actually sign something for me, lol. I was still debating what I was gonna have her sign, since I had two covers, and the wallpaper thing (which I thought I'd just get the band to sign) but she kinda grabbed everything out of my hands, and I was like, "Oh you don't have to sign all of this". But she insisted.

Right away she mentioned the British cover of the album, but at this point my mind just blanked out. Which is strange because I've met other musicians that I admire, and been normal, but I completely lost any verbal skills, and was just kinda staring at her, watching her sign. I mean, my brain was still functioning making comments they just never came out of my mouth. Or at least I don't remember if I actually made some comments out loud or not. An example is that when she saw the insert from the acoustic record (which I believe she photographed and collaged) she was like, "ohh, I love this, it's so pretty, its great (the pic is of the Isle of Skye) and in my head I thought "Uhh, its a great ALBUM", which I don't think I actually said, though I wish I had. Or you know, said anything relevant, like "great show" "you're amazing". I actually intended on asking her what it was like playing for the ginormous crowd at the Austin City Limits festival, or you know, how touring the states was going. I'll blame my stupidity on being partially not in the right mind anyways, since I was already feeling ill.

Anyway, when she saw the green wallpaper photo and asked who it was for, I was like, "Oh, ugh, you can keep it if you want, its just something I made on photoshop that I was trying to get the band to sign. So she signed it too, and kept the other copy, thanking me, and I asked if she knew if Kenny and Sam were around somewhere, since I still didn't have their signatures. She thought they'd be out somewhere but I didn't see them, and I felt bad for looking around and kinda holding up the line, so I thanked her, and really don't remember if I said anything else after that and kinda started to leave, then Derick was like, wait, I'll take a picture of you, so I kinda went back and asked if I could get a picture, and grabbed Sam as well as Derick's friend Cassie, so they could get it, and then I think I thanked her again. I hope I did anyways, lol.

So here's my stuff from KT. Still no pictures from Derick yet, but I hope I'll get them eventally. Especially since I know that somewhere out there a picture of me with the Tunstall is floating around.



and here's a link to the original wallpaper I made...it looks alot better than what got printed:




Oh yeah, just to add...I didn't even realize it untill I got home, but KT totally stole my black sharpie. Lol. I was like, crap, I think I lost it, and someone on the boards that was also there said that he was freaking out because he didn't have a marker, but that by the time KT got to him she had a black sharpie in her hand...even though when she came out he was pretty sure she didn't have one. So I guess I can't be mad about that. Especially if it helped people get their stuff signed. At least this dude said he'll be grateful of me and my lost sharpie when he looks at his dvd cover, lol.

1 Comments:
At 9/22/2006 9:34 PM, Blogger Charley said...

longest.
post.
EVER.


regardless, i'm happy that you had a good thyme at the concert, you tunsexual.

 

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Monday, September 18, 2006
.....and now I remember why 9/18/2006 05:49:00 PM

So. Here. Again. At the Help Desk.

Only not at the Help Desk. But working for the HD.

So ResTech is pretty cool. We get our own little office. It's usually only one or two people max in here. Little dingy room. Although there are two windows. And you're left alone with the hum of the computer your using, and maybe the one you're working on. It's great. And boring. Especially when you get a laptop with oh say half the hardrive used up from an Itunes folder, and then you have to scan the hardrive, and it takes about 2-3 hrs before you even get out of the illegally downloaded temp files. Even though I decided the moment I found out we're supposed to report these people that as a kindred spirit, I will make the suggestion for them to purchase legal copies of their software/music/etc. but will not actually turn them in--unless they have like maps and plans saved on their comp to execute some government official. This I will happily turn people in for. So don't do that stuff, and then bring your computer in to get fixed. Not such a hot idea.

The sad/maybe fortunate part of this job, is that although we're techinically doing more work than we did at the Help Desk, its so much freaking slower pace. No phones ringing. Like ever. And you pretty much only work on whatever computer your working on untill its done. Which will take you pretty much 3-5 days to complete all the steps you need to. Can you say lame?

Am I being too mean and unappreciative of my new job?

Possibly. But its okay. Because I'm still thankful (of the people or the paycheck? why not both?).

Yeah. So. This job is going to force me to consume lots of caffeine. I can already tell.

1 Comments:
At 9/19/2006 11:26 PM, Blogger Charley said...

jobs suck.

 

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Aayliah once said..."If at first you don't suceed..." 9/18/2006 01:06:00 AM

Brush yourself off and try again
You can dust it off and try again (try again)

Okay, I think that's enough of the song, don't you? Besides, its not like she invented the saying. But I digress.

Why do I always end up quoting the wierdest people (*cough*paulabdul*cough) ?

Anyways. To get back to business (not basics, like Christina A's new album--I just can't quit can I). Here I am, once again (torn into pieces? um no), posting in my blog, after a lengthy period of time has passed, and feeling somewhat guilty for allowing said time to pass subsequently coming to post and somewhat apologize for letting said time pass and bring onset guilt.

I don't want to be a broken record. And in a hypocritical way I don't want to put down that things have changed (in case they don't), and state my new goals stating that by stating them it will be harder to not accomplish them. Because that just doesnt seem to work for me. But I'm not dissing the method for anyone out there. If it works, good for you. I however hava a problem with procrastination, and then avoiding things and procrastinating more once I've already procrastinated for too long.

So all I'm saying is that this week there will be some changes.

I'm not just talking about blogging here, even though it seems like that would be the surface subject. There are quite a number of things that I am putting my foot down and making an effort to begin/continue/return to/finally start.

A list is being made. One that unfortunately for anyone curious will not be posted here. But it exists, and serves as a reminder for me to maintain these tasks, daily/weekly/monthly whatever they may be.

Like the purest voice on earth sings "A New Day Has Come" (that's right, I did it).

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Saturday, September 02, 2006
Intolerance 9/02/2006 06:38:00 PM

What a fitting name for this blog post, especially considering we'll be viewing that film by Mr. D.W. Griffith (a man you love to hate, whilst struggling to admire him as a filmaker).

Today on my way to Marletto's a mere 20 mins ago, I was walking along thinking what I would blog about when I got back to the dorms. Mostly about good things, as I was in a fairly good mood, after watching some romantic, inspiring (if not realistic) movies on TBS (like A Walk to Remember, Serendipity, and You've Got Mail).

Unfortunately after I sat down with my food, I became otherwise inspired to come blog for a different reason.

At a nearby table there were a few guys and a couple girls, laughing, quoting Team America. Don't get me wrong, I liked the movie, and don't have problems with other people liking it as long as it's within context of the film. Which pokes humor at America thinking its the shit, and trying to take over the world. Of course, there are alot of extremely prejudice remarks and actions taking place, but it is also extremely satirical, and meant to be over-done, for humors sake. The problem is when people take movies like these seriously, and find humor in them while believing the side of the story being told is in the right.

Reasons why people (women in particular) can laugh at movies like Anchorman is because when there is a character making a blunt statement refering to women having small brains and being inferior to men, it serves a comical purpose, with everyone being fully aware that this pro-male mentality is in fact making fun of that same mentality that used to be primarily dominant (and still is sometimes). Its not funny for someone to be laughing and thinking "Omg, that's SO true!!"

Which sadly is pretty much what this group of people were doing, only throwing around the words 'muslim' and 'Arab' loosely (and interchangeably, I might add, which of course only irked me more) and talking about what they should do to f-ing Arabs, and how in-humane muslims are and always have been for thousands of years with their faith, and how Britain should have dealt with them long ago before America had to get involved. Basically they were just spewing a ton of bullshit and I was literally losing my appetite each second I sat there. Finally I had to get up and leave without having finished my dinner as I was that nauseated with their language and behavior.

Perhaps 'intolerance' isn't the right word to use for this blogpost after all. There was a great article in the Journal (Webster's paper) in May by a student telling people NOT to tolerate her. Don't "tolerate" because its something you have to do to be accepted by society, or to make you look like a better person and more understanding.

(a little from the article)

"We tolerate things we may not like for various reasons. We put up with it, endure it and tolerate it because we have to, not because it is how we truly feel.

Tolerance is a way to ignore things and avoid conflict. Don't tolerate something you may not understand. Learn about it and choose whether to accept it or not. There is a distinct difference between tolerance and acceptance. People who claim to be tolerant are inherently implying something is wrong. Tolerance is based on a type of loathing detest, a fear to fully accept someone and let them into your life. It is an ignorance that says, "I may not like it or understand, but I can put up with it."

A guy I dated in high school gave me a T-shirt that read "celebrate diversity." I was so excited when he gave me that shirt because he was showing me that he loved me for all that I was. He was celebrating a whole rather than tolerating a part. I was wearing that shirt during the Spring Break service trip to New Orleans and someone came up to me to tell me they liked my shirt. We started talking about truly celebrating diversity and not just using the word "diversity" as a public relations ploy.

The person explained how he didn't want to be tolerated, but celebrated. In many ways, tolerance is teaching and supporting ignorance in different areas. We should strive for acceptance and a celebration of differences rather than tolerance. I do need to acknowledge the value of tolerance as a stepping stone along the way to acceptance, but it should merely be a brief - not final -resting place as it is often used.

Accept me or don't. Condemn me to hell or support me in life. Take a stand. Get informed and have an opinion. Don't just tolerate something different than you, celebrate and accept it for the uniqueness it may add to your life."

1 Comments:
At 9/13/2006 12:02 AM, Blogger Charley said...

here's a comment:
UPDATE YOUR BLOG!
have a lovely day!
Sincerely,
Charley

 

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