I’m growing resplendently restless this semester. I feel like I’m wasting my time. I don’t want to take Spanish. I don’t want to take a history class that equates to a less than an adequate review of what I learned in AP US History in High School. I don’t want to take what is essentially an advertising class from a doctoral holding, collegiate professor who is unable to even form a defense for his self serving position on classical sophistry to me, while I am armed solely with my 12th grade, single-semester, public school philosophy class. I am absolutely working myself into the ground, wearing myself out, and the only solace I seem to be able to find is in the hope that once this semester works its way to a grinding end, that it’ll be over. Provided, of course, my gloriously uninspired, unmotivated, however somehow completed, class work carries me through. That end gets closer with every dragging day, with every high school reminiscent “reading quiz” and “worksheet.”

Randumb

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The Randumb Mocumentary

Wayne Rooney

Well, it’s raining in Malibu today… not enough rain to enjoy, like a good thunderstorm, just enough rain that I want to sit inside and read a book. Not looking forward to delivering pizzas this evening, especially since the rain will mean more people are ordering them, and I’ve only run into one person who tips. It’s frustrating.

On a different subject… the man working at the bank today asked if I ever follow soccer. Said I reminded him of Wayne Rooney. Believe it or not, I do get the “you look like so and so” fairly often. But it’s usually someone’s cousin’s third dog’s former owner that I remind them of. Anyway, I’ll take Rooney… I should get a jersey.

Patriotics

So here, I am, sitting in the back of class… blue jeans, pearl snap shirt, sipping on sweet tea… once more in “American History.” Okay, okay, you found me out… I’m a patriot. I can’t really hide it, I kinda like America. So sue me. I happen to believe that I live in the best country to ever exist on God’s green Earth. Do I claim that the United States of America is perfect? Absolutely not! Certainly we’ve made mistakes, we’ve had problems, we’ve had BIG problems, but all in all, over the years I think we’ve established that, given time, the concepts of freedom and democracy tend to turn out to be pretty darn good things. Moreover, I also believe that nationalism is a GOOD THING. It’s important to have pride about where you’re from, where you live… if you weren’t proud of it, you’d let people mess it up. Shouldn’t our nation’s academic institutions be teaching us to have a little pride in our chunk of land? Shouldn’t we assume that we as a people have some degree of inherent value? If we’re not proud of this place… why in the world would anyone continue to fight for her? The simple fact of the matter is that because of all these things that make America so great, I find myself sitting in a class constantly being told how many horrible things this country has done. But you know, you’ve got that right… so, preach on fearless teacher... tell us all of the horrendous actions of the good ole US of A, I’ll continue to get less than stellar grades for writing “triumphantly nationalistic” essays… and I’ll continue to listen as you explain how horrible you think it is that in the South people are still expected to refer to their elders as “Sir” or “Ma’am”… and I’ll continue to call you “ma’am” so here I am, sitting in the back of the class… blue jeans, pearl snap shirt… sipping on sweet tea.

Oscar Nods

Last night was the first time I can remember I was actually excited to watch the Oscars. Maybe it’s because I’m getting closer to graduation and being thrust into the “real” world where I hope to be working in some of the very areas highlighted by the Academy Awards. Perhaps it’s because in my more fanciful moments I actually foster aspirations of being on stage at the Kodak Theatre thanking my mamma just like everyone else last night. All told though, the simple fact of the matter is that I was just excited to hear what Jon Stewart had to say about Hollywood. Stewart has fostered a reputation as a leftward leaning satirist, which surely helped him get asked to host, but the academy might have thought a little more about his leftward leaning than his satirical nature. Hollywood likes to have its big celebration, pat each other on the back, tell everyone how great they are, and how important the work they are doing is. Stewart did a pretty good job, from where I was sitting, of making fun of them for it. Moreover, just about the closest thing to a political comment that he made over the course of the three and a half hour extravaganza was a congratulatory statement to the members of the academy for “for once voting on a winner.” The unquestionable low point of the evening was the Three 6 Mafia winning Best Original Song for “It’s Hard Out Here For a Pimp.” To which Stewart replied… “for those of you out there who are keeping score, let’s keep this straight; Martin Scorsese 0, Three 6 Mafia 1.” Hmmmm. But it’s all said and done, the stars, winners and losers, are at home nursing their hangovers, and Jon Stewart will undoubtedly be making fun of the Academy for choosing him to host as he gets back into the swing of things tonight on The Daily Show.