Wednesday, February 13, 2008

on supra-anthro-oneirology

The nap today revitalized me like no other nap. Dr. Rice canceled metaphysics today; that is, today this metaphysics class existed in some possible world but not in the actual world. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for metaphysics class in the actual world, but that would have precluded the nap in the actual world, and this (actual) nap was amazing.
On my way to the commuter lounge, Dr. Keuss and I exchanged our typical philosophical jargon toss. Jargon toss (not to be confused with jargon punch) is a game you learn when you become an academic elitist bitch. [see my first post for a book recommendation for all elitist bitches.]

...it's pretty fun, I guess.

Anyway, when I woke from the nap I couldn't move. I'm sure other people occasionally have this feeling, it's not just me. How do I know? Because I've asked people about it, that's how. Until this particular non-moving-after-waking, I hated this sort of paralysis. Frankly, it frightened me a bit. But at the exact moment when I would have been frightened, I imagined myself as one of those giants that sleep for centuries. When they finally awake they find themselves covered in dust, moss, maybe even small trees and animals. As they arise, they have to break through all the shit covering them, this is why giants arise so slowly. I concluded that, like a giant, I must have slept for centuries and the temporary paralysis was a small price for over a hundred years of stored up energy.

By the way, pastels are in right now.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

pag and president

Working at Pagliacci Pizza helps keep me more organized and focused on my studies. I think too much free time can easily morph into a bad thing; since I'm only taking fifteen credits this quarter the job at Pagliacci's came at just the right time. The job itself is monotonous and easy. I'm either making a salad, receiving order tickets from the fax machine, doing laundry, or eating free pizza. My goal was for some job to pay for rent and that's exactly what I got.
Heather, LB and I took Richard--work / study abroad student from Holland--downtown yesterday to go shopping and eat at P.F. Changs. Beforehand, Richard went on about how much he did not enjoy Chinese food, but thankfully the restaurant did him well--it tasted wonderful. Sitting around the table I thought about how natural the conversation would have been had we been more like Richard, or had Richard been more like us. I think I read somewhere that the whole opposites attract theory is just temporary and superficial. Actually, maybe LB showed it to me in the pyramid of love diagram from class. Anyway, we're all (slowly) learning how to better communicate with Richard. But it's still difficult, and not because he can't speak English.
LB's mom, dad, & uncle came over for a bit yesterday afternoon and it was nice to 'talk politics' with them. I love being exposed to people outside my generation; the perspectives they bring to conversation are so refreshing to me whether I agree or not. Two things Joe said that stuck with me: 1) He is becoming more drawn to local politics--school PTA's, community development, meetings with people you know and that know you from your own town. 2) Perhaps people are disillusioned if they expect one person e.g. the president, to bring about radical change. It is a change within each person that will make a difference. So true!
"Change begins with you." - Barack Obama for President.