Spring Break Wrap

Now that I finally have a few minutes, I can write a proper blog post! Break was busy, in a very good way. School this week has been busy, in a less good way. Still okay though, since I got through it intact and just in desperate need of some sleep (soon!).

It's weird. It feels like I hung out with Neri and Arjun a month ago, but not less than two weeks have passed. I always forget just how funny Neri can be. It was a very nice respite from the boredom of having almost no one else home during my break.

Of course, I took some of that into my own hands by forcing Chery and Crystal to put up with me for a few days in so cal. (thanks) Even the solitary drive down really wasn't that bad. Good time to get mentally organized and catch up on music I had been wanting to listen to. Yes, my playlists are always pretty screwy, but that just makes them more fun. I even got to remind myself of some hilariously awesome teen movies from my childhood, Neri.

I was pleasantly impressed by how much I liked both of their friend groups, which always provides a nice boost of faith in humanity. I didn't go down expecting not to like them, I just know I am generally a finicky person and it wouldn't have surprised me if we just didn't happen to mesh well at all. It does make me a little sad to notice how far away I am from everyone and that I am not likely to be visited much. I want to show off too!

It's also been nice to have people notice my (über-light) tan from break, probably from the beach trip. Plus their jealousy at me having gotten to go to a beach in the middle of March (and enjoy it). I need to remember to put on sunscreen before umpiring when I get home for the summer, otherwise I will probably burn to a crisp. And that would suck. Especially with whatever job/internship I end up having. Because of sleeves or something.

This summer is going to be fun.

I also have to register for Fall classes in about a week, and need to decide if I want a grueling schedule that allows me to have an internship easily along with it (so all schoolwork is crammed together—like this semester) or if I want to set one up that lets me relax some and blow off having an internship. I am leaning toward doing a repeat of the craziness of this semester, even though taking a language with it may be the straw that break me.

How long does the friend group comfort last? It is still going strong now, but certainly won't be forever. A couple years? Through college? 10 year reunion? Always a network to fall back on? Questions, questions, interesting indeed.

One other thing I have decided. Crystal could be a great politician. She's driven, image conscious, and capable of setting guidelines for herself. But a lot of people have that. The real thing she has going for her is an innate ability to make people feel special when they interact with her. It's what Bill Clinton could do (and can!) that served him so well ('til Monica). It's often noted as the trait that sets true superstars away from those who rise just through persistent hard work. I think watching her work a crowd in 20 years could be a sight to see. Plus she's weird enough to keep some sanity when going through the daily grind of it all.

I wish I had that. Would save me from having to be a workaholic.

To-do

3 More Days

So excited.

My geology class, which I have a midterm in the day after break, has this crazy teacher. She is basically exactly what you would expect a large female geologist to look like. Yes, there is a bandanna. We now get our midterm online during break and can work on it all we want, but still come in and take it on the day after without any notes, so basically just regurgitating what we figured out earlier and then memorized. Seems dumb.

I'm also taking a history class about race and politics in the US since 1945. It strikes me almost daily in class how one-sided everything is. And no one ever says anything contrary. For example, we watched a video today all about the election of the first black mayor of Cleveland. It switches between blacks proclaiming his greatness and how he will understand their issues (95% of the black vote went to him) and whites skittishly admitting they want a white mayor (52% voted for him anyway). The music changes from inspiring to harsh, you can only hear the questioner against the whites, and even the lighting makes the white people look like terrible human beings. The black people railing against the whites for voting against him for being black need to look in the mirror and ask why they are really voting for him. No candidate gets 95% of any demographic based on issue positions. Call it reverse-racism or whatever else you want, but it's just as dumb as the white bigots.
(The one main difference I see between this and Obama is that this was a primary, whereas Obama won 95% of the black vote in the general, where at least 80% always goes to the Democrat anyway. Doesn't completely excuse it and it was definitely present in his primary too, but it's a little different to me.)

So everyone knows gays are the next up on the social rights agenda. Don't ask, don't tell will probably end in early 2010 and gay marriage will continue to progress (at a slow pace). What's next after fixing up the lives of the homosexuals? I'm hoping for some progress for those of us who don't believe in Him. The most recent survey shows 2.3% (and growing!) of the nation agrees, which makes it statistically equivalent to the gay population in the US. Hard to pursue an agenda with such an unfocused group and few issues to easily solidify around. I'll take a crackdown on churches flaunting tax exemption laws and advocating politics illegally and a decrease in the amount of religion seen in public ceremonies to start. Wouldn't mind taking 'under God' (back) out of the pledge. Quite a few other things...

I hope to see an open atheist as a serious presidential candidate sometime in my life. Hopefully I'll be running his/her campaign. Should be fun to figure out how to assure Florida s/he isn't going to sell them to the devil for extra sex and drugs.

In case you are wondering about the history of it, there has been one Member of Congress ever who was openly atheist. His name is Pete Stark and he is currently serving in the House representing the area around from Alameda down to Fremont. We have a ways to go.

AI Predictions (7/9 so far):
Out: Michael, Jasmine
Close: Jorge, Anoop
Surprise: Judges pick eliminated contestant out of bottom 2/3

I Left My Heart in San Francisco

I just read this book by Clay Risen (who is speaking in my history class tomorrow) about the riots after King's assassination. Most interesting fact: San Francisco, knowing that rioting was likely the night after it happened, paid James Brown to give a concert that would be broadcast on TV and keep the blacks home watching it instead of out and rioting. Absolutely genius.

I'm really hoping that after spring break I am good at being a student again. I think I'm learning what it's like to be stupid. How scary.

Speaking of spring break... 9 days. Excited.

My predictions failed me once again. 2/3 is not acceptable. I will do better.

p.s. Join Twitter.