Catch-up

Hey everybody. Sorry it's been so long, but I haven't been on the computer very much at all since spring break began. First of all, I have to congratulate Ben on the successful (even triumphant!) completion of his senior oral. Everyone really enjoyed it who could be there, and we went out to a delicious meal to celebrate.

Since then, I've been on spring break. (Actually I wasn't on spring break last week, it only felt that way...haha (darkly)). I love using parentheses within parentheses. I spent my spring break with the three Bens. I was with Ben H's family at a beach house they rented for a week, (went whale watching!) then at Ben K's house becoming acquainted with Ella and reacquainted with the rest of my family (because it has been more than a year and half since I was there last. During that pleasant visit, I went to the zoo with Ben and Jaime, they took me out for lunch, and I got the girls ice cream. Even though I'm sure it's just one more silly, semi-boring (because, as angelic as those girls are, what four (almost five!) and eight year old children enjoy long conversations about midwifery, politics, etc.?) outing for the girls, for me it is the complete fulfillment of my auntly being. Playing with Ella on the floor and eating ice cream with Moira and Evie makes me so happy that it's always the little kids I end up missing the most when it's time to say goodbye. I also really enjoyed my conversations with all of my older siblings.

Happy almost 21st birthday to Mandy! 21. Sweet. That means when you come to Santa Fe I can take you to my favorite bar. I only go there to eat their really really yummy chocolate mousse cake and fries (this is a combination I like, it's not written up like that on the menu) but it's a very fun Santa Fe-y place. I have spent the time I've been writing this blog listening to:
-O Happy Day (Sister Act)
-Bye, bye baby (Franki Valli etc.)
-The Water is Wide (James Taylor)
-Billy Jean (Duh.)
-Dream a Little Dream of Me (Mama Cass)
Before this I listened to bunches and bunches of Stevie Wonder. I think I'm going to listen to O Happy Day again. Then more Stevie. Coolest thing on this playlist: Sunshine by Mos Def. Lamest: Homeward Bound by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (It was the ONLY recording I could get that was remotely acceptable of this song...and actually, now I think I should have gone with the Navy Choir). My favorite song on the list is Thugz Mansion, which is a posthumous reworking of a 2pac song.
Ok. So probably, Brad was the only person who read that part. Brad: I read your American Idol updates because I watched the first show but can't be bothered to watch any of the others...but I definitely did not read your last post about baseball. But, I did tell Ben H today during the basketball game that if I won two tickets to the final four next year, I would take you with me.

Speaking of which: Shout out to the Buckeyes! I am now really rooting for Florida, and then I will be able to cleanse myself of the horrible experience of January. I won't say anything more about that.

I saw a documentary called "Flag Wars" last week. Columbusites: Seen it? It's set in the near East side, and is about the gentrification of urban areas by upper class white (and primarily gay) couples. A couple of my thoughts: people from Columbus seem shockingly inarticulate, and this was the first time I've ever felt like gays were the aggressors. It was a very confusing sensation: "Gay people of Columbus: How could you!?" However, this feeling was overcome when they showed members of the KKK (WHAT??!!!) gathered on the steps of the capitol building and threatening both blacks and gays. Also, the occasional shot of a church group throwing things at the gay pride parade and of their children holding Ken dolls in sexual poses with nooses around their necks quickly restored my gay allegiance. Still, it was pretty awful to hear the black population and the gay population, who are neighbors at this point, talk about each other. It was also weird to realize that restoring a house could have such far-reaching consequences. I am still very, very confused about this issue.

Another thing I've become very upset about: overfishing. If you haven't already, you MUST read the three articles in National Geographic this month about the state of fish populations. It makes a lot of really good points which I can't really summarize here, because I would just be incoherently (though certainly vigorously) butchering their very well-constructed argument. But read it. And when you do, and then you want to know what kind of fish you can eat responsibly (AND IT SURE AIN'T THE TUNA YOU'VE BEEN EATING AT YOUR LOCAL SUSHI PLACE) you can go the Monterey Bay Aquarium website and print of your region's Seafood Watch guide. This week, I really really want to go to New Zealand and work at one of their Marine reserves.

OK, well, that's a lot I already ranted about. I also want to say that it's really cool that we get to see Mandy's art, and that I saw pictures of Olivia Dawson on facebook of her at an anti-war march in D.C. That was really cute. Mostly when I think of Olivia, I think of her playing with her new puppy, who is now probably 12 years old, if not dead. My senior oral is this Friday at 9am. Woo. Hoo.

Strange Happenings

Tell me this isn't a little bit strange: every semester of every year (beginning as early as 1st grade with Mrs. Kuder) I have struggled with waking up and going to class. Now, at the very end of my forseeable academic pursuits, I have suddenly reached a new state: I have no desire to miss class. I enjoy getting up and coming to school to eat my breakfast of yummy biscuits and pepsi. I like sitting in the library for long stretches of time. I don't mind all of the crazies in my classes. I have a lot of homework and I don't mind doing it. What is happening to me?

CNN...Wow.

The voice of reason and high-spirited debate in America. Watch to the end.