Surrender

I finally did homework for the first time this year yesterday. I had to do an Ochem assignment and read some stuff for environmental law. You know what? It only took about 2 hours to do everything. Still, it was a concession that the school year is officially in full swing, which was tough to admit. Hell, 14 days ago this minute I was still in Cancun.

Edumacation - Learn Me A Book

I am officially a Medical Microbiology & Immunology undergraduate. Well, sorta. I still have to complete a major declaration form, but I got accepted in any case. Now what changes? Nothing, really. Other than serious bragging potential. Yeah.

Do you remember when I was a bird and you were a map?

I really like Panic at the Disco's new CD, Pretty. Odd (the one they released since dropping the "!"). "Mad as Rabbits" and "When the Day Met the Night" are two of the best songs.

Also, check out the MadHatters new YouTube channel to keep up on all thing UW MadHatters, including concert announcements, backstage footage, and any other stuff we can think up!

Digging a Ditch

By some sort of funny conincidence, or fate, or some other mysterious force, I find myself wanting to listen to the song "Digging a Ditch" by Dave Matthews Band. So I go to my computer and search for it in WMP. No results. I open up DMB's albums and look for it, thinking it must be mislabeled or something. Nothing. The song is from the album "Busted Stuff." I have the entire album...except for track 9. For some reason, when I put that album on my computer, I chose not to rip that song. And now, probably 6 years later, I find myself wanting to listen to it and learn how to play it and know what it is about.

There are certain things I miss from the last few years of my life a lot more than others. I remembered a couple of them today. That song is one of them. But it seems that then, like now, I didn't really know what I had until I lost it. There is a song about that, it says something about paradise and a parking lot too. I can't think of a parking lot that I really miss, but I can remember a paradise. I wonder if I'll find another one like it. I can only hope.

The Beauty of Independence

You know the best thing about college? You live and die by nobody's hands but your own. Almost all of the classes that I am taking this semester include problem sets, homework, and discussion sections. But you know what? They are all optional. These professors know that people will learn as much as they want; no more, no less. There is no more high school busy work, because there are no more idiotic high school kids who have to be ordered just to wake up in the morning. It's incredibly refreshing.

That being said, I guarantee I'm gonna have to summon all of my willpower to attend the optional discussion section for my Immunology class on Monday nights. Damn this freedom!

A Barack Comment

Today America celebrated a great milestone in its history. A black man was sworn in as the President of the United States for the first time. Many hailed it as a triumph for the country, proof that racism, prejudice, and hate were defeated at last. No more, they said, would the color of a person's skin dictate the heights he could achieve. The American people spoke as one, and they proudly declared that the evils of our past ended here and now.

I disagree with these people.

There remain those who claim that President Obama was elected largely because he was black. Invariably, these people are labeled as racists, bigots, and any manner of terms leveled at those who factor race into a decision regarding another person. People will applaud President Obama's political prowess, his dedication to his message, his firm view on the direction for our country. But the end word will always fall on race. It is inevitable.

This is because racism and prejudice cannot be eliminated by a champion of any color. The very acknowledgement of a person's race is undeniably a categorization. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun said, "In order to get beyond racism, we must first take account of race. There is no other way. And in order to treat some persons equally, we must treat them differently." Blackmun makes this claim on the same bench from which Separate but Equal was torn down. How can he believe that the way to end racism is to embrace any variance in the treatment of an individual based on race? Any distinction in treatment is an admittance of distinction in person. There is no way around this. Not while Americans insist on discussing accomplishments in terms of race. Leontyne Price, one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century, perhaps said it best: "Accomplishments have no color."

Until Americans are judged solely on the merits of their character and actions, our nation will never be able to fully wash it hands of its intolerant past. Its people must no longer be seen as a palette if we are to achieve what President Obama and his supporters claim to have wrought.

The Code Genie Does Not Sleep

Samurize is a crazy awesome program. I have spent all weekend creating my own desktop, complete with expanding/collapsing menus and system resource monitoring meters. Check it out if you have some time to kill and want to completely customize your computer interface.

Pool Bar!

There is no way I will be able to do justice to the last week in words. Plus, I'm operating on battery power, and my computer will likely die in about 26 minutes, so I'm going to try and get down some of the highlights from each day.

Thursday, Jan. 8: Flying most of the day, took it easy that night so as to be ready for the rest of the week.

Friday, Jan. 9: The first pool bar experience. Certain to go down in legend. Volleyball.

Saturday, Jan 10: Day trip to Tulum Ruins. Iguana Rumble.

Sunday, Jan. 11: Catamaran Sailing to Isla Muheres. Snorkeling through swarms of fish. Snorkel Bong. First performance. First encounter with Allison and Natalie.

Monday, Jan. 12: Volleyball continues. Pool Bar as well. Heavy drinking with Canadians, Allison, and Natalie.

Tuesday: Jan. 13: Even more volleyball. Brazilian restaurant with food served on large metal spikes. Continued fraternization with Allison and Natalie.

Wednesday, Jan. 14: 15!?!?

Thursday, Jan. 15: Flying home. Cold as fuck. Want to go back.

There is so much more to be said, but I can't remember all of it. It was just unbelievable.

15!?!

Greatest. Week. Of. My. Life.

More to come...

The Apartment to Myself

I've spent the last 24 hours by myself in my apartment. Is that healthy? Eh, well, in 10 hours I'll be on my way to Cancun.

Slumdog Millionaire

In the words of Jim Rome: Spec-tacular, Phe-nomenal, Count Chocula.

This movie was fanstastic. Awesome cinematography, creative original story, well acted, good twists, and the most beautiful woman in the entire world. I also had no idea Danny Boyle directed it. Clearly the movie was in good hands.

I won't reveal any of the plot or anything, since it is so new, but this movie is well worth paying to see in theaters. Not just because it looks great on a big screen, but because the sooner you see it, the better.

What the...?

Boston College beat North Carolina by 7? Denny Green does radio color commentary? The Knicks beat the Celtics by double digits? What the hell happened today?

DaJuan vs. DeJuan

In the only regular season meeting of the D(a/e)Juans this year, Pitt pulls out the win behind DeJuan Blair's 20 points and 17 rebounds, while DaJuan Summers leads the defeated Hoyas with 22 points. Don't be surprised to see another meeting between the D'Juans in the Big East Tournament later this year.

Fonduenation

We did Fonduenation on Thursday with a new crowd because the original members all flaked out (most of them had viable excuses, but that has never prevented criticism before, so why now?). It was a good time. We had way too much meat (is there such a thing?) and the cooking oil wasn't being very cooperative, but fun was had by all.