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a_bit_of_wit_2As I sit here in my underwear, I do believe it's time to dump out the contents of my brain; time to spill out the events of the week that was, and what's coming up.
Even though this was a shortened week (due to MLK Jr. day being a State holiday), it felt like a regular week. Whether it's because I began my new work schedule I don't know, but whatever the case, I feel tired. However, it was a good week, in large part due to the fact that for the first time since leaving MCLA in December 2004, I'm back in a college classroom. That has made me happy to no end, and also, by the fact that we now have a new President. In fact, my first day of classes was on Tuesday, the 20th. So it was a new beginning for me in a couple of senses. My class let out early for the expressed purpose of watching the inauguration. And so the scene at the Campus Center (for you NP folk, it's Sage's version of the SUB...but MUCH MUCH SMALLER) was one of joy, rapture, and hope. The place was packed with students, professors, and other faculty/staff.
When Obama took the oath, and then the speech that followed it occurred, there were several of us who started crying--heck, the head of the art department was nearly bawling, it moved her that much. I too was getting a bit teary-eyed...just some of the imagery that was going on during the whole thing was enough to stir emotion in anyone, particularly the wide-angle shots of the vast sea of humanity, stretched out as far as the eye could see. I was so overjoyed, watching all those happy, smiling faces. For the first time in a long time, perhaps for the first time ever, I was proud to be an American. I felt that now the US could gain some of its decency back, and I still think so. There's so much promise at stake here. And the realization that Dr. King's dream came true...if only he were alive today.
So much fuss was made about Rick Warren, the pastor Obama chose for the initial prayer. So he's not a supporter of gay marriage. And even though many of us are, one of the many things that makes a person good is the fact that you need to have an open mind about everything. No matter how much this country has fallen in love with Barack Obama, everything he does is going to piss off someone. And while the gay community doesn't particularly care for Mr. Warren, they should be mindful of their cause. I'd hate for this new movement to become a sham, where gay and lesbian people become stereotyped as people who are just a bunch of angry, hate-mongering people who lash out at everyone who doesn't agree with them. I want there to be a time where anyone can marry, regardless of sexual orientation, but I don't want these good people to go the way of fundamentalist religious nuts who try to ram their views down everyone's throat. I don't agree with Mr. Warren's beliefs on that matter either, but I'm not going to condemn him for it. And the fact that Obama is reaching out to people of both political parties, taking opinions and viewpoints and suggestions to help fix our country is a wonderful thing. The fact that Obama is going to work with and alongside people who disagree with him, and attempt to get things done by taking in other viewpoints (unlike a certain Dubya, who listened to him, him, and only him...and maybe his puppet master Mr. Cheney--who, by the way, could use some gun practice by way of Duck Hunt) is amazing. Hell, no matter who Obama chose to speak, it was going to piss someone off. I'm sure if he chose Cthulhu to speak, then the Pope would've been pissed. It goes back to just being nice to each other.
Yesterday's classes began the actual learning process, and as my adviser told me about Photo 1, I was gonna have to take a step or two back to go forward. In this class, you learn the basics of photography...many of these students have never handled a film camera before, much less a camera that's fully manual. My Rebel can be set to fully manual as well, and as I was watching the professor go through the slow process of showing us how to load film, I almost wanted to grab the ancient camera out of his hands and do it in 5 seconds. But I remembered that I was that clumsy once. And as I'm the oldest one in the class (yeah, ripe old age of 23...I'm a wizened sage by now) and probably the one with the most experience, I have a feeling that I may breeze through this class. Not positive, but we'll see. Although I wished Dennis Babicke, my photo teacher from high school, taught this class. He could energize a class at 8:30 AM like none other. History of Photography may be shaping up to be cool, as I like the professor there too...ladies and gentlemen, there actually may be a chance that I'll be in a history class I ENJOY.
Today was just boring...one of my 10-hour office days. It's slow right now, so I spent a good chunk of it bored. Hopefully I can wake a little before bed. But the weekend looks promising...I have some schoolwork to do (I have to shoot ONE roll of film for Photo 1), but I also go see Avenue Q at Proctors Theatre tomorrow! And then we're gonna have a guest over tomorrow evening, which confines my work to Sunday.
So there we are...and I'm content. I'm back in school...and I'm overjoyed. Let us hope that I won't have to stop again until I get my degree.
Even though this was a shortened week (due to MLK Jr. day being a State holiday), it felt like a regular week. Whether it's because I began my new work schedule I don't know, but whatever the case, I feel tired. However, it was a good week, in large part due to the fact that for the first time since leaving MCLA in December 2004, I'm back in a college classroom. That has made me happy to no end, and also, by the fact that we now have a new President. In fact, my first day of classes was on Tuesday, the 20th. So it was a new beginning for me in a couple of senses. My class let out early for the expressed purpose of watching the inauguration. And so the scene at the Campus Center (for you NP folk, it's Sage's version of the SUB...but MUCH MUCH SMALLER) was one of joy, rapture, and hope. The place was packed with students, professors, and other faculty/staff.
When Obama took the oath, and then the speech that followed it occurred, there were several of us who started crying--heck, the head of the art department was nearly bawling, it moved her that much. I too was getting a bit teary-eyed...just some of the imagery that was going on during the whole thing was enough to stir emotion in anyone, particularly the wide-angle shots of the vast sea of humanity, stretched out as far as the eye could see. I was so overjoyed, watching all those happy, smiling faces. For the first time in a long time, perhaps for the first time ever, I was proud to be an American. I felt that now the US could gain some of its decency back, and I still think so. There's so much promise at stake here. And the realization that Dr. King's dream came true...if only he were alive today.
So much fuss was made about Rick Warren, the pastor Obama chose for the initial prayer. So he's not a supporter of gay marriage. And even though many of us are, one of the many things that makes a person good is the fact that you need to have an open mind about everything. No matter how much this country has fallen in love with Barack Obama, everything he does is going to piss off someone. And while the gay community doesn't particularly care for Mr. Warren, they should be mindful of their cause. I'd hate for this new movement to become a sham, where gay and lesbian people become stereotyped as people who are just a bunch of angry, hate-mongering people who lash out at everyone who doesn't agree with them. I want there to be a time where anyone can marry, regardless of sexual orientation, but I don't want these good people to go the way of fundamentalist religious nuts who try to ram their views down everyone's throat. I don't agree with Mr. Warren's beliefs on that matter either, but I'm not going to condemn him for it. And the fact that Obama is reaching out to people of both political parties, taking opinions and viewpoints and suggestions to help fix our country is a wonderful thing. The fact that Obama is going to work with and alongside people who disagree with him, and attempt to get things done by taking in other viewpoints (unlike a certain Dubya, who listened to him, him, and only him...and maybe his puppet master Mr. Cheney--who, by the way, could use some gun practice by way of Duck Hunt) is amazing. Hell, no matter who Obama chose to speak, it was going to piss someone off. I'm sure if he chose Cthulhu to speak, then the Pope would've been pissed. It goes back to just being nice to each other.
Yesterday's classes began the actual learning process, and as my adviser told me about Photo 1, I was gonna have to take a step or two back to go forward. In this class, you learn the basics of photography...many of these students have never handled a film camera before, much less a camera that's fully manual. My Rebel can be set to fully manual as well, and as I was watching the professor go through the slow process of showing us how to load film, I almost wanted to grab the ancient camera out of his hands and do it in 5 seconds. But I remembered that I was that clumsy once. And as I'm the oldest one in the class (yeah, ripe old age of 23...I'm a wizened sage by now) and probably the one with the most experience, I have a feeling that I may breeze through this class. Not positive, but we'll see. Although I wished Dennis Babicke, my photo teacher from high school, taught this class. He could energize a class at 8:30 AM like none other. History of Photography may be shaping up to be cool, as I like the professor there too...ladies and gentlemen, there actually may be a chance that I'll be in a history class I ENJOY.
Today was just boring...one of my 10-hour office days. It's slow right now, so I spent a good chunk of it bored. Hopefully I can wake a little before bed. But the weekend looks promising...I have some schoolwork to do (I have to shoot ONE roll of film for Photo 1), but I also go see Avenue Q at Proctors Theatre tomorrow! And then we're gonna have a guest over tomorrow evening, which confines my work to Sunday.
So there we are...and I'm content. I'm back in school...and I'm overjoyed. Let us hope that I won't have to stop again until I get my degree.
