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I discovered today that it is harder to keep in pace with someone you are walking behind rather than next to.
I was walking home from buying a smoothie, when I heard someone behind me say "and then we read some stuff by a guy who writes about taxi drivers and truck drivers". Hm. People talking about books. Let's see what else they have to say. "...and then we read Flannery O'Connor. And some Hawthorn". I'm wondering what in the WORLD class this could be. Then they start talking about "the lottery - I mean the Babylon lottery". Library, I correct them to myself. The one tells the other that it is a short story by Jorge Louis Borges, which he pronounces wrong. By this time they have passed me and I have to adjust my pace to keep within earshot. He mentions Toni Morrison. By now I am beyond confused about what class this might be. I'm even leaving things out - you have no idea what an insane class this might be. "Have you read Othello?" Alright, I get it: they're just talking about books they've had to read - ever. Not for one class they're in. Okay. Now I can rest in peace and stop stalking them. They were walking into the P.E. building anyway, and I had to take a right.
Happy Fall Ya'll
Broke and culinarily deprived student looking for baking recipes. Preferably chocolate chip scone, bran muffin, crepe batter, cookie... well, anything that is your favorite. Simple is also good. (I am teaching my roommate, Mallory, how to bake. She has never baked anything before - not even cookies!)
Your submissions are appreciated. Longed for. Coveted, even.
Thanks.
I believe I have found the creepiest image from Rococo Art.
[Nicolas De Largilliere, Etude de main (Study of Hands)]
No, I am not talking about genocide. Nor am I referring to starving children or inhumane slaughter houses or dog fighting.
What I am up in arms about is college football.
Last night, as Josh and I were excitedly walking across the Dutch Square parking lot to head into the movie theater on our first date of the season, we notice two coaches/buses. We hurried- better get inside quick before all those people fill up the lines. We get in line only to see a massive group of people walk in and head back to the food counters, not stopping to purchase tickets or anything of the sort. Besides the fact that a large group of people were cutting in line, there was something else I noticed about them that made me stop and take a second look: they were all enormous. Huge guys in black matching shirts. Then I noticed they had the little under armor insignia. Then I saw the Gamecock symbol. Oh you are kidding me - the football team does NOT get special treatment like that. To the ticket lady and Josh and whoever I said, "they aren't the president, who do they think they are?" "they are here." Josh responds. Oh really I huff. Pursing my lips, I glare at them as they walk back to pick up their already set out popcorn and drinks. It was then that I observed to Josh that they looked ridiculously like a day care being taken on an outing: matching shirts, all lined up with their food all ready for them, baby sitter and all. By this time I was a bit enraged and was making comments aloud as we wove through the forest of black shirts shuffling slowly (need I add stupidly?) past. I made it up to the counter - the one where people have to actually wait in line and pay for themselves, those who play their proper role in society - and asked for a water.
Let me back up and give you some history real quick: I hate paying for water. I also hate using multiple water bottles. And gross tasting water. So I finally, yesterday afternoon, broke down and bought a Brita (which actually is it's own interesting story), with the idea of not having to buy water any more. But back to the story at hand.
I was so caught up in fuming to Josh about how ridiculous it is for football teams to be treated and expect things like this, that when the woman said, "Four dollars", I handed her my debit card. If I had been in any normal state of mind I would have laughed, said never mind and headed to the drinking fountain. Later, Josh told me he had thought I wouldn't want to spend that much on water and was about to mention it to me when I pulled out my card, but then thought better of it, afraid I might feed him to the footballers.
I was so irate that I bought a $4 water.
And then Josh reminded me that my tuition and fees are paying for their scholarships to do that sort of thing. I would be fine with paying tuition if it went to something worthwhile. SUCH AS MY EDUCATION. Or if tuition weren't going to that, I would love it if went to a scholarship for someone who really needed it. Like someone from a country that doesn't have good education or something. Or toward helping people (who need it) in some other way. I could go on for hours about how horrible the college football racket is, but I'm trying not to think about it as it is everything down here and I am trying to have a good time.
So tune in next time to hear my rant on footballers being helped to cheat on tests.
I had a new friend today at lunch. An iced coffee drinking friend who joined me for the better part of my morning hour between History of Dance and when I meet Josh for lunch.
There is a certain table in a certain square where I like to sit while I wait for Josh to get out of class. The certain table is not so special but that it's in the shade, has an umbrella, is not too close to the garbage, the door or the walkway. There are plenty of tables, but tables outside a cafe are like seats on a bus - everyone is aware that seats are necessary, limited and situated in close proximity to the others, so finding a way to be comfortable yet as far away from everyone else as possible is the paradigm for choosing one's seat. My table taste is rather narrow, leaving me limited options. I generally get the table I want, or something near to it. There was nothing particularly different about my table today, but as I turned my seat out to get settled, the thought that I had not yet sat at that particular table crossed my mind. It was near a youngish tree.
I'm not so sure that the table or the tree played a part in my extraordinary experience, but it may have. No matter. I had just sat down with my narrowly gotten mocha on my breakfast plan, when I thought I felt something in my hair. I reached up, and, on feeling something sort of larger than I expected and of a different texture, I made a sort of grabbing and throwing gesture. To my great surprise it was a baby lizard that ended up on my open Bible where I had accidentally thrown it. He was green and about two inches long. And very cute.
I think he was lost or confused or something because he kept crawling back to me. After he was sure that I wasn't going to squash him or flick him away, he came close enough to lick the condensation off my iced grande nonfat mocha.
So I have come to the conclusion that the wildlife at USC are friendlier than the students. Especially the squirrels, but that's another story.
I like chairs with high backs to lean on.
I like floors that do not need to be vacuumed.
I like windows with ledges.
I like lamps with hand crafted shades.
I like blue walls, not clothes.
I like colored ceilings, especially those with character.
I'm feeling more productive. This is good.
Things I checked off my list today:
-picked up the last of my books for this semester.
-found a job (...maybe? Monday I go in to the rock gym and the owner is going to meet with me about belaying. I hope this will be a regular enough thing for me to not have to worry about "finding a real job" anymore)
-broke down and bought a Gamecock shirt.
-got bored and played cards rather than moping about being bored.
-made plans for the weekend.
-took a picture of the paintings I've been working on on and off for the last few weeks.
-bought the same lunch two days in a row and the same dinner three days in a row, which means I found something I like that doesn't cost more than my meal plan allows.
-almost caught up on my Bible in one year! Okay.. so I'm in Job and I'm supposed to be in the end of Psalms, but that is way closer than I was a week ago. I was in 2 Chronicles.
Oh! and lest I forget: Happy Birthday Blog, you've been great.
Let me begin by voicing my infuriation with people who sign up for literature classes, but, by all appearances, hate literature and or reading. Or simply happen to hate whatever it is we are reading, or choose not to read it at all. I was surrounded by them today in class. There were three - one in front, one to my left, and one behind me and two rows left. They were not even proficient in expounding on their boredom and lack of interest in the assigned material. Proust was the assigned topic of the day, and, while I am fully aware that there are a great many people in the world who do not understand, appreciate, or enjoy in any way the style in which he writes, if you're going to complain about it, please at least have read it. Or if you found it "intense", think about why that is, and rather than just quit, or shrug it off because it was too much for you, take a moment to slow down, re read, or maybe even use your brain. That helps a lot. Yeah, who would have thought, right?In earlier classes, things were interesting in other ways. For instance, in my first class of the day, my professor gave an example by dancing around the room. I suppose this is her job (she is the head of the Dance Department, and the class is History of Dance), but it never fails to force me to suppress a smile. In 18th Century art history, I learned that the largest collection of Catholic, Baroque paintings is owned by Bob Jones University, in nearby Greenville. This knowledge created a rift of laughter throughout the classroom. It is funny on so many levels. Between classes I drank a full nalgene of water, due to the heat, but I have overcome the inability to walk at a normal speed. At lunch, Josh and I discovered "Santorini", the Greek fast food on campus: delicious and not as expensive as the Colloquium.
Location: Dorm Room (Mallory, studying as usual)
Location: The Hunter Gatherer (another college past time)
Relationship: end of the rope.
Relationship: Roomies!
Relationship: In love
Outside the Hunter Gatherer
On my way to work.
Out my window in the rain.
My building on the right. Yes, it's surrounded by construction on all sides, I'm pretty sure.
From the Stronghold Athletic parking lot.
My little second story porch thing.
In the Vista.
Proof that Starbucks knows who they are serving and how to reel them in.
Construction. It's everywhere.
-picked up the last of my books for this semester.
Marshiness
Josh, lifeguard, and really crowded beach.
Best sandcastle ever.
Lazy beach bum.
Emily watches our stuff.
There are lots of trees on campus. That makes me happy.
McMaster: the art building. I like this place.
The Theatre. It's one of the prettiest buildings here.
The Humanities building. I spend a lot of time looking at this view. (Tracy, this is what I usually see when I'm talking with you on the phone in the morning)
Along the road, walking back to my room with a smoothie.
