Monday 22 March 2010

Letters to Somebody

Dear Spring Break,

You were great, and though it has been less than 24 hours, I miss you already. Please feel free to swing by again soon, bringing the ocean and the clubbing with you, but leaving behind a couple of other experiences. You know what I'm talking about.

All love,

Blythe



Dear LA Drivers,

Really. REALLY?

Here is a news flash for you: Turn signals are easy and fun! Just flick your hand to the left of your wheel and BOOM, I immediately know to expect you in my lane. Is it really so hard, LA Drivers? Is it really?


Wearing a helmet while driving,

Blythe



Dear School Work,

Do yourself. Thanks.

Blythe
March 22, 2010
Writing Letters To Somebody
Prof. Me


Dear Job For Next Year,

I'm waiting for you to fall in my lap. Where are you? I'm sure I'll like you very much. Please feel free to e-mail me at codenameblythe@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.

In the meantime, perhaps I should put in some actual work to find a job. Hmm.


Yours,
Blythe



Dear The Moose,

Our Clique has the funniest name of all cliques. This is possibly because you guys are the funniest folks. And the most supportive. And the most fun. And... oh man, this is getting sappy.

I love you, Moose. I really do.

Love (love, love),

Blythe

Friday 12 March 2010

Predictive Text

Dear Predictive Text,

Here are some thoughts for your consideration:

I find it concerning that the word "cropped" comes up before the word "crossed." This is because I keep my fingers crossed, NOT cropped, and I find the implication that I might crop my fingers alarming.

Typing "dessert" should not result in me sending a text about a "ferret," though I'm pretty sure I might have hit a wrong letter in there somewhere. But still.

When I type "are" I don't want "Ase" as the first option. That's silly.

But to be honest, I think that it's kind of nice that "book" and "cool" are spelled with the same keystrokes. That might be because I'm the daughter of a librarian though.

And I end up saying things like, "All the book people are doing it."

So, predictive text, I would like you to fix some of these errors. But keep on with the book=cool thing. I like that.


All love,

Blythe

Sunday 7 March 2010

The Stereotypical College Weekend

I am amused that sometimes college is just so... college. Wasn't that profound?

This weekend has been a busy one, starting with a Friday night adventure going to see the play the theatre department was putting on. Saturday I went bowling with my mentee (who is 12 and lives in a town near here), wrote most of a paper for class, and then went to an 80s party on campus.

Let me tell you, I think I look amazing in a neon green shirt, a light purple skirt, gold spandex leggings, and a hot orange scrunchie. I didn't think I had "a colour" before, but, man, apparently that combination is perfect! Heh.

The party itself was held in a gym on campus, and was Such Fun. Unfortunately, it was shut down at 11:45 (11:45!!) due to a noise complaint. A NOISE COMPLAINT? Who makes a noise complaint at 11:45 on a Saturday night? Why would you move within a mile of a college if you had a problem with music being played at 11:45 on a Saturday night? That is ridiculous. We ended up going back to my friend's room, listening to more 80s music and ordering pizza. I went to bed by 2:00 because......

..... at 7:45 in the morning, I had to get up to get ready to leave for Hollywood by 8:30. After stopping for an almond croissant, we headed for the Jim Henson lot in Hollywood, to watch a screening of Aslan's friend's movie. What FUN!

And that, my friends, was a grand, grand weekend.

Wednesday 3 March 2010

Sometimes I Really Love College

Today, class was Extremely Satisfying.

Last semester, I took a class entitled Psychology of the Black Woman in America. This semester, with the same (wonderful, glorious, fantastic) professor, I am taking Identity Development in Minority Children.

And I have never been So Mad, So Frustrated, and So Inspired. The classes have made it very clear to what degree racism continues to exist in the United States, and how pervasive it is. I (and many other white Americans) take so much for granted; we have become totally accustomed to White Privilege, and most of us spend very little of our time trying to change anything. It's getting infuriating, it really is.

We were discussing this in class today, about to get on to our chat about the readings, when our professor was taken ill and had to leave. The class stayed, and we continued to discuss the challenges exist, and then-- finally!!-- what we could actually DO about it.

I'm so very proud of my class, and excited to be a part of it. At one point I said, "Can we do something as a class, to bring this to the attention of others?" The answer was a resounding YES. The class is enthused, we are coming up with plans, and we are going to Make This Happen. I'll tell you the details later, but for now I am just really thrilled to be a part of a class that is going to do something in response to what we have learned-- not because we'll get extra credit, not because we're being graded, but because we KNOW it matters, and we are going to share that with others.

This is EXACTLY how college should be.

Monday 1 March 2010

NOT one of my shining moments

Let me preface this by saying... I'm really a lot smarter than this post makes me sound. And so is Aslan! But the story is so funny that I thought I had to share it.

This happened last year around this time, and we were just reminiscing about it today at lunch.

Aslan, Wednesday and I were eating lunch, discussing Wednesday's upcoming 21st birthday. Amid the excitement, we were also slightly disappointed that one's 21st birthday is the last of the "exciting" ones. One of us (Aslan or I) commented that it would be nice if every multiple of 3 be some sort of big event.

"Yeah," Wednesday said, "So that would be our 24th."

There was a long silence as Aslan and I, seated on either side of her, counted silently in our heads, "20...23...26...29"

Suddenly, at the same time, we both got it. "OHhhhhh!!" we cried. It came together in our heads... 8x3=24.

And that, my friend, is how multiples work.

Oy.