NOSTALGIA IS A WEAPON

I figured it was time to fill in some blanks here, since it’s been almost two weeks since I last updated.

Weekend before last I went back home to Maryville. I suddenly felt as if I was going to pull my hair out if I didn’t leave, so I packed up and spent a nice weekend there. Ate at Hooters on Friday night with Chris, Mark, and Shane (and eventually Marriah, Adam, Hollie, and Emily, who were all kinda drunk). Saturday was spent with Chris Holmes (whose mother cooked dinner for me, bless her), then Chris, Mark, and Shane again, playing video games at Shane’s house. Sunday we (the MC crew) went and ate brunch at Adam’s grandmother’s, followed by a trip to AC Moore for t-shirt making supplies. Dinner was at TGI Fridays with Mark and Chris, and then I drove back. Very good trip, very much needed.

In other news, I’m back in class now, this week studying loudspeakers (insert faux excitement here). The good thing about this week and next is that class is being taught by Barry, who I think is an excellent teacher. My second favorite, right behind J.

Also, I’m trying some Effexor for the next couple of weeks. Went to the doctor to talk about the thing on my leg and ended up talking about my depression. He was an incredibly nice guy, and really helped to reassure me on my medication fears. Here’s hoping this experiment works. I haven’t noticed a change yet, but it’s only day five. We shall see.

I’m a big “sense memory” person. A certain smell, a different taste, and especially a song can throw me headlong into memories I wouldn’t normally realize that I have. This song, off of Chutes Too Narrow (great fucking album), suddenly reminds me of fall 2003, when I bought the cd. It specifically reminds me of Thanksgiving, visiting my stepsister and her family in St. Louis. It was bloody cold, and I was reading Gregory Maguire’s fantastic novel Wicked on that trip. We celebrated an early Christmas with my nieces, and watched The Santa Clause 2 (and if I recall correctly, it was crap). Also watched some movie that starred three generations of the Douglas family, the name of which I can’t recall at the moment. It’s strange: I can’t remember what I’m doing from minute to minute, yet I have these very detailed memories that are suddenly evoked by this one song. I love human complexity, as much as it puzzles me.

I really need to get back on a regular sleep schedule. I think that’ll be my goal for this weekend.

Just returned from the aforementioned awards show, which was held this year at Gaylord (insert inappropriate joke here) Stadium, home to the Nashville Predators (well, when they actually had things such as a hockey season). Those of you who know me well are likely questioning what on earth could have driven me to attend this event, especially given my outspoken loathing of contemporary country music. The answer: free tickets. I went with some friends, and somehow actually had a good time. I attribute that to the general feel of the thing; I’ve never been to a famous awards show like that, let alone one that was being broadcast live. Heart (yes, that Heart) played a song with Gretchen Wilson (insert vomiting noises here) and totally blew her ass out of the water. They were just really effing cool. All in all, a really neat experience.

After the show I was forced to accept several pins from fairly attractive women promoting CMT’s new show “Popular”. They have flashy red lights on them. Only problem is, they can’t be turned off. What was momentarily cool, albeit in a geeky way, has now become dreadfully annoying. I think anything flashy is going to be buried under a towl for the time being while I pray that it stops.

I’ve now been awake for almost 36 hours. I think it’s sleepy time.

…. will I go to Supercuts. I told the woman an inch and a half, and I think she interpreted that as “almost all”. My hair is now shorter than it was when I was in high school. Was she expecting me to tell her “stop!” when she got to a certain point, ’cause the whole removing-of-the-glasses thing might just indicate that I CAN’T SEE WHAT’S GOING ON. I probably should have known better, but damn. Fucking beauty school reject.

*sigh*

Ok, done acting like a woman now.

How’s that for a headline to get your attention?

Just finished Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. Fantastic novel, all 782 pages of it. Very complex, very beautifully detailed. I can easily see why it took Susanna Clarke ten years to write it. It was a fantasy novel, though I hate fantasy novels. This book stood out from that particular stereotype because it was written as if it were a historical fiction, rather than your typical “sorcerers, dragons, etc.” novel. All in all, an excellent example of how to take a topic and spin it entirely out of its usual genre limitations. I highly recommend it to anyone who needs a literary vacation.

I love New Scientist. I just discovered a recent article they did on the subject of sex education in schools. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a strong advocate of a comprehensive curriculum, rather than the typical (at least here in the South) abstinence-only garbage. This just in: teenagers have sex. *insert gasp of shock here*. They are going to do what they damn well please, whether we like it or not. Isn’t it our responsiblity to send them into those situations with a knowledge of how to stay healthy and safe? Anyway, the New Scientist article (found here) does an excellent job of presenting the pros and cons of either side of the argument, though it does nothing to sway my opinion on the matter. Anyone who would like further reading on the subject is encouraged to pick up a copy of Judith Levine’s excellent book Harmful To Minors: The Perils Of Protecting Children From Sex. I got many a dirty look for reading that on a plane ride once (as well as some odd looks from my mother, who was sitting next to me at the time)…

In other news, it’s now daylight outside, which means I didn’t sleep at all. Oops. I somehow don’t think I’ll make it to class today.

I need a haircut.

So I’ve started this blog in the hopes that it will be more organized and articulate than the one I’ve previously been using. That’s not entirely likely to happen, but we’ll see.