Impulse Control

The day of reckoning has finally arrived. This is a sad day, friends. You see, my premonition came true. As of yesterday, Hulu has finally called it quits with Stargate SG-1. Luckily for me, Amanda wanted to go on an impulse drive this weekend. Who was I to turn down a golden opportunity of riding in a car? I’m not one to look a gift-horse in the mouth. Not when it involves road trips with a good friend and great music.

So, off to Virginia we went. And we only had to pull one U-turn. But, all too soon we arrived at our destination – the late-night Wal-Mart. This was our opportunity to go shopping and buy as much as we wanted without having lug it around the Metro.

Now, you can’t go shopping with Amanda without looking at the $5 DVDs. She talked me into getting Music & Lyrics and bought herself Casper. But the best was just around the corner: that’s right, Stargate DVDs. Bundles of 2 seasons for just $20 each. I am now the proud owner of the first four seasons of my favorite show of all time. And I couldn’t be happier.

Now I can finally play that drinking game I made up…

Are You Ten Years Ago

Give or take a fortnight I’ve lived through exactly two decades. With the aughts winding down, I thought I’d take a look at the advancements, publications,  and occurrences of the decade* that were most influential in my life.

Music: iTunes, dub-step, auto-tune

• Radiohead
• The Decemberists
• The Killers
• Tegan & Sara
• Kings of Leon

Television: HD, on Demand

• West Wing
• Stargate SG-1
• Veronica Mars
• LOST
• The Daily Show

Movies: 3D (for this one I’m doing directors, it’s just easier)

• Joe Wright
• Quentin Tarantino
• David Yates
• Jason Reitman
• Lee Unkrich

Books:

• The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling
• Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell
• Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
• The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
• Summerland by Michael Chabon

Fashion:

• leggings
• “vintage” t-shirts
• skinny jeans, or, conversely, jeans that are too baggy
• Vera Bradley bags
• North Face fleece jackets

Technology:

• GPS
• iPods
• Smart Phones
• Internet (modems => cable => broadband => wifi)
• social networking (Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, blogs)

Current Events:

• 9/11 terrorist attacks
• medical scares: SARS, Avian Flu, Swine Flu
• America invades Iraq & Afghanistan
• financial crisis
• hipsters

*This entire list is made up of my opinions, and the things that were the most influential to myself. Given that, I figured it’d be easiest to limit every category to five items. Keep in mind that, to me, the decade started in 2001 and lasted until the last moment of 2010. The next decade will be 2011-2020.

How to Survive Finals… without really trying

Once again, it’s finals week on the GW campus. For some that means writing scores of pages for papers, cramming for exams, moving into the library, and getting off campus as soon as possible. I take a slightly different approach to my end of term exams. Here’s my handy-dandy list of finals’ week must haves.

• Food. Not snacks, meals. There’s simply too much going on to take the time to go to the grocery store and prepare all of your meals. Especially since you’ll be going home in a week and you don’t want all of the food to spoil. So, if you’re like me, take-out will become your best friend. Chinese and Italian are always good choices. Chipotle, too, of course.
• Munchies. Load up on the quick-fixes. My must-haves include Joe-Joe’s from Trader Joe’s, cherry & s’mores flavored pop tarts, and lots and lots of Diet Cherry Pepsi.
• Distractions. Procrastinate, procrastinate, procrastinate. This is when your laptop knows no other screen than Twitter, Facebook, or your favorite blogs. This is also a great opportunity to break out that book you’ve been meaning to read but never found the time. For me, it’s Catcher in the Rye.
• Socialize. There are no classes, meaning you, and everyone else on campus, has suddenly been gifted with downtime. Organize movie nights. We’re watching one a night for the rest of the week. So far, we’ve watched Pride & Prejudice and Love, Actually. Tonight we’re curling up for Gone With the Wind. If studying really is a priority for you (which, honestly, I can’t fathom), form a study group. I know my university band is holding a private study party in the band room.
• Stretch your Legs. Being cooped up and studying non-stop will drive you up the walls. I know, I’ve witnessed it. Besides, ’tis the season to be jolly. Take a walk around campus or through the city (a field? Is that how rural campuses work?). Last night after work, some friends and I celebrated the first real snow-fall of the season by taking a stroll down to the Lincoln Memorial.
• Avoid the Library. If your undergrad library is anything like mine, it is unbearable at the best of times. Make it ten million times more crowded than normal, fluctuate the thermostat, and put in those god-awful florescent lights, and it’s impossible to get any work done. If, for some odd reason, you must go to the library to work, make sure that you pack water, snacks, and some noise-canceling earbuds. Permaybe some sunglasses, too.
• Holiday Shop. What better time to get your holiday shopping out of the way. Plus, if your school, like mine, waits until the last possible moment before Christmas to send you on your merry way home, this is the only viable time-frame for getting those gifts. Also, what could be easier than slapping down and dishing out your pre-paid university money at the campus bookstore? Who doesn’t love a shirt/coffee mug/stationary set with your school’s logo? Crazy people! That’s who.
• Have Fun! It’s very rare for an undergraduate course to put all of the weight in grading the class on the final. That kind of shenanigan is generally saved for law school (oh, goody. I can’t wait.). If you’re really freaking out, go ahead and calculate what the worst-possible grade you can get on the final while still doing well in the class. That’s why I’m not studying for Arabic as I type this. That’s being saved for Gone With the Wind-times.

I’m not saying that finals aren’t a stressful time – for most sane students, they are. But balance your nose-to-the-grindstone study habits with some relaxing activities. You deserve it! I just choose to save my major stress-related meltdowns for more important things, like the day that Stargate SG-1 finally stops streaming on Hulu and I have to shell out the big bucks for the actual DVDs. (It’s a legitimate concern, guys! 10 seasons of awesomeness really adds up.) And, remember, as my good friend Amanda said: ‎”It’s ok because remember you only need like a 3.0 to get a job, right?” Is that how that works?

Geek Chic

So much and so little all going on at the same time. I was supposed to go over to the Hill between classes yesterday for a 3 hour seminar on HTML but the Metro was terribly delayed, so I was stuck in Foggy Bottom. That was cool with me because it gave me the opportunity to walk down to the Lincoln Memorial. It was a beautiful day, managing to stay sunny and in the 70s. Fun fact: the back of the Lincoln Memorial is a great place to do homework: little foot traffic and a nice view. But the sun and warmth won’t stick around for long, which will be perfect for when I can convince myself to slap down the big bucks for these:

 

Boots, boots, whatever.

They’re so pretty! And I’ll totally use them in Sussex, right. I mean, it’s England, it rains there all the time. Yeah, that’s how weather works.

As for now I’m going to try and cheer myself up. I’ve come down with a dreadful cold. My throat was so sore today that I imagined it must be how a host feels when they’re first implanted with a tok’ra. Oh, yes, I am that big of a geek. For now I’m going to curl up with a box of kleenex, a bowl of blue jell-o, and my Hulu queue, all while trying to forget what ingredients actually compose jell-o.

I Dreamed a Dream

Aaaah! I did so much today! Not really, but it seems like it!!!

So, I went to Congressman’s office today, like normal, and it was fairly straightforward. Sorted some mail, forwarded some faxes, saw some Air Force officers (in their DRESS BLUES!!! Do you know how much I love Air Force dress blues, ’cause it’s a lot. And, yes, that appreciation can be blamed on Stargate SG-1.) Hmdmdm. Oh, I went to a hearing that Congressman was chairing about mental health and suicide rates in veterans and there were a bunch of neuro-scientists there. Oh, yeah, and Patrick KENNEDY!!! And Walter Jones from North Carolina. But still, I was in the same room as a Kennedy (Unfortunately dubbed the “ugly duckling Kennedy by friend.)!!!

Most importantly, however, is the fact that I drafted a statement today. No matter that it was about arthritis. No matter that a lot of the writing was rewording a previously written response to constituents on the subject. No matter that I only had to weave in information about the bill itself. I WROTE A STATEMENT FOR THE CONGRESSMAN TO READ ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE!!!! This is officially my first foray into political speechwriting. I really wanted to share the news.

On a sadder note, housing confiscated the extension cord that runs from my wall outlet over the door to my power strip. I now have no access to my tv, vcr, or printer. The cable for the tv that was strung between bedrooms, however, seemed to have been perfectly acceptable. So it goes. I’ll get a surge protected extension cord tomorrow. After my Arabic test that involves drawing pictures of crocodiles. Ain’t college grand?

Tuesdays with Maury, Wednesdays with John

A long time ago I came to terms with a simple fact: I am a geek.  Not only do I read like it’s my job (in actuality, I probably read with more diligence for fun than I would if I were at work), but I have for as long as I can remember always plod through summer with sheer excitement for school to restart. I like to learn. I have a reading list this summer that I compiled for myself. It has sixty-nine books on it, all of them either non-fiction or literature. I’ve been out of school for 17 days and I’ve already read ten books – none of them on my list.

And, for as much TV as I watch (which, believe me, is a lot), it actually helped me, come college! Even the non-educational, completely fictional, escapist shows that I watch helped me ace quizzes and classes in college. And parents say TV rots your brain. Honestly, ten seasons of Stargate SG-1 and seven of the West Wing helped me pass Astronomy and PoliSci, respectively.

The first few books on my reading list: Faiths of the Founding Fathers, The Oxford Companion to World Mythologies, and Generation Kill. I was looking forward to reading Anne’s book about quantum physics, but I forgot to borrow it from her before we parted ways for the summer.

But, seriously, even some of my favorite cartoons  are geeky. Regardless, I can’t wait for Futurama to come back to TV this summer. Also, is it just me, or does the theme song for Futurama sound reminiscent of the chime-y intro to 17? Decide for yourself:

But the geeky thing about me that really seems to take the cake: I love over-the-phone political surveys. Always have. I think they’re fun. Sometimes I bond with the pollsters. Like yesterday, for example. I bonded with the guy interviewing me over the fact that we were both too young to vote in the 2008 election. Apparently, we’re the same age, and even have the same birth month! Go figure. See, politics can be fun. (Speaking of, you go John Sides!)

Earth Hour “oh 10″

Crazy things happen in Crawford 202. Like that’s hard to believe. (Well, it probably is for Ryan, since, according to him, the earth doesn’t exist.)  The day of Earth Hour is no different. What was the weirdest part? Probably 15 minutes of said hour spent singing Mary Kate & Ashley songs. In a circle. In the dark. And yeah, that’s still going on, albeit with the lights on. Our favorite songs: Pulling an All-nighter, My Horse & Me, Gimme Pizza (eh, put it on the pizza!).

What else has been going on? Well, we went to see Hot Tub Time Machine which was actually a lot funnier than I expected. I laughed a lot more than I had anticipated. The music was great; the costumes were bright; the company was excellent. My only point of contention: if they were to change the past while they were thrown back to 1986, once they got back to the future (their present), they would remember their “new” pasts. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise when they got pack to the present. They would know what had happend to them. Theoretically. If that were to happen in the film. Just sayin’.

Another weird fact of the day: it was revealed that Ellen has never seen Mean Girls. I mean, even Anne has seen that movie. Anne!

Hmm. It seemed like a lot more went on in Crawford 202 today. I guess you miss a lot when half of the suite gets up at or after noon. With the exception of going to Chipotle with some new(er) friends and bonding – Briana likes Stargate! Awesome. – not much else did go down.

Still to come: St. Patrick’s Day post (sorry for the delay).

War Came with a Curse and a Caterwaul

Why am I such a war junkie?  I mean, I love reading about war and watching war miniseries and movies.  To prove it to you: over my spring break, I am simultaneoulsy: 1) reading Generation Kill by Evan Wright; 2) watching the premiere episode of The Pacific; and 3) re-watching Stargate SG-1.

This fascination that I have with war has been forming since I was a wee lass.  When I was young, all the kids on my block would band together to build extensive forts and have water wars.  In the 8th grade when we were assigned a book report that had to do with the Holocaust, I read Band of Brothers (and, yes, I’m aware that the Holocaust is only obliquely mentioned).  I think I’ve seen that series seven or so times, the first time when I was just 11.  I love to delve into Catch-22 and Slaughterhouse-5 on a free afternoon (the latter of which my mom made me wait until I was in high school to read).  In the 6th grade I breezed through When My Name was Keoko as well as Virtual War (sorry for screwing up your lesson plan, teach). My favorite book to read for AP Euro was The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, but Machiavelli wasn’t bad, either.  My favorite tv show is Stargate SG-1, and while it’s sci-fi, it’s based on a faction of the US Air Force (whose wars just happen to be intergalactic).  I can watch Saving Private Ryan or The Patriot any day of the week.  My most recent find is HBO’s recently premiered The Pacific. Last year my obsession was Generation Kill – an HBO adapted miniseries about a humvee recon marine division serving in the invasion of the Iraq war in 2003.  I can’t sing enough praises for it – Alexander Skarsgard’s in it! They sing Avril Lavigne (in a sarcastic yet endearing way)! It’s on HBO!

As I said, this education of war began when I was young – from stories of my grandpa’s experience as part of the Army Corps of Engineers serving in the Pacific Theatre during WWII to my dad’s Civil War obsession. There’s been many a car trip during which we would stop at a battlefield.  Jeesh, on our trip to visit DC colleges my dad and I hit Harper’s Ferry, Antietem, and Gettysburg within the span of 4 days. But don’t think that I’m complaining – I love it. The picture in my header is one that I took with a pinhole camera overlooking Gettysburg during that trip last summer.  I love all kinds of war situations:  the Civil War, the French Revolution, WWII, WWI to an extent, the Spanish American War (here’s looking at you TR), the Revolutionary War, 100 Years War, 7 Years War, our most recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, etc.  Even the Falklands’ War is interesting, when you hear Ricky Gervais spin it. And now I’m thinking that maybe I’ll have even more interaction with war when I’m older. I don’t think I’ll be enlisting, but if I continue with Arabic and can put those skills to use, I’ll be proud to help – even with all of Anne’s comments that war, real war, is nothing like what I’m used to being exposed to. I’m smart enough to know that a lot of what I’ve been introduced to is fictionalized, aggrandized and largely Hollywood-esque. But that doesn’t stop my fascination with war. And besides, I’ve got plenty of time to decide what will happen with my future.

Here’s one of my favorite bands playing a song about the Civil War:

I want a Pretty Pretty Princess, and a Pony, and a Switchblade

Hi all! Happy (very, very belated) New Years. I hope that this decade is treating you well.  I know that I’m having a blast. Classes started on the 11th and they are all glorious.  The teachers are fabulous and the coursework is light.  I mean, I can’t really ask for more than a class on Jane Austen. And, yes, all we do is read her novels and then chat about them. Well, okay, occasionally we watch a clip from a movie adaptation. Sure, sure, there will be an occasional assignment, but that’s small potatoes.  I’m sure that throughout the semester you will hear lots of praise, jubilation and some rants and raves about that course, along with all of my others. But that will come in due time.

The big news today: I’m no longer 18!!! As of the 17th, I’m officially a 19-year-old. And I’m loving it. I started of the day (well, night really) watching a lovely Christmas gift from my friend Peter – Stargate SG-1. He bought me a VHS of the original movie and another of the first two episodes.  It reminded me of how campy the beginning was. Since then, I’ve been working my way through the series – I’m only halfway through the first season.  The rest of the day I spent with my DC family.  We went to a meeting and then to a “secret dinner” at Chipotle before playing some Scattergories.

On MLK day, Anne and I walked over to hang around the White House for a bit. That evening a group of us walked (a very long and misjudged distance) to the Jefferson Memorial. It was mostly deserted, so we had free run of the place. I can’t remember the last time I have been more at peace than sitting on those steps, staring across the Tidal Basin at the White House. Anne swears I have the same look of utter tranquility when I’m holding my new 20-bullet (Nerf) tommy gun. Don’t believe her.

And, last but not least, ROLL TIDE!!! Congratulations to the University of Alabama Crimson Tide on winning the BCS championship over Texas this year. You’re my boys. Watching that game, as “eh” as it was, made me almost regret not accepting their offer of admission. Almost. But, alas, I’m happy at school in DC. I had a fine time sitting in the living room with my dad in front of a fire watching the game on tv instead of sitting in a wild stadium in beautiful Pasadena, California. I swear.

National Language

You may or may not be aware of the fact that America does not have a national language. Many people probably assume that it is English, and while that is still the most widely spoken, it’s not the only recognized language Americans speak.  That doesn’t mean that all citizens can speak it well, if at all.

Take me, for example. I’ve been speaking English my entire life. That doesn’t change the fact that my grammar is far from perfect – as Anne would gladly tell you.  I use the wrong word occasionally, end my sentences with prepositions, can’t get a handle on commas, and don’t even know what a split infinitive is. (Oops. See, my preposition ran amok.) All these faults probably don’t bode well for an aspiring speechwriter.

I’m trying to change, and that’s important. I recognize that I make mistakes and am working towards rectifying them.  Anne helps me out by editing my blog posts before they get published.  I would love to be a wordsmith and brilliant artist of the English language but it’s been a slow going thus far.  I don’t know if I should blame my poor grasp of language on my formative years in school or the way that most Americans have become lax with communication.  When was the last time you heard a brilliant elocutionist?  My point is that we should be a little more diligent in preserving language.

Here’s a little tidbit from my all-time favorite show.  I like to keep this in mind whenever I’ve made the dire mistake of misplacing my prepositions.  Hell, that’s if I can remember which words are prepositions. (Just kidding, I hope.)