Case of the Nutty Blond

Inspired by my dearest M'mandage, so much so that I will steal her idea outright. I shall not share the great insight that I learned about Dickens from this class. Oh no, that is no fun. Instead, I must share my favorite quotes from my prof.

Before we get started, though, I need you to get a picture in your head of my prof: he is an elderly gentleman, and I lost count of how many schools out east he has gotten degrees from. He has a white beard, and well-worn shoes. He dresses in the fashion of the English gentleman, with colored shirts and ties, sport coats with patches on the elbows, and walks into class at precisely 7pm every Tuesday wearing a fedora and wool coat. Personally, if ever there was a character more suited to teaching a class on Charles Dickens, Professor Cedric Reverend is it.

Behold his insight:

"Back when I was a little boy--you know, little kid with a beard?"

"It happens to English professors all the time. When I go into hotel lobbies I have to beat the women away."

"I'll make the case, but I think I'm lying."

"It's child abuse, but it's funny!"

"It's not as good as the Shakespeare version, by the way" (on his 10-second summary of Hamlet)

"I'm kinda rooting for green" (when he walked into class with a discolored eye)

"The road to hell is paved with adverbs, and some adjectives, too"

"Ok he used 'very' but he's Dickens. I expect better from all of you."

"It's fun irritating people AND being right!"

"All the great works of art, all the great symphonies, all the great works of literature and it fits in a shoebox! And it can be yours for $199.95!!"

"Don't shoot yourself in the side-- always in the head."

"One day you're alive, next day you're a blob."

"So I just made you read a bunch of crap."


So there you have it. A whole semester boiled down to a blog entry. Feel enlightened yet?

I never thought I'd be here, but here I am--listening to Bob Dylan. I've ranted and raved against his noise (for I refused to call it music) several times. One day my uncles, who graduated in the 70s and were certainly part of ol' Bob's era, told me that it was because I didn't understand him; so I changed my rant to "I don't understand Bob Dylan." Then I worked with Molly. Molly loves Bob Dylan, but unlike most other enthusiasts, Molly lead me in a discussion about why she loved him. Not why he changed the world. Not why he was the greatest. No, she told me about why he was the greatest to her, and even made me a CD collection and pamphlet to guide me through each song.

Take a stand, my friends! Rally to my side!! Let this cruel, heartless, over-commercial world see that we are not fait of spirit or heart! Let us take this latest development and show a brave face; we are given opportunity! Let us seize it!

Of course, this opportunity I'm reffering to is Valentine's Day; probably the second most over-commercialized holiday since Christmas... and just as easy to get cranky. I was dismayed to see, not even a week into January that there was already V-Day propaganda out. Reminding me I had no sweetheart. Reminding those with sweethearts that if they didn't buy into the probaganda, they didn't really love their sweethearts. Reminding those with sweethearts that are far away that, well, they are not there next to them. "Singles Awareness Day" I have heard it called.

We can fuss. We can moan and groan. We can dress all in black, either an angry goth or in mourning. (I've tried all of the above.) But don't we realize that whining and weeping or protesting is still bringing attention to the vile day? As much as those of us who are cynical about V-Day don't like it, we must admit, even begrudgingly, that it isn't going anywhere (same principle applies for those that hate Christmas).

So, my comrades, I propose beating them at their own game. After all, we are given a day to show love to each other, and especially to my fellow Christians, isn't that what we are called to do?! Arise then, my friends! Take heart! Take action and spread the love!! Take a stand against the predjudices of the day and show love no matter the relationship status!! How can it be that you know of no one who wouldn't enjoy a special gesture!? Parents and grandparents love flowers, not just girl/boyfriends. Do you have a beloved sibling? Tell them! Do you have a best friend?! What time better than the present to show them you cherish them?! Do you have friends who walk in and out of your day? It doesn't take much time or money to show that there is such a thing as kindness without seeking something in return. Fight back! Anti-Valentine's Day-love-gestures is what I am calling them.

So, dearest friends who put up with reading my rants, I challenge you: do something creative, outside the box, against the exclusive commercialist pattern of the Day. Show someone you care. I will be; will you join me?

Hello, my faithful reader! I am home for Christmas now, I hope that this post finds you home and full of holiday cheer as well. I am writing to you as I watch it snow here... horizontally, of course. I love the fact that Wyoming has a winter season. For those of you who may wonder (and those who know all to well) here is a summary of what winter is like in Wyoming!

60 above zero:Arizonians turn on the heat.People in Wyoming plant gardens.

50 above zero:Californians shiver uncontrollably.People in Casper sunbathe.

40 above zero:Italian & English cars won't start.People in Wyoming drive with the windows down. (I seriously did that the other day!)

Jesus went to the springs one day to serve those He had come to serve: the sick and hurting. Those at the spring thought that if they went into the water when it stirred, they would be healed. But the True Healer was walking among them that day. The King of Kings distributing His love among the least of these.

Advising here at UW starts next week. I am contemplating taking on English as a minor, since I have been doing a ton of reading lately, and my posts have been making me practice my descriptive writing! I went to my first dance ever last night at the Swing Club's costume dance, and since I am an idiot and didn't have a camera, and am still way excited about how the night went, I must tell using words rather than pictures, though I am sure it will be teribly deficient.

The knight and his lady-princess (Robert and I) showed up to see several characters already working their way in and around the dance floor to the energetic band onstage. Words are insufficient since the dance required three senses: seeing all the costumes and colors, hearing the rhythm of the band, feeling the touch-signals of you partner. From the side, it was thoroughly entertaining just to watch the intermingling of costumes on the dance floor. There was only one dominatrix-cop, though there were several flappers and sock-hoppers who danced with Captain Sparrow and the Phantom of the Opera. Alice had returned from Wonderland just long enough to cut a serious rug with Mario and Luigi. It was even more fun out on the dance floor itself. The knight twirled his lady and the fast-food worker swayed his cat effortlessly. Ceasar has been coming faithfully to Wednesdays and his hard work paid off on the dance floor as he and the only princess were the only ones to do the figure four lift! King Tut and Victorian girls were less experienced, but there were no sad or dissapointed faces! There was no excuse to sit out a dance, as often the wallflowers--from Miss Scarlet and her candlestick to the evil fairy to the princess again-- would all do the Charleston together in the back. Mark Twain, the WWII Army vet, zombies, more pirates and their wenches, BamBam and Pebbles... all rocking out to intoxicating rhythm of the band, who often prefered Chuck Barry or Ray Charles. As for the costume contest, Alice won, but the Knight and his princess took honorable mention as second place! The night was finished with a burger from Wendy's which has never tasted so good as after dancing for over an hour straight!