Dropping the Ball

Wow, so I missed a day. Oh no...

Well I guess it's just something not to make a habit. Plus that will just mean today's is extra long...

So on top of still feeling like an awful, awful person (for additional reasons than the previous due to misunderstandings), I've been having my first two days of class. It's so hot so walking to class from my far-off apartment building hasn't been much of a joy.

Monday was Philosophy 421 whose name is now Moral Considerability and Animal Science. As Professor Light explained it, we won't be talking as much about fetuses and machines because those issues are either very well drawn out or far from being drawn out, respectively. So he decided that we should talk about more considerability of animals because it represents to him what is generally considered a "moral blindspot" for the majority of people. The way he explained it was a lot better and made it sound less like a class about how animals have feelings. And it doesn't help that he is a pescatarian, who in his words, won't eat anything more neurologically complex than a fish. Regardless, I am confident he will be fair to all sides and we will be taking serious ethical and moral looks at animals in relation to human-like intelligence.

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:30 is Philosophy two-hundred-something: Philosophy and Literature. Should be decent, I hope. A ton of reading but easy essays and hopefully what seems to be no exams. I'm guessing we will just be taking a hard look at the issues, or something. I'm not a fan of the professor who seems to not be that great at public speaking... but hopefully it at least turns out to be an easy class.

Also on Tuesdays and Thursdays is my Psych 231 class at 3:00: Social Psychology. I'm pretty excited about that class since it's going to deal with a lot of what I'm interested in Psychology: how people act based on a perceived situation. It's funny because the professor (who is so boring to listen to) said that Psychology is based on early Philosophy, which I already knew. So basically when talking about Psychology and themes of perception, we're intermingling the science of the brain and Psychology with Philosophy, my minor and major, respectively. So I think it's pretty neat that what I'm doing in school is related to each other. He also talked about fundamental attribution error being people attributing how people act to their personality instead of the social situations they are in which is cool because I'm going to Personality Theory tomorrow! It's like ALL MY CLASSES ARE RELATED! Which is weird. And hopefully not as confusing as it could be.

As far as this blog project is concerned, I don't think I've really produced a lot that has to do with my professional writing career. Additionally, it hasn't motivated me to do any writing that I actually want to do.

And as far as my new job at the Broadside is concerned, I kind of regret it since it seems like my editor is purposefully pigeon-holing me into doing his dirty work like coming up with stories and taking credit for them. I mean all this really does for me is making me a professional story idea creator who gets to write the stories he comes up with. Wow... I was thinking (and was told) that I would be put into contact with people who run the Center for the Arts and local booking agents and nightclubs and being able to have some content control. Apparently not.

Well, I might see if I can wrestle some of that control from my editor via the Editor-in-chief. It will be a slow usurpation.

Else I'll be

Dropping the ball.

Well... Yeah

So A) I know it doesn't look great doing these so late in the day (since they're dated for the next day). One of these days it will look like there is two in one day.

and B) tonight's post will be... truncated to say the least. I'm not feeling really great right now and thus, am not in the mood. Actually, I feel like a huge jerk.

Anyway, I saw my Dad today and gave him his birthday present. Hopefully I'll see him some more before he moves so we can enjoy his new Boston Legal DVDs together. Saw Mom too. Mom is... mom.

Well... yeah.

8/28/10 (because insightful titles will alude me)

Today I did a lot of the same stuff I did yesterday. Well no, I'm making it less than it is (I tried for five minutes to find a word that means this). I woke up at 9 since my roommates were starting to move in. Yes, they woke me up. I had a staff meeting for Broadside at 10 in which i sat there at this conference table the whole time thinking, "Man I don't really need to be here" which my Editor-in-Chief kind of agreed with. But I did leave with the feeling that I'm doing a lot of work my editor would otherwise be doing and thus I have a made-up position that is basically just him outsourcing his own work. Either way, I think I'll be receiving a paycheck, so it's not too bad.

Afterwards, I helped Paul move in and saw some more people on my way back to the apartment. Then I basically sat around doing nothing for a few hours til I went to DC to see Paul in his improv show. It was very funny. Some awkward moments but these are just improv students... what do you expect?

Anyway, I've got a ton of stuff on my mind... including but not limited to:

A) how unproductive I have been and how leaving 80% of my video games at home hasn't help but will still prove a fruitful endeavor within the coming weeks (provided I can hold out that long).
B) That my roommate goes to bed incredibly early and now I'm being that guy who stays up all night typing incessantly. Hey, all the lights are off and I'm being as quiet as I can be. Unfortunately, I don't get internet in the living room which would be the logical thing to do. Then again, maybe I should go out there anyway.

And yes, I realize the date on this thing won't be

8/28/10

Attempt #1

Well... interesting day.

Well, it wasn't actually. I got up late after a long, wonderful sleep. I slowly got up to shower and managed to finally get dressed and grab a sub for breakfast. It was decent.

Point is, I found myself at my computer after eating bored and unsure of what to do. On the one hand, I need to start and work on some articles I've been sitting on for a while. On the other, nothing is really due for a while. Suffice it to say, I sat at my computer playing strategy games all day, and to be fair, there are worse things to be playing. At least I was being educated on the conquest of Alexander the Great.

So several hours later I realize I got nothing done and am continuing to do so. I also realize this makes for a boring post, but I humbly believe that my word wouldn't count for anything if the day after I made a promise, I failed to keep it.

Thus, Attempt #1 = finished.

A fresh start

Well, not really. I have decided two things.

A) I need to try and do this daily. Not only can it be used as a live portfolio for my writing but I think it will really help motivate me to work on my larger projects. So every evening I'll update with something I saw today or thought about. I know I said that was what I would do at the beginning of this all... in fact it's the reason I did this in the first place. But I think I'm actually going to do it.

B) This was in many respects, the best summer ever. I didn't have a job for the first time in 4 years and I had all the free time I could ever imagine. I had time to read, write, see people, and take me time. This was, however, hindered of course by my mother constantly bugging me about something and of course, having to do things I didn't like to do (as a direct result of being unemployed). But I can't really say I don't owe them one, right? Anyway, it was nice not to have to work but it was awful not to have any free money. Summer is typically a season of increased spending but it had to be curbed in a big way so I can leave room for books, etc. It was tough and it would have been nice to have some income--at least to increase my nest egg. I saw Shaelyn which is an insurmountable pleasure and without a doubt, the highlight of the summer. I went to the beach and as I said, sat around a whole lot mooching off my parents. As much as I treasure the extra free time, I certainly don't wish that unemployment becomes a trend.

I got a job as the Broadside's Media Beat Writer which basically means I come up with a lot of the content we have for movies, music, and theater. That hopefully not only means a more frequent/bigger paycheck, but means that I will hopefully be doing a lot more reviewing of the aforementioned media. What worries me is that my editor wants to completely reform the newspaper, making all of the pieces more feature related. Despite the massive logistical undertaking that is, it is a vastly different shift from the previous style section which was all but feature-based. Plus, a review is essentially impossible in feature form. I guess this is a sign that I need to practice writing like a legitimate journalist because law school won't work out. But hey, who knows.

With classes starting soon, my new, challenging job, the potentially to be in multiple theatre productions, and a possible radio show on the horizon, I feel like this semester and 2010-2011 school year will be a great opportunity for...

A fresh start.