The Mindset of a College Student

This is a pretty interesting website dedicated to showing what the mindset of incoming college students are...going back all the way to the graduating Class of 2002! Pretty interesting to look at our Class of 2007 (even though we may not have graduated that year it was the year we "should" have, even though it was not very plausible). Click here and take a look. Enjoy!

Last Night I Made a Discovery

I went out to the bar last night to celebrate my friend getting a job and moving to Maryland. While at the bar, we met a couple of ladies. I was talking to one of them and realized that we had nothing to talk about. That got me thinking...my game shows up at random intervals. Some days I can spit some amazing game and others I just fall flat on my face. Most of the time its the latter. I'm just waiting to find that one girl that triggers something in my head and gives me loads of things to talk to her about with no awkward pauses and everything goes perfectly. I don't know where or when that will happen, but I know I will never give my hopes up. I just have to be in the right place at the right time. Until then, here's a picture:

Well, I've Decided to Come Back...

...and post again. The only thing is, I don't have much to talk about right now. At the end of this month I'll be 23 years old. Do you know what that means? I'll be 23, still in school, still not knowing what the fuck I want/need to do with my life, and fucking horny as hell. This sucks. I don't feel like doing much anymore. My rationale for doing things depends on my roommates and not on what I want to do. That is a piss-poor way of living life. Although, I guess I'm better off than these twins.

Well, anyways, my experiment is a success so far. I've been intentionally putting the toilet paper on the bathtub edge (closest spot to the wall where the dispenser is) to see if anyone in this apartment will put forth the effort to take the 10 seconds it takes to change the toilet paper and actually put it on the dispenser. So far its been 3 days since its been changed and I've moved the toilet paper roll back to the tub at least 5 times so far...the laziness continues.

Apparently I can't work on Saturdays without being yelled at. The one time Larz wants to stay up here for a weekend, he gets pissed off that I want to help out my boss (for bargaining power) and make extra money for myself. That's just some selfish bullshit. I can see where he's coming from and I didn't have to take the shift, but damn, if you want to make money in this country you're gonna have to make some sacrifices.

So Larz bought Mass Effect yesterday...I wanted to play that with him...I wanted that to happend with Bioshock too..but he has nothing but time and I actually have to do shit, so more than likely I'll have to go back and play everything over again anyways. That's how this apartment handles things, whatever is the most inefficient way of doing thing is the best way of doing things. I really hope everyone watches him play that game, just so I can make them sit through it again when I play it. Yeah, it may be twisted, but I'm sick of being pushed out of my apartment, so to speak. That might be a little harsh, but I don't really know how else to say it. Basically, for all of ya'll that are going to read this, I want someone to take the tiniest bit of initiative and clean something (bathroom, kitchen floor, vacuum, whatever) and I don't just mean clean up all the random trash that accumulates on the table. That's not cleaning, that's throwing away your trash. That's another thing (and this is no attack, I'm not blaming this on anyone) but I hate our coffee table. It just breeds trash and is an amazing haven for ash. I have a theory that all the nice electronics that I own breaks because no one knows how to take care of a fucking electronic device. I can't even bring this up to anyone because no one ever gives a shit about anything around here. I hope that if I live in this city next year that none of the bills are in my name...fuck that...

I'm sick of having to be so correct

also known as "why my major blows, reason number 900765"

So I'm REALLY agitated about this.

I am SO sick of being in a major and in a career that actually decides for me (if I want to be successful) what I wear, how I act, what I do or don't do, how I live my life, etc.

I know that in theory nothing decides who I am except me. But really, I know that basically the way to the top in the arts is to kiss every ass I meet for the next 15 years. And I'm so fucking over it. What if I want to wear clothes that are "inappropriate" for a grad student to wear? What if I want to drink? What if I want a piercing? What if I don't fucking feel like going to your boring ass class? What if I just want to spend my money on bullshit?

This may make me sound very irresponsible. I assure everyone this is not where it comes from.

My entire life I feel like I have worked SO hard to come across as clean, and polite, and like good little Marky. Part of it has been to keep my parents happy, but otherwise it's just this burden that I feel like the "real world" has placed on me. And I got news for you - I've seen my career path, and it lies FAR outside the realm of the "real world". I want to buy a shirt from Baked (a sweet ass cookie store around here) that says "I get Baked before class". That shit is hilarious. But I feel like I'm literally FIGHTING against my sense of reason, which tells me that if I'm wearing that shirt around campus and see a music professor, I could cause a fucking HUGE issue. It just makes me so FUCKING mad.

I have had to work very hard in figuring out who I am, and I still have so far to go. I do not want to be defined by what I do professionally. I fucking HATE singers. they are cocky, annoying, and don't know what to do besides talk about themselves or bring up annoying music-related subject matter. And you know what I realized? I don't care. I don't care what you have to say. I don't care who you met over the summer. I don't care what aria you're working on. I just want you to stop talking to me so I can put my earbuds back in and keep listening to my psychedelic music.

What makes me even angrier is when I was talking to someone in choir about the Umphrey's concert who said "Is that one of your crazy bands you listen to? I gave up on trying to do that a long time ago."

seriously?

I have seen peers and professionals perform. NUMEROUS times. Some are very talented, others not so. But I can very honestly and confidently say that the musicians in Umphrey's McGee are among the greatest I have ever seen in my life. If you can't sit down and judge every piece of music for its artistic merit, if you think that one type of music is the only one which is legitimate, I feel sorry for you. And there's a good reason why I'm always told that my performances are so musical - because I have experienced SO many different types of music, and I still feel like there's so much out there still to hear. Every piece of music I have heard has added something to my ideas about how to perform, be it things to bring out, or things to avoid. If you only listen to opera, chances are your performing will be just like everybody else's. And that's not the way to rise to the top.

Some people think they've got it all figured out. And maybe for them, that's all they need. But I have realized over the past 5 years or so that there is SO MUCH MORE to the world than I ever imagined. I want to finish up my degree, but after that, for god's sake, I want to be able to LIVE a little bit. It's stressful not having money. And I'd really like to be able to pay off my loans. But there are parts of me that are so fucking angry that I bothered to go to grad school. I should have waited. I should have sat and really thought about what I wanted, rather than rushing into what seemed like a good idea.

Don't get me wrong, everyone. I love singing. I really like IU. I have a wonderful boyfriend who I love and who loves me. I don't feel like I'm in the wrong place or situation. I just feel like some of the circumstances are off.

And by circumstances, I mean people.

to bring this all full circle, I will say this. I'm gonna get a gym membership over break and work off the rest of my gut. Maybe buy some tight-ass low rise gay jeans. Or a completely inappropriate shirt. I just don't care about making those impressions anymore. I'm tired of trying to look pleasant. I'd rather risk having someone think I look tacky for the possibility of someone seeing me and remembering me the next time they pass me on campus.

FUCK EVERYONE RAWR!!!







on another note, I really gotta run tomorrow. that rant got a little intense there - gotta let off some steam evidently

College Football Power Rankings

As you all know I love college football. If you watched this last week you will see why that is true.

- Stanford with a HUGE upset of USC 24-23 on a TD pass with 40 seconds left.
- Northwestern beating MSU in OT 48-41
- LSU coming down to the wire against Florida, to whom they trailed all day, but winning 28-24
- An unknown team named South Florida making it into the Top 5!
- Overall competitive football in the Big Ten for the first time in a while with the aforementioned State game as well as Illinois beating Wisconsin to end the longest winning streak in the nation.

Those are just some of many stories from another week in college football. Here are the new power rankings of the week courtesy of Rivals.com, read them and be amazed.

Sorry Cottonmouth

I was too busy working about 30 hours in the past 3 days to care about posting on here. Also, I was very fucking drunk last night. I just haven't had the chance to post something of importance. I will leave you with this nugget..."everything was going great, but you threw the kittens again!"

Some musings after a long ass night...

Hello Everybody!
So I haven't really taken the time to write much recently because I've been so busy. I just got off of work... after 5am. So that was a nice ten hour day starting at 7 pm. It's a little intense. My job is kind of scary in how professional it is. I feel more driven at this job than I ever did at my desk jobs - the importance of working quickly and efficiently is so high at this job. And it's also a little scary knowing how easily people can get hurt - I fitted a gel frame (something that colors lamps on stage) incorrectly and it dropped down 50 ft narrowly missing the guy who was calling up what light it needed to go into. Now this is not a totally rare occurence, it does happen and you just yell out "heads!" and it's fine. And gel frames are metal pieces that weight probably 2 lbs. But cropping that distance can make pretty much anything dangerous... it's just weird. Not to mention frequently working 50-150 ft above the ground leaning out to try to take pieces off of lights, or whole lights off of railings. It's crazy. And again... to strike the set tonight, we had to work til 5 in the morning, and that was with probably 12 electrics people (what I work) and at least 25 stage crew people (who were in charge of demolishing the set because it was retired after this show).

I still haven't really found my place here. I feel stuck in some sort of limbo between my school world and my work world. I missed the cast party tonight obviously, and I've been trying to find people to hang out with from school, but I still don't have anyone I can just call to come over and hang out for no good reason. On the other hand, I love my work friends, but again, I never feel like I'm really "part of the crowd" enough to ask for phone numbers and such. Maybe that'll change as time goes on. Maybe it'll get worse since I'm not working Susannah (the next opera) or Boheme. Who knows.

Some thoughts on vices: I have all but given up my drinking, smoking and drug use down here. I suppose it's a good thing to save those for special occasions, but I still can't help but feel like I'm not the same anymore. Not because I don't get high, or drunk. But because those things are kind of a symbol of youth and irresponsibility (in a good way) for me now. I've said it a million times, but it's so true that "you can't go home again." I love that phrase because it works for so many different aspects of growing up. As much as I want to cling on to the "glory days" of my undergrad, I truly am becoming an adult now. I have my first major role in an opera, a relatively serious committed job, one degree under my belt working on a second, my own apartment with M.C. Escher prints on the walls and a "study" that houses my desk and piano, and soon to be a guest bed, et cetera, et cetera. That is just so weird to me. My motto has always been "I work hard and I play hard." Nowadays it's more just "I work hard." It's not necessarily a bad thing - I'm enjoying myself, and it feels good to be motivated and make new friends and all, but it's such a different feeling. Being responsible is a lot more of a change than I thought it would be - I was reasonably responsible at MSU, but nowhere near the level I am now. And with good reason - I have every chance in the world to make it big some day. I know I'm good enough. I've been told constantly by people that I have everything going for me as a singer. Especially if I can get into really good shape and just keep working the way I have been, I will probably have a career somewhere. But the closer I get to reaching that goal, the less nights I can take to just be crazy. This is why I like mushrooms (if I can avoid smoking or drinking while on them). It doesn't make any difference in how I am the next day, except that I'm a little braindead - but no sort of hangover or dry/sore throat. Good stuff.

Speaking of which, my young gay Environmental Science major that I've mentioned before on here (although not recently) is going to try to find me some for the Bassnectar concert in exchange for me buying alcohol for him. Yay!

Yes I'm definitely going to see Bassnectar. I'm taking a full weekend to visit Eric and co.in Chicago and going out to bars on Friday and the concert on Saturday. I'm stoked - I have no specific time to be back sunday, so I can really enjoy myself. Interesting fact - only in Michigan do we say "going out to the bar" any time we're going out to any and all bars in the area. Other places say "going to bars." Interesting.

So anyway, I'm going to miss church tomorrow (which is bad but necessary). I feel bad because my schedule's been so off and on for it, but that's what happens when you get busy. I'm sure Dr. P will understand - it's not like I'm hired for it or anything.

Anyway, enough typee. I'm going to fucking bed.

Stressful

So I have a music history test tomorrow... sick. If only the music from gregorian chant through late medieval times meant shit to me, or was something I cared about. Also keep your fingers crossed that my car makes it all the way to and from Michigan... why do you guys all have to live so far away anyway? ;) I can't WAIT to party on thursday night - get the gang together and such. And considering it's tuesday and I've already worked 14 hours since sunday, not including school, I could really use a break. the people at my job are always snapping and stressed out- for no good reason. The job can be a little stressful, but seriously it's not nearly as bad as they act. If you do something wrong, or if something doesn't go according to plan, it's fine! That's why we do rehearsals. You tell me, and we'll fix it. Responses like "well we move these to help you, so you shouldn't complain" are so unnecessary. Especially when your reasoning is because you have so much to get done during intermission (which is 15 minutes by the way), and I find you sitting doing nothing when I get over there two seconds later. Whatever. Not to toot my horn, but I'm a good employee and I just get stuff done when it needs to be done. And I let people know politely when I could use their assistance, and sometimes they just take it as a personal attack - I'm talking to YOU girl on stage left crew who thinks she's the shit!
End rant. I need to get to MI. Especially to get fo'd up with my good friends. :)
Cottonmouth signing out.

ps Cottonmouth is a badass nickname in its own right as well. rock

Collection of Ignorance

As I was sifting through College Humor at work today I noticed that Mr. Streeter has decided to bring back this year's edition of the "Stupid Question Hall of Fame." I decided to read through the many questions submitted and give you the best of the bunch here today. I have divided them into two categories: Funniest Questions and Funniest Professor Answers.

Funniest Questions:

A University of Central Arkansas student during the week of Friday the 13th:
"Do you think September 11th will ever fall on Friday the 13th?" (Everyone in class laughs really hard)

A Champlain College (Vermont) student in an International Hospitality Class:
Professor: "What are some other countries that use American dollars as currency?"
Blondie: "Hawaii?"

Two students from UMass in Astronomy:
Professor: "What benefits does the Earth receive by having an atmosphere?"
Contestant #1: "Gravity?"
Contestant #2: "Night and Day?"

A University of Richmond freshman in a composition class where a professor is outlining requirements for a paper:
"Does this have to be in complete sentences?"

A University of North Carolina student in an Intro to Biology class:
Professor: "So can anyone tell me which gender we associate more with heart conditions?"
The Brilliance: "Old people!?"

I think this is why this Intro to Logic student is at Lakeland Community College:

Professor: "Now who can tell me who John Locke is?"

Turbo-Nerd: "The bald guy on Lost!"

While studying a famous Renaissance painting at Forsyth Technical Community College we hear this:

Professor: "What are the characters in the painting looking at?"

Genius Girl: "The camera?"

New Jersey's Richard Stockton College finds us talking about the Declaration of Independence's preservation:

Professor: "The Declaration of Independence is kept in an air tight helium filled chamber."

Queen Retard: "So it's just floating around in there?"

Funniest Professor Answers:

We return to UMass and an Animal Virology class talking about different kinds of viruses:
Girl who never puts her hand down: "What kind of virus is bacteria?"
Professor: "You should drop this class."

UMass is on a roll as we visit an Ethics class:
Professor: "There are 5 people that need organs and they will die tomorrow if they don't receive a transplant. A healthy person comes in for a routine checkup. Is it right to kill him and use his organs to save the others?"
Dumbass: "How can you live without lungs, a heart, and kidneys?"
Professor: "You can't. That's why this is an Ethics course."

From UConn this student is reading the autobiography of Mary Rowlandson (held hostage by Indians):
The Brilliance: "So wait...I didn't read the end. Does she end up dying?"
Professor: "Well, she did go on to write the book, so what do you think?"

Welcome to NC State's Fortran Computer Language Class for Engineering Students:
Professor: "So when you add it all up you just multiply 16 by 16."
Einstein: "How are we supposed to know what 16 times 16 is? Can we get partial credit if we get it wrong?"
Professor: "My descendants will be traveling on the bridges you construct, so no, no you cannot."

Enter Belmont University in Nashville, TN:
Professor: "A theoretical is a question like, "Knowing the future what would you change about the past?"
The Mind: "Or like, knowing the past what would you change about the future?"
Professor: "No, that is just called living."

In LA's Valley College we see some corporal punishment!
Professor: "Who can tell me what the worst part of being a slave was?"
The Enlightened One: "Being black?"
Professor smacks the kid with a newspaper!

At Virginia Commonwealth a Comparative Politics course is talking about women having no rights in Iran:
Professor: "Women in Iran have no social or political rights. They have no say in Iran's society."
Asshole: "So where did we go wrong with our society?"
Professor: "This is another instance where you should not speak."

To the College of Charleston we go:
Genius: "Excuse me. What does the etc. at the end of the sentence mean?"
Professor: "Are you serious?"
Genius: "I guess so."
Professor: "How did you even get into college?"

At St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia:
Brilliant Young Man: "Wouldn't it be great if they had flying buses?"
Professor: "Yes. They're called planes, son."

Didn't all these just make you feel so much better about yourself?

Clock Suckers Link

For my lazy friend Hock:

Clock Suckers

Start at the beginning for full effect (at the bottom of the page)

It's Good to See...

...that my boys in green and white and my boys in cream and crimson are all doing well so far this season.

Keep up the good work guys!

P.S. Anyone wanna come down and tailgate for one of the games since Indiana's tailgates don't suck like MSU's do now?

Callbacks

Well I got called back for the part I tried out for. I'm not feeling like I have much of a shot because I (and I quote the opera director) "look like I'm sixteen." Sian was making it out like it was a really big deal, and it is great, but frankly there's probably at least as many parts as there are baritones who tried out for them this year, and I'm the only one who got called back who already sang the aria. So obviously I was called back because they have doubts, not because they're encouraged.

Also I jacked up my knee at work today and am limping everywhere.

:(

Best. Day. Ever.

So I have to toot my own horn a bit. After the nightmare that was last night, finally life is starting to look up for me.

First off, going to see the cattle calls was like the best experience I've had here so far. The voices here are amazing, and it makes me feel so honored to have been accepted here, let alone with one of the highest scholarships they give out to voice majors. There were 183 people who auditioned for the operas, to give you an idea of the scope of it all. Plus, sitting in on auditions allowed me to meet so many cool people, and hear my friends' and acquaintances' voices for the first time, which was very exciting. And I'm going out to the bar tonight to celebrate. THANK GOD!

Then, cute Mark (who I talked about in an earlier post) invited me out to dinner with him and his friends tonight. Sian says she thinks the two of us have very similar thinking processes and that we're going to get along like "two peas in a pod", and I quote. Score!!!

And then, as I said, I was thrilled about my audition last night, and apparently I wasn't the only one. Dr. Penhorwood, who is Sian's teacher's husband asked her to have me talk to him after auditions today. He is a published composer and a very talented accompanist who plays at my sister's church. Firstly, he liked my audition so much yesterday that he put me on his "definitely cast" list, which is amazing. But that's just the beginning.

He likes my voice so much, that in exchange for me singing a few times per month in his church choir (he said like twice a month is fine), he's going to write me a song cycle that I will premiere.

I don't know how to explain what a huge deal this is. He wrote the opera that Sian was in last year (Too Many Sopranos) and he is extraordinarily talented. Having a piece written specially for you by anyone without commissioning them to do so is honestly one of the highest compliments you can receive in the music world, especially if it's by a composer who is actually REALLY GOOD, and makes a living off of it. The number of people who can say that about themselves in their musical career is very low, and already at 22, I'm going to be one of those people. He basically just said let me know if you have any requests for poetry.

I've been so manically happy today that I'm fighting back tears. Life is finally starting to get really good, and I truly believe that I made the correct decision in coming here, despite how much I miss home. I think this could be the start of something really great in my life.

Watch this video

A tribute to the Virginia Tech shootings with background music of one of 12 Stones' new songs off of "Anthem for the Underdog" called "World So Cold."

I'm speechless.

Such a Busy Weekend!

Well, I'm back! I know I haven't posted in a while, but I've been way too busy and my computer has been disconnected for the past 3 days. But now that I'm back, you can enjoy the mysterious wonder that is...ME!

So, about my weekend. Friday, I didn't do much. Hung out at home and rested up. Not much to report on.

Saturday, well, Saturday sucked...at first. Got up at 7am to drive to Kiznox's place so we can drive to get the Uhaul trailer. On the way back to his house, we see a traffic accident. Some guy apparently didn't have brakes and ran a red, sideswiping a Cadillac. Nice start to the day. So we get to his place and load up the trailer. It's about 9:30 or 10am and Kiznox and his dad head over to our buddy's place to load up his shit while I went home to load up my sister's car with as much stuff as I could fit. about 10:30 or 11 they get to my place. We load up my stuff and get on the road by noon. That's when the rain hit. We drove in some hard rain for a bit, which slowed me down, as I was going ahead to check in and get a key. That passes, luckily. I get here at around 1:30 and start unloading my car. Everyone else arrives and parks and unloads. The Uhaul gets here and has to circle the parking lot 3 times before they just decide to block in a bunch of cars and park. Unloading that was fine...until we got to the couches. Damn, Kiznox's couch was a bitch. That fucker was heavy. Also, stairs suck. Well, 3:30 rolls around and I take off to go home to go to a wedding. I almost pass out on the road but make it home around 5pm. I take a shower and get ready for the wedding. I had fun, got drunk and went to bed around 2am. Here's where it gets shitty.

Sunday, I wake up at 7am to go to work by 8. Work til 4, wasn't so bad. Got paid $100 cash. Went to Meijer to get some shit before I left and my boss here calls me. He asks me to work from 11pm to 4am and I would get paid $9/hour. So I agree. I pack up my car and drive back here at around 6:30. Unload and get done around 8ish. Sit, drink a beer, shower and go to work. Fuck I'm tired.

I barely got sleep last night.

I'M GONNA GET DRUNK! I need it.

Yay!

Back to School

So I'm a freshie again... weird

And I have 8:00 class Monday Wednesday and Friday... sick

Cattle Calls (opera auditions) are this friday... scary

And I could really go for a drink... seriously

I am madly in love with Bassnectar... fucking awesome

But seeing as how I have to be up in six and a half hours, I'm off... peace!

Fuck Yeah IU

Well gents, it's official. My school parties harder than yours. So although I will be visiting Michigan whenever I can, this leads me to one obvious conclusion:

You guys need to come here so we can get FUCKED UP!!!

I leave you with Champagne Stevens and Toilet McGroo:

GO BLUE!

The University of Michigan has hit the Running Back Jackpot! Announced last night after seemingly weeks of speculation Texas Cy-Fair RB Sam McGuffie has announced that he has committed to the University of Michigan. Watching some of the videos of this RB has truly astounded me and has given me EVEN MORE reason to fully enjoy college football and, more specifically, U of M football. There are multiple highlight reels out there for you to look in awe at. He is one of the fastest guys I have seen, he can juke and spin, and he now will wear the ever recognizable Maize n' Blue.

"I went to the University of Michigan a couple weeks ago and you know, I fell in love with it. The coaches--Coach Jackson--and the running back staff, and all the Michigan Wolverines. It's just a place where I can come in as a freshman and be an impact player."

McGruffie has only been given 4 stars by Rivals and Scout, but many feel that is because he is white..."Wow" is the only word that comes to mind with that. Honestly, can this be true? I know we haven't seen a lot of great running backs in history be white but for God's sake! The kid is 6 feet, 188 pounds, ran the 40 in 4.32, can bench 355 pounds and carried the ball his senior year 358 times for 3,121 yards and 43 touchdowns! What more can you say? However, he's white so there is no way he can be THAT good. When it's all said and done who honestly cares though. Those who victimize him with these comments are not looking at his potential and what he truly means to true Michigan fans like myself and those who crowd into Michigan Stadium every home game. I am excited to see this kid smash through the line or outrun a linebacker to the sideline and then turn on the jets. I will be sad to see Mike Hart leave after this year but I am very confident his position is well taken care of.

Oh College Humor

You always find new and exciting way to entertain me with your weekly columns!

Click here for the Stupid Question Hall of Fame!

This is fascinating: Poetry Corner, not too bad I must say.

I don't know how to describe these really but it is hilarious.

Finally, why am I not surprised at this? What a world...

Party Fouls...

The following is a list of wretched Party Fouls. Why? Why the hell not? It seems that these should really be on paper. Or some sort of written list. Also, feel free to add to the list.

* Improper Keg Tapping.
* Knocking over someone else's beer.
* Knocking over your beer.
* Drinking someone else's beer, you Fucking moocher.
* Not paying attention during beer pong.
* Playing really shitty music.
* Throwing up anywhere but the desired toilet, or outdoor foliage.
* Falling asleep first.
* Not understanding that hooking-up at a party does not dictate any further relationship, nor should it be expected that either party knows the others name.
* Breaking shit. Unless its hilarious. Like, "milk-out-the-nose" hilarious. Also, it must be replaced.
* Thievery. Unacceptable. Unless, of course, it is hilarious. And not just "milk-out-the-nose" hilarious. No. I mean "Oh crap, I just pissed myself from laughing so hard" hilarious. That is hard to do. Punishments are severe.

Well, thats it for the moment. I was absolutely sure that I would have more than that, but these should cover the basics.