"WILLS POINT, Tex., Aug. 29 — Most spiders are solitary creatures. So the discovery of a vast web crawling with millions of spiders that is spreading across several acres of a North Texas park is causing a stir among scientists, and park visitors." (Kovach, Gretel C., Aug. 31).
The first memory that came to mind was the day during winter senior year, a Monday that we had off, when I went to give blood. Tyler accompanied me, although did not donate because of basketball (yea, way more important, haha). Anyways, I nearly fainted and spent the rest of the day saying "that was so scary when I almost fainted, I think I need a snack," or "that was so scary, can you get me some milk?" or "I was so terrified when everything went black, go turn on the movie." Because who can say no to someone who just saved three lives... Yep, that's right. I love giving blood.
Next memory... the only day I ever recall being ALLOWED to play hookie, sometime during first or second grade. All I recall is staying home with dad, wearing my checkered fleece and looking at the orange and red leaves outside with a pleasant breeze. The one trade-off for staying home when you aren't sick is that you must stare at leaves and birds and identify them with dad. But it is a fond memory nonetheless.
Memory three: roller blading with Caitlin in the basement in fifth grade and tossing a football. Endless fun.
Being enslaved with Kate in Albany (around 4th grade) at the hands of Molly and Martha, and then rebelling under our alter ego "Billy Jones of the East-West," who had the most obnoxious fake Western accent.
Eating chocolate croissants in Greece and then trekking to catching the water taxi to the beach... Mmm.. Beach...
Holding mom's hand on the way to the pool, as long as it was her watch hand. Yes, I am slightly OCD.
Putting my feet on Melissa's face when she was in high school.
Plotting with Kate to take down Emmett's college friends when we thought they were trying to steal Myrto.
Being picked up by the straps of my flourescently striped overalls by Josh (3rd grade maybe?) and later told, by Josh, in the same day to never wear high heels with shorts... It's tacky (I listened!).
And finally... smiling at cute boys while enjoying the tropical climate of St. Lucia with my "sisters," Hannah and Alison (the St. Lucians confused us many times as sisters... Hmm).
So that is all, my friends, for now. I know you're riveted by my random memories, but please... you have your own. Oh and I will be writing soon about the ways in which online sites such as Facebook have changed the way that people my age communicate with each other, and through writing. Demonstrated nicely in this blurb which lacks transitions and context. Everythings is a list these days. I will get back to that. But now I have to go to bed... Sleep is important.
The real reason I'm updating, is to share an astonishing new development. Although I have always enjoyed and looked forward to school, I've never been particularly crazy about homework, especially when it takes more than two seconds. But to my surprise, reading 250 pages assigned (between a couple of classes) on the first day, is actually fun... (Although this fun surely won't last, because let's face it, Americans today and especially young Americans all suffer from attention deficit hyper-activity disorder, thanks to flashing tv images and short slogans. Although I shouldn't make light of something that is actually a condition... So we'll just say that sitting still and being quiet is hard, especially when there are things to be done). Anyhoo, yes, my reading was fun. Why? Maybe because one of the books was a play (Antigone, which I'm still not finished with, but plays are fun to read) and the other is a book about making comics, titled Making Comics and it's awesome. I'm feeling inspired...
Oh, are you wondering what class would actually require a book about comics? It's my "Narritive in Fiction and Non-Fiction" class, taught by an English professor and President Fogel. I guess I'd better do well!
In other news, I'm still at RA training. I would make a few sarcastic jokes about it, but I will refrain in order to make myself look a little better in the event that someone decides to do some detective work (Top secret file: what does Libby really think about being an RA?). I've actually enjoyed it quite a bit. Once ResLife got past their dellusion that they could make this a Harry Potter themed training, they actually have provided us with some interesting information. We've attended sessions on social justice issues relating to race, gender (including both feminist and transgender topics), disability, violence and some others. This week, we started getting into the more specific aspects of the jobs, such as: policies, what to do in case of emergency, mock situations, and recording of "incidents."
So that is all for now, I realized that it's late and I'm tired. More to come later!
That actually reminds me of another topic that I've been kind of interested in lately. I went to see the movie Hairspray and I absolutely loved it (as I've mentioned in earlier entries). In the movie, the main character is supposed to be noticably overweight, and she loves the way she looks. After that movie, I heard friends say, and I had even had these thoughts myself in relation to other shows or movies (not this one), that it is irresponsible to promote acceptance of an unhealthy weight, because it is in fact, bad for your health. However, I think that's probably a much easier view to hold when one is of a healthy weight. Sure, it's important to promote a healthy lifestyle: eat carefully, exercise, etc. But isn't it also important to promote healthy body image? Because isn't mental health just as important? I think the point of movies like Hairspray is not so much to encourage over eating (and certainly not lack of exercise, Tracy is shaking it the whole way through), but instead to introduce a different type of beauty. There is such a consistent portrayl of beauty as thin, that it really affects the way that people view themselves and others. The fact is that everyone is built differently, and regardless of BMI and body fat, some bodies are bigger than others. When a person is in a good state emotionally, and with regards to their body image, it is arguably much easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Would there be as much emotional eating if everyone was happy with their appearance? I think probably not. So, as much as society needs to combat the issue of obesity, I think there is also a need to change the standard of beauty.
And to end, the line that always get stuck in my head when I'm contemplating issues of beauty standards... From "Big, Blonde and Beautiful" of "Hairspray":
"They said the white has might
and thin is in
well that's just bull
Cause lady's big is back
and as for black, it's beautiful"
You don't have to be it to appreciate it. Ok, bed time!
But now I have some important business to attend to, namely, Harry Potter. Alice and I have spent the better part of the last few meetings with friends dogding any clues as to the end. So far, so good!
But on a more serious note, you should really go see Hairspray. No adult that I've talked to has been quite as enthused about it as me and my girlfriends, but I guess that's not an unusual phenomenon. Anyways, after seeing the movie, I have decided to drop out of college, move to Baltimore, marry Link and Seaweed and break into dance and song wherever I go.