Monday, October 27, 2003
My bright friend Conor sent me an e-mail about himself. Hearing from him thrilled me to my cramped little toes. I haven't even seen Conor since our junior year in high school, but for whatever reason, we correspond quite naturally. Conor comes closer than any other person to reproducing the type of relationship [I feel goofy putting it this way, as though I'm writing for a cheesy magazine] I have with April. We "click" (to spout yet another cliche), mutually and nonsexually, which makes me happy as an uneaten clam.at 7:35 AM
I like similes.
I've been optimistic about it, but community college bites the big weenie. The quality of life here is very low. Sitting in the cafeteria this morning, for instance, I overheard some moron talking about the latest videogames; his conversation to his friends/with himself then progressed to how he figured he was Roman Catholic, but he didn't agree with anything they prescribe. I overheard this from eight or nine tables away, because apparently this kid lacked the social skills to realize how utterly LOUD he spoke. He must be at least twenty, but he's just a kid with a beard.
Oi weh...
My dissatisfaction stems less from lack of intellectualism (there are plenty of intelligent people here) than from lack of interest and stimulation. People here might be smart, and they might be nice enough, but most of them care about no one, least of all themselves. That includes faculty. It depresses me a little sometimes.
Sometimes I set my standards so high, they're low.
I decided I should retreat inward. This means I will read more books and study my Latin like a good girl. Which reminds me- my grandpa suggested I major in general languages, rather than Latin singularly. Then I could pick several, such as Latin, Japanese, and German (all of which I started "learning", sort of, during high school) concentrations with better background for careers beyond teaching.
Some things are only obvious when someone else points them out.
My Aunt Laura/Uncle Nick agreed to host Thanksgiving for the family this year. Attendees include Aunt Pam/Uncle Chris [grouping couples together with a slash makes them one entity, which is more amusing] with The Cabbage; my cousins Josh, Krista, and Debbie (Laura's/Nick's kids); Aunt Barbara and her son, David; and Grandpa. My Aunt Michelle/Uncle Billy live in Oklahoma with their wee ones (Sydni, Maddie, and Aubrey); I knoweth not whether they would drive that far for a heavy meal. I would, but I suppose some people don't live entirely at their stomach's whim.
For the festive occasion, I agreed to contribute a pie or two (pumpkin with pecans) and a bread or two (banana bread), provided someone else purchases the ingredients and donates the cookware for said items.
The cold weather dried out my extremeties, especially my hands. My fingers appear wrinkly and old-womanish. Old women, for anyone unaware, are creepy.
