An Eye-Opening Experience

I just finished watching tonight's all-new episode of HOUSE (I had TIVO'd it). It was really a great episode. I never want that show to end. It makes me think. But I'll get to that later. . .

Last night proved to be difficult. I did not fall asleep til 300 or a little after because of the tremendous thunder and lightning show that was happening right outside my window. I couldn't sleep. I actually talked to Heather at 230. She was having the same problem as the storm was hitting Long Beach pretty hard. She said that car alarms were going off all over the place the thunder was so loud. That, my friends, is scary. What a perfect representation of our powerlessness as humans. Who out there isn't scared of lightning? I count no hands.

So on four hours of sleep I headed to school. Here was my day there:

PHILOSOPHY - Do I even need to say how this class goes anymore? I think you can guess that it was boring. It was. Fortunately it ended. One funny quote that came out of here though, care of Mrs. Barbara Hogan: "Babies are as ugly as sin." That is verbatim ladies and gentlemen. I forget the topic at the time, but does it really matter? Ha ha the humor of philosophy.

HISTORY - Got my test back that I took on Thursday. I was one of two people in the class who got a 100/100 on it! The other kid was this 12 or 13-year-old (I kid you not) who is the definition of nerd. I called myself the "Non-nerd nerd" cuz of the perfect score. Maybe that's ok though. Nothing wrong with a little success in the wake of stress and looming failure (hey, failure can always be around the corner). I was happy, and so were my parents. Yay for me, I spose. Yay for me. .

MATH - Well. . . I was only present for 40 minutes of the 2 hour class. I had to leave early to get to work. I learned nothing in that brief time (I really was zoning completely out) and I wish now that I had. I'm struggling now. Functions suck. I'm behind a couple lessons, and I really need an "A" in this class. Only time will tell.

On my way to my car I saw a blind guy walking the campus. It was raining and I was trying to avoid puddles (I was stupidly wearing sandals). I was suddenly very conscious of the gift of sight. I like sight. It's cool. I hope I can always see. So, I raced home and changed for work. I got to work at 1215 for the potential trainers' meeting. It was fine and dandy. I have to go in an hour early for a class to see what I would have to teach if I became a trainer. Who knows if I'm good enough, but I guess that's why they watch us and such. I hope so. It'd be cool.

So then I worked from 100-300. I know, short shift. Today was a review of our learning essentially. We went over info about the company via cool versions of JEOPARDY and such (Go High Ballers!!) and the time flew by. I was soon pumping gas at Sam's Club (thanks Mom) and heading home to get some work done. I wasn't able to focus all afternoon, though, and I didn't finish nearly as much as I would have liked.

I'm gonna go in the morning to BLOCKBUSTER and rent the movie for my first paper. I'm not sure which one yet, but it's between about 10-15 different choices. They're bound to have ONE of those right? . .

So I finally took a little time for some down time. I watched tonight's premieres of MY NAME IS EARL and THE OFFICE (EARL was funnier than I expected and THE OFFICE was funny as always, but I expect more from the rest of the season) after they were off via the coolest invention ever (that would be TIVO). Then I watched HOUSE. Man, that is the greatest show! Tonight's episode was about a 9-year-old terminally ill girl. A whole bunch of stuff happened, but I posed a question to my dad towards the end of the episode: "Can you imagine opening your eyes after something like that?" Okay, so you're in a situation where you may not wake up from something. The feeling of opening your eyes must be the single greatest feeling possible. Consider a coma victim waking up. I can't imagine the elation of doing something so simple as opening your eyes.

For some reason, this hit me.

I'm all of a sudden thankful that I can blink,

That I can struggle,

That I can move,

That I can work,

That I can live.

I know it's a bit much to get from a silly episode of HOUSE, but let me dwell in this moment. I'm tired and I have a lot on my plate. I need to feel priveleged to be stressed. Not everyone is stressed. I'm now glad that I am. . .

Another busy day tomorrow (working from 1600-2200 again - role play - plus an hour before for that class) and I just gotta keep on keepin on. It's the only way to do things.

- - - "Here you can be anything.
I think that scares you.
I've been here before but only by myself.

What giving up gives you and where giving up takes you.
I've had and I've been.

Here in center frame.
Here there's only air.
Just enough space to fit.

I said it out loud over and over but what do I know.
I said it out loud but it did not help.
I'll stop now.
Just enough so I can hear you
I stay up as late as it takes, as long as it takes.

I promised I'd see it again.
I promised I'd see this with you now."

- - - "Just Watch the Fireworks" (one of my all-time favorite songs) by JIMMY EAT WORLD

Night all,

HUSTEEN