Cancelled Class, Cantankerous Critics, and Charles the Colorful Communicator

I love alliteration!!!

Well it's Thursday night and I am again out of school until Tuesday (that's five days people!) which alone makes me a very joyous individual. I am not really enjoying the semester thus far. So because I'm not really enjoying everything, some of the smallest things have made me happy/excited/etc. . .

I was at my Human Sexuality class this morning and that went by way too fast (it always has). I then went to Journalism for an hour or so and then ducked out to "work on my articles" which of course means go home, eat lunch, and watch Monday's STUDIO 60 via my wonderful TIVO. I then headed back to school at 1415 for my Racism 101 class (really Sociology 110, but from what I said last time, this has become the new title). As I approached the classroom door, I noticed a few pink slips of paper taped to the door. Could it be?!?!? Yes!!! Class was cancelled (just for today)!!! This was the first time in my four semesters at AVC that a class of mine had been cancelled. Cy has had countless classes cancelled and I have always been envious. Now I know what the feeling is like. And you know what? It feels great!

So I went home to procrastinate on my Crapspeare homework (another name change to a class) and I began writing a film review for BABEL, a film I saw last week. I will be covering the Oscars (not in person, dangit! - I'm not that important yet!) for the EXAMINER and to do so, I felt like I needed to see all of the BEST PICTURE nominees. I began seeing the films I had yet to see last week. I saw BABEL (review preview - you like that? - shortly) and then this week I went and saw THE QUEEN (quality made film, not very entertaining, Helen Mirren is really good). I only have to see LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA before the Oscars air on the 25th. That will be next week. . .

Ok, so BABEL. Here's a review preview just for you:

"As I sat in the darkened theater watching the torturous, seemingly never-ending Babel¸ I wondered aloud why the talented cast (including the rugged, still handsome Brad Pitt and the pale, shower-deprived Cate Blanchett) and filmmakers carried such a disdain for moviegoers like me. The only answer I was provided with was the continuous nonsense that permeated the screen that made me wish I was in the next theater over!"

Yeah, so I didn't like it. In fact, I hated it! I'm sure expectations are to blame, but I was just so disappointed that a film I had so anticipated crapped out completely. More to come on this when I preview the Oscars next week. . .

I then went to Crapspeare for the longest three hours ever. This class is so unbelievably boring and it's simply because I would prefer not to be there. I feel terrible for my thoughts on the class because not only do my peers practically worship ol' Bill, my teacher would marry the man if he was reincarnated I'm sure. So I can't really display my disdain, and I'm not. I guess I just have to stick it out. . . it's gonna be difficult!

O yeah, well in Journalism today, I was told by my new teacher (Professor Charles Hood) that the "best film critic out there " is Anthony Lane of the New Yorker. So I went to a site with a bunch of his reviews and read up on his work. My take on him is that he is witty and intelligent. My issue with him is that he is TOO witty and TOO intelligent for his own good. He is good, don't get me wrong. But I still prefer good ol' Roger (once this Mr. Lane puts an e-mail of mine on his website, then maybe I'll reconsider ha ha)!

I really like Professor Hood. He is incredibly smart and his vocabulary is ridiculously large (imagine Dr. Roland - for you DCSers - but more words!!!). He is funny and he knows a lot about pretty much everything. And he is going to do just fantastic as the new advisor for the EXAMINER. On the first day of class, in order to hear our writing styles, he gave us this handout and told us to continue the story:

". . . it's 3 pm, and Blossom has just learned that Nick slept with her sister the night before. She's curled into a forest green armchair in the bay window of a Venice bungalow. The phone lay unplugged at her feet next to a pair of discarded red patent leather heels. "Sin City" graphic novels and vintage pulp fiction with lurid covers are stacked on a battered cherry side table. "The Long Goodbye" rests in her lap like an omen, and Blossom considers her losses."

That's what he gave us! I loved it and this was how I continued the story:

". . . it's 4 pm, and Blossom has now learned that it was simply juvenile rumor-spreading that had produced the tale of her sister's lustful affair with Nick. She is seated in the cushiony, leather-bound booth at Johnny Rocket's that Nick and she had frequented the summer before. The neon lights flash slowly as the scent of french fries and chocolate milk shakes fills the air. Her red high heels, which now house recently painted bright pink toe nails, elegantly long toes, and silky feet, move up and down the leg of a young man not even eighteen. Rumors or not, Blossom was now free.

. . . it's 5 pm, and Blossom is now seated alone in her lava lamp-filled bedroom. Her efforts at making "take me" eyes at the young football player had surprisingly failed. The leather jacket-wearing, constantly mirror-hunting sample of a boy had pushed her away. She could not believe it! Who did this jock think he was?!?! It didn't matter now. The now plugged-in telephone sat as quiet as the table it rested on with no ringing in sight."

Well I was happy with what I produced and so did he. He now has entrusted some responsibilites with me and has claimed to trust me with meeting some deadlines on some dates that I can't control (the Oscar recap/impressions article of mine is due right after the airing, which is actually ten days after the due date for articles). I appreciate that, plus I love to hear the man talk. His stories are long, adjective-filled, and entertaining as anything out there. I am grateful to have had so many great professors at AVC and Professor Hood is just one of the many that I hope to make sure I keep in contact with in the future.

On another note, the guys basketball playoff game was last night. I did my announcing thing (which I enjoyed immensely yet again) but lo and behold, the guys lost in the first round for the fourth straight year. I was happy to do the announcing though and I am probably going to do it again for the girls on Saturday night for their game. I was told by several different people that I quote had a calling end quote and that quote I was quite good at that end quote.

Thanks.

Other than that, I have a pretty busy day tomorrow. I work from 1000-1600 and then I'm heading down to see Heather (Friday night traffic! Woohoo!!!). A friend of hers and the girl's boyfriend are going to the ESPN SPORTS ZONE at Downtown Disney for a post-Valentine's Day shindig and Heather wants to go. So I'm going. It will be a long night, but I'm looking forward to seeing my wonderful lady yet again. I always do!

Well I think that's it for right now - - that actually turned into quite a long post!

I'm hoping to produce an NBA midseason report (the All Star Game is this weekend) and an Oscars preview over the next week or so. So stay around for that and keep looking for updates. I'm trying to post as much as possible (this has been a good week for the ol' blog!) so tell your friends about the site and remember to stop by occasionally :D

Goodnight for now - - -