slow learner

There's an episode of the Simpsons where Lisa places an electrified donut someplace in the house and tracks how long it takes Homerto learn not to touch the donut. "mmmmm donut.... ouch!" "mmmmm donut... ouch!" "mmmmmm donut .... ouch!" of course, the joke is that he never learns.

So it is with me and recreational alchohol consumption this year. Note to self: stop after second beer. too skinny for third beer. third beer will make me act stoopid.

fun filled friday

So I went to buy tickets to see Aaron play percussion in a dance recital, but it was sold out. Alas. But when I talked to Aaron, he told me he could get me in as his roadie. So I sat and chatted with him and Charlie and Angela before they went on. Topic: Belle and Sebastian. Are they excusable? Are they good makeout music? What is good makeout music? I mostly spectated as I really have no clue about Belle and Sebastian. I'm not sure about good makeout music, but it might be an interesting summer project. (ummm.. to produce some, I mean.... although further research is requied) Do Gen Y types really make out to Marvin Gaye?

The trio was really excellent. I'd never heard Angela play clarinet before. She has a beautiful tone. The piece was lovely. Charlie composed it. His pieces that I've heard all have a nice thoughtfulness and an asthetic sensibility that's just right, not heavy handed at all. He allows beauty to emerge.

Since I just watched the one piece, we got out of the recital pretty early and Angela and I decided to go to a dance called the Girl Twirl (I kid you not) at the harbor park. It's a women's dance party.

Consequences of high self-esteem: I really like dancing and I don't need to be drunk to do it. Of course, drinking is fun! So we danced for quite a while. I requested Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-a-lot, one of the finest pop songs from the 90's. This time, I didn't talk to strangers, but that's ok.

Fortunately, it was completely warm out and we were able to walk to and from Girl Twirling, which was good cuz I went ahead and drank beer number 3. I'm lucky I didn't fall off the ladder to my bunk bed when I got home.

The beautiful bleakness and desolation of grad school is such that people expect you to occassionally drink to excess. So much the more so if you have recently experienced woes in love, which is so dern common it should be in those "so you want to go to grad school books."

So You Want to Go to Grad School?

You have a surplus or life savings, or you think you can survive on the piteously meager stipend, or the economy is bad and your parents are generous and the economic sacrfices seem reasonable, or heck, an improvement over your current statis. Well, say goodbye to your girlfriend, becuase even if the stays with you (give it less than 50% odds), you're not going to have a lot of time for her. And say goodbye to all those hours of sleep you're used to. Say goodbye to your pre-existing social life. You'll have time for that on breaks, if you can afford to get home. Used to living in a clean house? Forget it. It's not compatible with your current situation, unless you pay too much for campus housing and then they'll send somebody around periodically to make an attempt at cleaning your kitchen, in which, by the way, very few green things will reside... assuming by "green things" we mean things that started out as green. Look in that fridge. What do you see? spots of mold. beer. good, maybe it's time to go to the store. after class. and rehersal. and doing some reading for tommorrow. don't worry, you'll have time to clean at the end of the semester when you're also trying to pack to leave. You do have time, however, for intense personal crisises, inner turmoil and angst. Make sure to pick a school which offeres mental health services included with tuition. you'll need it.

why would you want to do this? Do you love your subject? Really love your subject? Do you want to dedicate years of your life to living in semi-monastic cloistered conditions just to focus on your subject? (this isn't like your undergrad.) Are you willing to endure mortification fo the flesh and the spirit in the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom? turn to page 2 for preparing for the GREs.

I love grad school. No really. What should I work on first? Should I read Foucault? Should I read the Boulez-Cage correspondences? Should I write a second movement for my symphony? Should I finish my song in progress? Should I record some analog noise? Should I write lyrics for my "Urban Hipster" song? Should I start my string quartet? Should I work on an installation for the May symposium? In what lovely way should I consume myslef? I mean, as soon as this hangover wears off.