So yesterday there was this thing at school called the Happening. Every school club, every greek, most every restaurant, bank, and clinic was there. Radio stations brought their speaker-laden vans and threw open their blaring back doors. The Redcross held a blood-drive.
If a student was to walk among these booths, (s)he could expect to find, completely free:
pens
pencils
fans
music posters
cds
suntan lotion
hairspray
axe
condoms
a myriad of candy
snowcones
pizza
sodas
water
ice cream
and various paper goods, like coupons for free/cheap/discounted food at eateries across town, discounts on salon services, etc.
The armed forces were also there. And as I walked among the tables, I was stopped by each. First was the army.
"You! Ma'am! Do you know how many career opportunities are in the army for you?"
I looked at him and raised my eyebrows. "Do I look like military material to you?"
"Yes," he replied, looking me up and down. I shook my head and walked on.
Next was the Air Force.
"You, ma'am! What do you know about the Air Force?"
Great, a pop quiz. "Do I look like military material to you?" I asked, being lazy and not bothering to think up a new question.
He paused for a minute before answering. "Not really," he finally admitted. I laughed, nodded, and then walked away. Then, I remembered a conversation I'd had, just the previous day, with someone in the Air Force. He had talked about how the Air Force always deploys with cable tv and air-conditioned tents, and that if they have to ship with other branches, like the Navy, they get 'sanitation pay'. So I called the Air Force a bunch of wusses. He somewhat agreed. !!! If I am not considered military material by the wusses of the military, what am I then?!
As I consoled myself, I perused the other booths, and eventually found the marines. Unlike the other two branches, which had tents and televisions touting how great they were, the two marines sat there, in the blazing hot sun, unprotected - and not seeming to mind. As I walked past, one of them called out. Of course.
"You! Join the Marines!"
"That's kind of blunt," I said, walking over to the table. Various emblemmed material was spread out over the table. "Do I look like military material to you?"
He smiled and looked at his fellow grunt, who also smiled. They were wicked smiles. "Not right now," I started to nod and walk away, but he continued, "but we can make you military material."
I laughed nervously and left as quickly as panicked politeness allowed.
Friday, August 29
Sunday, August 3
Paper Cranes
After moving into my new apt, my first obstacle was obtaining an internet connection, something I, unfortunately and as a testament to my generation, have become slightly... attached... to. That took about a month and a half, and looking back, it shouldn't have taken that long, but with bureaucracy and paperwork and legality and my own stupid honesty, it did. But I digress.
So I've had internet for a little over three weeks now (has it really been that long?) and I'm beginning to realize how pitiful my dependence on it is. You see, our connection isn't that stable, something about the wiring being too old to support the signal or something, and while removing the splitter in my room that allowed cable access did slightly enhance my chances of the internet not going out, it hasn't ended the faulty circumstance completely. This is the year 2008! The age of dsl, high-speed, instant access internet! Gone are the days of dial-up and that horrible noise (my apologies to anyone who may still have dial-up)! Everyone capable of affording it should be capable of having it, right????
Not really. In fact, it seems lately that I've been paying more for something I DON'T have than something I do.
To further myself and give my hands something mildly constructive to do while I waited for the modem and router to sync back up while my computer reboots, I decided to make a crane. One paper crane for every time the internet goes out.
I now have... 25 cranes. That's enough for one whole Senbazuru string. Hrm... only 39 more strings to go, and then I get my wish! *jumps and giggles excitedly*
If I do manage to finish an entire Senbazuru, and since there seems to be no rules against telling others what your wish is (unlike the whole candles on the birthday cake thing, which I totally don't understand) I hereby declare that, according to ancient and marvelous Japanese traditions, if I finish this Senbazuru, this 1000 paper cranes, then I will be granted my one unscratchable itching wish:
To have stable, constant, unfailing internet.
So I've had internet for a little over three weeks now (has it really been that long?) and I'm beginning to realize how pitiful my dependence on it is. You see, our connection isn't that stable, something about the wiring being too old to support the signal or something, and while removing the splitter in my room that allowed cable access did slightly enhance my chances of the internet not going out, it hasn't ended the faulty circumstance completely. This is the year 2008! The age of dsl, high-speed, instant access internet! Gone are the days of dial-up and that horrible noise (my apologies to anyone who may still have dial-up)! Everyone capable of affording it should be capable of having it, right????
Not really. In fact, it seems lately that I've been paying more for something I DON'T have than something I do.
To further myself and give my hands something mildly constructive to do while I waited for the modem and router to sync back up while my computer reboots, I decided to make a crane. One paper crane for every time the internet goes out.
I now have... 25 cranes. That's enough for one whole Senbazuru string. Hrm... only 39 more strings to go, and then I get my wish! *jumps and giggles excitedly*
If I do manage to finish an entire Senbazuru, and since there seems to be no rules against telling others what your wish is (unlike the whole candles on the birthday cake thing, which I totally don't understand) I hereby declare that, according to ancient and marvelous Japanese traditions, if I finish this Senbazuru, this 1000 paper cranes, then I will be granted my one unscratchable itching wish:
To have stable, constant, unfailing internet.
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