Save the Drama for Someone Else's Momma.

When something is wrong, you know it.

Because some situations...are just undeniably disturbing.

One of your friends getting into a fight with your other friend's mother? This would classify as disturbing.

Within the past week, this situation has actually played out in front of me. How do you respond to that? Typically, one would assume a role of either support or protest to the situation ("take a side," if you will). However, both of opposing people displayed significant immaturity in the lengths at which they went to convey their point, so I can't say I condone either of their actions.

Yeah...I'm a fence-straddler. Sue me.

Admittedly, I've leaned towards both sides at one point or another. When reviewing different aspects of this dilemma, I feel differently. I can't help it. Every action taken throughout this whole ordeal is, for lack of better wording, a situational wrong.

Let me explain...

I've struggled for years with the cosmic "line between right and wrong."

(Which is apparently owned by the U.S. Government as they change it incessantly.)

Ultimately, I've come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as an innate conscience. No, differentiating between right and wrong is a learned facet of one's life. It's a collection of the people and events we encounter in our lives, and it never stops changing.

I disagree that at a certain point in our lives our personality, conscience, and the like are officially "established." Granted, as we age and become more set in our ways, changing becomes a much more daunting task. However, it is not unachievable.

I choose to allow God to "establish" who I am. How I interact with those around me is inevitably affected by His will, and my comprehension of that boosts the maturity of my conscience even further.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to preach. I'm just saying that a single person (or situation) is NOT the final verdict of what is right or wrong. The parameters of good and evil are inculcated by our Creator, but you can't expect to perceive those parameters without having a relationship with or talking to Him.

So, I take it back. Don't save the drama for someone else's momma or even your own momma...

...save it for your Father.

Shakes It Up.

In my literature class, we just finished reading Othello. Was it good, you ask?

The short answer: Yes.

The long answer: Yesssssssssssssss.

Being Shakespeare, naturally he gave me some sort of inspiration. Like reconstructing my speech into thees, thous, and thines. Or better yet, reconstructing insults and threats into Puritan-esque phrases (something which everyone, at some point in their lives, should try).

Here's just a few...

Witty Quips of Genius and the Like (Or What You Will)

Modern:  Shutup!
Shakespearean:  Hold fast your vile tongue!

Modern:  Get lost!
Shakespearean:  Disposess your person from mine presence!

Modern:  I will cut you.
Shakespearean:  I shalt transfix my blade into your skin. (O happy dagger!)

Modern:  In your face!
Shakespearean:  Within the proximity of thine visage!

Modern:  You're an idiot.
Shakespearean:  Thou base fool, never before have I laid mine eyes on such knavery.

Modern:  Liar!
Shakespearean:  O villainy! Thy speech weighest falsehoods upon mine ears.


I would use these in everyday speech, but the vast majority of the poeple at my school would have absolutely no clue what I was talking about. Then again, that would be quite humorous...

Oh Shakes, you make everything more fun.

Let's Get Physical.

Physics is typically a bore for me. Although math is like breathing for me, I don't particularly care for that class.

However, today was different. Today, I had the opportunity to go on a field trip to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. I and several other geniuses almost as smart as me listened to various speakers' presentations on different computational sciences.

Upon entering, we were subject to all 4,567 of their security measures.

Photo ID, Fingerprint Scanning, DNA and drug testing, FBI interrogation...

Alright, so it wasn't THAT bad. But there were hundreds of overweight guards watching our every move and quietly whispering things into their radios like, "The blue, one-winged crow has landed in the Florida Keys. Over."

Despite the looming feeling that I would be mistaken for a terrorist, detained, and quartered, I have to say the trip was actually enjoyable. Of the many activities there, we analyzed human remains (only pictures) in a Forensics seminar and even learned about military nano technology.

And there was food. Always a plus. Although one of the professors thought it would be hilarious to play a slide show of the cadavers from the lecture while we were eating to induce gagging and vomiting all over the conference room.

Very funny, Mr. Professor. Very funny.

Oh, and some kid thought it would be hilarious to keep hitting the PA button and announcing to everyone that he was God. Did I say geniuses earlier? My bad.

Anyways, it was a cool experience. Working there would probably never get boring.
I know. I'm a dork...

...but at least I'm not a terrorist.

Sigh.

Lately, I've been rather lazy. It's partially because of my schedule that would make the toughest of HR reps shudder in fear, but at the same time, I'm at fault for neglecting to write.

Obviously, it's been awhile...over two weeks actually. It's really a shame because I love writing this thing, but it's just not on the top of my priority list. And with exactly 8 minutes to spare, I will debrief everyone on the past 15 days of my life.

Yes, it's another list. Get over it.

1)  In my literature class, we've started a study of Shakespeare. Don't get me wrong, the guy is a genius, but his work puts me to sleep. Seriously. It feels like the day after you pull a Mountain Dew propelled all-nighter: falling over while standing up, drooling, having those sudden bursts where you realize you're about to fall asleep so you convulse and make a loud snorting noise. Yeah, that's how I look in class.

2) Two days ago, I had the privilege of changing not one, not two, but THREE digits on our countdown to the Graduation Trip.

Best. Day. Ever. Well, until I mark it down zero, but until then...only 197 left!

3) My best friend turned 18, definitely worth noting.

I've written about her alot, so I'll just say...she rocks. Got it? Good. Cause she does.

4) Our ghetto school had it's first weapons search yesterday. Glad to see the folks downtown are finally catching on. It shouldn't have taken nearly this long.

5) It's Friday, the predecessor to the glorious time known as "weekend." Also worth noting.