Whatever

This is just a quick post to prove that I'm still alive and to illuminate and acknowledge that I'm losing motivation for certain things. Like blogging. I've had several ideas, trips or other goings ons that would make for wonderfully poetic blog posts sure to captivate and titillate but I haven't felt the desire to sit before this internet machine and type it up (which is kinda weird because once I begin typing I find it hard to stop). I'm also losing motivation for my Spanish class. I still enjoy it and still want to learn it as much as ever, but with the semester winding down and a poor grade on the last test (which, along with excuses, will be posted as soon as I get it returned to me by my instructor) I find it hard to take seriously anymore. I am ready to move on to Costa Rica and actually apply what I learned in a more practical and sink-or-swim format (also, today I had another test which I am expecting to do somewhat poorly, if not completely poorly on). It's not a lack of motivation for the Spanish, it's a lack of motivation to study for it. I sit down and try to study but always find a way to distract myself.

- On my way home today I stopped by my normal gas station and filled my tank up. I got a twenty-cent discount which dropped the price to $1.79/gallon. Paying thirty-eight bucks for a full tank versus the seventy-five it used to be is a welcome silver lining to a toilet bowl economy. Who says a recession and deflation are all bad?!?

- I feel as though I'm in a transitional phase of some sort. I just don't know what that entails or where I might come out after it's over. There's only one way to find out: keep a keen eye focused on my blog. Yep, that's how. I'm sure I'll post more about it...eventually.

Stay tuned.

Spanish Quiz and Exam

My Spanish class was recently given a geography exam in which we needed to label five countries and five capitals. I studied the night before and felt comfortable with all of the countries and capitals of the Spanish speaking world. After having taken the exam I thought I missed one. I was not sure of one particular country we had to identify and I was torn between Guatamala or Nicaragua. Naturally, I chose the wrong country, Guatamala. I was slightly surprised when I received my test back and saw a fat 70 written across the top. As it turns out, the other two errors were only technical. I neglected to put an accent in Panamá and I wrote "Dominican Republic" instead of "República Dominicana." I would have appreciated some partial credit because, technically, I had identified the countries as asked, but I am not going to fight the grade.

We also received our chapter five tests back today. This test felt slightly easier than the chapter four test and I finished it fairly quickly, both of which made me wonder how strong my results would be. I was anticipating a "B" because of my gut feeling and that I had some concerns over a few of my answers. After finishing I took an extra moment and went over my answers and ended up changing one. It's a good thing I did because had I not, I would not have received the 100 on the exam.

Chapter five test and the geography quiz are posted to the right.

A Breath Of Fresh Air

What's the Spanish Word for "Pathetic"?

I was speaking with two classmates as we were walking out of the most recent test. They both remarked how hard the test was while I was thinking the test was pretty easy. I also thought that my thoughts on it's ease would foreshadow a lower grade. I was right. I found it hard to study for this test and this is the test I should have studied for more than others. This chapter had more information than most and the teacher told us it was more involved. Aside from lack of proper studying, I had a little confusion on the test itself but our teacher was not present on test day. He had another instructor fill in for administering the test while he was gallivanting about doing who knows what. Either way, I'm not terribly happy with the result which was a "C". Could have been worse, I guess.

We just had a geography quiz on countries and capitals of the Spanish-speaking world. I believe I missed one out of ten. We'll get that back soon, maybe Monday, but we have the chapter five test then also. Those will be posted when I get them back. Try to hold back your excitement.

Fair and Balanced

I am not really one to watch Fox News, but as of late I've been logging more time with them to see how they are putting their conservative slant on the Presidential campaigns and other current event topics. I feel it's good to get a balance of perspectives although Fox News is anything but balanced. It's interesting to note that Fox News holds themselves to a "higher standard" and give off the impression that they are more civilized and intelligent than other people.

I was watching CNN a few weeks ago and Barack Obama was being interviewed by Wolf Blitzer. It was a short interview and I cannot even remember the subject matter although I think it may have been related to the economic crisis and the bailout, etc, etc... After the interview was over I turned over to Fox News and Brit Hume was doing his best to speak clearly about whatever nonsense was before him on the teleprompter. Brit Hume appears to have some disorder in which he mumbles and also talks as though his mouth is full of food. Whenever I am unfortunate enough to watch him I always anticipate him accidentally spewing food or drink out of his mouth and onto the table. Watch him and see if I'm wrong.

Back to my story - Brit Hume was talking about some non-memorable issue and mentioned that Barack Obama would be coming on in a few moments. Having just heard him speak on CNN, I wanted to see how different his interview was going to be on Fox. Brit Hume continued with his current story and transitioned to another one. This one caught my attention. Brit Hume, on Fox News, the nationally broadcast news channel, featured a story on an Hispanic man in South Charleston, West Virginia who was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated. Brit Hume continued explaining the story with intermittent chuckling. He said the man was arrested and while in the police station to take the breathalyzer exam the officer noted in his report that the man had "broken wind" in his face and that he had "detected a strong odor." The intoxicated man was then charged with assault on a police officer. Brit Hume could barely control himself or his mouthful of food during the entire story.

That's not much of a story especially considering that this was national news. Seems like such a small story and it came at such an odd time. Or so I thought. As soon as Brit Hume finished his story and swallowed more mouthjuice he announced that they were going to Barack Obama for the interview. There was no tangible break between the stories. Brit Hume went straight from farting in a police officer's face to Barack Obama with barely enough time for Brit Hume to clear his throat.

The funniest part of it all was Barack Obama's comment. As he was being introduced by Brit Hume he was visible on the splitscreen with a genial smile on his face. Then, first words out of his mouth in his typical composed self, Barack Obama told Brit Hume that he was "enjoying listening to the lead up" and began smiling from ear to ear. I laughed out loud. Seems strange that a national news broadcast would preface an interview with a candidate they don't support with a fart story. And I think that is very telling of Fox News and those who watch it as their primary news source. They feel they are more sophisticated or refined but they get their kicks from fart jokes. They are perpetually in sixth grade.

I thought maybe this was a fluke of some sort. That maybe they had a slow news day and had to fill their air with small town non-stories of people farting. That they were compelled to broadcast coverage of tispy tooters due to contractual obligations between Fox News and small municipalities under the Flatulence Agreement of Rural Towns (F.A.R.T.). But since I just made F.A.R.T. up, I have yet to see any of this documented anywhere so I am left to believe that they honestly believe fart jokes are funny (which they can be, in the right context. Not in news coverage, just in middle school gym class or in blogs).

So maybe it was a one time deal. I didn't think too much more about it until about six days later. I caught Brit Hume on again at the exact same time, six-thirty in the evening, on the dot. They had just finished some Obama story and it was followed by another unconnected story, this one from Australia. Brit Hume mumbled that some people in Australia were pushing for the use of kangaroos in place of cows as a source of meat. Brit Hume began chuckling again and continued stating that some people believe kangaroos are a better alternative for various reason including an environmental one. Brit Hume explained through his swampmouth chuckling that kangaroos emitted less methane than cattle. Brit Hume laughed again and that was the end of the story. How sophisticated.


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A quick note, Obama was born in Hawaii and is going back later this week to visit his ailing grandmother. There was a photo of him attached to the story in which he appears to be wearing Maui Jim sunglasses, a company based in Hawaii. It just so happens to be the kind of sunglasses that I wear and they appear to be the same style. If he didn't have your vote before, he should definitely have it now.