I only occasionally check the Kernel… only when I am very, very bored, but one of my campus talk-to’s told me about this, and I just had to face-palm.  I mean, seriously.  It amazes me how stupid people are.  Since when does your belief Christianity define how a country without a state religion should be run?  But ah, well.  Of course this dude is afraid of transgendered and transexual people being given “special rights”… it’d challenge the monopoly on special rights that Christian[-variant]s have enjoyed since Day One of American History.

Speaking of transgender issues, November 20th is Transgender Day of Rememberance.  An email was sent through the OUTsource circuit with names, CODs, and their dates, with a link to the case of Duanna Johnson. Reading about her attitude, pride, and defiance against the local po-po made me smile… but of course bit at my sides to know that such wit and strength was wasted, stolen, and destroyed for no good reason.  That I have friends that could meet the same fate for the same reasons absolutely terrifies me… it makes me sick to the heart and head to know I live in a world where people I love are in such danger…

Last on my big gay agenda: HOLY SHIT I NEED TO WRITE MY SW PAPER.  Due first thing in the morning.  I suppose, with all this, I should be able to write easily on why the GLBT community needs advocates in the field of Social Work, but ease isn’t as much an issue as time.  I can’t even start on that til I whip out my German homework, which is due tonight at midnight.  There isn’t enough coffee in the world to save me.

Three more days to plow through before my flight out to Tamparrrrgh… two more class days.  Once I get this paper done, it’ll be a breeze.  A breeeeze right into Kev’s warm, strong, loving and very nommable arms.  Arms and hands and smile and gaze and LEIJFLIJGLEIRIEWK!!!1  I start thinking like that, and three small days seem like three months of time between.  Hurry hurry.  I mean, after I get to sleep tonight, hurry.  I don’t mind having the time to wait while I need it to do class-things, hah.
Mmmm… ahhhh.  AAAHHH!!

Good news is that I’m only really missing one lecture next week, since everyone else pretty much decided to cancel classes on Monday and Tuesday.  German still meets, but it’s a “fun day” where Lissi has decided to have a Q&A and teach everyone to curse in German.  On the one hand, I’m glad I’m not missing testable lecture.  On the other, GODFUCKINGDAMMIT that’s what I wanted to know most!! XD

Not in general, but perhaps about the College of Social Work, and what I’ve observed within it.  And what I’ve observed, so far, is that these people are fucking douchebags.  Have a complaint about how business is conducted?  Bitch while you can, hope some people listen, before the complaint is wiped from the record completely.  Looking for help?  Ask away, but expect condescending remarks directly after your problem is addressed.  I think I might be at the wrong fucking University for this sort of program, if this is what peer-support is like.  Peer support in fucking Social Work for chrissakes… you know, a field of work where you’re supposed to, oh, I don’t know, help people?  Nurture and support those in need?  Be an advocate for small voices?  Right.  Right…

I realize I’ve been rather hypersensitive over the last few, but I think this would grate my nerves under the swellest of circumstances.  Maybe not to this extent… the extent of thinking of changing schools or perhaps even major… if I am indeed going for my Master’s, why not just do Psychology?  The only reason I decided on Social Work was so I could find BA-level employment, after all, where a BA in Psychology would have me as good as flipping burgers.  BUT… yeah, that’s something to think about when I’m not so hypersensitive and pissed off at the world.

Then again… maybe I should consider it before I commit myself to potentially useless classes next semester.

I didn’t really get much sleep last night… as those who follow my LJ already know the reason as to why.  Cos of SNUGGLES this weekend! YAAAAY.  My squealing, sighing, happy warm glee of warmth and glee had me tossing and turning in bed (hugging myself between flip-flops) for about two hours.  I think, anyway.  I don’t have a clock by my bed, so there’s really no way of knowing.  Hopefully I’ll be more successful in sleeping tonight.

Not sleeping wasn’t an excuse to sleep in, though.  So I get up, roll out, and hit campus by ten-after-eleven, have a smoke and a sit-down before going down to the OUTsource.  Chatter a bit, then I’m left to man the station til one… and it’s three before anyone shows up again.  I missed my class (a rather critical pre-exam review), and was quite displeased with this until I shrugged and decided it wasn’t a big deal.  It probably isn’t a big deal.  I don’t see myself having any trouble with the exam… *shrug*

What did upset me, however, was the fact that I didn’t have to miss the class… if I had just been put on the key list, I could’ve locked up and went to class.  And if I am on the key list, it would’ve been nice to have been informed.  I’ll just have to make certain to have a chat about this before next week.

But you could decide to see the good in it, which was: I clocked three of four required volunteering hours for my SW class.  Tuesday next week will have it covered.  Sweeeeeeet.  And I put a dent in my Micro (the class I’ve been doing the best job of slacking in).  As to what’s left… the rest of Micro, and my SW paper, which I’m not clear if it’s due Tomorrow or next week.  Cos of lost my fucking syllabus.  Haaaaay I’m smart *facepalm*

In short, today has been mostly unproductive, but not entirely fail.  I guess that’s somewhat “win” but not really.  Perhaps maybe?  Almost certainly.

Been milling over some things, and listening to other people, and for once, I actually have something to say in relation to the political arena.  Not that I’m political myself — to be honest, I couldn’t give a rats ass about all these cheats and liars.  But there are a lot of ways in which I am just bumfuddled.

Point A… hai doodz, the economy was a problem long before WaMu took it up the ass.  We’ve been saying it for ages, and what did you fellas up on Capitol Hill do?  Basically, told us we’re all insanely paranoid and there’s nothing wrong.  “Recession?  What recession?  Stop talking like you know anything and go back to studying your navels.”  Which I found mildly annoying.  Then everyone else starting catching on, and I’m wondering what took them so long to figure it out.  And now, it’s an overnight “crisis”.  Now it’s finally being taken seriously (and taken as if it’s all their idea, and we said nothing while we were suffering down on “main street”).  And I find this highly fucking offensive.

And what got us here?  The government’s unwillingness to discuss these topics openly… the idea that if you ignore a problem, it will go away.  Which brings me to point two: McCain’s ribbing Obama about open-ended talks with other world leaders that may have policies that we find unsavory.  Question, McCain: How is it that refusing to talk to someone until they agree to our terms encourage them to agree to our terms?  How are we supposed to work things out unless we talk openly?  The “my way or the highway” does not work.  “Surrender or we’ll fuck you up” does not work.  On a micro level, taking a small-scale hostage situation into consideration, that approach is a fine way to come up with a handful of dead hostages.  On the macro level where world-powers with nuclear-powers are concerned, well, you get the picture.  Yet if we make the effort to come face to face and discuss the matters at hand as real people, with flesh and breath rather than faceless demands in confusing documents, you come to better understandings.  Again, on a micro level, evidenced with my online/offline experiences with people.  It’s much easier to argue your point, and much harder to be cocky when you’re dealing with an actual person rather than faceless ideas.  Does that work in world politics… well, I’m not sure, but I do have the crazy idea that politicians are human, and it works on humans.

As far as open-talks giving the impression that we agree with opposing viewpoints… I still don’t see where that idea comes from.  Sorry, it’s just ridiculous to me.  Someone explain how diplomacy is the same thing as saying “dude, I so agree with you”, eh?  I don’t know about you guys, but I know there have been many times where I’ve had to sit down with people I did not agree with at all just for the sake of getting their side of the story, calming them down, and hoping to find some sort of resolve that would, at least temporarily, bring some peace on both sides of the fence.  I’d say most of us have done that sort of thing.  It’s not a bad strategy… and in some cases, it’s the only strategy.  You have to be willing to grit your teeth, swallow the bile, and be civil.

There’s also the energy crisis issue.  Energy independence, ra!  Which I agree with.  Something has to be done about that.  I, for one, would love to see shitloads of windmills thrown up around the country.  We’ve got us some real wind-tunnels, peeps.  Stand out by the POT on campus and you’d know what I’m on about.  Solar energy?  Good, let’s go for it.  Ethanol… retarded and inefficient, seeing as it takes 1.3 gallons of petrol to make 1 gallon of ethanol.  Scrap that idea right out, folks.  Offshore drilling?  Sure, if you want to wait til 2030 to see any benefit from it, if we see any at all (consdering that oil could easily be sold overseas), and fuck an already volatile marine ecosystem.  Nook-yoo-lar… right, call me old fashioned, but I’m not keen on the idea that McCain seems to be pushing.  Not that the idea of nuclear itself is bad.  It is cleaner and safer if done correctly, but pardon me if I refuse to believe it will be done correctly, with all the Homer Simpsons that really DO exist in the good ol’ US of A.  Besides that, since we are still a “Nevar Forget!” nation, imagine the destruction that could be done if we had 45 more targets on our backs.  If someone can plane the Pentagon, there’s no reason they can’t take out some power plants.   Yeah?  Yeah.  Amazing how so many people say “nevar forget!1!” and yet… they do.
Then again, if they really gave a shit about targets on home ground, the gubment might stop cramming their thumbs up their asses about the accident-waiting-to-happen in Richmond.

FInally, I’ve heard it so many, many times already… that McCain didn’t look at Obama even once.  Which I understand, considering his limited mobility.  I doubt severely that it was personal… dude just got fucked when he was a POW.  Although it does make me think of how great it would be to see McCain cut loose and do the robot.  It’d be hi-larious.  You know it would.

Now, now now now… we have the VP debate to look forward to.  I, for one, will love the chance to see Palin go all, “duhhhhh, whut?” again.  She wouldn’t be so bad if she would just stop talking.  Just stand there and look pretty, Tits… c’mon.  That’s really all you’re good for here.

Or something like it, anyway.  I now have in my hands the replacement Sony Ericsson w580i, its case, a nifty bluetooth headset (Motorola HT820), my external HD (WesternDigital My Passport Essential 160GB), and the case for that as well.  Still two things left to come in (which I’m not hurting for), plus my ecology books (one of which I am hurting for), but most of the absolute essentials are in, so I am a happy girl.  Just wish my media files would transfer to the HD faster.  FAAAASTER.  That’s what I get for being a music junkie, I guess.

On the subject of holiday bliss, though… I’m faced with the feeling of not even wanting to be around here for Christmas.  It’s rather odd… every other time I’ve tried to be away for the holiday, I’ve failed miserably (then again, the circumstances for which I was being away were pretty fucking fail, too).  But now, the very thought of being all ha-ha-happy-christmas with fresh young SNERTy attitudes makes me feel rather ill.  I know, yes, I was the same way at one time, but for the moment, in my bitter elderly cane-shaking fury, I must say I think teenagers are only good for one thing: asking me “would you like to try a combo meal today?”

Maybe my mind will change with time, but the idea of just getting a hotel room and declaring it “Fuck All” Day sounds mighty fine.