I.am.so.tired.
think sit sit sit think
consider now correspond
smile and pretend
10.13.2009
5.08.2009
hobbit song
In high school, I read through the lord of the rings trilogy. The strokes had just released their first album and I was pretty into it; I still dig it, in fact.
The album played pretty much on repeat over and over as I read b/c I would be too enthralled to get up and change the musica.
The album played pretty much on repeat over and over as I read b/c I would be too enthralled to get up and change the musica.
5.01.2009
4.02.2009
4.01.2009
pear story
So I got a free pear from a table in the atrium. I put it in my bag and looked forward to eating it later; maybe before jiu jitsu. I was walking up the stairs at the library. The stairs go have a big gap in the middle where you can look down from the top; or look up from the bottom.
Anyhow, At about the 4th floor, I noticed my right shoe was untied so I bent over to tie it. As I bent over I felt a shift in my bag, like that of a small gnome rustling about trying to get out; it was just the pear. The bag was akimbo on my back and the pear was falling behind me. I reached between my legs with my left arm and tried to catch the pear, but alas, the perilous pear just hit my palm and continued it's death-dance towards the banister.
One bounce, two bounce, disappear. My eyes widen a bit as I quickly scan my immediate memory for signs of anyone being behind me; about three floor behind me. I hear the smack. I look down. The pear is in bad shape. I consider continuing my journey and going up the other two flights to my carrel. I decide against it. As little I knew yon pear, it was my pear, if only for a bit and it deserves better than to be left in such a condition, peary guts scattered about on the first floor landing.
I walk downstairs to the pear. No one else comes in. Everything gets still and silent. The pear's spirit is fleeting, is existence questioned. I reassure it. I pick it and its bits up and make my way to a trashcan. I say goodbye as I see it fall from my hands into the bin.
I got get another free pear and stuff it further into my bag this time.
Anyhow, At about the 4th floor, I noticed my right shoe was untied so I bent over to tie it. As I bent over I felt a shift in my bag, like that of a small gnome rustling about trying to get out; it was just the pear. The bag was akimbo on my back and the pear was falling behind me. I reached between my legs with my left arm and tried to catch the pear, but alas, the perilous pear just hit my palm and continued it's death-dance towards the banister.
One bounce, two bounce, disappear. My eyes widen a bit as I quickly scan my immediate memory for signs of anyone being behind me; about three floor behind me. I hear the smack. I look down. The pear is in bad shape. I consider continuing my journey and going up the other two flights to my carrel. I decide against it. As little I knew yon pear, it was my pear, if only for a bit and it deserves better than to be left in such a condition, peary guts scattered about on the first floor landing.
I walk downstairs to the pear. No one else comes in. Everything gets still and silent. The pear's spirit is fleeting, is existence questioned. I reassure it. I pick it and its bits up and make my way to a trashcan. I say goodbye as I see it fall from my hands into the bin.
I got get another free pear and stuff it further into my bag this time.
3.26.2009
3.25.2009
no FAFSA for me
deadline be damned! I have no intention of attending school for the foreseeable future so, for the time being, the FAFSA has FAFSA-shayed out of my life.
This reminds me of a string of articles I read recently regarding the "difficulty" of filling out the FAFSA. Folks were upset because they found the FAFSA confusing and subsequently a barrier to their supposed-right to attend college. The article went on to note, somewhat critically, the new appearance of an industry of FAFSA-assistants who help families "optimize" their FAFSA forms for a fee.
The whole thing supports my view that some people just don't belong in college. The FAFSA is not difficult. It's a simple exercise in checking yes or no and transferring numbers from one document to another. I admit it can be intimidating; especially for a family encountering it for the first time who is relying on it to provide funds. But it's not hard. It's not.
Maybe it should be harder. It's obviously not stopping more and more people from attending college and driving demand and price up for everyone. I know we should encourage as many people to attend college as we can and that more education is good and yada yada yada (in fact I'm a big fan of education, but more on that in a minute). But most likely, these people struggling with the FAFSA form are not going to have the most illustrious college career anyway (i.e., they won't be able to hack it and will never graduate; and since FAFSA doesn't cover nearly all college costs they may not get a degree but they will get a loan burden!).
And so what to do? Teach these kids. Anyone graduating from high school who finds the FAFSA difficult does not have the bare minimum of skills we should be requiring our high schools to provide. And I don't put the burden squarely on the high schools - what can realistically be expected to do with students who can barely read and write; the burden belongs to the entire educational system.
the end.
This reminds me of a string of articles I read recently regarding the "difficulty" of filling out the FAFSA. Folks were upset because they found the FAFSA confusing and subsequently a barrier to their supposed-right to attend college. The article went on to note, somewhat critically, the new appearance of an industry of FAFSA-assistants who help families "optimize" their FAFSA forms for a fee.
The whole thing supports my view that some people just don't belong in college. The FAFSA is not difficult. It's a simple exercise in checking yes or no and transferring numbers from one document to another. I admit it can be intimidating; especially for a family encountering it for the first time who is relying on it to provide funds. But it's not hard. It's not.
Maybe it should be harder. It's obviously not stopping more and more people from attending college and driving demand and price up for everyone. I know we should encourage as many people to attend college as we can and that more education is good and yada yada yada (in fact I'm a big fan of education, but more on that in a minute). But most likely, these people struggling with the FAFSA form are not going to have the most illustrious college career anyway (i.e., they won't be able to hack it and will never graduate; and since FAFSA doesn't cover nearly all college costs they may not get a degree but they will get a loan burden!).
And so what to do? Teach these kids. Anyone graduating from high school who finds the FAFSA difficult does not have the bare minimum of skills we should be requiring our high schools to provide. And I don't put the burden squarely on the high schools - what can realistically be expected to do with students who can barely read and write; the burden belongs to the entire educational system.
the end.
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