In which we discover that if it's written in Latin, skipping it don't cut the mustard.

In times past, if anything was written in a language that I don't understand -- English, for example -- I would skip it. Ok, ok. I'm kidding on the English part. Let's take Latin, for example. I know nothing. Absolutely nothing about Latin. Therefore, in times past, if I came across anything written in Latin, I'd skip it. Like, in A&P lab, for example. Latissimus dorsi. That's Latin. It's a muscle. Don't ask where it is. I have no clue, although I think it's in the back. Take music for another example. Allegro. Or wait . . . Isn't that some sort of perscription drug? No . . . Anyway, I don't know anything. But today in Choir, I learned that if it's Latin, skipping it don't cut the mustard. Because . . . well, with a title like "Beati quorum ambulant" -- or something like that -- you pretty much can't skip the Latin parts. Cuz it's all Latin. Oh -- and we're learning another one called "Totus Tuus" which starts out with a resounding, resonant, spine-tingling chorus of "MARIA MARIA MARIA MARIA!" And ROLL those Rs, please! When do we get to sing in English?

I was chit-chatting with Nikki K. last night and we were talking about music. I told her that I had never heard Nirvana before last December. She asked if I had heard "Smells like Teen Spirit." Nope. (That title kinda sounds like it could be an advertisement for deodorant.) No, unfortunately, in the words of the greatly respected (or not), world famous (ha) Bryce R., Sports Editor of the SMSU Spur, "You lost your Nirvana virginity to the song 'Rape Me.'" Oh boy . . .

I don't have a sore throat. I just have a throat condition that could end up being a sore throat at some point in the near future. It feels odd. But it doesn't hurt. I wonder . . . Is it the flu? Walking pneumonia? Strep? Bronchitus? Mononucleosis? Hm . . . Eddie told me that I can't have mono, because it's "Kissing disease" and we all know how big my bubble is. Holding hands is akin to rape, as Eddie unfortunately discovered one day last semester. I screamed. Timmy was on the phone with me and he heard me screaming and he said, "Mari! Are you ok?? What are they doing to you?" Lol -- it was a grand old time. And Eddie learned not to try to hold my hand.

I finally figured it out. I figured out why Laura didn't like me. Why Sarah doesn't like me. Why thusly, no one else likes me either. It's because I'm a writer. I learned in my Creative Writing class that being a writer takes passion and guts. And you have to be different. You have to understand things in a different way. You have to express things differently. And you have to know that you're different and accept the fact that you're different.

They don't like me because I'm a writer. Because rather than conforming to their standards, I embrace the things that make me unique. That being the case, I think . . . may I be so bold as to propose that perhaps . . . perhaps, I may be a better writer than even those who have tons of writing experience? I mean, among my "friends." I have some "friends" who have written for the paper since they came here. They have been editors. They've been published in national newspapers and magazines. But they don't embrace uniqueness. They don't believe in the beauty of diversity. Everything has to be compatable. Everything has to be just so. Everything has to be their way. And it has to be . . . normal. What a tragedy.

I don't need them anyway. Cuz there's the ones like Dan. Dan is a truly unique fellow. He's the A&E editor at the paper, and he's in my writing class. He's so random and completely ok with being different. When he was hired as our AnE editor, someone said, "I can't wait to see what that section is going to be like." They went on to explain that it was probably going to sound like a tripping schizophrenic wrote most of it. And yes, most of what Dan writes sounds like it was done by a tripping schizophrenic. Shucks -- he sometimes writes under the pseudonym "Fuzzy Wuzzn'ty." The last article he wrote under that name was written from the perspective of a badger. At least, I think that was written by Dan. Dan's cool. We were talking before class today. I told him that I needed to get some O.J. because I needed some vitamin C in it. Dan is one of those quiet, laid back guys. He's tall and scrawny-ish. He doesn't appear to be too intelligent, although I suspect that a certain amount of genius is hidden somewhere within him. Dan said, "O.J. has vitamin C in it? I should get some." I said, "Grapefruit has lots of it too." And Dan said, "Grapefruit has it too? I should get myself one of them . . . I haven't had one in a long time. [Five second pause] Cool." I do have a point. My point is this: Writer people are awesome. He made me want to giggle.

I spose I should stop wasting time and get to the homework. I need speech topics. Shucks . . .
~MK