If you're Squeamish... don't prod the beach rubble

For all you classically inclined motherfuckers, the title of this post is indeed a poem by Sappho. She is such a fucking talent! I really am baffled by her command of words and her emotional insight especially when considering gender roles in ancient Greece. I really really love my Women in Antiquity class! it's Fabulous. 

Ok, let's get going. I am soooo thrilled and excited to announce that my revenue from Blogthropology is so close to $100 that I can feel my wallet swelling in anticipation. Keep up the good work faithful readers! 

Now, Let's talk about recent history. It seems I'm going to have to start blogging more than I expected. It's kind of nice that life is so busy and rife with blog fodder, but considering most of my fodder comes from things that upset me it's not all roses. Oh, well. Nothing like a little adversity to get your blood flowing. 

One of my recent adventures in my ongoing struggle against "the man" involves the unprofessional, and shortsighted manner that Rich Horowitz, the Associate Director of Residential Life, dealt with assigning rooms for the 09-10 academic year. Basically, he gave away desirable rooms to individuals who complained after not getting suites in the fair and random suit application process. Instead of being placed back into the Room Draw pool with everyone else, these individuals were accommodated with no legitimate reason to support the accommodation. You can read all about it here in a fabulous article written for the Misc. by my super cool and totally awesome friend, Madeline Zappala. 

Honestly, I don't begrudge these individuals their victory. They showed some gumption and were astonishingly rewarded for attempting to circumvent the procedures that exist to make the room selection process fair. I know that kind of comes off as bitter but it really isn't. These people happen to be my friends and I'm happy for them that they found favorable rooming for next year. I take issue with the administrative powers that didn't see fault in assigning rooms on a whim. When trying to discern the logic behind Horowitz's actions he informed me and my friends that we should have thought to ask for the room we wanted. We were supposed to assume that The fair process of a room draw lottery didn't actually have to apply to anyone so long as they assumed that they could ask for whichever room they desired. The catch being, they must ask at least one month before Draw numbers are released. I equate this to strolling into a museum and asking if you can have one of the paintings just cuz it's pretty and you want it. 

Of course, Rich Horowitz made sure to assure us that we had done nothing wrong. No Shit! Duh! How could we do anything wrong by accepting the rules that govern a fair and inclusive process? Essentially, this coward tried to hide behind every lie or bloated statement he could imagine. He went so far as to say that bureaucracy did not behoove the room draw system. I couldn't agree more. Instead of draw numbers we should have cage fights or a gladiator tournament to determine who gets first pick. Or maybe Squatters rights should apply, or something of that nature. 

Luckily, I was able to secure a relatively desirable room for myself for next year, and  the ordeal has been concluded. This, however, does not make everything O.K. Just because things happened to work out for me, does not mean that Rich Horowitz acting outside of decency and fairness should be excusable. Even though there was absolutely no chance of me personally drawing any of the rooms that he gave away, that does not mean that the individuals given those rooms would have drawn into them either. I'm sure there is a group of juniors out there who didn't get a suite but would have loved to have lived together who did not think to seek special permission outside of the existing, and fair process that could have drawn into that room. Also, a snobby part of me feels like I shouldn't have to deal with that sort of bullshit considering how much I pay to go to this school. Being placed in a lottery system is absolutely the best way to determine housing. However Horowitz made a mockery of fairness when he circumvented and by extension essentially destroyed the lottery is meant to represent. 

Ok, so things are over and done with, but that doesn't stop one more childish act from slipping through the class. Today I received a survey in my e-mail that was so clearly derived from Madeline's article that I couldn't help but find humor in the situation. There's no fault in the idea of a survey, or the idea of latching onto a students complaint and attempting to make changes based upon it, but there was something both in the survey's wording and in it's nature that felt off. Lately, a good friend has emphasized that if something feels wrong, it probably is wrong, and I am taking that advice to heart in this instance. I feel like the goal of this survey is to get results that favor his position so that our complaints become null and void. Maybe I'm being cynical, but I think the hope is that the results of this survey can be used to say "Ha! I told you so!".  I just hope that enough people understand, are aware of, and care about, the injustice that, no matter how small, destroys any notion of fairness in housing so that this survey can be used to incriminate rather than defend Horowitz and his actions. 

The survey also shows a lack of understanding. It asks if there is a need for a separate application process for triples. That is not the action that is called for or desired. All that needs to be done is for the triples to be placed into the pool of rooms which students draw into. That's it. Nothing fancy, just something simple and effective. 

And Simple and Effective is all that room draw need be if it is allowed to function as a fair and random entity. Having a shitty draw number is not the problem. Someone has to be number 799. It's the fact that 799 waits patiently and accepts the burden of the last draw while others are stealthily ushered into posh accommodations that really makes me angry.

A reaction

Concern

My Life is a Black Joke

DRAMA

The Saga Continues

Ok! I'm back! Well, I didn't really hiatus, but I'm a day late and I definitely feel like I've taken a little vacation. Basically, the idea that I would blog around campus was nice, but it mostly turned blogging into a chore, and I think I'll produce alot more content if I'm allowed to work from home (i.e. my bed). That said, we have a few things to cover before we get to the real meat of this entry.

Firstly,  Thank you Thank you Thank you! Because of you noble souls, I have officially made $77 from this blog! That is legit. That is a considerable sum of money! I am thrilled, shocked, and excited by this and can't wait until I hit $100 so that I can cash out and use the money to repay you! 

Secondly, As of this exact moment, I plan to write three posts tonight. I was considering just doing one loooong post, but since everything I want to discuss is so unrelated in terms of chronology and subject matter, and since I am no longer limited by the confines of a class period I figure why not try something new and try to make the information a bit more organized. 

Ok, now that all the business is out of the way, on to the main event.

After my blog was discovered I decided that tales of the horror formerly known as Dog-Bitch would end and we would both move on with our lives. Unfortunately our posthumous hero is not so easily forgotten, and has proven herself blogworthy yet again. Actually, I should be more fair and specific. This time, it is her Boyfriend (I assume) who deserves the spotlight. 

This weekend at the TH's I was soberly (no lie!) making my way from party to party attempting to socialize but mostly just being tired and grumpy. As Maddy and I strolled through the steamy vapors of the night, I noticed a gawky figure shambling in our direction. It was a lone male figure, or so I thought, and he proceeded to spastically kick an empty beer can into a tree which ricocheted and clattered in a cacophonous frenzy. Being sober, and grumpy, I noted "That was different" This was an audible observation which I wasn't so worried about considering the general drunkenness of the evening and the innocuous nature of my comment. 

Well, it turns out I should have been worried, because this really tripped Mr. Different's fuse. He gallumped his way over to me and delicately placed his hands upon my shoulders, adopting as menacing and intimidating a figure as he could muster. I was hardly worried, but was distinctly uncomfortable. Where did this guy get off thinking he could touch me and get in my grill. Of course, at this point I was patient and forgiving considering his drunkenness, my own saintliness, and a general feeling of good will in the air.  Of course, this all evaporated the moment I saw the creature lurking beside him. It was probably selective focus that I hadn't noticed earlier, but the lanky mess with his hands resting oh-so-gently upon my form was accompanied by none other than the artist formerly known as DB herself. A shudder ran down my spine as I realized exactly what was occurring. This was no chance meeting, nor was this truly instigated by my own innocent commentary. This was something larger. Something deeper. Something with History. 

I am embarrassed to say that my own shock and unguardedness in this situation makes for a relative fizzle of a conclusion. Had I known what I was in store for I would have been ready with something, but instead I allowed myself to be taken by surprise and if not defeated, at least neutralized. Essentially the rest of the episode played out like this...

Mr. Different repeatedly asked me what I had said to him. I replied honestly. He finishes (all over my face ...ew...i disgust myself) by reminding me that everyone is different, and that it is our differences that make the world go 'round or some ol' bullshit in that general category. Basically the message was don't fuck with my Girlfriend. He actually behaved quite honorably. He was soft spoken enough and the confrontation didn't develop into anything more severe (which is lucky for him because I could totally take him!). If they have one virtue, that couple is pretty level headed in the face of adversity. 

Mostly, the experience left me slightly shaken but mostly disappointed. I wished I could defend or explain the motives of and actions taken in my blog. Again, there's no denying that I was an asshole, but everything I wrote was deserved, and definitely accurate. 

I can actually prove this theory by referencing a conversation I had in the retreat today. And it went a little something like this...

Me: Hey! You're in my Anthropology Class!

Peer: Yeah!

Me: Ugh I  miss blogging in class, but that one girl told on me!

Peer: Who?

Me: Guess?

He guesses correctly.

*Note that this Peer was not aware of and is not a reader of blogthro. Clearly, DB has it coming. 

Having had a few days to think on the incident I do feel like it was an ambush, but I still feel like I come out on top and if I haven't had the last laugh, I've definitely had the most laughs. Sure things could have played out differently if I had been prepared to deal with the situation, but I'd rather be an livin' my life than constantly peering over my shoulder.  

Alright, thanks for sticking with me through story number 1! Number 2 is on its way!

Back in Action!

Hey! Ok, After a short hiatus of sorts, I am back! and I'm ready to Blog!

So, I got the hottest new kicks this past weekend! No joke, these shoes are crazy! Now, I know I am already known on campus as something of a footwear connoisseur, but these shoes take it to a new level. I know, you're thinking how can it get any fresher than light-up shoes? Trust me. It can. Or at least it's more fresh in my mind. My Light-up's are undeniably sick, however they're kind of old news and it's time for something new. Anyways, my new shoes are surprisingly from Puma, which is actually very surprising because Pumas run narrow and I have wide feet (wink wink). They are multicolored and the laces and various borders are outlined in a sort of sketched in black. Basically, the effect is that it looks like I have cartoon feet. It's super cool and a half. Now for the silly part. When I bought these shoes I was quietly browsing the limited selection of footwear in the Puma and was pleasantly surprised with my unique and exciting find. I promptly told a sales man to fetch me a size 11 and was prepared for all of the critical thought that would go into making such a momentous purchase (I've been noticing lately that I find hyperbole hysterical). When he returned he had a smug little grin on his face and proceeded to inform me that the shoes I had chosen were part of a very exciting Andy Warhol inspired collection. He was just so damn proud of himself. It was nigh on infuriating. He was clearly proud that he had ascertained, probably from some subtle cues I was emitting, that I wasn't giving off typical jock vibes and assumed that I was either gay (check), a hipster (not so check) artsy (half check?) or any combination of the three. Regardless he was capitalizing on whatever indie fervor possessed Puma to design such (awesome) shoes to begin with. I understand that he was just doing his job and trying to be an effective salesman, but I just couldn't help being put off. Why should I give a fuck if a pair of fucking shoes are inspired by Andy Warhol or not? Can't I just like the shoes? Maybe I can appreciate the reference, but it would never be the governing trait that determines a purchase. Let the shoes speak for themselves. Andy is dead, rendering him relatively ineffective as a salesperson. It's also possible that this whole ordeal is very revealing of my own character. Clearly I didn't like being pigeon holed as someone who would be easily swayed into a purchase by the knowledge that my shoes were inspired by a gay/hipster icon. I think that the sales pitch hit a chord that I don't often like to acknowledge. I am get very touchy when people assume that my homosexuality defines me. I want to be known and remembered (and lord knows I'm already working up to that),  but not because I am gay. Aren't there so many other dynamic ways to describe me? Continuing in this whole reflective jumbled up mess, I think i also could be projecting this paranoia onto the sales pitch. What if I only think that the salesman assumed I was gay and then therefore thought his pitch would be effective? It's entirely possible that he says that to everyone offhandedly because he is reacquired to as part of the promotion for the product. Why then, did I immediately assume it was a judgement of my character that led him to act as he did. hmmm... Interesting stuff. 

If you can't tell I'm kind of moody today, and just a touch cerebral. It's just been one of those weeks. Basically, something keeps going kind of almost wrong, and setting everything out of balance, and as soon as I get it all together again, something else falls out of place. For example I was all stressed about the blog being discovered, and just as I patch that all up my summer prospects crash and burn! Oh well! Such is life, and Ima keep on truckin'. ...wtf who am I?

The above story slash rant slash weirdness was meant to be a segway into details about my weekend in Needham Mass. But I am running out of time before I have to head to class so I can't really do those adventures justice, and I'm not entirely sure that they are particularly blog worthy (which means I had a pleasant visit).  

Before I go, I want to extend a giant thankyou to everyone for clickign my ads!!! because I am officially up to $30 dollars in blog revenue. Now, I can't collect until I hit $100, so keep up the good work, and I'll keep you informed about the imminent Blogthro-Party

This post fells kinda bleh, but so do I, and I'm sure you do too! The end of the year is a hectic MESS!  

A New Beginning

Well my little peach blossoms,  It seems some decisions are being made for me. Blogthropology as it was is no longer, but don't despair for a bright and exciting future lies ahead. No longer tethered to the confines of the classroom, Blogthropology will be undergoing a metamorphosis. 

First of all, the small concern over the issue of titling posts has vanished as the stark and uniform format no longer fits my vision for what Blogthropology must become.  Secondly, since the nature of this blog no longer requires me to be in a particular location...Blogthropology is going Campus wide! What does this mean for you? Well, this means that I will be blogging anywhere and everywhere! I could be in the Deec (As I am today) The Library, Cushing Parlor, or even your dorm room. It's exciting b/c you never know where I'll be or what outside forces could be influencing my blogging. Furthermore, removing myself from the classroom environment allows me to blog without fear! No longer will anyone be able to challenge the livelihood of this blog! 

Furthermore, I hope very desperately that you have been a devoted reader, because anything that occurred during the confines of my 1:30-2:45 Anthropology class is going to disappear forever. I feel that it is in my best interest to disassociate this blog from the class and to give myself and the blog the freedom and agency we have grown into needing. Now, don't fret because other than location and the element of blogging in public, the format, concept, and character of Blogthropology will remain unchanged. Be prepared for a continually expanding collection of zany stories, bitching rants, and all the other tokens of jubilance you have come to expect from Blogthropology. 

Finally, As of now, Updates will continue to be done on Tusdays and Thrusdays with posts being up by 4:30 PM. 

Think of this as an exciting and necessary foray into the future. My love and respect For Martha Kaplan coupled with my desire to not fail or get into too much trouble allow me to take this leap without looking back. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited. Watch out Vassar College, cuz I'm coming at you, with even less mercy this time. 

That's it for logistics and announcements, but keep alert for Today's very real, very new, and very exciting main post. 

Here's to the future!

The jig is up!

Well, It's official. We've finally been discovered. This blog has become bigger than ANTH 140, and will no longer be written during class. Thanks for following, and as soon as I think of an update schedule, I'll tell you when you need to check for updates. Although I'm fretting over the discovery, there's actually nothing wrong in or about this blog, and therefore I only feel bad that Martha will be upset about it. Poop.