Schooling Myself, or, Why I've put myself in this position

When I began college, I knew roughly what I wanted to do, which was use my talent for disassembling and manipulation for good, in some sort of PR or marketing. I thought at first that I would manage PR for political powers, and I knew that involved writing speeches, and understanding politics, so I chose communications and political science. Later, I decided commercials might be fun, so I chose video production as my focus.

What I quickly learned is that I lacked the confidence and the well-rounded genius needed to navigate candidates through the political world successfully. Also, I was a troublemaker, and didn't have the restraint needed to keep my nose clean, so to speak. To put it short, I was no Sam Seaborn. More and more however, a flare for web marketing began to emerge, as I've always been a computer-obsessed geek, though utterly without direction.

I also learned, for one, that I hate carrying a camera around, and can't shoot to save my life. I discovered that sound editing is satanic, and that communications was not the same as marketing, and while the education I was getting about how to successfully interact with others was helpful, it was not specific enough. Moreover, my degree was tailored towards journalism, and video journalism, two fields I had absolutely no interest in. By the time this revelation came to me however, I had already declared, so I continued on in this path I had sowed, eventually reaching senior year in a blind panic because my worklife had no correlation with my education.

I suppose this is where I began making mistakes. I might have transferred, perhaps, to a school more suited to my interests. It certainly could have given up attempts to satisfy my own dreams, and gone with the flow of my degree, getting internships as my peers did at the local news studios and radio stations. I didn't, though, knowing I'd probably not enjoy it, and would later on regret it.

My ten and twenty year plans are varied in projects. I want to start a foundation, an ad agency, a green energy company, a clothing line, (In business terms, a dog/not-for-profit, a cash cow, a star, and a question mark). I want to purchase and renovate an old warehouse, occupying the top half and renting out the bottom for events. I want to be on a reality tv show, (as does my boss), and I want to shoot music videos for hobby. However, I cannot grow in this path working in journalism, which brings me to the purpose of this post: I'm designing my own "second" college education, virtually for free, using resources online and at the bookstore.

I have taken a year off graduate school in order to increase my skills for short term (10 year plan) hiring, in some design capacity for online marketing in its various forms. Once that education is obtained, I will return to grad school and finish the rest of my degree, which is designed to help me open a business(20 year plan) for which to practice the skills obtained in my short terms plan. I will be posting my curriculum, assignments, and projects for those who may find themselves in the same position I am in, in the hopes that this will be a resource to them. Wish me luck!

Bush is an asshole.

I've avoided this topic so far, but seeing as how this blog is no longer going to get checked on a regular basis, I feel the need to state that I wish the Government would treat gays with the dignity and respect we deserve. Barring that, at least don't pull this move and attempt, please, to make it a bit safer for us to walk the streets at night

While I have never been the victim of a hate crime (far more typical is "Can I join in?" "NO!"), the same cannot be said of everyone in my community. I'd like to state that there's bullshit afoot when our government claims that "The administration favors strong criminal penalties for violent crime, including crime based on personal characteristics, such as race, color, religion or national origin..." but can't be bothered to lift a finger for the GLBTQ citizens of this nation. That confounds me; it makes no sense. I look for the other side of the argument, but can't seem to find it with a damn magnifying glass. The only reasoning I can relate to is paragraph that quotes:

Moreover, the bill’s proposed section 249(a)(1) of title 18 of the U.S. Code raises constitutional concerns. Federalization of criminal law concerning the violence prohibited by the bill would be constitutional only if done in the implementation of a power granted to the Federal government, such as the power to protect Federal personnel, to regulate interstate commerce, or to enforce equal protection of the laws. Section 249(a)(1) is not by its terms limited to the exercise of such a power, and it is not at all clear that sufficient factual or legal grounds exist to uphold this provision of H.R. 1592.

This at least makes a smidgen of Constitutional sense. The other argument the Statement covers is the same one the government has been using for years: if we protect homosexuals as a minorities, we have to protect all minorities, like
"the elderly, members of the military, police officers, and victims of prior crimes)"

Well, what's stopping us? Why the hell not do something about protecting these groups? We have to start somewhere.

I know there's a solution that is legally feasible under all the muck and political gestures, if our public officials would just look for it. Until then, gays are left looking out for ourselves.

Our Maintenance People Rock My Socks.

If you're not sure what you're looking at, I'll enlighten you. It's one of the many problems Guinan has been having lately. Limping around the dorm, (because that's how my joints roll, yo.) I counted something along the lines of seven busted lights, two (or three, depending on the day and mood) doors that don't work, a courtyard fountain that spouted like a three story gyser yesterday (wish I was kidding; I have it on film!) and a water heater that just turned back on this evening.

First of all: our maintance crew kicks it old school. You people rock! Way to stay on the ball!
Secondly: before you all go commenting, "But Megan, aren't you a ResCouncil officer?", yeah yeah yeah I KNOW. I'm on it, people. I've already scheduled Father Pilsner to come in tomorrow to exercise the demon, or whatever.

Snails, amongt other things...

As I went on my nightly walk to the museum district, I stepped on several snails, which always makes me sad to think about because we as large, lubering creatures, often step on other living things as we go about our merry way through life, often times without even a clue that we've just snuffed out an irreplacable life.

But that's not what this post is about. Because unlike those snails I accidentally smushed under my Chuck Taylors, snail mail is a very live and thriving thing, which is good for small independent news publications.

Sorta.

Because your government (yes, yours!) wants to give breaks on postage to large media corporations, but leave smaller, independent news sources out in the cold. This could be a good thing if all you ever read is the Wall Street Journal, but for those of you who enjoy, you know, variety, this could be a problem. Tax breaks for larger media companies means an easier time distributing information, but only for LARGER MEDIA COMPANIES. You should look into it a bit more, and take action. Journalism works for us, dammit.

Now, a moment of silence for the snails...

I need to share this with you.

For it is much less depressing than the anti-war lyrics I posted earlier today...

"...Because the keys to the kingdom got locked inside the kingdom
And the angels fly around in there, but we can't see them
And I gotta girl in the war, Paul I know that they can hear me yell
If they can't find a way to help, they can go to Hell
If they can't find a way to help her, they can go to Hell..."

Legislation that doesn't look cute in a onesie

So, as you all probably know, the Supreme Court chose to ban partial-birth abortion today in a close and disappointing vote of 5-4. Ruth is crying, Sandra is kicking herself, and I'm cringing at Bush's praise of the majority as he speaks of "...protecting human dignity and upholding the sanctity of life." I suppose no one informed him that an unnecessary war is a bit of a snub to the sanctity of life, and that we as a nation seem to be in more danger from disgruntled college students than terrorists from afar.

Oh well. As long as Bush pays attention to abortion, maybe he'll stay away from the gay community...and I'll refrain from tacky comments about unborn gay fetuses.

On another note, China, having successfully learned to control the Internet, is moving onto bigger better things...China Attempts to Control the Weather. That's hot....