America LOVES Failure

Two pointless incidents which americans, and their media vending machines, have turned into a stomach-turning, ubiquitous display of our crass interests.

a) The stunning blather of a beauty pageant contestant. Hey folks, she was on the spot, probably with a prepared comment in her mind, and was thrown a curveball. What I heard was a young person thinking with their mouth open. How merciless are we becoming, as a society, when brief moments of our humanity are suddenly national news, and something we're forever marked by.

b) The more lurid accusations and circumstances that a certain U.S. Senator has found himself in. Like Ted Haggard before him, Larry Craig has not made the "I'm a Gay American" speech, ala Jim McGreevey, which makes the militant gay lobby that hounds him even the more enraged. Really. The nerve of this guy, trolling public restrooms for gay sex, but voting against gay interests. Craig's denials make it sound as if being gay is something to be ashamed of, and our society won't tolerate that. That's why the media is being so merciless.

The Democrat-controlled congress is even going to spend some precious Ethics Committee time to further explore the issue, further cementing the idea that democrats are more interested in fanning scandals than actually accomplishing anything.

Back to School

It must have been a busy week if I didn't have time to fillet Fr. Richard McBrien's latest carp on Bishop Bruskewitz and the Magisterium, and I was sorely tempted.

I am now enrolled at the University, and registered for classes. The five transcripts from various institutions of higher learning, though impressive in breadth, failed to amount to much transferred credit. I'm most miffed that the technical college I went to, for my AA in Audio Recording, is not considered accredited, and so none of the 70 credits were transferred. Bollocks. What a waste.

The math placement exam was humbling, with a frequent mantra of "oh, I USED TO know that." It's stunning how much one can forget in 15 years of disuse, and this shrivelled, grey prune of a brain is no exception. So, it's Math 101, College Algebra, for me this semester. Paired with a Technical Communication class, it looks like the grey prune is in for a workout.

So, I will be blogging less whilst studying more. That is, unless Fr. McBrien keeps baiting me..

Ejumicashun

Well, I got accepted to the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, which begs the question: Just who were they turning away? Now I need to get registered for classes, and figure out how to get anyone else to pay for the tuition, books, et cetera. Maybe I'll be getting some money from you, American Taxpayer, for which I will now thank you profusely.

Balancing the job, family, and adding classes is going to be tough. My parents, having three kids and one full-time job, tag-teamed their way through college in the late 70's. I remember them working on term papers and the piles of text books, I was in 2nd or 3rd grade when they graduated together. It would have been impossibly expensive, but the G.I. Bill benefits (both were USAF vets) kept the costs under control. I used my G.I. Bill bennies on getting my AA in Audio Engineering, so I'll be financing this new venture on my own.

So, if you'd all be so kind, give word to Sts. Gregory the Great and Jerome to pray for me, that my brain will actually function for this project.

I've been working fiendish hours lately, FYI, hence the general blog quiet.