One of Us

          Alaric and I practiced with the heavy bags in the studio at Marino, then went on a speedy track run before it closed for the night. We headed home to watch Castle In the Sky with Regina, Julia, Nathan, and Sean; I was not extremely excited to go all the way through this movie again, but a few people hadn't seen it yet, so I felt obligated to join in. Julia, Alaric and I then finally succeeded in our long-standing quest to get Regina elevated, and finally put on The Avengers for an appropriate, zero-brainpower Saturday night movie. I stayed up and went for a run at dawn, somewhat later than my customary time.

Koopa Cup

          This evening, we had a semi-voluntary party with Nathan, Julia, Sean, Alaric, Jared, Iris, Haley, and Luke. Nathan's TV was used for the new Mario Kart (practically the same as the old ones. Nintendo is no good at innovation) and then a Sin City screening. All around, I had a mediocre time and was in an uncomfortable place by the end of the night.

And Justice For All

          The Religion & Politics midterm was easier than expected. Prof. Miles practically went through the potential answers to the essay question for the first hour of class, and by the end of the exam, I was more confident in my essay's quality than in my multiple-choice accuracy. Nevertheless, everything seemed to go reasonably well. I went to the Prison Book Program not long after, and spent most of my time there spiffing up the shelved and getting stuff in order. Once I got home, Iris and I watched 3:10 To Yuma, a gritty and unsettling western. Our protagonist is the chameleonic Christian Bale as a markedly low-key rancher; the antagonist (at least theoretically) is Russell Crowe as a quiet, reflective, and blackhearted quick-draw. The movie is swift, tense, and violent, but does not lack for introspection. As for secondary characters, Henry Fonda is great as an ancient Pinkerton, Ben Foster plays the menacing right hand to Crowe's outlaw boss, and Alan Tudyk is a breath of fresh air as Doc Potter. Also, a Luke Wilson cameo! This movie is worth it if you like: gunfights; despair; Christian Bale; westerns; or Russell Crow-grade hamminess.

The Blue Pill

          I woke up slowly and warmly to Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, an event that rates highly among agreeable things that have happened to me this week. PPA was uncomfortable due to the presence of a TV crew, who are apparently making a special on former presidential candidates. Students who answered questions were filmed; one guy basically walked around Prof. Dukakis in a circle for an hour, filming away. Every time I passed within the camera's field of view, I'd do my best to look engaged and interested, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. Also, it turns out that a guy who sits in front of me is also a Rangers fan; we briefly discussed last night's garbage game (7-4 Habs win over the Rangers, crap goals on both sides, NYR lead the series 3-2.)
          The day got even weirder after this. I watched this video (real life, disturbing, you are warned) and was thoroughly skeeved out, partly because this is basically the moronic Red Pill philosophy taken one step further. (Click if you are willing to sacrifice a presently happy state of mind for knowledge.) At the same time, I was acutely aware of my high school 4chan heritage because the thing that got under my skin the most was Rodgers' horridly fake, "sinister" laugh. Alaric and I tried to go and box, but there was a class in the studio. I put off work as usual and studied late into the night.

Colors of the Wind

          In the morning before class, I got all of my assigned reading done; I feel a twinge of guilt typing this as if it's news. Jargon is one of my favorite words. The summer schedule is insane; I got Prof. Dukakis my key player list last week, next Thursday is the midterm, and policy memo drafts are due the following week. R&P was fascinating, as always -- this time, with a serious discussion on the color of God. All colors, or no color at all? I went to PBP with Meredith and we had a nice, long shit talk/vent session while doing the Lord's work.
          Quote of the day:
"Actually, this is divine. No color whatsoever." - Prof. Miles, re: another dead marker

Iggy Azalea

          Today, I helped Iris move into her new summer lodgings at an MIT frat. Cristina, who she's sharing the room with, drove us over with all the stuff; Alaric and I hoofed much of it up three flights of stairs. Observations about the frat: Iris and Cristina's room is incredible; it's long and tall with three lofted beds (Eve will soon occupy the other one) and feels very collegiate. Their view is of the picturesque Beacon Street, and they have a fire escape perfectly suited for cigars. The frat itself is full of random stuph scattered all over the place, much of it begging for an backstory. The kitchen has that slightly musty "industrial kitchen" smell that was so familiar when I worked at camp. There's even parking in the back, which happens to face the Esplanade. Can you say fancy?
          Alaric and I walked home and then over to Giovanni's, where the man himself was grilling up burgers and hot dogs in an alley behind the store. He does this for free as a thank-you to his customers each year, and there was a relaxed, fun atmosphere with a few old-timers sitting around and chatting. The Kings demolished the Blackhawks 5-2 for a 3-1 series lead, and all was right with the world. I am hopefully improving from my recent sickness, but chose to do an all-nighter anyway.
          Quote of the day:
"Your computer has tan lines." - Sean

"Hope? In those deep, dark waters?"

          I dreamed that I met with five or six others in the dead of night, but the only face I can remember is Laura's. We were out in the suburbs, creeping about and looking for some entertainment. The only light came from a skyful of stars and the occasional buzzing streetlight. At some point, I was separated from the rest of the group and found myself walking down a dark, narrow alley. I hesitated here, then went to the second door on the right and groped for the handle in the blackness. The door was unlocked and I went inside with no fear. Julia and her brother who does not exist were waiting there for me, and we moved from room to room as quietly as possible, still searching. The last I remember, she was shushing me while I gazed at the most colorful quilt I have ever seen.
          I woke up feeling very sick, but dragged myself out of bed to get ready for Eric and Meredith. When everyone had arrived, we decided to play a team game of Revolution: Sean/Michelle, Eric/Meredith, Iris/??? (possibly playing alone?), and, of course, the dream team: Alaric and me. Throughout the game, we passed notes and strategized in notebooks. Through brilliant foresight, mind games, skillful use of the Apothecary and a heavy dose of luck, we stole the game in the closing round. Another W for me, and I retain my title as the winningest Revolution player in the apartment. After this, Eric, Alaric and I retired for a meeting of the joint chiefs of staff, though I maintained observer status; the others then played Kittens In a Blender and Settlers of Catan while I napped to regain my strength. Eric and Meredith cooked up a magnificent lasagna for us, and Alaric ate an inhuman amount of it.
          Later, I went to Rod Dee 2 with Iris and Sean. This is a small Thai place near El Pelon with shabby decor (the orange water cooler, for instance) and very tasty, relatively inexpensive food. I drank a can of thick, puree-like mango juice and was left jonesing for more by the time we left. Once we got home, Ariel, Matt T, and Alaric joined us for a Ghost In the Shell drinking game, which we had heavily rewritten by the time the credits rolled. A few people left and we moved on to The Animatrix, which is as beautiful and even more terrifying than I remember. The first time I watched it (them?), it was on Adult Swim and I was probably about 13 years old; I was staying over at the house across the street and my erstwhile friend had fallen asleep. Each episode is striking in its own way, but I will never forget one scene from one of the "historical" ones: during the war between the machines and humans, a soldier is torn out of his armor and essentially drawn and quartered by mechanical tentacles, screaming piteously. That was burned into my brain permanently. Others sneak up on you as you get older: see the scene where machines are being destroyed by rioters before the war. "I'm a real person!" Or even my least favorite among them, the one about the "haunted house"/glitch in the Matrix, with its thematic loss of innocence. In terms of a favorite, I'm torn between the hyper-stylized Program (the samurai episode) and the gloomy Detective Story. If you at least moderately enjoyed The Matrix, The Animatrix is a perfectly executed addition to its universe and an enjoyable work in its own right.
          Quote of the day:
"Yeah, we brick squad." - Eric

Russian Machine Never Breaks

          Today, I went deep into BU territory with Julia and Regina to hunt through Goodwill's wares. After much deliberation, I was left with a grossly oversized (Ovi-sized?) Capitals t-shirt with OVECHKIN emblazoned on the back, a comfy green sweater, and four DVDs, including The Animatrix and the Jonestown Massacre documentary. I studied but ultimately abandoned some ties, several other DVDs, and a horribly misprinted Red Wings jersey-material shirt -- the logo was upside down! Also, Julia was followed around the store at length by a case of bad parenting. Once satisfied, the three of us went down the street to eat at BurgerFi, an eco-conscious, semi-pretentious burger joint that was surprisingly 1. affordable and 2. tasty. I enjoyed a vanilla "custard" -- also referred to as a thick milkshake -- and we all got samples of some new sundae-type dessert.
          Once I got home, Alaric and I went to Marino for a round of boxing or some kind of practice thereof, but it had closed early. Instead, we went to Centennial to throw a frisbee around with Sean, Jared, Julia, Regina, Jennifer, and Chris F. We mastered the under-leg throw, took pictures with Julia's camera and just goofed around. When it began to pour, we elected to deposit our stuff in West F before returning to play in the rain, eventually casting off our shoes and running through the grass. We also played a few contentious rounds of Ninja. Soon enough, we took shots and played Purple at Julia's, then picked up shop and moved to our apartment. This walk was lots of fun because we had to sneak a belligerently loud Chris F past a huddle of at least fifteen cops by Columbus Place. We partied for a while, dancing and drinking, but eventually I found myself in a strange mood and bailed. I went out to the bleachers by the baseball field, laid down near the top, and philosophized for nearly an hour before returning.
          Quotes of the day:
"Have you heard the sound that cats make when they're penetrated?" - Julia
"I'm an expert at laying pipe. Especially on college campuses." - Sean

Black Forest

          I shared a delicious but extremely expensive meal with Iris at Trattoria Newbury. I don't remember what I ate, but it's not overly important because the portions were minuscule and our server was completely clocked out. She was clearly not paying attention while taking our order, making a full repeat necessary; she came to our table maybe once over the course of at least an hour (this place is not very large); and she was cool to the point of uncaring while speaking to us. Even this I could have stomached -- bad day, perhaps? -- and then three or four dark, handsome younger men were seated near us. The server was immediately all over them -- flirting, making small talk, checking on them every ten minutes or whatever. It's one thing to have a mediocre waitress, but another thing entirely to be made to feel unwelcome and then have to see others get special treatment. This experience, coupled with the absurd pricing, means that I do not plan to return to this restaurant.
          In the evening, I went to "the Phons" (aka the girls' place on the Hill) for a summer party. Highlights: Mixology with Alaric, leading to the invention of a few amazing drinks and one really terrible one; hanging out with at least one Po Boy; seeing Eric again. Afterward, we went in for a landing at Domino's after AK's was closed, acquiring necessary sustenance and then heading home.
          Quotes of the day:
"1-800-WHERE-R-U?" - Meredith
"It's like a Jolly Rancher that got fetal alcohol syndrome." - Eric
"It's like a room full of humans!" - Meredith
"Show me your salami, girl. How black is your Black Forest ham?" - Eric
...
Eric: "I inhale aspartame."
Alaric: "Fuck yeah, live and breathe."

The Happy Birthday.

1 shot cake vodka

1 shot vanilla vodka

Dilute heavily with water

"Enjoy" this foul brew.

Down In the Valley

Errata: I'm not sure how I fooled myself twice with my own notes, but the Habs did not finish the Bruins in their last game; the series was only 1-1. Since it was full of commentary, I'm not going to bother editing the previous, incorrect entry, and will point to it when the proper entry comes up.

          Once again, Religion & Politics was host to a titanic clash of wits, this time between "free exercise" enthusiasts and "no establishment" warriors. Everyone wants balance but also agrees that to some extent, one must necessarily be subordinated to the other. You can probably guess which side I'm on. After class, I ran hard on the track at Marino and used a Stairmaster for the first time. The Habs defeated the Bruins 3-2 in OT to put them up 2-1 in the series. Later, Sean, Alaric, Iris and I watched The Cabin In the Woods with an accompanying drinking game, one of our best to date. I don't think I'll ever get tired of this movie.
          Quotes of the day:
"Don't take the morning after pill, Sam. It won't work for you. I'll explain after." - Prof. Miles
"My Jewish neighbors celebrate Christmas. Every year they have a Christmas tree that's better than mine." - girl in R&P
"So, you don't draw a line between the anti-angel faction and the pro-Christ faction?" - Prof. Miles
...
Prof. Miles: "What does 'SOL' mean?"
The class: "'Shit outta luck.'"
Prof. Miles: "I walked right into that one."

Captain Planet

          From 4 to 6:30 a.m., I couldn't get to sleep and was forced to move to the couch before I finally passed out. This was followed by one of "those" mornings -- this time, trying to put on a shirt over a hat. Class was tense for me; Abraham wasn't kidding about Prof. Dukakis picking on people who were absent the previous day. Judging by the way he grilled me, I must be a real expert on the environment. I was quickly unconscious after walking home and dreamed of high school. In the first phase, a whimsical gathering in the band room soon turned into widespread panic as we got word that active shooters were loose in the school. I didn't even have time to steel myself before the vignette was over. I was running to catch a bus to a track meet and nearly missed it. At the meet (possibly at Tri-Valley?) I was selected to run the 3200, and got in a nasty argument with a rival on another team. Once I was awake, I ate ice cream and watched The Social Network with Alaric and Iris. The last time I saw it was in freshman year, and this time I paid more attention. The atmosphere is foreboding throughout -- I found myself thinking about Sodom and Gomorrah, or perhaps the Tower of Babel. The business scenes feel too good to be true, the party scenes are almost creepy, and the personal interactions between Zuckerberg and the people he encounters are just depressing. Andrew Garfield is fantastic as Eduardo Saverin, and you have to feel sorry for him; Jesse Eisenberg is both very human and very easy to hate as Mark Zuckerberg. Justin Timberlake's douchey rendition of Sean Parker (a Northeastern alumnus!) creates contrast. The dialogue is sometimes insightful and often hilarious: "I'm 6'5", 220 and there's two of me!" The soundtrack, crafted by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, enhances the movie without being distracting or overbearing. Even after this I was full of energy, so I went for a run around midnight.
          Quotes of the day:
"I always loved seafood, ever since I was a kid. My Catholic friends hated it, mostly because their mothers had no idea how to cook it. It was the consistency of mucilage." - Prof. Dukakis
"You ever have Greek-style fish? Tomatoes, peppers, olives, onions..." - Prof. Dukakis

The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

          Today was a serious slump for me. I missed PPA because I stupidly forgot to turn on my alarm. I somehow also forgot two assignments for today's R&P class: a position paper (lost cause), and my selection of a priest for my interview project (hopefully I can stall on this one.) Almost immediately after class, I left for the Prison Book Program. I was very tired but reasoned that skipping it would feel even more irresponsible. It was daylight when I reached Quincy, something I never experienced after the first Saturday I spent there. I bumped into another old guy who commented positively on my Rangers hat; this never gets old. I don't even mind when people mess with me for it, because it's pleasant to meet a kindred soul -- even if they root for a turd of a team. PBP was a mediocre time; I made forced small talk with a young woman from Boston Cares and the middle-aged volunteer who was in charge for the night threw shade on me for being a Northeastern student. ("I guess you guys have an okay hockey program...") The best parts of the day were yet to come: what my notes refer to as "fucking super AC" on the train back to Mass Ave, and a nap on the couch.
          Quotes of the day:
"Hey, remember that election that Al Gore maybe won?" - Prof. Miles
"They're hiding so much that you can't see them when I'm writing them on the board." - Prof. Miles, re: Boko Haram/dead markers

And Every Secret Code

          I was super sleepy in PPA today, not uncommon given the ungodly hour and lecture-heavy nature of the class. The respective fanbases of the Rangers and Habs are being consumed by an argument over whether Kreider crashed into Price on purpose (the footage shows that he didn't, but hey...) For some reason, Montreal coach Michel Therrien declined to play backup goalie Peter Budaj (who ended the Bruins' 12-win streak) in favor of the astonishingly talented Dustin Tokarski, a third stringer who is practically still in diapers; the game was a bitter 3-1 win for the Rangers. Iris went to the gym for the first time and was accompanied by me, Alaric and Sean. She and I then watched Zodiac, which is a frustratingly inconclusive but extremely well-crafted and creepy murder mystery. Highlights of the movie: Any time Robert Downey Jr. is on screen; the diner scene; the basement scene. I went out for a run later but was stricken with the knee pain that plagued me during track.
          Quotes of the day:
"It's not a bad place to spend a post-gubernatorial 4 or 5 months." - Prof. Dukakis
"Never create a 500-person task force, folks." - Prof. Dukakis
...
Sean: "...If I had my druthers."
Me: "Sean is Atticus Finch."
Alaric: "Sean has druthers."

John Tortorella

          After sleeping in, Iris and I went to Jared's for Game of Thrones, a wonderful episode in which one of my least favorite characters met their end and one of my favorites had a lot of screen time. Afterward, I went out for a speedy run around the Fens.
          Quote of the day:
"The most cockblocked guy ever." - Jared, re: Jorah Mormont

Let Them Fight

          Hung over doesn't really describe how I felt at council the morning after Sabrina's party. I just tried not to move and drank extreme amounts of water to curb my raging headache. I had recovered enough by evening to join Peter, Johnny, Iris, Alaric, and Matt S at the theater for the new Godzilla flick. (Aside: I, among others, almost universally refer to Matt S by his last name, but I will set aside comfort in the interest of privacy here.) I shared some very strange brownies baked by Peter -- he forgot some essential ingredient, they failed to rise and were oily and the consistency of taffy -- before sitting back to enjoy the movie.
          I'd say this one warranted a 6.5 out of 10, taking into account that it's pretty dumb, but is also a kaiju film so that's to be expected. Pros of Godzilla: Giant rampaging monsters. A small number of impressively artful shots. "Let them fight!" - Ken Watanabe. KW's obvious in-universe Godzilla fanaticism. Fake science. Bryan Cranston (but only in the first half.) Body count. The guy from Kick-Ass. "GOJIRA!!!" Quality CGI. Interesting historical revision. Bright blue radioactive flame breath. Cons of Godzilla: Its marketing as a Bryan Cranston film when he is only in part of the movie. Wooden acting by most of the cast. Classic "nuke 'em all" trope -- see Iron Giant, The Avengers. Plot holes and head scratchers aplenty (example: the part where the hero just hops on a military train without any identification.) Way too many "monster is really close and possibly about to eat the protagonist" moments for them to be very suspenseful.
          Later, Nathan hosted me, Ariel, Iris, Alaric, and Julia for a couple of movies and their associated drinking games (since lost to time): Spirited Away, which a couple of us had not seen before, and Inception. Alaric, Julia and I followed this with a cigar walk after a few laps around the block with Nathan. Also, the Rangers beat the Habs in a flukey 7-2 win after Chris Kreider was tripped into Carey Price, the Habs' goalie. Price, also known as Jesus Price, is apparently injured and that means this series could get very bitter very quickly.
          Quote of the day:
"It would be bizarre if you were playing club sports or intramurals and a colorguard showed up." - Andy F
"Let them fight!" - John

Mutual Embalming

          Sabrina threw a quality party at West Village G, involving Peter, Johnny, Wyatt, Alaric, Sean, Iris, and lots of vices. Highlights: Snapchat; Alaric passing out in an Iron Man mask; talking politics with the very conservative Wyatt; Wyatt also telling me about the time he saw aliens.
          Quotes of the day:
"Instead of giving them 15 seconds, collectivize their agriculture and deport them to Siberia." - Wyatt
"Well, that was a first. I was dancing and Iris threw bananas at me." - Sean
"Iron Man is him and he is Iron Man." - John, re: Alaric
"She looks embalmed. Like a frickin' mummy or whatever." - John

Post Office Test

          On account of a scheduled flight, Prof. Dukakis had us all come in a half hour early, which sucked. I rushed through a position paper for R&P in 20 minutes, walked to West Village G only to have the printer there malfunction,  doubled back to Snell to print, and finally made it to class at least 15 minutes late. That also sucked. We had a messy debate therein regarding government interference in religious matters. I've been in more interesting arguments, mostly because one group was arguing that the government does "interfere" with religion in the semantic sense, which is a no-brainer anyway. That sucked mildly. After classes, Sean, Iris, Alaric, Lindsay, Jane, and Lauren gathered for a Pulp Fiction drinking game, and that was pretty fun.
          Quotes of the day:
"The genius of the American political system is: we will never know until it happens." - Prof. Miles
"I always go by the post office test. Do I get my mail that day or not?" - Prof. Miles
"Just pull out a gun. Jokingly. Anything to get the adrenaline going." - Sean
"Just have sky sex, like an eagle. And if you don't finish quickly enough, you die." - Sean

Let Em Hab It

Minor errors in the entry for 5/12/14 have been corrected.

           Remember the time I accidentally left my volume on before going to class and treated everyone to "You've Got Mail!™"? I did the same thing in PPA today, except instead of AOL, it was a clip from Mighty Ducks. I met with Prof. Dukakis in the afternoon to discuss potential paper subjects, and I came prepared with three: federal marijuana policy reform; hydraulic fracturing (not my preference, since I've been burnt out on the subject since Political Ecology); and general prison reform. He sort of blindsided me by encouraging the marijuana reform idea, relating a tangentially relevant story about poorly mixed prescription drugs.
          Later on, Alaric and I kept Nathan, Rachelle and Iris company as the Habs defeated the Bruins 3-1 in game 7, finishing the series on an authoritative note. Autopsy: The Bruins peaked too early. Chara was obviously gassed by the time playoffs rolled around, Boston's top scorers missed open nets and hit more pipes than Rob Ford, and Price simply overmatched Rask in goal. Injuries and short tempers only hurt the Bruins' cause -- see their end-game antics after a disgusting performance in game 6, not to mention Lucic's douchery in the handshake line following this game. There are tears on Boston's pillows tonight, and now it's Rangers v. Habs for the Eastern Conference.
           Alaric did a stats break for our bracket competition. Chelsea has already clinched last place in dramatic fashion, while Marcie somehow climbed out of the hole she dug early on. Three of us, including me, have no remaining chance at reward or punishment, which is kind of boring. A few people are still in the running for the top few spots, but most notable is goddamn Malcolm who is in 2nd place despite having the goddamn Blue Jackets winning the Stanley Cup. He's way ahead of the field purely on the strength of his Western Conference predictions, and it is pissing me off. (Not really -- it's actually pretty funny. But still!)
           Minutiae: I had an argument with Katie over Game of Thrones spoilers on Twitter. I maintain that GoT spoilers in any forum are a free ticket to a special circle of literary hell (unless they're in a designated forum and properly spoiler-tagged.) There is evidently disagreement on this point.
           Quotes of the day:
"Every time I see him, I say, 'You almost destroyed my political career in that squash match.'" - Prof. Dukakis
"I'm balding at the hands." - Iris


p.s. Here's a bonus rant that I chose not to post on facebook because it's preachy and annoying. I will post it here because it is something of a milestone for me. I finally unsubscribed from Humans of New York, and my level of facebook-induced anger is already much lower.

Humans of New York is pretty bad sometimes. Interview with someone who didn't go to school? 600 comments about how that's a better option than getting a formal education. Someone acts like a jerk? That's ok, you can't judge, they're a beautiful butterfly and you're the real jerk. Want to see Brandon Stanton get on his political soapbox/misquote people/cherry pick? You got it. To quote Larry Summers: "THERE ARE IDIOTS. Look around."

DISCO DAN IS DEAD; or, BYE BYE BYLSMA

          Today, I was reflecting on my conversation with Alaric regarding the societal importance of sports. They're a relatively secure outlet for aggression, they provide a sense of community, and they just give people something else to think about. Iris and I cooked calamari and spaghetti before going to Nathan's for game 7 of the NYR/PIT series. After a record nine games in fifteen days, after getting beat up and down the block, the Rangers pulled through to stun the Penguins in a 2-1, biting-my-nails-so-hard-my-knuckles-were-halfway-down-my-throat winning effort. "We light it up with our hands up/This is how we roll/This is how we do..."
          Quotes of the day:
"If you truly believe in the death penalty, then you should take upon yourself that entire responsibility." - Prof. Miles
"This is not the ayatollah of Iran. This is Jerry Falwell, Southern Baptist." - Prof. Miles
Discussing a (broken) projector...
Guy in class: "That is old school."
Prof. Miles: "I wanted to show off that I knew how to use it..."

Roose Bolton

          As per usual, I went into PPA poorly rested and quite unprepared, and it didn't make a lick of difference. In the evening, I went to Nathan's with Alaric, Iris, Rachelle, Erika, and her friend Lizzie to watch the Habs close the door on the Bruins in game 6, 4-0. Game 7 looks like it's gonna be a shit show; I am 100% psyched. No one saw this coming, but damn, is it a pleasant feeling. Not only is it gratifying to see the Bruins dead in the water after winning the President's Trophy by a head, I'm also much more confident that the Rangers can beat Montreal, should we advance to the conference final. After the game, Alaric and I watched the entertaining but ultimately weird Iron Man 3, with an appreciable showing by Sir Ben Kingsley. The performance of the bratty child character, starring in his very own, hugely unnecessary subplot was less enjoyable.
          Quotes of the day:
"Versace! All star sauce, 50 in '07!" - me
"...SpongeHab Scorepants..." - me
...
Rachelle: "Sidney Crosby needs to take a Matt Cooke to the knee."
Me: "Matt Cooke needs to take a Matt Cooke to the career."

The Ghost of Columbus Past

          Another Sunday means another long, productive session of Super Smash Bros. I went grocery shopping with Nathan, Iris and Alaric in the late afternoon and had LOTS OF FUN trying to return a multitude of cans and bottles. I hadn't figured on not being able to return any of the alcohol containers at Stop & Shop, but there was also stuff like Goya soda that they definitely sell. Still, getting rid of some of the recyclables was better than not reducing the stockpile at all. Back at home, we watched the Rangers take game 6, 3-1, to even the score with Shittsburgh! I kept the faith during the darkest hour of this series, and now it looks like we could survive it. Key to a Rangers victory: New York's grinders need to continue to keep Crosby from producing and the Penguins defensemen need to continue to act like morons. Iris and I went to Jared's to watch one of the best Game of Thrones episodes yet, which could have been billed as featuring both #ClassicTywin and #ThatsSoTyrion. We then headed back to Nathan's to watch the Blackhawks beat the Wild 2-1 and take the series lead. After crying a little bit, I went home and fell asleep instead of reading for PPA.
          Quote of the day:
Nathan: "We should start an Iris swear jar."
Alaric: "And give Iris the proceeds?"

X-Men: Thirst Class

          Alaric, Iris and I shared pizza and played Super Smash Bros. before settling on a movie to drink to. We chose X-Men: First Class, which I'd heard was the best of the series so far. In the same vein as recent movies, we designed a ten-item drinking game with conditions culled from Internet wisdom. Examples: every time Professor X touches his temple; any instance of trolling by Erik/Magneto; any time you hear the word "mutant" or "mutation". I may start uploading these lists if we keep cooking them up. Returning to the story, we mixed up a fruity and delectable drink in Iris's mini Hello Kitty bowl and shared it through straws. The drink has since been dubbed the Hello Shitty on the merits. First Class was not the amazing film I was hoping for -- it is at this point that I reveal my former X-Men fanhood -- but it was great to drink to. The various Nazi revenge sequences were easily my favorite part, but then, Magneto is one of the few quality X-Men characters. Also, parallels with my affection for Captain America are noted. The Professor X paralysis scene was executed relatively well for such a goofy movie. I take back the part about the Nazi scenes being the best; that distinction truly goes to the freaky Azazel's terrorism of the CIA compound. (Drink every time someone says "CIA"...) Villain evaluation: Kevin Bacon's nose was distracting at times. January Jones stared blankly into the camera -- that was actually another one of the drinking conditions. Azazel wore a sailor's hat and the third-string tornado villain guy had no dialogue at all. Jennifer Lawrence pouted a lot as Mystique, stuff happened, some other stuff happened. Something about moving a coin...
          Once the lot of us were sufficiently turnt, we headed to Hayley's place for David's 20th birthday party. In typical Dave fashion, the party was full of super cool people none of us had met before, and just chatting with everyone was fun. There was music and dancing, some quantity of liquor, walls were grabbed, and so on. Sean walked a reeling Nathan home; Alaric and I went for a detour with a cigar and German chocolate, and eventually ended up just sitting in a random neighborhood and taking in the surroundings.
          Quotes of the day:
"Time to get Helloooooooo Shitty!" - Alaric
"It tastes fancy." - Sean

Don't Believe the Hype

          I got up at 6 a.m., unheard of for a Friday. Prior to this I had two dreams: In the first, I was alone in a dark town, perhaps around 2 a.m. I had a few beers and then drove drunk on a motorcycle, crashing into objects and falling over now and again. With streetlights to keep me company, I wandered until I came to a weedy backyard, filled with unidentifiable metal hulks overgrown with grasses and rust. The mechanic who owned the yard allowed me to pass through his backdoor; I walked into the house, through the living room where the man, his wife, and their two sons were watching an old, black and white TV set, and out the front door. The second dream was shorter: I was in the center of a crumbling, decrepit theater with its former majesty peeling off the walls. I wore a white coat and was alone except for the person unconscious on a table in front of me, and I was cutting off his legs with a butter knife. The man didn't cry out or show pain, and it really wasn't even scary, but I did find myself wondering about anesthesia.
          Alaric just got back from a trade show in Houston, so we went to Symphony Sushi with Iris and Sean. We ate a lot of food, talked about Bruce Springsteen, and got psyched over the Rangers' stalling win over the Penguins in game 5 of Round 2. I don't expect them to make it out of this series, but not getting destroyed would be preferable. (Due in part to idiotic scheduling, New York dropped the second, third and fourth games and are on the ropes for elimination.) After dinner, we threw a little party with Jared, Nathan and Erika, during which Erika took her first shots ever.
          Quotes of the day:
"Somebody get out of my way." - Alaric
"Hold on, I gotta get in between your legs real quick." - Sean

The Tenth Plague

          I slept late and missed PPA, because instructions to miss at least one class in the first week of each semester are apparently hardwired into my brain. Religion & Politics (hereafter referred to as R&P) was as excellent as last time. When classes were over, I met Sean for a quiet evening at PBP. Brian has issued me a cold water challenge, in which one has to jump into a cold body of water or donate $100 to charity, and I intended to do it tonight but fell asleep instead.
          Quotes of the day:
"We're gonna have to meet again in 10 years, I forgot to put that in the syllabus." - Prof. Miles
"Who was the Moses saying to the evil pharaoh of England, 'Let my people go!'?" - Prof. Miles
"Don't drive drunk. Unless your father is in the CIA. If you remember one thing from Religion & Politics, remember that." - Prof. Miles
"It comes down to sex. Everything comes down to sex." - Prof. Miles, re: original sin
"When you look at it through the green-colored lenses..." - Sean, re: conspiracy theories
"All I'm saying is if Andy wants to do something stupid, I'm gonna go along to make sure he executes it properly." - Sean
...
Sean: "They're gonna empower it."
Me: "They're gonna build an archway to diversity."

"It's better this way. We are, both of us, out of time."

          I was up at 6:30 a.m. to read about civil rights for Public Policy & Administration (henceforth, PPA) and actually get through the assigned reading for once. We discussed suffrage in class, and I found myself thinking about convicted felons' lack of the right to vote. It doesn't make sense that they should be treated like enemies of the state even after serving their sentences, but looking beyond that, how can someone be deprived of one of the most important and basic political rights and still feel like a real citizen? Voting rights are obviously not an end-all solution, but not treating former offenders like the eternal scum of society can only help. Right? After class, Sean and I emptied everything out of the fridge into the minifridge/on to the counter/into an improvised icebox, and I smashed a great deal of ice that had built up over the pump in the back. I then read a long case brief in size 4 font for PPA -- Dukakis has assigned us the irritating task of submitting a question on each case by 5 p.m. the night before we discuss it, as if no work is done in the evening. R&P gets out at 5, meaning that on those days, I have to rush and do the question in between instead of taking time to eat and unwind. He doesn't even respond to the questions!
          I saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier with Iris, and it rocks. I still hold that the Captain America franchise is the best out of the Avengers collective, and this movie did not disappoint. I'll reserve commentary on the plot for fear of spoiling it, so I'm only offering random thoughts here. The whole film is rife with treachery, plot twists, and shady dealings, perfect for a SHIELD vs. Hydra scenario. I appreciated Batroc's inclusion in the opening minutes, and the entire intro scene is a hot mess of superspy asskickery. Dr. Zola's return appearance made me very happy; Scarlet Johansson's new hairdo did not, but she's still Ms. Fanservice. I spent practically the entire movie trying to figure out who Frank Grillo's character was supposed to be, concluding by the end that he might be a revamped Baron Zemo. (I was a little off -- he's apparently a revamped Crossbones, or at least shares the name of that character.) The animated credit sequence was unbelievably cool and worth another look. Cut off one head, and two will take its place. Hail Hydra! Later on, I went to Julia's for homemade pizza and a smoke session with her and Stephanie, and hilarity ensued. Steph had a laughing fit on the carpet, we discussed various social issues like race and class, and I submitted what I'd call a "redaction poem" to their collection (the poems are pages torn from a book with all but a few words blacked out.)
          Quotes of the day:
"Got something to say, boy?" - Iris
"Size is everything, sweetie." - Iris
"[Chief Justice] Warren was asked why we weren't locking up German Americans and Italo-Americans -- they were fighting us too. He replied, 'Well, when you look into the eyes of a Jap, you don't know what he's really thinking.' That's a quote! Can you believe this? That was the U.S. of A., folks. That was the U.S. that I grew up in." - Prof. Dukakis
"There's no legs!" - Stephanie, rolling around on the floor
"I have like 5 of the most sinister books on hold for me at the library right now. Heh heh heh." - Julia
"Guys, why am I so wise?" - Stephanie
"You're fat and unstylish." - Stephanie
"I was born ugly, then I got cute, then I got ugly again, and then I grew up." - Julia
"You break the rules. Like, in a safe way. But you break the rules." - Stephanie, re: Julia

Basket Case

          I spent a lot of money on books for the two classes I'm taking this summer semester, including a $100+ nonreturnable classpac for Prof. Dukakis, and it was agitating. Also, I had my classes purged because I didn't fill out I Am Here, but was fortunately not alone and managed to slide back into my classes with no harm done. I churned out a quick one-pager and skimmed the reading for Public Policy & Administration -- not the best start, especially given that I was tired enough to need caffeinated chocolates from the bookstore. As it turns out, the reading doesn't seem to matter much; Prof. Dukakis often takes the discussion in directions the reading doesn't cover, and he likes to rehash all of the material anyway. We spent a good portion of the class discussing the de-privatization of passenger rail, an issue he is very concerned about.
          I attended the first Religion & Politics class of the semester, and already, my impressions are overwhelmingly positive. The classroom itself kind of sucks: we're meeting in 209 Kariotis, a stuffy, strangely wedge-shaped room with only two or three electrical outlets. Cigarette smoke drifted in the window, and I became progressively more tired throughout the class. In the last ten minutes, I lost the fight against sleep in spite of a desperation Red Bull, but up until then everything was hunky dory. The class discussion is already shaping up to be awesome, and I'm already going hard on that front. With a slight air of "mad scientist" and a wacky combover, Prof. Miles reminds me slightly of Prof. Feinstein, but he is an expressive and captivating speaker. He has a way of holding the class in his thrall -- he'll say something in a low voice, and typing stops. He delivers points with a passionate, dramatic style that builds almost to a shout, then drops back down to a whisper, and you can sense people listening very carefully. Some interesting figures were produced on the state of religion in America, such as this one: 42% of people in the U.S. think that life has existed, unchanged, since the beginning of time. After class, I chatted with Abraham, a soft-spoken fellow survivor of U.S. Congress, and Ibis, who I understand is Katie's friend and is in both of my classes this semester. Later on, I skipped going to the Prison Book Program to take a short nap and catch up with Logan, whose personal life has been all over the place recently.
          Quotes of the day:
"When I got elected governor in 1974, the MBTA was an absolute basket case." - Prof. Dukakis
"I don't forbid people from eating. Particularly carrots -- that's very healthy." - Prof. Miles
"I can reveal to you that my deepest identity is... a member of Red Sox Nation." - Prof. Miles
"The robes are supposed to send us a message that they are not human beings with prejudices and values and ideas about the real world." - Prof. Miles, re: the Supreme Court
"This is also known as the Marxian theory of crack cocaine." - Prof. Miles
"If you- when you have a problem with Blackboard..." - :Prof. Miles
"Believe me, I know when it's not class related. Nobody knows it, but Northeastern has a subscription with the NSA." - Prof. Miles
"No cheating for the interview assignment. No one is allowed to interview a prophet, or someone who claims to be God." - Prof. Miles
"This is the problem with teaching this class in Massachusetts. Angels don't come here." - Prof. Miles

It's Tricky

          I had my first class with Professor Dukakis, and I don't know what to think yet. He's mildly intimidating and definitely carries himself like a statesman, but is also 80 years old and repeats himself a lot. He is prone to tangents and little anecdotes about his political career, but also has a wealth of knowledge about policy and law. He vehemently advises against law school for students who don't want to practice law, and likes to cast barbs at ideologically opposed successors and certain federal administrations. (In this first session, he already said that military interventions are "very tricky, people. Very tricky," twice. Did I mention the repetition?) Our final project is a huge policy paper that I'm already dreading.
          Quote of the day:
"I envision lumberjacks as being hairy." - Iris

The Ladder

          On my way home from West Village a few nights ago, I watched a guy up on Behrakis's right-hand stairs getting a talking to from three or four police officers. I found an abandoned phone under a bench nearby, so I ended up returning that today. I dropped in at Nathan's "May the 4th Be With You" Star Wars marathon at Shillman, since The Empire Strikes Back is my favorite of the series and also because Nathan crafted a cookie cake decorated like the Death Star + a visiting Sara baked snickerdoodles. Iris and I went to Jared's for Game of Thrones as well, continuing our weekly ritual. Later on, I went out running for the first time in a few weeks.
          Quote of the day:

"Ser Pounce one day will sit the Iron Throne." - David (Jared's roommate)

Self Destruct

          Jared threw a small party in Burstein, which turned out a little weird because the person I knew best was an old acquaintance from freshman year. Iris and I bailed in short order to meet Johnny and Peter for one last early-morning meeting of the minds.

Notes for this entry were lost, or were possibly never taken to begin with.

Dundabolt Ross

          I made a trip to ECPM to deposit our rent for the month, but they closed inexplicably early and left me standing around in the lobby with my dick in my hand. I tried to help Sabrina organize as she packed to go home, though perhaps with less efficacy than last time. When this was out of the way, we met up with Peter and John to smoke, drink and hang out for the last time for a while. We struggled at Pokemon Stadium on the N64, Sabrina made me proud by stealing some of her bitchy roommate's whiskey with no remorse, and when Peter and Sabs left, Johnny and I spent at least an hour and a half waging Nerf shootouts.
          Quote of the day:
"This one was more useful for rolling joints than anything, honestly." - Johnny