A few random thoughts

-The Blue Book is kind of stupid. It could be WAY more straight forward. I like the AP Style book; that thing made sense, and was way less pedantic.
-Oxford should really get an Olive Garden. I would love some breadsticks and a strong Long Island Iced Tea right now.
-I hate writing flash cards.
-School is dumb.
-I really wish Herb hadn't left the guitar for Guitar Hero in Gulfport, though it probably is a very good thing.
-Marie's Lebanese restaurant is DELICIOUS.
-I think I'd like to take up pottery.

No One Wants My State

Well, that's not exactly true. Coach O probably wanted my state, but my state didn't want him, so he's headed out. I pray we don't get Terry Bowden, because trading enthusiastic but clueless for someone with a famous last name who is clueless without being at least funny in a Hummer commercial simply isn't worth it.

The rumor mill is already functioning at its highest possible speed regarding Trent Lott. In the past 5 hours since I heard he was retiring, it's been speculated that he's going to be everything from the next Chancellor, to a lobbyist, to a fry cook on Venus. Whatever he ends up doing, we can be sure of one thing - the man's hair will not change or even move. Bless him and his patronage of the Paul Mitchell product line.

So, right now, speculation is the theme of the day in Oxford. Between who will be our next head football coach (which will be regarded as the most important issue in the world) and who will be our new Senator (which is actually a way more important question, which way less people will care about), there should be enough gossiping and rumor-spreading to make even the most serious gossips delight with glee.

Doesn't it feel like Christmas has come early?

We Rock SO Hard

Today, there was a story in the DM that rocked my face off so hard that I had to say something about it. Apparently, the music fraternity on campus has been suspended for hazing.

Now, I like to think that I am very knowledgeable about what goes on at my Great American Public University, but I had no clue we even had a music fraternity, let alone that any music fraternity in any realm of the universe was capable of hazing someone. What on earth could that possibly entail? Forcing people to listen to Barry Manilow, like they did with Manuel Noriega (which, by the way, was a strategy that was tried again in Australia this summer)? Or was it more traditional hazing, like they made you binge drink then lick the bottom of their shoes or something? Did they beat the crap out of pledges? And who they hell would do that to get in the bloody music fraternity?

I have to be honest; I'm really intrigued by this whole thing. And again, it further sustains Ole Miss' status as the number 2 party school in the country (we also have the number 9 college newspaper, according to Princeton Review, which is a completely tangential subject, but also pretty awesome). We party so hard that even the music fraternity is put on suspension.

Victory - It Tastes Like Chicken

Well, today, Ole Miss Football won it's third game this year. For the first time in six years, I was in town for the game and did not attend it; it's damn cold. I love my Rebels and all (I, unlike many haters and soul-less bandwagoners, sat all the way through the 7 overtime Arkansas game a few years ago, as well as the soul-crushing loss to Arkansas just a few weeks ago. That's loyalty!), but we all deserve a break.

I honestly feel a little guilty about not going; my mother has instilled in me a sense of responsibility in attending football games, tugging at my heartstrings and blatantly exploiting my soft spot for the plight of the athlete (I am unreasonably moved by all sports movies, even the third installment of the Mighty Ducks Trilogy). I try to argue back that they don't have it all that bad, and that here I am, having graduated Phi Beta Kappa, and I still have undergrad student loan debt, and I really shouldn't feel that bad for them. Not to mention the fact that I never saw anybody coming to cheer for me when I was doing a Mock Trial round or writing my damned honors thesis. She just scowls at me when I say this, like I have no heart whatsoever, and she makes me feel like I've just punted all the world's kittens and am an incredibly bad person.

Anyway, Hotty Toddy, we won something. Thank goodness. I'm not yet entirely compelled to call for Coach O's head on a platter (though I still maintain we pulled the trigger on Cutcliffe far too quickly); I've been an Ole Miss fan since birth, so losing doesn't feel all that foreign or bad to me, honestly. What some people don't understand is that losing is sort of our default state, and everyone was spoiled a few years ago on our glorious 10-3 season, topped off with the Cotton Bowl victory. That year was amazing, partly because we hadn't had something like that happen for 30 years. My point is, I'm ok with Coach O getting the fourth season that he's undoubtedly going to get (what with Pete Boone's near proclamations of undying love and devotion). But if things are still on the slide next year...well, it'll be time to get the U-Haul rented for Coach O, and I'm sure he knows that.

On a different note, I made Rotel Chicken for lunch, and it is a wonderful thing. It is easy to make, and delicious.

Happy Birthday, Friends O' Mine!

I send out the most lovely and wonderful birthday wishes to both Alan and Ben. I went to their birthday party today, and it rocked my face off. Props also go to James, who, bless his dear heart, brought us supplies when we had run out of them.

Also, i've been thinking about it, and the Spice Girls' getting back together is kind of making my day. I hated them when I was in the 6th Grade and they were cool, but people seem genuinely excited about it, and bless them, really. I must confess, however, that the lyrics, "If you wanna be my lover/You gotta get with my friends" has always struck me as odd. That's just...weird. You gotta get with my friends? In my universe, "get with" is not something you want your boyfriend to do with your friends. But maybe that's because I'm from the Delta. Every damned thing is weird in the Delta; it's completely different from Britain.

And speaking of Britain, Masterpiece Theatre is going to be devoted to Jane Austen next year. Jane Austen is amazing; I just finished Persuasion, and like everything else of hers that I've read, it rocked my face off. The only thing that comes near Jane Austen books is BBC/ITV adaptations of her works, and I can't wait to see them on MT. The TiVO is going to be fired up for those.

Lastly, I'd forgotten how much I loved Weezer. They are a damn good band I got to see live after my freshman year of college. Guitar Hero makes a person remember these things.

Guitar Hero III is LIFE

I don't know if you've played Guitar Hero, but if you haven't, you don't know what you are missing. It is ridiculous, and will eat your life away. While you play the game, you will fancy yourself as a truly excellent guitar player, which isn't remotely true, because playing Guitar Hero is nothing like actually playing a guitar.

I anticipate that I will have to hide the guitar from myself at some point before exams, so that I will not fail miserably, which would clearly be very, very bad.