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| ABOVE ALL ELSE, I fear Alzheimer's disease. That is the ultimate death, which won't kill me for decades but, over the course of years and years, once I get older, I'll start fading away... losing my mind, which is the most precious thing I have. It's my self, where my deepest identity is... I won't go "crazy" (at least not in an interesting way), just start losing myself. Slowly, slowly, and not even recognize it until one day something makes me look at my habits and the way I write or something, and I'll suddenly realize that for the last few years I've been gradually losing it.
Fortunately, there are actually things I can do to counter it; but in the end, it'll get me. Hopefully, my prediction is correct and before I lose it all I'll do the accidental-suicide thing (an 80-year-old woman + a big mountain + "hey, what if I can fly?").
I think what sparked this particular confession is that I recently reread Flowers for Algernon. What an amazing book. It does remind me of my inherited mortality, though... | | |
| Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.
I'm contemplating making my junior year extremely stressful and weird. It is possible -- not at all sane, but possible -- for me to take Spanish literature, Russian readings, and second-year Chinese all in one semester (plus Chemistry). I would then spend the winter term dealing with a massive backlog of distribution requirements. It's so tempting. But I might destroy myself. Oh God...
I kind of want to do it just to see the looks on people's faces when they ask what I'm taking.
In other news, on Sunday I cease to be a teenager. Also weird, though much less stressful, and certainly not a choice I have to make. | | |
| TEE HEE HEE
Life's amazing. I went canoeing, and saw Paprika, which was gorgeous. Also, I'm really excited for the weekend after next... there shall be camping... and party (with interesting clothes)... and free stuff. It shall be most, most excellent. Also, relatives who don't know what to get me will send me delicious money. :D
Near-daily squirrel-feeding continues. Making the Diag squirrels yet more fat and tame. Ah well. It's quite amusing; they take food from our fingers. This is during the 2-hour lunch/study break that is usually spent in near-complete idleness. I need a job... this summer I'm actually DOING stuff, and though that often involves Arb-wandering, wading across the river, climbing trees, or other free activities, there's also thrifting and movies. Aagh. Someday soon, I'll get a job... really I will.
Stars when you shine, you know how I feel... | | |
| Belief in a Higher Power taught to our school children will increase discipline in our public schools, thus increase our economy.
Religion in schools makes America rich! :)
Seems to be related to one of my most loathed reasons that evangelists give to believe in God. "Finally," they say, settling into Lecturing Mode to declaim this undebatable fact, "if you're right and God doesn't exist, nothing happens. But if I'M right and he DOES exist, then you're going to hell for eternity!" So basically, we should believe in God because it's in our own best interest, purely out of selfishness (part of why I find "hell" an abhorrent concept anyway)... not because we think there exists a higher power, not because we want to serve others, not because we're searching for knowledge of truth, but because it's safer that way. Yay religious extortion.
Also -- I saw Day Watch last night, and it was AMAZING BUT AMAZING. I've loved Night Watch since I saw it last fall (because of Russian class), and this one was just as awesome. They do incredible effects and have a style all their own; plus, this one has different music -- keeping some of the techno but adding a lot of piano and guitar (or some similar instrument, really cool-sounding). Also the credits are really cool. All in all, rent Night Watch and then go see this. Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh so pretty. | | |
| New hero: Judge Reggie Walton, who is presiding over the Libby case. In response to an amicus brief filed in Libby's favor by 12 impressive names in law, he seems to have become tired of the support that pours forth (seemingly) without payment, to keep an old rich guy out of jail. And takes it as a sign of better times: surely they will continue to attest, unpaid, to the merit of anyone who needs it in future trials! Like that poor Hispanic kid who was just hauled in for whatever crime...
"It is an impressive show of public service when twelve prominent and distinguished current and former law professors of well-respected schools are able to amass their collective wisdom in the course of only several days to provide their legal expertise to the Court on behalf of a criminal defendant. The Court trusts that this is a reflection of these eminent academics' willingness in the future to step to the plate and provide like assistance in cases involving any of the numerous litigants, both in this Court and throughout the courts of our nation, who lack the financial means to fully and properly articulate the merits of their legal positions even in instances where failure to do so could result in monetary penalties, incarceration, or worse. The Court will certainly not hesitate to call for such assistance from these luminaries, as necessary in the interests of justice and equity, whenever similar questions arise in the cases that come before it."
The best thing about it is that this is the footnote appended to his actual ruling, which is only five lines long and much more succinct. | | |
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