TU Cent Thoughts, 2-20-06

[greybeta]

New graphics editor
The Collegian hired a new graphics editor, Austin Hines. He is my hero. Layout puzzles are much easier to solve when you can go "Hey, Austin, could you redraw this image to be bigger so it will fill up all the space?" and he responds "I'd love to do it!"

He knows his way around Photoshop and Indesign, and he cares about the quality of his graphics. My job just got significantly less burdensome.

Plus he put on a nice additional touch to my TU Cent Thought comic, which I will have to post sometime later this week. :D

Killed on a test
I made a 71 on the in-class essay in my hardest class, American Political Development. I simply misunderstood the question.

That, and I didn't write enough. I never write enough for in-class essays because for some reason my brain locks up on trying to find the right word. My senior AP English teacher always wrote "MORE!" in big red letters on my timed writings but I never learned.

I'm stubborn like that.

Meeting with one of four vice presidents
The News Editor has been trying to get his writers to take on an article about the budget, but no one wanted to do it since that would mean confronting administration. I decided to take on the article, since I figure as Opinion Editor I'm supposed to draw the fire of criticism anyways.

So tomorrow afternoon I'm meeting with the vice president of finances, as well as the director of the physical plant to go over the questions that the News Editor wants answered. I suppose I am the best man for the job, since I'm curious to know how administration will respond to my questions.

Verse of the Day
"O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you."
~Isaiah 30:19

Convos of the Day
HV: So that's what I think.
D2: I don't know, I've heard that socio...
HV: Dude, you're doing it again! You always quote others' opinions. Why don't you quote your own for once?

Quote of the Day
"Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don't risk anything, you risk even more."
~Erica Jong, as quoted by the Blue Hen on her Facebook

Link of the Day
Mark Rosewater, head designer of Magic: The Gathering, writes about half of the life's lessons that he has learned. Sure, there's some card design theory that you can skip over, but the part where Rosewater describes life's lessons is worth its weight in gold.

(Although, I'm not sure how much pixels on a computer screen weigh)

Sports Report
That behind-the-backboard dunk that Andre Iguodala completed at the All Star Slam Dunk contest was ABSOLUTELY incredible. The judges robbed him of the slam dunk title.

Brokeback Mountain
It's going to win Best Picture. The steam it's picked up is too great for the Academy to deny it.

Chai tea is the best
I don't drink coffee, but I love ordering chai tea from coffee places. Mmmmm, chai tea.

Dilemma
An old friend has invited me to their birthday party. Their bday party is pretty much going to be about drinking. I don't drink.

Alternatively, I could go to a Magic tournament that I've been planning to go for a month now. Another friend has also committed, though I could force the other friend to go with me to the other friend's bday party because we're cool like that.

What do you suggest as D2's course of action, fine readers?

Comments

[moocowrich.livejournal.com]

My favorite thing about the college I'm at is that we don't really have to 'confront' the administration. We only have 1200 students, and I guess I'm what one would call a 'student leader'. So I already know everyone in the administration. Everyone calls each other by their first name here as well. Very few people here are afraid of confronting the administration. The administration just sort of expects it.

Sorry, I just love my college too much. Haha.

I've got nothing to offer in the realm of party advice. Seems like a tough spot to be in. I guess it depends how much you like being around a bunch of drunk people. The impression I get is that you don't really care for it. So Magic it up?

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

Magicking it up seems to be the way to go, as I'm pretty sure drinking does not appeal to me (especially when there's a "do not drink alcohol" warning label on my meds).

[purplkat.livejournal.com]

Re: Your dilemma, if I were in your situation (which applies, since I also don't drink, and since almost all of my friends do), I'd tell your friend that I appreciate the invitation, but I don't drink and I'm really not very comfortable at drinking parties. They're dull if you're sober, and I'm also really not very happy around drunk people. I'd make sure to offer to treat said friend for lunch or something if necessary to soften the blow a bit and make it clear that it's not them you're trying to avoid or put second.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

Buying him lunch is a great idea. I think that will work best for all parties involved. :)

[cieo.livejournal.com]

Did your Magic friend commit to the tournament based on your participation? If so, then it's messed up to leave that person hanging.

Go to whichever function you agreed to go to first. Alternatively, go to the tournament but try to show your face at the party for a little bit to drop off presents/do what you have to do.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

The thing is that my Magic friend is part of the same high school circle, so it wouldn't be hard to change things around (the friend whose bday is this weekend just recently quit Magic).

The problem with going to the tournament and then the party is that the tournament is in Oklahoma City and the party is in Fayetteville, which are three and a half hours apart.

[kmg-365.livejournal.com]

My senior AP English teacher always wrote "MORE!" in big red letters on my timed writings but I never learned.


But sometimes less is more. Why write a 1,000 word essay when a 200 word essay would be just as effective, if not moreso?

My recommendation: go to the birthday party early, before people get too drunk. Then as the party ramps up you can bail to the Magic tournament.

Having been to a few drinking parties where I didn't drink, I can say that they are generally teh suXX0r. Especially if you are the only one not drinking.

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

But sometimes less is more. Why write a 1,000 word essay when a 200 word essay would be just as effective, if not moreso?
Because it's a timed writing, where quantity matters as much as quality does. That's not to say that quantity outweighs quality, but the more you write the more you understand the question. Or something like that, I never really understood timed writings.

The Magic tournament is more of an all day thing, and if I wanted to go to both I would have to make a three and a half hour drive from the tournament site to the bday party, and that's assuming that I don't do well. I'm heavily favoring the Magic tournament at the current moment because it seems like I will have more fun that way.

[kmg-365.livejournal.com]

Because it's a timed writing, where quantity matters as much as quality does.

Hmmm...I was never given one of those tests. As a communications major (emphasis on journalism and broadcasting), brevity was hammered into us on a constant basis ;-)

I'm heavily favoring the Magic tournament at the current moment because it seems like I will have more fun that way.


Speaking from experience (the drinking party, not the Magic tournament), I think it is safe to say that you would have more fun that way, too.