Ain't No Cure...

Seriously. Hopeless. That's how I feel about the current 16-26 year old generation sometimes. Perhaps working in higher education has jaded me. I'd not be surprised if folks said the same thing about me and my generation a decade ago when we all started leaving the nests. I was probably way too smart for my own good, and, left to my own devices, probably would have screwed up somewhere along the way. I was one of the lucky ones, though. But that's another entry for another evening...

Seems like young people (younger than I am, i should specify) have this strange sense of entitlement. Or at least, that's what some are saying. That may certainly be true, but I think I have a different perspective. I don't think the typical college freshman isn't willing to work hard for her education. I just think she's a victim of the Information Age. That's right, I'm pulling out the lefty "victim" nomenclature. Sue me.

Think about it - the graduating high school class of 2010, since their collective adolescence, has never known a world without Internet, instant messaging, Google, most have been on Facebook for longer than they've been driving. They've never known a world without The Simpsons, cell phones, digital music downloads. Even traditional electronic mail is "old school" to them.

The point is, basically, two words - Instant Connectivity. Or, rather, Instant Gratification. They've always had anything or anyone they've ever wanted or needed AT ANY MOMENT at the literal click of a button (or even just by saying a name with voice recognition technology). Working, for them, is quite different from what it meant for me. In college, if I needed references for a paper, I went to the library. Today, students still go to the library, but it's all online. The tools we're developing to make our lives easier is making the next wave of college students increasingly more isolated and dependent on technology. What comes across as entitlement is actually just plain ol' ignorance. They don't know how to communicate with adults without mom or dad doing it for them. If they can't google (or bing or whatever) the resources they need for some academic endeavor, then they're lost. If a party isn't advertised on Facebook, then no one's going to know about it. I shudder to think how some of the social gatherings we had in my not-very-distant-at-all college days could have turned out if Facebook had been involved. The house on 286 would not have survived the Spring of 2002.

Perhaps I'm just jaded. In my line of work, the students I deal with more often than not are the ones that need special attention. The ones who "get it," the ones who don't fall victim to the pandemic of Instant Gratification, they don't really need to spend much time in my office. So maybe that's it. Like I said, people probably said the same kinds of things about my generation. And I look at me, and more so, some of my closest friends, and I think we've definitely got our acts together. Anyway, it was just time to rant. The Dog Days are here early and the end feels hopelessly far away.

Drill, Baby, Drill

Is anyone else getting depressed by the news about the Gulf Oil Spill? On the Nightly News on NBC tonight Brian Williams noted that this was the 26th time they had broadcast the news from Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina five years ago. Five times a year on average. And the fact that the news coming out about the rate at which the oil is leaking only makes it worse. It's a higher number almost everyday. I mean, how does this kind of thing happen? How does the government not require better safeguards? And the language in BP's response is pretty tacky, I think. Go read it. BP also agreed to hire the local fishermen who can't work now to help with the cleanup effort...under certain conditions.

Originally, the fishermen, by contract, weren't allowed to sue BP if they are injured on the job, and they also weren't allowed to disclose information to anyone regarding the type of work they're doing, or how bad the spill is, etc. Fortunately, a federal judge voided those contracts.

Anyway, I just had to rant about that. It's a really crappy deal, and I honestly am surprised it was able to get this bad.

Maybe I'm really just worried that it will affect my vacation in two weeks on the Florida panhandle.

JK. I'm not that shallow. Seriously.

In my hour of darkness...

Ever notice how Gram Parsons' songs are laced with religious reference? Seriously, just go listen to anything he ever recorded. It makes me wonder where he was spiritually. Was Christian guilt so ingrained in his psyche from childhood that he wrote the way he did? Or was he a true believer? Or (perhaps most likely) was he just chronicling what he saw as true Americana, making his Cosmic American Music? For better or for worse, I find it hard to believe that he wasn't drawing on some spiritual dilemma. I picture in my mind a very Jacobian wrestling match with God in the desert.

I find comfort in his lyrics. He speaks a lot of truth. And of course, lines like "20,000 roads/I went down, down, down/And they all led me/Straight back home to you" strike a chord.

And for anyone who reads or has read my posts from years past:

- I lived in Boston for almost two years. It was awesome, and I miss it sometimes (particularly Dunkin Donuts coffee).

- I quit smoking a year ago, when I got engaged. Not so hard, actually. After all that...

- I regret not keeping better record of my time in New England, but perhaps I will recount stories here from time to time.

- That is all. For now.

Hi. I'm Colin. Let's try this again. Again.

Hi. I'm Colin, and I'm going to start writing this blog again. For the third time. I think. I gave it up about a year and a half ago, but now I'm back. Hopefully I'll be more faithful. And eventually get some readers to discuss things with me!

A little background - I live in central Arkansas. I have the coolest wife, dog, house, and job. My wife is Marla. She's my only follower. Check her stuff out. Our dog Ruby is spoiled, but awesome. I work at the University of Central Arkansas as an Academic Advisor. That's about it. I'll start posting some things of substance soon, when I'm not at work. But for now, check out Don Miller's blog. He's linked under the section "inspiration at the click of a button..."

Thanks!

Resurrection

i have decided to start this business up again.  ok, really, i just remembered i had this thing.  took me five minutes to log in.  so from here on out, i'll try to do better.  but first, a brief update (bullet points!!!) - 

• i left boston in august 2008 and went home to little rock to work in the office of campus life at UALR.

•  i got engaged in december of 2008 to marla, who was kind enough to put up with me for 3 years, half of which i spent living 1300 miles away. 

• we are getting married june 6.  we bought a house in conway.  all of this is on facebook.  and myspace.  and here.

so that's all i got for now.  i'll maybe try to spread the word about this thing so folks can keep up.  i mean, i think i know literally ONE person who still uses this blog, and might read this at some point.  thanks, amy.  

not sure what will go on here that doesn't go on facebook already, but i'm sure i'll find something.

An Invitation to the Blues

now that summer is upon us, i will write here much more. the whirlwind that has been my new life in the city is finally blowing a little softer, affording me the opportunity to look back on what i've done these past few months. damn, i'm good. that's all i'll say.

i moved into a new apartment this weekend. i'm on the street side...windows opening up onto brookline avenue. it's been cool and rainy the last few days, and i've felt more urban in the last two days than i have since i got here. possibly because i've been listening to "small change" by tom waits. the man is amazing. i want to write songs like that.

i bought new sheets last night. they are chocolate colored and very soft. i can't wait to sleep on them. too bad i don't have anybody to experience them with me.

i've made friends with one of my coworkers who happens to be musical. perhaps it's the beginning of my next project. he plays keys. now i've just got to smoke 8 packs a day for the next six months and we could sound just like tom waits.

that's right. i'm still smoking. i've been to the doctor and had tests run. just to see how healthy i am. no signs of high cholesterol, diabetes, or vd. i'm money. so i think i can afford to keep smoking for a while.

this building doesn't have central air, so i have a window unit AC. it just kicked on and scared the shit out of me.

i have to iron a shirt for work tomorrow. i'm glad to be in boston, but this job thing is getting annoying. kind of like classes when i was in college.

Holy Bartender!

well, shit. it's been a while, huh? guess i could blame it on writer's block, but it's more like...broken leg and dislocated ankle. most everybody knows what happened (hell, most of you were there), but for those in the dark on this one...

i had an accident on new year's. slipped, fell, dislocated my ankle, broke my leg, broke my hall tree, almost killed my dog. that's the short of it. i had to have surgery to repair myself, twice. once to install some wicked hardware, once to remove some of it. all in all, i was delayed getting to boston by about six weeks. but i'm here now...

two weeks ago today i landed at logan international, and began what has thus far been an astoundingly COLD new life at Emmanuel College. Yes, the nighttime lows this week have averaged aroun five below with the wind chill. Days are not much better. i love the cold, but this is ridiculous. i'll quit bitching about it now. i know that's all i've done since i got here, but i haven't really had much else to talk about.

my job is fantastic, and actually (fingers crossed) seems like it will be pretty easy. it's basically everything i've been doing for nearly the last three years, but not as intense. and i get paid a shitload more to do it. about 3.75 shitloads more, to be exact. there are some things i'm having to learn to deal with, but they are not too terribly bad. i will now offer up a list of things that are "different" about this place (read...not as good as back home, but not bad enough to make me hate it):
1. Laundry costs three bucks a load, and not all of the dryers in my building work.
2. The "rubbish chute" in my building is almost always overflowing.
3. Because of #2, we have mice that live in our building, and eat our food.
4. People drive like crazed assholes, making crosswalks as hazardous as
basejumping...without a parachute.
5. Draft beer, at the cheapest, is four dollars a pint.
6. Cigarettes are $5.75 a pack, which has been the most effective stop-smoking tool i have ever used (still working on it, but i've almost completely quit).
7. There is actually no true authentic mexican food.

And, to counter, here are seen things that i absolutely LOVE about living in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, MA:

1. I can see Fenway Park from right outside my building.
2. Everything is within walking distance. EVERYTHING.
3. If I don't feel like walking, there are 57 (actual number) restaurants in the neighborhood that deliver right to the lobby of my building. The food selection is more numerous than anything in Little Rock. Greek, Thai, Indian, Persian, Middle Eastern, ICE CREAM, Sushi, Mediterranean. There are 13 restaurants specializing in calzones. and of course, all the regular stuff, too. oh yeah, it's all online, too. check it out here: www.campusfood.com.
4. My staff ID functions as a debit card that works at five other colleges (bookstores, cafeterias, laundry services, etc). They've given me $500 already, and i can recharge that from my checking account online. It also works at many local restaurants, dry cleaners, and tanning salons!
5. The Avalon Ballroom is two blocks away. Just so you have an idea of what that might mean...i'm going to see Martin Sexton there on April 7. check out the schedule.
6. i bought my own little fold-up shopping cart that i can wheel down to the store, or best buy, or bed bath & beyond...
7. Dunkin Donuts. i haven't decided how they stackup against krispy kreme yet, but they're damn good.

Lastly, a quick story from my third day on the job. Last wednesday, my student activities organization, CASE (campus activities and student events) sponsored a band, Pie Boys Flat, in the student union. a trio of fantastic new yorkers, they were both talented and kind. until they closed their set with "Fuck Her Gently" by Tenacious D. Yes, this was a crowd pleaser, and yes, i too, knew all of the lyrics, and even the chords. however, with this being a conservative Catholic school, i was a bit concerned. luckily, no students complained, and none of the administration were present. SO, i got to keep my job. that's just the sort of thing that happens to me. you know, like breaking my leg a week before i'm supposed to move to boston.

That's about it for now. All my kids have been on Spring Break this week, so it's been pretty quiet. Once things start to heat up, literally and figuratively, i'll have more to write about.