Solo and ensemble will be temporarily over in a few days. It will most certainly be a relief for me, as well as my associate employee contemporaries. Getting together and actually applying ourselves has proved rather difficult.

Anyone in ap english iv preparing to read "native son" be warned: it is not for the faint of heart. I was reading today when we went to hell class with the substitute, and it is extremely graphic/violent. Don't worry about reading into this one, because wright just lays it on the line, the unpleasant nature of violence.

"He stared at the furnace. He trembled with another idea. He-he could, he-he could put her, he could put her in the furnace. He would burn her! That was the safest thing of all to do."

And that is only his forethought. ack.

ok, last post. It's the floridian, meteorologist, ffa president version of me. This is actually my day job.

Don't ask me why I'm posting this. Perhaps I need to lighten the mood after that tirade against professional sports. But, in any case, here is my delightfully stupid sonnet, which surprisingly earned a good word from o 'brien. (where in God's name do you put the apostrophe in her name?):

The field dons trappings of white, a chaste hue;
Draped in frost blankets, a world earns its sleep.
Memory now faded of fresh growth in view;
Cold rages for power it attempts to keep.
When, out of the ashen ground, abundance
should flourish. Bright with pure life, the earth wakes.
Sparrow and robin felt morning’s breath once:
Tranquil yet rosy, with each stir they make.
Promising blossoms mature into flowers,
That wane in their beauteous pinnacle.
Sky candle kindles earth’s essential powers;
Covering flora and enabling each miracle.
Yet, fall’s blissful return comes every year,
And flowers lose glory like shedding of tears.

kathryn d. 2004

Sky ranch was exceptionally brilliant. With optimal weather conditions, splendid recreation etc. and better than average food, a good time was had by all. And by all, I mean that I can only speak for myself.

Despite the little sleep received this weekend, I managed to view the super bowl in its entirety. Once again, I am faced with the sheer waste of time, energy and resources on a SPORTING EVENT. You might think a civilization as advanced as our own would have determined a more engaging way to spend their money. Not only are 30 second commercial spots $2.5 million each during the big game, but spectators pour their essence into being loyal fans. People get violent because of the ecstasy of wins and losses. Lives are thrown away on little more than three hours of a sweaty, primal game, made up by someone as entertainment. Once the last quarter ends, what do you have? An empty wallet and sore throat from cheering and jeering. If we as an "intelligent" society chose to direct our attention to more important things like world poverty and preserving the environment that allows sporting events, think how much better our lives would be. From little league parents brawling over their children's games, to nfl fans with tears in their beer, sports have taken over too much of our society.

This is merely my opinion, and I know not everyone agrees with me. Obviously there are benefits to the sporting industry, and by terminating the entire thing, it would put many people out of work. However, I do believe if we gradually put less emphasis on the whole entertainment industry, we would be doing ourselves a big favor. You are at liberty to agree or disagree.