Brains or Brawn... What do we want?

I don’t mean this to be derogatory, but my respect level for jocks had just lowered itself exponentially. I was at work the other day in the library, when I saw four of them leaving the building. As you leave the library, you notice that there is a set of double doors past the detector. One day, one side of the door was closed, due to the heavy wind, with a sign that said to use the other door. Well, these jocks (I won’t say what sport to protect the integrity of the others), all four of them, just HAVE to try the door that is locked before using the open door.

I was just shocked and appalled at the new stupidity of people. I would have expected it from the stereotypical “Barbie” girls. But seriously, guys who play sports should know how to read and follow directions on a piece of paper. If not, what the hell are they doing playing sports where they have to read a chart telling them where to go?

Five minutes later, I was still staring, dumbfounded, at the door that they had unsuccessfully tried to open. It really got me to wondering: what DO Americans place more of an emphasis on? Brains or brawn? It seems that anymore these days, more and more Americans are looking down upon those with no athletic talent. Yet, at the same time, they frown upon those who lack the mental capacity to keep up with the other students. Parents seem to want their children to be both genius and athletic. I can only say that a small number actually are. I mean, sure, some of the athletes are pretty smart, but in a specific field, like history or trigonometry or geometry, because it is all stuff they can learn and forget, or it actually helps them on the field or court.

Now, just because some people aren’t athletically inclined doesn’t mean that they are super geniuses, either. They are the good “normal” people. But, then there are the “Barbies.” I have no clue what to even think about them. They don’t seem to have a brain or a body. Except, of course, for the implants that they (or, more than likely Daddy) have paid for. Sometimes I wonder if they have so much money because they don’t spend any of it on food. Seriously, when you never eat, except for maybe a cheese cube a week, you must be saving on the big bucks!

But, I digress before I have even more people trying to kill me in my sleep now.

Just ponder this: What do Americans really want? Do we want to be known for our steroid injected, mindless jocks; our nerdy, pimple faced minds; or our stick figure, big bosomed, airheaded models?

Why don’t we just mix the three and see what we get? Who knows, we may create a major force to be reckoned with!

"Oops, I Have A New Rant..."

Haha. I have to laugh at Jeff White's post about Britney Spears and her "Oops, I Did It Again" video!


You do have to give her kudos for being able to do that before the drugs and baby came along. The choreography and lyrics leave something to be desired, however. I mean, seriously. Who can't walk around strutting while saying "Oops, I did it again. I played with your heart, gotta open the gate?" It just takes a few thrusts of some body parts and some squeaking of a voice, and voila! You've got music! If that were true, we would all be musicians. I believe that Britney should have stopped before she got here, and quit while partially ahead with "Baby One More Time."




I do believe that she has turned into a rather interesting person, now. I mean, she is trying to imitate Princess Diana. I don't think that is going to well for her, noticing how she has landed in the loony bin, lost custody of her children to rapper Kevin Federline, who really is no better. Oh, and Princess Diana is dead. She has been for quite some time now!
In my opinion, Britney has snapped. If her parents were any good at all, they would have noticed it, also! They are in part to blame that the girl lasted this long! I also blame the parents for allowing Britney to be in the house. Who knows, if it weren't for her, we may not even have the Jamie Lynn Spears controversy with her baby! Jamie Lynn was only trying to live up to her sister's standards, which I think is ironic, after you watch "Zoey 101," a show staring Jamie Lynn about how a person should do the right thing, and stand up for themselves, and all that "stuff."

"Nothin Better To Do" by Leanne Rimes is an excellent music video!! It described my life before I got to college. With out the cool song and dance, of course. My parents are the type that don't want to let you out if they can avoid it! I literally had nothing better to do than plot my wonderful escape from the tyranny that I was placed in. I had some very ingenious solutions at the time! I was contemplating everything. From sneaking out the window to blowing up some play-dough, I had thought it all. I realized that that I didn't have any windows in my room, so that did away with that idea. I also lived in the basement, so it was a bit hard to blow up an outside wall. I was going to steal a spoon and dig my way out...after I got past the brick and cement layers!

In the end, though, I could never get away! The gates closed just as I was getting to them.

My advantage was my youthful persistence and the fact I was bound for college, soon!

I had realized, a little late, they actually go to bed pretty early, so I could just walk out the back door as soon as they fell asleep. But, in the town of Spalding, there is nothing to do after nine pm, let alone ten. Unless, it is the weekend, and the student populous is out drinking and carousing. Two things I have never done, and one of which I will never do.

I just wish I could incorporate the song and dance into everything. I love the little dance they do from 2:20 to 2:30. If you look at my life, you will see it isn’t quite that coordinated! And, I can’t sing to save it! So, where does that leave me?

Quotation from Antwan02

"I am predisposed to the essay with knowledge to impart- but, unlike journalism, which exists primarily to present facts, the essays transcend their data, or transmute it into personal meaning. The memorable essay, unlike the article, is not place-or time- bound; it survives the occasion of its original composition. Indeed, in the most brilliant essays, languages is not merely the medium of communication; it is communication." - Joyce Carol Oates.

I am struck by this essay in a myriad of ways. I usually want my writing to be remembered, but there are the occasional pieces I think are utter crud, and want nobody to even think about! My LAS paper last semester is an excellent example of a paper I don't want remembered! It was crap, and I know it, but I just didn't want to do anything to fix it. I managed to throw that paper together in 36 hours. Which, I know, you aren't supposed to do with term papers, but I kept getting so frustrated when I took a thesis to him and he said no. Every thesis I had was rejected. So, I finally asked him for one, and, amazingly enough, managed to receive a workable one out of him. My problem, he hated it after I turned it in. I swear the man had it in for me.
Other essays of mine I hope are remembered for an eternity, or as long as a person has their memory. My extemporaneous one's from speech are an excellent example of what I want remembered. I loved extemporaneous speaking, and I was GOOD at it! I made it to state my Senior year. But, I went over time. In extemp, that is very hard to do!
I guess I better explain extemporaneous speaking, if you don't understand it. What we do in Extemp is go up to an official, when it is our assigned turn, and draw three topics. We can read the topic and choose which one we would like to do and put the other two back away. Once we return to our seat, the fun begins! We have one hour to write a 5-7 minute speech about our topic, and they are nothing easy. For state speech, I had a question that went along this line: Is the Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (ASEAN) becoming more like the European Union (EU)?" We can use what ever sources we brought with us, provided they are hard copy, and our mind. We are not allowed to use any electronics in there whatsoever! But, man was it fun. After our hour, we went to our designated rooms and gave our speech.
Once that was over, we waited to do it all over again, for a total of two times, three if you made it into State.