overdue nova post
I think it is a necessity to update from school. Whether once a year or barely even that, there exists some novelty of sitting in this god awful library typing away as if I procrastinated a term paper. As usual things are mostly the same here. As previously noted, the enormous front desk still exists, taking up most of the entrance way. There are new computers, DELL, obviously chosen for their hip design and modularness. And of course as I sit here and peer over the top of my trendy LCD monitor I see two annoying students, decked out in their usual Villanova wear, yammering away about absolutely nothing. God only knows what group requires them to be here over Xhristmas break. My guess is a sorority. I think that’s apparent enough.

Shockingly, and I'm going to assume without a full understanding of the ramifications, I was still able to log on to the system, as if I were still a student here. More surprisingly, my student hard drive still existed on the network, filled with Computer Science programs from Freshman and Sophomore year. Should that be? I mean with a total of 200GB of free space available, could you imagine the crap I could hide here? I mean I seriously can save my entire hard drive from home on to this network drive. Then, ten years later come to this very same library and access it as if I had never left. That just doesn't seem right to me. Important documents, blackmail files, government mandates...they all could be hidden here without anyone knowing. Say they've been doing this since 2000: that means that there are at least four graduated classes of information spread across the network here! Who pays for all that storage? And I thought the fact that my email still worked was costing them a fortune. Little did I know. I'm sure the almost $40,000 a year tuition helps.

All and all this place does bring back some fond memories. It's really at its best when there are no students here. Then I get to appreciate the campus for what it is...and what it isn't. Oh and by the way, that enormous greenhouse they spent two years building looks like ass. Oh here's a bright idea: let's attach a giant metal and glass structure to a stone building. That's aesthetically pleasing. It looks like a tumor of technology. Assholes.

QUICK NOTE: I think they've said "Oh My God" at least 20 times. And they're definitely looking at clothes. Surprise, surprise villanova.

more animal fun

today in present history
It's a slow news day when there are two front page cnn stories concerning underage sex. I'm impartial to the 37 year old woman's excuse: "It's not like they are making it out to be. Actually, I'd told him 'no' several times because I prefer someone older, but he was just so nice and so sweet," she said. ...Hitler's cronies tried the same excuse.

Misappropriation of a portion of my salary equals "SUPER SECRET AWESOME XHRISTMAS BONUS" for me...and a 2% raise. Huzzah!

Still waiting on the other six signs of the apocalypse, a flamboyant priest CAN go from being the head of the Villanova Theatre Department to the President of Villanova University. I can already hear the groundbreaking for the new performing arts building...and the commerce and finance department collectively shitting their overpaid pants.

Pandora, deems Andrew Gold's "Thank you for Being a Friend" attuned to my music taste. And the card attached says I agree.

QUICK NOTE: This is my 101st post.

things I hate that make me angry (mostly work related)
The fact that I drove into work early even though there was a delayed opening that I didn't know about because the fucktards don't know how to use the emergency number system they so blatenly said they knew how to use.

My boss calling me at 7:15 when I'm minutes from work, telling me of the delay; like I have an option to turn around.

Everyone complaining about how "treacherous" the roads were at 10:00 even though the sun was out and it wasn't actually even snowing when they drove to work.

Having the audacity to come in late even though they knew they had to be in at 10:00 for 3 hours already.

No one syaing anything about it.

Everyone else wearing jeans because it was part of delayed opening; I'm in dress pants.

People calleing in sick because they have "children" or are "assholes" while I requested today off on Monday, but couldn't take it because of current office politics.

Said politics including the head of the office asking why I come in so early, despite having work to do, a long commute, and me not even getting paid for my time.

Everyone else getting incentives like gift checks and days off and overtime! for the extra work while my boss is asked "What does Tom actually do?" and hearing that funds like that are not in the budget.

I'm being paid less than people who have a lot less responsibility than I do.

No one cares that said overpaid people are on the phone and internet all day.

QUICK NOTE: After my bonus in March, I'm getting the hell outta this stinkhole.

i should tell you, but not really, but you can figure it out, I've got AIDS
It hurts me to say this: I saw RENT. Like passing a stone, saying that phrase causes more pain and suffering then I have ever felt. Scratch that; SEEING that movie was the worst pain and suffering I've ever felt. Yes it was that bad, and no I'm not exaggerating.

Now, doing this is against my nature, posting something predictable and obvious on here is what I strive not to do. Peruse the internet for a while and you'll find countless reviews. So I'm one of many, but that's ok. I never said I was the only person in the world who had an issue with RENT. What you see here is a result of spending a lot of time discussing my theories with three; count them, three individuals who also saw the musical on Broadway. So don't give me the harry treatment and say "You need to see the (insert different form of media here.) The source material remained 95% intact. And this is the most glorifying part of the review: both the material and the medium are seriously flawed.

I didn't for one bit expect to go into this thing with any hope of liking it. In fact I was anticipating the shitstorm that I experienced. What I witnessed however gave me pause. I wondered how anyone in their right mind would allow such a musical to be produced, and then make a movie about it. I find it more difficult to grasp that a man dying of AIDS would create a musical that inherently enforces every negative generalization about HIV and AIDS ever made. But I'm going to put the AIDS aside for a moment. We'll get to the AIDS soon.

My biggest beef lies with the characters. The story is supposed to be one of hope in a time of confusion. Yet I found it hard to believe in any of the characters and what they fought for. Let me get this straight: you're living in New York, not getting a job, living in filth, refusing to pay your rent, doing drugs, mocking people more successful than you, just because you hate your parents and HAD to move out of your house. What am I not seeing here? There isn't one bit of unselfishness in these people. They're not noble in any respect. In other words I don't care what you sing about or give a fuck what disease you have, when you don't bathe for a year you should be happy your skin hasn't rotted off. "But not everybody was like that, what about the lawyer chick and the slut?" The lawyer chick needed to shut the fuck up. Whoa is me who decided to go out with some cheap whore who I'm warned about 10 minutes into the story. And the slut was from Long Island; I think that's enough of a reason to hate her.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Selfishness runs rampant throughout the whole piece. From Mimi's continued use of drugs, to Roger's inability to get over himself, Mark's boney whiney ass refusing to "sell out" despite his complete lack of money, and Angel's taking in of a man just because he "loves" him despite he only knows him for a week or less. The only people I see oppressing the characters are the characters themselves.

Now to the AIDS. Obviously the subtext to the story is AIDS/HIV. With more than 50% of the characters riddled with disease, I think that’s a valid point. I would assume that a man with AIDS would want to make the world aware of the seriousness that this disease has. That it can touch all of our lives in one way or another. What I don't understand is why all the characters that have it, for lack of a better terminology, kind of deserve it. I know that sounds bad, but hear me out. They all do drugs, they all sleep around, and they all live like animals. What part of that equation doesn't equal disease? Why would Jonathan Larson support the stereotype that he himself could be a victim to? I can't see anyone knowledgeably doing that. So then why the heck did he create the musical? Living in New York, and not Jesusland gives me an understanding of AIDS that's a little more realistic than your sheltered teen. But if I lived in the middle of nowhere and saw RENT. The possibility of getting HIV would be 0%. Because "normal" people don't get HIV. Benny didn't have it, the lawyer didn't have it. The freaks had it. I mean for Christ sake, Angel, the transgenderite was the only one who died. Middle of the country hicks would say, "Well that fruity she male died from it because he/she was a freak." Not to mention that the cast was so self-absorbed that not even the death of their "friend" could sway their idiotic attitudes. Let's all have a fight over our dead friend's coffin! Awesome idea! It wasn't until the crack whore died and came back to life, that everyone realized what they had...nothing. Yeah that’s right; it takes an impossible miracle to get some sort of epiphany out of these troglodytes. Way to hit on reality Jonathan. Oh and how come no one actually said "I have AIDS?" Why did every song and dialogue work around that issue? And for all the lack of money, why was everyone dressed like they were in a Gap commercial?

So take some selfish assholes, sprinkle in some AIDS, a dash of oppressed artist, and add a heaping helping of rock music and you have yourself a musical. Even more so you have yourself a movie. A movie that was nothing more than a series of music videos. Favorite moments include the Creedesque Santa Fe video, the gay romp through New York on the street with the fat girl in the background video, and the random journey to the alley to take our AZT video. Maybe it was because I didn't care about any characters, or I wanted to punch all of them in their faces screaming "Get a fucking job" but the only emotion I experienced was a slap to the head when the crack whore came back to life. And the 15-20 something year old girls singing with the movie, texting their friends didn't help much either. Can anyone else say predictable? Without surprise this pop culture phenomenon is fueled by these idiots who wouldn't know culture if it called them on the cell phones they don't pay for. Here's an idea: stop vicariously living through pop culture and do something with your life. Fucking sluts.

QUICK NOTE: Why does the Catholic church find it necessary to alienate all other religions in such a negative way?