Wednesday, September 29, 2010

TV That's All Screwed Up

Last night I watched part of a tv show about zombies. It was a reality-type show, and the ghouls had the same zombie-like appearance that every show since the original Night of the Living Dead movie has had. The thing that set this show apart wasn't it's "reality" setting, because there are about a half a million of those type shows on tv covering anything imaginable. Now, you're thinking maybe I was watching the Sci-Fi Channel, or Chiller, or even Comedy Central, right? Nope. This show was on Animal Planet. I couldn't believe it. I'd walked in when my son was watching it and knew he'd been watching something idiotic on MTV just before that, and figured this might be one of the stupid shows they offer up to misguided teens, but when a commercial came on advertising one of their regular programs I clicked the info button and, sure enough, it was indeed Animal Planet, the same channel which brings quality nature shows about mountain apes and great white sharks into our living rooms. I guess the premise was something like: What would it be like if zombies really did exist? Hence the house with zombie occupants, and cops who have to go there and end up shooting and reshooting everyone, and being turned into zombies themselves, and... well you've seen it before. BUT, have you seen it on Animal Planet? Call me simpleminded (you wouldn't be the first) but if I turn on Animal Planet I'm wanting to see something real, like a lion stalking a unicorn, not something that a bunch of moronic teenagers videotaped as a Halloween gag.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Nothing New

I haven't written in a while because there's not much happening. School is going okay, and this week I'll have my first quiz, so I'll find out how much I've been paying attention. Haven't really settled into a routine yet, as far as establishing a homework time, but I haven't had a lot yet so I guess that's a good thing.
All freshmen have to take an orientation class, which is geared exclusively toward recent high school graduates, and I feel very uncomfortable in that class when we have to do papers on what we want to be when we grow up. Even though I sit in the back of that class I can feel a lot of eyes on me when they talk about joining clubs or sport teams. Yeah, I'm definately thinking about trying out for the basketball team. Pleasantly surprising, perhaps, is the tolerance I get from my classmates. Most are eighteen to twentysomething and I had expected a lot of behind-my-back old man remarks, but for young people they are very well mannered.
Anyway, maybe I'll think up something to write one of these days that's really worth reading.... Just kidding.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Excitement Dims, Work Begins

After the first two days of classes I'm now wondering whether I took on a little more than I should have. I was never good at doing homework in high school, and I thought that my concentration and organization had improved since then, but maybe I was wrong. Why is it that I can sit for hours and read a book from the library, finish it in one sitting, and be able to tell all about the characters, plot and pertinent details, but reading one chapter of my accounting book is taking me forever and nothing is soaking in? Maybe I'm just too tense. I was doing ok with my classes until yesterday when I had one where my instructor was extremely hard to understand because he spoke softly and with a heavy accent. I was very frustrated when I left that class, and I may have to drop it because I literally cannot understand what he is saying.


On the homefront, I planted a garden this year from which I've gotten some tomatoes and have been making spaghetti sauce and salsa. Not a good crop of anything this year though. Last year there was an abundance of everything from wild berries, peaches and apples, to the giant pumpkins I planted. This year some of the tomatoes I've gotten have been spotted or puny, broccoli didn't do well, and every pumpkin that has started to grow has withered away before it gets mature. So overall not a good crop of anything, but enough good tomatoes to can some sauce - my first attempt ever to can anything. Oh well, it's a good thing I don't have to rely on my gardening skills to put food on the table.