Big Brother Needs To Go Blind

Lincoln University, a college in Pennsylvania, has recently come under fire for requiring obese students to take a fitness class in order to graduate. Lincoln University caved on this requirement but still I have to shake my head in wonder at what we have become.

You know the story on obesity. It kills people, causes cancer, heart disease and a whole variety of other problems. At what point though did colleges decide that it was their business to stick their paying students on a scale and measure their body fat? Of course, requiring this class would have given Lincoln University more money. I assume the class was not free of charge.

This class was destined to fail and Lincoln University just comes off like money grubbers. Students would not get anything out of this class to begin with because their approach to it is negative. No one wants to be told "you're fat and you have to spend money on this class that tells you you're fat or else you won't graduate." Most people who are obese already know that they are obese.

A better approach to obesity is to offer incentives. Why not offer rewards and prizes to students who enroll in an optional fitness program through the school's health center? Have a walking club or a Wii Sports/Fit night. Give away prizes to the people to lose the most or walk the farthest.

Whatever happens, let's keep Big Brother under wraps a little better than we are right now. It's just a matter of time before he gets to your flaw or vice.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Today a Facebook friend ranted about not feeling appreciated. She prefaced it by saying that she was probably being a baby about it but the fact that she was unappreciated was really upsetting her. I think we have all felt this way from time to time. No one wants to whine and cry about it but I think we all deserve some appreciation.

Right now tell someone that you appreciate them. Tell your co-worker thanks for helping you with a project or tell your spouse that you appreciate the things they do to make your life better. Thank your parents for taking good care of you and thank your kids for finally cleaning their rooms.

Feeling unappreciated? What do you do that deserves some R-E-S-P-E-C-T?

It's Just Another Manic Friday

About 10 years ago I discovered a band from Wales called Manic Street Preachers. Never heard of them? You're not alone. Despite the fact that they sell out soccer stadiums in 10 minutes, they are relegated to playing clubs in the United States. Being a huge fan, this was good luck for me since I got to be upclose and personal in Detroit on October 2.

The long-suffering Brian has been hearing about this band for a long time now. He's listened to my theories on what happened to Richey Edwards and nods his head kindly when I go on and on about seeing them for the first time in the pages of some Brit magazine and the glory days of the Manics, that being the 1990s of course. Brian's suffering would continue as we made a trek to Detroit.

Despite a crazy-long detour in Dunkirk, Ohio the trip to Detroit was without incident. We were warned that Detroit is a war zone and told to try to blend. I was rather surprised to find Detroit a ghost town. Not that I was hoping to find gangs, but the vacated city was a reminder of just how hard industrial cities have been hit in recent years.

We parked for $2.00 in a hospital parking garage that was just a block or so from The Majestic. Once in line, Brian of course had to go to the bathroom. Is this a man thing? It seems like they always have to go to the bathroom when it's least convenient, kind of like children. After stopping at the McDonald's across the street from the club, we got back in line. A Welsh guy struck up a conversation with us and was surprised by the small size of the line.

The Majestic is an old music hall as well as a historical building. The ceiling was falling apart but it was definitely a beautiful building at one time. We waited for about an hour before the opening band, Bear Hands, took the stage. A guy standing near us from Nashville warned us that Bear Hands were horrible. He was not exaggerating. They were easily the worst band I have ever heard and no charisma what-so-ever.

After the opening band vacated, Manic Street Preachers' crew began setting their stage. I have always enjoyed watching stages get set for concerts, especially for bands I really love. I like seeing the guitars and thinking about all the times I have seen that same instrument in pictures or on TV. My biggest thrills came from seeing James' white guitar, Richey's god-like genius sash, and Nicky's boas.

Once Manic Street Preachers came on stage it was an hour and a half of amazing music. Nicky danced around and James charmed the audience with his commentary and thick Welsh accent. They sounded flawless. James Dean Bradfield is an incredible guitarist and he did not hold back tonight. And then there was Nicky. Ah, what can I say about him? I've loved him for so long and it was nice to see him 8 feet from me.

When the show was over we were walking back to our car. We passed the alley behind the club and I saw their tour bus and the gravitational pull was so strong that before I knew it I was standing in an alley in Detroit at midnight...along with about 50 other people.

James Dean Bradfield came out first wielding his own marker to sign autographs. He talked to every fan. And by talk I mean he had long drawn out conversations with everyone. He was extremely nice and genuinely touched by the fact that people were there to meet him. NOTE: The photo seen here is not my best look!

Nicky Wire emerged and I could not have been happier. And I made him laugh even when I told him I didn't need his autograph because I already had one. I don't think I've ever looked happier in a picture.

Sean Moore came out after a while to make a rare appearance. He signed autographs and posed for pictures but I did not approach him. I know that he is painfully shy so I spared him from having to smile in one more picture.

It was a happy night and the "long-suffering" Brian is listening to the Manics upstairs as I type this. I think he's been fully converted.

Dreams 9/27/09

Becky got me into recording my dreams a long time ago. I've slacked lately so here's another attempt:

Dream #1: I dreamed that I was sleeping and was awoken by a scratching sound on the vent. I woke up and it was a white mouse. I started yelling and screaming. I jumped out of bed and the mouse got into the bed. I called my mom and asked her how to get rid of a mouse and she said to put Comet in the vents. I looked around my house and couldn't find Comet.

Dream #2: In my next dream I went to my mailbox to get the mail and there was a home-made CD with a note attached to it. The note was from someone I didn't know and they told me that they were going to kill themselves. I called the police and when they got to my house the police officer looked at the note and said "well, they're dead!"

One Year of Health

This time last year I was home after a morning of surgery. I had a tube, 20 staples, and my lower back was at least 6 inches concave. One year later, I still have a scar from the tube, my back is still slightly concave and scarred, I have no feeling in my left leg but I am awash with gratitude.

A year ago today I was relieved to be finished with surgery but it would be 2 weeks before I learned that my tumor was benign. It was a horrible 2 weeks of worry. When I learned that I was cancer-free, I wanted to dance right out of the doctor's office, despite the fact that I would have to wear my tube for 2 more months. I'm not sure if I ever properly thanked the people who made my life easier while I recovered so let me do so now.

I'm grateful to my parents who visited me and my friends called just a few hours after my surgery. I am not a parent but I can't imagine the fear my parents felt when they saw their child with half her back sucked in and carrying a tube after having surgery at a cancer hospital. Many of my friends visited the next day and I am deeply grateful that they did. They brought their children and helped me laugh at my deflated back.

I'm grateful to Melissa who came to many doctor's appointments with me and made sure no one screwed up. I'm grateful to the lady who carried my books at the library, to all the moms who pulled their kids away from me before they got too close to my tube, the cancer forums where I could post anxious questions anonymously, and to the pharmacist at Target who asked me about the tube instead of just staring at it and giving me a pitiful look. I'm grateful to Brian who cleaned out my back and changed my bandages, especially those first few days because I nearly passed out a few times. It was pretty gross.

Thanks everyone. I hope everyone reading this is as lucky as I am.

Get a babysitter!

I'm three weeks into my new job and it's been stressful. I love the students and the teaching part but the technology is going to take some time. Working from home has its challenges but I think I'm adapting nicely.

Teaching from home is a unique situation. For me it means that I get to wear my jammies all day and pet my dogs when they lay under my desk. For my co-workers who have children it means that they get to stay home with their children, so no babysitters! I think that's a great situation for moms and dads but some professionalism would still be appreciated.

Today I called my co-worker to discuss a mutual student. The entire time her 3 kids were screaming in the background and she interrupted me several times, mid-sentence, to yell and scold them. This same person was late for a meeting and called me crying because our principal disciplined her. Her excuse? She needed to feed her kids breakfast. Understandable, but do it BEFORE the meeting begins.

It's nice to have the luxury to stay home with children AND get paid but if the kiddos can't be controlled while you're WORKING you might need a babysitter!

Hey Peter, what's happening?

I felt like writing but I really have nothing too pressing to say. So, here's what I've been thinking about.

1. I don't like following celebrities on Twitter. When I first hopped on the Twitter bandwagon I followed Lance Armstrong. Well, I think he's a big jerk so I quit following him and I got tired of hearing about him biking through Hawaii and Paris. Poor baby. The only celebrities I follow now are the down-to-earth gents from My Chemical Romance. However, it's killing my image of rock stars. They tweet about changing diapers and their cars getting towed. Same stuff I tweet about, except for the diapers part. I need to find some 80s hair bands to follow.

2. Dream Update. Last night I dreamed that I was an undercover officer (think 21 Jump Street without Johnny Depp) and I was pretending to be a high school student but I got too caught up in getting my assignments turned in. Imagine that.

3. Book Shelf. You all know I love my vampire books. I've even read that horrid Twilight series. I'm half way through Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris, part of the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire series and the inspiration for HBO's hit series True Blood. Now I am moving on to true crime books, which I have enjoyed reading for many years, since reading Cruel Doubt. I'm going to see if the library has While They Slept by Kathryn Harrison about the Gilley murders. Am I morbid?

4. Music Box. I've been listening to Procol Harum a lot lately and if I could have written one song it would have been Whiter Shade of Pale, even though I'm pretty sure it's just about drugs.

5. Barney! Bernard Sumner's record with his new band, Bad Lieutenant is coming out in September and I can't wait.

6. Luck of the Irish. I've been thinking about how lucky I was that my parents pretty much let me read and listen to what I wanted when I was a kid. Had they not, I'm pretty sure I would just be overly excited about the New Kids on the Block reunion tour and strictly read Cosmo. Not that there's anything wrong with that...