“I sound my barbaric yawp over the rooftops of the world.”

Today, I took a step in a direction I haven't in a long time. Today in my Gender, Race, and Nationalism course, the conversation turned to education, poverty, learned helplessness, and the plight of American people of the 21st century. We talked about children in an endless cycle of financial disparity and social ineptitude, wrought by parents with little care for their well being. It was a moving conversation, and the class really bonded over it. I am usually a very vocal person in class; I can't stand silence or quiet indifference to a subject, and it shows in the way I present myself academically. I may not be the most intelligent or articulate of students, but the passion and dedication I have for what I'm doing shows in the way I assert myself.

Today I felt like a superhero. I've been reading comics for a literature class I'm taking, and in reading Alan Moore's Watchmen, I've began to develop an ongoing philosophy of the revisionary hero. Too long have I thought of superheroes as forces for good. In reality, they stand for everything I am against. Yes, I disagree with crime, and a peaceful, crime-free society is ideal. But the fascist methods and complete disregard for human safety has soured my view of caped crusaders. Although they fascinate me, I've started to see heroes for what they are. Damaged people who hold a feeling of moral superiority and false justice based on a black-and-white spectrum. The real heroes are those that uphold human and civil rights. They are the unsung heroes. The teacher that helps an impoverished student, or a protester that would give their life for their cause. They are the voices that cannot live with silence or quiet indifference.   

Today, for the first time in a long while, I feel really good about who I am and what I stand for. I've taken a step int he right direction, and I'm ready to start trusting myself. The path will be long and arduous, but I will take one step at a time, fearless int he face of adversity.

Fucking bring it on.

Pink'a Moon is On it's Way.

So it's time I start using this blog how I had originally intended. I want to start posting about what I've been learning. The academic growth I'm making, and my exploration of music, history, and culture. It's been nice having a place to publicly vent my feelings, but I think it really hasn't helped as much as it's hurt. So this weekend I'll finish the Salton Sea post and maybe do a little cleaning up, removing the posts that don't fit with the purpose of the blog (i.e. pretty much all of them). I'm stepping away from the events of the beginning of the year and I'm wiping my hands of them. A bunch of shit happened, and now it's over. I can't change the way things turned out and reminiscing is only holding me back from fully throwing myself into my work and striving for the highest. And like I said, I've got work to do, work that includes:

• A 40 page group history project/presentation
• A relatively short (2500-3000 word) paper about some topic relating to comics. (I'm thinking something definitely relating to the Revisionary Superhero Narrative).
• A historiography about the rise of black radicalism in response to violent opposition to student activism during the Civil Rights Movement.
• Work at the Writing Center
• Continuing to try and get healthy
• Applications for graduate schools
• Practice on the Fasch saxophone sonata
• MY WRITING SAMPLE!! (which  is also my project for my Comparative Slavery course)

Clearly, I've got quite a bit on my plate. So instead of sulking and beating my head against the wall about what WAS, I'm going to fully immerse myself into everything that IS. And, maybe I'll have a little fun with this blog too :)

Salton post is on its way.

I think I'm gonna be jus' fine.