Alcohol Anyone?

Faith Putans
I am aware that the following blog entry puts me at risk of fulfilling the stereotype of the average college freshman, but I can’t really help that I’ve been thinking an awful lot about drinking.  And I can’t imagine I’m the only one.

I made it a goal to not drink during high school, and though this was very difficult at times, I reached that goal.  There were many nights that I sat home while all of my friends were out partying. I vowed that this was not how I was going to spend my college career. I became curious as to what the big deal was and I decided to give drinking a try in college.  I found out that I like to drink and that it can make for a very fun time (when done right).
Drinking allows us to be slightly (or overwhelmingly) more outgoing.  We can easily hold conversations with people we have never met.  We can dance without worrying about who is watching us.  We can laugh at things that sober, we would not find as hilarious.  I can’t help but question though if drinking is changing who we really are, or is it allowing us to better and more freely express our personalities?  This relates to the issue with marijuana.  Many people view smoking pot as a habit that is irresponsible and pointless.  That there is no sense in altering “reality”.   But then again, there are societies that view smoking marijuana as a religious and spiritual experience-as a means with which to connect more completely with God.  Can we really say that they are wrong without being guilty of ethnocentrisim?

I used to immediately judge the intoxicated.  I thought the way people acted when under the influence was stupid and immature.  I was so sure that I was superior and above this way of life.  But now along with respecting the decision to not drink, I also respect the decision to drink (within limits).  While drinking we must continue to hold ourselves up to the same standards that we do when sober-moderation is key as is maintaining self-control.  If one is unable to do this, then drinking becomes a problem.  But until then, it doesn’t seem like such a bad way to take the edge off.

Marie Ternes’s Blog

I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with road races, so I apologize if you are unable to relate.  The aches and pains in my body, however, are preventing me from writing about anything else.  As some of you know, this morning I ran the Grand Rapids half-marathon.  About half way through my training for the race, I developed tendonitis in my knee (which is why I have been limping around lately).  Even though my doctor, my friends, my family, a bus driver, and a janitor all told me not to run the race, I couldn’t bring my self to quit.  I had put in too much sweat, blood, and tears (not to mention a $70 registration fee) to call it off.  Now that the race is over, I can safely say I’m glad I stuck it out until the end.  Even though I probably injured myself more by running today, the accomplishment and fulfillment I have right now is worth it.

 As I ran, I got to meet so many cool people from all over the Midwest.  When I talked to them, I realized that tendonitis is nothing compared to what some other runners have gone through.  There were people racing with torn meniscus’s, and broken bones.  But the people who really made me think were those who were running for a cause.  I saw people wearing shirts reading “cancer survivor” or “in memory of my wife.”  All of a sudden my knee pain seemed to be petty.  Running a half-marathon is painful, but physical pain reduces to nothing when compared to the emotional pain that these racers experienced. 

I received so much more from the race than a medal and countless blisters; I gained a true appreciation for the fortunate life that I have been given.  While my wounds will heal, and my limp will subside, I will always take with me the emotional insight that I have gained.

Eddie Ricard

Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize last week and sparked headline news broadcasts to spend several days debating the event. The controversy was over whether Gore deserves the Nobel Peace Prize at all. On the days that preceded the announcement, opponents of Al Gore said that he hadn’t done anything to deserve such a highly esteemed award. Once he did win however, opponents said that Al Gore should give it back because the award was tainted by a terrorist (referring to Yasser Arafat’s winning of the award in 1994). I find it interesting that no matter what the outcome had been, people who don’t like Al Gore and namely his crusade against global warming will turn to any means to taint his image and his cause.
I personally don’t find Al Gore to be that bad of a guy. Although he’s a little reserved at times, I find a lot of value in what he has managed to bring to the forefront of the media in terms of global warming and the environment. What I don’t understand is why people get so bent out of shape about global warming. Critics say that the theory is wrong and exaggerated, but if you watch how mad these people get over a movement to better our planet’s environment, you would think there were ulterior motives for their contest of the issue. Even if global warming isn’t as eminent a threat as we think, what is so bad about limiting the amounts of pollutants and waste we throw into the air everyday. I do not entirely discredit alternative scenarios to global warming such as the Earth is warming naturally and will eventually throw us into the next Ice Age in a few hundred years. But, natural or not, the fact that our pollutants are in any way contributing to global warming (debatable as to what degree) is enough cause for action. It’s not like all the gases we have been pumping into the air for years have ever been considered “good” for the environment anyway. In the end it comes down to dollars, and unfortunately saving the world is a bit pricey for the American taxpayer. Well, at least when it’s the environment, going to war is entirely different. I apologize for the confusion.

Melissa Nacy – Music Man

 

You know that little arch at East U & South U between West Hall & Shapiro? Well, I’m walking through that little courtyard yesterday, upset at my professor for being unnecessarily harsh, at life for Grandma’s skin cancer coming back, at Grandma for blowing off doctor appointments, at Dad for telling me the news in the midst of a bad day and at my roomies for scheduling a dinner outing in the middle of English when, in true Ann Arbor style, a man sitting on a garden ledge catches my attention with the music of his harmonica. A white piece of paper leans up against the wall. I continue on.

With a second glance, I strain to read the message: “There is no time like the present.” No, wait, that’s not right. What’s it say? “There is no time like the pleasant.”

Well, duh. Thanks.

However, as I walk away, a smile crosses my face. I wonder if that man is out today to make a difference. If so, how does he know if he succeeded or not? Does he need to know? Does he care to know?

I always liked the quote “There is no time like the present.” As Jefferson said, “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” We have to make the most of our time, of our lives. We have to make a decision to be driven, to get things done, to go after what we want. Can’t we apply the same to “the pleasant”? Can we decide to make a time a happy time? I do believe we can on a small scale, such as making a class enjoyable or being in a goofy mood to ensure a good time with friends. We can decide to make a dreadful family picnic a good time just by deciding to be in an upbeat, funny, easy-going mood. Can’t we then, make time pleasant on a larger scale?  We can make those small-scale decisions over and over again or simply set our minds to achieve a larger picture, a happy period in life. I could decide I hate college and Ann Arbor, I miss home, I’m not having fun, I don’t fit in, I made a bad decision – or I can decide that I’m going to make the best of this. I think that by choosing our mindset and being optimistic or pessimistic we can determine how we feel about things, events, places and people.

Perhaps Grandma doesn’t share her health problems with the family because she doesn’t want to interrupt or destroy “pleasant time.” And again, I prove to myself, with Grandma’s sickness and a music man’s inspiration, that it’s not worth it to be upset over a professor in a bad mood or a missed appointment – life has larger meaning than that.

“There is no time like the pleasant.” On the surface, it has obvious meaning. But what does it mean? It can be taken in a million different directions.

Just a thought I had yesterday.

Glenn Tucker’s Blog

Glenn Tucker (sorry in advance this is on such a dark subject)

Upon picking up a copy of the Michigan Daily, I read about how the U of M produces alumni that were murderers: “Darth Vader” (James Earl Jones), Ted Kuzinsky, Jack Kevorkian, etc. Yale had graduated the most Supreme Court justices and Michigan the most killers. Although this was certainly an eye-catching story, my attention soon focused on Kevorkian, who was released from prison this past June. To fill some of you in, Dr. Kevorkian was a champion of the right to die (also known as physician-assisted suicide). He operated a private practice that helped those in pain from terminal illness pull the plug, so to speak. (It was later discovered that some of his ‘patients’ were suffering from depression.) He was convicted in 1999 of second-degree murder, which sparked a nation-wide controversy over euthanasia. In 2001, the John Ashcroft-led Department of Justice tried and failed to overturn a 1994 Oregon state law allowing physician-assisted suicide. Upon his recent release from prison, he vowed not to ‘help’ any patients, but that his energy would be focused on advocating physician-assisted suicide on the state level.

The reason I chose this for my blog post is that it’s an extremely important item to discuss when talking about the body as social space. Is it right to end one’s life prematurely if in extreme pain? If it is a doctor’s job to ensure the well-being of their patient, what happens when the patient is terminally ill? Is it the doctor’s duty to serve the patients wish in situations like these?

I personally support euthanasia if it is regulated. I see no moral issue if it is a patient’s will to end their suffering due to a terminal disease. I also believe that it is the patient’s right to make such decisions and they should have help from the medical world in such situations.

Jessica Farr: Home Sweet Home

Fall break is almost here, and I am so excited to go home. But I have to wonder what life at home will be like since everyone has moved on to college. A lot of my friends are staying here to go to the football game. However, as much as I love Michigan football, I am going home. I love school, but I have come to realize that there is absolutely no place like home. No bed will ever come close to being as comfortable as mine. Moreover, no meal in the Markley Dining Hall or the Hideaway will come close to tasting as good as a home cooked meal. I may be missing a variety of parties, but there will be more in the future. I wouldn’t want to go home every weekend, but I think that it’s about time to go back to the place where I feel like I belong, Connecticut.

The weird thing about going home these days is, however, that almost no one is there. Sure, my family and pets will be there, along with a few friends. But unfortunately, most of my friends are away at college right now—nowhere near Connecticut. I know I’ll have a great time during fall break, but I’m worried…will home ever be the same as it was during high school? I worry that everyone will change and grow apart. I guess this is a normal part of life, but I sincerely hope that it never happens to my friends and me. Change is hard to deal with, but maybe it makes us stronger. Maybe when college is over, we will have a better sense of who we are. Maybe as we grow older, our pool of friends from high school will get smaller. However, it is the people who we will remain friends with that truly matter. Those are the people that will be there for us no matter what. And maybe when it’s all over—college—we will have new friends that are just as reliable. Change is scary and the future is unpredictable, but whatever should happen, will happen. For right now, I am living in the moment, loving life and looking forward to fall break.

Rob Carter’s Blog

I’m not one to post blogs, actually I think this will be my first one ever. And I guess since it is my first I should talk about how amazing this town is. I come from a small town in northern Michigan were there isn’t really that much going on and you usually hang out with the same people everyday. So moving down here was a big change to say the least and I definitely love it. Everyday is an opportunity to meet somebody new and try something different. There is always so much happening there’s no way too do it all. It’s nice to be able to walk everywhere you need to go and having everything so close. I don’t think I have ever walked so much in my life because back at home I drove everywhere. The only time I would walk was from my house to my car and then from the parking lot to wherever I was going. So needless to say I have been getting a lot of exercise down here.
It’s not only the town that is amazing but also the classes. Even though I do end up with hours of homework during the week it is all worth it because in a few years, probably eleven or so, I will be out in the real world using the knowledge I have obtained at The University of Michigan to make a life for myself. If that isn’t a source of motivation to stay focused and try hard I don’t know what is. I can’t wait until I get into studies which are specific to my career goal, that will be a very exciting period. Overall this entire college experience is amazing, educational and a life shaping time. So I guess to end my first blog ever…..GO BLUE!!!

Nick Ward’s Blog

Since this class is based around social issues, I figure I could write about social issues in our world today. Some issues that I find to be somewhat controversial deal with the LGBT community. For those of you who may not know what LGBT is, it stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender. (The acronym sometimes is switched around or a Q is added for Queer or Questioning. Sometimes when dealing with organizations, it includes an A for “Ally,” meaning somebody who supports the gay community.) You may have already jumped to the conclusion that I’m going to write about gay marriage. However, there are a million other issues surrounding the LGBT community that aren’t just marriage-related. Why just focus on one topic? Let’s explore the options: workplace discrimination, hate crimes, health and legal benefits (or lack thereof), political problems, bullying, and stereotypes.

What I don’t understand is why these problems still exist. The only thing that separates homosexuals from heterosexuals is the fact that they happen to find different people attractive. So why force stereotypes and discrimination upon them? Take me for example. Yes, being gay might be a part of my identity, but I don’t feel like it should completely separate me from the rest of the world. Also, you don’t have to necessarily fit stereotypes either. Last time I checked, I don’t dress that well, I don’t have a lisp and I don’t rave on and on about who was just kicked off of America’s Next Top Model. Hell, I belch just like any other straight guy. Even if I was super feminine, why would that be so wrong? Let’s face it, people are just different.

It is so unfortunate that these ridiculous issues are still prevalent in society today. Who cares if somebody is gay if you are looking at a resume? Why is that something to even consider? Why is it such a problem if somebody’s gay partner is receiving health benefits? Why are kids still getting kicked out of their homes and living on the streets solely based on the fact that they are gay? You would think that America would have learned by now that being different is not such a terrible thing.

-Nick Ward

Matt March’s Blog

I feel that what I’m about to write in my blog may be considered immature, extremely geeky and somewhat inconsequential, but I guess I’m going to type it anyway.

Superheroes have always been a part of the human imagination since our great-great-great-etc. ancestors thought up a bunch of gods and idols that would have the power to control the things on earth. In a more modern context, the action/comic heroes have become a lore and cult of their own, fascinating hundreds of thousands with the bizzare and irrational, but always the “super.” Everything from super-strength to invisiblity have been morphed and adapted to film, comic, television, lunchbox, etc. It has fueled imaginations and broken many an arm and leg with attempts to “fly” from trees and roofs. The presence of the supernatural in a natural world may be wishful thinking or nonsense or whatever, but it is what it is and its apparently here to stay.

With the endless subtopics involved with superheroes, I only want to talk about the few that have either intrigued me or bothered me the most.

One thing that has always bothered me is just how unfair Superman is as a superhero. He has super-strength, superspeed, flight, X-ray vision, invincibilty, Louis Lane, and so much more going for him. And his weakness is…. what? A substance not found naturally on this Earth (and women, as always, but what are you going to do, eh? )? How fair is that? Spiderman may have web-power and super-human strength, but he at least exerts some effort when, say, stopping a runaway train full of screaming passengers. I picture Superman as that annoying kid on recess who never gets “shot” when playing Cops n’ Robbers because he miraculously spawns body armor and forcefields. Lame if you ask me.

And what conversation about superheroes can go on without the classic question, “What one superpower would you have, and why?” Feel free to post your thoughts and feelings unashamed. Personally, I would have the power of flight because it would be awesome to go from Bursley to Central without riding the bus, and it trumps super-speed because you could throw water balloons at people from ANYWHERE. Invisibility would be a close second. Its not like I’ve ever thought about this before or anything….

-Matt March

Chris Chaisson’s Blog

What do Hell’s Kitchen, The Apprentice, and Trading Spouses all have in common? They’re all extremely bad reality shows that should have never been produced. I honestly hope that none of you all enjoy these shows, and if you do, then I guess I apologize for ridiculing your TV selections. Whatever happened to scripted television shows and original storylines? I refuse to consider a chef yelling at and berating his staff, a businessman saying “You’re fired” over and over, and families switching wives, entertainment. The general purpose of most reality shows seems to be just filling empty space in a network’s program schedule. I knew that the bombardment of reality shows had gone too far when I saw a preview for a show called The Academy, in which former TV stars were trained to be policemen. The show flopped as it should have, but I came to the conclusion after seeing the preview that people seem to be losing respect for each other and themselves. I racked my brain trying to figure out why anyone would find the swapping of wives more entertaining than offensive, or why anyone would want to mock the intense training that policemen go through so that they are ready to risk their lives. Don’t get me wrong. Not all reality shows are as bad as the aforementioned ones. However, I appreciate the hours or even days of thought that go into scripted television shows, i.e. The West Wing or 24, much more than the five or ten minutes that it takes to make up an idea such as “What if we trick a bunch of women into thinking that a guy is rich, then have them compete for his love?” Occasionally, I find myself watching shows like Rock of Love with Bret Michaels (a house full of women stabbing each other in the back to get Bret Michaels, singer of the rock group Poison) not because they are good, but because they are so ridiculous that I get a laugh out of watching them. From watching these shows in which people do or say anything about anyone to win whatever challenge is being presented to them, I am personally of the opinion that reality shows can sometimes bring out the worst qualities of people. Maybe I am just picky, but I prefer fictional storylines from the minds of creative writers over the shows that pit people against each other in order to see how low they will stoop.