That’s What She Said

I have neglected my little blog lately. I’m sorry little guy. I need to upload my past stories and columns for the last three weeks or so.

This update however, is this: My school has an anonymous message board set up by some random person and it has gotten a little ridiculous. However, what truly made me mad was a post about our paper, the one i work on. While most of the comments were positive despite pointing out we still have some typos, etc. that our editing class misses, there was this one person who was so upset that our sports pages cover lacrosse games even when we lose yet we must resort to online stories from our website for our track team which is number 1 in the division.

If you’re mad about something, don’t complain anonymously to a message board, do something about it. The paper is understaffed. We only have one or two people covering all of the sports for the entire school. And in the spring there are like 10 sports or so. It just really made me angry. If you have the chance to change something and to make a difference do it. Don’t complain and then do nothing. It is a student run newspaper therefore it is up to the students to do the interviewing, reporting, writing of stories, editing, and layout and design.

Ugh.

To continue with my ranting: I heard a guy talking tonight while at my observing session for astronomy, and he actually said this “When was the Civil War?” I am sorry but being American you should know when the Civil War took place. How do these people get into my college? It’s supposed to be very selective, etc.

Then the kid didn’t know some of the names of the individual buildings on campus. He has to have been here a year, or at least a semester by now. HOW DO YOU EXIST ON THIS CAMPUS AND NOT KNOW? We only have 6 buildings in use on the academic side of campus.

Then I remembered how many students they let it based on how much money their parents have to pay for their schooling. If you’re going to be a small private liberal arts college that costs $40,000 a year, then BE MORE SELECTIVE. Just because someone has money does not mean they belong in this atmosphere. It is unfair to the those who don’t have as much money and are here on scholarships they received through academics (and need based).

You know, I am sitting here reading a story written by someone I do not know, and I am falling in love with it. I have always been this way. Ever since I can remember I have been reading books and watching television and movies. I am fascinated by fiction. I fall in to these stories, I become so invested in these characters that I almost forget they aren’t real.  This is the reason I want to write.

I know I do not write fiction, but that is because I am not creative enough. I’ve tried. When I was in the first grade I wanted to be a writer. Then a teacher, and a slew of other things over the years, but last year I realized I truly wanted to write. I have had a blog in some way or another since 2004. I just love to write.

So if I can’t actually write these stories or create these characters that people fall so in love with, then at least I can write about these stories in hopes that I can help others like me find something as enjoyable.

A lot of people don’t understand what I see in reading all of those books or watching all of those hours of television. It isn’t because I am bored. I do not own 48 DVD sets and countless movies because I get bored. I own them because I truly care about the characters that are created in them. And when their stories end I truly become upset. Most people just think I am insane, but if you truly appreciated these works of fiction the way I do, then I think you might understand why I love them so much.

The characters are real. Their problems are real. Their relationships are real.

I only wish that people would stop judging me for loving to read and watch these personal stories. It allows me to escape for awhile and it makes me happy. I don’t care if they don’t exist in this reality.  I wish people still appreciated these works of fiction for what they are. Mostly I am talking about the books here. I myself have stopped reading for pleasure as much, due to my amount of school work, but when I find a book that draws me in, I will do nothing but read it until it is finished, even if it means I lay in bed all day without eating or showering. Good books do this to me. Good television does this to me.

I hope it means as much to others as it does to me. Because a life without these stories would be very boring.

WARNING: This column contains some vulgar language. Be advised. It is not in a derogatory sense, it is merely the name of a video. But you have been warned.

As I was perusing the Entertainment Weekly site today, I found this column by Mark Harris, a gay columnist at EW. His column takes issue with the video that has been floating around YouTube since the Oscars, “I’m Fuckin’ Ben Affleck.” This video, which features Jimmy Kimmel and Ben Affleck singing the song, along with a choir full of celebrity cameos, was in direct response to Sarah Silverman’s video, “I’m Fuckin’ Matt Damon.”

Silverman and Kimmel have been dating for five years (I think – don’t hold me to this exact figure), and she is known for her raunchy and vulgar jokes and antics, especially on her Comedy Central program, “The Sarah Silverman Show.” So when she appeared on Kimmel’s show and debuted the Matt Damon video, everyone thought it was either A) hilarious or B) too vulgar. Perhaps some viewers thought it was both, but either way it became a huge national internet sensation virtually overnight.

In response Kimmel made the Affleck video. Why Ben Affleck? Because he is best friends with Damon. A fact that everyone knows. In fact I am pretty sure there have been numerous jokes revolving around that couple’s sexuality. The video was not funny because it was a gay couple, it was funny because of who the subjects were.Would it have made sense to use Matt Damon’s wife? No, probably not. She does not have the public life and friendship that most people know and associate with Damon and Affleck.

I understand why members of the gay community might take offense to the video, but by looking at it from the angle of the long-standing friendship of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, I can see the humor in it as well. The video should not be seen as an anti-gay video. I have not read any other resposnes from anyone from the gay community, but I would love to see what others think.

Was it wrong for Kimmel to make this video? Do other gays find it nearly as unfunny as Harris did? I want to know. Because I find it extremely funny, even if it is also extremely vulgar.

I wish we lived in a country or society where there was not such a division between the gay and straight communities. I’m a liberal and I believe in equal rights for all no matter one’s sexual orientation or race, etc. I’ve had countless arguments over the right for gay marriage to be legalized in this country. I find it despicable that it is even an issue. Being gay should not have the stigma it does, but unfortunately many people are homophobic and afraid of people who are the least bit different. But is it possible for the world to change when the outcasts refuse to see any humor? However where would we draw the line?

The column by Harris addresses some of these issues in reference to Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra making racial jokes to Sammy Davis Jr. and having the latter laugh whole-heartedly at them. We may never know if these jokes stung or not, but I know that Kimmel and Affleck never meant any harm by making the music video. It was only for humor and the subject was chosen merely for his very public friendship with Damon.

Why can’t we all just get along? No one is out to get anyone else.