Library + Pandora = Effective Studying

My friends and I spend a lot of time together in the library. A lot. In fact, if it is anywhere between 9 pm and 2 am on an evening Sunday through Thursday, you can be pretty certain that you'll find us there... in the same place, on the same floor. Every time.

Valerie, who I spend particularly the most time with at the library, just sent me this facebook note:

"So this is how much studying i've been doing this month: i was just informed through e-mail by pandora that i am approaching my free forty hour limit this month. there's a limit."

Conflicting Schedules

As a member of a student group, there is no bigger headache than trying to find a time for everyone to meet. Especially if its an officer's meeting.

I mean, if you join a club, you just go to the general meeting time if you can make it (and don't join the club if the time doesn't fit into your schedule).

But if you are a club officer, or in a small group of students, then trying to find a time that fits neatly into everyone's schedule can be crazy and hectic.

Until now... (insert "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" music)...

My friend Andrew found the perfect website for organizing schedules and time. Simply go to www.whenisgood.net, click on every single time that could possibly work for you, and then email that link to whomever is in charge of the schedule. Viola! Magic!

Its a neat little way to make sure you know everyone's available time. Now you have some semblance of a chance of finding a time that works for all.

Boomer Blogging Again

My freshman year of college I was a Boomer Blogger for OU, which means that I blogged for their freshman recruitment weblog. And I'm doing it again!

The Boomer Bloggers page used to be made up of freshman writers (with one token transfer student), but now they've changed it so that older student can also contribute (which will increase the number of blog posts overall). I was one of those older students recruited, so I'll be blogging in two different places this year. Woot!

The problem with the Boomer Blogs is that I can't say just anything I want. For example, Boomer Blogs will not be privy to my Stories from Work blogs (which I plan to be a recurring thread), since they contain inappropriate material-- i.e. alcohol-- not suitable for a recruitment page. And while this stipulation about content makes perfect sense to me (they are trying to put their best foot forward after all), it does feel a trifle stifling. So I am going to be constant in maintaining my VirginiaFilms blog as well.

So if you want, you can also follow me on www.ouboomerblogs.com ... otherwise, you can just keep it here, since this is where you'll be getting ALL my thoughts (and not just the "recruitment appropriate" ones).

Stories from Work

I am a cocktail waitress at one of the bars on Campus Corner (a few square blocks north of campus that has lots of shops, restaurants and bars), and I worked last night (which also happened to be a football game day). So it was a very, very busy night.

One of the things I enjoy about my job is that there is an endless supply of comical moments when it comes to drunk people. They have no censor, and they say/do the stupidest/funniest things. I also have the opportunity to overhear many interesting conversations which actually provide quite a bit of insight into people (after all... a drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts).

For example, as I waited by the bar for one of the bartenders to make a drink order, I happened to eavesdrop on an amusing conversation behind me. Although really, it couldn't be considered eavesdropping, since I was almost forced to listen to the conversation as the girl was standing directly behind me and screaming at full volume. The poor thing was crying hysterically to some guy and could only manage to get out the words, "But I've always loved you, (insert name)! I've always loved you!" It was kinda sad actually. I was torn between wanting to give her a huge hug and slapping some sense into her... The guy was obviously less than quality (he'd been grinding on at least three or four girls that night), and she looked like such a sweet girl. And yet too much alcohol had severely impaired her ability to look at the situation and realize that she was 1) ruining whatever remaining chances she had with the kid and 2) that everyone within a five-foot radius could hear her.

Another entertaining moment came when I went into the women's restroom to pick up the empty cups and bottles that lined the walls (Why do girls insist on carrying their drinks into the bathroom with them and then leaving them there? Leave it outside with a friend.). While I was in there, I happened to notice that there was a guy in the women's restroom. I was just about to make him leave when I realized that the guy was gay. Adorably flaming gay. So I figured that there was no harm done-- none of the girls in there were bothered by him in the least.

Which brings up an interesting issue about male/female restrooms... if you are gay, which restroom do you use? This gentleman obviously felt most comfortable in the women's restroom, and I don't think he would feel comfortable if he used the men's restroom (nor would the other male restroom-users). No wonder large companies have started to designate some bathrooms as unisex. It just makes things to much less complicated for the lesbian woman who really doesn't want to use the women's restroom and the gay man who feels unnatural in the men's room.

Gotta Love Handouts

Before class one day, my friend Madison happened to look down and notice a stray paper sitting on a lonesome desk. Normally unattended papers get tossed without a passing glance, but not this time. Nope. This time, Madison read the handout and saved it to pass on to me. I have no idea what class the handout is from or who wrote any of it, but its contents are so incredible that I feel compelled to share them with you.

The paper is entitled "Movie-A-Minute Summaries."

Brilliant.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
(1980, Directed by Irvin Kershner)

Luke
I have to go to Degobah.

Yoda
You have to use the force.

Luke
I have to go to Cloud City.

Darth Vader
You have to go to the Dark Side.

Luke
No I don't.

Darth Vader
I'm your father.

Luke
No you're not.

Darth Vader
Fine. I'll cut off your hand.

THE END

----------

THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK
(1997, Directed by Steven Spielberg)

Jeff Goldblum
We must never go back to the island.

(Goes back.)

(Everybody dies.)

Jeff Goldblum
I told you we should never go back to the island.

THE END

----------

And my personal favorite...

GREASE
(1978, Directed by Randal Kleiser)

Danny
I like you, but you're not cool enough.

Sandy
What if I dress like a slut?

Danny
Now that you're not who you are, I can love you for who I wanted you to be.

THE END

Sporcle

If you want to waste time, I just found the best website. Ever.

Go to: www.sporcle.com

Another Great Quote

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds."

--Albert Einstein

Inspiration

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe."

-- Anatole France

Exciting Stuff

Yesterday was an exciting day in the Oklahoma film world.

Jessica Alba has been charged with vandalizing public property in Oklahoma City after pictures surfaced of Alba gluing huge posters of great white sharks on utility boxes, a United Way billboard, and other private property. Alba is in Oklahoma for the filming of "The Killer Inside Me," which also stars Kate Hudson and Casey Affleck.

Also in exciting film news: a couple local Oklahoma filmmakers shooting a film about a mutant frog that terrorizes storm drains left their fake severed lower body (jeans stuffed with chicken wire, bottles, foam, and fake blood) in a storm drain near the interstate. There was also a very large smattering of fake blood on the cement walls. Some poor soul driving by mistook the pants for a real body and called the police.

All in all, very eventful. And the publicity is getting Oklahoma on the map… although, perhaps not in the most positive way.

Interning: Day One

I started my internship at the Oklahoma Film and Music Office today. It's a small internship... I only work two days a week for a total of eight hours. But it is going to be a very enjoyable eight hours a week.

How do I know? Because how can an office with a Constitution like the one below be any less than great fun?

Constitution of the Film and Music Office of Oklahoma

We the People of the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, in Order to form a more perfect Newsletter, establish Enthusiasm, insure state Pride, provide for the essential Film Screening, promote the insanely rockin' Musical Performance, and secure the highest Level of Professionalism to ourselves and our Interns, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Events Calendar of the Website of the Film and Music Office of Oklahoma.