Palestine and Paywalls

The Sudler Trophy case has been pushed back about 5 feet from the band hall doors for about 4 days now. It got pushed back because there was a table set up in the lobby for uniform check-in. The weird thing is, people are really bothered by this trophy being pushed back. I've heard 3 or 4 different people comment on it. I don't mind it that much - it makes the back part of the band hall seem more closed in, which to me means cozier, but other people seem to find it claustrophobic. It's weird that so many people have noticed this detail and that people care enough to comment on this change - in the grand scheme of things, it's completely insignificant.

Also, I googled the Sudler Trophy. According to Wikipedia, it's 22.5 inches tall. Just like an 8 to 5 step. Nerds everywhere, rejoice! This trophy makes sense!!

Also, OH MY GOODNESS THE UN RECOGNIZED PALESTINE! I know that it's just the General Assembly, and that the US still doesn't recognize it. I'm unsure how I feel about it, but right now it doesn't really matter how I feel about it. All I know is that IR just got even more exciting than usual!

News.

In related news, the NY Times had what I assume is an amazing story on the topic, but I've looked at my 10 articles for the month and had to wait the extra time for TIME to write up something on the topic. I know I got to learn about it in the end, but it was rather frustrating. (Especially since I never hit the paywall with TIME since my parents subscribe.)

I'm also so excited for the semester to be over. I've felt tired all week - no real reason; I've been sleeping a lot and drinking coffee as well. I'm pretty sure it's typical end-of-semester weariness. I'm sure I'll miss this once it's gone, but for now I'm just looking forward to Christmas break!

Half-birthday!

This afternoon I realized that today is my half birthday! I'm 21.5 years old today! To celebrate, I made soup for dinner and watched some Doctor Who before revising my IR paper. Party hard, right? I think I'm about to go crazy and have some ice cream now.

I'm so ready for this semester to be over. All I want to do is read and watch movies, but I need to revise papers and write a paper and study. Luckily, I can see the end! This will all be over oh so very soon, and I get precisely one month off before going back for my final semester as a undergraduate! And in the break, I get to apply to graduate schools! Fun fun, thinking bout fun.(Rebecca Black is right. I do know what it is.)

I also got to cite an article FROM THE FUTURE today while working on a paper. The article came from the International Herald Tribune, and the date was Nov. 29, 2012. So I guess you could say that my predictions about how the Greek crisis will go tomorrow are completely accurate. Also, why is there still a paywall on the NY Times's website when I'm logged into the UofA library system? I feel like the YOU of A should spring for the group subscription for all of the students. Ten articles a month is definitely not enough.

In unrelated news, I've been watching way too much Parks and Rec lately, as per usual. I'm becoming concerned that Ben Wyatt's character is giving me unrealistic expectations for my life...but then again, fiction has been giving me unrealistic expectations for life since 1991. Why won't this website let me put the pictures found here directly on this blog?

Goal Setting!

Right now, I'm procrastinating studying. (Unlike other college students, I am still a novice at procrastination. Then I start feeling guilty and usually do work.) But, I have a plan for today (as always. I also have a calendar that I made by gluing 4 pieces of printer paper together and it outlines everything I have to do daily until finals are over.) So I know what my overall goal is. And I have to break the goals down into reasonable chunks. Basically, I need to have my day organized like I'm a first grader in order to get everything done. So, right now I'm going to revise 3 pages of my senior paper, go over French for my oral exam on Monday, then eat lunch and make my grocery shopping list. Then it's time for my favorite grown-up activity, grocery shopping!

This is unglaublich boring. Sorry if you happened to read this for some reason.

Grocery shopping!!