This morning I saw that someone had re-tweeted the following tweet. I've removed all the names because this isn't about them; it's about an attitude.
1) I am concerned that a college-age male doesn't understand the pro sporting system in the US. This system is based on money and performance. Tim Tebow is not a good player in the NFL. Jason Collins is (to the best of my knowledge; I'm not an NBA fan) a veteran of the NBA and has proven himself as a profitable player.
2) Collins and Tebow do not play the same sport.
3) Collins, unlike Tebow, already has a job, so he probably won't "get signed just because he is gay."
4) Both players can serve as a good role model. Tebow is a great example of holding on to your beliefs, especially when placed in a culture that does not share those ideals. Collins is a good example to kids (especially boys) who may be having trouble reconciling their sexual identity with their affinity for sports and the masculine stereotypes associated with that.
5) Collins is a Christian.
People, think before you tweet. I don't see any reason why these two men should be compared since they are currently in very different situations. The bottom line in professional sports is money; personal dogma takes a backseat every time. I find both inspirational, and I am sure that I am not alone in this.
tagesschau.de changed its home page, and it is amazing! The video was always really tiny before, but now it's big enough to see! And the designers made it easier to navigate, so I don't have to search the archive for tagesschau in 100 Sekunden.
It's the last week of classes. I'm wearing shorts and chacos all week...until it gets cold again, that is. The weather is so bipolar that I despair of ever cancelling our gas service. (We only have gas for the heater.) The next two weeks do not sound fun, but I know I can do it! And I have both New York and Germany to look forward to. Whenever I feel like school is getting too tough, I remind myself that I don't have to be here, and I could always just drop out and try to get a job based on my high school education. That sounds much worse, and I don't want to pass up the amazing opportunities that I have been given.
Have you heard about why this U-Bahn stop is called Muenchner Freiheit? It's after a group that opposed the Nazis towards the end of the war with mixed results. It's quite interesting: story here. (Again, it's in German. But you can always try using google translate for a vague idea of what it says.) I just think it's interesting because Muenchner Freiheit is the coolest U-Bahn station in Munich. There are cool lights and (as you can see from the picture) mirrors everywhere. It is less creepy that other stations, and it's near a pretty cool area of town.
I would like to thank you all for electing me to be your
president for the past year. It has been an honor to serve. I would also like
to thank everyone who was on exec this year. You are all amazing and wonderful
sisters, and I’m proud of everything you have done. I wish the new executive council all the luck
in the world, and want to remind you that I’m always a facebook message away.
Also, I’m going to learn to use skype.
To my littles:
Lindsay, you were my very first little. You’re beautiful and
smart, and I admire your work ethic and dependability. I know that whenever we
need sisters to help on a project, you’ll be there.
Kaitlin, I still think it’s weird that I have a little on
colorguard. Congratulations for being so amazing at winter guard – I know you
work very hard for everything that you’ve earned.
Liz, you’re sassy and I love it. I’m so glad to finally have
another sister from my section! When I see you hanging out with your lady bros,
I’m reminded so much of myself as a freshman. I hope you love Tau Beta Sigma in
the years to come! I’d be worried about leaving you without a big, but I know
Lauren will take good care of you.
Kody, I’m so glad you’re my little bro! You’ve always been
there to save me from the general creepiness of band backrubs, and you made me
feel better when I was the only junior to be put on third part.
Matt, you are such a sweetie! I’m glad Kaylee told me to
choose you as a little so we could be co-bigs; it was the best choice I
could’ve made. You’re an amazing brother, and I hope you continue to be as
passionate about Kappa Kappa Psi in the future. I’m proud to be your big sis;
good luck this summer!
Lauren, I’m still so excited that you chose me to be your
honorary. I love your passion for TBS and your determination to do well in a
major that you love.
Steven, thank you for choosing my as an honorary! I love how
you transferred here and were instantly one of the most involved brothers in
Lambda.
To my sisters of Gamma Pi: I love you all. I’m so glad that
you decided to kidnap me and make me your friend almost 4 years ago.
To Stevi: We’ve been roommates for two years, and I don’t
hate you. I feel like that is a wonderful accomplishment because living
together has destroyed many a friendship. Thanks for calling me Chelsex and
convincing KKPsi that I was pregnant (I wasn’t. Some people can’t tell when
someone’s been hacked.)
To Lambda: I met many of you because we were all in the same
section. (When I was a freshman, all but 3 members of my 30 piece section were
brothers.) By the second day of early week, I knew you were my brothers, and
TBS just made that official. You are a mess, and I love you.
Kaylee, pass auf. The first day I met you, I really didn’t
like you, and
I’m so glad that I was completely wrong about that. I’ve loved
every single road trip we’ve taken together from Conway to Tegernsee and our
traditions of eating at Fazoli’s and not noticing that the gas light was on.
Our bromance is unparalleled, even if other people say it isn’t a bromance
since I’m a sister. (Which I’m fairly sure is inaccurate. We’re watching Doctor
Who as I write this.) Hopefully you won’t miss too many exits on the way to
Tennessee.
To the Psi Chapter: I’m sorry for all of the times I missed
your calls. I never turn my phone’s sound on, which results in me missing 99.9%
of calls on the first try. I’m the worst.
I would also like to encourage you to
travel because it’s fun and you learn new ideas that can make our chapter the
very best that it can be. Someone should definitely come up with a chapter
cheer before next year though – “What chapter are we? Psi!” is all I could come
up with and that’s lame. I’d also like to encourage you to stay involved in our
sisterhood – I know that my involvement here is one of the reasons why I got a
Fulbright.
Two things I’ll always remember from national convention are
Jesus peeking through the corn, which was a bit creepy and which you must find
if you are in western Kansas, and singing “Amazing Grace” during opening joint.
The speaker just told us to sing it and counted us off, and it was just
gorgeous in 4 part harmony; I’m so happy that I was a part of that.
In case y’all hadn’t noticed, I’m a bit of a nerd. And I
found this poem while I was searching for an example for my German poetry class
a few weeks ago. Luckily for you, I was lazy and reading from a book of German
poems translated into English when I stumbled across this gem.
Abschied
by Heinrich Albert
Now,
good night, my friends so dear,
Loves
that I am leaving,
Who
for me might spend a tear,
Do
not think of grieving;
That
I sink out of your sight
Is no
cause for sorrow:
Look,
the sun that sets tonight
Will
come back tomorrow!
Don’t forget to be awesome.
MLITB and MOTS,
Chelsea
Elisabeth Burris
“The
Lone Psi”
Psi
Chapter President, 2012-2013
The theme song for our joint chapters:
Yeah, the internet is being dumb and I can't figure out how to get that from wswcm to here without kinda stealing it first. So thanks, #whatshouldwecallme!
I like tumblr, but not enough to actually get a tumblr. This is mostly due to the lack of an E in tumblr.
Also, I forgot that I took strengthsquest a few months ago. My qualities are: Learner, Context, Discipline, Intellection, and Input. They sound a bit stupid, but when I read the descriptions, they suited me rather well! I really like stuff like that, except I don't like Myers-Briggs because it causes the first thing that people know about me is that I'm introverted. I like to have that quality speak for itself, not be shown to strangers because I'm wearing a nametag that proclaims that fact.
Aldi is 100 years old today!! Bayern 3 had a nice story about it. It's in German, but if you don't speak the language you can always copy and paste into google translate!
There is nothing like reading a really good book that makes you lose track of time. I was taken aback when I sat down for a few minutes and then looked at the clock an hour later. (Luckily, I did all my work yesterday so I have time for that sort of thing.)
Reading a good book gives me the same feeling as when I've just eaten a good amount of good chocolate. Not something chocolate flavored, like cookies or cake, but actual chocolates. And I started feeling this way about a quarter of the way into this book.
Basically, Eleanor & Park live in a bad part of Omaha. Not like gang-bad; more like poor people in bad situations bad. Park's family is good, while Eleanor has a stepfather from hell. This book also made me feel guilty for every time I've ever thought something rude about someone wearing strange clothes.
By the time I fell asleep last night, about halfway through this book, it felt like someone was sticking a knife into my heart and slowly turning it in a circle but IN A GOOD WAY. This feeling persisted to the end of the book. I'm not sure what I liked about it...but it was so good. I loved that they loved each other, and that they knew Romeo & Juliet well enough to occasionally make fun of young love.
Maybe I shouldn't review books. This is about how I felt, not how they felt. It wasn't passive, at least. Walter Benjamin would be proud. Overall: read this book. It feels like a small town story, but it's set in a city.
______________________________
Also in my life: I've started watching all of the Matt Smith episodes of Doctor Who again. It's a nice way to waste time and justify my Netflix subscription. I went to Wilson Park earlier; the weather was beautiful and there were many cute families there to enjoy it. I'm so glad there's a nice walking path there - it feels much safer than using the city trails. While I was walking, I realized that I won't get to Germany until strawberry season is over! What is Germany without strawberries so red they stain your fingers?!
Today I was notified that I'm a Fulbrighter!!! I'm so proud to have been chosen to carry on the legacy of Senator Fulbright while teaching English in Germany starting in September. I don't know exactly where yet, but I'm excited irregardless! I keep on thinking of German things that I miss, like trains and chocolate and apfelschorle, and getting excited.
This news also came with a good dose of guilt - I mean, I haven't had a real job before, but I have worked very hard at school to learn German (didn't speak a word of it this time 4 years ago) and this is an incredible opportunity for me. Now I need to start saving money so my family can come visit me while I"m over there!
