Let Them Eat Cake

Teachers

thehistorymajor — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 02:47:53 +0000

I spend a lot of time thinking about teachers. Mostly because I will become one pretty soon, in about three and half years. I think about how it will feel to be in charge, to give assignments and to grade papers. A lot of people think that teaching is a noble calling. Alright, I’ll admit I am one of those people who believe that education is the means to solving all of our social problems. What can I say, I’m liberal? But I don’t have any particular desire to mentor troubled youth or win a teacher of the year award. I think most people become teachers because the things they’re interested in don’t pay much otherwise. I’d trade in my brain any day for some marginal mathematical talent or a passing interest in biology. Hey, doctors have MUCH more exciting lives then teachers, we’ve all seen Grey’s Anatomy. You don’t see any shows about teachers with that much popularity and steamy drama. People become teachers for the steady paycheck. Because lets face it…free lance historian?….not exactly the most secure of callings. I’m young, I have the notion that I’ll be able to write a bestseller over summer break or something. But I HAVE seen Mr. Holland’s Opus…actually I can’t remember how it ends…but that scene with him singing the John Lenon song and doing the sign language–tear jerker! Anyway I know that I’ll probably live a pretty mundane life and I won’t be able to move out of my parents’ house for a long time with a teacher’s paycheck.

Are you thinking there is going to be a point to this at some point? Oh, poor you.

Martha Coakley, and other socially apocalyptic entities

thehistorymajor — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 15:04:32 +0000

So, on November 7th Massachusetts elected Martha Coakley as the new Attorney General. Being that she was the only non-republican candidate on the ballot, I too voted for her. But as I reflect on my moments spent in the voting booth I wish that I had left that spot blank. Not because my vote was the one vote that decided whether or not this Fem-beast would be elected, after all I certainly don’t approve of the Republican candidate, Larry Frisoli, either. Rather, I wish I had left that spot blank out of general protest. Martha Coakley is as conservative as a democrat can get. She campaigned with a “tough on crime” platform and has stated that she’ll do everything she can to dissuade Deval Patrick from initiating his plan to give driver’s licences to illegal immigrants. Now, I’m not saying that I condone crime (although my personal belief of a universal balance of good and evil, and the duality of the universe in this respect certainly states that it is necessary to existence) but the slogan, “tough on crime” brings some rather pejorative images to my conciousness: death penalty, tougher sentences for “cop killers”, corrupt police officers, less focus on rehabilitation of criminals and more focus on “punishment.” For now I think I’ll have to wait and see how things turn out, with Deval Patrick as governor I doubt that he will allow for the state to forget the rights of the accused. Still we should always watch out for our rights.

As far as the “and other socially apocalyptic entities” part of this subject line…let’s just say: zombies.

Sofia Coppola thinks she can do history

thehistorymajor — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 23:48:47 +0000

Well, I finally got around to seeing Sofia Coppola’s new film, Marie Antoinette. I had been anticipating it for months so the film had a lot to stand up to in my mind. I wouldn’t say that I was disappointed because I went into the theater knowing that this was not a historical film, but I still have that feeling like when you throw up a little in your mouth. Jason Schwartzman was gorgeous and wonderful as always (yeah, sensing a bias?), and Kirsten Dunst was beautiful, I have no qualms with the acting. I don’t even mind the plot even though it was flakey at best. I understand that Coppola was trying to show the journey that the girl took to “finding herself” (or some shit), but she failed. She portrayed Marie Antoinette as a ditz who didn’t understand the politics of her country. However in the film’s defense it’s an excellent portrayal of life at court and all the intricacies and traditions that went along with it.

Overall, I’d say go see it because it’s VERY easy on the eye, filled with beautiful people. Moaning Myrtle plays one of Louis’ aunts along with Molly Shannon. Oh yeah and the coach from Dodgeball is Louis XV. Seriously people, I’m in love with Jason Schwartzman.

ADENDUM: By the way, in the scene with the shoes…there is a pair of converse all stars in the background. Is this subliminal advertising? Or an atrocious anachronism(to match all the others throughout the movie??)

Dropkick Murphys or the Hot Security Guard at the Worcester Palladium

thehistorymajor — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 17:16:42 +0000

So… I saw the Dropkick Murphys on Saturday night at the Palladium and Worcester. I didn’t have the best time, I have to say. The show was great, but I’m not a huge fan of the band. They’re excellent but I’m a casual listener and I thing that getting squashed in the front row and having the people around you violate you requires a certain measure of devotion for the band you are seeing. Coheed, yes. Murphys, not so much. Who knows, maybe now that I’ve seen them live I will become a bigger fan.

Anyway the highlight of my night was this visually pleasing staff guy who kept having to lean over me to grab crowd surfers. Needless to say I became a little overly acquainted with certain parts of his anatomy in the process. He had a soft belly. He was uber cute, but I doubt I will ever see him again…at least in any kind of situation where it is appropriate for me to introduce myself and ask him out. Somehow I think those guys are used to front row girls becoming enamoured of them. Oh well….

The Ballad of Chelsea

thehistorymajor — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 20:15:27 +0000

A lot of people try to reject their nerdiness, but I embrace it. Sure I spend my nights reading fanfiction and I actually own a Weird Al cd, but at least I’m happy with myself.

History club and breaking in

thehistorymajor — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 19:04:59 +0000

I went to my first history club meeting today with my friend, Erin. I think it was a good idea because there are some experienced upper classmen in the club who are dealing with the history/secondary education major/minor thing as well so they have some good advice to give out. Like how to graduate in four years. Next week there is a history major advising meeting on wednesday. I really hope I don’t have work because I would really like to go.

Side note: I’m in Cultural Anthropology right now, so I’m pretending to take notes.

I’m really happy about the history club thing because I feel like I’m finally starting to break in and make a social life for myself here. We’re planning a Day of the Dead thing on Nov. 1, passing out skeleton lollipops and all that.

Study and randomness

thehistorymajor — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 23:16:41 +0000

I spent all day today cramming for my western civ midterm tomorrow. Everything from the Paleolithic Age to the Iron Age, I expect that I will do well but not as well as I would have done if I hadn’t waited until the day before to study.

So my last entry was kind of random, I guess. I didn’t even explain who Barats and Bereta are. They’re a pair of college kids who make really hilarious videos. You can see more at baratsandbereta.com.

Not much is new with me, still barren on the romance front. I bought the New Oxford Annotated Bible yesterday. I have yet to crack it because of the aforementioned study session. I’ve always enjoyed watching documentaries about biblical times and finding different allusions in works of literature. I think it will be a good investment for future study…it better be seeing as it cost me over thirty bucks.

Gee after reading that paragraph I am truly SHOCKED that I haven’t had any luck with guys lately.

Barats and Bereta

thehistorymajor — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 01:12:53 +0000

Simply love.

Red

thehistorymajor — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 23:18:22 +0000

A note: after finishing My Pet Virus (hey, it took me a while I have midterms) I can affirm that I am still in love with Sean Decker, but that I have additionally fallen in love with his “wife partner” Gwenn Barringer.

Is it a coincidence that I have just finished reading a memoir about a man with AIDS on the day that Bono goes on Oprah and launches his new (RED) campaign to raise money for HIV medication in third world countries? I think not. Shawn Decker’s story has personalized the AIDS epidemic for me. His is definitely a story of hope, and yet for the millions of people in Africa diagnosed with this virus it is a death sentence. It doesn’t have to be. I admire Bono more than words can express. His photo hangs on the door to my bedroom (no joke). (Side note: I’m a little confused about the whole Bono/Bush thing…but since he’s a philanthropist and he wrote “Where the Streets Have No Name” I suppose I can forgive and forget.) Anyway, Bono’s (RED) campaign is a line of merchandise sold through various stores whose profits will go toward buying anti-retroviral medication for “positoids” in Africa. If you want to find out more or get involved visit: joinred.com.

“Let them eat cake”

thehistorymajor — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 23:56:51 +0000

While browsing through the search engine terms used to find my site, I saw one that made me feel a little irresponsible: “‘let them eat cake’ who really said it.” For the record it certainly was not Marie Antoinette, no one’s quite sure who said it, but I heard that a biographer recently said Marie Therese, wife of Louis XIV said it 100 years earlier. So there you have it.

I got home from work about an hour ago to a house filled with the tantalizing scent of tacos. Ohh tacos, is there any food more Godly than that beautiful epitome of Tex Mex? Surely, there is not.