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My time at ASU has come to an end.

Master's Degree is about to start,

Amor Fati

Comedy - Brad Williams - Smash Brothers

     So last weekend I had the pleasure of getting to go see Brad Williams perform live at Spotlight29 in Coachella, CA.  Been a huge fan of Brad's for a long time so to get to be third-row center was amazing. For those of you who have never been to the spotlight, it's a medium-sized venue, in a very smokey casino. The venue is very nice, it's just the cancer run through hallways of second-hand smoke that sucks. This was Brad's first-hour long show since his daughter was born. It was all new material and he was on point. He brought his A-game and took no prisoners.
     The show was opened by two brothers called the Smash brothers. They are always funny, and I would highly recommend you catch them live if you can. If you are not able to see them live, then check out their material on Youtube. Be warned, they are not afraid of swearing and nothing is off-limits. I think that is one of the things that really endear me to them. So many comics these days are so PC and don't want to hurt the snowflakes of the world. Yet that is exactly the point of stand-up, to challenges our perceptions of society and the world, to make us deal with uncomfortable questions. I must say the smash brothers are a breath of fresh air in the comedy scene. The world desperately needs more Lenny Bruce's and George Carlins' in it. 
     After an hour-long show with no break, Brad was in the lobby selling his merchandise, taking photos and signing autographs by himself. No helper, just him doing it all, a real one-man show. It was impressive and eye-opening to see how hard someone has to work to make it in the business. What separates the greats from the could have been; hustle, drive, determination. For all of you young comics out there, do yourself a favor and study Mr. Williams. Being funny will only get you so far, being adorable does help too, but his work ethic is what makes him a star. 

School Update

So I have a little under two pages left on a paper, once that is turned in the first half of my last semester is completed. One class at ASU is left. I have applied to a Masters's program but am still waiting on three letters of recommendation. I hate waiting, so this has been pretty painful. It is really making it difficult to focus, or even be excited about going to school. I just want to say screw it, but can't bring myself to do it,,, yet. 

Got to see my Cleveland Browns

So I finally got to see my Cleveland Browns play. We went to the Arizona Cardinals game on (12/14/2019), and unfortunately, two of the Cardinals had the biggest games of their careers. It was cool to see them have great games, and I am a cardinal fan, just not as much as I am a Browns fan. So I was happy with either team winning, but I would have liked it just a bit more if it had been the browns.

Graduate School

So my time at ASU is nearing an end. This is my last term, and I only have two classes remaining. Yesterday (12/17/2019) I applied for a master's program. I am not sure when I will hear the results. Writing a "Statement of Purpose" was incredibly difficult and tortures for me. The application from the school had some major spelling and grammar issues, I think I should get some bonus points for not being a dick and pointing this out to them.

Theodor Adorno, my new spirit animal

Fight Club 3, by Chuck Palahniuk

I loved the original Fight Club, both the book and the movie. That doesn't happen often for me. The second fight club was a graphic novel, much like the 3rd one is. I did not get to see the 2nd one, but I heard great things about it.

Issue one of FC3 is out, and issue 2 will be out next week. So far I have to say I am not really sold on it. I am praying it will improve, but issue one was a pretty weak opening act. Sorry, Chuck, you know I love ya, but I gotta be honest. I expected better. 

So I finished the series, and Chuck you did it, it was way better than I expected. Nicely played sir!

Cold Spots by Cullen Bunn

I am a bit of a comic book nerd. I can't help it, I just love them, I am not into the super hero crap, I will take a good anti-hero, or something more darker anytime. This is a five book series that has to do with missing people, and ghosts. It was really well done, however, I guess this is today's theme, LEARN HOW TO END A STORY!!!!!!!! The last issue leaves so much open that it would seem obvious that there is going to be more, but no that is it. Just when it is getting good, nothing has been settled, the whole world is in chaos, and that's it folks, thanks for getting emotionally invested in the story line, but we are going to go work on something else.   I can understand leaving a little bit of a cliff hanger, or not tying up every loose end, that's fine, But for fuck sake at least tie up one loose end! Too much to ask? Why insert all the obvious cliffhangers in the last episode? You bait us with like 3 or 4 potential future story-lines, then drop the mic and walk away from the project? Screw you! That is not right and you know it. Did the plot get to complicated for you? You had the potential of a great series. Minimal effort guys! Aim low and you will never be disappointed. 

All the Light We Cannot See, By Anthony Doerr

So I picked this book up on a whim. I hadn't heard anything about it, but the cover and the fact that it got a Pulitzer caught my eye. The book was amazing. I couldn't put it down and was reading every second I could. It just sucks you into it this world, with these fantastic characters. Then you get to the last two or three chapters, and all this time and emotion you have invested into reading this, up to that point, wonderful book gets destroyed.

Doerr spent like ten years writing this masterpiece, then in the last few chapters just gives up? Did your publisher finally give up after ten years and demand the book that day? I will happily give you my copy back, go take another year or two, and pound out a decent ending. It doesn't have to be happy, or anything else, just put the same effort into it that you put into the rest of the book. I have NEVER had a book leave me so let down by a crappy ending as this one. Had I known what a complete train wreck of an ending was approaching, I simply would have stopped reading at the end of the chapter when the city falls. No closure but a fitting end to a story about characters that had lead such difficult lives. Give me a cold, brutal, ending any day over this books ending. It was so blatantly obvious the author didn't know how to end this, and just forced an ending on each loose end. It's like reading an episode of lost, okay we got them on the island, anyone got an idea how we get them off?? Anyone?? nothing?? Shit, okay, lets just wing it and hope no one catches on. I DO NOT ACCEPT YOUR ENDING, please try again. 

Enrollment

So I enrolled in my last 4 courses this morning. My entire undergrad is now scheduled and I just need to continue with the grades. I am currently over a 4.0 GPA, and hoping to stay near that. Short-timers and I are not friends, so I need to make sure I am not getting lazy. As of right now I have 10 and a part of one, classes left. My current course should be over in about two weeks I hope. I have two classes for the B half of this semester, and then 4 each for summer and fall semester. I guess I need to get on the ball and starts applying for grad school programs. :( More applications and restrictive essays. 

ASU

So I am nearing the end of my time as an undergrad and ASU. I just registered for the Summer term, and next week I will register for Fall, my final term. I have 3-4 classes left, waiting on registration to clarify exactly how many I have left. One course I took should have counted as an upper elective, but right now it is not. So I either have to take a class to account for that elective credit, or they need to fix something on their end. I'm really hoping it is on their end and I only have to take three courses. 
The really hard thing is, where do I go for grad school? Stay at ASU, or try something new? Do I take a masters only, or go with a combo, masters/doctorate program? Any ideas?

A great Ted-X talk

Colin Kaepernick and the NFL

     So it is almost Superbowl Sunday, and of course there is lots of talk about the NFL and CK going on. Multiple bands turned down the half time show in order to avoid being linked to the controversy. The artists who decided to be part of the biggest show on TV, have been mired in the controversy and have basically had to disconnect from social media until the big game is over. While this topic is very polarizing, I believe one of the key arguments needs to be addressed. 
     First off lets get the obvious pieces of this argument out of the way. Did the NFL miss handle this situation? Yes, with out a doubt the handling of this situation could have been handled much better. The NFL was not prepared for a controversy like this and quickly found themselves in a no win situation. Regardless of how they reacted, they would alienate a large part of the fan base. I honestly believe the NFL was trying to simply shut this controversy down with out having to take a side. However in doing so, they obviously did in fact take a side. 
     Are NFL owners racist? Well the chances that some are, is pretty high. Are all of them? Probably not, but it is safe to say that racism is present and does play a role in this controversy. However, so does politics, religion, socialization, greed, and  several other factors. To blur the issue of racism is the mentality that athletes are property. As a member of a team you surrender your individuality to a degree and to many, simply view you as a cog in a machine. You are replaceable, just like any other part of a machine. Regardless of color, you are just a piece of meet that is temporarily the best at doing a particular job.
     Do athletes have the right to protest? While this argument is silly, it remains one I hear many people make. These athletes are doing a job, no different then you or I. They are not special or in any way segregated from the rest of society. They have the same rights and privileges afforded all American's. The idea that they represent something higher, more noble that eliminates them from taking part in serious discussions affecting our society is simply asinine.  The same argument applies to actors and musicians. They are all entitled to the same freedom of speech and peaceful protest that we are afforded. 
     Players are working, and should not be protesting. This is an interesting argument, and if it holds true, then do you or I have the right to conduct any type of protest while at work? Can we discuss politics or other controversial subjects on our breaks? If we say yes to this, then the majority of us must  be just as guilty as these players? The time between warm-ups and the start of the game is in fact a break time for the players, are they not free to speak among themselves? Is their right to free speech somehow surrendered? By taking a knee are they in anyway being non-peaceful? These American citizens are simply making a peaceful statement that represents THEIR beliefs. This is equivalent to a athlete making a display of their religious beliefs after scoring (Tim Tebow). Does the exhibit of a religious belief  not represent the whole team in just the same manner as taking a knee?
     CK is not playing due to the controversy he created. While this is up for wild debate, and it would not be surprising that as the creator of this movement he is being singled out. Controversy in major sports is nothing new, and has ended some careers, but only slightly tarnished others. Lets take the Quarterback Micheal Vick for an example. Vick an all star player, went to prison for 22 month during yet returned to the game. After six years playing, he would spend nearly two years in prison, and he was still able to return and play another seven seasons. In 2018 alone there were 34 players found guilty of crimes, yet all remain active players (1). So obviously breaking the law doesn't get you banned from the NFL, and causing large scale controversy previous to this incident doesn't get you banned, why is CK not playing?
     So why is CK not playing? Racist owners? The NFL is trying to make an example of him? Too much controversy for any of the teams to handle? Most likely a mix of all of the above. But could it be something much simpler? Before he ever knelt, he was benched, not once, but several times. His play was not what it once was. His last two seasons he was 2-6 and 1-10 with a QBR in the 40's (2). He was often benched, eventually lost his starting job, and there were rumors that he would not be getting his contract renewed. Nike was considering cutting ties with him (3). The controversy of taking a knee only compounded issues.  
      While racism, greed, hate, and a million other things that make us each uniquely human are at play in this controversy. We will never know the true reasons at the heart of each individual players actions. However, we must ask the question, would CK have gotten another chance had he still been at the top of his game? 



1) https://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/arrests/
2) https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/K/KaepCo00.htm
3) https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/26/sports/nike-colin-kaepernick.html