What Is This? A Train Full Of Republicans?

So on the way home from church today, I was riding the Red Line of the T. I'm reading 1984, by George Orwell, and all of a sudden, I over hear "What is this? A train full of Republicans?"

I look up and see a dirty white hippie with his hair in "Jamiacan Style" braids, handing out anti-war flyers. It said "Stop the war now!" and many people weren't taking them.

"Hey, do you support the war?" The hippie said to the yuppie who was seated on the other side of the train.

"Uh, actually I do."

"Are you an asshole, or just stupid?" The hippie scowled as the yuppie lamely responded:

"Are you an asshole?"

The hippie was wearing a dirty T-shirt and continued to try and force flyers to others. His voice began to get louder. "Why don't you go down to New Orleans and drink some water buddy." The yuppie sat and laughed.

"I see you're down there helping out."

"Well, uh, I kinda lost my job when Bush dismantled the clean air act, so I don't have a lot of money to just go down to Lousiana." The hippie was getting ruder and louder and more sarcastic. It was at this time that I was having trouble reading. A brave woman piped up:

"I don't see how it helps your cause much to be rude."

"Anybody who voted for Bush is a FASCIST, and I hate Fascism and I hate war and warmongers."

"Yeah, but you are--"

"If I had lived in Nazi Germany, I would have hated Facism too. But I suppose you think we could have defeated Hitler with politeness."

There was a pause while the whole car listened, in some shock. This is where I had a moment to reflect on how wonderful it was that people were getting passionate and angry about things! This is a litmus test for the ability of a people to control a republic, and it looks as if a few people can still pass, even if I'm not one of them. I was also very proud of the woman who spoke up because I was getting a little nervous that a fight might have broken out. It was getting pretty heated. Suddenly the Hippie's peircing voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Hey fella, you look like you're of the right age to join the military, maybe you should go sign up, since you are so for it. Besides the military can really use you as they have such a shortfall."

That was about all, I think more was said, but I can't remember it all. Something like this happens every time I ride on the T inbound from Harvard Square on a Sunday afternoon, and I can't figure out why. Oh well.

So what's going on in my life? A lot. A lot. And a little bit more. On Friday we had talent and crew auditions for the Emerson Channel original programming (Speechless, GME, and Ladies Room) and as the Speechless Segment producer, I was there to watch the crew auditions and help Liz and Dave (the other Speechless producers)figure out who we wanted to crew the show. So from 1pm-8pm I was in the studios taking notes on camera operators, and control room positions. We basically were looking for enthusiastic people. The bottom line is we want to work with people who are willing to do anything. That's a tip for people trying to get involved at Emerson. We will teach you, so skill isn't necissary (it's helpful, but not necissary) just a good attitude. Then I auditioned to be talent for the EIV production "The Gentleman's Club" and that ran until about 10pm. I got called back for another round on friday, so that's exciting.

I've already met some new friends in the freshman class, namely Nate B. and Matt V. On Saturday night after all the auditions, I stayed up until 6am talking with Matt about religion, politics, Emerson, Virginia, driving, and a myriad of other topics. It was a total blast. When I went to bed, I woke up at about 10:45, and I checked my e-mail. When 11am rolled around, I suddenly remembered that I was supposed to meet with my group from Cognitive Psychology to make our group project in the library. NOW. (11am) and I was late. Shoot. So I hurried out the door, no shower or anything, and then I worked on that for a while, as well as doing a tape change. Then I tried to nap but it didn't work at all. I ended up wasting the entire day, which kinda pissed me off. But that night I watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind for the first time, and it was really good, if a little slow at the end. Richard Dreyfus kept making me laugh because I kept thinking about Mr. Holland's Opus during the movie.

After the movie was over, I ended up hanging out with Nate B. who showed me some of his media and I played Fattitude and some other silly works for him, and stayed up talking about random crap. But we also talked about religion, which was fun too, because he's a Christian who actually practices, so it will be nice to have someone who believes in God to talk to. I'm beginning to realize that we have a lot of people who are hiding in the woodwork that have faith, but at Emerson people discriminate you if you are a Christian. It's uncool. Atheism is very popular here and it's a shame.

Anyway, we stayed up until about 3:30am and then I went to bed until noon, because I was so exhausted, but I had to get up and eat and go to church. It was Boston's 375th aniversry today, so there was a parade, and it made me late for church, because I got distracted looking out the window.

Church was tough because I missed two of the three Hymns, and I love singing, and today they sustained me as Ward Missionary. Sometimes I wonder why things happen, sometimes I don't. But I find it ironic that I am Ward Missionary, even though I have not gone on a mission. God wants me to stay with him. I want to stay with him. But I've already gotten myself so wrapped up in the things of the world, and it is the hardest thing in the world to cut yourself off from. Here's the rundown:

Classes:
Ethics and Justice
Civil Rights
Cognative Pscyhology
Film One
(All of these courses are much more work intensive, all including papers/projects and reading, and group work.)
Activities:
Segment Producer for Speechless (I will be in charge of making 3 1 minute segments based on the show topics each week.)
Crew of Ladies Room (Position TBA)
Talent or Crew of Gentleman's Club (TBA)
Newsroom Director for Goodmorning Emerson (I may ask to drop this job)
Women In Motion
Submissions Coordinator for the 25th Annual Evvy Awards (This includes three or more meetings a week)
Film one projects
Master Control Associate
On-Air Promotions Editor (need to learn DVD Studio Pro and After Effects)

Church Obligations/activities:
Home teaching
Family Home Evening Group
Ward Missionary
Sunday Church
TRYING to find an Institue class that I can get to/fit into my schedule.

This doesn't even include things that I want to do but have absolutely no time to do:
WECB
Warlords
My own personal projects
A Social Life
Frames Per Second (Film Club)
2Knight Show (Comedy show)
Etc, Etc, Etc.

"What shall it profit a man, if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36)

Anyway, it's late and I have class tommorow. I will try to post more regularly. Love to all.