Palin Power!

My Dear Reader,

I just have to say that I am one of those new Sarah Palin fans. I'm going with the crowd, I know, but I just can't help it. I have this weakness for strong, incredibly feminine women. Show me a woman who has that unmistakable boo-yah quality without sacrificing her femininity, and I become an instant die-hard fan. This explains my adoration for Captain Janeway, Julie Andrews, Barbra Streisand, and Teri Hatcher's Lois Lane. While they may differ in personality, methods, and morals, all four of these women (fictional or not) are really good being themselves without trading away their ability to be powerful. I've watched all four of them as I was a little girl and in desperate need of positive female role models. I suppose that that little girl is still somewhere inside of me, waiting for another strong role model to come along and give me another spark of inspiration.* So when I watched Governor Palin's speech at the Republican National Convention, I was sold. It was hard not to be, because as I feel that you will agree, she rocked that house.

But Sarah Palin is more than simply awesome. She also shares a lot of my values, and she is not ashamed of them, no matter how unpopular they are. In a world that equates femininity to being pro-choice, Governor Palin is one of the few women who are willing to stand proudly on the side of pro-life. And when you happen to be a pro-life woman, and when it it so important to you that it's a deal-breaker, that makes quite the impression. And I could go on, but this post would be too long. Unfortunately, however, the momentum that made Sarah Palin so darn awesome seems to tapered off recently, as a less-than-par interview (or two) aired. And as you probably are aware, these interviews were decidedly less boo-yah.

Actually, it was kind of like what I would have said if I was interviewed by Katie Couric. Or what I have said multiple times in class when put on the spot by a professor who gets pleasure out of life by dragging me down into the fiery abyss of a failing grade. Ironically enough, if I identified with Sarah Palin after I heard her convention speech, I was convinced that we were twins separated at birth (and by twenty years) after watching that interview. I have totally been there, though thankfully not on national television. I'm not being ironic here; that was my actual reaction. After all, I tend to be loyal to a fault, and if I could stand by Captain Janeway when she uber-evolved into a mutant lizard and had mutant lizard children with a guy who recently coughed up his own tongue, I can weather this storm. Think about me what you will, Gentle Reader, but I will stay on course, praying that my newest hero brings it to the vice-presidential debate later this week.

But if she doesn't, I'll still be there to see this through to the end. I guess it's just the fan girl in me. Strong pro-life women are hard to come by, you know.

Regards, best wishes, and a knock-out on Thursday,

-Cecily Jane

P.S. I apologize to you again for the untimeliness of this post. I know that some of my multitude of readers are on the internet constantly every Tuesday from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., refreshing every couple of seconds as they wait for the newest post to appear. If you were one of those people, Gentle Reader, know that my life is insanely weird right now, and my posting schedule tends to reflect that. However, I will not allow this to excuse my behavior, and I hereby promise to turn and repent.

P.P.S. Is this short enough, Madre? ;)

* I have recently realized that this enthusiasm for strong female role models often comes off the wrong way, and unfortunately led my brothers to believe that I was a she-woman man-hating type of feminist. And that explains a lot of their behavior towards me in recent years, come to think of it. While I firmly believe in equal pay for equal work, I promise that I have never burned any of my intimates. Not even my brothers.

Character Sketch: Tracy Bingham

My Dear Reader,

I take great care in naming my characters, something that I share with J. K. Rowling (I believe that she said on her website that she "collects" names, which explains a lot). I know all of the best baby name sites, because I always need to know the meaning of the name before I brand a character, sometimes picking a meaning and working backward.* Sometimes, when I come up with a really good name, a character just springs out of it, which is the case with the following character. I don't know where I'm going to put her yet, though.

Tracy Bingham

• White, primarily of English origin.
  
• Has dark hair that goes to her shoulder blades, which she wears in a ponytail.
  
• Early twenties, on the thin side.
  
• A little on the geeky side. Dabbles in games that involve logic and strategy. Has an above average sense of curiosity, which can get annoying at times.
  
• Well-read for her age. Loves epics.
  
• Switches off between glasses and contacts depending on her mood and the weather.
  
• Occasionally wears turtlenecks. Would probably wear one of those awful Christmas sweaters without realizing how tacky it is. Wears jeans, but never t-shirts unless it comes from some academic club. Even then, she only wears t-shirts on Saturday.
  
• More of a listener than a talker, mostly because she is more interested in learning about others than she is about talking about herself.
  
• Not very picky, and sometimes has a hard time deciding trivial things like what to eat or which movie to watch. Tends to let others make these decisions for her, making others think that she is a push-over. As a result, she finds herself drawn to people who are laid back and not egotistical.
  
• Is respected by many of her peers, but she doesn't exactly have any friends to do things with.
  
• Her mother was a beauty-queen type when she was Tracy's age. Tracy has to constantly deal with her mother's disappointment because Tracy is not the same.
  
• Has read The Holy Bible cover-to-cover and considers herself religious, though she doesn't belong to (or attend) any specific church.
  
• Absolutely loves the history of the British monarchy, and is somewhat sad that the topic doesn't come up often in regular conversation.
  
• One of those people who waits for others to come to them, and as a result, spends a lot of time waiting.
  
• Nervous tick: blinks a lot when she's nervous, and the more nervous she gets, the more she blinks.
  
• Gets almost giddy about the most obscure facts, such as Judy Garland's birthday or where Winston Churchill is buried. Gets these facts from her extensive study of Wikipedia.
  
• While she has a strong sense of morals, she will have no real desire to see change in the world until some kind of cause presents itself to her. After this happens, Tracy will shed her shy shell and become a fiery advocate for what she believes is right. This transformation scares Tracy, but it also makes other people like her. Which is the real Tracy?

-Cecily Jane

*I wonder if I care so much because my own name means "blind son of Harry." I think this also might be why I like to include my middle name, because "blind God is gracious son of Harry" sounds slightly better.

Main Street?

My Dear Reader,

So, I've done something pretty new recently: I've started watching the news. I know. It used to be that the closest I got to the news was the small amount of space in my college newspaper that wasn't devoted to engagement ring ads (I didn't mind that much, since I was just there for the crossword). But something strange happened, in the form of me coming across the video podcast of NBC's Nightly News. I thought I would give it a whirl, if only to stop people from shoving their readership of The New York Times down my throat (you know who you are!). I was surprised to find that I enjoyed it; the host, Brian Williams, is pretty cool, and it lets me know what's going on (they're changing the design of the penny, don't you know!). The nice thing is that I can get it over the internet, since I haven't had any television in my home since 2004. In fact, if it wasn't for the Nightly News podcast, I probably wouldn't have heard about recent events in politics, especially the newest catch-phrases in politics.

Okay, so I'm a word-nerd. I'll wear the banner proudly, because I feel that I've earned it. It lets me take a giddy pleasure in things that other people see as tragic, like the recent events in the New York Stock Exchange.

Now, I'll admit that things are pretty bad over there in New York right now. The U.S. government has been forced to bail out certain failing companies in order to avert a second Great Depression, causing the national debt to rise to . Things are getting pretty crazy, and I don't want to pretend that the situation isn't dire, and I certainly don't want to criticize the decisions of those in charge, because frankly, at least they're not Hoover. But I will bring to attention a linguistic oddity, and that is all of this talk about "Main Street."

Now, it's quite possible that this has been around for a while, but this is the first time I've paid attention to use of "Main Street" as a metaphor for the average, everyday American. I first heard it in the recent addresses of President Bush, where he said that he was more concerned about how the recent crisis would affect Main Street than the effect on Wall Street. And since he said it, I noticed the same Main Street/Wall Street comparison being made by both presidential candidates as well as news reporters. It seems to me that everyone is jumping right on this Main Street band wagon, and I can see why: it sounds really good. One or even two rhetorical devices that I once learned but can't presently recall are being used in the phrase, and I'm sure that those who speak the words feel that it effectively explains that what happens on Wall Street affects people who aren't stock brokers, investors, or rich. And it does. But here's the thing: I think that Main Street is a bad metaphor for the American people or American small businesses.

In order to explain what I mean, please allow me to take you back over fifteen years to my first encounter with a place called Main Street--Disneyland. I spent my earliest years in suburbia, so my family trips to The Happiest Place on Earth were when I was first exposed to the name, and I have since then always associated Main Street to Disneyland in my brain. In fact, it's so strong of a connection that I almost substitute one name for the other in my mind. So this is what my brain's been hearing lately:*

"You know, you hear them talking about Wall Street and [Disneyland] -- well, this is Wall Street plus [Disneyland], and I'm worried about [Disneyland]." (President Bush, as quoted in The Washington Post)

"[Senator] Barack Obama urged the Bush administration and Congress to follow basic economic principles to return prosperity to not just Wall Street, but also [Disneyland]." (AP)

"This is Wall Street in big trouble and sucking in [Disneyland], now, and dumping all the bills on [Disneyland]." (Senator Ron Paul on CNN's Late Edition)


So, as you can see it's just not working. Of course, I won't make the mistake of assuming that I'm just like everybody else (because, as we know, Oprah is the one who's like everybody else), but my guess is that a lot of people also grew up in the suburbs, where there are no Main Streets. If not, they may have grown up in big city, where Main Street is filled with anything but Mom and Pop stores. In fact, those kind of Main Streets only exist in small towns where the population is less than 25,000, and that's not that big of a number.

Now, I know that I'm not the Usage Police, and that I can't tell people what to say. I'm just humbly suggesting that perhaps the imagery that those who use the Main Street/Wall Street metaphor might not be what they think it is. It might just be imagery of a cartoon mouse with ridiculously big ears.

Regards, best wishes, and wordplay,

-Cecily Jane

P.S. Sorry about the missed post on Friday. Sufficed to say, I'm no longer the boss of my internet use. I'll make it up somehow though, no worries.

* And yes, I do edit sentences with square brackets in my brain as I process them. I'm just that awesome.

Ten Ways to Get "A"s in College, Part 2

My Dear Reader,

Here is the second half of my list of A-making tricks. (Here's the first half, if you missed it.) I figure that I might as well write it all down before it all seeps out of my head.


6. Turn in everything, even if it's late, and do it right the first time.

This is another one of those basics that I talked about in my previous post. If you're not turning in all of your assignments, chances are that you're not getting your A. In fact, you might not pass the class. A successful student consults his or her syllabus often enough to know when things are due and what exactly the professor wants for each assignment. When you aren't sure what the professor wants, ask him or her. (Believe it or not, professors are generally not out to get you.) And when you forget, as humans tend to do from time to time, don't let yourself feel too anxious about it, just finish it as soon as you can. Most professors will let you get partial credit (which is better than nothing), and on rare occasions, they even give you full credit. You never know unless you try.

7. Act the part

Let's face it: part of getting an A is making your professor believe that you are an A student. If the professor believes that you are used to being on the top, he or she will generally assume that you have what it takes to get there. This assumption can only work in your favor. Part of this is being on top of things and turning things in. Part of it is participating in class (that's right--raise that hand!). Part of it is presenting yourself as a hard worker, as in not wearing t-shirts that say things like "Slacker" on them. You don't have to wear a tie, just don't brand yourself as an idiot. It's easier to look like an A student than you might think.

8. Befriend your professor

In my experience, I've found that there are lots of professors out there who are professors because they just enjoy teaching. In fact, I dare say that lots of them are willing to be buddy-buddy with you on some level if you make the effort. Having this kind of relationship with your professors has more benefits than you can imagine, an most of these benefits lead to getting that A. When I was at college, I knew that if my professors and I communicated regularly, it was easier to get out of scrapes such as missing a test or spending a week in the Caribbean. Professors are also pretty cool people, and will help you with your academic endeavors outside of the classroom. Never underestimate the value of a repor with your professor.

9. Visit your professor's office

If you really want that A, talking to the professor during class isn't always enough. Most of the time, it will be just enough to put you over the top. We English majors were strongly encouraged to visit our professors often, in fact, lots of our teachers required us to meet them in their offices on several occasions. And the more I understood how college works, the more I went to my professors to run my paper topic by them or ask them to edit my papers when I finished them.After all, who knows better how to get an A than the person who's giving the grades? At the same time, physically standing in the space that a professor works in will tell you more about that professor than anything else will, and that kind of knowledge is power.

10. Know your limits

Sometimes too much is too much. Sometimes it is more important to go to sleep than to stay up all night studying. Sometimes it's better for your brain if you take a break with your friends than if you work on a project for hours upon hours solid. And sometimes, your professor is asking too much of you. Remember that you don't have to get 100% in order to get that A--there's some room for you to wiggle in. It's perfectly okay to put a class on the back burner for a week or two while another takes precedence, in fact, it's healthy in some cases. Above all, never forget that college is supposed to be a pleasant experience.


Now, Gentle Reader, go out into the world armed with the knowledge I have lent you! Or at least, I guess you could just pass this on to someone who could use it.

Regards, best wishes, and that tasty little 4.0,

-Cecily Jane

Short Stories: Five Six-Word Novels

My Dear Reader,

There are those who have said that my posts are too long; especially my Fiction Friday pieces. So, in order to drastically reduce the average length of my blog entries,* I will instead write you some six-word novels, a genre developed by Ernest Hemingway. Feel free to add your own (or title mine) in the comments.

Novel #1: I won. He lost. And died.

Novel #2 (or: Gone with the Wind): Two selfish people--one stupid movie.

Novel #3: He drank; she screamed. He stopped.

Novel #4: One man, one sacrifice. Mankind redeemed.

Novel #5: She's going to Paris; I'm unemployed.


Chao!

Regards, best wishes, and brevity,

-Cecily Jane

* And yes, I'm being sarcastic.

Ten Ways to Get "A"s in College, Part 1

My Dear Reader,

As a college graduate, I feel that it is my duty to pass on the grade-earning scores that I have acquired over the years. It turned out to be a pretty long list, so I've cut it into two easy-to-digest installments. While I can't exactly say that all of these items are listed in the order of importance, I would say that these first five are the absolute basics, meaning that if you don't do these, you're probably not doing well at all.

1. Know Yourself and Plan Accordingly

Are you a morning person? Take early classes so you can get the most out of your day. Are you easily distracted when you study at a computer? Finish your pen-and-paper/book studying first. Everyone has certain strengths and weaknesses, and only time and experience will tell what they are. Capitalize on your strengths and find a way to work through your weaknesses. Making excuses for yourself doesn’t help anybody, and it sure won’t get you that A.

2. Befriend your Syllabus

Your syllabus can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. It contains all of the basic information that your professor expects you to know. In most cases, it also has your due dates and instructions for homework. Professors put a lot of care and thought into their syllabi, and they sometimes they get frustrated when you ask questions that they have pre-answered and handed you on a piece of paper. Then, if you miss a deadline or do something wrong, they have every right to hold it against you. You should read your syllabus all the way through on the first day of class, asking questions about anything you don’t understand. Then, pull out the syllabus daily during the last five minutes of class and review it quickly while the professor is droning on about useless nonsense. Trust me on this one; the more you re-read your syllabus, the better you will do in class, guaranteed.

3. Go to Class and Make it Count

You’d be surprised at how many people never learn this concept, but you really miss out on a lot of information when you don’t go. And it’s not just the lecture itself that you’re missing. As an English major, I knew that missing one class could mean that I would never know about due date changes, or I wouldn’t get additional instructions on papers or projects. Of course, things come up, and sometimes it’s better to spend an extra hour finishing a paper than to sit in class. So I allowed myself to miss only one class per test, which worked out fairly well. That way, I gave myself a little flexibility without letting myself get lazy, which is key. Also, don't forget that being there physically is meaningless if you're not there mentally. Trust me on this: if you let the material really sink in the first time you hear it, you can save hours of time studying later.

4. Take Copious Notes

I used to get compliments on my note-taking skills all of the time. “Wow!” they would say, “It’s like you’ve got the entire lecture written down!” People just couldn’t believe that I could get that much detail on paper. I did it that way because of the Humanities 101 class I had my first semester, when the teacher mentioned off-handedly that the word “Catholic” means “universal.” We didn’t think to write it down, but did it turn up on the test? Heck yes! Here’s the thing: if you take notes in class, you have a physical copy of the lecture that you can read over and over again until all of the information gets into your brain and stays there. Plus, it means that you’re paying attention and really soaking it in the first time. Don’t short-change yourself by only copying the board; everything that comes out of the professor’s mouth is fair game for tests. I know some people who take a tape recorder to class and listen to each lecture multiple times. It didn’t work for me, but you might want to try it.

5. Befriend a Classmate

I find it amazing how two people can sit in the same lecture and get two entirely different things out of it, but it happens all of the time. Even if you attend every class and write down every word, someone else is getting something that you’re not. If you make friends with that person, he or she will more than likely share that something with you, and you will be even more prepared than you were before. Besides, this friend can also give you the notes from the day you missed, or help you interpret the professor’s handwriting. You can never underestimate the power of teamwork in getting an A out of a professor.

And there you have it: the basics. Join me next week, Gentle Reader, when I detail some of the extra methods you can use to change an okay grade into a great grade.

Regards, best wishes, and academic achievement,

-Cecily Jane

Note: Cecily's Taking a Break

My Dear Reader,

Sorry about the lack of posts recently. I've been moving to Oregon, and was unexpectedly without internet access for the past two weeks. Not to worry, however, as I will return next Tuesday as usual, with a post entitled: "Ten Ways to Get 'A's in College.*" It's a two-parter, so get excited!

Regards, best wishes, and see you Tuesday,

-Cecily Jane

*As in the grade, not to be confused with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It happens.

P.S. I was going to wait until Tuesday to relate my internet difficulties, but I couldn't bear the thought of having those silly haiku on the top of my blog any longer. I hope you know, Gentle Reader, that I meant for them to be that un-poetic. I really can write good poetry when I want to, I promise.