2 Weeks

Man, I can't believe it's already been two weeks since I moved to Dallas. This is a very odd place. And by "odd", I mean, "not home". I've been really busy ever since arriving here which has been nice. But yesterday I almost quit.

I was tired, homesick, broke, lonely, and just generally cranky. A conversation (before my stupid phone battery died, that is) with a friend talked me off the ledge last night. (That's a figurative ledge, by the way, not an actual one. I could never actually kill myself because ewww.)

I had my very first "real" college test today. HOLY CRAP they weren't kidding when they said this is college. I had no idea. To quote Jon Stewart, "Seriously folks, I think my brain is broken." It took me five minutes - FIVE MINUTES - to remember what the 5th amendment is! OH MY LORD! Have I never watched "Law and Order"?? There were several times when I almost laughed out loud at the pure ridiculousness (is that even a word?) of the situation. I literally stayed up until 4 a.m. to study and only got about 2 hours of sleep. Yep, I'm in college alright!

I saw Episode III this week. ATTENTION: SPOILERS AHEAD! If you have any intention of seeing the movie and want to go in with a clean slate you should probably skip ahead to the next paragraph. Okay, having said that, geez what a lame movie. I was so disappointed. The first conversation between Anakin and Padme literally made me laugh. Loudly. I apologized to my friend that I was with and he said, "It shouldn't be YOU that's apologizing! It should be George Lucas!" And with him I had to agree. I did appreciate his ideas regarding the moment when Anakin, playing dress up in his Frankenstonian Vadar suit first broke away from the table. My friend said, "You know, he looks like a fan boy dressing up for a premier or convention!" Again I say, with him I agree.

On a more positive note, People magazine did a review of the new Ben Folds album. And as People is the ULTIMATE guide to all things Totally Awesome (she says with dripping sarcasm) I have decided to share that review here. Because, seriously, Ben Folds r0x0rs and any good reviews just deserve a little posting action:

The Bens are on a roll. On the heels of first-rate albums in 2004 and '05 by fellow singer-songwriters Ben Kweller and Ben Lee - with whom Folds recorded the 2004 EP The Bens - Folds steps up with the sterling Silverman. There is nothing trendy or gimmicky here, just artful, piano-driven pop with rich melodies, Beatles-esque harmonies and smart lyrical spins. On the Elton-ish first single "Landed", Folds sings about snapping back to reality after a crazy relationship: "I've been on some other planet/So come pick me up, I've landed." Meanwhile, "Late" is a touching eulogy for Elliott Smith.

Ah, good times.

Tonight I get the pleasure of attending another screening of Serenity, the best gorram film in the 'verse. Okay, well, top 5, at least. I'm going to get to the theater early so that I can experience the joy of the sure to be overflowing geek-a-tude. w00t!!