Saturday 27 March 2004

20 days after...

So so so much to tell, so so so little time.



Alright…let's do this thing!



Our Folklore Department t-shirts have finally come out. Hooray. I have a couple, and some people out there might start finding strange, squishy packages coming in the mail. These won't be the t-shirts, and I suggest you toss those packages out without opening them. I will pack the t-shirts in tiny, hard boxes. Those you can open.



The t's say “FOLK U.” in that university block lettering. Under that it says “Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore Department.” Now, I think this is very cute and cool, but some of you may not feel comfortable wearing such a shirt to, oh say, work? Or your grand******'s house? Or babysitting the local pastor's children? Whatever--your hang-ups are your own.



I'm just happy we even have departmental shirts now, ‘cause those snooty engineering, nursing and education departmentee's were starting to tick me off…lording their fancy shirts, jackets, hoodies, sweatpants, belts, keychains, mugs, pens, book bags, backpacks over us. Now we have…t'shirts…and maybe magnets. Whatever.



Also in Folklore Department news, I should now be addressed as Madame President. Or, El Presidente. Yep, I was voted in as President of the Folklore Society at our last meeting. How did this occur, you wonder. Well, due to my tireless efforts in the department, my selfless acts of charity, my amazing folkloric brain….oh, and the fact that the president has to be an undergrad and there are only two undergrads staying for the summer, one of them being me….sealed the deal. Yep, it was quite funny. We were an unratified society due to not having any executives in place. So, at this meeting we set about rectifying the situation. When it became apparent that by campus rules the president should be an undergrad, we had to see how many undergrads were actually going to be here for the summer semester. Two of us raised our hands, me and a fellow I shall name Otis. His name is not Otis, but I like the name Otis, so there you have it. In fact, I may start calling him Otis at school. Anyhow, at this point my friend Gillian (her real name) nominates me for the spot. Though I was honestly shocked, I have to admit that I was kinda pleased. My name gets placed on the whiteboard. Then, Otis indicates that he would also like to try for the spot, so his name gets put up as well. I attempted to nominate Otis for the role of Vice-President, in order to protect my already tentative rule, but (after a good chuckle at my audacity) we decided that whoever didn't get the top spot would default to the second spot anyways.



At this point, they ask Otis and I to leave the room to vote. Someone suggested we make speeches, but after Otis' grand yelp of “Folklore Presidency 2004!!” I decided to pass. As we stood outside, Otis fills time and space by telling me that his desire for the presidency was not a slap in the face to my nomination, but that competition is a good thing, and that he's a rebel who likes to mix things up. I nod and smile and gaze at Professor Hot Prof. (who shall remain nameless) who's walking up the corridor. When the door to the meeting opens again, we are greeted with “Madame President, Mister Vice-President” and I must admit I felt a strange wave of vindication. Why or at whom remains a mystery. I also feel a strange wave of panic as I realize that I have now got more work to do this summer. Ah well. Once my Presidential Billy Club comes in the mail, I'll feel a lot better. Besides, this will really pad up my résumé.

And it looked like I was going to move this summer. However, due to a whole lot'a hassle goin' on, I've decided to stay put till the fall. In September there is a Folklore house in the works. Three fine women from my department, and one woman's fine man, and me, are all going to get a house together. I think it's going to be a really good thing, and I must say I'm mightily looking forward to it. For now, I'm just going to accept the fact that I'm really not going to save any money this summer (unless I finish my book or get a kick ass job) and just work hard in class, etc.

Ok, well, there's some update for y'all. I have to go and get showered and head out to the library. I'm sick, so it should be a fun, fuzzy-headed adventure.



Peace out, and you can send your presidential gifts along anytime now.



The Venus who wears the Fangs with pride!

Sunday 7 March 2004

Small Business

So, this is just going to be a rather brief and newsy kind of entry. I have much homework, and not much time, so…



Lots of folklore stuff coming up. First there’s just all the regular schoolwork junk. I’m, of course, realizing that I should have started on a lot of assignments a long time ago. I’ve joked before about my steady diet of “procrastination and panic,” and there are times where that really works. But, I think it might be okay to actually add some variety to the menu. I wonder what “early finishing and free time” might taste like? Or how about that tasty treat, the “well thought out, thoroughly researched and well-crafted” assignment. I’ve heard that some students actually load their plates with “more than one draft,” but that might be pushing my tolerance for new things.



Other than the work stuff, we have a Folklore Society (we’ve started to refer to it as “FS” but this sounds too much like “SS” to me, especially when you say it fast…) meeting coming up, and our big social event of the year, the Mary Griffiths Night is on the 25th of the month. I’m working the door, and it’s a night full of music and stuff, so it should be cool. We’re planning a Koffee Klatch kind of thing, and also an undergrad collection assignment. The collection assignment is not attached to any classes, and is really cool. It’s like we’re actual attempting some real folklore collection in our own time, which is very cool. I believe we are going to collect tattoo’s-pictures of people’s tats, stories about getting them, question sheets, etc. I think we could get quite a large collection, and it’s something that seems quite culturally relevant, especially now. Looking forward to it.



We’re also looking to plan some stuff for those of us in the department staying for summer semester.



I’m half planning to move in May. I’m broke as two broke things, and really can’t live in this expensive apartment by myself. Plus, I really need to get my ass into a more populated area of town. I’m really not experiencing the place because of location. And if have learned anything from living in a Hollywood-North kind of town, I’ve learned that it’s all about location! There are some really good people I’ve met at school, and they are planning a big move in the fall, with a large house to be procured for all of us. I think that may be a good situation, so I’m exploring that option as well. Regardless, I needs to move b’y!



Last night I had my first dream in Newfy. I actually had a dream that I was talking to someone in a lot of the vernacular, so I suppose it’s only a matter of time before I actually acquire an accent of sorts.



Anyway, I know this was kind of a boring and rambling entry, but then again they all are so you poor saps must be used to it by now! It’s over now, so you can all go about your business, and I can get back to work.



Meh. V.F.