Lonely

I have been pretty lonely today. Not because my wife is out of town or busy working, but because she has been sleeping all day long.

Randi took a sedation pill at 12:30 and she was at the dentist's office 'til 4:30. Then she came home and slept until 8:30, I got her some food, and she went back to sleep again.

It wasn't completely unproductive. I cleaned the kitchen, finished my homework, and watched half of The West Wing Season 6.

Rant: I also demoted Season 6 in my mind because the writers tried to make every episode overly dramatic. Don't get me wrong- I like Drama, but every episode can't be the quality of Two Cathedrals.

Anywho, I'm pretty sure that I get how people forget to talk when they get stranded on a desert island because they have no one to talk to.

I also get how Randi feels when I sleep until noon or later on Saturday and Sunday. It isn't fun sitting all alone.

"Sad to be aw awone in de worwd?"

March Madness

It's that time of year again. I never really watched alot of sports until my Freshman year at BYU; When you live in a dorm apartment with 5 other guys ESPN is on 24/7. Then everyone went on missions and my televised sports watching went back down to normal with an exception for BYU Athletics, the Olympics, and Figure Skating. Yeah, that sounds pretty femme-y, but it's a guilty pleasure.

Back to March Madness, I always fill out a bracket each year, but I haven't really watched alot of games. Last year I think the BYU v. TAMU game was one of the only games that I watched. I really only filled out a bracket because work was giving gift cards to the winners of the office pool. I was winning up until the final four.

Anywho, I filled a bracket out again this year and because it is Spring Break and I don't have a job, I can actually watch alot of the games! I don't know what it is about this year, but I got back in to college basketball. I mean the game where Syracuse won after 6 OTs! and then went on to win the next game! That's what college ball is all about. I hate almost all pro-sports because it's a bunch of overpaid, overhyped, steriod using, womanizing, felonious men stroking their egos. College ball, like the Olympics, is more about pride. Yes, you get like $10,000/medal from the USOC, but it's about national pride ala Michael Phelps, Kerri Strugg, Michelle Kwan, Tara Lipinski, Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson, etc.

I'm excited to see what cinderella stories come out of this year's tournament, like the Davidson team from last year. I think one will definitely by Mississippi State.

I don't really know what the point of this post was, but here's my bracket. Let's hope it doesn't get busted. Go Memphis!

Grad School is the Cure for Depression?

I am trying really hard not to get depressed about being rejected on some internships, but it isn't working. I've sulked and last night and all day today I started changing my life plans. It isn't that easy to change though because I am We and We have to decide things together.

For the moment, I really want to go to Grad School.

"But, Chris," you say, "why would you want to set yourself up for even more rejections?"

I have no idea, but I do know that I want to do something with my life. I really want to make policy. I want to be Josh Lyman or Sam Seaborn or CJ Craig.

Anyways, Grad School kinda throws a wrench in the plans that We had made previously. Plus it will cost a fortune. However, not getting an internship really threw a wrench into the plans anyways.

I am supposed to be writing a story for my magazine writing class and I can't. I just can't. There's this feeling of failure looming over me. Apparently, I'm not qualified to make copies or coffee. I can't answer the phone or answer correspondence. I really don't understand it.

My whole life has basically been politics since high school. Legislation puts most people to sleep, but it excites me, and now I get told that I'm not good enough to sit back and watch it happen.

I have to write a crappy article now so that I can pull a B. December cannot come fast enough.

Crisis of Confidence

I started making consolation plans in case I don't get an internship in D.C. this summer.

I got an email from a congressman's office today that said they don't have any positions available for summer, but that they are considering me for the fall semester. I've had two interviews, one with another congressman's office and one with a senator's office. I think the first went really well, while I think I botched the second one. I really don't know why I was so nervous in the interview. I'm not usually nervous about talking to people- I thrive on it. Why was this so different?

I really couldn't figure it out and it almost drove me to tears. The only thing that kept me from crying is that I had to respond to a sample constituent letter as the second part of the interview and I wasn't going to cry in public. I had some good answers and they liked that the internship is directly related to my desired career path. But when they asked me what I wanted them to remember about me out of the 40 applicants, I sounded like John McCain on the campaign trail; I couldn't stay on message and started rambling.

Now I'm doubting myself.

Even though I applied for 15 different internships, there's hundreds, even thousands, trying to internships just like me. I have faith, but I don't want to not have a backup plan. I would try to apply again in the fall for these internships, but I will have to postpone my graduation until April - which I won't do.

I had planned on taking 3 classes this summer: the internship, public speaking, and a science. The latter two are available online. Upper level Comms classes just aren't offered in the summer.

I guess my options are to take classes and either find an internship locally or just get a job. I really want a PR job, but (1) I won't have a degree until December and (2) most PR jobs have been slashed because of the economy.

It just sucks when you realize not all dreams come true.

Last Week of American Idol Semis

It's the last week of American Idol Semi-finals. The last 2 weeks I've gotten 2/3 picks correct. That 3rd 'wildcard' spot gets me every time. I shouldn't be too bummed, DialIdol was pretty off last week too. DialIdol had 3rd placer Kris Allen fourth in the guys' category and sixth overall. They were betting on Matt Giraud or Jesse Langseth. I like how they take credit for the prediction anyways because of the margin of error; they predicted that Kris would place anywhere from 2nd to 6th out of the guys. Too bad you can't say that in Vegas!

Ok, ok. On to this weeks sucky performances. I didn't 'semi-live blog' this one. It was kinda impossible with my remote-happy wife skipping through the show along with the commercials. It's not like the judges say much anyways. Sorry if these performances aren't in order.

Von 'The Screamer' Smith- I don't even remember the song
-Wow, I don't like him. His performance was boring and he still screamed. He's forgettable.

Taylor "Hurricane" Vaifanua- Alicia Keys "If I Ain't Got You"
-The girl from southern Utah. Ryan pronounced the name of the city wrong. She sang Alicia Keys and sucked it up. She knew it; she cried after her performance.

Alex "Three Names" Wagner-Trugman, again I don't remember the song
- He's scrawny and endearing. And can't sing. His dancing is even worse. Think Norman Gentle on low power.

Arianna "ABBA" Afsar - The Winner Takes It All, ABBA
- OK, so the song wasn't THE BEST choice. But I didn't think it was terrible at all. Besides the Vocal Olympics in the beginning I liked it. I would vote for her. So I don't understand why the judges are dissing her so much. Is it because Lil' Rounds is in this group? Kara has used the same two words for every pretty girl on this show, "package artist." Guess what words she didn't use this time. I'm not really a conspiracy theorist, but why are they dogging on someone who can sing, and sing well? I'm pulling for her.

Ju'Not "Juno/Juneau" Joyner
- His rendition of the Plain White Tee's hit was completely boring. Funny that they said that about Arianna, but not Ju'Not's. I think they want some ethnic diversity, because I was bored out of my mind.

Kristen "Karaoke Queen" McNamara
- She's a karaoke hostess and sounds like one. She ruins Tracy Chapman's "Gimme One Reason."

Nathaniel "Drama Queen" Marshall, Meatloaf "I Would Do Anything For Love"
- Ok. This kid is here for ratings, not for his singing ability. Funny story, Randi asked me what "That" is that he wouldn't do in the song. Hehehehehe.

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Blogger hates me. I tried to post and I got detoured to sign in again. So the bottom half of my post is lost. Now blogger is mocking me by saving what I am typing right now.

I won't retype everything since it is 1:37 in the morning.

Felicia "Sloppy Seconds" Barton
-She replaced Joanna P. in the top 36 and should have stayed number 37.

Scott MacIntyre
-It's not polite to give blind people nicknames. He did really well. I really like this guy. He's sincere.

Kendall "Wait, who's Kelly Pickler" Beard
Kelly P. should sue her for using her likeness or identity theft or something. We've already had the blonde ditsy country chick. Her voice is weak and she picked a Martina McBride song. WRONG MOVE. Martina is the Celine/Whitney of Country music.

Jorge "The Brown Guy' Nunez
-even though everyone and their dog has sung this Elton John song, he does a great job. I would vote for him.

Lil' "I stole Mary J.'s Hair. What of it?" Rounds
-She sings last so we know that the producers want her in the top 12. She wasn't amazing but I like her personality.

Predictions? Lil' and Scott. I think the 3rd spot will go to Jorge. I really hope that it's not Ju'Not/Juno/Juneau.

Brilliant, But Canceled

For the past two weeks only the reality shows that I watch have been new episodes. All of the scripted shows (reality is scripted too, I know) have been on a two week break. I'm really excited because television is pretty much all I do at home.

So while my shows were on hiatus, I started watching some of the 60 seasons of television that I have on DVD. There are alot of shows that I LOVE LOVE LOVE that I wish were on TV still, or at least had a spin-off to watch. So I reminisce about them in the blogosphere. Not all of them were canceled; some needed to end before they got too bland.

My Favorite Show of all time- The West Wing.

Yes, I'm a political nerd, and Aaron Sorkin is a television genius (SportsNight and Studio 60). His behind the scenes television shows are amazingly insightful. He stopped actively writing for the show after season 4 and the show went downhill. It ended with the Presidency of Jed Bartlett and the transition to the new administration. Josh and CJ and Toby and Sam and Donna were all amazing characters that were brilliant and vulnerable. You not only learned about the characters, but you learned about policy and process. Who could forget Big Block of Cheese Day?

The show had to end. 7 seasons is about the max that people can handle. Still, I wouldn't hate to see a spin-off especially now that the show has ben off for several years.

My second favorite show was cancelled way too early. We ended season 3 without ever getting an ending. The CW should have left the show alone and not tried to change the third season, but it was still the best mystery drama on television.

Veronica Mars played by Kristen Bell, followed a teenage private investigator on the search for her best friend's killer in season 1, and for the person responsible for sending a busload of her classmates over a cliff. The CW didn't like that viewers couldn't start watching mid-season, so creator Rob Thomas broke the 3rd season down into 3 smaller mysteries. Veronica was a quick-witted girl who everyone loved to hate, but came to when they had a problem. She was hotter and more sassy than Nancy Drew. Her relationship with her father Keith is one of the better father-daughter relationships on television. The only flaw was Veronica's love life she fell into the arms of rich playboys Duncan, then Troy, then Leo, then Logan, then Duncan, then Logan, then no one, then Logan, then... Piz? The show didn't really end, it just stopped. My hopes are in a Veronica Mars movie!

I love these two shows because I can watch them over and over and over. I always discover new dialoge or burried wit. We need more shows like these on television and less crap like twelve law and order series and three CSI series.