Over the course of my life, I have placed blame on my father for many things. Many of them are completely valid (like my overwhelming fear of waterfalls due to his insistence that we take a boat to the very point of death at Niagra Falls when i was young), a few of them are a bit skewed (like my despising the phrase "good evening"). But there is one major issue I have yet to forgive my father of...I can't shave.

My father was always willing to offer "constructive" criticism when i was shooting a basketball, and never failed to impart paternal advice concerning the color of my hair, but when it comes to dragging a deadly razor across my precious face and down my life-containing jugular...he was no where to be found.

I know most fathers help out with this. They start by letting the son watch them shave, then they offer their son a razor sans blade showing proper technique in the application of shaving lather and removal of hair. I've seen it on TV, and commercials, I've read about it in books, heard stories from friends...apparently that was not enough for my dad. Now, in the school of hard-knocks, I am not sure this is something that is necessary to learn "the hard way." On occassion it is practical for kids to "learn for themselves."

Well, thanks a lot. My face is broken out with razor burn, I'm bleeding and can't stop it and I'm pretty sure I will never be able to grow sideburns again...

When I am a dad...I am going to teach my son to shave.

i have always known i lived in a fairly conservative community, grown up in a respectable family who are attached to a radically-right school. though at times it has blown my mind, i have conceded to the idea of others not seeing eye to eye with me...and have even (on vary rare instances) allowed myself to be swayed.
my parents are more conservative than i, and my grandparents much more than they...but i pretty much assumed everyone in my generation somehow "got it." you know, that our generation, the ones who have grown up with 24-hour news cycles and nearly unlimited access to information, would all see that the way things are going in this world has to change at some point.
boy was i wrong. (if i wasn't against caps lock, i would have used it there)
in the past week i have been introduced to a number of young men (primarily, though some ladies have shocked me too...though i can excuse that, they shouldn't be allowed to speak in public forums anyway) who have completely epitomized the essence of the radical-right, my-way-or-the-highway, bush-loving, intelligence-hating, anti-women, pro-killing, gun-slinging conservative republican.
this group of boys must have a copy of the conserv's (doesn't have the same feel as "libs"...but they sure need a nickname) creedo--and there have been several quotes pulled straight from it.
e.g.
"Liberal don't play with a full deck of cards!"
"I am pretty sure there icon for their group is the gay flag with the gay rights counseling organization PACE - now that is unchristian!"
"Dont you just love how local lib. media takes statements out of context.."
"Poor people choose to be that way."
"God has blessed this country in every aspect! This country was founded on the principal of God"
...to name a few. I can't quote without accreditation...unfortunately, the only name i can recall from all this is Chris Brownlow (however, based not solely on his inability to make a single post without a serious typo/spelling error, i think he might actually have a "problem.")

all this to say...wow. they are really out there. be afraid...no seriously, be afraid.

currently listening to: jason playing the guitar
normally listening to: jason playing the harmonica

i sometimes worry i am not ready for the 'real world.' granted, i am fast to act and quick to learn, i am responsible and good looking...but is that enough? what if there is something i don't know how to do?
i am scheduled to take the LSAT in 2 weeks. I graduate in a matter of months with a full fledged degree. I am currently working an amazing internship that is sure to help me in my job search....and all i really want to do is become a secretary/receptionist for an accountant.
is it too much to ask that i be allowed to take short-hand, deliver coffee and funnel phone calls? at the end of the day, wouldn't it be nice to be able to end your day? not take home work. no worries about the cut-throat business world because there is no chance of moving up. yes. yes. this is my ideal job.

end.