Academic Rambling: College Debt

So I was reading an article in a journal today and it got me thinking a little bit about the attacks that the government throws on the higher education community, calling them expensive and not providing results. In fact, Secretary Spellings' commission on the future of higher education essentially does just that and attacks colleges for being expensive and getting in our business when truthfully they're just angry that liberals have a bastion of power.

But isn't there a bit of hypocrisy in not attacking credit card companies for targeting today's youth. In truth, student loans are much better debt to have compared to high interest rates that are not deferrable while the student is enrolled in school. That kind of debt that requires a monthly payment would put a much bigger strain on a student's academic performance and ability to fund their educational experience then the amount of student loans they get. But I don't hear a big attack on the credit card companies for their loan-sharking (I say this with no bias being one of the people who they targeted and snared in many years ago). The destroyed credit of an individual who gets credit cards in college is so much worse than extra loans to pay for education. Maybe the government can do something about that. Oh wait they did, they made it harder for people to declare bankruptcy.

If only I knew a senior analyst who could fix this ridiculousness of government overreaching.

Men Update

So every once in a while its like I have a deluge of men (that I'm interested in). In the past, its rarely worked out with any of them, but I feel more optimistic so we'll see.

Man 1: A European guy in one of my classes. To be honest, I don't think he's gay, but the jury is still out and has not given its final verdict. He's coming to a baseball game with me this Saturday so we'll see. I'll probably know by Tuesday night when I have drinks with him and some classmates. This guy really follows my patterns of finding the most unavailable man possible and finding interest in him... ain't that right Triple X? :)

Man 2: Jeff L. This was an introduction from a school friend of mine. NOt entirely sure how the intro. happened. One day last week, I get an email from someone I know from class and she was like I heard you wanted to get into a social scene more, here is a list of friends that I sent your contact information to. For a while I was like am I that pathetic in my social life, but then I think I figured it out. I believe they may have read my recent blog entry on friends introducing me to men. BUt then what I don't know is if this meeting was supposed to be as friends or as a date possibility. But regardless of that we went out for an hour and a half lunch last Friday and had a great time. The conversation was never really awkward or there wasn't a lot of silences where we couldn't think of much to say to each other. He was nice, funny, intelligent, etc. Then of course I go back to my office where I am hounded by everyone saying it was a date. I did get him to email my boss (who he knows in passing) to send her a note saying it wasn't a date and he did.. hilarious email). I also happened to run into him at M&M's birthday party when we were at JR's. Now that we've met as friends, I wouldn't mind going on a date with him. Now we all know how horrible I am at dating and I don't know the first thing of what to do and I've been mentally anguishing myself (not really, but I like being dramatic) on how I ask him out on a real date rather than just a friends thing. So far the best thing I've thought of is dinner and a movie and just see how it develops and whether it goes to a friend thing or a date thing. Any advice from the readership?

Man 3: Jeff P. Will meet on Thursday at a happy hour where no gays are invited (sorry guys, I love you all, but don't need the competition... I've been cockblocked before and don't need to set myself up for it happening again.) Will let you all know what happens afterwards.

my Vow

So I decided a couple weeks ago that I would focus more on dating than the meaningless relationships I've been having with men that last for about 15 unfulfilling minutes then I kick them out. So I decided that sex may be hurting my life more than helping it, so I decided to take a vow of celibacy (which is a lot lot harder than I thought it would be). So the plan is I am not allowed to have sexual activity until I've gone on at least three dates with the same guy (which was my new year's resolution still to be accomplished) or Jan 1. THat's the plan. Wish me luck.

meeting men

So I've been thinking lately about how to meet men. Mainly through friends. I finally actually have a friend who wants me to meet someone for a possible date, which is great because I've always tried to meet people through other people I know, rather than online or at the bars (at least for dating). It seems as if, at least to me, that having a personal recommendation from your friend might actually mean compatability as they know both of you. It also means that the person presumably is not a psycho and it also means that your friend cares enough about you to want to see you dating and in a relationship and all the social contrivances that accompany that.

In thinking about the one friend who is now doing that for me, I'm also thinking about all the friends who don't do that. These are the friends who say things similar to "you should date more." And if I ask them if they know anyone, they're like "we don't know any other gay people." This is Washington, DC, a thriving metropolis with a very liberal, and open-minded scene. You can't go 100 feet in any direction without running into a gay person. How is it humanly possible that none of these people know other gay people besides me? Especially since most of the ones I ask are gay themselves. So it comes down to this for me, which I think is somewhat logical. Either 1. they enjoy me being single because I give them more attention, or I tell them funny stories about my horribly bad dates, or the crazy guys I meet. or 2. (and this is what I start to believe more and more) they are embarrassed by me to some extent and don't want to introduce me to their other gay friends because they see me as some freak they can't shove on their actual friends. Not that this necessarily bothers me, but if they think that they should just tell me that, rather than lying (so poorly) by telling me they don't know gay people. At least I'd know where I stood.

Gayest Hat Ever

Need I say more?

Labor Day Review

Yeah i know its been a long time since I posted and there is soo much to say. A week ago we had Orientation and yet again I feel as if I come to the rescue and do everything. Our program was a complete success and while I know it was somewhat of a team effort, I just feel like I did a lot more than other people. It kind of pissed me off the day of, but I move on quickly from these types of things. That night was the Orientation Happy Hour, which was also a complete success. Made some new good friends, at least one of which I'd want to hang out with on a regular basis. But everyone did seem to crash much much earlier than last year. The biggest disappointment was Triple X, who made me close down the bar then go to another one before I pleaded with his wife to let me go home by two in the morning. This year he was out by 10.

I also got bad news that night. My grandmother called me, which was out of normal protocol. Usually, I call, then get guilted for not calling enough, even though I know I call more than any of the other grandkids. But she called me and left a message, which means something bad happened. I checked it when we were changing bars from McFaddens to JR's and found out they put my cat to sleep. I'm still a little bummed out about it, but I plan on doing a separate post once I get a picture to put up and really I'm trying to keep this post happy and light despite it started off with me bitching and then going sad.

The next night was my Beeriversary, that's right one year of drinking beer and probably saving a lot of money. Triple X and Phil went to see Beerfest, a great stupid movie, but very appropriate for the context. Went to ESPN Zone, the site of my first beer chug to regale the fans of that story. Then we went to JR's where a larger group joined us. Granted this was all in the middle of Tropical Storm Ernesto. You can tell a true Floridian by two traits: 1. they go swimming on Christmas Day and 2. they go outside during a tropical storm for fun. It would've been fine, but someone at JR's stole my umbrella and if I ever catch those queens... oh wait, they might actually enjoy that.

Saturday, I went to Chris' birthday, then JR's, then Cobalt, then JR's again. A good night of dancing, which I desperately needed. At some point I was dancing and this guy started dancing with me, so I did that for a while then began to turn back towards Ruthie and dance with him some more. Then the guy took his hands, put them on my shoulders and turned me back... ok I guess I wasn't finished dancing with you. my bad. It happened like 2 or 3 more times. Good times though

Sunday, Had brunch and saw Another Gay Movie with M&M. THen slept til it was time to go out again. Ruthie scored big with the boys. By the time guy 2 was trying to pick him up, I decided I didn't need to just sit there and watch and not talk to anyone, so I sort of went off on my own, which wasn't met with the reaction I thought it would. Ruthie came looking thinking i was pissed and the guy thinks I hate him and was annoyed by his presence. But I just didn't see the point that I had to sit and watch this pick up occuring. Don't get me wrong: I like voyeurism just like all the other homosexuals, but I like my voyeurism to include X-rated activity. It does me no good to watch pick-ups in bars that don't include me. Am I wrong for this?

Monday: I rested

Other things to address:
1. I took a vow of celibacy recently. I decided that part of how I sabotage potential relationships is through sex. So I decided I would take a vow of celibacy. There will be no sex with another person til either Jan. 1, 2007, or I have been on three consecutive dates with the same person.

2. Steve Irwin: RIP. With that said, why is everyone shocked by his death. The man wrestled with dangerous animals his entire life. I am shocked that it didn't happen ten years sooner. This was nature's revenge on him, let's be honest it is. With that said, I'm glad he went out doing what he loves. But god knows I don't wanna die at my place of work. Can you imagine: Man dies while doing financial aid. ehhhh.. no thanks i'd rather pass.

So that's the weekend that was.