Sometimes, I want to scream

Yesterday I was sitting in the English Commons room before class. This is a room with a conference table and two rather uncomfortable couches, in which (mostly) English students gather, (rarely) study, and (primarily) talk.

While there, I heard a conversation that astounded me. One girl, who claimed to be a Political Science major, was talking to a self-avowed English Major. The poli sci major mentioned how much she hated "Beowulf" in her mandatory English survey class, and the English major just launched off with "I HATE that poem. That's just stupid. It's just white man's poetry."

Ok, I can sort of accept that, though I really wanted to point out that her statement was just as preposterous as claiming Langston Hughes' work was just "Black man's poetry" or Amy Tan's was just "Yellow man's fiction."

But then she started talking about how the administration at her future school site will hate her, because she'll assign "controversial" work. And then she proceeded to list all the authors she'd assign... all of whom were white. And not, to be honest, terribly controversial.

I didn't say anything. I mean, what could I say? "I'm sorry you're a racist fuckwit?"

Apple, I forgive you

Apple has informed me that my laptop is on the way again. This is good news, as I am not sure how many more times I can (or will be willing to) trick my PC into repairing itself and running again. This is the fifth time since Saturday I've had to repair the stupid thing. The HD is corrupted, you see, and I don't fancy spending money to get a new HD when the computer's so old. So once White Star gets back, I will back up anything important on this baby and then let the chips fall where they may.

While it's running I'll see if I can get some time on I-war 2 in.

Unfair Discovery of the Week: I went to Target with Elli, and just in passing saw that X3 has been released. Not the X-Men movie, of course, but the starflight simulation game X-3.

See, X: Beyond the Frontier was a neat little game where you get thrown, in the middle of a test flight, into a spaceward to a new sector of space where you know nothing, and have to survive. It's a combination trading and starfighter game. X2 I could never play, as it was far beyond Zathras' capabilities and the Mac version seems not to have materialized. Now X3 is out, and I'm salivating at the box, shrugging, and moving on.

It's not so much that particular game as the thought that maybe Starfighter sims will come back, and I'm in no position to indulge.

Secondarily: I've been typing on my laptop for so long I make a billion typos on a full-sized keyboard now.