A brand new installment of Jessica's latest series,

Shortest Posts Ever:
In the history of time!

Ashley comes home today. This will provide much needed refuge for me. This is good.

If it's possible to boil one's self, I'm pretty sure that I did it tonight.

Eminem's new CD Encore is wicked sweet. And it still would be even if he didn't say "fuck Bush" in it.

Today was interesting. For the first time, I cried over someone who I didn't even know, and it wasn't in a movie. At least not in the conventional sense.

I am in a media ethics course, and we did group projects and presentations. We did case studies in which we identified an ethical dilemma in the media, and presented the problem and discussed it using ethical models. Our group, for example, chose the Dan Rather/CBS/Bush Documents incident. Another group chose what happened at SABC (South African Broadcasting Channel).

I'm sure that you all read or heard about the man, Eugene Armstrong, who was beheaded by insurgents, and his beheading was taped and put online. SABC received the link, and broadcast the beheading on their nightly news show. The posted a disclaimer before showing the 2 minute long video with full sound. They received, for good reason, numerous complaints and fines.

In order for the class to fully understand the case, the group who presented it chose to show the video. They posted a disclaimer and told us all what we would see if we chose to stay in the room. I decided to stay. This video was the most horrific thing that I have ever seen. I really cannot put it into words.

In my short 20 years, I have been fortunate enough to not have had to deal with much death in my life. My grandmother, my best friend's grandmother, my friend's dad, my favorite teacher and a classmate are the only people who I have ever known who have died. And today, in my class, I watched this poor man's moment of death.

The visuals were barbaric and disgusting, but I could continue to watch them. The worst part was the sound. I had to cover my ears because I could not bare to hear this man suffer the way he did. It was horrible.

To prove to you how much it disturbed me, I couldn't talk for the rest of class. And if you know me, and my tendency to be chatty, that means a lot. This video is just floating around on the internet, and being played on the nightly news.

I think that today may have been the first time that I truly realized that there are awful people in this world. There are people filled with hate and passion, and they take action. September 11th, 2001 was a tragedy. The day we lost the shuttle Columbus was sad. But this goes beyond and below human decency and dignity. It is sickening to think of.

If I could express to you how it made me feel to talk to Ashley for a while and dye my hair tonight, I would. I wish that more of you could feel the joys that women get from things like dying our hair. But the good news is, I still do. Have a lovely evening!

Just in one of those moods...

I don't like George W. Bush. Those of you who have had a conversation with me know this. But I did hear a quote on the radio from someone, they didn't say the name, that really stuck in my head.

I will support the president, even if I didn't vote for him. I will criticize the president, even if I did.

So I will support Bush, to an extent. But those of you who voted for him, please, PLEASE, criticize him when it is appropriate. All I want is accountability. And a new president. But you can't have everything, eh?

So I forgot to mention the best part of voting night in my last post / rant. I ordered a pizza from Papa John's while waiting in line, and as I cannot finish an entire pizza by myself, shared the splendor with my new friends. It was glorious.

Voting is like Disneyland...

I waited three hours today to get INSIDE the building in which I MIGHT have voted. Let me explain.

I went to the First Congressional Church of Tempe, or something like that, I don't really know the name of it. I went there because that is where the Maricopa Recorder said to go. Makes sense right? You'd think so. So I stood in line with all of the others, and I don't think that there was anyone over 25 years old among us. Everyone was chatting and being generally friendly, it was like a college party without the booze. Volunteers were out there handing out doughnuts and chips and soda and water. It was really nice. But I was still really hungry, so I ordered a pizza from Papa John's and when it was delivered shared with my fellow electors.

Finally, we make it inside the building. And continued to wait there. We continued with our chatting and laughing and having a generally jolly time. And then this guy came up, put his hand on my back and said "You guys are going to have to keep it down or take it outside" (in a very nasty tone). There are a few things wrong with this, can you find them?

There are two. First of all, we weren't being loud, and I am not aware of laughing being against the law. And two, he TOUCHED me. I don't like that. I don't like when people who I don't know and aren't young hot guys touch me. It's gross. And made me feel extremely uncomfortable and ewwww!

Then it's my turn to sign in. I hand over my ID and the guys looks through his lists. He couldn't find me. I told him that I was directed to this poll by the Maricopa Recorder, and I registered to vote when I lived in Tempe. His response was, "First of all, you aren't in the right precinct, and second of all, you don't even live in Tempe anymore" (in a very nasty tone). Maybe you're seeing a trend. You should be. I even heard the people who were behind me in line and saw me get mad at touchy-guy saying stuff about how mad I was getting, and that I was gonna blow up at these assholes. But I didn't. Ass #2 proceeded to tell me about a provisional ballot that I was going to be given, but depending on the circumstances, my vote might not count. I was pissed.

Happy first fucking voting day to me!

The funniest part is that I still got my "I voted today" sticker. I noted that mine really should more accurately say "I might have voted today."

Drinking is not productive.