theunexpected

  One of the things I was committed to doing during my semester off other than work, were taking one or two side college-level courses to try to regain a focus.  One of those courses I chose to take is called “Introduction to American Politics”.

   First off, the course is taught by the cutest Asian girl ever, in her late 20’s.  I don’t even remember her name as of now…that sounds bad…but trust me, it isn’t even important.  The class is interesting, and unlike any other course a young full-time college student will ever take.  The median age in the class is probably around 35, and let me just say, that not everyone is exactly “normal”.

   Something that has been very hard to grasp for me since I first set foot in the classroom a couple Tuesday nights ago is how, on average, only about fifty percent of people vote in this country.  While I consider myself to be an opionated person, some people in this class are absolutely unwilling to let their opinions not be known on virtually, ANY TOPIC.  One man, probably in his mid-40’s, named David, is a chracter, to say the very least.  The guy will not stop talking!  Professor…whatever the hell her name is…can often not speak two sentences before David has a comment on what she is saying or how what she is saying is not fact.  The guy is funny at times, do not get me wrong; he is just absolutely incapable of shutting his mouth.  I feel as if I grew out of the whole “be funny and disruptive in class constantly” phase when I was in seventh grade, but it is interesting to see a grown man who still seems to hold onto the trait.  Perhaps, this is normal for a typical college night class, though, since Professor Cute Korean, handles all of the interjections in stride…and, we still seem to get out a half hour early every night.

   Do I feel as if I am learning?  Not quite yet…we have only completed one chapter of the textbook (basically covers the simple different world poltical systems blah, blah, blah) and I don’t feel as if I am anymore prepared for a job at the White House than I was before I began the course (I have chosen that as my official method to measure how much I am learning).  However, it has been a lot of fun to hear the wide array of opinions people possess and just look at how passionate some people are about certain things I could care less about. 

    One other interesting part about the class takes place with a gentleman that sits a few rows to my left.  He looks like a cross between two of my uncles (Tom and Greg, my father’s brothers) and I have been trying to muster up the courage to approach a stranger and ask him about his extended family, to see if there are any connections.  It scares me, because the feeling I get is a lot like trying to think of one-liners to impress a pretty girl at a bar, but I have come up with some “greeting lines”.  So far, I’ve got: “Yo dude, I think we’re related” and “Uncle Tom, how are the kids?”  Yeah, I know, I’ve got to work on it.  With time will come success.

    I have begun writing a whole new set of songs on my guitar, many of which are just about holding your head up during lonely times and finding comfort in places you’d think you couldn’t discover it in.  Eventually, I will think of a title for the new set (an album name, I guess you could say) but right now, I’m just writing as melodies and words come to mind.  It’s good therapy during excessive down time.

                   Justin

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