Parenthesis will one day rule the earth

Last night, I had a fascinating conversation with a guy from Germany who thinks I’m beautiful. And you’ve got to know I’m pretty easily swayed when someone says I’m pretty. You compliment my looks and you’re on my good side for life. I’m shallow and insecure like that.

(Side note: I just realized that by telling you this, I’ve just revealed the secret to my friendship with BGF. Oops. Sorry bucko.)

(Side note, part duex: Also, not standing me up is another key to my heart. Let me go on a completely unrelated and passionate tangent. I’ve gotten stood up by two different people for two different reasons and in two different situations in the last two weeks. What the hell? That’s got to stop. Being stood up sucks! Am I really that bad? No! A thousand no’s! I practice good hygiene and am capable of witty banter. That makes me awesome! I think this is part of some kind of karmic jokes for the times I’ve overslept and missed meetings, but…are you kidding me? Shut it, karma!)

So German guy was very kind and intelligent and wanted to know what books I’ve read and what authors I love and how I feel about Starbucks. It was a really enjoyable conversation and I found myself talking about college for the most part. I didn’t realize how far I’ve gone from sitting around and discussing essays to now sitting around and talking about American Idol. There’s nothing wrong with American Idol (Okay, there is A LOT wrong with American Idol, but it’s not inherently evil

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Although I suppose that the argument could be made that it is evil. You know what? Bad example.)

Ok, so there’s nothing wrong with sitting around and talking about the less intellectual things in life and I pride myself on knowing things about baseball and cars and video games, but it’s so different from how I used to be. And I miss being able to read literature and then talk about how I loved it or hated it and why. I was a walking critical essay in college, which made me boring, yet well-informed. And I hate not being well-informed. I’ve run so far away from being an intellectual snob that I’m now an intellectual schlub. (Ohhh! That was great! Thank you! I’ll be here all week!) What I’m saying is that I want to be more well-rounded. I want to read more than Harry Potter. And I want to be able to have an intelligent conversation about politics and religion and culture.

So I’m glad I talked to German guy. He reminded me of a part of me I’ve been neglecting. I’m not saying it will be easy to be more well-rounded. He has the unfair advantage of working on two (2!) degrees at once and you are practically forced to read more when you’re in school. I don’t have the advantage of that atmosphere, so it’ll be difficult. But I like challenges and achieving goals. It’s what makes you a better person and gives you interesting stories to tell people who have just met you. Now, if only I can come up with a good plan of attack.

That being said, let me make this important announcement:

Everyone please stop voting for Kevin Covais. Let him go home. PLEASE.