Baker's Dozen

So hello there ladies and gents,

I only have a few completely unconnected things to report.
1) I got a 96 overall on my religion mid-term
2) I got a 100 overall on my Psych 342 (Abnormal) mid-term - now I just have to convince my professor(s) that they recorded it wrong (I already verified with the TA)
3) I got a 97 overall on my Psych 348 (Clinical) mid-term, and I have a 98% in the class so far

4) I got a letter in the mail last week saying that my "professors and colleagues" had identified me as an exceptional student who might be interested in Social Work. (??) So I was invited to a dinner at the Hinckley Center to meet the Social Work professors, students already in the program, and other recruited students. The letter said twice that it was a "very special" event and not many students were invited. It also said my spouse was invited to attend the dinner. Too bad I don't have a spouse. But, I RSVP-ed that I would go. It's next Tuesday. I'm guessing it's not quite as exclusive and hoity-toity as they're making it up to be, but maybe I'm wrong.

5) I killed another spider in the kitchen yesterday and one in the living room today. I'm telling you, they're staging a coup.

6) At work we're doing interviews for new peer mentors. The interviews consist of Sharon, our project manager, and then two peer mentors who help ask questions, and then a note-taker. I'm usually the note-taker. I got permission to use the office laptop for note-taking. I've done this once before, and then did it again yesterday. I finish the notes, email them to myself, print them, turn them in to the project manager, and then put the laptop back where I got it. Well, to make a short story shorter, today another staff member said apparently the 2 new Epson projectors we have (that are very expensive) and one old one are missing from the cabinet in which the laptop is also stored. In case you haven't caught on yet, this is Not Good for me. Really Not Good. Of course, the re-locking of the cabinet is technically not my responsibility, but it certainly does not look to be the last known person to access the electronics and have three pricey items walk away in the meantime; I am suspect #1. So as I said, this is Really Not Good for me.

7) Tomorrow is Sister Appreciation Night for my ward. This is an activity that an over-zealous Relief Society president thought up some time ago and has been going strong in this ward for quite some time. It involves a catered dinner, prom dresses and suits, and a DJ. The men in the ward are assigned to escort girls to the thing, be their dates for the evening, and do a variety of things to make them feel "appreciated". They are apparently given a secret list of instructions (I only know this because my date came over tonight and alluded to this list) emphasizing the point that this is a "very special night" for the girls and that the men need to act like it. I hear there is even a red carpet and cameras involved.

This is not My Thing. (I'm into the capitalization tonight). But really. I don't mean to be bitter about it, but I don't appreciate having a "date" assigned to me, as if to say "We know you can't get one on your own." I also don't appreciate being given empty compliments or empty praise- it's somewhat patronizing and, in my opinion, humiliating. I don't want to dress up all fancy to be escorted to a stake center and to be served dinner and then to be assigned a dance partner for the evening. It doesn't make me feel appreciated, it makes me feel pitied. I also think much too much money is being spent on this. Not to mention the fact that while I think the intent is good, the activity is essentially saying "Hey girls, we know you all must have dangerously low self-esteem because you're single. So we want to assign you a date for a night to help you feel a small glimpse of the joy that comes from having a boy pay attention to you. If all goes as planned, you'll leave with a renewed will to live!" Girls should not think their value comes from whether or not men compliment them and spend an evening hanging on their every word and meeting their every need. Girls shouldn't think their value has anything to with men in general.

I also do not appreciate knowing that the men were forced into the whole thing. It would be sweet if the Elder's Quorum thought "Here's a nice way to get to know the sisters in the ward, let's do this for them." But it was not that way. A group of females in the ward basically told the men they were doing it, and to wait for further instructions. It was planned by females, and assignments were given by females, and the men are just supposed to go along with it. This makes it less meaningful. It seems to me akin to buying your own birthday or Christmas presents and then telling your husband to wrap them up nice and present them to you on the appropriate day. Or maybe planning your own surprise party and then telling your friends to simply show up and yell the magic word when you walk into the room. I don't know. I guess my point is, I'm all for people doing nice things for other people, but I'm not for people being forced to do nice things for other people. This makes the men feel awkward (my "date" said three of the guys in his apartment aren't going because they think it's lame) and the girls feel patronized. At least, this is how I feel about it.

I would not even mind if it was just like "Everyone in the ward is invited. It'll be a nice chance to get to know each other and have fun." Like a ward "prom" or something- that could be fun. And dates could be optional. Or even if FHE groups were just supposed to go together- not paired off, but in co-ed groups of people who know each other. That would be fine too. But no. The men are assigned to women in a manner that I imagine being similar to picking teams for dodgeball in elementary school, so no, surprisingly I don't feel appreciated- regardless of all the cheesy events planned throughout the evening that are supposed to turn me into a teary-eyed mass of appreciated warm and fuzzies. I guess I should have a better attitude about it, but right now I don't. I'm not entirely sure I'm going (even though I do like getting dressed up, and even though I do enjoy a free catered meal) because I'm so morally opposed.

Ok sorry. Venting done. If you're reading this, chances are that's not the first time you've heard me rant about this. Sorry again.

8) Next round of tests started today. Booo.

9) My Psych 304 class is having a ping-pong contest on Saturday. The professor said he'd give anyone 5 pts extra credit for challenging him to a game of ping-pong, and when five or so students raised their hands, he said "Wow. I've never had anyone actually take me up on it before. I guess we'll have to do it." So he reserved a room and got us some ping-pong tables, and you get 5 points extra credit for taking him on. You also get 2 points for bringing food. I may not play (the professor has a $100+ paddle) but I will certainly be there with brownies in hand.

10) Last week, a girl came into our English class late, in the middle of a discussion about some literary work or other. Upon sitting down, she raised her hand and the professor called on her. She said, "Sorry I was late. What was the question? I think I want to answer it." Really? You were late. You'd think you'd just sit down and shut up for a few minutes. Not this girl.

11) The females of the FA office have been planning a sleepover for some time now (I would venture to say at least a month). It is next Friday- at the home of one of the peer mentors who lives around here. All the female peer mentors are invited (there's probably 20+ of us) and I'm kind of excited.

12) Today I had the sudden impulse to watch this movie again, which I haven't seen or thought of in years. It took me a while to remember the title. But now I want to see it. Maybe it's all these psych classes.

13) There are 28 school days left in my semester. Then finals, then FREEDOM!!!

I'm bored now, so The End.

-mollie