12/10/2001 - 12:27 p.m.

Adventures in Beetledom

I would like to take this opportunity to talk about the greatest video game invented by man: Beetle Adventure Racing. Yes, it beats out Pacman, Pong, AND Pinball. (I've really got a P theme going there, huh?) It contains three of my all time favourite things: Volkswagon Beetles, taking them off course and doing some pretty illegal things with them, and racing as a video game. You don't have to count lives, but you can still collect points and find secret areas, because it's adventure racing. That means that if you go off the road, things only get better.

I absolutely love this game. N64 is by far better than the boxy graphics of any of the other "advanced" systems. It's unfortunate that it's already becoming obsolete, but as Beetle Racing is the best game for the system, I guess I don't mind much.

People say it's extremely bizarre that I like it because I don't drive. I fought like anything against having to get my permit (which I only did this past summer because I had to get on a plane and my non permit ID had expired). I don't trust driving. I know how many stupid people there are in this world, and I'm a little scared by the idea that they can't pass an English test, but they can learn to drive. Maybe that's a priority thing on their part, but I don't think so. It took Margot three accidents to get them to take her license away. I've seen that girl drive- somebody should've done it a long time ago just for her driving.

Anyhow, one day I'm gonna have to drive, unless I can escape to a country with a good transportation system. So, I guess, if I have to, I'll get a Beetle. An old one preferably, but I know those require serious maitenance nine times out of ten, same with microbuses. You know, if Citroens were legal in this country, I'd get one of those, or one of those three wheeled numbers, or a mini, like on Mr. Bean. And, I'd get amazing gas milage just by my choice! Maybe I could just get a car to have: never drive it, just have it. That could be fun.

They want me to climb up on a ladder to help with the repainting of the windows of the house. Oh, what giggles. I don't do ladders. A chair balanced on top of a table I would do, but not a ladder. I don't know why. I'm not afraid of heights (I've been up in the attic at Roosevelt, which is probably the most dangerous thing in the world to do- the floor is coming apart and a wrong step drops you two stories onto the cement auditorium floor), and I climb anything- rocks, trees, buildings- if I can get the chance. Camp shelter houses are the greatest, followed by Mandan. Anyhow, I'm not in the mood to help with home improvement- I live in this house one more year. What do I care? In August, I'm gone. (Actually, since I'm back at camp this summer, in June I'm gone, I just return for a short period of time to move to college, wherever that may be.)

I would like to go to DePaul, except that it's a huge Catholic college in Chicago. That sucks. I know the Catholisim is not a huge part of it, that's just where their coming from, but that means the place is loaded with Catholics, and I don't think I would care for that. I have all kinds of friends who are Catholics, but I just find myself unable to resign myself to accepting the way the religion works.

I guess I'll keep looking. I've decided on a BA (I think), that way I can do Theatre Studies- it's theatre, but not specific. I can act or write or direct or something else if I like. I'm not stuck with anything specific, because I can't act well enough for a BFA and I don't want to be a techie- I don't have enough background.

I keep taking tests that tell me to go to this place in Manhatten. That could be fun. Except that I don't know whether I would really be a fan of New York. I mean, I've been in big cities now- I've been in London and Paris and places, but I don't think they're the same. They're not tall like New York is, and they haven't got the same reputation, so it's different.

But I adored London. Fantasic place. Maybe New York would be the same- but I doubt it.

On the New York and terrible things happening, I got an e-mail from my friend in Ankeny. She says that her friend's boyfriend (who is Arab) told her not to let people go on airplanes on the 11th, and now he's telling her not to go to shopping malls on Halloween. Now, personally, I would like to know how the hell he knows, becuase maybe somebody important should get a chance to talk to him, but it could be absolute bull too. Amanda isn't said to be one to tell the truth all the time, but as I have no direct proof of that, I don't know. Guess we'll have to wait around for another two and a half weeks.