10/04/2003 - 11:52 p.m.

Let's take a chance

For all men who say that the draft is unfair and women should have to sign up as well: all right, fine, all things created equal, I see what you're saying. OK, here's the deal, we'll sign up for the draft, and you can start shaving. I'm not talking just your legs, I mean shaving.

The way I see it, they're two very similar situations. Men can shave, but they're not obligated to, and the ones that do probably have a good reason or are a little bit crazy. Shaving serves absolutely no valuable purpose except that it's expected: in the case of most women, shaving is something that they do without question, just because that's what they "should" do. Shaving is an uncomfortable process, and you could very easily end up getting hurt by doing it.

It's exactly the same with signing up for the draft, except that the social security people don't hunt down women who don't shave.

I'm a little bit tired of being expected to live up to social expectations at the moment. I haven't got a television in my dorm- whoop de doo. This doesn't bother me much at all because the only thing I would watch would be PBS boadcasts of old BBC comedies and The Simpsons. The latter I see in the dining centre when I go for dinner, and the former, well, I don't let it cut me up too badly. However, it's the same old story every time anyone ever finds out I haven't got a television: what do you do with yourself?! I haven't got enough time as it is, what on earth would I do if I watched television on a regular basis too? But, but, you have to have a television. Nope, sorry.

The result is that no one will come over to my room. "There's nothing to do." If I were to have someone around, I wouldn't turn on the television- I actually have conversations with people. But I go to my friend's room's and ultimately, they turn on the television. Not to watch it, not because there's anything on, just to have it on to look at it. It can't be just to hear it, because otherwise music would suffice- the television is a visual thing, it keeps you from having to make eye contact with the person you're talking to. That must be the reason, on some sort of subconcious level.

Right now, I really hate people. I don't know why, but I don't want to talk to anybody, and I don't want to be around anyone. I was talking to Q earlier today and I just kind of vaugely thought that I wished he might just go away. It's been that way with everyone, and I don't know why.