Hot apple cider to keep me awake, left over cookies to keep me sane, "Walking in Memphis" to keep me company...looks like I'm just about ready to write this fucker! "Forced Disappearance of Persons" is our topic, and we'll be arguing that either governements have no right to kidnap those dissenting little voices, or that hells, they get what they deserve for trying to disrupt the natural order of things, the buggers.

I haven't yet decided which way I'll argue. I'm appalled that it happens, you see, and I would like nothing better than to go on a crusade and smack the leaders of Peru, China, Argentina, Korea, t/USA, and any others into submission and free all the shining unhappy people. But it would be so much easier to say that what a country does to its citizens is its own business, and if they need to shut up those nagging little voices that make up its conscience, who are we to stand in their way? The first idea requires thought and initiative and solutions; the second requires a nice cushion to stick under the ass while we sit and do nothing.

"Of course, it would be much easier to simply let these countries do whatever they want. But at the heart of this topic, even more so than the issue of individual rights being sacrificed for national rights, is the conflict between doing what is easy, and what is right."

Oh, sweet Goddess. Blog-surfing instead of working, and I come across some right-winger's blog, doing that social and current events commentary that so many people are so fond of doing...makes me want to rend something. Ugh. I feel unclean, and it's getting difficult to type. My fingers keep trying to curl into claws.

You see, some people can take the easy route for this paper *coughcougholivercoughcough* and not feel any qualms about it. I'm sure I could, as well, if I tried hard enough. But I would feel horribly dirty doing so. My ideals are my own, and no damned audition is going to make me give them up just for the sake of a spot at Ilmunc.

I do wonder, though, if my spot this year is as guarenteed as it was in previous years. Sometimes having "connections" is a mixed blessing.

Had winter concert today, by the way. Shall officially rename winter concert to "Vera Runs in Circles". I'm tired. See Vera. See Vera play violin. See Vera play clarinet. See Vera run from stage to band room to play clarinet for five minutes. See Vera run back to stage by way of choir room to grab violin. See Vera play violin. See Vera run. Run, Vera, Run! They're on stage already! See Vera change bowtie and cumerbund in record time. See Vera run, once again. See Vera be last on stage! Look at Vera wandering around on stage! See her grab stand and fall into chair. Oh, Vera! Now see her play clarinet- out of tune.

Oh well. At least it's the last winter concert ever. Never gonna have to run 'round like that again. *sigh*