05 May, 2010

Mid-Week Whiner

I sat down today to write out a long-overdue section of notes for my research class and wound up writing here, on my blog, instead. It happened for a good reason, I am sure, because inevitably when I find myself easily distracted from a homework assignment it is simply because my brain isn’t ready to deal with it just yet.

How was that for a fine explanation for procrastination? Yeah, I thought it was pretty good, too.

I am wading through this term of school with a cement life vest. I can’t seem to find the motivation for any of my assigned work. I even tried going out on a limb with my research topic: Jack the Ripper- How Victorian Era Storytelling May be Used to Scare Your Children Straight.

And still, my impetus lacks. Instead, my brain says: you should really write about the conflicting message Ani DiFranco sends when she damns-the-man and supports independent thought through the use, and re-use and, dear god, the re-re-use of her songs. How is it anti-corporate to take a song you produced ten years ago, record it again with less enthusiasm, more live audience and, oh hell, a high-school band thrown in for good measure and package it, along with other re-recordings, as a new album?! Really, Ani? I doth protest.

(breathe)

On a more uplifting note, I received a letter last week naming a poem I wrote as taking first place in a local competition for college writers. It will advance to the national level of competition where they will name first, second and third place winners mid-June.