Pridy Prejudice
Tonight Ben Belisle, some other friends, and I went to the Utah State Theater’s production of Pride and Prejudice. I was really taken by the young woman who played the part of Elizabeth (but boy did I hate that book).
2/24/2001
2/20/2001
Ballet
A night at the Ballet. Tonight I went and saw Ballet West perform. I saw them perform Lilac Garden and Who Cares?. This was my first viewing of a Ballet performance in person. I enjoyed it. I preferred Lilac Garden to the other. Partly because it was short and sweet, but also due to the fact that I liked the story better. Who Cares? was long but it contained many solo dances. Most of the solo dances were amazing, but a few of them bored me to death. Anyway, that’s me at the ballet.
2/10/2001
Brain Food
Tonight I went and saw “Hannibal” with Anthony Hopkins(no, I didn’t go with Hopkins to see it, but I went and a watched the movie in which he acted). Kudos to Hopkins on his excellent performance. Also, the character Hannibal is quite the artsy fellow! I love it!(sick and twisted, I know) Hannibal is genius to say the least!(in a mad-scientist, serial killer sort of way) This movie is not for people who don’t enjoy scary films or graphic violence, but if you liked its prequel, “Silence of the Lambs", then I’m sure you’ll appreciate it.
2/8/2001
Solzhenitsyn
Tonight I went to a Philosophy meeting with more elite thinkers than that of the basic Philosophy Club. Before the others arrived, Dr. Huenemann and I met for the first time, and talked one on one for about ten minutes. We talked about “American Psycho", which we had watched the night prior to this meeting. The first thing he said to me concerning the movie was, “As I admitted last night, I hadn’t seen the movie yet. I don’t think it had anything to with nihilism at all.” I chuckled through my nose(gross huh?) and told him how I agreed whole-heartedly. He thought the movie was “disturbing", and also confessed the reason for his involvement with the USU Philo club(as I stated in the previous entry). We talked more about things until the rest of the group showed up. This meeting was to discuss a “Text of Address” to Harvard by the Russian writer and philosopher(everybody is a philosopher or can be, but I only refer to those with intelligent ideas as ‘philosophers’), Alexander Solzhenitsyn. I’ll add more on the discussion content at a later date. Consider yourselves encouraged by me to read this passage by Solzhenitsyn. He may be a Crazy Commie Russian, but he’s a bright one!
2/7/2001
Bateman vs Nihilism
Ahhh yes, The Psycho. They used to call me that once, you know? Tonight I went and saw “American Psycho” for the second time. The first time was when it came out in theaters a couple years back. The second time I saw it was tonight on a big screen with the USU Philosophy Club. For background information: The USU Philosophy Club consists of a bunch of self indulgent cocky Mormon bastards who know the truth when they give their testimonies on sundays, but insist that one can’t knowanything when they step into the class room of philisophy. In short, I lowered myself to asshole status just to see a movie I enjoy(though some may agree that I already hold this status anyway). Enough raggin’ on weak. This club activity began with Dr. Charles Huenemann, a USU Professor in Philosophy, giving a speach on nihilism. Back to raggin’ on the club. Some of the activity organizers of this club thought that American Psycho was all about Nihilism. I on the other hand remembered no nihilistic undertones from the first time I watched it. Dr. Huenemann is a very bright and knowledgeable man. Though the more elite(in rational thought patterns to say the least) Philosophers at USU do not understand why Dr. Huenemann could support such abstract conceptualizations as brought forth by the club; Dr. H seems to continue to give lectures to them in hopes that they will begin to think. Rather than try to learn, understand, and grow, the Philosophy Club mostly consists of people who are not searching to learn more, nor to find any truths or meaning in life, but to try to pervert these various concepts into somehow supporting what they already knew to be true. The Movie. I was a very sick individual the first time that I saw this movie. That is probably why I liked it so much. It is about a messed up man, who just wants to fit in with his materialistic society. When other people “disgust” him or make him feel jealous, he chops, slices, cuts, and/or stabs them to death. Well, when it gets to the point where he doesn’t really know he he’s killed and who he hasn’t–due to the fact that he’s mentally ill, and doesn’t know what is real and what’s just in his head– that’s when it gets really interesting! Anyway. If you like strange movies with killers and blood, this is a movie for you. I no longer found it as stimulating this time I watched it, but I could still relate to it, because I had once had the same hatred for humanity that the character seems to have.
2/3/2001
Kung Fu Flying
Tonight I went to Jordan Commons with a gang of friends from USU to see “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". I loved it and reccommend it to everyone. Andrew Lemmon claims it is “one of the most deep, spectacular, visualy stunning, brilliant, and breath-taking movies I have ever seen!” Hey, if this guy called Andy likes it, its got to be good! Right?
2/2/2001
Gymnastic Drinking
Tonight I went to a USU vs. SUU Women’s Gymnastics Meet. It was great to see these young women master this art, but I don’t plan on going back any time soon…for reasons undefined.(To the reader) I ended the night, having lost my ‘happy pills’ for the last couple of days, drowning the pain of withdrawal in alcohol. I didn’t get drunk, and I’ve never been, but I’m curious actually, where my ‘limit’ is. I have consumed alcohol before, but I don’t drink. A swig of beer every six months or so, about 3.5 glasses of wine on special occassions(this past New Years, and at Weddings every 6 months or so). Now, however, I decided to have myself quite a large amount of straight Vodka. If you’ve done this before you understand the disgustingness of it. I endured it; I kept on drinking. I did this without the awareness of my company, and they had no idea. I actually had a little headache(from all the drain bamage alkey-hol causes), and it made me quite the calm and cool individual. While before that, I had been a rowdy, fun, and laughable UNO player. After ending the night with the friends, I persisted in my homework.
2/1/2001
Studying
Well, Today went well; I accomplished many tasks, lots of homework, and lots of reading. I’ve been reading works by Philosopher David Hume, as well as “Gospel in Brief” by Tolstoy. Which I reccommend to all. But also, I understand that too many people get screwed up when reading stuff like this, so rather than thinking you understand, and walking away not really understanding; make sure you come to me to discuss it and talk about it. Sure there are a select few of you whose judgement and understanding are comparable to my own in this area…but those people already know for certain whom I’m talking about. Yes, the arrogant bastard that I am, I do consider myself an authority in this matter, as do and should many intelligent people. Sorry for being a prick. Anyway, Y’all should read this.