Monday, April 18, 2005
nice...
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Wow...its been a while
I haven't had time for these things lately. Just too much business. It seems like I don't even get the chance to spend time with all the people I would like. I could probably hang out with friends for a career. I wouldn't even have to bother the same ones every day. I could easily make a work week out of bugging different people every day, maybe even every 3-4 hours.
Alas, I cannot do that because while it is very rewarding, the compensation doesn't pay the bills. So I have been looking for a job. I got one. This week, I got a job offer from Continental AG in Germany. The job is pretty amazing. The company seems great, I can't wait. Actually, I kinda can wait. I'm scared to death. I think its a great opportunity and I know that its good for me, but I am still having a bit of trouble really, finally deciding that I am going to take it. It cracks me up because I can't read the contract (its all in german) and I get paid in Euros. Euros are like play money. I'm serious. They have weird pictures on them. Money's supposed to have famous dead americans on it, not other random crap. And euros come in weird colors and sizes...Its an accepted currency in Monopoly. Read the rules.
My birthday occured while I was in Germany. Actually on the day of the assessment. I had forgotten that it was my birthday, but the assessors reminded me. Then I went out and saw the German city. It was great. When I came home, I bought myself an iPod mini for my birthday. I have to say, the blue iPod minis are the most brilliant and beautiful color of blue that I think I have ever seen.
Alex is awesome. Soon we will have been together for 6 months. I know that's not real terribly long in the grand scheme, but the fact of the matter is, its a wonderful thing. All great things are built one step at a time. MTYLTT
I love playing music, but lately, it has been difficult for me to do my radio shows well. I seem to have absolutely no time to listen to music so that I can be prepared for my shows. I play the same music every week because I don't get to listen and expand my musical vocabulary.
Lastly, I have done a good job cooling down about the Midgley business. (I feel like he's destroying Rose Hulman.) I have not given up, but I don't get in such a rage as I used to. I care about Rose so much and the place is falling apart as a direct result of his leadership. Probably the worst thing about it all, the people who don't understand that. A woman who works at Rose wrote a letter to the newspaper that we should be proud of what we have done and stop talking about Dr. Midgley so much. She talked a lot about the openness that has existed for years at Rose Hulman and how wonderful that has been. What she doesn't understand is that everyone is so disgusted because that openness is EXACTLY what is being destroyed. Faculty, Staff, and even students are afraid to say what they think about what is going on at Rose. Is that openness? No. That is the complete opposite. And if we follow her wishes to keep our mouths shut, to not speak out against what we feel is wrong, then we are just giving in to the opposition. We are feeding the virus that consumes us. We are throwing those values of openness and entire-community-involvement to the wayside. We're 'kickin it to the curb', so to speak. Giving our beloved openness the ole 'Fuck you' because we are too damned lazy (or, more likely, afraid) to say what is right, too afraid to say that what we hold dear is being destroyed by the actions of the new dictator.
Obviously that's a little drastic. I haven't noticed any of the people who post to aboutmidgley.com 'disappearing'. But what I have noticed are the same things everyone else has noticed, faculty and staff who disappear, people who used to love this place because they could say what they thought without fear of losing their job, sealing their lips. We talk a lot on aboutmidgley.com but the fact of the matter is, no one knows what is going on. No one except Jack Midgley. Everyone else knows pieces, stories don't coincide, people can't talk.
It is often joked about how fast rumors spread in this place. While that often seemed like a bad thing, the fact is, it was the best thing that Rose had going for it. These 'rumors' allowed people to know what was going on. Everyone could participate in Rose Hulman because they heard the news.
How can rumors, which are often filled with both fact and fiction, spread the news? Because most people at Rose Hulman are smart. Most of us are good at seperating the shit from the cream. Lately, however, we've been getting soooo much shit that its tough to find the cream. I, personally, am exausted from the effort of seperating, of searching for the facts. I have to say, I do not have the same passion for the new rose that I had for the open Rose of the past.
Lastly, the supporters of Midge are right. This is all about the fact that he is not like Dr. Hulbert. Dr. Hulbert was an honest and open man who loved this school and loved the people who work and learn at this school. He believed in student/faculty/staff participation and voice. He was an honorable man and a respected man. He believed in the greatness and individuality of Rose.
Jack is none of these things.
Alas, I cannot do that because while it is very rewarding, the compensation doesn't pay the bills. So I have been looking for a job. I got one. This week, I got a job offer from Continental AG in Germany. The job is pretty amazing. The company seems great, I can't wait. Actually, I kinda can wait. I'm scared to death. I think its a great opportunity and I know that its good for me, but I am still having a bit of trouble really, finally deciding that I am going to take it. It cracks me up because I can't read the contract (its all in german) and I get paid in Euros. Euros are like play money. I'm serious. They have weird pictures on them. Money's supposed to have famous dead americans on it, not other random crap. And euros come in weird colors and sizes...Its an accepted currency in Monopoly. Read the rules.
My birthday occured while I was in Germany. Actually on the day of the assessment. I had forgotten that it was my birthday, but the assessors reminded me. Then I went out and saw the German city. It was great. When I came home, I bought myself an iPod mini for my birthday. I have to say, the blue iPod minis are the most brilliant and beautiful color of blue that I think I have ever seen.
Alex is awesome. Soon we will have been together for 6 months. I know that's not real terribly long in the grand scheme, but the fact of the matter is, its a wonderful thing. All great things are built one step at a time. MTYLTT
I love playing music, but lately, it has been difficult for me to do my radio shows well. I seem to have absolutely no time to listen to music so that I can be prepared for my shows. I play the same music every week because I don't get to listen and expand my musical vocabulary.
Lastly, I have done a good job cooling down about the Midgley business. (I feel like he's destroying Rose Hulman.) I have not given up, but I don't get in such a rage as I used to. I care about Rose so much and the place is falling apart as a direct result of his leadership. Probably the worst thing about it all, the people who don't understand that. A woman who works at Rose wrote a letter to the newspaper that we should be proud of what we have done and stop talking about Dr. Midgley so much. She talked a lot about the openness that has existed for years at Rose Hulman and how wonderful that has been. What she doesn't understand is that everyone is so disgusted because that openness is EXACTLY what is being destroyed. Faculty, Staff, and even students are afraid to say what they think about what is going on at Rose. Is that openness? No. That is the complete opposite. And if we follow her wishes to keep our mouths shut, to not speak out against what we feel is wrong, then we are just giving in to the opposition. We are feeding the virus that consumes us. We are throwing those values of openness and entire-community-involvement to the wayside. We're 'kickin it to the curb', so to speak. Giving our beloved openness the ole 'Fuck you' because we are too damned lazy (or, more likely, afraid) to say what is right, too afraid to say that what we hold dear is being destroyed by the actions of the new dictator.
Obviously that's a little drastic. I haven't noticed any of the people who post to aboutmidgley.com 'disappearing'. But what I have noticed are the same things everyone else has noticed, faculty and staff who disappear, people who used to love this place because they could say what they thought without fear of losing their job, sealing their lips. We talk a lot on aboutmidgley.com but the fact of the matter is, no one knows what is going on. No one except Jack Midgley. Everyone else knows pieces, stories don't coincide, people can't talk.
It is often joked about how fast rumors spread in this place. While that often seemed like a bad thing, the fact is, it was the best thing that Rose had going for it. These 'rumors' allowed people to know what was going on. Everyone could participate in Rose Hulman because they heard the news.
How can rumors, which are often filled with both fact and fiction, spread the news? Because most people at Rose Hulman are smart. Most of us are good at seperating the shit from the cream. Lately, however, we've been getting soooo much shit that its tough to find the cream. I, personally, am exausted from the effort of seperating, of searching for the facts. I have to say, I do not have the same passion for the new rose that I had for the open Rose of the past.
Lastly, the supporters of Midge are right. This is all about the fact that he is not like Dr. Hulbert. Dr. Hulbert was an honest and open man who loved this school and loved the people who work and learn at this school. He believed in student/faculty/staff participation and voice. He was an honorable man and a respected man. He believed in the greatness and individuality of Rose.
Jack is none of these things.
