Thursday, March 24, 2011

GRADUATION = PARTY

My college graduation was scheduled for 8:00am. Awesome. That’s real nice. Some people got an 11:30am graduation; some got a 2:00pm graduation. Not me. I got the one bright and early. The early bird catches the worm… well the early morning graduate catches a hangover.

I didn’t drink very much the night before. I knew that if I were to go out, I’d end up either being extremely tired (to the point that I wouldn’t wake up) or slightly hung over. I opted for neither. At the time, this idea was responsible and slightly genius. Stay at home and hang out with your roommates, or risk missing graduation. Truthfully, I would not have missed missing it. Due to the swine flu epidemic (aka the student government’s giant FAIL) we had no speaker. When my brother graduated, he had General Tommy Franks speak. When I was a freshman, those seniors got the President. G-DUB!!! When I graduated… I got a DVD directed to incoming freshman. Thanks. One of the most important days of my life and you are using it as an advertisement, love you too. However, had I actually missed graduation Mom and Dad would have been less than thrilled.

I felt great during graduation. I was a tad cranky prior due to the early hour, but other than that, I felt awesome. I praised myself for my good health. Then that evening came. The thing about behaving yourself is it only lasts so long. You can be good. But after a period of time, it runs its course and its time to move on. That night was epic. To be honest, I don’t really recall the bars. What I do recall is insisting the party not end and heading to the nearest house where I knew the party would continue. I ended up at a big party house… my dear friends at the corner of 5th and Duck. I had fun. I didn’t go crazy and do things regrettable, but I had fun. However, when the night came to an end, I found myself without a ride. I called my roommates, no answer/even had they answered they’d not been able to drive. I thought of all the under-aged friends I’d made… they weren’t in Stillwater/even had they been in Stillwater they’d not been able to drive. I had the opportunity to hop on a DD ride and they left without me because they were full. The cabs in Stillwater that night? Less than dependable. Next logical choice? Stealing a bike. I had to steal a bike. I spotted one. I ran up to it. I hopped on. I began peddling. And then I heard it… I heard yelling. “Maddie, don’t take my bike…. Maddie, please… stop. Don’t take my bike.” Did I listen? No? I was like the muthaf*ckin honey badger! I wasn’t gonna stop for nobody.”

Next Morning. Slightly hungover. But not bad. All of my roommates were packing up their things and one roommate was straight up moving out. She had rented a U-Haul and was moving all over her belongings where her fiancĂ© lived. By the time I got the call about the bike, it was nearly 1:00pm. I assured the bike’s owner that it was downstairs and I’d bring it over soon. I went downstairs, I packed up my car, I ate lunch, and I went to get the bike…. I went to go get the bike… Where the hell is the bike? I looked in the garage. I looked in the basement. I specifically remember placing the bike my living room and locking the door. Who took it? I asked my roommate if they packed in the U-Haul by mistake. I interrogated my other roommates about the time they returned and if they locked the door behind them. Nothing. There were no clues about what happened to the bike.

I procrastinated. But eventually I had to make the call. I texted my friend and asked for a my other friend’s number, then I texted that friend and asked her what her boyfriend’s number was…. I went by his house (I had partied there before), he wasn’t there… I could only leave a message.

“Um, I know you told me to not take your bike… but I was drunk and I tend not to listen to anyone when I’ve been drinking. However, as sorry as I am about taking your bike… I’m even more sorry about what it is I’m about to tell you…. I can’t find your bike. I specifically remembered bringing it inside with me and locking the door behind me. However, this morning when I woke up, it was no where to be found.”

He called me back. I informed him again of the circumstance. He told me how he’d hope that I didn’t have to pay for the bike because it was so expensive and that he’d just hope it’d turn up.
For nearly two weeks, I just knew I was going to have to shed out about a grand in order to pay this guy back for his bike. While I was on vacation in the Bahamas I received a text:

“Hey Maddie. Good news. The bike showed up down the street from you house in front of some of my frat brothers’ yard.”

My first reaction was excitement. Yay… I don’t have to give this kid money. My second reaction? I’ve been played. What are the odds of an expensive bike ending up in the garbage? Um… none. It immediately dawned on me. He had the bike the entire time. He was simply punishing me for my transgression. He never expected me to pay for the bike; he only wanted me to think I needed to pay for it. I felt horrible for a good 2 weeks and I just knew I was going to have to pay for his bike… boy was I wrong.

The moral of this story is don’t borrow things without asking. You never know when it will come back and bite you in the ass.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Do It Even If It Kills You

Spring Break was amazing. Hit up yet another Lady GaGa concert, which was epic as usual. Then I hit up sin city with my my parents. This was the first time since turning 21 that I got to go to Vegas with my parents. To sum up my trip... I love gambling with dad. By far my favorite game to play is "Dealer Bust," most commonly referred to as Black Jack. However, if you yell "DEALER BUST" every hand, studies have shown you are more likely to win. Studies are accurate.

As fun as Vegas was, I am now home in bed and in need of a vacation from my vacation. When I got home, I was planning for reading for all my classes and behaving... however, I caught up on TV, emails and much-needed relaxation. Hey... gambling can be stressful.

Now that I am back in the real world, it has dawned on me that the Oklahoma City marathon is in 41 days. I was planning on running it. Not the half... the full. I started training in January, then the snow hit. Then I wen to NYC... obviously didn't run there. I tried to pick back up in February, but due to the snow days and NYC I wasn't as far along as I should be... I kinda got discouraged by that and became lazy. Then I got sick. I got a cold that lasted about 3 weeks and that I still have a pretty nasty cough from.... but I told myself I was running the OKC Memorial and by God... I'm going to.

The problem I immediately encountered... How am I supposed to train for a half marathon in 41 days? What did I do? I went to my favorite fitness guru Mr. Luc Carl from drunkdiet.com He is a runner and regularly blogs about his training. I asked if he thought I could do, told him where I was at distance wise now, and he responded with the following:

"Do it. Just do it. Even if it kills you." He gave me a plan for this week, which consists of a pretty slow 9 mile run on Wednesday. Truth be told, I have not run 9 miles since October. The farthest I've gone in the last two months is probably 6 miles, maybe 6 and 1/2.

I already know it's going to hurt. In fact, I told him it was going to hurt... to which he said it's supposed to, you have to set goals and beath them. He's right. Nothing in life worth something is meant to be easy. If it was, would it really be worth it because everyone would be doing it.

I'm probably going to take every precaution necessary to avoid screwing my knee up. A lot of times if I jump into a long run without working up to it, my left knee prevents me from any further training. Not just, ouch my knee hurts, but literally sharp pains will shoot up the outside of my left knee up to my hip and my leg will almost give out. I'm going to stretch to no end, pop some ibuprofen, and ice my knee after running for a good 30 minutes, then follow it up with a hot bath.

Chances are... my knee will be a little sore, but chances are... it's going to be worth it.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Safe Word

In my evidence class, the professor requires two students to stand up every class and discuss all the cases for that day. I sit in the second row, so I had yet to be called on until today. He started in the back and has snaked his way up. Wednesdays we are only in class for 50 minutes, but Thursdays and Fridays we are in class for an hour and 25 minutes.

This Wednesday we watched clips of movies that had to do with character evidence of witnesses. So the two students up just got to hang loose for most the time. They only managed to get to two cases before the bell rang. I, however, was graced with the opportunity to present on a Thursday. A full hour and 25 minutes. Lucky me.

Thus far, we have only discussed boring things. We have learned rules of relevance, probative value and prejudice, what can be used to impeach witnesses, what information can be introduced about the defendant's past, things like that. On my particular day, we were discussing Rape Shield Laws.

Rape Shield Laws are made to prevent the alleged victim's past being brought up to humiliate, thus preventing her from being raped again... but this time by the system. Back in the day, a victim's past sexual history was used to prove she was unchaste and thus, it was less likely that she was raped and more likely that she consented and was lying. Because only sluts lie, duh.

As if I did not have a perverted enough mind already, the first problem we were asked to discuss had to do with a sadomasochist. Awesome. I did not even know what that word meant until yesterday. This sadomasochist met another sadomasochist and they began emailing back and forth. In the emails, the lady that alleged to be later raped, discussed how she was a "Pushy Button," this meant that she enjoyed pushing the dominant partner to inflict greater pain... despite her being the submissive one who is supposed to keep her mouth shut.

This was to good. While the professor was trying to teach the class about whether or not this should be admitted at trial, I was making faces at my friends and pretended to push buttons. I realize how mature I am... and I realize the seriousness of the issue. I would not laugh it was an actual case, but it was a hypothetical, so I felt as if I was allowed.

After the professor was ready to move on, I decided to ask my question. We decided that this probably would not be allowed because it had to do with past sexual encounters, and those are not allowed. But I asked whether or not it would be allowed to go towards the defendant's state of mind. I made the point, that if he knew she was a "pushy button" he may have felt her response was actually in effort to get him to inflict greater pain... and then I made the remark, they must've had a safe word.

Everyone laughed... except my teacher. He liked what I had to say and continued teaching the class without even a laugh or smile. You can imagine my surprise.

Towards the end of class, we came to another interesting case. THis time it had to do with a man that claimed his alleged victim and him were having consensual sex until he pissed her off. What did he do to piss her off? The book said that while they were doing it doggy style he said, "You like it like this don't you... that is what Todd told me." Oh no he didn't. The court wouldn't allow the specific words be admitted, only that he did something to piss her off. The whole case was whether or not he was allowed to tell his count of the story in its entirety... i.e. could he tell the courtroom that she liked it doggy style... but didn't like people to know this.

The professor took one look at me, identified the smirk on my face and quickly said, I'll cover this one fast since we don't have much time left.

He gets me.

He knew I would not be able to recite this case with any serious tone. And would probably, again, make a laughing stalk of a very serious issue.

I'm taking the liberty of canceling class tomorrow due to all my hard work today. I felt I owed it to myself.

So have a good spring break everyone... and remember to use your safe word.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Karma is a Bitch.

Monday night was faculty and staff appreciation night at a local lounge. I say lounge because it is neither bar nor restaurant. It is a restaurant with a bar, thus it is a lounge.

I sat down with some friends and we began discussing the appetizers, which then lead to a discussion of food allergies. I have a friend allergic to avocado and peanuts, another who is allergic to red wine and dried apricots. I on the other hand, was allergic to nothing so I took it upon myself to brag. And brag I did. I threw my arms in the air and proudly announced how I was allergic to nothing and laughed obnoxiously.

The evening when on, I had some more wine, I ate dinner, then I went home, popped two mucinex and went to bed. I had been taking mucinex for my mucus problem, but stopped taking them on Sunday because I was feeling better. It was also making me lose my appetite and feel rather odd, so I decided to just stop early.

When I woke up in the middle of the night, I felt VERY strange indeed. I was rather drunk.... and my eyelids were swollen. Great. I chugged a bottle of water and went back to bed. When I woke up several hours later, my eyelids were even more swollen. I thought I had an allergic reaction to the mucinex. I called my mom freaking out about how disgusting I looked, she recommended I go get some benadryl. I picked it up on my way to school and popped two before class. Big mistake.

WIthin 30 minutes of class, I stopped taking notes and was doing everything I could to keep my eyes open. By the end of class I was slurring my words and my friends were laughing at me. I went home and went to bed. I woke up 2 hours later because I had class and I was getting called on. So I went to class and surprisingly did alright. Meanwhile, my eyelids remained somewhat swollen. I ran some errands, grabbed lunch, then made it home to rest.

I popped some more benadryl and laid down around 5 oclock. I woke up 3 hours later. During my sleep I was really confused thinking I had gone to bed for the night... so when I woke up later and saw that it was only 8 oclock, I thought I was screwed. How was I going to get to go to sleep if I had napped for almost 5 hours that day. I started reading for class and soon realized how tired I still was. So I washed my face, put vaseline on my eyes and went to bed.

I woke up this morning and my eyes were even more swollen than they were yesterday. I'm allergic to something... I just don't know what. And until then, I'm popping steroids from the doctor and putting antihistamine eye drops in my eyes.

Moral of the story... Don't brag and just remember, karma is a bitch.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Smack the Shit Outta Life

The Honey Badger don’t care. Honey Badger don’t give a shit, it just takes what it wants. The Honey Badger is pretty bad ass and has no regard for any other animal… including lions.

The most fearless animal in the animal kingdom is the honey badger. A small, weasel type creature that looks harmless. But don’t let the look of the honey badger fool you.



The honey badger gets its name from it’s taste for honey. The honey badger will break into a beehive and eat the larvae. Although the honey badger will get stung thousands of times, he is not phased. It doesn’t give a shit. It’s hungry. It doesn’t care about bees, nothing can stop the honey badger when he’s hungry.

Honey badger also has an appetite for King Cobras. When the honey badger gets bit by the cobra, it passes out for a couple minutes then wakes up, like nothing happened, and continues his meal.

I encourage you all to be like the honey badger in life. Take what you want. If something stings the shit out of you… keep on keepin’ on. Just remember, the Honey Badger don’t care. Honey Badger smacks the shit out of it… so be like the Honey Badger and go smack the shit out of life.

Do yourself a favor and check out the following link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg