Getting over some disappointment

So I got some bad news the other day. I learned a public relations graduate program I had applied for next year has rejected me. Originally this program was choice number three or four, but after going to their program session, was wholly impressed. The program jumped to number one, yet I received a rejection letter late last week and just opened it on Saturday.

My mind unfortunately did not think of things such as the fact I was vying to be one of 40 out of a crowd of 240 to get in. It did not think about how this was not the last program I applied to. I just had a feeling of unreasonable rejection, failure and no self-worth. It, combined with my job I'm over-qualified for left me in a stew for a couple of days. It has also left me nervous to whether other rejection letters are to follow, and whether my plan to get back into school will be railroaded.

I know I try not to post personal feelings here. And I can be positive and focus on the points I failed to focus on Saturday. But I'd forgotten after all these years how stressful school can be and I haven't even started again! Perhaps if all works out and I get back into school, this experience will throw my head into the mindset it needs to be in. That's as positive as I can be right now.

Exciting Announcement about Rochdale Rhymes and Readings

Rochdale Rhymes and Readings will return on April 2 at the Regal Beagle, 8 pm., 335 Bloor St. West. Features will be two fine spoken word artists in Rahul Gupta, aka, That Brown Bastard and Mike Smith, aka White Noise Machine. There is the usual pass the hat admission, but the open mic has a twist. We will have the second annual Awfulest of National Poetry Month contest. The worst poem will win a prize. So many poets have told me they can win this one. Come try to prove them wrong.

March 1

March 1st is one of my favourite days of the year. March is the month where spring begins, though up here in Canada we don't see a true spring until April and sometimes May. But the beginning of March tells you spring is coming. Though many in Canada love Winter for its activities such as skiing/snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, etc., the cold, the darkness, as well as the slush and ice can get to us. To me, March is welcome symbol to those who might be in a bad situation, as many are in these times, that you've almost made it. There's a little way to go, but you've almost made it out of the dark cold. May this fact bring inspiration to those down so they may see a positive light on the way. Daylight savings begins this weekend (though almost a month earlier than it used to begin).

Nadya Suleman

I have a hard time making sense of where I stand on the Nadya Suleman case. She's the woman who had octuplets, after visiting a fertility clinic and who'd already had six children. She, by media reports, does not have the financial capability to support 14 children as a single mother in debt already.

I am pro-choice and believe if a woman has an abortion, it will be a horrifying decision and should be left up to her. Part of me wants to feel the same about Ms. Suleman. It's her life and her family and she should be left alone. However, one has to think of her children. They are being brought up into a world where they most likely cannot be taken care of, after hearing the facts on the family. If this were all natural conception, I would be angry at those criticizing Ms. Suleman, as they would have no right to be a judge. In my mind though, I ask why after being a single mother to six, she would choose to have at least (by choice) another seven? (By reports she was only planning on having septuplets, the eighth was a surprise.) Perhaps it really is none of my or your business, but I do worry about the well-being of her children. I am a little disturbed seeing as this was her choice to have so many children brought into the world she likely cannot take care of.

I am not an elitist or an aristocrat, but if her family had the capability to care for an extra eight children, I would believe this decision was hers alone and should be left to her. However, I just worry about the kids.

Reading Rainbow and Drew Carey

The other day I was watching the Price is Right, now hosted by Drew Carey. Honestly, he was horrible when he started, but has gotten much better. A contestant came on the stage, a guy in his early 20s. He was wearing a Reading Rainbow t-shirt. Drew Carey, obviously not knowing Reading Rainbow was a children's program on PBS in the 80s, asked the guy if Reading Rainbow was where he worked. "Nah, I'm just a supporter," said the guy. Later on the guy went on to win both showcases in the showcase showdown and his buddies all rushed the stage and about five of them jumped on his new snowmobile all at the same time. The snowmobile was fine, so that's good publicity for the manufacturer.

Something that's become a pet peeve of mine is when people talk about their drinking and need to brag about it as if being a drunk is part of their heritage. I'm (insert ethnic ancestry here) we were baptized in the stuff. I like to drink as much as the next guy and probably more than the next guy, but what does being (blankish-ese-an) have to do with it? Why don't you just be honest and say years of heavy drinking have given you a high tolerance, so you can drink a lot more. Or have a sense of humor and say you had a hole inserted in the bottom of your foot so most of the booze goes out and you need to drink more to feel anything.

An Embarrassed Vegetarian

I belong to a large local Toronto area vegetarian group. I've enjoyed this as the group is mainly there to educate and support. However, there's a wing for people in their 20s that became overrun by self-righteous vegans closely linked with those total animal liberationists in PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). There was a planned run of the CN Tower stairs as a benefit for the World Wildlife Fund. The event was subsequently canceled with an explanation being a link to PETA's Web site called wickedwildlifefund.com. PETA as a rival organization looking for people's donation in a tight economy accuses WWF of things such as supporting culls in some instances and not supporting a ban on laboratory testing of animals.

Look, I support the rights of animals, and though I don't judge others, see eating meat as morally wrong. But we have to be realistic here. If you have a real alternative, give it to us. I was also highly offended at PETA's exploitation of the holocaust and of the poor kid beheaded on the Greyhound in Manitoba last year. PETA needs to get real and stop making a joke of itself to the mainstream, while only offering up endorsements from clueless celebrities. In spite of the self-righteous vegetarians out there, I almost feel like eating meat, but know I won't.

Freedom

I wanna smoke cigarettes while watching Konvent Girls Get Kinky 7, drink discount beer, drink bottled water, eat a Jos. Louis, smoke pot, eat poutine (only the vegetarian kind. After all it's my choice and not yours), watch the football game and actually bet on the game. I won't pay for sex because that's just dirty, but what's it to you if I want to? When Miller and Harper send the cops out for me, I'll tell them to shove a donut up their ass.