So in applying to graduate schools these days, I’ve come across the dreaded “Personal Statement” once again.  What I enjoyed about the college application process (okay, I didn’t enjoy anything about the college application process) was that the essay section had more of a purpose than just saying why I want to go to school there.  You said something in that essay that wasn’t necessarily apparent from the rest of your application.  You wrote about things that inspired you or strange things in your life that changed the way you look at the world.  Every “Personal Statement” that I’ve come across has said “Please write a brief personal statement about why you want to apply to graduate school.”  How many interesting responses are there to that question?  I mean, seriously, how many people write in and talk about the divine revelation they had when they suddenly realized they absolutely positively had to apply for an MFA in creative writing?

More than likely a lot of kids simply realized they loved to write and that they hated office work so much that they couldn’t possibly hold a day job and write at the same time, so they should teach.  I would guess that something like 85-90% of these personal statements say that A) they want more editors and B) they want to teach.  What other reasons are there?

Also of note, whenever I hear personal statement I think of something more along the lines of “I had 13 toes as a child” (NOTE: I did not) than I think of “why I want to go to graduate school.”  Perhaps some rephrasing is necessary, or just something more interesting.  God, I hate this process.

Across from the ABC studios where some band that is way too cool for me is playing inside, there seems to be some sort of bathing suit fashion show.  And I’m sure tons of wax.

The New York Times reported on a study done at the University of Texas in Austin (damn Texans) exploring the reasons people have sex. There’s some interesting stuff in there I suppose, but seriously, is this what our great minds of science are doing with their time? Hey, I’m all for fun little studies about sex and everything, but I think I saw the same quiz in Cosmo last week (note: I do not read Cosmo thus I do not know). I mean, I understand that studying sex and the reasons behind it could have some sort of application to human behavior and mating rituals/habits etc., but I got one word for you: “C’mooooonnnnnnn.”

That, friends, is the NBA All Star logo for the 2008 games in New Orleans, in case you couldn’t tell. Now compare that with this guy right here and I think you’ll agree that we definitely make better logos than the London Olympic Committee or whoever is responsible for that monstrosity (some have said it looks like Lisa Simpson giving head).  I don’t know if the NBA just has better PR people (and then I’d say ‘C’mon, you’re the freaking Olympics’) or just aren’t as concerned with being “edgy” and “ground-breaking” with their logos (and to this I’d say, well, nothing, I’d just shake my head and click my tongue).  I understand that this will be the brand of the games and represents the cities passion for the games and all that wish wash, but is that really the best you can come up with?  I would never want a t-shirt, hat, bag, or even a button anywhere near me with that Olympic logo on it, but I would be somewhat happy with the NBA logo somewhere.  It’s more “hip” and “in” I’d say.

Still unsure how to spell that doosy (dooesy?  doesy? dosey?) of a word there, but whatever. Having finished the tome that is Infinite Jest, I can now hopefully get into the important things in life: the perfect nacho recipe.

Or this magazine and blog. To update you on the process, I’ve been writing around finding out about grants and trying to get interest up from friends and fellow thinkers of my age (okay, just from friends). Here’s some things you that might make an appearance in the coming issue:

-A roundtable discussion of Infinite Jest focusing on the implications it has (and has had) on fiction and the opinions Foster Wallace propogates within the book
-An article discussing the homogenization of urban space and the urban idea of home.
-Reports from Chicago and L.A. on some thing or another.
-FASHION SPREADS!!!!
-Some green ideas to save money and the environment.
-A high finance article (get it? it’s a play on high fashion or high art. Well, it’ll come to you. It’s okay if you don’t find it funny now.)
-Reviews and discussions of films, art, music, and other fun things.

And hopefully more. Or maybe not. If I can get all that together that might be a pretty good issue.

I saw the new Transformers movie last night and I have two pieces of advice for you:

1. See it. It was great. I was skeptical about it and then one of my boys said it was awesome so I was like okay, got to see it (especially since the transformers actually talk). But that means I went into it with high expectations as opposed to the lower ones I had because as often happens people fuck up the classics. Even with high expectations, I still thought it was great. It was like when I watched Casablanca and thought, “Okay, this will be good, but it’s not gonna be the greatest movie of all time,” and then came away thinking, “This is the greatest of all time.” Now Transformers is no Casablanca, of course. But it was a fucking great action movie and if you were a fan like I was of the old cartoons, you will love seeing your old friends come to life again. I swear I grabbed my friend everytime one of the Autobots or Decepticons transformed.

2. Seriously, bring a change of underwear. (more…)