macbeth takes a nap, and i write something else

My adrenaline levels until I finish papers will be a bit high, as they will be all that I can think about until they are gone from my life forever. I made the unfortunate mistake of deciding that I would get everything done before Saturday morning and drive to Pittsburgh for a couple of days. It is only unfortunate insofar as I cannot sleep very much before I actually go to Pittsburgh. And lack of sleep, as many of us know, has this knack for increasing any current anxiety or stress or frustration. The only frustration I have is with the fact that I have to write these papers. I think there should be a class in which my entire grade is based upon participation. And maybe if they need some concrete evidence of writing ability, a brief in-class writing assignment. Why is more necessary? Why don't I just carry around a portfolio of the thousands of pages I've written throughout my life as evidence that not only have I demonstrated that I learned something in class, but that I can write just fine. Practice makes perfect, you say? Yeah. Unless the assignment is incomprehensible and just ends up doing more harm than good. I had a discussion last night in which I became quite convinced that learning about State Government is important and that it is unfortunate the public school system neglects to teach its students how the State actually gets things done. It's always federal federal federal. The more we were talking, the more I realized that actually, knowing how something works is important. Yet, what good does it do for you if you only rarely can use it to change anything? That is, unless you decide that you are a destined politician (gag). I guess you could apply that to pretty much anything, following my off-the-cuff logic here, but I think what I'm saying is that I am more of a cynic every day. I hate watching the news. I hate reading the news on the internet. Listening to it on the radio can be alright, but whenever I turn on AM610, Rush is doing those cheesy radio ads about PosturePedic matresses or dental glue. So how am I supposed to know what is going on if a) I can't find a news source that isn't inundated with headlines about how Actress B slapped Actress D in the face and Model R has turned singer and made a new album and b) I can't read private news sources like the drudge or something at work, because they are politically tinged and biased (as if work isn't political or biased). It's too bad that I am feeling an all-time high of apathy and cynicism during the election year. Or maybe it's just the fatigue and papers talking. I would like to note that those who were fired today have my deepest sympathies. The boss-man clearly needs to rethink his decision making.