Curling, Homework, and Euthanasia

I had something clever that I was going to write about, but I don't remember what that was unfortunately, so this may end up being something random.

I did want to salute, however, to the end of my Friday night curling season. Even though none of them will likely ever read this, they were incredible people to curl with, I had so much fun, and all those Fridays that I missed for other things I would have much rather spent with them. It's sad that it's come to an end and my Fridays are free again. Curling was something I looked forward to at the end of my week. I love Friday nights. Here's to Amanda, Pete, and Bryan. Cheers! *takes a swing of her Coca Cola* XD

Anyways, what else did I want to ramble on about? Hmmm... OH! How about the ginormous amount of math and physics homework that I have this weekend? Not to mention the physics lab ON TOP of all that work.

Now, let me make this clear, this isn't work I'm still catching up on because I missed a week, no, I'm all caught up. This work is actually, honest-to-God, assigned on Friday. It's crazy. And I understand the importance of homework, but there's a limit on:
A) How much I can do in the time I have
B) How much I can do before chucking my book at the wall and
C) How much I can do before it starts to get me confused.

And I think I have a pretty extensive tolerance towards it. If I spend more than an hour on math homework alone, then I think too much has been assigned. For physics, I'll give it a half hour of work, excluding labs, which are like projects. I have more like 5 or 6 hours of homework combined, again excluding the lab. Ok, so maybe an extra hour or so 'cause it's the weekend, fine. But that's still another 2+ hours I shouldn't be doing then.

Ugh... but this arguement is hopeless. Yet, if you think about it, after about an hour of staring at numbers, it starts to become more of a hinderence than an aid. Homework is supposed to reinforce your knowledge of what was taught that day. But too much just ends up with me questioning what I did before. Or, I have so much work that I'm just bulldozing through it to get to the end and not actually learning anything. So it completely defeats the purpose.

Knowledge is important, but there's so many more valuable things I could be doing with my life. The 6 hours or so that I spend at school is almost equal to the 10 hour work-day when you count the homework. And I'm getting more out of life doing a job I love than being forced to sit through classes I wouldn't be taking if I had a say in the matter. Which apparently I don't, according to my guidance councillor.

Now, this may seem unrelated, but it's amazing how one week in a different environment with different people can shift the way you see things. For example, during drinks after my curling game today we were discussing a bunch of controversial issues like Euthanasia, Abortion, Homosexuality, and Drug addicts. Now, some of my opinions stand the same, like on Abortion (everyone deserves a chance at life), and homosexuality (who really cares? Let people be happy!). But on things like Euthanasia, I noticed my outlook had changed.

We were talking about how elderly people who want to die with dignity should be allowed assisted suicide. Before I went to Italy, I probably would have said that I was all for it, the person is elderly, can't truly live life, and it's their choice, it's not like someone's forcing it on them. But now, since my outlook on what it means to live life and what you're getting out of it has changed slightly, I would say I'm against it. Sure, the person is elderly and even if they are dependant on others to survive, there's still value to the life they have in front of them, and they can still offer others something through their life. Like I mentioned yesterday, age is a matter of perspective, and showing them there's still value to their life would be like trying to convince a 34 year old of the same thing.

I think I'll end this with a couple of poems I wrote in the past that I feel are related to the subjects of school=hell and value of the person...

Misunderstood - School=hell

Do you remember,
what it’s like?
The inward pain,
the razor’s spike?

The broken hearts,
that never heal?
A vibrant world,
that’s so surreal?

Do you remember,
feeling lost?
Finding yourself,
And paying the cost?

The times you rebelled,
scream and fight,
full out knowing,
that you were right?

Do you remember,
those days long past?
Today’s a world,
in such contrast.

We live more than you ever could,
We feel more than we ever should,
We’re misunderstood.

Does it matter? - Value of the person

If Society was a person,
Would you be his friend?

Male or female,
Black or white,
Young or old.
Does it matter?

Would you still hold him high,
Because of reputation?
If you cast him down,
With the racism and prejudice he rules with,
Does it make a difference?

We still befriend Society,
Despite him controlling us,
Like an abusive relationship.

We let him choose,
Who we talk to,
What we look like,
How we live.

Can you love such a person?
And when you realize what it comes down to,
When you open your eyes,
You’ll see the world in this person.

We are Society.

You’ll see the world in this person,
When you open your eyes.
And when you realize what it comes down to,
Can you love such a person?

How we live,
What we look like,
Who we talk to,
We let him choose.

Like an abusive relationship,
Despite him controlling us,
We still befriend Society.

Does it make a difference,
With the racism and prejudice he rules the world with,
If you cast him down?
Because of reputation,
Would you still hold him high?

Does it matter,
Young or old,
Black or white,
Male or female?

Would you be his friend,
If Society was a person?

FIN

That was really long! I'm Sorry!
Read on, write on ladies and gentlemen.
Sweet Dreams! May Nightmare spare you.
Amanda Out.