To MFA Applicants

Dear Applicants,

If you want to be accepted into the Film Program it might help if:

A) You sent all your letters of recommendation in.
B) You put an application with your DVD sample.
C) Sent all the requirements in ON TIME.

If you have made it this far, graduated from an institution with a Bachelors Degree, one would hope you had learned to follow instructions, and be on time for deadlines. But one can only hope.

Walking in a Winter Wonder-accident-pron-Land

To ensure safety of all humans on campus, the University has offered a page of tips. Directly quoted from the web page. May I say, common sense anyone?

Be Safe

• Plan extra time on your schedule to prevent being in a rush. Most accidents occur due to inattention or being in a hurry.
• Remove snows from shoes before entering any building.
• Always use a handrail when climbing up and down stairs.
• Always use handrail when getting in and out of buildings, vehicles or public transportation.
• Wear footwear with traction, consider Yax Trax or something similar.

Be Smart

• Walk at a slower pace.
• Stay on designated walkways.
• Watch and avoid slippery surfaces.

Be Seen

• Wait for vehicles to make a complete stop before crossing the road.
• Wear visible clothing especially at night or during heavy snow.

If you fall relax and try to fall as limply as possible. Avoid using your arms to stop your fall. (Does anyone else see an image of a rag doll? Seriously, the first thing I think when I slip is "oh crap!" not "oh, I should relax, just like in the bath...")

Driving a Vehicle

• Avoid driving with snow "peep holes".
• Make the time to completely clear the snow and ice off your vehicle. Start from the roof, all windows, hood, trunk, turn signals, head and taillights, mirrors and fenders.
• Leave sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to allow manueverability and avoid possible collision. Give enough space so you can stop sooner
• Slow down. Roads may be slippery due to black ice.
• Avoid making abrupt lane changes.
• Avoid any distractions when driving such as using your cellphone.

According to the Federal Highway Administration's national statistics, an average of 232 pedestrians are injured each day while a pedestrian is killed or injured every 7 minutes.

Umm, thanks. I'll do my best.

The "Bells" - Part 2

Today, the "bells" were ringing at nine-thirty, as a song. Now, I've heard that the school down south plays church hymns with their real, legit, you can actually see and touch, bells. Is this in attempts to be "as cool"? The song that was playing was a familiar tune, though I couldn't tell you what it was. Laughing to myself at the attempt of music, suddenly the song stopped abruptly, right in the middle. Maybe someone was just too annoyed and threw something at the speaker.

Enthusiastic Professors

Today in class, a professor was describing the Greek language. With her reading glasses in hand, she waved her arm...and you can guess what happened. The spectacles flew across the room, landing in two pieces. The class was sympathetic, but she just laughed, and walked back to the table and picked up new pair she had picked up the night before.

Random Creativity

This particular display of artwork bears no signature, no explanation, no hint of purpose. It just appeared one day, and has stayed there for over a week. Slowly, the weather has modified it, and now the middle hangs low to the ground. Kudos to whoever was daring enough to make the attempt. Again, I'm not aware of the point of the display...but that's art right? To boggle one's mind, bring you out of the box, and make you wonder why someone would sew random shirts together and hang them from a trellis....

Bathrooms - Remodeling

Many of the bathrooms on campus resemble ancient dungeons. Slowly, the management has seen fit to make-over the lair-like toilet rooms. One particular remodel merited the switch of male/female rooms. To make sure no one walks into the wrong room by habit, they posted handy signs that really make one notice....and wonder. (Click to enlarge for effect)

Smoke

At a University you would expect those who inhabit the campus to be people who use their brains. Aka - rational and intelligent. Yet, there are cigarette receptacles at nearly every entry to a building (though I vaguely remember the music building steps being devoid of such containers. hint?). Men and women alike walk around with their fiery lollipops. The smell is atrocious. The thought that they can't possibly be aware of the damage they are inflicting upon their bodies, other wise they wouldn't get 10 feet near a light of a cigarette. I have heard people say that smoking is a stress reliever. That need I can understand. Perhaps we should sponsor a daily concert by those from the music building. Music that is fun, yet relaxing. Get people's minds off their immense load of schoolwork. Maybe these kids missed the day in health class that discussed the effects of smoking to ones body. Maybe they don't ever watch TV or listen to the radio to hear the advertisements against the bad habit of smoking. Maybe these are the people who have poor peripheral vision and can't see the WARNING signs at the bottom of magazine ads for cigarettes. Maybe these people have short term memory loss....