i woke up renewed today, somehow. it was like a fresh start. odd, that it happened on a tuesday. i attribute much of it to my not having work today (however, the impending thursday work-day is still ominously hanging in front of my eyes...) and the fact that i had a splendidly horrifying time in my native american literature class.
on the list of things that i've learned, thus far, that are insanely surprising while being simultaneously scary is: (vaguely in ramblemumble form)
the fact that indians had guns: this is inherently true. the fabrication that indians solely possessed bows and arrows as a means of defense and attack is just that. guns (or, what they called many-shots) were a sign of power for most indians. they would spend their time getting fine skins and materials to trade with white men (also know as wasichu or napikwans, depending on which tribe you're speaking about) for guns, the white man's water (whiskey) and black water (coffee) and the white sand (sugar) as well as anything else (not limited to clothes, either, from my understanding). they were never fully unarmed or defenseless to the americans who were invading/taking overs firearms and weaponry.
the battle at littlebighorn: now, this is frightening. general custer was a selfish man, who would write articles for papers under the pseudonym "nomad" about himself. he didn't care about his troops at all (meaning, their well-being. they could starve, but as long as he was fed...) and disregarded the advice of his indian scouts that warned him he wouldn't make it through the battle. after he died, without word of how it happened, he was glorified. he was immortalized in fiction and film, praising his actions. they made him a war hero, and it instilled in others the drive to kill off the indians, who were savages not making good use of their land. the indians, though having won the battle, lost it all and had to surrender to the government, which had continuously gone back on its treaties regarding land. (but hey, if there's gold...)
savagery: is a word often connected to the indians. which is ludicrous. reading about them (though, living in my generation we've had certain things more readily available and less glossing-over of facts) has opened my eyes to the inane necessity some people have that forces them to impose their lifestyle on others. exactly what the king was trying to implore americans to do (convert, live the catholic lifestyle), the americans did the indians (convert to americanized methods of teaching/schooling, become christian, farm... etc.) who is the real savage?
well, enough of that. though i could go on for hours.
i saw the king's speech and colin firth was outstanding. he did a phenomenal job. and after seeing the film, i was a little disappointed to know that christian bale won over geoffrey rush, who was also incredibly good. i'm going to consult my history professor about everything tomorrow. i have questions, that i can't ask in class (because it took place in the 1930s, which we haven't yet begun to cover (we're still in the victorian era)). so i'm going to pester him during office hours (hopefully).
i'm exhausted, however, and need to go lay on the couch for a bit.
what else was i going to put here? oh right, bio. need to study some more.
and i need to write my seven-page play due in two days. i'll do that tomorrow morning, though.
then later, if need be.
also, studying. ugh! bio! really? necessary?!
it's the first of march already! on the seventh i can register for swahili. i'm excited.
as well as my classes for next semester.
oy, i'm getting old.
blind date friday. excited, nervous, excited.
spinning right now. don't know why. kind of happy-high. and i get to see james this weekend! which i'm excited about. poetry slams, and such, they'll be medicine for my aching soul. i'm excited. perhaps i'll pester veronica into being a surprise for him, too.
well, loves. off to watch something i think. i'm terribly in the mood to watch sherlock.
now that he's my text noise and my ringtone. it's not healthy... let me just say that.
lit tomorrow. haven't begun to read the aenied. (in all fairness, it is terrible.)
well! tootles.
-aleey
PS.
<3 rufus wainwright, jason mraz, cheese and missy-pie the most adorable kitty ever.
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