God Bless You Mr. Vonnegut

Here I am again with another backlog. I wrote this and it appeared only online for the Daily Iowan.
I post it now.

God Bless Your Mr. Vonnegut

And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, "If this isn't nice, I don't know what is."

Kurt Vonnegut (1922 – 2007)

At 12:46 this morning a friend I had been talking to online told me that Kurt Vonnegut Jr. had just died. Without thinking, without emotion I went to cnn.com. I saw the picture, I read the story. I did the same at usatoday.com and newyorktimes.com. I read each article, I went through the slide shows of pictures and I stared at my computer. I ran my hands through my hair, I blinked and I rubbed my eyes over and over. One of my true heroes was gone. Now the emotion came.

I never imagined I would react this way to the death of someone I didn’t personally know. As I’m writing this my stomach is knotted and I’m stopping every few minutes to squeeze my temples and re-focus my eyes. Thinking about it now, it’s easy to see why I’m so affected. As well as being one of my heroes, Kurt Vonnegut served as my motivation. Motivation to write, motivation to do good, motivation to be conscious of the world around me, motivation to remember humor in the worst situations, motivation to be myself.

I first read Slaughterhouse 5 in my AP English class last year. Besides being the best book I’d ever been forced to read, it was one of the best books I’d ever read in general. We spent four weeks on it. We analyzed it, discussed it, and I chose to do an optional project on it. I read it again, and then again. I tried to get my hands on anything Mr. Vonnegut had written. I see myself in his stories, as I’m sure many people who read him do. His stories are about all of us. Not merely as Americans, but as human beings and the human race. Sometimes we are the protagonists, but mainly we are the antagonists. On the Grand Canyon, he once said that he’d like to carve these words: "We probably could have saved ourselves, but we were too damned lazy to try very hard ... and too damn cheap." He meant for it to be read by the flying saucers that passed overhead.

Looking at my desk I can see remnants of him. A stack of books lie in the corner. Among them: Welcome to the Monkey House, The Sirens of Titan and God Bless You Mr. Goldwater. In the drawer next to me, is Cats Cradle. Amidst the clutter of papers nearest to me, are three fiction pieces I submitted for peer edit in a creative writing class. In all three, the words “so it goes” end at least one paragraph. On my computer, in my queue of movies for Blockbuster Online, is the 1972 film version of Slaughterhouse 5.

To say I idolized him would maybe be going to far, but maybe not. I find pieces of him in the things I write and the way I act in certain situations. I have begun stories, and realized halfway through that I am simply rewriting one of his. I’ve used Cats Cradle as a pickup line when I saw a girl reading it in the library. When something doesn’t go my way, after I’m through with anger and self pity, I can think only to myself: so it goes.

In part, I came to the University of Iowa because of him. Anyone that wants to write knows about or has aspirations of getting into the writers workshop. He was there. He was here. He walked these streets. He ate here, he drank here, he threw parties here, he chain-smoked outside of the Dey House and probably everywhere else. Kurt Vonnegut is one of those people you always wanted to meet. On a list of things you do before you die, it says: Meet Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (possibly get a picture if you don’t act like a pussy and get embarrassed) He’s right up there with the Dali Lahma and Jessica Alba.

There are certain people that have an impact on our lives; family, friends, teachers. Athletes may copy or learn by watching professional sports figures or coaches. For me, a wannabe writer/journalist/freethinker/American/human being, that person was Kurt Vonnegut, the writer/essayist/pessimistic/humanitarian. I didn’t watch him, I read him and I learned from him. So now, at 3:02 am, after I’ve dealt with the initial emotions of his passing and knowing that I will probably think about this until the end of the semester while running my hands through my hair and re-focusing my eyes, I can think only to myself and for everyone else affected tonight, “so it goes.”

Live by the harmless untruths that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy.

-Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (1922 – 2007)

Save Porn! Save America!

Today I decided to take a look at the brainchild of Al Gore, Current TV, or at least their website. The concept behind the whole thing is that it is all user posted content and some of it even has an emphasis on real-time updating. Check out Al Gore's bastard child Current TV here.

I was browsing through and I found a shitty story - at least in terms of what it's about. There is a bill in Congress right now that would BAN porno magazines from all military bases. U.S. Rep Paul Broun (chode) says the bill was proposed in response to recent sexual assaults on military bases.

What I'm about to say is meant to be taken as a joke, but it was the first thing that came to my head: I BET IF THEY TAKE AWAY NUDIE MAGS FROM THESE BASES, THE SEXUAL ASSAULTS JUMP 25-40%. If a guy (or girl) can't blow off some stress by shooting his/gun or LOAD ( ah thank you ) then the next best thing is to go rape something.

- Sorry, that's not funny either, rape is serious, but hopefully you get the point.

Obviously, the soldiers are upset and they fucking should be. This is the same bullshit that gets pulled on the music, film and videogame industry. MUSIC, MOVIES AND VIDEOGAMES DON'T KILL PEOPLE. People kill people. They pull the triggers, they make the decision. (On a separate note, but still awesome no less, there is also an article on Current, about Harvard researchers with facts and data to support the claims that videogames do NOT make kids murderers, drug dealers and pimps).

Someone posted a response on Current, and they make an extremely good point. How can we take away freedoms from the people who are fighting for our freedom?

There's a whole lot more that can be said about these issues, but hopefully people get the point. Blame the person, or the parenting, not the naked pictures of Pamela Lee, cause god knows they've gotten me through some hard times.

In a Rush to Recruit

Back to a little journalism:
My first story this semester for my Freelance Journalism class (unfortunately i highly recommend NOT taking the class) was a piece on the newly structured rush process. It has gone through numerous edits and although this is the final version that my teacher likes and wants, I am not a fan of it. Despite that I am posting it here just to put it out somewhere.

The Iowa City Gazette has expressed interest in it for the Fall 2008 semester and perhaps I will edit it accordingly at that time. Here it is:

In a Rush to Recruit

Men visit seven houses on one day. Loud music assaults their ears. Someone they don’t know promises them all the girls, parties and alcohol they could ever want. The word “brotherhood” is thrown around, and seems to mean something between being passed out half-naked in a room with all of their buddies and throwing punches at anyone who speaks ill of their friends at the bars or on the street. Welcome to Greek recruitment.

The University of Iowa Interfraternity Council (IFC) has recently adopted a new recruitment, or, rush, structure for the fall 2008 semester. The decision came after fall 2007 rush recorded the lowest participation and recruitment numbers in three years.

Iowa had 873 men in its Greek community in the fall of 2002, and more than 300 men participated in rush that year. It has dropped to 689 men this year, and last fall only 155 participated in rush. Of those 155 participants, 122 joined houses.

As a new IFC executive council began its administration in January, it was these numbers that prompted a change.

In the past, rush has gone something like this: For a four-day period, men visited all fourteen Greek chapters. At the end of each day, they chose which houses they wanted to visit for a second and third time. They generally narrowed it down to seven houses and then a final three. At the same time, chapters decided which men they felt would represent their houses best, and allowed them to visit again. At the end of the four-day period, some men decided to join a house and others decided to stay independent. If they did join a house, they signed an official “bid card” to become a pledge in a chapter. Afterwards, a party was thrown in their behalf.

For years this process matched men with houses. However, falling membership signified that a change was needed.

Essentially this upcoming fall’s new routine goes like this:

On Wednesday, Sept. 3, the Greek community will host a barbecue at Hubbard Park where any man interested in participating in rush will have a chance to meet among chapters members and register for rush. On Sunday, Sept. 7, men will visit each chapter house for 30 minutes. Monday through Wednesday of that week will be used for open visits, allowing the men in rush to visit any chapter they choose between 6 and 10 p.m. Thursday night will be referred to as Preference Night when each chapter will hold a closed event. During this time potential new members are invited to a chapter for their individual recruitment, which includes any type of legal, non-alcoholic event at any type of venue, from outdoor activities at a park or refreshments and food at a restaraunt. Men who are invited to Preference Night will ultimately be offered a bid for membership by any chapter inviting them back and rushees will choose which house to bid. On Friday, men will sign bid cards and attend a welcome party at their new house.

Recognizing the problems with rush in January, Dave Hartwig, president of IFC, and Faisal Qayyum, vice president of recruitment for IFC, worked diligently with Greek Life advisors in the Office of Student Life and chapter recruitment chairmen to create the new structure now in place.

“What we were doing in the past wasn’t working,” Qayyum said. “We were losing money, wasting time, and not giving our chapters the opportunity to recruit the men that would make up the futures of their houses.”

Sean Prendergast, president of Sigma Phi Epsilon, believe the old rush structure only worked to breed awkward conversations and unfair judgments based on looks and short conversations.

“Whether or not a guy was accepted into a house was based on how they survived in five- to-10- minute conversations where they were asked the same ‘get-to-know-you’ questions by people they’d just met,” Prendergast said. “We didn’t get a fair idea of them, and they didn’t get a fair idea of us.”

After fall 2007 rush attracted a record low number of participants and pledges, the new officers of IFC decided in January to develop a new rush process that would solve some of the problems that have made it harder and harder to recruit new members to UI fraternities.

Some of the reasons rush failed in the past can be attributed to the pre-rush process as well as rush itself. It used to cost $75 to participate, there was a sign up before rush started, and it was held a week before classes even began. This year, it will only cost $45, men can register as late as the day rush begins, and it starts two weeks into the school year with an all greek barbecue at Hubbard Park.

On April 24, Qyyaum will run a workshop designed to educate all chapters on recruitment tactics and conduct. The point is to help chapters move away from a dependence on formalized rush and make recruitment effective at any time in the year.

Chapters do have the ability now to informally rush new members during the spring and summer. Although summer recruitment is rarely used, Qayyum and Hartwig believe it is essential to the growth of Iowa’s men’s Greek community.

“If chapters shift their attention to informally recruiting members in the summer, it has the potential to completely change the face of the community at Iowa,” Hartwig said.

Hartwig went on to explain that summer rush allows chapters to enter the structured fall rush with an already solid base of new members, taking away some of the pressure.

Both Hartwig and Qayyum expect the new rush process to bring 450-500 men through the rush process this year.

“With low numbers, our chapters must be able to recruit in any situation at any time of year. If our chapters can learn to recruit effectively and bring in multiple pledge classes a year, then our Greek community can stay strong for a long time.”

The new rush structure can be viewed at the recently re-vamped IFC website, www.uiowaifc.com.

Source List

Dave Hartwig

IFC President

39A Iowa Memorial Union

Cell: 303.883.8239

Office: 319.335.3267

E-Mail: David-Hartwig@uiowa.edu

Faisal Qayyum

IFC Vice President of Recruitment

39A Iowa Memorial Union

Cell: 630.750.5325

E-Mail: Faisal-Qayyum@uiowa.edu

Kelly-Jo Karnes

Associate Director – Office of Student Life

145 Iowa Memorial Union

Office: 319.335.3059

E-Mail: KellyJo-Karnes@uiowa.edu

Sarah McCracken

Office of Student Life

145 Iowa Memorial Union

Office: 319.335.3059

E-mail: Sarah-McCracken@uiowa.edu

Sean Prendergast

Sigma Phi Epsilon President

704 N Dubuque St.

Cell: 630.890.1664

E-mail: Sean-Prendergast@uiowa.edu

Personal Interview (In Person/Phone)

In Person

Between: Nathan Ley and Dave Hartwig – IFC President

Locations: Sigma Chi House January 30, Delta Chi House February 12, University of Iowa February 26

Phone

Between: Nathan Ley and Dave Hartwig at 303.883.8239

Dates: February 14, February 23

In Person

Between: Nathan Ley and Faisal Qayyum – IFC VP of Recruitment

Locations: Sigma Chi House January 30, Delta Chi House February 12, University of Iowa February 26

Phone

Between Nathan Ley and Faisal Qayyum at 630-750-5325

Dates: January 29, February 12, February 23

E-mail Message

Between: Nathan Ley(Nathan-ley@uiowa.edu) and Dave Hartwig (david-hartwig@uiowa.edu)

Dates: February 12, 16 and 26

E-mail Message

Between: Nathan Ley(nathan-ley@uiowa.edu) and Faisal Qayyum (faisal-qayyum@uiowa.edu)

Dates: February 5, 12, 17, 23, 26

E-Mail Message

Between: Nathan Ley(Nathan-ley@uiowa.edu) and Kelly Jo Karnes – Associate Director Office of Student Life (kellyjo-karnes@uiowa.edu)

Dates: February 20,23,26

E-Mail Message

Between: Nathan Ley(Nathan-ley@uiowa.edu) and Sarah-McCracken – Graduate Teaching Assistant (sarah-mccracken@uiowa.edu)

Dates: February 14, 23, 26

World Wide Website

University of Iowa IFC

www.uiowaifc.com/recruitment

Accessed March 1, 2008

Updated daily

Observation

All sites visited in January and February of 2008

Sigma Chi House – 703 N Dubuque St – Recruitment meeting held there 1/30/08

Delta Chi House – Recruitment meeting held there 2/12/08

IMU – Class with Hartwig, Qayyum, McCracken and Karnes every Monday