What a Croc

I remember sitting in the cafeteria at Lowell High School. I think we must've been Freshman, maybe Sophomores, I can't recall the details that finely. It could have been both years. But I distinctly remember that a running joke we had involved my friend Mike (who has the unfortunate surname of Cox). As high school students are wont to do, we'd often tease each other, never getting too mean, but just enough to ruffle some feathers. Mike was very tall and lanky and - I dunno how it came up that we'd make fun of him this way, perhaps it was in reference to a South Park episode - but we'd often take turns displaying our most stereotypical Aussie accent and yell "Why lookie here! We've caught ourselves a big, goofy one! Now we're gonna light 'is balls on fire!" It infuriated him, but he always laughed along with us.

I remembered that as the news about Steve Irwin's death has practically stampeded over the Internet. It even wound up on Slashdot, of all places. It is a big event, I suppose. It's perhaps the most humbling death to occur in awhile. I mean, here's a guy who's job was to stare death in the face and laugh - actually, no, closer to sticking his head in its mouth whilst giving it the finger - practically everyday of his life. The fragility of our mortality is somehow hammered home even truer when a man like that finally loses the gamble. And of all things from a stingray. I've heard around that the number of deaths from stingrays is of the order of the same order of magnitude of the number of deaths from falling library books. It's quite ironic.

I wonder how much ill will about him there is amongst Australians. He has done a lot of good for the country in terms of wildlife conservation, ecology, and certainly tourism, but has done so by assuming the Paul Hogan stereotype and becoming a caricature of Australian culture and society for the rest of the world to giggle at. I don't agree with his sentiments on this at all, but Trevor down the hall actually was happy that he died. For my part, I feel it was a needless death, and I truly feel for the young family he's left behind. He did what he loved. And he made people smile while doing it. Not to mention the entire generation of kids that he's helped nurture a love for nature in.

Other than that, there's not much worth telling. I spent my weekend in usual fashion, avoiding homework and upending my sleep hours again. The Chisholm Ball was this past Wednesday, but I haven't a lot to say about it as it was a most unremarkable affair. It was something of a glorified high school social, if made slightly more blurry thanks to the open bar. Aside from the alcohol there was no difference as far as I was concerned. All dressed up and nowhere to go except back where I came from, and window shopping of beautiful women in between, but never buying; never buying.

I suppose the only other thing worth mentioning before I bid you adieu is that I've set up a MySpace music account for my pseudo-band Real and Rational. Music has always been part of my life, and it's something I'll always want as such, so it's time I get serious about it and put this web-authoring skills I'm learning to work in a way that will benefit me. Nowhere to go but up, right?

Aussie Doozy of the Day:
What do you think of when you hear Sarsaparilla? Probably an old western movie, right? Believe it or not, they sell it here in grocery stores right along side Ginger Ale, Ginger Beer, and Cream Soda.