Reefer Madness
Something To Think About, by Alison Skalyo

    As a correspondent for Sem Spotlight, I have been given a great opportunity in the form of two minutes during which to share my thoughts on subjects of relevance that effect not only our small community, but also the global community. I will come to you live, at 8 in the morning, at various times in the year, with my segment entitled, ‘Something To Think About’.
    For my first report, I have chosen the phenomena of Reefer Madness. Look up the term ‘marijuana’ on Yahoo and you will be given 27,600,000 responses. Marijuana, otherwise known as ‘pot’ or ‘weed’, is a drug used both medicinally and recreationally. There has been much controversy in the past years over how the usage of the drug should be controlled in the United States. Medicinally, marijuana helps sick people everyday. Recreationally, the drug is illegal in this country and been used as a scapegoat for various points of human error. Is this valid? Does the use of marijuana lower students’ grades, heighten devious tendencies in the otherwise innocent, or generally deteriorate the value of the American people?
    I say that it does not, at least not any more than tobacco or alcohol, both of which are legal in this country. Do people not get into car accidents every single day as a result of drinking? Do people not die every minute as a result of lung cancer?
    Despite our trusty governments’ best efforts, marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in this country. Maybe the government’s voice would be better received if our current President would not refuse to speak on the subject of marijuana, or even consent to take a drug test. Regardless, marijuana is a focal point for many different aspects of American culture, including music, literature, and other forms of entertainment.
    I speak now as just one Democratic female student living in a country run by aging male Republicans, but this is what I have to say:
    There are many negative results from the use of marijuana, just as there are negative results of drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes. Shouldn’t the American people have the right to decide which bad decision they’re going to make on any given day? I say, tax the stuff and sell it in stores with restrictions similar to those on alcohol and tobacco. Let’s have the government take a more active role in educating America on marijuana use, not just the after-school special, straight-A student-gone-wrong stereotype. Who knows? If the stuff made Bob Dylan accomplish what he has, maybe it will aid our fearless President in his international negotiations.
    I do not ask that you take these thoughts as gospel, but I do ask that you step out from your usual line of thought, and consider it something to think about.
    Thank you.

ohkay- remember how i said that i've got a spot doing a feature for my school's news team this week? well, tomorrow i have to hand in my rough draft, about 2 minutes on any subject with any slant that i want, as long as it's fairly diplomatic.

i've decided to do legalizing marijuana.

so, i would be soso appreciative if people would leave comments giving a thought or two on what they think about the legalization of marijuana, or know of any particularly good sites on the subject.

thanks dears!



p.s. had a great time at (e:pmt)'s last nite! was happy to see (e:lilho) and (e:tk). (e:drchlorine) and (e:ladycroft) hung out and we ate pizza and drank and played video games... and i got a C in dancedance revolution! (casualties were minimal.)

uh ooooh, it's that time agan!

i have been very, very well behaved for one month. long enough, in my book. the time has come, yet again, to get absolutely trashed.
(e:lilho) talked about going out tonite- whether that materializes or not, i will be drunk and stupid tonite. i have a bottle of tequila and i'm not afraid to use it! this week has been LONG and the past couple have been confusing and full of me being sick and grumpy. NO MORE. tonite i will not think! i will drink, and then drink, and then drink some more!
and if you are a boy i suggest you be on yr guard, i'm a bit of a jumper, in the best of all possible ways.

maybe i should give a name to my jekyll half that comes out on these nites. any suggestions for my sot-loving, bowl-smoking, on-top-of-bar dancing alter ego will be much appreciated.

i am going to be a stupid moron tonite... i absolutely cannot wait.

in the meantime, let me divulge to you my brilliant plan!

okay. it is now lunchtime, after which will be 6th, 7th, and 8th period. now, 6th period i have astronomy, which isn't a big deal, just a boring ass class. whatever. 7th i have a history of china test which i am SURE to fail should i go. SO, i'm going to go into the infirmary at the end of lunch/beginning of astronomy, stay sick and study for my 8th period art history quiz, then emerge to take it having missed me 7th period history of china test!

i know i'm good.

now, complications: someone could realize my brilliant plan, spill, and come to get me in the infirmary. fuck. what will i do? deny, deny, deny. be sick and unable to go upstairs for aforementioned test.
also, my art history classroom is just beyond my chinese history classroom, which means i'll have to pass by to get to my 8th period class. fuck. how stealth can i be?

i'll guess we'll see.
ooh, seniors doing shots in the second floor bathroom? i must join in...

i love private school.

i have been such a freaking basket case as of late, so i apologize for all the bipolar entries. school has been nuts, and i'm stressing out about not being able to go out with (e:lilho) cause i have no money cause i can't find a job because i don't have a car because i don't have any money. it's a vicious circle. i'm going to try pet supplies plus this week, godhelpme.
i didn't go to school on friday or monday or yesterday, but instead stayed home and didn't shower and sang along to alexz johnson songs. she's freaking awesome.
and school's been so busy- i don't know what i was on when i signed up for AP art history. also, i have an astronomy test today which i am sure to fail. it's an easy class, but i think i must have a mental block for astronomy, because it all goes WHOOSH right over my head. however, i've been writing a lot a lot a lot the past couple weeks, in light of certain events/revelations, and everything seems to be coming out relatively decent. i am never happier than when i've been writing, no matter how sad the material is.

i think every girl has that one skinny skirt that they don't fit into and that you know you've lost weight when you can fit yr ass into it.
well, this past spring, i bought this crazy pink skirt from lord &taylor that was mad expensive and didn't fit. i know, i am stupid. i couldn't even get the zipper up.
well, last nite, i tried it on, and it fits. perfectly. twenty pounds down, twenty-five/thirty to go.

take that, america's next top model!

hopefully i'll be able to scrape together some cash some (e:lilho), (e:tina) and i can go out on friday.

also, i'll be online tonite during the oc, if anyone wants to enjoy the experience that IS orange county with me.

gah, time for photography. i should not have come to school sober today.

Leave your name and e-mail address (for privacy) and
1. I'll respond with something random about you.
2. I'll tell you what songs and movies remind me of you.
3. I'll pick a quote or lyrics that i think suits you.
4. I'll tell you a secret.
5. I'll tell you my first/clearest memory of you.
6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7. I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you.
8. I'll describe, in detail, what I find sexy about you.
9. If I do this for you, you must post this on your journal.

Alison's Note:
I usually hate these things, but i think this one could be neat within our little group of minions.
You do not HAVE to post in this yr own jrnl, but it'd be cute if you did.

today is hornet/jacket day at my school. everyone in the school, teachers included, are either a green hornet or a yellow jacket. there is a sort of general personality to a hornet and another to a jacket, but people are often misplaced. i am a hornet. we are often quiet and bookish, while jackets are outgoing and crazy like foxes. once you are on a team you are on it for life. eighty year old women come back to my school and fight with people on the other team.
so today, hornet/jacket day, is when the freshmen and new students get initiated into their teams. everyone is dressed all crazy-like in their color and go around the school putting up signs that say things like 'jackets take too long to think of come backs' and 'adam brody is a hornet!' it's really cute.
we have twenty-minute classes and then the activities begin at noon, though i've never stayed for that silliness. my mom's picking me up at noon and we're going to the reservation to buy smokes.
i am feeling uncomfortable. i'm supposed to be set up with that jim guy tonite, and i am really not in the mood. oh well, maybe it well help with thangs... nah, maybe i'll call and cancel... again.


if anyone wants to do something tonite, coffee or whatevah, call me. hopefully i will have evaded the horrid world of dating curly blond-haired preppy boys and will be doing my homework like i should.
until then... let's make out.



P.S. <-- this is funny

now i am a confused red-head. yes folks, that's right! because of popular demand i have gone back to the red-side.
... but am confused for an entirely different reason. intrigued? i think not.

i'm really quite happy, for the moment. i'm in the mac lab all by myself, and the leaves are changing and the stand-up fan is blowing at the perfect speed/angle, and i'm not wearing a bra and i've got a bit of a crush and i'm listening to the itunes indie station and am not planning on wearing a bra tomorrow either and i'm rambling.
this station plays really good music- they've got neutral milk.

sometimes things are good and simple and it overwhelms me and makes me sadder than anything. i want things to stay sweet and affectionate and pocket-sized like a note i can carry around when yr not around.

i think maybe i'm imagining it, so i'll sit patiently and wait my turn. this can't possibly be the way i think it is.

nothing like a good ol' shedding of the endometrium.

had a really bad nite last nite. i guess it was just one of those times where you really work yrself up over every little thing and end up blowing off all responsibilities, kami-kaze style. meh, at least i've been writing.

speaking of which, my school has a news show once every two weeks. i've never participated because their idea of breaking news is that orange is the new pink, but, for some reason, i found myself at the first meeting about a week ago. i was totally right about it, but afterwards, the faculty advisor asked me to be a feature writer and write something controversial and full of opinions for the next airing. i'm extremely excited. she sid she's glad that she has someone to talk about more than the oc (though i do LOVE the oc).

hey- if anyone knows of any job openings i could apply for for on the weekeds and after school that are in the north buffalo/elmwood region, please let me know. i'm very poor and have a smoking habit to support.

well, i'm off to write some, for the news team and ootherwise, cause that's what i do.

i found my ring! it is safe and sound on a fatter finger this time, so it won't go slipping off at outdoor parties.
just finished editing my last two writing posts, both of which i handed in today. if i don't get two big, flashy 'A's at the tops of them, i'll cry. a lot.

i think we should have a football party soon. don't those thigns go on on sundays? we could order chicken wings and drink beer and generally be men about the whole thing.
and i'll bring a book, because football is boring.



p.s. i've decided that the best way to handle school is to not face it sober.