Book Meme - How ironically appropriate.

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.

"It is sufficient to estimate the enemy situation correctly and to concentrate your strength to capture him. There is no more to it than this. He who lacks foresight and underestimates his enemy will surely be captured by him."

Ten points to the first person who gets the book title and author.

There's Enough to Go Around

Personal responsibility is one of my favorite subjects, but I get a little frustrated when 'my generation' is chastised for our lack thereof.

I'm going to take my two roommates and myself for an example.

Me:

• Senior, Electrical Engineering. High Honors
  
• Job 1: Research Assistant
• Job 2: Grading papers
  
• Extracurriculars: CFO of the business office for a national corporation, Emeritus President and Conference Programming Chair for an honor society, active member of another honor society, volunteer for new student programs
• Other time consuming things: Independent research project, senior design project

Roommate #1

• Junior, Civil Engineering
  
• Job: Front desk worker, local fitness center
• Extracurriculars: Director of business office for national corporation, Newsletter and Housing Chair for regional conference, professional society
  
• Other time consuming things: Volleyball on a weekly basis, boyfriend

Roommate #2

• Senior, Mechanical Engineering. Honors
• Job: TA for sophomore lab
• Extracurriculars: President of honor society, member of another
• Other time consuming things: getting surgeries

I could go on with my immediate circle of friends, but you get the idea. (And please bear with me; I'm not trying to brag.)

Hearing about college students who get to kick back and have mommy and daddy buy everything irritates no one more than those of us working jobs, going to school, and attempting extracurriculars that don't involve a beer bong. Splurging for us is splitting an Applebee's half priced appetizer or chipping in gas money (with our parents) to go home.

This entry is directed at those students who are cruising by on someone else's goodwill: You're pissing off those of us who work. You don't have to stop partying. You don't have to get a job. (Lord knows that there's enough McDonald's employees in the world.) Just keep your head down and please, don't complain about a five page reading assignment 'totally wrecking your plans to go drink tonight'. The maliciousness that you inspire in the professor gets spit out on the rest of us.

And to that prof: Don't give up. There ARE responsible young adults in the world. We're just too busy working to whine to you about the length of the homework.