An extract from the diary of Lieutenant Colonel Mervin Willett Gonin DSO who was among the first British soldiers to liberate Bergen-Belsen in 1945.

Camp
I can give no adequate description of the Horror Camp in which my men and myself were to spend the next month of our lives. It was just a barren wilderness, as bare as a chicken run. Corpses lay everywhere, some in huge piles, sometimes they lay singly or in pairs where they had fallen. It took a little time to get used to seeing men women and childen collapse as you walked by them and to restrain oneself from going to their assistance. One had to get used early to the idea that the individual just did not count. One knew that five hundred a day were dying and that five hundred a day were going on dying for weeks before anything we could do would have the slightest effect. It was, however, not easy to watch a child choking to death from diptheria when you knew a tracheotomy and nursing would save it, one saw women drowning in their own vomit because they were too weak to turn over, and men eating worms as they clutched a half loaf of bread purely because they had to eat worms to live and now could scarcely tell the difference. Piles of corpses, naked and obscene, with a woman too weak to stand proping herself against them as she cooked the food we had given her over an open fire; men and women crouching down just anywhere in the open relieving themselves of the dysentary which was scouring their bowels, a woman standing stark naked washing herself with some issue soap in water from a tank in which the remains of a child floated. It was shortly after the British Red Cross arrived, though it may have no connection, that a very large quantity of lipstick arrived. This was not at all what we men wanted, we were screaming for hundreds and thousands of other things and I don’t know who asked for lipstick. I wish so much that I could discover who did it, it was the action of genius, sheer unadulterated brilliance. I believe nothing did more for these internees than the lipstick. Women lay in bed with no sheets and no nightie but with scarlet red lips, you saw them wandering about with nothing but a blanket over their shoulders, but with scarlet red lips. I saw a woman dead on the post mortem table and clutched in her hand was a piece of lipstick. At last someone had done something to make them individuals again, they were someone, no longer merely the number tatooed on the arm. At last they could take an interest in their appearance. That lipstick started to give them back their humanity.

Aside from that. I am really frustrated right now. Grr. So frustrated. Bitch please.

OMFG…i am so obsessed with spanish. I went and talked to my first year professor today about racism in Mexico. It was great.

I am going through some intense canvas withdrawl. Yes I know, I have problems.
I think I might just run away…

Things I learned this past weekend…
To combat double vision when Drunk Driving, close one eye.
Perma-grin
I’m gonna go howl at the moon
Driving by braile…feeling the bumps on the road
I can’t remember any more

Dammit…The blue jays are back. I missed them. I haven’t seen/noticed them in a while. I really want to trade places with one for just 5 minutes. 5 minutes. K please Gawd?

remember PEMDAS? I think I am going to go home some time and steal all my old school papers and try to make some art out of them. That would be neat. One for the memories, eh?

Oh and Woody is muy blind. Muy blind. His eyes are blue and cloudy and it is sad. I think he should live for ever. Raise your hand if you agree.

This was a good unproductive weekend. We all need them. Drove down friday night to UW for the concert. Me, Willow, Emily, Dara, Ali and Jake. Dropped people off on Capitol Hill for food. Got Josh, went to a parking garage. Picked everyone else up and had the most fun car ride err. Parked and walked to Hec Ed. The floor was already full so we went off to the side. The openers, the Brunettes, are from New Zealand and were sweet. They had a clarinet, trumpet, banjo, saxaphone and a bunch of random percussion clicky things. I enjoyed them, but if only we had been on the floor. The Shins were lame-o. They suck live. Only a couple of thier slower, acoustic songs sounded good. People crowd surfed too. Lame-o’s. Bunch of “frat” like people too. UW < WWU. No offense. After the concert, we went to Capitol Hill. Just Josh, Willow, Jake and I this time. Tried to find parking. Hung out at Jake’s and got pizza and watched interesting people. Then I slept at UW.

Class for 9 hours on Saturday was interesting. Very interesting people. I learned a lot. The class had the opposite effect for me than its intended meaning. Go Team!

And now Bio midterm tomorrow, Spanish exam on Tuesday…back to reality again. Damn school always getting in the way.

I am looking forward to travelling south of the equator to see the toilets swirl in the opposite direction.

And if you want to have crazy dreams, think about if Columbus and his whole posse had died before they reached the Americas. Think about it a lot during the day and right before and while you are falling asleep. Guarenteed the craziest dreams. Good times for all.

I have decided that 90’s music is amazing to study to. Music is so crazy sometimes. Creo que it is funny how you can be obsessed with a song for a week or more and then slowly get tired of it and the song just doesn’t sound the same. But when you “rediscover” it in the future it has the same feeling. I think I am going through my most intense period of music loving. I just am loving everything and trying really hard to discover and hear new things.

And computer labs show you all the different types of people that Western really has. I like it. And I found out that my lab partners last name is Ikegwuoha. WTF that is so awesome.

P.S. Spanish chat rooms are totally radical. I am trying to make friends, but they usually just make fun of my spanish. I try really hard to fit in, but it just doens’t work. Sounds like I am having those typical childhood issues again. I wish. And there is so much slang from different parts and countries that it is impossible to be super suave with my skills. Oh well. I tried to find out how to get Mexican citizenship but I couldn’t find it anywhere. I tried for a couple hours one weekend too. I really think mexico has a lot to offer. Although I haven’t been there I know and have read a lot about (he leido mucho sobre) the country, culture, blah blah blah. I hate when people talk about those stupid resort towns (cancun, puerto blahblah, etc.) That isn’t mexico at all. Although I think it would be fun to spring break it in Cancun, i still firmly believe that is not mexico, it is a territory of the US, kinda like Puerto Rico, but different cuz they cant vote (jaja). Well okay. Yes Mexico rules. Plus the alternative/electronic music is amazing. Plastilina has the beers. I think Mexico City would be a rad place to party/ try and pretend to be scene/hip. Minus the fact that the pollution there is horrible. (Cough Gasp)

There is a hippie next to me and has all these environmental books and other hippie related items. And is drinking starbucks. Slap slap (x100). You fucking bitch, where is your noggen? BTW nice fucking shirt and you smell. Haha. Good you are leaving. I think I made her leave too somehow. Yes. Small victories for Ben. Detroit, what?

My life gets more and more exciting per second. So there is a pair of blue jays that are always in the tree outside my window. I think they are making babies. They are making a nest or something. And today they attacked a squirrel. It was awesome. I saw the aftermath of the fight. The bigger jay had a bunch of fur in its beak. And the two paired up and kept dive bombing the squirrel in the bush and drove it away. I can’t concentrate on school with all this excitement.

Hey guess what? You can all get in line and lick my behind. Mmmmkay?

Biology can shove it. Or just the girl who hasn’t send me her data yet so I can’t really* write my paper. Really* meaning just one giant excuse.

Plastilina has the beat, Plastilina has the beat, Plastilina has the beat, Plastilina has the girls, Plastilina has the cars, Plastilina has the money, Plastilina has the beers, Plastilina has the beat…UFO has the beat…Plastilina has the beat…and that’s the story my son

Quien será?….Contestame ya!
God dammit. I want to go to Oaxaca now. Ahora! Ahora misma!

My spoon clock looks a-m-a-z-i-n-g on our wall. Look at my pictures to see it, if you please. Shins on friday night and a really exciting class on saturday.

Only in Fairhaven. I should throw objects at the preschoolers screaming directly outside my room. But that would be wrong. But. Thier crying/screaming actually goes quite well to my music currently. So I think I will let them live. Plus I think LaShondra is with them.

Es muy peligroso Pancho. Han habido muchos muertos en la frontera tratando de cruzar.

- Oh Elvis, Do you think it could work?
- Yes Marilyn, I think it could work.
- But it’s such a long time ago and I don’t know if anyone still knows who we are!
- Don’t bother, we have to believe in ourselves.
- But I look much older now. Look at my legs Elvis. They’re not as long and nice as they used to be.
- I still like them and I think everybody will like them Marilyn.
- And what about my voice?
- Your voice sounds as soft as the raindrops on the roses I have in my garden.
- Oh Elvis, but don’t you think we’ve been waiting too long?
- No, I think it was right to take a break.

- Marilyn?
- Yes, Elvis?
- What do you think about my sideburns? Sometimes I think I should better take them off.
- Oh, Elvis, I still like them. It looks good.
- Really?

- Oh my god. I am a little bit tired.
- What happened Elvis?
- I’ve been think a lot about this whole situation
- Maybe you’re not tired then but just a little bit nervous Elvis.
- Oh Marilyn, I hope we can handle this situation. Its the same with me. I don’t sleep very well at the moment.
- When I sleep I dream of all these things, I see you dancing and always.
- Really? I started practicing a little bit, but only a little bit.

- Oh Marilyn, look at these mountains, isn’t it wonderful?
- That’s unbelievablely nice Elvis, I haven’t seen things like this before
- Oh yes, me too. It is really good to be here Marilyn.

- Elvis, do you think I should buy me a new dress? I think that nowadays people dress in another way.
- I think this dress fits you very well, Marylin. Why should you change something?
- Maybe people don’t accept me when I look that old-fashioned.
- Oh Marilyn, we have to believe in ourselves. That’s the only thing we can do.
- Yeah, you’re probably right, Elvis. Let’s go back home for a cup of coffee.
- Oh yes, that’s a good idea Marilyn. Let’s go back home.

Hola.

I worked the Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speech. I had to “guard” the presidents club section from the masses. Eventually I had to guard the front of the stage which was quite awkward because I was in the viewpoint of about 3,200 people. I saw a million people and even saw the infamous Mike Town from highschool. All of the Redmond alumni were in awe. His speech was awesome. Lots of Bush bashing. I thought it funny when he yelled “I love corporations.” I like these “rallies” of sorts, but I usually end up getting mad and frustrated because the world is so dumb. Yes you.

I borrowed Willows belt too. MmmmGr8.

Went over to the bro’s house for a disco party. And ended up crashing upstairs on a fold out and woke up with a spring in my face. MmmmmGr8.

Garrett brought home an anarchist paper. And part of it was in spanish. And was about Oaxaca and some indigenous rights or something. I swear everytime I go somewhere I get all these signs, (from God of course), and see references to the places randomly. Im not complaining.

Willow wont get up and go to brunch. I want a waffle NOW! Please make her get up. K bye.

Summer equals:
TWR = Econ206 (8-10)
MTWRF = Italian 197 (10-12)
MTWRF = EGEO 203 (12-1:15)

Econ and Geo start June 21st and go through July 28th. Italian starts July 18th and goes through August 19th. Italian should be easy since Spanish is muy similar. Ciao