Update.

I took an optional exam today to (hopefully) raise my current A- in Abnormal Psychology to an A by replacing one of my test grades. It was fairly easy, so I'm optimistic.
However, it's official- I've lost the 4.0. I got a 92.25 A- in Psychology of Personality (and he rounds up, and 93 was an A), but I'm not really affected by it. I'm pretty sure I ended up with a 99 in Latin or something crazy like that. Bah.

Today, there were at least 50 cars surrounding the small exterior of this dorm. People parked on the grass, on the cement, nearly on the doorstep. People filed in and out.

Uhh

I am recently disappointed in Rivers Cuomo. When I went into my Latin Final Exam, this kid, Alex, walked over and plopped down a silver disc with handwritten "Weezer, Make Believe" on it. Having discarded all illegally obtained music material last year when I gave my speech on piracy, I immediately felt like telling him I didn't want it. But, it was just sitting there. Waiting to be played. I asked him how it was, he said "Well, the first time listening to it, I was like WHAT!? But, then, it gets really catchy".

So, I listen through it. The main downfall are the lyrics. And this coming after Rick Rubin says he thinks Cuomo's writing here was his most personal and Karl giving full-fledged support to the record despite the single, "Beverly Hills". I have decided that the lyrics are not that different from previous albums, it's just that weezer has lost its signature wit. Now, Rivers is telling us directly stuff like "You're my best friend/ and I love you" and "I have many fears about rejection/ I have many memories of pain" instead of showing us "So I sniff and lick your envelopes," "At ten I shaved my head and tried to be a monk/ I thought the older women would like me if I did," and even "In Santa Monica, where tricks are for kids". I mean, the lyric "tricks are for kids," as corny and juvenile as it is is beating the crap out of all the lyrics on Make Believe. And I'm not even big on lyrics! I've said before, I just go for the full effect of the song on my hearing, but it's hard to not respond to

"When you're out with your friends
In your new mercedes-benz
And you're on drugs.
And you show up late to school
Cuz you think you're really cool
When you're on drugs."

The music, you say? Not the best. It certainly is diverse (ballads???), but that doesn't mean it's great. They've gotten into this whole palm-muted sound that I'm just not buying. The best parts on the disc are the instrumentals and guitar solos when everyone's going strong and it's sort of beautiful. The rhythm section is really toned down, which is a shame because I think that's weezer's secret weapon. It pretty much made Maladroit, and saved Pinkerton from being a whiny, emo production.

Anyway, I'm typing so much about it because I'm partly organizing my thoughts for my CD review of Make Believe (...C- now, but it could change over time), and partly because it's a really big deal. I guess. Since college, I've been exposed to sooo much music, but there are still those bands and records that are pretty much just a part of me. And I want more of them. I guess.

Anyway, mom said she had a big book of Federal jobs or some crap for me, and maybe I can start planning a little more ahead. A little. Still going to the Mountain Goats on Saturday, driving home Sunday, working through the summer, etc. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna save up a "Vinyl Fever fund" this summer so I can get back and just blow all this money at the best store ever. Seriously. Quite an update.

Ugh.