I don't understand this one... Dr. Jack Kevorkian (the beloved "Doctor Death") was convicted on 2nd degree murder charges for killing one of his patients. Why?!?! The patient requested that Kevorkian end his life. The patient's family knew and understood this (to the best of my understanding). So why is it murder? Why can't a person choose to have their life ended if it is only going to be a life of medical misery (the patient had terminal cancer. Help me understand this one.

I've done a little bit of updating lately. As I may or may not have told you, I've been working on a webpage for one of my professors and his journal called Popular Music and Society. I posted what I've done so far. It's not much, but it's something. So check it out. (Ed. Note - the page no longer exists on this server. Check the official site.)

[another editor's note: the site no longer exists in the alternate location, either.]

Okay, this will be a long one... after all, it's Oscar night! I'm happy, shocked, and pissed all at the same time. Amazing that an awards show could do that to me. I'm shocked that James Coburn and Roberto Benigni won best supporting actor and best actor, respectively. I'm extremely happy for both, but I wasn't expecting it to happen. Both are wonderful actors (I just saw Life is Beautiful tonight). I'm also slightly pissed that when they recognized the recently deceased Hollywood-ites, they almost forgot to mention Gene Siskel until Whoopi Goldberg gave a moving tribute to him. Thanks, Whoopi. Now, I'm also a bit pissed that Gwyneth Paltrow won. I loved Shakespeare in Love, but I really didn't think she was all that great. Oh, well.

[editor's note: I considered this "long"??]

I'm still trying to make up for the almost-two-week absence that I had. I really didn't mean to leave you hanging. Well, I'm back and I'm working my ass off trying to catch up on projects that I avoided while in San Francisco. My first of two projects is done and I am currently sitting in class waiting to turn it in. We'll see how it goes. Adieu.

Well, it sure has been a helluva long time since y'all have heard from me, hasn't it? Sorry. I do have a good excuse. I've been on Spring Break since the 5th in San Francisco and I avoided computer contact like the plague. But, I did have a blast. If only you could've been there. Ha ha ha.

[editor's note: Katie was with me in California.]

Arrgghhhhh!! I'm working on a take-home midterm exam for my class on small group communications and I'm frustrated as hell. This is really pissing me off because the questions are easy as hell to write about. I had all sorts of great ideas when I first started thinking about this but they have now all disappeared. Fine timing, eh? Help!!