"Stories Are Important"

"Stories Are Important. © MAO"

I tried searching to see who "MAO" could possibly be. I'm assuming those are initials, but sadly, I could not find anyone who has copyrighted this quote. At first I thought it might have been a faculty member, but then I rescinded that theory because I doubt any faculty member would damage university property so blatantly. Next guess: a student. Unfortunately, I do not have access to the list of students in the English Department, but then again, who says it's a student in the English Department? Because this graffiti is written on the English Building? Seems too convenient! Although, it is a safe guess.

Stories are important. Stories are important. Stories are important. Every aspect of our lives are short stories. Our lives as a whole are novels, sometimes epics, that are either unread by others or unaware of by you. But the books you read or the ones you walk passed are just as important as the comic strips you read or the video games you play. These are stories created to engage you. Like life. Life is engaging. Life is your story. Your story is important.

Maybe I'm bias because I'm a creative writing major, but I love reading my peers' works and I love writing my own. We each have stories to share no matter how insignificant you think yours is. Because, it is important. Stories show the human experience that we all take part in. Needless to say, I was cheerful and emotional and proud when I saw this piece of graffiti facing the west-end of campus. Now everyone who lives in the Champaign portion of campus who is walking toward the Quad will see and hopefully be challenged by this quote, whomever it is copyrighted by. Get writing, people! Get living! See the life that you live is important. Read, write, live!

Kittens, Coupons, and Falsehoods!

Saving Money > A Cute Baby Kitty (Barely)
FALSE

I can't help but to giggle at this. Apparently someone doesn't like saving money as much as they love cute baby kittens.

I saw this poster in the women's washroom in Gregory Hall. Thankfully, the first stall I entered wouldn't lock and I ventured into this neighboring one. Oh, how silly students are. You can't seem to bribe them even with saving up to 90% from our "favorite bars, restaurants, and more!" Perhaps the kitten on the poster isn't cute enough. Perhaps she is not worried about saving money because daddy pays for everything. Maybe she's a self-sufficient woman. Maybe she knows a deal when she sees one without the help of an online source. Or maybe someone is just being a sassy pants and doesn't want to admit that sometimes saving money is slightly greater than a cute baby kitty (barely).

Or wait a second... Is it that the cute baby kitty is barely less than saving money? Or is it that the barely cute baby kitty is less than saving money? Because, then I'd have to agree with the latter statement. That kitty is barely cute; so, yes, saving money would be greater than it.

Someone is trying to let us know that we can save money! We're poor college students who have empty pockets and this will save us! Save us! Okay, maybe not, but someone wanted to focus on the kitty part over the actual advertisement. Girls... I'll never understand them.

Stegasaurus!

I don’t even know what to say about this. Probably that it’s the cutest Stegosaurus I’ve ever seen. Forget Jurassic Park or We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story or even The Land Before Time (one through infinity). Who has this much time to draw a huge dinosaur on a bathroom stall? I should have taken measurements so I could give you a better impression of him.

Could it have been an art major? Maybe. She must have been in a rush to not have made it as detailed as I would expect from an art major. Or it must have been rush hour in the women’s restroom at the Foreign Language Building and there wasn’t enough time: long lines and anxious women equal anarchy.

How about a visual communications major? My friend does a great job with graphics and illustrations. Very playful and clever. Perhaps this fine artist is in a similar field? I find faces the hardest things to draw. I’m not that bad at mastering the right eye, however, the heads of anything seem to be the most difficult. But this artist makes it seem so easy.

Maybe she just likes to draw and is good at it too. But honestly, who has enough time to draw a dinosaur on the wall? Was it before class? After? Feeling inspired by thinking about a nephew? Does it really matter at this point? Whoever you are, you had way too much time to draw this adorable creature and have done an excellent job at doing so. Kudos.

New Discoveries

Earlier this evening, I ventured into the Foreign Language Building for a meeting that I had around 9pm. I had about ten minutes to spare and I needed to relieve my bladder of some pressure that it was experiencing. Unexpectedly, as I entered one of the stalls, I saw that almost every inch of it was covered in graffiti. I felt like I had won the lottery. I needed new material to work with, and wasn't content with the pictures in the file that I had from the English Building restrooms. Now. Now, my dear readers, I have a plethora of pictures. Many that I am excited to just share and not even analyze. Hopefully this weekend I can update you the many new occurrences on this campus-- the English Building was renovated over the summer, so the women's restroom on the first floor was completely redone, free of any graffiti...or so it was. And then I made my discoveries in FLB so the English Building will sit on the back-burner for now.

Soon you will see. Soon you will (hopefully) enjoy.