i resisted typing "dear to whom it may concern."

Our assignment for this week is to respond to some of the recent entries that our tracked bloggers have posted. Although I'd like to respond to the essays that my blogger, http://nomorewastedpaper.wordpress.com/, sent to me last week, that would be impossible. That'd be impossible because due to the excruciatingly back-breaking load of homework that has been plaguing me and majority of my fellow undergraduates, I've been unable to read them. Yes, it has come to this, that pleasure reading takes a backseat to the principles of economics chapters that I "would read tomorrow" and then about 60 tomorrows came and went. Would I rather be reading something else? Naturally. Would I rather be responding to her essays? You bet. Would you like to hear about supply and demand? Not so much. I digress. In any case, NoMoreWastedPaper is still a prime blog to be responding to, and as I've expressed before, I am really, really glad I picked this blog to track. Lately in the going-ons of everyone's favorite letter-writer, she's written to Britney Spears, alluding to the fact that the crazy girl's gone off and shaved her head. I work in a restaurant on campus. Last night, my middle-aged boss went up to me and one of my co-workers and said, "So how about that girl who shaved her head?" To which my co-worker automatically yelled, "ANNIE, THE OTHER WAITRESS, DID WHAT?" My boss said, "No! No! That psycho girl." I'm sure for a second it crossed my co-worker's mind that he meant me, but that is neither here nor there. If my boss, completely lost in 'the times' though lovable in his own "I'll let you go home early if you scrub the counters" kind of way, is referencing Britney Spears in casual conversation... well, there must be some kind of problem here.

My friends and I were watching VH1 Best Week Ever the other day (actually we watch it almost every day because we are in college and our lives mean nothing more than watching TV) and they were interviewing the woman who is selling Britney Spears' hair. Yes. Selling it. FOR ONE MILLION DOLLARS. I felt like Dr. Evil saying that. Except I'm not. A cool mil to hang Brit's hair on your mantlepiece, or something. The thing is, whatever you do with it is either sad or just plain creepy. Plus, the lady was saying she couldn't even tell which pieces were extensions and which ones were real - and she was a hairdresser! So sad. Oh, but wait. In addition to the hair, natural and not, you get a lighter Brit left behind, the razor, AND her empty can of red bull. Clearly I know what I need for Christmas. I wonder if, when I become rich and famous, I can pawn off my empty Starbucks cups for a couple thou or so each. Because I go through a lot of those, and you know, I could use the spare cash. You know, this might sound mean but I'm kind of glad that Britney didn't completely lose her marbles while she was in her prime. Look at it this way. Do you remember her in her heyday? Hey, back then, even I would be smashing piggy banks to get some of her hair. She was fantastic. But imagine if she'd cracked back then - the consequences would be devastating. Because back then, she was a role model. Tons of kids, hell, even adults, considered her an idol. She was the first true American Idol (though Kelly is my girl for life, okay). The last thing we'd all need is for thirteen-year-old girls everywhere to start shaving their heads. I mean that has to be bad for the environment. Let's think of Al Gore here. What would Al do? My roommate (hi Laura) says, "What would we do if everyone started shaving their heads?!" And I just replied, "Well, I'd start having nightmares more frequently. And I don't like having nightmares." She's laughing and sort of shaking her head at me. She does this a lot.

Wow. I really did not mean to blog about Britney Spears' hair, or lack thereof, for two whole paragraphs. I feel like such a waste considering I normally blog about really heavy stuff but you know what? These things really must be said! And plus, I'm responding to NoMoreWastedPaper and that was the assignment, after all. Okay, onto more important things that actually have significance in the real world. The last thing that I must, must, must mention is that February 22nd was my blogger's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I am tempted to send her an e-card but it will inevitably be marked spam and I don't want her to mentally stamp me with a terrorist level 5 warning or anything. So let me just use this post as a venue to say, I hope you had the most marvelous of birthdays. We were e-mailing about her being 25 and though I joke that it's a quarter of a century (scary, innit?) it is HARDLY old at all. In fact, I can't wait to be 25. I'm 19 right now, and turning 19 was one of those 'milestone' birthdays because it's your last year of being a teenager yap yap yap blah blah. Here's the thing. I don't feel that much older. Aging is this slow, gradual progression, and it's suited me just fine. As much as I have PMSy days when I wish can revert back to my 6-year-old self, what good will that do? Times have changed, literally, and I like the life I live right now. And even moreso, I can't wait for the life that I have yet to live. The opportunities and possibilities that hopefully await me make me want to rush through life just to find out what happens next. But you know what? There's no need to rush. I'm enjoying my last year of teenagedom thus far and when I turn two decades, well, maybe I'll stop watching Disney Channel on weekends. Well, maybe not. So happy birthday again and remember that you are still young on the limitless journey of life. Enjoy it. I'd insert some kind of cute quote about acting your shoe size and not your age but I think you've probably heard enough of those by now. So I'll just leave you with this. You will never be too old for Disney Channel.