Dicks, Dicks Everywhere.

So, originally I was going to write a stirring ode to John Barrowman. Because, seriously, who doesn't love them some Barrowman? While I was contemplating which of the many silly pictures that have shown up on my Twitter feed to use however I ran across some pictures I'd snagged off Tumblr and forgotten about. Pictures of one Dick Grayson. Now, you might not know it but I'm a huge Batman fan. I recently purchased the 1989 - 1997 Batman movie anthology, using my Discover Points, off Amazon. (My VHS copies are a. falling apart, and 2. in Fruit Cove.)

I come by my obsession honestly, my mom grew up watching Adam West and Burt Ward keep the streets of Gotham safe. I still remember the first time I saw Tim Burton's Batman films at the YMCA day camp I attended every summer for far too long. The brilliance that was Batman: the Animated Series got me through many an afternoon when I just didn't want to start my homework quite yet.

And yet, my love isn't just for Bruce Wayne.

I love Dick.

When I started gobbling up copies of the New 52 I was mostly interested in Nightwing and Batman, because I'd never cared much for the Robins that came after Dick. Jason Todd was a nut-job whose only redeeming quality was being voiced by Jensen Ackles in Batman: Under the Red Hood. Tim Drake was just too... well, everything I guess. Too nice, too geeky, too fanboyish. And don't get me started on Stephanie Brown. I pretty much wrote off the new Batman and Robin series because I simply couldn't handle the heart break.

My curiosity got the better of me after Damien made a few appearances in Batman and Nightwing. That is one adorable ickle assassin. With the release of the new issue zeros this month I got to get a look at Damien Wayne's upbringing (and remember why I loved Talia al Ghul) which made me actually like the little shit. He's sassy, he's got angst. He's actually a Robin I can imagine following in Dick's footsteps as the Boy Wonder. Because the Boy Wonder isn't meant to be the one getting kidnapped in every issue, and he should have more than one main personality trait. Todd and Drake were too one dimensional. The fact that Damien kicked their asses in record time (he was determined to defeat all of the past Robins in battle) notwithstanding.

And, yet again, I got off topic.

This was meant to be a love letter to Dick Grayson and ended up being a "hey, this kid's not so bad, give him a chance".

But then, that's why this is OT,B.

Panhandling

I transplanted myself from one side of the state to the other, without much thought at all really. I found a school, applied, and started packing when I got my acceptance letter. Well, not as soon as I got it, but rather soon there after it came. There's a lot to get used to in this new Panhandling life of mine, not the least of which is the fact that my job at the moment is to be a student. I'm used to working, but six classes and a deplorable job market means I get to live the life of a poor college student for a change.

Unless I want to take up dancing at one of the many Gentleman's Clubs. I'm not ruling it out, but I'd have to be pretty desperate.

But with so many classes, and two campus causes to my name (Students for Suicide Awareness - I'm the new Cruise Director - and the Gay-Straight Alliance) my first week and a half of classes has been hectic. And it isn't over yet. I needed to decompress, unwind, and just forget about everything for a little bit.

I knew I'd made the right choice in going to the gym when, as I got closer, I could hear the pep band practicing. Confession for the day, I was in the marching band in high school (I occupied the role of flaggot), and developed a strange love for marching band music. It's dorky, and just a bit odd, but it makes me smile. I was smiling on my way into the gym. True, I enjoy working out. I usually don't smile as I'm walking into the gym though.

That smile died as soon as I saw the line of adorable Baby Gays occupying the ellipticals.