Oct 22 – Well, I had a lot of fun today–being dragged down to the guidance office to have a chat about a “big problem.” Apparently, I’ve been pushing through the limits of several copyright and trademark laws with the material on my site and the Scholastic Bowl website which I administer. Don’t know what illegal things that your friendly friend Xander could have done? Well let’s start with using the “Huskie™” symbol. Yes, these “wonderful” artists have copyrighted the Husky™ symbol and our principal (I’m not sure if I’m allowed to use his name) wants to STRICTLY control its usage. I thought that fair use laws would cover me using the images, especially since I’m a student at North (is that trademarked too?)–AND since it’s the district is a public facility–thus, being in the public domain, but as our librarian said I’d better “err on the side of caution.” The real problem she continued is that one parent out there that somehow accidentally stumbles across Angelex, and somehow gets into his/her head that my site, is the school site. And also seeing the “demonic” nature of my site (refering to the angel and the dragon on the top left and right), be shocked, and slap a lawsuit on the district for condoning it. HAH! That would be classic! I maintained my posture as she spoke, (it’s good to be mature when talking business) but inside, I was cracking up at the idea. What kind of parent would do that?

If any of you people reading this are parents, and somehow are offended because this pertains to you–please go to disney.com or some other mind friendly site, where you can continue to be ignorant sheep. When you’re on MY site–I say MINE because this is MY personal site, governed by the First Amendment and the will of my mind–you will see what I put up. Angelex (in spite of its original intentions) does not exist to make you happy, to represent District 203, OR to teach your kids demonology. If you don’t like what I have to say–go away! But if I were you, I’d at least be a little more thick-skinned about it.

I’m not saying this to spite the district, but to the sad idea that there ARE people out there willing to go to those crazy lengths to earn a quick buck–because that’s ALL that there is to gain from it. You people are all intelligent, educated, aware adults (at least mentally), and you people know better than to be personally offended when a teen puts up his ideas. I don’t intend to insult anyone, I’m just saying–wake up! This world is NOT just your ideal world, and there are people out there–real people, with real ideas. If you haven’t got that yet, you might want to get your head out of the clouds, and take a close look at the gritty (figuratively) halls of our school. That’s all I have to say.

Oh, and let me make this clear (see? I’m always thinking of the slower people out there who just can’t seem to infer things on their own)–this site is in no way affiliated with Naperville North High School, Naperville Community School District 203, nor do I represent the whole of either. But I AM a student at NNHS, and I do represent myself, a piece of NNHS. This is a fact, but it WON’T keep me from expressing myself as who I am. I may just be one student out of 3000+, but I’m one with the will and means to voice out what I want to say. I’d love to say that my words speak for everyone when I say my opinions, or even when I write what I think is true, but I am just my own person, as is everyone else. (wow, that sentence had 5 “I”‘s in it) Honestly speaking though–I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So yes, to all you kids out there. If you guys don’t want to bother with the system, and swim around in the safe little kiddy swimming pen that we’re put in–then like our librarian said, “err on the side of caution.” But if you’re like me… and can’t stand being anyone but yourself… give yourself a pat on the back for your audacity and be proud–but be smart too–when you’re out there in the open water, you’re swimming with the sharks. Don’t worry though–we’re ahead of the game. This truth is going to be a part of life for the majority of our existence, might as well get used to it. Know your rights, but know your limits.

Lata!