Cool: My roommate, Dani.
Not Cool: All the standoffish sorority girls in our dorm.
Cool: Meeting cute, sober guys.
Not Cool: Obsessively checking Facebook to make sure there's nothing embarrassing for him to see on there.
Cool: Band parties.
Not Cool: Drunk guys.
College is pretty awesome. Got to go obsess over Facebook now, or religiously brush my teeth.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
They Leave Traces
I still believe in "Once upon a time"s and "Happily ever after"s. No matter how hard they tried to make me exactly what they wanted, the bad guys couldn't stop me from believing in fairy tales.
I believe that moving out is quite possibly the strangest thing that's ever happened to me. Currently I have enough things in my one lovely room, for two rooms, because I'm kind of in the middle- leaving, but not for long. I have more than one home, because I can't hold on or let go to one.
I believe that chocolate and coffee are meant to be consumed in unreasonable amounts. They are just SO sweet and delicious. Darn, I'm hungry.
I believe that driving when you're very upset is probably more dangerous than driving drunk. Also, it's one of those things where if you look back and think about it you probably looked so ridiculous that you have to laugh.
I believe that babies are wonderful. Also, they are amazing dancers.
I believe that communities feel a great sense of responsibility for their success or failure. Also, you can never ask to join a community- you just grow together and never grow apart and always have that responsibility.
I believe it is time for lunch and that the title of this post if related to Doctor Who, because Doctor Who is unreasonably sexy.
I believe that moving out is quite possibly the strangest thing that's ever happened to me. Currently I have enough things in my one lovely room, for two rooms, because I'm kind of in the middle- leaving, but not for long. I have more than one home, because I can't hold on or let go to one.
I believe that chocolate and coffee are meant to be consumed in unreasonable amounts. They are just SO sweet and delicious. Darn, I'm hungry.
I believe that driving when you're very upset is probably more dangerous than driving drunk. Also, it's one of those things where if you look back and think about it you probably looked so ridiculous that you have to laugh.
I believe that babies are wonderful. Also, they are amazing dancers.
I believe that communities feel a great sense of responsibility for their success or failure. Also, you can never ask to join a community- you just grow together and never grow apart and always have that responsibility.
I believe it is time for lunch and that the title of this post if related to Doctor Who, because Doctor Who is unreasonably sexy.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Great Authors
It often seems like some unspoken rule, that the goal of bettering education is to teach kids valuable skills at a younger age, so that they might have time to learn more while they are in school. Kids skip grades, take advanced classes and have private tutors so that they're always just a few steps ahead of normal.
In a way, it's sort of great. A smart child who wants to be a doctor, can get to college quicker and with more valuable skills and as a result they can graduate and go to med school quicker and become a successful doctor quicker. The kid was able to achieve their goals in little time. Still, I wonder, what- if anything- they had to sacrifice.
Say a school wanted to produce great authors for example. They saw that being a great author required writing skills to capture scenes and emotions, but also a great deal of imagination. The school could see that young children have endless supplies of imagination and as they get older the imagination seems to dwindle away. So, the school decides that the best solution is to try to teach kids writing skills at an earlier age. That way, young children could use their skills to capture their imaginative skills on paper and- voila!- Great authors!
But that's not the only way to go about the situation, which the school may or may not have missed. If it's just a matter of endless imagination and writing skill, then perhaps they could develop writing skills at the normal rate and work on teaching children how to keep their imaginations longer. That way instead of having children how are superb writers, they have adults who are highly imaginative. And voila once again- great authors!
Here's the thing, I was going to try to sound all unbiased right here, but as I was thinking I realized something. Advances in education are excellent and should never be overlooked, but while some children are able to pick up the pace and learn at a faster rate, others wont be able to keep up. Perhaps, introducing writing skills to children at an earlier age would benefit some children, but I can't imagine that it would benefit all. That's why I favor encouraging imagination.
Kids already have a great imagination. They're always making up stories and scenarios. Sometimes it's like they're living in a completely different world. Why not work with something they already have? That way, children aren't stressed by doing something they are just incapable of doing. Instead they are praised for doing something they already love to do.
Then the world is happy and filled with great authors. Voila! Perfect solution.
In a way, it's sort of great. A smart child who wants to be a doctor, can get to college quicker and with more valuable skills and as a result they can graduate and go to med school quicker and become a successful doctor quicker. The kid was able to achieve their goals in little time. Still, I wonder, what- if anything- they had to sacrifice.
Say a school wanted to produce great authors for example. They saw that being a great author required writing skills to capture scenes and emotions, but also a great deal of imagination. The school could see that young children have endless supplies of imagination and as they get older the imagination seems to dwindle away. So, the school decides that the best solution is to try to teach kids writing skills at an earlier age. That way, young children could use their skills to capture their imaginative skills on paper and- voila!- Great authors!
But that's not the only way to go about the situation, which the school may or may not have missed. If it's just a matter of endless imagination and writing skill, then perhaps they could develop writing skills at the normal rate and work on teaching children how to keep their imaginations longer. That way instead of having children how are superb writers, they have adults who are highly imaginative. And voila once again- great authors!
Here's the thing, I was going to try to sound all unbiased right here, but as I was thinking I realized something. Advances in education are excellent and should never be overlooked, but while some children are able to pick up the pace and learn at a faster rate, others wont be able to keep up. Perhaps, introducing writing skills to children at an earlier age would benefit some children, but I can't imagine that it would benefit all. That's why I favor encouraging imagination.
Kids already have a great imagination. They're always making up stories and scenarios. Sometimes it's like they're living in a completely different world. Why not work with something they already have? That way, children aren't stressed by doing something they are just incapable of doing. Instead they are praised for doing something they already love to do.
Then the world is happy and filled with great authors. Voila! Perfect solution.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Words
Sometimes when you read a book it's ridiculously easy to find the quotes and passages that are popular. It's like, you'll just be reading and then you'll see this sentence and it's obvious that everyone who's ever read that sentence remembers it.
It really is amazing. Like, if I mention The Perks of Being a Wallflower to anyone who's read it, they'll know instantly what I'm talking about when I mention the part where they feel infinite. Obviously, that's good writing.
But, sometimes, you read something and you think that everyone would remember it, and they don't. It just so happens that there's a small passage in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, that I really like. I just searched for it on the Internet though and couldn't find it. Anyways, I flipped through my book and found it fairly quickly, but it surprised me that other people didn't seem to appreciate it as much as me. I personally think it's one of the best parts.
"So, tomorrow, I'm leaving. And I'm not going to let that happen again with anyone else. I'm going to do what I want to do. I'm going to be who I really am. And I'm going to figure out what that is. But right now I'm here with you. And I want to know where you are, what you need, and what you want to do."
Maybe, I just feel like I relate to Sam, because a couple pages earlier there's this conversation that just feels so much like my life.
" 'I'm really scared to be alone at college.'
'You are?' I asked. I never really thought of that before.
'Just like you're really scared to be alone here.'
'Okay.' I nodded
'So, I'll make you a deal. When things get to be too much at college, I'll call you, and when things get to be too much here, you call me.' "
Yeah, if I haven't ever mentioned this before, leaving is just as hard for the leaver as it is for the leavee. I've been both and I've never liked it.
Well, anyways, I think Sam is awesome. Perks of Being a Wallflower is awesome. Quotes are awesome. Yay to awesome!
It really is amazing. Like, if I mention The Perks of Being a Wallflower to anyone who's read it, they'll know instantly what I'm talking about when I mention the part where they feel infinite. Obviously, that's good writing.
But, sometimes, you read something and you think that everyone would remember it, and they don't. It just so happens that there's a small passage in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, that I really like. I just searched for it on the Internet though and couldn't find it. Anyways, I flipped through my book and found it fairly quickly, but it surprised me that other people didn't seem to appreciate it as much as me. I personally think it's one of the best parts.
"So, tomorrow, I'm leaving. And I'm not going to let that happen again with anyone else. I'm going to do what I want to do. I'm going to be who I really am. And I'm going to figure out what that is. But right now I'm here with you. And I want to know where you are, what you need, and what you want to do."
Maybe, I just feel like I relate to Sam, because a couple pages earlier there's this conversation that just feels so much like my life.
" 'I'm really scared to be alone at college.'
'You are?' I asked. I never really thought of that before.
'Just like you're really scared to be alone here.'
'Okay.' I nodded
'So, I'll make you a deal. When things get to be too much at college, I'll call you, and when things get to be too much here, you call me.' "
Yeah, if I haven't ever mentioned this before, leaving is just as hard for the leaver as it is for the leavee. I've been both and I've never liked it.
Well, anyways, I think Sam is awesome. Perks of Being a Wallflower is awesome. Quotes are awesome. Yay to awesome!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Cabin Fever
I've heard people say that when you go off to college, you shouldn't talk with your friends and family from back home for a while. You need to settle in to your new place, meet new people, grow your new roots. Going away is an opportunity to grow in so many ways.
But to go away and really grow, you have to suffer that bit of homesickness. You have to learn to adapt to that new environment. If you don't call back home every five seconds, then you adapt quickly. You learn fast and soon a place that seemed foreign is like another home. That's why traveling is so important. It teaches you how to learn, adapt and grow. It teaches you the things you can't be taught in class.
It's not easy though. Life is short, right? So why give up even a single moment you could share with your loved ones? Because, there's more out there. Because, they want you to be happy, and who could be happy not knowing, when they know there's so much else to know? Because, it's completely and totally worth it.
Home is important. It's absolutely, positively essential to have that place you can go back to and feel safe. There has to be something constant in life and that's what home is. Still, to really grow and learn you have to get away from home. You have to get out of your comfort zone and not waste any time in doing so.
You need to make mistakes, meet strange people, try things you'd never think to try, go places you didn't know existed. You need to have adventures and possibly even some near death experiences. You need to travel, because you'll be better for doing so.
The problem with home and friends and family is that they hold you back. They've given you adventures and fun and happiness, but it's always sort of the same, because they're the same old people. They all get boring. And even though you still love them and it's heartbreaking to think about leaving them, you need to get away from them, because they're holding you back. It's not just them though- it's who you are around them. I speak from experience when I say that you'll do things you never would have done with any of your friends from home around, when you travel.
To give up a year of time at home is heartbreaking. To give up a year in a foreign place is heartbreaking. The trouble is figuring out which is more heartbreaking. The answer is always, to give up a year in a foreign place. Let's be honest. By the time anyone is old enough to travel on their own and are old enough to have a place that's definitely home and has been for many years, we know home well. If life really is short, then it's time to get on living. Wouldn't it be horrible to have people say at your funeral, "She was a nice girl, who stayed at home a lot"? I'd rather be "An adventurous, crazy, slightly impossible girl, who was always wandering off to the strangest places. She knew the world and made many friends."
There's so much more to see. I think when I go off to all those far away places, I'll be sadder to leave than anyone will be to see me go, but I absolutely have to do it. The cabin fever will kill me before homesickness ever will.
But to go away and really grow, you have to suffer that bit of homesickness. You have to learn to adapt to that new environment. If you don't call back home every five seconds, then you adapt quickly. You learn fast and soon a place that seemed foreign is like another home. That's why traveling is so important. It teaches you how to learn, adapt and grow. It teaches you the things you can't be taught in class.
It's not easy though. Life is short, right? So why give up even a single moment you could share with your loved ones? Because, there's more out there. Because, they want you to be happy, and who could be happy not knowing, when they know there's so much else to know? Because, it's completely and totally worth it.
Home is important. It's absolutely, positively essential to have that place you can go back to and feel safe. There has to be something constant in life and that's what home is. Still, to really grow and learn you have to get away from home. You have to get out of your comfort zone and not waste any time in doing so.
You need to make mistakes, meet strange people, try things you'd never think to try, go places you didn't know existed. You need to have adventures and possibly even some near death experiences. You need to travel, because you'll be better for doing so.
The problem with home and friends and family is that they hold you back. They've given you adventures and fun and happiness, but it's always sort of the same, because they're the same old people. They all get boring. And even though you still love them and it's heartbreaking to think about leaving them, you need to get away from them, because they're holding you back. It's not just them though- it's who you are around them. I speak from experience when I say that you'll do things you never would have done with any of your friends from home around, when you travel.
To give up a year of time at home is heartbreaking. To give up a year in a foreign place is heartbreaking. The trouble is figuring out which is more heartbreaking. The answer is always, to give up a year in a foreign place. Let's be honest. By the time anyone is old enough to travel on their own and are old enough to have a place that's definitely home and has been for many years, we know home well. If life really is short, then it's time to get on living. Wouldn't it be horrible to have people say at your funeral, "She was a nice girl, who stayed at home a lot"? I'd rather be "An adventurous, crazy, slightly impossible girl, who was always wandering off to the strangest places. She knew the world and made many friends."
There's so much more to see. I think when I go off to all those far away places, I'll be sadder to leave than anyone will be to see me go, but I absolutely have to do it. The cabin fever will kill me before homesickness ever will.
Friday, July 2, 2010
History and Psychology of Young Women's Fashion
In the 1920's, there were quite a few people who were not fond of the flapper girls. Their skirts and hair were too short. They spent too much time partying. The things they did were considered irresponsible and immature.
As a female today, it's hard not to love those flapper girls. They were the girls who finally said, "Enough is enough" and started acting and dressing the way they wanted to act and dress. They didn't care if their skirt was too short, because- to them- it wasn't. They were independent and confident. Of course, this is a bit of a generalization. There are always people in every group who aren't exactly who they claim to be. There, of course, were girls who were insecure and needy- just looking for attention and after their own selfish goals.
Still, every single one of those girls- the good and bad- changed history. And no, the flapper girls, weren't the only women to change history. I'm sure there have been women who've changed history since before history was even recorded. Suffragettes, spies, doctors, scientists, musicians, etc. have all changed history for better or worse.
What I appreciate most about the flapper girls, is what they did to change history. A bunch of ordinary girls decided to make a fashion statement and in doing so, they changed the world. It may sound a bit ridiculous- I mean, some girls dressed a bit provocatively and it actually mattered- but, it really is true.
To say I'm not passionate about fashion would be a lie, because I could probably write a book on fashion and how it makes me feel. Still, I'm not exactly the type of person you'd think of as an aspiring fashionista*. I strive for comfort and usually something that kind of matches. Clothing can be so much more than a way to cover your body though.
I find it difficult to think of a fashion magazine without thinking of vanity. Fashion is vain, but that's a good thing. When I get dressed in the morning and look in the mirror, I'm not looking to make sure I'm wearing an outfit worthy of impressing anyone else. I'm looking, because I want to see how good I look. It's a means of expressing yourself, in whatever way you choose.
Sure, other people can judge you based on how you choose to express yourself and that's not always a good thing. For example, many young women are judged poorly for wearing short skirts or skimpy outfits. Many people would say that wearing such clothing is degrading, but only if the woman wearing the clothing chooses to make it such. There are many powerful, independent and inspiring women who wear "skimpy" clothing. Cordelia Chase and Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, are definitely noticeable in their tight fitting, high fashion clothing, but they're both most known for their completely confident, kick ass attitudes.
The masses of young women (who aren't dressed much better than their skimpy counterparts in their Hollister and Abercrombie wardrobes), could use a bit of an attitude adjustment. Don't we need more confident women, instead of a bunch of silly little girls who swoon over vampires? Isn't it better to stand out and be different, even if it's by wearing a slightly provocative outfit? I think, yes.
I think I'm going to wear whatever the hell I want to wear. Fashion statements can even make history, while blending in with the crowd has never done anything of any importance.
*I hate the word "fashionista" so much that it makes me cringe. I honestly don't know why I even thought of using it, but I did and now it just feels like it fits there pretty well. I think I'm pretty much going to swear never to use the word "fashionista" seriously ever again.
As a female today, it's hard not to love those flapper girls. They were the girls who finally said, "Enough is enough" and started acting and dressing the way they wanted to act and dress. They didn't care if their skirt was too short, because- to them- it wasn't. They were independent and confident. Of course, this is a bit of a generalization. There are always people in every group who aren't exactly who they claim to be. There, of course, were girls who were insecure and needy- just looking for attention and after their own selfish goals.
Still, every single one of those girls- the good and bad- changed history. And no, the flapper girls, weren't the only women to change history. I'm sure there have been women who've changed history since before history was even recorded. Suffragettes, spies, doctors, scientists, musicians, etc. have all changed history for better or worse.
What I appreciate most about the flapper girls, is what they did to change history. A bunch of ordinary girls decided to make a fashion statement and in doing so, they changed the world. It may sound a bit ridiculous- I mean, some girls dressed a bit provocatively and it actually mattered- but, it really is true.
To say I'm not passionate about fashion would be a lie, because I could probably write a book on fashion and how it makes me feel. Still, I'm not exactly the type of person you'd think of as an aspiring fashionista*. I strive for comfort and usually something that kind of matches. Clothing can be so much more than a way to cover your body though.
I find it difficult to think of a fashion magazine without thinking of vanity. Fashion is vain, but that's a good thing. When I get dressed in the morning and look in the mirror, I'm not looking to make sure I'm wearing an outfit worthy of impressing anyone else. I'm looking, because I want to see how good I look. It's a means of expressing yourself, in whatever way you choose.
Sure, other people can judge you based on how you choose to express yourself and that's not always a good thing. For example, many young women are judged poorly for wearing short skirts or skimpy outfits. Many people would say that wearing such clothing is degrading, but only if the woman wearing the clothing chooses to make it such. There are many powerful, independent and inspiring women who wear "skimpy" clothing. Cordelia Chase and Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, are definitely noticeable in their tight fitting, high fashion clothing, but they're both most known for their completely confident, kick ass attitudes.
The masses of young women (who aren't dressed much better than their skimpy counterparts in their Hollister and Abercrombie wardrobes), could use a bit of an attitude adjustment. Don't we need more confident women, instead of a bunch of silly little girls who swoon over vampires? Isn't it better to stand out and be different, even if it's by wearing a slightly provocative outfit? I think, yes.
I think I'm going to wear whatever the hell I want to wear. Fashion statements can even make history, while blending in with the crowd has never done anything of any importance.
*I hate the word "fashionista" so much that it makes me cringe. I honestly don't know why I even thought of using it, but I did and now it just feels like it fits there pretty well. I think I'm pretty much going to swear never to use the word "fashionista" seriously ever again.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Life For Dummies
Here's the thing about summer here. It seems to be better suited for insomniacs. I mean, while sunshine is beautiful and all, you get 100 degree rays blaring down at you for a few hours a day and the sunshine doesn't seem so beautiful anymore. You hibernate in your cool home because even spending a few seconds outside is an experience you never want to have. And to go where anyways? The mall? Again? The movie theatre? Again? The bookstore? Well, yes, the bookstore. Always yes to the bookstore.
Anyways, going out and exploring the world is for summer nights in my world. The day is for graduation parties and parents and sometimes, but rarely work. I take the graveyard shift of life now. To me, nothing good happens before 7:00pm. Well, unless you still haven't slept yet and the adventure is still going.
What sucks is when someone asks you to drag your butt out of bed and take the daytime shift like the unadapted humans of this world. It feels like you need people to tell you what the ABC's are and how to put on your shoes. You have to remember how to get dressed and look for the day, not just the night. It's much easier getting ready for the night.
Anyways, seeing as I am slowly becoming the very definition of an insomniac, I no longer care if I update this blog frequently. Maybe, if I wake up during normal human hours or if there's nothing to do that night, but I am sleepy and groggy and feel like I must of spent the night going on wild adventures when really all I did was talk, jump on a trampoline and watch a bunch of movies. Now it is time to get ready for the daytime shift. Gotta shower for the parents, ya know?
I can't think of anything witty to say about nighttime/ daytime/ sleep here, so make something up, my lovelies.
(Short aside. Emily Dickinson once wrote, "This is my letter to the world that never wrote to me." Likewise, the world never wrote me a letter, but I am writing it a letter, in the form of this blog. So whenever I write this, I think, that at the most, five- okay, two- people are reading it, but I'm writing it for everyone. That's all.)
Anyways, going out and exploring the world is for summer nights in my world. The day is for graduation parties and parents and sometimes, but rarely work. I take the graveyard shift of life now. To me, nothing good happens before 7:00pm. Well, unless you still haven't slept yet and the adventure is still going.
What sucks is when someone asks you to drag your butt out of bed and take the daytime shift like the unadapted humans of this world. It feels like you need people to tell you what the ABC's are and how to put on your shoes. You have to remember how to get dressed and look for the day, not just the night. It's much easier getting ready for the night.
Anyways, seeing as I am slowly becoming the very definition of an insomniac, I no longer care if I update this blog frequently. Maybe, if I wake up during normal human hours or if there's nothing to do that night, but I am sleepy and groggy and feel like I must of spent the night going on wild adventures when really all I did was talk, jump on a trampoline and watch a bunch of movies. Now it is time to get ready for the daytime shift. Gotta shower for the parents, ya know?
I can't think of anything witty to say about nighttime/ daytime/ sleep here, so make something up, my lovelies.
(Short aside. Emily Dickinson once wrote, "This is my letter to the world that never wrote to me." Likewise, the world never wrote me a letter, but I am writing it a letter, in the form of this blog. So whenever I write this, I think, that at the most, five- okay, two- people are reading it, but I'm writing it for everyone. That's all.)
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
How To Be Remembered
A few months ago, I got a haircut. It was a pretty impressive haircut, actually. I went from having hair a few inches past my shoulders, to hair that was just past my chin. It was a completely new look. One of my best friends who has known me since 5th grade, didn't recognize me in the hallway at school. Completely dramatic. It was exactly what I was going for. People loved it. I loved it. And fifty years from now, I don't want people to look back and think of me with that haircut.
My super long hair is just so me. For years, people played with, complemented and recognized me by my hair. It would be like someone remembering how I look in a dress and heels, because while I may look fantastic, it would be a shame if no one remembered me in my jeans and converse.
There's a reason why candid photos are always so great and that's because the moments caught in them are completely real. Posed pictures are great and beautiful and I have nothing against them, but candids are always a little more special. I want people to remember the candid me, not the posed me.
It's hard when people are trying so often to change for the world around them. I don't think that it's necessarily a bad thing either. In my case, I loved my haircut and thought it was great. It makes things confusing though, because when you keep changing it's like posing for the whole world. But once you realize people are looking, it's almost impossible to let your guard down.
All I know is that I want to be remembered as that girl with the super long blond hair, who always wore converse and jeans. Well, I want to be remembered for more than that. Things like my personality are important too, but it's a start.
Clothing Changes: 2
Showers: 1
Temperature: 99
My super long hair is just so me. For years, people played with, complemented and recognized me by my hair. It would be like someone remembering how I look in a dress and heels, because while I may look fantastic, it would be a shame if no one remembered me in my jeans and converse.
There's a reason why candid photos are always so great and that's because the moments caught in them are completely real. Posed pictures are great and beautiful and I have nothing against them, but candids are always a little more special. I want people to remember the candid me, not the posed me.
It's hard when people are trying so often to change for the world around them. I don't think that it's necessarily a bad thing either. In my case, I loved my haircut and thought it was great. It makes things confusing though, because when you keep changing it's like posing for the whole world. But once you realize people are looking, it's almost impossible to let your guard down.
All I know is that I want to be remembered as that girl with the super long blond hair, who always wore converse and jeans. Well, I want to be remembered for more than that. Things like my personality are important too, but it's a start.
Clothing Changes: 2
Showers: 1
Temperature: 99
First of All....
I didn't write a blog yesterday for a multitude of reasons. But before I list my excuses, I would like to say that no excuses are necessary, because I never actually said I was going to blog everyday. I only implied it, by stating I would record a list of things each day, which I didn't yesterday. The only reason I'm really doing this in the first place is because a teacher once told me that I should write every day and having just graduated, I feel like I should at least follow one of my teachers' advice.
Which brings me to excuse number one. Yesterday, I did write, but not on this blog. Instead, I wrote an advice column for super villains.
Here is a bit of that:
Ask Vikki
Your devious minds come up with the questions and my years of experience in the field of villainry give me the answers!
Dear Vikki,
Lately it seems like all my victims keep getting away. Right as I’m about to kill them, some hero leaps in and “saves the day”. I’d like to kill them sooner, but that would mean cutting out my dramatic speeches with impossible ultimatums that I ask my nemesis. No matter what I do, whether it be wrap every up and duck tape them to a pole and then proceed to divulge my plot upon them, or hanging two innocent loved ones of my nemesis over a vat of lava giving him an impossible choice of who to rescue, they always get away unscathed.
How can I keep my flair for the dramatic, but still, for once, kill my victims?
- The Not so Villainous Villain
Dear Villain,
This sounds like a classic case of overestimating those pesky heroes. Heroes, as we all know, are a bit unstable and thus, unpredictable. It’s impossible to tell what kind of crazy thing they’re going to try next. Just imagine if you stuck all the heroes in one room. They would tear everything to shreds like a bunch of rabid monkeys. They are instinctual, not logical, which is why your brilliant plans never quite go as planned.
If you want your plan to work, you need to act more like them. If you want someone dead, kill them as soon as they are in your grasp. If you have hostages and are giving your nemesis an ultimatum, give them only a couple of seconds to think and then possibly leap to rescue one of the hostages. Cut your speeches down to the bare minimum. You nemesis, most likely already knows why you’re doing what you’re doing and there’s no need to share much else. They don’t need to hear any of your brilliant ideas, miraculous discoveries or juicy dark secrets. Keep those things to yourself. Plus, it will annoy the hell out of those prissy pants heroes. They hate not knowing what’s going on.
One last tip, concentrate more on the kill than what leads up to it. I mean, kidnapping your hostage from a shopping mall in a helicopter and then flying to a deserted island is certainly dramatic, but it’s worth nothing if in the end you wind up doing nothing more than slitting their throat.
Love,
Vikki
Which brings me to excuse number one. Yesterday, I did write, but not on this blog. Instead, I wrote an advice column for super villains.
Here is a bit of that:
Ask Vikki
Your devious minds come up with the questions and my years of experience in the field of villainry give me the answers!
Dear Vikki,
Lately it seems like all my victims keep getting away. Right as I’m about to kill them, some hero leaps in and “saves the day”. I’d like to kill them sooner, but that would mean cutting out my dramatic speeches with impossible ultimatums that I ask my nemesis. No matter what I do, whether it be wrap every up and duck tape them to a pole and then proceed to divulge my plot upon them, or hanging two innocent loved ones of my nemesis over a vat of lava giving him an impossible choice of who to rescue, they always get away unscathed.
How can I keep my flair for the dramatic, but still, for once, kill my victims?
- The Not so Villainous Villain
Dear Villain,
This sounds like a classic case of overestimating those pesky heroes. Heroes, as we all know, are a bit unstable and thus, unpredictable. It’s impossible to tell what kind of crazy thing they’re going to try next. Just imagine if you stuck all the heroes in one room. They would tear everything to shreds like a bunch of rabid monkeys. They are instinctual, not logical, which is why your brilliant plans never quite go as planned.
If you want your plan to work, you need to act more like them. If you want someone dead, kill them as soon as they are in your grasp. If you have hostages and are giving your nemesis an ultimatum, give them only a couple of seconds to think and then possibly leap to rescue one of the hostages. Cut your speeches down to the bare minimum. You nemesis, most likely already knows why you’re doing what you’re doing and there’s no need to share much else. They don’t need to hear any of your brilliant ideas, miraculous discoveries or juicy dark secrets. Keep those things to yourself. Plus, it will annoy the hell out of those prissy pants heroes. They hate not knowing what’s going on.
One last tip, concentrate more on the kill than what leads up to it. I mean, kidnapping your hostage from a shopping mall in a helicopter and then flying to a deserted island is certainly dramatic, but it’s worth nothing if in the end you wind up doing nothing more than slitting their throat.
Love,
Vikki
So, moving on. Also, yesterday, I was a little bit tired. Like, I did not actually get dressed or leave the house until I had to go to work at 6:00. And then, when I got home, I may or may not have showered and instead wrote the superhero advice column and by the time I was done with that, I was really tired, so I went to sleep.
End of story. But I did make up for it now, so everything is fair.
Monday, June 14, 2010
The Bookstore
There is a place that I can stay for hours. It's comfortable, safe and never too crowded. Whether I'm alone or with friends, I'm always entertained. It's convenient and the perfect place to just drop in for a few minutes or spend the whole day. The bookstore is like my second home.
By the bookstore, I mean whichever bookstore is most accessible in my current location. It is true that some bookstores are better than others. Some are shiny and new, complete with a coffee shop and super clean bathrooms. Their books are neat and organized; the covers shiny and crisp; the smell of fresh pages fills the store. Others are vast and disorganized chaos. Rows and rows of different shaped and sized bookcases wind throughout the store. Sometimes you have to squeeze through tight spaces or wander around running into dead ends and tiny rooms, just to find the book you're looking for. The floors are uneven, the temperature varies every couple of feet and it would probably be easier to find a rare baseball card than the bathroom. The books, of course, are worn and used. It would be a special case to find a book without a little bit of wear and tear and it smells like coffee, without the coffee shop. But no matter the bookstore, they all have one thing in common, that makes them home- books.
I've loved to read since second grade. Until that point, I can honestly say, that I pretty much knew nothing about reading. I suppose I had some interest in reading, because my parents bought me plenty of books and we went to the library, but when it came to reading in school, I have no good memories until second grade. In kindergarten, I went to the school's library. The whole class had to cram inside a tiny room with no air conditioning and look at books set up on folding tables- no bookcases in sight. In first grade, once I'd moved to a different state, I remember watching in horror as one of my classmates read a book aloud to class with no help from the teacher, something I could only dream of doing.
In second grade, though, I learned that I loved to read. My teacher helped me catch up to the rest of my classmates and soon, I was ahead of them. My teacher put me in a smaller group of classmates for students with high reading levels. From then on, I practically devoured books. In middle school, I was reading literally every second I could. I read in the hallways, walking to my next class and always had a book on my desk, so that if a teacher stopped teaching for a minute I could have something to read. The few times a teacher has ever scolded me, have mostly been about me reading when I shouldn't be.
So, I love books, but that's not enough. Bookstores have memories for me too. I have good memories with all the people I care about in bookstores. It's not just a place I go with friends, but a place I've made friends, run into friends and seen a few people I'd like to be friends with. The funny thing is, that the familiar faces I see at bookstores are always friendly ones. I don't think I've ever seen someone I didn't like at a bookstore. There are the occasional groups of bratty middle schoolers, but they don't cause too much harm and never stay long. Everyone else, from that guy who sits in the chairs with a pile of books and his laptop, to the super adorable, cute, totally sexy and funny cashier, to the person I haven't talked to in years, is wonderful.
I love bookstores! Why do people not appreciate them as much as I do? Instead of McDonald's and nail salons, there should be a bookstore on every corner. I would go to all of them.
Wardrobe Changes: 2
Showers: 1
Temperature: 97
By the bookstore, I mean whichever bookstore is most accessible in my current location. It is true that some bookstores are better than others. Some are shiny and new, complete with a coffee shop and super clean bathrooms. Their books are neat and organized; the covers shiny and crisp; the smell of fresh pages fills the store. Others are vast and disorganized chaos. Rows and rows of different shaped and sized bookcases wind throughout the store. Sometimes you have to squeeze through tight spaces or wander around running into dead ends and tiny rooms, just to find the book you're looking for. The floors are uneven, the temperature varies every couple of feet and it would probably be easier to find a rare baseball card than the bathroom. The books, of course, are worn and used. It would be a special case to find a book without a little bit of wear and tear and it smells like coffee, without the coffee shop. But no matter the bookstore, they all have one thing in common, that makes them home- books.
I've loved to read since second grade. Until that point, I can honestly say, that I pretty much knew nothing about reading. I suppose I had some interest in reading, because my parents bought me plenty of books and we went to the library, but when it came to reading in school, I have no good memories until second grade. In kindergarten, I went to the school's library. The whole class had to cram inside a tiny room with no air conditioning and look at books set up on folding tables- no bookcases in sight. In first grade, once I'd moved to a different state, I remember watching in horror as one of my classmates read a book aloud to class with no help from the teacher, something I could only dream of doing.
In second grade, though, I learned that I loved to read. My teacher helped me catch up to the rest of my classmates and soon, I was ahead of them. My teacher put me in a smaller group of classmates for students with high reading levels. From then on, I practically devoured books. In middle school, I was reading literally every second I could. I read in the hallways, walking to my next class and always had a book on my desk, so that if a teacher stopped teaching for a minute I could have something to read. The few times a teacher has ever scolded me, have mostly been about me reading when I shouldn't be.
So, I love books, but that's not enough. Bookstores have memories for me too. I have good memories with all the people I care about in bookstores. It's not just a place I go with friends, but a place I've made friends, run into friends and seen a few people I'd like to be friends with. The funny thing is, that the familiar faces I see at bookstores are always friendly ones. I don't think I've ever seen someone I didn't like at a bookstore. There are the occasional groups of bratty middle schoolers, but they don't cause too much harm and never stay long. Everyone else, from that guy who sits in the chairs with a pile of books and his laptop, to the super adorable, cute, totally sexy and funny cashier, to the person I haven't talked to in years, is wonderful.
I love bookstores! Why do people not appreciate them as much as I do? Instead of McDonald's and nail salons, there should be a bookstore on every corner. I would go to all of them.
Wardrobe Changes: 2
Showers: 1
Temperature: 97
Sunday, June 13, 2010
First Official Day of Summer?
I proclaim that today is the first REAL day of summer. School actually ended a couple of days ago, but since then, the days have been filled with school related things, such as, graduation, graduation parties, my grandparents flying in for graduation, etc. Anyways, since yesterday I graduated, I am now free for the summer! Except, a couple of work days, a few birthday parties and orientation, but other than that, it's all sleeping in, staying up late and anything to cool down.
It is hot. Not the kind of hot where you sit around in a bikini and sip lemonade by the pool, but the kind of hot where if you sit for more than a minute in an un-air conditioned car, a pool of sweat will form in your seat. It is thirty degrees cooler in my house than it is outside. No one where's pants, because it's uncomfortable to walk in between cool, air conditioned areas, in the heat with anything but shorts or skirts on. I think that if you could tolerate staying outside long enough, you really could fry an egg on the sidewalk.
Anyways, with all this heat, comes a lot of sweat and with all that sweat comes a lot of changing of clothes. Not to mention, that June just happens to be the month of events for me. There's at least one birthday or graduation party a day. Today, I went from shorts and a tank, to a t-shirt, to a dress, back to shorts and t-shirt, to another dress and finally back to pj's. That's six changes in one day! That may seem a little unreasonable and usually I would agree, but trust me, with the sweat and weather, my body and skin thank me for the change of clothes each time. Even if I weren't changing for different occasions, I would be getting rid of my sweaty clothes on a regular basis.
Anyways, despite the excessive amount of wardrobe changes and sweat, I did manage to get a lot done today. I got some things for my dorm, went to a party, bought a book and watched a movie with my friend.
All in all, not a bad day.
So on this first official day of summer, I am starting a little daily ritual. Each day, I will record the number of wardrobe changes I make and the number of showers I take. I also add the day's high temperature, just so you can see. Think of it as a research project. The more times I change clothes and shower, the hotter it will be right? We'll find out.
Clothing changes: 6
Showers: 1
Temperature: 97
It is hot. Not the kind of hot where you sit around in a bikini and sip lemonade by the pool, but the kind of hot where if you sit for more than a minute in an un-air conditioned car, a pool of sweat will form in your seat. It is thirty degrees cooler in my house than it is outside. No one where's pants, because it's uncomfortable to walk in between cool, air conditioned areas, in the heat with anything but shorts or skirts on. I think that if you could tolerate staying outside long enough, you really could fry an egg on the sidewalk.
Anyways, with all this heat, comes a lot of sweat and with all that sweat comes a lot of changing of clothes. Not to mention, that June just happens to be the month of events for me. There's at least one birthday or graduation party a day. Today, I went from shorts and a tank, to a t-shirt, to a dress, back to shorts and t-shirt, to another dress and finally back to pj's. That's six changes in one day! That may seem a little unreasonable and usually I would agree, but trust me, with the sweat and weather, my body and skin thank me for the change of clothes each time. Even if I weren't changing for different occasions, I would be getting rid of my sweaty clothes on a regular basis.
Anyways, despite the excessive amount of wardrobe changes and sweat, I did manage to get a lot done today. I got some things for my dorm, went to a party, bought a book and watched a movie with my friend.
All in all, not a bad day.
So on this first official day of summer, I am starting a little daily ritual. Each day, I will record the number of wardrobe changes I make and the number of showers I take. I also add the day's high temperature, just so you can see. Think of it as a research project. The more times I change clothes and shower, the hotter it will be right? We'll find out.
Clothing changes: 6
Showers: 1
Temperature: 97
Friday, June 11, 2010
A Little Wisdom
My favorite quote changes as frequently as my favorite song. Every time something happens or the mood changes, so do my favorite things. Favorite always fit the current situation. It just so happens that the current situation is that I'm sitting in my bedroom, the night before my high school graduation, looking at my graduation gown. That aren't many opportunities in life, where you can stare thoughtfully at an article of clothing, knowing that the next day, when you put it on, your life will change forever.
For me, this is one of those times when I really need a really good favorite quote. Lucky for me, there never seems to be a shortage of great quotes. Right now, the best is by J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan and basically my hero.
"Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it."
Perhaps, you wonder, why, at this moment, this quote is my favorite. In order for me to explain that, I'd have to explain everything I'm thinking right now, which I just don't think is possible. In short though, when you know that you will soon be listening to speeches about your future and dreams you tend to think of your dreams and how impossible they seem.
Anyways, back to the quote. At first, when I read it, I thought it was absolutely the most inspiring thing ever. In a way, it is. I mean, ANYTHING I dream of, CAN come true. That's kind of brilliant, but that's not all that Mr. Barrie is saying.
Anything I dream, can come true, at a cost. In economics, this is called an opportunity cost. In taking one opportunity, you miss out on another. In other words, you can't have it all. What is the cost? Sure, there are some things where the cost wont be great. Perhaps, I dream of a custom pair of shoes. It might cost me a week's worth of working to pay for them. That's not that bad of a cost, unless there are other things that I absolutely need to buy and don't have other money to buy them.
What if the cost is greater though? Is your dream still worth it? If you have to give up every other thing you've ever wanted, do you still want that thing you've hoped and wished for to be yours? If the answer is "yes", then I guess that's a good thing. It means your dream can and will come true. If the answer is "no", then you'll have to think about sacrifice a little more.
I used to know a guy who was very concerned about grades. I've never been very concerned with grades, though I still make good grades. We argued politely about the importance of grades. I of course, argued that people shouldn't worry about grades so much. He, of course, argued that people should care more. We never came to a conclusion.
Now, I know the answer. There is no one thing in life that can bring you happiness. It's a collection of things and moments that make you happy. So, for example, being a perfect student and getting into a great college, isn't enough. You need friends and family that love you. You need memories of exciting things you did.
You can't be Peter Pan and be happy. Well, you can, but not permanently. Peter Pan sacrifices the chance to have a family, to be in love and to grow up, just to stay a boy forever in Neverland. Sure, he seems happy, because it's his dream, but there are things missing.
Maybe, the glamorous dream that we all dream- that dream that's always at the back of our mind- isn't worth all the things we'd have to give up for it. Maybe all the little dreams put together are worth more. They aren't worth giving up completely on your big dream- nothing is- but they are worth more than anyone can imagine.
For me, this is one of those times when I really need a really good favorite quote. Lucky for me, there never seems to be a shortage of great quotes. Right now, the best is by J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan and basically my hero.
"Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it."
Perhaps, you wonder, why, at this moment, this quote is my favorite. In order for me to explain that, I'd have to explain everything I'm thinking right now, which I just don't think is possible. In short though, when you know that you will soon be listening to speeches about your future and dreams you tend to think of your dreams and how impossible they seem.
Anyways, back to the quote. At first, when I read it, I thought it was absolutely the most inspiring thing ever. In a way, it is. I mean, ANYTHING I dream of, CAN come true. That's kind of brilliant, but that's not all that Mr. Barrie is saying.
Anything I dream, can come true, at a cost. In economics, this is called an opportunity cost. In taking one opportunity, you miss out on another. In other words, you can't have it all. What is the cost? Sure, there are some things where the cost wont be great. Perhaps, I dream of a custom pair of shoes. It might cost me a week's worth of working to pay for them. That's not that bad of a cost, unless there are other things that I absolutely need to buy and don't have other money to buy them.
What if the cost is greater though? Is your dream still worth it? If you have to give up every other thing you've ever wanted, do you still want that thing you've hoped and wished for to be yours? If the answer is "yes", then I guess that's a good thing. It means your dream can and will come true. If the answer is "no", then you'll have to think about sacrifice a little more.
I used to know a guy who was very concerned about grades. I've never been very concerned with grades, though I still make good grades. We argued politely about the importance of grades. I of course, argued that people shouldn't worry about grades so much. He, of course, argued that people should care more. We never came to a conclusion.
Now, I know the answer. There is no one thing in life that can bring you happiness. It's a collection of things and moments that make you happy. So, for example, being a perfect student and getting into a great college, isn't enough. You need friends and family that love you. You need memories of exciting things you did.
You can't be Peter Pan and be happy. Well, you can, but not permanently. Peter Pan sacrifices the chance to have a family, to be in love and to grow up, just to stay a boy forever in Neverland. Sure, he seems happy, because it's his dream, but there are things missing.
Maybe, the glamorous dream that we all dream- that dream that's always at the back of our mind- isn't worth all the things we'd have to give up for it. Maybe all the little dreams put together are worth more. They aren't worth giving up completely on your big dream- nothing is- but they are worth more than anyone can imagine.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Beautiful Things
You know that oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?
Of course you do. Anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the past month does. I mean, if you turn on the news for five minutes, you will hear about it. It's there and it's huge and we're going to hear about it until there is nothing left to say.
But before I say another word about that, I want to say something about beauty. There are some things in the world that are unarguably beautiful. Okay, well, I guess you could argue, but only a fool would. I mean who would say that my friend, playing with her baby sister in their front yard in a swirl of bubbles, right before the sun is about to set, is not beautiful? It's beyond beautiful; it's magical. Very few people would say that the guy who works at the bookstore that I met the other day, is not beautiful. Someone with looks as good as his and a personality as friendly is certainly beautiful.
Basically, sometimes beauty is obvious. Sometimes it's a little harder to find. There have been and always will be people who will mistakenly believe that destruction is beautiful. Perhaps they see an innocent man beaten for no reason and think, “beauty”. Perhaps, they find it impossible to peel their beady black eyes away from a train wreck, or more a tangled mess of metal and smoke and dust and bodies. Maybe it’s as simple as seeing the wobbly shack of cardboard boxes and rotting wood that a family of eight calls their home and thinking it has a certain aesthetic appeal. I understand what these people see, but destruction, devastation, disaster- is not beautiful.
I think what these people see, is the survival and love and unity, because those are beautiful. There's hope and winning in those and despite all the horrible things surrounding them, it makes everything sort of magical.
Wherever there is a disaster, there are inspiring stories- So many stories that there's not enough time to hear them all. I guess it's some sort of coping method or something, but whatever it is, we love it, because it makes us feel good, even though terrible things are happening.
And when there's disaster, there's an immense amount of unity. The second something goes wrong everyone comes together. As the world has advanced we're even more connected and when something terrible happens on the other side of the world, people can share their pain and stories with us easily. We've become a world that suffers as one.
So, see, it's sort of beautiful, in a way. I mean, it's tragic, but magical. Still, I think there could be something better.
Wouldn't it be beautiful to see the world unite because of one amazing awesome thing. I mean, instead of suffering, coping, surviving together, wouldn't it be cool if we all celebrated something together?
I think that's why things like the Olympics or the World Cup are so amazing. They bring the world together for a little friendly competition. I'd like to see that more often I think. The world should celebrate together more and suffer together less.
Of course you do. Anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the past month does. I mean, if you turn on the news for five minutes, you will hear about it. It's there and it's huge and we're going to hear about it until there is nothing left to say.
But before I say another word about that, I want to say something about beauty. There are some things in the world that are unarguably beautiful. Okay, well, I guess you could argue, but only a fool would. I mean who would say that my friend, playing with her baby sister in their front yard in a swirl of bubbles, right before the sun is about to set, is not beautiful? It's beyond beautiful; it's magical. Very few people would say that the guy who works at the bookstore that I met the other day, is not beautiful. Someone with looks as good as his and a personality as friendly is certainly beautiful.
Basically, sometimes beauty is obvious. Sometimes it's a little harder to find. There have been and always will be people who will mistakenly believe that destruction is beautiful. Perhaps they see an innocent man beaten for no reason and think, “beauty”. Perhaps, they find it impossible to peel their beady black eyes away from a train wreck, or more a tangled mess of metal and smoke and dust and bodies. Maybe it’s as simple as seeing the wobbly shack of cardboard boxes and rotting wood that a family of eight calls their home and thinking it has a certain aesthetic appeal. I understand what these people see, but destruction, devastation, disaster- is not beautiful.
I think what these people see, is the survival and love and unity, because those are beautiful. There's hope and winning in those and despite all the horrible things surrounding them, it makes everything sort of magical.
Wherever there is a disaster, there are inspiring stories- So many stories that there's not enough time to hear them all. I guess it's some sort of coping method or something, but whatever it is, we love it, because it makes us feel good, even though terrible things are happening.
And when there's disaster, there's an immense amount of unity. The second something goes wrong everyone comes together. As the world has advanced we're even more connected and when something terrible happens on the other side of the world, people can share their pain and stories with us easily. We've become a world that suffers as one.
So, see, it's sort of beautiful, in a way. I mean, it's tragic, but magical. Still, I think there could be something better.
Wouldn't it be beautiful to see the world unite because of one amazing awesome thing. I mean, instead of suffering, coping, surviving together, wouldn't it be cool if we all celebrated something together?
I think that's why things like the Olympics or the World Cup are so amazing. They bring the world together for a little friendly competition. I'd like to see that more often I think. The world should celebrate together more and suffer together less.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Quick Fix
When I was little and upset it seemed like cookies solved everything. I mean didn't they? Boo boo? Cookie. Someone say something mean? Cookie. Can't find your favorite doll? Cookie. So many cookies! They were great and did their job, until you grow up a little and learn that cookies can't solve everything. Not to mention, that somehow, surprisingly, your constant sweet tooth, seems to be not so constant, anymore. So you find the new solution.
No, no, no. You don't actually solve the problems. Feel guilty/ overwhelmed/ exhausted? Well, don't apologize or get some work done or go to sleep. Solve your problems the new way. My new way?
YouTube... with a side of cookies.
But first back to cookies. When I was little and upset, I couldn't have just any cookies. There were certain cookies specifically for bad days. A bad thing could not be fixed without those cookies. Today, I have specific videos that fix everything. They make me happy and wonderful and warm and fuzzy.
So, without further to do, these are my favorite videos. Well, okay, I'm going to skip the "Free Hugs" and a couple of others, but these are the few that really make me happy.
First of all we have 40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes.
I guess it's pretty popular and maybe a little cheesy, but hey, it's kind of a lot of what I like in one video. First of all, I'm obsessed with people doing awesome editing. The Golden Age of Video, Taking the Hobbits to Isengard, I've Got a Jar of Dirt Remix...AMAZING! This video has the added bonus of inspiration built right in. Though The Golden Age of Video and the others have a funny factor that cannot be beat.
Her Morning Elegance. Where to begin....? This is just one of those videos that is so cute and wonderful. I'm intrigued every time I watch, because it's just so good.
Usually I'm too distracted by the video to notice the song, but it's pretty good too. Two good things in one video? Sounds good to me.
This video probably changed my life. The Girl Effect is sort of mind boggling. It's such a simple solution to such a big problem.
But that's not the only reason I love this video. I think after I watched this video, I realized how big of an impact a video can have on someone. I realized how great a video or a short film or a movie could be. It is sort of amazing, isn't it?
Sunday. Because sometimes simplicity is just too perfect.
I mean really. This video makes me think of summer and lemonade and hammocks and rainy days and books and tea. Just perfect simplicity, because that's what it is. And when the world feels like a chaotic mess, perfect simplicity is all you really want.
T-Shirt War. This is funny and cute. (Why do I like so many cute things?) Anyways, it just is.
Also, it's really awesome.
Okay, Okay. So now, something that will completely blow your mind. Pomplamoose.
Their music is SO GOOD! And their videos are entertaining too, which they should be, but a lot of musicians on YouTube have such boring videos.
Speaking of good music videos....We have to discuss She & Him. Like Pomplamoose, their music is amazing.
This video is cheery and bright. It makes me want to put on a sundress, go to a carnival and eat some cotton candy. That sure sounds like the perfect cure for a bad day to me. And it is. It really is.
Okay, I'm a Buffy fan, so I like lots of videos that have anything to do with Buffy. This one really makes me laugh though. It's the perfect combination of good editing and a loyal fandom.
Buffy kicks ass. Nuff said.
This next video is kind of totally ridiculous, but it seriously makes me smile every time I watch it even if I'm having a horrible day.
And Sassy Gay Friend saves the day once again by bringing a smile to your face. Isn't that nice?
Okay, there are like a billion more YouTube videos that I love. Some I just don't have the time or patience to think about and some just don't stand on their own. I kind of like those the best. The ones where you have to know so much more to understand what it is. But on a day where you want to watch any old video it's nice to have one that makes sense in it's entirety. It's like reading a kid's book instead of a novel. The kid's book isn't inferior, but it's a whole comfy story that you can have in a short amount of time. It's a quick fix. And some days we need a quick fix.
No, no, no. You don't actually solve the problems. Feel guilty/ overwhelmed/ exhausted? Well, don't apologize or get some work done or go to sleep. Solve your problems the new way. My new way?
YouTube... with a side of cookies.
But first back to cookies. When I was little and upset, I couldn't have just any cookies. There were certain cookies specifically for bad days. A bad thing could not be fixed without those cookies. Today, I have specific videos that fix everything. They make me happy and wonderful and warm and fuzzy.
So, without further to do, these are my favorite videos. Well, okay, I'm going to skip the "Free Hugs" and a couple of others, but these are the few that really make me happy.
First of all we have 40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes.
I guess it's pretty popular and maybe a little cheesy, but hey, it's kind of a lot of what I like in one video. First of all, I'm obsessed with people doing awesome editing. The Golden Age of Video, Taking the Hobbits to Isengard, I've Got a Jar of Dirt Remix...AMAZING! This video has the added bonus of inspiration built right in. Though The Golden Age of Video and the others have a funny factor that cannot be beat.
Her Morning Elegance. Where to begin....? This is just one of those videos that is so cute and wonderful. I'm intrigued every time I watch, because it's just so good.
Usually I'm too distracted by the video to notice the song, but it's pretty good too. Two good things in one video? Sounds good to me.
This video probably changed my life. The Girl Effect is sort of mind boggling. It's such a simple solution to such a big problem.
But that's not the only reason I love this video. I think after I watched this video, I realized how big of an impact a video can have on someone. I realized how great a video or a short film or a movie could be. It is sort of amazing, isn't it?
Sunday. Because sometimes simplicity is just too perfect.
I mean really. This video makes me think of summer and lemonade and hammocks and rainy days and books and tea. Just perfect simplicity, because that's what it is. And when the world feels like a chaotic mess, perfect simplicity is all you really want.
T-Shirt War. This is funny and cute. (Why do I like so many cute things?) Anyways, it just is.
Also, it's really awesome.
Okay, Okay. So now, something that will completely blow your mind. Pomplamoose.
Their music is SO GOOD! And their videos are entertaining too, which they should be, but a lot of musicians on YouTube have such boring videos.
Speaking of good music videos....We have to discuss She & Him. Like Pomplamoose, their music is amazing.
This video is cheery and bright. It makes me want to put on a sundress, go to a carnival and eat some cotton candy. That sure sounds like the perfect cure for a bad day to me. And it is. It really is.
Okay, I'm a Buffy fan, so I like lots of videos that have anything to do with Buffy. This one really makes me laugh though. It's the perfect combination of good editing and a loyal fandom.
Buffy kicks ass. Nuff said.
This next video is kind of totally ridiculous, but it seriously makes me smile every time I watch it even if I'm having a horrible day.
And Sassy Gay Friend saves the day once again by bringing a smile to your face. Isn't that nice?
Okay, there are like a billion more YouTube videos that I love. Some I just don't have the time or patience to think about and some just don't stand on their own. I kind of like those the best. The ones where you have to know so much more to understand what it is. But on a day where you want to watch any old video it's nice to have one that makes sense in it's entirety. It's like reading a kid's book instead of a novel. The kid's book isn't inferior, but it's a whole comfy story that you can have in a short amount of time. It's a quick fix. And some days we need a quick fix.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
The Evolution of Hygiene and Manners
I love controversial arguments. Hearing people's fiery opinions frustrates the hell out of me. I mean that in the best way possible. It makes me listen and think. Not just about what they happen to be saying, but about everything.
In short there are two things I believe to be extraordinarily inspiring- showers and controversial arguments.
It's convenient that both of these things are incredibly easy to come by. The shower is right down the hall and society expects me to use it at least once a day which, on average, I do. Controversy is not hard to find either. Just say "Gay marriage" and you'll have a whole list of opinions thrown at you. Evolution is another good one. Abortion can work too, but I think people are a little more touchy about that.
I should mention now, that I never attempt to be insensitive towards anyone's opinion. In fact, I tend to think of myself as one of those people who understands both sides of the argument pretty well. I'm the point in the center that watches as the two sides collide. And when they do it's not pretty.
Want an example? Alright, for the purpose of this example, we'll assume that our two sides are arguing about evolution. Of the three controversial topics listed above, evolution is the one I can relate to most, since I am straight and am not and never have been pregnant. I mean, I know gay people and people who've been pregnant, but evolution is more of an "everyone can relate" topic.
Anyways, in the evolution debate the two sides are the creationists and the evolutionists. Creationists believe, basically whatever their religion tells them. Something along the lines of an almighty being created man and all the animals and plants individually. Evolutionists believe that people evolved over the years from some sort of animal that adapted and mutated.
What happens when these two sides meet is complete nonsense. The evolutionist tells the creationist a whole list of facts, that the creationist refuses to believe because their religion says otherwise. The evolutionists refuse to believe the religion because the creationists have no evidence that anything in their holy book is real. Basically they take off on their own little monologues calling each other ridiculous, infuriating everyone around them, and ultimately making absolutely no change in the other's mind.
To me it's evident that the problem is not that they are uneducated. It's that their education is unbalanced.
Go on, evolutionists! Find out every piece of evidence that proves that evolution is without a doubt real, but unless you know just as much about the creationist's beliefs they are never going to listen.
Same to you, creationists! Memorize every holy line in your holy book, but a person who believes only facts isn't even going to give you a second glance.
This is the problem with the world. People hole themselves up in their own little worlds and expect people to venture in and be just like them. They never venture out to learn about the rest of the world and if they do they don't like what they see and just go back to their old ways. There's no balance, just a drastically changing environment with every step you take, because with each step is another person's hard as stone thoughts. Those are the most dangerous too. The things that wont change are the ones you need to stay away from, because if and when they do change, they shatter and crumble. It's the people who aren't as stubborn who are a little safer. Their minds bend and transform. They are ever changing.
Don't science and religion both tell us that, that is what life is. You start off as a teeny baby and then grow old. If you don't do that, then you aren't living. Finally something that everyone can agree on. You change, both physically and mentally as you live. So, if your mind is set in stone, then how are you growing? How are you changing? Or are you dead?
I don't see why creationists and evolutionists don't get along. To me, it seems like they're both trying to answer a question their way when they both have they answer. It's like, trying to explain everything that happens when I throw a ball at the wall. I threw it, it flew through the air, it bounced off the wall, it fell to the ground.
Science will tell me about the muscles I used, the forces and energy, the speed and time. It will tell me why the ball fell to the ground and how fast the ball went and how strong a person would have to be to throw with that amount of force. Science might even get into the psychology behind why I threw it.
But religion explains why I felt that way. Religion explains why I'm here and why I'm living and what the purpose of this world is. Religion explains why people get angry and why people need to be good and not hurt each other. Religion explains those questions that scientists cannot or are too afraid to try.
We're all just looking for answers, right? If we don't agree is that anything to argue about? Probably not, but go ahead argue. I mean really please. Without the close minded remarks and bullshit arguments I would never get anything done.
In short there are two things I believe to be extraordinarily inspiring- showers and controversial arguments.
It's convenient that both of these things are incredibly easy to come by. The shower is right down the hall and society expects me to use it at least once a day which, on average, I do. Controversy is not hard to find either. Just say "Gay marriage" and you'll have a whole list of opinions thrown at you. Evolution is another good one. Abortion can work too, but I think people are a little more touchy about that.
I should mention now, that I never attempt to be insensitive towards anyone's opinion. In fact, I tend to think of myself as one of those people who understands both sides of the argument pretty well. I'm the point in the center that watches as the two sides collide. And when they do it's not pretty.
Want an example? Alright, for the purpose of this example, we'll assume that our two sides are arguing about evolution. Of the three controversial topics listed above, evolution is the one I can relate to most, since I am straight and am not and never have been pregnant. I mean, I know gay people and people who've been pregnant, but evolution is more of an "everyone can relate" topic.
Anyways, in the evolution debate the two sides are the creationists and the evolutionists. Creationists believe, basically whatever their religion tells them. Something along the lines of an almighty being created man and all the animals and plants individually. Evolutionists believe that people evolved over the years from some sort of animal that adapted and mutated.
What happens when these two sides meet is complete nonsense. The evolutionist tells the creationist a whole list of facts, that the creationist refuses to believe because their religion says otherwise. The evolutionists refuse to believe the religion because the creationists have no evidence that anything in their holy book is real. Basically they take off on their own little monologues calling each other ridiculous, infuriating everyone around them, and ultimately making absolutely no change in the other's mind.
To me it's evident that the problem is not that they are uneducated. It's that their education is unbalanced.
Go on, evolutionists! Find out every piece of evidence that proves that evolution is without a doubt real, but unless you know just as much about the creationist's beliefs they are never going to listen.
Same to you, creationists! Memorize every holy line in your holy book, but a person who believes only facts isn't even going to give you a second glance.
This is the problem with the world. People hole themselves up in their own little worlds and expect people to venture in and be just like them. They never venture out to learn about the rest of the world and if they do they don't like what they see and just go back to their old ways. There's no balance, just a drastically changing environment with every step you take, because with each step is another person's hard as stone thoughts. Those are the most dangerous too. The things that wont change are the ones you need to stay away from, because if and when they do change, they shatter and crumble. It's the people who aren't as stubborn who are a little safer. Their minds bend and transform. They are ever changing.
Don't science and religion both tell us that, that is what life is. You start off as a teeny baby and then grow old. If you don't do that, then you aren't living. Finally something that everyone can agree on. You change, both physically and mentally as you live. So, if your mind is set in stone, then how are you growing? How are you changing? Or are you dead?
I don't see why creationists and evolutionists don't get along. To me, it seems like they're both trying to answer a question their way when they both have they answer. It's like, trying to explain everything that happens when I throw a ball at the wall. I threw it, it flew through the air, it bounced off the wall, it fell to the ground.
Science will tell me about the muscles I used, the forces and energy, the speed and time. It will tell me why the ball fell to the ground and how fast the ball went and how strong a person would have to be to throw with that amount of force. Science might even get into the psychology behind why I threw it.
But religion explains why I felt that way. Religion explains why I'm here and why I'm living and what the purpose of this world is. Religion explains why people get angry and why people need to be good and not hurt each other. Religion explains those questions that scientists cannot or are too afraid to try.
We're all just looking for answers, right? If we don't agree is that anything to argue about? Probably not, but go ahead argue. I mean really please. Without the close minded remarks and bullshit arguments I would never get anything done.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
People Do Stupid Things
As a high school senior, I am surrounded by an overwhelming amount of stupidity. You know what they say about too much of a good thing? Well, it's much worse to have too much of a bad thing- just one lesson that many of my classmates haven't learned. Annoying pranks, insane driving, weekends so wild that one wouldn't know where to begin in explaining them. Then there's the never ending ignorance. Yes, you have the freedom of speech, but you should also have morals that tell you that calling someone derogatory names is bad. And then there are the activists that are ill-educated. They seem like they know everything about a subject because they'll ramble on for hours about how unjust something is, only to have no argument in defense when anyone questions them. Teenagers are idiots, but it's not our fault.
Okay, maybe we're the ones that post videos of people attempting ridiculous stunts and failing on the Internet. Maybe we're the ones that spend all of our money on over priced jeans. But we are not the ones who run this country.
Before I go on, I'd like to make it clear that I am in no way trying to diss any parents, adults or politicians except maybe the person who proposed the huge budget cut for the New York Public Library. I'm in high school. There's, like, four thousand teenagers trying to rebel politically/ socially/ religiously against their parents, surrounding me on a daily basis. Of course there are some beliefs that are difficult to accept, but I've managed pretty well the past four years. My point is, I don't really care if someone is Democrat, Republican, Liberal, whatever- I'm more concerned about which person is going to screw things up the least.
Some people screw things up pretty badly sometimes though. The New York City Council and Mayor have proposed a $33 million dollar budget cut for the New York Public Library. The NYPL had already received budget cuts the past couple of years forcing them to cut back on hours and services. With this new budget cut they will have to cut back hours even more, essentially only being open four days a week. Not only that, but employees would lose jobs, most services would be eliminated and the library would be unable to expand it's resources.
This is more than an inconvenience for many New Yorkers. How will the unemployed who've chosen to save on Internet costs, instead utilizing the library's Internet, find a job? How will the needy children who love to read and learn expand their knowledge? With a reduction of programs for kids and teens, what will young people do instead?
A library is not a luxury. Education and knowledge are essential for any society to grow. What would happen if the government suddenly decided to cut all funding for schools? Oh, sure, it might give them some extra money to fix some roads or whatever, but a few years down the line they'd be stuck with a bunch of unskilled, uneducated losers who are unable to support themselves. In the end it would cost more money to support them later on.
A budget cut will create more problems than it will solve. Ignoring and dealing with problems later on is not a good solution. Even my idiotic classmates know that. It's like the high school ABC's- "Deal with things as they come up, because it sucks to deal with them later on." We know that if you let all the little annoyances in a relationship build up, then you and your significant other wont last long. We know that trying to block that test we failed miserably out of our minds is useless and that we should just retake it right away.
People do stupid things and sometimes we need to point and laugh at them until they quit doing it. Sometimes we need to look beneath the stupid and see the genius.
Okay, maybe we're the ones that post videos of people attempting ridiculous stunts and failing on the Internet. Maybe we're the ones that spend all of our money on over priced jeans. But we are not the ones who run this country.
Before I go on, I'd like to make it clear that I am in no way trying to diss any parents, adults or politicians except maybe the person who proposed the huge budget cut for the New York Public Library. I'm in high school. There's, like, four thousand teenagers trying to rebel politically/ socially/ religiously against their parents, surrounding me on a daily basis. Of course there are some beliefs that are difficult to accept, but I've managed pretty well the past four years. My point is, I don't really care if someone is Democrat, Republican, Liberal, whatever- I'm more concerned about which person is going to screw things up the least.
Some people screw things up pretty badly sometimes though. The New York City Council and Mayor have proposed a $33 million dollar budget cut for the New York Public Library. The NYPL had already received budget cuts the past couple of years forcing them to cut back on hours and services. With this new budget cut they will have to cut back hours even more, essentially only being open four days a week. Not only that, but employees would lose jobs, most services would be eliminated and the library would be unable to expand it's resources.
This is more than an inconvenience for many New Yorkers. How will the unemployed who've chosen to save on Internet costs, instead utilizing the library's Internet, find a job? How will the needy children who love to read and learn expand their knowledge? With a reduction of programs for kids and teens, what will young people do instead?
A library is not a luxury. Education and knowledge are essential for any society to grow. What would happen if the government suddenly decided to cut all funding for schools? Oh, sure, it might give them some extra money to fix some roads or whatever, but a few years down the line they'd be stuck with a bunch of unskilled, uneducated losers who are unable to support themselves. In the end it would cost more money to support them later on.
A budget cut will create more problems than it will solve. Ignoring and dealing with problems later on is not a good solution. Even my idiotic classmates know that. It's like the high school ABC's- "Deal with things as they come up, because it sucks to deal with them later on." We know that if you let all the little annoyances in a relationship build up, then you and your significant other wont last long. We know that trying to block that test we failed miserably out of our minds is useless and that we should just retake it right away.
People do stupid things and sometimes we need to point and laugh at them until they quit doing it. Sometimes we need to look beneath the stupid and see the genius.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The Potentials
A couple of days ago, I was a girl who had no idea what next year would be like. Where was I going to be? Who was I going to be with? So many questions and so few answers.
Then votes were cast and decisions were made. I knew where I would be- all alone, in a strange state, far from the girls I've called my best friends for so many years. It seemed strange and lonely. I didn't want to be completely alone. Then I met the potentials.
This makes them sound kind of weird and mystical, but really they're just a group of girls going to the same school as me. Like me, they'll be all alone in a strange place. We talked and got along and things were going well.
Then the potentials became my roommies. Never have I been happier to have people to share my personal space with. Yes, we'll get on each other's nerves and fight and act like sisters, but that's what we're supposed to do.
Anyways, I'm really excited to get to know them better and even more excited to move in with them in the fall. I'm already planning on how I should decorate my room. I really like this fun, colorful bed set I found at Delia's: http://store.delias.com/browse.do?categoryKey=roomwares.island&splashTrack=room&incmpid=Room07
I want my room to be bright and colorful and fun, but still a nice space to study and relax. I plan on having lots of fun, but the reason I'm at college is to learn, so I need to make sure that happens too.
Anyways, I'd like to take this time to brag and say that I don't think that most people have this sort of wonderful experience when it comes to college. Most people really are all alone and they are kind of confused and lost. I already have my roommate clan though and I'm going to a great school, so everything is perfect!
Then votes were cast and decisions were made. I knew where I would be- all alone, in a strange state, far from the girls I've called my best friends for so many years. It seemed strange and lonely. I didn't want to be completely alone. Then I met the potentials.
This makes them sound kind of weird and mystical, but really they're just a group of girls going to the same school as me. Like me, they'll be all alone in a strange place. We talked and got along and things were going well.
Then the potentials became my roommies. Never have I been happier to have people to share my personal space with. Yes, we'll get on each other's nerves and fight and act like sisters, but that's what we're supposed to do.
Anyways, I'm really excited to get to know them better and even more excited to move in with them in the fall. I'm already planning on how I should decorate my room. I really like this fun, colorful bed set I found at Delia's: http://store.delias.com/browse.do?categoryKey=roomwares.island&splashTrack=room&incmpid=Room07
I want my room to be bright and colorful and fun, but still a nice space to study and relax. I plan on having lots of fun, but the reason I'm at college is to learn, so I need to make sure that happens too.
Anyways, I'd like to take this time to brag and say that I don't think that most people have this sort of wonderful experience when it comes to college. Most people really are all alone and they are kind of confused and lost. I already have my roommate clan though and I'm going to a great school, so everything is perfect!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Senioritis
With less than eight weeks left of school, it's safe to say that the all too common disease that tortures seniors every year across the country, has finally gotten to me. Actually, seniorities hit a while ago for me, which one of my teachers was kind enough to point out. Sorry, teach, but I'm so sick of going to your class every day. All I want is out. I have places to go. Places far, far away.
Senioritis has blown up to a very extreme case now that I've decided on the college I'll be going to in the fall. Like, I could pack my bags and leave right now. I'm ready to change my address and call a new place home. Yes, yes, I'll miss my friends dearly, but it's not like I'll never be home. I expect to be home pretty frequently actually. I mean, I could easily drive home for a weekend if I felt like it.
The hard part now is finding my roommates. How do you avoid getting stuck with living nightmares in your dorm? Lucky for me, the dorm I'll be staying in is a suite, so I'll have my own bedroom, but I'll be sharing a bathroom with one person and a living area with three other people. Lucky for me I have some family in the area and with the Internet finding roommates should be relatively easy.
This is so bad though. I'm already thinking of ways to decorate my dorm room. I'm already trying to figure out which classes I'll take. I'm already thinking about what I'll eat from the campus food courts and looking up restaurants in town. There's a point when senioritis reaches a destructive point and I think I'm at it.
Well, I shall try to cure my senioritis or at least ease the symptoms a bit. Until then, goodbye, dear Internet.
Senioritis has blown up to a very extreme case now that I've decided on the college I'll be going to in the fall. Like, I could pack my bags and leave right now. I'm ready to change my address and call a new place home. Yes, yes, I'll miss my friends dearly, but it's not like I'll never be home. I expect to be home pretty frequently actually. I mean, I could easily drive home for a weekend if I felt like it.
The hard part now is finding my roommates. How do you avoid getting stuck with living nightmares in your dorm? Lucky for me, the dorm I'll be staying in is a suite, so I'll have my own bedroom, but I'll be sharing a bathroom with one person and a living area with three other people. Lucky for me I have some family in the area and with the Internet finding roommates should be relatively easy.
This is so bad though. I'm already thinking of ways to decorate my dorm room. I'm already trying to figure out which classes I'll take. I'm already thinking about what I'll eat from the campus food courts and looking up restaurants in town. There's a point when senioritis reaches a destructive point and I think I'm at it.
Well, I shall try to cure my senioritis or at least ease the symptoms a bit. Until then, goodbye, dear Internet.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Best Bookmark Eva'
I'm one of those people who is way too concerned with other people's lives. Well, I'm way too concerned in the most selfish way possible. I'll sit quietly and listen to someone talk for hours, but most likely within the first two minutes they've told me something that I think is unique which leads me to creating this whole story in my head about their life based on that one little fraction of what they live.
That's probably the most confusing explanation I could have ever imagined. Let's put it this way- if someone tells me they have a pet poodle named George, then that's all I need to hear from them. If someone tells me something truly interesting I don't want the full story, because I make up the full story and I always like my version better.
Anyways, this all has to do with my love of secondhand stores. Anything that's been owned before and can be owned again has a story. Antique shops, used bookstores, vintage clothing- they all fascinate me. And I love more than anything the things that look like they actually belonged to someone. Sure the books that look like they were never opened are nice if you love the smell of new books, but the ones with crinkled pages and a worn out spine are the best. You can tell how the previous owner read. The absolute best thing though is when you find more than what the author intended. When someone has scribbled a note in the inside cover or left a picture of their dog that they'd used as a bookmark, my day is complete. It's the teeniest, tinest glimpse of a life.
Better yet- when you go to a thrift store and find soccer jersey's or school t-shirts. Gotta show spirit, ya know? For someone else's team/ school...But hey, if they aren't showing spirit, someone else should.
Anyways, I am now on a quest to find these things. Before it was more just, "Hey look at what's in this book I bought", but now I shall search far and wide to find the pieces of people's lives that they have so carelessly thrown away.
Also some updates, though the only person I know will read this probably already knows all these things, but I feel obligated in case somewhere in the future more people decide to read this and wish to know more about what is currently happening in my life.
That's probably the most confusing explanation I could have ever imagined. Let's put it this way- if someone tells me they have a pet poodle named George, then that's all I need to hear from them. If someone tells me something truly interesting I don't want the full story, because I make up the full story and I always like my version better.
Anyways, this all has to do with my love of secondhand stores. Anything that's been owned before and can be owned again has a story. Antique shops, used bookstores, vintage clothing- they all fascinate me. And I love more than anything the things that look like they actually belonged to someone. Sure the books that look like they were never opened are nice if you love the smell of new books, but the ones with crinkled pages and a worn out spine are the best. You can tell how the previous owner read. The absolute best thing though is when you find more than what the author intended. When someone has scribbled a note in the inside cover or left a picture of their dog that they'd used as a bookmark, my day is complete. It's the teeniest, tinest glimpse of a life.
Better yet- when you go to a thrift store and find soccer jersey's or school t-shirts. Gotta show spirit, ya know? For someone else's team/ school...But hey, if they aren't showing spirit, someone else should.
Anyways, I am now on a quest to find these things. Before it was more just, "Hey look at what's in this book I bought", but now I shall search far and wide to find the pieces of people's lives that they have so carelessly thrown away.
Also some updates, though the only person I know will read this probably already knows all these things, but I feel obligated in case somewhere in the future more people decide to read this and wish to know more about what is currently happening in my life.
- I have finished the first part of my math course and am currently working on the second half. It's still as boring and stupid as ever.
- I got accepted to eight colleges. In other words, I got accepted to every college I applied to.
- I am currently trying to decide which I should attend.
- I recently went to France and it was really cool.
- I've been reading lots of good books.
- My reading habits might have something to do with the fact that I don't have a prom date, but I kind of prefer books anyways. They are infinitely more fascinating than a prom date.
- LESS THAN NINE WEEKS UNTIL I GRADUATE!!!!
Okay, that's all. Mucho love!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Real Life Situations
- You are inviting at least 20 and at most 30 people to your birthday party. (You assume that if you invite this many people then maybe someone will show up.) You want four times as many people wearing blue shirts than people wearing orange shirts. Draw a graph to show the solutions.
My head spins with the agony of trying to solve the problem. My brain melts to goo as I try to wrap my mind around what any of it means. I would have better luck trying to understand a foreign language than trying to decipher the random numbers, letters and crazy looking symbols on the page.
If I were a superhero, graph paper would be my kryptonite. It has so many tiny lines. And how am I supposed to write any letter or number on this page? I have to carefully place every digit in it's own square, but it just winds up looking stupid anyways. Oh, graph paper, how I loathe thee!
Then I read a word problem. Thank, God. Something I understand. Words! And better yet, these word problems are supposed to show me how I can use this math in real life situations. Finally something logical comes out of all this madness! But, soon, I find myself severely disappointed.
This. Is. Absurd.
Math likes to think it's so important, but it isn't as special as it thinks. Math is like your high school prom queen. Since she's in a bunch of clubs and knows so many people and has so much money, she thinks that the school would completely fall apart without her. Well, maybe it would, but really how often are you like, "Wow, I really need that prom queen around right now?" Never. Math is like that. Mathematicians create these word problems that mention things like World Geography, Bake Sales, Psychology and Carnivals, to try to make you think that you use math in everyday situations. Math, like your prom queen, likes to prove that it can be a vital factor of your everyday life.
The key word here is can. Yes, I could use a complicated math problem to decide how many people should wear what colored shirt to my birthday party, but why would I? I mean, let's say I want to buy a rather expensive giant rubber band ball. I'm sure I could think of a billion situations in which it could be useful, but most of the time, it's just going to be sitting around doing nothing. Then, when the day comes that it actually is useful, I'll rub it in every one's faces. My giant rubber band ball was useful once, in the ten years I owned it. (I actually did at one point own a rubber band ball. It was mostly just fun to toss in the air...until I lost it.)
Okay, math is important. Without math, science would be just a bunch of nonsense. It's sort of like how spelling and grammar are important to reading and writing. So, I understand, math. You're alright. But don't try to pretend that you're cooler than you are. Because, well....You're not.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Is It My Good Looks?
302 e-mails. Three hundred and two!
I would love to say that my friends and family care about me so much that they feel the need to flood my inbox with adoring e-mails, but I'm afraid that is not the case. Every e-mail is from St. Whatever's University or Something- Something College. Schools I've never even heard of reminding me that the deadline to turn in applications is only a week away.
One question invades my mind on the verge of challenging my self-confidence, but really challenging the sanity of the world. Why, dear St. Whatever's and Something- Something, would you ever want me?
Well a sinister thought comes to mind. Could it be that they just want me for my money? I mean why else would places I've never even heard of come groveling at my feet? The tuition seems to support this theory. Does it not seem like I could save a significant amount of money by choosing to go to a different school or perhaps not going to school at all. The tuition is so high that at times, it seems as if the money I would make after getting a degree from any of these schools wouldn't even be enough to pay off the loans I would need. Sometimes it seems as if working hard to succeed in the fast food industry could be a better pay off than going to college. Though considering how much of a disaster I am at what seems like possibly one of the most mindless and simplest jobs in existence, perhaps, I should go to college.
Money can't be the answer though, because I kind of lack a lot of that. If I did choose to go to any of these school's I would need scholarships, loans, grants, the works! It must be something else. Perhaps my brains. Oh, my brains. Well, considering what I just said about my current job and how epically I fail at it, I think my brains are not what these zombies want. But a glance at my grades argues this fact. Not exactly zombie fine dining, but my brains could certainly provide a delicious treat to a nice zombie family. Maybe it's my brains.....Maybe.
Something feels off though. My lack of interest in anything this school says, my failure to acknowledge the countless e-mails they send, my referring to them as brain-eating, money hungry zombies. None of it seems to point to anything that this school could be interested in.
Then it hits me! Countless e-mails....but nothing in the mail. No brochures or pamphlets! What does this mean? Well, obviously, they need pictures. They need happy attractive students on campus so that they can look like the kind of school that any cool, fun-loving person looking for a good education would want to go to.
Alright St. Whatever's University and Something- Something College. I'll apply, but you better not reject me. You need my good looks. Trust me.
I would love to say that my friends and family care about me so much that they feel the need to flood my inbox with adoring e-mails, but I'm afraid that is not the case. Every e-mail is from St. Whatever's University or Something- Something College. Schools I've never even heard of reminding me that the deadline to turn in applications is only a week away.
One question invades my mind on the verge of challenging my self-confidence, but really challenging the sanity of the world. Why, dear St. Whatever's and Something- Something, would you ever want me?
Well a sinister thought comes to mind. Could it be that they just want me for my money? I mean why else would places I've never even heard of come groveling at my feet? The tuition seems to support this theory. Does it not seem like I could save a significant amount of money by choosing to go to a different school or perhaps not going to school at all. The tuition is so high that at times, it seems as if the money I would make after getting a degree from any of these schools wouldn't even be enough to pay off the loans I would need. Sometimes it seems as if working hard to succeed in the fast food industry could be a better pay off than going to college. Though considering how much of a disaster I am at what seems like possibly one of the most mindless and simplest jobs in existence, perhaps, I should go to college.
Money can't be the answer though, because I kind of lack a lot of that. If I did choose to go to any of these school's I would need scholarships, loans, grants, the works! It must be something else. Perhaps my brains. Oh, my brains. Well, considering what I just said about my current job and how epically I fail at it, I think my brains are not what these zombies want. But a glance at my grades argues this fact. Not exactly zombie fine dining, but my brains could certainly provide a delicious treat to a nice zombie family. Maybe it's my brains.....Maybe.
Something feels off though. My lack of interest in anything this school says, my failure to acknowledge the countless e-mails they send, my referring to them as brain-eating, money hungry zombies. None of it seems to point to anything that this school could be interested in.
Then it hits me! Countless e-mails....but nothing in the mail. No brochures or pamphlets! What does this mean? Well, obviously, they need pictures. They need happy attractive students on campus so that they can look like the kind of school that any cool, fun-loving person looking for a good education would want to go to.
Alright St. Whatever's University and Something- Something College. I'll apply, but you better not reject me. You need my good looks. Trust me.