Merry Christmas

Snowy Night
Where it's warm here by the fire
Here with you (here with you)
I have all that I desire
It's been a long year
But somehow we got by
Now it's Christmas Eve
And love is on our side
I don't need a hundred gifts beneath the tree
Don't you know the best thing you could give to me
Nothin' else will do,
All I want is you this Christmas

Children sing (children sing)
Christmas carols at our door
Spreading joy, (spreading joy)
That's what Christmas time is for
Though we don't have much
You've got me and I've got you
And with a little faith
Miracles come true

And I don't need a hundred gifts beneath the tree
Don't you know the best thing you could give to me
Nothin' else will do,
All I want is you this Christmas

I don't want the love any other girl
I want only thing in this whole wide world
Nothing else will do
All I want is you this Christmas

Cheek to cheek
The lights are low
A kiss beneath the mistletoe
Your face lit by the fire's glow That's all I want tonight
And I don't need a hundred gifts beneath the tree
Don't you know the best thing you could give to me
Nothin' else will do,
All I want is you this Christmas
Nothing else will do
All I want is you this Christmas
_________________________

I love you.
Merry Christmas to all.

Cliche Question 2: How Are You?

Normal dialogue:
Person A: How are you?
Me: Fine. You?
Person A: Good.

Ok, now lets just make this entire thing completely honest now.
Person A: I don't give a damn about how you are doing right now, you look hungover and like a cat with a seizure did your hair.
Me: Damn this, I was walking through a wind tunnel and I haven't slept in about 2 days.
Person A: (walk by)
Me: (walk by)

Ok, so maybe the first scenario seems really nice but honestly, if we keep repressing this stuff in some dark twisty place, we're all going to snap one day and then we'll really find out just how "fine" we are.

TWLOHA

Today is TWLOHA, which stands for To Write Love On Her Arms.

-Every 20 seconds someone dies from committing suicide. (WHO)
Literally count to 20 in your head. Think about that.

The purpose of TWLOHA is to put the issues of self harm and suicide into the public eye by using a simple but meaningful gesture.

Today, we remember Antony Dominic, and many others.

100 Inside Jokes/Buzz Words/Stories

1. win=when
2. Oregon does not rhyme with polygon
3. Blue munchies
4. "cahfee"
5. headache'b'gone
   
6. double fist and cuddle
7. "I'm only letting her nom on my arm because she's drunk"
   
8. Arizona iced tea container
   
9. The Island
   
10. "At least T is face up"
11. CARnegie vs CarnEGIE
    
12. weekend omelets
13. TFLN
    
14. pushups
15. PBR vs Keystone night at Sig Ep
    
16. sleep playlists
17. ski hips
    
18. The Notebook
19. beginning sentences with the word "Which"
    
20. P&K sleeping
    
21. "Darling it's better down where it's wetter"
22. ice skating
    
23. "puntables"
    
24. "I didn't know it was possible to third wheel in a bed"
25. Charlene and the espresso shots
26. "I didn't recognize you...without the hand cuffs"
    
27. cocky jock
28. History of the World Pt 1
    
29. Nemo
    
30. Dr. Pepper night
31. return from winter break
    
32. 3:30
33. pugs vs "real dogs"
    
34. Monopoly
35. Veronica
    
36. scar
    
37. "Oh so this one time..."
    
38. "Shrek!" "Donkey!"
    
39. Low by Flo Rida
    
40. mushrooms lead to hiccups
41. footprints on the window
    
42. "sweet candy"
43. The Birdcage
44. 10
45. mint and tea tree oil
46. Vicks and benedryl
    
47. 2 hours
    
48. verbally or non-verbally?
49. Sage
50. pocket surprise
51. Walgreens
    
52. Arizona Orangeade
53. Troy lights
    
54. Lo Portos
    
55. pregame
56. Plum Blossom on Mothers Day
    
57. traffic cone
58. French dinner
    
59. tree climbing
60. Visual Culture paper on Shit Bricks
    
61. PJ pants
62. two fists+some
    
63. koala
64. sunshine
65. Hogwarts
    
66. Ginos on Easter
    
67. ski trip 2010
68. Black and Blue disc chairs
    
69. shower guy
70. Sig Ep
71. Taco Night
    
72. Re appropriation of Bday gift
    
73. rock paper scissors
74. Castle
75. Octavia
    
76. Wireless mouse
77. movie induced narcolepsy
    
78. pajamas
79. Thank-you Robin
    
80. walking by the pond
81. haircuts
    
82. Sharpie art
    
83. Gen Psych
84. my jeans
85. french braids
    
86. polka dots
    
87. bribing with O'brownies
    
88. Joe Cocker song
89. Tuesdays
    
90. puppy dog eyes
91. highlighter art
    
92. smile trade
93. Prof. A in leather boots
    
94. purple shirt and orange shirt
    
95. sneeze=1/8
96. dripping sweat
97. Another One Bites The Dust
98. 45º
    
99. Queen song
100. "my hair"

Cliche Question 1: What Is Your Major?

Ask any college student what they are studying, they have a rehearsed answer to this question. It's usually a clear, no nonsense answer that is easy to rattle off without thinking. I hate hearing this question. It's a safe question, no doubt about it. Everyone in college has some major. Even if it's "undeclared" it's still somewhat of a hodgepodge of majors. It's such a bland question and it doesn't tell you an ounce of information about the person. You should ask what they are interested, instead of pigeonholing them to one specific thing. By choosing a major, a person has the tools to set down their path in life, but they are not bound to that path. We shouldn't worry about majors as much as what interest them. People who do what interest them are happier and therefore they add more to the world than someone who is unhappy and it caries out of the workplace.

When we analyze art, we look for deeper meaning in it. A critic is

First of all, when we analyze art, when we look for deeper meaning in it, we are enjoying it for what it is. Because that is one of the things about art, be it highbrow, lowbrow, mainstream, or avant-garde: Some sort of thought went into its making — even if the thought was, “I’m going to do this as thoughtlessly as possible”! — and as a result, some sort of thought can be gotten from its reception. That is why, among other things, artists (including, for instance, James Cameron) really like to talk about their work.

Inspiration

The occasional person will look at a piece of artwork and ask me what inspires me.

This is quite a difficult question to tackle, and rarely do I have thick enough shoulder pads to counterattack with a touchdown answer because so much of what inspires me is drawn randomly from my life. Things that I find inspiring derive from vast assortment of situations, scenarios, daydreams, environments, and even little things that creak in the nighttime. I guess it's appropriate to answer the question with another question; "Inspires me to do what?". It is obviously a personal question fueled by one's own interpretation of "inspiration". From there it is easy to see how that opens a whole new can of worms...ok, let's forget the worms, those things are kind of gross anyways.

I mean if someone were to threaten to waterboard me I'd probably say something along the lines of

Literature
1. Stotan
2. A Beautiful Mind
3. In Joy Still Felt
4. Master and Margarita
5. The Little Prince
6. Whale Talk
7. Without You
8. I Can't Tell You
9. 1984
10. Farenheit 451
Recording
1. Vienna by Billy Joel
2. Try Not To Breathe by R.E.M.
3. Warning Sign by Coldplay
4. The Journey by Mpulz
5. Tidal Wave by Owl City
6. In Her Eyes by Josh Groban
7. Finale B by Jonathan Larson
8. Saras Band by Mannheim Steamroller
9. The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel
10. Love of the Common People by Bruce Springsteen
Film
1. The Little Princess
2. Rent
3. October Sky
4. Baraka
5. Dirty Dancing
6. The Notebook
7. The Truman Show
8. A Clockwork Orange
9. I'm Not There
10. Brokeback Mountain

I mean, lists are an easy way out of things, but honestly, I would want an easy answer if I were approaching the alternative of being water boarded. However, this threat is not imminent at this present time, so allow me to take a step beyond the idea of somewhat materialistic things that inspire.

For example, I enjoy a great deal of soft rock and classical music. You might call me an escapist, which is more to say that I enjoy thinking about what the world would be like if it were different...better than it currently is. This thought is odd, but at the same time it puts me within the broad plane of idealism.

Given paint and a canvas I can forget my surroundings yet still be highly sensory. It is almost as if I am closing my eyes to what I do not want to see and directing my focus onto my present object of affection. I love painting material that neither suggests nor blatantly tells me exactly how to represent it. It just sort of falls onto the canvas will a little prodding.

Life is so beautiful, and when I paint the world becomes even more beautiful still because I must pause and focus on the little nuances and shadows that make the sky shine and the clouds dark. I'll be the first one to admit that I haven't figure out a single damn thing about life, but as the days go by the more a realize that I have no interest in living for myself. My focus is much more upon things unseen. I realize that I am being a bit elusive, but it shouldn't be that difficult to discern my true meaning.

Every second is fine because that is ultimately the way that it must be. You can only alter the present, but by the time you are done hesitating it has passed you by.

That alone, unequivical kick in the ass, and reason enough to motivate and inspire me.

Airports

Airports captivate me. I mean it seems like it is the central waiting point for everyone. Everyone there is waiting to come or go somewhere. Ther's really nothing to do and nowhere to go before your flights is ready. You sit there, maybe do some work, reread last night's texts, or you sort of slouch in your chair like a zombie and stare into space. It's impossible not to notice a million things around you, and honestly, the surge of new people is both thrilling and depressing. You might meet the love of your live, your new best friend, or someone else that will have a huge impact on your life. Or you could get lost in the crowd forever. You see strangers, you wonder where they're from, where they're going, and what is their motivation for making this journey. The airport is a place for travelers and perpetual motion. Inside an airport there is so much living going on, and so many trips being taken physically, spiritually and emotionally. Not only are you a witness to these journeys, but you too, are embarking on a journey.

Waiting at an airport you know that beyond the gates, beyond the clouds everyone is waiting. Some are hesitating, some are wishing for time to speed up. Some people don't even know what they are waiting for. Maybe it's because waiting is comfortable because we all know what it is like. People here are content, some are entirely discontent with their entire lives. Some people love waiting because it gives them a break, others hate it because it gives their mind time to wander. Some people are tired of waiting. They dislike the unknown.

Airports are formulaic. They're process oriented and not meant to entertain. Waiting is common all around the world. Waiting in Rome is exactly the same as it is waiting in Seattle, or New York City. It's no reason to wish the time away though. Boredom is your own fault. It is fueled by your desire to be somewhere else and doing something else.

Why would you want to fast forward hours or even minutes? Even I'm guilty of that day dream. I've wanted to just get to my destination as soon as possible, and just bypass the journey. I'm not proud of that day dream. I don't want to wish my life away, the days and seconds that I would wish away will be far too valuable down the road. I cannot plan my last day, I could pass into eternity in a hundred years or tomorrow. I need to appreciate the time I have been given because it is not something I can count on always being there.

Yes, airports are difficult places to truly be present in the moment, but if you refuse to try to live in the current world, then you are cheating yourself. I'm tired of waiting zombie-like. I am sick of wishing I was there already. I want to be able to see the surrounding beauty without having to pull on my rose colored glasses.

I mean, this is my life. I am who I want to be, and my life is dictated by a series of choices I make and my reaction to surrounding environmental incidents.

October 20

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSFUvpmdVp8

Reasons That Gay Marriage is Wrong
(taken from http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=162245191716&topic=11279)

1. Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, birth control and air conditioning.

2. Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

3. Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

4. Marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all: women are property, matches are arranged in childhood, blacks can't marry whites, Catholics can't marry Jews, divorce is illegal, and adultery is punishable by death

5. Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

6. Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

7. Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

8. Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

9. If we look to the word of God, His punishment for sexual immorality is equal to that of murder. Therefore, teaching kids to tolerate homosexuality is equal to teaching them to tolerate murder.

10. Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

11. Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy (insurance, government, tourism, banking, retail, education, and social services), suburban malls, or longer life spans.

12. Gay marriage should be decided by people not the courts, because the majority-elected legislatures, not courts, have historically protected the rights of the minorities.

13. Civil unions, providing most of the same benefits as marriage with a different name are better, because a “seperate but equal” institution is always constitutional. Seperate schools for African-Americans worked just as well as seperate marriages for gays and lesbians will.

14. There is no separation between religious marriage and legal marriage, because there is no separation of church and state.

15. Devout, faithful Anglicans should never accept same-sex marriage, because it is an affront to the traditional family values upheld by Henry VIII and his wife, Catherine of Aragon, and his wife, Anne Boleyn, and his wife, Jane Seymour, and his wife, Anne of Cleves, and his wife, Catherine Howard, and his wife, Catherine Parr. They all knew the meaning of marriage and none of them lost their heads over the matter.

16. Married gay people will encourage others to be gay, in a way that unmarried gay people do not.

17. Legalizing gay marriage will lead to legalizing dog marriage. This can be inferred from the history of other political initiatives for gender equality. For example, when American women got the right to vote in 1920, it led to terriers voting in 1925, and when Title IX was passed in 1972 to prevent sex discrimination in any federally-funded school, resulting in the creation of athletic opportunities for girls, it led to Bichon Frises on the basketball court during the Reagan administration.

18. Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to legislative change in general, which could possibly include the legalization of polygamy, incest, medical marijuana, and unmuzzled pit bulls. Because we don’t know what might come down the next slippery slope, we should never change any law.

19. Legal marriage will inspire gays to mimic straight traditions, such as spiritual commitment ceremonies and celebratory parties, which is currently impermissible for them to do and which they have never done before.

20. Marriage is designed to protect the well-being of children. Gay people do not need marriage because they never have children from prior relationships, artificial insemination, surrogacy, or adoption.

21. Civil unions are a good option because "separate but equal" institutions are always constitutional. In fact, compared with marriage, civil unions are so attractive that straight people are calling dibs on them.

22. A man should not be able to marry whomever a woman can marry, and a woman should not be able to marry whomever a man can marry, because in this country we do not believe in gender equality.

23. If gays marry, some of straight people's tax dollars would end up supporting families whose structure they may find morally objectionable. Clearly, it is more just to continue taking gay people's tax dollars to support straight families, who are going to heaven regardless of what anyone else thinks of them.

24. Gays should hold off on the marriage question until society is more accepting of them, because they are not part of society.

25. The people's voice must be heard on this issue. Therefore, we must have a vote on a federal constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, because we can't think of any other way to discuss the issue.

26. Each state should decide for itself whether gay marriage will be recognized, because there is no "full faith and credit" clause that requires states to recognize each other's institutions.

27. Gay marriage attempts to replace natural heterosexual instinct with a cultural institution. Morality demands that we subordinate institutionalized commitment to raw, unfettered, biological impulse.

28. Gay marriages could very well suffer maladies like domestic violence and substance abuse. That's why we invented the Quality Control department to pre-approve the righteousness of all marriage applicants.

29. Those who support gay marriage aim to overthrow the dominant culture, as evidenced by their enthusiasm to participate in it.

30. If the state performs gay marriages, Christians might become more liberal and divide into more mutually opposed parties. Since the government is an arm of the church and is responsible for keeping the peace in Christian leadership councils, it should not get involved with gay marriage.

31. After gay marriage was legalized in Scandinavian countries in 2004, more heterosexual couples realized they wanted to live together and bear children without marrying first. Banning gay marriage is a good way to prevent this practice, as is banning independent thought and mandating straight marriage by age 21.

32. Heterosexual marriage was invented in the Biblical book of Genesis. Written somewhere between 1500 and 500 BCE, Genesis came as a great relief to people in many cultures, such as China, who, prior to 1500 BCE, sat around waiting for the Mesopotamians to invent the family unit.

33. Gay marriage would allow more partners and children to sign onto the family breadwinner's healthcare plan. Given that 44 million Americans do not have health insurance, it is safe to say that health insurance is not an American value.

34. The possibility of getting a gay marriage might encourage some married heterosexuals to divorce and seek a gay union instead. These marriages were obviously happy and successful, and the justices who provide gay second marriages should be charged with alienation of affection.

35. Gay marriage may hurl the populace into existential crisis and cause spontaneous divorces. Divorce triggers our moral hemorrhaging, but we will keep it legal. It is easier to seek the criminalization of gay marriage than the criminalization of divorce, particularly because most of us have had a few divorces.

36. Gay marriage is tainted because some of the applicants might be divorcees marrying for the second time. We oppose remarriage, and would like to ensure that no one marries more than once; therefore we will oppose the entire institution of marriage, to ensure that no one ever marries at all. That casts the net wide enough to catch all the would-be second-timers.

37. The people have the right to demand to vote on a Massachusetts constitutional amendment against gay marriage. There is no reason for proposed amendments to go through the state Legislature first, as is constitutionally required, because the Legislature doesn't spend all that many paid hours sitting around discussing the legal ramifications on behalf of ordinary citizens who are too busy with their own jobs to figure out everything at stake.

38. The arguments for gay marriage are flawed because Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry has made inconsistent statements about gay marriage, and he is known for his consistency on other issues.

39. Married gay couples will find it easier to adopt children, who might then be bullied and teased by other children for who their parents are. This reflects poorly on the judgment of gays who adopt children with the risk that their child could possibly be teased. It does not, of course, imply anything about the responsibilities of heterosexual parents, whose children only pick up rocks for geological interest and couldn't have been listening when their parents made those comments about their neighbors.

40. Children of married gay couples might suffer bullying and teasing more often than children of unmarried gay couples, because playground bullies are sensitive to the nuances of contract law.

41. It is reasonable and fair to institute "civil unions" that provide all the rights and responsibilities of marriage, but we cannot apply the holy, mystical word "marriage" to this contract. Deriving from the Latin maritare, "marriage" evokes the dignity of the typical Roman man who engaged in licentious sex with both sexes until he reached middle age, at which time he maritared a teenage girl to bear his children.

42. According to the three proposed "compromise" Massachusetts constitutional amendments defeated by the Legislature on Feb. 11 and 12, 2004, the best way to "protect the unique relationship of [heterosexual] marriage" is to institute civil unions that are in every way identical to it.

43. God created the institution of marriage, just after he created 2.9% APR automobile financing, student loans, HMOs, and divorce.

44. We must defer to the President's opinion on gay marriage, since the Republican party was given its authority by God. As it is written: "Republican and Democrat created He them." Paul elaborated: "Democrats, submit to the Republican."

45. In San Francisco, where renegade officials have married same-sex couples for the past several weeks, experts suggest that the city may suffer an earthquake in about ten years. Geological experts, that is. But good Christians don't recognize the opinion of Earth scientists, who falsely claim the Earth is 4.5 billion years old; they get their seismic information from their preachers, who say the earthquake's coming next week.

46. Allowing same-sex marriage could increase gay public displays of affection, because marriage has historically been proven to stimulate couples' interest in sex.

47. Making civil marriage available to same-sex couples could spur the wedding industry, and businesses would sure hate to pay taxes on all that profit.

48. Straight men are opposed to gay marriage because they would prefer that gay men try to be straight and compete with them for access to women, trimming down the pool of eligible dates to make courtship more challenging and exciting.

49. The country can't afford to provide benefits for any more married couples. That's why President Bush would never consider spending $150 million on programs that encourage more straight people to get married.

50. Gay marriage is wrong because children might be led to think that it is right and that would clearly be wrong.

Commando?

I should explain. My two best friends for the longest time were Army brats. Born and raised in various European countries, they learned "the Queen's English". Their conversation has a definite British twang to it, that I've learned to somewhat disregard. Even though it is faint, it still comes out at some of the most awkward times.

D, my male friend, and I were walking down the street one night after a cocktail reception for a music recital of his. I was wearing a dress, and he was of course dressed in a tux.
Here was the conversation that ensued.

D: It's a bit chilly tonight. Isn't it A?
Me: You think you're cold. At least you're wearing pants!

D, ever proper looked at me an turned a deep shade of burgundy (I've been told he can do this quickly because of his Irish heritage). I looked at him quizically, and he seemed to snap to reality.

Well, he explained to me, in England, pants are underwear...which are knickers, which are decidedly not trousers. In his mind, in the midst of children and drunken men I had just announced (rather loudly), that I was going commando. Which I wasn't.

Ah...wishful thinking much D? I think so. =)

Food For Thought

"But would you kindly ponder this question: What would your good do if
evil didn't exist, and what would the earth look like if all the shadows
disappeared? After all, shadows are cast by things and people. Here is the
shadow of my sword. But shadows also come from trees and living beings.
Do you want to strip the earth of all trees and living things just because
of your fantasy of enjoying naked light? You're stupid."
-Mikhail Bulgakov (Master and Margarita)

Happy Birthday to Me

Tidbits of Wisdom
(disclaimer: all learned in 2 decades)

1. You have no control over who you fall in love with
2. Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing to do are the exact same thing
3. Live Love and Learn. Pass it on.
   
4. People are mortal. Memories are not.
5. Just because you live far far away doesn't mean you can't still love that person
6. An orgy isn't always what you think it is
7. Just when you think your life is bad, more shit hits the windshield
8. Conversely, when life is good, enjoy every minute of it
9. It is okay to break down
   
10. Don't do drugs.
    
11. Also, don't drink alcoholically. It's a nasty downward spiral
12. Insomnia is both a blessing and a curse
13. The most difficult thing to accept is the unknown
14. Patriots fans are annoying as shit
    
15. A friend is someone who cares about you, and likes you for who you are
16. Sometimes it's the words you don't say that matter the most
17. You decide what you want to be for the rest of your life
18. Walgreens is open later than Rite Aid
19. Photography shoots can be fun
    
20. Your first kiss with someone should give you butterflies, not heartache
    
21. Find something that makes you feel alive and do it often
22. Don't microwave soap
23. The title of "best friend" should not obscure the person behind it
    
24. Workaholics don't enjoy life to the fullest
25. Love sort of sneaks up and bites you on the ass when you least expect it
    
26. Skyping at 1am is one of the few ways to stop back spasms
    
27. Baby socks are adorable
28. Procrastination is not worth it. Especially when it comes to matters of health.
29. Even boys cry sometimes
    
30. Karma exists
31. I can no longer even smell beef Ramen
    
32. Develop a backup plan
33. Don't let people talk you into pole vaulting
    
34. Laughing during Romeo and Juliet is highly inappropriate and will not be tolerated by QV staff
    
35. Do what you love
    
36. You'll laugh at the stupid things down the road
    
37. Being proposed to isn't the end of the world
    
38. Wanting something doesn't mean it is the best thing for you
    
39. Never settle for anything less than the real thing
    
40. Bringing religion up in every conversation does not make you religious
    
41. Rock, Paper, Scissors can be a very fun game
    
42. Just because someone has a title doesn't mean they deserve it
    
43. Don't assume you will be the crazy cat lady
    
44. When you give up on me, it makes it that much harder to listen to you when you have a problem
    
45. Cops are looking to make quota at the end of the month, be careful driving
    
46. If you think he's gay, he probably is
    
47. Swine flu was a bad choice
    
48. Apparently I should be more confident (?)
    
49. There's only so much shit you should have to put up with
50. The male IQ drops about 40 points once they cross the threshold into Victoria's Secret
51. Music is a good way to connect with people
    
52. Sidney Crosby is a nice guy
53. You really don't know what you have until you almost lose it
    
54. Anthony Rapp is gay (aka having a crush on him is rather pointless)
    
55. Going to church often doesn't make you holier than thou
    
56. It is very possible to sleep in the middle half of the bed
    
57. Kissing someone in Disney doesn't mean you are dating in Pittsburgh (?)
    
58. You might be the world to someone and you'll never know
    
59. The best things in life are often the simplest
    
60. Forever seems like a long time, but it can be reached a day at a time
    
61. There is only so much you can do
    
62. Gunpowder can indeed be manufactured in a basement laboratory
    
63. Replacing the batteries makes it way better
    
64. Subtlety is overrated
    
65. Don't ask for an opinion unless you want an honest answer
    
66. A smile from you makes my day
    
67. Watching macho guys play with little animals or babies makes me melt
    
68. Familiarity is often comforting
    
69. The first goodbye is always the hardest
70. Give a guy a condom and he will have sex in a boxcar with a somewhat random girl
    
71. The middle of the night is a good time to think
    
72. Abuse is more common than you think, and it is easier to rationalize it the closer gets to you
    
73. Holding the one you love for the first time after a long time apart can bring tears of joy to your eyes
    
74. Live for moments of whimsy
    
75. Pretending to be someone you are not is stupid
    
76. Just being there for a friend is oftentimes the best thing you can do
    
77. Everyone needs a hug sometimes
    
78. There are things in your life that truly take your breath away
    
79. Girls night is frustrating for males
80. Sushi is interesting
    
81. We're all going to die anyway
    
82. Nutella fixes a lot of things
    
83. Understanding that you've outgrown a friendship takes maturity and courage
    
84. Performing on stage is just not my cup of tea
    
85. You can't hide forever
86. Loving someone makes you vulnerable
    
87. I am not the most graceful
    
88. Circus living is not all the media makes it out to be
    
89. I am top heavy
    
90. "Imagine there's no heaven"
    
91. Rice is rather difficult to make
    
92. Suicide is a move of despair
    
93. I cannot sing to save my life
    
94. During difficult times, your true friends will remain by your side
    
95. Having a nervous breakdown is not your fault
    
96. When the whole world stops when someone walks into a room, you've found the one
    
97. A dream is a wish your heart makes
    
98. Love indiscriminately and as fully as you dare
    
99. Never judge anyone until you've walked a mile or more in their shoes
    
100. You are who you are when no one else is looking
     

H. O. X.

Today i would like to talk about an epidemic that is affecting millions upon millions of women, myself included, worldwide. What is this epidemic you ask, its called H.O.X. or Hooked On X. he has ravishing good looks, a body that some say was chiseled by the gods, he can make the panties drop with just one look, women within a 3.14 mile radius swoon for him, and he can seduce anything, and i mean anything, whether it be a women, man, or animal. women everywhere want to have the sex on him! how does one man live with this burden? he takes it in stride and looks fabulous while doing it. now i bet you are wondering what some of the symptoms of H.O.X. are and do i have H.O.X.? symptoms are women can not control themselves when hes around and he causes temporary blindness, but don't fret for it is only natural and yes you do have it! now you are probably asking yourself is there a cure? no there is not. my advice to you is soak it up and enjoy it while it last because you will miss it whens its gone.

Religion- As Taken From A Discussion With R

I realized a few weekends ago
how many people actually listen to every word of the mass?
how many people know what transubstantiation is?
how many people recognize what they are doing beyond a 2nd grade level when they get communion?
I mean, yes, CCD is nice, but do people recognize the symbolism behind everything?

don't want to be afraid or humble
I want to stand up and be proud of what I did for others
and for the world as a whole

X never really goes to church
but
he believes
thats the sort of religion I want

I mean
don't get me wrong
god is great
god is good

I'm catholic
sorta
kinda
more humanitarian transcendentalism
because
I'm okay with abortion
and I also believe in gay marriage
quite strongly
and I love love love condoms
and let's not even get into premarital sex

Sign

One thing that’s become a big part of my life recently is learning sign language. I don’t know why this language has taken a hold of me so strongly. I think it’s partly because I’m expressive to begin with, and that is what that language calls for, but it’s also because it’s such a beautiful language. There are signs that describe the actual meaning of the words better than just spoken words ever could. Take “pity”. When you say “pity” in sign language, you keep your hands open, but only brush your middle fingers on your heart. You then take that movement from you heart to motion your hands to the person whom you feel pity for. Is there a better interpretation of pity? Sign language is an expression of a language that hearing people can’t understand until they watch someone talk in sign. It’s almost a dance, a dance of our usual lives, just made much more expressive and beautiful. I don’t know, I guess it’s also because the deaf community is looked on as stupid, “dumb”, can’t understand anything. But sadly, they can see things that are wrong with the world much better, because they don’t have to listen for it, they only see. And how can we truly see when we are so deafened by sound?

I encourage all of you to watch this video, because it simbolizes what I feel about sign language. The deaf community do not necessarily want to hear, but they do want the world to change it's views that THEY ARE NOT DUMB!

Go to http://dpan.com/
Click on VIDEOS in the upper left corner
Go down to the third video entitled "Waiting on the World to Change"

How To Make An Allison

Ingredients:

1 shot of sarcasm
1/2 a cup of uniqueness
a dash of intelligence
Season to taste with humor, wit, and passion


Add to cocktail shaker and mix vigorously. Serve in a chilled fashion.
Do not over indulge.

*Drink Responsiblity

Chatham Majors and What They Mean

Accounting: How to Spend Shit
Art History: Old Pretty Shit
Arts Management: More Pretty Shit
Biochemistry: Why Does Shit Stay Alive
Biology: This Shit Is Alive
Botany: This Plant Is Alive
Business: Money and Shit
Business Economics: More Money and Shit
Chemistry: Dangerous Shit
Communications: How to Talk and Shit
Creative Writing: How to Write Pretty Shit
Cultural Studies: Different People and Shit
Economics: Why We Spend Money On Shit
Education: How To Teach and Shit
Engineering: How To Make Scientific Shit
English: How To Read and Write and Shit
Environmental Biology: How To Save The Environment And Shit
Environmental Chemistry: Continue the Shit From Above
Environmental Policy: Legally Do Shit Above
Environmental Science: How To Save The Environment And Shit
Environmental Studies: Wanting to Save The Environment And Shit
Exercise Science: Working Out and Shit
Film and Digital Technology: Movies and Shit
Forensics: Dead People and Shit
French & Francophone Studies: French Talking and Shit
Government:Politics and Shit
History: Old Shit
Interior Architecture: Inside Shit
International Business: Global Money and Shit
International Studies: The World and Shit
Management: Run Shit
Marketing: Sell Shit
Mathematics: How To Calculate Shit
Music: How To Make Shit Sound Prety
Nursing: How To Take Care of People Who Feel Like Shit
Philosophy: Thinking and Shit
Physics: Why Shit Should Fall
Policy Studies: Why Shit Should Happen
Psychology: Thinking About Shit
Social Work: Helping People and Shit
Visual Arts: Make Pretty Shit
Women's Studies: Women and Shit
Writing: Writing About Shit

***Please Reference Previous Entry in July 2010
This Is Nothing Against Chatham or Their Majors

Love Song

If I were a composer I’d write a song for you, every phrase a phase in our love, every crescendo rising to the utmost harmony of us together. Resting rarely, for the silence could indicate tenseness between us. Fermatas would reveal the story of our love and how we will sustain through until the ultimate end. The refrain would never breathe, because you, my inspiration for this whole thing, leave me breathless. The chorus would rise and fall with every breath you took, and every beat of your heart would be marked with the staccato of a snare drum. Legato drawn, adagio phrases would paint pictures of our struggles as they echoed hauntingly in the lonely key of C-, while tiny accidentals would prove that we can indeed change the tone and modulate to happier times. If I could write a song, there would be a whole divisi section showcasing our beautiful synchrony and harmony together. There would be no counterpoint there, same beat, same time; slightly different notes blending sonorously together like our voices. The notes would be skipping, falling out of the instruments, not just blurring together as if someone held the piano pedal. If I could write a song, every black mark, every swirl of a clef, every bit of white space and black line would be for you. I’d write it to watch you smile, to see your happiness. I want you to be happy. You deserve it more than anyone I know.

I Am

I am far from what you would expect.
I am the wing that is broken.
I am the one you would not accept.
The words you left unspoken.
I am the feel of the wind in your hair.
I am the question of tomorrow.
I am the feelings you never could bare.
The hope that you will borrow.
I am the one who'd walk through fire for you.
And you're the one who'd never see.
I gave up everything I had.
Yet, you still don't notice me.

Falling Water

I never thought that I would have the chance to see this house. The summer when I saw it was brutal in terms of serious family health issues. Guess what? I saw it thanks to someone who recognized that I needed a break from the chaos at home. Someone who realized that I had been in love with the house since the day I laid eyes on it. Someone who has been there for me through thick and thin. Someone who knows me better than I know myself sometimes. That someone is someone very special to me and means the world to me.

Thoughts/Reflections from Trip to Rome

1. The coffee there is AMAZING. It doesn't jolt you awake with caffeine, but rather, it calms you down and relaxes you. Then, when you're done, you can stand up and greet the day calmly.
   
2. The country has an obsession with sm0king and graffiti
3. Italian moped drivers are legally insane
4. It is indeed one of the most romantic places on earth
   
5. Risotto-even though it has lemon in it- does not always produce the best after-effects
6. Carbs are fine, especially when you walk everywhere
7. The table wine is really pretty good
8. Tourists are annoying as hell
9. So are tourist trap restaurants
10. Gelato is amazing
    
11. A lot of people speak English or French
12. The best way to not look like a tourist is to put your phone away and enjoy the sites
    
13. The Spanish steps are lovely
14. Air Conditioning is wonderful, but old stone churches work just as well
    
15. Roman plumbing systems are interesting...
    
16. Even older couples are heavy on the PDA
17. Cars are smaller and more compact
18. If you're not sure what it is, order it and find out
    
19. There are few fat Romans
20. The level of graffiti on a metro car indicates the condition of the inside
    
21. Rome is filthy, but beautiful
22. Tivoli is touristy, but there are so many paths to wander around that you don't notice it that much
23. Roman men are quite romantic towards their significant others
    
24. Italian pharmacies are wonderful =)
    
25. You can get anywhere via subway
26. There are a lot of street musicians and artists
27. The bidet is easy to trip over
28. Romans do not understand strapless bras
    
29. Lunch is typically a fast meal
    
30. Suits get sort of smelly after three weeks of sweating in them
    
31. The bread is good the pasta is better
32. Casual dress is somewhat dressy in Rome, but formal attire is not always as formal as in the US
    
33. Maps are a wonderful thing
34. The Synagogue in Rome is exquisite
    
35. Roman nightlife starts at around 11pm
    
36. Flat irons are not meant to go into adapters
37. The lack of a strict drinking age is rather nice
    
38. World Cup= Superbowl in the states
39. Pillows are a hot commodity...so are blankets
    
40. The arts thrive in Rome, there are so many hidden art stores and galleries on the side streets
    
41. Nuns are wonderful at sneaking you into the Vatican for free
    
42. The more touristy an area, the more pickpockets thrive
43. Coffee is amazing, and probably the cheapest beverage you could ever order there
44. Conversely, water gets really expensive
45. The women there are not shy about showing off their assets
46. The airport has quite a unique layout

RPI Majors To What They Actually Mean

Major ==>Actual Major

Aeronautical Engineering:Why Shit Flies

Applied Physics:Why Shit Falls

Architecture:How to Design Shit

Biochemistry and Biophysics:Why Does Shit Stay Alive

Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology:How Shit Stays Alive

Biology:This Shit is Alive

Biomedical Engineering:How to Keep Shit Alive When It Shouldn't Be

Building Sciences:How to Build Shit

Chemical Engineering:How to Make Dangerous Shit

Chemistry:Dangerous Shit

Civil Engineering:How to Make Shit Safe

Cognitive Science:How We Think About Shit

Communication:How to Talk and Shit

Computer Science:How to Program Shit

Computer and Systems Engineering:How to Make Shit to Program

Design, Innovation, and Society:How to Make Useless Shit

Economics:How to Make Money and Shit

Electric Power Engineering:How to Give Shit Electricity

Electrical Engineering:How to Make Electrical Shit

Electronic Arts:How to Make Virtual Shit

Electronic Media, Arts, and Communication: How to Make Virtual Shit Continued

Engineering Physics:How to Make Shit Seem Useful

Engineering Science :How to Make Shit Useful

Environmental Engineering:How to Save the Environment and Shit

Environmental Science:How to Make It Look Like You're Saving the Environment and Shit

Games and Simulation:How to Make Shit Seem Real

Arts & Sciences:Arts n' Shit

Geology:Ground n' Shit

Hydrogeology :Water n' Shit

Industrial and Systems Engineering:Factories n' Shit

Information Technology:How to Learn Shit

Information Technology & Web Science:How to Learn Shit Online

Interdisciplinary Science:How to do Lots of Shit

Management:How to Run Shit

Materials Engineering:How to Make Shit to Build Other Shit With

Mathematics:How to Calculate Shit

Mechanical Engineering:How to Make Shit Move

Minor in Music"How to Make Shit Sound Pretty

Nuclear Engineering:How to Destroy/Power Shit

Philosophy:Thinking About Shit

Physics:Why Shit Should Fall

Psychology:Why You Do The Shit You Do

Science, Technology, and Society: What The Hell Is This Shit

Things That Make Me Feel Alive

1. Being with M
   
2. Running along a trail in the woods
   
3. Adding finishing strokes to a painting
   
4. Debating a topic that I'm passionate about
5. Holding a baby
6. Looking at the starts
7. Holding M
8. Sitting down to a family-oriented meal
9. Hearing waves crash around me
10. Watching the sun rise
11. Hearing M's voice
12. Falling asleep to the sound of M's breathing
13. Thunderstorms
14. Driving with music blasting
15. Laughing uncontrollably
    
16. Making someone else happy
17. Being in love
    

Ten Things That You Inexplicably Remember

1. A love for Sex and the City despite being a heterosexual male with a family
2. Referring to an afghan throw as the "Light Dot Blanket"
3. Biting nails when reading the paper
4. The Indiana Jones hat
5. Going to the batting cages
6. Pronouncing the "h" in the word "What" when surprised
7. Tapping and whistling constantly
8. Not being allowed to touch the Solitaire game on the computer for fear of ruining statistics
9. "Don't tell your mom" trips to the gas station where everyone got ice cream
10. "Shortcake"

It's been four years. I miss you.

Why Did You Get Up?

What gets you out of bed in the morning?
The comedic answer is "I have to pee and I'm hungry", but on a more serious facet most people do not know or understand why they feel compelled to get out of bed. They don't know what motivates their lives.

There are so many downsides to being an addict, but one of the positive aspects is having the ability to discern what is the most important thing in their lives. It is not a healthy or respectable reason for getting out of bed, persay, but an addict know what drives their lives and makes things complete for them.

The average person doesn't necessarily have that specific drive. There isn't the one thing that pushes them to start their day. They just get up and go throughout the day by trying to get by with minimal hassles. Although some may say the motivation is a drive to succeed, that goal is so intangible. What is success and how do you know if you've attained it? Success can be monetary, social, or career related, but who sets those standards? There are too many glittering generalities associated with success.

Why do I get up in the morning? I can try to tell you, but I'm not certain. I can say that there are people who love me and want to see me do well. There are things that need to be done, and things that make me momentarily happy. It's not concrete, and I know that it certainly isn't specific enough for my liking.

Dad

Dear SJK


I don't know exactly what brought her to write this letter to you. Perhaps it was because she has begun a new chapter in her life and is closing another. Perhaps it was because that time of year is coming around again, those warm June days. Perhaps it was just because she is sitting here looking at your picture. Perhaps it's just because she misses you. Whatever the cause, she knows her purpose. She wanted you to know that you're not forgotten no matter how many years pass. She wanted you to know she still loves you as much as she did the day you slipped away from her. She wanted you to know she will always be your shortcake, your little girl. She wanted you to know that she will be thinking of you at every birthday party of hers, every holiday she celebrates, and every June day. She wanted you to know that now when some other man walks her down the aisle, she will be thinking of you. She wanted you to know that though she has changed from a little girl into a young woman, her love for you has not changed. She wanted you to know she still remembers the day you left her. The day where all seemed fine, yet it wasn't. The day where dry eyes became wells that burst with sadness and shock. The day where your heart failed at doing what it was meant to do. The day where you were no longer here for this world, when you said your goodbyes as we sat on the bed around you. The day where I learned the true meaning of fear and uncertainty. The day of June 15th. Though many years have passed since that fateful day, she wanted you to know she will always be your girl.



I love you Dad,

AKK

Types of Online Status Abusers

Jesus Freak

We all know them. The people who quote the Bible and other religious phrases. Really, it's the kind of person who constantly has to remind us about the unrelenting love of Christ and how we're all selfish bitches for not acknowledging it. Let me go to hell in peace.

Emotions Permanently on Hormonal

These Facebook statuses often include unnecessary expletives about various things and they have to be so goddamn passionate about everything. For example " I fucking love my boyfriend anyone who fucks with him will have to put up with a lot of shit from me. Goddamn world". Yeah...you get it now.

Auto Paparazzi

The type of person who documents their lives as if they were in the middle of a highly scientific experiment that will surely document human life if some doomsday befalls us. They chronicle modern events, celebs and TV shows. For god sakes, I don't care that you listened to Bad Romance while watching Glee and Hulu-ed Grey's Anatomy during the commercial breaks.

The Internet Critic

This is the person who can't stand if Facebook changes the slightest thing, or if some online website rearranges itself. Who the hell cares? If you really want a customizable social networking site, go to Myspace with all the other emo middle schoolers from 2003.

Some Thoughts About Quotes From Meghan Freeghan

“I wish Google Maps had an ‘Avoid Ghetto’ routing option.”

Seriously! I remember looking at schools in Philadelphia. i had my GPS, and it tried to take us to 44th street. Very bad area.

“Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.”

..and then you keep arguing in hopes that the other person will give up first.

“Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you’re going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you’re crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.”

Yes! Why do we care so much?

“Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the ‘people you may know’ feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with?”

I find myself clicking the little “x” that will make these people disappear. And doesn’t it always feel creepy when someone sends you a friend request and Facebook tells you “Sherry Fredster found you using People You May Know.”?

“Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn’t work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in the U.S. did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no Internet or message boards or FAQs. We just figured it out. Today’s kids are soft.”

How did we know that? How did we do so much before the Internet?

“There is a great need for sarcasm font.”

If you know me, you know how often I use sarcasm. So, hopefully, when we communicate electronically, you know when I’m being sarcastic. But it can take years to cultivate that relationship to where someone knows without being told that no, I wasn’t serious, I was using a sophisticated sense of humor (or, as someone on urbandictionary.com says, sarcasm is “used sometimes in order to belittle someone and make them seem stupid…or equally to amuse and impress them with your mind.” - you decide).I could avoid many miscommunication snafus if I had a sarcasm font.

“The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.”

This is quite true, or when I'm going to try to read a text or take a drink.

“LOL has gone from meaning, ‘laugh out loud’ to ‘I have nothing else to say.’”

I think this captures why I’ve come to despise “LOL.” My best friend and I often discuss how much we hate “LOL” and are much more “haha” people. Who knew we could be categorized as such?

“I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.”

For years, I’ve told people, “When I’m bored, I either sleep or I eat.”

“Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.”

There are three C’s in a row. That can’t be right. I must have answered one wrong! I'll second guess myself and agonize over the pattern that magically appeared.

“Whenever someone says ‘I’m not book smart, but I’m street smart,’ all I hear is ‘I’m not real smart, but I’m imaginary smart.’”

How true.

“How many times is it appropriate to say ‘What?’ before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear what they said?”

I'd put it at about 3.

“While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it….thanks Mario Kart.”

Mario changes lives.

“Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.”

Jeans especially get better with age--they get all soft and stretched out in the right places.

“Bad decisions make good stories.”

Oh, so true.

“Whenever I’m Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don’t mind if I do!”

“Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don’t want to have to restart my collection.”

Please, please, please…let’s join forces and resist any new technology so I don’t have to waste my money on some new format.

“I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Microsoft Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.”

Then you're stuck being paranoid that you lost a 23 hours of work, when in reality all you did was delete the extra spaces at the end of the document accidently.

“I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Ugh!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What’d you do after I didn’t answer? Drop the phone and run away?”

I have one friend I do this with constantly. I never understand how this actually happens! Ridiculously frustrating.

“I hate leaving my dorm confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.”

That just happened to me the other day.

“I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it’s on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.”

Exactly. Then, I just don’t want to hear classical music or the thousands of Bob Dylan songs I obtained because I saw him in concert or the Broadway showtunes that litter my playlists. Skip, skip, skip.

“Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch three consecutive times and still not know what time it is.”

How is that possible? I do it and I still don’t know.

“I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.”

How true is this?

“It really irritates me when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.”

I don't want to watch a video, if I wanted to watch a video I would have turned on CNN.

25 Assorted Things I've Learned This Year @ RPI

1. Being Irish is more than a nationality, it is a lifestyle
2. The Colonel is more than just a military person
3. Tofu Tim does not actually cook tofu
4. Eggs are a staple food
5. Skype is a noun, verb, and a lifestyle for long distance relationship couples
6. Lady Gaga is on at least 87% of male's computers
7. Pterodactyls are not just prehistoric animals
8. Just because it's 88 degrees in your room does not mean that it is representative of the outdoor temperature
9. Guys are always warm
10. Black people will generally have black kids (thanks Tim for this revelation)
11. E-Waste is a synonym for good time
12. The Rathskeller, although it sounds like "Rat Cellar" has pretty good food
13. Take your finals even if you are on your death bed
14. Give RPI students white walls, and you'll have graffiti in 2 days tops
15. Wind tunnels create interesting scenarios for anyone dumb enough to wear a skirt
16. Say no to YAZ
17. Always knock on doors
18. The temperature inside a frat party is approximately 47 degrees hotter than the outside temperature
19. Brown's growlers are not exclusively for alcohol
20. Koala bear-ing is a noun
21. Energy drinks are very handy
22. 20 page papers are not that bad, staying focused long enough is
23. RPI Studygroups has the answer to life somewhere in it's database
24. Public Safety isn't here for safety, it's here so RPI kids don't get caught by the Troy cops and make the crime rate higher
25. Walmart, Pricechopper, and Fathers have all supplies that you'll ever need

Fat?

Apparently Prof. Amy Farrell is upset that people are being called obese. She says that…

“People can be thin and unhealthy, and people can be fat and unhealthy.” (Colbert Nation – min. 4:48 of the video)

Bravo professor! What school did you go to? I want to send my kids there too.

This is an absolute revelation! There is more than one reason why someone can be unhealthy. Who knew?!

She continues…

“I like the word ‘fat’ actually…[the word obese] has a very negative connotation. So there are many of us, who are scholars now, who are saying ‘let’s take it out and strip it out of some of its negative connotations’.” (Colbert Nation – min. 5:48 of the video)

This gives me an idea, let’s also call burglars ‘chattel reassignment advocates’, or call idiot professors ‘visionaries’. Soon we’ll have a society with no negative connotations and avoid hurting people’s feelings.

Kids These Days

Any child born after 2000 stands little to no chance of ever getting a sprained ankle on a playground. They're too safe now a days.

When was the last time you saw a real metal slide, my guess would be 1998 or around then. Today most slides are the safer, shorter, less slippery plastic that is meant to reduce injury. Now let me tell you something, if you did something stupid on a slide (i.e. let your shoe drag along the metal) you would fall off or perform some painful acrobatic maneuver, but the chances are you'd never do that again. Kids today never learn these lessons, they never learn how to slide down a slide while avoiding buttocks burn. No, these slides are perfectly safe, and they are so gently sloped that you need an act of god to actually give you enough of an initial push to get you to the end of the slide. Metal slides were hot, dangerous, and fast. They were a lot of fun, and they taught kids cause and effect.

Also, the merry go round or the spinner is another awesome invention. The entire concept of this toy is to make kids dizzy. Although this may not be okay for the delicate kids of today, the kids of the past learned to hold on to the spokes tightly and not to let go. Kids today have little to no way of understanding centrifugal force unlike previous generations. Indeed these toys were dangerous, but honestly if you weren't strong enough to hold on, then you shouldn't be on the ride. It's like a natural selection system.

Another thing is the short monkey bars. Personally, I found quite the thrill from dangling 10 feet off the ground. There were still times when I hurt my ankle, but the experience of hovering that high off the ground gave me a sense of accomplishment. Kids today only know the feel of painted monkeybars 5 feet off the ground. That's nothing. As a matter of fact, that's not even a single story. Midgets are 5 feet tall.

Playgrounds were so much more fun when they are dangerous. They can provide hours of entertainment, and far more lessons pertaining to life situations. Screw safety. Let us have our fun.

Nerd v. Geek

Nerd

Nerds truly arose in the 1950s with their "mommy dressed me" fashion, pocket protectors, and horn rimmed glasses. While the times and general styles have changed, the attitude hasn't Being a nerd is a lifestyle cultivated by a childhood spent reading encyclopedias and avoiding sunlight. Nerds are often friendly, however, once removed from their caves (aka their rooms) they can seem very awkward and ungainly. Nerds are very cerebral and are more than willing to show you their working replica of the Large Hadron Collider made entirely out of marshmallows and toothpicks. Nerds are fun to play with, but they need adequate sleep, video games, their favorie sci fi series, and challenging school work to be happy.

Geek

Geeks are the groupies, the WoW players, and the fanfiction authors. They scour the internet for quirky trends that only geeks would know. Geekdom is the more free spirited and computer hacking type that can tend to get a bit rebellious. They are far less innocent than nerds, and have really blossomed with the rapid internet expansion. Geeks often congregate, swap evil plans, and form WoW guilds. To become a geek requires quirky clothing, a good computer, and a lot of time. Most of the geek friends are online, and most interaction that could be face to face is switched to some sort of chat function. Geeks freaked out when Gchat announced it's video option, because then they actually had to learn to pay attention to one thing instead of chatting, looking at 3 blogs, and playing Wolfenstein. Geek style has often been copped by fashion designers. Converse shoes, black framed glasses, and fitted band tees are all too common on today's runways, and it was because the geeks started wearing that combination of clothing and accessories.

Death Penalty

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/23/utah-man-chooses-firing-squad-for-execution/

.

So of course this article raises some interesting questions. The first one being the fact that this man was allowed to choose his method of execution. It is sort gristly choice, and this man seems to be making the best out of it by choosing one final message to convey. However, this also raises the question, "should death row prisoners be allowed to choose the method?"

By allowing the prisoner to choose the way that they want to die it is only another acknowledgement that these people are human and capable of somewhat of a rational thought process.

The purpose of a penitentiary is to rehabilitate prisoners, and the death penalty is to be used when the person is unable to be rehabilitated. However, "A 2002 study survey showed that among nearly 275,000 prisoners release in 1994, 67.4% were rearrested within three years and 51.8% were back in prison". (US Department of Justice). This is a fairly good indicator that our legal system really isn't doing a good job at rehabilitating inmates.

As a matter of fact, prisons are riddled with crime and violence. They attempt to reduce medical care in order to increase their profits, and as a result they are keeping ill people confined who could otherwise receive better medical care outside of the prison.

Indeed, the crimes themselves are not right, but if the prison's themselves attempted to be more like a "correctional facility" and less like a time-out corner maybe the judiciary system would benefit. Initially it may take more effort to counsel prisoners, but if it reduces the imprisonment rate then it just might be worth it.

There may be some prisoners who can't be "corrected" by being sent to prison, and these are the people who deserve the death row. The people who need slightly more effort do not deserve the death row.