Damanta Maith

I'm a two-timer

2010-09-30T21:35:00.001-07:00

Blogger, first let me say, I love you... you know that.

We've been together for what, two and a half wonderful years? and I want it to stay that way.

And since I want our relationship to be honest and genuine, I've got to tell you... I've been cheating.

With Wordpress.

Yes, Wordpress (not .org, just .com) - that more high-tech, professional, customizable, useful blogging site.

But let me tell you -- it didn't mean anything to me. Sure, it gives me way less formatting headaches and it's the software that real, legit websites use, but it just wasn't... you.

It started out as a professional thing... the Times Union uses Wordpress and with ASP blog on their site, I was just around it a lot, and got to know it a little.

Then I had to make my own blog for class and I just wanted to try something new. To see what I was missing.

It's not that I'm ashamed or embarrassed by you, you're just not always completely suitable for the classroom, you know? I mean, half of your name is a curse. You're a little wild, untamed and all over the place, and that's what I love about you.

Also, you're way better looking.

So while I do have to be around Wordpress for the rest of the semester, and now and then next semester... it's going to be strictly professional. There's just nothing there... and I'll never leave you.

If you take me back, that is.

And you will.... because you are a blog, not a person.

Kickass Kicked Ass

2010-07-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

In line for the movies last night, my girlfriends and I argued for about 20 minutes over what movie to see. Pulling hard for "How To Train Your Dragon," I lost suddenly in over-time to "Kickass."

I didn't feel like watching another superhero movie. They're all the same - you take a unpopular kid struggling through high school, their parent is killed, and they somehow gain super powers to avenge the death, while fighting crime in the urban area they happen to conveniently live in, and eventually "get the girl."

"Kickass" was different. Have you ever thought, during a superhero movie, about what would happen if you were to attempt such a feat? I know that if I tried to dress up in tights and fight crime, I would probably get my ass handed to me and look like an idiot doing so. Those movies are cut and edited so nicely that the hero is always either in the middle of an intense action scene or changed, cleaned up, home, and safe. You never see the in-between time of a spandexed guy walking awkwardly down the street in New York City, asking people if they need help and soliciting laughs and headshakes.

In "Kickass," you see that. You see this kid end up in the hospital for weeks.

And I start to think, well, at this point, if I were this kid, I would have quit. I would be done with this. Because it's only a matter of time before someone puts a bullet in this kid's head.

And then Kickass delivers an awfully powerful line, reminiscent of Boondock Saints:

"The f*** is wrong with you, man? You'd rather die for some piece of shit that you don't even f***ing know?"
"Three assholes, laying into one guy while everybody else watches? And you wanna know what's wrong with me? Yeah, I'd rather die... so bring it on."

Nothing like some good ol' vigilantism to wash away the guilt of watching someone kill a bunch of people. This kid does something many people wish they had the guts to do - he risks his life for his fellow man instead of just standing there. Afterall, according to BDS (and probably the Bible), "the evil we must fear the most is the indifference of good men."

Plus, McLovin from Superbad is in it, so if nothing else, you can enjoy his hilarious facial expressions.

Be warned - this movie is extremely and incredibly violent... as you may have guessed from the title.

My father belongs on a Twitter Sitcom

2010-06-30T19:29:00.000-07:00

"The Beatles are s!@#, and so are these clowns [Matchbox Twenty]. I mean, 'She came in through the bathroom window' -these guys have to cover a Joe Cocker song because they don't have any good songs of their own!"

Quote compliments of my own father, Big Ben. He says this and I think... I should start my own "s!@# my dad says."

For those of you who don't know, this song - which starts after Bright Lights - is a Beatles song turned Joe Cocker song turned, as shown above, Matchbox Twenty song.

And for those of you who don't Tweet, Shit My Dad Says is #2 on my list of most hilarious Twitter accounts (@bpglobalpr is #1 and @fakeapstylebook is #3). The biography reads:

"I'm 29. I live with my 74-year-old dad. He is awesome. I just write down shit that he says"

The result is hilarious, offensive, advising quotes from this cynical (sometimes, strangely loving) old man.

And if something's so popular on Twitter why not stretch it out to another form of media and put William Shatner in it?

CBS will be airing "$#*! My Dad Says" (pronounced "Bleep My Dad Says") on Thursdays (7:30pm) this fall.

New Alma Mater

2010-06-29T19:20:00.000-07:00

Miss you, SUNY, and your unique, sometimes inappropriate sort of school pride.

Twitter sells out to Toy Story 3

2010-06-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

Eleven years ago, my 8-year-old self shuffled to the movie theatre with my 6-year-old brother to see the new Disney/Pixar movie everyone was talking about.

We fell in love with the cowardly T-Rex, a potato going through a mid-life crisis, a worn out cowboy that sounds very much like Forrest Gump and a cocky astronaut.

Three years later, they're back for the 3rd toy story, with more toys, more laughs, more effects (3d!) and more... shameless promoting?

As if this movie wasn't already talked about enough - there's a FB page "Move out of the way children I've been waiting 11 years to see Toy Story 3." But Disney/Pixar went ahead and for the first time to my knowledge, BOUGHT a trending topic on Twitter.

Quick Twitter lesson for the confused: Trending Topics are a list of the currently most mentioned items on Twitter - they can range from the names of politicians to "world cup" to "oil spill" to "Justin Beiber" to "The Sandlot" or whatever movie happens to be on ABC Family at the moment.

Simply, Trending Topics are dominated by the people of Twitter. If Obama is giving a health care speech, "Health care" will probably be one of the trending topics. A popular movie, even, on its opening night, might be a Trending Topic.

So I think it's the start of something horrible to see a "promoted" TT. Here is Twitter saying, "Look! This is important and people are talking about it!" When really, Disney/Pixar just threw a bunch of money at this site, to put "Toy Story 3" on the list... a list it probably would have been on anyway.

Fictional character Aldous Snow dominates my playlist

2010-06-16T16:52:00.000-07:00

I'm completely embarrassed by how much I enjoy the "Get Him to the Greek Soundtrack."

Warning: some lyrics are super offensive.

The movie is about a record company employee (Jonah Hill) whose task is to get rockstar Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) to LA for a concert. Brand recorded several songs for the soundtrack, most as the frontman for fictional band Infant Sorrow. The band was featured in his earlier movie "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", in which he played the same character.

I was shocked by how good some of these songs sounded. I was thoroughly enjoying the catchy, upbeat song "The Clap"... until, a second later, the part of my brain that processes words caught up with the part of my brain that processes music and said... "actually, this song is about catching STDs...."

In a movie all about a musician, the tracks recorded play an important role. This role is to define the character of Aldous Snow as a preposterous, obnoxious, inappropriate, bad-ass musican, while providing some solid jams and sweet ballads to set the tone of the movie.

What you get is songs with two dimensions, the first being music that goes well with the scene. "The Clap" is played during an exciting outdoor concert in Times Square, while piano ballad "Bangers, Beans and Mash" plays during a more sentimental scene.

The second dimension is the lyrics... which often have nothing to do with the scene. While "The Clap" seems, at first, to have something to do with music... it's actually about gonorrhea. The lyrics to "Inside of You" are, as you can imagine, ridiculous... "there's got to be some part of me inside of you."

Jackie Q's few featured singles are completely over-sexual (and hilarious) to define her character as "that sexpot pop star." The clip of her music video made me realize that today's pop stars still, for the most part, have some class - or, at least, could have less class.

When I first heard "Bangers, Beans & Mash" in the movie, I thought "people are going to cover this." Actually, there was a contest through YouTube, in which fans could submit their covers of the song and the winner would attend the premiere of the film (June 4th) (already happened). So the tune is well on it's way to being the most covered song of all time (maybe) and I plan to contribute to that by figuring out the piano part tomorrow.

Enjoy Jason Segal & Maroon 5's version of "Bangers, Beans & Mash"... which, by the way, is not dirty; "bangers" is what Brits call sausage.

SillyBandz: Now more useful than currency

2010-06-14T16:32:00.000-07:00

"SillyBandz are so cool. You can't be cool unless you have SillyBandz," my 7-year-old cousin informed me.

I am finally cool -- this weekend, I obtained the light pink silicone pig I now sport on my arm.

For such a stupid fad, they are rather amazing. I take off the band, untangle it a little, put it on my laptop and there it is - a pig, exactly the way it looked when it was in the package. Not stretched out or deformed, but perfect.

I wonder, how are these things made??

Well, keep wondering, because even with my internet searching and stalking skills, I cannot find it for the life of me. I'm pretty sure they just pour the melted plastic into a mold and once it cools, you have sillybandz. I have, however, found one ridiculous but entertaining rumor: Sillybandz are made of used condoms?!

Back in my day, our rubber bracelets only came in circles... but packed their share of scandal. When I was 12 and sporting a few purple and black rubber bracelets, my mom asked me if I was wearing them to play sex games.

I didn't know that some sex-crazed kids my age thought it'd be cool if they assigned each color bracelet a sex act. According to this "snap" game, when a guy "snapped" a bracelet off a girl's arm, she had to do whatever that bracelet meant with him, ranging from a hug to a lapdance to doing it. So it's a good thing no 12-year-old boys got a hold of that black one...

So my question is: how long until this generation comes up with sex games for SillyBandz? Looks like they're one step closer...

See you in two years, Dave Matthews.

2010-06-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

Every June, in Darien, New York, as Dave Matthews fans gather, so do rain clouds.

For the past few years, it's been a consistent drag to check the weather forecasts and learn that one of the best nights of the year will be somewhat ruined by torrential downpours.

This year was no different. It held off for The Felice Brothers' set and the first few songs, and even Dave remembered the previous years' storms and commented,

"It's not even raining yet. Hopefully it'll pick up later, it's like a tradition here."

They played "JTR," which goes, "rain, rain, rain down on me," and the sky must have heard. During "Everyday," the crowd got soaked.

But when people ask me, "How was the show?" I answer with "awesome," only to quickly add, "Well, it poured, but it was awesome."

It's quite possible that the rain itself makes those concerts even better. I've been to dryer shows, and had a great time dancing... but there's something incredible about being completely soaked and uncomfortable, and finding joy and reason to dance and celebrate anyway.

That's exactly what many Dave songs are about. As I danced on the lawn and watched it quickly turn to mud, I heard the lyrics:

Jump in the mud, aw,

get your hands dirty,

love it up, everyday.

So there we were, in a bad situation, and making the best of what was around. Because you can wait forever for the prime weather conditions to enjoy a concert; OR, you can take whatever you get and love it anyway.

Dave Matthews Band has announced they are not touring in 2011, which has broken many of our hearts and began rumors that they are done forever (I do not believe it). So I'll see you in June, 2012, Dave, at Darien Lake.* I'm sure rainclouds will be there as well. I'll pack sneakers, ponchos and zip-lock bags for cell phones; you supply the jams and it'll be a great time. Bring it.

*Well, after I see you at CMAC July 6th, 2010!

Bon Jovi: The most exciting thing to almost happen in my hometown

2010-05-15T12:31:00.000-07:00

About 24 hours after arriving home from college, my mom tells me:

"Oh, by the way, Bon Jovi might be playing a concert in Le Roy."

...?!

Le Roy, NY is the microscopic rural town that I call home. It's the epitome of the American small town: everyone's related, football games are a way of life, and when you get in trouble as a kid, your mother knows in less than four minutes via word of mouth. The biggest concert we've ever had here was the male acapella group Ball in the House, who's claim to fame was recording a song for a Cool-Whip commercial (ironic because Le Roy is the birthplace of Jell-O).

According to The Batavia Daily News online, Bon Jovi is playing at Darien Lake PAC (about half an hour away) on August 13th, and agreed to play in LeRoy on 14th as a fundraiser for the

village. Apparently one of our own has worked security for the band and asked Mr. Bongiovi himself, who agreed to play for a low price if the details can be worked out.

Could a town this size successfully host a Bon Jovi show? It seems any location that would be able to hold a large crowd, as well as parking, would be easy for the Le Roy native to

easily slip into unnoticed, or listen to without buying a ticket.

Every night my mom and I take a walk around our 5 mile block, and my new favorite game has become "where in Le Roy could accommodate a Bon Jovi concert?" So far, the leaderboard reads: Mercy Grove (home of the Mercedarian priests), my best friend, Ciera Carhart's farm (although in Stafford), or one of the countless gigantic, empty fields around here. I think it's fairly obvious that holding a concert on a farm is an ingenious idea -- in 1969, someone decided to have a concert on a farm and 41 years later, people haven't stopped talking about it.

It seems though, that at some point, these plans were misunderstood. Maybe we were halfway there, but more than a prayer was needed to make this event happen. There will be no Bon Jovi concert in Le Roy this summer, according to WBTA1490. All the excitement has been shot through the heart.

Maybe we were wrong, maybe Mr. BonGiovi hasn't gotten tired of selling out the biggest venues in the nation. But don't let him fool you - I think he desperately wanted to play a small-town show. Afterall, he revealed to the world a few years ago that he's just a simple country boy (from Jersey).

So I'm going to make a Bon Jovi mix to drive around to this summer, and I suggest my fellow LeRoyans do the same... it would just be wrong not to. And look on the bright side - now you're free to go to the first of Tom Petty's TWO Darien Lake concerts this summer (which for some reason, kind of creeps me out.... but that's for another blog.)

Killing for God: The Hutaree and My Favorite Film

2010-03-29T20:40:00.001-07:00

On Monday eight individuals were indicted for plotting an attack against the government. The Hutaree is a Christian militia from Michigan who plans to fight against the anti-Christ and the government.

From their website (www.hutaree.com ...no joke):

"We believe that one day, as prophecy says, there will be an Anti-Christ...Jesus wanted us to be ready to defend ourselves using the sword and stay alive using equipment."

Their plan was to first, kill a policeman. At his funeral, they would then attack the many attending policemen - who, in their eyes, are footsoldiers of the evil government.

Shocked and disgusted at this American Christian version of jihad, I heard my mother say:

"Amazing. They're killing people just because 'God told them to.'"

This is the premise of my all-time favorite movie.

One might say Boondock Saints is different. These adorable Irish vigilantes only kill criminals - murderers, drug dealers, rapists - because God tells them to. They are essentially carrying out capital punishment that the law fails to, and therefore, are just in their actions.

While it's my favorite movie, the subject matter is perhaps taken much too lightly. Because in real life, some people actually think God tells them to kill... and in this current case, it's not criminals being put to death, it's any cop they come across, or anyone sporting a uniform or a badge.

One frightening resemblance between the Saints and the Hutaree is the language they use to describe themselves and their missions:

We will reach out to those who are yet blind in the last days of the kingdoms of men and bring them to life in Christ.
-hutaree.com

And Shepherds we shall be, for Thee, my Lord for thee. Power hath descended forth from they hand, that our feet may swiftly carry out they command. Flowing like a river forth are we, and teeming with souls shall it ever be.
-Boondock Saints

Boondock Saints makes it easier to understand, I think, how a group of people could believe they're right in killing others. But I think it's still amazing and shocking to see exactly the idea we've been fighting against overseas for years - holy war against the "evil" American government - happening right on our own soil, from our own people.

Looking beyond the cock: The positive side of Chatroulette

2010-03-29T12:56:00.000-07:00

If you take away the masturbating men and the frequent requests for shirtless females, Chatroulette can be a channel of cross-cultural education and bonding.

The idea of the site is simple: you log on, hit a few buttons, and you're communicating with another random Chatrouletter via video, audio, and text. This was created by a 17-year-old Russian boy who wanted to make videochatting a more interesting experience for himself and his friends.

He could not have forseen the ways people would use this site: from broadcasting live porn to live concerts, college kids thousands of miles apart putting off homework together or smoking weed together, or Americans and Canadians arguing over certain things Americans and Canadians like to argue over.

My friends and I decided to check out this site and we met Rafa, a 19-year-old Spanish insomniac, waiting for morning to come so he could take an exam. He spoke to us in broken English and we typed to him in elementary Spanish, using hand signs and drawing pictures to fill in the gaps between our words. He described his view of Americans and our culture; we told him about typical American perceptions of Spain & Europe.

This is not a conversation I'd normally be able to have at 2 a.m. at UAlbany.

We met other characters that night: a guy pretending to be a cat, another who performed original rap songs for us, someone who rated us on a 1-10 scale of how entertaining we were.

Every "next" button is taking a chance. You might run into a naked creep, or a group of students hanging out, or Ben Folds live in concert with 2,000 people.

Blame It On the Pop

2010-01-21T18:01:00.000-08:00

For a music snob, I enjoy this 2009 mash-up much too much. For the sake of honesty, I'm willing to abandon all that makes me a cool indie music guru, and confess that I think mainstream music in 2009 was not complete crap.

Degrading, overly sexual, explicit songs is what bugs me most about mainstream music, and I feel 2009 seemed to stay away from that, at least a little. Songs like Jay Sean's "Down" and Cobra Starship's "Good Girls Go Bad" surprised me by how clean they were, once I actually took a conscious listen to them. Our leading ladies, Lady GaGa and Beyonce are bold and sexy without being slutty - something I think women can really appreciate. Sweet, innocent Miley Cyrus is holding onto her place in the public eye as well as our common room wall without acting like a hussy.

As for this mash-up itself, the music theory junkie in me goes crazy over the continuous melody created from 25 different songs - did he change the key? Was it a miracle? Or are all pop songs in the same key? DJ Earworm earns my utmost respect for this creation.

Here's to the feel-good music of the past year, that makes me question my own indie cred.

For Mom: Love Story

2010-01-21T07:21:00.000-08:00

note: This blog is for my mother, who brought me into the world, raised me, and is currently paying for my education. The least I could do was write a blog at her request.

"Love means never having to say you're sorry."

Before it was a widely-used phrase, it was just a sentence, written by a man, in a book.

Erich Segal, author of the best-selling novel turned hit film, Love Story, died Sunday of a heart attack.

Love Story, for anyone who has not read or seen it, is mother of all tear jerkers. Two young lovers get married despite a family's resistance, and then one of them falls ill and passes away much sooner than expected. Every time I watch Titanic, I think that perhaps the ship won't sink this time. Every time I watch this, I hope that she'll survive. (Both always end the same way.)

Segal's daughter spoke at his funeral, "That he fought to breathe, fought to live, every second of the last 30 years of illness with such mind-blowing obduracy, is a testament to the core of who he was -- a blind obsessionality that saw him pursue his teaching, his writing, his running and my mother, with just the same tenacity. He was the most dogged man any of us will ever know."

So if you can take anything from that movie, or from the author's life, take the simple message that none of us know if we're going to have 23 years or 72; either way, do your work and love your family with fierce passion, and have the tenacity to do so all your days.

How to Help Haiti Without Being Anderson Cooper

2010-01-15T22:41:00.000-08:00

For a while now, I've had a deep adoration of CNN's Anderson Cooper.

The past few days, he has been traveling around Port-au-Prince, flying in a helicopter above the city, going to make-shift hospitals, watching people bury loved ones in mass graves and unorganized cemeteries, picking through the mass chaos in the aftermath of Tuesday's devastating earthquake.

I know this because for the past few days, I have been sitting, injured, in my house watching him, while periodically checking Twitter and drinking gallons of green tea... feeling useless.

We can't all be Mr. Cooper, who I'm quite sure has not slept since Tuesday, or Dr. Sanjay Gupta, treating infant's head wounds on live TV. But it's not very hard to lend a hand in this crisis.

Some genius, taking into consideration Americans hot love affair with text-messaging, came up with the idea to link texting and philanthropy:

Text "Yele" to 501501 to donate $5 to Haitian musician Wyclef Jean's charity
Text "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross

Both will charge to your cell phone bill. It literally takes a few seconds. Or 5 minutes, if you're technologically challenged like my parents...

If you're looking to donate online, try:

UNICEF
Doctors Without Borders
World Food Programme
Check out CCN's list for more organizations to donate to (if, for some reason, you don't like the ones above).

Be sure to check out the organization first though, don't get caught by a scam. Donate only to organizations you are familiar with, and make sure it's them.

That evil, life-possessing game of Farmville is now also allowing users to donating to Haiti, along with Mafia Wars. Despite my previous blog about the evils of online games, Farmville has now been (at least temporarily) redeemed in my eyes.

If you are one of those people that has an ipod, you can also donate through your iTunes.

If you're one of those people who would rather help with actions than just donating, well, you'll need to sit tight for a bit (unless you are also a Marine). The Red Cross is not accepting volunteers to travel to Haiti right now, as the place is already crowded and chaotic. Although it's early to think about, I think donating a Spring Break to volunteer in Haiti, helping to build it back up, might be a great thing college students could do to help, come March and April.

In the upcoming weeks I'm sure there will be many food, clothing, and supply drives. UAlbany students can check out what the school's Haitian Student Association is doing to help here.

On CNN tonight, Anderson Cooper will be reporting live from Port-au-Prince at 10pm, check it out, and see what's really going on; it's really something to watch, and not just because I love Anderson Cooper.

Avatar: James Cameron's Remake of a Disney Classic

2010-01-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

For a movie supposedly unlike any other, I felt like I'd seen it before.

Don't get me wrong, the graphics were incredible and pioneering. Yet, it all seemed familiar: a powerful nation trying to force "savages" out of their home, a native princess falls in love with an explorer and teaches him to respect nature and the circle of life, a talking tree that helps them both... oh, yes. Disney made an animated version in 1995.

While the movie was very much about the mindlessness and arrogance of imperialism, I thought James Cameron portrayed his Going-Green powerfully. The natives of Pandora, the Na'vi, understand that their energy comes from their earth and travels through the life around them. To quote the movie: "They know that all energy is borrowed, and one day you have to give it back." This shouldn't sound like a magical world or a profound concept - this is how earth works, with all energy flowing from one thing to another, someday leaving our bodies and returning to the earth. Pandora, essentially, doesn't have much that earth lacks. Contrasting Americans' apathy and indifference toward their environment with the Na'vi's deeply spiritual attitude towards life and their ecosystem, Avatar caused me, at least, to feel like our earth was under-appreciated and lame, and current efforts to save the planet's health are a joke. A striking shot in Avatar was to see humans boarding a craft to return home as the hero narrates, "The aliens went back to their dying planet."

So on the note of learning to love our planet and all that lies on it, and the striking similarities between this new blockbuster and one of my favorite Disney classics, here's a video created by someone who agrees with me.

A Short Stack of Soul Searching with Rainn Wilson

2009-12-29T12:10:00.000-08:00

When was the last time you felt both freedom and fear? Why do we fear looking our age? Is music a conduit to spiritual ecstasy? Who were you before laptops and iphones?

At Soulpancake.com, you can ask, be asked, explore, and discuss such questions.

The Office's Rainn Wilson founded this site with others including, according to this Twitter (yes I follow him on Twitter), his son Walter. Wilson follows the Baha'i Faith, a monotheistic religion founded in Persia that is accepting of most world religions, and focuses on the spirituality of all human beings. That said, soulpancake.com is does not push religion, or push away from it. Some of the questions cause you to simply reflect on your own life (eg. "Renovate Yourself: List 5 changes you want to make to yourself. No Spackle required.") while others are what the site calls "Life's Big Questions" (eg. "What do you have to lose by believing in a higher power?").

Expression can come in all forms on Soulpancake.com, as users upload photo and video as well as written responses. Some "Creative Challenges" ask you to upload a picture or work of art that represents something to you. Users can also submit questions into the "Collective".

So if you're getting tired from mindless Farmvilling, or you're finding textsfromlastnight just aren't as funny as they used to be, Soulpancake.com provides a eccentric, goofy way to soul search with others. If anything, the site's strange, sometimes creepy wallpapers are enough to entertain me for a few minutes.

Some Christmas Fun

2009-12-24T15:18:00.001-08:00

The first is a clever spoof of Apocalypse Now, the second is my own little tip of the hat to Dave Matthews Band (who, interestingly, isn't even Christian). Enjoy!

Old McFacebook Had A Farmville

2009-12-22T23:31:00.000-08:00

My Farmville self, proudly harvesting peppers and adoring her pink tractor.

Walking out of a crowded class one day, I heard a very normal looking boy complain, "Come on, let's go, my rice is going to wither!"

He, no doubt, was one of the many of my peers to fall victim to the addictiveness of FarmVille.

My curious self could not let this social phenomenon go without my own turn to experience it, and I created my very own virtual farm. I was soon bombarded by neighbor requests and generous gifts from my fellow farmers, including several of my college friends, some of my high school friends, and some of my much older, married (with kids) cousins.

Figuring out the logistics of the game, I tried to find how exactly one earns FarmVille cash, rather than coins. There are two ways, that I've learned. 1. Move up a level or 2. pay money. REAL MONEY.

People actually send in money for their virtual farms. What do they get? Satisfaction and pride of a superior farm, I suppose.

This isn't the only game that gives you such an option. Most Facebook games do this: Happy Aquarium, FishVille, School of Wizardry, PetVille. I know this because, yes, I have played them all. While you can certainly play the game without spending money, the very fact that it is an option, I feel, is crazy.

Does it not seem a bit pathetic that people are not only wasting their precious, limited time on earth playing these ridiculous games but are also spending their hard earned MONEY to succeed at them?

I confess, I have on several occasions spent hours of my time playing these pointless games with my suitemates, and often times enjoyed it very much. If there is anything to be said of Facebook games, it is that they at least have a social aspect: you can interact with your friends as you play. But it seems to me that, just like junk food is a waste of your daily bread, online games are a waste of your daily life; you're filling up your small bit of time on nothing great, nothing you'll look back on fondly.

For this reason I've convinced myself I should delete my FarmVille. Whether or not I'll go through with this, I'm not sure I'll publish publicly.

I Like Dave Matthews Band and I'm Not a Bro.

2009-12-20T01:00:00.000-08:00

Talking to someone I've just met, we find we have similar musical tastes: bloc party, Band of Horses, Beirut.. and I then I add, "Oh, and I love Dave Matthews Band, I've seen them live 5 times."

I get the shake of a head and a disappointed look.

"Nah, I don't like them much, I've never seen them live... too many 'bros'."

I've felt quite a bit of discrimination as a Dave Matthews Band, stemming from this "bro" stereotype of DMB followers. I studied music quite a bit in high school and continue to play several instruments; I like to think I'm a bit musically inclined and can judge when a band is talented or not. This strong dislike of Dave Matthews Band bothers me, then, because I appreciate them for their talent and high quality music.

For kicks, I looked up to see what urban dictionary had to say about the relationship between Dave Matthews Band and Bros. Here are the cleanest posts:

Dave Matthews Band: 1. A band that each of it's new releases is welcomed (along with the latest abercrombie & fitch catalog) by middle-class white kids.

Dude #1 - "hey bro, did you get the new Dave Matthews Band cd yet?"
Dude #2 - "yeah, man; it's great. let's go to the mall".

2. A painfully generic band usually found on the music interests section of Facebook.com.

Normal College Kid 1: Hey bro, what are you listening to?
Normal College Kid 2: Oh, just some Dave Matthews Band. I also like The Red Hot Chili Peppers, radiohead, John Mayer, and O.A.R.
Normal College Kid 1: Oh no way Bro, me too!

Bro: 1. A caucasian male, typically ages 15 - 24.
A Bro prefers Birkenstock sandals, polo or rubgy shirts (typically with the collar popped), and baseball caps with a pre-frayed brim for their usual attire. Bros are attracted by shops such as Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, Abercromie, and other similar outfitters.

Musical tastes typical for a Bro include Dave Matthews Band, Oasis, Jack Johnson, John Mayer, and Travis. Bros will also, on occasion, listen to the latest rap, and on even more rare occasions, punk rock.

If Dave Matthews Band comes to your city, expect bros to be out in large numbers. Proper bro repellent includes emo behavior, excessively loud grunge metal, a shortage of beer, and to constantly be in a state of high stress.

2. A Bro is a guy that thinks he is way cooler than he really is. A Bro can be seen in pics making a face or a pose where he is trying so hard to look like hes not trying. A Bro will call all the other guys bro even though noone likes the bro. Other people would refer to a bro as a douche bag.

Look at that absolute Bro with his stunna shades on inside and his white blazer.

I am not a bro. Obviously, because I'm not male. Now, I cannot deny that Dave Matthews Band does seem to have a large following of this young, white, preppy male demographic.

BUT IT'S NOT MY FAULT.

While my cry, my plead may be in vain (or go unheard, and very few people read this blog), I just WISH that people would not judge a band solely on the few people they know who listen to them. Admittedly, I sometimes do the same. But Dave Matthews Band is one of the most UNIQUE, talented bands out there today. They blend jazz, rock, pop, and southern American and African styles -- how many other bands do that?

So young Dave Matthews fans, beware of the pigeonhole you will soon be placed in when you get to college, and for the rest of you, give Dave Matthews a chance, and if you don't like him, leave me and other innocent DMB fans alone about it.

Bon Appetite!

2009-12-18T22:07:00.000-08:00

Tonight I watched Julie & Julia, a movie about two women who find themselves through cooking. Throughout the movie, I craved practically every dish they made. I felt like just getting up and cooking.

As I watched them carefully prepare their dishes, from poultry to fish to sauces or desserts, I reflected back upon the two boxes of Goldfish my friends and I consumed late last night sitting in a dorm room at RIT. I thought about the Pop Tart I had for breakfast, the mini bagel pizzas the boys microwaved at 4 a.m. I realized how much we waste calories.

I'm not talking about nutrition here, at all; in fact, butter played a somewhat significant role in this movie, and in real life, Julie gained weight from her cooking endeavors. What I mean is, we breeze through food, taking no time or effort to prepare it, other than to hastily tear apart the plastic wrapper or the cardboard box that contains our sugary, processed, mass-produced meal. We put no thought into our food other than what we feel like, what is accessible, and what is economical.

I've heard it said that Americans eat differently than the rest of the world, in that we are too sanitary with our food. We do not like contact with it; we don't like to know exactly what's in it, where it came from, who made it, or how it came to be on our plate. Rather than being something that will soon become part of our very bodies, it's something distant and separate, that at some point, will disappear into our mouths, never to be seen again and quickly forgotten.

So while I'm home from college for 30 days, perhaps I'll try to get more involved in this ever familiar process of eating: less unwrapping and more cooking. My hope is that I'll stop missing out on the quality of food and the creative process behind creating it; that it'll be one more thing in my life a little bit more authentic, unique, and real, rather than processed, ordinary, and fake.

Fate or Facebook?

2009-12-03T17:34:00.000-08:00

Social networking has come a long way the past five years or so, when putting personal information in the Internet was something to be frowned upon and cautioned. Now it's anything short of a way of life; without Facebook, one seems to be less of a real person. Six years ago, when adults constantly advised us to conceal our identity online, I never imaged that I would be trusting the Internet to an extremely important decision: the person I would live with my freshman year of college.

I joined the UAlbany 2013 group, I posted the roommate surveys and I made my own. I looked for my UAlbany residential soul mate: a female with good taste in music, interests in matters outside the material world our generation lives in, a person who would go out with me but wouldn't go completely crazy. Lil' Wayne and Nickelback caused me to mentally reject the majority of my classmates as potential roommates, but that's a decision I do not regret at all. Taste is music can sometimes summarize a person better than anything else... that's my philosophy.

Everyone that seemed to fit my criteria was taken. Worried I wouldn't find anyone, I posted on the group something of a "WANTED" ad... and I got a response from Bridget O'Brien, whose bed I now sit on in my pajamas, watching Disney channel, blogging, and wondering what supreme force (besides Facebook) brought us together as roommates.

I have yet to find roommates who are closer than we are. We're by no means the same type of person, but we're a perfect match. On the third night of school I crawled into bed with her... of all the examples I could use, this seems to sum up our relationship pretty well. I consider her a "best friend", after our Superbad moment last Friday night -- "You're my best friend and I want to shout it from the rooftops."

Was it some all-knowing, all-mighty force that brought us together to share in the most perfect roommate bond the universe has seen? Or was it seemly the all-revealing power of Facebook? Perhaps my unhealthy addiction to the social networking site has sharpened mine - and Bridget's - ability to interpret people online, to see what the write and accurately judge them based on how they portray themselves. We, like much of our generation, speak Facebook thoroughly. We know that boys who list "Interests" as "girls, parties, cars, chillin", are not worth knowing and anyone whose music taste consists of only things on Top 40 radio don't have their own music tastes at all, and therefore must be unoriginal. Bridget's Facebook was perfect: I imagined her to be pretty much exactly how she is.

However, had she not messaged me I'm not sure at all who I would be rooming with, I was getting a bit too picky. All the Facebook-reading skills in the world wouldn't have helped to find her in the first place, so maybe it was some type of Irish luck that brought us together after all.

The Word: How I Learned The Importance of Free Press

2009-12-01T23:17:00.001-08:00

Upon entering high school, I was quite excited to finally put my love of writing to use: I could write for the school newspaper.

So I joined the Newspage Club. Notice it says Newspage, not paper. This is because a school newspaper does not exist at Le Roy High School, only a program allowing students to write articles for the local paper twice yearly. These "articles" are more like public relations measures for the school -- negativity is not allowed. Of course, I took advantage of this opportunity.

I did not cease to ask my teachers and administrators why our school did not have a newspaper, but I never received much of an answer. I believe their (perhaps unspoken) rationale was this: a newspaper would require too much work and could bring about too much controversy.

This frustrated me, and junior year I found like-minded friends (like Sam Bortle), who, unlike myself, were actually motivated and proactive enough to confront our principal. Their efforts were in vain, but they did not abandon our idea of a newspaper. About five of us combined our creativity, skills, and finances to create The Word. Taken from the Beatles song, our tiny, once-monthly newspaper was completely our own. We distributed it at school between classes, knowing that if it was banned, we would have no problem handing it out ourselves in our small town. Content was nothing too serious -- mostly music, book, and movie reviews, and some feature articles, opinions, and editorials on subjects like applying for college or recent football games.

Looking back, what we created was remarkable. We never ran any controversial stories, we never investigated wrongdoings in our school or community, we never criticized teachers or administration or examined relevant social issues. However, if we ever needed to report such important information or voice concerns, we had the means to. If we felt Le Roy High School was being undemocratic or violating student's rights, we could write about it and print it and let everyone know. At a relatively young age, we recognized the necessity for a free press, specifically in our own small community.

The Word was just that - free. Free of school interference or control. Somehow, the stubbornness, laziness, or tyranny of our school system (which ever you prefer, or a combination of all three) benefited us by not giving us a school newspaper and forcing us to create just a newspaper.

Now we're gone, and so is The Word, which only lasted a handful of issues. My co-creators and myself all keep our own personal blogs, but sadly, Le Roy High School is still without a form of student media, independent or school-run. It's a crying shame. Every school, every community, EVEN Le Roy, New York, hometown of Jell-o, population 4,000, needs a newspaper.

Sam Bortle's blog can be read here. She was the editor-in-chief, I wonder if she put it on her resume. (I recently used The Word on a resume.)

The Golden Age of the 1990's

2009-11-29T19:14:00.001-08:00

Wearing a flannel shirt and jeans, listening to Len's "Steal My Sunshine" and Sugar Ray, reminiscing about Giga Pets and Furbies, my friends and I realized how much we miss that wonderful time, when everything was perfect and the streets were made of gold: 1990's.

Were the 90's really a golden age, when everything was better, or does it just seem that way because it was the decade and culture in which we (myself and my peers) grew up? Does the grass seem greener only because we're now on the other side of the millenium?

The clothes were more comfortable: basically anything you wanted to wear, have no concern whether or not it matched. Overalls, flannel shirts (which, in response to my frequent prayers, God has brought back into style), scrunchies, plastic jewelry, minimal make up; it was all about convenience and individualism. Then again, if you do some research (watch Friends or Boy Meets World), sexy women's clothes meant gratuitous amounts of leather.

Music from that era has not yet been forgotten, and perhaps it's because mainstream radio has been taken over by drastically different styles. Rap, which gained popularity in the previous decade, has changed drastically in subject matter, beginning with celebratory party jams and becoming poetry about violence, sex and crime. Everything I hear on the radio seems to be about getting money and fucking hoes.

On second thought, any popular mainstream music today holds not so distant roots in music trends of the 90's: Destiny's Child has lived on through Beyonce, who is as popular as ever; The Jonas Brothers are picking up where the Backstreet Boys left off; Lady Gaga is our generation's Madonna. Some 90's legends are still on the scene, as Third Eye Blind just released a new album, Hanson is touring, and Dave Matthews Band is still alive and well (with the exception of LeRoi Moore, may he rest in peace).

Stupid, useless toys of our childhood have merely changed form: they no longer exist as hard copies and have moved to the internet. Spending hours on a screen keeping something alive? Giga Pets and Farmville are essentially similar, if you think about it.

It's not the same though. Have you ever been in a big room (or drunk bus) of people singing Third Eye Blind's "Jumper"? Current songs don't compare, right? If you had a Furbie with you right now, would you not have twice the gratification than playing Farmville? How much more comforting is it to watch an episode of Seinfeld or Friends after a long day than watching Two and a Half Men, or whatever the current sitcom is? Aren't this year's fashions just as comfortable as those of 1999?

I believe that the only difference between that blessed decade and the present is nostalgia. While I'll always look back to those times with adoration and longing, the truth is it wasn't any better or worse: it was long ago, and so our memories have, as to favor the past, erased the bad and glorified the good. My generation is now getting to the age that we can look a little further into the past and remember, we can now compare and contrast, laugh at old trends and scoff and new ones.

It won't be long, perhaps, until we look back to the past decade and wish we were once again in the 00's, when life was good, Lady Gaga ruled with world, everyone watched Gossip Girl, Farmville was a way of life, and Uggs were in style.

Daysleeper

2009-11-19T12:36:00.000-08:00

Come home, pass out, wake up paralyzed, hallucinate: story of my life.

Right now I'm sitting here with this headache, which is most likely caused by the three hour nap I just endured - yeah, endured.

At several points I woke up, thinking I should get up and get moving, studying for my test tomorrow or writing an article. I couldn't. It's not that I'm too lazy or I was too tired, my legs wouldn't move... and neither would my arms, or my fingers, or my toes, or anything.

Once during this nap, I thought my dad was trying to wake me up. I tried to tell him that I couldn't, because I couldn't move, but he didn't understand. Of course none of this actually happened, because I'm in Albany and my dad is in Rochester. Was it a dream then?

No, it's sleep paralysis, the most bizarre part of my life. I wake up, cannot move for a few minutes, and then either fall back to sleep or regain movement. During these episodes it's not uncommon for me or anyone else, let me stress, to see hallucinations or hear voices. In fact, these hallucinations often cause people to pass such experiences off as dreams. At a young age, when I would wake up immobile to images of monsters and the like hanging over me, I certainly thought I was simply cursed with horrible nightmares. Most people experience sleep paralysis at least once in their life. It doesn't mean anything serious, health-wise, unless it happens often.

Since I've been at college, I've experienced this at least twice a week, and sometimes several times a day. I struggle to go a whole a day without napping, and sometimes awake totally disoriented and confused (and my roommate Bridget will tell you, sometimes incredibly bitchy). I even had a Tyler Durden moment: upon waking up, I had a full conversation with Bridget one night before falling back to sleep. I had no recollection.

What does this mean? Well I think it means I'm narcoleptic. The frustration of this is waking up at 4 O'clock in the afternoon, after lying down to watch TV for a moment, finding myself out of it and dazed. It's frustrating to wake up at 5 O'clock, to a dark sky, when I planned on running around campus that afternoon. The most frustrating part is when I actually do make it through an afternoon, and I finally get to spend time outside, being productive, doing something with my day; I realize everyday could be like that, but for me, it isn't. I'm an active person, but this issue makes me feel as though I'm sleeping through life.

Hopefully I'll get some answers when I go to my doctor over Thanksgiving. This is a big step for me - anyone who knows me knows I'm not a fan of asking for help.

Woes of an Upstater

2009-11-18T11:47:00.000-08:00

"Western New York? There is no such thing as Western New York."

Someone has actually told me this.

"Rochester? Oh, so you mean, you're from outside of the universe."

Oh, the surprises of wandering from your home region.

Upon my arrival at UAlbany, I learned an important geographical fact: that Long Island is the center of everything. Prior to this, I had considered anything that wasn't directly connected to the large part of the state to be the same thing. In other words, Long Island, New York City, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island... all the same to me. No difference, whatsoever.

Yet here I am, an upstate-dweller, at an upstate school, the regional minority. I get labeled a redneck and a farmer and sheltered because I'm not familiar with the greatest city on earth. Downstate kids deal with probably more intense labels - although the few that like to advertise their home as "Strong Island" certainly do not negate their labels of "douchebags" and "assholes".

Sometimes I wish I could take everyone at UAlbany to my hometown, Le Roy, for a day. While we might not have sky scrapers or exciting clubs, there is undoubtedly a charm and romance to living in a rural area, as I've described in several previous blogs. Maybe some day these downstate kids will visit Western New York and learn not only that it exists, but also that it's not such a horrible place to grow up. Until then, I'll just have to live with the frustration of my portion of the state being invaded by southerners.

copper, you're my best friend

2009-11-16T10:53:00.000-08:00

Born like sisters to this world

In a town where blood ties are only blood

If you never say your name out loud to anyone

They can never ever call you by it

If I kiss you where it's sore

Will you feel better,

Will you feel anything at all?

Better

Regina Spektor

(my first attempt at an artsy style post)

Albany: Yankees Fans Haven

2009-11-14T16:44:00.000-08:00

I wrote this for the Albany Student Press, but sometimes newspapers mess up and have two people writing the same article.
Luckily, I have my own publishing means.

If you were wondering why there was toilet paper all over the fountain Thursday morning, you must have been one of the few to sleep through the raging Yankees fans’ celebration the night before.

Immediately after the win, students on Indian began running through the halls and cheering outside. The noise could be heard from the 21^st floor of Mohawk Tower.

Fans were cheering, chanting “27!” and playing “Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z outside the tower, toilet paper flying and energetic boys running around shirtless in the cold Noember air.

“More people joined as the chants grew louder, and more people showed up. Then all of a sudden everyone started running towards State Quad,” says Freshman Tim McGreevy.

At State, fans celebrating inside heard the noise and joined the mob outside, which continued to Colonial and Dutch Quads, and finally ended at the fountain. The rowdy crowd managed to cause some havoc, knocking over some garbage cans.
“They got pretty much every trash can on the way,” McGreevy recalls.

Singing Queen’s “We Are The Champions,” the middle ring of the fountain was packed with students, with more standing around it and on the stairs.

The celebration continued well past 1 a.m., when the ecstatic students finally began to return to their dorms.

“It meant the world to me, it ended all the frustration of no World Series wins since 2000,” says Jordan Schantz, a freshman.

Not everyone was elated over the win.

“It was hard to sleep through,” said an unhappy low-rise dweller.

What about the seemingly few non-Yankees fans on campus?
“Well I was kind of confused why they were yelling ‘Red Sox suck’ when they weren’t even playing the Red Sox in the first place,” Taylor Bulman, a Boston fan remarked.
“I only know one other Red Sox fan on campus,” said Bulman.

The large amount of students from downstate and Albany’s proximity to New York City makes UAlbany a haven for Yankees fans.
“I don’t think another team’s victory would bring on a celebration of that caliber, I don’t think that can be topped,” says Schantz.

Hometown pride was strongly displayed, as many native New Yorkers were especially passionate about the victory.|
“I’m not a bandwagon Yankee fan, I’m a true fan, so when I saw all those people out there a rush of adrenaline just shot through me cause I knew all those people felt the same way I did,” says Ronald Baez, who is from Brooklyn.
“All in all it was just a beautiful experience and I’m glad I got to see that.”

weezer please!

2009-11-07T14:49:00.000-08:00

Vote SUNY Albany!

I love Weezer very much.

Therefore, all SUNY students should be voting daily for this, so Weezer can come to our school and blow our minds with their hardcore nerd pop rock.

If you DON'T think you need to see Weezer live, here's a video to change your mind featuring not one but TWO cover songs, one being MGMT. (!!!!)

OH and check out their new album Raditude, I like it, then again I'd like anything Weezer created. You can stream some of it off their MySpace right now.

The Saints Aren't Coming to Albany

2009-11-03T07:24:00.000-08:00

Sunday was All Saints Day. In theory, I should have now seen Boondock Saints: All Saints Day.

This is not the case.

After waiting 10 years (slight exaggeration), I could not even see the sequel to my beloved violent cult classic the day it came out. Why is this? Because God hates Upstate NY. All Saints Day is only playing in Manhattan & Long Island, as far as NYS goes.

They could have given me warning, could have told me it was going to be in select theatres. Might be something nice to include in the trailer.

Then it hits me, though: why I am making such a big deal about this? I never saw the first one in theatres... it was never in the theatre. My optimistic approach to looking at this ultimately grim and disappointing situation: perhaps Boondock Saints was not meant to be seen in theatres.

Maybe this is a way of continuing the cult-ness of this classic.

Also, if it was in theatres near Albany, I would have written a review on it, that would without a doubt have been incredibly, incredibly, biased.

Oh well, who needs to watch the saints, when you live it.

Swine '09: The Vaccine

2009-10-30T20:25:00.000-07:00

Seems like everybody wants a needle in me this week.

It's been about 27 hours since I got vaccinated and I have not yet dropped dead. My head still functions, I'm not twitching, and I can still walk. My friends remind me, however, that it takes about three days to set in.

Seriously though -- no bruise, practically no soreness. I don't feel dizzy or disoriented or tired. I'm not coughing or sneezing or throwing up.

So far, those horror stories I heard from my peers are pure (dramatic) fiction. Meanwhile, back in LeRoy, my mom is surprised when I tell her of these rumors; they apparently are not circulating at home. One must wonder if my small town is ill-informed or, the more likely case: college students are a bit more dramatic in the face of crisis. The fact that we're all living together, constantly conversing and interacting, makes information - and misinformation - spread like lightening. Likewise, sicknesses are passed around rapidly - including swine flu.

It's hard to sift through the sensationalized media to get to the truth of this epidemic. I personally believe that, while dangerous, swine flu is not as big of a deal as the media makes it out to be. And I believe, hope, and soon will be able to tell you first hand, that the vaccine is not dangerous. From what I've gathered, the nasal spray is a live virus, however, and sickness can be anticipated or expected with that. I opted for the injection, which is made with a dead virus.

A final note, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute reported that it's students were quickly spreading H1N1, and beer pong was the culprit. Careful students might not realize the obvious places they spread germs - drinking games is a huge one. A word of advice to the party-goers: use your own cup.

Someone Else's Blood

2009-10-28T19:22:00.001-07:00

I took me a couple years and one persuasive friend, but I finally did it: I gave blood.

Being a bit squeamish, the idea of blood rushing of out my body into a tube never seemed like a good idea. I held a fear that I'd pass out, freak out, or hurt myself... until I stopped being so dramatic, finally lay on the table and let them stick that needle in me.

I breathed frantically for a little bit, overwhelmed with stress, paranoia and self pity. I kept thinking that, over on that side of myself I dare not look, a tube was carrying blood from my body to a plastic bag. After about a minute, I told myself to suck it up, and I got over it.

That blood may someday be used to help save a life. Somehow, that notion escaped me for several years. Perhaps I was too self-absorbed to think beyond how that action would effect me to think about the good it might do for someone else.

For anyone who hasn't, but is able to, I suggest giving blood. Set any invalid accuses aside, and just do it; you'll be helping others and feel great about it. It might be crazy and slightly morbid, but the thought of my blood in someone else's body is incredible. In a small way, it brings you a little bit closer to everyone else - all those people you know and all those you'll never meet.

And then you take that love you made

And stick it into some

Someone else's heart

Pumping someone else's blood.

-Regina Spektor

Back in Business

2009-10-27T23:29:00.000-07:00

Not to make myself appear to be: friendless, a loser, a stalker, a creeper, lame, or bored.

But my fellow bloggers have actually been posting blogs lately, and it's like an early Christmas.

They can all be seen on that massive list of blogs over there <---.

Not included on that list, however, is Joe & Drew's Podcast, Off the Record. I would recommend listening to these two brilliant minds debate today's important issues in the most entertaining way. Give them a visit!

I was also excited to see a few European posts from Cassette Musique - they're all studying abroad this semester, so posts are few but from a quite different perspective. Good stuff!

Children Don't Grow Up

2009-10-27T22:55:00.000-07:00

Tonight I sat at my computer, listening to Wilco, explaining to my roommate what "Where the Wild Things Are" is about.

Sidenote: I'm dressed like Max.

Dressed like a boy dressed like a wolf dressed like a king.

Halloween is days away.

This may be a prime example that children don't grow up. (1)

The book is very much about how in the face of fear, children become wild things. The movie takes this a step further and assures us that adults do the same.

Go see this movie, and it will tell you about yourself.(2) It will tell you that we all have a wild side, and when the world gets too overwhelming, we visit it... and still make it home in time for supper to be warm.

(1) Says the Arcade Fire. I was extremely disappointed that they didn't appear on this soundtrack.

(2) Other reasons to see this include: Spike Jonze is a film god, Max Records is perfect as the role of Max, and the music is super. (Even without the Arcade Fire) (Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs nails it)

Comedy: The Only Way to Make Us Pay Attention

2009-10-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

As a journalism and political science student, I have been made incredibly aware that young people no longer read the news. While perhaps this can be generalized to Americans in general, it’s much more fun for teachers and adults to criticize the upcoming generation, and attempt to scare them into political and social involvement.

The most important thing to teach an aspiring journalist, it seems, is that journalism and the news industry are dying. News has been taken over by Entertainment (cleverly dubbed Infotainment). What are we to do? People are uninformed and apathetic, participation in government is dropping, and democracy is dying!

Along come two comedians to save the day. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, the geniuses they are, seem to be the only people that can make young adults pay attention to current events. Their ridiculous bias makes their shows hilarious and entertaining to watch but, wait, isn’t bias something that should not be found in news?

Many feel that it is a crying shame that our generation’s main news providers are these two mock-journalists. I think, that while there are downsides to this type of “news”, comedy news is doing some great things.

Right after South Park, and before Tosh.0, a witty Jewish man from New Jersey pops up on the screen to deliver the day’s news and controversies with an incredibly liberal bias. Between the mocking of public officials and replays of their mistakes and mess-ups, the sarcastic observations of current social events, hysterical outbursts of frustration, and extremely uncomfortable interviews with real-live distinguished politicians, authors, and public figures, Jon Stewart might surprise you. What, what was that? Yes, it was, in fact, a moment of sincerity. Now and then, if only for a minute, Stewart’s acting talents slip him and his true beliefs and passion show through. It’s refreshing and somewhat incredible to see a journalist, if you can call him that, poke fun at an issue to lighten the mood and then actually deliver a point.

Immediately after, follows a egotistic “mock” super-Republican, Stephen Colbert. Actual Republicans, beware: he is not sincere. Stop nodding your head in agreement. He stole the words right out of your mouth? Republicans, I’m hoping you know and I don’t mean to insult your intelligence, Stephen Colbert is mocking you. He is, in fact, liberal (gasp). If you’re offended by this paragraph, thinking, “Of course I knew Colbert is liberal!”, well I’m sorry, but I’ve met several Republicans that were sincerely hoping that Presidential bid would work out for him.

The true danger of shows like the Daily Show and Colbert Report are just that – people who don’t catch on to the sarcasm, who don’t understand that things on that show are biased for the sake of comedy. Most people my age are still trying to sort out politics, and figure out what they believe in. Shows such as these could impact their developing views drastically, if not taken in the right light, or in union with other news sources.

Personally, I would love to see a similar show from the other side of the spectrum. Stephen Colbert does NOT count as a conservative comedy news show, and I would like to see someone poking fun at liberals (someone who is not a real-life liberal).I’d like a mock-liberal news show, in the way that Colbert is a mock-conservative. I’m surprised this niche has not yet been filled, although I’m not sure what network would carry it. However, when taking the rest of the conservative media into account, I’m not sure I’d really like to add to that pile of extreme, incredibly biased programs. I suppose that Glenn Beck provides enough entertainment from that ideology. Sadly, most are laughing at, not with, him.

Keepin' the Peace

2009-10-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

It's always made someone sound like a demi-god - "Nobel Peace Prize Winner... ". To rank up there with Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Ghandi, you must have done something pretty extraordinary, must have made a huge impact on the world.

Suddenly, it's a bit less impressive.

Personally, it would not surprise me to see Barack Obama with a Nobel Peace Prize... someday. Someday, after he's executed the many promises, hopes, and goals he's told the American people about. He has great plans, and their success could lead to great things, and he'd be worthy of a Prize.

For the first time (at least, that I'm aware), we see this Prize as less of an award and more of a, well, guilt trip. It seems Obama was given this Prize not in honor of what he's done, but in hopes that he will do something worthy to deserve it. This puts quite a bit of pressure on our President to act as peacefully as possible, when the most peaceful choices might not always be the most beneficial to our nation's security.

So if I were to talk to Obama I'd tell him congratulations, sure that while he's flattered and honored, he's probably also a little uneasy about this burden.

And Dance Forever-ever-ever

2009-10-11T11:21:00.000-07:00

I've always been a fan of dancing, whether it's at a school dance, birthday party, wedding, prom, bonfire, or my room. Since I've arrived at college, this habit has only increased. (1)

Dancing, to me (and I think many others) is the ultimate form of celebration. Classic rock or hip hop, M.I.A. or Miley Cyrus, it's all good as long as it makes you move.

I think these two videos demonstrate exactly how a wedding should be celebrated. Hopefully, when I get to that big day, I'll have friends that like to jam as much as I do. (2)While a classy, traditional procession might be sweet, it seems like a waste. Why walk slowly, when you could be dancing?!

*The Office spoofed this, it was almost as awesome (I cried)... but this is real life.

(1) Heavy on the "in my room"... or suite, now, I guess. Sometimes the best part of the night is our jam sessions as we're getting ready.

(2) More importantly, I better find a groom willing to dance like this.

(3) I'm not a fan of Chris Brown, because of his abuse of Rihanna, but I can't help but love this song. Why does Rihanna always make her way into my blog?!

Murder on Fox News

2009-09-24T22:06:00.001-07:00

Crazy for Swayze

2009-09-15T11:12:00.001-07:00

This may be incredibly corny. But the first time I saw this movie, I was completely smitten. So let's all take this moment to acknowledge the talent Patrick Swayze possessed. Not only is he an incredible dancer, but he's been breaking teen girls' hearts for 25 years and counting.

Desegregation of Music

2009-09-10T10:57:00.000-07:00

If you've read my blogs on music, you know I don't like things along the lines of hip hop or rap. I grew up with music of a very different sort, and for a long time didn't even consider it "music", let alone music of quality.

Which is why when I first decided to give the artist Girl Talk a try, I immediately rejected it. All I heard, at first, was rap, or hip hop, or whatever kind of music other people listen to on popular radio. This was a big turn off, and I gave up on it.

Upon arriving at SUNY Albany, we learned that this fall's musical guests are Reel Big Fish (!!!) and Girl Talk. Of course, I had to give them another try. My music tastes have changed quite a bit in the last few months as well, as I've been listening to a lot of electronica (justice!) and even some techno (basshunter).

I made a horrible mistake when casting Girl Talk aside. Girl Talk is not a girl rock band (which would have been badass) but one guy, mixing up different songs he did not create himself. The result is mashing old and new, different styles together, to make unlikely but pleasant combinations. The song, "Set It Off" for example, consists of, among others:

Rihanna feat. Jay-Z's "Umbrella"
Radiohead's "Paranoid android"
Mary J. Blige's "Real Love"
The Guess Who's "These Eyes"
Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion"
DJ Kool's "Let Me Clear My Throat"
The Spinner's "The Rubberband Man"
Dexy's Midnight Runner's "Come On Eileen"
Bubba Sparxxx's "Heat it Up"
Rare Earth "I just want to Celebrate"

Mixing up things I would normally despise with songs I love (Come on Eileen!) make genres I don't care for much easier to swallow. Girl Talk creates an excitement in listening to his music; you can't wait to hear what comes next, and when it's something you like, it's like getting something you wanted but didn't ask for on Christmas morning.

A few weeks ago I was at a Weezer concert and out of the blue, heard MGMT's "Kids", one of my favorites, go into "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga - a song I normally don't care for. Strangely enough, the two songs fit together so well, you would have thought they were one. Indie rock and mainstream pop came together and it was unexpectedly amazing. Girl Talk stands for an incredible appreciation for music as a whole, not favoring one genre over another. No need to discriminate, because when you're listening to Girl Talk, Metallica, The Carpenters, and Souljaboy are all the same anyway.

Check out Girl Talk over there!! <----

A Sunday Song

2009-09-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

The thing about late, eventful Saturday nights is they are always followed by peaceful Sunday mornings. Some might say I'm cursed, but I think I'm lucky to be unable to sleep past 10 a.m. most days. The world, or this campus at least, is dead, as students hide from sunlight and noise their heads are not yet ready for. One of the few brave souls to wake up and walk across campus for food, I was calmed by the serenity of a campus of over 1200 in silence. I had nearly reached my destination when a loud, startling sound pierced through the still air. Bagpipes, playing cadence to arms for a dead, unresponsive audience. I desperately wanted to know where they were coming from, so I walked briskly in that direction. Slightly straying from my path, I didn't quite mind wandering to the fountain, where a young man was standing alone, playing music for his fellow early risers. I stood and watched the water in the fountain a minute, taking in that music I've come to appreciate so much, enjoying the bright morning sun despite my own grogginess and hunger. I left and continued to breakfast, reassured that while my world and life had changed, things from my past would always seek me out at moments I need it most.

21

2009-08-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

To add a little to my previous post concerning the drinking age, an issue that I tend to get a bit heated over:

At the age of 18, one is considered an adult. They can be tried in court as an adult, punished as an adult, face adult consequences. Anything negative that can happen to adult, can now happen to this 18-year-old.

Yet, said 18-year-old does not have all the rights as other adults in the nation. They are withheld the right to drink alcohol.

Unconstitutional? I think so.

Coming out of the Country Music Closet

2009-08-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

(I might lose friendships for this... or at least, weaken a few.)

In my life, I've spent quite a bit of time making fun of country music... and I've spent an equal or greater amount of time singing it.

It's the genre I grew up on, but it was incredibly uncool during my adolescent years (and, arguably, now). While, in some ways, it can't compare at all to my other, superior, more intelligent music - indie rock, experimental, prog rock, whatever - country music has something going for it. It has a huge following, and an exceptionally large closet-fan base. I'm among them - don't often broadcast my love of country music. I'd rather be seen as a girl who likes the Dropkick Murphys, or Feist, or something. Truthfully, I would choose a Garth Brooks concert over ANY of those artists. Hands down.

I always thought country music was supposed to be only for southerners and Western New York tried to steal it. The truth is, as I wrote below, that simple way of life talked about in this genre doesn't only apply to the south. It exists anywhere there are wide open spaces, hard working people, and an appreciation for the more genuine things in life.

The first video goes along with what I just said extremely well. It's about enjoying the good things in life: a little bit of chicken fried, cold beer on a friday night. The second one, if you actually enjoyed the first any, is an incredible video of my man, Garth Brooks, performing one of my favorite songs EVER, Callin' Baton Rouge.

Wide Open Spaces

2009-08-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

This weekend I took a camping trip with some of my buddies as our last time together before we all leave for our respective colleges. Some of my peers from the city might have been out clubbing with their friends, or at a crazy party on the beach, but I think I'm the luckiest. I got to grill my own corn in a fire pit for dinner, sizzle some bacon for breakfast, snack on peaches that came from my backyard. We all sat around the fire all night, sometimes adventuring out into the wilderness (or the next site over), or just chatting while making s'mores and smoking some strawberry cigars. We finally all passed out next to each other, in a row, under the stars in the clearest sky we'd ever seen. While others my age might have been glamorous in their dress jeans and silky tops, their glitzy jewelry and manolos, I wore the same jeans for about three days and broke my four year old flip flops. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

On the way there, I glanced out the window to see a fairly common scene: a field, some trees, the sky. Knowing that I'm not going to be around open spaces like that in a week, though, made me see it a little differently. At first it didn't seem like anything worthy of a picture.

After I impulsively took it, my mind was changed.

Justice

2009-08-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

This entry really isn't political at all. With all this talk about our new Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor, I thought I might share another kind of Justice that I've been into lately.

Try to figure out who this song is a tribute for, I'll give you a hint: you've seen a gross amount of tributes for him lately, and like four of his songs are mentioned. It's a tough one, I know.

Up and Coming

2009-08-07T23:17:00.001-07:00

This week, two blogs have been born which will surely be worth reading. I would like to take some bit of credit for encouraging, inspiring or suggesting the creation of these soon to be masterpieces.

You may have seen Andrew "Beans" Stebbins leaving ridiculously lengthy comments on my blogs (the last two). He is both very knowledgeable and opinionated, so this blog should be interesting. I, and I'm sure many others, would agree that Beans needs an outlet for his thoughts and opinions of current events and issues. I would be willing to bet that most of his blogs will be based on politics and baseball.

Different things can be expected from Sam Bortle's blog, as, while she's also very knoweldgeable on the world of politics as well as passionate for her beliefs, she's quite interested in pop culture and such things. I could be wrong, but I would expect book, movie and music reviews as well as political and social ideas (something like Damanta Maith)... all of which are bound to be written in her own entertaining, often humorous voice. While she's been a fellow writer of mine for quite some time (she was editor of our leroy best seller, The Word), she's definitely been someone to look up to! I would expect great things from Sam.

I have several other talented blogger friends, and all of them can be seen on this page. Some update frequently, while some tend to go portions of years without posting more than school essays (coughjamescough). Check them out! Most people reading this are probably on that list, actually, but if you aren't... you should be! Get a blog! Talk about things and pretend people are reading it! :]

Republicans: Please Get Shit Done.

2009-08-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

Republicans...
Once again, your party and I are put in an awkward situation.
I agree with your feelings towards public health care. It's no good. I don't like the idea. Bad move. We agree on this.

However, once again, you don't know how to get shit done. You say, "No public health care!" That's all fine and good... Until Democrats say, "Ok, what's your plan?"

"...huh. Umm... yeah... no public health care!"

That's not a plan!
Make a plan! An ALTERNATIVE.
Because I think it's clear that if Democrats have a plan that they like, it's going to pass eventually.
It shouldn't pass without a decent amount of debate and speculation... but it will pass.
So you're doing a good job of slowing it down, and talking it over... except, you're not really talking it over.
You're just saying no.
But "no" isn't going to keep us away from public health care.
Another idea of how to reform problems in the health care industry is what we need.
So come on, let's go. You're embarrassing conservatives and people who agree with you.

The Sound of Republican Orchestration

2009-08-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

Damn Republicans, "orchestrating" this movement against a bill they don't agree with! How dare they educate the public on their side of the issue, encourage their supporters to become active in the debate, and ask them to make their voices heard! It's outrageous. People are protesting and it's all the GOP's fault. Democrats would NEVER provide information that is favorable towards their side, advertise their ideas, or encourage their members or supporters to act upon their opinions.

I mean, this is a democracy. Why would a party encourage ANYONE to voice their opinions?!

Overcoming Melophobia: The Arcade Fire

2009-08-03T08:39:00.000-07:00

I'll admit, I'm a stubborn person and sometimes that leads me to miss out. I spent a long time declaring my hatred for The Arcade Fire, and now I'm ready to say I've turned 360 into a fan. This trailer is one reason why!

Sarcasm: The Language of Friendship

2009-07-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

So I see my friend, Kraig, that I'd met earlier that day at orientation. I'm all, "Hey Kraig! Having fun?"
Suddenly-
"He doesn't want to talk to you!"
I am informed by a girl I've never spoken to... or seen, until about thirty seconds prior.
For a milisecond, I am confused, and awkwardly try to figure out what she meant... but only for a milisecond. Then I know. She's like me.... she's sarcastic.

It's a wonderful paradox, hard for some to swallow and harder for others to practice. Being mean is the best way to make friends.

For example, my Orientation Assistant (OA), Helen, and I "clicked" pretty quickly, and it's probably because we were both constantly making fun of everything and everyone around us, including each other.

It's easy to be nice to people you've just met, to ask them where they are from, what they are into, and how they like orientation so far. However, it's way more fun to ask awkward questions that poke fun at them... just a little.
Like making fun of the girl from Mexico... , New York.
Or making "townie" jokes about the kid from Colonie.
Or refering to the Serbian kid as "Serbia".

Sure, now and then you might meet someone who isn't really into getting made fun of, or doesn't understand your sarcasm. Personally, if someone can't take sarcasm, our friendship wouldn't really last too long anyway. There's a line between sarcasm and being offensive and it doesn't take too much common sense to know where it is... so don't cross it.

Just keep in mind that sometimes a sincere compliment does not go as far as, "um wow, you're cool!..."

Past and Present Evils

2009-07-22T06:39:00.000-07:00

From the time we are children, until our teen years, we are told not to do impolite, rude, or improper things. Our elders are appalled by the TV we watch, the music we listen to, and the language we use. So it begins, the belief that the past was not as socially corrupt as the present.

Yesterday I began working in a 154 year old house, or "the mansion" as I refer to it. This house is gigantic; with three fireplaces, more bedrooms than I cared to count, and bathrooms all over the place, you could easily get lost. Every time period left behind one artifact or another there, including photo albums, almanacs, even fan mail to an artist who lived there. While scrubbing the residue of years past off the hardwood floor, I wonder in awe about how much this house has seen: grandeur parties in the roaring 20's, the evils of slavery before the turn of the century, and probably the most comfortable lifestyle in town during the Great Depression.

Just being there makes the past more real. The last 154 years are no longer simply fictional scenarios described by history books... They were lived through, lived in - just as that house was - by people not so different from you and I. Being there, and realizing this, assures me that past decades were no less corrupt, no less evil, than our present day.

Venturing into Emofest

2009-07-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

It was a heafty price for an incredible reward. I am by no means a fan of "emo" culture, and have a short fuse when it comes to so-called "scene" kids. Despite this prejudice, I found myself in a sea of spiked green hair, eye liner, and 3OH!3 shirts on Thursday. I recieved judging looks from vain girls wearing plaid, and bows, and sometimes plaid bows. Feeling quite out of place and a bit embarrassed to be there, I wished I had a sign to wear reading: "I only came to Warped because I am a Flogging Molly superfan."

Steve, Eric and I grudgingly endured the Devil Wears Prada crowd in order to secure a nice spot for Flogging Molly's show. We encountered boys that seemed sure they were the toughest around, although I'm almost positive they would have fled at the first indication of an actual fight. Eric now sports a battlewound recieved during a fight over DWP drum sticks, during which I actually lost him. After I found Steve, Flogging Molly eventually took the stage and rocked the place with Paddy's Lement... although, I barely got to enjoy most of the music they played, because I was a bit busy. I had to focus all my energy to remain standing up among a packed crowd of swaying and pushing. I lost a flip flop, and got hit on the head several times with waterbottles and the like. Worst of all, the body of someone who thought it would be cool to crowd surf was thrown on me every 15 seconds, and with my height and strength, they more often than not ended up nearly hitting the ground. Once, I felt my shirt tugged on and turned around to see Steve on the ground, eyes wide, horrifyed, as he was getting stepped on and fallen on by those around him. My hair was pulled, my toes were stepped on, my head was kicked. It didn't seem worth it and Steve and I began to make our way out of the crowd, sideways.

That's when I ran into a girl I'd met earlier that day, a short, spunky chick who had sat in line with me for FM's signing (about an hour and fifteen minutes, we were first!). She was with several enthusiastic, energetic boys, and althought they too were getting shoved left and right, and were holding up bodies of crowd surfers, she was finding time to dance and jig inbetween the chaos. I joined her, singing and dancing when we could and trying to hide behind our larger male friends. Finally, during the last song (What's Left of the Flag), things began to look up. The crowd surfers were smaller in number, the crowd calmed a bit. The boys around us began to jig (or attempt to) and formed something of a kickline. Steve joined, as did random others, while we laughed and took pictures, and eventually danced along. Those two minutes of nearly uninterrupted celebration were worth every kick I recieved to the head, every bruise I got, the flip flop I sacrificed. That short time was filled with the purest feeling of celebration I think I've ever experienced. It was not drug nor drink induced; simply music, singing and dancing, with some friends we might never see again. We shared that short time together and parted ways to drive home and sleep for ten hours or more.

It might be a bit arrogant to say that Flogging Molly was the only band at Warped Tour that could provide such an experience... I'll say it anyway.

Drinker's Education

2009-07-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

Last night at the Kid Rock/Lynyrd Skynyrd concert at Darien Lake, law enforcers started to actually care about underage drinking - 96 arrests for this alone, on "The Hill". It would be that parking lot across the street from the venue, which often becomes one gigantic party, a haven for underage drinking.

I've always supported the idea of lowering the drinking age in the US. The general view of alcohol consumption in this country is, in my opinion, unhealthy. Instead of being a normal, natural part of life, it becomes frowned upon in most situations, for people of any age. Minors are told to not look at, touch, or think about drinking until they are of "age". This age requirement is older than that to get married, or to serve in the military. This implies that drinking alcohol is a more serious decision than marriage or laying down your own life for you country!

Most other cultures, anywhere in the world, have much better outlooks on alcohol. Teens are TAUGHT how to drink RESPONSIBLY, instead of being left to experiment for themselves in unsafe situations. Would you rather your child drink for the first time with their family, or at a shady party?

It is time for the drinking age to be lowered. While I don't think our nation is ready for it, I really like Scotland's system: at 14, you can have one drink in a restraunt with your parents/gaurdians, at 16, you can have one drink in a restraunt by yourself, and at 18 you can buy. I think this successfully eases teens into drinking responsibly. If high school drinking is such a concern, make the age 19. Whatever happens, it needs to happen ASAP, for two reasons: We need to change alcohol's place in American culture, and I want to be able to drink at concerts without getting arrested.

Standing By Iran

2009-07-06T10:19:00.000-07:00

While Iran is in the midst of a crisis that will change their nation forever, the worldwide community is watching, wondering how they can help. It's obvious militial help is not the best option at this time, so anyone wanting to express support for Iran must do so in a creative manner. Here, Jon Bon Jovi has teamed up with Iranian Superstar Andy Madadian to record this version of "Stand By Me". It's available for free download here, in hope that it will be passed around and shared with the people of Iran, to let them know that the US as well as the rest of the world is watching their struggle and supporting their cause. I would love to see this inspire others to do similar things in support of Iran's revolution!

2009-07-02T13:43:00.001-07:00

I just set blogger up to my cell phone so i can text blog now! I have no idea when i would use this, but i think it's pretty sweet. :)

On A Rainy Night in LeRoy

2009-06-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

I've been loving you a long time
Down all the years, down all the days
And I've cried for all your troubles
Smiled at your funny little ways
We watched our friends grow up together
And we saw them as they fell
Some of them fell into Heaven
Some of them fell into Hell

I took shelter from a shower
And I stepped into your arms
On a rainy night in Soho
The wind was whistling all its charms
I sang you all my sorrows
You told me all your joys
Whatever happened to that old song
To all those little girls and boys

I'm not singing for the future
I'm not dreaming of the past
I'm not talking of the fist time
I never think about the last

On the eve of the last day of school, the last real "school night", I stayed up half the night talking to my childhood best friend. We'd gotten into different groups and interests in high school, but managed to stay close, even if we didn't talk often or spend much time together. We sat in the gazebo next to the creek until about 2 in the morning, talking about high school and the future and our fears and ambitions. We realized how lucky we were to still have each other after all those years and changes in our lives. Some of my peers will struggle to remain extremely close with all their friends; others might never be seen again. I think this Pogues song gives a great outlook on this subject; on leaving friends and cherishing memories without holding onto the past.

People come and go, some go onto better things and some go onto worse. While you're together, enjoy the ups and comfort each other through the downs. Old friends bring part of your past into the present, but know that not every friend will be permenantly held onto. Don't spend too much time dwelling on the past, or planning for the future; instead, take a quick look around, see who is there with you, and be thankful for them. To the class of 09: enjoy your summer before college, and time in college, and after college... Just enjoy it all, and be thankful for any friend that happens to be around.

Fallen King of Pop

2009-06-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

Upon exiting this world, the light in which people are shown often suddenly changes hue. Michael Jackson has been viewed as an incredible humanitarian, a wretched child molester, and a performing demigod.

Of course, in the past 48 hours, the words associated with his name have frequently been "icon", "talented", "compassionate", and "revolutionary". While my generation may have more or less missed the boat on Jackson and his music, it's obvious, even to me, that he was both exceptionally talented and active in bringing social change. It doesn't take much speculation to realize he was an incredible dancer, singer and performer. My AP English class learned that this year as we attempted to learn the Thriller dance.

Several of his songs expressed the need to accept and celebrate diversity, one being "Black or White". He not only participated in, but actually wrote the song "We Are the World", performed by a supergroup of popular artists, which benefited Africa and promoted the need to end Africa's poverty and hunger. The King of Pop was also a conservationist, writing "Earth Song" about the need to save our planet and minimize our damage to it.

Prior to his cardiac arrest yesterday, many had recently viewed Jackson in a considerably different light. Between the well-known child molestation charges, his large amount of debt, altering his appearance to be relatively grotesque, and his obvious personal turmoil, he could easily be seen as creepy. I think the child molestation trials alone ruined the image of him for me, and many others. So while he was talented, it's hard to honor a person who was associated with such horrible things.

Anyhow, it's often the case and rightfully so that people are viewed as their best after their death - it's how you would want to be thought of, right?

One thing that does bother me, however, is how Farrah Faucett's death was overlooked by this. We're told Farrah was a strong, brave woman, who was willing to be completely honest and open while creating a documentary about her battle against cancer. Her death occured just hours before Jackson's. This morning on one talk show or another, I saw a slideshow of photos of BOTH Faucett and Jackson, which I think is outrageous. I would absolutely hate to be associated with Michael Jackson forever just because of my - or his - untimely death.

In conclusion, we all have good and bad characteristics and things we've done. This is even true of the King of Pop himself.

Advice to the College-Bound

2009-06-23T19:36:00.000-07:00

If you're starting your college search now, you're about to be subject to a whirlwind of information, deadlines, propaganda, and emotions. Don't lose your head.

When you visit schools, they're going to: 1. show you the campus 2. talk about dining, housing, classes, extra curriculars, and study abroad 3. mention big name bands and celebrities that visit campus (these will include third eye blind and John Stewart... always.) 4. ask you to ask yourself if you can "imagine" yourself there.

Some schools will tell you that your task is to find the school that fits your personality. This is completely false. As you will find out, probably around April, is that you're actually looking for a school that fits your career ambitions and your checkbook.

I would suggest looking at all sorts of schools - small and large, near and far, private and public. You might initially think you need a small school because your high school was small... this isn't always the case. Personally, I think going a few hours away is a good idea - you'll be isolated enough to not hang on to your old life, and you'll make new friends while learning a new area.

While the social atmosphere is important, know that wherever you go, there are bound to be people that you'll get along with. This is especially true at a large school. Obviously, if you're into partying, you shouldn't be going to a quiet christian school, and if you're really into nature and the environment you probably shouldn't be headed off to an urban campus. Just don't read into everything too much, because chances are you could make yourself happy at almost any school.

Sometime in the spring of your junior year, the FAFSA will give you this lovely little number of how much money you are able to pay per year for college. It will probably make you sick. Almost every college you apply to will then give you enough financial aid to meet that exact number. "Financial aid" will consist of scholarships, grants, and LOANS which you probably shouldn't really count. You'll then do the math and figure out how much debt you'll have at each college you're looking at (and there will be debt).

Then you decide what school is worth what amount of debt.

I would advise everybody to apply to a SUNY (or state school, if you're not from NYS). That's what I landed on, it's a good education for a good price. Of course, that's just me; it's different for everybody. Just take comfort in the idea that whever you end up, you'll make friends, and you'll meet people with interests like yours. If you don't, you can transfer. While it's a big decision... it won't make or break your entire life. Probably.

Murder in the White House

2009-06-17T19:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, we get it, you're the fucking man.

...now lets tackle some other problems please.

The Tweets of Rebellion

2009-06-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

Unless you live in a shed, you've probably all heard of the "wanna-be facebook" site known as Twitter. Most of my peers view it as rather pointless, after all, we already have medium with which to update the world bi-hourly on our exciting lifestyles and opinions - Facebook status. So why Twitter?

Regardless of what it was intended to be, Twitter is not your hometown, circle of friends social networking site. For example, on Facebook I am "friends" with a few hundred people I know from the area, or have met through various activities. On Twitter, I follow 47 people, including a few reporters like Anderson Cooper, George Stephanopoulos, and of course John Stewart; a few politicians like John McCain, and the big guy himself Barack Obama; a few governments, like Downing Street (who also follow me, hmm..); a few public figures like DaveJMatthews ( <3 ), Jimmy Fallon and Tony Hawk; and news networks like CNN and NPR. In addition, I also follow a couple friends, including Beans, and my aunt Connie.

So do you think I'm on there posting DMB lyrics, hoping my buddy Obama will recognize them and "like" my status? Certainly not, in fact, I think I've only updated my status four times in the several months I've had Twitter. Really, I only have it so I can read what other, more intelligent and interesting people have to say. I get to read what's recently been going through Anderson Cooper's mind, or what's the big story of the day from CNN. Twitter is really just another convenient news feed, with the benefit of sometimes getting a more personal opinion from important people.

In the past few days, however, Twitter has become a bit more than frequent news updates - it's become one of the few forms of communication available to the people of Iran as they rebel against a rigged election. Journalists have been thrown out, and communication out of Iran has been extremely limited. Even with strict Internet censoring, a few Iranians have been able to upload video, photos, and audio to sites like Facebook & YouTube, broadcasting their situation throughout the world. Twitter has become a valuable source of information as Iranians use the networking site to update the world on Iran's current state.

Personally, I think it's wonderful that the Internet is starting to make the world smaller in ways it hasn't before. But it does get on my nerves a bit, when reporters take five minutes to report the Iran story and ten minutes to pat themselves and other reporters on the back for knowing how to use the web.

(kind of like how I just did.)

Music Snobbery Shoved in my Face.

2009-06-06T18:58:00.000-07:00

In my previous blog, I used Rihanna as an example of a current popular artist, whose fame I only expect to last until a new fad takes over.

I must confess that, since I wrote that blog, I've become a huge fan of "Live Your Life" by T.I. featuring none other than Rihanna.

Funny how these things work.

Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King

2009-06-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

Overall, I think it's an awesome album, possibly DMB's best yet. Now that I actually know these songs, I'm super pumped to hear them at Saratoga (wooooooo)!

Here it is:

Grux- Nice little intro. Saxxxx pwn's.

Shake Me Like A Monkey - Meholick wants to play this in jazz band next year, and with good reason. The brass all but punches you in the face. Good luck finding a precussionist at LHS that can do this justice, though, because Carter tears up on this track.

Funny the Way It Is - The single. I've heard it so much that it's not my favorite, but I'm a fan of the lyrics and it's got a clear message. Good choice of a single.

Lying in the Hands of God - Not always into the slow tracks, so this one isn't a favorite either. I think it's got to grow on me.

Why I Am - The guitar part is reason enough to like this song, but the lyrics and melody make it awesome to sing along to. The winds really make this, in my opinion. One of the best on this album to dance to.

Dive In - I'm usually not one for chilled out tracks, just because I'd rather be crazy dancing, but I really like this one. I like the complex guitar part within the chorus. The lyrics are also pretty neat, who doesn't like a song about the seasons.

Spaceman - Big fan of this. It seems pretty Jack Johnsonesque to me, but it's a nice summer track. Especially the chorus. Some of my favorite lyrics so far:"I'm not all bad but I'm a faithful sinner/I might get lost but I'll be home for dinner/If God don't like me he can send me to hell/But I love the way you love me, girl". Mrs. Lawrence, however, does not like this song very much. Don't play it around her.

Squirm- The creepy, dark, badass song. I'm a fan.

Alligator Pie- I like running out here in the countryside to this, by fields and farms and woods, because it makes me feel like I'm in the deep south. It's comprable to Louisana Bayou, but I like it even better. The banjo is pretty badass, and I especially love when they break it down a bit in the middle and then at the end. I forsee some really great crazy dancing to this.

Seven - My personal favorite track. It's awfully complex. Dave's falsetto the start with sets up the funk feel of it, and it's got some really crazy rhythms - especially the chorus : "Mama told me boy someday that girl's gon' take your mind". This is the tolken song about Dave's facination with oral sex.

Time Bomb - Starts off soft but with unmistakable energy, and it just builds from there, until everything just goes nuts (much like a ticking time bomb).

Baby Blue - The beginning of this song is the same as sister which kind of wierds me out. I like sister better... I was actually surprised by the use of symphonic strings in this, it seemed a bit uncharacteristic of the group. Sort of neutral on this, I think.

You & Me - I'm not a huge fan of this, and I think it's just because to me, the chorus sounds sort of corny. It's pretty catchy and I wish it wasn't. I usually skip this one.

Music Snobbery: Rebuttled

2009-05-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

Kaitlin (read her blog!) recently wrote a blog about music snobs and how they vex her, and I actually thought it was directed at me (1). As I read it, I began to realize: I'm a horrible music snob.

The difference between most music snobs and I are that, while I think much less of someone because their horrid taste in music, I won't actually tell them (2). I will, however, probably distance myself from them and be less likely to bond with them.

I'm not totally ashamed of my snobbery. I've learned that if someone likes Lil' Wayne and Rihanna or Nickelback over, in my opinion, quality artists, we will probably not get along well. We have very different ways of thinking. I understand guilty pleasures, and closest obsessions... in fact, I am queen of these. (3) But if your favorite artists, and the artists you choose to associate yourself with, coincide with exactly what's on the radio now... well that doesn't sound like you have a mind of your own, does it?

All I ask is originality. If, after exploring other music, you decide Rihanna is what you want to listen to... be my guest. If you're apathetic enough to listen to what the radio tells you to, and not find your own musical interests through exploration... you have lost a bit of my respect.

Maybe it's because this apathy may apply to other aspects of life. If you listen to what everyone else listens to, perhaps you're likely to dress as everyone else dresses, talk as everyone else talks, and act as everyone else acts. You're less of your own person and more like everyone else... what fun is that? I don't easily trust people who are heavily influenced by current trends. If their interests and preferences are easily changed with the times, will not their loyalties be as susceptible to change?

So when is music snobbery "bad"? When others are actually afraid to talk about music with you for fear of bashing. Some music enthusiasts almost go full-circle, and only like music that reviews tell them they should like. They aspire to talk about music so intelligently, that they grasp at any means to do that, even if it means missing out on enjoyment. If a multitude of reviews think that one album is "ingenious", suddenly it becomes the best album of the year, even if said music snob doesn't actually enjoy it. But the use of "this" and the inventiveness of "that" are so outstanding, it doesn't matter what you enjoy.

That is a true music snob. (4)

If a Rihanna fan can tell me that, after listening to other things, they like Rihanna and can give a respectable reason why, I will apologize and will award them the respect I stripped them of before.

1. It wasn't.
2. Except Jim when he listens to rap. and anyone who likes nickelback. and my brother.
3. These include: Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana, Beyonce, Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, country all around, Destiny's Child, on the music front... and the Disney channel, UFO Hunters, and iCarly on tv.
4. I would like to dedicate this blog to the same music snob who inspired Kaitlin's blog. Thank you for very pompusly introducing me to your favorite bands, I enjoyed some, and the ones that I didn't, I was scolded for! :]

Judgement

2009-04-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

"Are you tired?" I was asked by a professor of Journalism at Ithaca College. It was rather awkward, I had been trying to yawn with my mouth closed for the past few minutes, and I obviously failed at being discreet.

I've been yawning really often lately, not because I'm lacking sleep, but because I can't really breathe. Sometimes I feel pretty short of breath, and the only way to get enough air is to yawn and hope my lungs fill enough. This gives me the appearance of an obnoxiously tired kid.

It's sort of funny though, to see how everyone acts when they think I'm tired. For example, my mom was especially nervous about me driving home from Albany. I'm pretty sure that some speakers I saw at my college visits this weekend thought I was bored.

One yawns to get more air, because for some reason, they have not been breathing efficiently, and it might be because they're tired. It never occurs to anyone though, that I'm yawning because I just need air. Everyone makes the assumption that I'm sleepy.

So I guess this goes to show that just because someone does something, doesn't mean its for the reasons you would assume. Let this be a lesson on judgement to you!!

When I'm Mayor of NYC

2009-04-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

So you're walking down NYC, and somehow, between the shady hot dog you just ate, the second hand smoke infesting every corner of your lungs, and the trash thrown all over the street, you feel sick. Your stomach is freaking. You might puke... You need a bathroom.

Most restaurants only let costumers use their restrooms, not just anyone who walks in. Small shops and stores don't have any, or don't want non-employees to use them. Your best bet is a starbucks, fast food place, or small cafe of some sort. But if you can't find one quickly... you're pretty out of luck.

THANKS TO THE WONDERFUL ITALIAN MEN AT BOTTICELLI, I didn't get sick in the middle of 5th ave and a disaster was avoided.

However, I think I would require establishments that own a certain amount of space to provide public restrooms. Because.... it's just so wrong.

Everybody's On Drugs

2009-04-02T14:04:00.000-07:00

Imagine, for a moment, that you are a high school student, and infront of you has just been placed a drug survey. This is completely anonymous, but your answers will be used to better understand the level of drug use in your school. In the following pages, you will be asked questions like, "How many times in the last week have you used crack cocaine?" or "How many times in your life have you used LSD?" or "How many of your close friends smoke pot daily?" Could you possibly resist the urge to tell the local substance abuse association that you drop acid every day, with no negative consequences?! Doubtful.

Our little prank came back to bite us in the ass though, with, as Farny says, "enormous, sharp fangs!" We are apparently too short-sighted to realize that, word got out that everyone in the school buys, sells, and uses ecstacy five times a day, there would be consequences. The people most bothered with our youth's hypothetical drug use is, not surprisingly, the clergy of Le Roy. Anyone who has attended a religious service in town this month has probably been warned about the evils of drugs. Catholics, even if they were zoning out, were lectured on the dangers of excess amounts of alcohol (small amounts are cool though, we have some in church).

Apparently, some young girl informed an unknown priest or minister or pastor that, students can buy any drug, at any point throughout the school day, in any hallway in the building. While I've certainly whitnessed a few shady (and usually pretty obvious) meetings in the hallways, I don't believe that I could easily pick up some acid after Calc (not that I would want acid after calc).

While we're not exactly going to be "punished", I think we can expect some more presentations like the anti-drug-use one we had last month... which some may argue is, in fact, cruel punishment. Although, I don't know what better way to keep kids away from drugs than showing video of destroyed organs, damaged brains, and teens dying from overdoses.

Does Le Roy have a drug problem? Sure. Is it worse than surrounding towns? Probably not. Drugs are always going to be present in a high school. While I don't see any harm in creating some programs to try to combat teens' drug use, I'm thinking that GCASA should rethink their source of information. Because even the finest, most mature students cannot resist to fill in the "yes" bubble next to, "Have you used heroin in the last 24 hours?"

At least I can't.

Disclaimer: I don't do drugs.

9th Period Life Lessons

2009-03-20T19:04:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last 9 (1) years of my life playing music in concert band. I've played hundreds of pieces, from Ants Marching to Pirates of the Carribbean, Holst's Suite in F to Escape from Plato's Cave (2). Today I asked myself: what have I gained?

When you're 8 and you start to play in band for the first time, you almost always believe that you have the melody and need to play as loud as you possibly can. Everything you play sounds great to you - so why not bring it out? Everything on your page, even if it's just half notes, sounds like a melody.

You grow up a little, and one day you hear the flutes playing something, and it sounds fantastic. At this point you realize that maybe your part isn't the melody, maybe it doesn't need to be heard over everything else. Maybe your part is not the most important part. Maybe you have another purpose.

You hit high school, and learn about chords and chord functions, take a music theory class, and things start to make more sense. (3) By this time, you know that you're not the melody; maybe you're a counter melody that spices things up, or you're the root of the chord in the bass, or you're just a light, pretty little trill on top of everything else. You know now that you're not the melody, but that's okay, because you've found your place and you have another purpose.

It's the hardest thing, to have this part that sounds like a song to you by itself, to hear these whole notes and put huge meaning into them, and to not play out for the world to hear. To you, nothing else could top it, your part is so great, it has to be what's important! Somehow, You've got to let it go and do what's best for the piece as an overall product. When everyone does that though, it doesn't even matter what part you've got. You're now part of something bigger than yourself, bigger than your individual part. You're not just a A flat, you're a fifth in the most beautiful chord you've ever heard. You're a part of the man escaping Plato's cave and running into the light! And you're thinking: music can do this??

(1) Confession: I actually have no idea how long I've been in band. It's between 7-10 years.
(2) Other notable kick-ass band songs we've played include : Vesuvius (hands down most badass), Shenandoah (cried every time), Shadows of Eternity (would make an awesome blog subject), Russian Christmas Songs (those Russians can rock.), Brick House, and obviously the Family Guy Theme Song.
(3) Or, you just make videos of trolls and ghosts running around, attacking kids who don't play, to 12 tone!

This summer concert lineup is going to drain my bank account

2009-03-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

My dad just tells me, "Oh hey, I heard Coldplay is at Darien Lake in June!" and is confused when instead of jumping up and down, I say, "what the hell."

Sure, I'm excited that I get to see one of my favorite bands live at a very convenient location, but I'm kind of angry because this summer, I'm going to spend ridiculous amounts of money.

I just went to see Dropkick Murphys, which cost me 40 + 55 for the train. 95 extremely well-spent dollars.

Here are the other events that might be stealing my funds this year:

March 23rd - Ben Folds at Waterstreet (with jim... and Meholick!)

April 26 - Third Eye Blind at Brockport (they're at canisius april 19th too)

April 29 - OAR at RIT (also at Fredonia May 2nd, I believe)

May 27th - Dave Matthews Band at Darien Lake

June 1st - Coldplay at DLake

June 12 & 13 - DMB at Saratoga Springs

Warped Tour at DLake - I'll go if Flogging Molly is there, but Less Than Jake and Big D & the Kids Table are on the tour too! :]

Allman Brothers come around every year, I can't imagine they wouldn't play in the area this summer. Obviously going to hit that up with my dad.

You might be saying, well, Molly, no one is forcing you to go to any of these concerts! While this is true, if I decide not to go and don't buy tickets, by the time the concert rolls around, I'll be sitting home alone, bored and wishing I went.

To justify this spending spree, I have been working since I was 15 and saving every penny. I'll work this summer too (but not at the town pool, which is closed this summer :[ ) and so I think I deserve this. It'll be worth it.

Respect Crowe

2009-03-14T06:33:00.001-07:00

About a month ago, word started getting around school that Pat Crowe, the 12th grade English and AP English teacher, was going to be teaching 9th and 10th grade next year, and not by choice. After 38 years at LeRoy, administration is apparently trying to coax him into retirement, because they have to pay him so much since he has been there so long. These actions are finding strong opposition from one student-created website, four facebook groups, and about 520 facebook users, spaning two generations.

Anyone to graduate from LeRoy in the last 38 years will gladly tell you how awesome and kickass Mr. Crowe is. He runs out in the halls screaming "THE KING IS DEAD" to help us better understand Shakespeare; he has us make posters expressing our extreme hatred of Lady MacBeth; he shows us a plethora of great movies, some of which aren't even book we read, but are extemely relevent. He chooses topics that any high school senior would think is interesting - criminology, Helter Skelter, Sociopaths. I was personally elated that we got to watch two Liz Taylor movies so far this year.

I think that students really like about Mr. Crowe is that he treats us like adults. He doesn't talk down to us, something that teachers do all too often. He'll joke around with us, and he'll take us seroiusly too. I think that having Mr. Crowe senior year helps get us ready for whatever is next because we feel like adults in his classroom, and therefore start acting like adults.

Administration would certainly be putting the needs of their students aside if they were to follow through with this. While Mrs. Brotherton is certainly a fine teacher, most agree that the younger grades are her forte. Having Mr. Crowe's class senior year is a blessing that students at leroy have had for 38 years, and that's something that money should never play a part in. True, in this recession, schools are going to have to look at their budgets with a stricter eye, but their most experienced teaching staff should certainly not be the first thing to go.

Green 17

2009-03-01T07:43:00.001-08:00

And so it begins, St. Patrick's...Month.

For me, this time of year rivals Christmas. For the next two and a half weeks, I'll probably wear green everyday, sometimes in excess and with awkward amounts of gaudy, plastic jewelry. I will listen exclusively to the Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, The Pogues, The Tossers, The Dubliners, and so on. On the front of our house, we'll hang a nice big Irish flag along with a light-up shamrock. On weekends, I'll rent the great Irish-American movies of our time: the Departed, Boondock Saints, Gangs of NY. Trips to McDonalds will be more frequent than not for those curiously delicious (and now low-fat!) Shamrock Shakes. Next week I'm shippin' up to Albany to see the Murphys themselves, which should be a riot. Finally, on the 14th, I'm running Johnny's Runnin' of the Green race in Rochester: five miles of crazy irish runners with a few kilted gentlemen (who probably lost a bet or something) and a small number of leprechauns who sing "wild rover" for the entire race.

You're probably thinking one of two things. Either, "Wow! Your family is really authentic and must have just stepped off the boat!" or "Wow, you're a bunch of hypocrites that think you are Irish." The latter is absolutely true. While, yes, we do contain Irish blood, and perfer those around us to be well-aware of it, my family is really what some would call "plastic paddys". An actual Irishman might be disgusted at how we think we are "Irish" just because we put shamrocks all over the place and listen to "50 Irish Drinking Songs" all weekend. We might be slightly out-of-touch with the motherland and more wrapped up in the commercial Irish-American culture... but today in America, it's hard to be involved in any type of heritage, and it's rare to find an opportunity to celebrate European ethnicity. So, although it might be some level of "fake", we take culture and heritage where we can find it, and I think that's something worth celebrating.

Check out my March Playlist! Although I have loads upon loads of Irish Drinking Songs I could use, I opted for a more subtly Irish list... with some Irish-American artists, or some Irish-pop groups, like my favorites, the Cranberries :]

Hip Hop?

2009-02-28T19:53:00.000-08:00

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/19/steele-gop-needs-hip-hop-makeover/

GOP Chair Michael Steele the other day suggested a makeover for the party: "We need messengers to really capture that region - young, Hispanic, black, a cross section ... We want to convey that the modern-day GOP looks like the conservative party that stands on principles. But we want to apply them to urban-surburban hip-hop settings."

It was rather painful to watch him last night on DL Hughely as he struggled to explain his goal: to make the Republican party more popular in urban areas as well as with minorities. A respectable goal, but perhaps one better achieved without the use of "hip hop". What I think is so sad about this is that he's assuming that hip hop is the best way to make something urban, as if hip hop is the only thing that stands for all that is urban. It's like watching your grandmother use slang while texting in an attempt to be cool. Good try, but kind of depressing.

My Uneducated Generation

2009-02-28T16:31:00.000-08:00

This year, I've been paying more attention to the news and becoming much more interested in politics. With last year's historic presidential election and our current economic state, it seems like a good time to start understanding politics and economics. After all, my generation is already screwed, as all of today's problems are so conveniently being dumped on us.(1)

I can't help but notice not only the apathy, but the ignorance of kids (or perhaps, young adults) of my age. My class will be graduating this year, going off to college, the military, or joining the work force; the males have to sign up for the draft; we have to learn to do taxes, to use credit, to buy cars. We're being forced into the real world and beginning to think that maybe we should try to get some sort of understanding on how these things work.

What I find really appalling is how little we are taught about government in school. We take "social studies" all our lives, which we are lead to believe is a mixture social sciences - geography, sociology, history, politics - when it's pretty much just history. Granted, it's easier to teach young kids historical events than the social trends and forces behind them. In high school, we take two years of Global History, two years of American History and Government, and finally Participation In Government (PIG) for half a year, and Economics for the other half of senior year.

PIG and Economics are horribly insulting classes. Reading the textbook takes me back to the days of NSYNC* and War Heads; it's literally written at a 5th grade level. Most of the quizzes I (and I believe a majority of my class) could probably ace with no preparation whatsoever. Earlier this week, we spent an ENTIRE PERIOD learning to organize a checkbook. I understand that it's a basic skill that is essential to life after graduation, but I feel like this time could have been made a little more worthwhile. We do bring up current events often, which I think is wonderful, because that's the only time when we actually learn about politics.

History is important, there is no denying that. We can learn from successes and failures of the past, and it so often influences our future actions. However, history is useless if we cannot apply it to current times and current problems. It's great to learn about trickle-down and pump-priming economics, but if you don't learn about how they are being used today as well, it does no good. It also bothers me that we spend so much time learning about political parties of the past - we spent weeks on the Progressive Era - yet today's political parties and their platforms remain an undiscussed blur until our senior year, when we speak about them for about a day. Our social studies courses seem to have a cut-off point, after which everything is assumed to be self-taught, things that we should "just know". And our teachers spend so much time and energy preparing us for our Regents Exam, that they don't exactly have extra time to discuss recent politics just for the sake of it. Afterall, the amount Obama's stimulus isn't going to be on our final. Why speak of it?

I believe that we are horribly uneducated in the area of politics, and the result is misinformed, even uninformed, single-issue voters (or, future voters), who are extremely influenced by peer pressure. We are never presented with the actual foundations and basic ideals of any political parties, so we only concern ourselves with the issues everyone knows about: abortion, gun control, the death penalty, the war in iraq. If we're Catholic outdoorsmen we figure we should be republican; if we are peace-loving hippies we should probably be democrats. We then proceed to support whatever our given party happens to be, without feeling any need for further explaination.

I think that our classes could definitely stay the way they are: world history, american history & gov't, but they need a stronger twist of government. Key concepts MUST be linked to today's current issues. While it's challenging to place such current events on a Regents exam, it could be in the form of a thematic essay question, perhaps asking a student to relate a given concept to a current event in American politics. However it's done, I think it's clear that my generation needs to be able to make their own political and economic decisions, because we're going to be faced with more problems than anyone before us.

(1) Rather ironic that the age group that may have won the election for Obama is the generation that will spend their lives paying off his stimulus bill.

The End of an Era

2009-01-31T21:38:00.000-08:00

Goodbye, structured running. While I'm thrilled to be free from the confines of the high school hallways, of horrible speed workouts on bad days, of two hours of practice everyday... I'm also every so slightly sad to say goodbye to everything track (and xc) has given me.

Without track, I would not be friends with about 40% of those I hold dear... or maybe more. Jack and Jake have been there since I started, and the thought of never stretching out with them again, as miniscule as it sounds, is really hard for me to comprehend. When I started xc, I didn't even like running; I hated it. Obviously this has changed, and that chance I took back in 9th grade has grown into something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Coach L has taught me so much about running and health, but also about working hard and helping the team. I've spent practically every afternoon for the last four years with him, whether I wanted to or not. Simply put, I'll miss Coach and his life lessons.

This certainly isn't an end to running, though. As cliche as it sounds, this is the beginning. Track and XC have taught me how to run smart, while loving the sport for all it is. Now I get to run independently - on my own schedule and my own judgement. I'll still race - St. Paddy's Day race is coming up soon! - but definitely not too often and not very seriously. I've paid so much to this sport, and now I've graduated, and I get to enjoy all the great things about it. Never again will I be locked up in the high school halls. The world is my track.

Nevermind the Plunge

2009-01-30T10:12:00.001-08:00

I didn't even get past the prologe.

I'm just going to watch the movies. Actually, why even watch the movies? I do not feel a real gap in my life without being a LOTR fan. I'm doing pretty well without it.

I do, however, need to find another novel to read. One that does not force me to refer to the extremely complex map in the beginning after every sentance.

Maybe MTV should be MADE

2009-01-30T09:45:00.000-08:00

Conference Day equals no school equals wasting life and watching Psych all day long.
Psych did come to an end however, and my brother and I switched to MADE, an MTV reality show that takes teens who are unhappy with themselves and their lifestyles and magically transforms them into something more socially acceptable. Most kids wish to be made into rockstars, homecoming queens, skateboarders, class presidents, and the like. They are assigned strict, tyrant "coaches" who often force kids to give up their normal, healthy lifestyles, and devote all their time and energy into becoming something else.

This particular episode was about a very smart boy who wanted to become a break dancer. That's all fine and good, until it began to conflict with his schooling. One night, his coach demanded that he go see a dance-off from 8-11; the boy was hesitant, because he had the SATs the next morning. To my surprise, the coach didn't care at all about this and actually criticized the boy for not being dedicated or motivated. I was appauled when his father actually urged him to go to this dance-off, setting him up for failure on this extremely important test. It didn't even stop there; his coach informed him that he would be going on a trip out of state, leaving immediately - days before his final exams. The boy was overwhelmed, but couldn't do much to stop it; how do you say no to MTV?

Not only was this endeavor taking away from his studies. Another man was hired to come in and teach the kid "how to talk", in the style of most breakdancers. In other words, he was taught to use horrible grammar in order to be more "fly".

I began to wonder what would happen if MTV used its overwhelming power over the teens of America for good. What if someone wanted to be "MADE" into a good student, and score well on their final exams? Or perhaps "MADE" into a college student, and asked for help gaining acceptance? What if they had a reality show about applying to and paying for college, something that all teens could use a little help in? What if, during commercial breaks, they illustrated SAT words by using video or TV clips, improving their viewer's vocabulary in a casual, entertaining way?

Occasionally on MTV, I catch bits of their News breaks, which are usually about 30 seconds long - probably the amount of news the average teen is thought to be capable of absorbing at once. What if they had a daily news broadcast that was geared towards teens, in style but not in content: showing the important news in the world today, without watering it down? This could be somewhat like the Colbert Report or The Daily Show without the comedic bias. What if they aired teen-approved documentaries on social issues or the economy? With the right production and angle, any teen could get interested into these things.

MTV holds the same erroneous notion that the rest of the nation seems carry: that teens don't care. By telling us that what we should be concerned with is music videos, pop culture, and becoming rockstars, we might start to believe it, and start to think that real-world issues are not for us. MTV would not have to drastically change to make itself more intelligent; it could still air the brain-numbing shows like A Shot At Love or Next, and play the same music videos over and over each day. By adding small bursts of political awareness or helpful study hints, it could hugely help in making my generation - and those to come - less apathetic to the world we live in, and better prepared for the "Real World" (much unlike the one portrayed on the network).

Taking the Plunge

2009-01-22T16:31:00.000-08:00

As an avid, arguably obsessive, Harry Potter fan, I often come into contact with fans of Lord of the Rings. For years I've been avoiding the movies, fearing that they would ruin the great experience of reading the novels, and I've been avoiding the novels, fearing that they would quickly take up my life.

People are often surprised when they find out I've never seen the movies (which should probably say something about how I am socially percieved). Apparently I seem like the type that would enjoy losing myself in middle-earth. This inference (maybe stereotype) probably has some truth to it, though, and I think I would really get into this series.

After reading Lady MacBeth at a personally impressive speed (350 pages over 6 days, which is gigantic for me), I'm feeling rather ambitious, and possibly cocky. I greatly fear that Tolkien's tendancy to describe everything in obnoxiously specific detail will defeat me in my endeavor (as it has about three times before). I believe I am more mature now, perhaps a more capable reader, and maybe I will actually finish it this time.

So I am off to middle earth, to run with Elijah Wood and whatever other creatures might dwell there. Let's hope that I don't become too obsessed with this, because my Harry Potter fandom has already cost me quite enough money with costumes and the like.

Historical Novel Heartbreak

2009-01-22T16:12:00.000-08:00

Was it worth it?

The question I silently asked myself, over and over, late last night. Tears staining the copy of Lady MacBeth that I borrowed from Mr. Crowe, Celtic Women singing a sad Irish lullaby, my heart broke into a thousand pieces.
Were the joys, the romance, the adventure in this novel worth the tragic ending?
Was the bit of time I spent getting to know MacBeth, the wonderful man that he was, worth the agony of seeing his death, like a movie in my mind?
If I could do it over again, knowing that this book would break my heart... would I?
What's more, if Lady Graudh could do it again, would she fall in love with MacBeth, only to be widowed 18 years later?

Yes. A thousand times, yes.

Today, I read a piece by Arthur Miller, describing the appeal and greatness of the Tragedy. He argued that tragedies were not at all pessimistic, that they were actually quite optimistic. In a nutshell, he said a tragedy is when a character feels he is not in his rightful place in life, and struggles against society and it's rules, to gain his dignity. Only an individual with true passion and desire for a more meaningful life would choose this fatal path. In short, the passive live while the rebels die. Only a tragedy, with someone passionate enough to lose their life for their dignity, can be this powerful.

"A falcon, towering in her pride of place..."

2009-01-17T21:32:00.000-08:00

Mr. Crowe lent me the book Lady MacBeth for my outside reading this quarter. I've actually been told by a number of people that I would love this book, probably because it's about ancient Scotland, and I'm into that. I'm only about 100 pages in, but I'm shocked on how great a match this book is for me.

I've never read MacBeth, but I've always heard about the scheming, evil character of Lady MacBeth. In English this year, about every book we've read has an outrageously wretched female character, yet Mr. Crowe always says "she is almost as evil as Lady MacBeth", or "the most wicked female character since Lady MacBeth". So, she has certainly been set up in my mind as something pretty awful.

It both surprises me and worries me, however, that I identify so much with Gruadh (Lady MacBeth) in this novel, which is from her point of view. While probably a little more wild than me, she is outrageously stubborn, and often neglects orders for the sake of not taking them. It's not that she's selfish, or chiefly concerned with her own well-being, but her pride and honor. She has a tremendous amount of self respect, and even pleads for fighting lessons, that she might defend herself. She's extremely proud of her ancestry and heritage, the pagan beliefs of which go against the newly Catholicized beliefs of Scotland.

The more startling similarity is her loyalty to St. Brigid, or just the pagan goddess "Bhrighe", as she sometimes thinks of her. St. Brigid is my patron saint, although her actual existence is sometimes disputed. She's more of a legend that began in Celtic paganism and flowed into Irish Catholicism. According to Catholicism, she was a leader in developing the Church in Ireland and even worked closely with St. Patrick. She was supposedly ordained a Bishop on accident by St. Mel, and she had all the privileges of a Bishop. In this way she always seemed pretty rebellious to me.

Maybe I'm just desperately trying to find a connection to something from the past, like Gruadh seems to do with her mother. But she also reminds me a bit of my late Grandma Mary... strong as hell. This book is great, because it's great to read about a strong Scottish woman, whom I wouldn't mind following in character. (At least at this point in the novel. She might get crazy, I don't know yet.)

Why American Kids Are Lazy

2009-01-17T20:50:00.001-08:00

American kids are not needed.

Other, poorer countries need their youth to become people who drive their society forward. They might encourage kids to become well-educated, that they might become doctors in a country of poor health technology, or politicians in a struggling, unpowerful country. Kids might be trained by their families to become the farmers to provide the crops that their town needs, or that their country needs to export. People have niches, and thus kids have planned futures. They are needed, their countries and families call them to their vocation.

American kids, however, are told from a young age "you can be anything you want to be". This is true - we have an unimaginable number of paths to choose from. We create our own destiny. The reverse, however, is also true. "You don't need to be anything you don't want to be." We don't need to be anything. Our country doesn't desperately need me, personally, to be anything. We've pretty much got all of our bases covered. So, why study if we don't necessarily have to be well-educated? Why work hard if we have another option? Why do anything if we are not obligated?

This is why we waste our lives on Facebook and in front of the TV and on blogger. We are not necessary. We are not being called by our society or our families or anyone. If I don't become a contributing citizen, the nation won't be horribly worse off for it. We don't feel that pull to succeed. Instead, we have the task of finding that perfect, worthwhile career. With a choice like this, it would be horrible to make the wrong one.

I'm not saying that we are too well-off to believe in work ethic. But from what I've observed, my generation doesn't know what to do, because we're supposed to do whatever we want to. I would never take any freedom for granted, but this complete free will can have its cons.

Wonder Why You Haven't Before

2009-01-15T12:58:00.000-08:00

While surfing on Rhapsody today, I discovered that I am apparently a fan of Baroque-Pop. As if my musical tastes didn't already label me a freak (the worlds "Celtic rock" confuse most people). Rhapsody's Baroque-pop page tells me that many of my favorite artists, like Feist, the Shins, Fiona Apple, Sufjan Stevens, Belle & Sebastian, are in fact "baroque pop".

It's funny how something so obvious can go undetected. Baroque pop is really just anything that has a rich orchestral sound, or uses unconventional instruments - strings, brass, even woodwinds. Obviously I would like this... practically any song I've ever heard that involves a large strings section blows me away. Yet I've sat here for years wondering what exactly it is about R.E.M. that I loved so much. Factor out the "strings" from these bands and the equation reads: orchestral = happiness.

Now that I know this, I can purposely look for bands that utilize strings and orchestras, and I'll probably find more that I like.

So, acknowledging the obvious can do a whole lot of good. Maybe it's just me, but I think people develop the notion that the obvious cannot hold truth or significance. For years I've always thought it was obvious that the fiddle was the coolest instrument in the world, so why didn't I play it? I just didn't think I could. Not everyone can play the coolest instrument in the world... until I realized, well, yeah I can. Why not.

When I was younger, everyone told me I should be a journalist, and I thought it would be wicked cool. I just kind of thought it was above me. I didn't think I could. Then this year I realized there really isn't anything stopping me, I don't really lack anything needed to pursue that career.

So if something seems like the obvious choice, it's probably the right one. Life is not a NYS Regents Exam, designed by malicious teachers who are out to fool you with their multiple choice answers. There aren't really trick questions.

You Shall See We... Four?

2009-01-11T16:57:00.000-08:00

Casually stalking the Boondock Saints II page on imdb.coom today, I spotted a new character by the name of Jacob McManus. If you are a BDS fan, you probably just threw up a little. Yes, they are adding a third brother.

It makes sense, I mean, if the guys didn't know their father was the most skilled hitman the Mafia has ever known, they probably wouldn't know about a long-lost brother either. Although I wish his name was something more Irish than Jacob, I think this will be pretty cool.

However, I'm kind of scared that they've tried too hard to switch it up. There are loads of new additions to this film. Julie Benz, from Dexter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, will be joining as Willem Dafoe's replacement, Special Agent Eunice Bloom. Billy Connolly, Il Duce, Noah McManus, was only in a few scenes in the original, and will probably be more involved in this one. It's my prediction that he will die, but that's just my gut feeling. It appears that Judd Nealson (you know him as the punk from The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire) will be the main mobster of the film as another member of the Yakavetta family. Peter Fonda (yes, Jane's brother) will be "The Roman", whatever that is going to mean. Also listed in the cast list on IMDb is a Father Sibeal MacManus. This looks like it could be quite the family reunion! I don't see any mention of mom, though.

One surprising thing that will not be changing is Rocco. There's been talk of a "dream sequence" to explain this confusion. Detective Greenley, played by Bob Marley (ha.) will be back, as well as Detective Dolly and Duffy, and the gun dealer. There is a new director of photography, but I'm sooooo glad to see that the Danna brothers will be composing the score again.

There's my update! Can't wait to see this.

Melophobia: The Arcade Fire

2008-12-30T18:01:00.000-08:00

Some people are afraid of clowns, heights, the dark, sharp objects (1). I, however, have a lingering grudge against, or persistent fear of, a Montreal-based baroque pop band. It may have something to do with a dream I had about drowning myself to their creepy-as-hell music. Maybe it's their bizarre-looking album covers that, for some reason, lead me to believe they are truly demons posing as musicians. Their album names bother me - "funeral", how depressing!, and "Neon Bible" - obvious blasphemy! Take a look at the picture above, and tell me that doesn't frighten the small, vulnerable child in you! Not even a spot on the soundtrack of my beloved Irish-American-Crime-Drama, The Black Donnellys (2), could redeem this group in my eyes.

However, most grudges are eventually dissolved. Today, as I was listening to Bright Eyes with my kickass new headphones, feeling all indie-rock and hipsteresque, I decided to give some "Patrick Music" - random indie/experimental/crazy stuff that Pat O'Halloran downloaded onto my computer eons ago - another try. Lately, as I read more into colleges I want to go to, I've come across several mentions of Patrick Bands, like Band of Horses, Sufjan Stevens, Bjork, Broken Social Scene (3), and, ahem, The Arcade Fire. (4) It seems that Patrick Music is actually College Music. Apparently, Patrick is the norm. Go figure.

This is all I'm going to say, as, while typing, I try to control my slightly-creeped out, shaking self. The Arcade Fire is not that bad. There is a chance that they are not, in fact, demonic. They might be human. Their music is, more or less, pleasing to the ear. As I listen to "Old Flame", I only slightly feel the tub water once again rising to cover my nostrils. During "Keep the Car Running", I may have even had a few quick moments of enjoyment. This may or may not be the beginning of a mediocre musical relationship.

1. My other, arguably, more realistic phobia. But that is another blog.
2. The Black Donnellys is probably my favorite show and it only lasted one outrageously violent and gory season. Damn you NBC!
3. For all you "Feist fans" who only know her from the iPod commercial, BSS was the band she was in before she was just Feist. And it's awesome.
4. Other notable Patrick Bands include The Shins (although I found them myself without Patrick's assistance), Wilco, Explosions in the Sky, Yo La Tengo, Chin up chin up, Spoon, and Deerhunter (i finally listened to them!).

This is bad. It really is.

2008-12-21T17:15:00.000-08:00

I read Catcher in the Rye for several hours today.
I then sat down to write an essay for an Ithaca scholarship. The question: describe yourself.

This is what happened.
I'm rather frightened.

I've often been asked what I'm interested in. I usually respond with a few random interests: music, history, politics, literature. The truth is, I'm interested in almost everything. I really am. I love to learn. It sounds somewhat cliché, but it's true. You should see me in Latin class, you really should. Magistra Olsen will mention Spartacus, and I can't even focus until she's told the whole goddam story about him, about all the dead slaves hanging from trees on the highway, the whole goddam gruesome deal. Or in calculus, I hate calculus, but I get so into it. I hate it when people try to talk to me when I'm in the middle of a calculus problem. I mean, when I'm sitting there, working on a problem, I really hate when people try to butt in and talk to me. It's awful. I end up going off on them, like they were trying to distract me on purpose, when all they really wanted was a pencil or something. It just makes me feel so goddman awful when I do that. It really does.

All Saints Day: They're Back!

2008-12-19T11:59:00.000-08:00

It's the truth (veritas): ten years later, Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day is currently being filmed.

After pretty much the longest wait ever, the outcry for a sequel to this epic cult-classic is finally going to be answered. The entire original cast, with the exception of Willem Dafoe, is in, including Rocco. I'm not really sure how that's going to play out, seeing as he died in the first one. There will be a lead female role, however, director Troy Duffy has stated that she will not be a love interest.

I have to admit I do have my doubts on how this film will be. Some things are not meant to be carried on. As we have seen in the recent alien-infested Indiana Jones comeback, sometimes it's better to just quit while you're ahead.

Nonetheless, I am so very excited to attend the premiere of this film. The first was only shown in theatres on a limited basis, as the violent film came out in the wake of the Columbine incident. What's really remarkable is the success the DVD has had, as it really only spread by word of mouth. So, not only will the contents of the film itself be interesting, but now that it is being distributed in an entirely different settings, I am anxious to see how the sequel is received by fans and newcomers alike.

Troy Duffy has posted updates as well as footage from the set on YouTube. He has also said that he's written another script, The Good King, which he believes will appeal to Saints fans.

So go buy your Rosaries, sunglasses, and trench coats, you'll need them for the premiere. Don't forget the stupid f'ing rope.

Fairytale of New York

2008-12-14T11:18:00.000-08:00

It seems against the rules that a Christmas song should be on any list of favorite songs. This classic, by the Pogues, has become a cult favorite, and I'm glad, because it's awesome. I love that such a beautiful song is contrasted by a certain verse (You're a bum, you're a punk/you're an old slut on junk), as well as contrasted by the man who wrote it and performed it (Shane MacGowan, his songs are much more lovely than he is... thank God). Maybe it doesn't do the same thing for you, but, whenever I hear this song, I get a huge smile on my face and feel like skipping around outside in the snow.

Oh, and random trivia: there is no NYPD choir. at all. that's a lie.

16 Days

2008-12-14T08:05:00.000-08:00

Dec. 31st - the deadline for Northeastern to mail me my acceptance/denial letter, as well as my financial aid package info.

Sadly, by the looks of things, I won't be attending NU. During this two week long period, I am extremely likely to die of stress and anticipation. When I actually recieve the letter, I might pass out, hitting my head on some extremely hard or sharp nearby surface, or I might throw up, and, being deprived of oxygen in the process, die. Yes, it's true, college applications will certainly be the death of me.

Just wanted to let you all know, in case I stop posting blogs at any time in the next few weeks, you'll know what happened to me.

Is My Nalgene Bottle Killing Me?

2008-12-09T19:16:00.000-08:00

I carry it around with me everywhere I go. I abuse it, throw it on the ground, and it still stays intact and awesome. It's my Nalgene bottle, and I love it. It's different than other Nalgene bottles, because it's a home made Dropkick Murphys bottle. It's transparent black (or maybe grey..), and where it used to say "Nalgene" is a large "Dropkick Murphys Irish Stout" sticker that I so cleverly added.

While it does nourish me with approximately 64 fl. oz daily, I've also been told that it could be a gateway for cancer-causing radicals in my body. I think it is, sadly, time to do some research and find out whether or not my beloved "stout" bottle is going to be the death of me.

I received it from Brant Matthews, who happened to have a bunch of them at his house that he didn't want. This seemed sort of shady to me, considering they had recently been recalled. However, Brant insisted that these were not the killer-bottles, and that they were totally safe. I decided ignorance is bliss and took the bottle. I have since been told that the bottles with the number 7 in a triangle are the ones that are unsafe. There is one on the bottom of mine. However, you can't believe everything you hear. So I ignore it.

Finally, I turn to Google.

One parenting website tells me:

Nalgene themselves tell me:

We are confident that the bottles which contain BPA are safe for their intended use. However, because of consumer requests for alternative materials, we have decided to transition our polycarbonate product line to Eastman Tritan™ copolyester.

and..

Agencies and researchers worldwide have studied the safety of BPA and polycarbonate for approximately 50 years; including The Environmental Protection Agency and The Food and Drug Administration in the USA, The European Commission Scientific Committee on Food, The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment and the Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Findings of studies from these agencies indicate that food and beverage containers manufactured from polycarbonate do not pose a health risk to humans. Polycarbonate is used in a wide variety of consumer products including baby bottles, water bottles, dental sealants and the lining of most metal food and beverage containers and has been for over 45 years.

I know that millions of runners have practically been using Nalgene bottles since Phidippides ran the first 26 mile marathon to Athens. I also know that people, especially Americans, love to make gigantic deals out of nothing - especially if there is a potential lawsuit involved. For these reasons, I have decided to trust Nalgene and continue with the use of my kickass indestructible Dropkick Murphys Irish Stout water bottle.

A Pair of Dull Scissors in the Yellow Light

2008-12-09T18:53:00.000-08:00

You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first, I loved you first
Beneath the sheets of paper lies my truth
I have to go, I have to go
Your hair was long when we first met

Samson went back to bed
Not much hair left on his head
He ate a slice of wonder bread and went right back to bed
And history books forgot about us and the bible didn't mention us
And the bible didn't mention us, not even once

You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first, I loved you first
Beneath the stars came fallin' on our heads
But they're just old light, they're just old light
Your hair was long when we first met

Samson came to my bed
Told me that my hair was red
Told me I was beautiful and came into my bed

Oh I cut his hair myself one night
A pair of dull scissors in the yellow light
And he told me that I'd done alright
And kissed me 'til the mornin' light, the mornin' light
And he kissed me 'til the mornin' light

Samson went back to bed
Not much hair left on his head
Ate a slice of wonderbread and went right back to bed
Oh, we couldn't bring the columns down
Yeah we couldn't destroy a single one
And history books forgot about us
And the bible didn't mention us, not even once

You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first

After listening, and singing, this sound countless times during 8th period study hall, I feel I've got a pretty good idea about the meaning behind it. If you don't know, Samson was a Bible character - he was a Nazarene, which meant that God gave him enormous strength, as long as he did not cut his hair. No one knew the secret to his strength, not even his wife Delilah. When the Philistines bribed Delilah to give away the secret of Samson's strength, she tried and eventually got it out of him, and finally cut his hair... thus, earning her legacy as one of the many great "Biblical whores".

I don't think Regina Spektor is singing about this very couple, however - "The Bible didn't mention us". No, this is about an ordinary, everyday couple, or really, any couple who has ever settled down. Samson used to have a great strength, and when he came to this fictional Delilah's bed, she cut it from him - but not intentionally, not to harm him, and not for selfish reason. To be in love, and to commit, is to sacrifice your strength. Our Samson knows this; he knows that his Delilah did not do this for ill reasons, but because it had to be done. He approves, he tells her that she's done "alright". The Wonderbread symbolizes commonality - white bread is an icon of suburbia, of everyday life. It doesn't seem like much, but it's what so many people end up living for - a wife, a few kids, a nice yard. Maybe our Samson and Delilah couldn't do extraordinary things anymore - say, travel the world, or buy fancy things, or "bring the columns down", and maybe they aren't famous, and won't be remembered for their sacrifices and their love - but they knew that would happen, and they did it just the same.

You & Me & All Our Friends

2008-12-09T18:44:00.000-08:00

I've just begun an online AP Psychology course and, like James, recently encountered this quote:
"Why should I live? Why should I do anything? Is there in life any purpose which the inevitable death that awaits me does not undo and destroy?
-Leo Tolstoy (1904)

Jim argues that our actions do matter, because they live on through our legacy and what we leave behind. It's a good point, but I don't think that's ever been my exact school of thought.
Not to be a downer, or a pessimist, or even emo, but I, too, often find myself wondering if anything I do matters, and if there is a reason to do anything at all. While you can certainly "live on" through a legacy, I don't think it's for everyone. Not everyone can invent a unit of measurement, or a theory, or have a street or bridge named after them. Some live simple lives, maybe out in the country, raising a nice family and doing what good they can. Do their lives mean less, because they aren't remembered for the same time span as others? I don't think so. Everyone is forgotten, eventually... except Jesus, and Caesar it seems. Even if you are remembered that long, you probably aren't remembered for who you really were - your image, your life, is distorted. There's nothing wrong with working hard during your life to leave behind something great.. I just don't think that's all you should want. Legacy, in one sense, is hunger for attention, even after death.
So why should we do anything? Why should I go to college and get a job and make a living? Does it matter? Well, I'm not sure yet. However, I think I have a reason to live. Although it may sound strange, I love people. I love meeting people, and connecting with people, if only for a short time. If you know me well, you know that I get very attached to people very quickly. That's probably because that's what I view as most important in life - the connections you make with those around you. If nothing else in the world is real, our interactions with each other are. If you take a piece of everyone you meet with you, and vice versa, then at the end of your life you will have, if not money or power or fame or glory, a piece of everyone you came into contact with, a little bit of their life. That's beautiful.
Ironically, through the people you meet, you create a legacy of sorts. You give them a piece of you, meaning, you change them, if only in the smallest way. They, in turn, meet others, and share that with them, creating the tangled, infinite web that is humanity. Through the people you meet, know, and love, you will live forever, even if your name does not.

Note to Jimmy: I swear I didn't write this for the sake of arguing with you... I seem to be doing that a lot lately.

I'm Thankful for my Blog.

2008-11-27T18:34:00.000-08:00

The dreaded question: What are you thankful for?
The cliche response: My family, my friends, my house, my comfortable lifestyle.
Every Thanksgiving I wish I had something more interesting and less generic to be thankful for. I suppose I'm thankful that I happened to born into a middle-class American family, as opposed to being born into a third world country in the midst of warfare and destruction or poverty or disease. I could be thankful that I'm healthy and coherent. All this thought about how, by chance, I am who I am, reminds me of a Dave Matthews song (1):

Could I have been
A parking lot attendant
Could I have been
A millionaire in bel air
Could I have been
Lost somewhere in paris
Could I have been
Your little brother
Could I have been anyone other than me

It seems kind of ignorant to be thankful that you are yourself, and in the place where you are, when you haven't experienced any other life. Sure, you have a car and a nice house, but maybe those who aren't as well off as you have tighter family bonds, or closer friendships. I really believe that, the more material our lives are, the less meaningful they are. The more worldly things we possess, the less spiritual things we can reach. Objects tie us down. That's just my opinion, and I'm sad to say, it was heavily influenced by the character of Jack Dawson in Titanic.

So I guess while we're in our comfortable chairs, watching football, thinking about how we might puke all the turkey we just ate, yet too tired from the tryptophan to actually get up, maybe we shouldn't just be thankful that we aren't in some war-ridden, disease infested place, but maybe it should make us want to help the people who are a little more, and change things a little more, so that they have something to be thankful for too.

(1) I told you not to freak out- I still love Dave!

Breaking Down Stereotypes

2008-11-24T20:40:00.000-08:00

I think Queen Rania is awesome, and I would suggest checking out her other videos on YouTube, as well as the video responses they've gotten. On this eve of "change" in the US, let's take it a step further... let's break down more foolish stereotypes. Maybe, if Americans can stop thinking that every foreigner is dangerous, foreigners will stop thinking that every American is an idiot!

Seroiusly, Queen Rania = new hero. What an awesome woman. Totally my new role model. If a Scotch-Irish Catholic/German/French-Canadian American girl sees her as such an example, think about the effect she must be having on Arab and Arab American girls.

Identity Switch

2008-11-18T19:09:00.000-08:00

As you most likely have not noticed, I have changed my display name to Molly Kate (my middle name). I have been applying to a number of colleges, and for a number of scholarships, and I have heard horror stories of colleges and universities finding applicant's blogs/facebooks/myspace. However, I've also seen a number of scholarship websites in which you can post your blog URL, so colleges and scholarship programs may have a gander - in belief, of course, that it would help display your talent and creativity. On this subject, I am torn.

Naturally, I would like almost anyone to read this; it is a pretty good display of my beliefs and ideas, as well as my interests and activities. I would hope that this blog would display any talent in writing I might possess. Many of my good attributes can be found in these blogs, many things that I'm sure would help grant me admission to a college.

However, with all I've written, I'm sure there's something in there that I wouldn't want a college or university to see. Although I am not sure quite what that is, this fear of judgement may have gotten the better of me. I expect, on some level, or anyone who read this blog (1) to judge me on some level, but the idea of someone reading it with the question of my future in mind is pretty frightening. I swear occasionally, and although I realize that swearing in writing doesn't mean much in the college world, it certainly cannot help my case. What if the admissions man/woman reads my Obama blog and is a hard-core republican? I know, I know, some of these ideas are ridiculous, but these "what if's" add up into a fear I can't ignore.

I would hate to have to censor my blogs. Suddenly every entry would become a college essay of its own (2), and every description of myself would have to be one that presented me in a studious, organized, practically perfect, manner. I don't think I can handle that.

So I am changing my display name. I removed the URL from my facebook as well as my aim profile. This saddens me, because I would like what I write to be read, but I think it's necessary. If an admissions office is really that good at stalking, and stumbles across Damanta Maith (3), well, that's fine. I'm pretty proud of this baby.

1. Yes, I realize, pretty much no one reads this. It's cool. I can pretend.
2. Actually, nearly every blog I've written is extremely college-essayesque, if you haven't noticed. In the essay section, I should probably just type the URL.
3. I don't think I ever mentioned what a DAMN GOOD blog name I came up with. Gah I want to name my child that.

Change of a Rather Drastic Sort?

2008-11-17T19:51:00.000-08:00

http://www.newsweek.com/id/169192

I would expect better things from Newsweek...

That Painful Box

2008-11-16T19:11:00.001-08:00

As I fill out my college applications and scholarship searches this year, I twitch with pain every time I check out a certain box: White/Caucasian. I look at the other options.... African American, Pacific Islander, Native American/Alaskan, Asian American, Hispanic, Other... and start to dream of how much easier my life would be at this point in time if I could check one of those boxes. (1)

I think they should change those labels on my applications. They should simply have a "Give Me Money" box and a "Don't Give Me Money" box. Or better, a "Grant Me Admission Despite My Grades" box and a "Don't Give Me Admission Despite My Class Rank" box.
How ridiculous are colleges today, that they want diversity on their campus, and fear that they won't have it without this system. Some might say that minorities need advantages like this to succeed... and that school of thought alone is completely racist.

Affirmative Action should offend students of any race. It should offend minorities because it questions their ability to be admitted to colleges on their own merit alone, and it should offend whites because it throws away the hard work of students like me, simply to meet a race quota.
So I sit here, Googling scholarships for Irish-Americans and Scottish Americans, hell, I'll even play the French-Canadian card (2) (if it exists) and find a grand total of about 10 - none of which I qualify for! Lets pretend I'm Hispanic for a second and google that. My computer would probably slow down or crash.

For a second, let's look to about two weeks back. Two weeks ago our nation elected a BLACK man to be our president. Barack Hussein Obama is about to be our nation's leader. Please. Someone. Explain to me, why Affirmative Action is still neccessary - at least, in the school system. You can't say that minorities don't have the same opportunities. Affirmative Action had its time, but that's over. I'm not saying racism is done for - it obviously isn't, and probably never will be - but I don't think that we need to admit students based on their race rather than their achievements.

Another thing... as I research schools, and read their lists of student groups/organizations (which are pretty much all identical), I notice that every school has some type of African-American organization, one for Asian Americans, for Latinos, Mexicans, Jews, the list goes on and on... but never do I see an Irish-American club, or a Scottish club (I would personally just combine that and have a Celtic Club), or a German club - no European clubs. Why?

I hate that in our country, "white" is seen as the absence of heritage. I actually recently heard someone call a woman from a minority group "a woman of ethnicity". I then pointed out that we are all people of ethnicity. Just because whites are widely represented, doesn't mean we didn't come from somewhere else, and it doesn't mean we don't have a culture that should be celebrated.

So when I get to college, I will start a Celtic Club (if it doesn't exist already) (it probably won't).

1. On the GCASA drug survey, I checked the "other" box and wrote "Irish".
2. I really am French Canadian. My great-great grandfather was a fisherman in Nova Scotia. When he moved to the US he joined the CIA. He then retired and found work as a butcher. My family likes to joke that he probably cut up all the guys he caught while he was in the CIA! Kills me every time.

Only In America

2008-11-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

Leave it to our country to create microscopic images of our president-elect.

Yet, we can't figure out global warming...

So-Long TRL?!

2008-11-11T19:32:00.000-08:00

I was just informed that the icon of my youth, the program that dominated my preteen thoughts, is finally calling it quits. After 10 years - I was 7 when it began - TRL will no longer be giving us the top videos of the day. Upon hearing this news, I began to think about how, had I known it was going downhill, I might have actually tuned in once or twice in the last few years. Nonetheless, one word represents my thoughts on this issue - WHY?!

Damn you MTV! Without news breaks on this show, the teenage population will have no idea of what's going on in the world. They will become completely uninformed. In the case of a national crisis, the young adults of American will have no idea what is going on, and as a result the nation will surely slip into havoc.

Rest In Peace, Total Request Live... we will miss your irritatingly short videos and desparate attempts at entertaining the short attention spans of American teens.

1st Amendment Rights Exist in College, Too.

2008-11-11T11:28:00.000-08:00

The following is an essay for a scholarship given by FIRE. I encourage you all to visit their website and watch the videos... it's a great organization, and what they are doing is so important.
As I look forward to entering college next year, I like to believe during those four years I will be exposed to a plethora of new ideas, views, and opinions. I hope to be submerged in a sea of varying opinions and diverse beliefs, and that I might develop my own views while learning more about opposing views. After four years of high school, I feel that it is imperative to my future that I learn as much as I can from those around me. Upon graduation, I will be entering a world of diverse people, and thus diverse beliefs and opinions. It is the duty of universities and colleges to not only educate students academically, but to expose them to such beliefs and ideas, that upon graduation, they will be well prepared to actively participate in our ever-changing, ever-diverse society.

Sadly, in so many universities and colleges across our nation, this will not be the case. As seen in these videos, students' opinions are so often "hushed", whether they be directed at a terrorist group or for simple concern for the environment. If students cannot voice opinion of the building of parking garage, what other opinions will be silenced? This truly worries me, and should worry any other student who holds their first amendment rights dear. I hold on to the hope that next year, if there is an issue I feel unjust, I will be able to fearlessly voice my opinion in a non-violent way without being reprimanded or censored.

Universities' ability to play government goes against the fundamental values of our American society. As citizens, our rights are well protected in the U.S. Constitution, especially the rights of accused persons. A fair trial and an attorney are guaranteed to us. If, as students, such rights are overlooked, it is as if we are not living in a free state, and we might well be living in a less fortunate, less democratic country. Students must understand and remember at all times that these rights are present on a college campus; if anything, such rights are more present on a college campus. How is it that colleges, places created for the distribution of ideas and nursing of scholarship, so quickly cut down any dissidence, any message of individual opinion?

It seems that universities censor students out of fear - fear of offending others, fear of uncomfortable situations. So often do we see colleges trying so hard to protect the right of minorities and underrepresented religious groups, that members of the majority suffer. For example, does individual student's celebration of Halloween while in school violate the rights of an individual who does not believe in such a holiday? It may make students uncomfortable, offend them, even anger them, but the Bill of Rights has no mention of the right to be comfortable, or the right to agree with every voiced opinion in the proximity. While students maybe be put in awkward situations by encountering such acts of expression, these situations should be seen as learning opportunities - opportunities to hear about what others belief, to wonder why they believe it, to question such beliefs, and to understand your own beliefs, and why you hold them.

Universities that have a habit of silencing expressive students are doing a great disservice to themselves. It is easily understood that any student who is willing to take a stand and voice their ideas is an active student, engaged in their studies, who have decided to take their education in their own hands. These are not passive students, but enthusiastic young men and women who understand that their education and personal ideas are the most important thing they posses - these items cannot be taken away from them. To discourage such students, or to remove them from the school, is to cleanse the school of enthusiasm and to rid it of perhaps the most active, scholarly students. This message of hostility towards personal development and growth is undoubtedly an interference to the purpose of any center of higher learning.

While it is of severe importance that universities, colleges, and other centers of learning understand students' rights and freedoms, it is of perhaps equal importance that students understand them as well. Students must realize that not only are they free to speak for or against issues they find important, but it is their civic responsibility to voice these concerns and act to correct injustices in their society. They must realize that others around them are free to voice their side of an issue, while the opposition is free to do the same. Most importantly, students must remember that if ever their chosen center of learning attempts to silence their voice, they must defend their views, opinions, and their right to make themselves heard.

Barack On

2008-11-05T13:06:00.000-08:00

I did not expect to get so excited about this election at all. Sure, I watched a portion of the debates now and then, and I scanned over Joe Mignano's blogs occasionally, but I didn't seem to have much of an opinion or much enthusiasm until the last week or so. I don't know much about politics, but it's obvious that yesterday and today have really been historical and pivotal times. Perhaps it's mere illusion, but it really feels as if things are changing - what exact things, well, I'm not sure, but the word "change" and the feeling of change seem to be everywhere.

Watching the celebration in cities throughout the nation, I'm not sure whether they are celebrating because Obama is the new president, or because the end of Bush's administration is in sight. Our country will no longer be represented by an old, white, Christian Texan, but a young, intelligent, (hot), black man. The thought that other countries, and individual citizens around the world, may now percieve America in a completely different way is so exciting. Maybe we won't be thought of as "American Idiots" quite as often.

This is obviously a huge step for unity for Americans, too. I have to say I'm proud to live in an America that elected a black president. Racism and discrimination will not vaporize over night, but having a black president is obviously huge. This is so cliche, but imagine if MLK could see what's going on now.

Finally, I am so proud of my generation. 18% percent of electorates were young people (2 out of 3 in favor of Obama)... more than ever before. It's amazing to see young people caring and paying attention; you cannot call the youth of America "lazy" or "apathetic" any longer. This is really becoming quite the youth movement, a new kind of rebellion. Our parents, aunts and uncles all rebelled in their day, but they were going against the system; my generation, on the other hand, is "rebelling" within the system. We are learning how things work, becoming a part of politics, and having quite the impact. If anything, this should assure you that our future is in good hands.

If none of the above make you excited about the outcome of this election, just remember, this means the Obama kids get a puppy! Aw.

Green Fields of NY

2008-11-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

Today I was faced with a seemingly simple decision: Should I run, or rest? Every year, after Sectionals, Coach advises that we all take a week off, so that we don't burn out our bodies a few weeks into indoor track. There are many, many times when I would glady take a break from running. However, when I got home from school (1), I couldn't stand the thought of staying in the house.
As I started out in my beloved THOAY (2) shirt and spandex, with my sansa playing The Cure's new album (3), I started thinking about how this could be my last week to run in Western New York in the fall ever. I know how stupid that sounds, and how much it contradicts my "C'est La Vie" attitude of this week. There's really nothing I love more than running around these fields and seeing the trees in all their beauty. In the spring and summer I like to pretend that the green fields surrounding me are actually the green fields of Ireland, not LeRoy; but in fall, I feel like Pocahontas, when she's running around with all the little animals (as well as John Smith), with the wind all different colors flying through her hair, and the leaves dancing all around her. (You can laugh, but the first time I thought that I had just gotten done with a race, and I was experiencing quite the runner's high.) The usual group of men were out working in a field, with all their F-350s and Silverados, and they all wave at me because that's what people do out here. Laurel was outside raking leaves, and I was so tempted to just jump in one of the huge piles. I know that there are leaves other places in the world, and that there are farmers and their trucks in other places too, and I know that the fields are probably greener in Ireland. Still, the realization that I might not be here around this time of year for the next few years, maybe never again, made me completley positive that I made the right choice - even if I were to suffer the wrath of L.

1. I love driving the red truck to school. so much.
2. If I tell you that it's Canadian, you could probably figure out what it stands for.
3. Why is The Cure labeled as "goth"? Does "It's Friday, I'm in Love" really sound like a goth song? "Just like heaven"?

Free At Last

2008-11-02T07:47:00.000-08:00

Four years and three months ago I started running Cross Country. At this point, I hated running, and did not believe at all that I was cut out for this. My parents didn't believe I could do it either, and that was pretty much the only reason I went through with it - to prove to them, and myself, that I could survive xc.
I really think it took about two years to totally get used to it and get comfortable running. For the first two weeks, I was positive that I would quit before school started. After school started, I did not think I would make it until our first race, but I did. Then, I didn't think I would finish the season. I didn't have it in me to quit, I felt like I didn't really have a good reason to. Besides, Ciera would have killed me.
As seen in my previous blogs, I am clearly passionate in my love for cross country and running in general. The beginning of November, however, is always awaited with the greatest anticipation - Sectionals, the last day of the season. We run our final race, go out to eat, have a sleepover, and wake up the next morning, completely liberated of the sport we love so much, and slightly unsure of what to do now. While there are things we are finally free to do, there's also a bunch of stuff that we now HAVE to do.
Indoor track will be starting in a week and a half for some of us, but this week and a half is the greatest and strangest week of the year. Much like summer, I begin to plan all the things I can fill my free time with - things that will probably not be accomplished. English work has piled up in the last marking period, which is due in two weeks. If I get going soon, I should be fine - I only have 15 notebook responses and two creative essays to write, two and a half plays and three novels to read. My PIG research project is going well, mainly because I often opt to spend all my free time reading about the Provisional Irish Republican Army, rather than doing real work. Scaramouche, my alto sax solo, has been long neglected due to marching band and cross country, so I should get practicing that during my 3-4 study halls a day. I finally have time for Loretta, and now that I have time and a license, it'll be much easier to drive to Meholick's house for lessons with Mrs. M.

During cross country, there's a unwritten code that I, as well as the other runners, live by. It isn't things that L suggests we do or do not do, or anything in the athletic policy - it is formed by experience, by the days we do stupid things before we run and suffer for our actions later. For example, in 9th grade I learned that to eat an apple before running is practically the equivialent of placing a rock in your stomach. To drink coffee before a race is to drain your body of every ounce of hydration. To drink juice the day of a meet is to bathe your muscles in acid. I am free now, until indoor starts, to drink whatever the hell I want and to eat apples any day of the week. However, I am no longer permitted to eat as many carbs as I please throughout the day with the mentality of, "I'll run it off at practice."

We Got Some

2008-10-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

Today I stood on the field in the carrier dome, for the last time, waiting to perform my final field show. Tears were finally beginning to dry on my face - tears of sorrow to leave this group, of love for everyone in it, and of pride for all they have accomplished this year. Trying to calm myself down, I watched the band that was currently performing. Colorguard flags whirled, brass wailed, woodwinds sang - and I wondered, what is this activity about?

It seems rather dull and almost ridiculous. How can anyone find meaning in a marching band drill? Creativity has no place in this art - you do what they tell you to, exactly how they tell you to do it. Perfection means being exactly the same as everyone else. You certainly can't put your own ideas and style into a show like this. No, the "spark", the chill you get on the field, the butterflies in your stomach, do not come from your drill packet or your sheet music or basic block with Hillman. That comes from the bus rides, the down time at rehearsal, the lunch breaks at band camp. It comes from the friendships you begin, the bonds you form, and the memories you create at band. I feel like that's the real activity here - you take these memories and this passion, and suddenly the dots on your drill chart mean a little bit more. The once dry, boring (and maybe confusing) sets and formations begin to take on a new meaning. Every set reminds you of a different joke, every song reminds you of a different memory.

When I watch other bands, I feel like I don't get to see everything in their show. I feel like between the well-dressed lines, the carefully tuned chords, there are inside jokes, good times, and close bonds. I don't see a show; I see a group like mine. And today, when I saw Mohonasen, I couldn't help but feel (if only for a second) that they should win. Not because they were any cleaner, louder, or sharper than us, but because I knew they had worked just as hard and they had become just as close to each other as our band had. Their smiles and their energy proved that they deserved to win it. While I probably would have prefered winning 1st by ourselves, I don't mind sharing so much. Our success this year has been incredible. We have achieved so much. For not one, but two bands to do that in a season only doubles my pride. This tie will be something to talk about for a while - it's the third in NYSFBC history. I think it's something to celebrate. We are still state champions (four times for my class!) and we should be proud, even if another band is bragging about the same thing in Long Island.

My marching band career has been incredible. We have been state champions four out of five years, and the only year we lost was our first year in a higher class. I have made a pretty obnoxious number of close friends and an even more obnoxious number of memories. I leave the field today with nothing but love for the band and all it's done for me. My only sorrow is that I won't be around to see Dave McVicker tear it up on his alto sax, Dan Matthews try out for Drum Major, or Scotty Meyers lead the drum line. This year our band was really young, but this only means that in a few years, they are going to make even more incredible things happen. While I won't be there, I know I'll be part of it. I know I had an impact on them, and I nurtured their love of marching band, and that might be even more incredible than all the joys I have personally experienced.

I didn't intend for this, but.... college essay?