What People Want

My Psychology and Women class did an activity a few weeks ago that was minor, but left a huge impression on me.  It was this activity called 5 for 5, where my teacher asks us 5 questions in 5 minutes which we have to answer as best we can.  Most of the time, the questions were standard, like what did you think of class, or do you have any thoughts/concerns about the class, but one question she asked really stuck out to me.  What are the three most important things to you about relationships?  Now, because we had been learning about Intimate Partner Violence, this was a touchy subject with lots of information new to me.  But it also stood out because of how I feel about love, which is idealistic and optimistic; it didn't always used to be like that though, especially with my struggles and how I've seen others handle it.  This was a minor question, but it was something that required a lot of thought.

I thought long and hard about the question for a few seconds, with countless words going through my head: honesty, love, communication, friendship, effort, trust, equality, happiness, etc. among others.  If it were possible, I would have listed all of them, but I could only pick three, which was not an easy thing to do.  I knew things like honesty and love had to be there, but things like communication and happiness intertwined.  It was not easy to do, but in the end, I picked love, honesty, and effort as the most important things in a relationship in that order.  Putting love first could be seen as negative to some, but I meant love in the sense that it was important for someone to actually have feelings and care about you as a person, which mixes in with many things.  Honesty speaks for itself, and things like communication and trust went with effort.  I handed in my answers feeling okay, but then instantly wondered if I had made a mistake.  Then again, how can you make a mistake on how you feel?

A few weeks later, the results were read for what both men and women thought was necessary for a relationship.  I forget the women's first choice, but honesty and sense of humor made their top 3, which I thought was brilliant and amazing, since sense of humor is something I think about all the time that seems obvious, yet it didn't even cross my mind once.  For the men, they picked love, honesty, and communication, which startled everyone in the class.  Now, the results may not seem shocking since obviously a lot of people thought the same things were necessary, but because of what we've been learning in our class, it would seem as though most people desire something sexual or artificial in a relationship, but we proved that relationships were changing with the times, and that some men and women wanted the same things now compared to before.

I've thought about everything in depth since then, and still wonder what the most important things are to a relationship, but I honestly think there isn't one answer.  It's a variety of answers, like the ones I listed before since many people want different things.  But while we all want a number different things, one thing I think we can all agree on is that we all want to be happy and help make the people we love and care about happy as well. 

What do you think though?  Are there things you value in more in a relationship than others?  And do you seem similarities between what men and women want, or do you think they are different?

The Day After...

As Thanksgiving and Black Friday have come and gone, I can't help but have mixed emotions on them.  Yes, they were both memorable events and part of the holiday spirit, but the anticipation for I had before they started came and left before it ever felt like they started.  In the large spectrum of food, celebration, and time spent saving money on deals, that may not seem like a big deal since those are the things that count.  But I think it matters since people put so much money into getting ready for Thanksgiving by making food, or saving up for that one key purchase, but then like that, it's over.  The food you spent hours on is gone in less than an hour, and that thing you wanted to purchase is something you often use sparingly, or don't think enough about to appreciate.  I may be thinking too much about this subject, but I can't help it.  Thanksgiving is over.  And now that it has come and gone, I can't help but feel sad about the reality now everyone will be back at school or at work, instead of doing things that make them happy.  Yet, I suppose that's how life is...

Thanksgiving

It's Thanksgiving again!  That wonderful time of the year when autumn is in the air, the pigskin is being thrown around, and there's a delicious aroma of food.  I usually have a hard time picking my favorite days of the year because there are so many that I like and dislike, but there's no doubt Thanksgiving is one of my favorites for the reasons I just said previously.  Even in school, the day before Thanksgiving was always the best because we had pep rally's that were always a lot of fun, and since it was a half day, I could always hang out with my friends afterward.  In my mind, hanging out with my friend's on holidays is always a highlight because you get to experience it differently with people you care about, but doing it the day before isn't that bad either.  I miss those times, but I still have those fond memories of simpler times.

Since it's Thanksgiving, there are a limited amount of things on TV today.  There's the parade, football, and even wrestling (depending on if you like TNA).  But if you want an alternative to those things, you can do what I always do and watch Thanksgiving specials of your favorite shows and films.  Here are some suggestions I have...

The Recess episode "The Great Can Drive"

 A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Not to mention other Thanksgiving episodes of shows, like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, King of the Hill, The Simpsons, etc.  There are so many things you can watch and do on this day, but regardless, have a good holiday and eat well!

Grade Alienation

A few days ago, a friend and I were having an interesting conversation at school about grades.  I had just got through ranting for the millionth time about how angry I was failing my online Spanish quiz because so many things about it were unjust.  The directions weren't clear, the questions had multiple answers, and the stipulations were ridiculous (30 questions in 50 minutes).  My friend understood what I was going through, which I found helpful, but he made me look at things from a much different perspective by relating everything to Karl Marx. 

I know what you're thinking.  Karl Marx, what the hell?!  I had the same thoughts as well because the only thing I knew about Karl Marx was that he wrote "The Communist Manifesto", and opposed any system that alienated or tried to govern people unjustly (at least I think that's what he said to some degree, but someone can correct me on that).  That had to do with government and sounded like it had nothing to do with school, but then my friend related it to how school grading systems go against what Marx believed because they alienate people and stress them to the point where they do not help them.  Also, people may get good grades in class, but they do not retain the information; they just learn it to pass and that's that.  It's sad, but it is true to some degree.

Now, I'm not saying college is this overbearing institutional system.  It's institutional and has its faults (which I've gone over before), but I think for the most part, they want to help the people that go there.  I just wish there was a better way to grade and test people on what they know because the old system, while effective, is outdated and certainly has flaws.  I wonder if there are any better solutions on the horizon, or will school be like this for years to come in the future?  I guess we won't know for awhile.  And while this may not make sense for many of you, including myself, it was nice to feel a little enlightened after failing a quiz, even if it was because of Karl Marx.

Out-of-Print Merchandise

The Slifer The Sky Dragon Shonen Jump Card that I want

With the recession and the ability for consumers to purchase merchandise online at a premium, this is a great time to buy things, especially with Black Friday less than a week away.  I usually never buy anything on that day, but I do buy lots of things off Amazon: films, cards, etc., but one thing I cannot stand is when merchandise is out-of print.  When that happens, it causes one thing that would usually only be a few dollars to skyrocket in price like it's a collector's item, when most of the time it isn't.  For example, there are really old films that cost a lot, but that is understandable because it's historical and may be one of a kind.  And even then, it's still reasonable.  But when a Disney film is selling for $60, or a card like that Egyptian God card from Shonen Jump costs close to $100, that's when you know things are crazy.  Worst of all, there are people who go crazy buying all these things.  I understand why a person would because as a collector myself, it's something I can relate to, but there are times when you have to know when to say no and walk away.  It's tough to do, especially with something so tempting, but if you don't, you'll be paying lots of money for something you may never enjoy.  I wish it wasn't like this because people buy things online to save money, not pay more.  You expect these kind of crazy kind of transactions from businesses, but not from regular people like you and me. 

This Freezing Weather...

Living in Massachusetts as long as I have, there are a few things you can be sure of this time of year.  The Celtics and Patriots will be playing, parking will suck, and it will be freezing cold outside.  I'm used to the weather, but in some ways I'm not, since ever since I lost all my weight, I've been able to feel the frigid air more than before.  And it has not been pretty.  I've had trouble breathing because the air is that strong, I've been shivering, and my hands have become so hard and chap that they bleed occasionally.  It hasn't gotten that bad yet, but it's close to getting there.  I'm using lotion and trying my best to be bundled up, but it just does not seem to be doing the job adequately.  I suppose I can't complain though; it's not like we've had any blizzards compared to last year.  The temperature has just been low because of the wind chill, which I hate almost as much, but know very little about.  Until things improve, all I can do is stay warm as much as possible and try and feel good about this weather.  That may be awhile, but thank god for furnaces!  Now if only mine would work when I wanted it to...

Casinos

Gambling is something that seems foreign to me, but in some ways, I feel like I've been exposed to it my whole life.  Now, I've never been in a casino before (the closest I've been was in Sonic games), but my family plays the lottery a lot.  We've never won the "big one" as my dad calls it, but we've come close on a number of occasions, which has brought some profit, which is nice.  But I wonder as I get older if I'll be like the millions in the world who love gambling?  The odds of winning the lottery seem impossible, and I don't seem like a casino/Vegas person (especially since I can't play games and have no game face).  Even something as simple as betting doesn't seem like my forte, so if that's out, maybe I won't do anything.  I'll never say never though, especially with the temptation of scratch tickets, and the fact that everyone would want to win the lottery if they could.

On that note, it brings me to local news in the state of Massachusetts.  Just this past week, plans to build a new casino in the town of Milford were voted down.  Not a shock, considering this isn't the first time a casino has been voted down, and yet, I am always surprised by the results.  Everyone always talks about wanting a casino, or finding a quick way to get rich, yet whenever a casino is talked about being built close, everyone changes their mind.  It's funny and ironic.  I wonder why that is?  Could it have to do with what it would cost taxpayers, what it would do to the surrounding area, or religious purposes?  I'm sure it's a combination of all of the above.  Yet, at the end of day, I can't help thinking a casino would help, even though gambling is a terrible thing.  People would have a place to be, they'd have the potential to make money, people would be hired for jobs, and a casino would bring lots of business and tourists, which would boost the economy.  But I know this is a issue that is much deeper than money.  Just thought I'd give my two cents.

My Color

Another day, another song by 2PM stuck in my head.  I enjoy their ballads mostly, such as "Forever", "At Times", "I Will Give You My Life", and "Just Like The Movies" cause as I've said before many times, anyone can do a dance/R&B song, but few artists can perform ballads.  Despite my preference, I also like their harder, edgier stuff like "Without U".  I've heard all their music, but I recently heard a song of theirs I hadn't heard before.  It's called "My Color", and was supposedly just a onetime promotional song/video for Corby cell phones.  The video is colorful and kind of weird since one person dressed up as a joker, but with the boys singing, it's always a good time.  Hope you all enjoy!

HOTTEST <3

The Lion King

The Lion King (G)

Grade: A-

• Directed by: Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
• Produced by: Don Hahn
• Screenplay by: Irene Mecchi, Johnathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton.  Based on "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare
• Starring: Matthew Broderick (Adult Simba), James Earl Jones (Mufasa), Jeremy Irons (Scar), Johnathan Taylor Thomas (Young Simba), Moira Kelly (Nala), Nathan Lane (Timon), Ernie Sabella (Pumba), Robert Guillaume (Rafiki), Rowan Atkinson (Zazu), Madge Sinclair (Sarabi), Whoopi Goldberg (Sehnzi), Cheech Marin (Banzai), Jim Cummings (Ed)
• Music by: Hans Zimmer
• Studio: Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Feature Animation
• Distributed by: Buena Vista Pictures
• Released: June 15, 1994
• Running Time: 88 minutes/1 hour and 28 minutes
• Language: English

"You must take your place in the circle of life."

-Mufasa

Father's give advice to their children all the time, but when Mufasa speaks, that's when you stop and listen because he isn't just some regular lion; he's the king of the jungle, brother of Scar, and father of Simba in "The Lion King".  "The Lion King" is arguably one of the most acclaimed and well-known Disney films of all-time, up there with Snow White, Dumbo, Beauty and the Beast, etc.  But for the Disney Renaissance era, there's no doubt it's the top film on most people's list.  I used to feel the same way about it as a child, watching it endlessly and crying and laughing at the same parts, but as I got older, my taste shifted.  And while I appreciated "The Lion King", I wanted to make my own decisions on what I liked.  Not just like it because the majority did, which they did when it came to "The Lion King".  Because of that, I hadn't watched it in years and watched other Disney films in the meantime, but recently, after at least 6 years, I've watched it again and enjoyed it so much, it's like nothing ever changed.

Because "The Lion King" is based off of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet", the plot should be very well known.  Hell, even if you've never read the play, I've never met one person on Earth who has never seen the film.  But I'll still sum it up.  The film starts off with a majestic shot of Pride Rock where Mufasa and his wife Sarabi have given birth to their first son Simba.  As he grows into his youth, he is adventurous and energetic.  Typical for anyone his age, but his uncle Scar on the other hand is miserable.  His life is boring and he despises Mufasa, dreaming of taking his throne for himself.  These are all impractical thoughts by Scar, until one day he plots the ultimate plan with the hyenas, staging a wildebeest stampede to try and kill Mufasa and Simba at once.  He is only half successful though, and Simba runs away to a new life, eventually meeting some new friends along the way.  He's happy where he is, but realizes he must go back and take his place in the circle of life as king like Mufasa said.

"The Lion King" has many highlights as a film overall.  The animation is the first thing I notice because of the drawing of the animals and the environment (which I think is always difficult to achieve).  Plus, researching a little about the film, the animators animated the characters to match their voice actors, which I thought was pretty cool as well.  Credit has to go to the voice cast though.  Animated films always want to get a good cast for publicity, but this film cast roles that fit their character perfectly.  James Earl Jones had the commanding, magnificent, thunderous voice as Mufasa, Matthew Broderick had the innocence he had in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" as Adult Simba, and Johnathan Taylor Thomas had the same youth he had from TV as Young Simba.  Everything worked as a whole.  While, I love James Earl Jones though, I loved Jeremy Irons voice as Scar.  His accent was so diabolical which made his character so cunning, memorable, and twisted.

This film's popularity makes it seem as though it has no flaw's, but it does.  The songs everyone loves such as "Hakuna Matata", "Circle of Life" and others are very entertaining, but they don't touch me the way some other Disney songs do such as "Part of Your World".  No fault of it's own, but that's just my personal taste.  I like funny and whimsical songs, but the memorable, touching songs are ones I enjoy, which I don't think this film has much of.  Also, the characters change, but their action's don't seem too believable because of the pace of the film.  It's too fast, which I expect from a Disney film, but I wish it was longer (like I wish most Disney films were), so we could see more depth to the characters and plot, such as what really happened to Simba when he was with Timon and Pumba.  And lastly, I know the film shouldn't be taken seriously too seriously at times because it's Disney, but I have a hard time believing that all the animals live in harmony when they all eat each other.

But while that may seem unrealistic, one thing that's real is the emotion Simba feels.  He feels sadness when tragedy strikes with his father, anger towards Scar, and friendship with Timon and Pumba who teach him a life with no worries is a wonderful thing.  To me, he might not change that much in the film, and pales in comparison to his dad as a king, but he's so relating as a character, which makes us understand what he's feeling.  Depending on taste, "The Lion King" may or may not be your favorite Disney film, but there's no doubt it changed Disney forever critically and financially the way "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Little Mermaid" did before it.  And as time has gone on, it has become a timed classic, quoted and beloved by all.  Even though it isn't my favorite film, there's no doubt it's the king of the Disney Renaissance era.  Long Live the King!   

The Burden Of Beauty

In my Psychology and Women course at school, we just got through the chapters discussing disordered eating, which is a scary thing for those of you who don't know much about it.  We learned about all the different types of disorders that are out there, the facts or myths about the beauty myth (depending on how you see things), and the enormous amount of pressure and insecurity women must go through daily because they are always judged by their appearance.  It's a terrible thing, but unfortunately the way things are.

As I was reading, like most times in my other classes, I was hit with a revelation.  Even though I was a man, I could relate to a lot of issues these women go through.  I've dealt with pressure and insecurities about myself because I used to be morbidly obese, and I sort of went through an eating disorder myself because I used to binge or not eat enough.  It was never to the point of being anorexic, but there were some parallels.  One difference between us obviously though besides biologically, was that I was that I knew I was the way I was because my doctor proscribed it for me.  I was obese because I was a certain weight above normal and it was affecting my health, which is why I started to change the way I am.  And I think it's worked as I've lost close to 60 pounds, and keep trying to achieve my overall goal of healthy weight and blood pressure.

That brings me to women.  As I said, it's terrible they are constantly judged and stigmatized by society, but they have the ability to overcome it because they have the ability to overcome anything.  I mean look at their feminist movements having the right to equal education and voting.  If you learn or research about it like I have, it's really inspiring stuff.  What I have a problem with, is when society affects a woman so much, that they think they need to lose weight or be more beautiful because it's necessary to succeed in life, when that isn't the case at all.  I think that's what society wants because they want people to use their money and buy their products.  But most women are beautiful just the way they are.  They don't need to lose weight or anything; they just need to feel confident and act like themselves.  I know it's difficult because society is so critical, but eventually gets through it.

The important thing you all should know is that only a small percentage of people will ever look like models (based off genetics), and that people in advertisements and magazines have their photos airbrushed most of the time, so that's not a realistic way of how to look.  I mean, how could a person look so perfect when there's no such thing as a perfect person?  So the point is, always be yourself.  Don't ask yourself if something makes your butt look big, or if you're fat?  Chances are you're fine the way you are.  And if you ever want to be sure, ask your doctor because a professional opinion helps the most when society clouds our minds with mixed messages.

Now to be honest, this topic only came to me because of class and because I have friends who constantly say they're not beautiful when they are.  I wish people could see themselves the way I see them though since then they'd see how wonderful they really are because of everything else.

Laundry Issues

At my house recently, we've had things get messed up such as our couch covers and snow-blower, but nothing can be more annoying than a washing machine getting messed up, which has happened a lot to our new washing machine.  A washing machine may not seem as bad as your furnace or refrigerator breaking, but when you constantly need clean clothes (which I'm hoping most of us do), it's a big deal.  Our new washing machine may be more technologically advanced than our previous washing machine we had, but it's broken down a lot for a variety of reasons, such as washing clothes with too much detergent, or washing clothes individually because of instructions.   

That leads me to the big issue I have though, which isn't so much with washing machines since all things eventually break down; I just can't stand how some clothes need to be washed separately because of having like colors, or because they use warm water instead of cold.  It's so stupid.  It causes a chain effect of someone having to do more loads of laundry, which leads to raising the bill going up, and eventually the washing machine breaking.  All of this because of laundry?  It seems so harmless, but it explains why people hate doing it (besides that fact it takes so long).  And don't even get me started on how some clothes shrink and others don't.  That's a story for another day, but one thing for sure is, doing laundry as a whole sucks.

My Love Of Greeting Cards

There's a running joke from TV shows that Hallmark has a greeting card for every occasion, which isn't true, but it seems like it is with the mass amount of cards they have.  I used to love going into Hallmark back in the day because it was a chance to see other writer's or artist's work firsthand.  But after a few years, I started to realize something; the cards I used to love were starting to get boring because they had been around for so long.  And for some reason, as good as some of them were, they just never captured the full message I wanted to give to a person.  So since then, every time the occasion calls for it, such as a birthday or holiday, I make my own cards or buy blank cards and write my own message to people.

Now, making your own card or writing a full message may seem like too much work, but it's worth it.  For one thing, you get to be really creative with the full design of it, which can make your card stand out.  And what can be better than writing a heartfelt, personal message to a loved one?  I don't think many things are, especially if you put so much effort into it, which I think I've done.  I can remember countless hours and days I would stay up late perfecting a message, coloring, and gluing pictures; it was a pain since it was so easy to make a mistake, but to know you can brighten someone's day with something you created is so gratifying.  I think it's one of the reasons I wanted to be a writer (even though I'm not really good at it in my opinion).  To be honest though, if I had a dream job I knew I would be financially secure in, it would be making greeting cards.  But I guess it would be difficult because I'm better at making personal cards for people I know, and I heard it's very difficult to do.  Luckily, I know the business isn't like that stupid "(500) Days of Summer" film.

I know I probably haven't changed people's minds on cards, or people still want to buy presents for people for special occasions, which is just fine, but all I'm saying is reconsider greeting cards.  It makes everything more complete, and it shows a person how you really feel about them, which can sometimes get lost in the world.  It's understandable to be worried about the cover of your card, or what you write, but don't worry.  It's the thought that counts, and what could be more thoughtful than a greeting card?

Veteran's Day

Veteran's Day was yesterday, but from the way things were around Boston, you'd never know it because many schools were in session and many people were working.  I understand that not all schools and workplaces have the same regulations when it comes to holiday's, but it seems so unfair that's the way things are.  Now, I'll be honest, in the past, I've overlooked Veteran's Day because I didn't really know what it was all about, and it was an excuse not to have school, but as I've gotten older, I've learned to appreciate it's a time to celebrate and remember those who have served and protected our country.  What could be more nobler or patriotic than that?  I don't think many things are, yet people cannot enjoy it because of a few rules.  As I said before, I understand why some colleges and workplaces are like that, but it seems ridiculous we celebrate some irrelevant holidays so seriously, yet ignore ones that are important.  I suppose it's something to think about, but that will have to wait until the next Veteran's Day.

For those who have served and protected our country though, Thank You!

Selene 6.23

It seems as though for every K-Pop group I listen to, there's always a song that moves me to the point of emotions, from happiness to tears.  Jay Park has "Joah", while 2PM has too many songs that I can count.  SHINee is the newest group I've gotten into recently, but while I've just discovered them, they're nothing new.  They're just arguably the top Korean group in the business.  They have strong vocals, an eclectic and visual style of fashion, and some of the best choreography I've seen.  Not to mention, their music is very good as well.  Since I only started started listening to them about two weeks ago, I've only heard their well-known stuff, such as "Sherlock", "Dream Girl", and "Lucifer", but I'm expanding my range of their music.  One song of theirs I absolutely love though is "Selene 6.23", which translates to The Distance Between Us.  It's a orchestral ballad by the group about unrequited love, which is not their usual forte (Whose forte is ballad?), but it sounds absolutely amazing nonetheless!  Give it a listen, and I think you guys won't be disappointed. 

SHINee and other K-Pop groups may have a reputation to Americans as being loud or only dance music because of some people like Psy, but they can do ballads as well.  I just wish sometimes their music label's promoted it as much, but the plus side is, we get to discover the magic for ourselves.  Enjoy!

Bullying and Hazing

In my Psychology and Women class a few days ago, I handed in my project I had to do for the semester, which was a portfolio based on a topic that related to women.  It was very hard to pick a topic at the start of the semester since there were so many things that interested me.  But in the end, I decided to go with hazing in Greek life because I had always been interested in the topic, and being someone who was bullied themselves, there were some similarities.  Of course, after doing research, it's safe to say there more similarities than I expected, which was interesting, but also very unfortunate at the same time.

Time to get to the elephant in the room or the sports world though, which is the Richie Incognito story, where he bullied and hazed one of his teammates to the point that he had to leave the team because of an emotional breakdown.  I won't get too much into how I feel about it because I feel the same way everyone publicly feels, which is outraged something like this even happened.  When you're in a group of any kind, whether a fraternity, sports team, etc., you're supposed to stick together, which is why it's a shame this happened.  People let it happen.  And worst of all, the players are using the "Blame the Victim" theory, which is completely ridiculous.  Any person would realize that something wrong is going on, but of course, football players don't know better because of some code of being macho.  I usually try to defend men when the situation calls for it, but when I see dumb stuff like that going on, I don't think there's anyway they can be helped. 

Hopefully in the end, the victim can be though.  And someday, I hope bullying and hazing can be reduced/solved.

Classes Selected

Last spring semester I wrote a blog post talking about picking classes, but I didn't really go in depth about it at that time because I hadn't picked my classes for the next semester yet, and honestly, no one wants to hear about picking classes.  This time though, I couldn't resist talking about my potential last time picking classes (depending on how next semester goes). 

I registered for classes officially today after mulling what classes to choose for days.  This usually isn't common for me, but since I only needed a few classes to fill out my major and minor requirement, I had to be careful what I was taking.  I had the normal classes I would take such as Creative Writing, but then I had classes I just needed to take to get to the credit limit, which seemed dumb.  I understand it's a rule, but me taking a General Education or lower level course for no reason is such a waste of time.  It does nothing really for my benefit besides taking up valuable time I know I'll need next semester.  At the same time though, anything that helps me graduate is good, but I wish it didn't have to be like this, all bunched together.  I suppose I can't complain though.  There are others like me who have it worst than I do, who need to take more classes than me, or couldn't get into the classes they wanted.  Luckily I did, but I hope the decisions I made pay off.  This semester of school isn't over yet, but it's safe to say I'm already a little anxious, but with my goal this close, I'm ready! 

Daylight Savings Time

As autumn progresses on, a few things are certain.  It's going to get colder, the leaves are going to change colors, it's football season, and holidays will come and pass.  But one thing that has already happened that I don't quite understand is Daylight Savings Time, which happened for everyone yesterday.  The concept has existed for years, but even after all this time, I still don't get it.  Don't get me wrong, I know that we rewind the clocks back in hour in November and push them back ahead in April, but the concept seems so dumb to me.  Supposedly, we're saving an hour on daylight, but all we're doing is rewinding the clocks back.  It's not like we added another hour onto the day or something.  Also, why do we have to wait till 2am to rewind clocks back, when 1am makes more sense because then the day would actually be beginning?  Nothing really makes sense, but maybe I'm just bitter that it gets darker earlier and I have a lot to do this week.  Hopefully, I'm just able to wake up on time.

Music Video Reactions

When it comes to Youtube, there are lots of things on there that were popular, that then died down really fast.  I still don't get the Harlem Shake, and I'll never understand how people like Rebecca Black and others can become celebrities overnight, but that's the way of technology now.  One thing I originally couldn't stand was music video reactions on Youtube because I found watching people's opinion on a group I liked boring.  I always like hearing from fans who feel the same way I do about an artist, but if no one is willing to be critical, then what's the point of saying anything?

That all changed recently in the past few months though, as I started getting into K-Pop.  For those of you who follow or read my blog, you can tell I love the group 2PM.  I have so many of their songs thanks to my brother and because of that, I listen to them religiously.  There are obviously some songs better than others, but as a whole, they're amazing!  I always used to listen solely to their music, but now I've started watching their music videos too, which have been entertaining on so many different levels.  Some songs, such as "10 Out of 10" are hilarious, while some such as "Without U" are just powerful.  Because I've seen so many of their videos now, I've started watching music video reactions daily.  And it's just not with 2PM now.  I watch 2PM, SHINee, etc. admiring the artistry, the skill, and enjoying the mutual love the people I watch have with the group. 

The more music video reactions I watch, the more I wonder why I feel this way about K-Pop and not American music, but I think it's because the fact it is in another language already puts us in a stage to judge it.  Also, since it's likely most of us have not heard of it, or differences with things such as time difference, when we see something for the first time, it really is surprising.  I'm still getting into K-Pop, but it's nice to know I'm not the only one who loves watching people talk about them.  I used to be a skeptic, but now I say, just keep showing your love K-Pop fans! 

Washing Fruit

Eating fruit is one of the healthiest things in the world, but one thing I cannot stand is why your have to wash it every time before you eat it.  I understand we have to do it for our safety, but to me, something that is so pure should not have to be cleaned all the time.  Then again, I'm a germophobe, so I wonder why I'm questioning anything when it comes to cleanliness.  It's just frustrating!  I know fruit is pure, but with such a need for cleanliness, sometimes I wonder what's going on with our fruit?  Then again, maybe like with hot dogs, it's better to not know and just enjoy.