Back Open For Business

Over a month ago, I wrote a blog post in which I said I was going to take a break from blogging because I just didn't have the time for it anymore.  Along with that, I didn't feel that as if I was putting forth my best effort in my work, and I was burnt out from writing.  But now that I've had time to relax and think, I'm back blogging.  I can't guarantee as much of an output with material like before, but with so much happening in the world, it's safe to say, I have a lot to work with. 

I have nothing to really say at the moment, though, besides that I'm back for business.

Gone For Now, But Not Forever

For the past year and 7 months (19 months), I've been blogging on this blog about all sorts of things that interest me, from movies, politics, sports, and TV.  Overall, it's been a fun and rewarding experience because I get to write about all those things, while honing my skills as a writer at the same time.  Now, after all this time, though, I think I'm done blogging for awhile.  It's not because I don't want to do this anymore; it's great seeing work of any kind published when it comes to being a writer, I just don't have the time to write as much anymore.  And once I do start working, it will nearly be impossible.  It's sad it's come to this, but it happens to us all in life. 

So with that in mind, I want to say Peace Out for now blog!  But I'm not too down because I know this isn't the end.  Also, I want to give a shout out for those who viewed or commented on my blog, showing it impacted some people.  I couldn't have done it without you all.  Thanks for the good times!  Talk to you all again in the future.

Sleep and Weather

When it comes to Summer, there aren't many things I like about it.  I like the nice weather because it gives me many opportunities to spend time with friends, but I hate the weather which makes me fatigued and sweaty.  To counter that, I usually turn on my air conditioner, but that doesn't work all the time, especially when I'm sleeping.  It can be cool in a room, but if it's too cold, I'll wake up, which can also make me sick in the process.  I could counter all that by turning off the air conditioner, but then I'd be hot again.  As you can see, I have all these issues (if you can call them that), and they're making me go to sleep and wake up at obscene hours.  Hence why I'm awake blogging now.  I can't predict the future, but I hope my sleep pattern gets fixed.  Otherwise, this summer is going to be longer than it already feels.

Swagbucks

There was a span in my life when I ordered things off Amazon and other sites almost every day.  At first, it started out small, but as more time passed, I started buying more and more things, putting myself in a bigger financial hole.  I always paid off all the money I used, but I hated using so much money on things I rarely used, which is why after awhile, I stopped buying things online altogether (besides on things I really wanted).  Then a year or two ago, my friends showed me this website called Swagbucks, where you can take surveys, watch videos, and do other things to get points to buy cool things (including things off Amazon).  They tried to get me to join for a year, but I never did because it seemed so tedious and I thought I'd never have the time.  Amazing how your view of something can change once you give it a chance.

So with that in mind, yesterday I made my Swagbucks account and began earning points.  My first impression so far is that it isn't that hard, and there are lots of things to do, but it does take awhile to accumulate points in the day.  I reached my first daily goal, though, so I feel pretty excited.  Yes, it's going to be awhile before I can really buy anything, but I'm making progress, and in time, I'll be able to buy things and save money at the same time.  I was skeptical of the site before, but now I can say, it's for real and pretty awesome. 

Here's to winning!

Full House

Growing up, my life revolved around so many TV shows that impacted my life.  There were the fun shows like Pokémon and Digimon, and educational ones on PBS like Arthur and Bill Nye the Science Guy.  But when it came to sitcoms, there were few.  Not counting animates series like the Simpsons, the only sitcoms that I watched were TGIF shows, such as Boy Meets World.  Everyone loves that show, as do I, but its run wasn't perfect (don't get me started on seasons 6-7).  There was a show before that that influenced me even more on that same network, though, which was Full House; that lovable show with Danny, Uncle Jesse, Joey, and his daughters, D.J, Stephanie, and Michelle.

Full House is something that I've revisited recently because my sister bought the complete series a few months ago.  I had wanted to buy and watch it for so long, but I put it off because other things got in the way.  Now that I have the time, though, I'm been rolling through the episodes, already on season 4 in a little over a week.  Re-watching the episodes, it's great to see the lessons/morals in every episode, and the togetherness of family.  Yes, it's cheesy and lame at some parts, but that's the appeal of it.  And honestly, I miss family sitcoms like Full House now because they can't be made now with the way society is.  Not to mention, the role social media plays has killed it altogether.  They can try on ABC Family with their shows, but the feel and writing isn't the same.  I might be being cynical on that subject, but that's how I feel.

So with that in mind, let's celebrate a loved, but underrated show in terms of how often it gets talked about.  Full House isn't the greatest show ever (who can determine that?), but it brought plenty of laughs and tears.  And on weekdays, thanks to syndication, it became a daily part of my life.  Now, thanks to my sister having the seasons, it's like I'm growing up all over again, and it's great.  Here's to the memories past and present!

Paper Bags

Yesterday, at the supermarket, my dad and I had something peculiar happen to us that hasn't ever happened before, which was get paper bags when we checked our goods out.  It's not the biggest thing in life to take notice of, but my whole life, we've either only gotten plastic bags, or boxes if we had to get anything paper related.  Maybe the paper bags were a cheaper option, but besides that, I can't think of any good reason why they'd have that.  The paper bags feel smaller, and they don't have handles, which makes them more susceptible to tear if you have too many things.  Not to mention, with all the recent attention paid to the environment, they're just not economical, so while I think the supermarket didn't mean to, they really caught me off guard with their use of paper bags.  I see that they're there, but I can't see a reason why people prefer them over plastic.

When it comes to that choice, just say no.

My First Booster Box

Last week, I did something that I said I would never do, which was order a Booster Box of trading cards.  In the past, when I played Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh, the temptation was always there to buy cards, but I always reasoned that it was better to use money on single cards I wanted, than use lots of money to buy cards I didn't want.  Not to mention, I never knew if it was worth it to use lots of money on something I only play part time.  I love Pokémon and grew up with it, but as I get older, there's less of it in my life, besides when my friends have arguments about it.  All these things were on my mind as I was contemplating buying the booster box, but in the end, I went with it since I had some money to spare, and I never treated myself, so why not do it this one time?

I ordered my booster box off Ebay and received it in 2 business days, which I was extremely happy about.  When it came in the mail, the first thing that caught my eye was how small it was.  From box openings and reaction videos I've seen of others opening the cards, the box seemed so much bigger, but that could have just been because of the camera.  Still, I was concerned, so I kept wondering as I walked to my friend's place if I had been gypped.  Luckily, I hadn't because when I opened the box, there were 36 packs as advertised.

It's funny how you wait so long for something, and then in an instant, it's over.  That statement can be applied to anything in life, and applies to these cards as well.  I agonized over buying the cards for so long, and then waited for them to come, but in less than 25 minutes, my friend and I had ripped off the plastic of all 36 packs.  Sad, I know.  All in all, I think the box was worth it.  We didn't get the top EX Pokémon in my opinion, which was Mew, or the Ho-Oh card I wanted, but I got the other 4 EX's, so in the end, I got at least 3-4 ultra rares.  I wish I had gotten the specific cards I wanted, but I think looking back, this purchase was worth the price.  Not just for the cards I did get, but the experience of opening packs of cards like a child again, and doing it with friends.  I don't know if I'll be buying any cards again in the future, but if I do, I'll certainly be less hesitant.   

AJ And Paige

AJ and Paige: Hard to Choose, isn't it?

Recently, in the WWE, there's been a feud of sorts (if you want to call it that) between AJ Lee and Paige.  It started back at Wrestlemania when Paige beat AJ to win the WWE Divas title, ending AJ's record streak as champion.  Regardless of what you think of women's wrestling or the entertainment itself, that's still impressive.  But a few weeks ago, AJ beat Paige to get the title right back.  Since then, they've both had matches, but nothing has really developed since then.  At the Battleground PPV, though, you can tell something is going to happen because they've been hinting at this for some time, which is exciting. 

Now, I'd be lying if I said I was a fan of women wrestling because most of the time, they're just eye candy with no talent.  But these women that are different.  Regardless of their looks and personalities, which are great, they do their job well, and bring some excitement back into the Divas division, which was necessary if they wanted to be taken seriously.  As I get back into wrestling, I want the product overall to be good, but that statement can't be true without the Divas division being good, which I think these two add with their skill set.  Also, I've done my research on AJ and Paige and they both seem like cool, good, hard working people, just trying to make it and do their job.  As a male feminist, it's good to see strong women that people can look up to, so for now and the foreseeable future, good luck ladies!  You'll always have a fan here! 

Can't wait to see what's up ahead <3

Laptop Issues

When it comes to schoolwork, writing, or anything internet related, usually I do everything on my laptop (like most people).  Normally, that isn't an issue, but since my laptop is about 6 years old, it's starting to show its wear and tear.  Some of the buttons don't work, the volume isn't what it used to be, and the disk drive/memory is low.  At least that's what it said.  My laptop is supposed to have 60GB, but somehow, it says I've almost used all of that, which is impossible for even people who download a lot of stuff.  I only use my laptop for a few things, not enough things to take up that much space.  I even had a few people look at it and asked questions, but they're baffled.  It could be an error, but why is it like this?  Is it something that can be fixed?  What if the problem lingers?  I googled most of it and found out answer and that this was a common problem, but I still don't know what to do.  I wish technology didn't always have dumb issues like this.  We pay so much money for things, and yet, there's always something wrong.  It's just a pain, and another thing I have to deal with.

The Better And Healthier Me

Today, I went into my basement and found something that I hadn't seen in years.  It wasn't a photo album or anything sentimental like that; it was my old stationary bike.  Not something people usually get excited over, but with my recent visit to the doctor, who said I needed to lose weight, what better way to add onto the exercise I already do, then riding my bike?  It's strenuous and convenient because I don't have to go outside my house to do it.  In the past, I didn't enjoy my bike because I found it boring, but now, I'm determined more than ever to lose the weight I need to be healthy.

After cleaning my bike because it was in the basement for so long, I decided to get on it and give it a test run.  Originally, I wasn't going to go too hard since it was my first time on it in years, but once I was on it, I rode it with no difficulties.  It was pretty easy with my IPod, and the only negatives were the seat, which hurt my butt.  Since the bike is old, it doesn't have good resistance settings, but you can turn the knob or just pedal harder, which I did.  I didn't expect to sweat so much, but in no time at all, I had ridden an hour straight and was sweating through my shirt.  Something I was very proud of.  Hopefully, that type of enthusiasm and results continue!  That way, I can be a better and healthier me.

Prime Number

Being so busy with life the past few months, I haven't bought anything off Amazon in so long.  But now that school's out and I have some cash to spend, there's a few things I wanted to buy.  Nothing too expensive, just trading cards, and the WWE 2K14 video game, since I've been watching wrestling a lot recently.  But when I went to buy those things off Amazon, I saw that I didn't have enough for free shipping since they raised the price from $25 to $35.  It's nothing I didn't already know, and something that could easily be solved with Amazon Prime, but this was my sister's account, so it wasn't up to me.  And even if it was, I wouldn't pay extra for something I rarely use now.  It's just annoying that they raise the prices, even though they make millions of dollars already since it's manipulative, and just makes you use more money.  Something that won't change, but I wish things went back to the way they used to be.

Weather Crisis Averted

In my Into to Homeland Security class a few weeks ago, we talked about natural hazards that could occur in certain areas.  Since I live in Boston and the Northeast, naturally, I talked about floods, but I never thought that we would experience Hurricane Arthur, when our area rarely gets hurricanes, but we received some of it supposedly this past holiday weekend.  Day by day last week, we were getting news about the hurricane and all the damage that could potentially come with it, but luckily, all I got was scattered showers and lots of thunder/lightning.  Although, I know that some areas got severe flooding.  That's not good, but it's not the worst thing that could have happened, making me glad that that was one crisis averted.  Hopefully, there won't be another.

United States Futbol/Soccer

The past few days, when it comes to the sports world, the only thing on the news right now either has to do with NBA free agency or the World Cup.  I'm tired hearing about the NBA and where players might go, especially when they don't know, and in the end, they might all end up playing together anyways.  It's a shame competitive sports has come to this, but it has.  So with that in mind, I figure why not talk about the boys wearing the red, white, and blue who just lost to Belgium a few days ago.

I admit, I'm not the biggest fan of futbol, or soccer (what we call it hear in the U.S.), but I've always been fascinated by it.  I knew so many kids in school who played it, and when I had the time, I watched MLS games on TV.  Obviously, the competition isn't the same here compared to worldwide, but it's not a bad place to start if you just want to talk about casual interest.  As I got older, I started following FIFA and playing the video games, getting to know all the well-known players, but the World Cup coming only every 4 years and my frustration with the game caused me to take a break from it.  But like any sports fan, whenever there's a tournament involving sports, I usually always pay attention.  Especially when it has players I like, such as Lionel Messi, arguably the best player in the world and a few other star players.  Because of that, I've been rooting for other teams, but I've still been rooting for the U.S as well, since they're the underdog.  They lost to Belgium, which was expected, but they played their heart out trying to win and prove their naysayers wrong.  Even though the results weren't what they wanted, I think they did.

Despite feeling so good, I think I look at the glass halfway when it comes to U.S futbol/soccer.  Yes, they made progress by making it past the knockout round, but their play itself was sub-par at best.  They gave up goals and turnovers at the most inopportune times, couldn't score, and couldn't close the games when it was necessary.  I understand excitement from futbol/soccer fans around here because the U.S. did something they've never done, but let's not declare them as champions; they still have a lot of work to do when it comes to improvements.  I will say, though, that I am proud most of all that there is good competition.  And even though futbol/soccer isn't one of the major sports around here, within the next decade, I think it will be.  Hopefully, by then, the red, white, and blue, will be better and ready to play.

My First WWE Live Event

I feel like when it comes to things I can talk about forever, the list goes on and on.  Writing, Sports, Love, it doesn't matter.  The only thing that matters is that it has to be something I'm passionate about.  Which is why it might come as a surprise to people that wrestling is one of the few things I can talk about forever.  It's not something I can say I love and can watch any time now, but back in the day, my middle school friends and I talked about it like a religion.  And it was at that time, I watched and followed it to the point I thought it was real (which I thought for awhile until I came to my senses).  Then came a span after when I stopped watching, which could be attributed to various things.  The wrestlers in WWE got worst, the story lines stunk, and I didn't have cable, so I was missing out anyways by only being able to watch Smackdown.  Then like many things in life, I had a rebirth of interest, so the past year or, I've been following WWE again, which culminated at my first live show on Sunday, which was the Money in the Bank PPV.

It was a surprise getting tickets in the first place because I didn't buy them.  My friends bought them for me as a birthday gift, so I was already floored by the gesture.  There are other things I feel like I would have wanted, but any time someone takes the time and effort to get you something, you should appreciate it.  I'm so used to giving that I never get anything, so this was a surprise I accepted with welcome arms.

It didn't hit me that we were actually going to the event until the day of, when I hung out with my friends and physically saw the tickets.  Then once we got to the venue where the Money in the Bank was going on, it was electric.  There were fans everywhere, signs, and chants that set the mood.  And the production value was amazing, with the sets, pyrotechnics, and matches themselves.  Some of the results weren't the way I expected or wanted, but it was still a great show, that made me want to go again in the future if possible, and revived my interest in wrestling for now and the foreseeable future.

July Is Here

When the month of June began a month ago, I expected so many positive things to happen.  Since school was physically over, I expected my birthday to be a blast, see my friends a lot, and succeed at a lot of endeavors like blogging, school, and other things.  But as time went on, many of those things didn't happen or go the way I wanted to even when they did happen.  It caused a lot of stress and worry for me, which wasn't helped by the humidity and the warmness of the summer weather.  Luckily, a few things did go my way, like my health being alright, seeing all my friends at least once, and doing well on my midterms, which has allowed me to blog again and calm down.  June was a difficult month for me for so many reasons, but July is here now, and now it's time to move on, progress, and see where life takes me.  We can never tell these things, but hopefully, July is a better month than June!

Aaron Paul Commercial

Aaron Paul's critically acclaimed role of Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad is how people generally know him

Commercials are one of the few things in life I find really annoying.  They exist for the sole reason of companies trying to sell products or imprint messages with mass marketing.  Not to mention, it's usually an interruption to something, which is just inconvenient in itself.  But one commercial with Aaron Paul has recently been making me change how I feel about them.  For those of you who don't know which commercial I'm talking about, I'm talking about his one for XBox 1, where he plays TitanFall.  It hasn't convinced me to get an XBox 1 (though he makes it seem awesome) because of the price and how little I play games, but just seeing him and his Jesse Pinkman persona on TV again is great.  He's a humble and hardworking actor, with lots of similarities to me, I think, in his determination and belief in life, which is why it's so great to see him succeed.  It's all very well deserved, so if you haven't checked it out, go watch it.  It's pretty hard to miss.

Jesse getting to relax now that there's no more Heisenberg around

The Return

After over two weeks off from writing because of school and other personal issues, I'm back doing one of the things I love, which is blogging/writing.  I have to admit, it felt weird being gone for so long since I dedicated myself to my blog at least 15-25 times a month, and every time in the past I thought I'd be gone, I came back in a few days.  But I was so burned out, and not feeling good mentally or physically.  For anyone who reads or checks out my work, I apologize, but I'm back now with lots of ideas.  I hope to continue writing more constantly from here on out, so thank you for your support!

-Matt Toy

Off Time

Lately, the past few weeks, it seems as though I've had so much to deal with.  I had my sister's wedding I had to be a part of, finish spring semester classes, start summer classes, etc.  I haven't had to work, which has been a benefit to me, but I feel spent.  Now, because of midterms and a few personal issues, my mindset hasn't been good, so I feel as though I need to take an extended break from blogging.  I know I said I would be blogging more because of being physically done with school, but sometimes a break is just needed.  Also, I think it will give me time to write better posts for you guys, which you all deserve, since my past few posts have been lacking to me.  I don't know how long I'll be gone, but hopefully when I come back, I feel better about everything going on in my life.

This Weather...

Summer in Boston is usually a beautiful time because of how nice it is around here, but on days like today when it's hot and humid, it makes the day seem long.  It's not as bad as yesterday, but it's enough to make me feel sick and struggle just to move and think.  Hopefully, things cool down or else this is going to be a long summer. 

Catching Up With An Old Friend

I saw one of my closest friends yesterday that I hadn't seen in ages.  It had been so long that we didn't even remember the last time we saw each other, so we were looking forward to doing a lot.  When he showed up, we talked, watched a film, and went out to eat.  It might not seem like much, but it was, 7 hours to be exact.  My only regret was that we didn't have more time, but next time we hang out, we will.  It was just great seeing him and catching up, like it always is when you see good friends.  Hopefully, in the next few weeks, more good things will come.

Victim Blaming

With my birthday being this past Monday, and me turning another year older, I'd like to think some positives have come with another year of experiences.  But you can never tell right away.  Like many things in life, these things take time.  But one thing that has come with me being another year older is my awareness of what's going on in the world.  Lately, it seems like everyday there is something going on in the news about something happening to a person, like the woman who died posting a Facebook status while driving, or people committing a crime that they expect people to sympathize with.  It's something that I've thought about more since in my summer classes, they've repeatedly asked if we should blame the victim, which is a slippery slope in itself because if I've learned anything, it's that society blames the victim too much and doesn't focus enough on the offender.  But to leave out any blame for the victim would be ignorant, so it's something that I've thought long and hard about.

After reviewing everything over, I do believe that victims deserve some of the blame for their actions if they live a lifestyle that is high risk or just do something stupid.  For example, if they drink or party constantly, I won't feel sorry for them if something bad happens to them.  Even the woman who died posting that status to Facebook, I don't feel sorry for her because she did something stupid.  Is it sad someone died?  Yes, but it's even sadder that her death could have been prevented if she had just been smarter.  It might sounds harsh what I'm saying, but being harsh and stern is the only way to get through to a person sometimes.

A situation where I don't think a victim can be blamed is provoking somebody.  You hear about this all the time with sports fans, or women who dress too provocatively, but situations like that are too random and hard to predict.  And we all have situations like that when that happens, so I don't think we can blame the victim.  It doesn't seem fair, and in the case of women, it sets a double standard.

Of course, in some ways, even I admit to being hypocritical because if something terrible happened to one of my friends or someone I loved, I wouldn't want that.  But I'd like to think they're good people, who make sound decisions, and are smart in how they handle things.  When it comes to things like I see going on in the world, I don't feel sorry for people because they should know better.  Like I said, I may sounds harsh, but I doubt anyone would feel sorry for me, so why should I for them?  Victims have situations where they should be blamed, but that shouldn't always be the case, especially if you don't know the situation.  Know the facts before you pass judgment.

My Birthday

My birthday is today, and with it, comes a time of happiness and reflection that I'm another year older.  I have some negative/sad thoughts on my mind, but the past year was mostly positive with everything that happened, and the few wonderful people I met.  Because it's my birthday, I thought I'd play this song "Thank You For Being Born/Thank You For Your Love", a ballad by the K-Pop group VIXX, which is a beautiful and sweet song about a guy surprising the girl he loves on her birthday.  It's my day, but I can't help thinking of certain people, friends, loved ones, etc on my birthday.  They're the reason why I am who I am, and helped me make it another year.  I can't thank them enough.  Anyways, I hope you all enjoy!

Hello June, Good-Bye May

Today is the first day of June, which I welcome considering how long May seemed.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed May for the most part, and everything that happened during it.  I finished college physically, attended my first real wedding, saw friends, family, and loved ones, but it was a hectic time period.  I started summer classes, and I went through some difficult personal things that are still on my mind.  I'm making amends, but it's hard not to think about what's happened.  That's why, I hope June is a great month.  It's not only the start of summer, but by then I'll be halfway done with classes and know where I stand.  Not to mention, it's my birthday tomorrow, so here's hoping all my dreams/wishes come true.

Mercury And Recycling Centers

I'm one of the few people I know (besides my dad), who still listens to the radio frequently.  And I'm not talking about car radios.  Those don't count because they don't use batteries, which my hand radio uses.  I love listening to my radio, but the downside is like light bulbs, the batteries in them can't be thrown away after they're used up because they contain mercury, which can't be thrown away because of how toxic it is.  Sure, you can throw it away, but if it leaks, the substance won't leave your house and can spread all over.  It's pretty nasty.

With all the knowledge I have of the subject, I feel like I know enough, but I wish I had known more as a child, since with how conscious I am, I wonder if any risks have ever occurred?  I also wish that there were more recycling centers, bins, or safety areas where we could dispose of materials because there aren't enough of them around.  They have them at stores like Home Depot, but we need something more convenient, especially if it's for our safety.  A lot of people may say that something like this isn't important, but mercury exists, just like carbon monoxide for our carbon monoxide alarms.  If we have protection for that, why not this?

What A Wedding!

This past weekend, my sister and her fiance (now my brother-in-law) got married.  It was a joyous occasion, where two people celebrated their love for each other, but it was a day I wasn't really looking forward to, to be perfectly honest.  It's not that I have anything against weddings.  I just didn't know what to expect.  My family has been talking about this day for almost a year, so now that it was finally here, things were chaotic.  There were lots of arguments and yelling over finances and plans, we all had to pick out clothes, I had to learn how to use a video-camera last minute, and since I had never been to a wedding before as an adult, I was afraid I would make a mistake; it was so much, that it had me emotionally and physically drained, but when the moment came, I couldn't be happier.  My sister and her fiance's big moment was finally here, and everything went smoothly.  The day was long, but it was a great wedding day!

A few things I took away from my sister's wedding day was how important family truly is.  Everyone obviously know that, but we don't always say it or show it, so seeing it in person really made me appreciate my family for who we are and how much we've grown.  Not just my siblings and I, who have grown up a lot since we were children, but my parents, who have grown up wiser.  I also took away how magnificent churches really are as a structure.  I had never been in one before, since my family is not overly religious.  Everything I had ever seen of a church had just been a picture, but seeing it in person is a different experience because of all the architecture and paintings.  Lastly, I just took away how important love is to me.  I used to believe I'd get married, but now I'm not sure anymore.  I've struggled so much in the area that I don't know what the future holds.  But one thing I do know for sure is, that I still desire love, and it's still one of the most important things I value in life.  People hate weddings because it's so political and institutional, but being at one in person changes you.  On the outside, I may be the same person, but inside, I feel different.  I can't explain it, but I can feel it.    

Who knows what the future holds for me, but that's a story for another day.  For now, I just want to say congrats to my sister, Heather, and her husband Nick.  I'm so happy for you both.  Hopefully, I and others find our special someone someday...

The Distance Between Us

A few months ago, back in November, I posted a blog post about a song called "Selene 6.23" by SHINee.  I didn't say much about it besides that it was an orchestral ballad, and that is affected me very much.  Since then, I've expanded my K-Pop repertoire to various idols/groups, but one thing that has stayed consistent is that I think this is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard, period!  The language doesn't matter.  The song is about unrequited love, and how a person compares his love to the moon because it's so far away, and they don't feel like they'll ever get closer to it.  I'm really not doing it justice by describing it, so you'll just have to give it a listen.  I usually never re-blog about the same thing twice, but with everything I've been through the past week, I've had a lot on my mind, causing me to look at my own moon.

Lifting Weights And Adding Muscle

Recently, along with the cardio and walking exercises I usually do, I've started lifting weights to try and add muscle.  In the past, I've tried doing it, but it was too difficult and strenuous on my joints and muscles, so I stuck to cardio.  But now that I've lost a good deal of weight, I think it's time to start building muscle, or at least have some sort of six-pack.  One of my motivations is because I want to be even healthier, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to be more attractive as well.

So far, I've been starting small out lifting dumbbells and doing situps and pushups to try and build my upper body strength, but it's been a difficult process.  Not just maintaining it, but doing it well.  And knowing that I can't do it everyday.  I admit, I have been feeling the effects, but even I wonder if it's worth it for the pain it's caused me.  I won't know for awhile, but until then, I'll try my hardest to get stronger.  Hopefully, the hard work pays off.

Starting Summer Classes

On Monday, I started summer sessions for the final 2 classes I need to graduate.  Both of the classes don't seem that bad so far, but there's going to be a lot of reading and note-taking I'm sure I'll have to do.  Part of me feels overwhelmed that I'm already back doing schoolwork after barely over a week off, but at least my work ethic is still intact.  I just hope I don't make a mistake and can pass the classes.

It'll be a few long months of work, but I'm sure there's light at the end of the tunnel.

My Choices For Guest Speaker

Over the weekend, my school's commencement took place.  I didn't go for my own personal reasons, but heard it was quite an event from social media.  Not just because so many students were finished with school forever, but because Bill Nye the Science Guy gave a speech to the students.  I still have yet to see any pictures, but it's cool that someone I idolized and watched growing up actually came to my school.  It makes me wish I went, but I didn't, and I can't change the past.  One thing it did make me do was think about who I'd want to speak at my graduation if I had a choice.  It sounds like it would be easy with all the people we pay attention to or like, but I tried discussing it with classmates a few weeks ago, and had a hard time.  Time has passed, so I have a few choices in mind, but even now, I'm still unsure.

My only criteria for who I've chosen is that they have to have gone to college, had some higher form of education (because it makes little sense to have a dropout give students advice.  It's unrealistic for them to succeed with no degree), or succeeded in life.  If they meet that, anyone qualifies.  So without further ado, here's my list (so far) in no particular order...

• Patrick Stewart: The guy was Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation, leading the Enterprise, plays Charles Xavier, and is an accomplished stage actor, with a knowledge of Shakespeare.  He'd fit in well at my school.
• Steven Spielberg: What else needs to be said about the director who has basically done everything?
• Anderson Cooper: One of the best journalists out there, who appeals to different generations with his interview and writing style.  I think lots of students would be excited by him.
• The Williams Sisters: Two women who not only changed tennis for women, but sports in general.  Their stories are very inspirational, and they are one of the main reasons why I like tennis so much. 

Magic Johnson

The Los Angeles Clippers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday, eliminating their championship title hopes.  Despite losing, the Clippers and their players should feel proud for how hard they played, and what they had to deal with.  Especially considering what their owner, Donald Sterling has been doing the past few weeks.  Yesterday, he said he wouldn't pay the fine Commissioner Adam Silver told him he had to pay, and a few days ago, he gave his first interview since audio of him making derogatory/racist remarks was leaked.  It was what I expected, considering the reputation Sterling has.  He came off as a deluded, sorry, weak old man, with no remorse for his actions.  What shocked me most, though, was when he went after Magic Johnson.  In case you don't know what Sterling said, here's the clip of it...

I'll be honest, I'm not the biggest Magic Johnson fan because I love the Boston Celtics, he's a terrible color commentator, and he has too much exposure, but I respect him for everything he's done to turn his life around and help others.  Not just for those who have HIV, but the African-American community as well.  Has Magic done some bad things?  Yes!  Being actively promiscuous as he was is a negative thing that should not be praised, but everyone makes mistakes; he deserves a second chance like everyone else in our society.  The HIV Magic has is just one aspect of his life.  It's a negative thing, but he fought it just like everything else in his life.  Donald Sterling wants to attack Magic for the negative, but misses all the positives Magic has done, like being a role model, which he would know about if he did some research or used the billions of dollars he has to educate himself better.  But in the case of Donald Sterling, he's too old, and it's too late for him to change.  Luckily, Magic Johnson did, and it's made all the difference in the world for himself and others.

B+ In Spanish

Today, I received my final grade of the spring semester, which of course was for Spanish (if you couldn't guess).  I had received all A's in all my previous classes, but didn't expect much for Spanish because I had just done good to average work during the semester.  I would have taken any grade in the class, as long as I passed and didn't have to take it anymore.  Much to my surprise, though, I looked online and saw that I got a B+ in the class, something which shocked me.

In some ways, I know why I got the grade I did, but it's still a surprise to do well in a class I didn't think I would; I mean, I did participate a lot in class, do the work, and do well in other areas, but I only got B's on the tests, and made blunders in other areas.  I'm so happy I did well ,though.  Languages have always been an area of uncertainty and weakness for me, and are one of the sole reasons why I had to stay an extra year in school in the first place.  So to do well in something I didn't know that I'd ever pass is one of my highest achievements, truly showing that effort and hard work pay off.

Thanks to my teacher Max for being the best Spanish teacher ever, and to my classmates in class who made the tough times bearable.  I couldn't have done it without you all.

Video Of Your Life

Videos are obviously very big in the world now with Youtube, social media applications like Vine, and with how intricate our phones are now.  With so many ways of putting up a video, you'd think that using video cameras to record things would be a thing of the past, but that's not the case for my sister, who is assigning me to record parts of her wedding on a video camera.  She gave her explanation why she chose me for this assignment, but I still don't like doing it.  Sure, it doesn't have as much pressure as being in the actual ceremony, but if I mess something up, I know she's going to be angry at me.  Not to mention, I just suck with technology.

I've been learning how to use our old video camera the past few days with some success, but there are some issues, since it's so old and can barely go 10 minutes without dying.  Hopefully, we find a solution to fix the camera quickly, or else we'll have to get another alternative.  I personally wouldn't mind a new video camera because it would probably be easier to use, but I know it would cost more.  Like I said though, I wish I didn't even have to do this at all.  A wedding is supposed to be one of the happiest moments in a person's life, but with the ways things have been done, I can't wait until it's over.

Everything that's happened over the past few days makes me question videos.  I understand why they exist, and get huge enjoyment from watching them, but why have videos of yourself when you can have a picture, or just have the memories, which can capture everything better than some camera can, and have the uniqueness of what every individual person remembers.

Blogging From Here On Out

School's over for the semester until summer classes start next week.  With the free time I've had over the past few days, you'd think I would have found time to blog more, but I haven't since I've just been relaxing and enjoying the free time I have.  Now that the weekend is over though, I'm ready to get back to blogging.  And now that I'm done physically with ever having to be in school, I hope I can blog more about things in the world I find interesting.  It depends on what's going on in the world, as well as in my life, but for someone like myself, who is a curious writer, the sky's the limit.

Done With School Physically

With my last final being today, I am officially done with not only school for the semester, but ever having to physically be on campus again.  It's a great feeling, considering I'm a super senior and have been here for 5 long years.  Not to mention, I've had my struggles and hardships like anyone else, but it's worth it to finally succeed in an area I didn't always believe I would.  The work is not over yet because I start summer classes in 10 days, but it feels good to knock down one barrier, and continue forward with my life.  Hopefully, more positive things come as time passes.  But as of now, I feel pretty content.

Kevin Durant: Most Valuable Person

Kevin Durant won his first MVP award a few days ago, which was expected, considering the season he had, carrying the small market Oklahoma City Thunder to one of the best records in the NBA yet again.  But one thing that wasn't expected, was the emotional and powerful speech he gave, where he cried and thanked all those who helped him get to where he is today.  He thanked teammates, family members, friends and even people I didn't expect, like staff.  KD is a humble person, but you usually wouldn't relate that to a star player in his league.  Everything KD had to endure in his life made him the person he is, though.  He had a poor and tough upbringing, not to mention being second his whole life in basically everything.  He's such a good human being with everything he's done to help others, not to mention being an ambassador for the game by being a good role model.  Most people say athletes shouldn't be role models, and they're probably right because their lifestyle is something few of us will ever reach, but I don't have trouble saying I'm influenced by KD.  And I hope others are as well.

I get so annoyed when people say KD made himself look weak by crying, but I think if people use that against him, then they're the weak ones, attacking an innocent person who was just being emotional because he was so happy.  Yes, he cried, but so what?  We all do it.  Just because he is an athlete, does that mean he is not allowed to have feelings?  I hate how society judges a person just off of one thing.  KD has done so much, but people don't even care about the past, they only care about the now.  To those people, I say shame on them because they're missing the point of who KD is, and what his speech truly entailed.  He was overjoyed he won the MVP award, but he also wanted to give thanks to all those he loved in his life.  Anyone who does that, and doesn't forget who they are and where they came from is a good person to me.

Kevin Durant, I might be a Boston Celtics fan, but I'm rooting for you and your Thunder to win it all.  You might have come second so many times, but you're a first rate person to me.

The speech in its entirety

Final Free Day

Today is the last full free day I have before I have my last two days of finals.  In some ways, it's nice to have the free time to relax, but at the same time, having all this free time with nothing to do stinks.  Not to mention, I've had a lot on my mind the past 72 hours that has caused me to think too much to the point of stressing out.  It's never a good thing to think too much, but it's even worse when you have unlimited time.  That's why today, I'm going to try to enjoy this last full day, even if I'm studying since I won't have many more days of this in the future (that much I do know).  Hopefully, I can end the semester strong, and there are good times ahead.

Hoping, praying, waiting...

18

I recently read an interview in Sports Illustrated about Jabari Parker that I found really interesting.  In the interview, he talked about how unfair it was that basketball players had to go to college before going into the NBA, essentially using the old argument, if a player can serve their country at 18, why can't they go into the NBA?  To some degree, I agree with Jabari, since everyone deserves to make a living, and it's unfair that college athletes cannot accept benefits when they make so much money for their schools.  Especially, if some of them are going hungry like Shabazz Napier said they do.  But please, stop using the 18 argument.  I've heard it for so long now, and I'm sick and tired of it.  Going into the NBA at 18 and serving your country are two completely different things.  One, you're doing to earn a living, while the other is to serve your country, which is honorable.  I'm not saying making a living isn't important, but in the case of the NBA, most players who enter straight out of high school have maturation issues, and could benefit from at least a year of college.  I'm not saying I like the NBA age restriction rule, especially since there are a few exception players like Kobe and Lebron, but even they didn't win right away.  And as we all know, they've done some stupid things in their lives.

My issue is with everyone being obsessed with the number 18.  They think it should be the age people drive, drink, vote, etc, but the reason it isn't that way everywhere in all states is because most people aren't responsible enough to handle the responsibility.  You might think they are, but if you look at the way people are sometimes at 18 or even older, it's clear they aren't.  They might not like it, but that's the law, which I think everyone should obey.  Now, time to move on with the issue. 

Bad Boy

As I've been expanding my K-Pop repertoire, one thing I've done is avoid popular artists like PSY, since I want to discover artists for myself on my own, and I already know what most of his music sounds like.  But one group that I've changed that rule for is BigBang.  They're one of the most popular K-Pop groups out there with their members G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, Daesung, and Seungri (V.I), and their eclectic music and sound.  They're K-Pop, but their music is a mix of so many genres, it's almost as if a symphony is playing together as one.  The first song I listened to by them is "Bad Boy", a song about a guy a who treats his girl badly.  In the past, their music was too loud, or hip-hop and R&B for me, but this song is beautiful, smooth, and has me thinking about so much.  Enjoy, and take it all in!  It's genius! 
 

Suiting Up For What's Ahead

With my sister's wedding being less than a few weeks away, you'd think I'd be happy for it, but I'm kind of not.  Don't get me wrong, I'm happy she's getting married, and making the next big step in her life with the one she loves, but planning the wedding has been stressful from the arrangements, food, guest lists, and most importantly, the cost.  I'm not even directly involved in it, yet I feel drained from the whole experience.  Yesterday, didn't make things any better though, as I had to go out and buy a suit for the wedding.

Buying a suit sounds like a luxurious thing from the way they portray it in the media, but since I've never gone to any formal event, or had a job interview, I've never had to wear a suit before.  In the past, I always wore nice dress clothes, but this time, I couldn't do that.  I went to the suit store with my parent's yesterday not having any prior expectations, besides knowing that the suit would be very expensive, and expecting the process to be a pain.  But surprisingly, it didn't start out that way.  At the beginning, everything started out great, with the employees being attentive and very helpful with me, but after trying on suits and pants, they got antsy just because I gave them my wrong pant size by accident twice.  How was I supposed to know jean sizes are different from pant sizes when almost 100% of the time, I wear jeans?  Or know you aren't supposed to wear suit pants low?  I eventually got pants, but they had to be tailored because they were a size too big.  It was bad enough having to buy suits, but then have employees get angry at me because I make a mistake.  I'm the employee.  You're supposed to be serving us.  We're giving you business to pay for your salary.  You're not supposed to make me feel worse just because I'm a little bigger than most people.  It's a shame that even though I lost weight, there's still always more work to do, or that people seem to favor "beautiful" people in society.  But then again, things have always been like that.

All in all, yesterday was a pretty miserable day, besides the morning when I had dim sum with the family.  It was cool getting new clothes to some degree, but honestly, I hope I don't ever have to buy a suit again because the experience was terrible.  But at least I'll be ready for my sister's wedding ahead.  And hopefully, that day is better than what yesterday was.

Dim Sum

In honor of my grandma's birthday a few weeks ago, and Mother's Day and Father's Day not too far away, my siblings and I decided to take them all out for dim sum in Chinatown today.  Dim sum, for those of you who don't know, is when you eat and pick food being wheeled in carts, with the tab being marked by what you order.  To be honest, it's not my favorite way of eating because I don't like always like the food, can't speak the language, and you can lose track of the tab, but my grandma likes it, so I was willing to do it for her.  And luckily, it turned out to be a great family gathering.  There was some arguing and fighting (like there always is, it seems), but it was good to get together and spend time with family; it really makes you appreciate what you have in life, and shows why dim sum truly does mean "Touch the Heart"!

Done With Classes

I'm done with classes for the semester, today!  I still have one more week of finals, and then summer classes later on in the month, but what does that matter?  I'm done with physically ever having to be in school for class again!

Radio Contests

Whenever I listen to sports radio, besides the interviews and sports talk, I always try to pay attention to the contests because there's always a chance I could win something.  The problem is, that out of all the contests I've entered, I've never won anything.  I've tried online, through texting, etc.  The only one I haven't tried is calling, but I'm either too scared to call, or the contest takes place when I'm busy, like in class.  I suppose I can't be too angry, especially if they're national contests like the one I've been trying to do for the past week, but it's so frustrating.  I'm a diehard listener to the station, and am always one of the first people to text in the code word.  I know the winner is chosen at random, but C'MON!  I've never won anything in my life, so it would be nice to win something for once.

Of course, I can keep complaining and complaining, but the only thing I can do now is keep on trying.  Here's hoping to me being a winner someday! 

Model Behavior

KATE UPTON!

Did I get your attention?...

No, I don't know Kate Upton (though it would be awesome if I did) or any other supermodel, but something I've noticed is how harsh society is on models, despite the fact they appeal to so many people.  This isn't the first time I've brought it up how society treats women, but it is the first time I've talked about models.  To be honest, I don't pay much attention to them or many celebrity women in general since it's unlikely I'll ever meet them, and I don't know what type of people they are personally, but I have to say, Kate Upton is one of the most attractive women in the world.  She's obviously a beautiful woman, but she seems like a good person, that has worked hard her whole life to get to where she is.  Even if you don't like her, or think she's unattractive, you have to respect that.

One thing I don't like though, are those people who ogle at models or any other celebrities, but criticize them at the same time, or don't care about them?  I don't understand the point of that.  How can you truly get enjoyment from something you barely know?  Or how could you not care about them as human beings?  Like I said above, I don't know Kate Upton, but I wouldn't want to see her get injured, stalked, or hurt, like during a photo shoot.  But there are always those people who don't care, and just want to stare, which is wrong.  Models are people!  They're just doing their job.  They don't deserve to be dehumanized just because they're good looking.  If you act that way, then maybe you should stare deep and hard at yourself.

Donald Sterling Thoughts

With the NBA playoffs being in full swing now, the league should be thriving with ratings and positive publicity since the product has been great so far.  Even a diehard fan such as myself has been surprised with the blowouts, buzzer beaters, clutchness, and overall play of every team from seeds 1-8.  It's a great time to be following the NBA.  That is, until yesterday, when Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling made many racist comments recorded on tape about minorities, how he didn't want them at games, thought of them as animals, etc.  I'm giving the lighter version of it since I can't sum it up with the phone message being so long, and listening to this guy speak is just sickening.

Usually, I wait for all the facts to come out when I judge a person, but I won't this time because Donald Sterling has a history of being a bigot.  Ask former players like Elgin Baylor and Baron Davis who used to play for him what type of person he is, and they'll tell you how they used to get scrutinized.  In the year 2014, I know that racism is alive and it still exists, but I like to think that we've made some progress from the past, when racism was running rampant.  The NBA markets itself as a global game for everyone, and I think they do a good job when you see all the different types of players in their game today.  They've come a long way since then, which is why it's a shame what Donald Sterling said came to public since it makes the league look bad.  Not to mention, his comments make it seem as though he views minorities as animals, saying you can "feed them" or "sleep with them", but not bring them to games.  What an ignoramus if that is how he truly feels!  We're all human beings!  And even though the Clippers players are all mixed in terms of race and ethnicity, I'm glad they're all outraged because it shows how strongly they feel, and shows that racism has no place in sports.  It might be a few days until we figure out what the penalty is for Donald Sterling, but hopefully the penalty is severe, or as another Donald says, "YOU'RE FIRED"!

One last thing I want to interject (which is my own opinion) is everyone disses baseball for there being a lack of African-American players, but you never see stuff like what happened with Donald Sterling happen in baseball.  I'm not denying it doesn't happen; I mean, look at Marge Schott or how often the race card was played whenever Barry Bonds was questioned.  It exists, but I feel like the culture in baseball doesn't promote as much discrimination currently.  Look at the NBA and NFL, the race card is played all the time, they say the N-word like it's nothing, and there's gang affiliations.  I'm not saying having those things makes sports worse because I still love those sports, but I think when a sport has all those things, we shouldn't be surprised of anything anymore.  Racism shouldn't have a place in sports, but Donald Sterling isn't the only one who feels the way he does.  And sadly, it still exists in the world, which I don't think will ever change. 

Anime Length

I'm no expert on anime, but in a way, I suppose we all were at point in our lives, because as kids, we watched cartoons that were really anime.  We just didn't know at the time that they were dubbed (unless of course you were really smart).  I remember as a child thinking the U.S. was the best because they created all the shows I watched; then I realized that Japan created them.  I wasn't disappointed, just surprised that one place could create so many shows I loved like Pokémon, Digimon, Yu-Gi-Oh, etc.  My love of those shows still carries over to now, but now that I'm older, I don't watch as much anime anymore.  Now, I just watch cartoons or regular sitcoms.

That got me to a conversation I had with one of my friend's recently.  He's big into anime, but doesn't watch any series that are very long, which makes sense in theory, but if that was the case, he would miss out on classic shows like Dragonball Z, Gundam Wing, Naruto, Pokémon, etc.  I understand the rationale behind it, since people rarely have time to do things, but what do you think about that?  Do you think animes are too long, and if you had had a choice, would you have wanted a show from our childhood to be shorter?

South Korean Ferry Disaster

About a week ago, I came home feeling excited that I had a long weekend ahead of me.  There was still homework I had to do, but I was looking forward to taking my dad out for dinner, seeing some old friends, playing cards, ordering food, and just getting some time to relax before ending the school year.  I felt positive about everything, until my siblings told me about a ferry accident in South Korea.  I hadn't heard much about it, so I didn't pay much attention to it at first, but after my sister told me a few details about the accident, I researched what happened, and was sad to learn the details of what happened.  Or what they say happened.

I won't summarize the details, since it's not my place to tell what happened when there are still so many unknown facts.  And out of respect to all the victims lost, and those who are still out there somewhere.  It's always sad whenever an accident happens, but when it happens to innocent people or because of neglect, that's when it is a shame and tragic because it could have been prevented if things were done a little differently.  Then again, it shouldn't have even happened.  Those kids were out there because they were on a field trip; it wasn't supposed to turn into what it did.

A few people have been harsh and rude about the accident because it's Korea, and they believe it's evil because of North Korea, but those people are wrong to generalize everything.  North Korea is different from South Korea, and when it comes to accidents like this, it doesn't matter where it happened, just that it occurred, and that we as people should care.  It doesn't directly affect us, but we all know what it's like to go through something tragic/traumatic, so let's pray for all those innocent people hurt during this ordeal, and hope that there is some light at the end of the tunnel. 

Choosing A Side

Today, I had my first ever debate in school, which seems hard to believe considering how long I've been in school, and how the media portrays debates as frequent, but it's true.  I was very nervous for it because the subject was about children and IPV, along with the fact that I wasn't sure if I had done enough research on the material, but once the debate started, things calmed down.  I didn't talk as much as I would have liked because the questions I focused on weren't asked, but I still gave my two cents about something, which gave me credit for showing up in the first place. 

One thing I realized from my debate was that if you had the easier side, the debate was better for you, since I noticed that the other team was confused with their answers and questions.  I felt bad for them since they all didn't choose the side they were on, but I was happy my side won.  And I can tell you, the previous week, my team and I were busy keeping in contact and doing research.  A debate is harder than it seems though.  You think you're just going to talk, but you need to answer the question, be direct, and have sources when necessary, which is a lot of pressure to have on a person.  If I had to do it over again, I think I could do it better; I just wish debates didn't always have to be political and stick to one side, when it seems most of the time, people are split down the middle on an issue.  But, that's just the way life is for the things we care about.

So all in all, I probably focused on the debate for my class more than I should have, but better to be prepared than not at all.  And in the end, it paid off choosing my side.

Buying A Booster Box?

The more I've been playing Pokémon cards, the more I've been wanting to buy packs of them.  I've always traded and bought single cards, but it's not always easy trading, and after awhile, paying a lot for rare single cards is just too expensive.  That's why recently, I've been looking at booster boxes of cards.  In Pokémon, their boxes usually cost around $100 for 36 packs, which sounds like a lot, but when you consider that normally a pack costs between $4-5, the savings adds up.  It's just such a huge investment, and for someone like me who is a casual gamer and low on funds, I wonder if it is worth it?  Part of me says no, but a large part of me is excited at the possibility of opening so many packs.  Especially if I decide to get the Plasma Blast box or the Wild Blaze box, which isn't coming out till May.  The Plasma Blast set has Genesect EX and Virizion EX, two of the best and rarest cards, that I would want if I made a grass themed deck, but if I got the new one, I'd have a chance of getting the new Charizard EX cards, which I could add to my deck.  A tough decision for sure, but what would you guys suggest I do? 

A booster box might be in my future, but which one should I get?

Finishing The Year Strong

Because of the marathon yesterday in Boston, it was a busy/hectic weekend, but for everyone in the city, it was an event to behold.  I didn't actually get a chance to go to the marathon this year because of homework, but I watched some of it on TV, and still had a great weekend, seeing some old friends, ordering food, and just relaxing as a whole.  With the day off yesterday, I think I enjoyed the holiday too much, but now that there's only two weeks of school left, I'm ready to buckle down to the finish line.  There are a few things left that worry me, such as a debate I have tomorrow and a few essays I have due, but I know I can handle them; I just need to believe and stay composed like I have been this semester, and I'll be fine.

Also, I'm sorry I haven't blogged much the past week.  I've been so busy, but I will try to more now that the semester is drawing to the close.  Best of luck to everyone as school is reaching its end!

My Favorite K-Pop Music Video Reactors

One of the best things about K-Pop, besides the artists/idols, fashion, and music are the dedicated fans.  There's obviously the fans in Korea (who are great), but I always found it cool that their music stretched to all corners of the globe.  And that most artists and groups have fandoms, such as Hottest for 2PM.  But another thing I love about K-Pop fans is when they make music video reactions.  I like to watch people do things, such as play video games, but usually, I can't stand watching someone watch something, but with K-Pop, it's different.  Maybe it's the music that attracts me to it, but regardless of the reason, I love watching them because it's a chance to see how other people feel about something I enjoy.  Not to mention, the various personalities, which are entertaining, and the fact they're all doing it because they love K-Pop too.  I still consider myself new to the music, but it's great to see people so dedicated because it makes me realize that K-Pop is more than what it is.

So here's a list of a few of my favorite music video reactors (in alphabetical order).  I hope you check out their work if you can because they're all great, unique, and add something to K-Pop with their knowledge and diehard loyalty.  My favorite reactors are...

• 2MinJinJongKey
• Beemelon Ful
• FreshlyFlipped
• heyitszaners
• JREKML
• KingZodi16
• KPOP DERPS
• KSpazzing

Sleeping Habits

Sleeping habits are something that have always interested me.  Is that weird?  Some might say yes, but I say no, since we all sleep differently.  There are those people who pull the all-nighters that require very little sleep, those who always nap, and then there are those like myself who are in the middle.  I need sleep like everyone, but as long as I get a few hours, no matter how little, I can always force myself to get up, no matter the time of day.  I know that isn't healthy, but in college, it helps to have that sort of internal clock.  Although, it is annoying waking up minutes or seconds before the alarm when that little bit of time can make all the difference.

This is on my mind because the past few nights, I've had trouble sleeping, which can be attributed to a number of things.  I've been napping for a few minutes a day, which always ruins my schedule, and the warm weather has made my room so hot, I can't sleep whether I use a blanket or not.  I'm happy winter is over, but if there's anything I liked about it, it was that I had a much easier time falling asleep.  Now I feel tortured, staying awake, hearing the same things on the radio.  I suppose it isn't the worst thing in the world since at least I can sleep compared to others with insomnia, but it's not a habit I want to develop.  Hopefully, things change, or else these next few weeks are going to be tougher than they already are.

One Year Ago...

A year ago today, one of the most unforgettable moments in my life happened when the Boston Marathon bombings went off.  In one aspect, I can't believe it's already been a year since then (when the memory still seems so vivid), but at the same time, I'm not surprised because as people, we have the ability to put the past behind us.  What I remember vividly from that day was that I was in Amherst, visiting my high school friends at UMASS for the weekend.  It was a great time, but because we had been traveling and going out every night, the last day, we all decided to stay in and relax.  That's when I got the first text from my sister, telling me what had happened.  I'll be honest, that I didn't take what she said seriously because I was half asleep, and thought it was just a joke; I mean, the marathon is usually so guarded, I didn't think anyone could ever set off a bomb, but within' minutes, the news and social media exploded, confirming that what had happened was real and serious.

After realizing what had happened, I called my dad because he was at the marathon scene with one of our friends, but luckily, he wasn't hurt.  After that, I did the only thing I could do, and watched the news, trying to figure out what really happened.  News was slowly coming, so I had to act like it was a normal day, when it was far from it.  My friends and I ate dinner that night, and I took the bus back through Boston the next day, but things were so different afterward; I could tell.  The city was silent, extra police were everywhere, and people didn't look happy.  Our city was hurt.

Within' the next few days, we found out major news that helped solve the case.  Footage from the cameras caught something, two boys were spotted leaving the scenes without bags, and from there, one of the biggest manhunts in Boston history happened.  I remember trying to go to the bank that day to open a bank account, but once city officials were sure the bombers were in the area, the whole city was closed for hours.  The hunt took over half the day, and left a few people dead unfortunately, but Boston police did their job and caught the bomber.

I won't go into detail about all the rest because you can find that information anywhere, and I'm not the most equipped to talk about it, but now that a year has past, I'm so glad that our city has found a way to recover a little.  We'll never be able to forget what happened, and unfortunately, we'll never be able to help those that were hurt/killed, but we can do what we can as a city to stand together.  I know the bomber will get his justice, but I just hate the fact a few people caused it when it hurt so many people.  Something like that seems to major, so the fact a few idiots did it is asinine.  If it was up to me, he'd get the death penalty, but that's another post for another day.  The important thing is that what happened last year is in the past, and now it's time to move forward and make positive memories.  I'm so proud of how we, as a city, have come.

Boston Strong!

The Purple Rose Of Cairo

The Purple Rose Of Cairo (PG)

Grade: A+

• Directed by: Woody Allen
• Produced by: Robert Greenhut
• Screenplay by: Woody Allen
• Starring: Mia Farrow (Cecilia), Jeff Daniels (Tom Baxter/Gil Shephard), Danny Aiello (Monk), Edward Herrmann (Henry), Milo O'Shea (Father Donnelly), Dianne Wiest (Emma), George Martin (Movie Audience)
• Cinematographer: Gordon Willis
• Music by: Dick Hyman
• Distributed by: Orion Pictures
• Released: March 1, 1985
• Running Time: 82 minutes/1 hour and 22 minutes
• Language: English

"I want what happened in the movie last week to happen this week; otherwise, what's life all about anyways?"
-Moviegoer

Roses are red, violets are blue, but in Woody Allen's film, "The Purple Rose Of Cairo", the rose is purple, and being searched for by an archaeologist named Tom Baxter in Egypt.  He's a cheerful guy, liked by everyone, so he is brought to the states where the film commences.  But that's not what the film is really about.  That's what is happening in the film Cecilia is watching.  She's a nice girl, but she's clumsy and naive at work, always dropping dishes and daydreaming.  While at home, she constantly faces the abuse and ridicule of her husband Monk.  There's no good situation for her, so she goes to the movies to find solace, only to one day have Tom Baxter leave the screen to join her in the real world, causing all sorts of trouble for Cecilia and Gil Shephard, the actor who plays Tom.

Woody Allen's films always touch close to real life because his films are about themes we deal with, whether it's love, friendship, sex, etc, but in this film, he is literally having the character in the film of a film come out into the real world of his film (sorry if that didn't make any sense).  It's genius because of the idea and the fact that isn't done very often.  We all dream that we could connect more with the film we're watching, but how often do we see that happen?  Never, which is why this film is so refreshing.  In "Zelig", Woody Allen went into his film, but in this one, he has a character come out of his.  It's a testament to how much Woody Allen loves films because we want to truly feel them, but "The Purple Rose Of Cairo" shows the negatives that can occur if that happens, which is very true of real life.  Films have that power, which Woody shows us on an artistic level, but through Cecilia, he is simply showing us how watching films can bring so much enjoyment to a person, which they have for me as well.

In terms of what doesn't work in this film, there isn't much I don't like besides the ending, but I'm not going to say what happens because then I'll spoil in.  As for the positives, I loved the set design of certain scenes because they set the mood for the film, which was very old school, and reminiscent to the time of cheap black and white films.  Mia Farrow as the main character deserves praise, as does Danny Aiello for being memorable and simplistic in such little screen time, but the true star of the film is Jeff Daniels because he is so believable as the character who leaves the film and the actor he portrays.  He shows anger and happiness, but his actions are so subtle that you don't even notice he's just acting.  Not to mention, he's hilarious, and his dialogue is fantastic.  But then again, it's always like that for a Woody Allen film.  And lastly, I can't forget the music from the film, which was a mix of classical, jazz, oldies, and classic songs from film like "Cheek to Cheek" with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, one of my favorite songs ever from film. 
  
There's been a lot of unfortunate publicity in the news recently with Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, and their family, which is understandable, but I hope people don't judge Woody Allen without first knowing all the facts.  But I won't judge you if you dislike him.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.  Just know that this man is a true artist, who like the quote above says, wants to show real life in movies.  What would happen if the same thing happened all the time or the way we expected?  Life might be better, but it'd be boring, which "The Purple Rose Of Cairo" truthfully shows, a reality that all of us are afraid to face at times.  It's tough to see, but that's what makes the film amazing.

After watching "The Purple Rose Of Cairo", and realizing how much I enjoyed it, I'm disappointed I put it off for so long because my dad bought it for me months ago, but other things in life got in the way, and I had the preconceived notions that even if it was good, it couldn't touch Woody's best films for me, which are "Manhattan", "Hannah And Her Sisters", and "Crimes And Misdemeanors", but this is close to being one of my absolute favorites.  It has all the charm of his best films, and high repeatability factor.  I'm not much of a flower person, but give me a purple rose, and I'll go to the movies with you any day.

Noisy Neighbors

If you've ever lived anywhere in the world, unless it's a desolate area, or the closest home/person is a few miles away, odds are you've had a neighbor.  I've had one my whole life, including at school, but since I live in an apartment/boarding house during the school year, I feel as though I have multiple neighbors.  It's not the worst thing in the world since they're all nice people, and more people around makes the place feel more safe, but there are times when they get on my nerves.  Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike them; I've certainly had worst in the past, but it's the subtle things they do that annoy me.  Like always using the bathroom when I need to (and taking forever to do it), leaving lights on, not controlling their pets, letting their kids run around, making lots of noise, etc.  I want to tell them to behave, but I know it's not the nice thing to do.  Then again, I wish people were more courteous or aware that when you share a house with someone else, there are other people who live there too.  I know this is all part of life, and one day, when I get my own place, I'll have new neighbors I have to put up with, but at least then, I'll have some quiet.  Now, it's always hectic.  I don't know what to do about the situation, but all I'm going to do is put some headphones in, and blur out the noise until it's gone.

Less than a month to go, and I won't be a neighbor anymore... 

Mom's Just Don't Understand

With Mother's Day being a few weeks away, I should be more appreciative of my mom (and believe me, I am with everything she's done for me).  But like everyone who has a mom, there are just times when she drives me crazy.  Like today, she calls me just to ask if I've been eating?  I tell her of course I am, but she wants me to keep eating more, since she thinks I'm losing too much weight.  Her point is valid since I have been trying to lose weight, but I've been doing it to lower my blood pressure.  I thought she would understand because for years she hounded me about losing weight, but now she wants me to gain it all back; it makes no sense, and stresses me out to the point that I think even if I was ideally healthy, I'd still have high blood pressure because of everything I'm dealing with.  I know my mom is only looking out for what's best for me, but I wish she would see down the middle more, since if she did, she would understand how I really feel.

Reconnected

Yesterday, I reactivated my Facebook account for the first time in about 3 and a half years.  It was a momentous occasion because it had been so long, but I remembered why I left in the first place: because of personal reasons, it distracted me from school, and it was starting to get boring to the point that I wasn't even interacting with my friends anymore.  That was why I left, but I decided yesterday now was the time to come back.  And after waiting the mandatory 24 hours it took to reactivate my Facebook account again, I was back online.

My first thoughts were on the new format, since the last time I was on, timeline didn't even exist yet.  It took forever to get used to everything, but after hitting a few buttons and moving some things around, I think I'm getting used to it.  Although, like many, I'll always like whatever the previous format was better.  After doing that, I un-friended about 230+ of my 320 friends, which was harsh because some of the people were people I really liked or used to talk to, but that's the point.  We used to talk and be friends, but not anymore with everything that's happened, and all the time that has passed, so for Facebook to truly be mine and personal, I had to give many people the ax.  Hopefully, they don't take it personally.  It feels weird having so few friends, but it feels so right too.  I'll always have issues and worry with privacy when it comes to social media and anything online, but this is a step in the right direction, and having only the people I want know about me.

With it being over 24 hours since I've been online, I have to say, it feels good to be back on Facebook, being caught up with the world, and my friends, who are always going to be the most important people in the world (besides family).  I've been so overwhelmed with the likes and positive comments I've received, thatI could cry.  Is Facebook still distracting?  Yes and no.  Yes, because it's social media, so like anything involving people, it will distract, but the time away has made me realize I don't need to be on it all the time.  And with the new format, that isn't too hard to do.  You've been gone from my life for awhile Facebook, but I think now, I'm here to stay.

Air Jordans

This past weekend, I did something I've never done before, and bought a pair of Air Jordans, the popular shoes from basketball player Michael Jordan and Nike.  I've always admired the shoes from afar, but never had the money to buy them until now.  With it being the first chance I had to buy a pair of Jordans, I didn't want to waste the opportunity buying the wrong pair, so I went to several shoe stores to find the "right" one.  Unfortunately, many cheaper designs I liked weren't available in my size, so I had to settle on the Jordan 45, which is a mix of black and white.  I like the color because it matches with a lot of things I wear, but I didn't like some of the bottom, which has dots on it, as well as the price tag, which was $120.  These shoes probably cost next to nothing to make in some shop overseas, but they charge an arm and a leg for it; which is ridiculous. 

You'd think I would be satisfied after using so much money on a pair of shoes, but I didn't learn my lesson because I bought another pair of Jordans online the very next day, the Jordan SC-3, which are red and black.  After making such a large purchase, I usually hold off before buying anything new, but I saw the shoes in person, and they were too good to pass up.  Not to mention, I love the colors, which are a mix of my favorites.  Hopefully when the shoes come, they meet my expectations.

Right now, I feel pretty happy about having 2 new pairs of Jordans, and just having new shoes overall since I really needed some.  But at the same time, I wonder what's the point?  I know having footwear is important, but I could have saved money, and it's not like I'm going to wear them everyday.  Not to mention, I never cared about them badly enough to buy them before, so why now?  The answer to that question is, because as a child in school, I was always teased for not having name-brand shoes, so now, I want some.  Being older, having Jordans now won't ease the pain I used to feel, but it feels cool having something I really want, when there's so few material  things in life I do want.  Will they truly make me happy?  I don't know, but as I find out, I'll have the footwear to find out and reach that goal.  One thing's for sure, I know this will not be the last pair of Jordan's I buy...

My Dream K-Pop Groups

As I've been listening to more and more K-Pop, I've come to a few realizations.

• K-Pop is awesome and a mixture of just about every genre.
• I'm surprised more people don't like it.
• I wish I could be a K-Pop idol.

The first 2 realizations are probably pretty obvious if you follow K-Pop, but the 3rd one is one most don't usually expect because of the stigma of being an idol (especially a pop one).  But to those naysayers, I ignore them because being a K-Pop idol is great.  You sing, dance, go on tours to different countries, get lots of royalties, etc; it's something I dreamed about to some degree as a child since after loving the Backstreet Boys, I always wanted to be in a group myself.  Yes, there are negatives like the so-called "slave contract", and idols virtually have no free time or privacy, but it's not like that for everyone, and most look like they enjoy that lifestyle.  Alas, I know that will never happen to me.  I'm too old, can't sing, and can't speak a lick of any other language.

This got me thinking though, if I couldn't be in a group, what if I could make dream groups assembled with my biases/favorite members?  I know my dream groups could never be assembled in real life, but even if they couldn't, it'd still be cool to think about, so I thought of my dream male and female idol groups.  I have to admit, since I'm still relatively new to K-Pop, the lists and groups are small, but it's a start, and it gives you a taste of the groups that I like.

My only criteria is that I can't pick more than one member from a group, which is tough since I like multiple members from groups, but that's the only way to make it fair, and keep the members at a reasonable total.  Usually I have explanations for the choices I make on lists, but not this time, since these people are all my biases, which explains why I chose them in the first place.  With all that being said, here are my dream male and female K-Pop idol groups.

Male Group

• Jun. K (2PM)
• Bang Yongguk (B.A.P)
• L (Infinite)
• Key (SHINee)
• Jo Kwon (2AM)

Female Group

• Hyolyn (Sistar)
• Suzy (Miss A)
• Amber (fx)

Question: What are your favorite K-Pop groups, and if you could make a dream group, who would you pick to be in them?