Happy Dance Day! Or something like that. Today St. Luke's Hospital sponsored a "Day of Dance" for women's health and fitness. It's a national thing, and today was the first time St. Louis participated. Obviously, I couldn't miss it. I learned dance steps to a hip hop, zumba (Latin dance fitness thing), hula, and belly dance! Each session lasted 20 minutes. It was pretty crowded and the old people that tried it were completely adorable. I went by myself, but I had nice conversations with a few people about my "make art not war" shirt. One girl was an art student at Maryville and another lady was a counselor who was starting a class on how creative people are sort of on the outside of society (true, but no one talks about it). I actually talked to that counselor for probably 20 minutes straight, and then she had to meet someone for lunch.
I also got the name, address, and phone number of the hip hop dance teacher. I saw her at The Loop's dance festival last summer and looked up the dance studio online, but didn't pursue it too much. I tried contacting them but never got a hold of them, so that is sort of why I went with flamenco and belly dancing. This would be a "lyrical hip hop" class, though, which is basically jazz and hip hop combined!! If it works with my schedule, that will definitely my next venture. They have a pay as you go deal, too, like flamenco.
I've been slacking on the flamenco classes, however, because it's hard to get up early on Saturday to go. In April they are offering a Wednesday evening class, so that will be much easier! It's a beginner class for people with dance experience, which is perfect...Uh yes, in case you were wondering, that means I'll have taiko on Tuesday and Thursday, flamenco on Wednesday, belly dancing every so often on Saturday, and lyrical hip hop hopefully sometime in between that. I'm so excited!
There just aren't enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do sometimes. I would be considering tahitian again (basically hula on crack) now that I know of a dance studio that does it, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Although, don't be surprised if I get into that somewhere down the road. :) For now, I will satisfy my hula appetite by attending a luah on May 1, I hope. It's just an hour outside of St. Louis and $15 for a meal and a show! How fun is that?! If I can't go to Hawaii now, I can at least pretend.
I have no idea what life would be like without dance and music, and I never want to find out.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Brain leak
I can't think of anything specific that I want to write right now, but I feel like writing something. Sometimes it's fun to just mention a few random things I've been thinking about lately. Hold on to your hats, here we go:
- I love the fact that I see or talk to a couple of my friends on the same day (usually) every week. Life gets so busy that I need that weekly routine to make sure we stay connected. I certainly don't mean to lose touch with my good friends, but I think sometimes we get wrapped up in other things that we accidentally forget. Things seem to change nearly every week, so it's a great way for all of us to keep up-to-date. That's partially why I blog, too. (Special shout-out to Melissa! I need to call you.)
- I'm back on my Myers-Briggs psychology kick. I know, I was just there like 6 months ago, but something sparked my interest again. I'm thinking about how I seem to know a lot about other people, but they generally don't know much about me. Why is that? Well, I'll blame it on my INFJ-ness. Sometimes it's called the "Counselor," which seems to fit pretty well. It also helps explain my borderline hippie and psychic ways, as well as...well, all kinds of previously perplexing things. I'm fairly balanced between the T/F and J/P parts, but INFJ seems to be the most accurate combination for me. It's the rarest of the 16 types, too. Ha, shocking. It's fun to figure out everyone elses' combinations and how they interact, also--Introvert/Extravert, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, Judging/Perceiving?! This could hold my attention for hours on end, which seems to confirm my supposed "human system builder" tendency. Find out what you are (or maybe I'll guess)! These are the options and the breakdown in the population, if anyone's interested:
- Okay, so the BK Burger Shots commercial is really stupid, but I still find it somewhat appealing. It's probably because I am overly attracted to "adorable" mini versions of products and packaging, as well. Burger King commercials do occasionally get on my bad side, though, but not as much as Hardee's. Watching people slobber all over a thickburger will never be appetizing; however, I don't hate the current Hardee's commercial (guy plays dead with the marinara sauce because the mafia is coming for him), which indicates some improvement.
- I'm trying not to worry about my grandpa's heart issues. He's had some scares before, but he might not be okay this time. We have seen this coming for a while, though, and it's sad to see him the way he is now. I'm glad he's at St. Mary's Hospital and not DePaul. Hopefully, he will get to at least go home soon. (I went to a "theology at the bottleworks" thing again last week (Schlafly) and the topic was euthenasia. It brought back memories of my grandma's last day at DePaul that I guess I had buried. We probably could have sued.)
- I am so conflicted. Again. This time about work. Sent my resume today and I'm trying to convince myself not to think about it. I mean, maybe I won't even have to worry about it. The whole thing makes me recoil a little, anyway, as it should.
- Valentine's Day is actually Feb. 27 this year. Who knew?
- My sister is a nun in "Sound of Music," and I'm going to see it tomorrow. I am sure this is the first and last time I will ever see that.
- Susan turns 6 1/4 this weekend (leap year baby), which is a great excuse to go to the Chocolate Bar! Yum! I should continue this trend of planning every weekend around chocolate...
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Still waters run deep
They're doing a "get to know you" game at work this week, so last week they compiled 3 or 4 interesting facts each about the new people (myself included). My coworkers have to figure out which facts go with which people. I guess I'm okay with this game, it's just that I usually don't volunteer information about myself. I'm realizing that very few people know all about me, and most people only know a few limited things. A few people have labeled me "secretly cool" after they got to know me a little. Thanks? I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that.
On the one hand, I am a private person and I like it that way. Like...I already know enough about me, anyway, let's talk about you. Most people happily oblige because they enjoy talking about themselves. I honestly love to listen to them most of the time, too, so it works out rather well. I also think, on some level, that talking about myself to people that didn't ask me to tell them is unnecessarily flaunting my...uh, "secret coolness?" Ha. I just don't feel like I'm out to prove anything to anyone but myself, usually. If someone chooses to see beyond my quiet exterior, great, but if not, it doesn't bother me too much. Why show all your cards at once when you think you've got a pretty good hand, right? Eh, I don't know. That's a possibility. Plus, exposing myself makes me more vulnerable to attack, I suppose.
On the other hand, I'm not actively trying to hide myself, either. I do want people to know me as well as I seem to know them. Maybe getting to know them just doesn't take as much effort. I mean, in a way, I have been studying people my whole life, so by now I'm pretty good at...well, seeing through them, basically. I honestly believe that phony people pick up on that somehow, because they tend to keep their distance from me. (Yes, you are all contributing to my human data experiments. Mwahahaaa.)
I don't know if this makes sense to anyone but me. I guess what I'm saying is, I don't expect that many people to know that much about me, but it's cool if they want to find out. I'm not going to force it in any way, shape, or form, though. I prefer to be somewhat of a diamond in the rough, anyway (come to think of it, I once got a silly "diamond in the rough" award on dance team). Sometimes I even surprise myself.
On the one hand, I am a private person and I like it that way. Like...I already know enough about me, anyway, let's talk about you. Most people happily oblige because they enjoy talking about themselves. I honestly love to listen to them most of the time, too, so it works out rather well. I also think, on some level, that talking about myself to people that didn't ask me to tell them is unnecessarily flaunting my...uh, "secret coolness?" Ha. I just don't feel like I'm out to prove anything to anyone but myself, usually. If someone chooses to see beyond my quiet exterior, great, but if not, it doesn't bother me too much. Why show all your cards at once when you think you've got a pretty good hand, right? Eh, I don't know. That's a possibility. Plus, exposing myself makes me more vulnerable to attack, I suppose.
On the other hand, I'm not actively trying to hide myself, either. I do want people to know me as well as I seem to know them. Maybe getting to know them just doesn't take as much effort. I mean, in a way, I have been studying people my whole life, so by now I'm pretty good at...well, seeing through them, basically. I honestly believe that phony people pick up on that somehow, because they tend to keep their distance from me. (Yes, you are all contributing to my human data experiments. Mwahahaaa.)
I don't know if this makes sense to anyone but me. I guess what I'm saying is, I don't expect that many people to know that much about me, but it's cool if they want to find out. I'm not going to force it in any way, shape, or form, though. I prefer to be somewhat of a diamond in the rough, anyway (come to think of it, I once got a silly "diamond in the rough" award on dance team). Sometimes I even surprise myself.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
My future album cover
There's this "album cover" thing that's been going around on facebook, but I thought I would put it here. I just did what it said and everything ended up sort of relating to each other, in an eerie way. Plus, "Lone Wolf" is an awesome band name. I slapped the words on there in 5 minutes and of course it bothers me, but I really don't feel like designing this. The full quote/album title is actually "Remember that happiness is a way of travel-not a destination." I like that. Anyway, here are the rules: To Do This ::==============
1) Go to "Wikipedia." Hit “Random” or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.
2) Go to "Random Quotations" or click http://www.quotationspage.
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.
3) Go to Flickr and click on “explore the last seven days” or click http://www.flickr.com/expl
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
4) Use Photoshop or similar to put it all together.
5) Post it to FB (in the Notes section) with this text in the "caption" and TAG the friends you want to join in. (or the people who might actually do it)
Thursday, February 19, 2009
This weekend
I still don't have plans for tomorrow night. Hmm...Ice skating? Movie? Ooh! I should go see Laura's play! Hopefully I can convince someone to go with me. That's what facebook is for...
Well, in theory. See, I made this "chocolate wine trail" event forever ago and only one person signed up on time. I told people (not just on facebook) that tickets sell out fast and you have to buy them online, and still almost everyone that was interested did not attempt to buy a ticket until last week...after they were sold out. I'm bummed because now I'm tagging along with someone else's group of friends and driving by myself, on top of that. I've met them before and they are cool people, but I don't really hang out with them. Oh well, I guess. I'll still get chocolate and wine, and I'll buy a new bottle of wine. Oh wait! I just found out tonight that this person might know someone that wants to buy my ticket...Maybe my schedule just opened up for Saturday.
[Commercial break: There are taiko drums on Jay Leno! They're playing background beats for this Bollywood dance thing. Weird, but also cool. I smell a collaboration. Actually, even weirder, I read today that Bollywood dance classes in the U.S. are becoming the new craze. I don't think I'll be trying that, though, believe it or not.]
On the other hand, facebook events did come in handy for Sunday's Maryland Heights taiko performance. It helps that it's sort of a central location, too, and it's also our second-largest local (open) performance of the year. I invited a ton of people and at least 7 friends are coming, plus my family. Some of these people have either never seen a performance or haven't seen one since my very first show (one song) there 2 years ago. Yeah, it's been 2 years! I've learned a lot since then and I'm pretty excited about some of the parts that I get to play in the set. I don't even mind if people I know see it anymore, either, as long as I don't see them in the audience. It should be a good show!
Well, in theory. See, I made this "chocolate wine trail" event forever ago and only one person signed up on time. I told people (not just on facebook) that tickets sell out fast and you have to buy them online, and still almost everyone that was interested did not attempt to buy a ticket until last week...after they were sold out. I'm bummed because now I'm tagging along with someone else's group of friends and driving by myself, on top of that. I've met them before and they are cool people, but I don't really hang out with them. Oh well, I guess. I'll still get chocolate and wine, and I'll buy a new bottle of wine. Oh wait! I just found out tonight that this person might know someone that wants to buy my ticket...Maybe my schedule just opened up for Saturday.
[Commercial break: There are taiko drums on Jay Leno! They're playing background beats for this Bollywood dance thing. Weird, but also cool. I smell a collaboration. Actually, even weirder, I read today that Bollywood dance classes in the U.S. are becoming the new craze. I don't think I'll be trying that, though, believe it or not.]
On the other hand, facebook events did come in handy for Sunday's Maryland Heights taiko performance. It helps that it's sort of a central location, too, and it's also our second-largest local (open) performance of the year. I invited a ton of people and at least 7 friends are coming, plus my family. Some of these people have either never seen a performance or haven't seen one since my very first show (one song) there 2 years ago. Yeah, it's been 2 years! I've learned a lot since then and I'm pretty excited about some of the parts that I get to play in the set. I don't even mind if people I know see it anymore, either, as long as I don't see them in the audience. It should be a good show!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Do-si-dos
This relates to a few posts ago and it reminds me that girl scout cookies are coming soon! I always thought I was more of a Thin Mints girl, though...
You Are Peanut Butter Sandwiches / Do-si-dos |
 You are easy going and naturally happy. You don't need a lot to make you smile. You genuinely care about people and are a great friend. You're always doing your best to make the world a better place. Even though there isn't an immature bone in your body, you still are like a big kid sometimes. Why make life complicated when the best parts are actually quite simple? You enjoy the small joys of life. |
What Girl Scout Cookie Are You?
Ha, I guess I do tend to speak in bullet points:
You Communicate Clearly |
 You're the type of person who thinks before you talk. You speak in an ordered, insightful, and concise way. You speak authoritatively and with conviction. If you take the time to say something, you stand behind it. You only say what you need to. You believe that your words are strongest when they're not diluted. When you have a lot to say, you map out your words ahead of time. You prefer to speak in bullet points. |
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
I Heart Conan
Sadly, this is the last week of Late Night with Conan O'Brien. It's pretty cool that I got to see the show (despite the unfortunate circumstances surrounding it). I'm really glad he's taking over for Jay Leno, but I wish that meant that Jay would just go away completely. Jay Leno is just not funny to me; I think he borders on being mean-spirited or just plain rude to his guests.
A few minutes ago, Conan and Colbert just had an invisible string dance-off! How awesome is that?! (Unbelievably awesome, don't lie...Oh no! Conan is going to be on at 10:30, which directly competes with Colbert!) Clips to follow, once they're posted online somewhere. In the meantime, I'll post this bird watching clip below. Haha, check out the hand gestures at 2:20ish...they are frowned upon by the bird watchers. My dreams of bird watching are over:
A few minutes ago, Conan and Colbert just had an invisible string dance-off! How awesome is that?! (Unbelievably awesome, don't lie...Oh no! Conan is going to be on at 10:30, which directly competes with Colbert!) Clips to follow, once they're posted online somewhere. In the meantime, I'll post this bird watching clip below. Haha, check out the hand gestures at 2:20ish...they are frowned upon by the bird watchers. My dreams of bird watching are over:
Monday, February 16, 2009
Note to self
I'm pretty happy that I only have two days of work this week, and today was a nice (paid) day off. I got a "happy hour" moolatte from Dairy Queen (special deal extended for me because I have connections ;) ) and a cute purple purse from Kohl's, and now I'm wasting time before I go for the usual Monday (or Wednesday) evening drinks with Alison.
I'm not going to get into the rest of this weekend, but it certainly had it's share of ups and downs. In the end, I guess I broke even. My moods have sort of been up and down like that lately, too, but I think it has more to do with the fact that I sort of messed with my hormones. Regardless, some things would have been upsetting without that kind of interference.
At the same time, it is possible that I momentarily lost sight of the important things in life. The important things are really those subtle day-to-day things that make me happy, after all. I tend to be pretty tuned into those kind of things, usually, and I have never been that impressed by flashy cars or any of that; however, it's nice to get a little extra sometimes, especially when it is unprompted. I don't ask for much. At the end of the day, I suppose it comes down to acknowledging and appreciating the little things all year long, though, and sometimes those things are taken for granted. I just have to go back to last year for half a second to remind myself that those little things make it all worthwhile. Time for my second happy hour of the day! :)
I'm not going to get into the rest of this weekend, but it certainly had it's share of ups and downs. In the end, I guess I broke even. My moods have sort of been up and down like that lately, too, but I think it has more to do with the fact that I sort of messed with my hormones. Regardless, some things would have been upsetting without that kind of interference.
At the same time, it is possible that I momentarily lost sight of the important things in life. The important things are really those subtle day-to-day things that make me happy, after all. I tend to be pretty tuned into those kind of things, usually, and I have never been that impressed by flashy cars or any of that; however, it's nice to get a little extra sometimes, especially when it is unprompted. I don't ask for much. At the end of the day, I suppose it comes down to acknowledging and appreciating the little things all year long, though, and sometimes those things are taken for granted. I just have to go back to last year for half a second to remind myself that those little things make it all worthwhile. Time for my second happy hour of the day! :)
Friday, February 13, 2009
Bananza (belly dancer)
These music quizzes are kind of dumb, but some of the answers are kind of fun. I blame all the bad songs on my sister, since we share itunes...
What do your friends think of you?
respect
If someone says, “Is this okay?” You say?
camera phone (I don't even know this one)
How would you describe yourself?
mustang sally
What do you like in a guy/girl?
just the two of us
How do you feel today?
love is a battlefield
What is your life’s purpose?
brighter than sunshine (cute!)
What is your motto?
oops i did it again (lol)
What do you think about very often?
we are the world (true! well, the whole "we are the ones to make a brighter day, so let's start giving" stuff)
What is 2 + 2?
i just wanna make love to you (hey! it rhymes)
What do you think of your best friend?
food chain (yikes, look out...or should I be worried?)
What do you think of the person you like?
I write sins not tragedies (ha, in other words, it's a tragedy?)
What is your life story?
bust it wide open
What do you want to be when you grow up?
pimp juice (?)
What do you think of when you see the person you like?
womanizer (ouch)
What will you dance to at your wedding?
let it be
What will they play at your funeral?
make me better
What is your hobby/interest?
music is my hot, hot sex (lol)
What is your biggest fear?
love remains the same (hmm)
What is your biggest secret?
it wasn't me (a.k.a. "no comment?")
What do you think of your friends?
just like me
What will you post this as?
bananza (belly dancer)
What do your friends think of you?
respect
If someone says, “Is this okay?” You say?
camera phone (I don't even know this one)
How would you describe yourself?
mustang sally
What do you like in a guy/girl?
just the two of us
How do you feel today?
love is a battlefield
What is your life’s purpose?
brighter than sunshine (cute!)
What is your motto?
oops i did it again (lol)
What do you think about very often?
we are the world (true! well, the whole "we are the ones to make a brighter day, so let's start giving" stuff)
What is 2 + 2?
i just wanna make love to you (hey! it rhymes)
What do you think of your best friend?
food chain (yikes, look out...or should I be worried?)
What do you think of the person you like?
I write sins not tragedies (ha, in other words, it's a tragedy?)
What is your life story?
bust it wide open
What do you want to be when you grow up?
pimp juice (?)
What do you think of when you see the person you like?
womanizer (ouch)
What will you dance to at your wedding?
let it be
What will they play at your funeral?
make me better
What is your hobby/interest?
music is my hot, hot sex (lol)
What is your biggest fear?
love remains the same (hmm)
What is your biggest secret?
it wasn't me (a.k.a. "no comment?")
What do you think of your friends?
just like me
What will you post this as?
bananza (belly dancer)
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Benefits of gesturing
Aha! Clearly, I should have been a teacher: http://www.livescience.com/health/070702_learn_gesture.html.
UPDATE: And by total coincidence, this article was published on Feb. 12. Here are the basics: "The children who are gesturing about more things in their environment have larger vocabularies later, and we see that children from higher socioeconomic levels are gesturing more. Above and beyond what children and parents say with their words, what they do with their hands is important for how children develop language. These results fit with recent research demonstrating that hand gestures enhance learning and memory in educational contexts, such as gaining new math skills or acquiring new words in a foreign language." So there. :-P
UPDATE: And by total coincidence, this article was published on Feb. 12. Here are the basics: "The children who are gesturing about more things in their environment have larger vocabularies later, and we see that children from higher socioeconomic levels are gesturing more. Above and beyond what children and parents say with their words, what they do with their hands is important for how children develop language. These results fit with recent research demonstrating that hand gestures enhance learning and memory in educational contexts, such as gaining new math skills or acquiring new words in a foreign language." So there. :-P
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Beautiful day in the neighborhood
It's such a beautiful day! Who would expect 70 degrees in the middle of February? I can drive with the moon roof open! The weather's been nice mostly since Saturday, and I have been meaning to sit outside at a restaurant just because I can. Well, I could, if I had the time.
I spent all of Saturday working on a project, but I'm not complaining. They are paying me double what I make at the insurance company and I am working with people that used to be at Momentum. One was laid-off and another is about to quit, and they want to start their own company! They might be pulling me in on projects more often, which works out well with my part-time job. Plus, it was kind of fun, and much closer to my old pace--a 20-page and 12-page brochure in 11 hours. Part of Saturday and Sunday I had a headache/fever (?) and actually got sick, but by Sunday night I was feeling much better. I don't know what happened, though. Maybe it was a migraine, my second one ever. Last time that made me sick, too. I'm hoping there is no correlation between that and the project...
Something has been bothering me lately, though. It's really minor and I guess it should be flattering, but mostly it's just annoying. I can barely go anywhere by myself without some guy asking me why I'm alone, etc. Seriously? It just happened at the gas station, which is why it's on my mind again. Here's how it went down this time:
Cashier: Going home?
Me: Yes.
Cashier: ...to your husband?
Me: No.
Cashier: Oh you're not married? Blah blah blah
Me: Uh...
Cashier: I can't believe a girl like you...blah blah blah. Seriously.
Me: Uh, thanks but no. *cue awkward exit*
I was at least relieved that he didn't ask if he could go home with me, because that just happened a couple days ago, as I was pulling out of a parking spot (the guy was driving by). What the hell?! I really don't understand it. More men ask me if I'm married than if I have a boyfriend these days, too, which seems especially weird. There is nothing resembling a ring on my finger. Maybe I'm just getting old?
Thanks but no thanks, guys, really. If I'm out buying gas, shopping, eating at a table by myself, whatever, I just want to be left alone. It's nice and I usually don't mind talking to anyone, but I'd rather not be bothered. I feel like I have to make up excuses for why I'm alone and I don't like actually admitting to these people that I'm not married, either. Can't a girl just eat a sandwich in peace?!
I spent all of Saturday working on a project, but I'm not complaining. They are paying me double what I make at the insurance company and I am working with people that used to be at Momentum. One was laid-off and another is about to quit, and they want to start their own company! They might be pulling me in on projects more often, which works out well with my part-time job. Plus, it was kind of fun, and much closer to my old pace--a 20-page and 12-page brochure in 11 hours. Part of Saturday and Sunday I had a headache/fever (?) and actually got sick, but by Sunday night I was feeling much better. I don't know what happened, though. Maybe it was a migraine, my second one ever. Last time that made me sick, too. I'm hoping there is no correlation between that and the project...
Something has been bothering me lately, though. It's really minor and I guess it should be flattering, but mostly it's just annoying. I can barely go anywhere by myself without some guy asking me why I'm alone, etc. Seriously? It just happened at the gas station, which is why it's on my mind again. Here's how it went down this time:
Cashier: Going home?
Me: Yes.
Cashier: ...to your husband?
Me: No.
Cashier: Oh you're not married? Blah blah blah
Me: Uh...
Cashier: I can't believe a girl like you...blah blah blah. Seriously.
Me: Uh, thanks but no. *cue awkward exit*
I was at least relieved that he didn't ask if he could go home with me, because that just happened a couple days ago, as I was pulling out of a parking spot (the guy was driving by). What the hell?! I really don't understand it. More men ask me if I'm married than if I have a boyfriend these days, too, which seems especially weird. There is nothing resembling a ring on my finger. Maybe I'm just getting old?
Thanks but no thanks, guys, really. If I'm out buying gas, shopping, eating at a table by myself, whatever, I just want to be left alone. It's nice and I usually don't mind talking to anyone, but I'd rather not be bothered. I feel like I have to make up excuses for why I'm alone and I don't like actually admitting to these people that I'm not married, either. Can't a girl just eat a sandwich in peace?!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Steppin' up
My sister performed her step routine tonight, as part of the Outstanding Black Achievers (OBA) show. Yes, my sister is an outstanding black achiever, and I think that's pretty awesome. :) I don't know where this innate, uh, "black"ness (?) comes from, but I have a knack for hip hop and she can do step...I guess it's a combination of rhythm and attitude, plus an ability to stay grounded when we move. My mom can dance (dad? eh, sort of), though, and my grandpa used to be a ballroom dance teacher, which cracks me up. You would never guess it by looking at him. He's still in great shape, especially for his age (92), but also extremely laid-back and stoic. In fact, he didn't even mention the teacher thing to my mom until he was like 85. He did it to meet girls, and sure enough, he met my grandma at a dance. Aww, how cute is that?
If you don't know what step is, here's an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR3y2sigd6Y. I should be posting my sister's on facebook sort of soon, once I figure it out. She was disappointed because this year's routine didn't seem as complicated as last year's, but I think it still looks pretty difficult. She used to make up stuff like that in the kitchen when she was little and then she would teach me. They don't call us "Weezy" for nothing (Translation for the uncool. I've never heard of #3, though. Also check out "weezie." lol)
I'm so glad it's the weekend. This has been a long week and I just don't feel like going into the details of the work situation right now. The weekend might be crazy, too, but mostly the good kind of crazy: taiko performance tomorrow afternoon, friend's birthday festivities at night, then freelance design stuff in the daytime on Saturday and Sunday, I think. I should clean my room and things like that, too, but I'm not sure if I will. Distractions are more fun. Yay for blogging!
If you don't know what step is, here's an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR3y2sigd6Y. I should be posting my sister's on facebook sort of soon, once I figure it out. She was disappointed because this year's routine didn't seem as complicated as last year's, but I think it still looks pretty difficult. She used to make up stuff like that in the kitchen when she was little and then she would teach me. They don't call us "Weezy" for nothing (Translation for the uncool. I've never heard of #3, though. Also check out "weezie." lol)
I'm so glad it's the weekend. This has been a long week and I just don't feel like going into the details of the work situation right now. The weekend might be crazy, too, but mostly the good kind of crazy: taiko performance tomorrow afternoon, friend's birthday festivities at night, then freelance design stuff in the daytime on Saturday and Sunday, I think. I should clean my room and things like that, too, but I'm not sure if I will. Distractions are more fun. Yay for blogging!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Blasphemy
It seems the Vatican recently added seven new "social" sins to the seven deadly sins. "You offend God not only by stealing, taking the Lord's name in vain or coveting your neighbor's wife, but also by wrecking the environment, [and?] carrying out morally debatable experiments that manipulate DNA or harm embryos," said [Bishop Gianfranco] Girotti, who is responsible for the body that oversees confessions.
2. "Morally dubious" experiments such as stem cell research
3. Drug abuse
4. Polluting the environment
5. Contributing to widening divide between rich and poor
6. Excessive wealth
7. Creating poverty
Okay, great. Just what the Catholic Church needs, more rules--more ways to turn more people away and condemn more sinners. I guess this is an effort to keep up with the times, but it actually makes them more irrelevant, I think. It's not that I am opposed to most of these rules, anyway, but I am opposed to even more Catholic doctrine. Do they really need to hold our hands like this and tell us that pollution and creating poverty are bad? Well, actually...okay, never mind the government and its cronies...do they really need to set down these rules for everyone else? I think it's a power play. They're throwing down the gauntlet. Pretty soon, they'll bring back papal indulgences and we can all buy our tickets to heaven! Phew, that's so much easier than actually being a good person.
Besides, they should take their own advice first, like in #6. Exhibit A: um, The Vatican. The Archdiocese of St. Louis deserves honorable mention, too (St. Stanislaus, anyone?). Also, I'm pretty sure the lack of #1 potentially contributes heavily to both #5 and #7. And as long as there are ethical standards, stem cell research can help us more than hurt us...
Eh, forget it. The pope is infallible, and the bishop is probably close. Let's all just stop thinking and let the church do it for us! Thank God...I mean, the pope...I mean, the bishop? Uh, something like that.
Are you ready? Here they are:
1. "Bioethical" violations such as birth control2. "Morally dubious" experiments such as stem cell research
3. Drug abuse
4. Polluting the environment
5. Contributing to widening divide between rich and poor
6. Excessive wealth
7. Creating poverty
Okay, great. Just what the Catholic Church needs, more rules--more ways to turn more people away and condemn more sinners. I guess this is an effort to keep up with the times, but it actually makes them more irrelevant, I think. It's not that I am opposed to most of these rules, anyway, but I am opposed to even more Catholic doctrine. Do they really need to hold our hands like this and tell us that pollution and creating poverty are bad? Well, actually...okay, never mind the government and its cronies...do they really need to set down these rules for everyone else? I think it's a power play. They're throwing down the gauntlet. Pretty soon, they'll bring back papal indulgences and we can all buy our tickets to heaven! Phew, that's so much easier than actually being a good person.
Besides, they should take their own advice first, like in #6. Exhibit A: um, The Vatican. The Archdiocese of St. Louis deserves honorable mention, too (St. Stanislaus, anyone?). Also, I'm pretty sure the lack of #1 potentially contributes heavily to both #5 and #7. And as long as there are ethical standards, stem cell research can help us more than hurt us...
Eh, forget it. The pope is infallible, and the bishop is probably close. Let's all just stop thinking and let the church do it for us! Thank God...I mean, the pope...I mean, the bishop? Uh, something like that.
My new obsession?
As I was reading some random article from yahoo, I came across this website: livescience.com. I could seriously get lost on this site for hours! The health, culture, history, and strange news sections are my favorites. One article leads to the next, and before I know it, I forgot to eat dinner and I am taking my showers at 2am. Well, it hasn't happened yet (this time), but just wait.
For example, I thought this article about Obama's left-handedness was interesting. Apparently, a disproportionate number of lefties have been President, when compared to the general population. (As a side note, probably 30% of my friends are left-handed, which is sort of weird.)"...So while right-handed people usually process language exclusively in the left side of their brain, lefties process language mostly in the right but partly on the left as well. That preferential wiring may make lefties more adept at certain skills required for leadership."
I wondered if that made us more adept at skills required for other things, too, and maybe it does:
"Some researchers claim that lefties are more intelligent and eloquent than their right-handed counterparts, and as a group have historically produced an above-average quota of high achievers. Left-handers' brains are structured differently in a way that widens their range of abilities. In tests conducted by Dr. Alan Searleman from St Lawrence University in New York, he found that left-handers can be considerably more intellectually gifted.
For example, I thought this article about Obama's left-handedness was interesting. Apparently, a disproportionate number of lefties have been President, when compared to the general population. (As a side note, probably 30% of my friends are left-handed, which is sort of weird.)"...So while right-handed people usually process language exclusively in the left side of their brain, lefties process language mostly in the right but partly on the left as well. That preferential wiring may make lefties more adept at certain skills required for leadership."
I wondered if that made us more adept at skills required for other things, too, and maybe it does:
"Some researchers claim that lefties are more intelligent and eloquent than their right-handed counterparts, and as a group have historically produced an above-average quota of high achievers. Left-handers' brains are structured differently in a way that widens their range of abilities. In tests conducted by Dr. Alan Searleman from St Lawrence University in New York, he found that left-handers can be considerably more intellectually gifted.
There were more left-handed people with IQs over 140 than right-handed people - which is the 'genius' bracket. This is perhaps why there are more "lefties" in creative professions - such as music, art and writing - and more left-handed astronauts and leaders than would be expected."
Well, duh. ;) I don't even know where I got the left-handed thing from, really. Only two other people since my great-grandparents have been lefties, on both sides (out of...well, I don't know, a lot). What can I say? I'm a freak.Monday, February 2, 2009
Super Bowl game vs. commercials: game wins!
I can't believe I'm saying this, but yesterday's game was more entertaining than the commercials. I normally don't even like football, and I have to admit that I actually read a book through most of the first half; however, the rest of the game was pretty amazing. Too bad the Cardinals lost, though, because it would have been nice to see Kurt Warner's team win.
The best compliment I can give the commercials is that almost all of them made sense this year. Last year they seemed to go for shock value instead of actual substance or relevance to the brand. I remember thinking "what?" after a majority of last year's commercials, and I'm usually fairly good at deciphering them. I guess the Crystal Ball Doritos and Pepsi "then and now" commercials were my favorites, maybe also the Taco Bell one. Whatever.
I went to my grandpa's and had a small family thing with large amounts of snacks. My grandpa somehow slept through almost the whole thing, even through most of the cheering. I mentioned it to my mom, and she said she thought it was because of his heart. She remembered my grandma (her mom) doing that towards the end, but she didn't really think anything of it at the time. So...that's sad. I guess we're all sort of bracing for that kind of thing, though, slowly but surely.
Wow, it's been 8 years since my last grandma passed away, on February 11. The funeral was February 14, so it kind of always casts a shadow on Valentine's Day for me; but hey, that means that every other Valentine's Day cannot be all that bad, right? I'm actually looking forward to this one.
This year has started out on the right foot, and the month of January has already been better than almost any combination of maybe 5 months in 2008. Hopefully, it will continue to improve!
The best compliment I can give the commercials is that almost all of them made sense this year. Last year they seemed to go for shock value instead of actual substance or relevance to the brand. I remember thinking "what?" after a majority of last year's commercials, and I'm usually fairly good at deciphering them. I guess the Crystal Ball Doritos and Pepsi "then and now" commercials were my favorites, maybe also the Taco Bell one. Whatever.
I went to my grandpa's and had a small family thing with large amounts of snacks. My grandpa somehow slept through almost the whole thing, even through most of the cheering. I mentioned it to my mom, and she said she thought it was because of his heart. She remembered my grandma (her mom) doing that towards the end, but she didn't really think anything of it at the time. So...that's sad. I guess we're all sort of bracing for that kind of thing, though, slowly but surely.
Wow, it's been 8 years since my last grandma passed away, on February 11. The funeral was February 14, so it kind of always casts a shadow on Valentine's Day for me; but hey, that means that every other Valentine's Day cannot be all that bad, right? I'm actually looking forward to this one.
This year has started out on the right foot, and the month of January has already been better than almost any combination of maybe 5 months in 2008. Hopefully, it will continue to improve!
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