Merry Christmas, everybody. This season, I've got a lot to be thankful for. I think the top two on my list are my personal growth and my friends. It's some good stuff. Now I want to celebrate this occasion by wishing the Lakers luck in their game today and sharing some wise words from Isaiah's blog:
"I was sitting in the train on my way back from rome.
Yeah, i went to rome. It was the host family i'm living with and the neighbors to our left.
They are a family of three, one daughter, who i think is 13 years old.
the kids were seated together. so my two host brothers and the girl. Madalena or however it's spelled.
The younger brother is in class with her. so as they were doing their homework, i looked at her planner, or diario in italian. i looked in the back and there were stickers.
i dont even remember the last sticker i got, just kidding.
The last time i got a sticker was when i donated blood at the school blood drive last year.
It was my first blood donation, and not my last. I almost fainted.
But anyway, the sticker made me feel so much better. it said "I did it"
I took about 30 of them.
Stickers make people feel good. sometimes people just want to show off and are always showing people the new happy face sticker on their right hand. but for me, stickers aren't to show off. just for my pleasure, especially when i come across those scratch and sniff ones. you can never go wrong with those unless they make black licorice or black jelly bean scented ones.
but as you know, stickers arent forever. eventually they will loose their sticky adhesive, unless you decide to put it on a paper that you scored well on.
as far as i see it, many things are stickers.
Being in italy, i've seen so much beautiful art, architecture, and food.
I've never seen thing so beautiful in my life living in southern california.
being at the beach brings a sense of serenity, but i would much rather stare at the painted ceilings and carved marble statues endlessly dressing the walls of the churches.
But the second time around, it's like that sticker that you've lifted off to relocate it, but there's that one corner of the star that doesnt quite stick.
so what's the solution to having a sticker on forever. to have those butterflies flying in your stomach forever. maybe to show off, or maybe just to graze in the grasses of happiness.
yes, you are right. get a tattoo. tattoo's that i've seen all have dragons and chinese symbols, or flames. so cliché. i personally at this moment would not get a tattoo. because a 100 pack of stickers might give me the same amount of happiness without the pain, or a thread of regret.
so essentially tattoo's arent the solution. they hurt, are permanent (more or less), and will cost more than stickers. and if you want another tattoo in the same place. good luck.
so with one sticker comes an addiction.
maybe you'd want something bigger
a different animal
a different color
more shiny
or
"i did it again"
maybe we're just seeking for some kind of acknowledgement whether it comes from yourself or from another. maybe it's not the sticker that we come to appreciate, but the meaning behind the sticker. the "yippee" feeling that's granted through the sticker's sticky adhesive.
fundamentally like a nicotine patch.
but i've come to the conclusion.
sticker's wont always be there. in my situation, the people, the art, the beauty in general will shortly be far out of my reach, actually out of sight.
so is a boy supposed to do?
i've decided to use tape. because tape never really runs out, you can always buy more tape
i have never heard of a piece of tape that has sentimental value.
so use tape until it runs out.
which in my situation my role of tape is time.
i'm on a mission to wear all the stickers i can find.
spend time with the friends i'll be far from sight by february
and avoid those who smell like black licorice and jelly beans
unlike tattoos, you always have a choice of wearing the sticker.
so cast away those that stink, and use tape to make the scented stickers last as long as they can.
damnit. the little brother came in and started whining so i lost my train of concentration.
i ran out of coal."
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Conversation
Surk14 (9:18:29 PM): well hmm let me try to explain
Surk14 (9:19:05 PM): it's sort of how when you do heroin, it gets less and less pleasurable
Surk14 (9:19:18 PM): and you are always reaching for that first high
Surk14 (9:19:23 PM): but you always fall short
Surk14 (9:19:49 PM): falling in love is always a delusion
Surk14 (9:19:57 PM): but you buy less and less into it as time passes
Surk14 (9:20:23 PM): i think delusion is not an accurate word
Surk14 (9:20:50 PM): it's more that your ability to perceive and understand the girl in relation to you is deteriorating
Surk14 (9:19:05 PM): it's sort of how when you do heroin, it gets less and less pleasurable
Surk14 (9:19:18 PM): and you are always reaching for that first high
Surk14 (9:19:23 PM): but you always fall short
Surk14 (9:19:49 PM): falling in love is always a delusion
Surk14 (9:19:57 PM): but you buy less and less into it as time passes
Surk14 (9:20:23 PM): i think delusion is not an accurate word
Surk14 (9:20:50 PM): it's more that your ability to perceive and understand the girl in relation to you is deteriorating
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Today is Pepero Day
A friend informed me that my last post about suicide was featured on a site called suicidegirlsmeetup.com. I went on the site and wasn't able to determine exactly what it was. It is basically a compilation of various articles and blog posts, but they don't all seem to deal with suicide. I don't know about you, but "suicidegirlsmeetup" is screaming cult at me. I hope my post does not somehow encourage girls to take their own lives. I hope the second part of my post, dealing with the hypnotic movement of letters etched across their butts, convinces them that seducing men with such clothing is worth living for.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about my life and future recently. I don't really know what to think of my life. My happiest days were childhood, that's for sure. Growing up in a small town in Seoul, Korea, I was blessed with a natural playground in the mountains that overlooked my home. Starting at the age of five, my friends and I made our way up the gentle slope, exploring uncharted territories and admiring the changing seasons. I spent time in nature practically every day, whether it was catching dragonflies or collecting maple leaves in autumn.
There are many people who have an irrational belief that nature can solve their problems and give them happiness, and I am one of them. I really think if we spent more time in nature, it can strengthen our physical, spiritual, and psychological health. Humans are animals, and animals' natural habitat is nature. We are not meant to live the way we do here. I don't know how I would have turned out if it weren't for my childhood. Spending time on those mountains- seeing, hearing, smelling, and touching- gave me much to endure the passionless living I lead today. You know what I love about weddings and big family dinners at my cousin's? Looking at all the scenery outside the car window as I am getting there. Sometimes I see a stretch of vast brown sea, all hills and short grasses and little shrubbery. I just want to get out of the car and walk around. Yes, I need a greater connection to nature here. Can I get a lake or a mountain somewhere in La Palma?
I guess the ancient builders of our civilizations might not have entirely discounted the fact that we are animals. After all, the city was traditionally a place for people to gather and interact with each other, and people are part of nature. But that reminds me - I lack human contact as well. A few weeks or months ago, I put up a poll asking whether you feel lonely or need someone to talk to. Ten out of eighteen people said yes (it feels good to cite my own study though the methodology is questionable). With Internet and technology, we are more connected than ever yet we are in need of intimate and genuine human relationships, perhaps more than ever. For me, the problem is that I simply don't invest enough time in my relationships. Friendships are a lot of work. You have to talk to your friends and get to know them. It's not about asking for help on homework or making small talk as you're standing to buy your dance ticket. It's about taking time out of your life solely for the purpose of spending time with your friends. Watching movies or playing video games with friends doesn't really count; there is still little interaction between you and your friends. When's the last time you sat next to a friend and just talked? It's been a while since I've done that. I'm going to try to spend more time with friends, talking to them by the locker or going out to eat.
Recently I've been talking to Isaiah Chang online, and for those who don't know yet, it turns out he's studying abroad in Italy. I think everyone who's had a chance to meet Isaiah appreciates his sense of humor, but I've always thought he was a special guy. He really lives life to the fullest. I mean the fullest. He is never afraid to try anything, and he wants to try everything. I remember last Halloween, he and Tony Robinson completely shaved their legs for their trick-o-treating venture. And now studying abroad at Italy where there is no one else who speaks English or looks Asian. I don't think I have the courage to do that. Isaiah is staying with an Italian family and meeting hot Italian girls, and not surprisingly, he is quite enjoying himself. I admire his adventurous spirit and hope I, too, can let myself go one day. Meanwhile, while he's in Italy, I was hoping someone could bring a laptop to school so we could talk to him via webcam. Like the Cisco Human Network commercial. And here is the link to his blog which he updates frequently:
www.unibeefly.blogspot.com
Speaking of hot girls, I have rediscovered my passion for Latinas. I realize that I have not rationalized and justified my discriminatory love quite yet- I think I will save that for one of my dreamier moods on a rainy day. But at the moment I am trying to find a buddy icon that aptly portrays my ideal Latina. First, it was "Latina mami," a sultry animated doll wearing a crimson tanktop (midriffs, yay!) and stylish black hat. Then I changed it to "Latina hunnie," a more proportional figure donning lavender splendor. And finally, I found an attractive and somehow intellectual, demure, and confident Latina, but it was all spoiled by the stereotypical sign "Chica bonita." Is it possible to instill a computer image with virtues of kindness, sense of humor, integrity, poise, and grace? If so, I need a new buddy icon.
I live in a second-floor apartment home and from the window in my room, I can see the top of garage roofs outside (the garages that are not attached to buildings). It's always interesting to see the objects that are sitting on the roof. There's a screwdriver, some random black stones, a walking stick, and then a book. The black stones and walking stick you can kind of figure out how they got there. Some kids were bored and decided to chuck them. But a screwdriver and book? I wonder who might have thrown those up there and why. Maybe people just wanted to see what those objects look like on top of a roof. I mean I think it's pretty cool. And we all like to know we exist sometime. Maybe they chucked them up reveling in their small rebellion against society and convention, convincing themselves of the symbolic significance of the objects and their actions, and finding delight in their own little secret. Hey, that's probably how gangs started hanging shoes on telephone wires. And people started peeing in the shower and writing postcards about them. That's weird, though.
And to finish off this post, I proudly present to you the first American rap music video ever to feature an Asian lady. Now I don't know about you, but I think she is pretty hot (she gets a 9 on my Mohs scale hehe). Ok, she really deserves more footage though. And something other than serving drinks to black women. Test your concentration and attention to detail by counting the number of her ultra-brief appearances, including flashes of her anatomy, in the first 90 seconds of the video. She first appears at 0:32. Answers are at the bottom.
7 Times.
(0:31.5-0:33)
(0:37-0:38, behind Nelly's head)
(0:47.5-0:48, right of Ashanti)
(0:57-0:58, left of Nelly)
(1:15-1:15.6, right of Ashanti)
(1:20-1:22, serving drinks)
(1:28-1:28.22, passing by Akon)
I've been doing a lot of thinking about my life and future recently. I don't really know what to think of my life. My happiest days were childhood, that's for sure. Growing up in a small town in Seoul, Korea, I was blessed with a natural playground in the mountains that overlooked my home. Starting at the age of five, my friends and I made our way up the gentle slope, exploring uncharted territories and admiring the changing seasons. I spent time in nature practically every day, whether it was catching dragonflies or collecting maple leaves in autumn.
There are many people who have an irrational belief that nature can solve their problems and give them happiness, and I am one of them. I really think if we spent more time in nature, it can strengthen our physical, spiritual, and psychological health. Humans are animals, and animals' natural habitat is nature. We are not meant to live the way we do here. I don't know how I would have turned out if it weren't for my childhood. Spending time on those mountains- seeing, hearing, smelling, and touching- gave me much to endure the passionless living I lead today. You know what I love about weddings and big family dinners at my cousin's? Looking at all the scenery outside the car window as I am getting there. Sometimes I see a stretch of vast brown sea, all hills and short grasses and little shrubbery. I just want to get out of the car and walk around. Yes, I need a greater connection to nature here. Can I get a lake or a mountain somewhere in La Palma?
I guess the ancient builders of our civilizations might not have entirely discounted the fact that we are animals. After all, the city was traditionally a place for people to gather and interact with each other, and people are part of nature. But that reminds me - I lack human contact as well. A few weeks or months ago, I put up a poll asking whether you feel lonely or need someone to talk to. Ten out of eighteen people said yes (it feels good to cite my own study though the methodology is questionable). With Internet and technology, we are more connected than ever yet we are in need of intimate and genuine human relationships, perhaps more than ever. For me, the problem is that I simply don't invest enough time in my relationships. Friendships are a lot of work. You have to talk to your friends and get to know them. It's not about asking for help on homework or making small talk as you're standing to buy your dance ticket. It's about taking time out of your life solely for the purpose of spending time with your friends. Watching movies or playing video games with friends doesn't really count; there is still little interaction between you and your friends. When's the last time you sat next to a friend and just talked? It's been a while since I've done that. I'm going to try to spend more time with friends, talking to them by the locker or going out to eat.
Recently I've been talking to Isaiah Chang online, and for those who don't know yet, it turns out he's studying abroad in Italy. I think everyone who's had a chance to meet Isaiah appreciates his sense of humor, but I've always thought he was a special guy. He really lives life to the fullest. I mean the fullest. He is never afraid to try anything, and he wants to try everything. I remember last Halloween, he and Tony Robinson completely shaved their legs for their trick-o-treating venture. And now studying abroad at Italy where there is no one else who speaks English or looks Asian. I don't think I have the courage to do that. Isaiah is staying with an Italian family and meeting hot Italian girls, and not surprisingly, he is quite enjoying himself. I admire his adventurous spirit and hope I, too, can let myself go one day. Meanwhile, while he's in Italy, I was hoping someone could bring a laptop to school so we could talk to him via webcam. Like the Cisco Human Network commercial. And here is the link to his blog which he updates frequently:
www.unibeefly.blogspot.com
Speaking of hot girls, I have rediscovered my passion for Latinas. I realize that I have not rationalized and justified my discriminatory love quite yet- I think I will save that for one of my dreamier moods on a rainy day. But at the moment I am trying to find a buddy icon that aptly portrays my ideal Latina. First, it was "Latina mami," a sultry animated doll wearing a crimson tanktop (midriffs, yay!) and stylish black hat. Then I changed it to "Latina hunnie," a more proportional figure donning lavender splendor. And finally, I found an attractive and somehow intellectual, demure, and confident Latina, but it was all spoiled by the stereotypical sign "Chica bonita." Is it possible to instill a computer image with virtues of kindness, sense of humor, integrity, poise, and grace? If so, I need a new buddy icon.
I live in a second-floor apartment home and from the window in my room, I can see the top of garage roofs outside (the garages that are not attached to buildings). It's always interesting to see the objects that are sitting on the roof. There's a screwdriver, some random black stones, a walking stick, and then a book. The black stones and walking stick you can kind of figure out how they got there. Some kids were bored and decided to chuck them. But a screwdriver and book? I wonder who might have thrown those up there and why. Maybe people just wanted to see what those objects look like on top of a roof. I mean I think it's pretty cool. And we all like to know we exist sometime. Maybe they chucked them up reveling in their small rebellion against society and convention, convincing themselves of the symbolic significance of the objects and their actions, and finding delight in their own little secret. Hey, that's probably how gangs started hanging shoes on telephone wires. And people started peeing in the shower and writing postcards about them. That's weird, though.
And to finish off this post, I proudly present to you the first American rap music video ever to feature an Asian lady. Now I don't know about you, but I think she is pretty hot (she gets a 9 on my Mohs scale hehe). Ok, she really deserves more footage though. And something other than serving drinks to black women. Test your concentration and attention to detail by counting the number of her ultra-brief appearances, including flashes of her anatomy, in the first 90 seconds of the video. She first appears at 0:32. Answers are at the bottom.
7 Times.
(0:31.5-0:33)
(0:37-0:38, behind Nelly's head)
(0:47.5-0:48, right of Ashanti)
(0:57-0:58, left of Nelly)
(1:15-1:15.6, right of Ashanti)
(1:20-1:22, serving drinks)
(1:28-1:28.22, passing by Akon)
Friday, October 3, 2008
Lala
I think I am in danger of getting B's this quarter or semester. I usually downplay my performance and abilities for various reasons but this time I'm pretty sure of it. I'm getting my ass kicked in pretty much all my classes. Maybe I am not investing as much time and effort into school as I should. But one thing I noticed is my brain just doesn't work the way it used to. My memory is feeble and my ability to process information has been significantly compromised. There was a time when I could do mental math much faster. My vocabulary was outstanding in eighth grade but slowly it's been declining. I honestly believe I've passed my prime. The regression started when I got DSL. When you can download at 150-200kb/sec, your brain stops giving a fuck.
Watching the election coverage has been fun so far. The VP debate was lame but Obama was impressive in his first bout with McCain. What has really pissed me off so far, though, is McCain's character issues. Like him or not, the guy is a liar. If you look at some of the ads he's run on TV, you would know what I mean. The sad thing is, many folks voting for him believe every word he says. They also watch Fox News and think Obama is Muslim. Every time I hear some of the McCain supporters' false characterizations of Obama, I get scared about the future of America. I really do. I have nothing against people who vote for McCain, but let's be clear. Make sure your decision is based on "the fundamental differences" and not some false rumor.
Now on to other things... A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to discuss the moral issue of suicide with others. Many said it is a cowardly act. Committing suicide is the ultimate form of giving up. I can certainly understand their perspective, and I think I would agree with them in cases where social obligations play an important role. If you are an integral part of another person's life, you are doing that person injustice. This is especially the case if you have financial obligations.
But I still don't think suicide itself is immoral. The funny thing is, I value human life more than anything else. I think the ideal democratic government does, too. The point of giving people so many rights and so much control is to respect the individual. But it is out of this respect that I say suicide is not immoral. You see, no matter how hard we try, we are never going to be able to understand another person completely. Human emotions are too complex. We can try to put ourselves in another person's shoes- and that's a good thing - but we are not going to understand every thought and emotion running through that person's head. I don't know what it's like to lose an immediate family member. I don't know what it's like to be robbed of everything I've got. For the purpose of my argument, it's impossible to imagine what a person contemplating suicide is going through. It's unfair, then, for me to judge that person's actions using my moral standards. From a logical perspective, also, I think every human being should have the right to take one's own life. None of us made the choice of being born in the first place so why should we force people to live?
Looking at the bigger picture, this addresses the question of how we determine what is right and what is wrong. If people like myself give an individual so much credit, the line between right and wrong gets blurred. This can lead to pretty shitty verdicts in our court systems. The determining factor for me is how the act committed affects other people. For suicide, the severity would depend on what kind of obligations the person had. But then again, that alone may not be enough. In the meantime, the best thing for us to do for people contemplating suicide is to try to give them hope, or at least a different look at life. That's our obligation.
Lately I've been noticing a peculiar trend in female clothing. Girls are now wearing pants that bear a certain logo or phrase on the backside. When they wear it, the words are often tautly stretched across the region, and the creases add an intriguing aesthetic effect. The letters undulate to the movement of the muscle, expanding then contracting, lenghtening then shortening. Momentarily the legibility of the word is hindered by the rippling folds, and then another step forward, you see it again. It's almost like a screensaver except it's happening live and you're not quite sure what you have to press to stop it. The first time I beheld this apparel, I was so fascinated by the movement of the letters that I forgot what I was looking at. When I realized, I was embarrassed and I've trained myself to look straight ever since.
But the task has been harder than I expected. It's not that the sight is sexually stimulating. I've had the pleasure of being exposed to more titillating scenery in my long lifetime. Besides, I never had the proper sexual drive instilled in me during development because I was exerting all my efforts into learning English. It's simply that peripheral vision kicks into gear when you spy the movement of an object. I can't tell you how stressful it is to walk behind a girl wearing one of these pants. As soon as I detect the apparel, I will stare straight ahead. But once you walk a certain distance, you start wondering what that shimmering word is. What has that female chosen to plaster on her curves? I strain my eyes to try to read the letters without directly looking at her anatomy, and soon I get dizzy. One time, I thought for sure the word read "Bitch" so I couldn't resist the temptation and I glanced over, but it was actually "Fitch" as in Abercrombie and Fitch.
Lately I've been playing a game called World Domination 2. It's a simple turn-based game where you war against up to three enemy nations. Interface is simple, and you basically build up your military by upgrading technology. But the variety of weapons is cool, and you also have to plan strategically to make sure you minimize your losses. Plus, propaganda and diplomacy are interesting features. The nations are represented by caricatures of their leaders (though Zimbabwe's leader seems to resemble Tsvangirai, not Mugabe).
In my first game, I was ambitious and I squared off against bin Laden, Kim Jong Il, Mugabe/Tsvangirai, and South Korea. Almost immediately, North Korea eliminated South Korea using rockets with bioloads, and I panicked. Kim Jong Il then offered me a deal where I would have to pay him $50 mil for him to not attack me for nine turns. I said screw that, and thankfully bin Laden began attacking him. But then bin Laden pulverized me in a few turns. In the next game, I picked U.S., Iran, Bin Laden, and Tony Blair as opposition. Amazingly, Bush and Ahmadinejad made a treaty in the first turn. I think they did it without precondition. But Blair was being a bitch and he rejected my diplomacy. Still, I made alliances with Bin Laden and Ahmadinejad and used propaganda to gather the greatest population. Then I eliminated each nation using submarines. Needless to say, I felt like I was on the top of the world.
Watching the election coverage has been fun so far. The VP debate was lame but Obama was impressive in his first bout with McCain. What has really pissed me off so far, though, is McCain's character issues. Like him or not, the guy is a liar. If you look at some of the ads he's run on TV, you would know what I mean. The sad thing is, many folks voting for him believe every word he says. They also watch Fox News and think Obama is Muslim. Every time I hear some of the McCain supporters' false characterizations of Obama, I get scared about the future of America. I really do. I have nothing against people who vote for McCain, but let's be clear. Make sure your decision is based on "the fundamental differences" and not some false rumor.
Now on to other things... A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to discuss the moral issue of suicide with others. Many said it is a cowardly act. Committing suicide is the ultimate form of giving up. I can certainly understand their perspective, and I think I would agree with them in cases where social obligations play an important role. If you are an integral part of another person's life, you are doing that person injustice. This is especially the case if you have financial obligations.
But I still don't think suicide itself is immoral. The funny thing is, I value human life more than anything else. I think the ideal democratic government does, too. The point of giving people so many rights and so much control is to respect the individual. But it is out of this respect that I say suicide is not immoral. You see, no matter how hard we try, we are never going to be able to understand another person completely. Human emotions are too complex. We can try to put ourselves in another person's shoes- and that's a good thing - but we are not going to understand every thought and emotion running through that person's head. I don't know what it's like to lose an immediate family member. I don't know what it's like to be robbed of everything I've got. For the purpose of my argument, it's impossible to imagine what a person contemplating suicide is going through. It's unfair, then, for me to judge that person's actions using my moral standards. From a logical perspective, also, I think every human being should have the right to take one's own life. None of us made the choice of being born in the first place so why should we force people to live?
Looking at the bigger picture, this addresses the question of how we determine what is right and what is wrong. If people like myself give an individual so much credit, the line between right and wrong gets blurred. This can lead to pretty shitty verdicts in our court systems. The determining factor for me is how the act committed affects other people. For suicide, the severity would depend on what kind of obligations the person had. But then again, that alone may not be enough. In the meantime, the best thing for us to do for people contemplating suicide is to try to give them hope, or at least a different look at life. That's our obligation.
Lately I've been noticing a peculiar trend in female clothing. Girls are now wearing pants that bear a certain logo or phrase on the backside. When they wear it, the words are often tautly stretched across the region, and the creases add an intriguing aesthetic effect. The letters undulate to the movement of the muscle, expanding then contracting, lenghtening then shortening. Momentarily the legibility of the word is hindered by the rippling folds, and then another step forward, you see it again. It's almost like a screensaver except it's happening live and you're not quite sure what you have to press to stop it. The first time I beheld this apparel, I was so fascinated by the movement of the letters that I forgot what I was looking at. When I realized, I was embarrassed and I've trained myself to look straight ever since.
But the task has been harder than I expected. It's not that the sight is sexually stimulating. I've had the pleasure of being exposed to more titillating scenery in my long lifetime. Besides, I never had the proper sexual drive instilled in me during development because I was exerting all my efforts into learning English. It's simply that peripheral vision kicks into gear when you spy the movement of an object. I can't tell you how stressful it is to walk behind a girl wearing one of these pants. As soon as I detect the apparel, I will stare straight ahead. But once you walk a certain distance, you start wondering what that shimmering word is. What has that female chosen to plaster on her curves? I strain my eyes to try to read the letters without directly looking at her anatomy, and soon I get dizzy. One time, I thought for sure the word read "Bitch" so I couldn't resist the temptation and I glanced over, but it was actually "Fitch" as in Abercrombie and Fitch.
Lately I've been playing a game called World Domination 2. It's a simple turn-based game where you war against up to three enemy nations. Interface is simple, and you basically build up your military by upgrading technology. But the variety of weapons is cool, and you also have to plan strategically to make sure you minimize your losses. Plus, propaganda and diplomacy are interesting features. The nations are represented by caricatures of their leaders (though Zimbabwe's leader seems to resemble Tsvangirai, not Mugabe).
In my first game, I was ambitious and I squared off against bin Laden, Kim Jong Il, Mugabe/Tsvangirai, and South Korea. Almost immediately, North Korea eliminated South Korea using rockets with bioloads, and I panicked. Kim Jong Il then offered me a deal where I would have to pay him $50 mil for him to not attack me for nine turns. I said screw that, and thankfully bin Laden began attacking him. But then bin Laden pulverized me in a few turns. In the next game, I picked U.S., Iran, Bin Laden, and Tony Blair as opposition. Amazingly, Bush and Ahmadinejad made a treaty in the first turn. I think they did it without precondition. But Blair was being a bitch and he rejected my diplomacy. Still, I made alliances with Bin Laden and Ahmadinejad and used propaganda to gather the greatest population. Then I eliminated each nation using submarines. Needless to say, I felt like I was on the top of the world.
Friday, August 22, 2008
OMFG Update
I guess it's been a while since I've written. There is only one more week of summer left, and to be honest I am sort of hyped up for the senior year. I am looking forward to all the class activities. Yeah, I thought I would never say that.
My highlight of the summer was definitely spending the month of July at UCSD for COSMOS.
Some key moments:
-Remember how I talked about Black's Beach, the nude beach near UCSD? Well one class at COSMOS accidentally passed by the beach on the way back from a field trip (what a bad PR move) and found it was full of old naked white people. That's a Eurotrip moment. Yay!
-The last few days of COSMOS, a couple guys in my suite reported hearing a very scary and sinister laugh coming from god knows where past midnight. My roommate heard it around 1:30 a.m. and thought it was coming from a vent on the ceiling but we have no vents in our room. People got really freaked out, and I slept through it each time.
-Girls. Younger than 18. Off limits. Jonathan Chang thought they were hotter than girls he's used to seeing, but I didn't think so. Of course I am quite a connoisseur when it comes to the fine art of woman judging.
-During our four weeks, we had two mandatory COSMOS dances (dance, bitch!). The dances were nothing like I expected. I was really tempted to videotape the whole thing and show it to Mrs. Scott as a cultural exchange program. What happened was a mob of 40-50 people gathered in a tight circle in the center of the dance floor and started rubbing bodies against each other. I don't think it could be considered freaking because when you freak, you are usually aware of who you're interacting with. Not so in this case. This was just a giant orgy that I could not partake in because I was 18. Although... I did get freaked while drinking soda on the benches.
-My nickname. For the latter part of COSMOS, I was called the god of sex. If you are confused, check here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Min_(god)
-My professor was Dr. Carlos Vera. Bioengineering professor at UCSD with a Ph.D/M.D. He was probably the most intelligent person I've ever met. He was pretty shy and quiet but a really nice guy with a good sense of humor. He made us think out of the box and be innovative. He teaches at a medical school in Mexico every morning and then drives up to UCSD to do research. On the last day, he told me I would be an excellent scientist and that he was afraid I would love science so much that I would forget everything else in life. Definitely the biggest compliment thus far.
Yesterday when my dad came home from work, there was a pretty bad vibe between my parents as usual so I decided to take a walk around the apartment complex at night. It was the first time I had done that in a while, and it felt good. Every home has a a light hanging by the door, and when I am walking through the path lined by tall trees, it feels like I am walking in a giant forest and there are tree houses with lights. It's nice to walk by the lighted windows knowing that inside there's someone, someone like me. I wonder about what the people inside are doing and thinking. But they're surviving really, and it's a beautiful thing. I see a family sitting behind a blaring television in the living room and it makes me smile. Yesterday, there was a woman leaning out in the outside patio with a cigarette in her fingers. She was surviving too. You know what I love about airplane flights? When the plane is getting ready for landing and through the window, you see millions and millions of lights: street lights, house lights, car lights, building lights. Yeah you can talk about air pollution but it's a beautiful thing. For every light you see, someone is there. That's our civilization you see. It's like a person is standing there with a torch.
Listening to a section of Barack Obama's Q/A session at Saddleback, I was particularly struck by one thing he said. When asked why he wanted to run for president, he said that there was this American spirit of helping others. Cheering for the underdog. Believing that the person next to you can achieve their dream just like you can. And he wants to run for president because he thinks the U.S. is at a critical junction where this spirit might be in danger. I believe him. There is such a spirit at America, or at least I feel it. It's the American Beauty. It's a powerful, morally conscious, and incredibly benevolent force. Almost divine. And I also agree with him that the spirit is in jeopardy. There are both domestic and foreign causes for this. But our next president will help determine whether the spirit can live on. We are all human and one. PEACE.
Next entry: something about The Dark Knight
My highlight of the summer was definitely spending the month of July at UCSD for COSMOS.
Some key moments:
-Remember how I talked about Black's Beach, the nude beach near UCSD? Well one class at COSMOS accidentally passed by the beach on the way back from a field trip (what a bad PR move) and found it was full of old naked white people. That's a Eurotrip moment. Yay!
-The last few days of COSMOS, a couple guys in my suite reported hearing a very scary and sinister laugh coming from god knows where past midnight. My roommate heard it around 1:30 a.m. and thought it was coming from a vent on the ceiling but we have no vents in our room. People got really freaked out, and I slept through it each time.
-Girls. Younger than 18. Off limits. Jonathan Chang thought they were hotter than girls he's used to seeing, but I didn't think so. Of course I am quite a connoisseur when it comes to the fine art of woman judging.
-During our four weeks, we had two mandatory COSMOS dances (dance, bitch!). The dances were nothing like I expected. I was really tempted to videotape the whole thing and show it to Mrs. Scott as a cultural exchange program. What happened was a mob of 40-50 people gathered in a tight circle in the center of the dance floor and started rubbing bodies against each other. I don't think it could be considered freaking because when you freak, you are usually aware of who you're interacting with. Not so in this case. This was just a giant orgy that I could not partake in because I was 18. Although... I did get freaked while drinking soda on the benches.
-My nickname. For the latter part of COSMOS, I was called the god of sex. If you are confused, check here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Min_(god)
-My professor was Dr. Carlos Vera. Bioengineering professor at UCSD with a Ph.D/M.D. He was probably the most intelligent person I've ever met. He was pretty shy and quiet but a really nice guy with a good sense of humor. He made us think out of the box and be innovative. He teaches at a medical school in Mexico every morning and then drives up to UCSD to do research. On the last day, he told me I would be an excellent scientist and that he was afraid I would love science so much that I would forget everything else in life. Definitely the biggest compliment thus far.
Yesterday when my dad came home from work, there was a pretty bad vibe between my parents as usual so I decided to take a walk around the apartment complex at night. It was the first time I had done that in a while, and it felt good. Every home has a a light hanging by the door, and when I am walking through the path lined by tall trees, it feels like I am walking in a giant forest and there are tree houses with lights. It's nice to walk by the lighted windows knowing that inside there's someone, someone like me. I wonder about what the people inside are doing and thinking. But they're surviving really, and it's a beautiful thing. I see a family sitting behind a blaring television in the living room and it makes me smile. Yesterday, there was a woman leaning out in the outside patio with a cigarette in her fingers. She was surviving too. You know what I love about airplane flights? When the plane is getting ready for landing and through the window, you see millions and millions of lights: street lights, house lights, car lights, building lights. Yeah you can talk about air pollution but it's a beautiful thing. For every light you see, someone is there. That's our civilization you see. It's like a person is standing there with a torch.
Listening to a section of Barack Obama's Q/A session at Saddleback, I was particularly struck by one thing he said. When asked why he wanted to run for president, he said that there was this American spirit of helping others. Cheering for the underdog. Believing that the person next to you can achieve their dream just like you can. And he wants to run for president because he thinks the U.S. is at a critical junction where this spirit might be in danger. I believe him. There is such a spirit at America, or at least I feel it. It's the American Beauty. It's a powerful, morally conscious, and incredibly benevolent force. Almost divine. And I also agree with him that the spirit is in jeopardy. There are both domestic and foreign causes for this. But our next president will help determine whether the spirit can live on. We are all human and one. PEACE.
Next entry: something about The Dark Knight
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Summertime
I hope everybody's been enjoying their summer. I wish it were a little less hot for a change, but I guess people in Southern California can't complain about the weather. What I've noticed though is that there have not been very many days with that perfect blue sky. I remember in elementary school, I would go play basketball in the summer looking up at that assuring blue hue. Now it's an ugly bleached and lifeless blue, and the positive summer vibe is gone.
What would really restore that positive vibe is if the Lakers made a nice acquisition to bolster their chances of winning the championship next year. Bynum's return is going to make a huge difference, but the Lakers can still make some smart moves to get better. One would be trading away the weed-smoking Lamar Odom, the only player in the history of NBA to be labeled versatile despite playing with one hand. He's a great rebounder and passer but bringing in someone like Gerald Wallace or Ron Artest will increase our defensive intensity. And we could include Luke Walton or Radman as part of the deal. For god sakes, the Clippers are going to sign Baron Davis, and we have our sights set on James Posey.
For all of you going on family vacations to exotic destinations with exotic women wearing exotic clothes, I am jealous. And this statement, in no way, contradicts what I said in my previous post about my sexual drive being dulled by age. Remember that short story called The Most Dangerous Game? It's about General Zaroff, the ruthless hunter, who always tries to find more and more dangerous animals to hunt. Well that's sort of like me and women. I am always looking to challenge myself, and I think it would be pretty damn awesome to go around the world and have a deep conversation with beautiful women in each country. Nothing romantic or sexual. Just a deep conversation where we exchange our cultural juices and expose each other to different perspectives on life. Like Siddhartha said, I would be an eager pupil. But really, that's as far as the hunting analogy goes. I am not suggesting that finding beautiful women is like hunting and capturing animals.
Actually it turns out that I'm going to have much more fun at UCSD than I thought. Boawen informed me a couple weeks ago that there's a nude beach near the college campus. I looked it up online and sure enough, there is a nude beach nearby. The name of the beach, though, is slightly disconcerting- Black's Beach. I may not be allowed in after all. And even if I'm allowed in, I am not sure how I'm going to manage there.
On to other things... you know what word I really hate? Networking. What the fuck is that? To me, networking is everything that's wrong with human interaction. When you sign up for Facebook or Myspace, you have the option of saying you signed up for friends or for networking. I'm glad they differentiate the two. Networking is basically making new friends but doing so with the intention of somehow personally benefiting from the relationship. Networking is a corrupt version of making friends, like the skeeting bugs virus on my computer. It's artificial, contrived, and fake. It's about keeping in touch with people you know and actively befriending their acquaintances so that when there's ever a time you need something, you can ask. And sure, networking is one of those things you have to do in life. It's like having to put on a smile in front of teachers you dislike. And networking obviously has its benefits- you get hook-ups and you have a better chance of accomplishing what you want to do. And sometimes you will even make real friends in the process. But what I hate about networking is that your first and foremost intent is to benefit from the relationship, like a friend is a fucking investment. If you treat people with respect, appreciate them for who they are, and genuinely care about them, chances are
you are going to have a much more lasting and meaningful relationship. Nothing beats friends.
Lately I've been asking a lot of people about what careers they want to pursue. I'm just interested, that's all. My number one career choice is something in the field of natural sciences. Biology, biochemistry, medicine, something along those lines. But I told my mom that if I ever get tired of the schooling or the job, I'm going to be a barber. Maybe I'll go to occupational school for that and then just start working part time at a barbershop. But my dream is to one day open my own barbershop. That'll be so awesome. One day humans may come up with machines that give you the perfect haircut or hair styling and barbershops may become extinct. But I hope not. The job is really special if you think about it. It's one of the few human experiences that feels real... and human. As you are sitting on that chair watching your barber go at it, the barber starts talking to you. About the weather, about their children, about their favorite restaurants. Some barbers are more talkative than others, but they will at least ask you how you are doing. It's a place where you don't feel hurried or rushed. The barber's going to finish when it's finished, and you simply carry on that conversation as long as it lasts. In today's hectic society, not many places offer this refuge. And of course you get to come back in two or three weeks and you reconnect and learn even more about each other. We also take our barbers for granted- imagine if your barber quit all of a sudden. That barber knows your cranium like no one else and you don't want anyone else to cut your hair. That's what a good friend should be like.
What would really restore that positive vibe is if the Lakers made a nice acquisition to bolster their chances of winning the championship next year. Bynum's return is going to make a huge difference, but the Lakers can still make some smart moves to get better. One would be trading away the weed-smoking Lamar Odom, the only player in the history of NBA to be labeled versatile despite playing with one hand. He's a great rebounder and passer but bringing in someone like Gerald Wallace or Ron Artest will increase our defensive intensity. And we could include Luke Walton or Radman as part of the deal. For god sakes, the Clippers are going to sign Baron Davis, and we have our sights set on James Posey.
For all of you going on family vacations to exotic destinations with exotic women wearing exotic clothes, I am jealous. And this statement, in no way, contradicts what I said in my previous post about my sexual drive being dulled by age. Remember that short story called The Most Dangerous Game? It's about General Zaroff, the ruthless hunter, who always tries to find more and more dangerous animals to hunt. Well that's sort of like me and women. I am always looking to challenge myself, and I think it would be pretty damn awesome to go around the world and have a deep conversation with beautiful women in each country. Nothing romantic or sexual. Just a deep conversation where we exchange our cultural juices and expose each other to different perspectives on life. Like Siddhartha said, I would be an eager pupil. But really, that's as far as the hunting analogy goes. I am not suggesting that finding beautiful women is like hunting and capturing animals.
Actually it turns out that I'm going to have much more fun at UCSD than I thought. Boawen informed me a couple weeks ago that there's a nude beach near the college campus. I looked it up online and sure enough, there is a nude beach nearby. The name of the beach, though, is slightly disconcerting- Black's Beach. I may not be allowed in after all. And even if I'm allowed in, I am not sure how I'm going to manage there.
On to other things... you know what word I really hate? Networking. What the fuck is that? To me, networking is everything that's wrong with human interaction. When you sign up for Facebook or Myspace, you have the option of saying you signed up for friends or for networking. I'm glad they differentiate the two. Networking is basically making new friends but doing so with the intention of somehow personally benefiting from the relationship. Networking is a corrupt version of making friends, like the skeeting bugs virus on my computer. It's artificial, contrived, and fake. It's about keeping in touch with people you know and actively befriending their acquaintances so that when there's ever a time you need something, you can ask. And sure, networking is one of those things you have to do in life. It's like having to put on a smile in front of teachers you dislike. And networking obviously has its benefits- you get hook-ups and you have a better chance of accomplishing what you want to do. And sometimes you will even make real friends in the process. But what I hate about networking is that your first and foremost intent is to benefit from the relationship, like a friend is a fucking investment. If you treat people with respect, appreciate them for who they are, and genuinely care about them, chances are
you are going to have a much more lasting and meaningful relationship. Nothing beats friends.
Lately I've been asking a lot of people about what careers they want to pursue. I'm just interested, that's all. My number one career choice is something in the field of natural sciences. Biology, biochemistry, medicine, something along those lines. But I told my mom that if I ever get tired of the schooling or the job, I'm going to be a barber. Maybe I'll go to occupational school for that and then just start working part time at a barbershop. But my dream is to one day open my own barbershop. That'll be so awesome. One day humans may come up with machines that give you the perfect haircut or hair styling and barbershops may become extinct. But I hope not. The job is really special if you think about it. It's one of the few human experiences that feels real... and human. As you are sitting on that chair watching your barber go at it, the barber starts talking to you. About the weather, about their children, about their favorite restaurants. Some barbers are more talkative than others, but they will at least ask you how you are doing. It's a place where you don't feel hurried or rushed. The barber's going to finish when it's finished, and you simply carry on that conversation as long as it lasts. In today's hectic society, not many places offer this refuge. And of course you get to come back in two or three weeks and you reconnect and learn even more about each other. We also take our barbers for granted- imagine if your barber quit all of a sudden. That barber knows your cranium like no one else and you don't want anyone else to cut your hair. That's what a good friend should be like.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
End of Year
Well, we made it. I never thought this day would arrive, but we actually survived junior year at Oxford Academy. Congratulations to everyone. We have (only) one year left. And for Andrew, congratulations on entering college life.
I think we should take this time to look back at the pleasant memories from the year. Don't think back to the shoulda, woulda, coulda's - it doesn't matter now. Treasure the good memories and give yourself a pat on the back for a break well deserved.
Yesterday I went to go watch Kung Fu Panda with my homie Allula. It was a pretty good movie, considering I didn't know what to expect. The opening was the funniest scene in the movie because it was like hearing Will Trinidad talk. I won't spoil it for you by quoting the line. I went out to the movies with my Spiderman tee and Ecko jean-shorts (my "outfit", as Sheena would say). At school and the bonfire, people mentioned that the jeans were definitely cool. Especially the white pockets in the back. They really make my butt stand out by drawing attention to its toastiness and excellent protrusion. My butt is like an Ursa major in a clear summer sky. I think if I try hard enough, I can look like a centaur.
Anyway, an interesting incident happened when I stopped by Marie Calendar's after the movies to pick up a pecan pie. As I approached the entrance, I saw an old white couple and their family members starting to make their way out the door. The woman saw me and my outfit and eyed me warily for a second before turning her eyes away. I think she was suspicious of my character. So I quickened my steps toward the door and held it open before they had reached the door. The woman's eyes widened and she said thank you with the most surprised expression ever. I thought that was great. I am going to continue putting on this outfit when I go to places just to see what kind of reaction I get from people. But then again, maybe just as wrong as stereotyping other people is assuming that other people will make stereotypes. Whatever, I still like my applebottom jeans.
So I promised a post on girls last time I wrote. Unfortunately, I don't have much to say about them anymore. The strange thing about me is, I hit puberty when I was like in 3rd or 4th grade. So now I think I am at a stage where girls' attractiveness doesn't hit me on the head. No girl is too cute or hot or pretty anymore. (Been around the world, seen so many girls...) Starting a few years ago, I used to really dig girls with cool personalities (nice, honest, funny, etc) and I still do, but I think the immediate physiological effect of an encounter with a female has worn off now. I'm getting old. I am pretty sure it will take something special for me to fall in love with a girl again.
Not to make myself a fucking saint here but what I've discovered this year is that I have an irrational concern for the futures and well-being of girls who are cool. Remember that passage from Catcher in the Rye when Holden worries about Jane getting with Stradlater? That's the case for me. I am not concerned about the girl because I am jealous of her meeting up with another guy. I am concerned because she is cool and doesn't deserve to be treated like trash. I also have a tendency to think of girls as emotionally fragile and I always hope that they are protected from emotional hurt. Sometimes, this paternal instinct gets in the way of my interactions with those girls. In online conversations, it's easier/less awkward for me to ask them how they are doing or give them sincere encouragements/advice and stuff, but in real everyday interactions with someone, it's harder to do that. I joke around with girls most of the time and it's fun sometimes but really I would rather be listening to their problems and offering them my help rather than kidding around.
Anyway, on to other things... I suddenly remembered a conversation that I had with Vy , An's older sister, a while back. For anyone who doesn't know Vy, she's a true genius. She is two years up on me in the educational ladder, but she's still younger than me. She had a quote in her profile about how logic trumps feeling: "Reason is also our potential salvation from the vicious and precipitous mass action that rule by emotionalism always seems to entail." The rest of the quote had something about how making decisions based on logic is better than acting out of feeling. I agree with the quote in that logic is clearly the better choice in maintaining an organized society. Laws are possible because of reason, and they secure our cherished ideals like freedom and equality. Reason prevents unfair treatment of others- if all of us thought logically, we would have less wars, less misunderstandings, more productivity, better social relations, etc.
I can't help but think, though, that we should stop drawing such a stark line between reason and emotion. We should learn to employ a healthy dosage of both and not always in disparate situations. Reason teaches us to make the decisions that have the most favorable consequences by mathematical odds, proven cause + effect relationships, previous life experiences, etc. It increases the chance of us achieving the goals we want. For instance, if I'm trying to impress a girl and I know that she likes an apple-flavored perfume and she hates getting flowers, I'm going to make sure I wear an apple-flavored perfume and don't get her flowers. That will increase the chance of me hooking up with the girl. But notice how the reasoning process is directly linked to the emotion. Why am I trying to hook up with the girl in the first place? Because that's my goal. Why is that my goal? Because I like her. You can't use reason to explain that. Reason can tell you what decisions you should make but only your feelings can empower you with the ability to make those decisions.
I am going to be gone for the month of July to study bioengineering at UCSD... but let's hang out before or after then. PEACE.
I think we should take this time to look back at the pleasant memories from the year. Don't think back to the shoulda, woulda, coulda's - it doesn't matter now. Treasure the good memories and give yourself a pat on the back for a break well deserved.
Yesterday I went to go watch Kung Fu Panda with my homie Allula. It was a pretty good movie, considering I didn't know what to expect. The opening was the funniest scene in the movie because it was like hearing Will Trinidad talk. I won't spoil it for you by quoting the line. I went out to the movies with my Spiderman tee and Ecko jean-shorts (my "outfit", as Sheena would say). At school and the bonfire, people mentioned that the jeans were definitely cool. Especially the white pockets in the back. They really make my butt stand out by drawing attention to its toastiness and excellent protrusion. My butt is like an Ursa major in a clear summer sky. I think if I try hard enough, I can look like a centaur.
Anyway, an interesting incident happened when I stopped by Marie Calendar's after the movies to pick up a pecan pie. As I approached the entrance, I saw an old white couple and their family members starting to make their way out the door. The woman saw me and my outfit and eyed me warily for a second before turning her eyes away. I think she was suspicious of my character. So I quickened my steps toward the door and held it open before they had reached the door. The woman's eyes widened and she said thank you with the most surprised expression ever. I thought that was great. I am going to continue putting on this outfit when I go to places just to see what kind of reaction I get from people. But then again, maybe just as wrong as stereotyping other people is assuming that other people will make stereotypes. Whatever, I still like my applebottom jeans.
So I promised a post on girls last time I wrote. Unfortunately, I don't have much to say about them anymore. The strange thing about me is, I hit puberty when I was like in 3rd or 4th grade. So now I think I am at a stage where girls' attractiveness doesn't hit me on the head. No girl is too cute or hot or pretty anymore. (Been around the world, seen so many girls...) Starting a few years ago, I used to really dig girls with cool personalities (nice, honest, funny, etc) and I still do, but I think the immediate physiological effect of an encounter with a female has worn off now. I'm getting old. I am pretty sure it will take something special for me to fall in love with a girl again.
Not to make myself a fucking saint here but what I've discovered this year is that I have an irrational concern for the futures and well-being of girls who are cool. Remember that passage from Catcher in the Rye when Holden worries about Jane getting with Stradlater? That's the case for me. I am not concerned about the girl because I am jealous of her meeting up with another guy. I am concerned because she is cool and doesn't deserve to be treated like trash. I also have a tendency to think of girls as emotionally fragile and I always hope that they are protected from emotional hurt. Sometimes, this paternal instinct gets in the way of my interactions with those girls. In online conversations, it's easier/less awkward for me to ask them how they are doing or give them sincere encouragements/advice and stuff, but in real everyday interactions with someone, it's harder to do that. I joke around with girls most of the time and it's fun sometimes but really I would rather be listening to their problems and offering them my help rather than kidding around.
Anyway, on to other things... I suddenly remembered a conversation that I had with Vy , An's older sister, a while back. For anyone who doesn't know Vy, she's a true genius. She is two years up on me in the educational ladder, but she's still younger than me. She had a quote in her profile about how logic trumps feeling: "Reason is also our potential salvation from the vicious and precipitous mass action that rule by emotionalism always seems to entail." The rest of the quote had something about how making decisions based on logic is better than acting out of feeling. I agree with the quote in that logic is clearly the better choice in maintaining an organized society. Laws are possible because of reason, and they secure our cherished ideals like freedom and equality. Reason prevents unfair treatment of others- if all of us thought logically, we would have less wars, less misunderstandings, more productivity, better social relations, etc.
I can't help but think, though, that we should stop drawing such a stark line between reason and emotion. We should learn to employ a healthy dosage of both and not always in disparate situations. Reason teaches us to make the decisions that have the most favorable consequences by mathematical odds, proven cause + effect relationships, previous life experiences, etc. It increases the chance of us achieving the goals we want. For instance, if I'm trying to impress a girl and I know that she likes an apple-flavored perfume and she hates getting flowers, I'm going to make sure I wear an apple-flavored perfume and don't get her flowers. That will increase the chance of me hooking up with the girl. But notice how the reasoning process is directly linked to the emotion. Why am I trying to hook up with the girl in the first place? Because that's my goal. Why is that my goal? Because I like her. You can't use reason to explain that. Reason can tell you what decisions you should make but only your feelings can empower you with the ability to make those decisions.
I am going to be gone for the month of July to study bioengineering at UCSD... but let's hang out before or after then. PEACE.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
This will be a long post. A lot of things have happened in the last few weeks.
First and foremost, my computer was infected by a horrible spyware last Sunday. I am pretty knowledgeable when it comes to protecting the computer and all, but this was one tough bastard. What an epic battle. So this is how it went down. I left the computer for about ten minutes and then came back in the room and then saw this mob of huge black cyber beetles crawling all over my screen. They were like those beetles that invaded our school, except these sons of bitches secreted semen. That's right. They were skeeting all over my nature wallpaper, covering my sunset background with blue love juice. Which sick bastard would create such a spyware? Anyway it turns out that the beetles are part of a screensaver... except I don't have a screensaver.
So as you can imagine, I was panicking and busting out Spybot and Ad-aware. I managed to get the spyware out but then somehow it sabotaged my Internet connection on its way out. So I gave a call to Time Warner Cable, which I hate doing. A young woman answered the phone, and I was wondering whether she was Indian or not but I couldn't tell. She started walking me through the basic crap like restarting the modem and unplugging the router.
And then the moment of truth came. She told me to run "ipconfig" on the computer. To help me spell that, she said: "I for India... P for Peter..." Right when I heard "I for India," I half-grunted and half-laughed. I for India? Really now? But then it got better. She put me on hold for 30 minutes... and then transferred me to a customer representative in Maine. The guy in Maine had to laugh when I told him my address because, you know, Maine is not even close to California. One call back to the California station got me in touch with a different customer representative. I thought I could detect the Indian accent and sure enough, the woman on the phone said "I for India" as she spelled out "ipconfig" for me again. I wonder if this is their way of retaining their cultural heritage and bonding as a group against the vicissitudes of immigrant experience. I sure hope so.
A few days ago my mom got into a car accident. While I was at school, a dude ran into her bumper at a parking lot. The car only suffered a few bumps and scratches in the back, and my mom wasn't hurt. It was the dude's fault for bumping into her, and they apparently negotiated for a settlement of $100. My mom is very sharp when it comes to these things, and she made sure she got the compensation (she followed him to his house when he said he didn't have his checkbook, then she didn't trust his bulky checkbook so she had him give the money in cash). Then after talking to me about it, my mom started feeling sorry she took the money.
You know that quote in The Catcher in the Rye about all mothers being slightly crazy? Well my mom is pretty crazy. She has these completely false theories about how the world works, and she makes hasty generalizations about things based on the first impressions. So she starts describing the guy to me: he is middle-aged Caucasian male, he was wearing a shabby gray shirt, he lived in an apartment home and his car was old so he was probably single and poor. But based on his facial expression, she thought he was a nice person. He submitted meekly to her requests after the accident and made sure she was all right. Then she tells me that the guy's nails were all chewed up, which means he was probably a nervous person and therefore had lots of things to worry about like relationships and financial security. She remembers the top of his hands being slightly darkened and oily so she thinks he was a car mechanic maybe. By this time I knew my mom was going off on her extrapolations but I was quite impressed by her observations. And I was starting to feel pretty sorry for the guy too. My mom is thinking about returning the money since she knows where he lives. I suggested she buy him lunch instead.
Recently I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be human. Really, what sets apart humans from other living creatures? The first and foremost thing that comes to mind for me is morals. Humans have come up with this thing called morals, which force them to hold back their instinctive behavior and desires so that they can "do the right thing." But it's interesting that the human morals are different across time and place. You look at the past and some parts of the world today, and people tolerate things like abuse against women or persecution of a religious group. And really, that's why there are so many conflicts and wars. We fight over which set of morals is correct.
Still, if you look at the progression of human civilizations over time, there is a general consensus forming about the desired set of morals. Toleration of differences, treating others the way you want to be treated, freedom of speech are just some of the morals that prevail in most parts of the world. This gets me thinking then, just how likely is it that today's semi-universal set of morals prevailed? In other words, what were the chances of humans creating a world like the one today, where they value things like freedom, equality, and respect toward each other? Is it in our nature to create such a world or did it happen by chance? Could humans have created a ruthless competitive society rife with violence and guided by Darwinism alone? It's funny, all humans have is a more complex nervous system than other mammals. Can we attribute a bigger brain to the creation of a collective set of morals?
Sorry about the long boring post today. Next post will be about girls.
First and foremost, my computer was infected by a horrible spyware last Sunday. I am pretty knowledgeable when it comes to protecting the computer and all, but this was one tough bastard. What an epic battle. So this is how it went down. I left the computer for about ten minutes and then came back in the room and then saw this mob of huge black cyber beetles crawling all over my screen. They were like those beetles that invaded our school, except these sons of bitches secreted semen. That's right. They were skeeting all over my nature wallpaper, covering my sunset background with blue love juice. Which sick bastard would create such a spyware? Anyway it turns out that the beetles are part of a screensaver... except I don't have a screensaver.
So as you can imagine, I was panicking and busting out Spybot and Ad-aware. I managed to get the spyware out but then somehow it sabotaged my Internet connection on its way out. So I gave a call to Time Warner Cable, which I hate doing. A young woman answered the phone, and I was wondering whether she was Indian or not but I couldn't tell. She started walking me through the basic crap like restarting the modem and unplugging the router.
And then the moment of truth came. She told me to run "ipconfig" on the computer. To help me spell that, she said: "I for India... P for Peter..." Right when I heard "I for India," I half-grunted and half-laughed. I for India? Really now? But then it got better. She put me on hold for 30 minutes... and then transferred me to a customer representative in Maine. The guy in Maine had to laugh when I told him my address because, you know, Maine is not even close to California. One call back to the California station got me in touch with a different customer representative. I thought I could detect the Indian accent and sure enough, the woman on the phone said "I for India" as she spelled out "ipconfig" for me again. I wonder if this is their way of retaining their cultural heritage and bonding as a group against the vicissitudes of immigrant experience. I sure hope so.
A few days ago my mom got into a car accident. While I was at school, a dude ran into her bumper at a parking lot. The car only suffered a few bumps and scratches in the back, and my mom wasn't hurt. It was the dude's fault for bumping into her, and they apparently negotiated for a settlement of $100. My mom is very sharp when it comes to these things, and she made sure she got the compensation (she followed him to his house when he said he didn't have his checkbook, then she didn't trust his bulky checkbook so she had him give the money in cash). Then after talking to me about it, my mom started feeling sorry she took the money.
You know that quote in The Catcher in the Rye about all mothers being slightly crazy? Well my mom is pretty crazy. She has these completely false theories about how the world works, and she makes hasty generalizations about things based on the first impressions. So she starts describing the guy to me: he is middle-aged Caucasian male, he was wearing a shabby gray shirt, he lived in an apartment home and his car was old so he was probably single and poor. But based on his facial expression, she thought he was a nice person. He submitted meekly to her requests after the accident and made sure she was all right. Then she tells me that the guy's nails were all chewed up, which means he was probably a nervous person and therefore had lots of things to worry about like relationships and financial security. She remembers the top of his hands being slightly darkened and oily so she thinks he was a car mechanic maybe. By this time I knew my mom was going off on her extrapolations but I was quite impressed by her observations. And I was starting to feel pretty sorry for the guy too. My mom is thinking about returning the money since she knows where he lives. I suggested she buy him lunch instead.
Recently I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be human. Really, what sets apart humans from other living creatures? The first and foremost thing that comes to mind for me is morals. Humans have come up with this thing called morals, which force them to hold back their instinctive behavior and desires so that they can "do the right thing." But it's interesting that the human morals are different across time and place. You look at the past and some parts of the world today, and people tolerate things like abuse against women or persecution of a religious group. And really, that's why there are so many conflicts and wars. We fight over which set of morals is correct.
Still, if you look at the progression of human civilizations over time, there is a general consensus forming about the desired set of morals. Toleration of differences, treating others the way you want to be treated, freedom of speech are just some of the morals that prevail in most parts of the world. This gets me thinking then, just how likely is it that today's semi-universal set of morals prevailed? In other words, what were the chances of humans creating a world like the one today, where they value things like freedom, equality, and respect toward each other? Is it in our nature to create such a world or did it happen by chance? Could humans have created a ruthless competitive society rife with violence and guided by Darwinism alone? It's funny, all humans have is a more complex nervous system than other mammals. Can we attribute a bigger brain to the creation of a collective set of morals?
Sorry about the long boring post today. Next post will be about girls.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Bye bye AP Tests
We're finally done. Ok I still have AP Lang tomorrow but I am going to just wing it because I am a fob and one night of cramming won't refine my linguistic sensibilities. In retrospect, Calc AB was ok, APUSH was pretty hard, Bio FRQ was ridiculous, and Chem was pretty hard. At the beginning of the year, it seemed that the year would never end but time's been moving pretty fast now that I think about it. Now we are ready to be seniors. Scary.
Dining in the Dark last Friday was amazing. We were expecting around 100 people to show up and got about 260. We started running out of tables and chairs so the extra guests just dragged tables and chairs from some other rooms and formed their own communities. Props to Peter Kim for getting volunteers for the event. Without them, serving the food for that many guests would have been impossible. I stayed in the kitchen for most of the event. The volunteers and I formed our very own child-labor assembly line and prepared the dishes. I was the bread and butter guy and damn good at it. But really, serving food for 260 people was much more time-consuming than I thought. I was standing there with bread and butter for what seemed like hours, and then someone came in to say that 75 guests still needed to be served. We ran out of meatballs but I think it worked out all right.
The best part about the event was the talent show. Peter and An delivered an awesome performance. It was actually my first time seeing Peter play the guitar and I thought he would look funny but he looked natural. An's voice really surprised me above anything else. I don't think most people are aware that An can sing damn well. What I will always remember is that during his rendition of What a Wonderful World, a blind girl in the audience just stood up and swayed to the music, despite her mother's chiding. A blind girl and a choir director sang after them, and they were amazing too. Just an awesome experience overall.
When I look back at my experience at Oxford, one thing I will definitely remember is eating lunch by the basketball courts. It started in either seventh or eighth grade, and we the original founding fathers of the sacred playground are still upholding the tradition. I remember about two weeks ago, the basketball courts were shut off so that new courts could be built, and I felt like a displaced refugee. The basketball courts are our natural habitat. There are many memories from those courts that I cherish: Peter Kim breaking Jun's ankles in seventh grade, Alan Nguyen going through a week of shooting superstardom, Chad being Chad. Good stuff.
Recently I've been wondering about whether or not I really care about other people, whether there are common characteristics in people I do care about, and what my motives may be for caring. Because the act of caring is strangely linked to my psychological health, I've been questioning my intention. But I think I can safely say now that acts of kindness I do for others are inspired only by the act of caring. I wonder what the origin of all that is. Whatever it is, I'm glad humans have it.
Dining in the Dark last Friday was amazing. We were expecting around 100 people to show up and got about 260. We started running out of tables and chairs so the extra guests just dragged tables and chairs from some other rooms and formed their own communities. Props to Peter Kim for getting volunteers for the event. Without them, serving the food for that many guests would have been impossible. I stayed in the kitchen for most of the event. The volunteers and I formed our very own child-labor assembly line and prepared the dishes. I was the bread and butter guy and damn good at it. But really, serving food for 260 people was much more time-consuming than I thought. I was standing there with bread and butter for what seemed like hours, and then someone came in to say that 75 guests still needed to be served. We ran out of meatballs but I think it worked out all right.
The best part about the event was the talent show. Peter and An delivered an awesome performance. It was actually my first time seeing Peter play the guitar and I thought he would look funny but he looked natural. An's voice really surprised me above anything else. I don't think most people are aware that An can sing damn well. What I will always remember is that during his rendition of What a Wonderful World, a blind girl in the audience just stood up and swayed to the music, despite her mother's chiding. A blind girl and a choir director sang after them, and they were amazing too. Just an awesome experience overall.
When I look back at my experience at Oxford, one thing I will definitely remember is eating lunch by the basketball courts. It started in either seventh or eighth grade, and we the original founding fathers of the sacred playground are still upholding the tradition. I remember about two weeks ago, the basketball courts were shut off so that new courts could be built, and I felt like a displaced refugee. The basketball courts are our natural habitat. There are many memories from those courts that I cherish: Peter Kim breaking Jun's ankles in seventh grade, Alan Nguyen going through a week of shooting superstardom, Chad being Chad. Good stuff.
Recently I've been wondering about whether or not I really care about other people, whether there are common characteristics in people I do care about, and what my motives may be for caring. Because the act of caring is strangely linked to my psychological health, I've been questioning my intention. But I think I can safely say now that acts of kindness I do for others are inspired only by the act of caring. I wonder what the origin of all that is. Whatever it is, I'm glad humans have it.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Things
For everyone getting stressed out about the upcoming AP tests, let's keep our heads up for two and a half more weeks. Really, that's how much time is left and it'll all be over before we know it. Then it's PARTY TIME!
Today I got a haircut and it's really pissing me off. My barber must have had a spurt of creativity and decided to experiment on me as a guinea pig. Basically it looks like I have a fucking propeller on my head. Symmetrically it makes no sense at all. I have a Berlin Wall at the left side of my head and then a much bolder and outrageous Great Wall of China at the right. When I got home and took a closer look (I was sleeping while getting my hair cut), I started yelling out names of ethnic headwear that my hair resembled. Man I feel duped.
For those of you who didn't have a chance to read my article in The Gamut, the Dinner in the Dark Event is on Friday, May 9 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Teenagers at Braille Institute are holding the charity event to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. If you are interested in coming, you will be served dinner blindfolded to simulate what it's like to be blind. Tickets are $10, but the food will be awesome, and there will also be musical performances by students from different high schools. Let me know if you are interested.
So I asked Kat to prom last week. It was really a spur of the moment thing (at midnight before the ticket prices rose) because I never gave prom too much serious thought. Anyway I had no idea how I was going to ask her so I thought about it in the shower the next morning. Then I remembered Will Nguyen's idea about using Common's I Used to Love Her and then figured I may just rap it. After all, I've listened to the song tons of times so it shouldn't be that hard. I would just have to change some words around (I almost missed the line "A few New York niggas had did her in the park" ) and then set it up for APUSH class.
I woke Will up at 6:45 in the morning and he was kind enough to find me the instrumentals. Then I set it up with Casanova and all was good. The actual "performance". It's really hard for me to describe what I was feeling up there. It was easily the most nervewracking experience in my life. I was scared, pissed, frustrated, embarrassed all at the same time. This beat out all of my previous failures in life and all of my previous embarrassments including the time I accidentally read my diary aloud in elementary school. This beat out Kobe's adultery expose, Bill Clinton's White House affair, Nixon's humming over Watergate tapes, Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, Kwame Brown being drafted first, etc. But nevertheless, I'm glad I did it and I hope Kat has fun.
Song of the hour: Masta Ace- Brooklyn Masala
Today I got a haircut and it's really pissing me off. My barber must have had a spurt of creativity and decided to experiment on me as a guinea pig. Basically it looks like I have a fucking propeller on my head. Symmetrically it makes no sense at all. I have a Berlin Wall at the left side of my head and then a much bolder and outrageous Great Wall of China at the right. When I got home and took a closer look (I was sleeping while getting my hair cut), I started yelling out names of ethnic headwear that my hair resembled. Man I feel duped.
For those of you who didn't have a chance to read my article in The Gamut, the Dinner in the Dark Event is on Friday, May 9 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Teenagers at Braille Institute are holding the charity event to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. If you are interested in coming, you will be served dinner blindfolded to simulate what it's like to be blind. Tickets are $10, but the food will be awesome, and there will also be musical performances by students from different high schools. Let me know if you are interested.
So I asked Kat to prom last week. It was really a spur of the moment thing (at midnight before the ticket prices rose) because I never gave prom too much serious thought. Anyway I had no idea how I was going to ask her so I thought about it in the shower the next morning. Then I remembered Will Nguyen's idea about using Common's I Used to Love Her and then figured I may just rap it. After all, I've listened to the song tons of times so it shouldn't be that hard. I would just have to change some words around (I almost missed the line "A few New York niggas had did her in the park" ) and then set it up for APUSH class.
I woke Will up at 6:45 in the morning and he was kind enough to find me the instrumentals. Then I set it up with Casanova and all was good. The actual "performance". It's really hard for me to describe what I was feeling up there. It was easily the most nervewracking experience in my life. I was scared, pissed, frustrated, embarrassed all at the same time. This beat out all of my previous failures in life and all of my previous embarrassments including the time I accidentally read my diary aloud in elementary school. This beat out Kobe's adultery expose, Bill Clinton's White House affair, Nixon's humming over Watergate tapes, Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, Kwame Brown being drafted first, etc. But nevertheless, I'm glad I did it and I hope Kat has fun.
Song of the hour: Masta Ace- Brooklyn Masala
Friday, March 28, 2008
Life Goes On
It's been a month since I last wrote in my blog. Time is passing too fast.
Some recent events:
A couple weeks ago, I received a surprise visit from Paul Song and his dad, a pastor. They were going around the apartment complex telling people about their church community. But this was one evangelical encounter I didn't mind. Paul's dad just talked to me and my mom about our family and then their family. They weren't trying to convert me or force me to attend their church service. We just shared a little bit about each other's lives, like a normal conversation. And then Paul's dad genuinely wished my family happiness and luck. This made me think again that this is really what religion is all about. It's about bringing people closer by engaging them in discussions of real life experiences and encouraging them to look out for one another.
Lakers have been playing terribly. Without Gasol and Bynum, they are shooting way too many 3's. Odom is actually playing well, but he still uses only his left hand. For God sakes, he drives to the right with his left hand.
Yesterday was the bonfire at Huntington Beach. I should've worn shorts because guys were playing tackle football. But then again it got pretty cold at night. It was nice seeing Todd and Kunhee again. I didn't have as much fun as I hoped to because I was just damn tired. I remember standing in front of the fire next to Justin (he was bizarrely indecisive about serenading with his guitar) and just staring at the fire. I was sort of in a state of trance, and I remember thinking deeply about something but I don't remember what it was. That pretty much sums up my life.
Recently I've been thinking about this girl I've known for a while. For some reason, we've never gotten to know each other well. The thing is, she's one of the few people whose personality and character are complete mysteries to me. Even though I may not talk to some people, I at least know what they are like by listening to what they say or observing how they act. Not with this girl. A big part of that is I haven't talked to her that much. It's strange, I think we have many many similarities. We can both talk a lot but somehow find something in each other that prevents us from talking to each other.
Song of the century: Common- I Used to Love H.E.R.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Basketball, Forgiveness, In N Out
Yesterday, I had a lot more fun than I've had in a while. I met up with Ashish and we played basketball at Central Park. Ashish is pretty skinny still but apparently has been going to gym to prep for track. Even though I reminded him that he is genetically inferior, he kept trying to do the Dwight Howard superman dunk. We played 21 with this middle-aged Korean man and he kept making 3-pointers from the very deep corner (almost behind the backboard). My stroke was horrible but I still won somehow. Then we played 4 on 4 with what looked like guys in college. They were pretty chill. There was one big guy on my team that they kept calling DJ Mbenga. They also called Ashish "Jubran" every time he got the ball. We played two games up to 15 and split.
After basketball, I went over to Ashish's house and watched the second half of the All Star Game. I was getting pissed because I wanted Kobe to take over the fourth quarter and skeet all over Ray Allen and LeBron. Oh well, next time.
I've been thinking about it for a while and I've decided I'm glad that humans can forgive other people. If we stayed mad at each other for too long, the world would be a lot messier. Hurt feelings go a long way, but I don't think hatred or anger lasts as long. I occasionally get very angry at people and I will take some sort of hostile action then and there, but the anger tends to fade. Then I get a chance to reevaluate the situation when I'm clearheaded.
Oh, and this made my day on Friday. Strange things happen when I go to In N Out. First, I lose my interest in Latinas. And now this. I was standing in line to get a double-double when I overheard a group of girls sitting at a table behind me. Amazingly, they all seemed to be of different nationalities like it was a Toyota commercial. So as I am standing there, I suddenly hear them whispering about something. Then I hear this: "His calves are big." I was wearing cargo shorts but I didn't pretend to hear. I wasn't sure it was me anyway. Then this: "His butt is pretty cute."
Now wait a minute (good ole Mr. Cullinane) you gotta understand something. I've been getting lots of crap about my gluteus maximus lately. In fact on Friday, Kathleen told me in APUSH to "move my booty" because it was preventing her from reading something. In other words, my buns are quite toasty and they won't lie about it. But the girl's choice of diction "cute" was what really struck me. I've heard girls describe some of the damnest things as cute, and this was another instance. Blessed with a visual learning style, I then tried to picture my butt for a millisecond and wondered whether it was indeed cute. As I became conscious of all this chaos swirling in my head, I began cracking up. Then the girls started cracking up behind me. At that moment, I couldn't decide whether or not to turn around but I was saved by the counter lady who took my order. Then as I walked out with my order, I grinned at them and they cracked up again. I have to say that was once in a lifetime experience.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Woohoo three day weekend! February is an awesome month because we have two straight Mondays off. Plus my birthday is coming up, which I share with Kat and Sean Kim.
Recently I've been getting constantly reminded of flaws in my character. I guess I am pretty hypocritical sometimes. I demand a lot from others though I may not set the same standards for myself. I also look at situations from my point of view with my set of beliefs. When things don't go the way I expect, I get disappointed and the feeling can be crushing. I don't always show tons of emotion, but my first response to anything is usually an emotional one. As I've matured, I've been able to reevaluate that initial response against my cold logic before it triggers a behavior, but emotions always linger...
I don't know why but I become very attached to people I come in contact with. They may not be my friends or even people who know me very well but I always feel the need to check up on them if I don't know how they are doing. Many people I meet make very deep impressions on me, and I will never forget them regardless of how long I have known them. Then there are times when I feel a desperate need to make sure they are ok. I want them to be happy and successful. And I hope to meet them again. It's a hard feeling to describe.
Lakers managed to beat the Magics today even after giving up 44 points in the first quarter. Pau Gasol scored 30 points and he showed lots of fire throughout the game. I love Gasol's game: jump hooks with either hand, post-up footwork, face-up game, soft touch, free throw proficiency, and 17-foot jumpers. He's also rejuvenated Odom's playmaking skills by drawing double teams and luring his defender out to the perimeter.
Speaking of Gasol, I pulled a Kwame Brown-Pau Gasol trade of my own today. Stephen offered his delicious chicken bake in exchange for my chicken patty cafeteria lunch. I had always thought chicken bake was a misnomer for baked chicken but apparently it comes with a burrito countenance. Clearly I got Gasol in that tradeoff.
Vista or XP? I got a laptop with Vista but I think I'll trade it in for a XP.
Today in APUSH, Kat said that I am going to be a millionaire in the future but then changed her mind and said I would be a Chippendale dancer. I didn't even know what that was at first. Then this suddenly happened during lunch: I was leaning against the basketball pole and then I stretched my arms behind my head to grab the pole. Feeling the surprisingly soft texture of the pole, I said out loud something like, "This pole feels so good." Apparently I haven't been getting enough sleep.
Check out this addictive game and have a wonderful three-day weekend. http://gprime.net/game.php/athleteballsnwalls
Thursday, January 31, 2008
End of Semester
So today the first semester came to a close. When I was doing the registration cards last year, I definitely underestimated the amount of work those classes would entail. Actually, I overestimated my ability to manage time well. But I don't have any regrets about how I've been performing and I am glad about that. It will be interesting how classes shift in the second semester. I would like to see teachers start preparing us for AP Exams as soon as possible.
Students deserve a week off after the first semester of junior year. I wouldn't mind swapping a week of summer vacation for one right now. But I made best of the half-day today by visiting my elementary school teachers. I hadn't visited them since leaving for Oxford so it was a good reunion. I truly believe that elementary school teachers play an important role in a child's development. Teachers can make the process of learning enjoyable for students and get them excited about life. My 4th and 5th grade teachers did that, and I am very grateful to them.
After visiting my elementary, I walked to La Palma Hospital for my physical. This meant I had a chance to walk on the winding trail that cuts across the huge patches of meadows behind the school. It is really fascinating how a faceless chunk of land in the winter transforms as the seasons come and go. It is my only connection with nature where I live, but sometimes it's sufficient. In the spring, you can really feel the vigor of new life as you walk on new grass. Fall brings about the most dramatic changes; green will turn russet and reddish brown, and rings of flower petals form around tree trunks.
Anyway, I digress. Two noteworthy things happened on my way to the hospital. 1) I saw Andrew Park driving a big black van that reminded me of Escalade. He looked like Rambo. 2) A bunch of white guys in a compact car said "Fuck you" as they drove past me. As they stopped at the red light, I actually shouted without thinking, "Manifest destiny can't save you from black people." Their brief reply was the same as their opening argument.
Oh, and Mrs. Spencer now knows two things about me: 1) I like Latinas and 2) I like Hannah Montana. Neither piece of information helps me at all in that class. Have a nice three-day break everyone.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Update
So I haven't updated in a while. School's a drag as usual, and I am falling into the habit of procrastinating which is frustrating. But the first semester is coming to a close soon. I am not sure if it's right that I am looking forward to the end of this schoolyear. As cliche as it is, me as a high school student will be gone soon, never to return, so I should enjoy this. Sadly I have very few special memories of my life as Oxford student. I've been able to meet some great people through Oxford but that satisfaction from forming a bond with nature or spending time with friends has been rare.
Meanwhile after the recent school rally, I wanted to address this issue that our class lacks class spirit. It seems that some people in our class are upset because we never win those fictitious spirit points and because we never cheer as loudly as other classes. To be honest, I think our class cheer rocked at the last rally. You can never go wrong by handing the mic off to Minh.
I think school rallies provide some of the much needed change from monotonous Oxford schedule but time could be better spent. I've never completely understood the purpose of class cheers. In fact, they symbolize everything that is wrong with society. Volume outweighs substance; the louder you shout out the nonsensical phrases, the better. Whenever I find myself surrounded by the yelling masses in the gym, I am reminded of the immense power wielded by an unthinking mob. Chants, loud chants, lull participants into groupthink. The winner of the best cheer is decided arbitrarily by judges with vested interest. The competitiveness of the game also leaves losers with a bitter aftertaste.
Despite my self-consciousness, though, I do try to take part in the rally as much as possible. That's because our class committee is really committed to this thing and works hard every time to try to make up a good cheer for us. It would be disrespectful to not participate. Still, I think we should come up with some laid-back, out-of-the-box class cheer that pokes fun at the whole event.
My birthday is coming up soon, and 18's a pretty significant number so I'm trying to think of ways to celebrate. Any ideas?
- EDIT -
I realized that I let my nonsensical, overblown (Seth would say liberal and anarchistic) comparisons of school rallies to sociological dysfunction distracted me from my main argument. I don't disapprove school rallies because the shouting involved poses some symbolic threat to our well-being. I simply don't feel inspired enough by the substance of a school rally to shout. To me, cheers and little mini-games don't do class competitions justice. They are not worth bickering about with people in other classes.
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