This Blog Made Possible From Viewers Like You...

Ok, because I am the coolest person ever I have spent the past 3 hours of my life infront of the television watching PBS. Ironically, I was at my dad's house where i do have cable, and perhaps this is just the result of my half-asleep haze, but i must admit that is some quality television...

the first thing that really caught my interest was a show called Roadtrip Nation. PBS sponsors 3 groups of friends from different countries on a roadtrip across north america to talk to people and find out more about what they want to do with their lives. This reminded me of something I've been wanting to do for ages, even before the whole roadtrip thing started the past summer. Seriously, I don't even really care who comes so long as i get to drive from connecticut to california, and really learn about what it means to be an American along the way. Our country is vastly diverse, and im sure that one cannot even begin to imagine how many billions of individual life stories from billions of different perspectives are waiting to be told. I have lived my entire life in a tiny little state in a tiny little portion of one of the largest and most influential countries in the world, and i want to see what the rest of it is all about.

the second show offered caught my interest because of its relativity to an upcoming paper i have due in my comparitive government class. (you laugh now, but just wait...) It informed me of the Clean Elections Campaign movement. This movement advocates that, because of the mass pecunial-based corruption in politics, canidates should have the option to run for election on public money if they can gain enough signatures and small 5 dollar contributions. They would have to agree however, to accept no donations from lobbyists and allow their time in office/while campaigning to be open to total scrutiny by the public. Though there are flaws to this plan (possible waste of taxpayer's money, and perhaps a little too much descriptive representation as just about anyone popular enough can run) I think that over all it is a good idea. Regardless of the specifics of the plan, I am glad to see that so many people are also aggrivated with how corrupt our political system is, and the desperate need for some sort of reform that will make politics more productive in actually meeting the needs of the people. One of my favorite fetures of the plan is that because canidates need to win over massive public support inorder to qualify, they will spend more time campaging from door to door and personally getting those five dollar contributions (that almost anyone can give) and signatures than talking to only a wealthy few.

But this also made me ask another question: once you're donating money into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, is it really going to make that much of a difference in your campaign's sucess? obviously money is needed to make pamphlets and T shirts, but does the flashy, pretty looking pamphlet really convince you more than the plain one regardless of the ideas inside it? I know that that's probably true, but doesnt that just make you feel a little bit ashamed, that your opinion is so easily swayed by something so superficial? we've known for a long time that money is power, but should it be?

(on the same note, i must admit that the PBS commercial to give them more money was very convincing, Is PBS really not owned by the govt? I always thought it was....Because if it seriously isn't owened by the govt or a major corporation and just doing this for the people like they said i am def considering a donation... not to mention their needy begging usually annoys the heck out of me and it's a few dollars closer to them shutting up if they ever will)

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What else is going on in my life? pretty much the usual nothing. I realized that my optometric prescrition has doubled in the past two years with me barely realizing it (yes, i may have been driving next to you) so now i'm gonna wear my glasses more often. Plus, i just got a really cute pair of purple ones that (hopefully) dont look as dorky as my old ones. My dad might finally let me drive with my friend (yayyy!) and my awesome-sexy-red-shoes came but theyre a size too big, so we'll all have to wait another month to see juicy's feet at their finest. I almost had and ED/EA related epiphany, but I still think Im'm gonna wait it out to regular decision, though I am a little frightened that I wont get in to either Brown or Harvard and will be wanting to shoot my current self. Any Advice? I'll give the full pros and cons another time.

20 Questions

So vertical had this funky questionairre thing, and I have four hours of free time, so here goes:
1. You can press a button that will make any one person explode. Who would you blow up?
a serial killer/rapist/pedophile/terrorist that would ruin countless lives otherwise
2.You can flip a switch that will wipe any band or musical artist out of existence. Which one will it be?
there are so many...just one is not nearly enough...
3.Who would you really like to just punch in the face?
probably some obnoxious bigot or chauvanist, or anyone who makes fun of my boobs
4.What is your favorite cheese?
this camembert with fruit in it, or baked brie with fruit and nuts on top. cheese-in-a-can is also there, but im not sure if it counts...
5.You can only have one kind of sandwich. Every sandwich ingredient known to humankind is at your immediate disposal. What kind will you make? sloppy joe, or six-inch-lettuce/cheese/tomato/mayo-on-honey-oat-bread (yes, i can do that all in one breath)
6.You have the opportunity to sleep with the movie celebrity of your choice. We are talking no-strings-attached sex and it can only happen once. Who is the lucky celebrity of your choice? hm...probably jack sparrow (not johnny depp, jack sparrow) or gordo from lizzie maguire
7.You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who do you pick? Slash from like 20 years ago when he was on the cover of rolling stone, omggggg
8. Now that you've slept with two different people in a row, you seem to be having an excellent day because you just came across a hundred-dollar bill on the sidewalk. Holy shit, a hundred bucks! How are you gonna spend it? i save part of it, the rest will eventually go to Starbucks and clothing, namely shoes (*feels bad* and maybe the african kids will get some too...)
9.You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go? Europe
10.Upon arrival to the aforementioned location, you get off the plane and discover another hundred-dollar bill. Shit! Now that you are in the new location, what are you gonna do? somehow fly one of my friends over mad cheap, and spend the rest of the money barhopping
11.An angel appears out of Heaven and offers you a lifetime supply of the alcoholic beverage of your choice. It is...? smirnoff ice, any flavor
12.Rufus appears out of nowhere with a time-traveling phone booth. You can go anytime in the PAST. What time are you traveling to and what are you going to do when you get there? probably 4pm any weekday in the summer. im hanging out with my friends at the pool club or at home (aka doing nothing) then getting online and drinking and talking to people for like 4 hours (again, aka doing nothing) sleep. repeat.
13.You discover a beautiful island upon which you may build your own society. You make the rules. What is the first rule you put into place? no rules, just right...
14.You have been given the opportunity to create the half-hour TV show of your own design. What is it called and what's the premise? "awkward"-me and my friends lives at boarding school
15.What is your favorite curse word? Fuck (esp. when combined with shit, ie, Shitfuckers!!!!)
16.One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by MUMMIES. The mummies aren't really doing anything, they're just standing around your bed. What do you do? call the shrink, i've finally snapped
17.Your house is on fire, holy shit! You have just enough time to run in there and grab ONE inanimate object. Don't worry, your loved ones and pets have already made it out safely.So what's the item? am I a horrible person for saying my cash stash? laptop is probably more practical, or all my legal documents. (sorry for being so boring and practical, maybe my yearbooks or stuffed cow/bear when you get down the list...)
18.The Angel of Death has descended upon you. Fortunately, the Angel of Death is pretty cool and in a good mood, and it offers you a half-hour to do whatever you want before you bite it. Whatcha gonna do in that half-hour? sex...just, sex....(preferably with someone attractive but im not gonna be picky on my death bed)
19.You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what's even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What's it gonna be? no thanks, my nexus powers are already enough (i also happen to be the Daughter of God)
20.You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again? didnt you just ask that? though i do have a bunch of things from middle school, like dousing paul gamble with capri sun or winning the arm wrestling match in bio just to name a few...
21.You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be? none, shit happens, how you deal with it helps shape who you are (though i suppose thinking i was actually gonna die last year sorta sucked...)
22.You got kicked out of the country for being a time-traveling heathen who sleeps with celebrities and has super-powers. But check out this cool shit... you can move to anywhere else in the world! Bitchin'! What country are you going to live in now? England or France (or start my own country, mwhahahah!)
23.This question still counts, even for those of you who are under age. Check it out. You have been eternally banned from every single bar in the world except for ONE.Which one is it gonna be? the beach shack where we go on vacation, shout outs to JJ and Bob!!
24.Hopefully you didn't mention this in the super-powers question.... If you did, then we'll just expand on that. Check it out... Suddenly, you have gained the ability to FLOAT!!! Whose house are you going to float to first, and be like "Dude, check it out... I can FLOAT!"? Bagel's...as if his mom doesn't already think im enough of a wierdo...
25.The constant absorption of magical moonbeams mixed with the radioactive vegetables you consumed earlier has given you the ability to resurrect the dead famous-person of your choice. So which celebrity will you bring back to life? Jesus
26.The Celestial Gates of Beyond have opened, much to your surprise because you didn't think such a thing existed. Death appears. As it turns out, Death is actually a pretty cool entity, and happens to be in a fantastic mood. Death offers to return the friend/family-member/person, etc. of your choice to the living world. Who will you bring back? maybe my paternal grandma, never really knew her too well, no one reallllllly close to me has ever died (luckily) so i might ask one of my older relatives or friends what they want and do them a favor.
27.What's your theme song?
depends on my mood, though I want them to play "I hope you dance" at my funeral

Wow This is a Pathetic Post...

Ok, for those of you that do not know me, i go to a school where we have a half day of school on wednesdays and saturdays instead of a full day on wednesday. I dont normally mind this, except I dont really get that much sleep (at least not when im actually working hard)

But this weekend is special. I have no classes saturday, i am not taking the evviiiill SATs again, and my afternoon program starts whnever i want it too. In other words: pARTAYYYYY!!!!

..well, actually no. We had this really funny SAT dinner (which is def the most ive laughed in a month, how sad is that...) i've been online for an hour, and in another 30 minutes my friend and i are watching Nip Tuck on DVD. I will probably be passed out after 2 episodes. I finally have a real weekend, and this is what i do with it...(i was considering getting ahead in my work, but that might be too shameful even for me) Seriously. What is school doing to my already barely- existant-by-a-thread life? I suppose i would have more to do if all my other friends were also not having class/not taking the SATS/ not going to a wedding, but still....Where's the highschool we've always wanted? How did I end up here again? WHERE ARE THE KEGS MAN??

oh well, im going home next weekend, this is def inspiration to make it kick ass....(unless of course i tour more colleges....fuck)

while i'm bftsob, what else is happenning in my fraction of a life? ooh, i scared some prospective students away the other day (with the help of joe yankus in a skirt) and my room is fucking freezing. untill then, when it does happen, ill let you know...

The Elliptical is a LIE!!!!!!!!

Seriously....I've always figured there was a difference between the elliptical and
the treadmill, but this is absurd. If I can run 3 miles nonstop in a little under
half an hour on the elliptical, I'm in good shape, right? Apparently not. I did a
warm up mile on the elliptical (yes ladies and gentleman, Juicy does, infact,
exercise on occassion)and then went on the treadmill, only to find that after 2/3
of a mile at 6mph (which still only gets me a ten minute mile) I was out.
Furthermore, I can only cringe when I think of the time it once took me twelve
minutes to run a mile on the elliptical...

Anyway, this is my goal- by the time I graduate i will be able to do 3 consecutive
miles on the treadmill in just at or under half an hour (and also have a killer
stomach cuz apparently running on the treadmill works your abs too)


Ok that's really it for today....come visit me in the costumes shop!!!

oh ps- Mark Sutherland still needs to die, and I'm not terribly happy with vertical either....(which is like the understatement of the century)

Back In Orange...

I was bored and catching up with all my friends' blogs, so I decided to get back in the game. Heres whats been on my mind.

1. Maybe its just because i have more friends this year (being a senior, you meet alot of people in 3 years...) but i find myself being more and more of a gossip whore. Now, gossip is very interesting and funny and all, but sometimes it feels like we never talk about anything else. Obviously relationship drama is a quality aspect to life in highschool, but c'mon, we don't need to discuss it ad nauseum. there is more to life....right? You may hear me say something like "life is getting too small" what i mean to say is that my main area of focus has been reduced to such a tiny specturm (often to school, gossip/relationships, my friends, and in winter, hockey) and i feel i am becoming a less beneficial member of society by being so superficial. Obviously there's not much else going on in our young and meaningless (or at least very often, directionless) lives, but it would be nice to at least be able to hold an intelligent conversation about something else. (then again, if you have anything juicy, im still all ears...)

2. So everyone else seems really stressed out about this college thing and im well...not. i mean, i am concerned, and probably should schedule some interviews, but i just sortof have faith that i'll get in somewhere. My grades and extra curriculars are good, and i may not get into Harvard (my on and off top choice) but im still not heading to High Point University any time soon. (their brochure reads "complimentary beverages in between classes! new leather furniture in all the dorm rooms!" i kid you not...) On that note, with my list only consisting of 3 ivies and smith so far, i do really need to start looking at more safety/plausible schools, but i find myself really reluctant to take a college weekend, i can do this during winter break, right?

3. On the topic of stress, kiddies, here is the secret to school success: get lots of sleep and take lots of english classes. You would think my schedule would be harder than last year, i have double the number of APs plus a philosophy class and skipped a level in french. Is it? no, not at all. Maybe i am just used to working my ass off until 3am junior year (*shudder*) but with a whole 3 free blocks and teachers that could care less about actual deadlines (again, i stress the humanities...) this year so far has been amazing. last year i worked my ass off for a B+, and A-s were the rare product of hard, hard, work. This year i cant help but feel like im slacking off, but ive gotten two 95s in a row, plus a bunch of other As. infact, the only bad grades ive gotten were an 86 (horrible, i know) and a 77 (were working on that...) I am also getting 7 hours of sleep a night, something that could even be called 'breakfast' (portable coffee mugs=genius) and having a social life. maybe i just keep getting lucky (nexus powers) and sometimes i really feel i am pushing it, and that this bubble is going to burst and come back to bite me in the ass, but until then i am seriously not complaining...

though on that note, i probably should actually do my french HW, seeing as that 77 still needs a lift...later!

A Day in the (not so juicy) Life of Juicy

So everyone else (aka all like five people whose blogs i read) is writing about their life, so i figured i might as well try and amuse you with mine. The key word in that sentance of course, is try.

Today was nice because it was raining. Maybe it seems odd to be on a dock in a new england during a mild storm, but it's actually really cool. i dont know if it's something about the surrounding fresh chaos, or the feeling of mysterious possibility (as if a sherlock holmes novel could begin to unfold around you at any minute) but it is, and has a kick ass sound track to boot. I spent the afternoon running errands with dad for his boat, going back to hang out on his boat, and reading my book for english next year on boat in middle of said rainstorm. It was chill.

When we came back to my house, my dad didnt want me to get sick ( i was sopping wet) so he instisted i have a rum shot, and kept saying "it's good for you! It's good for you" (ok dad, whatever...) I hate anything straight over 40%, (then again, the last hard liquor i had was green, maybe not such a good sign...) so i went to mix it but he insited I take it straight. We clinked, and he pretty much just laughed at me while my eyes started to well up. I was just recoverying the feeling in my esophagus when I got a hint of a slightly more pleasant after after taste and realized: I miss beer! Seriously, what the fuck is up with this country, stupid enforced liquor laws...it's disgusting. Vertical: that weekend is coming, and soon (even if i have to say i'm staying at elizas or something) Koopon and Klingon- when do you guys learn to drive?

Anyway, my grampa came over for dinner and i sat through the usual words of wisdom while my dad sang along to this random opera song he's obessed with (it was the same song last week) the homemade pasta was good. Then my dad started talking about how cool it would be if i got into Harvard or Brown, and how the double advantage being a woman there is all the great guys i would get to meet, and i might even marry a sucessfull buisness person! I totally called him out on this of course (and they wonder why im such a fem nazi at school...) and even my grandpa agreed with him. thats like, beyond a generation gap! But really, for starters, if it's a feminine advantage as opposed to a male one, then i guess im gay all of a sudden because it works both ways. Second of all, if i can't sleep over my guy friends houses now, how on earth can i be in prime condition to produce grandbabies by the time im in my 20s!

After dinner my grandpa gave me a ride back to my mom's house. I complimented her on the bow from the chocolate box that she tied in her hair, told her rum might make a great cure for her ulcer, and then went to my room to read more. I got bored with reading and too impatient to read on to the saucy bits, so i've been online ever since, sitting infront of the TV watching sitcoms sans cable, and there's really no one interesting online to talk to so I'm writing this (actually there almost was, but ill get to that later) it's 12:30, and i seriously need to finish that book so i can get up and write that essay tomorrow, but oh well.

Hold on, was that some thing juicy that was hinted at in the last parenthetical? well, sorta, not really. a friend of mine once told me i was a nexus of fate, so perhaps the unvierse is extra sensitive to my 'i'm sixteen and still single will someone please shoot me' cries. Day 1: old 'friend' (who has been trying to hang out with me since 7th grade) brings it up again, i finally block him after telling him that i wont hang out with him because i have this not so farfetched impression he's just been trying to get in my pants for years. His pre-block response? something like "why would i ever try for someone that i know is out of my league?" Ok dude, a word of advice before i go: no girl is that stupid, work on the BS lines. Day 2: So about a year ago, i turned down the opportunity to hook up with this really cute drunk guy on my last night in Paris, mainly because i'm a deaf idiot. Anyway, so I IMed him a little after the trip, nothing he seemed too interested in. But on Day 2, he IMs me totally out of the blue, stressing the 'we should hang out' and gives his cell. He lives in NY and was probably drunk (as always), but it's nice to know i've got a drinking buddy in the city who owes me some action ; ) Day 3: already buzzed on the last 2 days of pseudo lovin, i IM a cute guy i've known a bit after he rated me something on facebook. (i actually rated him something awhile ago, but oh well) I was being sorta odd (and made this one really bad joke) so i sorta let the convo die, but when it was good it was good, and at least there are other people in the world with whom i can randomly speak french.

OK so now it's 1 am and i'm cracking up over fraisier re runs, still not reading, and it's raining again. (just in case you started to think my life was actually getting interesting)

PS: if you derive nothing from this pretty pointless entry, know this: POETRY.COM IS A LIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Flavor of What???

Ok, what is it that everyone finds so enticing about Flavor Flav? He's short, skinny, looks dishevelled all the time, wears a VIKING hat (which by the way is so not ghetto), is sorta squinty, has a raspy voice, and overall looks like a bit of a junky. Now I feel bad for writing this, and I'm sure he's a very nice person and all, but in the real world 'nice' normally doesn't get you your own TV show where a variety of attractive women are all vying to be with you. *trys to fend off bad blogging karma*

Which brings me to another question: what is it that would encourage young women in this society to go on a show where they will all be vying for one man? it seems fun to a certain extent, but when you have all these girls saying "omigod he has to pick me! he has to pick me!" you start to see just a bit of an imbalance in power/respect. maybe this is just me being a fem nazi (though they do it for guys too and i don't think that's good either) but don't they realize that he probably means alot more to them then they do to him? (seeing as he has a choice between six and all...)

Remember back when The Bachelor(ette) was on? Right and left, you'd hear the contestants proclaiming their love for the prize and getting all emotional, without realizing it's all BS! I mean, they put you in a house, cut you off from the rest of the world, and make you contest for one prize with a bunch of other people in the exact same circumstance. Obviously, this is going to have the same psycological effect of placing a group of people together on an abandonned island: they're all going to go a little whacco. You're not actually in love, you stupid person, your emotions are just being amplified because at that time, the producers have made sure that that person and the contest is all you have to think about! How can you not realize that?!? Furthermore, what would entice someone to waste a whole television season's worth of their life trying to get together with a total stranger? Couldn't you at least go on the Trump show and get a decent job? or Project Runway (personal fav) and try and become a well-renouned fashion designer? Do you seriously have no other talent that is currently in demand by television audiences? (Chances are, you do. Pants Off Dance Off anyone?)

August is Such a Bullshit Month

...I mean seriously, when was the last time something exciting ever happenned in August. Everyone goes abroad or to camp in july, then comes back in August and either goes on some random family vacation, does all the reading/summer work they put off during july, melts by the pool, or finds some other way to essentially do nothing. Time itself seems to be getting lazy- when was the last time you automatically knew what the date was in August? There's no denying the lingering sense of boredom that seeps into the million small moments that comprise this month. And it's effects are clear: with little else to think about, people seem constantly caught up in their own neurosis. When this is not the case, the lack of activity causes people to make stupid decisions (piercings, beards, the list goes on...) and follow completely random and nonsensical trains of thought. (like about skittles) Come to think of it, the effects of the month of August are very similar to those of drugs. True, if it weren't for the fantastic dullness that is August people would not even mildly look forward to going back to school, nor would they have anything to romanticize about after the windy rush of September has come, but until then, August sucks.

Red White and Bull Shit: Exactly How Dependable Is Democracy?

If there's one thing everyone seems to be able to agree on in America, it's that we all have the right to disagree. We have turned that train of thought into a system we prize very much, also known as democracy. Democracy of course has multiple advantages, but sometimes I can't help but see some fallbacks to the utillitarian, 'power to the people' philosophy, especially with the current elections in place. Just because people vote for a canidate, are they really voting for what they want or need?

If you read my last blog entry/quote, it's frightening to think that some people would support a variety of issues that they have no idea about, simply because a canidate claims to support Christian values. True, he is against abortion, gay marriage, and a large amount of stem cell research, but what about the billions of other things he's affected? One issue voting is a pretty dangerous way to go if you're not looking at the whole picture. And finally, what the hell does religion have to do with politics in general? Aren't we supposed to be glad we at least try to put up the illusion of seperating the two, having viewed the atrocities of middle eastern theocracies? Everyone has a right to their own beliefs, and if you want to believe that the gay couple next door to you are going to burn in hell for their sins, that's fine. But leave the punishing up to God, not the government. (And if you do think the government is more necessary than God to do that, then I ask you to reasses your personal faith to begin with.)

A lot of people are also far too easily swayed by charisma. Just because a canidate has good social skills, it does not mean he has good leadership skills. Wasn't it President Johnson whose poor social skills actually made him work even harder for people while he was in the oval office just to gain their support? That's the kind of thing that should sway a person's vote, not a sturdy handshake or a kiss on your baby's forhead. In fact, alot of the campaigning that happens, especially for the presidency, is frankly total BS. It's pure marketing. Whether it's republicans trying to appeal to family values and small home town America, or democrats just insulting the hell out of the Bush presidency at any excuse, neither of these are particularly informative to me when the polls open up. Why can't they just skip all the PR bullshit and give me a list of what each canidate is standing for and what (s)he's not, what (s)he plans to do about current and possible future problems, and maybe even have and independant organization do some research for me. How did (s)he do in lower politics? what is the ratio of things (s)he said (s)he would do compared to the things (s)he actually did? etc. etc. I know it sounds oversimplfied, but I would much rather have a straightforward packet of information from an unbiased organization than have to listen to speeches that try and speak to our emotional side instead of our sensible one. True, we've got the debates, and I don't know how many voters tune in for them, but I have a feeling it's miniscule compared to the hoards of people at political campaign events. And didn't Kennedy even manage to turn the debates into a PR event? Finally, if you're going to advertise yourself, please do advertise yourself. One of my major pet peeves is when politicians devote entire add campaigns to spilling dirt on their opponents. Seriously, do you have anything better to say? At least try to balance it out a little.

Then of course, there are the people who join a party and stick to it. It doesn't matter who they're voting for, so long as their party is in power. I also think this is not such a good idea. Do you know why some sort of two part system has lasted in this country almost since it was founded? that's because, and obviously no devoted party member will admit it, but neither ideology is perfect for every situation. It's a known fact that when the economy is going well, people want freer markets and fewer trade barriers, while in times of economic trouble people will sacrafice more capitalistic freedoms for food on the table. It doesn't make sense to vote for the same party at every election, simply because the changing times make some idealogies better for the current situation than others. (This doesn't hold true in all cases, but it can be said about many of them)

So what should we do about this? Sadly, there's not much. I think it would be great if we could create an organization to compile and distribute completely unbiased information about canidates to every registered voter, (which would probably cause an onset of slander lawsuits and bribing, not to mention be very costly) and maybe give every voter a class in how to handle and analyze this information to what really suits their needs, (again, mucho opportunities for subjectivity and a huge cost to tax payers) then we would see a more intelligent voter turn out. This way, canidates could cut the crap and be forced to get to the point. I know this program sounds really idealistic, but something has to be done.

American people live in a country that empowers them more than many other countries worldwide, and in exchange for this great power comes the responsibility to use it wisely by voting intelligently. Just think of how much happier everyone could be if they invested a little more thought and effort into the future of their country or state! Think of the higher standards government would be held to, and the better integrity of its people and policies! It's pathetic that a large percentage of Americans don't even care enough to vote to begin with, but of those who do, so many are easily swayed for the wrong reason. Only the people can stop this, and if it continues, only the people will suffer.

Oh Lord, Please No!

“Most of my friends are believers,” said Shannon Staiger, a psychotherapist and church member, “and they think if you’re a believer, you’ll vote for Bush. And it’s scary to go against that.”

Fight The Power! (well, not really...)

The other night a friend of mine was complaining about popular people. He essentially upheld the stereotypes of all circa 1980s-2000s teenage movies (their tyranny must be overthrown, they are all souless clones, etc...) while delving deeper to ask "Why them? Why are their opinions and tastes more acceptable to society than other people's?" But the truth is, neither of those statements is true. So get out your crazy clothes, start learning elvish, get a mohawk, or strap on that pocket protector, and I will explain to you how society works.

Let's look at the bigger picture:
Ever since...well, a long time ago there has always been a culture and a counter culture. The 50's had jocks and greasers, the 60s had more preppy jocks and hippies, the 70s were essentially the same except everyone did drugs, the 80s had yuppies and punks, etc. etc. Though at first these counter culture groups were feared and disrespected, they actually gained more respect and influence in the long run compared to their mainstream opposition. Let's look at hippies for example: My dad was raised hardcore conservative in the 50s/60s, so it is a given that he hates hippies. He was raised to see all of the more negative images associated with them, such as rampant drug use and lack of cleanliness, and he was not alone. Many people of that generation did not accept the hippy culture, which what made it so radical at the time. Now however, hippies are cool. Kids dress up as them for halloween, bell bottoms are back in (to stay!), tye dying T-shirts is a popular activity, and 60's music is one of the most popular genres. Most people nowadays recodnize that- despite the darker side of hippiedom- hippies did do alot to better our society, and make it more free and accepting.

How did hippies go from being ruled out to respected in the short run aswell? (By the seventies, many originally hippie-introduced concepts and fashions had become perfectly acceptable) The truth is, conservatism is boring, even for conservatives. So, very slowly at first but then at a far more rapid pace, counter culture ascends to culture. We see this happenning all the time. A perfect example of this is what's happenning in the music industry as we speak. Who was popular ten years ago? Backstreet Boys, N'Sync, and Britany Spears. Sure, classic pop artists exist and are still being signed, but who's getting the radio play now? Green Day, Simple Plan, and My Chemical Romance. Several years ago, those groups would have had far less publicity than they recieve today. (yes, Green Day was around and well several years ago, but they've definitley changed their look to fit the mold) Ten years ago, if someone turned on TRL, they would have been shocked to see a 'hardcore punk' band, something that was considered counter culture at the time, but now MTV is even getting out its studded collars and tattoos during prime time. Hot Topic went from being "the scary store with iron gates for doors" to "hey, let's go in and check out the t shirts!" (though perhaps that's more a product of age than trend) oh, and here's a juicy facy for ya: Hot Topic is owned by the GAP.

But if counterculture eventually becomes culture, where does the counterculture vibe go? This is where the water gets muddied, and the poser is born. Because counterculture wants to hold on to their rebellious and sometimes even presumptious attitude, any one less 'hard core' than they are, or who attempts to imitate their lifestyle for any reason, is quickly labelled a poser. One must keep in mind that whether or not some one or something is a poser is completley up to perspective. Some of my friends, for example, are really into My Chemical Romance, Simple Plan, Hawethorne Heights, etc. Though these bands are by no means bad, they are quickly becoming a dime a dozen. I have a tendency to refer to them as 'poser bands' because though they appear to be edgy and 'hardcore', most of their songs (from what I've heard) are about relatively light material, and follow the same pattern of most temporarily popular bands these days. (the "I'm a bad ass and don't care what you think" song, the "omg rebel girls are so hot" song, etc. etc.) The father of all these groups of course, is Good Charlotte. They were really cool when they first came out, but were then quickly labelled the ultimate in poser punk.

So getting back to the highschool scene...Things are definitley not as they used to be, or at least as they were portrayed in movies and television. Though every highschool is different, there are no 'popular people vs losers', at least in the traditional sense. Though some people may have more friends than others, it is rare to see someone truly wishing to 'climb the social ladder.' (Then again, perhaps I was just spoiled with an exceptional Highschool/Jr. Highschool experience) The people that end up being labelled as 'popular' are usually just conservative, while those who take it upon themselves to be 'outcasts' are those that follow the counter-cultural trend of the day, even though they have just as many friends. It's not that one side is more advatageous than the other, they are simply different. While the conservative, 'popular' people may think to themselves "Yay! Look at us, we're so popular!" the counter-cultural 'outcasts' think "Ew! Who wants to be a stupid popular person? We're so much cooler!" Both sides remain perfectly content and happy with their self-percieved spot on the social spectrum.

While the older stereotype is losing its steam,(pops on top, dorks on bottom) we can see how the bigger picture plays into all this. Nerds and losers have been on the counter-cultural backburner for ages, so it is only fitting that they too have their day in the sun. What was one of the most popular films last year? Napolean Dynamite. Another one? Lord of the Rings. There are tons of t-shirts advocating classic nintendo games and other nerdy past times, along with "Talk Nerdy To Me" and "I [heart] Nerds." Yes my tetris loving friends, my friend could not have been more wrong, your day has come!

But there's one more question: "Why are 'popular' (conservative) opinions automatically more acceptable to society than counter-cultural ones?" Well the truth is, they aren't, it all depends which side of the spectrum you're on. Imagine a J. Crew model and a dedicated Marilyn Manson fan both giving each other wierd looks as they walk past each other. If you want to apply for a job as an accountant, wear a conservative style suit. If you want to join a rock group, dress as radically as possible. I understand that that's based on a lot of stereotyping, and I wish that wasn't the case, but it's pretty much true.

Did You Know...?

Do you know what I discovered today? Of course not. Why? because you are not me, nor are you blessed with my supreme intellecutual abilities, nor (in all likelihood) telepathic powers allowing you to observe my advanced thought processes. However, you are a subscriber to my blog, and in return for such interest and loyalty, it is only fair that you are given a few glimpeses into the happennings of my genius intellect. So here you are:


In the movie 'Amelie', Amelie uses her dad's garden gnome to inspire him to fulfill his life dream of travelling all around the world. She does this by taking pictures of him in front of posters of a variety of locations, creating the illusion that he has actually been there.

In the commercials for Travelocity.com, the 'Roaming Gnome' serves as Travelocity's mascot, also visiting a variety of locations, and 'denouncing travel myths.'

IT'S THE SAME BLOODY GNOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, maybe they're not aesthetically identical, but I bet you anything that's where Travelocity got the idea! HA! I GET IT!


...I hope you enjoyed this evening's revelation.


PS: Oh, and if you want to continue to follow in my intellectual footsteps, or at least try your best, read "The World Is Flat: Updated and Expanded" by T. Friedman. That should inspire you to go out and buy a hybrid car. But if such logic does not occur to you upon completion of that book, I'm sorry, but your puny mind is simply not capable of grasping such complex ideas.

Pep for Prep?

Well I just got the most kick ass shout out ever, so I figured i should get up off my lazy ass and give you mango addicts something to suck on for awhile, so here goes:

About a month ago, my dad forced me to go on a J. Crew shopping spree. Yes, I am dead serious. He made me try on a polo and a skirt, and then bought three colors in each for me to wear at his office when I'm working there (which, FYI, I will now definitley be avoiding. I cannot spend 8 hours infront of a desk, it is simply impossible. Yes, I did actually fall asleep.) I told him of course that this was futile, a joke, and that the clothes were destined to be in Goodwill by the end of the summer. but he persisted, and I am now the shameful owner of three J. Crew polos and three J. Crew skirts.

The key word in that sentance, however, is shameful.

the truth is, one of the skirts (an army colored green-good basic thing to have) isn't so bad. Though at first the polos seemed ill fitting on me, on a second go they're not too hideous, and are actually ridiculously comfortable. In fact, So long as I kept the funky rainbow bracelets, large sunglasses, and earrings, the ensemble really wasn't half bad looking at all, and I'd gladly wear it again. Now for those of you that know me, you might be thinking "WHAT? Emma's gone preppy?!?" and to a certain extent that's why It took me a while to come to terms with these unsettling facts. After all, Isn't that one of evil's purest forms? But keep reading, and your fears shall be assuaged.

It's not that I've 'gone preppy' or even changed the way I dress on a daily basis, I merely opened myself up to a new style, and was reminded about something I had forgotten. I had forgotten than I don't- or at least seriously should try my absolute best to not- support stereotypes. (A personal rule I've been pretty much ignoring lately) In fact, back before I came to prep school, I had no idea what "preppy" was. Seriously, when I got here I thought that the only reason peoples' collars never stayed down was because the laundry service was too lazy to iron things properly. Before prep school, when confronted with Lilly Pulitzer or Eliza B., I had a completely open mind and would gladly try on the clothing. But once I discovered they were all key brands to preps everywhere, I became a little less willing.

So what was wrong with preppy all along? It's not that the style looks so bad, as I've come to realize, (unless of course you're a guy, then there are some definite limits) but it's what the style is associated with. Conformity, and above all things, conservatism. Why are there so many fads in preppy style? Because deviation from the norm is so rare. Why is everyone jumping to get multicolored plaid shorts? Because they're the most original thing designers have come out with in the preppy lines. When was the last time they seriously redesigned anything except for changing the color or fabric? Preppy may seem new and refreshing for me, but for others, it's a boring norm which they have never dared to deviate from for generations.

But before I try to turn my nose up at stereotypes all together, I must admit the term "preppy" does cover a multitude of sins, making it a very useful adjective. If someone is preppy, they don't just dress it, they act it, speak it, and flaunt it with pride. So are stereotypes really that bad then? I suppose they have their place, but we shouldn't let them rule our lives or close our minds, even though such a thing is inevitable. I can't help but wonder...What If I was raised dressing preppy? What if, on my first day of prepschool, I had worn a J. Crew ensemble, instead of all black professional looking slacks and a lacy blouse? (which I admit was wayyy too low cut by the way) Would things have been any different? The truth is, there's a chance they might have, and that is unsettling- more unsettling, at least, than how I look in a polo shirt.

The Power of a Paperclip?

MAJOR SHOUT OUTS TO KYLE MACDONALD!!!


Not only did you just get great publicity for Blogspot and aspiring bloggers all over, you proved that if people just work together and give up little things they dont need for the greater good, miracles can be accomplished. (yes that was uber overbye esqe) I'm inspired and encouraged!

Roadtrip?

well we all seem to want it to happen, and since you all check my blog, i figure we can figure it out here.


Weekdays are best for me during the day, but not if you're staying overnight until later july. However, this can be worked around. (ill just sleep thru drivers ed-as always) Josh- when is stiffy over? that is causing probs

Weekends are good too, i just need to know a little more in advance. This weekend= maybe if all the other ones are taken, but i have a close friend who moved coming over too. i can move this but she might be pissed, or you can meet her (though im not sure if shell be crazy about a day of star wars and DandD, and we'll have lots of catching up to do) so yeah probly not. Next weekend= i will likely be visiting a college fri or sat, and have a scheduled drivers ed thing friday aswell, but part of sat and sunday is open. Weekend after= i'm free, overbye is out of town. Maybe we should wait tilll early august? or when all the public kids are back in school but we have another week (ill be reallly bored then)

What are we doing?
the following have been suggested:
*camping (are you guys staying overnight or just leaving at 5 am?)
*Star Wars marathon (all 3 oldies)
*DandD (ill need teaching)
* any other ideas?


COMMENT!!!

Sappy vs. Sensitive

Well originally I wasn't going to bother, but I'm bored and stuck in the library till this storm clears up, so I might as well...

There is a clear and distinct difference between sappy and sensitive guys. Here Goes:

Sappy:
Sappy guys may seem enjoyable at first, and the extra attention is pleasant for a period. They like you, ALOT, and you will know about it soon enough. Some times, these guys can turn out to be good companions, though only someone as innocent or naive as they are would probably consider an actual relationship. (There are special circumstances of course, but this is what I’ve gathered from life) How do you recognize a sappy guy? It's easy enough. They are clingy. They will pay lots of attention to you andIM or Call you multiple times regardless of how much you ignore them. (Though obviously that applies to desperate losers as well) They will remember birthdays, but also minor insignificant events involving you. They will obviously try to act cute or funny around you. All usual flirting behavior, only to the extreme. They also tend to be very inexperienced. Once, a "sappy" guy went up to my locker to say bye to me (we were sorta friends) and did a hand shake, making it obvious that he liked me, was nervous, and was unsure of proper platonic actions to be taken. But most importantly: a sappy guy doesn’t just like you, he LOVEs you. Though some people may find this sweet, and maybe even return the affection (and if so, more power to ya) most girls will recognize that it is essentially impossible to "LOVE" someone, especially if you've only known them for a short period of time, which only makes them look more inexperienced and (ironically) hormone driven. Luckily, for them and us, most guys outgrow their "sappy" phase (which is essentially caused by inexperience) once they have found someone equally as naive and sappy to go out with, and/or generally gained more experience in the dating world. I figured most guys had had most of the sap drained out of them by 16, but I get pleasantly surprised on a daily basis : )

Sensitive:
Any guy who has progressed into the dating world, but still retained a serious amount of sap is often labeled "sensitive." However, to be perfectly honest I don't think I've ever met a guy that wasn't "sensitive" in his own way. Though it is very important to be able to tell the difference between "I love you" and "I-love-you-ok-I-said-it-now-let's-have-sex", and I'm sure there are many ass holes out there that I haven’t met yet, but everyone has their soft spot; it just might be harder to find. When girls say they're looking for someone who's "sensitive" they really mean someone who will be considerate and pay attention to them, which any guy will do eventually in his life if he finds someone he thinks is really special. (Sorry if that's not you at the moment, but no worries, you'll meet each other eventually.) Another thing that comes to mind when I hear that expression is the old stereotype. You know, the dumb, egotistical jock versus the less popular but "sensitive" nice guy. But the truth is, that jock has a "sensitive" side too, it just might not be as apparent or ready to act as the other guy. In short, the amount of "sap" guys retain into adulthood determines how "sensitive" they are. All guys have some sap, but some far more or less than others. And now we approach an interesting paradox: While the originally 'sappy' guy will evolve to reduce and harness his sap, the less sensitive guy will, through meaningful relationships, try to get in touch with his sappier side. (In an ideal world of course) Only now, because it has been saved up for so many years and its release has been well thought out, it is no longer sap. It has been distilled into the pure maple syrup of something special. That's the difference (to me) between Sap and Syrup. Syrup is something real that takes effort, and comes from enough background and experience to know that what's being experienced is unique and special, and not just some fantastic "sappy" whim stretched to extremes by artificial flavoring.

That's it everyone, hope you enjoyed. *continues to sip coffee and feel like Carrie Bradshaw*

Money Problem?

OK, I would just like to preface this post by saying that all my life I have tried to be a good member of society. I always felt sort of guilty for being really wealthy, and gave lots of money to charities. I would often feel disgusted when I thought about how Paris Hilton's shoe closet could probabaly support a starving 3rd world country for a week, or how the slightest unnecessary luxury of many wealthy people could feed hundreds of starving people for a year. I used to want to get a college degree so I could really help balance out the world (and essentially, I still do) But then, I went to the Hamptons....

In the Hamptons, there are docks, and on the docks, there are the most beautiful yachts you have ever seen. I'm not kidding. Streamlined, four floors, tons of beautiful recessed lighting adorning decks with chic cocktail parties being served by their own private bartenders and chefs, excercise bikes, big screen flat panel TVs with surround sound, several jet skis per vehicle. These things were fucking SEXY. That is really the only word that describes the feeling you get when looking at them, aside from the soreness of your gaping jaw.

...and that my friends, is the scary thing about, well, things. they are so alluring, its easy to lose track of the bigger picture, even though so much more productive things could be done with the money. And what is luxury anyway? Everyone had the same Model T ford, and was perfectly happy with it, until GM decided to make cars with different 'luxury features' (which were probably essentialy not too major and were just a result of overproduction) at different prices. Why did we do that? why, so many years ago even before that, did someone decide they had to have something to make themself seem more distinguished than the rest of society? is it human nature or human evil? and when it comes to capitalism, do we really need the reward of
"things" in order to do our best work? sure, not if everyone has a job they love, but then again, who's going to pick your fruit and sew your clothes? (because lets face it, the US is wayyy to evolved to return to a perfect indian society at this point, no matter what Chuck P says-or is it?)
Will we ever live in a perfect society where everyone has what they need, or have we already fucked ourselves over too much with our sexy yachts?

Here's an idea: What if we forced people to stop making luxury products all together, and then managed to take away all the ones that already existed? we could sell these products to the government either for everybody's use, or to melt down into more useful products. With the profits of selling all these items, we could repay the vendors who make their living off of creating them, and at least give them sometime to find another job. Could we really balance things out? (obviously it is impossible to just take away everyones stuff, but what if luxury items became so rare, that when people saw them it would be obvious that someone had cheated somehow, and instead of envy, they were filled with a feeling of disgust for that persons need to take away from everyone else?) And the most important question of all: Am I becoming a communist?!?!?

I know, I know, lots of questions not enough answers, but at least they're worth asking (even if you're not making a profit) : )

I HAVE A PLAN!!!!!!!!

Do you NOT want to go to college?
Are you content with going to technical school?
Do you prefer pimping over politics?
Do you desperatley need money?
Then I have the solution for you!!!

This is how it works: my future company will PAY ANYBODY standard registration fee (plus extra!) to take any standardized test of their choice! Dont want to sit there for three hours? You dont have too! just go through the test quickly, and purposefully fill out as many wrong answers as you can find. once you are done, feel free to doze off or read a book. its that simple!

Why am I doing this you ask? the truth is, im doing us all a favor! See, most standardized tests are graded on a national bell curve. by purposefully steepening the bell curve, not only will the test get easier, but higher grades will be distributed to the students that actually try because of how they compare to other students in the nation. In short- if you dont NEED a good SAT score, why have one when it could go to a better purpose? If you dont want to try, then dont! Slack Off! and now, we'll even pay you to do it! its really that simple!


Sign Up Today!

Cosmos Anyone?

I've decided the dedicate this next post to something I have much adoration for and that has taken me a considerable amount of time this summer: Sex and the City. (i also need to write my dad a poem for his 50th birthday, but ive been putting that off for weeks and another hour can't hurt)

what exactly is it that keeps me going back to the store on countless occassions, and now even splitting the bill over cash and credit card just so i can afford to have the next season as quickly as possible? Is it the theme music? The chic location? (NYC, DUH!), the "fabulous" parties and scenarios? or, much to the pride of Ms. Bradshaw herself im sure, the outfits? But this is not about my Sex and the City obsession, its about the show itself. Once you've watched as much of it as i have, (yes, i'll admit it) it does become easy to see why critics say what they do, and I have my own pet peeves, but often the more you pick the show apart, the better it gets.



1. All they ever talk about is guys!



Yes, the girls do have a tendency to obsess too much over guys, but the sad thing is, women do that, alot. In both real life and the TV show, everyone seems to think that they are out hunting for their perfect soulmate who will magically make all their problems go away. Some of the best in-jokes my friends and I share often go back to some horrible guy-based scenario gone wrong, and we can easily talk for hours analyzing the stupidest details. (Guys cannot possibly also be this obsessed, can they?) And seeing it all condensed does make you think: why do we care so much? Some critics may take this behavior as pathetic or shallow (which it sort of is) and blame poor SATC, but I think the show is smarter than that. After all, who said it better than Miranda in season two: "All we ever talk about anymore is [guys and penises] What about what WE think, WE feel, christ, does it always have to be about them!" And if one excellent thing is at work in the show, however, it is the way the four characters grow as they realize that nothing is perfect. who would have thought that Miranda, bent on gaining equal respect as a partner in her lawfirm, would spend two seasons raising a child? or that Charlotte, the innocent idealist, would almost break up her marriage soley because of sex? The irony may sound cliche, but its the irony you only find in real life. And I've even changed as a viewer. I used to dislike Miranda because she seemed boring and was less attractive, but now her intelligence and attitude (not to mention the adorable Brady!) are some things that make her my favorite of the four.



2. Carrie is stupid, and No one's life is really like that!


Thats another thing about the show: though sometimes the characters or scenarios might seem a bit silly or stylizied,(and the one-liners a little too fast) there is much real-life intelligence at work here. What exactly do people consider cheating? Do singles make up 'dating myths' to keep hope alive? Is monogamy not an expectation anymore? why do we always feel the need to classify our relationships? These are questions that almost anyone (or at least women) have asked themselves at some point or another (Even if most of them are questions that can only be answered with more questions)and that are pretty relevant to today's society. And as for the rest, what's wrong with a little romanticism on TV anyway (lord knows reality TV is overflowing with it) Who doesn't wanna be livin it up as a minor celeb in NYC? and it's interesting to see how they use the word "fabulous" sometimes. It almost seems superficial on purpose. After a bad break up, who doesn't want to go to a "fabulous" party and forget all their troubles? Yes Carrie does seem juevenille at times, and is no doubt a serious shopaholic who looses her cool from time to time, but as much as we hate to admit it, there is a Carrie in all of us.



3. What's with some of those outfits? and all those puns?



...yup, got me there.




PS: Yes, I too have just realized i watch waaaayyyyy too much SATC, but what can I say, it's fabulous!

Missing: My Romantic Readiness?

When I was in seventh grade I was one of the happiest, most enthusiastic, perkiest people I knew. I had almost everything I wanted, and I had an unshakable faith that the rest would all be taken care of. I wasn’t afraid to "dream big" and was sure that a perfect, happy future was looming somewhere beyond the horizon, and I could go in no other direction than towards the rising sun.

When life got a little grimmer the next year, I started to see the darker side of things. I would scold myself for allowing myself to be so naive and alienated from reality. I tried to shut out my inner dreamer, which so often had become associated with stupidity and superficiality. I would cringe at the thought of my former, smiling idiot self who was happy, I then thought, only because she had alienated herself to the bitter truths of life.

It’s ironic then, that three years later I find myself idolizing her. I have since realized that my great, inner happiness was not necessarily caused by self deception, but by my solid belief in all the exciting possibilities the present and future held. My “romantic readiness” so to speak. I now wish that the current me could be so willing to put all her hopes and aspirations into a complexly fabricated daydream, without trying to downplay these mental excursions as stupid and impossible fantasies to be seen in the mind’s eye, but never believed. I wish I could still believe, so wholly, in a happy future that was just around the corner. To smell the sense of possibility in every hot summer day and humid summer night, and just be really excited about the promises of my life, instead of being stuck in the dullness of one lifeless moment after another.

It’s very easy to lose your inner dreamer, and at first I reveled in my new wizened and skeptical self. It was like a misery-laced party for one- spending time moping, glaring, and bitter, believing only in a profound loss of all hope. But the truth is, the more you try to believe something, the more it becomes true. And eventually, at least with something like that, it gets old. The quest I face now is possibly far more challenging- trying to get my inner dreamer back, not only for the sake of my sanity, but for the great source of creative energy that comes with her. Is it a coincidence that around the time I started scolding my dreaming, creative part, I stopped playing dress up games and doodling pictures with all sorts of fantastic stories attached to them? I recently realized that we spend our entire lives trying to re learn what we learned in kindergarten- but I never realized to what degree I was correct.

And I know I’m not alone. It’s a quest as old as time. In genesis, Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge, realized they were vulnerable fools, and were forever expelled from paradise. Now, I am mimicking the same quest as the rest of their offspring: the search to my own mental state of Eden. I know it’s impossible to once again enjoy a perfectly conscious free bliss, (unless maybe I try drugs) but I also know that having seen the darker side of things, I might just find even truer happiness. I will not have just been born and raised in the garden, but I will have had the joy of knowing I worked to get there. And I can get there-I just need to believe it exists.

It is that outlook that allows me to accept the negative influences in my life, (after all, I often later thank them for what they have taught me) but I can’t let them live my life for me, or force me into a self-imposed prison of skepticism and lack of faith. I don’t need to force myself to be entirely content with the reality I have, i just need to appreciate it more. And , most importantly, for the things I don’t have I need to give myself full license to really believe in the possibilities of my existence, and all the great tings my future can hold if I let it. I need re-learn how to lose myself just enough in a dream to remember how good life can-and someday will- be. And after all, reality is only the way you choose to interpret it, and keeping a foot hold in reality is like anchoring a ship in water- sure, the general area stays the same, and that’s important, but the exact location is ever shifting with the tides. You’ll never know where it was, and you’ll never know where it will end up.

So Here Goes...

I beleive in the Green Light.
I beleive in the orgastic future which is not receeding, but approaching with my
every step.
and I beleive I can Go.


This entry is dedicated to Eliza, who never fails to astound me with her unlimited supply of joy and creativity.