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Saturday, November 9, 2013

Facing Disappointment

So, for the past two weeks, I have been preparing an audition for a theatre here that is doing Rent. I may or may not have mentioned before, but I was very big on theatre in high school. I was in almost every single production since my Freshman year and yes, I quite enjoyed it. Acting is a form of storytelling and remember how I want to be an author? Acting was a perfect way for me to release those storytelling urges.

The audition was this morning, and as you can tell from this post's title, it did not go over so well. But, I will come back to that later.

So then, for the past few weeks, I have been rehearsing my audition song and learning the music to Rent. I have never really paid attention to the show before, but it has amazing music. It is incredibly original and at the perfect point where it is both difficult and fun to sing. It is a challenge, but any good show has music that pushes the performers. My last show was Aida, and since its music shares similarities with Rent, I chose I Know The Truth from the show's second act. As I was rehearsing, the song definitely became better, and even my music teacher who was assisting me said I would do great. I was not going to embarrass myself during the audition; I was on level with the others who would be there.

No, I am not bragging. I am mearly showing that I went into this audition with confidence.

So, about that...

From the second I walked up to the theatre and saw who was also auditioning, I wanted to turn around and leave. Rent is a very sensual show, especially the character Mimi. And well...every girl was dressed like Mimi. Leather and tights, that is all I will say. And that is not a bad thing! Do not misunderstand and think I am shaming them for their clothing, not at all! I am pointing out that these are kids who have sold their soul to this character. And yeah, allow me to make a few points about myself and theatre kids.

Theatre kids are loud. Theatre kids have many emotions - all worn on their sleeve - and theatre kids will sell their soul to\for their roles.

Now, I am a very introverted person. Yes, I was constantly involved in theatre in school, but I am learning more and more everyday that I come from a very quiet place. The theatre kids at my school doubled as music kids, and music children are much more serious (as in stoic) and do not carry around their emotions to hand out like greeting cards. I am not loud. I am not high-strung and I will never spill the depths of my being as these theatre children do to one another. That is just not the kind of person I am.

So I auditioned. I did not make it. I am ok with this.

Actually, looking back, I am very happy I did not make the show.

The reason I auditioned was because I miss how theatre was in school. I miss creating my characters and breathing life into the script. I miss singing and playing music and everything that I did before. Being heavily involved in music, chorus, and theatre, and then coming to school and hardly touching any of them is a difficult transition. So, this was me taking a shot at bringing a bit of my past back. It did not work. And I am glad. If I had made this show, I would be committed to a cast of huge, screaming, competitive personalities.

Murder would have been committed.

I just cannot deal with people who blatantly spill their emotions. Doing it on stage is one thing, carrying it out of the show and into the normal world is another.

After the audition, I was very disappointed in myself. No, I did not do terribly, but I have done much better. And I did not make the cut. So, on the bus ride home, I kept telling myself that it did not matter, who cares, theatre is not even my major, blah blah blah. But you know, I may have said those things emptily to pick my esteem off the nasty bus floor, but there is some truth there. And quite honestly, this applies to disappointment in anything.

First off, I should not be laying my worth in the hands of a few people. The producers and directors of this show are lovely people, however, they do not determine the quality of my voice or my acting abilities. Just because a person does not make a show does not mean that they cannot sing or are untalented. Maybe their schedule conflicted. Maybe they are just unknown to the director; they may want somebody who they have worked with before. The point is, and especially in this business, there are a thousand and one different reasons to why you may not be casted. And that is just how it works. You can be just as good as everyone else and still not get the part. Even still, this does not determine your talent or your worth as an actor. This handful of people does not determine your worth as a person. I am someone who takes rejection very hard, so this is something I learned with great difficulty. But it is something that is so true it hurts. Yay! First rejection pain and now reality pain!

My second point is that this is not my major, which means, I do not have to do this or be good at this. Yes, I love performing, but I should not take this cut as a world shattering moment. I am a language major and that is what I should be focusing on, my grades and my understanding. After all, in four years, it will not be theatre that is supporting me, but my understanding of Japanese (and hopefully English because, hopefully, I will have a book out by then. Hopefully.) I have so many things going right and so many opportunities. I would be a spoiled child if I allowed this rejection to darken my mood and ruin my beautiful three day weekend.

Some people will read this and say that I am only saying these things to make myself feel better about not being casted. Whatever then. I mean, I kind of am doing that. What should I do instead? Cry about how unfair the audition was? Come up with some crazy prejudice the directors must have had against gingers? Those seem like bad ideas. I am not a fan of bad ideas.

Now that I do not have to worry about this show, I can instead worry about the two tests I have next week, the two books I am trying to finish, and I am going to take up kendo! Super excited about that! But really, this rejection hurt. I mean, I would not have audition and put in so much work if I thought I was not going to make it. But, life goes on. Life has better things for me and I am going to choose to move on without regrets.






Thursday, October 24, 2013

お久しぶりね。。。

So yeah...long time no see! Why? Well...it is a mixture of busyness, laziness, and college. But yeah, I thought maybe I should update a bit more. Nothing is quite as depressing as a dead blog floating aimlessly on Google.

What has been happening in my life? Well, Hawaii is great! I have only been sunburned twice! I do not think the sheer beauty of that can be understood unless you also live in a place where the Sun has only been covered by rain clouds three times in the past four months.

How is Japanese? Quite nice. Now that I am more into my classes, Japanese is actually my favorite. Good thing too, I would be in a downward spiral if I learned I had chosen the wrong major.

Interestingly enough, I have actually made friends here. One must understand that I do not enjoy being social nor do I enjoy partaking in the normal college festivities known as parties. Therefor, the fact that I have found others who share my distaste of such things is amazing. The group of us are all actually similar in our anti-socialness, so of course, we are social with one another. Funny how things work out...

The bugs. Oh my gods, the bugs here.






This was outside my dorm.

 No.

Another time, my roommate and I were walking at night to go print something from the library. We have amazingly awesome trees here that are perfect for climbing, however, that is frowned upon. So, since no one was around, I decided to finally climb a tree. It was super dark so I just went to the trunk and I was just all ready to start climbing, but then, I saw something moving on the branch above me. I stared for a moment and realized it was a centipede. Not just a normal centipede, but a freaking giant monster creature. It was the length of my forearm. You do not understand how quickly I ran away. I was so disturbed.  

The main problem however are the cockroaches. I think we have removed ten or so from our room alone. I have removed more from the hallway and once I opened the trash chute and found a horde. They are not here because we are messy and dirty - even though our room is quite messy in itself - so please do not assume the building is filthy; these bugs just happen to be everywhere! I have mastered the art of catching and flushing said creatures. However, if a centipede is ever discovered in our room...things will be bad.

Hmmm, what else to talk about...

Well, I was in Waikiki one day and a group of Japanese tourist asked to take a picture with me. Apparently, they really liked my hair.




Friday, July 19, 2013

Three-Inch Golden Lotus

So, since I am currently in a Summer course, that means all of the work of a normal class is condensed into a 6-week session. This being said, I have to read a novel practically every week for my Women's Studies class. This week, it was a book called "The Three-Inch Golden Lotus," and it was all about foot-binding in China.

This book is written in a way that neither supports or opposes the practice. Honestly though, it was a bit graphic. It was very detailed about how young girls, aged 5 or 6, have their feet wrapped, their toes pulled under and the front of the foot pulled back towards the heel. I googled foot binding and the images freaked me out a bit.


So then, this is a natural foot compared to a shoe meant to be wore by a bound foot. Ladies wanted the ideal three-inch golden lotus, as bound feet were called, and continued to pull and re-bind their feet for most of their lives. Actually, I should not say that ladies wanted their feet to be this way. They had no say in the matter. The liking, or more accurately, the fetish for small feet was a man's problem. So, of course, women had to conform to fit this odd view of beauty. Woo. Go women.

I have to say, I do not understand how they handled the process. At such a young age, the foot was broken and the children had to learn to walk and continued with their normal lives while their bones were being re-shaped. I could not handle it. I would be the runaway who unbound their feet at night and joined a traveling circus.

The origin of binding feet is not completely known but most agree that it was passed down from court dancers with tiny feet. Rich men liked the look and of course pushed their wives to follow the trend. The practice fell into the lower classes, as they wanted to be like the wealthy above them. Field workers however, and other women who needed to work to survive, did not bind their feet; it made it impossible for them to make a living.

So, as this small foot fetish blazed across China, it become a standard for women in order to marry. In lower class families, the eldest daughter was the only one to have her feet bound in the hopes she would marry into a higher class. Her poor, younger sisters would have terrible natural feet and marry laborers. Or become mistresses. Apparently, that was reserved for the big-footed women. The idea behind marrying a women with three-inch feet was that she would not be able to work, therefore the husband would be super testosterone man and be the only provider for the family. She would be a literal trophy wife.

And then, the westerners invaded.






Yeah, they did not look like that. I just happen to find this picture quite humorous.

These ideas began seeping into the Chinese culture first through Christianity. A very liberal group of Christian ladies thought the end of foot binding could lead to more equality between the sexes. More educated Chinese individuals - probably men, since women were generally kept out of higher education - thought that the practice reflected badly on the country when they sat on the same world stage as other nations. Some thought that the practice should be abolished because supposedly women with bound feet gave birth to sons with bad feet. Because, as everyone clearly knows, the man-made small feet magically became genetic. I could see this argument hold up better if we assume the women were sickly from infections or limitations that come with the process. My favorite were the ones who did not like foot binding because it hurt women. Yeah, that one is best. Hm, this is harming people and it serves no useful purpose? Yeah, I like that argument the best by far.


Many people are absolutely horrified when they first learn about this practice. I am in no way agreeing with foot binding, but I find it a bit ironic considering what we are used to hearing from other cultures. Take the corset for example. The only purpose it served was to please men - it certainly did not help help the women that broke their ribs from the practice - and was mandatory for years. Even today, tanning is another form of alteration that society sees as beautiful when it is in fact very very harmful.

So there you go! A piece of Chinese history to spice up your day. This practice is not recommended. Nor is wearing corsets, or tanning.




Friday, July 12, 2013

Swimming With A Face Mask

So, a while back, I posted a picture of women on a beach in China wearing face masks to shield themselves from the Sun. Seeing many people here in Honolulu using Sun umbrellas made me think more about this. Not that I think Americans would ever start wearing these - we like our skin cancer too much - but I wondered if one might see these cropping up on Hawaii beaches. Hm...but for now, a bit about these things:







Also known as a face-kini, these are typically worn with a fabulous matching swim suit. It's basically a ski mask, but in beach form. The closest thing I can think of in America to this is a rash guard, shirts made to cover the skin and protect from the Sun while swimming. Sad thing though, one still has to put on sunscreen under the rash guard.

These swimming masks are most popular in the touristy town of Qingdao and were invented only seven years ago. They go for only about $3. A save considering sunscreen is much higher. I am sure sunscreen is still worn under, like a rash guard; you cannot be too careful.

Why do these even exist? I want to say it is because the Chinese have common sense and know that the Sun is bad for skin, but alas, it is for vanity. As in many cultures, pale skin is considered beautiful, as tan skin is a sign of those who must work in fields for a living. Gross, field work. Since the face is the part of the body most commonly seen, it makes sense for that to be the palest part of the body.

And, if you forget your face-kini at home, there is always skin bleach.





Thursday, July 11, 2013

Weird Creatures...

So, I was walking around campus and I keep finding these odd creatures painted on the walls...








I have no idea what they are or where they come from. I found nothing on google images that matched them. So, if anyone sees anything similar to these oddities, let me know!

Monday, July 8, 2013

Things I Have Noticed...

So, I have been in the state of Hawai'i for a few days now and have already noticed a few very new, very unexpected things.

Umbrellas


This is more so in Waikiki and the tourist areas, but there are quite a bit of people who walk around with umbrellas to keep the sun off them. I actually thought it was a good idea, but seriously though, a thin piece of fabric stretched over tines is not going to keep the Sun's cancer rays from reaching you. I still have to roll in sunscreen before venturing near windows.

These umbrellas are easily distinguished from rain umbrellas. These sun-umbrellas look much nicer and are generally made from lace and pretty fabrics. They look quite nice, very elegant. Typically, I have seen Asian women with these and I suppose that comes from a culture where pale skin is beautiful before dark and tanned skin. I like that way of thinking. I stick out terribly with my albino-ness next to all these tanned people.


Bikes and Walking

So, an amazing thing happened today. I went out for lunch with my mother and came back with a brand new mountain bike. Woop! I was not expecting one until christmas.

So, I have been told by every student I have spoken with that you can walk anywhere you need to go. Many even walk all the way to Waikiki and to the beach. That is about 2.5 miles and through heavy heavy traffic. I supposed that is just surprising since I am used to each individual having their own car. Also, bikers are an annoyance in Gainesville; it is their job to move out of the car's way. It is nice to have the right-of-way here.

When it starts to rain, I am sure it will be hell trying to get to class.


Cats

Cats are everywhere. Everywhere.

These stray creatures just wander around, sleeping under parked cars and hanging with pigeons. They travel in herds and do not like people. Well, unless you throw food at them. Then they will become your best friends.


Birds

The birds here are fearless.






When I was still in a hotel, this bird just flew right in and made itself at home. Actually, there was another, but I could not get both in the same picture. The birds just hoped around for a while, in my hotel room, enjoying the carpet. And then, when they felt like it, they flew away.

The larger pigeons will not move for you. I almost ran over several on my bike because they would not move out of the way. I had to move! Since when do birds just stand still? I could probably catch one easily! And then be attacked by its pigeon friends. It would be like messing with the Cuccos in Zelda. We laugh one minute and drown beneath feathers the next.


And yeah, those are the stand-out odd things so far.

Oh, I found this on a dumpster.



It is odd also...



Sunday, July 7, 2013

In Hawai'i

So, it has been a while, but only because I have been super busy. In the past week, I have said goodbye to my friends, packed up my room, and have flown a quarter of the way around the world to Hawai'i.

I have discovered that I do not enjoy flying. It does not have to do with the fact that I watched Flight before leaving or with the Asiana plane that recently crashed. I already had a fear of driving so being in an airplane made things about ten times worse. Every time we hit a bit of turbulence, I braced myself for impact. The people next to me probably thought I was psychotic.

Once we landed in O'ahu, I fell in love. People are not joking when they say Hawai'i is beautiful. It just feels alive. Everything is green and the air is clean and light. It is a 180 from the forests I am used to seeing everyday.

Alrightly, that's my cheesy paragraph about this place. I will not make a habit of it.

I will say, I knew I picked the right place to go to college before I even left the airport. All of the signs were printed in English and again in Japanese.

Today I moved in to a small, but very nice, apartment for my two summer classes. When Fall begins, I will be shoved with other Freshman into community halls with shared bathrooms. Serious downgrade. I feel incredibly young. I am an incoming Freshmen and my roommates are all in their 20's. One is from Japan. I can hear her speaking on the phone right now. I think she's talking about me. It was something about her first day and hiragana; we talked about reading hiragana earlier. I am happy that I can actually understand her accent when she speaks Japanese. There are some people who speak it down here and I have no idea what they are trying to tell me.

Oh well. More to learn!

I am so tired. I apologize in advance if none of this makes sense. I am six hours ahead of the normal time here. Back in Georgia, I would have be asleep. Very much sleep. Sound asleep. Dead to the world.

Help me.

Goodnight.






Monday, June 17, 2013

Rechel & Jun

I cannot even remember how I came across this Youtube page, especially considering I am never on said site, but for the past hour, I have been obsessed with this channel!

http://www.youtube.com/user/MyHusbandisJapanese/featured

Basically, it is a bunch of videos about Japanese culture and what it is like being there as a foreigner. Since I plan on working in Japan and with Japanese companies (remember, future translator here) I found their videos quite interesting and very funny at times. The channel features a married couple, Rechel and Jun. Rechel is from America, majored in Asian Studies, and Jun is from the land of the rising sun, majoring in English Language.

But the best part is...

Wait for it!

Rechel is a fellow Ginger! Check out this video!


I had one of those odd moments where I sensed a kindled spirit. But then I remember that I was just watching Youtube. Sigh, fellow redhead at heart then.

I will say, she brought up an interesting point in her video. In America, we call red-hair 'red' even thought it is actually orange. Rechel mentions that many people in Japan comment, "Oh, but your hair is orange, not red!" It made me laugh. Ha, ginger humor...

Seriously though, these are good videos for those interested in Japanese culture. They give great tips on learning the language and on customs and such. They also respond to questions and comments, so feel free to shoot a question on anything you want to know!

Oh, and this cat:


Cats that can open doors. Our world is heading in the right direction.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Delta Rae

So, I have a fantastic band to share today. The amazingly talented Delta Rae!


I happened across this group via Itunes and bought the album on a whim. I do that quite often with music and usually have awful shopper's remorse. Seriously, I have so much music from this bad habit that I cannot even keep it all on one computer. But with this group, within the first verse of the first song, I stopped what I was doing and just froze for a moment to listen.

I was in love.

I could not even listen to another group for about a week because I was so attached to this band. This was the song that started it all:



These guys have a sound that clearly shows that they are from the south, but on the same note, it is unlike any other group with the same roots. It is like a modern folk-pop sound. There are songs where you can hear gospel influences and others that seem as if they came straight from the top 40's. They have amazing harmonies. Not the plastic and simple lines that could be sung by a middle school choir, but unique vocal lines that obviously have more thought put into them aside from "Hey, this fits the chord!"

The band consists of three siblings and three friends. Four of the members take turns singing lead and the others are practically always present with harmonies.

Interesting fact, their name comes from a story the siblings' mother intended to write. It was about a girl named Delta Rae who summoned the greek gods to Earth. I would very much like to read that story, but I do not believe it was ever published. Sigh.

For those out there who like The Lumineers, Florence + The Machine, or Of Monsters and Men, I recommend taking a quick listen to the wonderful Delta Rae. For fans of Mumford and Sons, this might be a good fit for you also, but they lean on more of a pop sound than rock.

Take a listen!


Official Website:

http://www.deltarae.com/

Monday, June 10, 2013

Broke College Student

Yeah, I'm not even at school yet and I already feel like a broke college student. It will probably be ten times as worse once class begins. I will say, I will not have two tuition deposits, two housing deposits, and airline tickets to pay for once in Oahu, but I will have food, books, clothing, and the one thing that will drain my bank account the quickest: sunscreen. Seriously, I will go through probably two bottles of that stuff in a week over there.

In my attempts to be proactive, I am researching ways to make money once I am a student. Obviously, there is the option of a part-time job, something I have now and something I will also obtain during school. However, with the typical pay of $7.25 an hour, and maybe, not always, 20 hours a week, that amounts to $290 every two weeks. Eh, that's something, but it does not leave much to savings after expenses.

So then, what are my options of making extra money? There are plenty of lists: 38 ways to make cash, 50 ways college students can earn extra money, blah blah. Out of these lists, there are maybe four options I am capable - or have the patience - to actually do.

1. Selling Photos

This is a website that I have only recently heard of: Dreamstime.com
For all of those aspiring photographers, this is a site where you can upload pictures and make money when people download them. Of course, not all pictures are used. They have to meet a couple of requirements and even then, may or may not sell. But, if you take good pictures and are willing to wait, this can be a place to earn a bit of money over time.




2. Tutor

I could possibly maybe earn a bit in this area, but then again, I have very little patience for teaching others. I could teach basic Japanese and help with writing - essays in English that is - but I have found with past tutoring experiences, most only resort to that when they are forced to. I have no problem teaching when someone wants to learn, but I do have a problem when someone wants me to write their essay for them. I would love to meet someone who truly wants to learn another language or might struggle just a bit with writing, but I refuse to deal with someone who does not even want to be in school. But maybe that was more of a slacker high-schooler thing. Maybe those in college will actually appreciate those individuals who offer their time to teach others.

Hm. I went off subject a bit there. But yeah, tutoring is an option...for those with the patience to do so.


3. Mini-Seminar

This is kind of similar to tutoring in that you should enjoy people. If you have some sort of special skill then you can make a bit by teaching it in a course. So, knitting? Surfing? Dancing? There will be lots of people who want to learn new things and find a way to meet new people. This is a great way to make friends and money money money.



4. Freelance Writing

And then there is this. The one job most broke writers share on their resume. If you happen to have nice writing/editing skill, you can make a bit by freelancing. This is a helpful site in finding jobs: freelancewritinggigs.com
But, Craigslist is also an option.


And yeah, those are a couple of ways to make some money aside from a part-time job. I am sure I am only stressed about this because I have payments to make now. Once I'm there, I will not have tuition and housing junk to pay. But then again, I need to start saving money, being independent and all.

Aside from earning more money, I should probably learn to stop spending it too. I do enjoy a nice shopping trip.

Hm, maybe that is my problem. I should stop...I'll thank myself when I have several thousand saved. Who wouldn't enjoy seeing that number in their bank account?







Friday, May 31, 2013

Sunburns and Suntans

So, for those of you who do not know, gingers do not tan. Those of us that do are liars and are only darker because their freckles have multiplied to the point of anarchy. Moving to a place such as Hawaii means I will be spending quite a bit of time outdoors, placing me in the path of my natural enemy...the Sun. So, like any other ginger, I must wear sunscreen. Easy fix, right?

Yeah. Not so much.

I have been researching sunscreen and skin protection in wake of my upcoming move, and I realized that I have been lied to! Not really, but I have been following a lot of untrue rules when it comes to avoiding the ball of fire in the sky. Several articles have educated me, but this one summed up everything best:

The New Rules For Sunscreen!

First off, I totally always bought the highest SPF I could find. When I went to Valdosta for a summer program, I brought several 110SPF spray-bottles. And yes, I did still burn. I believed the lie that I could stay out longer! I will say though, it worked to keep bugs away.






This meme lies. I hate sunscreen. It sinks.

I was always jealous of the other kids who went out to tan and never wore sunscreen. I also always glared at those poor creatures who complained about how white they are. Seriously? You poor thing. Your skin isn't tanned? Go cry in a corner and then go outside to catch a bit of skin cancer. To be clear, I was never ever never jealous of their orange skin, but the fact that they did not have to glue themselves to the sides of buildings in order to avoid CancerGiver in the sky.

When did orange skin even become "beautiful" to point where we risk our health for it?

Many of us already know this, but before the 1920's, pale skin was a must for centuries. Tanned skin was a sign of workers in the field and, seriously, what dignified lady wants to look like a fieldhand? Women went so far as to use lead make-up to avoid the BurningBall's terrible rays. Those women also suffered early deaths from lead poisoning.

And then this lady here:



Miss Coco Chanel went on vacation. Legend says that she suffered from an accidental sunburn and when she returned to the public eye, she was sunkissed and tanned. Well then, everyone just had to go out and look like her! Because, we of course must do whatever Coco Chanel does. Around the same time however, Josephine Baker, a Paris singer with "caramel" skin was rising in popularity. These two women were able to push away centuries of pale-skin envy in western culture.

Crazy.

As the years passed, we got another gift from the French: the bikini. Only those who had the time and money to live at the beach/pool wore bikinis. These people were also the ones with the tans. So now, tans are a sign of beach fun! Enter the classic beach/surfer movie! Now everyone must have tans, because, that's what the movie stars have!

Today, apparently, we tan because pale skin is sickly. Also, we want to look like we just came back from the beach, even in the dead of winter. And celebrities. Celebrities are tan, therefore, we must be too. I think this is ridiculous. What sort of reason is that to do anything? Why are we risking cancer and the removal of our skin for the sake of darker skin? What is that going to do for you in life? The closest I have ever gotten to a tan is second-degree burns. Twice.

Ugh. Look at me, getting worked up over this. Tanning reminds me of smoking. But the harm from tanning is much more visible and immediately painful. Both lead to cancer. Both exist only for the sake of vanity. Both will cause our future selves to travel back in time and scold our younger selves. Ugh.

Well then, allow me to calm myself.

So guess what. In China, people wear ski masks at the beach to keep their skin pale.


Asia will laugh at us when we all get skin cancer. And die.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Summer Time

Summer time when I was a kid:






Summer time now:


Am I alone here? Really, I mean when I was under five feet, I loved Summer. I counted the days down until break. And! I was actually sad to go back the next year.

Now, however, I have grown taller (sort of) and hate this terrible, extended, and utlimately, pointless break. I mean, what am I supposed to do with myself? What did I do last year? Should I read? Should I sleep? Should I watch tv all day? What is the meaning of this?!

I just become bored easily. I also procrastinate. I mean, I should be editing my book, but then I think: "Hey, go check the mail." "Hey, go check the fridge." "Hey, go put tape on the bottom of the cat's feet." And maybe I will get to writing after that. Really though, I just make it to my computer and then I end up on Facebook or some other stupid site.

Hm. I could post some writings here. I could edit the first couple of chapters and post it here for comments and junk.

Yeah! I'll do that! Thank the happy days for goals. I would be a lost wandering child without them.

What was this post even about? Oh yeah, Summer. I have been told that the point of this vacation - or bored hell - is because children used to have to help with "the harvest" and could not attend school. Whether this is true or not is above me, but I am quite sure none of us kids are helping with any sort of harvest. I would prefer school to be longer with more week long breaks. I drown with any more free time on my plate.

And by the way, the date for me to leave is July 3rd! I am definitely counting the days down to that!


Also this:




This is what boredom leads to.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

College Debt

So, being a soon to be freshman - at the University of Hawaii, be jealous! - I have to deal with the issue of coming up with $40,000 to pay for my education. Most humans in this country do not have this sort of money, regardless of how much they save. Even if they have managed to save this amount over the years, they certainly do not have enough saved for all four years of college.

This leads myself and countless others down the road of scholarships. We do obtain said scholarships, but unfortunately, not enough in most cases to completely cover tuition. Now, us unlucky not-millionaires look to loans.

Shoot me now.

I have seen the average yearly student loan amount between $25,000 and $27,000 on different loan websites, but regardless of the actual amount, any number in the thousands is difficult to pay back. Even more so considering that most students can only carry a part-time job with school work and even after graduation, we are not looking at high paying jobs. We have to start at the bottom, regardless of our career path, and claw our way to a decent position.

Meanwhile, our loans wait silently. Waiting. Growing bigger.

Also annoying is the fact that in most cases, the only way to obtain any sort of a job is to be educated. If we are aiming above retail and fast food, that education needs to be from a university. So then, we must collect thousands of dollars in debt. After doing so, we are now suitable for a job, but then we still must prove that we are somehow superior to the hundreds of others applying for the same spot, others who most likely are several years out of school and have experience.

Yeah.

Being the optimistic person I try to be, I look at this impending dark future with the knowledge that I will at least enjoy what I will be doing with my life. I have every intention of paying back my debt, and I am also aware it will take several years, but it will be easier with my career choice. I want to be a translator, an individual that happens to be quite popular. Most do not want the troubles of learning a second/third language, so I have quite a nice chance of landing a position during/after graduation. I also want to write, so still holding on to my optimism, I may earn a bit if I can have something published.

But then again, it is better for me to put my future on learning languages well. Writing is one of those subjective fields where I may end up living on the streets. Cannot have that as my only source of income...

I guess people should try to focus on doing what they love. Or, we could stage a huge take-down-colleges-and-their-empire plot, but I do not see that happening in the next four years. I do not really agree with the stigma that one must have a college degree to be good enough for a position - take for example my field. I could learn a language on my own for less than $40,000, but I would have a difficult time finding a position translating when I compete with those who have degrees - but that is the state of living at the moment. My optimism says: do not attend college with the intention of getting a job for money. Attend college as a stepping stone to the job that will make you happy. Have a reason to wake up each morning.

Also, this is the nice little article that had me thinking about college debt:

http://news.yahoo.com/first-person-careful-swallowing-student-loan-lies-231600404.html

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Personality Types and The Enneagram

Something I have always found interesting is personality types, and the way they are studied and categorized. In my PSY 101 class however, I wanted to melt into a puddle and leak away under the door. It was terribly boring to hear about all the scientific studies and biological facts behind why we act the way we do. Sometimes, it even felt dehumanizing. Many believe we act and interact with others only as a means of survival.

That is just too depressing for me. I want to see and experience the color of life, not box it into means of instinct and survive skills.

In saying this, I favor the Enneagram when it comes to reading about personalities. This model is criticized mostly because it is very much open to interpretation. It is not generally taught in an academic course. In fact, it's one of those methods that are taught at self-help seminars. However! It is not complete nonsense that some male created while having fun with pot. Much of the Enneagram makes sense. I promise.



The Enneagram works like this: each person has one dominant type (see the above photograph) and one wing. The wing is connected to the dominant type (see above) and the person only shares certain traits with the wing's type. This is a nice site that explains about the Enneagram:

http://www.enneagraminstitute.com/intro.asp#.UYsKT0pvBD4

Warning! This site offers tests to discover your personality type, but seriously, there are tons of free tests on other sites. Do not spend ten dollars on free questions.

So then, what is the point of even bringing the Enneagram up for discussion? Well, it is quite interesting. And, if you happen to be into personality and all, it is refreshing to read about something that does not contain black and white numbers. This model is based more on emotion and how well an individual knows oneself. Also, for the writers/actors out there, the Enneagram can help in fleshing out a character. When writing about someone who is completely foreign to you, it can help to have a tool that gives you insight to what kind of person you are creating. No, this is not going to write your novel, but it is a method of knowing where your characters come from and why they make the choices they do. 




Saturday, May 4, 2013

Human Billboards

So, I am quite a fan of this fantastic website called Tofugu that posts crazy odd news having to do with Japanese culture. What is a "tofugu" you ask? Take 'tofu', veterinarians' best friend and 'fugu', a type of poisonous fish and mash them together!

Yeah. I really have no idea how they came up with the title. But I do know that Fugu is a fish!

Anyways, they recently posted an article about this company called Absolute Territory, who pay people to advertise on a certain part of their body. Check it out:

New Form Of Japanese Advertising Too Sexy?

This reminded me quite a bit of sign spinners. You know, those poor people who have to stand out on roadways and spin signs for hours at a time.



 As odd as America is, I am surprised this trend of body-advertising is not more popular. But then I guess, holding a sign up for strangers is better than tattooing a website's logo to your forehead.

This does not stop some people. Apparently, we are more than welcome to use eBay to auction off our exposed areas to companies who are searching for unique advertising. This one dude was paid over $37,000 for his forehead to carry a website's logo for 30 days. Another woman in Georgia even sold the skin of her pregnant belly for a casino's advertising.

As for this new Absolute Territory trend, I would not be surprised to see it pop up in America. College kids have debts to pay off, you know? Better than selling all of one's body!


Friday, May 3, 2013

Music Post

Ok, this will not become a habit, I promise. This blog does not exist for me to post fangirl obsessions, but I will share this video because it holds relevance to my writing.

So then,



Yes, 30 Seconds to Mars.
Love love love
But not purely for obsessed teenage girl reasons!

What I really like about their music is how each song seems to be background noise for an epic event. Mostly so with their album This Is War, each song is like a different battle in whatever War is happening within the music.

Usually, this is what is playing when I work on Withering and Wakening. I want the story to feel 'epic' when people read it. I do not want readers to have a sense of "Oh, this takes place in one little city." or "Oh how cute! They are having a battle!"

NO!

I want that epic feeling people experience when watching Cloud Atlas or even Avatar! Personally, I become frustrated when I read an "adventure" book and the characters barely move anywhere. I want to read stories that take its reader to other places, not cities we kind of, sort of, maybe possibly, have been to. No. Boring.

The point of sharing this song was because it evokes a certain feeling in its listener. It is the same feeling I wish for people to feel within my writing.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Made From Real Ginger

Bahaha! I can't...
I just...
Oh good lord....






I don't know what it is about this picture, but I just cannot look away...

Offending Gingers

If it is not obvious by the title of this blog or the picture to the right, I am of the redheaded race. To be honest, I never thought much of my hair color. I mean, hair is hair. The only thing that ever bothered me about it while growing up was that it would never stay straight when I wanted it straight. Ha, how petty.

I bring this up because the internet has this odd fascination with the ginger race. I think it is the soulless part. They must be jealous. What is quite odd, is how offended and heated people become when someone cracks a "ginger joke". Anyways, check out the link below.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/the-18-most-offensive-things-people-say-to-redheads


Honestly, I have heard every single one of these - except number four - and I laugh at each. I have to say, I appreciate the South Park episode that brought our soullessness to light. The public had to find out sooner or later anyways. People should just learn to laugh at themselves. You will never change a person's mind by being offended and shouting - take the annoyed ginger boy's rant on Youtube for example - so why not laugh and throw another joke in?

Most people do not comment on redhair for the sake of offending someone; it is an obnoxious comment, not a malicious one. I mean, they might want to offend you, and it that is their intent, calmly remind them that a lack of soul means a lack of remorse when you are standing over their dead body.


Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Eggs

Apparently, people can use eggs - raw eggs - as conditioner. Well, being a typical girl, I just had to experiment with homemade beauty products.


I woke up the next morning and smelled like a wet dog.


I do not recommend using eggs as conditioner, unless supervised by an experienced professional.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Expository Post

A bit about me? Oh you...

Alrighty then, I graduate in three weeks. Three mere weeks separate me from an endless month of book editing and Korean drama binge watching, but mostly the editing. I hope. After that month, I am leaving for college. Now before you laugh and roll your eyes at my university *cough* University of Hawai'i at Manoa *cough* allow me to stress that I am going because it is the best school for my studies.

Ha.

But seriously, an island school is just plain cool. Aside from the obvious perks of Hawai'i, I do have a rationale for enrolling. I am studying Japanese, to be a translator, and this is the only American college that is surrounded by said culture and has the absolute best program in said language. I also want to study Korean, maybe translate one day, and most colleges do not even know that language can be a major. Ask most if they have a Korean program. They laugh. They ask why someone would want to study Korean. I do not laugh. I am hurt by the lack of languages taught. Sigh, 'murica, land of Americanese.

Anyways, Japanese is the focus, Korean is the minor. Theatre might show its head, but only if I have time, and only if musicals are involved.

Also! An interesting fact about me: I hate centipedes.
Interesting fact about Hawai'i: They have quite a bit of centipedes.
Expect a "Centipedes of Hawai'i" page dedicated to these disgusting creatures, and other odd bugs I'm sure will cause me to curse loud and proud as I run in the opposite direction.



First Post

So, this is my first post, essentially to myself. Ha, let's be honest, who is reading this but me? One day, I will look back on this tiny post, when I am famous/living in Hawai'i/big-shot author and will smile upon its humility.