2011

Topic of the day: People think 2010 sucked and can't wait for 2011 so that they can "start over."

Sorry, but that's as illogical as saying, "Forgive and forget." You can always forgive someone who has wronged you, but you're never going to forget what they did. Similarly, you can look forward to the events that the new year holds for you, but there's no such thing as "starting over." Life isn't a game of Street Fighters II: Turbo! In reality, you don't get an extra life if you mess up. You don't get to replace yourself with Zangief, Guile, or some other personality when your Dhalsim attempts are failing (like how I used the Indian one as an example?). Furthermore, you can't beat up everyone who is a threat to your happiness or yell a hearty "HADOKEN!" while throwing blue flames in order to knock them to the ground.

2011 is merely a number and not an allegory for starting over. You can look forward to the rest of your life, but the feelings sparked by events that affected you in 2010, whether positive or negative, will carry over to 2011 - and affect you and possibly your decisions in 2011. Even if you do use this new year as an "out with the old, in with the new" window of opportunity, then you, my friend, are no different than the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz. You are running away from the past, instead of confronting that which is bothering you. You should be making amends or dealing with issues head-on, in a rational manner. Otherwise, you're going to wake up one day with regrets, and you're going to feel like it's too late to facilitate changes. I speak from personal experience when I say that it's usually not too late. People inherently underestimate each other. What they don't realize is that when they take that bold initiative, they are doing more than putting themselves at the risk of feeling humiliated. They are making others THINK. They are causing them to assess their current opinions and reform them, hopefully for the greater good.

With the countdown nearing, I present a challenge to all of you (and myself). Use this new year, not to start over, but to end! End what, you say? End your frustrations! How? A wise man once said, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" What did this man do correctly (albeit in a tempestuous manner)? That's right! He told the world what was on his mind, and this is how one serves as a catalyst for positive change. The next step, which is perhaps a bit more puzzling, is coming up with a solution. I dare you to take that next step, which varies depending on your situation.

That being said, I mainly wrote this because I'm bored. But I still meant every word. I hope you all have a happy new year! May you achieve that which you desire! Should misfortune come your way, remember that a good thing can potentially stem from a bad situation, whether a friendship, relationship, epiphany, or the glory of winning an entire Street Fighters game after being stuck on the same level for hours! :D

Facebook Ramblings

I just got back from seeing The Social Network.

The film focuses mainly on the business logistics of Facebook from the perspectives of those involved in the creation process, but it definitely makes one think about how much of our lives are consumed by this social networking website. Through this online tool, we can store memories through various media outlets, play games, learn more about what makes other people tick, keep in touch with friends, share links, make plans, or let people know where we are and what we're doing at any given time.

As much as Facebook is useful for establishing connections with the outside world, it is not without its disadvantages. In the social networking vortex, people often stumble upon information that they would be better off holding in oblivion because it distorts their idealizations of certain Facebook friends. Of course, this isn't so much a website-based issue as it is a human nature issue that has no feasible resolution. When our inherent curiosity about our peers collides with negligence (in this case, the failure to privatize information), both external and internal conflict are inevitable.

I wonder - obviously, Facebook is more advanced than Myspace and Friendster in terms of functionality and is constantly being updated, but will it become a thing of the past in a few years?

Koran Burner Fired From Job

Sadly, people are quick to jump to his defense. Although I can certainly sympathize with anyone who doesn't have a job in this economy (heck, I majored in a subject that I thought would land me a job, and I still don't have one that is sufficient to pay for rent, transportation, bills, and food), he did bring it upon himself. With any job comes a set of standards. Seeing that he works in public service, he is expected to treat people with respect regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or economic background. Sure, people violate moral codes all the time, but he stupidly put himself in a position to get caught. Of course, burning a Koran behind closed doors doesn't make it justified, but his job could have been spared had he not been in the public eye. It bothers me when people say that NJ Transit is encroaching upon his right to protest. What about the fact that he's not protesting on behalf of a noble cause? He is offending a specific group of people (who might be potential NJ Transit customers) just because he's too ignorant to realize that the entire Muslim population isn't responsible for 9/11.

"You'll grow up, you'll forget, you'll grow out of hanging from the edges, breaking off the past..."

Are Cash Bonuses The Answer To Curbing Population Growth?

I just read this article in the New York Times about how the government is giving recently married couples cash bonuses to wait two years before having children.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/world/asia/22india.html?pagewanted=1&hp

Setting aside the whole population growth issue, it does make sense for couples not have to children immediately after getting married. I believe that couples should take some time to enjoy the freedoms of being childless because once they have kids, they won't be able to get those freedoms back (at least not until the kids go off to college, and by then, they might be too old to want to experience the things they would have done when they were newlyweds). Children are a huge responsibility, more so when they are young and do not have an understanding of how the world functions.

As the article states, such a strategy would require the implementation of more programs educating young people about contraception. A lot of Indian parents don't go out of their way to educate their kids about birth control because (1) They expect their kids to procreate directly after getting married and (2) The act of premarital sex is one that tends to be frowned upon in Indian culture, so sex education is a rarity in schools. Considering that marriage at an early age is common within the culture, one can imagine how many girls in India enter marriages knowing about the various types of contraception.

In the words of my favorite band, "If this is a test, I'm losing my shit."

I apologize for the lack of updates.

Will post something soon when I'm not swamped with shit.

Song of the Day: "California Stars"

"California Stars" was written by Woody Guthrie, but unfortunately, he died before he could actually set music to it. Billy Bragg collaborated with Wilco to find a melody that would suit the song. I'm always impressed when artists write lyrics before coming up with a tune because I find it easier to do the opposite. Whenever I attempt to set poetry to melodies, I usually run into some problem such as not having enough syllables in a line.

My brother and I created a slide show for our sister and brother-in-law's wedding last year and used "California Stars" as one of the background tracks, since our brother-in-law happens to be from California. Plus, we found the lyrics "they hang like grapes on vines that shine" to be more than appropriate because his family owns a Vineyard out in Napa).

Listen to it here.

Random thoughts at 4:52 AM

- "That's not like me." We use this as an excuse whenever our actions fail to reflect our principles, but how much validity is there to that statement? There is a difference between who we aspire to be and who we are. Making mistakes is "like us" - not because we're inherently bad, but because we're human.

- Eight years ago, I imagined that by this point in my life, I would be more certain about my future. Boy was I naive. I'm finding myself more confused than ever - particularly because practicality has to win out over idealism.

- I went to bed at 8:00 PM, and I have a feeling that my sleep schedule is going to be more messed up than it was last time I ventured to England/India.

- So much shit to do when I head back to school on Monday - apartment cleaning, preparing for teaching sessions, and probably getting yelled at by the powers that be for sucking at math (and honestly, I don't need to hear it). I have a feeling that I'm going to be home again by Wednesday.

Stupid things to pass the time

You Are: 60% Dog, 40% Cat

You are a nice blend of cat and dog. You're playful but not too needy. And you're friendly but careful. And while you have your moody moments, you're too happy to stay upset for long.

Are You More Cat or Dog?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

You Are a Cow

You are a kind, nurturing, and caring creature. You are deeply connected to the world around you. You have a good intuition, and you sense what people need from you. You are happy to give as much as you can. You are a very placid creature. Because you remain so calm and cool, people seem to underestimate your mind. You are extremely intelligent and aware, but you don't always show it. You're more likely to reflect on your thoughts than share them with the world.

What Farm Animal Are You?

Blogthings: Free Quizzes for Everyone

You Act Like You Are 27 Years Old

You are a twenty-something at heart. You feel like an adult, and you're optimistic about life. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. You're still figuring out your place in the world and how you want your life to shape up. The world is full of possibilities, and you can't wait to explore many of them.

What Age Do You Act?

Work is Hard. Time for Blogthings!

Your Career Type: Artistic

You are expressive, original, and independent. Your talents lie in your artistic abilities: creative writing, drama, crafts, music, or art. You would make an excellent: Actor - Art Teacher - Book Editor Clothes Designer - Comedian - Composer Dancer - DJ - Graphic Designer Illustrator - Musician - Sculptor The worst career options for your are conventional careers, like bank teller or secretary.

What's Your Ideal Career?

Blogthings: If Quizzes Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Take Quizzes

Your Dominant Thinking Style: Modifying

Super logical and rational, you consider every fact available to you. You don't make rash decisions and are rarely moved by emotion. You prefer what's known and proven - to the new and untested. You tend to ground those around you and add stability.

What's Your Thinking Style?

Blogthings: If Quizzes Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Take Quizzes

You Are an Emo Rocker!

Expressive and deep, lyrics are really your thing. That doesn't mean you don't rock out... You just rock out with meaning. For you, rock is more about connecting than grandstanding.

What Kind of Rocker Are You?

Blogthings: We're Not Shrinks, But We Play Them On the Internet

You Are Electronic Music

You are energetic and expressive. You love feeling alive. You never get sick of your favorite things - they're what makes life special. You don't take tradition or conventions too seriously. You live for the future. You enjoy remixes and re-interpretations of things. Life is about making improvements.

What Kind of Music Are You?

Blogthings: Cheaper Than a Therapist

Your Happy Word is "Hope"

You refuse to give up on anyone, including yourself. You see the best in others. You think happiness should be shared. You spread your message of optimism as much as possible. You will keep believing when everyone else has stopped. You think good will always prevail in the end. You believe if we trusted each other more, the world would be a better place. All we need is a little hope.

What's Your Happy Word?

Work is Hard. Time for Blogthings!

Random thoughts at 4:11 AM

- I spent a lot of time driving around my hometown yesterday because the weather was fantastic, and in the process, I discovered how much I like the song "Crowded Room" off The Academy Is...'s Fast Times At Barrington High record. I never really hated it, but I always thought it was the worst track on the album. Yay for a change of heart.

- I feel sort of nostalgic for high school - not in the "I would do it over again" sense. I guess I miss a time when things were simpler - when school was easy, I was involved more in music, I didn't have to know what I wanted to do with my life, and I wasn't complicating things by constantly traveling back and forth between places.

- I refrained from doing something that I wanted to do, and now I'm wondering why I didn't. I think it was because I feared the reaction I would get, and I didn't want to come across as hypocritical or disrespectful.

- I should really start some work today, but I'd rather procrastinate and enjoy one of my last two full days of spring break.