Paperthin Hymn - Anberlin

Decided to take advantage of the free hotel printing & get a head start on our next module. Looking at everything available, I think I want to die. Would that be a bad new years resolution? (:

All I Want for Christmas is You - Mariah Carey

I find this article interesting (no idea if the URL is still valid but it's worth a shot): http://news.yahoo.com/asians-college-strategy-dont-check-asian-174442977.html
If you couldn't tell by the title, it's about how some asian american kids aren't checking the 'asian' box for college apps because of a reverse discrimination/higher standard set. Or is there? Hmm.

Christmas in t-minus three hours. Though technically I'm not Christian, but we've always noted the holiday in my family. Can't lie, doesn't feel like tomorrow's the day- not a lot of snowfall, not a lot of lazing around, & oddly, not enough of Christmas music (though for me, I don't think I listened to more than an hour total because the radio stations started playing all the holiday jingles before Halloween. Yes, that means your plan backfired 105.1) At some point I know I'm going to want to talk about the commercialization of Christmas but since it doesn't feel like it's tomorrow, I don't see the point now. Besides, I'm watching A Christmas Story...over...and over...and over...and over...and ov- you get the point. TBS 24hr marathon. No but really, I love that movie.

Other than that, happy holidays everyone! I hope it's a great Christmas (if you celebrate), a good new year celebration, & a 2012 that surpasses 2011. Discluding the possible apocalypse (:

I feel like now would the be appropriate time to reflect on the year, catch up on what I'm thankful for (past overdue from Thanksgiving), & talk a little bit about the next 52 weeks to come since I most likely won't be by my computer for the next week & a half or so, but I'm not in the mood. I've really been enjoying life away from my laptop & the internet too much (this includes sleep, friends, reading, eating, napping, & working in no particular order). Other than that, I'm ready for my family's annual trip that kicks off tomorrow! Plus I'm super pumped for Chicago w/ my best friend after that (lulz if you're reading this Jordan) even though my bank account isn't so much! To round things off, I even have a whole extra week of vacation once I get back. It's almost too good to be true. Regardless, rain check on a post that actually has some substance to it. Be safe everyone & I hope it's a wonderful time w/ family, friends, pets, etc!

Edit: Unfortunate, but not unexpected http://www.freep.com/article/20111213/BUSINESS06/111213071/Detroit-light-rail-line-scrapped

The Good Life - Kanye West feat. T Pain

1. I'm on break finally! (Well, have been for the past five days, yay) 2. I've been thoroughly enjoying myself after the semester from hell (i.e. Vanya's birthday, friends visiting from out of town, & general post semester shenanigans) 3. Instead of going out for another night in a row, book one of many during my free time is complete: three hours later I've finished Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother by Xinran. Extremely moving book which has a sense of connected short stories, I think it's a great book for anyone particularly those that have been adopted. The author's able to write about that elephant in the the room so well, giving it a voice & making it almost seem tangible. By doing so, she also touches on the strong disconnect from 1st & 2nd generation immigrants in terms of culture and values. Great read

Why Don't You and I - Santana ft. Alex Band

Pomegranate: one of the prettiest but one of the most tedious foods to eat.

Last (but most important) exam of the semester in T-minus 14.5 hours

King of Wishful Thinking - New Found Glory

Note to self: when using mushrooms which are questionably fresh/okay to use, make sure to cook them all the way next time. That way, it won't feel like some one's stabbing your stomach.

First world problems.

(I also realize NFG covered the original song but I like this version better)

You Make My Dreams (Come True) - Hall & Oates

To everyone in the midst of the finals grind: good luck! Study hard & don't procrastinate like me (:

Chop Suey! - System of a Down

I'll admit, I don't follow Rick Perry. For all I know, the man has done great things for Texas. I had no positive or negative opinions about the Republican party candidate hopeful.

...until I watched his campaign ad 'Strong'. If you have no idea what I'm talking about:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PAJNntoRgA

At first I laughed because I couldn't believe he was saying, especially since he served in the military (thanks Wikipedia). Seriously people, does this make any sense? How is his campaign not dead? Isn't there a point where common sense kicks in & you realize that this message is utterly ridiculous? If you haven't & don't plan on watching the video, he chastens people who risk their lives every day fighting anonymous shadows, criticizing them for their service because of who they love. Furthermore, he compares this to the unthinkable: children in America who are unable to celebrate Christmas in schools...indeed, a true scandal.

The alarming thing is that I know there are others that agree wholeheartedly w/ this concept (evidenced in part by the number of 'likes' the video got- regardless of its tiny fraction to the 'dislikes). Never mind that many people who live in the US, including myself, are unwilling to serve in the armed forces & there are problems recruiting as is. No, let's just put those in the military who are straight at more risk by kicking out their gay counterparts. Let's ignore the fact that it means spreading our troops out more thinly across different regions or requiring more /longer deployments & the detrimental, not to mention costly, effects of PTSD, amputations, and other post war effect (like, oh, I don't know, death) associated w/ more time spent in war zones. How about families, who are torn apart when a loved one dies abroad serving, couples w/ young children left without a parent or engaged in an ugly custody battle after a divorce. Okay. Taking a breath. No I haven't looked at peer reviewed articles, no I haven't studied very much about war tactics or aftereffects. But at the risk of sounding super ignorant, I stand by it. Who cares about if some one is gay or not? We're multifaceted, that should never be a defining characteristic in a professional setting. Besides, they're the ones w/ the courage to put their lives on the line in order to protect our freedoms. Ironically, that include free speech, so idiots like Rick Perry can hang them out to dry.

On both sides of the aisle, we allow ignorant individuals who call themselves 'representatives of the people' to blindly point fingers at each other. It's always "I'm a Democrat/Republican but the evil Republicans/Democrats are out to destroy the country because they did ___ (fill in the blank)."

Since we're on the topic of politics, an article I read below:

Yeah...this is why people who aren't from America think we're all stupid.

PYT - Michael Jackson

Note: This is from a person who's been in non-arts classes since sixth grade.

Is it just me or does an art degree seem a little...ironic? Considering that art is all about self expression, it's a little funny that there are people teaching other people how to be better artists.

Yeah, I get it's most likely to help them 'hone their skill' or teach them more about different types of art, but the concept is a little strange to me.

Take Me or Leave Me - RENT

Yay I have a confirmed internship for next summer! Aaaaand they gave me a pay raise! Can't wait until next June.

And now to start focusing on passing my three finals and two practicals in the next two weeks.