Stop and take a second glance

Dear Five-Year-Old Me, You should really stop throwing all those tantrums. Even though you think...

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 01:12:00 -0500

Dear Five-Year-Old Me,

You should really stop throwing all those tantrums. Even though you think it’s going to help you get your way, it doesn’t. It just makes Mom want to pick you up and throw you at the wall. And when Mom tells you to stop poking Shaz, you should probably stop. He’s bigger than you, and I hope you’ve learned by now that he WILL punch you. One day in the future you two will love each other a lot, but right now you’re making it hard for that to happen. Also, good job with all the soccer and softball lately. One day you’ll be really great and you’ll be glad that Mom is making you go to all these practices. By the way, Dad is never going to buy you that motorized Barbie Jeep that you’ve been wanting, so just give up on that now. Well anyways, have fun spending the night at Erin’s house this weekend. Be careful around her cat Snowy. You’re REALLY allergic to her. And if you pet her too much your eyes will swell up and it will look like you got punched in the face.

Love,

Big You

If I could have any power...

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 00:57:00 -0500

If I could have any ability I desire, I would have unlimited memory. Every conversation I would have and every fact I would learn I would be able to recall perfectly. I would also have night vision, especially since I’m afraid of the dark. Also, I wouldn’t need sleep to be able to function so I can work at all times of the day. I would be much more efficient and have more free time. Lastly, I would be able to hear other people’s thoughts, but I would be able to control when I did and didn’t want to hear them so I don’t go crazy.

If I could genetically modify the way my children will turn out, they would be tall and slender....

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 00:47:21 -0500

If I could genetically modify the way my children will turn out, they would be tall and slender. They would be those kids that can pick up any sport and master it in no time. They would be dark-skinned and would have curly hair, because I’d want them to look different from everyone else. They would have perfect teeth without needing braces, and would have incredibly fast metabolism. They would be musically-inclined and would learn how to play the piano, violin, and guitar at a young age. They would be outgoing and compassionate, and always eager to learn. If I could genetically modify my children, they would be destined for greatness. They would be intelligent, talented, and passionate.

This is what my child would look like if I were to make a baby with John Legend, an intelligent, talented and passionate man.

If I were President...

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 00:11:14 -0500

If I were the president of the United States, I would outlaw soda because it makes people fat. I would encourage people of all races and beliefs to become friends so that we as a whole can be more diverse in thought and perspective. I would make each city declare one day a month as Weather Day. People would have the option of taking the day off to go enjoy a day of beautiful weather with their family. I would make sure that any areas where trees are chopped down, new ones are planted along with all other sorts of plants. I would declare a “Pass it Forward” law. Everyone would have to do three good deeds a month, and whoever they do the good deed for would do the same for three other people. I would emphasize the seriousness of children who are orphaned and enslaved in sex trafficking, and I would encourage Americans to get up and do something about it. I would require that every child plays at least one instrument. Also, every public school would require that each student studies three different languages.

Video

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 23:02:40 -0500

What a tragic transformation…

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 22:59:00 -0500

What a tragic transformation…

There aren’t many things that I hate more than rain, but I...

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 22:21:41 -0500

There aren’t many things that I hate more than rain, but I think I’d be okay with this forecast.

Would you like some coffee?

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 21:45:58 -0500

Would you like some coffee?

Do we all feel the need to document ourselves because we are unsure of our own place in the world;...

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:48:08 -0500

Do we all feel the need to document ourselves because we are unsure of our own place in the world; that we have the undying urge to leave a mark on this world, to say “I was there, I existed”? Or are we just narcissistic? Are we our own mirrors, reflecting our own projected desires? Could fame exist without an audience? Why do we desire an audience? It is because we fail to validate ourselves and our own actions? Do we perform for the audience or does the audience make us perform for them? Who is dictating who? What do we see in these people? What purpose do they serve? Why do we desire less in a time when we need more? Where are our heroes? Why are we worshiping false idols in times of crisis? Because we don’t want to see Rome burn? If the audience changes the performer will too. Reject false idols or reflect upon them. You can’t have it both ways.

I am a consumer!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:37:07 -0500

I am a consumer!

Blanket fort

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:01:00 -0500

Are you ever considered too old to build blanket forts? Because it’s still one of my favorite things to do. It allows me to be the architect. To build a home however I want, with whatever materials I want. If you’re lucky you’ll have lots of tall furniture, a wide open space, and lots of blankets to use.

My dream fort would be long and winding, like a maze, until you reach the most magnificent room. The room would be nice and cozy, but big enough to fit two. I would want a fort with the stars on the ceiling so I could escape to a place where they’re actually visible at night. I’d have colored lights strung across the ceiling so the fort will glow with a reddish tint. In my fort only pajamas would be allowed, and the room would be packed with pillows, blankets, books, a bag of popcorn and a bowl of M&Ms.

Far away dreams

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:31:00 -0500

When I was 8 years old, my dream was to become an astronaut. A rather ambitious dream, but that’s because I wanted to be different from the rest of the 8 year old girls. I vividly remember one day in a girl scouts meeting, we were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up. The answers shouted out from the girls around me were “teacher! nurse! veterinarian! mommy!” All of my friends wanted to be a teacher. I thought, “What could be so fun about that? I wanna go to space so I can watch the world from above as if humans are tiny ants.”

A year later, the spaceship Columbia lifted off and an electrical short knocked out controllers for two shuttle main engines. After I realized how possible it was that I could die if I went to space, I gave up on my dream of becoming an astronaut.

Violating social norms

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:05:00 -0500

One day in my management class, we were learning about organizational culture and my professor began talking about social norms. It’s fascinating to see what’s socially acceptable in different cultures. One example was Americans’ need for personal space. We all reserve the right to our safety bubble and if someone crosses it without permission, we’re unsure as to how to respond.

Professor Loescher gave us one task: violate a social norm this week. There are unwritten rules about lots of different situations. Our focus: elevators. When riding a packed elevator, it’s expected that the passengers face forward, they look down at their feet, look straight ahead, look at their phone and pretend to be reading a text message, stand in the corner furthest away from other passenger(s), and don’t make conversation. I decided to put her theory to the test. This is what happened:

Walk into PCL elevator with two other girls.
Both girls head for two back corners of elevator, facing the doors.
I stand approximately one foot away from small brunette girl, facing her.
She glances at me, smiles nervously, and looks towards the wall.
She begins fidgeting and takes out her cell phone to check the time.
She doesn’t lift her head or turn my direction.
The elevator door opens and she rushes out, nearly knocking me over.

When I think about the future, it freaks me out a little bit...

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:33:00 -0500

When I think about the future, it freaks me out a little bit thinking of how quickly technology advances. What if in 50 years, robots become a common source of labor? People all over the world will be in an uproar because they’re being replaced by more efficient and accurate machines. What if it becomes a norm for household chores to be done by the family robot? People will go crazy over purchasing the latest and greatest machine, spending thousands of dollars. What will happen to the traditional household? Will this negatively affect family time? What will happen to their children? They’ll become lazy and be expected to spend more time focusing on school rather than helping around the house. What if offices become busied with robot traffic instead of humans? How will that affect human interaction?

Innovators are already getting excited about the birth of super computers and eventually their enslavement of human beings, particularly Honda with the Honda ASIMO.

If I were to choose any song to portray myself, it would be this...

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:00:27 -0500

If I were to choose any song to portray myself, it would be this one.

I noticed that nobody speaks on Monday mornings at 8am. Instead,...

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 15:45:00 -0500

I noticed that nobody speaks on Monday mornings at 8am. Instead, this was my soundtrack as I walked to class.

Cheerleading trees

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:59:00 -0500

I see these trees. They greet the cars as they pass by. The cars are like football players running onto the football field. The trees are their adoring fans, cheering them on as they make their voyage around the city.

Don't judge a book by its mustache

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:54:00 -0500

Is it safe to say you can judge a man’s personality by his mustache? I find that oftentimes, a man’s mustache speaks volumes about their character.

My friend was having a pumpkin carving party where I knew nobody but herself and her boyfriend. The guy sitting in front of me was sporting this epic mustache, and I immediately began assuming what his personality would be by his facial accessory.

My thoughts:

“Wow that’s an unusual mustache. He seems like he wouldn’t have very good social skills. Probably an engineer. He seems like he’d be kind of a sarcastic asshole. He probably likes to get into philosophical arguments and strokes his mustache.”

My assumptions were exactly correct.

Tree of beauty

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:44:09 -0500

Characteristics of those closest to me.

Multiple personality disorder

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 20:18:00 -0500

Why do we always want to be seen in a certain way to certain people? How many different personalities do we desire to have? I want people to know me as…

cultured professional driven

fun strong the same as everyone loved

creative holy simple

different from the rest entertaining adventurous