Random Musings of an Organized Mind

It's the holiday season.

2011-12-11T22:32:00.000-08:00

The holidays are once again upon us, and though my life is currently full of papers and research and studying and finals and stress, in mixed with all that are a few little things that help me get into the holiday mood, despite the end-of-the-semester horribleness.

Oh, and not to mention these awesome people, who make every holiday season all the more wonderful.

Happy Holidays, guys.

Muscle Memory

2011-11-29T15:14:00.000-08:00

Have you ever listened to a song and been reminded of a certain experience? Or smelled an aroma that took you back to a certain place? That vivid transportation to a deeply felt memory is magical. It's almost like muscle memory: the experience is strongly linked to a certain stimulus that produces a reaction in the form of a memory, a feeling, a force that fills you up inside.

Yesterday I listened to an album that I listened to a lot while I was abroad. The muscle memory effect was instantaneous. I was flooded with mental pictures from my time in Graz. The memory was so strong that when I closed my eyes, I could actually feel Graz around me.

The magical part was I didn't recall the notable experiences, the types of stories I relate with gusto and a hint of rehearsal. I thought of the little things I encountered during my day to day living--the simple sensations I was surrounded by everyday.

The taste of a Milka bar. The feel of grass as I studied on the University lawn. The comfort of my bed-nook as I sat and read. The smell of the cherry blossom incense my roommate once burned. The feel of the cool air during my random late-night jogs. The taste of a cold cranberry-apple Voeslauer. The look of the big green trees forming canopies over the paths through the Stadtpark. The sight of the sunrise over the sleepy neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city. The occurrences that at the time seemed mundane, but that resonated within me long past their actual happening.

Around this time last year, I was getting ready to leave for Graz--and thus dealing with the bundle of emotions that went with that: excitement, angst, and most of all, sadness about leaving my friends and family. It's funny to be on the other side of the experience; all of my "before" feelings have melded into one big "after" emotion: longing. I miss Graz more than I had imagined I would, but after all, it was my home for five months. And in those five months, I left a piece of my heart there.

But until I go again [because, trust me, I will], my muscle memories will have to do.

Sharpening my cupboard skills.

2011-11-08T22:48:00.000-08:00

The last few days have been ones of earthquakes, tornados, and general end-of-the-world type stuff. As it turns out, impending doom puts me in the mood to cook up a storm that rivals the one roaring outside.

Yesterday I cooked up a slightly edited version of Kalyn's Double Lentil, Sausage, Brown Rice, and Spinach Soup for my dear friends Brandon and Rhyker. All three of us are looking to incorporate more healthy foods into our lives [which can sometimes be difficult in the college lifestyle], and this soup definitely delivered. It. Was. DELICIOUS. We were all beyond happy with the results, and before we knew it, we had gobbled and slurped the whole pot up. Yum.

Understandably, today when I got home I wanted something just as yummy and comforting and hearty as the delicious soup I made last night. But alas, we had finished it the night before, and when I purveyed the foodstuffs available to me, it seemed like I had a bunch of random things and no way to use them.

Operation Improvise was put into effect by Executive Order I WANT FOOD, and I got to work creating God-knows-what.

I had a ton of celery [which I don't actually like that much?] to use, so I started with celery, onion, and garlic.

Oh, and bacon. I forgot to mention the bacon. Oh, what a wonderful start.

I sauteed that altogether until it smelled really good, and then I added some chopped up green olives for the hell of it.

Then I added a can of butter beans, dijon mustard, oregano, worchestire sauce, and half a can tomato sauce. Again, for the hell of it. Also, because these are the things I had in my cupboard.

I thought brown rice would be a nice addition, so I added 1/2 cup of rice and 1 1/4 cups of water to the mix.

I brought it to a boil, reduced to simmer, put the lid on the pot, and prayed to the food gods that it didn't become a Pandora's box of yuck.

Obviously it didn't, or I wouldn't be posting about it, would I?

I have yet to develop a flair for foodstyling.

While it did turn out well, it could have been better. The flavor of the olives [which I love so much] was really muddled, and the texture of the rice was definitely off. Because of this, I'm going to refrain from posting the recipe. BUT JUST YOU WAIT, IT WILL COME.

Nevertheless, I'm calling Operation Improvise a success. Gordon Elliot's got NOTHIN' on me.

fantastically falsetto.

2011-11-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

A while back a very good friend of mine asked me to put together a playlist starring his favorite vocal style: falsetto. Naturally, I said "OHMYGOD YES" and got straight to work.

A few weeks later, I finished fantastically falsetto, a lovely mix of electro-pop, indie, and alternative music all featuring the art of falsetto.

Here's the tracklist:

1. “Two Receivers” – Klaxons

2. “Everlasting Light” – The Black Keys

3. “The Piper’s Song (Aeroplane Tapes Remix)” – Gypsy and the Cat

4. “The Reeling” – Passion Pit

5. “The Rabbit” – Miike Snow

6. “Living in America” – DOM

7. “act of the apostle ii” – belle and sebastian

8. “Horchata” – Vampire Weekend

9. “Anthems for a 17-Yr-Old Girl” – Young Buffalo

10. “Something Good Can Work” – Two Door Cinema Club

11. “For Reasons Unknown” – The Killers

12. “Too Fake” – Hockey

13. “Time to Wander” – Gypsy and the Cat

14. “Wait and See” – Holy Ghost!

15. “Cadenza” – Dutch Uncles

16. “Last Night” – the morning benders

17. “Love Lost” – The Temper Trap

18. “Gravity’s Rainbow” – Klaxons

19. “Electric Feel” – MGMT

20. “Pumped Up Kicks (The Knocks Speeding Bullet Remix)” – Foster the People

21. “Rain” – MIKA

22. “Take on Me” – a-Ha

Though I made it specifically for my friend, that doesn't mean I'm not open to sharing! In fact, I want to share it! With you. Yes, you. Unfortunately, I'm not all that technologically savvy, so the whole file-sharing thing is out of my league, and the file is waaaaaaay to big to email. So, if you are interested in this one-of-a-kind playlist, hit me up and we can meet up, grab some coffee, and have a good old-fashioned jam. And for those few international readers, while we can't actually do those things, I still encourage you to check out these totally awesome songs on Youtube or Spotify.

Happy listening!

The little things.

2011-10-23T23:36:00.000-07:00

A few little things made this past week better than my average week. I thought I'd share.

joking around in the offices
a thought-provoking discussion about my study abroad experience with someone who cared
a delicious pot of homemade spaghetti sauce + garlic bread
candy I bought with a coupon
my dad's flannel shirt
changing my email platform to a more fall-friendly theme
Plastiklips
the Submarine soundtrack
my roommate bringing home a funfetti cake
MUSE
Love Your Body Day post-its
compliments
borrowed cold weather clothes
that feeling you get when you're actually on top of things
The Vaccines
Chinese food
30 Rock
cooking for friends
late night ice cream
a roommate who listens when I need her to.

Enjoy the little things, guys.

Stalling with self-portraits.

2011-05-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is atrocious that I have not blogged in so long. Not to brag on myself, but I had been doing well, posting pretty regularly and relatively often [even if not all of the posts actually included words]. But I must admit, I have fallen off the blogging wagon.

This is not from lack of things to talk about; since the last time I posted, I have visited 5 cities in 3 different countries and have experienced things I would have never dreamed of. My lack of blogging is directly related to my lack of time. Since returning from holiday, it seems I have a million things to do and none of the time to do them; there's definitely an element of stress that wasn't here a month ago. Between looming finals, plans for travelling, and the knowledge that my time abroad is running out, I am feeling a lot more tense than I did when I first arrived.

And what's the best thing to do when you feel like your brain is going in 7,000 different directions? Have an impromptu self photo-shoot, of course!

WARNING: The rest of this blogpost is pure conceit and vanity. I suggest you find something else to read if you're not into that sort of thing.

Some were super-model serious.

Some were silly.

And some actually turned out very nicely.

The exposure on a couple turned out not so nicely, so I took that as an opportunity to play with the photo-editing software on my computer. I'm really fond of the results.

Before:

And after:

They have an obviously-edited look about them, but I think that can sometimes be fun; subtlety is not always necessary. I especially like how red it makes my hair look. One of my favorite things is to take so-so pictures and up the contrast and color saturation on them. It always brings out the best of the picture and hides the crappy parts. And I was able to do this with only the simple editing software that came with my computer [my computer is equipped with Windows 7], which is pretty awesome. If ever you are bored and looking for something to do, investigate the photo editing software on your computer and mess with some of your favorite photos; I'm sure you'll find it at least semi-amusing.

I promise to return soon with wonderful posts about my recent adventures. But for now, I'm going to get a cup of coffee and attempt to bring some order to my crazy life. We'll see how that goes.

This is why my family is better than yours.

2011-04-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

The sixth Harry Potter book [in preparation for the release of the last movie], Peanuts Easter stickers, lip gloss, American magazines [which have already succeeded in killing my productivity], Peanuts tissue packs [my mother must have literally read my mind because I've been needing to buy some of these for ages], white chocolate cross [Easter standard], my Eurail pass!, assorted other delicious American Easter candies, and CRACK PRETZELS [notice how one bag is already open. I couldn't even wait 5 seconds before I started eating them.]

Oh and, of course, a Peanuts Easter card, complete with a button that plays the Linus and Lucy song [which you'll have to imagine because figuring out how to embed audio into my blogposts is WAY beyond my skill set].

You know, it really is too bad I don't plan on joining the military, because my mom makes a mean care package.

Maybe the Peace Corps?! ;)

Frühling in Graz

2011-04-12T15:18:00.000-07:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are some pictures that can better describe than thousands of words my current love affair with springtime in Graz.

How could I not be in love with this wonderful city?

A trip to the Bauer distillery

2011-04-10T06:22:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I went on a tour of the Bauer distillery in Graz with the international student group at my university. As opposed to being located on the outskirts of town [like I had imagined], this full-blown distillery is located in the city, just like any other cafe, boutique, or apartment building; we were actually able to walk there. Bauer produces its own line of schnapps and other liqueurs, as well as being one of the top Jaegermeister producers in Austria.

During one part of the tour, they took us to where they package the Jaeger in its signature little shot bottles. Instead of us watching from behind a plate-glass window, we were actually able to get right up close to the machines, meaning I was able to take some really phenomenal pictures.

Afterwards, we went down into the "schnapps parlor" and were able to try as much of the schnapps as we wanted [did I mention this entire thing was free?].

On top of everything else, our tour guides, Andreas and Gert, were some of the nicest and coolest people I've met since I got to Graz. Instead of restricting our sampling they actually encouraged us to drink as much as we wanted, and were basically just really awesome guys.

Gert, the older guy, even took part in some Jaeger shots with us, putting the bottle cap on his nose and everything. I'm pretty sure he could drink all of us under the table.

The entire trip reminded me of something my grandfather would have liked to do. From the up close access to the machinery to the loads of free booze, I'm certain it's something he would have enjoyed. Maybe that's why I liked Gert so much -- he kind of reminded me of my Granddad.

As we left the distillery [after a couple hours of hanging out in the "Schnaps-Stüberl"], Andreas and Gert told us "Please, come visit again!" I think I might just take them up on that offer :)

I'm sorry if my happiness is too intense for you.

2011-04-06T17:30:00.000-07:00

I had a really great day today. The best I've had in a while. I got up at a reasonable time, tackled my errands, got real groceries [though I slightly overspent], and finally, FINALLY, figured out my Easter break plans.

Let me try to explain how big of a deal this accomplishment is. Starting April 15th, I have approximately 3 weeks off for Easter, which, as an international student, is basically 3 weeks to go gallivanting around Europe. This is wonderful, seeing as that is basically the reason I am here. However, traveling requires plans, and three weeks of traveling requires LOTS of plans, and, being the procrastinator I am, I put off making these plans until the last minute. Now, it isn't that big of deal that I put it off, except for it usually works that the longer you wait to plan, the more expensive it becomes and so all of last week I was basically angsting over my lack of plans, my inability to figure out plans, and the cost of whatever the said plans would be. And then I got more angsty over the fact that I was angsty, and my life became a vicious cycle that resulted in zero productivity and lots of refreshing my Facebook homepage for lack of anything else to do.

Anyways, I was finally released from my funk, thanks to some Vitamin D, Rick Steves, and a couple lovely chats with caring people from home [I love you Mom and Jen Herrmann], and somehow my travel plans just seemed to fall into place today. Anytime things "fall into place" I am filled with an overwhelming feeling of joy and energy, which is why today was a really great day.

And as if the day wasn't great enough, after finishing my epic travel plans, I proceeded to make an epic dinner for myself.

Again, I didn't take any pictures of my ingredients or the food cooking or whatever, but, to tell you the truth, when I set off to make myself dinner, I had had no intention whatsoever about blogging about it. I had expected the meal to be good, but I had not expected it to be as outrageously good as it was. Pair that with the fact that it was outrageously easy, and you have yourself one of the best dishes I have EVER MADE.

So let me give you a run down. I started by boiling some water because there was pasta involved [natürlich]. I then chopped up some bacon [I told you it was going to be amazing] and started frying it up nice and crispy.

Once my water was boiling, I salted it and put in my pasta, and then started chopping up some gouda into really small pieces. I don't know exactly what type of gouda it was [can anyone say german ingredient labels?], but it was white and firm and sharp, so if you are hellbent on re-creating this, you can go to a cheese person at the supermarket and ask them for a white, firm, and sharp gouda, and hopefully they won't look at you too funny.

Once my pasta was done, I drained it, put it back in the pot, added the bacon, gouda, and a couple dollops of creme fraiche, and stirred it all together.

That was it.

And let me tell you, it was amazing. Phenomenal. Orgasmically good.

Now that's REALLY good.

I was able to restrain myself just enough to get a picture of the final product before I devoured it. AND HERE IT IS.

The picture doesn't really do it justice, because at the time I wasn't really thinking about how it looked so much as I was thinking "JUST TAKE THE DAMN PICTURE SO I CAN EAT IT."

But I swear, it is really good. And you should make it. Because if you're angsty about something, this will make it seem not as bad, and if you're super happy about something, this will only make you happier.

Trust me. I know from experience.

KBop: A Rapper of Delicious Proportions

2011-04-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

this can't explain the awesomeness that is kebap, but it tries.

OMG I COOKED SOMETHING.

2011-03-24T11:53:00.000-07:00

Since I've come to Graz, it's been like pulling teeth trying to get myself to cook. While I enjoy cooking and can hold my own in the kitchen, when in an unfamiliar kitchen and surrounded by the Iron Chefs that are my floormates, I tend to chicken out and just go for a kebap.

But recently I've decided to stop being such a weenie and start cooking like a real person. Now, let's not get things twisted here-- the venture I'm describing is not one of hardcore gourmet culinary amazingness. In fact, it can barely be called cooking, but it involves some chopping and sauteeing, so I think it qualifies, and besides, it tasted good! Also, I think it's a good recipe for other students or people with a lot of laziness and not a lot of cooking supplies, so here it is.

First, I started by thinly slicing and sauteeing a whole zucchini with garlic, oil, and salt. I used a bottled garlic paste because I don't own a garlic press here in Austria, and, like I hinted at before, I'm very pro-easy stuff.

While this was happening, I cooked some pasta. The type doesn't matter, but DON'T FORGET SALT. Unsalted pasta is a crime against food.

Here in Austria [and perhaps the States, I don't know] they sell tuna fish packed in tomato sauce with onions and peas, also known as thunfisch pikant. When I first heard of this, I thought it sounded really weird. However, after trying it, I realized that I liked it. A lot.

When the zucchini was done [and by done I mean soft and golden and yummy looking], I added the entire can of thunfisch pikant [sounds so fancy and foreign!], and let it all cook down a little bit. I also added a handful of chopped green olives, because I'm a firm believer in the idea that green olives only make things better.

Once that all cooked together, I added the cooked pasta and a drizzle of balsamic dressing [because I don't have balsamic vinegar] just to add a little more flavor. It would be fine without it.

Then I put it on a plate.

Took a picture of it [actually two].

And ate it. AND DAMN WAS IT GOOD.

I sincerely think food tastes better when you cook it yourself. Unless you cook it badly, then it just tastes like crap.

Sorry I fail at the whole "take pictures while you cook" thing, but the finished product is what matters, and it's not like I'm going to show you how to chop things up or anything.

So there you have it, cooking with Emma! The whole blogging aspect of it wasn't too hard, so I might do it again. Perhaps when I upgrade cooking with non-canned meat.

On second thought, maybe I'll just stick with getting kebaps.

A Summary of Levels of Skiers

2011-03-23T15:53:00.000-07:00

Sorry Europe, but America wins this one.

2011-03-18T09:13:00.000-07:00

As an American living abroad, I tend to focus on the things that Europe has over America-- awesome public transportation, beautiful everything everywhere, kebap, etc. etc. But every once in a while, I am reminded of things at which America is clearly superior. And for this St. Patrick's Day, my mother sent me that reminder in the form of three boxes of Girl Scout cookies.

My mom is really good at the whole "make stuff look cute" thing

Girl Scout cookies are as All-American as you can get. I asked my roommate [who is from Ukraine] if she had ever had one, and, bless her heart, she had not. I was happy to right this wrong by giving her a Samoa.

She included other goodies as well. Like Post-its and Snoopy stickers :)

What made the arrival of the cookies even better was the fact that I was not at all expecting it. St. Patrick's Day is kind of a big deal with my family, but I definitely didn't think it warranted an AWESOME package. I think my mom did it as a consolation for my missing her corned beef and cabbage dinner, an absolutely delicious meal that we only eat on St. Patrick's Day.

Irish cats -- what could be better?

I had plans to go to an Irish pub in hopes of finding some of the aforementioned corned beef [and maybe some green beer?], but I was hardly the only one with this idea, so when my friends and I started hitting up the pubs, we were saddened to find they were all horribly full.

But even though the night was a bust, I couldn't be too disappointed, because I knew at home in my dorm room, I had a little piece of America waiting for me.

Accidents in Vienna

2011-03-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

International Politics circa 1815

2011-03-11T02:35:00.000-08:00

My current life predicament.

2011-02-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

I need a haircut.

Normally this would not be considered a "predicament." State-side I have a hairdresser from God to whom I can give crappy, doesn't-know-a-thing-about-hair instructions and know that she will not only be able to understand me, but also deliver an AWESOME haircut. Without fail, I always leave her chair feeling fan-freaking-tabulous and like I have the greatest hair style that has ever existed.

However, given my current residence status and lack of German language knowledge as it applies to the world of haircuts, my needing a haircut is, indeed, quite the predicament. Like I mentioned before, I have a hard enough time describing what I want done in English, so trying to explain how I want my hair to look auf deutsch seems like an insurmountable feat. Undoubtedly there is at least one hairdresser in Graz who speaks English, but if there's one thing I've learned since I got here, just because someone can speak a certain language, doesn't mean they can converse in that language. Kind of like me and German.

I am considering doing the dying part myself to help cut down on the price and the amount of German communication needed, but this opens up a whole new world of problems. What color do I get, what brand do I get, and H'WHAT?! THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE IN GERMAN?!! I've never dyed my own hair before, and while I'm certain it's a relatively simple process, it's one that, if it goes wrong, can make my hair fall out, and that's a style I'm not too keen to try.

So this is my adventure for the weekend. Not traveling somewhere cool or trying something new. Just getting my hair cut. Wish me luck.

Let's just hope I don't end up like this.

Happy [three days after] Valentine's Day.

2011-02-17T14:41:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day came around this year just like every other year: with a sweeping gust of lovesick facebook statuses and equally large wave of "I hate the world because nobody loves me" posts. Luckily I am currently living in a country where Valentine's Day does not have the same freakish importance it does stateside, but that did not keep me from going to a Anti-Valentines/Singles Awareness party that.. well let's just say it didn't end well.

Basically, Valentine's Day was a bust.

Which wasn't really a big deal. I've had many a day that was a bust, and just because this one has a special name attached to it doesn't mean it is immune to the potential suckiness each day holds. So though I was disappointed, I was ok with the fact that my Valentine's Day hadn't turned out too well. Such is life.

But then something magical happened.

Two of my favorite things in the entire world came together to make three days after Valentine's Day better than almost any other actual Valentine's Day I have ever had.

And those two things were packages and snow.

I received a notice in the mail that I had a package to pick up, and on my way to the post office, it snowed, and it snowed, and it snowed.

And though I know snow is a result of complex weather patterns in the atmosphere, I felt like it was coming down from heaven just for me.

I then got my package and rushed home to open it up. It was from my amazing family, in honor of the aforementioned Valentine's Day. Inside was an adorable card and lots of yummy goodies.

And then, being the healthy person I am, I sat and ate about 5 Rice Krispie Treats as I watched the snow fall.

Because that's what [three days after] Valentine's Day is all about, Charlie Brown.

My thoughts on Egypt.

2011-02-13T14:22:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to sit here and pretend I know anything about the situation in Egypt. Cause I don't. I have, at best, a limited knowledge and understanding of politics in America, so any hope for my having the slightest clue about politics elsewhere is slim to none.

What I do know are the things other people are saying about the situation in Egypt. Some say it's fantastic that true democracy has finally come to Egypt because democracy is the best political system there is. Others say it is ignorant to assume that what works for one country in the way of political systems is automatically the best way for everyone. In a way, I agree with both. All the countries in the world have different histories and cultures, and thus what is the best politically differs for each country. On the other hand, as someone who comes from a democratic country, I must say, democracy is pretty freakin' awesome.

But, after talking with an Egyptian student living in my dorm in Austria, I have to agree with the consensus that what is going on is good. Our conversation was brief and lacking in full understanding on my part, but the message was clear: he is happy about the changes being made. It didn't matter that I couldn't clearly make out what he was saying in half English-half German; the tone of his voice, his body language, and, most of all, the smile on his face made it clear to me his elation about the newfound freedom in his country.

And his elation was beautiful. Truly, genuinely beautiful.

I don't know what's in store for Egypt. I don't think anyone does. I also don't know what is best for Egypt. However, Egypt does. They have shown their ability to change things for themselves, and I believe they will continue to demonstrate that ability. And I think that regardless of how people feel about the specifics of Egyptian politics, in the grand scheme of things, the demonstration of the people's power combined with the beautiful happiness they exhibit makes it safe to say that what is happening is good.

WARNING: Graphic Thoughts Ahead

2011-02-12T16:04:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, I took a class last semester called Sex, Love, and Race in American Life and Culture in which I learned to analyze the dynamics sex, love, and race in America [nah, really?!] and basically just got really cynical about stuff.

So for the final paper I wrote on the sexism in the manufacturing and distribution of pornography and the skewed messages it sends. And you know how every once in a while, you write a paper you think is really REALLY good? Well, this paper is one of those. I've never had an easier time writing a paper, and when I was done with it, I felt like I had penned something truly revoultionary.

And because of these feelings, I am strongly considering submitting it with the hopes that it will be published in an undergraduate research journal at my university. However, before I do that, I am looking for some criticism [constructive, of course] about things I could do to make it better or the about how it's a worthless piece of crap that can never be saved.

Seeing as the paper is about pornography, it talks extensively [and at times, semi-graphically] about pornography and it's related activities. PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS POST IF YOU FIND THESE TOPICS OFFENSIVE AND/OR IF DISCUSSION OF SUCH TOPICS MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE. I do not want people reading something they find inappropriate just for the sake of constructive criticism. I also do not want criticism about the points I make about pornography. Some of the things said may rub people the wrong way, but these are the points I chose to make, and if you want to discuss them more, we can do that someplace else besides my blog.

Anyways, here is the paper, and I hope you enjoy what I consider one of my best pieces of writing yet.

We live in a technological age, and with a technological age comes the ability to make and distribute things that common society does not want made or distributed. One of these such things is pornography, which, try as government officials, clergymen, and parents might, is openly and easily accessible on the internet to anyone who can click the “Yes, I am older than 18” button. As much as the anti-pornography movement bashes the pornography industry for being “dirty” and “morally corruptive,” none of them acknowledge the real problem: the sexism in the manufacturing and marketing of pornography and the repercussions of said sexism. The sexism in and surrounding pornography not only affects the distribution of it, but also the underlying messages that watchers receive from it.

Simply put, pornography is made by heterosexual men, for heterosexual men, with the exclusion of almost every other demographic. This is unsurprising because masturbation, the main reason for the use of pornography, is much more prevalent in men than in women. According to The Janus Report on Sexual Behavior, by way of Columbia University’s health Q&A internet service Go Ask Alice!, “based on a large-scale, nationwide survey of adult Americans ages 18 and up conducted between 1983 and 1992, 10 percent of women reported masturbating frequently (several times weekly or daily) vs. 25 percent of men. Similarly, 38 percent of women reported masturbating on a regular basis (monthly to daily) in comparison to 55 percent of men.” The reason for these differences in the rates of masturbation is simple: it is socially acceptable for men to masturbate, while it is deviant and weird for women to masturbate. Jokes and pop culture references about male masturbation are relatively commonplace, whereas allusions to female masturbation are basically non-existent. As a matter of fact, many girls are not aware that they can masturbate until they are older (if they ever do become aware), and even then, many are so shy and confused that they never fully explore the realms of female masturbation. The stigmatization of female masturbation leads young women to believe that their masturbating is dirty, gross, and wrong, instead of being a healthy part of their sexual exploration. On the other hand, boys’ masturbating is completely acceptable, and, in some cases, boys are deemed weird or non-masculine if they don’t masturbate.

Because masturbation is seen as a male act, and because pornography is seen as a tool for masturbation, pornography is made with the intention of helping men masturbate. A Google search of “porn” brings up six hardcore pornography websites, all of which are accessible with just the click of a mouse. The first one available, pornhub.com, sorts its videos into categories, and the categories demonstrate one aspect of the “pornography is for male pleasure” concept. The categories include “Asian,” “Brunette,” “Blonde,” “Ebony,” “Latina,” “Redhead,” and “Striptease,” among many others. These categories are aimed at men in that the descriptions are of the women in the films and not of the men. For instance, if one clicks on the category “Striptease,” he or she will not find videos of men performing stripteases, but only of women performing such acts. This is the same for the “Blonde” category, which features blonde women and not blonde men, the “Ebony” category, which features black women and not black men, and so on and so forth.

Unfortunately, this trope also applies to the “Gay” and “Lesbian” categories. Whereas the “Gay” category is aimed at men by default (gay men are, indeed, male), the “Lesbian” category is much more perverse. While the “Lesbian” category would indicate it contains pornography that represents lesbians and is thus is marketed to lesbians, in reality, the “Lesbian” category depicts mostly heterosexual-seeming women performing homosexual acts not for their own sexual gratification, but instead for the sexual gratification of the male viewer. In her essay, “Prostitution for Everyone: Feminism, globalization, and the ‘sex’ industry,” D.A. Clarke asserts

“The ‘kick’ of girl/girl porno lies partly in its catering to the fantasy of violating the privacy of lesbians, of making even sex between women – something very threatening to male sexual prerogative – serve a male agenda; the other, tacit element is the kick of seeing ‘normal girls’ made to emulate homosexual activity. The assumption is that homosexual activity is repulsive, and therefore the models are disgusted by it and endure it under some compulsion – whether the compulsion of money, force of personality, or physical threat. Pictures of real lesbians – at Gay Pride rallies, for example – kissing, necking, and flirting are often considered ‘disgusting’ and ‘ugly’ by the same men who enjoy girl/girl fantasy porn. Lesbians in the public world who kiss, hold hands, or otherwise behave like a sexually intimate couple (in a restaurant, in a park, at a movie) have often been subjected to abuse, threats, and violence from hetero men – the same men who constitute the market for ever-popular girl/girl porno. What is disgusting in the case of real lesbians in the real world seems to be the women’s autonomy; what is attractive in the case of commercialised, fictionalised documentary porn is the evidence of reduced autonomy, and the dissonance between what the porn consumer assumes are the real wishes of the model, and the reaction she is being bribed or forced to perform. If the model were a real lesbian, she would experience violation and humiliation due to the invasion and exploitation of her sexual privacy by men; if the model is conventionally heterosexual, she is presumed to experience a degree of humiliation in being made to commit or mime homosexual acts” (Wade).

Stereotypical “butch” lesbians are not used in the videos because those videos would depict women taking part in homosexual encounters for their own sexual benefit and not for the sexual benefit of a third male viewer. The male gaze is the sole focus of hardcore pornography sites, even when it comes to alternative types of pornography.

The sexism in pornography is not limited to only the categorization of it; the pornography itself is wrought with themes that emphasize male sexual pleasure as the ultimate, and only, goal. In many cases, the videos portray women masturbating and touching themselves in sexually pleasing ways. However, the woman does not do this as an auto-erotic act, but instead as a way to seem sexually pleasing to a man. The rest of the video is all about the gratification of the man, and the woman is simply an object of that gratification. The woman moans and sighs in a way that indicates she is being sexually stimulated, but it sounds disingenuous and rehearsed, and it is obviously used as a way to further arouse her partner and the male viewer. The video ends when the man orgasms and ejaculates, which encourages the idea that since the ultimate goal, male sexual fulfillment, has been reached, the sexual encounter is now null and void, regardless of whether the woman has been sexually fulfilled as well.

The exception to these observations is the “Female-Friendly” category, a new category according to the website, complete with a pink female gender symbol next to the title. The “Female-Friendly” category contains less sex-for-the-sake-of-sex videos, and more sex-as-an-intimate-act videos. Basically, the videos are just normal couples having healthy sexual encounters, with less female objectification, and more dual enjoyment. The “Female-Friendly” category is very interesting for a couple of reasons. One, it demonstrates a growing population of pornography-watching women, and it also demonstrates the industry’s willingness to change in order to meet a new demand. According to the blog “Equal Writes,” “[the addition of the female-friendly category] is a major plus for people who enjoy watching porn but are turned off by how degrading towards women it can be. Granted, users themselves categorize the films, so we’ll have to wait and see what the general populace considers to be “female-friendly”, but the presence of the category is a step forward in allowing viewers and the industry to be more aware of the fact that porn is something that women as well as men should be able to enjoy.” However, the addition of the “Female-Friendly” category also demonstrates the misconception that all men like watching women be objectified, so much so that the videos of couples having sexual enjoyment together could not possibly appeal to any men, and are thus put in the category strictly for females. The acknowledgement of the female population as possible watchers of pornography by the pornography industry is a novel step, but the way in which they tried to include women only serves to further separate them from the rest of the pornography-watching community.

The inequality in pornography is not a one-dimensional problem though. Pornography shows a very skewed idea of what sex is, and, again, with a technological age comes the ability for people, especially adolescents who have had no sexual experiences of their own, to see skewed ideas and, in many cases, believe they are reality. Adolescents, especially males, see these images, believe them to be the normal way of things, and then pass those ideas onto their sexual partners. Soon there is an epidemic of people who think sex only exists as it does in world of pornography: in a way that is detached, formulaic, and exaggerated. Cindy Gallop, the founder of “Make Love, Not Porn,” a website dedicated to dispelling the myths about sex that pornography produces, said in her TEDTalk, “in an era where hardcore pornography is more freely and widely available on the internet than ever before, and where kids are therefore able to access it at a younger and younger age than ever before, there is an entire generation growing up that believes that what you see in hardcore pornography is the way that you have sex.” Pornographic ideas of sex are slowly fusing with societal ideas of sex, to the point where pornography is becoming reality.

Pornography is a profane industry, but not necessarily for the reasons most anti-pornography movements might think. Pornography can be a healthy part of a person’s sexual exploration, experimentation, and appetite. But, as put by Clarisse Thom of Ms. Magazine blog, “it’s incredibly problematic that very stylized mainstream porn is a dominant–perhaps the dominant–mode of sex education in America; this sucks particularly for women, since such porn is very rarely centered around female viewers’ desires.” The problem lies in the nature of the pornography produced and in the availability of pornography on the internet; since the availability of pornography on the internet is not going to change, what needs to change is the nature of the pornography being produced. Once the sexist and distorted ways of the manufacturing and marketing of pornography change, perhaps the larger taboos surrounding pornography will finally be tackled in larger society.

A trip to the Schloßberg

2011-02-07T14:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went to the Grazer Schloßberg, a fortitude at the top of a hill in the middle of the city, located so that the castle at the top overlooks all of Graz. The slight clouds did not make for the clearest of pictures, but the breathtaking beauty of the city made it impossible not to stop many times along the hike and take pictures.

The structures themselves were equally as beautiful as the views along the path.

The height provided a wonderful view of the church spires in the city, as well as of the river Mur that runs through Graz.

Part of the Schloßberg is this bell tower. Thankfully, it was saved from destruction during a siege by the French; it is extremely photogenic.

Next to the bell tower are the remains of St. Thomas Chapel, a church that was also spared during the French siege, but, unfortunately, did not stand the test of time.

Another cool feature of the Schloßberg is the open-air performance hall converted from the cellars of the fortress.

Even some of the internal structures, such as the Gothic Gate, have survived the many years since their construction.

An alternate way down the hill offered more opportune places for pictures; the odd light provided an interesting atmosphere.

Most of all, I loved the ability to see the entirety of Graz all at once. I gained a profound appreciation for the city I will call my home for the next 5 months.

The far-reaching mountains and the never-ending sky reminded me of the limitless possibilities before me as I embark on one of my life's greatest adventures.

A brief update.

2011-02-05T03:45:00.000-08:00

I originally wrote this as an update for a close friend, but after writing it, I realized the beauty of how well it describes my time away thus far.

I am alive.
I am living in Graz.
I am learning how to speak German at the university.
And everywhere else I am learning how to speak Austrian.
I am meeting people from all over the world and trying to make friends, though I have yet to make any beautiful life-connections like my group of friends at home.
I am trying to stay warm.
I am walking EVERYWHERE.
and I am occasionally taking pictures.
I am trying not to stick out as an American.
I am getting used to life with free access to alcohol and without ice cubes.
I am eating DELICIOUS European food.
and then walking some more so I don't gain 300 pounds.
I am having up times and down times.

but mostly I am missing you and wishing you were here to enjoy it with me.

This holiday season, don't be stupid.

2010-12-07T16:16:00.000-08:00

In an effort to keep my blog from drowning in a no-post abyss, I bring you another cop-out blog entry by way of my Sex, Love and Race in American Life and Culture class.

In this P-essay [see what I did there?], I address the culture of sex and alcohol on college campuses. Basically I just comment on how effed up it is. I figure most of the people who will read this don't often encounter this problem, but just in case one of my lonely Russian readers really takes this post to heart, just remember: when it comes to sex and alcohol, DON'T MIX THE TWO.

I know the title leads you to believe this will be a quasi-festive post, but that requires time and energy, things I've only heard about in fairy tales. And besides, with holiday parties comes an increase in social drinking and with the stress of finals comes the desire to binge, so it's still pretty pertinent.

Anyways, here it is, "An Excuse to be Cynical" Part II.

The culture of sex and alcohol on college campuses is an oddly paradoxical one. On one hand, college is lauded as a place where knowledge and wisdom are gained, responsibility is learned, and teenagers become adults. On the other, there is the reality of college and its accompanying lifestyle: raucous parties, rampant drinking, and lots and lots of sex. At a time in their lives when they are most vulnerable, college students are bombarded with not only the idea that drinking and sexual experimentation are “awesome,” but also the access to these things. While the participation in these activities is not inherently bad, the excessive and unsafe environment in which most college students engage can and often does lead to a skewed and exceedingly dangerous view of sex and drinking and the relationship between the two.

Unfortunately, the students that engage in excessive drinking and sexual behavior are usually the most susceptible to mental and emotional damage, such as younger students (freshmen and sophomores) and students with mental disorders and relationship issues. When freshmen first enter the college setting, not only are they presented with new obligations and expectations, but they are also presented with new freedoms. Many become overwhelmed with the new responsibilities of harder classes and living on their own, and in an attempt to cope with this significant life change, they turn to their newfound access to alcohol. According to a study done by Kim Kelly and Vanessa Conneely of The Sun, “a tenth [of Irish university students] cope with anxiety and depression by turning to alcohol and drugs” (4). What makes the situation in America even worse than that of Ireland is the fact that the legal drinking age in Ireland is 18, while the legal drinking age in America is 21. Many students in America actually use this as a justification for excessive drinking. In an interview with Neal Conan of NPR’s Talk of the Nation, a college student commented, “a lot of my friends argue the drinking age, also. Since you're going to break the law a little by drinking underage, you know, why not break it all the way and drink all night and whatever you can get your hands on?” (n.d.). Other students who are also particularly vulnerable in regards to sex and alcohol are those with mental disorders and relationship issues. Students with mental disorders also turn to alcohol to cope, but with results far different than what they are hoping for. Alcohol, being a depressant, only makes a student’s problems seem worse, and it can exacerbate mental conditions such as bipolar disorder and other personality disorders. Students with relationship issues often resort to casual sex as a way to make up for their lack of deep connections in their lives. According to a study done by Welsh, Grello, and Harper in 2003, “sexual behaviors have been strongly linked with depression, especially in younger females; accordingly, depressive symptoms may be a salient factor, especially for females who engage in casual sex” (255). However, the short-lived sexual encounters that result from drinking and partying do not provide the long-term affection these people are seeking, and instead contribute to their relationship and self-esteem problems. Paul, McManus, and Hayes found in a similar study that “individuals who had participated in casual sex relationships experienced significant guilt associated with their casual sexual encounters and suggested that feelings of guilt may further exacerbate feelings of low self-esteem” (255). These fragile students are only hurting themselves more by participating in the behavior that they believe will help them.

What is really dangerous is the combination of both sex and alcohol in the excessive setting that is a college campus. Partying leads to excessive drinking which then leads to drunken sexual encounters, and this is all “normal” according to dominant campus culture. ”One-night stands” are the norm, and sex while “black-out drunk” is not only reasonable, but also cause for nostalgia. As a college student who spends most of her time on a university campus and at university-owned apartments, I have heard, on more than one occasion, a young woman say, “I don’t remember anything about last night, but I think I might have slept with that guy?” What is worse is the fact that her friend did not respond with disapproval, but instead with laughter. Somehow, the culture of college campuses and greater society has made unconscious sex with a chance of date rape funny. According to a study done at Rutgers University by Kelly Cue Davis, Christian S. Hendershot, William H. George, Jeanette Norris, and Julia R. Heiman, “intoxicated participants were more attentive to impelling cues and reported greater sexual risk intentions than sober participants” (843). Intoxication not only leads to promiscuity, but also to altered perceptions of sexual risks, such as having sex without protection. And intoxication to the point of unconsciousness opens up the door to the issue of consent. How can someone consent to sexual intercourse when she can’t even move, let alone say anything? “Black-out” sex is in effect date rape, and instead of garnering concern among college students, this enormously unsafe sexual practice garners amusement.

What is perhaps the most alarming side effect of this sex-and-alcohol-infused culture is what it means for college students after they leave college. Yes, most students say they “grow out of” their partying ways and eventually learn how to act like mature adults, but how many of them actually learn? So much of a person’s nature is determined during one’s young adult years, and perceptions of sex and alcohol are no different. I recently overheard a conversation between two underage college students concerning their of-age friend and his drinking a “Jack and coke” in the evenings, regardless of whether he was with friends or not. One girl responded, “He drinks by himself? If you drink by yourself, then you’re definitely an alcoholic!” It is important to note that this conversation took place while the girls were themselves drinking and were in the process of getting ready for a party where they would, undoubtedly, drink more. What makes this statement even more ridiculous is the complete seriousness with which she said it, and what makes it disturbing is knowing that she will most likely always believe this incredibly incorrect sentiment and will not be aware of the true signs of an alcoholic or be able to apply them to herself. A common phrase on college campuses is “You’re not an alcoholic until you graduate.” But that is most certainly not the case. According to Ralph Hingson, the director of epidemiology and prevention research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “nearly half of people who suffered from alcohol dependence at some point in their life could have been diagnosed before age 21; two-thirds became dependent before age 25” (n.d.). The habits learned and the opinions forged during college are ones that stay with students for the rest of their lives, which makes it all the more imperative to address the flawed campus culture that encourages excessive drinking and careless sexual encounters. Without an intervention, this backwards culture will no longer be just a problem of college campuses, but of greater society as well.

A touch of loveliness before bed.

2010-10-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

In honor of Love Your Body Day today, my wifey, kitty, and myself would like to tell you to love your body because YOU are beautiful everyday!

And don't you ever forget it :D

A cop-out blog entry.

2010-10-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

I say that because what I'm about to post is something that I have previously written, and not something brilliant and witty I came up with in the last twenty minutes.

That's not to say that this isn't brilliant, because I think of all the things I've written lately it's the closest thing to it, which is why I feel compelled to post it.

Last week I had to write a paper for my Sex, Love and Race in American Life and Culture class over a topic of my choice. I chose to compare the deification of women's bodies in American culture to the destruction of women's bodies in American life. During my research I found some really interesting stuff [great vocab there, Emma], and I thus really got into my topic. Anyways, I thought the "stuff" would be interesting to share, so after a long hiatus, I bring you an even longer blog entry about a topic that will most likely make you depressed. Enjoy.

The female body is a significant symbol in American life and culture. The importance of femininity in United States culture is pervasive throughout advertising, literature, art, and customs. The female body is lauded as one of perfection, so perfect indeed that some of our most central national insignia are depicted as females or are referred to with feminine pronouns. United States ships are spoken of using the feminine pronouns “she” and “her”; the nation of America is often described as “beautiful,” a predominantly female pronoun; and one of the most recognizable American insignia, the Statue of Liberty, is indeed not a man but a woman who welcomes the poor and huddled masses into her motherly, nurturing arms. However, as much as the female form is used as a representation of the greatness of the United States of America, many American laws and statutes depict a different cultural attitude towards actual American women. Legislation such as ineffective age-of-consent laws and sterilization laws tell a different story about how the leaders of America feel about women and their bodies. The antithesis of these realities demonstrates a juxtaposition between the deification of the idea of a woman’s body, and the destruction of her tangible body.

Perhaps the most recognizable American insignia that utilizes the female form is the Statue of Liberty. Built and dedicated in 1876 “to commemorate the friendship between the [United States and France] during the American Revolution,” it soon became a symbol not only of America, but moreover of freedom (Stokely, 1). To have a word such as “liberty,” which carries with it strong patriotic connotations in the United States, represented by a woman and not a man demonstrates very clearly the mindset of early American leaders. Though the statue was designed by a Frenchmen, it was approved, accepted, and lauded by American men, so there was obviously a cultural similarity. As time passed, its place as a representation of America and freedom only grew.  In fact, “in 1989, Chinese students constructed a plaster "Goddess of Democracy" inspired by the Statue of Liberty during political protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square” (Stokely, 1). The Statue of Liberty would not have had the impact it did on protesters around the world if it weren’t for the apparent passion with which the American people venerated her. This veneration is even more evident in the closing of the statue after the terrorist attacks on 9/11. An attack on the “mother” of the country would be considered a heinous offense, not just because it is an attack on the country, but because it is an attack on pure and feminine nature of a woman’s body.

Unfortunately, this high respect for the female body seems to go only as far as non-living women. At the same time as the assembly of the Statue of Liberty, campaigns for raising the age of sexual consent from as young as ten to fifteen or sixteen were being struck down on the pretense that girls should be able to handle themselves sexually by an early age. As ridiculous as this sentiment seems, it is still customary today. While spewing mantras of purity, virginity, and “saving oneself until marriage,” adults, mainly men, still often lay the blame in rape cases on the young women involved, claiming they are promiscuous or somehow “asked for it.” In a study done by S. Kanekar and M.B. Kolsawalla, when presented with a situation of acquaintance date rape, high school students determined the victim was not raped and the assailant’s actions very justified if the victim was dressed “provocatively” (Cassidy and Hurrell, 319). The article did not specify what “provocative” attire entailed exactly, but the belief that a rape victim could be at fault for her own rape is completely illogical, yet runs eerily parallel to the conviction behind the stalling of age-of-consent laws.  The mentality in the 1800s, and unfortunately today as well, is that boys have no self-control and that girls must do their best not to tempt them or else suffer the consequences. In fact, in an article by Stacey J. T. Hust, Jane D. Brown, and Kelly Ladin L’Engle, studies show that the predominant message from the mass media is that women are completely responsible for the prevention of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, and are thus is charge of providing condoms and other forms of contraception (16-18). Though traditional condoms are intended for male consumption, the “boys will be boys” mentality relieves them of all sexual responsibility.  This reality runs completely counter to the “women and their bodies deserve the highest respect” dogma.

The concept of “motherhood” is central to American culture, and this concept also demonstrates a national obsession with femininity. Mothers are pertinent to the survival of the country for they populate it, and the influence of mothers on their children determines the direction of the nation’s future. The word “motherhood” connotes feelings of protection, nurturing and love in most Americans, and the Statue of Liberty is often likened to the “mother of America” because of her representation as a woman who comforts and consoles the poor and tired. With such an emphasis on the importance of motherhood, it is shocking then that between the 1920’s and the 1980’s, many states had “eugenics programs” that were responsible for sterilizing “unfit” women against their wills.  Take the Carolinas for example. In South Carolina,” [a] law authorized mental hospital and prison administrators to sterilize -- without the person's consent -- any man or woman diagnosed with "insanity, idiocy, imbecility, feeble-mindedness or epilepsy,” (Frieden, n.d.) while in North Carolina, “from 1929 until 1974, more than 7,600 people were sterilized under the state program… most [of which] were young women who were classified -- sometimes inaccurately -- as mentally ill or mentally retarded” (Romoser, n.d.). These types of practices were not confined to the Carolinas, but were instead implemented in other states such as Virginia, Minnesota, California and Georgia. For the legislators to pass that kind of judgment solely based on someone’s race, mental capacity, or sexual history is completely outrageous, not just because it completely infringes on that person’s civil liberties, but also because it goes against everything America stands for in regards to freedom and femininity. Motherhood is stressed as one of, if not the most, important life stages a woman can take part in; by taking away a woman’s ability to have children, lawmakers basically take away a woman’s duty as an American, making her a null and void citizen. This catch-22 of creating a stereotype yet keeping women from fulfilling it is a bizarre way of continuing the oppression of the mentally handicapped and racial minorities. To praise the process of motherhood and yet forcibly strip parts of the population of this natural right reveals a sick and twisted contrast of the ideals of the country and the practices of its lawmakers.

Obviously, the ideal of femininity in America is a conflicted one. On one hand, there are depictions of women as goddesses of comfort, nurturing, and liberty. On the other hand, there is the consistent disrespect and rampant destruction of corporeal women. These counter-intuitive beliefs and realities are what lead adolescent boys and girls to be confused and frightened about their bodies and sexualities. The opposition of the two notions is ridiculous and harmful, and perhaps with time, this will become clear, and a more healthy medium will be reached.

A little all over the place.

2010-07-26T21:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the great fortune of receiving a visit from none other than my wonderful ex-lab-partner-but-still-good friend Miss Shelly Wernette. It was the first time I had seen anyone from school since moving out at the end of the semester [and was the same for her], so both of us were pretty ecstatic. We had lunch and then saw Inception, which blew my mind AGAIN, which probably had something to do with seeing the beginning five minutes I missed the first time I saw it. If you hadn't noticed, I've grown quite obsessed with this film, so it shouldn't be surprising that I found an article that goes through a few different theories that explain the film as a whole. Once you see the movie [which if you haven't at this point. what the hell is keeping you?!], you should definitely read it over just to scramble your view of reality a little bit more.

On a note that is related only in that it applies to my life, today was my last day working at the Census Bureau. I worked there for 2 weeks and a day, which is the longest amount of time anyone should work for a bureaucracy, in my opinion. It gives you just enough time to become sufficiently jaded with a hint of bitterness, but not long enough to make you irreversibly hostile.

In reality, I was let go because of lack of work. My family and I are going on a trip to visit my dad's family for the next ten days, and my bosses figured it was easier to let me go now than do it when I got back. I wasn't really bothered, because I knew it was coming sooner rather than later. The thing that got me was the fact that I was being "terminated." It doesn't mean anything, it's only the technical term for being laid off, but being "terminated" just sounds so bad, I found it a little bit unsettling.

The big downside though was leaving the lovely family of LCO 2642. It shocks me how close I got to my co-workers after having been there for only two weeks. I suppose in a work environment as brain-rottingly boring as the Census Bureau, the workers cling even tighter to one another in an effort to keep from completely turning into drones. However, this makes leaving the job more emotional than one might think, and as happy as I was to be free of the roundabout ways and red-tape that characterize the federal government, I was also a little sad about leaving everyone.

And in honor of the complete ADD-ness of this blogpost, I leave you with an adorable picture of my own version of Snoopy-- a fat cat who sits on top of her house instead of inside it.

oh what the hell. here's another of her helping me pack :)

Music I'm Obsessed With #2: 'We Are the People'

2010-07-21T21:00:00.000-07:00

Empire of the Sun is an electronic duo who formed in 2006 and are based in Australia. Inspired by the ancient civilizations where the sun was the center of worship, both Luke Steele's and Nick Littlemore's collective name and music evoke a sunny warmth perfect for a summertime anthem. Sporting an over-the-top style ala David Bowie, they definitely deliver with their mantra 'We Are the People."

With a kumbaya feel minus the elementary school sound, it mixes folksy acoustic guitar with techno beats for a sound that is, not to sound cheesy, inspiring. So inspiring this song has convinced me to take up the acoustic guitar just so I can learn this song and jam at my own Woodstock 2010.

For more of Empire of the Sun's colorful craziness, check out their website. Though the band is no longer offering any free downloads [for now], you can get the Golden Filter's remix of 'We Are the People' here, through NME's Daily Download.

REVIEW: Inception

2010-07-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

I saw the commercial for this movie and thought "well that seems pretty interesting." And then I saw the full trailer and thought "whoa, I have to see that." And then I saw the actual movie and every preconceived notion I had about it was completely obliterated in an explosion of awesomeness.

Let's start first with the score, without which the movie would not have been half as good as it was. Basically Hans Zimmer is a freakin' genius, which makes sense seeing as he has composed scores for about a thousand movies. And with a name like Hans Zimmer, how could you not be? This is a soundtrack I am seriously considering purchasing [and you should too].

Then there's the special effects. Now let me get this straight. I'm not a big special effects person. I like for movies to look cool, but my first priority is the plotline, and if the story is good enough, I can forgive less than stellar effects. But here is an example of a movie that did not give up storyline for effects, or vice versa. The effects were abstract, but I never thought "oh my god that is soo fake." The effects were outrageous, but not over-the-top. I was completely immersed in the world of dreams that was the setting.

And then, of course, there was the meat of the movie: the acting, directing, and writing. The acting was superb, the directing was fantastic, and the writing...well it was phenomenal. You know a movie is good when someone takes a far-off concept and brings it in close enough to understand. And not only did I understand, but I was able to follow along despite the fast pace. It doesn't take a whole lot of talent to present a confusing idea and leave the audience feeling confused. But to take something so mind-boggling [literally] and present it in a way that makes it seem not just plausible but a complete reality, now that takes greatness.

Needless to say, I left the theater with my mind blown--though not in a way that leaves me scratching my head, but in a way that makes me think I should invest in some sub-conscious security.

Also-- if you do go see the movie [as you should], and you enjoy it [as you will], you should check out this article at NME about other movies with themes similar to those in Inception. I found it very interesting, especially since I had already seen one of the movies... twice ;)

Things I Absolutely Love #1: Caramel Kettle Crunch Ice Cream

2010-07-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

A tasty combination of creamy vanilla ice cream with crunchy caramel-coated popcorn and a smooth caramel sauce.

Oh. My. God. YUM.

I don't think this requires any explanation. You should probably go now... and get some :D

People Watching.

2010-07-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

I'm considering changing my life plans and instead pursuing a career in covert surveillance. Whenever I watch Burn Notice or any of the Law and Orders and one of the characters is watching a person of a suspicious nature from a car parked down the street, I think to myself "How in the hell does this person not see the detectives watching them with binoculars in that car?!" But in the past few days I've realized that people aren't as aware of their surroundings as they might think they are. This morning I got to work a few minutes early and instead of going inside, I stayed in my car and finished my coffee, seeing as it in was a contraband lid-less cup. I sipped my latte, I listened to some Billy Joel, and I watched. I just watched. A guy coasts by me on a riding mower and I get a firsthand look at how ineffectual they are. A mother and son play a potentially dangerous game of "Get in the car OH LOOK! I'm driving away!" A woman in pajama pants and houseshoes walks through the Lowe's parking lot with a comb in her hair. And countless others drive by me without even noticing that I am sitting there, staring at them out my window like a creeper. And though I am just sitting there, alone, doing nothing, I'm finding it all very intriguing and I'm actually enjoying myself.

Which is more than I can say for the rest of my day. While so far the work I've been doing [aka counting] has required a little brain activity [though even that's a stretch], today's work required none. My brain was literally blank. I had more thoughts in my head when I was watching people spot clean their cars at the car wash in front of my parking spot. At one point I started nodding off not from physical exertion, but from lack of mental stimulation. I look to the person next to me for some conversation to perk me up but he's listening to his mp3 player so no help there. So I stretch and get back to the mind-numbing task before me. Scan, unfold, stack, pass along. Scan, unfold, stack pass along. I start zoning out again as I hear that stupid Jason Mraz song for the five millionth time mixed with the beeps of optical scanners. It's not that what I was doing was hard, it's that it was too easy! I could literally feel my brain muscles atrophying from disuse as I slowly began to slide into a comatose state. The people in charge think that by making tasks menial and repetitive, workers can get them done easier and faster. But instead my muscle memory takes over, my brain checks out, and I become increasingly more lethargic, causing me to make more mistakes simply because I lost track of my neurons.

~~Most~~ Quite a few of the people who work at the LCO [Local Census Office] are very intelligent and can be trusted with tasks other than ones that barely trained chimps can do. But the system, the "man," the bosses, the indeterminate higher body in charge of the way things work, likes drones. As a fellow worker told me yesterday, "You aren't paid to think, you're paid to do."

So if the Census results come back and they are all wrong, causing an uproar across the country, you'll know why. I, meanwhile, will be sitting somewhere people watching, trying to grow back the dendrites I lost at the LCO.

Music I'm Obsessed With #1: 'Pumped Up Kicks'

2010-07-14T18:54:00.000-07:00

Foster the People is a new band from Los Angeles [and by new I mean they don't have a Wikipedia page. Eek.] who have been doing some club gigs and thus getting some airplay in the UK. With the a carefree sound similar to Vampire Weekend and a catchiness inherent to MGMT, they have a lot going for them, namely this addictive-as -crack song, 'Pumped Up Kicks'.

Seriously, once you hear it, you too will be a hard-core addict jonesing for it night and day. Luckily, it's side effects are more like those of pot-- a mellow, happy feeling mixed with the strong urge to dance [at least that's what I think the side effects of pot would be like]. And after a day like the one I posted about yesterday, I could use some ~~pot~~ 'Pumped Up Kicks.'

Now, like I said, Foster the People is a new band, so new they haven't released an album yet. They haven't actually released 'Pumped Up Kicks' yet either, but don't fret! You can get it for free here at Foster The People's website. Don't you feel better already? :)

My first... day working for the U.S. Census Bureau

2010-07-13T17:44:00.000-07:00

When it came to making my plans for the summer, I knew a job was a must. The problem was I needed something temporary, flexible, and preferably above minimum wage, a tall order in today's economy. Luckily for me, the Census office in Lawton was hiring, and I eagerly applied and took the required skills test. Little did I know that my dealings with the U.S. Census Bureau would be ones that, for the most part, make me want to scream [or make me actually scream. Out loud.]

Let's just say that working for "the man" can be quite trying/frustrating at times. For this man is not a handsome silver fox with a foreign accent. This man is wasteful, disorganized, and TERRIBLY inefficient. Even before I actually started working in the office I knew I was going to have some issues with the way things worked. Just calling to see if I should start coming into work was an ordeal. The clerk who answered my phone call transferred me to one supervisor who understood my situation and transferred me to my so-called manager.... who then transferred me back to the first guy who again transferred me to the second guy who again transferred me to the third person. By the end of the phone call, not only had my schedule changed, but I had also lost a few tufts of hair.

So I went in today already semi-jaded, but with a desire to learn and a willingness to do anything and everything. Let me tell you, I secretly love doing methodical office work [i.e. filing, alphabetizing, sorting, etc.] so I really thought the job was right up my alley. And to tell you the truth, it was! After a little bit of awkwardness related to everyone but me knowing what to do, I soon fell into a steady rhythm and got quite a bit done. I wasn't even near any conniption-level frustration until I heard the bosses talking.

You see, unlike any previous job I have ever had, there are many levels of management in the Census office. I report to my boss, who reports to her boss, who reports to the supervisor, who reports to the manager, who reports to the "city people," who report to the "Kansas City people," who I'm guessing then report straight to Barack Obama himself. There is a clear hierarchy, and I am at the bottom, part of the proletariat group charged with manual labor. We are a good group, with a few brains of our own, and the plebians before me set up a very nice filing system considering they were given picnic tables and cardboard boxes to do it with. But when we heard rumblings that someone higher up wanted to revamp the entire system, effectively doing away with hours, days, weeks of work that he had nothing to do with, even I, the worker who had been there for all of 4 hours, was appalled and slightly indignant.

It wasn't so much the fact that we would have to change it; it's not like we didn't have the time or anything else to do. It was the fact that he didn't have any respect or consideration for the loads of work that had already been done. To him, it was trivial, meaningless, disposable-- but to us it was a process, our process. Needless to say, I quickly bonded with these other workers who had earlier been complete strangers to me; it certainly made things easier.

But in the end it is a job. I am paid a more than fair wage to do relatively mindless work for eight hours a day. But that's what gets me. I think there should be more minds involved in the process. If the Census is really as important as the government makes it out to be, shouldn't it be run more efficiently and correctly so as to provide results that are actually valid? The system is very process-oriented, which I respect because I am very pro-process. What I don't respect are processes that are blatantly flawed and the people who have the power to fix them, but instead feed their inefficiency.

Things I Find Questionable #1: Mushrooms

2010-07-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

So my blog is undergoing a revival. New title, new layout, new concept. It's making a comeback of Madonna proportions. And in honor of this newfound will to blog, I'm going to post some pictures. Of mushrooms. For one Miss Jen Herrmann.

Mushrooms. They're basically a sign of the devil.

You know what's sexy?

2009-10-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

I'll tell you what's sexy.

People taking pictures of themselves and pinking them out to remind their friends to feel their boobies! And supporting a great cause, the Feel Your Boobies Foundation!

And guess what?

You can be sexy too :)

Just go to www.boobicon.me and make one! And do it quick, cause National Feel Your Boobies Week is October 9th-16th! And don't forget, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is the entire month of October!

And if you have a Facebook, you should totally set it as your profile pic for the National Feel Your Boobies week and become a fan of the Feel Your Boobies Foundation!

Now doesn't that feel good? ;)

Oklahoma: The Land of the Unexpected

2009-09-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

Before I begin my anecdote, I must note that the weather today was sunny, bright, and relatively warm (mid-80's). Just keep that in mind.

Anyways... So I'm sitting at my computer, reading blogs, refreshing Facebook, basically ignoring my homework, when all of a sudden I heard this tremendous noise outside. Now, to me, this noise can be one of two things.

Thunder or
Artillery (if I were in Lawton, OK)

But seeing as I'm not in Lawton, OK right now, I assume it's thunder and I look out my window, expecting to see some ominous clouds forming, suggesting there is a storm-a-brewing that will unleash it's mighty power sometime tonight.

Well, guess what. I was wrong.

I look outside and it is POURING DOWN RAIN. I mean seriously, buckets of rain are suddenly falling from this not-so-long-ago-clear sky. It's as if the heavens just opened up and reliquished all of the water it has ever had in its possession.

That was 10 minutes ago.

It is now sunny outside, not a cloud in sight.

Sigh.

On an unrelated, yet just as unexpected note, I am sick. Horribly sick. On the verge of deathly ill. My head feels like it's about to explode. And this wonderful development happened in all of three days.

On Saturday, I woke up with a slight sore throat. I figured it was just dry, so I chugged some fluids and thought nothing more of it. On Sunday, I woke up and and my throat was throbbing and I could not breath because of my outrageously congested nose. After some decongestant, Tylenol, and my fair share of whining, I went to bed and thought nothing more of it.

UNTIL I woke up in the middle of the night with one of the worst earaches I have ever experienced. I literally was on the verge of tears, which was not helped by the fact that I was alone, without any way to deal with the pain short of pulling a Van Gogh, and my mommy was 100 miles away.

So, this morning I called the Health Center, got their last available appointment for the day, and went and saw a doctor. And the verdict is?

I have an ear infection. Which I already knew. But I needed a real doctor to tell me that because I can't just go into a pharmacy and say "Hey, I know I have an ear infection, so can you give me some antibiotics and some benzocaine ear drops?"

And you know how I love a visual, so here are some pictures of my arsenal of meds.

I'm currently taking Augmentin (an antibiotic), Sudafed (a decongestant), Midol (for the sore throat and to help my lymph nodes deflate), and benzocaine ear drops (which help with the pain and the inflammation). I've also been employing my trusty sidekicks nasal spray, Vicks stick (seriously on of the best inventions EVER), and of course, tissues.

The one kind of cool thing about this expedition was the fact that it was my first time really being an adult. My parents have always dealt with doctors appointments and the like for me. But I successfully booked the appointment, got to the doctor, got my prescriptions filled, and dealt with the insurance all by myself! Needless to say, as crappy as I felt, there was a little bit of pride blossoming underneath it all.

And one more consolation for the day. Dancing with the Stars starts tonight! :)

My first... 2 weeks of being an adult.

2009-09-09T19:42:00.000-07:00

Why does everyone make a big deal about the act of turning 18? I mean, what cool things can you do at 18 that you couldn't do at 17? Well I guess you can

Buy and legally smoke cigarettes (AKA Kill yourself)

Buy lottery tickets ("The lottery is a tax on people who can't do math." --Mr. Bear)

Go to the strip club (YES! Finally! I've been waiting ages to do that!)

Vote (It's a little late now...) and

Join the Military (Me in the Military...LOL!)

And on top of all of that, I suppose I should start keeping track of my own legal documents now because technically, it's like I'm emancipated from my parents. Weird. But though 18 isn't really all it's cracked up to be (it feels just like 17), it was still a pretty awesome birthday (now that I'm telling you about it 2 weeks later...did I mention I'm a terrible blogger?). It started off pretty crappy as I had to get up at the crack of dawn to get to my 7:30 am Chem Lab, but my early morning grouchiness was softened a little bit when I was locking my door and leaving and saw this delightful little tidbit of sunshine.

The ever so lovely Sarah across the hall had made these great posters for me! They really made the day that much more special.

Later in the day I received a wonderful package from my Aunt Pam (which I will blog more about when I have pictures), and my mom came up to Norman to see me! (we had been apart at this point for like 2 weeks... a long time for us.) We ended up going to P.F. Chang's for dinner, which is a chinese bistro we'd been wanting to try for ages. Our food was great, but our waiter was even better; in our dessert (banana egg rolls with pineapple ice cream... YUM!) he lit a couple pink candles, and I was just so delighted by the utter kindness of a complete stranger! It was the cherry on top of a great day.

So yeah, I'm an adult now. Next stop, gray hair and senior citizen discounts. Lol.

My first... time having sushi.

2009-08-26T08:39:00.001-07:00

And boy was it good.

Though technically, it wasn't my first time. The first time I had sushi I had it off a buffet line at a Chinese restaurant in Lawton, Oklahoma. So let me clarify. This is about my first time having good sushi.

But the word "good" doesn't even begin to describe it. It was delicious. Mouthwatering. Indescribable [meaning I should probably stop trying to describe it]. My uncle Jeff had a meeting in Oklahoma City, so as an early birthday celebration, he came to Norman and took me out to dinner. We went to In the Raw, a sushi place on Campus Corner. Like I said, I had never had sushi before, so he kind of took the reins and ordered what he thought would be good.

And I must say, my uncle has excellent judgement :)

We ended up getting the basic tuna sushi, the Cody roll [with deep-fried tempura asparagus], the Keaton roll [with shrimp and cream cheese], and the Deep-fried Goodness [deep-fried soft shell crab...YUMMM]. I pretty much love anything that is fried, so it went over very well with me. And cream cheese and I have a very special relationship, so I was happy he showed up for the party as well :)

But being the stupid newbie blogger I am, I forgot to take pictures! Because trust me, not only was the food amazing, but it was also really pretty! Oh well, the next time I go there [because I do plan on going there again and again], I'll take some.

Now I think there's a place on campus that serves sushi.... :)

My first...day of college.

2009-08-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

It's official.

I am a college student.

And I must say, if college is always like today was, then I want to be a college student forever. However, I'm pretty sure my next Chemistry class is not going to last 15 minutes and consist of telling everyone in the class I like free stuff, so professional student may not be the way to go.

But after class today, I'm really excited for the rest of the semester. Though I'm not a huge fan of Chemistry, the T.A. seems really nice and there are tons of tutoring resources for Chem all over campus so I'm not too worried. And Girls and Girlhood in America? For the first class, we watched a Britney Spears video and discussed the psychological and social effects it has on girls ages eight to ten. This is going to so much fun!

The one thing I find really bizarre though is how much extra time I have. I go to class, I finish, I have a couple hours to myself, I go to another class, I finish, I have a few more hours to myself. I've never had so much time! Maybe I need to take up a new hobby. Hat making? Basket weaving? Napkin origami? All suggestions are welcome.