The End or The Beginning

Well, I guess this 41st entry marks "the end" of my idea blog. But, even though I have had moments I've had to think of something to blog about, I think my blog will continue. I noticed that blogging makes you more aware. It makes you notice things around you, not just so you can blog about it later, but it makes you see things you may not have seen before if you had no reason to look. It also lets you understand yourself, and develop your thoughts. There have been so many times I start writing a blog, and I find myself typing things I was never planning on writing about. It's like blogging gives your brain a chance to catch up with you. So, this post is dedicated to the discovery of blogging this semester. I never understood blogging, I never thought I had anything worth blogging about. But, I've learned how fun it can be, and how much it can help you as a person. :)

Definitely Irresponsible

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/12/02/2009-12-02_catholic_league_slams_peta_ad_featuring_joanna_krupa_holding_crucifix_over_nude_.html

If anyone is ever trying to find an irresponsible ad - this would definitely be on the list. I was really shocked when I saw this ad, and I'm sure many people were offended by it. It really surprised me that an organization like PETA needed to go to this extreme. It seems like they could do so much without having to do something like this. The fact that they used a cross in front of a naked model can be very offensive to Christians who see the cross as a symbol of forgiveness,hope, and redemption. When I think of PETA, and their tagline "Be an Angel for Animals," I don't think of a naked model with a cross, I think of a nice family adopting a puppy. But now when I think of PETA, I will be thinking of this image and I will automatically have a bad feeling towards them. I understand this was a risk they were willing to take, but in this case I feel the risk outweighs the benefits by too much. Catholic League President Bill Donohue calls PETA a "fraud," and says "The fact is that cats and dogs are a lot safer in pet stores than they are in the hands of PETA employees." This quote shows that this ad is definitely not responsible if it can get a reaction like that from anyone.

My First Real Cake

I made my first cake from scratch this Thanksgiving. It was delicious. Plus, it was really fun to make. You don't just open the box and put it in the oven, but you get to see everything that goes into the cake, and you really get that great feeling that you made something great. The best part is seeing a smile from each member of your family, and hearing things like, "Wow, that cake really made my day." I decided I love baking from scratch. It's more personal, more fun, and definitely more tasty. I also decided I'm going to start experimenting with making things from scratch, designing/decorating cakes, and putting together a book with pictures and recipes of all the things I make. If I never get my own bakery, at least my kids will have a great baking book!

Here is the cake I made:

Thanksgiving?

This Thanksgiving day, I saw the movie The Blind Side with my mom and my sister. Now, I'm not here to give you a review of the movie or tell you how great it was (which it was), but I realized something about Thanksgiving from seeing this movie. Why is it that Thanksgiving is a day for us to remember how blessed we are and give thanks for all the great things in our lives? Is that really enough? Is it enough to just say, I'm thankful for (insert stereotypical response here). In this movie, the character of Leigh Anne, played by Sandra Bullock, is a very well off woman with a great house and family. She opens up her home to someone who has never had a real family, and not even a bed of his own. So shouldn't thanksgiving be more about moments like this? Shouldn't we be going out and helping others so that they have something to be thankful for? Everyone already knows we're thankful for all the great things we have, and although it is nice to have a reminder, an even better way of remembering would be to go out and see how many people don't have all the great things we have and trying to do something to make their thanksgiving special. Similar to the Tap Project for Unicef, if every person donated a canned food item or went out and did something for others on Thanksgiving instead of sitting in our nice houses, watching football on the flat screen, waiting for the turkey, maybe the less fortunate as well as ourselves would have a better reminder of what we are thankful for.

Here is one of the trailers I really liked for the movie with a couple of parts such as the Thanksgiving scene and the scene where he gets his own bed.

Inspiration

I recently made this for my sister. I would love to have a website where people can request one of these to be made - pick colors and the quote/verse. I think a simple reminder, a quote or a verse that helps you get through the day, can make such a big difference. For me, when I'm stressed out or worried about everything I have to do I remember "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." If I had this in front of me, on a painting like this, I could look up and remember I could accomplish anything I need to accomplish. Sometimes, all we need is a small reminder. I think sharing this would be a lot of fun, and could help a lot of people :)

Rich Women

My biggest pet peeve - rich, snobby women.

Today our church went to a Habitat for Humanity build. Little did we know we would be surrounded by the typical, rich, "Plano West" moms. (Plano West is probably the snobbiest place around, maybe worse than Highland Park? Close call.) Here are just some of the things being said around me as we tried to help build the house.

- "O EM GEE - I CANNOT BELIEVE NONE OF YOU WATCH GLEE!" (said by a 40+ year old mom)
- "So, where are you all going for Thanksgiving? We are going to the Carribean, they have great golf!"
- "Umm, I'm gonna go find something else to do, I don't want to get paint on my clothes."
- "I am NOT lifting any more, I don't want my back to hurt!"
- "My life is SO busy. I don't really know what I'm doing, but I mean my life is FULL."
- (talking about nose jobs) - "Well, I just want him to take off this bump..."
- (Woman in true religion jeans and high heel boots- "Well this is all I have to get dirty, I don't have anything worse"
- while we were painting long wooden boards, after we paint one side.."So let's just flip them over now and paint the other side"
- while painting the sides of the boards - "it's just like when you get your nails done!"

Their afternoon consisted of standing around holding a paintbrush and gossiping. It drove me absolutely crazy. Why do you even bother coming? To make yourself feel better about being a rich lazy snob? Now here is my real discovery, acquiring money makes you a different person and not in a good way. Most rich people don't go around donating their money and doing good things with it. Well, there are of course suggestions. But these women, even if they didn't have money their whole lives, once they get money they become this stereotypical, dumb, full of themselves, snob. Having too much money gives them too much freedom to buy everything they need to make them not have to put forth effort into anything. Their energy goes into telling other people what they want them to do, and therefore, they start to think they are better than everyone who has to do these things themselves. As much as young girls may think they want to marry a rich guy, I've realized I would never want to marry a rich guy, because I don't want to become like that. And I've realized these women are my absolute biggest pet peeve. I'm sorry but you are not the center of the world, and you need to get off your throne and get down and dirty like the rest of us.

If the government required each person to do 5 hours of community service a month, and really and truly experience it, maybe we'd all be a little bit better people and the world might be a little bit better of a place. I realize this may all sound a little hypocritical coming from a girl who has lived in Plano her whole life and goes to SMU, but nobody should act like that. I don't even think that's who they really are. I think money taints people's hearts and personalities, and I really do feel sorry for them.

Video Greeting Cards

My grandparents live in Egypt. They are thrilled when they receive a letter or phone call from my brother, my sister, or me. My siblings and I decided to send my grandparents a recordable/musical christmas card. We used to never imagine recordable greeting cards, but now I ask, why not video greeting cards? I imagine a video christmas card would look something like this...

Young Girls Today

As I was at work today, I noticed something. As the kids get on the computer, the boys start playing shooting and fighting games while the girls immediately go to dress up games. These dress up games are not just picking out clothes for dolls, but it includes makeup - eyeliner, eyeshadow, glitter, blush, and of course sparkles. You also get to choose how big you want your dolls chest to be - small, medium or large, as well as how big her hips are. You go shopping for your doll in the "starplaza" where they give you about twenty different "stores" to shop at. They even include stores like kohls, where advertising comes in and includes video clips urging the girls to make kohl's wish lists. This made me realize how much society is trying to get to children. When I was young, I barely played games on the internet, but if I did it was games like snowboarding or puzzles. These games get into the heads of these girls and tell them that they need makeup, new clothes, and even lets them pick how big the chest should be? The young girls at my work come from low income families, so what is even worse is the fact that they will see all this and think this is what they need. They will think maybe they aren't pretty without makup or without new clothes. What happened to natural beauty? What happened to inner beauty? I never realized to what extent society is corrupting young girls, but it seems the dove campaign was right on the mark about this subject.



Here is one of the sites:



www. stardoll.com

Irresponsible VS. Responsible

I have never liked this axe ad. I think this ad, as well as some of their other ads, can be taken in an offensive way. I'm sorry, but I am not going to go running towards a guy because of how they smell. I'm sure there are actually few educated women who would actually want a guy just because of their smell, and this ad just makes women look stupid. Plus, why do they have to be running in their bikinis? I just think this ad is done in poor taste. I understand that axe uses the sex appeal approach, and that may work sometimes, but this commercial itself could have been done in a better way. I just think products don't need to use the sexual approach. Even if it is funny, I think they could have taken a different approach from the beginning and set a whole different standard for their product. I feel like using a sexual approach is like an easy way out, and this commercial especially makes women look like dumb, men chasing, bikini wearing creatures.

Here is an ad that I think is very socially responsible.



In this commercial, AT&T includes information about TOMS shoes. TOMS shoes is an organization that donates a pair of shoes to a child in need anytime someone buys one. AT&T took this opportunity to share the message of this great organization while still promoting their brand. But they took that extra step when they didn't have to. They connected the two in a great way, and were able to raise awareness about a good cause.

I also like this AT&T commercial, that although isn't promoting an organization or cause, sends a good warm message. They make it less about the brand, less about the prices, less about the competition. It leaves you with a good feeling, a feeling that maybe technology does good in the world.



If advertising could start doing warm, socially responsible ads more often to the point where they were the norm and not the exception, that would be a great turning point in advertising. People would have a better attitude about advertising, and maybe social awareness of organizations and issues affecting the world would rise.

Map of My Dream World

On days when it seems like the work will never end, like I'm stuck in a hole with everything piling on top of me, and when I just want real time to relax with nothing on my mind... this is what I imagine. My dream world - at a perfect temperature of 85 degrees all the time. Complete with a dessert street - cupcakes, ice cream, brownies, etc. A large room to just sleep, an area with big couches to watch my favorite show - friends and play video games all on my 83 inch tv. An area to do any arts and crafts I could ever imagine, an area to bake anything I want, and a middle area to share these things with family and friends. An area dedicated to puppies, and a similar one to babies, just to play with (they seem to take care of themselves), and a large library so when all of that gets old I can learn anything I want. This is my dream world. :) Don't worry, if this ever happens, you're all invited.



(click to enlarge)

Blockbuster

As I was driving home the other day, I noticed a big sign "STORE CLOSING - UP TO 60% OFF." I thought it was another small store, and didn't think much of it. Until I looked and realized, this wasn't just a small store closing, it was blockbuster. I've seen several around the area closing their doors, and I started wondering how many other types of stores are going to start closing in the future? Blockbuster used to be the automatic place you go to rent a movie. But now you have options! Do I want to use netflix, redbox, or blockbuster? Blockbuster isn't even necessary anymore because you can just order movies straight to your TV, your computer, or just pay$1 at the redbox. So, through technology, what else is going to start disappearing from our lives? Will grocery stores start closing because all groceries can be immediately delivered or sent straight to your refrigerator? Will pharmacies close because medicines can be vended with the right identification provided? Will movie theaters start closing because new releases can just be purchased from your home? It has been a big trend in America that stores were popping up everywhere, shopping centers being developed, and almost no land was left uncovered. Maybe one day, stores will come down because technology will make them unnecessary things of the past. Maybe slowly the land will start looking like it did hundreds of years ago, empty. But then again, it might be covered with robots...

Perfectionism

I'm one of those people who likes everything to be right, perfect, done the way I see it in my head, and the way I think it should be done. Sometimes this is good, sometimes it isn't. And sometimes it just causes unnecessary stress.

I work at Dallas Community Lighthouse, a tutoring center for kids. Today I noticed something pretty cool. Kids don't care whatsoever if something is perfect. They will build a crooked jenga tower and knock it down immediately while they are cracking up, while I try to make the tower perfectly straight and make it stand up as long as possible. They will color a turkey just red and green (apparently it was a Christmas turkey), while I color mine the traditional brown, red, orange, etc.

Why do things have to be perfect? Life isn't perfect. Life is full of coloring outside the lines and towers being knocked over, and maybe if I lived a little bit more like these kids I would be ready for it. I wouldn't stress out, freak out, or not know what to do if something isn't done the way I think it should be.

Here are some things the kids have made me...

Doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful!

Old Navy Commercial

"New Party Cardis on sale this week at Old Navy, Are they too much fun?"



what?



why did they have to ruin the ad completely with the end of that line? Usually I stare at these mannequin ads and just wonder where the hell this idea came from, but this one I actually laughed once! But then they had to ad "are they too much fun?" What? What does that even have to do with anything? Sometimes it's best to not overthink things, just leave it alone.

Birthdays

With my sisters birthday approaching, I've noticed that as we get older, we become less and less excited for our birthdays. People stop caring about presents, and basically the birthday is no longer a big celebration. Is this because we've had so many of them before? Why do we even celebrate birthdays with cake and presents? Where did the idea of birthdays come from? I decided to find out.


Birthday History
History of Birthday observance can be traced back before the rise of Christianity. In pagan culture it was believed evil spirits visited people on their birthdays. To protect the person having birthday from the evil effect, people used to surround him and make merry. A lot of noise used to be created in such parties to scare away the evil spirits. In those times there was no tradition of bringing gifts and guests attending the birthday party would bring good wishes for the birthday person. However, if a guest did bring gifts it was considered to be a good sign for the person of honor. Later, flowers became quite popular as a Birthday gift.

Early Records of Birthday Celebrations
Historians are certain that birthday celebrations are being held for quite sometimes but there are few records for the same. Documented descriptions of Birthday celebrations are available only for kings, high-ranking nobility and those who held high positions in the society. In the beginning common men and especially children were unable to celebrate the birthdays. Scholars believe that this difference existed because only the nobility was wealthy enough to throw birthday parties and was considered important enough to be written about.

Popular Birthday Celebrations in History
Best known birthday in the history is that of Jesus Christ. For nearly 2000 years since the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, Christians have been honoring the day as Christmas.
About 4,000 years ago King Pharaoh used to celebrate his birthday by giving a feast to his court followers.
King Herod is said to have celebrated his birthday by treating lords, high captains and special friends with a special supper party in Galiliee.
History of Popular Birthday Traditions and Symbols
Some of the popular Birthday traditions and symbols that we see today originated hundreds of years ago. Some believe the tradition of Birthday cake was started by early Greeks who used to take round or moon shaped cake to temple of Artemis - the Goddess of Moon. Others believe the custom of Birthday cake initiated in Germany where people used to make bread in the shape of baby Jesus’s swaddling cloth.

The popular custom of lighting candles on cake is said to have originated because Greeks used to light candles on the cake taken to Artemis to make it glow like a moon. Some though believe that custom originated because of a religious belief that gods lived in the sky and lighted candles helped to send a signal or prayers to the god. Germans are said to have placed a big candle in the centre of the cake to symbolize ‘the light of life’. Even today people make silent wishes as they blow out candles. It is believed that blowing out all candles in one breath brings good luck.


So, it seems that culture has made birthdays more than they ever were, kind of like everything else. America takes a holiday as an opportunity to commercialize it. Valentines day is less about love and more about chocolate, flowers, and teddy bears. Christmas is less about Jesus, and more about presents and christmas trees. Easter is less about Christ rising from the dead and more about easter egg hunts. Even St. Patricks day has become about parades, drinking, and cheesy "100% Irish" t shirts. We are all so materialistic that holidays are more celebration about stuff - less about what it's about. We can't lose the meaning in these holidays, in the simple things, because one day if we aren't careful our kids may not even know what these things are truly about. We are stuck in materialism, and it's only getting worse.



The funny part is, if manufacturers stopped making "stuff," we would all still survive. We don't need toys, 500 pairs of shoes, or the newest ipod. But nobody would ever stop, because nobody wants to stop the inflow of money. Is it a bad thing that our society runs off of money, or is that just the way the world works? Maybe it's not about the fact that we focus on money, but more about the fact that we forget to focus on things other than money. Maybe we can do both, we just haven't tried.

Beauty

I live in a very suburban city, Plano, TX. People even refer to living in Plano as "living in the bubble." Plano is basically tons of neighborhoods, parks, and schools. Teenagers who live in Plano usually complain that Plano is a boring city to live in . You either go to the mall, the movies, or you eat. The other day, I took a walk around this city I grew up in, and I found something interesting...

Sure, Plano might not have exciting things to do, but there it has it's own quiet beauty. This made me realize, everything has beauty. Even if it seems dull or ugly, if you look close enough you will find something beautiful in it. So if the day seems like it isn't going your way, if you drive by a low income neighborhood, if you hate your job or your boss, just remember that everything and everyone has beauty somewhere, you just have to find it.

Forced Insight?

If you have to think about things to blog about, are they still as insightful?

For some reason, lately, I've found it harder to find something to blog about. It's like the first 20 entries drained me. And I feel bad because this should be getting easier, and it should just come naturally. Plus, this shouldn't be about counting entries. It seems like with so many other things going on, things that require just a certain type of thinking, there isn't enough room left for creativity. It becomes more about making room for creativity, when it should just come to us. So many of our classes, for example, accounting, is just formulaic thinking. I find that when I do things like that all day, it makes my thinking less creative. So by the end of the day, I'm not thinking insightful or creative thoughts, I'm just tired and don't want to think at all anymore.

Sometimes at work, I work at a children's tutoring/after school care organization, I color with the kids or do arts and crafts, and that kind of thing is what takes away from that straight line thinking. I've noticed that if you give kids a sheet of paper, they automatically start filling the page. If you gave an adult a piece of blank paper, they wouldn't know what to do with it. They would ask you what you want them to do, what they should draw, or what the paper was for. Kids seem to have things always in their mind just ready to come out on paper. One day I gave a few kids some construction paper, and they built a miniture house, tree house, and a whole set of buildings. I think the outside world puts a restriction on thinking. The business world, and so many jobs are based on straight line thinking, formulas, and spreadsheets. The walls need to be lifted. I've decided I need more artistic and creative moments in my life to let myself relax and release stress from formulaic thinking. So, here is a start.

Tounge Sticker Outers

So, as I was driving down the highway today, I was in the left lane going about 10 mph over the speed limit as I usually do. So this lady in a Honda Pilot starts getting on my tail. After a while of her tailing me, she finally gets in the lane nexts to me and speeds by me. As I usually do, I glared over only to find this middle aged woman, well maybe 60 year old woman in her little Honda Pilot, looking over at me and sticking her tounge out at me while shaking her head. My first thought was, really? really lady? You don't flick me off, you don't honk, you don't wave your arms at me, but you stick your tounge out at me? Well, I got annoyed that this lady thought she was so bad ass, and I honked at her. I showed her!

So I realized, there are so many situations that make you act unlike yourself. Even the nicest people can be angry and mean! It's human nature. Human nature is a weird thing, does everyone have certain things in common? Is everyone mean sometimes, does everyone get angry, does everyone get sad? Where does this come from? This can all go back to the nature vs. nurture debate. But have people always been this way? Or has human nature changed over time? Are we all "tounge sticker outers" deep down?

Situations change us. Team events make us competitive, arguing makes us mean, family events make us loving. People are not just one face, people have multiple faces, and different situations bring out different faces in all of us. I don't think this has ever changed, just the situations that cause these changes have changed. A long time ago, people might have argued about gathering food, or what land to settle in, and I bet back then someone stuck their tounge out at someone else (or whatever they used to do). Even the famous Shakespeare line, "I bite my thumb at you," shows this same sort of action. And today maybe it's traffic that makes you stick your tounge out, or a bad grade. And there is no way that everyone who does these things is secretly a bad person at heart. The most important thing is, you have to learn to control your faces, and not let your emotions get the best of you. Competition is good in moderation, being mean isn't good even if someone else is mean first. Unfortunately, human nature cannot always control our actions, and sometimes this means a middle aged women will stick her tounge out at me.

Sorry, thank you.

Everyone has things they do that are weird, OCD, or just signature traits of them. My friends and family have made it clear to me that my "thing" is saying the words "sorry" and "thank you" way too much. Instead of saying sorry for things that really are my fault, I end up saying sorry for things that are completely out of my control, but I just say it out of sympathy. For example, my mom says she couldn't sleep last night... and I say sorry. My sister says she's out of milk... and I say sorry. I reach next to the person sitting next to me to pull out the writing surface... and I say sorry. When I used to play tennis, if the person I was hitting with missed the ball, I would say sorry. The same thing goes for thank you. It's not really that I say it for things I don't need to say it for, but I say thank you for the same thing multiple times. I think I just want people to feel good, to know I appreciate whatever they did. Nevertheless, I find my friends and family asking me, "what exactly are you sorry for?" When they ask me, I realize there really isn't anything to be sorry for. I'm just the type of person that feels bad too much.

Now my question is, is this really a problem? Are the little things we do taking away from our happiness, are they unnecessary in a bad way, or are they just things that we do that make us who we are? Obviously if someone has a habit of killing people, it isn't just something they do that makes them who they are. But things that people do like, eating tic tacs in even numbers, couting their steps, or another trait of mine - being obsessed with things being symmetrical. In the case of sorry and thank you, I've realized it is better to be over polite than not polite enough. Sure it may be unnecessary, and it may make me feel bad for no reason, but wouldn't you rather hear thank you multiple times than not at all? I think these little things people do are what makes them unique. So I say don't be ashamed of the things you do, don't feel weird or OCD, but be proud of every little part of who you are. It's better to be interesting and unique, and even "weird!" So, flaunt it.

My Bakery

One of the things I would love to do in my life is open a bakery. I absolutely love baking. Besides the obvious fact that sweets are so incredibly delicious, I love the fact that a baked good can automatically brighten someone's day. No matter how horrible of a day you are having, if someone hands you a homemade cupcake, your day is automatically made better. Baked goods are the center of parties and happy occassions from weddings to birthday parties, and I think it would be so great to create things that make those events special. I would love to learn how to make beautiful cakes, and here are some sketches I've made of hopefully some future cakes!

This was my first attempt at cake decorating with dying the frosting, and using frosting tubes. It was for my birthday last year. :)

Keep Our Kids In Jasper!

Around my neighborhood lately I've been seeing signs that say "Keep Our Kids In Jasper!" In Plano, schools are divided a little differently. Schools are seperated into ninth and tenth grade as the high schools, and then the senior high schools are just eleventh and twelfth grade. Plano is in this big ordeal right now trying to re-zone the district, meaning some middle school kids will be going to a different 9/10 high school. I went to Jasper High School, which is one of the dorkier, higher test score, high schools. This change would have some kids going to less dorky, not quite as high scores, high schools. This is my problem with it. Are parents really going to complain about which plano school their kid goes to? First of all, Plano ISD is one of the top school districts in the nation. I highly doubt that if your kid goes to a different school for ninth and tenth grade that their education will suffer. Second of all, even if the other high schools have lower test scores than Jasper, that doesn't mean they are low. They are still considerably high compared to other schools and districts. Third of all, is it really necessary to make a website (www.keepourkidsatjasper.org), and put signs in your yards? Do these people really have a right to complain about this? There are people in the world who would kill for an education, and some people here are worried about which plano school their kid will be attending. Seems to me like some people either have too much time on their hands, or seriously need a reality check. Your kid is growing up in Plano, Texas, which was voted as one of the top 10 places to grow up in the nation. Your kid lives in a great neighborhood, and gets a great education. Don't you think sometimes we could afford to stop complaining?

Deserted Divas

Many of you may have heard of or seen the show "Dallas Divas and Daughters," showing the lives of upper class, snobby, well divas in the Dallas area. These teenage girls and their mothers can be seen going to a polo match, going to debutate lessons, and hair/makeup/tanning, etc. This show is pretty disgusting and shocking. People like this really exist? And in our own city? So, my thought is to teach these girls a lesson. Take these girls, and tell them they are going on an island getaway. Then, when they get there, take all their stuff, and leave them on the island with nothing except necessities for survival. See who breaks first, or better question who breaks last? The girls will have to learn to survive without their flat irons, make up, and fake nails. The girls will also have to complete survival lessons complete from building a hut to cooking bugs and fish. Similar to the concept of "Survivor," except these girls did not sign up for this, meaning it is much more entertaining. There will also be scenarios such as placing a flat iron on the top of a mountain and seeing which girls will go for it, and who will get it first. This should teach these Divas a little life lesson. Dallas Divas and Daughters? No. Deserted Divas!

Time

Have you ever thought about what you would do if you didn't have to go to school, or work, or have any obligations whatsoever? If you were given the gift of time, what would you do with it? This may seem like something you hear people say when they find out they only have so long to live, but with the last couple days off from school, it got me thinking. So if I had no obligations, here is what I would do:

1. Design my dream house from the ground up, and do all the interior design myself.
2. Spend a year doing teach for america, or another program as a teacher for less fortunate kids.
3. Spend a year being a party planner
4. Travel to Egypt to stay with my grandparents and learn everything about them.
5. Travel to every continent with my family
6. Take baking classes and learn how to decorate beautiful cakes
7. Study the Bible cover to cover
8. Play the lottery every day until I win
9. Become like Nancy Drew and go around solving random mysteries
10. Learn how to dance, every type of dance.

That's my top 10, in no particular order. What would you do? After you have your list, take these things one by one and make time to do it. :)

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever." - Ghandi

What Would You Do For Money?

For some reason, my family is big on hypothetical situations. For example, would you eat a pazookie (big cookie with ice cream) everyday for a year for a million dollars? I saw this recently and wondered how honest and ethical our country still is.

Amazingly Smart Little Girl on the Jay Leno Show sélectionné dans People et People TV

now, did this little girl genuinely find interest in the United States government and international leaders? Or did her parents simply find an opportunity? Then I saw a new movie preview...



The parents of a sick boy are given the choice to get a million dollars by pressing this button, but someone in the world will die.

Has our world become more and more focused on just acquiring money? People these days seem to just be looking for ways to make money. It seems like in the old days, money was seeked but not to the lengths that it is today. Is it the economy, is it the fact that there is just more to desire today, or is it just a shift in the world? Whichever reason, the world seems to run not for happiness or love, but for the acquisition of money.

You Only Get One Face

As I started off fall break Friday afternoon, I took a trip to the mall with my mom and my sister. My sister and I made our way to the Christian Dior counter so she could stock up on make up. We were greeted by a middle aged, perfectly groomed, eyeliner and eyeshadow wearing, extremely knowledgable, if he stood still would look like a manequin, sales assosiate. After my sister purchased her makeup, he turned to me and asked, "So what about you? (My double quote key has just stopped working, urg.) So I told him Well, I don't wear make up. He replied, what about skin care? I told him I washed my face... with walmart olay facewash... He shook his head and simply said You only get one face.

I realized how right he was. Not about the skin care or makeup, but about life. You only get one shot, one life, one chance to enjoy it, one face. So why not go all out? Why not get the nicer car, order extra cheese on your pizza, ride your bike in the park on a Sunday afternoon? Why should we cut back on things that will make us happy, or only get things that are necessary for survival? Of course, this must be within reason. I am not saying go out and buy everything you want, quit school, eat cookies all day, and just wander around. But don't deprive yourself of something you want just because it is five bucks more or has a couple hundred extra calories. Live your life, don't just glide through, but really live it. After all, you only have one face.

Leggings Are Not Pants.

I've noticed a big increase in this trend lately, and it's not a good one. For some reason, girls think it is acceptable to not wear pants. Apparently, leggings are the new substitute for pants. Leggings are no longer worn under long dresses or skirts, but are now worn with normal length shirts that girls pull down to make look longer. Is it comfortable? Even if it is.. we have survived in jeans until now, so it doesn't mean you have to resort to basically not wearing pants. Is it warm? I highly doubt it, since it's thin cotton material. Is it stylish? Well no, that's a definite no. Do you want to show off your butt? Well then, that is another whole problem in itself. I think someone just started doing it, and everyone else followed, which is the way it usually goes.
The bottom line is, leggings are not pants. No matter how skinny you are, it does not look good. If they were pants, they would be called pants. But they aren't.

So girls, just wear pants. please.

So You Want to be a Parent?

As I've started working at a tutoring program, I have noticed a few things. But one thing I have noticed in particular... there are too many bad parents in the world. There are parents that seem to never teach their children respect, discipline, or even just the difference between right and wrong. I understand there are cultural differences, and socioeconomic differences, but kids really deserve better. I think the government needs to start issuing tests or preparation programs for people who want to be parents. In order to control who is really taking it, children will not be admitted into the school system until their parent(s) have completed and passed this course. I also know there are different parenting styles, but the main facts remain the same. Kids need to know not to talk bad, they need to respect authority, they need to know not to hit people, and so many things that seem like common sense are just lost from so many kids. So parents, please, for the sake of the world, put a little effort in raising your children. I mean, after are, the children are our future. So, treat them well and let them lead the way! (thanks Whitney)

Spice Up Your Life!

On my way to school this morning, I stopped behind a taxi at a red light. At least I thought it was a taxi... But, in fact, it was much much more. What seemed an ordinary minivan taxi was actually "KAREOKE CAB!" I'm the type of person that sings obnoxiously in the car, all the time, sings and dances in dressing rooms, will quote the line of a song if something you say has the words of a song in it, and of course, has my own kareoke machine which is the highlight of every birthday and family gathering. So obviously, my first impression was.. "NO WAY! HOW COOL!" And right I was. So, I decided to look up this new discovery... and here it is...(as you click on the site, PLEASE turn your speakers on)

http://dallaskaraokecab.webs.com/

If you turned your speakers on you will notice the interesting choice of song, "Stuck on You," for the home page. This guy, from Nigeria, first started out as a normal cab driver... until he pimped his cab and added kareoke. First off, I'd like to say you go kareoke cab guy! People like this make me happy. They take something ordinary and make it so much more than it was. This was his shining moment of creativity, and I love it. If everyone did something like this, imagine how much more fun the world would be? I don't know about you, but I would love to jam out to Spice Girls while I'm in a cab. Even better, imagine if the entire world was filled with music, all the time. You could walk around anywhere and there would be fun music blasting throughout the world. Imagine how many people would be automatically in a better mood.

Sure, this guy's website may look like too many myspace backgrounds with strange music playing, but at the bottom he says "Let's Party!" And I agree. Let's each make the world a little brighter by doing something to spice it up.

Rain or Shine

As I drove through the pouring rain and grey skies, (of course, it had been sunny 10 minutes earlier), I wondered what kind of effect the weather has on a person. Personally, I hate rainy days. It makes the world seem a little sad, and I would much rather be walking through 100 degrees and sunny skies. So, if the weather makes an impact someone personally, what other kinds of effects could it have on their lives? Let's say two people, Sally and George, had an interview for a great job at thte same company. Sally's interview was the day before George's interview, and it just happened to be a day when it was 75 degrees, sunny, and pretty much perfect. Sally woke up with a smile on her face as she looked out her window to the beautiful world. She got ready, and drove to the interview with her windows down and music playing loud. On the other hand, George wakes up the next day to rain hutting his window. He rolls out of bed and drives to the interview in rainy day traffic, and gets his shoes muddy and wet on the way up to the interview. Who do you think had a better attitude when they walked into the interview? Who had a better interview? Sure, some people may like rainy weather, but for some the difference between rain and sunshine can affect their attitudes. Rainy days may in part be responsible for lower motivation at work, lower productivity, and even lower test scores. Who knows what the world would be like if everyday was a sunny day.

Latisse - The Future?

When I saw this commercial, I was shocked. Is this really the extent women are going to these days to look different? Are longer eyelashes really worth having your eyelids turn dark and your eye color turn brown? And if they really want people to buy this product, is this the best advertising they got? This also reminded me of the Dove campaign, and how true it really is. The world is so pressuring for girls, and now our eyelashes have to be a certain length?

I think the best thing would be if every woman completely stopped wearing makeup, fake eyelashes, and "latisse." If everyone stopped, it might be weird at first, but eventually it would be the normal. We would save the next generation. There would be no more pressure, no more expectations, and everyone would be natural, and beautiful just the way they are. Maybe if we start trying to reverse all the things society has created, eventually things will go back to the simple days. Maybe Twelve year old girls won't be wandering the mall in mini skirts and glitter eye shadow, ten year olds won't be on facebook, and eight year olds won't have cell phones.

Letter to Me

Dear Mary,

I thought I'd write this letter to remind you of some important things. If these days seem tough, remember one day you'll be thinking that the past made you who you a are. Every single thing happens for a reason, and from every mistake or bad experience, a lesson is learned. But for now, here are some pointers to help you get through. First of all, never go a day without thanking God for everything you have. Even if you don't have a car, or a credit card, you have an amazing family, amazing friends, a nice house, a great education, and everything you need. Don't just ask God for things you want, but having a good relationship with God will get you through anything that comes your way. Don't ever forget that God has a plan, and even if it seems like what you want is what should happen, it isn't. And one day, you will be glad that God did it his way, and not yours. Also, don't waste time arguing with mom and dad. Even if it doesn't seem like it at the time, they are usually always right. I know you must be thinking there is no way they are right about not getting you a car when you are 16, but trust me, when you graduate from high school and get a brand new car, it is pretty sweet, so be patient. Don't waste time gossiping or getting involved in any drama, and if drama comes your way, don't let it bother you. Drama is unnecessary, but if you have to deal with it, be mature and sophisticated, and remember that it will teach you valuable lessons. And don't forget to study hard, you aren't going to make it to a good college without hard work. Plus, those good studying habits will carry you through the rest of your life. And when you get to senior high school, don't fall into the drugs and alcohol trap, even if your friends do it. I'm not worried about you because I know you never will get into all that, but just let them go and don't be too upset about it because you are doing the right thing. I know this seems like a lot to take in at once, and you probably just want to go on with your life the way you want to. So here are the main things you need to remember:

- Everything happens for a reason. "To everything there is a season, a time and purpose under heaven."
- Let God guide you, and trust in Him with all your heart.
- Love and trust your family - they are the best :)
- Nothing is impossible through Christ
- No matter how bad something seems, you will get through and the sun will shine.

Love,
Me :)

(By the way, Brad Paisley got in touch with his creativity and wrote a letter to himself too)

Brad Paisley
 
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My Creative Process

When our class was shown the illlustrations of "The Creative Process" by some of the top people in advertising today, I was fascinated. It is so cool to see what goes through the heads of people that create some of the best ads of today. I started thinking about what I would do if i were to draw my creative process. Now, I'm still learning how to develop a creative process, but here is what came to mind...

Stress Relief?

So, Sunday night is a typical homework night. Friday, you don't even think about it... Saturday, you are still trying to avoid it... but Sunday it is right there staring at you in the face. This Sunday, I found myself particularly stressed. I had so many thoughts swirling around my head that I didn't know what to do with. That's when I found myself doing something very strange. I pulled out a piece of paper, and started drawing a mindmap. I stopped to think how strange it was that something that was once an assignment has become something voluntary.

discovery -- mindmapping is a great form of stress release! whattttt? I know all the advertising smarties might now that already, but I did not think I would be one of those people that would go to the mindmap to solve problems... but I have discovered the amazing feeling of letting everything in your head spill onto paper. the things I was thinking about may have not been solved by the mindmap, but seeing them on paper and not jumbled in my head made it easier to think clearly and think about them one by one.

so here it is... the first of many stress relief mindmaps.

6 Billion Ideas

Have you ever wondered how many ideas, how many thoughts, are circuling the globe right now, in a single moment?

There are approximately 6 billion people in the world. If every person had an idea a minute, every minute there would be 6 billion ideas in the world. 6 billion ideas. 6 billion completely different thoughts and ideas all at one time. One person might have an idea of ordering chinese food for dinner, and one person might be solving a scientific formula to invent the ultimate vaccine.

what if everyone came together... and everyone in the world thought about the same problem at the same time. we would have 6 billion ideas, 6 billion possible solutions to a problem. what if we got everyone connected, either physically or via phone or via skype and we said "what can we do to solve world peace?" okay so this is a cliche and never ending question to solve, but we would get 6 billion ideas in a minute. and by everyone hearing each other, more ideas would generate, and maybe somewhere in the midst of billions of ideas, we'd find the solution.

maybe it's time the world came together to solve problems creatively together.

Just Drive.

You know what you're supposed to do on a road? drive.

i love driving.
but here are some things that have ruined driving for me.

1. 18 wheelers driving on the speed limit in the left lane on the highway
2. cars driving under the speed limit on the highway
3. traffic in the middle of the day

first of all, 18 wheelers should all drive in the right lane. the worst is when there are three blocking your way so you're stuck following them. second of all, why do cars drive under or exactly on the speed limit on the highway? if you're scared of driving on the highway, learn how. if you're scared of the police, don't be. they aren't going to give you a ticket for going 65-70 in a 60. third of all, at 2 pm on a weekday, why are there that many people on the road? where are they going? aren't people supposed to be at work? i wish we could communicate from car to car so i could ask them. although...that would probably cause even more road rage.

so here is what we need to do...

18 wheelers have their own sectioned off lane on the right. followed by that lane is a lane for slow drivers sectioned off kind of like the HOV lane. that way they aren't pressured by other drivers and they aren't frustrating all the drivers behind them. and if we get rid of the real HOV lane, that leaves 3 lanes for normal, above the speed limit, cars. and if everyone just keeps moving, this is assuming there isn't an accident, there shouldn't be traffic.

sound like a good plan? great i'll start on that tomorrow.

yeah it's kind of like this...



plus,

Britney for Babies?

I recently attended Britney Spears' "Circus," that came back to Dallas after having a sold out show six months earlier. Of course, it was an amazing show, and Britney never fails to entertain. It was one of my childhood dreams come true, except Britney in my childhood was sweet, innocent, and wearing pigtails.

There was one thing about the concert that drove me a little crazy, and it didn't have to do with the show. As we walked up towards the American Airlines Center, I started noticing groups of young girls, probably from ages 7-10. My first thought was, were these kids even alive when Britney became famous? But then I noticed, these girls were dressed in knee high boots with heels and short skirts. Really moms? You let your little angels go out like this and then when they are 16 you wonder how they became sluts? As the show started, Britney danced around the stage in basically a bra and underwear as she sang songs such as "Get Naked (I got a Plan)," "Womanizer," and "If You Seek Amy," which we all know is not about finding Amy. They even showed a video with tons of people groping each other. There were guys groping girls, guys groping guys, girls kissing girls, and more. I couldn't help but think of these little girls. First of all, what parents think it's appropriate to bring their 7 year old daughter to a show like this? Second of all, if that generation is being exposed to this, along with tons of other age inappropriate things in society, where is that generation headed? It seems like every generation gets worse. When I was 12 I would stay at home with my best friend and play vet, but now 12 year olds hang out at the mall in their mini skirts and white tank tops.

As we left the concert, I noticed a small t-shirt for sale that was only $20 instead of the outrageous $40. I asked if they were in kid's sizes and was informed they were toddler shirts. Should a toddler really be crawling around in a half naked Britney Spears t-shirt even if they don't know?

Sometimes things in society are really shocking, and I can only wonder what this next generation will bring to the world. I think mom's need to stop adapting to the times, stick to good old parenting, and make sure their child isn't 17 by age 7.

Intertextuality

Intertextuality is one of those things that I kind of noticed, but it is really cool to be able to understand the whole theory. Now I notice intertextuality everywhere, and how much advertising takes advantage of it. One commercial I found that had great examples of intertextuality was this Pepsi commercial.



This commercial has great examples of vertical intertextuality. The most obvious is the the connection with the music industry. This commercial features Britney Spears, Pink, Beyonce, and even Enrique Iglesias. Not only do they use one celebrity endorser, but four. They even have the three girl musical artists flaunting their talent. Another example of vertical intertextuality is the roman colosseum setting. The rounded auditorium seating with the higher seperate emperor and the fighting warriors below are all reminiscent of the Roman Empire Colosseum gladiator shows. This Roman Empire setting is also reminiscent of movies such as "Gladiator," and "Spartacus," which is also vertical intertextuality. The use of the song "We Will Rock You," is another example of vertical intertextuality to the music industry. The use of this song is also an example of vertical textuality for me because it reminds me of Friday night high school football when the crowd would make the same beat and sing the "We Will Rock You" song together to cheer on the team.

This is one example of intertextuality out of thousands that fill the advertising world.

What Kind of Artist?

In all my life, I used to claim I was not an artist. I was always jealous of those people in art class who made amazing drawings, and who just seemed to be able to do it. I always wished I could just draw or paint naturally, but it was never my best subject.

Over the past few years, I've realized I'm a different type of artist. It may not seem too exciting, and it may not be as praise worthy as some types of artists, but I think I would call myself a crafty artist. Whenever my family or friends have a birthday, or for Christmas, I find myself making something as the present. I've made bulletin boards, picture frames, notebooks, poster collages, blankets, and more. These crafts usually involve painting, or more simply putting things together to look good. I imagine something in my head exactly the way I want it to look, the way everything is laid out, and then I create that image in my head. This past year, I made my own birthday cake and decorated it, which I had recently become interested in.

This is my way of being an artist. It's a great way to be creative, and it is so much fun. So, I no longer think I'm terribly unartistic. I no longer immediately turn away from the thought of drawing or doing anything artistic. I think I've found my own way to be artistic, even if it's a little different.



(bulletin board i made for my sister last christmas) :)

Perspective

When it's been one of those days that you're so stressed out, you can't see the end of all the things you have to do, and you have no earthly idea how you are ever going to get everything done... all you need is a little perspective.

First of all, breathe. Stressing about something does not make it any easier.
Second of all, things will get done. You just have to take it step by step.

and most importantly...

Even if you have 5 big tests tomorrow, 27 projects, and 12 papers to write, at least you are getting an amazing education. Some people in the world are stressed out because they don't know what they are going to feed their family of 8 that day for dinner. Some people in the world have just had their homes taken away. Some people in the world are living in the middle of war and are worried about making it through. So I say, if my stress comes from all the things I have to get done to get my education at SMU, I think I'm going to be okay.

It's all in the perspective.

Pet or Child?

Everytime I see a parent walking through the mall with their child on a leash, it makes me want to run up and set the kid free. It seems like everything is done for us these days, and society is becoming more and more lazy. We have food delivered, movies delivered, clothes and other items ordered online and delivered, dry cleaning picked up, our television automatically knows what to record for us, and even our cars come with on and off buttons so we don't have to get our keys out of our bags. Sure, these things may make our lives easier, but they are also making us lazy. The same goes for child leashes.


Are parents too lazy to watch their child when they are in public to make sure they don't run off? Are parents too lazy to hold their child's hand or call their name if they step away? Better question, are parents too lazy to teach their children that they shouldn't run off when they are in a public place and they need to stay with mommy or daddy? These children who are put on leashes must feel so unloved. Maybe they don't know any better, but think about the difference between a child on a leash and a child walking by their mommy holding her hand. It must have some pyschological impact on them, even if we haven't observed it yet. It makes me so sad to see that this is what the world has come to. We depend on other people and automated systems so much to do things for us, that now parents depend on a leash to keep their child in sight.


Some parents might argue that it keeps the kids safe from being kidnapped, but if someone really wanted to kidnap your child, why wouldnt they just grab him with the leash and pull you down? And why can't you be observant and careful enough with your children to make sure they aren't kidnapped? Is it too much work? Some parents argue that if they have twins or triplets it is impossible to keep track of them, and this is just helpful. Well, mom's survived fine with twins or triplets before leashes came along, it is possible. Children are not pets, they deserve to be respected as human beings, and they deserve to be loved. Parenting is work, and if you are going to be a parent you should deal with that.


Everything that is created these days is aimed to make life easier, but when is it going to stop? Are we going to have little robots to shower us and dress us? Although some of these things are appreciated, i don't think it is for the good of society. Because it is making us into lazy people, and why would we work when we can have something do the work for us?

By the way, the monkey on the leash does not make it cute or any better.

Art?

So, what is art? who determines what art is? is it all based on individual opinion? I came across this while I was shopping the other day, and if you notice the sign says "The Graphic Tee. This is Art. Wear it." This store is claiming that their graphic tee shirts are art. They are also using that idea as a type of advertising to try to get people to wear it. The funny part about this is, they didn't advertise the shirts as "this is hott!" or "this is sexy!" They have determined that their clothes are art, fashion is art, and that is why people should wear it.

So is this art? Is your child's scribble art? Is Jackson Pollock's splatter paint art? Or is art reserved for Van Gogh and Da Vinci? Dictionary.com has 16 definitions listed for art, but here is the first one, "the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance." So to be art does it have to be beautiful?

I don't think there could be any straightforward definition of art. The definiton of art has become so broad, that if you were to say something isn't art it would seem like an insult. So, for now, the definiton is subjective. In my opinion, art is something new and original. Some people look at Pollock's work and say "I could do that! That's not art!"But Pollock was the first one to do that. It was original and now, and therefore, it's art.

This topic is basically a never ending cycle with no definite answer, but if you've never thought about it, think. It will get your brain working.

Viva la Vida

As I was internet browsing today, I came across a really interesting set of pictures from a wedding that really inspired me. Now you might be thinking, how could wedding pictures be that interesting? well... take a look.

This got me thinking.. do people who have traditional, big, expensive weddings do it because they actually like all that stuff or just because that is what is normal these days. Do people really like paying $5000 on seat covers, and riding in a big limo, and wearing a dress that has a 10 foot train? Sure, there may be some girls that really like that stuff. But I think most people just do it because.. well, that's what a wedding "should be" these days. When brides say, "well i have to get the best seat covers!" Do you really have to? Is someone forcing you to by a cover for a chair for people to put their butts on for an hour when they could just as easily just sit on the chair itself? Why not save the thousands of dollars and get a great house or have a great honeymoon?

I don't think this just applies for weddings, but for most things around us these days. People just do something because everyone else is doing it, even if they don't really like it. Do all girls really want to join a sororiety? Do all guys really like sperrys? I feel like people have lost their individuality. Everyone just looks like a big blob, and maybe that's why people that are "creative," are seen as different or weird. People think they are just like everyone else and like the same things as everyone else because that is what they made themselves think. I think more people need to break out of the group and be individuals.

So when I see people like this, who go outside the norm and do something they really like, something fun, I think it is awesome. The world needs more people like this, or soon enough everyone is going to be the same on the outisde, even if that isn't how they really are on the inside. These people expressed themselves, they were creative, and they definitely have a memorable day.