It's been far too long since this blog has had a post. So, in the spirit of our blog name, here is a playful baby goat. Enjoy!
-Z
-Z
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Monday, November 14, 2011
Smoothies
I'm sitting here, in the courtyard caf, sipping a most delicious smoothie. It is strawberry banana. The best flavored smoothie I've had was the blackberry mango. mmmMMMMmmhhhhmm! So good! I highly recommend smoothies to everyone. They use real fruit in their smoothies. I watched crabby coffee lady drop a whole banana in the blender. I'm getting my potassium. It's such a small glass, it's hard to believe there's an entire banana in there. But it did. I saw it.
Drink smoothies! They're tasty!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
The Weight Room
So, for my work study I work with the athletic department, part of that entails surpervising in the weight room. When it's not busy it's pretty awesome because I can sit and do my homework while getting paid. I just wanted to share some of the daily occurrences of the weight room when I work.
First, there is very loud music playing. It's supposed to be like pump up music for the lifters. Sometimes a slow song comes on and there is always someone who feels the need to comment on the pump-up-ness of the song. "Well, this is some real pump up music". Lifters like to sing along very loudly to some of the songs.
Second, the "words of encouragement" Sometimes it really is encouraging like "come on man! come on man! Do it! You got it!" other times they yell more negative things to still motivate the lifter but in a different way such as "Come on b**ch!" or "Let's f***ing go, do it!" Most of them don't sweat in fact they're not supposed to in order to keep a clean weight room.
Third, the lifters finding energy within themselves to do a particular task by groaning and/or yelling. I will be sitting here when suddenly an "ERAUHHH!" pierces through the room, this is a VERY common thing. I glance over to make sure no one is injured, they are not. They are just motivating themselves by yelling in order to lift the weights. People almost always lift in groups. This is especially important for spotting each other.
Fourth, many lifters feel the need to test their capacity of what amount is too heavy for them to lift, so often times they lift gianormous weights only to drop the wieghts and a large clang to ring throughout the room. When they drop them they aren't dropping them from standing height, they are setting them down loudly.
If you've ever seen any fight movies where the characters have to train in a gym it is kind of like that, the lifters even breath out intentionally on certain counts.
The amazing thing is that despite how loud it gets in the weight room I am able to block out most of the noises while doing my homework.
Why did I randomly decide to write about my work experience in the weight room? I am currently working right now of course. . always interesting,..
"Do it, man! Come on!"
First, there is very loud music playing. It's supposed to be like pump up music for the lifters. Sometimes a slow song comes on and there is always someone who feels the need to comment on the pump-up-ness of the song. "Well, this is some real pump up music". Lifters like to sing along very loudly to some of the songs.
Second, the "words of encouragement" Sometimes it really is encouraging like "come on man! come on man! Do it! You got it!" other times they yell more negative things to still motivate the lifter but in a different way such as "Come on b**ch!" or "Let's f***ing go, do it!" Most of them don't sweat in fact they're not supposed to in order to keep a clean weight room.
Third, the lifters finding energy within themselves to do a particular task by groaning and/or yelling. I will be sitting here when suddenly an "ERAUHHH!" pierces through the room, this is a VERY common thing. I glance over to make sure no one is injured, they are not. They are just motivating themselves by yelling in order to lift the weights. People almost always lift in groups. This is especially important for spotting each other.
Fourth, many lifters feel the need to test their capacity of what amount is too heavy for them to lift, so often times they lift gianormous weights only to drop the wieghts and a large clang to ring throughout the room. When they drop them they aren't dropping them from standing height, they are setting them down loudly.
If you've ever seen any fight movies where the characters have to train in a gym it is kind of like that, the lifters even breath out intentionally on certain counts.
The amazing thing is that despite how loud it gets in the weight room I am able to block out most of the noises while doing my homework.
Why did I randomly decide to write about my work experience in the weight room? I am currently working right now of course. . always interesting,..
"Do it, man! Come on!"
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Riding In Cars With ...People
I originally typed this on September 10, but didn’t post it until now…
So. I learned something about myself this summer. What I discovered is that I can only fall asleep in cars if I really trust the person who is driving. Now, I know this sounds silly, but when I think about it, it makes sense! It makes sense because when riding in a car which you are not driving, you are basically stating that you trust the person driving enough to give them control over your life. You are giving them control over destination, thus you must trust them to get you there safely without crashing. Therefore, I trust the person driving with my life to get me to my destination. Now, when I do not trust a driver, I tend to stay more alert in the car and not pay attention to the road/driving conditions around the car because I trust that they are doing an adequate job of this. Thusly, I may, if I so choose, fall asleep. So if I fall asleep in the car while you are driving, take it as a good sign that I have trust in you and not me insinuating that you’re boring and I don’t want to socialize or whatever so I fall asleep.
Think deeply.
So. I learned something about myself this summer. What I discovered is that I can only fall asleep in cars if I really trust the person who is driving. Now, I know this sounds silly, but when I think about it, it makes sense! It makes sense because when riding in a car which you are not driving, you are basically stating that you trust the person driving enough to give them control over your life. You are giving them control over destination, thus you must trust them to get you there safely without crashing. Therefore, I trust the person driving with my life to get me to my destination. Now, when I do not trust a driver, I tend to stay more alert in the car and not pay attention to the road/driving conditions around the car because I trust that they are doing an adequate job of this. Thusly, I may, if I so choose, fall asleep. So if I fall asleep in the car while you are driving, take it as a good sign that I have trust in you and not me insinuating that you’re boring and I don’t want to socialize or whatever so I fall asleep.
Think deeply.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Life on the Farm
Life on the farm sucks. The End.
Only kidding :)
Did you know there is a board game called life on the farm? There is. You go around the board hoping to land on cattle auction and avoid the farm expense cards. Every now and then you'll land on lightning strikes loose one cow, or cows get out pay each neighbor 10$ per cow, or sell machinery shake one die and collect 100$ x ____. As long as you don't land on taxes you're usually okay.
Life on the REAL farm is a tad bit different. Cows do get out. I remember as a kid always having to chase the cows back into the pasture or running and sitting on a pile of dirt with a tree growing out of it in our yard for safety so you wouldn't get trampled by the cows. If you want a cow to go somewhere it will most definitely go in the opposite direction. I've never heard of a cow being struck by lightning but my aunt's apartment and car were. If the cows get out and trample onto one of the neighbors land it's a good idea to give the neighbor a couple packages of meat (either deer meat or steer/cow meat). Cows can be butchered for meat. Some city boy tried telling me once that only steers were butchered for meat. That is false. Typically you butcher steers for meat, because that's what they're solely raised for. But it is also very common to butcher cows. Particularly if the cow has a hurt leg and is limping a lot or if it's really old. A completely random side fact: farmer's file their taxes at a different time of the year than everyone else. Out on the farm in the country, animals are everywhere. It is not uncommon to see a skunk or a raccoon wandering around, bats flying overhead, or hear coyotes and baby raccoons making racket in the night. In the summer my family plays baseball in the hayfield, that way we have more room. If you ever want to go hiking, there are woods everywhere. My family usually takes a fall walk in the woods when all of the trees change color and we go walking all afternoon so we take a bag lunch with us. People can have parties deep in the woods at a clearing so no uninvited person (or police officers trying to break up parties) can get there (easily or by road). (I don't do this, nor does my family, but one of my neighbors used to all the time). Summers are always filled with field work: picking rock out of the fields, chopping thistles and baling hay. Camping in the woods is very cool. On the farm you can name all of the baby calves! One summer we named each calf a name starting with each letter of the alphabet. Often times a couple calves will be born with birth defects in a breeding year. Youngstock get their horns burned off. When I was younger, the farmer who lived down the road would always move his cattle to a different pasture in the spring and so he and a bunch of other people would ride on horses and herd the cattle to the other pasture. They had to run right past our house and sometime cattle would come in the yard. It was always very exciting and scary. When working out on the farm one must have barn clothes, clothes to wear to the barn, and anywhere else outside, where it will not matter if they rip or get covered in poop, muddy water or dirt. Now you know about the farm.
Why am I sharing all of this frivolous information about my life on the farm? I have absolutley no idea. Maybe it will come in handy one day, probably not though.
Only kidding :)
Did you know there is a board game called life on the farm? There is. You go around the board hoping to land on cattle auction and avoid the farm expense cards. Every now and then you'll land on lightning strikes loose one cow, or cows get out pay each neighbor 10$ per cow, or sell machinery shake one die and collect 100$ x ____. As long as you don't land on taxes you're usually okay.
Life on the REAL farm is a tad bit different. Cows do get out. I remember as a kid always having to chase the cows back into the pasture or running and sitting on a pile of dirt with a tree growing out of it in our yard for safety so you wouldn't get trampled by the cows. If you want a cow to go somewhere it will most definitely go in the opposite direction. I've never heard of a cow being struck by lightning but my aunt's apartment and car were. If the cows get out and trample onto one of the neighbors land it's a good idea to give the neighbor a couple packages of meat (either deer meat or steer/cow meat). Cows can be butchered for meat. Some city boy tried telling me once that only steers were butchered for meat. That is false. Typically you butcher steers for meat, because that's what they're solely raised for. But it is also very common to butcher cows. Particularly if the cow has a hurt leg and is limping a lot or if it's really old. A completely random side fact: farmer's file their taxes at a different time of the year than everyone else. Out on the farm in the country, animals are everywhere. It is not uncommon to see a skunk or a raccoon wandering around, bats flying overhead, or hear coyotes and baby raccoons making racket in the night. In the summer my family plays baseball in the hayfield, that way we have more room. If you ever want to go hiking, there are woods everywhere. My family usually takes a fall walk in the woods when all of the trees change color and we go walking all afternoon so we take a bag lunch with us. People can have parties deep in the woods at a clearing so no uninvited person (or police officers trying to break up parties) can get there (easily or by road). (I don't do this, nor does my family, but one of my neighbors used to all the time). Summers are always filled with field work: picking rock out of the fields, chopping thistles and baling hay. Camping in the woods is very cool. On the farm you can name all of the baby calves! One summer we named each calf a name starting with each letter of the alphabet. Often times a couple calves will be born with birth defects in a breeding year. Youngstock get their horns burned off. When I was younger, the farmer who lived down the road would always move his cattle to a different pasture in the spring and so he and a bunch of other people would ride on horses and herd the cattle to the other pasture. They had to run right past our house and sometime cattle would come in the yard. It was always very exciting and scary. When working out on the farm one must have barn clothes, clothes to wear to the barn, and anywhere else outside, where it will not matter if they rip or get covered in poop, muddy water or dirt. Now you know about the farm.
Why am I sharing all of this frivolous information about my life on the farm? I have absolutley no idea. Maybe it will come in handy one day, probably not though.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
What if's and Fate
We all know the 'what if' scenarios. What if this happened? What if that happened? My mother and I today were using the 'what if' concept and applying it to fate. What if our lives really were mapped out for us and we had no escape of our fate? What if when it was your time to go, it meant you really had to go.
What brought on these questions was a terrible accident. A boy that was going to be a senior in my high school this year was swimming in a gravel pit. He dove into the water and hit his head and broke his neck. Everyone who knew him and even those who don't are saying prayers for him and his family. He currently is not showing any brain activity. All we can do is hope for a miracle in the next 24 to 36 hours before they have to call it. One thing that seemed to send a shiver down one's spine, just minutes before he left to go swimming he posted a status on facebook saying "I hate how one day you feel like your on top of the world and one thing goes wrong and you couldn't go any lower..." One thing goes wrong and suddenly you've crossed a line in which there is no return. One thing like a swimming accident, like being sidetracked for a second to keep you from realizing how shallow the water might be, one thing that can have so many results. I cannot possibly imagine what his mother is going through right now. Another girl I knew, she was 3 years older than me, when she was a junior in high school she was in a car accident and was killed. Just before she left her house she left a note on the table for her parents the last part said: I should be back around (a certain time, I don't what what it was), Love you always, Nikki. Should was underlined several times. It just really struck a person, the way it was worded. Why should the word should be underlined? What made it important enough to draw attention to? Why shouldn't she be home at that time? And why on this note did she put "love you always"? However you can analyze words to get any meaning you want out of it. My mother then told me how there was a man down the road, and there was an explosion in his house. He barely made it out and really shouldn't have lived. The next day he was killed in a car accident. He barely survived only to be killed the next day. Why? There was another individual who was standing on a bridge, a car drove by and one of the wheels flew off the vehicle and killed them. It is the only time I have ever heard of an incident like it. It makes one wonder...it's as if it was those individual's time to go.. I'm not saying all of this to depress anyone, I just think that it's something to think about (hypothetically). It's really beautiful to know how people come together to show support whenever someone's in trouble or something goes wrong.
What brought on these questions was a terrible accident. A boy that was going to be a senior in my high school this year was swimming in a gravel pit. He dove into the water and hit his head and broke his neck. Everyone who knew him and even those who don't are saying prayers for him and his family. He currently is not showing any brain activity. All we can do is hope for a miracle in the next 24 to 36 hours before they have to call it. One thing that seemed to send a shiver down one's spine, just minutes before he left to go swimming he posted a status on facebook saying "I hate how one day you feel like your on top of the world and one thing goes wrong and you couldn't go any lower..." One thing goes wrong and suddenly you've crossed a line in which there is no return. One thing like a swimming accident, like being sidetracked for a second to keep you from realizing how shallow the water might be, one thing that can have so many results. I cannot possibly imagine what his mother is going through right now. Another girl I knew, she was 3 years older than me, when she was a junior in high school she was in a car accident and was killed. Just before she left her house she left a note on the table for her parents the last part said: I should be back around (a certain time, I don't what what it was), Love you always, Nikki. Should was underlined several times. It just really struck a person, the way it was worded. Why should the word should be underlined? What made it important enough to draw attention to? Why shouldn't she be home at that time? And why on this note did she put "love you always"? However you can analyze words to get any meaning you want out of it. My mother then told me how there was a man down the road, and there was an explosion in his house. He barely made it out and really shouldn't have lived. The next day he was killed in a car accident. He barely survived only to be killed the next day. Why? There was another individual who was standing on a bridge, a car drove by and one of the wheels flew off the vehicle and killed them. It is the only time I have ever heard of an incident like it. It makes one wonder...it's as if it was those individual's time to go.. I'm not saying all of this to depress anyone, I just think that it's something to think about (hypothetically). It's really beautiful to know how people come together to show support whenever someone's in trouble or something goes wrong.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
People & Grass
So, no one has posted in a while… and I had one, all typed up and ready for posting in mid-June, but I didn’t post it due to what is probably just whiney-ness & laziness. It kind of complained about some stuff, without actually suggesting any remedies or witty insights about anything. So I decided not to waste my time posting it, as well as your time reading it.
Instead, you can read my thoughts about people and grass!
Last week I was taking a lunch break from lab on the campus of the U. I was sitting at a picnic table in front of the student union—an area frequented by many pedestrians. I strategically placed myself at the table so I could easily people watch. And this is what I saw…
The majority of people would walk completely around a house-sized area of well-groomed grass, choosing to stay on the sidewalk, instead of cutting across the grass, which would clearly be a shorter path. Why? Are they afraid they’re going to hurt the grass? Because, I can assure you, grass will survive if you step on it. Do they not want to disturb the “well-groomed” foliage because an old geezer might come out and tell them to get off his lawn? Because that will not happen—it is a school campus. Do they just want to use the sidewalk for the supposed reason it was put there? Maybe. Do they think others (or themselves) find it more respectful to walk “appropriately”? Maybe. Did it never occur to them to walk on something other than what they were told? Maybe. Are any of these proposed explanations correct? Probably not.
Well, I thought that this was an interesting observation. Maybe you will, too?
Instead, you can read my thoughts about people and grass!
Last week I was taking a lunch break from lab on the campus of the U. I was sitting at a picnic table in front of the student union—an area frequented by many pedestrians. I strategically placed myself at the table so I could easily people watch. And this is what I saw…
The majority of people would walk completely around a house-sized area of well-groomed grass, choosing to stay on the sidewalk, instead of cutting across the grass, which would clearly be a shorter path. Why? Are they afraid they’re going to hurt the grass? Because, I can assure you, grass will survive if you step on it. Do they not want to disturb the “well-groomed” foliage because an old geezer might come out and tell them to get off his lawn? Because that will not happen—it is a school campus. Do they just want to use the sidewalk for the supposed reason it was put there? Maybe. Do they think others (or themselves) find it more respectful to walk “appropriately”? Maybe. Did it never occur to them to walk on something other than what they were told? Maybe. Are any of these proposed explanations correct? Probably not.
Well, I thought that this was an interesting observation. Maybe you will, too?
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
"When I was your age...."
Parents, grandparents, and older people in general often complain at how easy we 'young folk' have it and how when they were young they had to walk to school in the snow up hill both ways carrying their younger sibling on their back etcera, etcetera. I'm sure many of them exaggerate their situations, but I really don't know because all I know is from what I have experienced, seen, and read in a book. This last January my last living grandparent passed away. It occurred to me that I really didn't know anything about my grandparents' lives save for what I knew from my personal experience interacting with them. But I became extremely curious, wondering who they were before they became grandparents, before they became parents, and before they got married and so forth. And that wondering led me to wondering about my parents lives. So I sat down by my Dad one night and began asking him questions about his parents' lives and anything he knew about his parents' parents, and so forth after three hours of listening to him talk I was ready to ask him about my mother's parents and also his life (for some reason my mother isn't as talkative about her past- she sometimes answers a question but won't tell me anything beyond that question, whereas my dad will answer the question and tell a story with it or add extra random information). The next night I began my questioning of his life and my mother's (I have yet to further question my mother :) I learned some really interesting things though. There never used to be women's sports (in my little hick town) when my father started high school, but at some point when my dad was 8-10th grade they got women's sports, but not all of the ones there are now just like volleyball and basketball, and he wasn't sure about softball. He also remembers watching Neil Armstrong land on the moon on the TV. The point of everything I've said is : ask all the questions while you can. My dad was able to answer a lot of it, but there were still things he wasn't sure of and I don't think there's anyone alive who knows some of those answers. I wish I would've asked my grandparents about their lives while I had the chance, so for now I'm left with asking my aunts, uncles, and parents everything that they know. The results: a little peek into the past of what life was like.
Friday, May 20, 2011
My Misconceptions about Tape
So this is all about how my views about tape have changed and become more correct over the years. What I used to believe:
1. I used to believe that duct tape was called duck tape.
2. I used to believe that duct tape was impossible to rip.
3. I used to believe that masking tape was called scotch tape.
4. I used to believe that scotch tape was called clear tape.
5. I used to believe that athletic tape was called packing tape.
6. I used to believe that athletic tape didn't exist.
7. Then I thought it was just cloth.
8. I used to believe that duct tape would last and stick forever.
9. I used to believe that electrical tape was called rubber tape.
10. I used to believe that tape could be used to hold anything and everything together.
I went through some pretty revolutionary days realizing the truths about tape. The worst was when I realized the truth about duct tape- since I thought it was basically invincible. But it was necessary that I found out the truth and will no longer live in ignorance about tape.
Educate yourself about tape. You won't regret it.
(This is a lame post).
1. I used to believe that duct tape was called duck tape.
2. I used to believe that duct tape was impossible to rip.
3. I used to believe that masking tape was called scotch tape.
4. I used to believe that scotch tape was called clear tape.
5. I used to believe that athletic tape was called packing tape.
6. I used to believe that athletic tape didn't exist.
7. Then I thought it was just cloth.
8. I used to believe that duct tape would last and stick forever.
9. I used to believe that electrical tape was called rubber tape.
10. I used to believe that tape could be used to hold anything and everything together.
I went through some pretty revolutionary days realizing the truths about tape. The worst was when I realized the truth about duct tape- since I thought it was basically invincible. But it was necessary that I found out the truth and will no longer live in ignorance about tape.
Educate yourself about tape. You won't regret it.
(This is a lame post).
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Well, here's some nonsense.
So. Nobody has blogged for almost a month now. Almost. This is most likely due to the newness of the whole blogging thing wearing off, or the end of the school year coming up in about 2 weeks. But I'm gonna go with the end of school theory.
We are all busy. Busy studying. Busy catching up on reading for classes. Busy with extra cirriculars. Busy procrastinating. Busy keeping up. Keeping up with schoolwork. Keeping up with the world ourside of campus. Keeping up with the world inside of campus. Why did it not seem this stressful before these last couple weeks? I don't know. But it's almost over.
What?? It's almost over?? Holy crap! This year has gone SO FAST. We're getting old... We're in college. We are maturing. How did this happen? Dang.
So, on that note, and having no real point to this blog post, other than to post something new, I will say this: If anyone ever needs someone to act like a 7 year old with, I'm definately here for you!
<3
We are all busy. Busy studying. Busy catching up on reading for classes. Busy with extra cirriculars. Busy procrastinating. Busy keeping up. Keeping up with schoolwork. Keeping up with the world ourside of campus. Keeping up with the world inside of campus. Why did it not seem this stressful before these last couple weeks? I don't know. But it's almost over.
What?? It's almost over?? Holy crap! This year has gone SO FAST. We're getting old... We're in college. We are maturing. How did this happen? Dang.
So, on that note, and having no real point to this blog post, other than to post something new, I will say this: If anyone ever needs someone to act like a 7 year old with, I'm definately here for you!
<3
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Smile: It will make you happier =)
I learned in my psychology class, that smiling actually makes you happier! It was tested in several different ways, many times. One study had people hold a pen in their mouth with their teeth, this activated their 'smile muscles' . The other group held the pen in their mouth with their lips without the pen touching their lips. By doing this it inhibited their smiling muscles. Then a third group just held the pen in their hands. All three groups then were asked to rate the funniness of some farside cartoons. The group that had their smiling muscles activated found the cartoons significantly funnier than the other two groups. They did more research and made the conclusion that if you smile it will improve your mood and make you happier!
Smile =)
Smile =)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Questions 6-8
6. What causes people to procrastinate?
7. Are humans the only animals that don't procrastinate? (Or, for lack of a better example, do birds ever think (if birds can think...?), "Screw it, I'm not building a nest now! I'm going to go fly around for a bit!"?)
8. Why do so few people wear wind pants anymore? You know, those ones that swish when you walk? I feel that they would be very practical given my current location and the weather often associated with it.
7. Are humans the only animals that don't procrastinate? (Or, for lack of a better example, do birds ever think (if birds can think...?), "Screw it, I'm not building a nest now! I'm going to go fly around for a bit!"?)
8. Why do so few people wear wind pants anymore? You know, those ones that swish when you walk? I feel that they would be very practical given my current location and the weather often associated with it.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Being Nice to a Point?
So, we all know it's good to be nice. Parents always tell children to be nice and kind to other people. However what if being nice to some one else takes away from your own happiness. For example someone asks you for a ride to a place that you're already going, the way you were raised might make you feel obligated to be nice and give them a ride. What if you don't really care for that person (you don't hate them but they're not your favorite person) and riding with them would make that trip rather unhappy, now lets say it's sort of a big event, for example prom and someone asks to ride with you and your date. It's kind of a long drive, you don't really care to have that person there, but you all are going to the same place. Should you still "be nice" and give that person a ride even though it might make you unhappy at kind of an important event at the time? I used to think, yeah you definitely should give that person a ride because how unhappy is it honestly going to make you, and part of being a good person is making a little self-sacrifice for others. Isn't that what many of us strive to be, Good people?However, someone told me a while ago, why should you do something for someone else if it takes away from your own happiness? I honestly don't know, while it is always good to help people, you don't want to make yourself unhappy. We can apply this to almost any situation when we are asked to do something or feel obligated to do something for someone else. For many situations it really may not be a big deal or bother you to do something nice for someone else. And who knows they may really have needed that extra act of kindness. I guess you have to look at the pros and cons of each situation and determine for yourself, how the level of unhappiness of an action affects the amount of kindness that would come from that action and how it affects yourself. Then again maybe you should just be kind for the sake of being a good person? Think about it.
Monday, April 4, 2011
It's that time again...
Has anyone ever noticed how much this post-spring break time sucks?
Today is the Monday after spring break and it is less than awesome for most people I have heard from. Not only does waking up early and going to class suck, but it's not exactly very springy today. The weather up here would be lovely if not for the wind, which makes it freezing and hazardous to walk outside. If you were hoping to come back from break rocking a cute new hairstyle, sucks for you. My hair is going into a ponytail before I step outside again.
Anyway, don't you just hate this awkward time of transition? As we transition back to school, the weather is slowly transitioning to spring and summer temperatures. I love summer weather, so this gets me very excited and ready to break out the shorts, dresses, skirts, flip-flops... but then a day like today comes along and it's windy and cold and you have to put your winter coat back on, despite the fact that it is actually April. Which is honestly very depressing, especially when you just bought a super cute new spring coat.
Am I just being whiny, or does transition weather get you down too?
- Darcy
Today is the Monday after spring break and it is less than awesome for most people I have heard from. Not only does waking up early and going to class suck, but it's not exactly very springy today. The weather up here would be lovely if not for the wind, which makes it freezing and hazardous to walk outside. If you were hoping to come back from break rocking a cute new hairstyle, sucks for you. My hair is going into a ponytail before I step outside again.
Anyway, don't you just hate this awkward time of transition? As we transition back to school, the weather is slowly transitioning to spring and summer temperatures. I love summer weather, so this gets me very excited and ready to break out the shorts, dresses, skirts, flip-flops... but then a day like today comes along and it's windy and cold and you have to put your winter coat back on, despite the fact that it is actually April. Which is honestly very depressing, especially when you just bought a super cute new spring coat.
Am I just being whiny, or does transition weather get you down too?
- Darcy
Sunday, March 20, 2011
A Dangerous Activity
I would like to spend some time chatting about something very close to me. I spend a lot of time doing it and it has become an integral and necessary part of my everyday life: procrastination. Procrastination has been a part of my life for about as long as I can remember, but never so much as since I've been in college. Holy Crap, I procrastinate like none other! Today I had to pee and I actually procrastinated it for two hours! Currently, I am procrastinating studying for a test (tomorrow) and doing a project (due tomorrow). Anyway, generally when I have procrastinated in the past it has included the old standbys of procrastination: Facebook, Stumble Upon, My Life is Average, FML, Watching old episodes of Glee, and maybe the occasional game of The Sims for iPhone. But recently, my procrastination has developed a new avenue: online shopping.
Being on campus and having no car has lead to an extreme decline in the amount of shopping I participate in in the real world. First semester, this didn't really lead to much online shopping because I had no money at all. However, this semester I have a little remaining cash from J-term, when I worked full time. SO, I have been spending a ridiculous amount of time online at Macy's, Delia's, Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, Alloy, Dillards, and Modcloth. I will note that this is also a seasonal shift, as I love to shop in the springtime, when it is becoming cute clothing weather. The thing is that even though I have some money, I was going to try and save some of it. So not only am I wasting my time, but I really shouldn't be buying anything. Last week I got two skirts, a shirt, a pair of shoes, a hair pin and two pairs of earrings. Damn!
My new pastime is insanely fun and entertaining. I love daydreaming about outfits. I love finding new things that are insanely cute. I LOVE finding deals and getting free shipping. But, this is a dangerous activity. I can get lost for hours in the pages of dresses at Macy's. And I can certainly stare at ModCloth's Jewelry for days. So I have decided to use my online shopping addiction to my advantage. I set up a chart, and for every accomplishment on the chart (an A on my History Paper, for example), I get something I found online (elephant necklace!!). If I get straight A's, I get a Coach bag. I love how smart I am. And making that chart didn't waste any time at all. :)
What are your procrastination-addictions?
-Darcy
Being on campus and having no car has lead to an extreme decline in the amount of shopping I participate in in the real world. First semester, this didn't really lead to much online shopping because I had no money at all. However, this semester I have a little remaining cash from J-term, when I worked full time. SO, I have been spending a ridiculous amount of time online at Macy's, Delia's, Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, Alloy, Dillards, and Modcloth. I will note that this is also a seasonal shift, as I love to shop in the springtime, when it is becoming cute clothing weather. The thing is that even though I have some money, I was going to try and save some of it. So not only am I wasting my time, but I really shouldn't be buying anything. Last week I got two skirts, a shirt, a pair of shoes, a hair pin and two pairs of earrings. Damn!
My new pastime is insanely fun and entertaining. I love daydreaming about outfits. I love finding new things that are insanely cute. I LOVE finding deals and getting free shipping. But, this is a dangerous activity. I can get lost for hours in the pages of dresses at Macy's. And I can certainly stare at ModCloth's Jewelry for days. So I have decided to use my online shopping addiction to my advantage. I set up a chart, and for every accomplishment on the chart (an A on my History Paper, for example), I get something I found online (elephant necklace!!). If I get straight A's, I get a Coach bag. I love how smart I am. And making that chart didn't waste any time at all. :)
What are your procrastination-addictions?
-Darcy
Friday, March 18, 2011
Personal Thoughts on Respect and Hate
I want this post to focus on respect. Respecting your family, your friends, your neighbors, those you don’t get along with, those you dislike, your professors, that random person you pass on the sidewalk, those of higher authority and those of lower social standing then you consider yourself to be. Respecting everyone. And I want you to think about how you develop that respect (or perhaps even other feelings) for them.
I think that the social configuration of this campus, as well of current society in general, is ridiculously complicated. I think there is a lot of “hate” being passed around, and some people think it’s cool to “hate on” others. For example, let’s say, hypothetically, that you told me “I hate Justin Bieber.” What are you actually saying? Are you saying that you disapprove of his lifestyle? Or maybe you don’t appreciate his vocal or dancing skills? Is it an insinuation that you want me to think you’ve actually MET Justin Bieber, and have thus come to the conclusion that he is a bad person? Take your pick, because I honestly don’t know the answer. In all likelihood, you have probably not actually met The Biebster. You do not know him personally; all you know about him is what the media has told you. Is this really the best way to judge someone?
While I think it is completely right and acceptable to have opinions about people, I think they should be based on true fact and personal experience. These confines DO NOT include crap the media mentions. (When I speak of media, I do not mean legitimate news sources such as CNN, NPR, etc.) The thoughts and opinions you formulate should be (almost) completely of your own deduction (I say almost because you will, without a doubt, be influenced by others’ opinions, whether you think you are or not.). Unfortunately, it is not the good thoughts and feelings about people I am talking about today; it is the negative ones.
You know there are people you don’t especially like or don’t get along with. Please do not say that you hate them. Hate is such a strong word, and has too many connotations that go along with it. (Without elaborating excessively on the topic of connotations that go along with the word ‘hate,’ I will just say it creates a type of ambiguity when it comes to defining its meaning.) Which brings me back to the Justin Bieber idea. Do you really “hate” him? Or do you just dislike his singing? Because if you just dislike his singing, I completely respect that opinion. You have based it off of something legitimate which you have personally judged. The logic makes sense. This legitimate “dislike of Justin Bieber’s singing” that you harbor does not mean that you hate him. This is good; hate is the last thing anybody needs directed toward them. Instead, everyone should get respect directed toward them.
Yes, R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Find out what it means to you. It is my personal belief that even if you dislike a person, their lifestyle, or their actions, that you should still have respect for them as fellow Homo sapiens. Respect includes, but is by no means limited to: not badmouthing (aka making fun of, saying bad things about, spreading rumors, etc.) them behind their back, not badmouthing them to their face (however, respectful discourse is permitted and even encouraged in these cases), listening to their thoughts and logic, not abusing them or their belongings in a malicious manner, and a large assortment of other disrespectful actions. You ARE entitled to your opinion about everything and everyone (as long as it is logical…), but please do not include disrespect or outright hate in your opinions unless it stems from an ordered and consistent source. If you’re going to think something bad about a person, then think it! Please don’t feel the need to share your hurtful thoughts with others—in most cases, doing so would help no one (except for if you are psychologically imbalanced—like a murderer or something, in which case you probably have much larger problems to take care of and you SHOULD go talk to someone about your feelings). I believe the old adage holds true; “If you’re not going to say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.” Again, I want to clarify that this does not hold true for debates and things of the like, because without disagreement, the world would be a boring place. If you are going to disagree with someone, please do it respectfully. If you dislike someone, please do it respectfully.
[On a side note, I would like to mention that disliking a person’s actions and disliking a person are two entirely different concepts. I would also like to acknowledge that sometimes, loss of respect for and genuine hate of a person are completely okay (take the majority of people’s feelings towards Hitler, or other mass murderers, for example).]
I encourage you to think about how your opinions are formed, and for what reasons they stand. And please, don’t lose your respect for people too easily.
I think that the social configuration of this campus, as well of current society in general, is ridiculously complicated. I think there is a lot of “hate” being passed around, and some people think it’s cool to “hate on” others. For example, let’s say, hypothetically, that you told me “I hate Justin Bieber.” What are you actually saying? Are you saying that you disapprove of his lifestyle? Or maybe you don’t appreciate his vocal or dancing skills? Is it an insinuation that you want me to think you’ve actually MET Justin Bieber, and have thus come to the conclusion that he is a bad person? Take your pick, because I honestly don’t know the answer. In all likelihood, you have probably not actually met The Biebster. You do not know him personally; all you know about him is what the media has told you. Is this really the best way to judge someone?
While I think it is completely right and acceptable to have opinions about people, I think they should be based on true fact and personal experience. These confines DO NOT include crap the media mentions. (When I speak of media, I do not mean legitimate news sources such as CNN, NPR, etc.) The thoughts and opinions you formulate should be (almost) completely of your own deduction (I say almost because you will, without a doubt, be influenced by others’ opinions, whether you think you are or not.). Unfortunately, it is not the good thoughts and feelings about people I am talking about today; it is the negative ones.
You know there are people you don’t especially like or don’t get along with. Please do not say that you hate them. Hate is such a strong word, and has too many connotations that go along with it. (Without elaborating excessively on the topic of connotations that go along with the word ‘hate,’ I will just say it creates a type of ambiguity when it comes to defining its meaning.) Which brings me back to the Justin Bieber idea. Do you really “hate” him? Or do you just dislike his singing? Because if you just dislike his singing, I completely respect that opinion. You have based it off of something legitimate which you have personally judged. The logic makes sense. This legitimate “dislike of Justin Bieber’s singing” that you harbor does not mean that you hate him. This is good; hate is the last thing anybody needs directed toward them. Instead, everyone should get respect directed toward them.
Yes, R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Find out what it means to you. It is my personal belief that even if you dislike a person, their lifestyle, or their actions, that you should still have respect for them as fellow Homo sapiens. Respect includes, but is by no means limited to: not badmouthing (aka making fun of, saying bad things about, spreading rumors, etc.) them behind their back, not badmouthing them to their face (however, respectful discourse is permitted and even encouraged in these cases), listening to their thoughts and logic, not abusing them or their belongings in a malicious manner, and a large assortment of other disrespectful actions. You ARE entitled to your opinion about everything and everyone (as long as it is logical…), but please do not include disrespect or outright hate in your opinions unless it stems from an ordered and consistent source. If you’re going to think something bad about a person, then think it! Please don’t feel the need to share your hurtful thoughts with others—in most cases, doing so would help no one (except for if you are psychologically imbalanced—like a murderer or something, in which case you probably have much larger problems to take care of and you SHOULD go talk to someone about your feelings). I believe the old adage holds true; “If you’re not going to say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.” Again, I want to clarify that this does not hold true for debates and things of the like, because without disagreement, the world would be a boring place. If you are going to disagree with someone, please do it respectfully. If you dislike someone, please do it respectfully.
[On a side note, I would like to mention that disliking a person’s actions and disliking a person are two entirely different concepts. I would also like to acknowledge that sometimes, loss of respect for and genuine hate of a person are completely okay (take the majority of people’s feelings towards Hitler, or other mass murderers, for example).]
I encourage you to think about how your opinions are formed, and for what reasons they stand. And please, don’t lose your respect for people too easily.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Who dat?
When lying in the bed at night, I have a perfect view of the sidewalk leading off-campus, out in the “backyard” of my dorm. Multiple sets of fresh footprints in the newly fallen snow follow the path as it guides them away. Whose footprints are they? Do they belong to a couple aimlessly meandering about, enjoying each other’s company? Or a person and their dog who decided to stroll through campus for a little exercise after dark? Perhaps some students going into town, or to their residence off-campus? Or maybe one set of footprints belongs to a 5’ 10’’ white man with medium build wearing a sweater? It will forever be a mystery.
Last night, the footprints were not all I could see from my cozy cocoon. There were more cars than usual trafficking the intersection which is visible, yet slightly obscured by pine trees, from the window. Police cars as well as regular cars, and campus safety vehicles were out and about.
After two assaults (one on a far end and one in a very central place) on campus in one weekend, needless to say everyone is pretty upset. The suspect is (as of the information they have given out so far) still at large. And to make things worse, it is an averagely built white man, of average height, wearing a sweater. Because this person, that could potentially be half the humans in the entire state of Minnesota, would definitely not be able to change his clothes… Has someone compromising discovered our tiny community, up here on this hill?
I’m not going to lie; one of the reasons I chose this college is because of the feeling of community. Everyone is super friendly, and willing to get to know and help you. And most importantly, the campus feels safe. I think the feeling of community contributes greatly to the sense of security. I always feel safe walking around campus by myself in the late hours of the night, or even wee hours of the morn. Doors left unlocked rarely disturbed. Things lost are almost always returned. Maybe not so much anymore.
In the beginning of the school year, the administration, peer assistants, and practically every authority figure on campus encouraged the school’s “Be a Buddy” motto—saying that when going places after dark to always bring someone else with you in case you encounter trouble, and that if someone asked you to be their buddy to always say yes because the risk of having the other person go alone was not worth it. Of course, this worked in the beginning of the year, but as the days wore on people stopped going places together and started braving the elements, walking to the library, music building, and other places by themselves. Emergency whistles were also distributed, which my friends and I jokingly played around with, thinking they would never actually be needed. I now realize how important buddies and whistles are, and will be taking them more seriously.
I also remember one night near the beginning of the year when my friends and I were out goofing around after dark. It was probably near 10 or 11 pm, and we were basically wandering around, looking for “the end of the earth”. We had never been there before, and it was supposed to be really cool because when you go there it looks like you’re literally at the end of the earth. Anyway, we were near where the first assault allegedly occurred (which happens to be near an arboretum with lots of trees and vegetation), looking around. Right when we were about to give up, a figure emerged from the woods. Personally, I was a little freaked out at this. One of my friends wanted to confront the figure, find out who it was, and ask them if they knew where “the end of the earth” was. The rest of this didn’t really think this was a good idea, but that did not keep her from yelling at and approaching the mystery person, inquiring about the whereabouts of this fun place. I distinctly remember someone telling her, “No, don’t! What if it’s a rapist?” As it turns out, this person was someone we knew, but did not recognize in the dark shadows. He came with us, and we found “the end of the earth”. It ended up being a good night.
Looking back on this, I wonder what would have happened if the mystery person was not friendly. What would we have done? Would I/we still be fortunate enough to be sitting here, blogging about it?
Now is the time when the community and strength of this college will be tested. Be a buddy to your friends. Be a buddy to your neighbors. Be a buddy to the people you don’t get along with. Be a buddy. Keep your eyes peeled.
Now, when I go places at night or see strangers in the woods, I will ask myself, “Who dat?” And I'll also be on the lookout for average man wearing sweaters.
Last night, the footprints were not all I could see from my cozy cocoon. There were more cars than usual trafficking the intersection which is visible, yet slightly obscured by pine trees, from the window. Police cars as well as regular cars, and campus safety vehicles were out and about.
After two assaults (one on a far end and one in a very central place) on campus in one weekend, needless to say everyone is pretty upset. The suspect is (as of the information they have given out so far) still at large. And to make things worse, it is an averagely built white man, of average height, wearing a sweater. Because this person, that could potentially be half the humans in the entire state of Minnesota, would definitely not be able to change his clothes… Has someone compromising discovered our tiny community, up here on this hill?
I’m not going to lie; one of the reasons I chose this college is because of the feeling of community. Everyone is super friendly, and willing to get to know and help you. And most importantly, the campus feels safe. I think the feeling of community contributes greatly to the sense of security. I always feel safe walking around campus by myself in the late hours of the night, or even wee hours of the morn. Doors left unlocked rarely disturbed. Things lost are almost always returned. Maybe not so much anymore.
In the beginning of the school year, the administration, peer assistants, and practically every authority figure on campus encouraged the school’s “Be a Buddy” motto—saying that when going places after dark to always bring someone else with you in case you encounter trouble, and that if someone asked you to be their buddy to always say yes because the risk of having the other person go alone was not worth it. Of course, this worked in the beginning of the year, but as the days wore on people stopped going places together and started braving the elements, walking to the library, music building, and other places by themselves. Emergency whistles were also distributed, which my friends and I jokingly played around with, thinking they would never actually be needed. I now realize how important buddies and whistles are, and will be taking them more seriously.
I also remember one night near the beginning of the year when my friends and I were out goofing around after dark. It was probably near 10 or 11 pm, and we were basically wandering around, looking for “the end of the earth”. We had never been there before, and it was supposed to be really cool because when you go there it looks like you’re literally at the end of the earth. Anyway, we were near where the first assault allegedly occurred (which happens to be near an arboretum with lots of trees and vegetation), looking around. Right when we were about to give up, a figure emerged from the woods. Personally, I was a little freaked out at this. One of my friends wanted to confront the figure, find out who it was, and ask them if they knew where “the end of the earth” was. The rest of this didn’t really think this was a good idea, but that did not keep her from yelling at and approaching the mystery person, inquiring about the whereabouts of this fun place. I distinctly remember someone telling her, “No, don’t! What if it’s a rapist?” As it turns out, this person was someone we knew, but did not recognize in the dark shadows. He came with us, and we found “the end of the earth”. It ended up being a good night.
Looking back on this, I wonder what would have happened if the mystery person was not friendly. What would we have done? Would I/we still be fortunate enough to be sitting here, blogging about it?
Now is the time when the community and strength of this college will be tested. Be a buddy to your friends. Be a buddy to your neighbors. Be a buddy to the people you don’t get along with. Be a buddy. Keep your eyes peeled.
Now, when I go places at night or see strangers in the woods, I will ask myself, “Who dat?” And I'll also be on the lookout for average man wearing sweaters.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Think about things.
Have you ever thought about where you would be and what you would be doing at this point in your life if continuing your education was not an option?
Have you ever thought about how your life would be different if you had made one decision differently than you did? For instance, saying “no” to something instead of “yes,” not getting that coffee after class when you actually did, or flooring it to make it through the yellow light instead of slowing down and stopping for it.
Have you ever thought about the number of people you impact daily without even knowing it? Like the person behind you in line at the store or the person after you that you hold the door open for.
Have you ever thought about how what you read for leisure affects your future choices and being, or how it doesn’t?
Have you ever thought about how the people you socialize with affect your personality and the way you socially relate to other people?
Think.
Have you ever thought about how your life would be different if you had made one decision differently than you did? For instance, saying “no” to something instead of “yes,” not getting that coffee after class when you actually did, or flooring it to make it through the yellow light instead of slowing down and stopping for it.
Have you ever thought about the number of people you impact daily without even knowing it? Like the person behind you in line at the store or the person after you that you hold the door open for.
Have you ever thought about how what you read for leisure affects your future choices and being, or how it doesn’t?
Have you ever thought about how the people you socialize with affect your personality and the way you socially relate to other people?
Think.
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