just my musings...

Wild Olive Tees

2009-08-05T21:21:00.004-04:00

They are pretty and they support a great cause! I want one.

Oh, and they're coming out with a kids' line soon. Too bad I don't have kids, 'cause the shirts are super cute :)

But I might pick up their new charity shirt (it's called CHOSEN). They're donating 25% of the profit from Chosen shirts to Love Without Boundaries (a charity close to my heart!).

Check it out: www.wildolivetees.com.

couscous

2009-07-21T12:31:00.003-04:00

I'm eating couscous for lunch. Plain couscous. Actually, halfway through, I decided to throw in some craisins. It's delicious.

Anyway, those of you who know me know that I have a pretty low tolerance for stupidity (also lack of common sense, bad spellers, poor grammar, inefficient time usage, etc etc).

Behold, the ultimate recipe for couscous.

Poor Antoine.

2009-07-17T00:15:00.001-04:00

Sad.

I'm joining the Swedish army.

2009-07-16T21:27:00.002-04:00

I'm bored at home. No, really.

If you're bored, too, you can try this test to see if you would be a good fit for the Swedish Armed Forces.

These are my results:

How'd you do?

More Deals.

2009-07-11T08:54:00.005-04:00

A couple more before I forget.

Banana Republic women's jeans for $10.79
Banana Republic men's graphic t-shirt for $3.86
Zoo York jeans for $7.50
Polo Ralph Lauren women's polo shirt for $11.19
---

And today, @ Wrentham....

Banana Republic men's graphic t-shirt for $1.41
Banana Republic men's dress pants $4.05
Rockport slip-resistant leather shoes $30

bargain post.

2009-07-09T18:51:00.001-04:00

I haven't posted in 3 months. I have nothing interesting to say.

Actually, I do.

Yesterday, I bought a pair of brown pants at the Gap for $8.97. Yes, you read that correctly. Eight dollars and ninety-seven cents. WIN.

More bargains coming soon.

trippin'

2009-04-30T12:23:00.002-04:00

so today I had my first real coffee in a month. medium iced coffee with cream and extra sugar from DD. it was amaaazing to say the least.

I drank it because I have a full day today and I didn't get enough sleep last night.

And I had a paper due today and a final exam in the afternoon.

but now I am FREEEAKING out. I am extremely jittery and I can't stop talking (or typing). I feel like I'm on some kind of high (like how I used to feel after 3-4 cups of coffee back in the day).

honestly, I didn't even finish the whole cup. I almost did. So I probably took in a good 200mg of caffeine at one time. which is 200x more than what I've been having daily for the past month.

The caffeine is fully absorbed into the stomach and small intestine within 45 minutes of ingestion. The effects start anytime between 30-60 minutes after ingestion. The half-life of caffeine in a normal adult is 3-4 hours.

In women who are taking oral contraceptives, the half-life is increased to 5-10 hours, and if you're pregnant, it's 9-11 hours. AND if you have severe liver disease, the half-life skyrockets up to 96 hours.

I think I just typed all of this in about 60 seconds Is that possible?

omggg, make it stop.

this is the day.

2009-04-27T11:27:00.008-04:00

This is it. I believe that my body is completely clean of caffeine. After 3.5 weeks of no coffee intake... it is time.

I am going to buy a small DD coffee coolatta on the way to work. It's not even real coffee... but it will do.

I can just imagine the taste of it now. Wondrous. I think I'm drooling.

YAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!1!1!1!!!

p.s. I do not plan to start drinking coffee daily... and definitely not the same amounts that I had been drinking. Only a small cup when necessary (read: FINALS season).

Almost.

2009-04-22T13:32:00.002-04:00

Well, it's been nearly 3 weeks since I stopped drinking coffee. I don't know what I'll do after 3 weeks is up. Start up again? Keep depriving myself? Who knows.

All I know is that I have been more tired/sick/blahhhh these past 3 weeks than I was previously. hm.

Detoxication: Week 2

2009-04-09T13:30:00.002-04:00

In honor of my first straight week of no coffee (and the beginning of week 2), I wore my new threadless shirt ("I'm not bitter, I'm just unsweetened"), a pair of dark jeans, and sneakers I bought over the summer but have only worn twice before (hotness). But even a fresh-looking outfit doesn't make up for the fact that I WANT COFFEE BUT I CAN'T HAVE IT.

Detoxication: Day 7

2009-04-08T13:51:00.002-04:00

It has been one week. I am no longer as physically dependent (though I do currently have a slight headache), but I am definitely still emotionally attached to (read: desperate for) coffee.

Someone also said that I must be saving a lot of money on drink costs. WRONG. I usually made my own coffee at home, anyway. And when I didn't, I'd pay for a grande @ starbucks ($1.86). Now, I have to drink the so called "fru-fru" drinks, such as green tea lattes (they don't contain espresso $3.65) and iced apple chai's ($2.80) and shaken passion tea lemonades ($2.80). So I think I am acutally spending MORE money than I was before. Sad.

In other news, I think the boyfriend is sick of consoling the headache-plagued, irritable, tired girlfriend. He has resorted to pure bribery. 2 more weeks of no coffee (making it a grand total of 3 no-coffee weeks), he says, and I am in for a reward. I hope it's a puppy. Particularly this one:

Caffeine Withdrawal Is Real.

2009-04-06T15:35:00.002-04:00

For all y'all haters out there, I give you this recent CNN article (thanks, em). I also found it on the CNN website, under the link "Caffeine Withdrawal Is Real".

Excerpts (my favorite parts):

[A researcher] said some people complain of "headache, fatigue, sleepiness, inability to focus and concentrate." Others report experiencing flu- like symptoms, irritability, depression and anxiety after skipping as little as one cup of coffee a day.

Tell me about it.

[He also] recommended that people who are motivated to give up caffeine, or cut back on consumption, do so very carefully. "The thing to do is what we do with so many drugs -- basically you wean yourself off slowly," Kuhar suggested. "That doesn't mean it is going to be easy at every step, but it should be easier than going cold turkey."

...oops.

Detoxication: Day 5

2009-04-06T11:18:00.003-04:00

I missed the past 2 posts. Mostly because I have not had coffee. I have probably missed other things too, such as credit card bill due dates, exams, and my child's birthday. Just kidding, I don't have a child.

I slept for 10 hours last night. You'd think that I'd feel good-- but I feel useless and inefficient. If I'd been drinking coffee, I'd only need (ideally) 7 hours of sleep, but could do with less. Think about all those extra hours of awakeness. I could be studying, or watching TV, or solving the economic crisis.

Dang it.

(Fear not, I will write up posts about Days 3 and 4 and backdate. Yes, I am a cheater... but I promise I'm not when I have caffeine in my system.)

Detoxication: Day 2

2009-04-03T22:23:00.000-04:00

Today was an OK day. I felt tired in the morning and I didn't ingest a single thing until 3 PM. I've had a few people approach me with questions/comments after the first post. It seems that the overwhelming majority are shocked to hear that I am actually doing this. Yes... I am. Slowly, but surely.

Today, I was feeling pretty good about this endeavor. That is, until 5 PM rolled around. For the next 2 hours, I was dizzy and sick and miserable. Then, the boyfriend bought me an ice cream cone and brought me to the mall. So I felt better.

The end.

Caffeine Detoxication (Day 1)

2009-04-02T23:05:00.003-04:00

The time has come, folks. It's time to wean myself off of coffee (at least for a week or 2). I can't remember when I started drinking coffee. Junior year of high school? But it's definitely escalated in college. I absolutely love coffee. I truly believe that it is one of my favorite beverages. I drink it every day (pretty consistently for the last several years). I suppose my body deserves a break.

I know, I know. It should be easy, right? Coffee is bad for me. I should just stop drinking it. Well, friends... let's just say...

Well...

Here's Day 1:

[Disclaimer: it is not pretty, so reader beware.]

DAY 1 (April 2nd, 2009):

8:30 AM: Upon awakening, I decided that today was the day. No coffee for me. I then proceeded to lay in bed for the next hour, feeling bad for myself and dreading the consequences.

10:15 AM: I am driving to school, and I feel fine, for now. Blasting T.I. on the radio seems to help keep my mind off it.

12:30 PM: My first class is finished, and I walk out of it surprised that I still feel OK!

1:00 PM: Uh-oh. I feel a slight headache coming on. But overall, I am just tired. I decide to push myself to the max. I walk into Starbucks.... and sit down on one of the comfy leather chairs. I study there for an hour without daring to look over at the counter.

1:45 PM: I haven't eaten breakfast... or lunch. But I have no appetite for anything except coffee. I cannot think of a single food that I want to ingest. Moreover, just the thought of eating makes me nauseous. I decide to go straight to class instead.

3:00 PM: I am in class, and the professor is talking about the Chaco Canyons of New Mexico. I cannot process the information being given. I cannot focus. I start to wonder if this whole coffee strike is worth it.

5:30 PM: I am on the way home. I still have not eaten. About 2 hours ago, my slight headache exploded into a full-on migraine (light-sensitive, sound-sensitive, strong nausea). I decide to forgo my planned mall trip and head straight home.

5:50 PM: I am still in Brookline, because the traffic absolutely sucks. I am irritable and upset and ready to vomit on whoever next gets on my nerves. I think to myself that maybe I'm just dehydrated. I take a sip of Poland Spring water, but my body revolts. I gag repeatedly, but luckily, there was nothing for me to actually throw up.

5:55 PM: I cannot drive. My head feels like it's going to explode. I glance in the mirror, and I think I can actually see it pounding. Gross. I pull over to CVS and rush inside.

6:05 PM: I am still standing in line, desperately clutching a vial of Excedrin Extra Strength. Each tablet contains 250 mg of Acetaminophen, 250 mg of Aspirin, and 65 mg of Caffeine. (Yes, I know, Caffeine... but hey, I gotta start somewhere. At least I'm not chugging coffee, right?).

6:10 PM: I really just want to pay for my drugs. But the man in front of me is trying to buy cigarettes. (Do you have any Newport lights? Yes sir. Are they on sale? ...No. Do you have any sales on cigarettes? No sir. What do you have for lighters?) And the woman behind me has 2 small daughters who are loudly whining and shrieking for their mother to buy them everything in the store (gummy bears, a lollipop, a disposable camera, etc). In my head, I envision them as the screaming mandrakes from Harry Potter.

6:12 PM: I am safely back in my car, and I throw 2 tablets back with a sip of water. After reading the dosage instructions, I realize that I am supposed to drink "a full glass of water with each dose". I struggle to hold down a few more sips. I wonder (for the 100th time of the day) if this is all really worth it.

6:25 PM: I am doing 60 on Rt. 9 West, and I don't care.

6:35 PM: I call my mother to ask her to make me noodle soup. Before I can say anything, she proudly exclaims that she has tried a new recipe for Cacciatore. I am gagging at the thought of real food.

6:50 PM: I finally arrive home. It wasn't cacciatore, it was guacamole. And quesadillas. (Darned foreign food names, says my mom.) She heats up some soup for me instead.

7:00 PM: I officially have not eaten for 24 hours. I've had only water, so the warm soup in front of me is making me drool. A few small sips quickly turn into big gulps. Not a good idea.

7:01 PM: I am in the bathroom, throwing up all the liquid I've ingested in the past few hours. I silently say a bad word.

7:30 PM: I think the medicine (and low dose of caffeine) finally kicked in. I am more jovial (just ask my mom) and I can eat noodles (in broth)! I even eat a small dessert (6 large, red grapes). I pump my fist in victory. Well, not really. But I felt like it.

11:00 PM: I settle into bed, hoping that I can sleep early and for a good amount of time. I am dreading Day 2.

this can't be good.

2009-02-11T21:01:00.001-05:00

"A person who loses one night’s sleep will generally be irritable and clumsy during the next day and will either become tired easily or speed up because of adrenalin. After missing two night’s sleep, a person will have problems concentrating and will begin to make mistakes on normal tasks. Three missed nights and a person will start to hallucinate and lose grasp of reality."

uh oh.

of children and calamity.

2009-01-30T14:28:00.005-05:00

I love children. I can't wait to have some of my own. It'll be fun in a lot of ways. I'll get to feed them, dress them (yeuhhh!!!), and play with them. Oh! And I'll get to sing them lullabies and watch them sleep peacefully... right?

So there I was, humming a lullaby to myself. Perhaps one of the most famous known in the English language. You all know how it goes.

Rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop,

When the wind blows, the cradle will rock,

When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,

And down will come baby, cradle and all.

And it suddenly hit me how horrible this song is. I don't know why I never noticed it until now. The howling wind... the breaking branch...the falling baby. eek!

I started to wonder how this disturbing little ditty (that wormed its way into the hearts of so many [loving?] parents) came to be. Ah, trusty Wikipedia. Enjoy these excerpts:

The nursery rhyme suggests a falling, apparently related to a terrible accident in 1706 where the Earl of Sandwich's son was tossed without warning from his cradle. The cradle was later found in the Thames River empty and alone.

Don't like that explanation? Too depressing? Try this one on for size:

Yet another theory has it that the song... refers to events immediately preceding the Glorious Revolution. The baby is supposed to be the son of King James II of England, who was widely believed to be someone else's child smuggled into the birthing room in order to provide a Catholic heir for James. The "wind" may be that political "wind" or force "blowing" or coming from the Netherlands bringing James' nephew and son-in-law, William III of England, a.k.a. William of Orange, who would eventually depose King James II in the revolution. The "cradle" is the House of Stuart Stuart monarchy.

Um... boooringgg. and kooky. I prefer the drowning baby.

factory worker.

2009-01-24T23:30:00.002-05:00

Over the past few days, I've spent hours upon hours doing one thing -- making friendship bracelets. Yes, the bracelets we used to make at summer camps and in our grade school years. Why have I been doing such a thing? Am I desperate for more friends? Well...

No.

I just really enjoy repetitive and menial tasks/motions. That's why my new theory is that I'm wasting my money on earning this degree from the fine establishment of Boston University. I should've just gotten a job in an assembly line. I bet I'd enjoy it just as much.

In other related news, I made my first sock monkey today. It took 6+ hours, but it is a total CUTIE <3 and it involved a lot of repetitive and tedious steps (sewing, cutting, stuffing). My cup of tea :)
---

p.s. Anyone want a friendship bracelet?* Since I'm kinda on a roll, I might have enough to give away soon. Please specify color preferences.

*Production not necessarily guaranteed, but you can be hopeful.

I'm aliiiive.

2009-01-24T01:12:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been over a month since you've heard from me. I've been meaning to blog (really, I have), but... [insert excuses here].

I am a person who loves structure. Remember my themed weekly posts? Those are no more. Too limiting, I find. I've been asked countless times when Walleteer Wednesday will make its grand comeback. Perhaps one day in the future. But for now, I will resort to writing whatever craziness enters my mind.

Starting tomorrow.

thus ends the first 2 decades of my life.

2008-12-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

the days of my youth cease to exist.

it's over.

the good old days are now but a dream.

i'm on the decline.

capitonyms.

2008-12-03T13:28:00.005-05:00

It's been a while, faithful readers. A long while.

Amidst the craziness of Christmas shopping, studying for exams, working, and playing Dynasty Warriors on PS2 (yeah, you read that right), I have found time to update you on an important discovery that I have made.

I learned a new word today.

Did you know that, in addition to synonyms and antonyms, there are.. capitonyms?

capitonym: a word that changes its meaning (and sometimes pronunciation) when it is capitalized.

Yeah, I know. Whaaat?!

Some examples:

Nice (in France) and nice (pleasant)
Polish (from Poland) and polish (to make a surface shine)
March (the month) and march (to walk to a rhythm)
Job (from the Bible) and job (an occupation)

Awesome, isn't it?

Dear annoying Bostonians,

2008-11-10T14:08:00.002-05:00

Just in case you've forgotten, we are in America.

In America, we walk on the right side of the street.

The right side of the escalator is for standing; the left side is for walking.

Before you shove your way onto the train, you should let the people who need to exit the train... exit the train.

Also, boys, please open the door for girls. Or at least hold it until she gets to the door instead of pretending not to see her.

Unless you have a physical ailment, please stop taking the elevator from the first floor to the second floor. You're wasting space, oxygen, and everyone else's time.

If you're going to drive 50 on the freeway, please get out of the fast lane.

And finally, when a car is speeding along at 40 miles per hour through a green light, your pedestrian rights don't matter. Get off the street and back onto the sidewalk until the white man says it's safe.

k, thanks.

my favorite thing in the world, currently.

2008-10-21T00:24:00.001-04:00

tackiest. thing. ever.

2008-10-11T00:33:00.007-04:00

Today, on my lovely stroll around Copley Square, I stumbled upon this abomination:

This Dunkin' Donuts was recently renovated and is now sporting some tacky, God-awful, cheap-looking, plastic door handles. If it were not for my acute addiction to caffeine, I would've made it a point to stay far, far away.

Superstar Status.

2008-10-06T09:33:00.004-04:00

This morning, in the daily morning rush to get out of the house on time, I stubbed my toe. On the fireplace. The fireplace is brick, and it hurt. But my mom was yelling at me to hurry up, so I threw on a pair of shoes (and by threw on, I mean lovingly unlaced, put on, and relaced) and ran to the car.

I took off my shoe on the car ride, just to make sure I was OK. That's when I realized I was bleeding, and that the blood had already soaked all the way through my sock.

My first thought?

Just for today, I get to be Curt Schilling.

305.90

2008-10-01T00:27:00.002-04:00

In the past 24 hours, I have ingested well over 300mg of caffeine (I mean... definitely more than that). It was a long day, and I've been downing coffee after coffee in a last ditch effort to stay awake. Just so happens that my professor mentioned "Caffeine Intoxication" during lecture today. That's right. It's a diagnosable disorder.

Below, I present to you the Diagnostic Criteria for Caffeine Intoxication (as stated in the DSM-IV). I've highlighted the symptoms I've experienced throughout the day.

This is probably not a good thing.

I am a bad person.

2008-09-25T23:26:00.005-04:00

So, today, after dinner, I went to the store with my mom. On the way out, I saw this hideous display of men's neckties. I mean... hideous. First of all, the small round table on which the ties were placed was in complete disarray. Someone had foraged through the ties, and no employee had bothered to reorganize them. As I contemplated exactly how much distress the clutter was causing me, I saw a tie that was particularly outstanding (and I don't mean 'outstanding' in the way that your 5th grade teacher means it when she writes it on your paper next to a foil star sticker). I took a picture with my phone as evidence of its... not-so-tasteful appearance:

The first thought that hit me was "wow, that's an ugly tie." It had slightly uneven stripes all over it (in shades of blue and green) and it honestly looked as if it'd been colored in with magic markers. I continued to frown disapprovingly and the following (slightly harsh) thought crossed my mind:

The only way this tie would ever be worth buying was if some poor cancer-stricken child had designed it and was selling it to raise money.

And then I saw the label.

hello.

2008-09-22T13:25:00.002-04:00

I desire to blog, but I have neither the brainpower nor the content to do so. Just letting you know that I am still alive, kind of.

Also, I think the world as a whole is going to be much more productive for the next few hours... because Facebook is down. Yup, I just tried to log on, and I was presented with this message:

Your account is temporarily unavailable due to site maintenance. It should be available again within a few hours. We apologize for the inconvenience.

I wonder how many middle schoolers (and high schoolers and college students, actually) will be emotionally distraught when they return from school only to find that their beloved time-waster is down.

Oh well. Maybe in the next 3 hours, someone will discover the cure for the world's diseases.

Jessica is shaking her fist angrily.

2008-09-12T15:31:00.004-04:00

I do not wish to preface this post other than by saying that the following is an email I just sent to Melody, plus bits and pieces of a conversation I had with Jerry. I am ornery.
---
Dear Melody,

I am currently sitting in Abnormal Psychology, and I feel like dying. We just spent 25 minutes going over Freud and then Humanism. And now he's talking about Behavioral Psychology and classical conditioning. Umm... newsflash? This is PS371. WHY are we doing intro stuff? Honestly, earlier in class, someone raised their hand and didn't know what the Oedipus Complex was. Excuse me, miss. If you don't know what the Oedipus Complex is, you should stand up, pack up your things, and walk over to PS101.

Seriously! This is the 5th lecture of the course and I cannot believe he's talking about Pavlov. Get awayyyy from me.

-jess
---

Jerry: the number and class name do not make me feel like it's an intro class

you should leave.

me: i'm sitting in the far back corner.

Jerry: or raise your hand and say, "when does the learning start"

me: if I was in the front row, I would definitely walk out. immediately.
---
me: i don't know why i'm so ornery.

I think it's because this is my last class... on a Friday.

Jerry: how many lectures have you had so far

that would do it.

me: umm, this is lecture #5.

Jerry: wow

that is a little ridiculous
---
me: no

he's talking about classical conditioning

Jerry:and this is from hs psych

hahaha

pavlov and his puppies

me: puppies.

i like them.

i'm writing a ranting email to melody.

because she enjoys my anger.

Jerry: haha

she's funny...

classical conditioning = showering to mozart
---
me:OMG. he just said, "we're now going to differentiate between reinforcement and punishment."

you are JOKING me.

[repeatedly slams head against wall].

Jerry: haha

add that.

especially the repeatedly slamming of the head.

---
Raaarrrr. The end.

for the sake of organization

2008-09-10T21:55:00.002-04:00

I've long found the world to be too spontaneous, too chaotic, too disorganized for my liking. I can't tell if that's what made me type A, or if that feeling stemmed from me already being type A. As far back as I can remember, I've liked to put things in order. It doesn't matter what order-- alphabetical, numerical, color, size... they give me the same sense of calm.

Anyway, as I was sitting at the dining room table this evening, taking notes on my brand new textbook ("Psychology and the Legal System"), I whipped out a bag of gummy bears with the sole intention of keeping myself from going into hypoglycemic shock. What I found myself doing (instead of reading about therapeutic jurisprudence and the like) was, that's right, putting the bears into color order. After creating 2 rows of perfectly aligned greatness, I decided it was probably time to start consumption. As I was chatting it up with Melody, I happily popped the red and orange gummy bears (separately, of course) into my mouth. But when it came time for the next color, I realized...
me: i'm on yellow.

i HATE the yellow ones.

but order must be maintained.

So I ate it. Because that's the way the world is supposed to be. Orderly.

facebook statuses.

2008-09-07T23:25:00.005-04:00

Melody and I were spending time tonight lamenting the rapid decline of our society.

Melody: I hate it when people post every detail of their lives on statuses or away msgs. It's so desperate.

me: lolll

Melody: nevertheless, i read them and criticize

me: im gonna change mine just because you said that

Melody: thanks a lot. I will change mine too. my first ever facebook status will be dedicated to you
me: I am deeply honored and appreciative.

The result?

Melody: <3 can you blog that

me: yes.

Melody: why are we so awesome? Jessica, really.

me: I don't even know. God made us that way.

Conversation Excerpt of the Day.

2008-09-05T13:31:00.003-04:00

Sometimes, I have highlight conversations. Like, I have an exchange with someone that is so good or funny or dumb that I find myself thinking back to it over and over again and wanting to share it. Here is one such exchange that took place earlier in the day:

me: lol

omg

zhou laoshi

im scared.

Melody: <3

me: if i had boots, i'd be shaking in them.

Melody: send her my regards

hahahahah

me: because i like that phrase.

Melody: why can't you shake in your shoes

me: i'm wearing flipflops.

Melody: oh.

LOL

me: so considering i'm not really "in" them.

Melody: I love you.

Maybe I'll do this more often. I have a feeling most of the exchanges will be between Melody and I... but I know you don't mind that.

AB, O, JC.

2008-08-19T14:33:00.000-04:00

Do you remember JC Chasez? Yeah, the man's still around. Albeit in his 30's now and not-so-hip anymore (see America's Best Dance Crew. bow tie and tight shirt? ewww?). His second album was supposed to be released in 2007, but then he split from his record company and is now apparently set to release a second solo album in 2008. He's already released 2 solo singles from the album, the first one being "Until Yesterday", which came out late 2006.

Now, imagine my excitement. I was eager for an older, wiser JC. I mean, after listening to his trashy songs from his '04 album, including "Blowin' Me Up (with Her Love)" and "Some Girls (Dance with Women)", I could hardly wait for something calmer, maybe even cheesier. "Until Yesterday" had the potential to be the key to his success.

I counted on him to deliver. And what does he do?

He pens these horrific lyrics:

I found a letter on my dresser last night/ I've got a baby on the way/ It made me suspicious of another guy 'cause/ You couldn't tell me to my face /And so I asked to find out if I was right/ That's when your eyes filled up with rage/ Nine months go by, the baby's not my blood type/ Look at the mess you've made

Wow, JC. I am appalled. This is like, the broadway musical remake of an episode of Maury. Gosh. And really? You're denying that the child is yours because... it doesn't have the same blood type as you? Newsflash: Babies don't have to have the same blood type as their parents! Hellooo?! Ever heard of alleles? Punnett squares?

OK, I'll cut him some slack. Maybe what he really means that his supposed offspring's blood type proves that it cannot possibly be JC's child. For example, if the baby is blood type O and JC is AB, then the baby's definitely not his. Or if he's O and the baby's AB.

"Nine months go by, the baby's blood type authenticates my suspicion that you've been unfaithful to me/"

Hm. I suppose that hasn't got quite the same ring to it.

profit.

2008-08-16T15:36:00.000-04:00

Earlier on in the summer, I had the chance to eat lunch with a few friends at U-Burger in Kenmore Square. My delicious "Yuppie Burger" rang up to $4.99. I handed the cashier man a $10, and he gave me back my change of $5.01. Or, so I thought. As I stepped away from the counter, I looked down at what I held in my hand. A $5 bill, and...something that looked like a penny. Except it wasn't a penny. It was a 5-cent Euro coin!

Easily mistaken for a penny.

You know, 5 cents in Euros is worth 7.3 cents in US currency right now. I felt kind of bad. I almost wanted to alert the cashier of his mistake. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have cared, though. He probably would've thought me a bit crazy.

So I just kept it. And here I am, maybe a bit crazy, but 6 cents richer.

Scam.

2008-08-11T23:43:00.001-04:00

There's an old lady who works in the office with me, and she thinks my given name is Jessy. She also calls spam (junk e-mail) "scam". Anyway, because Gmail is pretty much the greatest thing since ~~sliced~~ french bread, my account usually receives very little "scam" mail. In fact, when I do receive it, Gmail conveniently catches it and places it in my Spam folder. Then, all I have to do is click on that folder and hit "delete all". Before I do so, I usually skim the titles of the emails to make sure Google didn't mislabel a normal email as spam.

Today, Gmail told me that I had 1 message in my Spam folder. I went to it, and found an email in my inbox from someone named Elwood Holloway. The subject of the email? "Your narcotic Experts".

To be honest with you, I was kind of interested. How did the dealers find me?

I clicked on the email, my curiosity quelling my common sense.

Inside was this lone sentence, accompanied by a link to a website: "Save big on all your pills"

OK, seriously? If you want me to buy your drugs, you should spend more time and effort on your advertisements. Try cool fonts. Color pictures? A flash homepage?

brilliant idea.

2008-07-29T10:24:00.000-04:00

With the recent recession in the economy, many airlines have been forced to cut back. US Airways no longer offers snacks on their flights, Delta has parked over 40 planes, and worst of all: American Airlines is now charging $15 per bag that you want to check.

$15?

In a recent conversation, two friends calculated that to fly them and their children from Boston to LA, they would be paying $100+ one way just on baggage.

I listened bemusedly as Friend A tried to come up with a solution. Stuff all luggage into 2 huge suitcases? Friend A's spouse, whom I will call Friend B, reminded Friend A that they wouldn't have anyone to carry the huge bags (as 1 or 2 of the children may also need to be carried). Also, they might go over the weight limit and have to pay extra, anyway for heavier-than-normal bags.

When Friend A mentioned that they usually only brought enough clothes for 5 or 6 days, anyway (because they can do laundry while on vacation), I suddenly knew.

Light dawns on Marblehead.*

I figured out how to save the $15/checked bag fee, and now I must share with you all:
Just wear all your clothes. For example, you could wear: 5 T-shirts, a jacket, 1 pair of shorts with 2 pairs of pants, and 6 pairs of underwear. No socks needed, considering you're going to sunny CA. OK, it'll be slightly uncomfortable. So what? The discomfort will only last for half a day... and think of the money you'll save!
---

*not sure what it means?

let's call the whole thing off.

2008-07-19T09:16:00.000-04:00

Recently, I was on the phone with a friend. At the end of our conversation, I cheerily told her I'd "talk to [her] soon!!!". She replied, "Yep, I'll talk to you later."

HUH?!

Now, at the risk of being called trivial, I'll let you know that I've been pondering the difference between the phrase "talk to you later" and the phrase "talk to you soon". Is this simply a case of tomato vs. tomah-to? Are they the same? Which do you use? Do they imply different things?

I sometimes feel slighted when someone says "ttyl" in response to my "tty soon". Don't you wish to speak with me again sooner rather than later?

I wish I were a...

2008-07-08T10:50:00.002-04:00

I have a migraine right now. It hurts. Ouch.

When I get migraines, I become very sensitive to light. Even a dim lamp causes my head to pound. Presently, I wish I were a troglodyte. A cave dweller. The cool air and darkness may do me well.

If I lived in a cave, I would wear glow-in-the-dark nails. Awesome.

it is upon us.

2008-07-05T06:56:00.003-04:00

Dear friends,

The "drought" that I spoke of earlier is upon us. Although I suppose I shouldn't compare a middle school camp ministry to a period of abnormally low rainfall, water shortage, etc. Anyway, the point is, I ~~must start~~ have already started my kind-of-hiatus for the summer. I have posts that I will release probably once a week, and I hope that this will sustain you in the coming months.

If I ever find myself with down time (and find myself rested and prepared for camp), then I will sit down and attempt to convert to writing some of the crazy things that run through my mind, thereby creating new posts.

Maybe some of these extra posts will be purely media (pictures, videos, etc). Speaking of which, here is a recent video chronicling my adventures.

Until next time,
Yours truly

ooo ooo oooh.

2008-06-29T15:57:00.000-04:00

How hilarious would it be if you could go through life with 3 backup singers? Not only would it be funny, I think it would also boost self-esteem, increase success, and augment credibility.

1) + self-esteem

There you are, strolling along... awkwardly, with your hands in your pocket. You speak with great reluctance and hesitation, so everything you say sounds like a question. How amazing would it be if you had not one, not two, but three people assuring you on everything you say? Confirming and praising your every word.

2) + success

How else do you think Gladys Knight came up with classic (and classy) songs like "Who Is She (And What Is She to You)" and "This Child Needs Its Father"? She never would've made it without her Pips.

3) + credibility

Maybe no one ever believes what you say. Maybe they discredit you and doubt you. But how can they doubt you when you've got 3 grown men supporting you?
---

With that being said, read this article and begin your search.

What? You need more inspiration, you say?

Then turn up the volume and check out this clip:

"sorry, honey...

2008-06-21T21:31:00.006-04:00

but Santa isn't real."

I was in early elementary school when I found out this devastating truth. How old were you? How did you feel? Sad? Disappointed? Shocked? It's quite plausible that you felt all three of these emotions. But how come no one ever reports feeling angry? Shouldn't you be outraged at the hoax that you were subjected to? Aren't you angry that your parents (and the world) lied to you through their teeth for the first decade of your life?

I bet that's why people have so many trust issues and broken relationships. Because Santa's not real. And you betcha I'm angry about it.

polygamy.

2008-06-18T00:12:00.000-04:00

is it legal for me to marry the entire Celtics team?

Cache.

2008-06-17T13:36:00.004-04:00

Q: Where have you been?!

A: It may appear to you that I have been neglecting my blogging duties recently. Alas, that is not the case! In fact, I've been blogging more often than usual.

Q: Then where are the posts? Secret blog? Diary?

A: Nope. Actually, I've been blogging for your entertainment purposes. This summer, I will be too busy to be churning out content... so I decided to write the posts now. Yes, I've been writing up posts and saving them as drafts to be released gradually throughout the summer. Have no fear, I have no plans on going on a 2 month hiatus!

Q: Wow, that's actually a good idea.

A: Yeah. It's kinda like having a fully stocked silo. It may be hard to produce enough grain to fill it, but you'll sure be glad to have it when the famine hits.

Q: Why is this post entitled Cache?

A: A cache is a reserve, a repository, a stockpile. A supply stored or hidden for future use. A cache of posts.

Q: Where do you buy your sneakers?

A: Footlocker, Finish Line, The Nike Factory Store, etc. =)

another sports post.

2008-06-13T10:04:00.003-04:00

I watched the game last night. Well, from halftime and on. Let's just say, I wasn't feeling too good about it at the beginning of the 3rd quarter, and I bet none of you were, either. O ye of little faith!

Anyway, the Celts really pulled the rug out from under the Lakers.

There are a couple of things I noticed/wanted to share with you.

1) I cannot believe Ray Allen played the entire game.

2) Jack Nicholson is super sketchy-looking.

3) Phil Jackson is MASSIVE.

4) I thought P.J. Brown retired. Isn't he like... 40 now?

5) Justin Timberlake was there.**

6) After last night, all the Kobe Bryant-Michael Jordon comparisons will probably cease.

7) Doc Rivers doesn't seem like he's very eloquent. And Phil Jackson is WAY too calm for my liking. Creepy much?

8) I've decided that Sasha Vujacic is probably the most annoying player to watch... ever. He spends most of his time spazzing out and being annoying on defense. And then after Ray Allen blew right by him and scored, he flipped out. I think they replayed that part once or twice-- He was nearly crying on the bench (really) and when someone put a hand on his shoulder, he screamed and proceeded to pummel the chair next to him. Classy, Sasha... classy.
---

**Side note:

[cameras pan to Justin Timberlake]

Kid brother: Hey, look.

Me: Oh, he's here, too?

Kid brother: Wait, he's a Lakers' fan? WHAT? He's a LAKERS' FAN?!

Me: Yeah, I think so.

Kid brother: Oh well, his career was already over anyway when he did that song with Madonna.

Walleteer Wednesday (Week 6).

2008-06-11T22:01:00.006-04:00

This week's number is an interesting one. The amount of "5 easy payments of $19.95" has been requested. Ask, and you shall receive.

For $99.75, you could:

Buy over 13 lbs of Sunkist Fruit Gems. Does anyone else remember these?:

Fly from Boston to La Guardia this Saturday with $10 pocket money:

Get 5 of these Candle Lanterns and save them for when you and your friends go camping:

Buy 66 Filet O' Fish sandwiches from McD's. YUM!:

Purchase a "fruit knife" from The Japan Chef. First of all.... what is a fruit knife? Secondly, why does it look SO sketchy? It clearly looks used... for violent, non-food-related purposes:

Stay tuned for next week, folks.

fear not.

2008-06-11T14:09:00.000-04:00

walleteer wednesday IS coming. Soon. Tonight.

a long awaited reunion.

2008-06-09T10:44:00.012-04:00

I'll admit it. I didn't watch last night's game. In fact, I didn't even know who had won until this morning, when I glanced at the newspaper that the man in front of me on the train was reading. Celtics 108, Lakers 102. Nice.

I started thinking... this warrants a post. However, as Melody has already written quite an impressive exposé on sports, I will not attempt to do so myself. I will only share with you my thoughts from this morning.

You see, I don't know very much about the Celtics. Why should I? Growing up, they were a joke team. Actually, most of Boston's teams were kind of... sad. Our crown jewel was our football team. The baseball team was so-so, the hockey team was... well.... yes. And the Celtics? I remember when I was in elementary school, I asked my teacher if they were any good, and he laughed. With bitterness. "Hah! Good? Riiiight..."

I think I only knew 2 of the players' names back then in the late 90's, early 2000's. Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker. It was the two of them that brought the team to the 2002 Eastern Conference finals (one of only 4 times we've been to the finals in the past 12 years... excluding this year, of course). Antoine Walker. Number 8. I can still picture him now.

In 2003, Antoine was traded to Dallas. I was (almost) devastated. I felt betrayed, used. How could he leave us? After that, he was traded another bazillion times, even coming back to the Celtics for the 2005 season, I believe. And now, I hear he's with the Timberwolves. (side note: I used to think that Timberwolves sounded so cool, but that was probably due largely to the fact that I was in love with Justin Timberlake at the time.)

Anyway... my point is... this morning, as I was relishing our team's victory with as much enthusiasm as a band-wagoner could muster up, I thought of Antoine. Poor Antoine. I wonder what he's thinking now. I wonder if he wished he would've stuck with us just a few years longer.

Then, as soon as I got to work this morning, as if in a vision from the hypothetical sports gods, I saw him. We've been reunited at last, Antoine and I. I hadn't seen him for... 6 years (the last time I kind of cared about the Celtics and watched a game). He looks just like I remembered him to look, except older, sadder, and sans a Celtics' jersey.

OK fine. I didn't see him in person. But here's a picture from ESPN of him at last night's game. Poor Antoine. If only you'd stayed.

Silica Gel: An Explanation In Poetic Form

2008-06-06T22:23:00.002-04:00

Have you ever found in your bag of shrimp chips a small, sketchy packet labeled "Do Not Eat"? Ever wondered what's in the packet? I, too, have sought this knowledge for many years. Now that I've been enlightened, I shall apprise you through this graceful haiku:

Silica
by Jessica Lui

dearest silica,
do you have a true purpose?
oh, you desiccate.

a cogitation on silica.

2008-06-04T22:26:00.004-04:00

Do you know what this is? I've been meaning to blog on this substance for some time now, and so I decided to switch my weekly walleteer post with this. But then I realized I'm tired and don't feel like blogging right now. So, for now... I leave you to figure out the substance in the picture.

*EDIT*

You know, I totally forgot that I put "silica" in the title of this post. Darn.

Yes, Melody. Silica gel this is.

Marauding Monday: Fainting Goats

2008-06-02T21:56:00.003-04:00

Not so long ago, I was flipping through the bountiful and inexhaustible array of channels on Melody's TV (in our room at BU). I came across a show on Animal Planet and was bewildered when I saw on the screen a grown man... chasing goats. He kept saying something about wanting to see them faint. I was captivated. Fainting goats? Today, I borrow this article for your education and enjoyment:

Fainting Goats
by Jason Bellows
9/30/05
www.damninteresting.com/?=69

"Most of the internet savvy, it seems, are somewhat lacking in knowledge relating to the interesting topic of "bizarre domesticated animals that people breed for fun." To help reduce this unfortunate trend, I introduce the fainting goat.

The small, domesticated goat carries the hereditary genetic disorder called myotonia congenita which causes the legs of this little critter to, when startled or excited, go rigidly stiff for about ten seconds.

As far as I can tell, most people breed these varmints mostly to snap open umbrellas at them, and watch as they scatter like bowling pins. In the past however, fainting goats were bred for circuses and menageries as food; the fainting goat would be placed in an enclosed location with an animal that needed to hunt, such as a lion. The chase didn't last long once the goat was startled by the giant cat bearing down on it. The lion got to hunt, the animal's keepers didn't have to let it out of its cage–everybody wins. Except the goat."

Anticipation and baseball.

2008-06-01T22:58:00.002-04:00

While you eagerly await new posts from me, I would like to focus your attention on this amazing video. I am utterly embarrassed and disgusted at the same time. I mean, really. Just watch.

Mariah Carey throws the first pitch at a game at the Tokyo Dome (5/28/08).

The woman clearly has no future in the sports world. Who in her right mind would wear like, 5-inch heels to a baseball game?

they stole my idea.

2008-05-30T12:30:00.001-04:00

They must read my blog. I am convinced. grrr, boston.com. I shake my fist at you.

Walleteer Wednesday (Week 5).

2008-05-28T20:44:00.004-04:00

I've been waiting for suggest this number. In fact, I'm kind of surprised it wasn't suggested sooner. Anyway, here it is. Things you can purchase with $12.34 (a number chosen "for obvious reasons"):

A "DEG Mouthpiece adapter for cornet and trumpet" (???!?):

An unframed NBA all star game picture

Really sketchy looking headphones from "Silk Vertical":

A "Jellycat" stuffed animal:

14-Channel Car FM Transmitter and MP3 Player with USB Port and Remote

Oh, I almost forgot. For $12.34, you can also order the "Beef with Oyster Sauce" dish from the Palm Beach Hotel Restaurant in Jamaica. If you happen to be in Jamaica, that is.

*By the way, I'm out of numbers to post about! Leave more :)

On Idioms.

2008-05-26T20:45:00.006-04:00

I've been meaning to blog about idioms for some time now. (No, enoch, not dumb people. "You idiom!") I think I've been thinking about it every day for the past... 2 or 3 weeks. Now, I have no idea what in fact I want to say about idioms... I just want to blog about them, hammer something out. So now that finals are over, I'm back on my feet. And since I've gotten everything squared away, here goes nothing.

Let's start from square one. What is an idiom?

id·i·om (noun),[id-ee-uh m]: an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements.

Now, I'm not one to use many idioms in my daily speech. I do so only once in a blue moon. And when I do try to use one, it usually comes out kind of skewed. I never actually hit the nail on the head. You know, it's always a "close but no cigar" kind of situation.

OK, OK. Hold your horses. I really do have a point here.

Idioms are the kinds of things that you have to play by ear. You can't really force them, because then people start noticing. Can't pull the wool over anyone's eyes nowadays.

When you do use them, you've got to make sure you use them in the right context. And you just have to bank on the fact that someone knows what you're talking about. For example, this weekend, while hanging out with some friends, I said, "A stitch in time saves nine." They looked at me like I had two heads.

As I mentioned above, I'm not an authority on this matter. I probably won't try to correct you on your misuse of idioms, because that'd be like the pot calling the kettle black.

Lalalala...

Alright, fine. So maybe I don't have a real point. I should stop babbling. Clearly I'm beating a dead horse here (excuse the graphic nature of this one).

I'll just cut to the chase: Idioms are cool.

Marauding Monday: amazing animals.

2008-05-26T20:19:00.003-04:00

Animals! pictures from snopes.

A giant rabbit (3 feet, 17 lbs).

A bird stealing quarters from a carwash (he's a smart one):

A puppy born with a heart-shaped pattern on his coat:

A black bear with her white cub:

A horse with a prosthetic leg:

please pray!

2008-05-22T09:08:00.006-04:00

Many of you know that I've recently (in the past year) become quite fond of the music of Steven Curtis Chapman. I've been following with his family's blogs in the past few weeks and am just amazed by their love for God and each other. Steven & wife MaryBeth have 6 children-- 3 biological and 3 adopted girls from China.

Their youngest daughter Maria (age 5) was struck and killed by an SUV last night. My heart is really aching for this family and I hope you'll join me in praying for them. If you click on the 2nd link, you can see Maria and her Dad doing dishes together (4/2/08 post).
---
*edit*

SCC wrote this song for friends who had lost a child. Thought it would be appropriate to share here:

"With Hope" - Steven Curtis Chapman

Marauding Monday: Random Facts

2008-05-20T21:21:00.003-04:00

I know, I know. It's Tuesday. My b.

Some random facts for you, from randomfunfacts.com*:

The only letter not appearing on the Periodic Table is the letter “J”.
In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II was named an "Honorary Harlem Globetrotter"!
Licking a stamp leads to the consumption of 1/10 of a calorie.
TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.
Donald Duck's middle name is Fauntleroy.
There are only four words in the common English language that end in "-dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.
Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt.

*Validity not guaranteed.

assist me.

2008-05-17T16:45:00.003-04:00

Dear readers, I write to you with a humble request. It has come to my attention that the name of my blog ("just my musings...") has become painfully inadequate. Thus, I need a new one. The new appellation will then be followed by a new layout. I trust you, dear readers. Name my blog.

blood cake.

2008-05-16T01:48:00.007-04:00

Since I was a child, I have had an unnatural (and perhaps irrational) dislike of chocolate cake. I mean... yes, I'll eat it sometimes. But most of the time, if I look at a slice of chocolate cake for too long, it makes me shudder. Today, the reason why I don't savor this widely enjoyed dessert was finally unearthed. My dear friend made me a cupcake. A chocolatey, "red velvet" one. I was staring at it and, as I slowly entered a trance-like state, it hit me. It was Matilda's fault that I don't like chocolate cake!

Remember the movie Matilda? In it, there's a slightly overweight, plump child by the name of Bruce. The headmistress of the school catches him stealing a piece of chocolate cake and punishes him by forcing to eat an entire gigantic chocolate cake in front of the whole school. When Bruce politely refuses, Ms. Trunchbull (blech!) insists: "But you'll hurt Cook's feelings! She made this cake just for you, to have on your very own. Her sweat and blood went into this cake, and you will not leave the platform until you have consumed the entire confection!"

So, there you have it. I've figured it out. Since the time that I saw this movie (12 years ago), I've forged this strange connection between blood and chocolate cake in my mind. Thus my unusual aversion to this food...

One of the kids at the afterschool program I volunteer at pointed out to me today that the cake did not actually contain blood, that "sweat and blood" was meant only to be a metaphor for hard work. I beg to differ. That Ms. Trunchbull was evil, and I'll bet my lunch money that was something nasty in that cake.
---

See the vileness for yourself:

Walleteer Wednesday (Week 4).

2008-05-14T11:20:00.006-04:00

I have returned, and so has Walleteer Wednesday. Today, I draw my inspiration from Kanye (my iTunes is currently playing Gold Digger).

The next number in the line is one zillion. However, because one zillion is a fictitious number, I cannot feature it in a Walleteer Wednesday post. If you insist that your question be answered, please post it to Melody's blog, to be answered on a future Supererogatory Sunday.

Moving on to the next amount, then. $46.91.

It sounds like a hard number (very exact), but I actually found a bunch of products that cost $46.91. I took screenshots as evidence:

A "Human Torso Model":

A book on French Philosophy:

A "flowery" men's cologne:

An Irish "lucky" doorknocker:

And last but not least, Monster Trax:

So there we have it. Five items that cost exactly (down to the penny) $46.91.
---

Leave more numbers!

Also, to answer Emily's question: I do take numbers in the order they are suggested. However, if one person offers multiple numbers, I am apt to answer his first one and then take others' numbers before returning to his other ones.

1,000!

2008-05-12T22:20:00.006-04:00

Today, when I returned to my dorm room after completing my last final exam of the semester, I noticed that a grand happening had occurred. The counter (located at the bottom of my site) alerted me that I had officially gotten over 1,000 hits on this blog! To quote our former high school principal (I can't remember who she was, but she wore jean skirts and long black boots and her first name was Jean): "holy moly COW!"

I just happened to check my StatCounter account at the moment I received hit #1,000. I took a screenshot as evidence:

Wow. 1,000. And no, I didn't sit in front of my laptop and hit refresh repeatedly!

How to celebrate such a joyous milestone?

I decided to post a celebratory image that really conveys the significance of the number 1,000. And how did I go about searching for such an image? Google Image Search, of course. I entered "a thousand", and hit the search button. Here are some of my results (I couldn't pick just one!):

"A Thousand"-year egg.

"A Thousand" pennies! ($10)

"A Thousand" Different Ways.

"A Thousand" dollar ice cream sundae (Serendipity 3 restaurant, NYC). Served in crystal goblet, with 18k gold spoon.

So, I just wanted to say thanks to my faithful readers! Hope you will continue to visit and read. For now, my brain is fried, but be not afraid! I have plenty that I have been wanting to blog about in the past weeks, and as my heap of neurons slowly recovers from the assault that was final exams, you will be presented with much new knowledge and insight.

on the brink of summer.

2008-05-12T08:40:00.004-04:00

well, folks, i'm nearly done. 1 more final left (in a little over an hour), and another year of college will have concluded.

as I scramble to do some last minute cramming, I am hit with an overwhelming feeling of guilt for not having posted more frequently in the past week or two, and for having missed not one, but two Supererogatory Sundays. and so, I dug up something for you. I leave you with this to ponder while I am taking my exam.

You know that sound Scooby Doo makes when he's confused? "AARRRgh?!?" That's the sound that I made when I found this.

ok, so it's not a shot from the movie (notice cleaning personnel in the background). but, think with me for a moment... what if it was?

followup.

2008-05-09T13:43:00.001-04:00

a steel penny?

walleteer wednesday: postponed.

2008-05-07T08:48:00.002-04:00

Sorry, guys. I've got to push it back again. I'm in the midst of finals....you know how it is. Everything should be back to normal by next week. Fear not, faithful readers.

Anyway, in honor of Walleteer Wednesday, I bring you this news story:

Did you know that the penny costs more than 1 cent to make?

Marauding Monday: shopping bags.

2008-05-05T11:48:00.008-04:00

Another Monday is upon us, friends. To celebrate, I found some cool shopping bags to show you. Yes, these are indeed real:

Panadol headache relief:

Jewelry:

Reach out to children with autism:

Jumprope!:

Nailbiting? Stop 'n Grow helps!:

Gun:

---

Oh, and I promised to reveal the answers to the last post. You got most of them, anyway =)

Shape of My Heart (Backstreet Boys)
You're the One That I Want (Grease)
Because You Loved Me (Celine Dion)
This Is Why I'm Hot (MIMS)
Behind These Hazel Eyes (Kelly Clarkson)
Holy (Nichole Nordeman)
Spyrtle the Turtle (SteveSongs)
Breathe (Michelle Branch)
Gettin' Jiggy With it (Will Smith)
Just Got Paid ('N Sync)

And the 3 clips?

Happy Day (Tim Hughes)
Gettin' Jiggy With it (Will Smith)
Bad Day (Daniel Powter)

a break from studying.

2008-05-02T22:10:00.010-04:00

During these last few weeks of final papers/studying, I've been quite attached to my iTunes. I mean, how else would I stay sane, right? I have recently come across many songs that I forgot I ever listened to... and some songs that I'm (almost) embarrassed of. I wonder if you know any of them. So here you go--a "random" selection of the music that I've listened to in the past 2 weeks.

Guess the song & artist based on the lyrics (no google searching!):

Looking back on the things I've done/ I was trying to be someone/ I played my part/ Kept you in the dark
You better shape up/ 'Cause I need a man/ And my heart is set on you
You gave me wings and made me fly/ You touched my hand; I could touch the sky/ I lost my faith; you gave it back to me/ You said no star was out of reach
I'm into driving cars/ Push 'em off the lot/ I'm into shutting stores down/ Just so I can shop
I told you everything/ Opened up and let you in/ You made me feel alright/ For once in my life
How many roads did I travel/ Before I walked down one that led me to You/ How many dreams did unravel/ Before I believed in a hope that was true
She likes to eat shellfish but she's not very selfish/ So she shares 'em with her fellow reptiles
So just give me one good reason/ Tell me why I should stay/ 'cause I don't want to waste another moment/ Saying things we never meant to say
What?/You wanna ball with the kid?/ Watch your step/ You might fall tryin' to do what I did
Check the mirror, lookin' fly/ Round up the posse, jump in my ride/ Radio rockin', hottest jam/ Feel the rhythm, pump up yourself

I guess some of these are hard. I will be surprised if you get #4. I'd be impressed if you get #10. And I don't think any of you will get #7 (unless you're cecilia or e).

You know what would be fun? If I posted different audio clips for you to guess, too. Hmm... brb.

OK back. Here's some more for you to guess. They're intros from songs (not necessarily the ones above). Guess away!

Clip #1:

Clip #2:

Clip #3:

Answers will be posted on Sunday.

Walleteer Wednesday (Week 3).

2008-04-30T20:30:00.008-04:00

Hellooo. Here I am: tired, but ready to blog. This week, we've got the hefty sum of 23 cents to spend. Now, reader, I know what you're thinking. With the current state of the economy, there's no way I could buy anything for 23 cents! But I am here to prove you wrong. Behold.

With 23¢, you could:

Put 1/15 gallon of gasoline into your car. That's 8.5 ounces, or a little more than one cup.
Buy 5.75 Haribo gummy bears (~4¢/bear).
Ride a 3-wheeled auto rickshaw in India for 1 hour.
Pay the tax on your purchase of this 2004 Kennedy half dollar.
Buy this handy dandy laminated card printed with the important holidays of 2008.

Whew, that was a hard one.

Goodbye for now. Leave some numbers!

Marauding Monday.

2008-04-28T14:05:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I read things on other people's websites or blogs that I really want to share. So, I think, on Mondays, I'll post material that is not my own, but borrowed.

ma·raud

v.	to roam or go around in quest of plunder.

For today, I bring to you a selection of various similes from high school students' essays:

She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.
Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.

And... my personal favorite:

He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.

Happy Monday!

walleteer wednesday/spendthrift saturday.

2008-04-26T10:08:00.011-04:00

OK, OK. Here we go. This week we've got $5.99 to spend. hm.

With $5.99 you could...

Buy one box of Quaker's Oats & Honey oatmeal. Or, if you're Melody, I suppose you could buy a box of the Oats, Honey, & Raisins type.

Run over to City Convenience and buy 39 individual Charleston Chews and freeze 'em (they taste the best frozen. Actually, MMM (my roommates!), there's a box of them in the freezer if you'd like!).

Buy your future daughter this obnoxious looking cheerleader PJ shirt (includes matching scrunchie!).

Buy a used, but like-new, copy of this classic CD:

If you play Guild Wars, you could buy 10 Vials of Dye (White). No, seriously. You actually pay someone real money in exchange for items in a game. Below is the listing and an excerpt from the game:

And so there you have it, folks. A wide array of purchases to make with 599 pennies. Stay tuned. I'll be on time next week. And don't forget to leave your numbers in the comments :)

walleteer wednesday: postponed.

2008-04-23T23:38:00.004-04:00

due to lack of my usual inspiration, genius, and vision, i have decided to postpone the walleteer wednesday post to a later date (probably tomorrow). for now, watch this... another 90's music video, brought to you by me for your viewing enjoyment.

Introducing… Walleteer Wednesdays

2008-04-16T12:29:00.013-04:00

I was talking to a relative recently, and he suggested a grand idea for this blog. Why not, once a week, take a number… and see what kinds of things you could buy with that amount of money? I see potential for both creativity nd hilarity, so I thought it would make for a good weekly post. And so, I introduce to you… Walleteer Wednesdays!

Wal`let`eer´
n. One who carries a wallet; a foot traveler; a tramping beggar.

Today, we will start with a number that I choose. In the future, I’d like to start analyzing amounts that you all suggest. So, leave your numbers in the comments.

This week, we have $48,468 in our pockets. Think with me for a moment… what could you do with such an amount?

With $48,468, you could*:

Attend Boston University for one year (exactly).

Buy 194 ipods (80 GB classics).

Invest in Google (106 shares,$455 a pop)

Hop a plane (with 2 other friends) from Boston to Paris (fly first class, of course), take a bus to the Eiffel Tower, take the elevator up to the 2nd platform, and have a fancy dinner at the Jules Verne Restaurant. Then, take the bus back to the airport and fly back to Boston (first class).

Buy an expensive puppy (like a goldendoodle) and treat it like royalty for its entire lifetime (~15 years). Don't forget to build it a $10,000 dog house.

Interesting, no?

Stay tuned for next week, and don't forget to leave numbers in the comments section.

---
*based on extensive research.

a semi-serious post

2008-04-12T21:30:00.005-04:00

so i've been thinking a lot about what i want to do after i graduate from college. i know i want to stay in the field of psychology... but that's quite broad. there's social work, research, clinical psych, occupational psych, etc etc. people have been telling me i should work with kids, since apparently i'm "good at it". for a while i was thinking about getting into forensic/criminal psych, but the more i think about it, the more i feel that maybe i really am supposed to be working with kids. maybe all these experiences in children's/youth ministry will actually turn out to be ones that i can use in the future. i'll keep praying.

anyway, within child psychology, there are still many areas to be involved in. for me, i feel that i have a particular burden for those who have suffered from abuse. i was thinking about this, and i remembered this song by Martina McBride. it's called Concrete Angel. i've posted the video and lyrics below. so, if you've got the time, watch the MV and read through the words... and please pray for the many, many children who fall victim to abuse daily.
---

She walks to school with the lunch she packed
Nobody knows what she's holding back
Wearing the same dress she wore yesterday
She hides the bruises with the linen and lace

The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask
It's hard to see the pain behind the mask
Bearing the burden of a secret storm
Sometimes she wishes she was never born

Through the wind and the rain, she stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel

Somebody cries in the middle of the night
The neighbors hear, but they turn out their light
A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate
When morning comes, it'll be too late

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel

A statue stands in a shaded place
An angel girl with an upturned face
A name is written on a polished rock
A broken heart that the world forgot

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel

it's not hard to see...

2008-04-09T22:39:00.003-04:00

mm, so i wanted to post, but wasn't sure what i should post about this time around. but then, as i was snacking on my freeze-dried rambutans*, it hit me. i want to share with you the delight that fell upon me recently. while searching through my old music, i rediscovered this song--undoubtedly one of the best songs of the '90s. i provide you the video and the lyrics in hopes that you will find the same boundless joy that i have found.

You need to give it up
Had about enough
It's not hard to see
The boy is mine
I'm sorry that you
Seem to be confused
He belongs to me
The boy is mine

Brandy:
Think it's time we got this straight
Sit and talk face to face
There's no way you could mistake
Him for your man, are you insane

Monica:
See I know that you may be
Just a bit jealous of me
But you're blind if you can't see
That his love is all in me

Brandy:
See I tried to hesitate
I didn't want to say what he told me
He said without me he couldn't make
It through the day, ain't that a shame

Monica:
But maybe you misunderstood
Cause I can't see how he could
Wanna change something that's so good
All my love was all it took
(The boy is mine)

Chorus:
You need to give it up
Had about enough
It's not hard to see
The boy is mine
I'm sorry that you
Seem to be confused
He belongs to me
The boy is mine

Monica:
Must you do the things you do
You keep on acting like a fool
You need to know it's me not you
And if you didn't know it, girl, it's true

Brandy:
I think that you should realize
And try to understand why
He is apart of my life
I know it's killing you inside

Monica:
You can say what you wanna say
What we have you can't take
From the truth you can't escape
I can tell the real from the fake

Brandy:
When will you get the picture
You're the past, I'm the future
Get away, it's my time to shine
If you didn't know the boy is mine

Chorus:
You need to give it up
Had about enough
It's not hard to see
The boy is mine
I'm sorry that you
Seem to be confused
He belongs to me
The boy is mine

Monica:
You can't destroy this love I've found
Your silly games I won't allow
The boy is mine without a doubt
You might as well throw in the towel

Brandy:
What makes you think that he wants you
When I'm the one that brought him to
The special place that's in my heart
He was my love right from the start

(Monica) Give it on up
(Brandy) Had about enough
(Monica) It's not hard to see
(Brandy) The boy is mine oh ah...
(Monica) I'm sorry that you
(Brandy) Seem to be confused
(Monica) He belongs to me
(Brandy) No no. You need to give it up
(Monica) About enough
(Brandy) It's not hard to see
(Monica) The boy is mine
(Brandy) Mine...oh mine
(Monica) You seem to be confused
(Brandy) He belongs to me

(Monica) The boy is mine, not yours
(Brandy) But mine
(Monica) Not yours
(Brandy) But mine
(Monica) Not yours
(Brandy) But mine

I'm sorry that you
Seem to be confused
He belongs to me
The boy is mine

*rambutan: a red, plum-sized tropical fruit with soft spines and a slightly acidic taste.

answers revealed.

2008-04-08T14:04:00.008-04:00

alright, alright. i'll reveal the answers, although not too many people guessed through commenting. actually, only daniel guessed. but he did get 3 out of 6 correctly (almost). (#1, #2, and partially #6). oh, and vernon guessed #4 in person... and was correct. yay.

ANSWERS:

1) kitty cat.

2) firefox logo.

3) a handful of garlic.

4) Stitch!

5) the cover of *NSYNC's Celebrity CD, obviously. :)

and, last but not least...

6) Steve Irwin's collar.

will post more later.

game.

2008-03-31T20:00:00.003-04:00

I wanted to blog, but realized that I'm too tired to say anything of meaning or value. Instead, I've prepared a task for you.

Identify these objects:

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

Preeettty tricky. Good luck!

said i wasn't gonna lose my head...

2008-03-29T12:27:00.004-04:00

I've been confronted with comments such as, "I'll give you two weeks" and "xanga forever!". I will have you two punks know that I intend to keep up with this blog and update it as often as my brain gives me material to update with. As my dear roommate from the Bronx would say, "You can drink your hater-ade somewhere else." OK, fine, she's not from the Bronx. She's from Queens.

Fear not, faithful readers. I shall persevere. Because I have endurance.
---
Host of the TV show 'Endurance':

---

and now, I leave you with this (slightly annoying, yet strangely catchy) music video.

the first post.

2008-03-28T11:34:00.000-04:00

I recently stumbled upon my old "blogs" on Xanga, and realized that I really liked having a space to write about my day and my thoughts. So, I've decided to start one anew. Now, whether anyone will read this...who knows?

I am currently sitting in class. LC286, Chinese Culture. I have no idea what the professor is talking about. I think we're discussing 紫沙茶壺. I tried to use Google Image Search to find a picture of a Zisha teapot to show you, but here's a picture that showed up instead. So, I leave you with this, and hope that you'll be back to read soon.