SpazzleNET

Archive for March, 2009

Alicia just gave me such a thoughtful birthday present! Have you guys ever heard of MochaClub.org? The company asks you to give up two mochas each month to donate $7 to a variety of causes in Africa. You’re in control of how your money is spent; you can pick to support causes such as education, care for orphaned children, and care for child mothers. Alicia picked Sudan regrowth for me, so the money she spent on my present helps provide relief flights for refugees, care for orphans, and care for former sex slaves. The shirt itself says “I need Africa more than Africa needs me.” There’s a long message on the inside of the shirt, and one of the lines really stuck out to me:

“Possessions in my hands will never be as valuable as peace in my heart.”

I think our society today is so absorbed in consumerism that it’s hard to keep in mind what’s truly important. We all want more “things,” as if such “things” will fill the pain and sadness we sometimes feel. Even when I was down in Hurley, VA on my Appalachia trip, I was having similar thoughts. I can’t even explain in words how nice, refreshing, and eye-opening it was to spend an entire week with 18 other BC students, some smelly Holy Cross students, and the people of Hurley. There were no cell phones, no computers, no televisions. We had only a dingy couch, a long dinner table, and our mouths to keep ourselves occupied. We truly got to know each other because we spoke and we listened in return. There were no distractions, and we were able to live in the moment. This is something I’d personally like to work on more. I want to focus more on what I’m doing and how I’m feeling right now, rather than worry about what’s up next. I think it’s something we should all work for, actually.

On another note, I’m ill. Again. I woke up and felt like I got hit by a bus, so I made an appointment at the infirmary. I have to say, it was the quickest doctor’s appointment I’ve ever had…from the time I walked into the office to the time that I walked out, I was there for 9 minutes. The doc decided to put me on antibiotics for 10 days (yay?), so I guess I’ll be taking it easy for the next couple of weeks. I’m convinced that I keep getting sick because I’m not getting enough sleep this semester. My body was used to getting 8 hours of sleep every night last semester, and because I’ve had to cut it down to 6 or 7 most nights, I think I’m really feeling it.

Next semester is going to be a lot better though, and I should have less work. I’m planning on continuing with both French and Spanish. There other classes I’m looking into are Causes of War, Service, Social Justice & Solidarity in Latin America, and Challenge of Justice. They’re all supposed to be great classes, so I’m pretty pumped. I’d have really busy Tuesdays and Thursdays (I’d be going basically from 9-6), but my Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays would be fabulous (only one class at 12).

Uhmmm, so I was just meandering around the internet and I stumbled upon Ashley’s xanga from middle school…? Hahaha seriously, CHECK IT OUT.

Alright, I’m gonna end on that note. Toodles!

First off, I just want to point out that I still have to update the “about me” section in the right-hand column. I’m 20 (old). And I have new interests and hobbies slash obsessions (including the word “slash”…thanks, Appa). Second, I also need to update the pictures…the ones linked to the right are pretty much all from high school. Middle school, even. Throwbacks, if you will. So I mean, check ‘em out if you wanna see me and my pre-pubescent friends blossom into functioning adults…?

Anyways, random thought. So, I was just [rather obscenely] thinking today…there are SO many different ways to say “vomit”:

1. Vomit
2. Barf
3. Throw Up
4. Yak
5. Spew Chunks
6. Blow Chunks
7. Hurl
8. Puke
9. Regurgitate
10. Ralph
11. Toss Cookies
12. Retch
13. Heave
14. Pray to the Porcelain God
15. Get Sick

I think we all need to expand our vomit vocab (if you will), so comment and add any other terms you may know of. Truly, I’m curious.

Oh, and this post is titled “That’s So Nauseous” in honor of my friend Shelby, who to this day may not know/definitely does not care how to properly use the word (haha love you, Beano).

Also, I hope you realize that I’m not always this obscene SLASH random. Check back for more meaningful posts…?

FIRST FULL DAY AS A 20 YEAR OLD, and holy cow, it is still COMPLETELY the same as 19. Maybe it takes a while to kick in? Or maybe it never does. I don?t know. Whatever.

I really like Thursdays. First of all, they?re right after hump day and right before Friday. Seriously, does it get any better? Second, I only have on class at 10:30 on Thursdays (Challenge of Peace!), and then I get to spend the rest of my day doing work in the Chocolate Bar (which for all of you who don?t know is just a fabulous little caf? here on campus). I went out to dinner for my friend Courtney?s birthday to Papa Razzi. It was pretty fabulous, despite the fire alarm going off and the fact that our waitress was impressed that I [apparently] ate half a chicken. Oops?

So in class today, we were talking about how the people you choose to hang out with shape who the kind of person you become. I guess I innately knew this, but today I realized how true it actually is. I am so lucky to have the friends that I do. They?re so kind, caring, and passionate about life, and I can learn something from each and every one of them. Just talking with them and spending time with them makes me a better person, and I want them to know how grateful I am for their presence in my life.

We also talked about the cynicism our generation has regarding relationships. Back when our parents were young, it was expected that people would marry relatively young, have children, and stay together for the rest of their lives. Looking at the marriage and divorce statistics in the U.S. today is enough to prove that this is no longer the case: the divorce rate in America for first marriage is 41%. That?s almost 1 in 2 failed marriages. What hope does that leave us? The hook up culture that is so prevalent on college campuses reinforces this hopelessness; even though most people express the desire to settle down with one person, so few people are ballsy enough to get involved in a relationship that involves the tiniest shred of commitment. Even if we do find someone we think we can spend the rest of our lives with, there seems to exist an ?until-I-get-a-better-deal? kind of love. It?s kind of depressing because I don?t know if this trend can be changed or reversed any time soon. Thoughts?

Interesting thought of the day: why do people think taxis are so much safer than regular cars? I mean, think about it. When people get into a taxi, they usually don?t think twice about not buckling their seat belts. When they get into a car, however, it?s practically instinctual to buckle up. When I think about it (it has been bothering me since I got back from dinner a couple hours ago), I would venture to guess that taxis are actually more dangerous than being in cars with friends and families. Cab drivers spend so much time on the road, and are more inclined to be careless or lazy as a result.

TRUE STORY: tonight we took a cab back from dinner. We were moseying on down Comm. Ave, and our driver decides it?s a good idea to speed up to 50 m.p.h, cross the double yellow lines, and fly by the two speed-limit-following SLASH law-abiding citizens. As I was scrambling for my seat belt (which clearly was not on), I realized that the taxi/seat-belt issue needed to be addressed.

So, I?ll leave you with that important bit of advice: buckle up in cabs, or else you WILL die.

Well, it has been approximately 18 hours since I turned 20, and I don?t feel any different. I don?t think I look any different (except maybe for the wrinkle that might possibly be forming next to my right eye?crap). It?s an eerie feeling though, because everything actually is starting to change. I?m not a teenager anymore, and I never will be again. The so-called ?best years of my life? are caput, and I?m just a twenty-something now. Or a twenty-nothing, I should say. Ironically, as I was sitting here pondering the meaning of my life (or lack thereof), John Mayer?s song ?Stop This Train? came on. Creepily pertinent to how I?m feeling right about now:

No, I’m not colorblind
I know the world is black and white
I try to keep an open mind
But I just can’t sleep on this tonight

Stop this train
I want to get off
And go home again
I can’t take the speed it’s moving in
I know I can’t
But honestly, won’t someone stop this train?

Don’t know how else to say it
I don’t want to see my parents go
One generation’s length away
From fighting life out on my own

Stop this train
I want to get off
And go home again
I can’t take the speed it’s moving in
I know I can’t
But honestly, won’t someone stop this train?

So scared of getting older
I’m only good at being young
So I play the numbers game
To find a way to say that life has just begun

Had a talk with my old man
Said “help me understand”
He said “turn sixty-eight
You renegotiate”

“Don’t stop this train
Don’t for a minute change the place you’re in
Don’t think I couldn’t ever understand
I tried my hand
John, honestly we’ll never stop this train”

Once in awhile, when it’s good
It’ll feel like it should
And they’re all still around
And you’re still safe and sound
And you don’t miss a thing
Till you cry when you’re driving away in the dark
Singing

Stop this train
I want to get off
And go home again
I can’t take the speed it’s moving in
I know I can’t
Cause now I see I will never stop this train

Anyways, so here I am, making another lame attempt to start this blog up. Over the past few months, I realized that I have some ABSURD thoughts that need to be examined, some CRAZY ideas that need to be commented on, and some INCREDIBLE things that happen and need to be documented. So I figured, what better way to accomplish all of these things than to spill my guts on the Internet? Geez, and if I?m lucky, maybe someone will read them and even give me some feedback on them.

So I guess I?ll give you the scoop on my life. I was accepted to the International Studies program here at Boston College, so I?m officially an International Studies major with a concentration in Ethics & International Social Justice. I bet you?re wondering what I?m going to do with it! Unfortunately, so am I.

I have also decided to pursue a French minor. I figure I may as well put the past 8 years of French language studies to use by getting hold of a degree in it. I have also decided that I want to be at least tri-lingual, and picked up Spanish last semester. It was hands down one of the best decisions I have ever made! I feel I?m picking it up so much faster than I picked up French. I guess it?s mostly because I finally figured out how to properly learn a language. I mean, after eight long years, I finally discovered that flash cards aren?t for dumbasses…they’re actually quite beneficial study tools. CRAZY.

As I?m clearly interested in all-things international, I have decided that I want to study abroad in spring 2010. The university of my choice: L?Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Paris, also known as Sciences Po, which is located in the heart of Paris! I?m planning on taking some classes in French and some in English, and they offer a lot of awesome classes in their International Relations, Political Science, and History departments. I am SO EXCITED!

Anyways, I hope you guys actually read some of these posts and take the time to respond?I?d love to hear your reactions and thoughts about some of the [absurd] things I do SLASH think about.

Oh, did I mention I say banana in my sleep? ?Cause I do. :)