Simplicity

Sometimes the thing that cheers me up the most is a good, quality conversation with a friend, whether it's online or on the phone or in the car or on the commute to/from work.

And of course, a nice big chocolate chip cookie always works just as well :)

Too young, too soon.

As most of the country knows, a fatal mass shooting occurred at Fort Hood on Thursday, November 5th, 2009. And as most of the Middlesex County of Massachusetts knows, a fatal accident occurred the same day. Although these two incidences are hardly related to each other, they have both struck a chord of fear in my heart.

Because both events represent the insecurity of our everyday American lives.

How is it that something we do so routinely everyday can all of a sudden kill us? Or the very thing we are trying to protect betrays us, on the brink of our most nervous moments?

How can any of us feel safe anymore? The security that we should normally feel in a place we consider home, in an act that we consider routine or second-nature, seems to have dissipated. Now we have to think twice before doing the normal things or feeling the normal feelings. Because otherwise...

...what if?

History

I learned something interesting about a fragment of my past yesterday. Although it doesn't affect my life as I am living it now, it's interesting to reflect upon numerous memories and realize the deeper meaning behind certain actions, attitudes and events.

Bystanders

As Britney Spears would say, "There's only two types of people in the world, the ones that entertain, and the ones that observe."

I would say that I'm normally categorized as the part of the "ones that entertain", what with being a dancer and all. But obviously, the words "entertainers" and "observers" don't just apply to a show, but to our attitudes towards life. That is, the "active" and the "passive" sects of our society.

Anyway, the op-ed article in the Metro today was:

Pg 16, "Something's wrong here", Marc Lamont Hill

And it reminded me of a poem that used to be on the wall of my 7th grade classroom.

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

The article is specifically about the recently gang rape of a 15-year-old girl in California outside of a high school dance. Not only was the act in itself atrocious, but the non-action of passerbys, even ridicule of the girl, is what is truly heinous. At least 10 people walked by and did nothing, nothing to stop them, nothing to call authorities, nothing to save the dignity of a child being taken advantage of.

Professor Hill acknowledges that there are dangers to being one who "speaks out" instead of just one who "stands by". And of course, shows like Law & Order or CSI or any other crime-solving show perpetuates these fears. Oh no, what if I report someone and they come back to get revenge on me later? This is usually for the extremely paranoid of course, and I have to admit, I am one of those paranoid people. But even so, not doing anything in the face of a child being abused raises questions about the dwindling existence of humanity in our society.

And it's not just this particular isolated incident. There was a psychology study done many years ago in the wake World War II about our current society's ability to stand up against abused power. Basically, it looked like our will to challenge authority, even an artificial base-less one, is weak. However, this weakness has slowly morphed into a nonchalant attitude about the safety, well-being of innocent strangers.

We need to stop being people who just stand by. Don't just watch. Act.

A new day

Today was supposed to be a good day. So why am I plagued with past troubles?

Who do you think you are?

I can't stand the people who feel entitled to things they don't deserve, who complain about it, and then when they get it (at the expense of other people's happiness), they don't try at all to make the most of it, or to hold on to it, or to enjoy it at all.

You, you and you, go away and stop making my life more miserable than it needs to be. Get over yourself.

Equality

I've always wondered, is it possible for everyone to be truly equal?

Growing up in this liberal town, we've always been taught to be proud of our differences, and respectful of others'. But if we spend so long observing differences, doesn't that just highlight how we are different from each other? Can different things be equal? Is an apple equal to an orange? Personally, no, I almost always prefer an orange to an apple, even though an orange is more work to eat. And some people will almost always prefer apples to oranges. They're different, and for some people, they are not only not equal, but one is much more superior than the other.

If America is a country about equal opportunity, equal rights and equality in life, how do we reconcile that with the inequality created by our fervent highlighting of each individual's uniqueness?

And what does it mean for everyone to be equal anyway? Clearly equality comes with certain terms and conditions. We all have equal opportunity to pursue individual happiness, but only if it's not at the expense of others. We are all equal in the playing field of life, but some people have earned better tools than others. We are all born equal, and yet there will inevitably be people who work beneath others simply due to which family they come from. Some people have to fight harder than others for the same kind protection by the law, the kind that protects their life and their virtues.

I'm not saying I disagree with everything in the current system, per se. Clearly I would much rather that a serial killer or a sociopath or a sadist not have the same rights as I do, especially on the point about equal opportunity in the pursuit of happiness (period). But I just wonder, are we really all equal? Because it certainly doesn't feel like it...

Hiding

I'm going to slowly retreat back into my shell now.

Choices

Do you ever wonder where your life would be now if you had picked the OTHER option?

Boredom

I'm getting bored with the Metro crossword puzzle. This does not bode well for my attention span at work in the future...

Help!

Freak weather

Snow in mid-October that stuck for more than an hour.

Dear Mr. Former President George W. Bush, do you believe in global warming now?!

Thomas Keown, just shut up.

Pg 13, "Faith Fully Loving Gay", Thomas Keown

Where do I even begin with this guy.

Thomas Keown is a freelance writer who contributes regular Op-Ed articles to the Metro. And they kind of stink. They are inspiring, for sure, but they only ever inspire confusion and disgust in me. It's not even that his opinions are stupid. To be honest, I think both of us have the same general sentiments about living in a city like Boston: being liberal is great, but only when it's done with sense, rationale and a degree of dignity. In fact, my last post about one of your Op-Ed articles was generally positive. But this week, your article is so tastelessly done that even if I agree with what you are trying to say, I can't bring myself to.

Basically, you are trying to say that we should stop hating on the religious people. I completely agree with this. Although I am not religious myself, a number of important people in my life value their faith highly.

You use the example of the Metro article from a few weeks back about a church that caused an uproar due to the sign it posted outside their door calling homosexuality a sin. Specifically, the sign read "Homosexuality, like all sin, is ungodly & unhealthy."

Anyway, back to you, Mr. Keown, and your unwise words.

"Did I miss some announcement that mainstream Christianity had embraced gay sex?"

I mean, maybe it's because I live in Cambridge, but I feel like the majority of Christians I know have accepted homosexuality as a part of society. Sure, they might not be staunch advocates or supporters, but not every single Christian, or religious person actually, that I know is dead set against the existence of homosexuality.

"The effect of this story is to further reinforce in the mind of the Metro reader the modern falsehood that ordinary people of faith are backwards, homophobic bigots."

Normally I would agree with you, but let's examine the evidence a little closer, shall we?

"The sign could just as easily have said 'Sex before marriage is a sin,' 'Not being charitable is a sin' or 'Being quick to anger is a sin.' None of that means that sane Christians are hateful or intolerant of the promiscuous, the miserly or the short-tempered."

Oh yes, this is completely true, except for one minor detail. This particular church seems to have a track record. In 2005, the same sign of the same church read: "Hurricane Katrina: Natural Disaster or God's Judgement?" If I'm not mistaken, this is a direct jab at an entire city, actually, and if some people have interpreted it correctly, it's directly aimed at the promiscuous and sinful tendencies of the New Orleans culture. In some ways it's better, because this church isn't specifically insulting homosexuals, but a whole variety of people!

"The church might speak against an act, but will love the actor dearly."

Um, what? How is lobbying against gay marriage "lov(ing) the actor dearly"? Well then, this totally scraps my theory about the church equally insulting all types of people, because I'm pretty sure they're not lobbying against government funding for rebuilding New Orleans.

That article from a few weeks ago was not saying anything about all Christians being ignorant bigots. It was simply reporting news. Boston happens to be a relatively boring city, but in case you haven't noticed, the rest of the Metro has been pretty bland recently too. So stop over-analyzing simple situations and making a big deal out of nothing. You're doing the exact same thing you are criticizing: being overly sensitive.

Kthxbai,

WhyWhy

Warmth.

It's cold at home.

Horoscopes

Not that I ever ever EVER believe them... but I rather like the one for me in the Metro today.

"Select fun-loving companions; they'll make your day a happy one."

And between this crappy weather, going through dance withdrawal and insomnia, my day could definitely use a pick-me-up.

UGH

I hate you Peter Pan.

Jitters

Every single time I think about it I start shivering uncontrollably and it won't get better until I just physically shake it off.

Sigh.

I can only hope for the best. Jia you!

In the near future...

Next week, I will be able to:

1. Do the Metro Sudoku again without messing up a bajillion times. When I am sleep-deprived, the puzzle is THAT much harder.

2. Stay awake during work. Sigh.

3. Get more than 4 hours of sleep per night.

4. Be less sweaty on average.

5. Relax at home for more than an hour in the evenings.

6. Not have to launder clothes every other day.

7. Not take naps in rando people's rooms (although to be fair, TT is not rando <3)

8. Act more like an adult.

9. Read the newspaper without getting a headache.

10. Not get headaches. Period.

But despite all that, I'm really going to miss it... :(

Growing up is hard, but everyone's gotta do it, right? I will grow up, but I will also make sure to keep doing things I am passionate about. After all, what is life without a passion outside of your career and family, right?

Nerves

I gots them.

So nervous...

GAH

I am falling behind on my daily postings. Whoops.

:: shakes fist ::

A Random Revelation

One of the best way to grow and heal is to turn something that has bad personal associations into a new positive memory. And it's even better when it happens effortlessly or unconsciously, and you don't realize it until later.

I love...

...that my computer can still connect to the campus internet. It means I haven't been completely cut off from my second home. Small victory!

Exception!

Even though Professor Hill contribute to today's Metro today (I think they rotate and he is always on Thursdays), I was not particularly intrigued by his column. His writing was great, as usual. Just not as provocative.

And so, I started looking at pictures of delicious food on the internet. Why do I do this to myself? And always when I'm hungry too! It's a bad habit and I really need to stop.

But in my perusing, I came across this (probably old news to most of you by now):

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KgIqQvYUs3I/SoQr_00ogEI/AAAAAAAARks/1TQVjV2jff4/s400/body_sushi.jpg

What the heck?? That's ridiculous!!!!

How do they expect people to get full off of just that much?! I could eat all of the sushi in that picture and then some.

~ WhyWhy

Oh Massachuestts...

What is worse, Republicans or Democrats?

Okay, remember your answer to that.

Now, what is worse, staunchly conservative Republicans who stand by their every belief blindly or staunchly liberal Democrats who stand against every Republican belief blindly?

Pg 13, "Shall we go get a lawyer?", Thomas Keown

The story is simple, when Mitt Romney wanted the power to appoint a senator if Sen. John Kerry had been elected President, the state Legislature voted against it. Now that Deval Patrick wants to appoint a senator in place of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, the state Legislature is all for it.

Uh-oh. What happened? No wonder the Republicans are ticked off.

If there is one thing I cannot stand more than a staunch Republican, it is a hypocritical Democrat.

Crash

Today on the way home, we passed by a car crash. One of the cars had the passenger side door smashed in, and it was lying sideways on the driver's side. There was a fire truck, an ambulance and several police cars.

It made me realize how fleeting life can be even in the most routine of things.

And this is very scary.

Sacre Bleu! x2

That's two posts that I've missed in the last three days!

Also, I still cannot locate a copy of Friday's Metro :(

Sacre Bleu!

(What does that mean anyway? I just know that the French chef in "The Little Mermaid" says it during his song "Les Poissons")

I went a WHOLE DAY without posting here AND I did not read the Metro! YIKES!

And now I have nothing substantial to write in this post except for a few random thoughts.

1. It is a crappy feeling to go from being at the top of the world to the bottom of the food chain. But if you can take something positive away from it you're well on your way to being somewhere even more important than the top.

2. Spending time with friends is important. Even though you feel tired and not up to going out to meet them, most of the time, getting over that tiredness was worth it.

3. The safer I feel, the better I sleep. (This is especially obvious when I was at home by myself that one week. I slept about 2 hours per night...)

4. Being a good conversationalist is an essential part of being a good friend.

5. Worrying is natural. Worrying excessively is unhealty. Worrying constantly is detrimental.

6. Peach ice tea is delicious.

7. If you can get away with wearing youth-sized apparel, then why not?

8. It's hard to think when I'm sleepy...

... and with that! I will take a short Zzz.

Racism

Thank you Professor Hill for never failing to disappoint.

Your column in today's Metro urges Democrats to be as bold as President Jimmy Carter in acknowledging the racial undertone of peoples' attitude towards Obama and his presidency. While I agree that racism is not exactly my idea of a party, I must respectfully disagree that Democrats have to stay on constant vigilance about racist remarks.

This may come as a surprise to you (it even comes as a surprise to me), but I think the Republicans are somewhat justified in their concerns about hypersensitivity to racism in the current administration. Undeniably, Obama will receive comments based on his race (and not his presidential abilities), more so than any other previous US president. Some people will behave unreasonably to him, and some of that behavior will be because he is not white, but not all of it will be about the color of his skin. There will be people who disagree with Obama purely because of his political opinions, not because of his genetics.

Did people think the shoe-throwing incident at Bush was because Bush was white? Then why should Wilson's comment about Obama being a "liar" be because Obama isn't white? Outbursts during House sessions at the President may be uncommon, but I think shoe-throwing at the President is probably even more uncommon. So the shoe-thrower wasn't a politician, neither was the woman who called Obama a Nazi during the Dartmouth town hall meeting. How come anyone mistake calling Obama a Nazi for racism...? Sorry, but that one is just a little too far reaching.

When there are instances of racism, by all means, squash it, please. As someone who's been ridiculed due to racial discrimination (yes, believe it or not...) since a very young age, I am wholeheartedly for cultural and ethnic education. But at the same time, we can't take every single piece of criticism so personally and assume it is due to race. I disagree with Obama on some of his current policies and priorities, but it's not because of what he looks like, it's simply because of the policies.

Let's not all become hypersensitive Democrats and be grown-ups now, please?

Kthxbai,

WhyWhy

It's the small things...

Despite almost crashing the car this morning on the way to work (whoops), I noticed several small things that never fail to cheer me up during my commute.

1. Whenever I take the shuttle from Central Sq., I always try to get a copy of the Metro from the man passing them out (instead of the dispenser). I think he has to pass out a certain number before he can get off work (because they won't all fit in the dispenser), so it's much better for him to get copies from his pile rather than the dispenser. Sometimes people, to be antisocial, will just get it from the dispenser even though he will hand it to you to make your life just a little bit easier. I think whenever I go to get the paper from him he's just a little bit happier, and he always smiles at me and says, "Thank you mama!"

I'm not really sure what to make of the "mama" title but I don't think it's derogatory! In fact, I rather like it :)

2. On my way to the building I work in (behind the HMS Quad), as I climb up the steps, the scent of bacon wafts under my nose. SMELLS SO GOOD. That definitely cheers me up. Even if I'm not eating it, smelling bacon will make me happy too!

3. Holding the door for strangers, especially those that are pushing big carts (food, mail, packages, water, etc) makes me feel good about myself. And I feel extra happy when they give me a big smile and I smile back at them!

4. Unexpected IMs from fun people. And just as good, if not better, ridiculously long online conversations with those I talk to every day for hours but never run out of things to talk about. (AC & BN!)

It's the little things in life that cheer me up :)

Today...

...is a test of will.

I will persevere!

Skeptical

Pg 06, "Obama: Health reform won't raise your taxes", Reuters

Really? REALLY?

60% of Americans don't believe the government can expand health care coverage without raising taxes on the middle class or affecting the quality of care.

What exactly defines the middle class anyway? How do you decide the cutoff where you pay less taxes than the person who earns two dollars more than you.

I hope beyond hope that Obama means what he is promising. The middle to middle-upper class are always placed in that ambiguous but disadvantaged limbo. The best example of this is college tuition: rich enough to not receive financial aid but not so rich that forking over 50 grand a year is a small matter.

"...he said his goals to expand health care and rein in costs would not lead to middle-class tax increases"

"Republicans...call the Democrats' approach an... intrusion in the private sector that would raise taxes for individuals and small businesses and cut benefits to the elderly"

I'm interested in how this will play out. And you should be too.

Sad but true...

I talk too much. And by talk too much I mean babble. My stream of consciousness when sparked goes on forever and ever without a light at the end of the tunnel. I babble extra when I'm nervous. Also, I am naturally a fast talker, which makes the babbling even worse because I can fit more words per minute and thus overtalk myself in the same amount of time it'd take someone else to get their point across succinctly.

So for those of you who I talk to on a regular basis, help me practice self-control. Carry around some duct tape and use when necessary.

Kthxbai,

WhyWhy

Dear Insomnia,

Please go away and come back later (perhaps in about a year). Kthxbai.

Sincerely yours,

WhyWhy

I'm not emo

...I just reflect a lot on things because I have too much time on my hands.

Which brings me to my next thought:

What's worse, being sad/hurt/depressed/angry or being apathetic?

Insomnia

If I'm having trouble sleeping, is it because I might be afraid of what I find in my dreams?

House vs. Wilson

When I first saw a NYT article titled something along those lines, my first thought was some sort of preview for the new season of "House" (ha!).

No, apparently people in the House are bickering over Wilson's comment. BICKERING. Over one comment. Jeez people, how long have you been in politics? Not everything is about race and racism. Stop taking comments so personally! If someone had called Bush a liar, there might've been a mini-brawl, and then after the issue was settled, there would be no more mention of that. No one would ever say that ignoring a barb at Bush was racist Then again, it might've been because Bush actually WAS a liar.

In any case, apparently there was voting happening on whether or not to reprimand Wilson or whatever and blah blah blah. Why are you wasting your time voting on something like this when there are bigger issues on hand? Did we forget about the war in Afghanistan? Did we forget about the recession (Ben Bernanke, I do not believe you at all)? Did we forget about health care and unemployment and this tiff with China about imports/exports (NYT reports that China is threatening to stop importing American poultry, specifically chicken feet)?

House, please suck it up and deal with the kindergarten insults and refrain from throwing kindergarten tantrums. Let's act like politicians now, and save all of our insults for the passive aggressive exchanges instead of being straight-forward! And lastly, at least put on a front that you are doing things to help the country!

Thanks,

~ Why Why

Casual Sex

Today, the Metro had a short article detailing tips on how to have a good one-night stand. Basically, keep the identifying information to a minimum, don't get attached, don't meet again, and make it exciting.

Um, is this part of the "revitalizing the Metro" program? To be honest, I haven't really seen anything in the new Metro that is different from the old Metro. Until this article. Once again, a company uses images of sex, sex, and more sex, to revitalize themselves. Wall Street people, remember this the next time your company faces bankruptcy.

So I started wondering, are successful one-night stands really possible? I feel like I've never heard of a "successful" (by the Metro's standards) one-night stand ever, whether in real life or on TV. As far as I can remember, the only experiences I've heard about (including the TV ones) all tended towards wanting a relationship, and ended either in a relationship or in anger at the other party.

If you've ever had a successful one-night stand, let me know. I'm super curious as to exactly what kind of emotions (or lack thereof) occurs during the process.

Until someone enlightens me, I will remain steadfast in assuming that there is no such thing as a "successful" one-night stand.

~ Why Why

PS Professor Hill, please come back soon... This blog is atrophying without your inspiration!

Be Prepared

In order to be prepared for the future, I must start asking myself a series of provocative and meaningful questions that will force me to search for answers by looking deep within myself. Starting with...

Who am I?

No News is Good News

For some people, this saying is never true. For others, it is always true. I guess it really just depends on what kind of personality you have - whether you are the type to always want to know and is too anxious to wait, or never want to know because knowing means being stressed.

For pessimists, no news is good news. For optimists, no news is not good news.

Well what is news to people who want to hope but do not dare to hope?

Just wondering...

It's been a long time...

...and I've really missed you.

Falling

"And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up." ~ Thomas Wayne, Batman Begins

I guess it's time to start picking myself up.

***

If I had the luxury of dancing in a studio with my own music and my bestest dance friends dancing whatever I wanted to without any passing judgment, I would do it until I dropped.

And that would be a good fall.

Plea to the Metro

Inspire me!

Lemons

I've been given a couple lemons and I'm really not in the mood for lemonade.

What to do...

That's Entertainment

Now that "So You Think You Can Dance" has started its 6th season, there are some things we should think about regarding entertainment...

The Metro had an article about this recently: the cruelty of reality T.V. shows. And as much as I love SYTYCD, I feel like this show exemplifies this extremely well, albeit subtlely (depending on who you are).

INTERRUPTION: Just saw a commercial for "House". HAHA. Oh man...

Anyhoo. While SYTYCD displays an awesome amount of dance talent (the most diverse of any show that is on the air. Feel free to try and prove me wrong), it also counts on the embarrassment of other dancers in order to boost viewer ratings.

Whenever a dancer that does not meet the judges' expectations audition, not only are they rejected, but they are ridiculed and laughed at on national television for the entertainment of others. Although the judges' claim that these dancers do not deserve any respect because they are there wasting the time and being disrespectful to dancers who take the auditions seriously, this is completely hypocritical. The dancers are prescreened before they are brought in front of a panel of judges, so the fact that they are in front of the three judges is because they weren't prescreened out. That said, perhaps the fact that they even turned up at the auditions in the first place is disrespectful, but allowing them to go on not only knowing, but counting on, the fact that they will be embarrassed is also disrespectful and cruel. When viewers cringe because of someone else's disappointment or failure, that turns into sponsorship for the show. Money earned from generating pain.

But hey, that's showbiz, no?

A Tribute to the Telly

Today the Metro had several pages dedicated to the new TV series being broadcasted this fall. However, they failed to highlight my some of my favorite shows.

House

Okay, so it's a little cliched. A premed likes a medical drama (that is so unrealistic that even non-medical people realize it). But who cares. He is FUNNEH. I hardly watch the drama because I think I will learn a plethora of medical knowledge from watching it (although I have learned some about some stuff. Like lupus. It's never lupus). It's kind of cruel, the way his plays with other people's minds for fun, but it's entertaining, and isn't that the whole point of a TV show anyway?

In any case, this new season should be exciting, because House is going where House has never been before: the loony bin (no offense intended).

It should be noted that twice prior to this past season's finale, House has "tried" to change his drug-addicting ways. He entered rehab/therapy the first time to irk his ex-girlfriend's husband. The second time, he did it to try and escape serving jail time and having his medical license suspended. But he never really committed himself to rehab/therapy. This time he really goes above and beyond and enters directly into a psychiatric hospital.

Interesting. Very interesting. Let's see what House does in a completely new environment and his iconically stubborn attitude.

Chuck

I LOVE "CHUCK".

It is hard to describe exactly what about "Chuck" that I love. Maybe it's the predictability of the plot. Maybe it's the ridiculousness of Morgan, Lester and Jeff. Maybe it's the awesomeness of Captain Awesome. Maybe it's the dorkiness of Chuck and Sarah. Maybe it's the strange but oddly satisfying humor of Casey.

Whatever it is, it's carried me over two seasons. Despite the fact that the first season ended on a flat note due to the writer's strike, the second season came back with a vengeance. The last episode was a simultaneous closer and a cliffhanger because of the uncertainty of a renewal. After Subway's campaign to rescue "Chuck", the show will come back for a third season, but starting in March, and not this fall. Even though March is months away, and the resuming of "Chuck" will have to wait, I am super excited about a third season! Hopefully it will be even better than the last one.

So You Think You Can Dance

This is supposed to be a summer show... but there is a new season starting now?? So confused...

But who cares? I LOVE DANCE! :D 'Nuff said.

And that concludes our Tribute to the Telly. Hopefully the Metro will have something about Obama's speech in the papers tomorrow for me to ponder over...

TDs

No, I do not mean "touch downs".

Even though they are unrealistic, shallow, superficial, ridiculous, slow, etc etc., for some reason, Taiwanese Idol Dramas never fail to cheer me up despite how down I feel.

My comfort entertainment...

Don't judge.

Food, Dance, Friends

What do they have in common?

They are all things that make me super super super happy :)

Thanks for a great day ^_^

Superheroes!

While watching Saturday morning cartoons today (SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS ARE AWESOME ZOMG), a commercial for the Make A Wish Foundation appeared.

I really liked it.

The commercial starts off saying "this is the true story of a teacher..."

Basically, there was a little kid who's wish was to become a superhero. The teacher decided to dress up as a villain and pretend to bomb City Hall with a cardboard box that said "TNT" on it. A newsreporter at the scene reported the scene and said "if (insert kid's name) is watching: the city needs you!"

And so, the little kid gets to dress up as a superhero and go pretend to fight the bad guy and save the day. Pretty cute.

This makes me wonder: what is my greatest wish?

You know what? I really don't know...

Take that, HIV

Pg 04, "Research may make AIDS vaccine reality", Reuters

I think the title is pretty self explanatory. Dennis Burton of the Scripps Research Institute found a new part of the HIV/AIDS virus that antibodies attack. This offers a new way to design a vaccine that will neutralize the virus.

Will this be an overnight success? Who knows. Does this disprove the theory that pharma companies have been withholding the cure to AIDS in order to make profits? Who knows. Although technically, a vaccine is not a cure, it is just a preventative measure. A cure, by my definition, is something that will resolve the disease even after infection.

Still, the social and scientific implications and advancements are immense.

That's it for today. It's been a long week...

Double-dip

Rare for me to post twice in a day (I will make sure of this, since my posts tend to be long), but I couldn't resist.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/03/health/03chen.html?_r=1&hpw

Professor Hill, Op-Ed guru

Marc Lamont Hill is my favorite Metro Op-Ed columnist by far. The columns from the last few days have pretty much been terrible and random and completely unenlightening. But every time Marc Lamont Hill writes a column, it makes me laugh, or angry, or reflect. Basically, it makes me think.

Mr. Hill is a professor at Columbia University and a Fox News commentator. His opinions are strong, his language may be harsh, but he always backs up his arguments with concrete explanations. Take, for instance, today's article.

Pg 09, "Brown is not quite there yet", Marc Lamont Hill

On the surface, the article is basically talking about the recent controversy over Chris Brown's abuse record, his trial, and his conviction. Hill points out that althouh Chris Brown expresses his remorse in terms of a momentary "lapse in judgment", the latter fails to reflect upon his life circumstances that has brought him to his present situation. If Chris Brown does not understand the deeper meaning and reasons behind his actions (apparently there is a history of abuse between him and Rihanna), he will continue to unconsciously tolerate a society that normalizes and often promotes the abuse of black female bodies. As Hill puts it, "he must come to honest terms with who and what he is right now... only then, will he be on the road to becoming the person that we all know he can be."

The article is about Chris Brown, but it is also about so much more, and this particular article hit extremely close to home.

Solitude only feels like confinement when you are afraid of facing yourself.

Sometimes we cannot change who we've become because we don't know how. It is beyond our understanding what events have precipitated the solid stones that make up our distinct personalities. There are cases where after reflection, we may come to understand why we are the way we are, and only through that understanding can we whole-heartedly change. However, sometimes it is not that we do not know how to self-reflect, but that we are afraid of what we might find.

Of course, if we find ourselves afraid of what we might face, it means we have some inkling of exactly what is there to find. And usually it's not good.

Unfortunately, sometimes that is the only way to fix the unhappiness in our lives and move forward. Sometimes it's the only way we can truly repent, forgive, and then live life to the fullest potential.

Addendum:

Moral of the story is - Ne-yo > Chris Brown. The end.

School

I miss school.

I miss waking up in the morning through the 15 frantic minutes of trying to put myself together into a presentable image and get to class not more than 10 minutes past the hour or half hour. I miss the dread of having to unpack boxes of stuff I never use during the school year just so I can fill up some of the space in my ginormous single. I miss gchatting every Leverett person I know at 4:50pm telling them to come join me in the dining hall for dinner so I can sit for an hour and a half and laugh at some ridiculous thing someone said/did. I miss trying to understand what the heck that question on the pset even means, let alone what the answer is, at 2am in the morning the night before it's due. Along those same lines, I miss sitting in the dining hall drinking my 5th cup of coffee and feeling guilty that the maintenance man has put up all the chairs at all the tables except for the one I'm sitting at because I still can't figure out what that problem is asking. I miss all of my dance rehearsals and all of my dancers and all of my dances. I miss being able to walk down the hall and see if EL or YX/SC are there so I don't have to do my homework and be entertained by their stories. I also miss hearing the sound of paddling as it goes by my door down the hallway. I miss talking to people about the most random of topics and hearing them laugh about the most mundane things.

I miss school.

Metro Potpourri

Once again, the Metro does not fail to inspire, albeit in spurts... (scented with essences of Afghan War, health care - yet again, Disney, Tedy, and some OMGWTFLOL?!)

Pg 6, "Needed: New war plan", Reuters

A very brief statement from U.S. Army General Stanley McChrystal regarding the current situation of the war in Afghanistan states, "The situation in Afghanistan is serious, but success is achievable and demands a revised implementation strategy, commitment and resolve, and increased unity of effort."

No duh. The same could be said about a trying to turn around a losing sports game.

1. Revised implementation strategy. Key word: REVISED. If whatever you are doing ain't working now, you'd better believe it probably won't work after EIGHT YEARS of the same stuff. Hello, we need a makeover, kthxbai.

2. Commitment and resolve. We've definitely got commitment and resolve. That's why we're still hammering at it EIGHT YEARS later of the same stuff.

3. Increased unity of effort. This is actually a good point, considering that many Americans who were for the war to begin with are now gradually losing interest after EIGHT YEARS. Maybe if we could get everyone to believe in the cause again, this war would go somewhere.

Refresh my memory, we ARE talking about the War on Terrorism... right? Does anyone know when it started being referred to as "the war in Afghanistan"? Just wondering...

Pg 4, "Health care lifeboat for legal immigrants", METRO/TL

I would like to preface this with saying that the picture above this article happened to be a man in a row boat and I was very confused. Turns out the picture has nothing to do with the article.

Deval Patrick, despite undergoing hip surgery today (and staying in the hospital for four days following the procedure and three weeks recovering at home), announced yesterday his plan to provide health care coverage for 31,000 legal immigrants (starting in Oct. 1 and enrolling through Dec.1) who were set to lose those benefits today.

Wow.

31,000 may seem like a small number compard to 50 million, but it's a sizable start. Although his request for $70 million in funding was only granted up to 57.14% (that's $40 million, for those of you who needed a calculator like I did), and probably deepens the current debt situation for the state of Red Sox, I mean, Massachusetts, it's nice to know that someone somewhere is trying to provide other people with health care. Maybe it's because he realizes how important it is now that he has to undergo hip surgery, who knows.

Or maybe it's because of the recent elimination of Commonwealth Care coverage. That could be it too.

In any case, Eva Millona, the executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition says, "We commend the efforts and leadership of the governor and his administration in making the best of this difficult situation, but we remain concerned about the disruption in access to and continuity of coverage."

Sigh... there are some people you just can't please.

Pg 07, "Media heroes unite", Reuters

I love superheroes. Not because of their bulging muscles or scandalous costumes (I consider wearing your panties outside of your spandex for the world to see scandalous, yes), but because they are just too cool!

I think when we get to be older, between the constant stress of responsibility and the overwhelming knowledge that we (or most of us) acquire, we tend to enjoy very very deep or very very shallow modes of entertainment. Something that speaks to us of the meaning of death and the depth of life, or the meaning of that hairstyle with that outfit (ew). Sometimes we are lucky that both exist in the world (i.e. "The Dark Knight", "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", etc. Don't judge).

In any case, regardless of what it is, Disney seems to dominate every corner of our media escape. Next they will buy Random House Publishing and Penguin Publishing and Harvard, and a man in a Spiderman costume will be teaching FC92: Popular Culture in Modern American a.k.a. The History of Disney.

First they bought Pixar and now they've bought Marvel! Is nothing sacred?! I hope they do a deal like Star Market did with Shaws and let Marvel movies keep the Marvel name. I do believe I'll have the utmost trouble trying to associate The Watchmen with those Mickey Mouse ears and silver glittery castle.

Pg 13, "His goals achieved, Bruschi walks away", Jeff Howe

I like Tedy Bruschi, mostly because he is a Patriot, but more so because he is a Patriots veteran. I probably did not know most of the things I knew about him before reading this article, but who cares. I'm a girl. Anything goes when it comes to a girl and her interest (or disinterest) in sports. Not being sexist, just stating the norm.

Disclaimer: I guess I am what you would call a bandwagon fan. Or whatever the term is. I didn't start following the Red Sox until their first World Series win since the Curse, and I didn't start following the Celtics until their Championship series against the Lakers (well, maybe a little bit before that), and I definitely didn't start following the Patriots until their rampage for a perfect season (I still cry over that at night sometimes. JUST KIDDING). But at least I don't change my allegiances with whatever team is winning at the moment! At least I shamelessly pick whatever team associated with my residency when they're winning and stick with them even when they become losers!

:D

Anyhoo. Bruschi!

Thank you for not being a Favre (i.e. for retiring). Thank you for coming back and playing beyond expectations and hopes after suffering from a stroke. Thank you for wearing #54 (it is a nice number, 3x3x3x2). Thank you for being a Patriot. And I would just like to say that I did know (vaguely) who you were before you decided to retire! That should mean a lot since all I really know is 12 + 81! w00t! At least a lightbulb in my head goes off when I hear/see "Bruschi" and I think, ah! I recognize that name!

So Tedy, have fun retiring 29 years earlier than the expected age with your three championship rings (three is a better number than four in Greek mythology anyway, and four is a bad number in Chinese numerology).

Pg 08, "(Un)happy birthday to you", Mike Malone

Okay... what? This article really confuses me. He basically just talks about how birthdays suck and we should stop singing the song because it makes the birthday kid feel like he's being excluded from some big surprise that he didn't know about. And how this will cause the birthday kid to start crying in a very upset manner and then no one can eat cake.

Apparently, to Mike, a birthday consists of "a pack of solves around a wounded deer, sneaking conspiratorial glances at one another, then joining forces for a raucous version of 'Happy Birthday'", and the ritual is "cruel and even barbaric" to children. Huh?? Am I missing something?

I don't think I've ever seen the birthday kid cry from being upset at his own birthday party when people are singing to him and presenting his cake. I don't think I've even seen it on television. The closest thing is probably seeing Jack (30 Rock) throw up at his birthday party after opening some present that made him so HAPPY (notice: happy is the emotion, not sad) that he vomited. But that's basically it.

Mike, you've got to invite me to these birthday parties you go to, so I can observe this fascinating ritual you are writing about. It all seems so alien to me.

And that concludes the Metro Potpourri for today!

~ Why Why

Harry Potter and The Medical Profession

It's the title of my new book, you see...

Recently I had to write a 200 word piece about what my favorite book was and why (and it was of course implied, that my reasons for liking it MUST be related to its connectih with medicine). And naturally, I wrote about "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows".

Naturally.

I won't deny it. I love the entire Harry Potter series (except Book 2. I do not love Book 2) and despite the fact that it is so cliched and filled with borrowed material from ancient cultures and myths, I love what it has come to symbolize and what it teaches. And it has a fantastically complicated and detailed plot line (there is stuff relevant in the very first book to things that are mentioned in the 5th, 6th and 7th books). I don't think anyone can deny that.

In any case, Harry Potter, especially the 7th book, has a very special connection to medicine (and to life in general), in that it discusses how Harry comes to accept the inevitability of death. Because how many people in the world do we know are comfortable with the idea of dying?

I think part of the reason that passing on is such a scary thought to us is partially due to the fact that many of us don't know what's beyond life, IF there is anything beyond life. And the idea of everything that we've ever known coming to an abrupt end and vanishing like smoke into thin air is terrifying. Because it's as if our existence is permanently stamped out of reality, as if we've never lived or walked on the earth, as if we've never been born. Our lives are dictated by our determined escape from death, our desperate plea to postpone what will come inevitably. Those who welcome death are not the ones who seek it as an escape, but have come to terms with what will happen after they're gone, and are okay with that.

I'm terrified of death in any way, shape, or form. Even for creatures which I loathe (like bugs and spiders and worms.... ew), seeing them get squished is not any more pleasant than seeing them crawl around (although I suspect it is partially because both prospects are equally revolting). I am deathly afraid (no pun intended) of losing anyone I know to the inevitable, especially if I think it's too soon for them to leave (and I will always think it's too soon for them to leave). Which makes me wonder if I'll ever be able to deal with death, when I am struggling so hard to enter into a profession that is full of it.

And then I think of Harry Potter. The brave (albeit fictional) boy who puts others before himself, who fights so that others don't have to fight, who walks towards Death with open arms like Ignotus Peverell (who is said to have greeted Death as an old friend and an equal).

I wonder if I could ever do that?

Snookered...

...is a great word!

What are some other great words?

(Sorry, it's Sunday and I'm pooped. Plus I am not remotely inspired by anything today. Hopefully the Metro will bring something good tomorrow!)

Best of both worlds?

Sorry Hannah Montana, but I'm not actually talking about you.

This past summer, I had the privilege of teaching at a bilingual school in China. At first I was apprehensive about the program. The school was clearly well funded, and being a school that taught Chinese and English, the tuition was probably quite expensive, which means that most of the children came from wealthy families. And yes, I gave in to the stereotypical impression that rich kids meant snooty kids. Oh how wrong I was...

The children I interacted with were among some of the most selfless kids I have ever seen. There was the occasional temper tantrum and tweenage angst, but on the whole, they behaved better than any group of American kids I have taught. I am convinced that it is due to a combination of Eastern discipline and Western education. I am talking about, of course, Confucian values and Socratic thinking.

Of course, the Confucian values were not taken literally from the meanings, that is to say, the school did not operate on the basis that women were inferior to men, and that men were inferior to their leaders. However, they did practice strict etiquette in terms of proper respect due to an elder. For example, all the young males at the camp could not sit in the presence of the principal unless the principal was seated. When children brought in snacks, they made sure to offer a portion to their teachers before eating it themselves. Outside of the classroom, they listened intently to what adults had to say about any and every topic. When given a reward of sorts from their teachers, the younger ones would immediately think of their siblings, and instead of enjoying their prize by themselves, waited instead to share with their older/younger sister/brother. Their teachers did not just teach them, but also took care of them and looked after them like a parent. At the school, there existed not only a learning community, but a family. This was something I loved about Confucian values: treat everyone as a friend, treat everyone as family, and treat everyone with respect. Listen to your elders and care for the young.

However, instead of placing emphasis on memorization and conformed thinking, the school encouraged progressive and creative thinking, as well as asking questions and innovation. Of course, students were still encouraged to memorize famous pieces of Chinese and English literature. I know for a fact that their capacity for memorization is far greater than mine ever was, yet they still retain the curious and intellectual spirit that is so desired in American liberal arts schools. It is probably helpful that their dedication to schoolwork and learning is also inspired by a deep respect and admiration for their own teachers. Their school system is not unlike the one I grew up in: the most liberal education philosophy in one of the most liberal towns of one of the most liberal states in one of the most liberal countries in the world.

I am truly convinced that this school embodied the best of both cultures, with respect to education, and maybe to life in general. I don't think this school is just an example of what other schools in China should strive for, but also what an education in America should strive for. Students need to learn to respect their teachers, not out of fear (although that undoubtedly helps), but out of love and respect. And parents should view teachers as a partner in their children's growing experience, not as an outsourcing option. It seems that the American and Chinese education system would stand to gain quite a bit from each other, for the sake of their children and the nation's future.

I, for one, will try to give my children the best of both worlds.

RIP Ted

Page 06, "Message in a bottle", Tom Foreman

"We must not surrender to the relentless medical inflation that can bankrupt almost anyone and that may soon break the budgets of government at every level. Let us insist on real controls over what doctors and hospital can charge, and let us resolve that the state of a family's health shall never depend on the size of a family's wealth." ~ The Late Senator Edward Kennedy, Address to the Democratic Convention, 1980

The health policy debate that is currently raging across the nation has been a personal topic of interest for a while. Realizing that I knew very little about the way health care operates in our country (and I still do. I feel like very few people TRULY understand how it works anyway), I tried to keep an open mind to the arguments made from both sides. It's an interesting topic to me because of its interest to the nation, but especially because I plan on entering the medical profession!

As a disclaimer, I would like to first state that I do not identify myself exclusively as a Democrat or a Republican (I suppose this makes me somewhat of an Independent?), but that my views do tend to side with the Democratic party (big difference!).

Anyway, my first reaction to the above quote was: why do doctors have an inherently evil image in modern society?

And my first answer to that question was: because doctors are misunderstood and miscategorized.

It seems that doctors have fallen in to the same social cateogory as lawyers and ibankers. They are portrayed as money-grubbing professionals who take advantage of the common person's confusion. A lawyer understands law, his client does not, thus, the lawyer will try and swindle as much money from his client with his tools of law as possible. An ibanker understands the market, his investor does not, thus, the ibanker will try and swindle as much money from his investor with his numbers as possible. A doctor understands medicine, his patient does not, thus, the doctor will try and swindle as much money from his patient with useless medical procedures as possible. It seems that a lawyer/ibanker/doctor cannot be considered good-natured and pure of heart unless they they dedicate their entire life/career doing pro bono work.

Huh?

Last I checked, the wrong doings of a couple doctors does not equal the innate shortcomings of all medical professionals in existence!

Sometimes it boggles my mind how we live in a capitalist society, in all meanings of the world. We earn our money, we earn our friends, we earn our lifestyles, and we earn respect. The more friends we have, the more popular we are, the more respect we have, the more popular we are, yet it seems that the more money we have, the less we are liked. Yes, it is undeniable that lawyers, ibankers, and doctors have the highest salary amongst all the different professions. And yes, I would agree 100% that teachers, policemen, and firefighters, who give back just as much to the community, if not more, deserve higher paying salaries than they have now. But doctors are not evil people! They are people who are driven by a desire to heal, and yes, unabashedly, a desire to make a living and provide for their families by making MONEY. They are competitive people because a capitalist society made them that way.

It's like saying to a child, I have raised you to speak only English, why can't you speak French, dammit?

They can speak French, but obviously not right away. It doesn't work like magic. Just give them some time to learn, and yes, someone to teach them would be helpful as well.

And now, a penny for your thoughts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdQKetTLXm8

(Personally I think universal health care is a great idea in theory, but I have many reservations about it becoming a reality, mostly due to the timing of it all and the circumstances around it. Explaining that would take another post, so perhaps on the weekend then, since there is no Metro on the weekends.)

~ Why Why

Preface

Every day on my way to work I try to grab a copy of the Metro. It's a habit that began when NK and I would do the crossword puzzle during lunch breaks, and this always required a copy of the Metro (hard copy of a free crossword puzzle!). And so as the saying goes, old habits die hard.

Recently, for lack of better things to do on the way to work, I began perusing the different articles of the Metro, quickly scanning every small column or lengthy article, and reading carefully those that caught my eye. It was, as I discovered, an efficient way of keeping up with world and U.S. news, entertainment, and sports. Perhaps not as informative as reading through the articles of the NYTimes (which I gladly do on the days when I have more free time), but good enough for me to know what's going on in the world within the 15 minutes it takes to flip through the leafy Metro.

Lately I've found myself laughing, wondering, and fuming over the short articles in the Metro, whether it is about the latest development in health care policy, the death of a beloved Kennedy, the Patriot's chances of a perfect season, or violent deaths abroad and at home. Almost unfailingly, the articles that make me think the most are the Op-Ed (and I suspect this is what they're designed to do), which spur on my internal muse of ideas, opinions and questions. Sometimes I surprised myself as how little I knew, how emotional I felt, or how deep my questions were, all inspired by a few lines of text. But I had no where to write all of this gobbledegook (credit: JK Rowling) down.

Until now.

So I hope that with this blog, I can keep track of my own thought processes, my learning experiences, and my occasional deductions. I welcome all readers of political, social, economic, cultural, societal, whatever-al background to read this, and I welcome even more your opinions, discussions, questions, and insights into whatever. Although if you ask a question, I can't promise that I will be able to answer it coherently, but at least it will make me think (which is good, I'm getting rusty, being out of school and all that).

Feel free to comment away! Just do me a favor and R-E-S-P-E-C-T differing opinions, and keep an open mind :).

Hoping to hear from your inner muse,

WhyWhy

ADDENDUM: I have decided that the Metro cannot be my muse for every great internal (and external) debate I will have. So despite the title of this blog, there will probably be some other Musings as well, inspired by things other than the Metro...