A Year in Quotations: 18/365

New Obsession: Conch Earrings

Key. Kim Kibum. Almighty Key. Diva. KimKey. Umma. Triple Threat.
SHINee's Key is starting to slowly nudge Jonghyun off my SHINee bias throne. I don't know whether he will succeed because I sometimes dislike his fashion style and I don't think I can get over Jonghyun's insane vocal range. However, Key has one of the most unique voices I've heard and he's entertaining. I love his personality, it's so diverse. Don't even get me started on his looks.
Moving along, Key inspired me to get my ears pierced. Again. Last time it didn't work out all that well so I will make sure to sniff out the best piercing salon beforehand. Though regular lobe piercings won't do the trick this time around - I want the inside of my ear pierced as well.

Key has 5 piercings in his ears; the 3 on his right are seen here.

A clear example of what I want. I love this grey metallic stud  >_<
If you have a high-resolution screen, you will see than the silver earring is a lock. Lock.. Key..

Ugh, he makes them look so cool... Plus, I'm not an avid fan of long dangly earrings because my hair winds around them and it gets rather annoying. A regular lobe piercing and an outer conch, like Key's.
One of my parental units has a second lobe stud but I decided against that because it's rather common, unlike a conch, a rook and a tragus. I thought rooks are too small and not so expressive, and tragi might get in the way of my earphones - hell will have to freeze over before I give up my music.
I did my homework and found that outer conch earrings come in two varieties - one type is a tiny silver hoop that stays on the inside of the ear, and the second type is one that comes straight through, like a lobe piercing, so you have more choices of earrings (although with this one, you cannot wear hoops).
I wonder how the piercing procedure is.. I don't think it's with a gun like it is for lobe. Maybe it will hurt a lot. But you know, pain is good. It reminds you that you're alive.

What am I listening to: JoJo (SHINee)
What am I thinking of: my elementary school nickname was JJ.. That's close to JoJo, right?
What I should be doing: homework for next week. It's okay, that's what Saturdays are for
What I want to do: prank call someone, seductively whisper "SHINee's back" and hang up

Subconscious Chaos

How on earth did I get so much homework? It's only been two days of school since the break and I'm already drowning in it. English, Psychology, Socials, Math, Science, Spanish... And on top of that, I've got a lot of things to attend to for the next several days. I know what you're thinking. Why am I blogging if I have so little time to waste? You're right.

I love school.

A Year in Quotations: 17/365

Chapter 5. A Woman's Place

Owning a house made me more aware of these stereotypes. When Chuck and I were living in an apartment, people didn't expect us to be like other married and settled couples. They didn't ask me about furniture, so I didn't know that many people expected me to be more interested in house decoration than in writing, teaching or running. Once I knew, I couldn't get over feeling angry and belittled. People talked as though, in all areas of life, women were more interested in surface decoration than content. When my friend Diane, a philosopher married to another philosopher, mentioned having helped her husband write his books, even some of our colleagues at the college assumed that she had proofread his manuscripts and suggested stylistic changes. They looked surprised to hear her husband say that Diane had helped him examine his basic concepts by challenging the weak links in his arguments. Talking about marriages and houses seemed to bring out everyone's sexism.
When Diane was teaching part-time at our college - where her husband teaches full time- she ran into someone from work while she was shopping. Her arms loaded with sweaters, she was looking for a fitting room. The man smiled at her, winked, and said, "Out spending your husband's money?" She nodded curtly and kept walking - when she got to the fitting room and closed the door, she realized that she was holding back her tears.
I understood how Diane had felt. She had been too shocked by the man's comment to respond or to correct him. What distinguishes unjust discrimination from other forms of rudeness may be that we never get used to it: every time, we are shocked and appalled as if it were the first time. I had known about sexism before Chuck and I bought a house. By reading books, attending women's studies classes, or watching interviews on TV never prepared me for experiencing it myself. Every time someone asked me  if I ironed Chuck's shirts, if I planned to work part-time or stay home once we had children, I wanted to cry or slam the door and walk out. I never got used to being reminded that I was "just a woman" and that a woman's place was in the house. I couldn't help seeing the house as something that was used to put a woman "in her place" - a form of punishment.

Kyoko Mori, Polite Lies

Chapter 4. Rituals

Faith - whether Zen or Catholic - revolves around what can never be explained or made familiar. We can no more define or explain the sound of one hand clapping, our face before we were born, or why we must kill the Buddha if we encounter him on our way than we can truly understand the mysteries of the Trinity, the Immaculate Conception, or the Resurrection. Faith in its pure form demands that we leap into these unknown truths or mysteries - but this is precisely what we don't want to do when we are faced with the death of someone we love. We choose ritual over faith. We would rather string beaded crosses inside an aquarium or worship at a doll-house altar and believe that we are doing something for the dead than admit the truth - that there is nothing we can do for them, no explanations about where they have gone, whether they even exist anymore. In our grief, we cannot we cannot leap into the unknown or express inexpressible truths. Even if our rituals seem false, clichéd, or in bad taste, they are the polite lies we need.

Kyoko Mori, Polite Lies

Seoul Soul

Warning: What follows is meaningless fangirl talk, which is a horrible waste of your time as it is completely irrelevant to your interests and concerns. Proceed at own risk.

Sherlock's music video is out! Finally. Overall, I like it a lot. Not so much as the Lucifer video but it's very good. SHINee's vocals have improved even further along with the dance skills. The dance was choreographed by Tony Testa, who earned his reputation as one of the world's top choreographers by making the choreography for Michael Jackson's "This Is It" and for other pop stars such as Kylie Minogue and Janet Jackson. It looks really difficult to perform..
SHINee somehow incorporated two completely different themes into the music video and pulled it off. The colourful 80s theme of the teaser images and the sophisticated, detective theme of the music video. They did the acting part of the video in their grey suits, top hats and white gloves, while the dancing was done in acid-wash jeans, striped shirts and bright bracelets. They were trying to be serious and sexy but their dance outfits disagreed and made them appear rather childish~
There are many things I liked about the music video. First and foremost was the song, which is currently my favorite. The energetic dance was good, although Lucifer still remains at the top. The set was really believable, to the point that I read numerous comments about it being filmed in an actual museum. The award for best haircut went to Taemin's shorter style. Best vocalist was Jonghyun (as usual), Key being a close runner up. Taemin really matured, from a soft-spoken kid who couldn't sing much into a dance machine whose vocals I sometimes confuse for Jonghyun's. Surprisingly, Tae didn't end up looking like a girl, despite his long hair - don't believe me? Go see for yourself! -link below-
And of course there were things I didn't like. The dance outfits made me laugh, especially Taemin's getup and Key's star shorts. Three decisions S.M. made that baffled me: Taemin keeping his long hair, Key wearing black nail polish, and Jonghyun having raccoon eyes. Considering the latter two are my biases, I really wanted to bitch-slap their stylists. How dare they humiliate them like that?
Also I don't understand why on earth S.M. gave EXO 26 teasers, while SHINee got 39 seconds of a teaser. But that's okay, 1.2 million views and counting in less than 15 hours is how we do it. Hell yeah.
You bored by now? Alright, I've said everything I wanted to. Oh wait, one more thing.. SHINee's back!~

I was going to start looking to buy Kurta pants, but looks like Jonghyun beat me to it.

SHINee Sherlock Music Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kyG5tTZ1iE

What am I listening to: the above

What am I thinking of: Youtube should have a replay button that pressed itself

What I should be doing: cleaning up my room

What I want to do: see SHINee win all the awards, as they did previously with Juliette

Chapter 3. Secrets

My friends rebel against Western medicine just as they rebel against other Western, American, or patriotic ideas they've been taught to respect: singing the national anthem and saluting the flag, going to church, working hard to get rich. My friends don't trust these ideals or practices because they have not freely chosen them. They trust yoga and Chinese herbs because, by their own choice, they have read books and attended lectures about them. Choice and knowledge are important elements in trust.
I trust my doctor for the same reason. I go to a doctor whose office is twenty miles away because I like the way she answers my questions - she is always clear and enthusiastic. She doesn't think that, as a doctor, she has special knowledge that I won't be able to understand, or that I should just accept her advice regardless of my feelings. I trust her, in the end, because I know she will always tell me the truth.
That's how I differ from my Japanese relatives. To me, knowledge is essential to trust. The more I know, the more I can trust. The more I trust someone, the more I want to know their opinion. My Japanese relatives believe the opposite. The less they know, the more they rely on trust. The less they trust someone, the less they need to know. They want to trust their doctors because they think they themselves know nothing and can find out nothing.

Kyoko Mori, Polite Lies

Chapter 2. Family

What I miss most about not having family close by is a sense that the past is an open and growing manuscript, expansive and forgiving. When we talk about the past with family, we often find that each of us remembers different aspects of the same experience. Though the difference in memory can sometimes lead to bickering, it's a relief to know that none of us has the sole responsibility for remembering - what we forget can be recalled by someone else. We occasionally learn details we didn't know because we were too young at the time or lived too far away. Family stories can shed a new light on events we think we know. After the conversation, we add the new pieces to our memory. In this way, the past can expand rater than shrink.

Kyoko Mori, Polite Lies

Seoul Soul

Warning: What follows is meaningless fangirl talk, which is a horrible waste of your time as it is completely irrelevant to your interests and concerns. Proceed at own risk.

SHINee's new mini-album, the digital copy of which came out on the 19th, exceeded all my expectations in terms of vocal performance and dance choreography! Honestly, I thought that the hybrid mix (combining two songs into one) of the new single was going to be a failure but it turned out to be my favorite song of the album. SHINee sang two separate songs, Clue and Note, and played the tracks over each other to create a completely new song, Sherlock, in a completely new style, a hybrid mix, which ended up sounding deliciously unique.
Thankfully, S.M. had the sense not to make Taemin look like a girl and shortened his hair before they filmed the music video. Speaking of which, the teaser was great! I don't especially like the breed of dog they used, but that's alright since it appeared for about 4 seconds so it didn't take up too much of the boys' camera time. What I don't understand is how the detective theme of the video (grey, vintage, mystery) ties in with the hobo theme of the teasers (colour, long hair, rags). I guess SHINee will explain the brilliant hidden connection later, as they always do.
I blushed a little as I read the lyrics to the last track of the album, Honesty, which Jonghyun (with a little help from Minho) wrote for their fans, to thank us. SHINee never ceases to amuse me~

What am I listening to: Sherlock (SHINee) on repeat

What am I thinking of: how long it's been since I used my Beats Studio headphones

What I should be doing: my Math, Science, Socials, Psychology and English homework

What I want to do: run to EverySing and buy all the new posters

Chapter 1. Language

In both cultures, the taboo against saying no applies to anything negative. Once, in Japan, I was speaking with my aunt, Akiko, and my brother. My aunt was about to criticize my stepmother, whom she disliked. Because she was with my brother, who feels differently, Akiko began her conversation by saying, "Now, I know, of course, that your stepmother is a very good person in her own way. She means well and she is so generous."
I could tell that my aunt didn't mean a word of what she said because my Midwestern friends do the exact same thing. They, too, say, "I like So-and-so. We get along just fine but" before mentioning anything negative about almost anyone. They might then tell a long story of how that person is arrogant, manipulative, or even dishonest, only to conclude the way they started out: "Of course, he is basically a nice person and we get along fine." They'll nod slightly, as if to say, "We all understand each other." And we do. "I like So-and-so" is simply a disclaimer meant to soften the tone. I expect to hear some version of the disclaimer; I notice when it is omitted. If a friend does not say "So-and-so is a nice person" before and after her long, angry story, I know that she truly dislikes the person she is talking about - so much that the only disclaimer she can make is "I don't like to be so negative, but", making a reference to herself but not to the other person. The omission implies that, as far as she is concerned, the other person no longer deserves her courtesy.

Kyoko Mori, Polite Lies

Opinion: Polite Lies

Even though I couldn't walk and sat in bed all day, the trip to Seattle was worth it because I found Polite Lies by Kyoko Mori in Barnes & Noble. There aren't enough words to describe how much I love and treasure this book. I've been searching for my own copy ever since I came across it by accident last year, during the time when I liked Japanese authors. I only picked it up then because I had forgotten my book for English class and the cover looked appealing enough. It was June so I spent all day preparing for final exams, memorizing biology definitions, recalling the chemical reaction patterns and reviewing the components of the solar system. The only time I tore myself away from my studies was when I walked my dog. I didn't stick my earphones in my ears, as I usually do, but instead took Polite Lies out with me to read. I completed the novel fairly fast as it was quite short (about 250 pages) and I couldn't put it down. I must have bored you by now, sorry. Moving on to what the book is actually about.
I find it really hard to describe the plot, as there isn't much of one. Since I can't spell it out better than the back of the book does, below is the official synopsis.

"In this powerful, exquisitely crafted book, Kyoko Mori delves into her dual heritage with a rare honesty that is both graceful and stirring. From her unhappy childhood in Japan, weighted by a troubled family and a constricting culture, to the American Midwest, where she found herself free to speak as a strong-minded independent woman, though still an outsider, Mori explores the different codes of silence, deference, and expression that govern Japanese and American women's lives: the ties that bind us to family and the lies that keep us apart; the rituals of mourning that give us the courage to accept death; the images of the body that make sex seem foreign to Japanese women and second nature to Americans. In the sensitive hands of this compelling writer, one woman's life becomes the mirror of two profoundly different societies."

My copy will be just as tattered a few years from
now cause I would have referred to it so many times

I treat this book something like a second bible. I spent the entire morning today highlighting and underlining sentences and ideas that I found important. Mori uses the most interesting tone in her writing that I have come across so far - the voice that reads it out to me is calm and simply talking, not forcing any ideas on me or making me agitated as to what happens next. Please forgive my rambling, I tend to get carried away talking about things I really like..




PS: I don't mean to force-feed you any of this, and of course you aren't obligated to read it. But I will post up snippets from each chapter of Polite Lies, parts that I find interesting or important. Enjoy~

первый пончик

Those of you who aren't Russian will probably not understand most of this post, so I appologize in advance. Fellow Russian teenagers, enjoy!

Russian Girl Problems

Problem #1. Your mom goes to the store за хлебом and returns with half the store.

Problem #2. Everything must be at least 90% cotton. If you so much as glance at polyester, your mom goes "ты жe задoxнeшcя!!"

Problem #3. When your parents begin to use English words in between Russian words and they still somehow "Russian-ize" them: надo пo clean-ть, идем пo shop-емcя, это надo пo bleach-aть, пo shread-aть, пo look-aть...

Problem #4. Grandmothers who rhyme everything they don't like: "cookie shmookie", "sushi mushi".

I still have no idea what animal Чебурашка is.
My mom says he's a deformed stuffed bear.

Problem #5. If there is a birthday party, your whole family sings "Heppy Byorzday tu yu".

Problem #6. Your mom can't pronounce your non-Russian boyfriend's name so she gives him a Russian name that she can easily say.

Problem #7. You pull a nearly black fruit/vegetable/fruit item out of the refrigirator and are about to throw it out when you hear, "Hе вздумай это выбрасывать!! Mожно еще обрезать."

Problem #8. Introducing yourself at a party as Julia and having everyone refer to you for the rest of the night as Yulka, Yulkin, Jul, Julz, Yulinka, Yulichka, Yulkchik...

Problem #9. Your mom does laps around the house with the phone, repeating the phrase "ну что тебе сказать.."

Problem #10. Explaining to your American friends that your family is neither yelling or fighting, just talking to eachother.

What am I listening to: Дикий Мужчина (Ленинград)
What am I thinking of: the Motherland

What I should be doing: writing a Thank You note

What I want to do: speak Russian easier

A Year in Quotations: 16/365

"Just keep smiling. One day, life will get tired of upsetting you."

Unknown

the "asshole" that "broke" me

Why are some girls such little bitches? I'm not referring to anyone in particular, I just hear and see a lot of ex-boyfriend bashing things, which frustrates me down to the core. Pictures on tumblr of how girls wish their ex would get STDs or be hit by a car or whatever else they come up with. Could someone please explain to me why they do that? She wastes time thinking of their failed relationship, of everything that went wrong, how he broke her heart, while she doesn't think for a moment of the happy times or of the reasons he had or if it was her herself that caused the problem. You signed up for this, so why are you blaming him and making his life hell? No relationship is perfect and you knew it would eventually end.

Moreover, some girls are beyond ridiculous - they wake up, cake their face in 3-inch makeup, talk shit about their ex while emphasizing how happy they are, then go to bed and cry their eyes out, wishing he would run back to them. Oh. My. God.
I rarely hear guys talk about it, but when they do, they just shrug and say "oh well". That's the kind of attitude everyone finds attractive - accept the fact, learn from it and move on. When you whine about something unreasonable like this, you repel people instead of letting them admire how strong and independent you are. It's more than understandable to miss the relationship but don't go overboard..

This probably makes me sound like a hardass. To tell the truth, I kind of am. Words of sympathy don't escape my lips very often. But let's face it, we will encounter sadder things than break-ups.
Life waits for no man, so put on a bright smile (along with your 3 inches of makeup) and move forward.

What am I listening to: Снег (Филипп Киркоров)
What am I thinking of: winters

What I should be doing: stretching my sore muscles

What I want to do: eat chocolate... but I want that all the time

The Best Medicine

So what if I can't walk or see my friends for a few weeks? That's just the way the cookie crumbles, right? Simply a stroke of bad luck on my part. It won't last long and there's no point in sulking around because it's only temporary and everything will be back to normal soon. So please wait for me  ^_^

~Brush it off and leave it to the rhythm, ayo!~

   What am I listening to: A-Yo (SHINee live performance)

   What am I thinking of: my fantastic friends

   What I should be doing: smiling! I'll do that from now on

   What I want to do: thank everyone

May the odds be ever in your favor

While numerous attempts have been made in the past to push Harry Potter off the throne of media domination, the wizarding world still remains untouched in our hearts. The Chronicles of Narnia, the Golden Compass Trilogy and the Twilight Saga all fell short of the glory that is J.K. Rowling's ability to transport the reader into a fantastical universe they never want to leave. I mean, who wouldn't want to learn magic in a castle where the stairs shift, the armor suits move, and the paintings talk? Show me a child whose dream wasn't to wave a stick and have piles and piles of leaping chocolate frogs appear before them, or mumble a few words and zip their parents' mouths shut.
Several months ago, when the news of a Hunger Games movie reached the ears of MSN, they raised the question of whether the movie would be the next Twilight, which seemed fairly reasonable considering the books are works of art. Now, MSN is comparing the highly anticipated Hunger Games to the famed Harry Potter. The plot sounds familiar enough - two boys and one girl, inseparable friends, are subtly fighting an evil force that makes countless lives miserable. The special effects and imagination of Harry Potter will never be surpassed by the Hunger Games, but the buzz is certainly setting many hopes high. Personally, the books are phenomenal and it looks to be a very promising film with a handful of great actors. I am counting down the days until I go see it on the big screen.

Even if the Hunger Games turn out to be the next Harry Potter, old habits die hard,
so both series will comfortably live side by side on my bookshelf.

What am I listening to: The Winner Takes It All (ABBA cover by Sungha Jung)
What am I thinking of: happy 3rd birthday, dog! I love you, bitch.

What I should be doing: nothing, I wish I had something to do

What I want to do: read "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"

Sherlock: the wait is over

One Direction? Who's that?.. Ah, tell me later, I'm too busy getting ready for SHINee's comeback in only 6 more days! I have to bite a pillow from time to time not to scream my whole house down. This mini album better be damn good, they haven't released anything in the past year and a half. In addition, S.M. Entertainment stated that this comeback will be "world-class level with the best quality music, performances, and style". Now tell me that's not taunting as hell.
Retreating to the K-pop world for a short while, be right back!

(Honestly though, I dunno if they're making a comeback or just releasing a porno. I mean, take a look at the teaser pictures. They're not even appropriate to post here.  ...Me gusta)

The immensity of the fuck we do not give
shall be shown to you in this interpretive dance

What am I listening to: Lucifer (SHINee)

What am I thinking of: my mom mimicking their dances

What I should be doing: nothing, I'm actually done my work

What I want to do: learn the moves! >>>

PS: No, my dearest tiger, I don't love them more than you.
Be reasonable, I don't even know them. I may be a little on
the wild side, but I'm not wasting my time on something unattainable.

holy harmonics

Look at this boy's fingers. They're loaded with magical powers.
Now look at my fingers. They can barely pluck a C from a D.
And now, compare our fingers. They are the same shape.
The way the second knuckle on every finger, except the little finger, sticks out to the sides. The slight outer curve of the top third of the middle finger. The straight construction of the little finger. The slight inner curve of the top third of the ring finger. The way the index finger starts out wide at the second knuckle and gets thinner as you travel up. We even share the soft pillows on the tips.
I wonder if this means it will be easier to play like him because his tabs suit our mutual finger shape.. Hohoho, I'm excited now! But really, this is kind of odd.

What am I listening to: I'm Yours (Jason Mraz cover by Sungha Jung)

What am I thinking of: the chances of having the same shaped fingers as your inspiration

What I should be doing: watching Sungha's videos in hopes to pick up some guitar playing tips

What I want to do: drag myself to school and see my friends

KONY 2012

I'm not sure how to digest the controversial Joseph Kony issue that seems to be spreading around the internet like wildfire. Sure, Invisible Children made a tear-jerking 30 minute film that effectively conveys the message "stop the devil from abducting children and turning them into sex slaves and child soldiers", but how much of the information in that video is true and, more importantly, an immediate concern?

Please don't think that I'm a cold heartless toad who says this movement is pointless, because I'm not saying that. I just don't understand what those crazed activists out there hope to achieve. The cause is all nice and dandy, but two thirds of these people don't know what they're shouting about.
Adding on, the "Cover the Night" idea is completely mind-boggling to me, as if we hadn't learned what comes from a whole bunch of people gathering outside in the dark from the Stanley Cup riot on July 16th.
All talk aside, let's take a look at some possible scenarios as to where this may be heading.

The Dream
Invisible Children say they are aiming to unite people, raise awareness, follow up with "Cover the Night", present a case to the US government and, ultimately, send US soldiers to capture Kony somewhere in the depths of Ugandan jungles and bring him to justice for the hundreds of thousands of children he has physically and emotionally killed.

The Scam
Invisible Children have their heart in the right place, but they have to make profit in some way, right? Each employee earns more than minimum wage, so that would add up to more than $45,000 per year, per person. Plus to keep the offices running and to produce all those products (Action Kits, t-shirts, posters, bracelets, etc.) and organize scores of awareness campaigns yearly doesn't come cheap. Where would they get the money from? Donations, of course. According to statistics, 37% of Invisible Children's income goes to aid in Africa and 47% is spent on advertising. The rest is spent on general expenses. So hey, why not bloat up an issue and see how many people take the bait?

The False Alarm
Is one hundred American men really enough to capture this warlord? Considering the ten years it took for the US and International militaries to find Osama Bin Laden, this seems highly unlikely. Furthermore, the Ugandan military is indeed inept. After watching KONY 2012, people don’t take into account that the Ugandan military, which Invisible Children is supporting, is committing atrocities such as rape and looting, on a consistent basis.  And most importantly, it is reported that Kony hasn’t been active in Uganda since 2006. If this is true, why is Invisible Children still supporting the Ugandan military?


Those are the possible options as I see them. In my humble opinion, the issue is blown way out of proportion. The advertisement for this problem could not be better - with innovative posters, modern bracelets and an emotional video, it's unavoidable not to be drawn in. The only soft spot I have to pick with this is the fact that we are taking action much too late. It is unknown whether Kony is still committing all these monstrosities in Uganda. But even if he isn't, he should still be captured and brought to justice, just not as loudly. There are children suffering right now because of malnutrition, health problems and abuse. Instead of trying so hard to mend the wrongs of yesterday, we need to focus on solving the issues of today, before they become the problems of tomorrow.

Of course I'm just a single person out of 7 billion. In no way am I asking anyone to agree with my opinion. But since others are posting about it, why can't I? This is just my take on it as of now.
If you find that any information presented here is questionable or if you wish to share your opinion, please feel free to post a comment below!

3.11

On the occasion of tragedy one year ago, I extend a warm thank you to thousands around the world who aided the devastated country after the 9.0 earthquake struck Japan, which triggered a series of aftershocks and tsunamis. Thank you for standing together in time of crisis.
Let's rewind to the day the world heard of the disaster. What was shown on the news was unbelievable. Buildings swayed and toppled. Entire villages were washed away. Boats and cars were smashed like matchsticks by the tsunami waves. The scenes and sounds were nearly indescribable. In telling the story, it was civilians and journalists who picked up their cameras and captured moments that resulted in nearly 20,000 people dead and the most expensive natural disaster in world history.
But what was more unbelievable than the catastrophy of March 11, 2011, was the unwavering strength, bravery, and hope of Japanese people.
Today, the world looks back at Japan and sees a once-again powerful country rising from the debris. Highways are being rebuilt at top speed, schools reconstructed, thousands of tonnes of rubble cleared out, power lines are put back up, and neighborhoods that were reduced to bricks are back on their feet. Japanese people remain undaunted by the havoc nature has wreaked on their homeland as step by step they continue rebuilding their nation.

I hope the living are safe

I hope the missing are found

I hope the dead are at peace

-insert interesting title here-

Respect: accepting a person for the weird fruitcake they are.

What am I listening to: Около тебя (Ёлка)

What am I thinking of: what to name this short and dull post

What I should be doing: calling my friend

What I want to do: bend my knee  >_<

Torn Ligaments, Torn Hopes

Not exactly having the time of my life laying on my bed with a 6lb brace on my leg after straining ligaments on both sides of my knee. I would love to know who was the goddamn cow that ran into me.
However, despite its many negatives, laying here immobalized does have a few benefits. Like having the ability to strum my new guitar anytime I want. But really, that's pretty much where the positives end..

I decided to give the moniker of "Zyn" to my 2nd guitar  ^_^

What am I listening to: Merry-Go-Round (Joe Hisaishi cover by Sungha Jung)

What am I thinking of: my lunch

What I should be doing: I suppose I should get started on my homework

What I want to do: play guitar, if only my fingers weren't so worn

Subconscious Chaos

One of the most frustrating things I find about myself is that very often, I don't finish things I start. I quit playing piano, I quit writing stories, I quit drawing, filing personal finances, writing to my friends in Seattle, studying Spanish, speaking Russian, trying to learn more origami techniques, dancing, painting my room... The list goes on. I never finish anyth

Do You?

Do you take life for granted? Do you love somebody? Do you still believe in love and fairytales? Do you care too much? Would you risk your life for anyone? Have you ever been hurt by someone you love? Have you ever been afraid to speak up for what you believe in? Have you ever said "I love you" to anyone? Do you worry about your struggling friends? Do you look back to the past and regret anything?

I take everything for granted and when I stop and think about it, it breaks my heart. I keep a handful of people close to me, I believe in myself and in independence. Love is the most powerful weapon in the world. I try to be cold and build a wall between myself and people who I know will screw me over, but I if have enough faith in them, I can't help trying to reach out to them and turn them around. Giving up everything for someone depends on whether they would give up everything for me. Are they worth the trouble? I have been hurt by someone I love. If I have something to say, I will give you a piece of my mind and not think twice about it. I can't remember the last time I said "I love you" out loud. I have no worry for my friends who I know are going to be alright. I look back on the past and regret nothing. I'm free :)

(kudos to FreeHugs for original post!)

A Year in Quotations: 15/365

"If we discovered that we had only five minutes left to say all that we wanted to say, every telephone booth would be occupied by people calling other people to stammer that they loved them."

Christopher Morley

Turn to the Stars

Why are Zodiac personalities so damn accurate? Mine is a perfect fit.
I found the traits below so frighteningly true, I thought they were describing me personally.

- A Sagittarius won't be kept down for long. After a brief period of being upset, they will bounce back as they think living in sadness is a waste of their energy
- Sagittarians tend to have a higher level of self-confidence than most people
- A Sagittarius will say what they mean. They'll tell anybody exactly what's on their mind
- A Sagittarius may be a procrastinator but does their best work under pressure
- Even a Sagittarius is scared of how wild their sexual thoughts are
- Sagittarians are too concerned about what's going to occur tomorrow to worry about what went wrong today
- A Sagittarius can talk so fast (and so much) that they don't process the full weight of what they're saying, leading to the occasional hurt feelings of those around them
- Don't beat around the bush with a Sagittarius. Just tell it like it is and things will be cool
- A Sagittarius dislikes their integrity being questioned, lack of freedom and being around dull, lifeless people
- Much of the trouble Sagittarians get themselves into is the result of their tendency to shoot first and ask questions later

...why is it that when I have no homework, I always end up on the weird side of the internet? Sigh.