Mele Kalikimaka!

Sorry for the last post, I told myself I wasn't going to write about serious/political things. Admittedly, I knew that wasn't going to happen. I'll try to keep it a little lighter for the most part.

For Christmas, my lovely brother gave me an ukulele! Now keeping in mind that I've literally no musical ability whatsoever, I'm already quite happy with my progress, if I may say so myself. It's an adorable little yellow Makala. Actually it's really cheap; it doesn't stay tuned for very long. Andy's given me a few pointers, he basically taught himself this fall after we got one for him for his birthday in July. Now I just discovered this website, ukeschool.com, which has free lessons and tuning guides and chord charts and everything I need. My fingers are getting pretty sore. Unfortunately, I really can't bring it to school with me, as I already go to extreme lengths to distract myself and really don't need the added bonus of a musical instrument to torture my roommates with. So that leaves me a little more than two weeks to try and learn as much as possible....which may amount to very little, indeed.

Anyway, ukeschool is great. One hour lessons once a day, and interactive shtuff you can play along to.  My goal, longterm that is, is to one day play this song relatively well.

Due to my inherent lack of singing ability, that day may be a long way off.

It's over, YOU LOST.

Today(or I guess yesterday now), Obama signed the act which repeals "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in the military. A month or two ago, a federal judge ruled that Prop 19 is unconstitutional. Discrimination against gays is slowly coming to an end. So why, I ask you, why do people continue to fight it?

As long as it may take us, our society has a way of slowly correcting its wrongs. Gay marriage WILL eventually be legal. Gay couples WILL eventually be able to adopt. And discrimination, let alone blatant hatred, towards LGBT individuals will one day no longer be tolerated in any institution or public setting. That's not to say it will be completely eradicated, since racism and sexism still exist despite great strides, but gays and lesbians and transexuals will be able to be open about who they are without needing to fear an immediate backlash from their family, friends, peers, or coworkers.

It's so tedious. Why do people have to try stand in the way of what's already a reality? The time and energy they waste spreading homophobia and hatred could be so much better spent doing good. I guess it's easy for me to say that when I've been raised to accept homosexuality, but I just can't understand what anyone can have against two people, who love each other just like anyone else does, making a commitment to one another and spending the rest of their lives together. There's just no argument that can hold up against it. It's love, damn it. It may be cliche and lame but that's what it is and saying it's unnatural or evil isn't going to stop it from happening. I'm sick of it, there are literally THOUSANDS of other issues that should be taking up our attention! Can't we just get past who has sex with who and just move on to the bigger picture?

Anyway, this is a video a friend of mine showed me. She's gay, and I think this really helped her not to feel alone back when she hadn't told anyone. Whatever your opinions, Harvey Milk was a pretty inspiring guy, and what he says applies to any minority or group of people who face obstacles.

Time to go back.

I've been away almost 4 months. That's unbelievable to me. When I look back I feel like it flashed by, even though I know those first few weeks were hard and dragged at times. Tomorrow, after 7 hours of plane travel, I'll be back again. Just like that.

I donno, it just seems so strange to me. I'm excited out of my mind, but I'm going to miss it here so much. Sometimes it seems like a month back home won't be enough, other times I worry that I'll be going crazy by the end. I guess that's fairly good happy medium.

Anyway, tomorrow's going to be a long day. It'll be good to be home, and see my family and friends. In fact, the more I think about, the more I worry I won't be able to sleep tonight.

This video's hilarious, so I'll leave you with that.

Back for more

Alright, let's have another go at this. And not just because I should be studying for the final I have in less than 12 hours. Of course not.

Break is quickly approaching, meaning there will be a lot more time to keep up with a blog. Also, I'm hoping to apply for Nicholas D. Kristof's annual "Win-A-Trip" essay contest. Kristof is a humanitarian and New York Times columnist who sponsors this contest each year for aspiring-journalists currently in college. The winner travels with him to Africa, where they are essentially given a crash course on reporting on social issues in the developing world. It's an amazing experience, and I've wanted to apply ever since my brother first told me about it. Kristof has an incredible career; traveling the world and reporting on the inspiring and heartbreaking situations he finds. I doubt that I'll be picked, in fact I know I won't, but now that I'm in college and eligible I'll do it anyway. I don't have much experience to recommend me, but I'll still apply every year. On ne sait jamais!


Speaking of different countries and languages I don't speak, someone recently showed me a list of words that are virtually untranslatable. Some of them are really beautiful, some just funny. These are my favorites:
2. Mamihlapinatapei

Yagan (indigenous language of Tierra del Fuego) – “the wordless, yet meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something but are both reluctant to start” 
7. Tartle

Scottish – The act of hestitating while introducing someone because you’ve forgotten their name. 
17. L’appel du vide
French – “The call of the void” is this French expression’s literal translation, but more significantly it’s used to describe the instinctive urge to jump from high places.
18. Ya’aburnee
Arabic – Both morbid and beautiful at once, this incantatory word means “You bury me,” a declaration of one’s hope that they’ll die before another person because of how difficult it would be to live without them.

I love language. I really wish I was gifted with learning others, but I'll have to content myself with just enjoying English and little bits and pieces of others for the time being. 

Keep Snitchin'

Ok, ok. I was neglectful for a few days, but in my defense I had a midterm and a Poli Sci quiz on my plate, not to mention my best friend coming to visit tomorrow to prepare for. You'll notice I underlined that last bit. This is pretty big. I haven't seen her, or any of my family and friends from home, for over 3 months. So I'm pretty stoked. Hella stoked, if you'll forgive the NorCal expression (no hard feelings if you don't, I won't be forgiving myself either).

I'm also quite excited because this coming weekend marks our very first quidditch game EVER, against our arch-rival university. We just got our team jerseys yesterday, and we look spectacular. You may be asking yourself, "Whoa. How are you so cool that you are actually on a legitimate college quidditch team?" or perhaps, if you are a cultural-outsider (just kidding, sort of) "Wait, what the hell is quidditch?". Well my muggle friends, I am in fact a member of my university's official quidditch team, and quidditch is in fact one of the fastest growing sports on college campuses throughout the country right now. It's not limited to the U.S. though, check out the International Quidditch Association website, it's global! For anyone who is unfortunate enough to not know what quidditch is, it is an extremely entertaining sport played by the characters in The Harry Potter series. We play by roughly the same rules, the only real difference being the whole flying thing, which we're working on. We run around a field with broomsticks between our legs, trying to throw a quaffle (deflated soccer ball) past a keeper and through one of three goals (hula-hoops on poles) at either end of the pitch. The beaters (my position) run around throwing bludgers (small dodge-balls) at the people trying to score, forcing them to drop the quaffle and run back to their respective side. There are also seekers hunting around elsewhere for the snitch (runner dressed in yellow with a sock attached to his waistband) while all this is going on. The game ends when the snitch is caught, and the team with the most points wins!

If it sounds complicated, it is. If it doesn't sound complicated, trust me, it is. It's also one of the funniest things you could ever possibly witness, due to the broom aspect mainly. We always have a large audience at our practices, and they almost always end up cheering wildly as the seekers inevitably close-in on the snitch. That may be due in part to the sheer epic-ness of the snitch battle, which lasts for quite sometime and can involve the snitch hiding in bushes and climbing trees or buildings to evade the seekers. Needless to say, it's just one more reason why I absolutely adore this place. My friends and I ran a Harry Potter club in high school, and we played our own version of quidditch a few times. My friend in Boston is actually on the team at her school, and will be going with them to the WORLD CUP in New York City this weekend. Oh yes, there is a world cup.

I'm unbelievably jealous, but we'll be having plenty of fun at our own event this Sunday. Butterbeer, costume contest, movie give-aways, and quidditch....

Sounds like a Potter geek's wet dream. Keep snitchin' my friends.

Isn't it weird?

It's strange how natural it feels to be living so far from home. It doesn't feel weird at all. The transition was so easy. Sure, the first two weeks or so were somewhat tough, and I may get a little homesick from time to time, but it makes me feel proud for some reason that everything has worked out so well. 

For months, from the time I was accepted here all through the summer, it never hit me just how far away I was going to school. People would say it all the time whenever I told them where I was going, but it never really registered. Every time my Grandmother called, literally up until I left, she'd ask again if I was "really going all the way out there?", "but aren't there plenty of good schools around here?", as if I still hadn't sent in the deposit in late April. Sometime in the week before I left, I was suddenly hit with this giant sense of dread. I've lived in the same house, in the same town since I was born. Why was I going so far away from everyone I love, making my parents spend so much just so that I can go somewhere "cool"? Sure it's a great school, but do I even belong there? Had I just been trying to prove something? I started to get the feeling that people were thinking that. Neighbors and relatives didn't seem to believe that I understood what I was getting into, the "culture shock" they seemed to think I was in for. I'm probably exaggerating, but then that's the paranoia I was feeling just before I left. Saying goodbye to my brother and sister, now that was a reaction I didn't expect. I cried so much, but not just because I knew I wouldn't be seeing them again for almost 4 months. "Don't be scared", my sister told me. I guess she could tell. I guess I'm not as great an actor as I'd like to believe sometimes. Seeing my parents walk away the night I said goodbye to them, my Dad actually crying, now that freaked me out. My mom even reminded me that I could always transfer, and that actually comforted me. I'll be honest, I spent a few nights muffling the sobs, hoping my roommates wouldn't hear.

Admitting that actually makes it seem like my transition wasn't all that smooth. But before I knew it, that had passed. Everything fell into place; school, friends, a sense of comfort and belonging.  I love it here. I'm completely confident that this was the perfect choice after all. The people I've met, the things I've been doing, it's like a dream come true. And I don't give a shit that that was cliche. I still miss things, especially at this time of year. Random smells, sounds, conversations, and people constantly remind me of my friends and family and home. I can't wait to be back with all of them, but I already feel like I have a family and a home her, too. It's a great feeling to find that all of your misgivings were wrong. Suddenly, four years doesn't seem like enough time here. Maybe I just got lucky on a gamble, but it makes me a lot more confident about any other big changes I'll be facing in the future. 

Bear with me, s'il vous plait.

Right now I'm going through French withdrawal. After four years of high school French class everyday, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but I never expected to miss it. I thought that I might take up another language now, something more exotic and unusual, and perhaps I still will, but as of now it looks like I'll be having a one-hour French class every day of the spring semester, which just ruins my hopes of having Fridays free. Hrmph.

My sister's glad. She's a French teacher, but she's currently living abroad for the year to teach English in France. I want so badly to visit her at some point, especially since I've never been there, but it seems unlikely as of now. It's hard enough even to set up times to talk with her, given the 9 hour time difference.

I think part of my withdrawal stems from being away from my friends more than studying the language. We love to watch French movies, listen to French music, eat crepes, and swoon over French actors. Gaspard Ulliel is tres, tres mignon. I can't believe I haven't watch Amelie or Un Long Dimanche de Fiançailles since I left home. I was craving French film so much today that I watched one rather than doing my homework (big surprise); La Belle Personne. 

It's about a shy, 16 year-old girl who recently lost her mother and switched to a new school, where just about every male classmate (and one very sexy male teacher) falls in love with her. It was pretty good: very good acting, interesting story, depressing though, but then that's common with most French movies, I find.

Anyway, this has been a pretty dull post. I do have more interesting things to talk about, I promise. Right now I'm just trying to focus on writing everyday. Trying to make a habit out of it, I guess.

Yikes...

I've been wanting to start this for some time now, and a sleepless night like tonight seemed like as good a time as any. Hopefully I won't disappoint myself too much with the lack of wittiness I produce. I think, at least for now, this is really just for my benefit anyway. Living so far away from home has been an adjustment, but not to the extent I thought it would, so I'm not promising anything fascinating or, like I said, witty. Just do me a favor, and go ahead and lower your expectations.

While I've never had success with journals, it would be nice to have a sort of safe place to store my thoughts. Just realized the irony of that statement, given that the internet is by no means a "safe place" to store personal information. Oh well.

I definitely don't need another outlet for procrastination right now either, but this has to be a better waste of my time than facebook, right?

I look forward to exploring the graphic possibilities on this thing, as well as to developing the literary "voice" that I never felt like I mastered in any of my previous writing experience.

In conclusion, I'll leave you(or rather me) with a cartoon a friend of mine found the other day, which perfectly sums up my nightly experience with the dining hall dessert tray...

I find it thoroughly amusing. God I hate raisins though.