doesn't take much

in addition to my previous venting about appropriate sunglass-wearing and inappropriate ugg-wearing, ive come across a whole bunch of things that make me cringe a little. many of the following are inspired by what ive seen on tv [i know, not a surprise] lately. with the tv on almost all the time at the apartment, ive been exposed to interestingly irritating things...maybe not even just irritating, but also, wtf are you thinking?...or omg, are you serious?! with my trusty notebook always handy, ive been jotting down some thoughts as they come. so here it goes.

1- CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE
i understand that lectures are usually not the most fascinating events. i also understand that while maybe 1/4 of the students are actually paying attention, the other 3/4 are idly moving thru various internet sites, usually myspace/facebook/youtube/aim. i dont really mind this reality...but what really irritates me is when people are so rude as to talk to each other while the professor is speaking. and its not even like a whispered comment, but its the regular volume full-on conversation about personal stuff. and these are the people that clearly don't get the hints when a whole lecture hall frequently turns around to send upset glares your way. ALSO, you know the feeling when you've strategically selected a seat with an empty chair in front of it, comfortably settle into your niche in a seat, feet up, notebook ready...then some stranger happens to stroll over to that ONE seat in front of you [even if their entire row is empty] and sits down, causing you to angrily plop your feet down and remain upset for the rest of the class. no? just me? okay fine.

2- TV GONE very very WRONG

Oxi-Clean guy, Mr. Billy Mays- you know this familiar face..and if not the face, im sure you can recognize the super-loud raspy yelling and constant lack of breath...and unusual enthusiasm about cleaning products. I have no doubt that this guy's products are effective around the house but i'd be interested in knowing exactly what makes this bearded man so trustworthy to sell such uniquely-named products such as: OrangeGlo, Ding King, and Kaboom. Is it his studly physique or perfectly-shaven facial hair or love of thumbs up? He shows up on maybe every other info-mercial...he must be doing something right.










Naomi Campbell...dancing...with lizards...to "Thriller"- If SoBe is trying to celebrate the whole Michael Jackson's Thriller 25th anniversary deal, why choose Naomi Campbell of all people to portray one of the most awesome videos/dances of all time? I'm pretty sure even the computerized lizards did the dance more justice than this model-turned-crazy-cell-phone-thrower. Who's she trying to be?! My girl Beyonce?! I highly doubt her lack of dance skills would make the King of Pop, MJ, particularly proud.





American Idol guys and the attempts to be sexy...or something like that.- We all see it and it makes me cringe every single time. It's the awkward squinting/ wanna-be-sexy-eyes that the male contestants try to utilize, thinking it helps their performance. I don't think your creepy stares into the camera will provoke me to pick up my phone and vote for you. It'll make me look away from the tv and start screaming, "uggggh..i hate when they do that!" Thanks a lot Constantine from Idol Season 4 for starting this trend. It didn't do much for him and it's not getting any of this season's hopefuls anywhere either.











Disney/Nickelodeon [over]actors & actresses- It is almost inevitable that a conversation discussing classic shows from back-in-the day will come up. You bring up Darkwing Duck, Power Rangers, Clarissa Explains it All, Are You Afraid of the Dark, Flash Forward, Babysitters Club, Alex Mac, Gargoyles, TaleSpin, Animaniacs, TinyToons, etc. The conversation usually becomes an argument about how pathetic new kid shows are. Disney and Nickelodeon actors have this unnatural method of acting with excessive facial expressions and over-the-top gestures [ex: Raven Symone]. Shows about rock stars and rich kids. And then...despite the lack of talent, these child stars become hit-selling singers and pop stars?! [ex: Lindsay Lohan] Wow, what's a girl gotta do to get me a gig on Disney?!




the new TRUTH commercials- With the faint memories of the DARE program in elementary school, the Great American Smokeout event in middle school then drug & sex programs in high school...the only exposure to the dangers of smoking is now depicted through the TRUTH campaign and other anti-drug commercials. There have been some pretty powerful commercials of teens going out to confront tobacco companies with body bags or lists of people who were diagnosed with some kind of disease or that cowboy with a whole in his throat singing some catchy tune on a busy street. But lately, ive been a little surprised at the most recent commercials. They start off similar to the previous ones then all of a sudden, the actors bust into some lame song and dance, singing about the magical amount and it must've been a typo. To me, this newly re-vamped campaign portrays anti-smoking as a joke. These commercials no longer keep it simple with a powerful demonstration...but now they've thrown in annoying songs and scary cartoon characters, leaving me a little confused and distracted from the actual significance of the campaign. Way to turn a major social issue into a ridiculous joke.

Cell phone texting- Text LUV to 555-4634 to find out if you want to know who has a secret crush on you. Text PSYCHIC to 344-3948 to find out what's in store for you. Text 555-9383 to get this frog princess as your cell screensaver. Blah blah blah. Not only do these commercials looks ghetto and unappealing, but I feel like they're a waste of perfectly good advertising space. Do people really think that paying a dollar to text to some random cell phone business will reveal some magical truth or you can receive some random graphic.


okay. im supposed to be on my way to a final review session, but ive managed to rush this post. if youre reading this, you probably should be doing something way more productive. =]

BLAH-guh

so its finals week.
[F.I.N.A.L.S.= "F*ck.I.Never.Actually.Learned.Sh--"]

3 down, 1 more to go for me. i should be attempting to recover from an unstable sleep pattern right now because im mentally-drained from stuDYING and i just got back from a pretty tough final...but i had coffee earlier and i figured i should take advantage of an empty apartment. so instead, im jamming to brento's emo music and debating on which blog feat i should pursue next.
depsite this opportunity to have an outpouring of life philosophies or to discuss a clever topic, ill designate this particular post as a quick update...[im sure ill have more time in the very near future to redeem myself from this not-so-entertaining post]


1- ill start with the most personally-exciting news--MY OLDEST SISTER IS ENGAGED! finally after 10 years of being with her boyfriend, derwyn, she finally has that engagement ring on her finger and plans to have the wedding next year. in a nutshell, he did the whole room service-ring box in platter-proposal deal...he cried, she cried, she said yes!. my bro and other sister have known about his intentions to propose for about a month now, so we've been eagerly anticipating the real thang. my family and i are really excited for her and are more than happy to welcome him into the family officially. still kinda weird that my sisters getting married, she's getting old, which, in turn, means that im getting old...which is a scary thought. 21? might as well round up to 25...which rounds up to 30?! yikes. im getting way too ahead of myself.

so...sorry all you hopefuls, this young lady is about to be Mrs. Anda very soon.

2- i made SPOP [student-parent orientation program] staff again, so ill be up in irvine for a good majority of the summer. basically SPOP staffers plan/run freshmen orientations during the summer. what is especially unique about our program is that these awesome staffers are trained to really reach out to the freshmen on a personal level, not just the bland campus tours and academic advising. the program has also endured various changes, such as overnight orientations where the kids stay in teh dorms in now mandatory for all incoming freshmen. but with this requirement, there are now 10 one-night SPOPs, instead of several one-day SPOPs and 3 two-night SPOPs. i know not many of you understand/care about this announcement, but it's a huge deal for me personally because it's an opportunity for me to not take this experience for granted like i did my first time around two years ago. long story short...im realizing that my time in college is becoming very limited so im going "balls-out" with everything that im involved in. so here goes nothing.


3- with this being my third year on MCIA, ive been able to observe the ups and downs of different phases. ive been the hesitant newbie, the more conifdent returner, and now more of the veteran/mentor. through the comings and goings of team members, ive noticed that every person on the team have very different intentions. some have the intentions to improve and reach their ultimate dancing abilities...some people do it as a hobby or to experiment with hip-hop...and some people focus on the underlying concept of having a dance family where "all love" is more than just a motto. personally, i acknowledge that im not the strongest dancer, but i have more love for this team than people may think. i understand i dont try as hard as other teammates, not because of apathy for dance, but because of my weakness of getting frustrated easily [which im really trying to work on]. with that said, ive planned to try to get a position on next year's cabinet, meaning a spot as a team captain......or even coord. the recognition that the team's talent is rising, but the essential focus of balance between love of dance and love for each other is gradually fading. we'll see what happens.

4- ive continued my job as an in-home tutor. im currently tutoring this awesome 5th grader in newport. beautiful house, beautiful family. its basically playtime for me because this kid is extremely easy to work with and definitely closet-genius! the warning that he has ADD and dyslexia worried me, but i haven't noticed any obvious challenges for him. so basically im getting paid to supervise him complete his hw, which ain't too shabby.

5- me, rexer and aj bub went to the World of Dance competition in pomona this past weekend. ive been to many-a-dance show over the years. ive seen sick/wtf/interesting/and omg performances. but for some reason, this particular show left me cranky and on a hip-hop overload. the program consisted of a youth competition [where sd's very own Flipside won!], followed by more modern, interpretive performances by professional companies, then FINALLY the adult division including the return of HI-FI, my FORMality boyfriends, common ground, other competing groups ive never heard of and the usual exhibition groups [including adonis' fave, fysh n chicks]. some issues with the whole shindig----the venue was del mar faire-ish with a building for the actual dance competition and an adjacent building where bboy battles were going on simultaneously, which means we couldn't watch the bboy battles....there was seating for maybe 200 people on bleachers and chairs leaving the 1500+ other people to stand on the sides or sit on the floor like we did, leaving our butts aching and backs sore....the show lasted from 3 pm til 11 pm! the emcees were on the whack side, creating excessive dead time, making redundant jokes and trying to improve the situation by throwing out free t-shirts to shrieking girls. ON THE PLUS SIDE, as always, im really proud of my friends who performed that night. THEY made the show worth it.

i dont know what else to update about.
ive lost my enthusiasm for this topic
& maybe you during the reading of this post.
ill rest up my brain and try to come to some sort of blogging epiphany...

BATTLE of the SEXIES

There is no doubt that my favorite aspect of living at 198 with these fine people is…the bondage. Now, now…relax…its not that type of bondage [most of the time]. I love the part of the day/night where we’re super delirious/bored and someone initiates some random deep conversation…about our days, science, religion, friends, the past, predictions about the future, sexiness, etc. After a supposedly productive day of fort-building [yes, we made a pretty sweet fort], intentions of studying, working out, frustration at MCIA practice and an unnecessary confrontation with a friend, I was more than relieved to return home to the 198 fam…and the bondage that keeps me mentally-stimulated night after night.

Well, last night, the sensitive subject of relationships and the opposing perspectives of ladies and gentlemen were introduced. Yes, there may have been some alcohol somewhere in the mix that could have provoked the emotional expressions and shameless judgments, but I think that was only a secondary factor to the true contrasting feelings of boys and girls. During the intensity of the conversation-turned-debate, I busted out my notebook to take notes, in attempts to record the passionate opinions of my roomies so I could share them with you lovely people. However, when I returned to my notebook today, hoping to recount the issues of last night’s discussion, I discovered a bunch of random quotes, strange word scrambles, and bullet notes of I don’t know what. So here is my utmost attempt at sharing the wise words and heated comments of these sexy people.

boys

vs.

WOMEN

[NOTE: considering the randomness of last night’s debate, do not expect any cohesion coming up. Also, this is obviously NOT WORD-FOR-WORD…just a summary of what I remember and snipits of my own commentary…be prepared for a lengthy entry]

-----------------------------------------------------------

1) TOPIC: CREEPY VS. PLAYFUL

GIRL: There’s a difference between a guy who flirts and it’s playful vs. an aggressive guy that just comes off as creepy. For example, when a girl goes out, there is no doubt, she appreciates the attention from guys…but not that excessive =lame game= where she has to make an excuse to leave the awkward situation. Sometimes it’s strangely fun for a guy to be playful and somewhat hard-to-get. If a girl reciprocates that playful flirtation, then it is safe to take that as a signal that okay, maybe you can approach. But if you do have the balls to come up to a girl, there’s no need to be all “hey baby, damn you’re looking fine” because trust me, the girls worth getting to know/ the girls that aren’t there for a one-nighter will be instantly turned off. As the girl says, “just be yourself”. We’re pretty good at recognizing a natural guy who’s comfortable with himself vs. a guy who’s a little too into himself and swears like his rehearsed game is gonna get him some[where].

BOY: See, but there’s a thin line…not even thin…a dotted line between what a girl thinks is creepy vs. a guy who doesn’t have “lame game”. A genuinely nice guy could just be trying to spit game and a girl will take that as being a creeper. With one wrong move, a girl can immediately consider you to be creepy, then you instantly fall through that perforated line from subtle flirt to creeper. I think the intention of this particular comment refers to a girl’s high expectations of how a guy should interact with her. Yeah, we may have standards but they're realistic...and boys, you need to overcome that misconception that a girl wants to be showered her with cliché compliments or over-used pick-up lines.

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2) TOPIC: GIRLS WORTH FIGHTING FOR

GIRL: Yeah, there’s girls out there that are all about fun and hooking up. And yes, those are the girls who might graciously accept the lame game…and then some. But those are NOT the “girls worth fighting for”. They’re not worth your precious time or getting to know beyond that initial encounter.

BOY: Girl worth fighting for? You know who says things like that…you and your roommate who are already taken! How is a guy supposed to know if they’re worth it? So many times these nice guys go for the wrong girl because all the good girls are already with someone.

GIRL: Don’t worry, when you find her…t’ll be worth it…it’ll pay off later.

BOY: NO, IT WON’T! LIAR! LIAR! LIAR!

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3) TOPIC: THE PHYSICAL ATTRACTION

GIRL: It’s not all about the physical appearance…I mean, of course it helps. Believe it or not, even if a guy’s not the hottest pick in the place, there are girls who actually don’t care and would actually enjoy a good conversation over various physical attributes. This concept is inevitably arguable because of course…there’s those superficial ladies who overlook personality for a good-lookin’ piece of meat. In that case, refer to TOPIC 2.

BOY: Yeah but sometimes girls say…F--k the physical sh--, then sometimes they see Brad Pitt in Snatch take his shirt off and be like shiiiiiit. So it’s his sense of humor? NO! It doesn’t matter if it’s a guy or girl…it’s the physical attraction. As mentioned earlier, instant physical attraction is a plus for both ladies and gents, but sometimes the unlikely/quirky traits of that other person can potentially grow on you, making that person increasingly attractive…and that’s the beauty of looking beyond the surface.

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4) TOPIC: GUYS VS. GIRLS’ DATING MENTALITY

GIRL: Relationships are overrated.

BOY: Because the girls in relationships say they’re overrated.

GIRL: We’re at that tricky age where it can be a struggle when it comes to dating. Do I want to be young, single and free to date around, experimenting and exploring my options? Or because I’m moving towards =that age=, should I search for a serious relationship? I think the pressure of an idealistic future and the realities of being young and invincible create some conflicting force that make girls all twisted when it comes to relationships. So what about guys?

BOY: So what do they want? Do we look for that wifey or the fun material? With girls, you just have to guess because you won’t be able to distinguish that right away. You’re gonna need to plan accordingly.

-----------------------------------------------------------

5) TOPIC: THE FRIEND ZONE

BOY: You know what I hate…being put in the “friends zone”. Like…if I’m a nice guy, it’s always like, “awwww…you’re such a---good friend”. Then…I get put in the friend zone.

GIRL: How do you know that some guys don’t prefer being there? Friend zone means no commitment, no drama, etc. etc…then you conform to that “all I wanna do is get some” stereotype. Okay, so maybe if you happen to unwillingly become that friend-wanting-to-be-more-than-just-friends guy. If you’re really into one of your homegirls [granted that she’s not involved with someone already] then just take that risk of letting her know. Guys always complain about the challenges of [mis]understanding what a girl wants, as if girls don’t wear their hearts on their sleeves. Well, suck it up boys. Guys are just as difficult to understand and if you’re super into some chick, then take that first step. If it doesn’t work out, then it doesn’t work out…you’ll still be friends and if your friendship is legit, then the awkwardness of the big news will eventually disappear. And if it does work out, then woooooot…high five buddy.

-----------------------------------------------------------

6) TOPIC: NICE GUYS FINISH LAST?

BOY: Why do all these good girls end up with all the a-holes?

GIRL: Because girls have that mentality of wanting to fix things with the optimism of “i shouldn’t worry, this drama is temporary…things will change”…which is dangerous for everyone. Boys tend to always play the victim, which is not always the case. It’s just as frustrating for a good girl to see a good guy who’s with a drama-loving/shady girl because maybe she has the nicest curves as it is for say, a good guy to see a good girl oblivious to her bf that obviously doesn’t treat her right.

I’m not defending the ignorance of most girls, but a relationship rarely begins on a sour note. The gradual progression towards the downfall of fighting and bs drags girls into this mindset that everything will be okay…eventually. I’ve experienced this, I’ve seen this happen to too many friends and this is undoubtedly unfortunate for everyone involved. Luckily, im nowhere near that situation in my current relationship =] And yes, too many girls end up in the completely wrong relationship. And yes, too many girls do end up with the badass a-hole. And yes, too many genuinely amazing guys are overlooked. And sorry but I have no idea how to resolve this continuous pattern.

BOY: TEACH ME HOW TO BE A DICK! Let’s plot out how we’re gonna be a dick so girls will like us. MAKE ME A DICK!

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7) TOPIC: THE ULTIMATE TURN-OFF…?

BOY: You know what the #1 biggest turn off is…when a girl says she has a boyfriend.

GIRL: Well…DUHHHHHHH.

BOY: Then what she doing at a bar or club?! How’s a guy supposed to know if she’s taken or not?!

GIRL: What?! Just because I have a boyfriend, I can’t go out? We like to get all dressed up and go out without the bf sometimes. Yeah, we may like the attention from the guys but our intentions of going out is NOT to go home with someone. It’s interesting how people have this misconception that because a girl is in a relationship, she is completely restricted from doing things on her own. I know, I know…there are definitely possessive relationships like this, but for the healthy relationships, understand that it is okay for a lady to be a lady and innocently have a good night out. That does not make her unfaithful or promiscuous…it allows her to maintain her own youthful life. And p.s.…for all you boys who do understand this concept, on behalf of all the girls of the world…THANK YOU. Your willingness to not grasp on too tight is very much appreciated.

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8) TOPIC: CONCLUSION

BOY: You know what? I got that…the preconception…and what was that preconception?...I don’t know sh---.

And with that said, we were all mentally drained and all argued out, not knowing more than we did prior to the debate. Boys are complicated, girls are complicated, relationships are complicated [but definitely possible]. Agree to disagree. Good night.

Quality

Dear Ms. Paula Abdul,
You are so wise. your long pauses, irrelevant comments, unnecessary bickering (with your secret lover simon cowell), awkward clapping, and confusing comments keep me entertained while watching American Idol. You are the reason why I watch this genius show, not for the top tier-ness of randy jackson or simon's hairy chest or the super awkward attempts of song&dance of the super awkward contestants...no no miss paula, it's you.



Dear Lil Mama,
For the same reasons as my homegirl Paula Abdul, I thoroughly enjoy hearing your words of wisdom. I know for a fact that you must really know about hip-hop and good choreography, just as you have a great knowledge about fashion [see picture to the right]. Me and my friends have also wondered if those snazzy hats that you wear are made with holes cut out to accommodate your ponytail...or if you're actually bald and the hats come with ponytails attached to it already. (Please let me know, we are quite curious). Also, J.C. Chasez? A hip-hop dance crew judge? That's an appropriate casting choice. And Shane Sparks, a renowned hip-hop choreographer?...now that's just silly to have someone who actually knows about hip-hop to be a judge. Oh Lil Mama, I'm so glad that you bring your maturity and crucial opinions to the show. Oh yeah, and I guess Kaba and Jabbawockies aren't too shabby. Don't even get me started on the unique talent of BreakSk8...





Dear "Moment of Truth" contestants,
With all the social pressures of marital bliss, I finally understand that participating in this show is a strategic way to secretly cause a divorce. Your willingness to admit to your sinful past for some moola is a tad pathetic. What did you expect by bringing your spouse/family members to a show that only cares about ratings and not about preserving your seemingly cookie-cutter relationship? Way to appear like a douche-box in front of millions of people. Good luck with being disowned and divorced but...enjoy your money.






Dear Project Runway fans,
I think you would all agree with the decision that Christian Siriano was named the winner of Project Runway Season 4. This young lady...i mean, young man at the young age of 21 pursued his dreams and displayed his creative brilliance on the show. His over-use of the word "fabulous" and interesting designs led him to victory against a boring or over-the-top or monotonous drapery. Apparently Christian entered the fashion industry at the age of 13 and continued to The American Intercontinental University in London, landing a sweet job with under a prestigious fashion designer there. High fives Christian, way to prove that age and experience don't mean anything against passion and creative genius.



Speaking of young talent...
David Archuleta,
Oh you, former Star Search contestant considered to be a singing robot programmed by an overload of talent, are now part of American Idol's top 12 at the baby age of 17! Barely past puberty with a hesitant giggle, adorable smile... and a striking resemblance to a younger Ben Stiller, there is no doubt this kid's got talent as well. I forgive you for the mishap on last night's episode babes. Nerves get the best of us sometimes. And like Miss Paula said before...it shows that you aren't some perfect guy...but because you are imperfect...that makes you perfect....something like that. It makes me happy to see our generation blowing up and showcasing their talent for once...instead of being on shows of how lavish our sweet sixteen partays can be. See, all you criticizing adults of America, our generation can do more than surfing the web and blowing off money.

And speaking of money....


Dear "Real Housewives of Orange County",
What a silly decision for you guys to be on this show. So you don't have to work while your hubby makes the money..so you go on luxurious weekend vacations and return to your fancy mansions in the gated communities of the OC... so you get Botox and boob jobs because of the social pressures of looking "good"... so you drive your snazzy cars and smother yourselves with all the "finest" things...and you wonder why your marriages fall apart, your kids are not disciplined, and you're unhappy. Now, that may seem like a harsh judgment on my part..maybe even a little heartless. But seriously, I'm sure it's not that great to live that sorta life...it's kind of a little sad. But hey, if you guys can get away with it...and earn a fatty paycheck for showing off how money is all you have to stand for...then good for you...very good for you.


Thank you television for showcasing the ups and downs of our society.
Thank you for re-establishing stereotypes
and sucking us into idleness & addictions to the media.
Thank you for always being my ultimate guilty pleasure.