Like Mah Status

There is a certain genius to YouTube. I don’t think any of us can say we haven’t wasted a significant amount of time watching YouTube videos at one point or another. Maybe you heard that a video was funny from a friend so you look it up. From this video, other videos pop up on the side and, of course, one of interest catches your eye. Before you realize it, you’ve watched 10 videos and you’re wondering where the last hour went! YouTube has a way of sucking you in. If this phenomenon has yet to happen to you, it might after reading this.

So there is a particular video that had my friends and me laughing for hours…literally. Do you have a Facebook? If so (and I’m assuming you probably do), you may also find this video funny. Go watch “Like Mah Status” if you haven’t already seen it. The video itself is funny and definitely holds your attention.

However, the humor of the video is nothing compared to the thousands (and don’t think I’m exaggerating) of “like mah status” jokes the video inspired. I’m not sure how we even got on the subject. We hadn’t just watched the video. I think it was the combination of a bit of sleep deprivation and someone simply saying “Like Mah Status!!”, but it doesn’t matter how we got there. All I know is that all of the sudden all I could think of was all the stupid things you could put with LMS. “Like mah status if you gotta first name.” “Like mah status if you alive.” “Like mah status if you like pizza.” “Like mah status if you wanna like mah status.” It became a commentary of everything we were saying or doing. Before we knew what was happening, we couldn’t have a conversation without liking mah status about something!

It’s interesting how something as simple as a funny video making fun of some people’s statuses can lead to a whole night of jokes. But I guess that’s also how YouTube works. It allows anyone to post a video about what they care about or what makes them laugh. It is a source of entertainment and learning. Maybe the video doesn’t have to be good. Maybe it can just be so horrible that people can’t stop watching (*cough, cough* Rebecca Black). Either way, it gets our attention, and can lead to good memories with friends. Typically I hate the thought of our generation being completely immersed in technology and social networks. I hate that people can’t just sit around and have a conversation without pulling out their phones to text or check Facebook. But perhaps it’s not all bad. This technology is part of the world we live in. It’s impossible to completely shun it because then we are also shunning advancement and improvement. Maybe my night/day of laughter started with a concept found on a YouTube video, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t create great memories using our own brains separate of technology. The internet is a way to interact, but just because we interact on the internet doesn’t mean we don’t in real life. Even though it seems the world is overrun with these internet connections, maybe I don’t have to fear we are, as a direct result, going to lose personal connection with those around us. This technology (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Blogs...whatever) can act as a spring board for conversation and laughter. So I am rethinking my sometimes skeptical feelings towards these internet/social networking sites As the Clock Ticks…

Happy New Year!

I haven’t written in forever…I was out of town a few days…and lazy a few more. But even though I’m a few days late, I’d like to wish you a Happy New Year!! We made it to 2012. Guess we better really make this the best year ever…you know since we’re all going to die in December and all.

But really, a new year always indicates a new beginning, new hope, new failures, and new resolutions. I have never been one to make ‘New Year’s Resolutions’. If I need to make a change in my life, I like to think that I can make that change day by day, whenever. I don’t need an ending to start a beginning. That being said, it is the perfect time to make an increased effort in whatever area of our life needs it. I was able to make a lot of wonderful friends my first semester of college, but this next semester I want to get to know people in my classes. The majority of people I know live in my dorm. This is fantastic, but it would be good to meet the people I will probably continue to have classes with that are in my major. So even though I claim I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions, I guess that’s one.

I spent my New Year’s Eve with friends at a Josh Abbott Band concert (I even caught his guitar pick!). Nothing could be better than bringing in the New Year with a little two-stepping and country music :). 2011 was full of big events (graduating high school, starting college…etc.), but I have a feeling 2012 will be just as exciting. How do I know? Every year can be exciting. Life is what you make it, right?

“Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” - Hal Borland

We’ve experienced another year, and will use what we learned and be the person we have become in this next one As the Clock Ticks...

P.S. Happy 16^th birthday to my brother!

P.S.S. Another New Year’s quote I thought was funny: “New Year's Resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time.” - James Agate

Frightening Truth

So I went and saw The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo night before last. I have not read the books though I plan to do so. The movie was really good, but difficult to watch. It was very disturbing—showing one especially gruesome rape scene. The girl, Lisbeth is basically forced into prostitution in order to get the money needed to survive. Aside from this, the plot includes a crazy rapist murderer. I kept thinking about what I had watched (especially the rape scene) and it really upset me because it is such a real issue. I just took a Women’s Studies class last semester, and we studied a whole unit on relationship violence and violence in general (rape and sexual assault predominantly). The frequency that this kind of abuse occurs is frightening. 1 in 4 women will suffer some form of sexual assault while in college. 25% is waaay too many women. We studied the effects of said rapes and assaults, and it’s horrible. The strategies for dealing with this growing problem seem like not enough. One man, Jackson Katz, has a whole program and way of thinking that targets the men (you can look his videos up on Youtube). Whatever we can do to deal with this problem…well, I don’t know exactly what that is, but we need to do it.

Aside from rape itself, I can’t imagine being in a situation in which prostitution was my only option. When I think of the stories of women who are forced to sell their bodies and endure abuse at the hands of their customers, it just upsets me so much. I had nightmares that night of being raped. The movie itself truly is fantastic, the acting incredible, and so on…but the truth behind the events is what really gets to you.

I already had these thoughts and concerns about rape and such, and then last night we watched this movie called American Psycho. The movie tells the story of a crazy rapist murderer who gets away with his crimes. The movie was also disturbing and the ending makes no sense at all. I don’t know if you have watched this movie, but I wouldn’t recommend it. But the quality of the movie itself is beside the point. Here also is a movie that shows a man who is insane and living well in society (no one knows he’s an insane killer) and shows his many victims. Rape is real, but is also real in the movie industry. You can’t help but question whether the amount of rape in real life leads to its vast portrayal in movies, or if showing it in movies has some effect on men committing these crimes in real life. On one hand, showing such horrible things raises awareness, but is that only positive awareness? Whenever I watch Criminal Minds, I always wonder if some crazy person is also watching and instead of being horrified at the serial killers, he/she is excited and filled with some sort of sick happiness. Are we giving them ideas and new ways to kill?

My post today is a little depressing (especially right after Christmas), but it’s something that has been weighing on my mind—especially ever since going to the movies the other night. I wish I knew something that I could personally do to help prevent rape and murder…but then again I guess we (we as in sane people) all want to know how to stop terrible things. Maybe we will be able to do something about it, and I will end this post hoping for a better future As the Clock Ticks…

Merry Christmas, y'all

Silent Snapshot Sunday:

I want to wish you a Merry Christmas As the Clock Ticks...:)

Believe

Day 17.

Today is Christmas Eve. The long anticipated night for children everywhere. Santa is Coming!! This “jolly old elf” is one famous man. He has different names, but whatever you want to call him…Santa is basically amazing. Everyone wants to feel and see magic around them. Christmas is considered the most magical time of the year. Maybe that’s why we all want to believe. We all want to believe in life, in our dreams, in our purpose, in our fellow man, in our God—so why not believe in Santa? He embodies all that is good. He gives to everyone and encourages good behavior in children. What more could we want? The Christmas tradition has many greedy qualities, but at the root of all the greed, there really is good. The reason for celebrating is the joy that comes with the birth of Jesus Christ. And that joy can be seen in each little kid’s eyes as they await the coming of Santa. I don’t think it is just the prospect of presents that brings that excitement and wonder. There is a wonderful mystery surrounding Santa/St. Nicholas/Kris Kringle/…, and that mystery also surrounds the birth of Jesus. Santa goes to every house in the entire world in one night. Jesus was conceived by a virgin. Both amazing and almost unbelievable. Yet, we want to believe. We have faith in the unknown. A rare quality in humans, to be sure (we usually fear what we don’t understand…but that’s a topic for another time). So we believe. We have faith in a little baby born of a virgin and a man in red with a belly like a “bowl full of jelly”.

This time of year, let’s all continue to believe in something (it doesn’t matter what) As the Clock Ticks…

in a cubicle

Day 16.

The word of the day Thursday (today I took the word of the day from the New York Times): cubicle

Definition: small area set off by walls for special use

I’m going to stretch the definition a bit…and say that I feel like I’m in a cubicle. I feel restricted being at home after living at school and doing whatever I want whenever I want. I’m not used to being on someone else’s schedule. Which leads to feeling a bit constricted. I’m sure y’all can relate to the feeling.

What really brought the constricted feeling is this morning. The second I got out of the bed, my mom started in on a list of things she needed me to do. Unload and load the dishwasher, wipe down the counter, bake cookies for the neighbor…and so on. I don’t mind helping out, but in that short conversation this morning I was brought back to high school (or really my entire childhood). Who likes chores? I don’t know why I thought that it’d be different when I was home visiting. I guess somehow I thought I would just be able to relax. Not true.

Well I guess I need to get back to cleaning, in my cubicle of life (bit of a stretch of the definition I guess, but whatever) As the Clock Ticks…

The price we pay to be educated...

Day 15.

Well I was off to such a great start, but I forgot to write yesterday! I thought that the time I had at home would give me more time to devote to creating a good blog—turns out I’m busier than ever. So I apologize for all of you that were, I’m sure, absolutely heartbroken that I didn’t post.

Yesterday I spent quite some time online selling my textbooks and trying to find the least expensive ones to buy for next semester. The cost of these books is ridiculous!! The best website I found is called www.bigwords.com. You type in the ISBN number (or whatever it’s called) and then click on whether you want to buy or sell that book. It then prepares a price comparison from various websites so you can see what the best deal is for you! I had heard that www.bookbyte.com was a good place to get cheap textbooks and that they buy back for a fairly good price as well. And for several of the books, bookbyte.com did come up with one of the highest buy back price or lowest price to buy. Another website a friend told me was best for buy back is www.webuytextbooks.com. Another option many people choose, is to rent their textbooks. A popular site for renting is www.chegg.com. Although this is the most well-known, I used a different site to rent one of mine through Bigwords.com. These were the best websites I could find. Bigwords.com is the easiest to use, however, because it shows prices for a lot of different websites and does all the comparison work for you. So for any of you college students out there trying to get the most out of your money, I hope that helps!

Using these websites worked out pretty well, but, unfortunately, not all of my required textbooks are available to buy or rent from other sources. My lab books and Spanish book are made exclusively for my school and have to be purchased through the school bookstore. Also, my Biology textbook is a new edition and has to be bought with the Aplia component. That means I am forced to buy 4 books through the school bookstore. I have the option checked for a used book if available, but if I can’t get a used book…my grand total for those 4 books (3 of which are paperback) is about $500.00!! Why are college textbooks so expensive? They are used for one semester and then sold or otherwise discarded of, in most cases. The cost of an education is outrageous. How are we supposed to be college graduates (which is basically necessary in the world we live in) when affording the education is such a problem? Textbooks are just one aspect in how much going to college costs. For many families it just isn’t feasible to be able to send their children off to school. Scholarships can help, but this kind of money isn’t available to everyone. And I’m just talking about undergraduate degrees. To go beyond and get your masters, you will most likely end up even further in debt because where the scholarships and savings end, loans begin. I plan to go to medical school where the average student graduates a whopping $130,000.00 in debt. That’s where you want to be when you’re just starting off your life outside of school…$130,000 in the hole.

So what can we do about the price of education? I wish I had an answer… Considering the price to attend college goes up every year, Lord knows what I’ll have to pay for my kids to go. Isn’t there supposed to be equal opportunity for all in this country? Yeah, right. The only way for all kids to have equal opportunity to secondary education is to level the playing field when it comes to cost. I understand people have to work hard to be able to achieve a college degree, but money should not be the main obstacle. It should be the coursework. I guess I will just continue to dream of lower priced education As the Clock Ticks…