The College Argument. Live where?

I used to love the idea of college and everything it promised to do to our little high school minds. Basically you would still be yourself, just the 2.0 version. Your brain would grow, your smile would whiten, you'd embrace the thought of decoding chemistry equations with elation, your clothes would... wait, not your clothes. Basically everything would grow and get better the more you learned. Knowledge would be absorbed like... like... dry bread cubes and custard. I seriously thought I would be totally awesome and extremely happy with no doubts whatsoever.

But my point is not with the actual school and the learning of academics. It's actually the home life of John Doe Student I'm debating about here.

This is actually a bit of a new idea to me, to think about alternatives other than the obvious option of apartment hunting, dorm living, and stacking up roommates like dogs in a kennel. The only way it got in my head was when I met a very logical-sounding Armenian girl while apartment hunting (see the whiny French article I did about roommate incompatibility). She was so logical I actually wanted the apartment just to live in a building with someone who sounded so smart. 

She said, "I'm Armenian so I have to live with my parents till I'm married. But everyone else leaves." Finally someone I could confide in about my thoughts on moving out before all my teeth have even grown in. I said, "Yeah, and then other people leave and it just winds up costing so much money and problems come up all the time!" "Yeah! So there's a good and a bad, because when you're on your own you have to pay your own bills and do all that, so you learn about responsibility. But if you're going to live with other people, the best choice is your family because your family won't screw you over." Joyous.

One thing I've noticed in a couple of classmates is the difference between how they were when I first met them at the beginning of the year and they way they are currently. The difference is sometimes pretty vast. One girl I know used to be the bubbliest thing I've ever seen. She was small and jumpy and always giggling like a damn Pokemon. But I've noticed that, lately, she's been much more cynical; not laughing at all, and just all around distracted. 

This is the same case with another girl (and a few guys, so it's not just the girls), and I'm starting to question their state of happiness. Would we be more mentally healthy if absolutely everything wasn't a struggle and we weren't constantly worrying about money and bills and deadlines and parents counting the seconds till we get a job and are independent? Stress is a killer. No, really, it kills people. Like, clinically. And Lord knows I'm very friendly with stress. It's hard for me shake it once its settled in. 

I don't think the world should be all sunshine and rainbows till you're 30, that's not what I'm saying. Some teenagers are meant to live alone and are totally ready for the challenges and learn a lot from the struggles. But there are downsides to this kind of situation that effect other people, especially parents. I don't want my mom's retirement fund to be gone just because I tried to make a living. 

I'm rambling. I'm being repetitive. But oh well. I repeat when I ramble. 

One last example. His name is Shane Dawson. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know him, but you should. Shane is currently a YouTube hit (the #1 vlogger out there), and for good reason. He's probably between 22 and 26 years old and is technically a filmmaker/actor. Shane admits to a lot of mistakes he's made and obstacles he's crossed, and one thing that happened to him was that he was fired and left with nothing. His life was in crumbles, as he said, and he moved back home with his mother and brother. There, at home, Shane healed. And once he was ready, he picked up a camera again and filmed a few videos, put them on YouTube, and a few months ago won the Teen Choice Award for Favorite Internet Vlogger. The guy deserves it. He has more talent and heart and personality and humor than anyone I'd seen through the media in a very, very long time. 

Crap...how do I wrap this up? ... Um... watch Shane Dawson on YouTube :) and, you know, maybe consider the living situation in new light when going to college? Because your family could be just what you need, rather than their absence. 

Je sors. Enfin.

Il y a une ligne fine a dessiner avec des compagnons de chambre. Ils sont les seules personnes sans compter que votre famille qui obtiennent de voir ce qu'etes vous comme a la masison. Il semble comme presque tous les compagnons de chambre n'obtiennent pas le long a un certain niveau. Pas certains, tous. Et, ouais, je peux voir pourquoi Kristen pourrait obtenir contrarie avec moi, particulierement ceci semaine passee. Je manque un petit ami, these editent est presque due, et un etranger avait vecu en piece de Jessica. Ni ayez-moi a eu n'importe quand pour traiter ces reglages. Comment est-ce que je vais suppose ne pas salir vers le haut avec tout ce evenement? Ainsi que si je ne font pas la vaisselle pendant deux jours parce que suis occupe comme enfer? Il n'est certainement rien a devenir fou plus de, n'est-ce pas? Ainsi, evidemment, il y a une ligne tres fine. Kristen l'a juste croisee. 

Et maintenant je dois sortir. Maintenant.  

J'avais l'habitude seul de vivre. Je l'ai aime at alors je n'ai pas frait. Et alors j'ai fait. Et alors je juste ne me suis pas inquiete. Et puis Jessica demandee si je voulais vivre avec elle et une fille differente afin de payer moins. A ce point, le seule chose que je pourrais penser environ etait ma maman. C'est son argent. Ainsi j'ai decide d'ignorer mes doutes et de convenir. 800 etaient certainement meilleurs que 1,000. Comme c'est naif a' moi d'abandonner le bonheur au-dessus de l'argent. Et une porte.

Tellement aujord'hui, apres l'acceptation de beaucoup de controle par totalisation de debut de la matinee, je suis alle chasse d'appartement. Pour juste moi. Moi-meme. Et je pense que je serai heureux seul de vivre de nouveau. 

Yes, how much for the pet cloud?

I shall call you Cloudy.
That is one sarcastic looking cloud.
Click here for the rest of the cloud photos shot by Michael Casker!

20 Things that Annoy me.

1. It really irks me when people order a hamburger and specifically ask for no vegetables. Oh, I'm sorry, are they not adding to that mound in your arteries?
2. I hate it when roommates schedule a cleaning time as if you don't have enough to do and are willfully going to drop everything and obey. I'm a big girl, I'll clean my space when my mood allows it.
3. If you know I don't eat meat, don't apologize for eating it in front of me like I'm going to break down in tears the second I see the slab of cow on your plate. It's not like I raised the thing.
4. Trader Joe's is a hell of a lot closer than Ralph's. Go to Trader Joe's. I don't care if you want Doritos and queso dip. Get your ass to Trader Joe's and keep track of how much it jiggles on your trek over.
5. My nails are baby. I didn't even know nails were supposed to spread around your finger till I started comparing mine to other women's. They haven't expanded an inch. But I like them. I think I'd look weird with big nails....
Anywho.
6. Everything about the government even though it doesn't directly effect me... yet.
7. Damn, chocolate is good.
8. Hearing a perfectly respectable gay guy defend himself over a dumbass comment. This is why Johnny Weir didn't get a medal at the Olympics. Because he's gay.... That's the only reason.
9. If I look annoyed or pissed off or indifferent, I probably am. So don't ignore it by acting like everything is fine.
10. Kittens like to gallop around and get all up in your sink when you're trying to sleep at 6 AM. Go back to being a vampire, kittens!
11. I like having harmless crushes on guys, regardless of who or how old they are... till I find out they're married.
12. Picking the right hair color for me is rather tricky with my light skin and brown eyes. Suddenly I have to do scientific research and read chemistry in order to understand what color will suite me best.
13. Don't whine about being "fat" if, technically, you just have some pooch. Fat is fat. Be more specific. It'll help your vocabulary.
14. I don't particularly like walking behind a friend like I'm following them but I also don't like it when they walk behind me and I can't see them. If we're not in human traffic or in a tunnel, walk beside me for heaven's sake.
15. Google images. I type in something totally innocent, but somehow still get the occasional woman flashing her hoo-ha at me. How is that a result for "gummy worms"?
16. Overly air-conditioned rooms... can go f*%@k themselves.
17. I've only found two or three bottles of nail polish that live up to their "sparkle" name. Smash a damn diamond and shake that thing up like a Shake It weight because silver circles don't count.
18. I get bored of my clothes too fast but all the clothes I'd like to update with are usually 3 digits.
19. People that stare as if you can't see them but they're right in front of you. Especially if they're old and creepy. Yes, my hair is ridiculously cute. Accept it and move on.
20. Listening to girls whine about guys at school like they're more important than what the teacher is saying. Shut up and pay attention. Bitch.

You're welcome.

Candy for breakfast and candy for lunch.

...What? I had it so I ate it. :)

These videos of Coco Rocha's wedding are either wonderfully joyful or wonderfully cruel.

Coco + James // Short film from Americana Cinema on Vimeo.


It's 18 minutes of beauty and joy that takes place at a grand castle in France with fantastic music. Get the tissue box out!



Coco + James // Teaser from Americana Cinema on Vimeo.


This one is about 4 minutes. It's like a teaser trailer so you know what you're getting into. The full 18 minutes is my favorite because you really get to know who is getting married and it really is like witnessing a perfect match. It's so ridiculously hopeful. I want to get married now! But only if it's like this.

A word from Stephen Hawking.

I'll admit I've always been curious to know more about Mr. Hawking since it's not like he's in the news that much.

A few weeks ago I was fairly annoyed with him. A friend of mine sent me a link to Stephen's narrative broadcast about life on other planets. I didn't watch all of it but it seemed fairly benign, nothing new or interesting that stood out. Basically it seemed like it was made to make an impression on kids mostly. These life forms on other planets are depicted as fuzzy, funny animals that squirm around aimlessly in snow or dessert, or float around like jellyfish. Yeah, they might be there, but Stephen failed to mention the Other kind of life form, the kind that are smarter than a curious little cat from outerspace. That's what annoyed me. He gave the impression that all other life forms are either germ-like or pet-like. 

Until recently. 

Finally, I heard Stephen's thoughts about smarter life forms via a damn movie trailer for Skyline, which I personally have no interest in given how many holes there are in the facts. Because I've done enough research to fill three text books, I was able to point out what seemed plausible and what didn't (the look of the spaceships, for one, are too freaking glitzy and glamorous). The trailer starts out stating that in August 2009, NASA sent out a message into space further than ever before (does NASA think anymore these days? Who's running that joint?). Then up came a news broadcast quoting Stephen Hawking saying, "If there are intelligent life forms, we should not try to contact them. It would be like Christopher Columbus discovering America. It didn't turn out well for the Navaho." Interesting take, Mr. Hawking, but where is your motive coming from, I wonder? 

See, there are two kinds of alien-obsessed scientists in this world: the kind that worship and admire the intelligent beings, and the kind that have a bomb shelter to hide in when necessary. They either love them or they fear them like death. We now know Stephen is the kind that fears them. 

I, personally, can only wonder why--since those aliens have been part of Earth's history for so long--they haven't already shattered our planet to bits or held us all captive. What are they waiting for if that's their plan? It doesn't seem like things are going to get much better for us. 

Skyline looks like it sucks, by the way.
Meanwhile in South Korea... oh snap.



Yeah, I recognize those buggers. That's exactly what they look like. What were they forming though? Looks like a deformed hand or something tree-like. Pretty cool, though. Nice background music, btw.

And then Michael Cera kicked some ass...

I don't quite have the energy to write a full-blown review today, so the featurette explains everything, but...just watch the damn movie. It kicks some serious videogame, romantic ass. 

This. Made. My. Freakin. Day.

iz a kitteh in a boxes ! gaaah!
This animator has a whole Youtube channel of kitty animations like this one :)
mew.

Holy psychology, Batman! The new Black Swan trailer is out!

Oh, Darren Aronofsky, how you never cease to impress me. Kudos, Natalie and Mila for being so graceful!

Can I just post this awesomeness please? Kthnx.

This is Alex "El Tisha" Bullon, probably the best dancer in all of Barcelona.
I will eat this up.
And apparently that rat tail hanging out the back of his head is a trend in Barcelona.

Tucker is so effing scared of my phone it's so cute!!

Das mai fone.

I have a BlackBerry. It's small, about the size of my hand. But last night, while Kristen and I were on the floor tossing a glittery blue ball with a bell inside for them to chase after, sometimes Tucker would make and Olympic leap and it would land too far for us to reach (we're lazy). So I slid my phone at the ball so it could roll to Kristen. It worked so that was our solution when we didn't feel like getting up to get the ball. Then one time I slid the phone, it hit Tucker's legs and he sprung up and went apeshit against the curtains like Omigaw!! Kristen burst out laughing and slid the phone at him again. The same thing happened. He spazed, poor boy.
And our night went on like that for the next 15 minutes. Kristen even broke out her iPhone to record it all.
Oh, kittehs, how you make me giggle.

Dis iz "Red Eye" Illustrations by Christoph Niemann. Enjoi!

From New York to Berlin:

 

Go here for the rest! Now!

FUNNY PHOTOS! Muaha! ...And a video from Kingsley.

This (insert up arrow) is Kingsley. He has a Youtube channel called (what else?) "It's Kingsley, Bitch: You Can Sit the Hell Down." Guess the tag line. "If I don't make you giggle, I fail at life. People who fail at life... are not cute." Bare with me. I know at first he seems to be like a drama queen going off in front of a camera, but homeboy is smart and absolutely hilarious. He can probably out talk Beyonce and have just as much jive in his step and flounce in his voice that she will. Oh, and head bobbing. Watch the video that reached 3 million views!

This is Jenny.

Jenny quit her job.... while being epic about it. It involves a dry erase board.
This is what Jenny e-mailed to 20 co-workers including her boss, Spencer.
Find out here! Yay Jenny!
http://thechive.com/2010/08/10/girl-quits-her-job-on-dry-erase-board-emails-entire-office-33-photos/

Movie: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. All hail Noomi Rapace.

I'm hoping I don't have to spell this out for you since I don't have the patience to. We've all the heard of the books by now. The trilogy written by Stieg Larsson. He turned in the manuscripts and then died shortly after. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is the first of the trilogy, now a movie directed by Niels Arden Oplev, and sinfully entertaining. The film reaches two and a half hours, but all of it necessary in order to do the book justice. I haven't read the book, but he only complaint I've heard is that the film moves rather fast in order to get all the details.
Based on the very appropriate title, it's hard to know what you're getting into. Many people just know the title and that there's a badass chick who's good with computers but that's it. No more. Well, here's what it's actually about: Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) is a famous journalist sentenced to jail for publishing a false story about a politician. But the thing is, Mikael had legit sources, it wasn't until the trial that he realized he'd been set up and lied to during research for the story.
Enter Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace), a professional and damn good computer hacker (yes, they exist). Before her boss introduces her to anyone, he gives them a disclaimer excusing the way she looks, saying her appearance is deceiving, but she'll do the job. This disclaimer is quite necessary when you're dealing with leather platform boots, skinny jeans, a motor jacket, two nose rings, a lip ring, five ear piercings, and slanted black hair. Although, amongst all this black attire and cold attitude is a rather pretty face topping off a buff bod that looks like she tenderizes meat with her fists in her spare time. The poor girl just wants to live her life the way she wants--while chain smoking, of course.
Mikael is contacted by an old man named Henrik who is aware of his situation and believes Mikael can help him. Henrik has a histroy of bad blood in the family, though there was one girl he cared for deeply: Harriet. Harriet, as Mikael can remember, used to babysit him when he was a small boy. What he didn't know was that Harriet disappeared when she was a teenager, believed to be murdered. Each Christmas, Henrik receives a framed flower sent anonymously by some far off destination; sometimes Hong Kong, other times Canada or Taiwan. Henrik believes the sender is Harriet's killer and gives Mikael access to everyone in his family since he thinks a blood relative is the culprit.
Lisbeth has never seen or spoken a word to Mikael, yet she knows he was set up and should not be going to jail. She hacked into his computer. Naturally. She goes through his files in silence and discovers that he's on the case of the missing Harriet. When Lisbeth discovers a pattern in a series of murders, all female victims, she e-mails Mikael the biggest clue ever to be uncovered. And the film takes off from there.
The thing that's wonderful about this movie is that it has a solid theme without even meaning to. You pick it up automatically like a scent. And it's that violence towards women is never forgiven or forgotten. Lisbeth knows this best, which makes Noomi Rapace the best actress to walk the planet after Meryl Streep. Noomi was 29 when this was filmed, married with a child, and yet she pulled off a character that probably does not even exist in real life, at least not as a whole. She more resembles a cartoon character, an action figure. The victim becomes the heroin.
Early in the film we discover Lisbeth has a gorilla of a past that comes back to haunt her in the form of a guardian. It's never really explained, but somehow she has a vague version of a foster parent to look over her finances and record her whereabouts due to a stint in a mental hospital when she was a child. When she first meets him, we discover, right off the bat, this dude is evil. Like someone who abuses his powers is evil. He abuses her after 10 minutes of conversation. In his eyes, what he's doing for her is a favor that must be returned in the form of sex, even if she's utterly unwilling. It's awful to watch, let alone hear. But Lisbeth is a tough chick and we know this, which makes the whole situation more like Superman's kryponite rather than a sheep with a gun to its head. As expected, Lisbeth gets a damn good revenge involving telephone cords and a television.
Mikael tracks Lisbeth down through her e-mail and confronts her face-to-face at her apartment, saying that if she wanted to keep her identity hidden, why would she e-mail him something so simple to trace back to her? Yes, he's angry that she's hacked into his computer like a curious child, but he also knows that partnering up with her is a huge advantage. Thus follows a complex and interesting relationship of give and take, completely evened out and logical in the way they work together. They're a fantastic pair.
To wrap this up and urge you to see this for yourself, I wonder why on earth there's even a need for a remake? With the subtitles slapped on the screen, it's as entertaining and gritty as any James Bond film. Are we really too lazy to spend 2 seconds reading a sentence like a picture book? I had no problem with it and I have no problem with this film. Zero complaints. As for the dragon tattoo, we know who has it, but not why. Next one, please!

Question of the day: Should kitties be bathed?

In my personal opinion, yes and no. As in only when you really think they need a good cleaning. I happened to think both our kittens needed to be bathed because Lord knows what they've come in contact with before we got them a week ago. So I bathed them today, which was rather spontaneous of me since I wasn't planning on it till five minutes before I picked them up, locked them in the bathroom with me, and got to work. I made sure the water was luke warm (they like heat)  and only about and inch or so high (I didn't want them to have to swim and freak). No soap since I don't have kitty shampoo. 

Mason went first (I think he's a bit dirtier for some reason, maybe because he's brown). His feet touched the water and he started to try and get out of my grasp, but he's not much heavier than a stuffed animal so I only had to hold his chest and I could gently scoop the water onto his body. I took him out after about two minutes and rubbed him with a towel and off he went into a self-licking frenzy. 

Tucker was next after I drained the water and replaced it with new warm water. Tucker, being more like a kid, was rather dramatic. The second his feet were submerged in water his claws came out and his back arched. He tried clawing his way out--with my arm. So I only had him in there for a little under two minutes, while he slipped and splashed, getting more drenched than Mason in the process. I took him out and patted him down, then he joined Mason, trying to restore his fur with his tongue. 

I sat with them and Mason came over and sat with me and I was surprised they didn't condemn me to hell for doing this. They still love me as if it never happened and now I have clean kitties. Yay!