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Friday, 08 May 2009

  • Why I Jumped on the Bandwagon.

    I thank Facebook for introducing me to Edward Cullen.

    I was spending a boring day perusing the thousands of pages of Bumper Stickers I could send my friends and noticed that someone named Edward Cullen was pretty famous, as nearly all of the stickers on each page emblazoned his name. I sat there, scratching my head. A new celebrity? I never heard of him. I switched the tab to Google and searched. I laughed when I realized Edward Cullen is a fictional character, a vampire even. Teenage girls are ridiculous; the multiple love affairs with a made-up man confirm it.

    I gave up the bumper sticker search, sick of seeing reasons why "Edward Cullen is better than your boyfriend." I clicked on the television and much to my annoyance, I saw a commercial for the movie version of Twilight. I groaned and remember shouting, "Seriously?!"

    I started seeing Twilight everywhere. At school, girls were carrying it around campus and reading in various classes. Target had a shelf devoted to the series. Voices in my head began hounding me with the names of the books, and then Robert Pattinson's handsome face when make-uped as Edward. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to see what all the fuss was about. I had to see what made this stupid, childish book series turn into pandemonium.

    I succumbed to the popularity on my next trip to Target, where I purchased the first book for the everyday low price of $8.99.

    Once at home, nestled in the corner of my comfortable couch with a blanket and a hot cup of tea, I began reading. Within two days, I had finished the 300-and something page book. It wasn't nearly as stupid as I thought. In fact, there were many good things about the book that I found myself really enjoying, even though the story is written at a sixth grade reading level.

    A story about teenage vampires, werewolves, Forks, Washington and Volterra, Italy, is more culturally relevant than one might think.

    The first thing that is great about this not-so-well written series is the fact that it represents much of the turmoil of the teenage years accurately. Sure, we don't have vampires and werewolves pining over as as we try to adjust to a new school in a new state. We do, however, often have to make friends with people who are very different from us, even if this means making personal adjustments and being open to new, unheard of things. Bella's the same way; it just so happens her potential new friends are ancient mythical creatures. It also portrays the struggles of relationships with which teenagers so often deal. There's always a question as to whether or not a new significant other's family is going to approve of not only the relationship itself, but the new mate. Edward's family does some pretty serious judging that Bella has to persevere through as her relationship blossoms. And a final purpose of the teenage years is to decide what direction you want your life to take. For many of us, we chose to go to college. Some chose to jump right into work, or the military. Bella's making that same choice, only one of her alternatives is different. She can choose between college or eternal life. It may not be the most realistic of situations, but it still parallel's everyone else's life-changing choice.

    Romance is another thing that has allowed for Twilight to reach the epic status that it has. While nothing is too racy or sexual, Edward embodies one literary archetype: the fairy tale prince. I digress, Edward is a stone-cold, pale teenage boy with sharp teeth, which could be frightening. However, Stephanie Meyer did not create Count Dracula, part two. She constructed the vampires in a way that made them docile and beautiful, allowing them to capture their prey by captivating them. This beauty, therefore, compels teenage girls to flock to him and be mystified. Also, Edward says all the right things, all the things a teenage girl thinking she's ready to fall in love wishes on a star to hear. "You are my life now." What young, easily swayed girl with an ounce of romantic desire in her heart wouldn't want to hear that? Yes, even I found myself pretending someone was saying that to me after I read it. Creepy? Perhaps, but I never once said that I didn't find any of this creepy. I simply said it's interesting and captivating.

    Finally, the most important thing that has allowed me to find myself liking the books and perpetuating the Twilight bug: it is getting teenagers to read. I wouldn't be able to count on my fingers and toes the number of girls I saw reading the books in high school that had never cracked open a book that wasn't required for a class, much less read it in the light of day in front of harsh peers who would quickly mock their nerdiness. Maybe it's the future English teacher in me, hoping that one day, all people will find a love for something so great as reading. Until that moment comes, though, I cannot allow myself to continue to hate a book series that is sparking interest in reading.

    So there you have it. The reasons I jumped on the Twilight bandwagon. Yes. I did just write a blog about Twilight. Go ahead, laugh. It's juvenile and silly, but hey, it's fun. Try not to hate too much.

Thursday, 07 May 2009

  • Amazon: Hatin' on Books?

    Open the glass doors, and the warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee ensnares the senses. A deep breath, and it's as though reality has floated away. Hundreds of shelves lined with colorful books lie ahead, to the left and to the right. It's almost daunting, but at the same time, deciding which way to turn is a highly pleasurable experience. Each possible choice has the potential to be rewarding. Fiction, non-fiction, young adult, sci-fi, romance; all possible book categories are calling. Which to choose?

    Walk up and down the aisle, fingers grazing the vibrant spines and settling on one that looks interesting. Draw the cover back slowly, and read the first page. A new world emerges.

    This is what I experience every time I walk into my local Barnes and Noble. It's an experience I treasure greatly. Nothing is more valuable to me than a good book. I love the feel of the pages between my fingers, the crisp white smooth and cool. I love the sound the spine makes the first time the book is cracked open and the way the glossy sheen of the front cover reflects the lights overhead.

    So why is Amazon trying to ruin this experience by turning a book into a technological device?

    Today, Amazon announced that it would increase the size of it's electronic book reading and storage device, the Kindle, to allow textbooks, newspapers and other forms of published work to be more easily read on the go. It currently provides a smooth, sleek, paper-thin reading surface for over 275 thousand books. The price of the new device runs upwards of 450 dollars, not including the cost to download the books into the device's storage unit.

    Books can be downloaded in a minute's time using 3G wireless technology, meaning a world of books is at your fingertips whether you're at work, in class or sitting on the toilet.

    Sound great, right Amazon?

    NOT!

    I am so upset by the device, and the recent announcement of its expansion, that I could spit. Being able to a purchase a book from my bed while in my pajamas may be great if I'm too sluggish to move, but at the same time, it's stealing away motivation to get to the bookstore, nestle in a cozy chair with a cup of tea and read a rainy day away. It's robbing me of the experience of interacting with other shoppers in stores, asking for recommendations or reviews of a book or author I heard mentioned on campus the other day.

    It's robbing employees of bookstores, like the stock workers and cashiers, of their jobs. How can they go to work to sell books if a handheld electronic device is capable of doing the same from the "comfort" of one's home? The answer's obvious: they can't.

    With a Kindle, I cannot pull back the edge of the next page to read the last sentence in a hasty attempt to make sure my beloved main character is going to survive a dangerous situation. It is not allowing me to underline or highlight important phrases or quotations that I simply adore and wish to share. The pages do not get worn, do not get broken in. A book never becomes my own, because I don't have the opportunity to touch it.

    Amazon needs to slow down and back it up. As with everything, consumers will spend massive amounts of money on these senseless gadgets, more will own them and the prices will drop. Consequently, the masses will buy even more. Books will stop being published on paper, and I'll never be able to buy a copy of the latest best seller and dive in. I never be able to turn a page and hear a crinkle, not only because the material is now electronic and pricey, but because real books will be too old fashioned and cease to exist.

    I don't want books to disappear.

    Amazon, you started as a bookseller. Please, put down the technology, stop selling files, and go back to selling books.

    For the sake of this book-lovin', English major's sanity.

Wednesday, 06 May 2009

  • Piece of Cake, Schmiece of Cake.

    Today is my boyfriend's 22 birthday, and while is happy that everything is all about him for the day, he was also somewhat depressed. "I don't feel like a kid anymore. I'm not sure I want to grow up yet," he told me. I decided he could use a bit of cheering up. I do not agree with the song. Just because it is your birthday, you should not be allowed to cry, even if you want to. Cry tomorrow. Birthdays are for celebrating.

    I decided I would make him a cake instead of his mom getting one from the store as she has each year. Why I decided to do this, I'm not sure. I am, by no means, a Betty Crocker. I couldn't even be Betty Crocker's fifth-cousin twice removed. My most notable previous experience in the kitchen involved a bowl of Easy Mac, sans water, that blackened to a crisp in the microwave and forced the smoke detector to shrill.

    Still, I thought, this is something special, so I'll give it the good old college try.

    I went to the grocery store and purchased two circular pans, a box of yellow cake mix, a tub of whipped Vanilla frosting, and a tube of green decorating gel for the obligatory "Happy Birthday Kyle." I was feeling good as I walked up to the register, thinking that I could do this. Then, I reached into my purse, grabbed my wallet and realized I had left my money in the car. I ran outside, grabbed the cash and darted back to the line.

    I took the goods and left. As I'm driving home, I realized the cashier shorted me 10 dollars in change, so I made a U-turn and headed back to the store. Already, my confidence was fading. I wish I had taken this as a sign to go no further.

    Finally, I made it home and whipped up the batter. I poured the gooey goodness into the pans and set them in the oven for 35 minutes. They came out a perfect golden brown. "This looks delicious!" I thought to myself. I wondered why I had never really attempted baking earlier. I might have been good at it, deep down and with some practice.

    The cake cooled, and I surfed around Xanga and took a shower. I came back down ready for the best part of a cake...THE FROSTING. I opened the tub and the sweet scent of whipped Vanilla flooded through the air. Mmmmm. I whipped out the thing I use to frost a cake (what is that called...?) and started going. Then I realized it was probably better to frost the cake in the container I was actually going to be putting the cake in so that I wouldn't have to move it once it was frosted.

    I searched around the house for the round cake holder. I could not find the darn Tupperware plastic anywhere. I grabbed a plate thinking I could Saran wrap over top of it and all would be dandy. WRONG. Saran wrap, even with toothpicks sticking from the top of the cake is only good at wiping all the frosting away.

    Now, my cake was missing a huge glob of frosting in the dead center, and I had no where to put this cake. I started digging, somehow ending up in the garage, and what do you know? I FIND THE CAKE CONTAINER. I grab it and try to get the frosted cake into it. I thought a spatula would be a handy tool. Nope. All it did was rip up the bottom of my tasty confection.

    Out of frosting, I had to go back to the store to get enough to re-cover the top. I get home and realize I bought fluffy white instead of Vanilla. Oh well; I was tired and frustrated, so I slapped the mismatch on the cake. Then I cracked open the gel. I got through "Happy Birth" before the tube ran out. Why do they put no icing in those things? So, back to the store it was. I finally finished fixing the cake. It looked like crap. I don't even want to eat it. I don't even want to look at it. I'd rather it be in the garbage.

    Now, I know why people by cakes at the store.

    And, if I ever find the person who first used the phrase "piece of cake" to mean that something is easy, I'm going to kill him/her. CAKE IS NOT EASY.

Tuesday, 05 May 2009

  • A College Survival Guide

    As my freshman year of college comes to a close, I realize freshman year is more than just a transition from one's status as a top-dog, high school senior to one of the lowliest life forms on the planet. It's also a year when you learn everything you need to survive all four years of your college education and then some.

    Since I'm reviewing everything else I've learned for finals week, I figured I might as well review the life lessons I've been so fortunate to gain over the past 9 nine moths in this ultimate survival guide:

    Everything You Need to Know to Survive College

    1) Binge drinking is bad...especially if you've never had a drink before.

    I remember the first beer I ever had. It was August 31, 2008. I was sitting on a strange couch in an apartment of a friend of a friend of a friend. I held one of those infamous red Solo cups and brought it to my lips. One swig, and I thought I was going to vomit. Beer, especially cheap college party beer, tastes like crap. Still, I continued to choke it down, sip by sip because that's what you're supposed to do at college. When it was empty, I walked back to the keg. I stared at it for a good five minutes, trying to figure out how it worked. I couldn't seem to get it. I guess I was absent the day Keg-etiquette was taught in AP Biology. Finally, some random guy came over, saw me and chuckled. Then, he filled my cup and handed it back. I was surprised to find this second beer went down much, much easier than the first. I finished it quickly and went back to find my keg buddy. This process continued six more times. Finally, my friends decided it was time to leave. I stood up, the room spun around, and I came close to face planting on the floor. That was enough. I knew I wasn't going anywhere, so I flopped back on the couch. I woke up in the morning next to my keg buddy and prayed nothing illegal, violating or disgusting happened while I was extremely intoxicated.

    This routine continued every weekend. I would drink until I couldn't see straight and make decisions I would regret the next morning.

    DON'T DO THIS, especially if you're like me and you've never tasted alcohol prior. It's extremely dangerous, and it leaves you with a killer headache in the morning. I'm not saying don't go out at all. Just know your limits, and stay in control. You can't have fun if you're passed out.

    2) A majority of college kids aren't looking for relationships...just sex.

    I spent my last two years of high school completely devoted to one relationship. He was everything to me. Upon starting college, I noticed there were a lot of potential suitors out there, and I began to question whether I should stay with one person forever or play the field a little bit. I decided to play the field. For all I knew, Mr. Right could be sitting beside me in College Compostion. I broke up with my boyfriend of two years, and started feeling out the waters. Many guys asked for my phone number, and I gave it to a handful. I hung out with a bunch. "Dates" involved little interaction, little talk, and a lot of making out. In some cases, things went further than I ever thought they might. As soon as the guys got what they wanted, the phone calls stopped. The text messages never came. I saw them walking around campus with hoards of other girls. It broke my heart. No dates meant no boyfriend, which meant no relationship, and that was something I really wanted.

    Finally, I started hanging out with my ex again, and we're back together. That's when it hit me.

    When starting college, if you have a relationship, and a relationship is what you want, don't sacrifice it for someone new. Chances are you may not find another relationship; you may only find those willing to play. Playtime is fun, but there's also a time when something more is needed, something real, something solid. Work it out with your current significant other for as long as you can. Otherwise, you may end up alone and miserable.

    3) Timing is everything.

    Scheduling classes can seem like a major burden. Before classes started each semester, I looked like a crazy lady. My hair was sticking out from all directions as a result of being pulled repeatedly while staring at the coming semester's course catalogue. Should I take 8 am Shakespeare? Should I take 3 pm American Drama? Will I be able to wake up? Will I be able to get to work on time? These were all concerns buzzing around in my mind. In high school, you don't really have the option to schedule classes around your personal schedule, but in college everything is left open to choice. I originally scheduled all of my classes after 12 pm, thinking that it would be great. I would get to sleep in every day. Then, I realized I would never be able to make it to work on time, so the schedule needed a total 180. All morning classes. It turns out, it's actually better. I am out of school in the middle of the day, with plenty of time to complete assignments before my hourly obligations at the Acme begin.

    It can seem tempting to wait to take all of your classes until you feel like rolling out of bed, but sometimes, that's at the sacrifice of quality or cash. You have to do what's best for yourself, but don't totally dismiss morning classes. You'll probably feel as though the day has been more productive if you get all of the educational obligations out of the way first, and then do the fun things. Oh yea, and Friday is the best day to have off, just in case you were wondering.

    4) You're there for the education...don't forget it.

    I spent a majority of the time in between classes hanging out with friends during my first semester, and I'd push all of my homework aside for later. At night, I'd have chapters upon chapters to read, with only a few hours to do it all. I started to think being a social butterfly was more important than anything else. As fall semester's mid-term grades came back, my mouth began to hold a shocked expression permanently. B's and B's, with only one A. This was not like me at all, number five in my high school graduating class with a GPA of over 100. For the remaining months, friends came after homework, and while I sacrificed what may have been quality time with the girls, my grades sprang up, and I was once again a Dean's List student.

    You're there for the education. Your first obligation is school. Everything else is to follow. Just because friends are only a few feet across the room or down the hall, doesn't mean you need to talk to them every five seconds. Quiet time is necessary.

    5) Be careful...it's very easy to lose  yourself.

    College changed me. I went from being the good girl who never did anything wrong and spent all of her time doing things for school to the girl who lives for fun. Halfway in, I looked in the mirror and got confused. I couldn't recognize who I was anymore. I didn't like the change. I was no longer the kind, sympathetic person I was upon college acceptance. I became a mean girl, a bitch if you will. I regret that, for I know my metamorphosis hurt a lot of people. It took time, but once I recognized the change, I was able to take steps to correct it. I didn't give up my new self completely. I just brought a bunch of my old parts back: caring about grades, caring about high school friemds. caring about my family.

    If you're going to enter college, you're probably going to change. That's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it can be a good thing, as long as you are pleased with the changes. If you only do one thing, don't let your old self, the self everyone loves to fade away completely, because once that self is gone, it may be impossible to ever get it back.

    Don't worry though. Even though the workload is heavy at times, it's still fun and it's definitely worthwhile.

    I love college; just not in the same way Asher Roth does. It has a lot of great opportunities. I've been able to go on trips to museums, see plays, read great books--All things that I love. Sometimes, it's just good to take a step back and get rid of what doesn't need to be there.

    Feel free to add your own experiences to the Survival Guide!!

     

Sunday, 03 May 2009