Scholarly Fashion: daily shots

This Thanksgiving break has given me the breather I need. These pics are from a while back and I'm so glad I can finally post them. These peers of mine really know how to strut the college runway, Smiles and giggles really do make the outfit complete.

'We Can Change Things'

Fall of the Berlin Wall

Twenty-five years ago today, we celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall that separated West and East Germany in the conflicting age of communism and confusing period of post-war tension. People climbed over, wrote on, chipped away pieces of the wall and ended the giant division. The energetic vibe that passes from

Scholarly Fashion: Shoes

Music Theory Class

Scholarly Fashion: Part Two

                             Relaxed walking to class in CFA.

I've gathered enough pictures to post for this entire semester, probably. But the fun part of this blog is the actual picture taking where I can see the style come alive in how people walk in their clothes. I still need to figure out how to have them model for 15 seconds before they rush off to class.

  
Outside CFA                                                                 Across the CC

Scholarly Fashion

Crowe Unplugged

College scholars really know how to strut the collegiate runway. In between classes and after college events allowed me to capture the great styles so many people at my alma mater have. Their great tastes really brighten up this all-nighter work place and allow our creative juices to flow.

"Every day is a fashion show and the world is your runway..."

What most people tend to do is dress up mainly on Mondays. However, the real stylish people have their vogue on all the time. These students and professors I captured in my photographs have that great sense of class that never fades (no matter what day of the week it is). In my search of models for my blog, I now notice different clothes and new accessories people use to spice up their look of the day. And this not only allows me to spot people with cute outfits to take pictures of, but also lets me give an extra compliment or two to a random person walking by with a great sense of style.  

Fiction and Poetry Workshop: Professor

Reflections: Mothers

A mother: beautiful, hard-working, compassionate. 

My mami reflects these three and many more characteristics, but I never noticed until just recently. I had lived most of my life under my dad's influence. Listening at his philosophical feet, practicing soccer with him in the early mornings, having a political debate every now and then. Yet the hard work of my mom had been hidden by my dad's presence and smile. He was, mainly, a stay-at-home father. He worked, but my mom spent every night and day under the rock of nursing school and jobs at different medical facilities, while he took my siblings and I to our gymnastics practices and cello recitals and soccer practices. 

In the neighborhood

I usually walk around the neighborhood pond with only my grandma. We would slowly go down the steps of the house as I immediately would extend my arm in offer of support. And we would take about an hour to slowly walk and sit down and walk and sit down once around the pond and sharing stories of our life and looking back at our past.

Skype

I can't imagine how couples did it back in the old days without Skype. I'm getting better at being away from him, but it's always really really nice to be able to talk to him and see his face just like that. Here's a picture I took of us talking last night. He felt weird with his shirt off therefore I blurred his nipple, lol. But I just love looking at him.

I think he's the only guy in the world for me. He can even deal with me when I'm emotional, and that says a lot. I know my friends must be tired of my rants and emotional outbursts, but this guy can deal with whatever I throw at him. 

 

Even if it's paint. Thanks to the dream photography Facebook page: www.facebook.com/mydreamsphotography 

We had a paint fight with the art club at my school and even though we had plans of going out for our anniversary, he still went to the paint fight with me even though it meant getting covered in paint and looking absurd for our planned dinner. 

Last night on Skype though, was great since we're on school break and he's around 3 hours away right now. But even without skype, he never fails to text me that he's thinking of me.

Which reminds me of a poem I heard a few days ago:

I'm Thinking About You by Mike Taylor

I attended a post-Valentine's event at an English Theme house in my college and heard this poem and I thought it was great.

Anyways, this is my spiel about Skype...kind of. Thumbs up to Skype!

The Three Best Friends

Meet Kala (left) and Yana (right). They're my two best friends here in college and I've been able to experience so much with them. I just drew this today during lunch in hopes of relieving some stress but then the finished product made me want to post it somewhere and I feel like it's too intimate to put on Facebook. Although there is a picture of us like this on FB, I didn't draw it. Point being...I'm getting distracted and am procrastinating on my homework at the moment but I would think this blog is a productive use of time.

Anyways, these are the people who I have to thank for my blog support system and also for the experiences that make me want to blog.

Love you both! Mua!

Thumbs up!

Fairy Tale Reality Check

Did you know that.....
Rapunzel's prince had his eyes scratched out by thorns from when he jumped off  the tower in escape of the evil witch. And he didn't return home because he was so miserable from not being with his true love and searched for her while blind until he heard her song. Fortunately, Rapunzel's tears healed his eyes and he was able to see again.

AND

Cinderella was her own fairy godmother, she would be able to talk to animals by herself and order them around while also asking birds to help make her a gown. And when she went to the ball, the prince would only dance with her for the whole three nights of the festival and her shoe didn't come off until the third night. It wasn't even made of glass. Since the golden shoe didn't fit, one of Cinderella's sisters cut off her toes to squeeze in and the other sister cut off her heel to put it on. Both times the prince believed them until little birdies sang to him about how there was blood on the shoe therefore it wasn't the one.

...now you know.

I have three English classes this semester and all of them have great literary selections that pique my interest. In my "Women in Fiction" class, we're reading all the fairy tales right now and later we'll have to write our own fairy tale based on the fairy tales we've read in class. Our professor gave us two websites to find all the stories to read  today: www.surlalunefairytales.com and http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm021.html 

The assignment for the day was to discuss themes and patterns we saw with all the stories, what patterns do you see?
Also, a musical that my professor recommended is "Into the Woods." Super good so far, I'll keep watching it when I have more time. You can watch it on Netflix, but prepare for a long time on the couch or bed or wherever you're watching it because it runs for around two and a half hours long. Thumbs up.

Nick & Norah's Little Blog Touching a Mango-Shaped Space

 nick & norah's INFINITE PLAYLIST
 I have to start out with this book because it was so damn good. And usually I try to keep away from profanity due to my desire to come up with more intellectual words but this book inspires me to sound obscene considering the expletive nature of this novel. Nick and Nora share the great romance of clockwork because everything fits perfectly. Their conversations, their walks in the park, and their lust and passion all synchronize. No metaphors, only the witty remarks from each character. This book is a definite thumbs up.
Favorite scene in the book: Page 94, middle paragraph
Authors: Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
I'll have to remember to read some of their other books.
Also, I put a playlist from the songs the authors introduced in the book but I think "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Prince isn't playing for some reason :( sad day.

Next book:
 Little Blog on the Prairie
This book was alright. From the very beginning I had to push myself to keep reading it but once I got into the story line, the reading ameliorated. I think the biggest part the author could get better at is the show not tell. There are many emotions in the novel but the narrator expresses it directly rather than appealing to the senses. The character is somewhat relatable but she almost reminded me of Emma from Jane Austen's Emma. Completely clueless to other people's emotions.
Favorite Scene in the book: Pages 243-244, Gen's Speech
In this scene, I could feel the struggle within Gen without the author really telling the readers it was a struggle. And I liked the outcome and transformation of the main character.
Author: Cathleen Davitt Bell
Not a book I would recommend. But it is a nice, quick read.
Thumbs in the middle. I've read worse.

These next two books to be reviewed were both amazing books. They were both recommended and lent by a close friend.
Coming up:
 TOUCHING SPIRIT BEAR
I enjoyed every page and learned from the main character, Cole, through his struggle in the lonely woods of an Alaskan island. But I do have to admit that it was a slow read, but I think it was due to the reality of the story line. The characters were real and completely relatable. The main plot included the struggle of Cole breaking through the wall he puts up against everybody. Cole has to learn to heal from his anger. And I could totally relate. Who doesn't have to stop themselves from saying something nasty or actually erupts from emotion then feels bad later? I loved the reality of the book and I loved the theme of justice. I can tell from how my friend behaves how this book has influenced her lifestyle.
Favorite scene: Page 145, Para 7, lines 12-16
I loved the inclusion of the topic of perspective, because how a person looks at things does play a role on how they live.
Author: Ben Mikaelsen
I'm curious as to what other books he has, and would love to read them.
Thumbs up.

Last, but definitely not Least:
 A Mango-Shaped Space
Also recommended by a friend, also a book I would recommend to others. I have to already say that I give it a thumbs up. This book was completely un-relatable. I don't have a pet like a dog or cat so I can't relate to the attachment, I don't live in the country so I can't relate to the free and safe space, and I didn't have a friend I shared everything with until just recently therefore I cannot relate to the best friend in middle school. But the best part that I could NOT relate to was the part about having synesthesia. But this part is what made everything more exciting to find out. I have, however, had the luxury of meeting an R.A. at my college who has synesthesia and drew my colors for me that she sees. Apparently, from her perspective, I am a blue-green with circular and pointy shapes. And I was so happy to find that out.
Favorite Scene: Page 145 & Page 160, Mia's session with acupuncture
I loved this scene because it almost felt magical, as if even though it's real life, there's also something spiritual that many people miss out on, and it makes me wish so much that I could see the colors the main character sees.
Author: Wendy Mass
I would love to read another of her books.



Thank goodness for school breaks. The time I have to read book is now even more precious to me than before. Each book I finished in less than a day.
Thumbs up to reading days.

The College Dystopia

It's not about a fresh start anymore. It's not about learning new things. The reputation a freshman makes their first year of college can scar that person for the rest of their life.
I hate rumors! I hate drama! I hate unloving, unforgiving, un-forgetting people. Who don't feel sorry or who don't feel as if they should feel sorry.

The biggest problem with small schools is the annoying fact that rumors spread faster than fire.

I have it lucky. I'm the "sweet" and "innocent" friend who is "nice" to everybody...I think. Unless rumors prove wrong. Therefore, people tend to not talk bad behind my back. Maybe because they know I'm more sensitive thus seen as weak and wouldn't be able to handle the mean backstabbing comments people make. But then WHY DO THEY THINK THEY CAN TALK ABOUT MY FRIENDS?! Because that hurts me even more.

What I've seen, is that rumors are made about those who are strong and can joke and can socialize with people. Sometimes, a joke can be TOO MUCH.

I wish I weren't using so many all-caps, yet my heart and my head is screaming for justice. SO much, sometimes, that I cry. And I shake, and I get angry. Because people are getting hurt.


I have two friends who have gone through a period where rumors were made up about them. One just let it go. Person A kept being nice. But I applaud person B for standing up for herself. She is worth the fight. Both of them are, and it's not fair that people talk bad about them. Because they are the people who should be talked good about.

If a girl sleeps with a guy. Don't talk about it. If a girl doesn't sleep with a guy. STILL don't talk about it. And if a girl doesn't sleep with a guy, DEFINITELY don't talk about her sleeping with one. Or better yet, if a girl sleeps with another girl, STILL DON"T TALK ABOUT IT. Rumors hurt.


Picture elementary school.
Girl I peed her pants.
Her three friends, A, K, and M help her by taking off one of their sweaters and let I wear the sweater around her waist. They don't worry about whether or not the pee will get on the sweater, they don't worry whether or not the school will talk about it, they don't tell others on her, and they definitely stand up for her if a random classmate says that girl I peed her pants.
I was girl I in elementary school. And I had the best examples there of what a friend should be.

Now college comes, and suddenly we're more immature than a bunch of elementary school kids.
Looks like our education has hurt our heart more than help our brains.


I am going to be that person who will stand up for anybody who is talked about.

For those of you who gossip, don't do it around me or I WILL make sure you regret it.

And also, a helpful tip:

T is it true?
H is it helpful?
I is it inspiring?
N is it necessary?
K is it kind?
BEFORE YOU SPEAK.

   

And I admit, I do this but it does have the side effect of being unable to talk because you're thinking a lot of what you should say. Therefore, people think that you're "quiet."

Rumors=thumbs down



....End Rant.

Happy Thanksgiving

I spent this Thanksgiving break back and forth between Louisville and Indianapolis and Louisville again.The goal for our days off was to spend much of our time with my family and my boyfriend, Matt's, family. Yet, the achievements we made were mainly focused on the good food we got to eat.

Tuesday,
my mom and I cooked, my boyfriend liked the food

Wednesday,
the same and the additional cooking experiment of scrambled eggs with cinnamon.

Thursday,
we had a light breakfast, got persuaded to let my sister do my hair and then drove over to his parents house to then later drive to his aunt's house to celebrate thanksgiving.

The drive back and forth was beautiful.

Thanksgiving food included corn souffle, sweet potato casserole, light and dark turkey, corn bread, mash potatoes, gravy, and plenty more, with the main ingredients of love, laughter, and life mixed into the celebration. His family certainly fit into the American cliche of a family. The sweet Grandma who prepared most of the food, the the genius little Cousin, the deafening and caring Uncle, and the quiet and loving Grandpa who gave the warmest hugs to the entire family. I don't think I've ever been to such an intense Thanksgiving.

I do adore my own family Thanksgivings, but I do know that I have now experienced the all-American family reunions we always see on television. While my family is more laid-back, Mat's family is more energetic. While mine is romantic, his is familiar. And while my family focuses on the salsa, his focuses on the games. Both have their positive situations. Even though, at the beginning, I was very nervous and anti-social, the first step I had to take was act and interact; even if I did not feel like it.



There are still many aspects to his family's lifestyle in which I'm in culture shock, and I still cringe to the disregard of other cultures. When it came to Black Friday shopping, I heard one of the family members make a comment towards not understanding an accent, another comment towards how an ethnic community smelled, another person saying something about a people's economic status. The insensitivity was absurd.

Yet, the people are still nice, still caring, still loving. But there is a problem in the education of most Americans on easily making judgments that should not be made. My anthropology professor would talk to me about the emic and etic viewpoints of thinking. That the emic point of view is too often focused in a person's own culture, yet the etic perspective links together other cultures and bring them into everyday thinking. And I think that with most immigrants, the etic perspective is most prevalent because we have seen the good and the bad from two or more cultures and can choose our own culture and choose what we specifically consider most important.

Friday,
my boyfriend and I mostly stayed in his house, working on homework and papers for the upcoming school day this Monday and we begin the dreaded Dead week. Later that night though, Matt's mom and dad took us out to eat at a Mexican restaurant that had the most amazing food. The occasion was to celebrate Matt's birthday since they wouldn't be able to celebrate it this Sunday (today). I had the best food.
 It had lobster, shrimp, scallop, oysters, muscles, everything was to die for. Then the birthday cake was even more delicious. The servers put a mariachi hat on Matt and I got to later put some frosting on his face.

The days kept on getting better. Then Saturday came and we got to clean the gutters. More fun than I imagined it to be. And then around 3 pm, me and Matt had to leave. And his dogs knew it. There was a golden retriever, Maggie, and a dalmatian, Didi. And Maggie was the most energetic dog I've ever seen and truly lives up to the idea that the dogs have the same personalities as their master because Maggie and Matt were practically the same.

Such a cutie, just like its owner.

When we got back to Louisville, I got to hang with my mom and brother and watch Rush Hour. And my mom doesn't know Matt that well; but even so, she still went ahead and made him a birthday cake. I love you Mami.

 Thumbs up to an interesting Thanksgiving break.

Q for Questioning

What do you do when your faith is changing?







Little by little, I see one aspect of what I use to believe become blurred. It's as if my vision was clear and, slowly, it's all gone blurry.

 I don't know which way I'm walking towards or what path I'm taking.

It's all very confusing.


...




I don't know if this image will give anybody any hope, but I found it just now and maybe it's right.
 But then if this image talks about any faith or belief, then who's to say that this cycle won't happen to anyone of every religion. Who's to say that one religion is right and one religion is wrong. Why can't we know the truth?

I feel hopeless.

Thumbs down.

No more sleep

4 am resident building lobby
studying for geology and other fun stuff


I really don't know how it's so easy sometimes and so hard other times. It probably depends on the class because I'm so TIRED of taking a class that's so DUMB and BORING. It's not my major. "Well-rounded" my a**. But you gotta do it, if you want that A you gotta stay up those extra hours to study.


Thumbs down; I need my sleep.

Twin flame soul mate

Twin souls: A popular romantic belief that there is one true soul mate.
http://kuriakon00.tripod.com/soulmate/

"For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul." 

~Judy Garland 

  I met this beautiful man October 10th of last year.

Since then, we've cuddled, we've kissed, we've cried, we've fought. But I've never met a man whom I love so much.

I think, at times, it's normal to have doubts. It's just how you act upon those doubts. Although, I wish I just knew for sure if this guy I have in my life is my other half. A friend once told me that it wouldn't be as fun if we knew all the mysteries of life. Yet, I think I would be content and love the life I had if everybody knew for sure that there is a God and if the person they're with is the one they're meant to be with. There wouldn't be any arguments, any worry. I can understand her point. Maybe I'm just not seeing life how she sees it just yet.

 

College Experience = Thumbs Up

Festival of Lights

 

Happy Diwali! My college celebrated the Indian Festival of Lights last Friday. There was food, henna, and fireworks. And the music throughout the night made me want to dance the whole time.

"May the festival of lights brighten up you and your near and dear ones lives."

~Shikha

More info: http://www.diwalifestival.org/ 

Thumbs up!