I just came up with a really good idea. Well according to me it's a good idea, and I'm the final judge of good ideas so it is:).
I think for Christmas, I am going to get my family only gifts that like benefit charity. So I know Gap has the Red line, American Eagle has some scarfs that benefit charities, and I'm sure there are others as well. I just have to check them out. Anyway, we should all do that. Save the world! Spread Christmas cheer! Buy Gap!
I mean, you could just give a straight up donation in their name, but then people are usually discreetly mad because they wanted a gift. This way, they get both! I'm so smart! Ok whatever I'm not I just have too much time to think.
Please let me know if anyone finds any other holiday gifts that benefit charity and are cute and awesome at the same time.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
Thanksgiving: Family, Turkeys, and a Little Too Much Information
"Kids these days are so irresponsible, they lack common sense," my uncle complained at our Thanksgiving holiday. "I was permiscuous during my days, but I used contraception. They just need to use contraception."
At this point I'm thinking too much information seriously. Yet, it got worse. My mom piped in. "Steven, sleeping with a whore in another country is not responsible," she said.
WHAT! I turned to my uncle, flabbergasted, "you slept with a hooker!" He's like "I was young and dumb (and ended the phrase inappropriately..). Plus I was in Vietnam, I couldn't find a girlfriend!"
Omigosh. And you thought your family is crazy. Well, does your 60 year-old uncle talk about sleeping with hookers at Thanksgiving?? Mmmmm, hopefully not. My dad's side of the family is a little crazy. I'm not sure how my dad turned out so normal. Maybe because was too young for the Vietnam draft.
That night I was watching Knocked Up (which, is really funny despite its vulgarity) with that same uncle and my mon. In the movie the dumb guys are smoking pot with a gas mask on. I guess it gets you more high or something? I don't know, sounds idiotic. Guess who comments again? Good 'ol uncle Steve. "I used to do that back in vietnam!"
My mom rolled her eyes. My goodness. How did we all end up so tame. Maybe because my mom's side of the family is ridiculously conservative - so my mom helped level out any craziness my dad inherited from his side.
Another funny story from the happy holidays. My aunt smokes cigarettes, and my parents keep one lowly ash tray in the garage for use by guests. So my aunt took the ash tray outside. She's smoking, and as usual, puts her cigarette out in the ash tray. To her surprise, a giant flame explodes from the ash tray - about three feet high. She screams. We run outside. "What the hell was in that ash tray?!" she shouts.
My dad comes over. "Oh you used the ash tray? There was paint thinner it it, I was using it to hold the paint thinner."
"Who puts paint thinner in an ash tray!!!!" My aunt yells, obviously a bit peturbed.
Well obviously, my dad. Ha ha, thank goodness no one was hurt and the most that resulted was a hilarious story. Happy Thanksgiving, from one strange family to the other.
At this point I'm thinking too much information seriously. Yet, it got worse. My mom piped in. "Steven, sleeping with a whore in another country is not responsible," she said.
WHAT! I turned to my uncle, flabbergasted, "you slept with a hooker!" He's like "I was young and dumb (and ended the phrase inappropriately..). Plus I was in Vietnam, I couldn't find a girlfriend!"
Omigosh. And you thought your family is crazy. Well, does your 60 year-old uncle talk about sleeping with hookers at Thanksgiving?? Mmmmm, hopefully not. My dad's side of the family is a little crazy. I'm not sure how my dad turned out so normal. Maybe because was too young for the Vietnam draft.
That night I was watching Knocked Up (which, is really funny despite its vulgarity) with that same uncle and my mon. In the movie the dumb guys are smoking pot with a gas mask on. I guess it gets you more high or something? I don't know, sounds idiotic. Guess who comments again? Good 'ol uncle Steve. "I used to do that back in vietnam!"
My mom rolled her eyes. My goodness. How did we all end up so tame. Maybe because my mom's side of the family is ridiculously conservative - so my mom helped level out any craziness my dad inherited from his side.
Another funny story from the happy holidays. My aunt smokes cigarettes, and my parents keep one lowly ash tray in the garage for use by guests. So my aunt took the ash tray outside. She's smoking, and as usual, puts her cigarette out in the ash tray. To her surprise, a giant flame explodes from the ash tray - about three feet high. She screams. We run outside. "What the hell was in that ash tray?!" she shouts.
My dad comes over. "Oh you used the ash tray? There was paint thinner it it, I was using it to hold the paint thinner."
"Who puts paint thinner in an ash tray!!!!" My aunt yells, obviously a bit peturbed.
Well obviously, my dad. Ha ha, thank goodness no one was hurt and the most that resulted was a hilarious story. Happy Thanksgiving, from one strange family to the other.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
not for the faint of heart.
In the late 70’s, a 14 year-old girl in labor was whisked into a Saudi Arabian hospital to give birth. Her arms were bound and she was strapped to the bed. She was a prisoner; and as soon as her child was born, she was to be stoned to death for promiscuity. After all, she had broken the Saudi Arabian law of chastity. How? Why, by being gang-raped of course. Her parents had left town for a weekend, and her brother had a party. In the midst of the party the boys took the girl and raped her while her brother sat in a corner; too drunk and high to react. The men denied the accusation – saying she came on to all of them. The girl had a baby girl. She then taken to be stoned, and died.
A lot of countries and situations anger me. There is a lot of injustice in the world, and a lot of it comes from poverty. But how is it acceptable that one of the wealthiest countries in the world ($446 billion GDP in 2007) COMPLETEY disregards women’s’ rights and no one does anything about it. Saudi Arabia angers me. The above situation took place in the 70’s as did a situation in which a 17 year-old girl was acquitted by Saudi courts for her intentional “promiscuity” (which didn’t include sex btw); and was handed over to her father to “punish as he please.” What did he do? He drowned her. In the family swimming pool. While the family watched. Legally. There are so many more horrible, horrible stories.
It’s easy to assume that situations evolve for the better as time progresses, but in 2007 Saudi Arabia still operates by the same backwards laws it did then. In fact, surprisingly, one situation is raising enough of ruckus to actually make the international media: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/21/saudi.rape.victim/index.html
I know every country has its share of injustice and corruption. This however, is ridiculous. It’s especially ridiculous that all the world does is look away because confronting Saudi’s money and political posture may threaten the protester’s stability.
I’m really glad that finally the country is getting at least some scrutiny from the media; so perhaps someday there will be a law enforced that won’t allow fathers to drown their daughters at will.
A lot of countries and situations anger me. There is a lot of injustice in the world, and a lot of it comes from poverty. But how is it acceptable that one of the wealthiest countries in the world ($446 billion GDP in 2007) COMPLETEY disregards women’s’ rights and no one does anything about it. Saudi Arabia angers me. The above situation took place in the 70’s as did a situation in which a 17 year-old girl was acquitted by Saudi courts for her intentional “promiscuity” (which didn’t include sex btw); and was handed over to her father to “punish as he please.” What did he do? He drowned her. In the family swimming pool. While the family watched. Legally. There are so many more horrible, horrible stories.
It’s easy to assume that situations evolve for the better as time progresses, but in 2007 Saudi Arabia still operates by the same backwards laws it did then. In fact, surprisingly, one situation is raising enough of ruckus to actually make the international media: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/21/saudi.rape.victim/index.html
I know every country has its share of injustice and corruption. This however, is ridiculous. It’s especially ridiculous that all the world does is look away because confronting Saudi’s money and political posture may threaten the protester’s stability.
I’m really glad that finally the country is getting at least some scrutiny from the media; so perhaps someday there will be a law enforced that won’t allow fathers to drown their daughters at will.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Missing Limbs
Today, I experienced phantom limb syndrome. You know, where one of your limbs is missing, but...you can still feel it. Scary.
What's even scarier - is that my limbs are all attached, at least I thought. Yet, I felt it, the ringing vibration in my back pocket where I usually hold my cell phone. I reached back to answer it. It wasn't there. Yet, it I felt it. But it was a phantom feeling - phantom cell phone syndrome. It seems as if they just might be becoming our second limbs after all.
This isn't the first time it's happened. Sometimes, from the living room, I'll hear the familiar jangle of my ringtone --- only to look at my screen and discover, no one called. Phantom cell phone syndrome. A scary phenemenom. And I cannot be alone in my struggles. But if we have truly developed cell-phones as limbs, what other phantom syndrome will come next? One can only imagine.
What's even scarier - is that my limbs are all attached, at least I thought. Yet, I felt it, the ringing vibration in my back pocket where I usually hold my cell phone. I reached back to answer it. It wasn't there. Yet, it I felt it. But it was a phantom feeling - phantom cell phone syndrome. It seems as if they just might be becoming our second limbs after all.
This isn't the first time it's happened. Sometimes, from the living room, I'll hear the familiar jangle of my ringtone --- only to look at my screen and discover, no one called. Phantom cell phone syndrome. A scary phenemenom. And I cannot be alone in my struggles. But if we have truly developed cell-phones as limbs, what other phantom syndrome will come next? One can only imagine.
*side note
OK. I forgot the add the most important part of the below story. In addition to asking if I was married, the drug kid asked if I was "melado."
Are you serious! Mainly because who uses that word anymore?! It's totally un-politically correct. Plus, he's 21 - not 50! You'd think he wouldn't have even grown up hearing it. Strange.
Are you serious! Mainly because who uses that word anymore?! It's totally un-politically correct. Plus, he's 21 - not 50! You'd think he wouldn't have even grown up hearing it. Strange.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Cheeriness. And Pot.
Feeling down today? I have just the solution; go to CNN.com! Its top three stories will definitely cheer you up, take a peek.
CNN.com Top Read Stories:
1. Bomber kills kids as US troops hand out toys (!!!)
2. Dozens killed in coal mine blast (!!!)
3. Cyclone death toll could skyrocket. (!!!)
See, don't you feel so much better! I thought you might.
On a lighthearted note, a real one, I went to a concert at the Varsity (aka Best Theater Ever) Friday night. It was pretty sweet minus the bad wine which may or may not be bad because I don't like the taste of actual good wine. There were lots of interesting people there, including one stumbling 21 year-old who accidentally mistook me for a drug dealer.
"Hey," he said to me, "do you happen to have a bowl I could pack?"
I proceed to laugh really hard and obviously say, "No."
"Just thought you might be down, ya know..." he said before wandering off in the crowd.
Well, I don't blame him. I look a lot like a drug dealer - hey people ask me for crack all the time...... (no). The reason I knew his age was because I ran into him later upstairs in the Varsity's pool room or whatever they call it. It has a pool table to me that equals pool room, and the bathrooms are also up there.
So he's like, "Hey, sorry I asked you for that pot..." I'm like "no problem, people ask me all the time." He then asked me if I went to the U. I said no, I I've been done with school for awhile now. He proceeds, "How old are you!"
I'm like "A lot older than you." He then said he was 21 and was like "Are you married?"
Me: "No"
Dude "Well then you can't be that old!"
Hahaha. I didn't know that when you got married you all of a sudden were "really old." I told him I was 24, he said he totally thought I looked his age. Apparently, he was expecting someone three years older than him to look COMPLETELY different.
Hmph. I'm glad I graduated college already. It seems as they years go by, its students' common sense decreases. Peace out.
CNN.com Top Read Stories:
1. Bomber kills kids as US troops hand out toys (!!!)
2. Dozens killed in coal mine blast (!!!)
3. Cyclone death toll could skyrocket. (!!!)
See, don't you feel so much better! I thought you might.
On a lighthearted note, a real one, I went to a concert at the Varsity (aka Best Theater Ever) Friday night. It was pretty sweet minus the bad wine which may or may not be bad because I don't like the taste of actual good wine. There were lots of interesting people there, including one stumbling 21 year-old who accidentally mistook me for a drug dealer.
"Hey," he said to me, "do you happen to have a bowl I could pack?"
I proceed to laugh really hard and obviously say, "No."
"Just thought you might be down, ya know..." he said before wandering off in the crowd.
Well, I don't blame him. I look a lot like a drug dealer - hey people ask me for crack all the time...... (no). The reason I knew his age was because I ran into him later upstairs in the Varsity's pool room or whatever they call it. It has a pool table to me that equals pool room, and the bathrooms are also up there.
So he's like, "Hey, sorry I asked you for that pot..." I'm like "no problem, people ask me all the time." He then asked me if I went to the U. I said no, I I've been done with school for awhile now. He proceeds, "How old are you!"
I'm like "A lot older than you." He then said he was 21 and was like "Are you married?"
Me: "No"
Dude "Well then you can't be that old!"
Hahaha. I didn't know that when you got married you all of a sudden were "really old." I told him I was 24, he said he totally thought I looked his age. Apparently, he was expecting someone three years older than him to look COMPLETELY different.
Hmph. I'm glad I graduated college already. It seems as they years go by, its students' common sense decreases. Peace out.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Happy Vet's Day
As much as I complain about work from time to time, It's days like this when I love my company. It's Veteran's Day, and my company is demonstrating its patriotism by giving all its employees the day off. SCORE. It also does this for Columbus Day, MLK Jr. Day, and President's Day. I am proud of my company's patriotism.
So now I'm at Caribou trying to gather the motivation to start my statement of intent for my grad school app. I got a decent outline yesterday, but now I must begin the real deal. There are quite a lot of people at Caribou for a Monday. They must all work for the government or for financial institutions. Back to my statement of intent; now, many of you may be asking: (or not - but I'll tell you anyway) Colleen, why do you want to go to grad school? How will this help your career? What do you want to do?
Alas, I have no solid answer to this question, only ambiguous dreams. So I will throw those ambigous dreams out there. See, I want to become a specialist kinda, in journalism on a topic and learn how to most effectively spread my message. I would like to minor in human rights while in school for an M.A. in mass comm. So then I would have more of a chance of getting a job with an NGO or with a governmental organization and work for one of those in communication or be a subject expert. Or --- having a master's of any kind would enable me to work for a university, directly with students. So the way I see it -- it would open doors for opportunities in fields that interest me. Who knows, my future's an open book, the world is my oyster.
Back to Caribou, I hate it when people talk really really loud on their phones when they are sitting at the table next to you. I also get uncomfortable when random men compliment my outfit at coffee shops - even if their intent is innocent. And the worst situation you can find yourself in at a coffee shop happened to Molly and I yesterday; we found ourselves right next to a father and daughter having a confrontational conversation, and being right next to them, we felt really awkward. What we gathered from the situation was the daughter (teenage) had a house party and was denying it and calling her dad an asshole and the father was calmly trying to get some info from her and talk to her about why he was upset. I felt bad for the dad. Makes me not want to have teenagers.
OK I'm going to start on my essay now, if I can somehow drain out the loud guy selling something on the phone next to me. Peace. Happy Vet's Day:)
So now I'm at Caribou trying to gather the motivation to start my statement of intent for my grad school app. I got a decent outline yesterday, but now I must begin the real deal. There are quite a lot of people at Caribou for a Monday. They must all work for the government or for financial institutions. Back to my statement of intent; now, many of you may be asking: (or not - but I'll tell you anyway) Colleen, why do you want to go to grad school? How will this help your career? What do you want to do?
Alas, I have no solid answer to this question, only ambiguous dreams. So I will throw those ambigous dreams out there. See, I want to become a specialist kinda, in journalism on a topic and learn how to most effectively spread my message. I would like to minor in human rights while in school for an M.A. in mass comm. So then I would have more of a chance of getting a job with an NGO or with a governmental organization and work for one of those in communication or be a subject expert. Or --- having a master's of any kind would enable me to work for a university, directly with students. So the way I see it -- it would open doors for opportunities in fields that interest me. Who knows, my future's an open book, the world is my oyster.
Back to Caribou, I hate it when people talk really really loud on their phones when they are sitting at the table next to you. I also get uncomfortable when random men compliment my outfit at coffee shops - even if their intent is innocent. And the worst situation you can find yourself in at a coffee shop happened to Molly and I yesterday; we found ourselves right next to a father and daughter having a confrontational conversation, and being right next to them, we felt really awkward. What we gathered from the situation was the daughter (teenage) had a house party and was denying it and calling her dad an asshole and the father was calmly trying to get some info from her and talk to her about why he was upset. I felt bad for the dad. Makes me not want to have teenagers.
OK I'm going to start on my essay now, if I can somehow drain out the loud guy selling something on the phone next to me. Peace. Happy Vet's Day:)
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