Feelin' the Christmas Vibe

            It’s almost that time of year again.  No, I’m not talking about Thanksgiving, though we should all be very thankful to your family and friends.  I am talking about Christmas.  That time of year where families reunite, celebrate, give, and have fun throughout the entire day.

            The reason why families celebrate Christmas is because people can get lonely.  Instead of stressing about school, or work wouldn’t you rather spend more time with your family?  The caroling, the gifts, the food, and the joyful cheers are what make that special atmosphere for Christmas.

            Did you know that the true meaning of Christmas is love? Main reason why I like Christmas is because it reminds me of my childhood when I used to go to my auntie’s house, receive presents, feast, and enjoy the vibe the family is giving off.  It’s just a wonderful time of the year where we all let go of the pasts and come together.   Christmas caroling, building a snowman, and decorating your Christmas tree is what I like to do the most during this time. My family is so into the Christmas vibe that my parents even setup the Christmas tree before Halloween even came. It comes to show, how much we appreciate this time of year, and how content we are.

            The custom of gifting people on Christmas day goes back to Roman festivals.  The gifts started out from twigs to jewelry, which gradually became very common to give presents around this time of the year.  Another thing that is very common during Christmas is its music.  Most of the music is pretty entertaining and good. It makes you feel very “jolly”.  The vibe that Christmas gives off makes you very peaceful.  A fact that I think is awesome is that around 95% of Americans say that they celebrate Christmas. I hope that everyone has a wonderful time, and can also feel the same vibe that Christmas gives off to me.

I’d also like to share a song I listen to every year that makes me feel very content.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

                This time of the year is literally my favorite out of the whole year (including my birthday). From Thanksgiving all the way till New Years, it is the most wonderful and most looked forward time in my family. And it’s not what you all must think: family is coming over from all over the place or we go over to some else’s house, no. For us it tends to be a little more intimate, we pretty much stick to each other, like going shopping, hanging the decorations, and cooking together. 

                Food is a very big deal when it comes to the holidays and for us its double trouble because we mix the traditional American food as well as festive Mexican food since I’m Mexican. Sorry if the next couple of lines get you a little hungry. We, and when I say we it pretty much means me, cook pretty much the whole day in order for everything to be ready for dinner time on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. On the American side we make the stuffed turkey, the ham, mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, homemade oatmeal cookies, and store bought pumpkin pie. Now on the Mexican side we make posole, tamales, ponche, and store bought pan dulce. We have the biggest feast that we can’t wait to dig in. There was so much food last year that the whole family even took a walk around the block because we were so full. And the best part is that the left over last us for almost a week. 

        

                Yes it is pretty much all about the food in my house but we also have things we look forward during this time. For example my brother, sister, and I tend to go to Union Square and go ice skating, also going Christmas shopping, decorating the inside and outside of the house, and last but not least watching the Victoria’sSecret Fashion show. I know what you’re thinking it’s all about the hot babes and this blogger must be a dued, but no I’m a girl and I like watching it because of the cute new lingerie designs, the creativity that the catwalk has, the performers, and yes ok the cute girls. Also during the holidays there are two shows that I hope to see in person one day and they are the Thanksgiving Day Parade and the ball dropping in New Years in New York City. Lastly, we leave one weekend open to go somewhere like Reno, or Las Vegas, but this year were going to go to Disneyland. I couldn't be any happier because I have gone to Disney plenty of times, but during the summer so I’m excited to see how they decorate for the winter I hear it looks like a winter wonderland (fingers crossed). Well this is what this season is going to consist of for me; I hope it all goes good. And happy holidays!

Random Blogging my Friends

It's that time again! Blogging time... Now let me tell how much I don't know what to write about
today. I feel like I have a problem, one that needs to be treated. Maybe it's procrastination or maybe it is that these blogs sometimes get the best of me. This week's blog is supposed to be an analytical one so why not analyze myself first and what I have been doing lately. The biggest problem is that in a week we will be on break, woo! I feel as my mind is already on next week and that is no bueno. I

really can't wait to get through this week and go home for a while. Also, I am sure I am not the only one worried about the two essays due Wednesday especially since I know that not one person has been procrastinating... (cough, cough) I also have two midterms but I ain't no baby so it'll be a piece of cake... I hope! Just today though I have been thinking about this dang blog all day and studying for my midterm but found myself doing everything except my work. I must not forgot to mention that I have been listening to Eminem's new album and have really enjoyed it. It's called The Marshall Mathers LP2 and I have to admit that being a big fan of him my opinion is a bit bias. Hey! Let me analyze the album. This album I believe is very good and just shows how Eminem has changed his style as he grows older and adapted his style to the changing times. Of course, you can't expect what he produced in his early years mainly because he's not the same person he was when he was younger. There are a couple of songs regarding his relationships with his parents and his ex-wife and I find those songs to be some of my favorites of the album. When I listen to those songs I can feel his emotion in the lyrics especially in his song "Headlights" regarding his mother. In this song he raps about his relationship with his mother and how as bad as it is between them he still loves her. (For those that don't know know Eminem and his mother have one of the worst son-mother relationships you can have.) He apologizes for the offensive songs

he's made towards his mother and how he regrets all of it. This song is really just him looking back and seeing that he was wrong and regrets not being able to have a better relationship with his mother so that she could be part of his children's lives now. The main message in this song is that you can't change who you are and how sometimes you have to accept how things are even if you don't like them. Now that Eminem is much older and sees his mom in bad health it hurts to realize that it is too late but believes it doesn't hurt to apologize. Being more mature now he knows how hard it was for his mother and has even gone through some things she had to go through. He ends the song thanking her for being his mother and father and hopes she will accept his apology. The song is a great apology and one needed. Of course I've grown up with his music so I'm a supporter all the way. Maybe part of it is because his music really reminds me of my youth and just the memories it brings forth listening to him rap. Bias of course but I recommend all of his music. Maybe this wasn't what you expected but it's what I got and I hope this isn't docked points or something. Just blogging my opinion and I hope you enjoyed it.

Worst Night EVER!

What started out as a fun 18th Birthday ended up being a living nightmare! 

It all started when one of my friends was having her BIG 18 Birthday party!! She was so exited because you know... you are finally LEGAL! So she decided to do a birthday party at Golden Gate Park with all her friends. I was invited and was exited to go.

When I get there, I give her my gift and catch up with her because I miss her very much. The birthday party is going well. We are blasting music, eating some awesome barbeque when all of a sudden her ex boyfriend shows up with his stupid crew. They go to my friend on her birthday and flip her off. Cursing and yelling at her on her special day and threaten to make her birthday a living nightmare. They first threatened to call the cops on us, but they chickened out.

After leaving the Golden Gate Park around 7 pm we decided to go to another friend’s house and chill. When we arrived we get a call from a girl who was at the party that her car tires were slashed! GUESS WHO DID THAT..?? I WONDER..??? Yeah, those guys did it. They are just so messed up. After the whole car thing, the night was ruined; everyone just went home, except me and another 3 party guests. We had to WALK home. At 9pm we are walking on haight street by ourselves. We are walking home, and all these weird people are talking to us. Yeah, not a fun night!! VERY CREEPY ACTUALLY!!

I felt so bad for my friend. She really did not deserve this at all. There was so much drama I was just tired of it and wanted to go home. Now I am home, writing this blog and thinking about the worst night I ever had...

 

 

The 1975

The 1975….words cannot even begin to explain my love for this band. I was never into bands, except for boy bands. Just a few months ago, I saw someone post this band on twitter and I was wondering what’s so great about this band that they would rave about it so much. I went on youtube and I checked them out- I WAS IN LOVE.

The 1975 is a British band from Manchester that consists of four members- George Daniels, Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald and my absolute favorite Matthew Healy, the singer. The band is very inspired by the 80’s era and especially by John Hughes’ movies. The first song I ever heard from them was Chocolate and honestly I had no idea what he was saying the beat was just so catchy. As weeks passed by I became more and more obsessed and when I say obsessed I mean I had to listen to their album or at least a few of their songs each day or I’d start to get withdrawals. It’s been a couple of months now and I still constantly listen to their album everyday.

Within a year they went from writing and recording songs in Matty Healy’s bedroom to being the #1 album in the U.K. and selling out ALL their shows and concerts in their tour including the U.S. and U.K. The thing with this band, The 1975, is that they do not have a specific genre that you can place them into. They’re a mix of 80’s music, Michael Jackson, 90’s R&B, Prince and everything you could think of. They rebel against being placed into a genre and making music out of that norm. I guess that’s the thing I love about them; the fact that even though they don’t specify into any specific type of music they can still make AMAZING music.

The brain's behind this band is their singer and song writer Matthew Healy. I recently read this article about him and it was totally mind blowing how he described his music and writing style and the message he wanted to get across with their music. If you watch or read one of his interviews, you can see that he isn't like every other 24 year old who's desperate on trying to make him and his band big in the music industry. The way he talks, like this man's use of language is so honest and from the heart even though it can be seemingly depressing and a bit bitter, it's the way he conveys him and his band through their music. We all think celebrities are so different from us, but in reality there just exactly like us. Matty Healy is just a lost soul(as corny and cliché as that sounds) who expresses himself through music and that's why I love this band and Matty so much because it's so relatable(and because Matty is insanely attractive). Also because they really just don't give a rat's ass about the fame and fortune that comes with the music industry, they just want to make music.
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/oct/31/1975-matt-healy-success-is-brittle

I'm pretty sure everyone can relate when I say music is a BIG part of who I am and it will always be. In an interview Matty Healy says "I don't want us to get too big too quickly because I want people to feel like we're their band, like your my kind of band. That's how I use to fall in love with bands and I don't want to loose that with people because it really is important to me that every single person gets a band." That's how I legitimately feel with this band like their MY BAND and I know they'll only keep getting better. I still have yet to see them live at one of their shows so until then I can only continue listening to their album everyday. Once you  listen to their song chocolate you'll have "we've got guns sitting under our petite coat, no were never gonna quit it no were never gonna quit it no" stuck in your head. I hope you guys enjoy The 1975 as much as I do!!!

Btw they did a cover of What makes you beautiful- One direction and they totally KILLED IT! I personally think it's better than the original version, but that's just my opinion.

Gay Marriage

While doing my research on the topic of gay marriage, I found some really interesting studies.

Here are some of the most intriguing facts that I found:

"Between 1969 and 1974, the number of gay organizations in the country swelled from fewer than 50 to nearly a thousand, as a result of the Stonewall Riots in which NYC police raided a gay bar, sparking days of protest."	This raises the question: what was happening before these years? As in, before there were gay rights activists and organizations? Surely homosexual people existed; was it so bad that these people were forced to keep quiet not only to protect their reputations, but to protect their lives?
"Hawaii recently became the 15th state to legalize same-sex marriage."	This is great news but, seriously? It’s 2013 and barely over a quarter of our states are recognizing and permitting this basic human right?
"The gay liberation movement achieved a victory in Dec. 1973 when the American Psychiatric Association declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder."	A mental disorder. I find it revolting that people were/are ignorant enough to consider something so natural as homosexuality to be a mental disorder.
"During the 1980s, news of the AIDS epidemic increased homophobia and discrimination but also encouraged the gay community to further organize."	So why do we sympathize with the millions of AIDS carriers in Africa?
"In 1983, Congressman Gerry Studds became the first openly gay Congressman, followed by Congressman Barney Frank in 1987."	Good news! :)
"On Sep. 21, 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the federal Defense of Marriage Act into law which defined marriage at the federal level as between a man and a woman."	Setting aside the obvious association of Clinton with the “sanctity of marriage” ... I would call this the opposite of progress for this country.

I think a very important aspect of this image is the fact that 7 states have legalized gay marriage in 2013 alone. I consider this to be very good progress for our country and hopefully a bit of foreshadowing of what is to come.

The following are a few of my favorite images depicting gay marriage:

I find this image to be effective because the man is supposed to represent Jesus; and he's alluding to the idea that those who are against gay marriage for religious reasons may be misinterpreting what is written. How do we really know the Bible specifically means? (On a side note: should we really still follow the regulations of a book written thousands of years ago, in a society much different from our own?)

These two images are among the most comical concerning the issue, but I believe they each convey a powerful message.

Finally, I leave you with a popular song which gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.

Don`t forget to read, kids!

Sooo…This was my status this morning….

Jillian Patterson

2 hours ago near Broadmoor via mobile

Note self: actually READ the agreement before signing up for an online shopping site.
$39.95 taken out of my account...great morning suprise.

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  Cara Reynolds Reading is overrated! Haha

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Similar coincidences are not uncommon.

The only difference is, rarely does it ever bite you in the butt this hard.

Luckily I noticed this before it was 4 months out and i was around $130 poorer!

I gather you here today to be the spokesperson for reading

you remember those READ ad campaign posters in your elementary school and middle school? 

They typically featured celebrities like the cast of Twilight, Brittney Spears and Shaq reading books (yes they are SOO outdated but that makes them so funny!)

The point is, just imagine a girl with a fro-hawk reading a legal document with a look of understanding on her face and beautiful palm trees swaying in the background.

That should be the next READ campaign ad.  

But, really its expected that you don`t read the terms and conditions before signing in person, or signing up for something online. And that can be potentially dangerous.

Really.

I was lucky I didn`t involuntarily   sign away my left arm away as a police dog training tool on sundays. I would t have known if I did  until the police called me in and sicked a dog on me.  

*sigh

Just please, 

READ BEFORE YOU SIGN/AGREE/SIGN UP 

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