In the Know

Book review

2011-07-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I didn't know if I should do a reading list of books that I love, a list of books I want to read or just review books that I have recently read.
Anyway, I decided that I'm going to do a book review for a book I recently read for now. I'll start out with " The red Queen" by Philippa Gregory. I've read some of her other books so I felt that I had to read this one as well.
All of Georgy's books are historical fiction focused around female figures in the English Monarch. This one is no different. Margret Beaufort is the center and a key player in the war of the roses, a war focused on two cousins fight for the English thrown. Though a female who thinks her life could be destined for more, she uses her knowledge and cunning for the profit of herself and her son; whom because of several events, prevents her from seeing him.

There is only so much I can write in a book review! The one theme that I say was the strongest in this book was Margret's struggle to find her place in the world. She wanted independence... You can read in which way and how she manages to "slightly" achieve this.

I love these books because I can picture myself walking with the characters. It's a great way to learn about history. Often, I find myself doing research about the characters involved so I can figure out the ending before the novels are finished.

The great things about books is that they are available everywhere. You can buy this book at any popular book store, but I chose to rent it from my school library instead. You can also read the first chapter for free on Gregory's official website

happy reading! Let me know if you read this book or other of Gregory's books. Let me know any other books you want me to review!

Randoms!

2011-06-29T12:18:00.000-07:00

I just recently found out that FUBU is not an acronym of "For us By us"
I google everything I want to know
I have vivid dreams. It makes me feel that I would have been a priestess in a different life time
I have a twin brother...or do I??
I love cheese
Mariah Carey is the best singer of all time! With my girl Christina coming in a close second.
I suck at spelling... yet I have a blog
Freshmen year of college I thought my Calves were not the same size
I invented the use of the word "craptastic" some time around middle-high school.
I often wonder why do people go out of their way to hate others?
I have a niece AND a nephew. I think they get their good looks from me.
My biggest secret: When I was little I wanted to be a sailor scout SO bad! To this day I'm slightly disappointed that I'm not
People think I'm a vegetarian. I usually let them believe this.
Google is better at catching my misspelled words then a word processor is.
"Randoms" is not a word.

Post your randoms!

work out songs 14-6

2011-06-11T21:13:00.000-07:00

I love music! it keeps me going when i work out! below are songs that are great, but didn't make the top five!

14. Lady Gaga-Edge of glory: I like this song but I must admit I only like the first stanza of the first verse. It reminds me of Journey's song don't stop belivin' find her song here

13. Lil Wayne ft Nicki Minaj- What's wrong with them: While I couldn't find an official video or sponsorship of this song, you can find it all over youtube. I love beats like this and it just helps me when I'm in the Weight room. I also listen to this song when I'm stretching.

12 .Gyptian- Hold You: Whether or not you like the original version, the Selecta markes remix or the one with Nicki Minaj, this song is amazing! It makes me want to really push my stretches. when I'm doing crunches I like listening to the original. The Selecta Markes version makes me want awesome abs. The Nick Minaj version just inspires me to stay in the weight room a bit more!

11.Kings Leon- Sex on fire: This song makes me feel the burn! I usually use this song when I'm running. Usually with songs like these I can imagine myself in the music video!

10. Lady gaga-Bad Romance: I like this song because of its quick pace. I usually listen to this song in the middle of my running. Find the Music video here

9. MIA-Galang: This song makes me want to shake! I can feel myself wanting to just move when it comes on. To top of that off, she has great lyrics. The music video is very stylish!

8. Kanye West- Work out plan: 1&2&3&4! I love the lyrics are questionable but the music video is so funny!

7.Rihanna-Rude boy: As much as I think this song is an exact copy of M.IA (see here) I still like the beat! great song just not so original music video!

6.Shakira- Bambo- This is a Fifa version of 'Hips Don't Lie' but I like this one better! Just for the Bambo part! Here is a fan made video!

click here for the top five!

Summer!

2011-05-24T23:10:00.000-07:00

The first day of summer is not till June 21st, but I just wanted to touch base with everyone. School is out, and this is the time for everyone to enjoy! Even if you are taking some summer classes, you are still allowed to let your hair down! Below are a few things to do:
Read a book! I love reading, and I plan on doing it more this summer. I might do a blog about books to read for the summer months!
Work out: Lose those winter pounds by hitting the gym. Read this blog as well as this one for some tips! My summer goal: run uphill with ease!
Catch up on new years resolutions!: Remember those goals you set a while back? This is the time to achieve them!
Hang out with friends: All the busy work of the school year always gets in the way of truly enjoying friends. With less to do this summer, catch up with distant friends, and make lasting ones before they move away!
Get a summer job: Working my not seem fun, but think of how it will benefit you! A little extra cash will go a long way the next year, whether it's just for spare change or paying off the bills. Think about how you will be able to relax just a bit more the upcoming school year.
Take a road trip: It could just be to another town or across the country or world; see places! last summer I went to France through the school, and it was amazing! Make sure you take a road trip or give yourself a vacation to enjoy yourself!
Have a BBQ!: Food is always fun, and with perfect weather, what better way then to enjoy it with a BBQ? It doesn't have to be big: A few friends, each can bring something, along with drinks, a few games music and Voila! The perfect summer getaway!
Blog: I plan to blog more often about my life and random things I do.It is a great way to de-stress and inform the world about things you are passionate about.
Learn something new! It could be through a class or just for fun! Take a class on how to knit, or look up more info on a topic you've been dying to know more about!

Summer is just so inspiring! I plan on doing all of the above during the summer! I'm so excited! Please comment to let others know what else you do to enjoy the summer!

Thank you!

2011-05-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

I want to thank everyone who helped me graduate a success! I can only thank my family so much; but now I want to thank a few people who have helped me out! if your not on this list don't feel bad, I could only thank so much!
To my home base:
Mahlet: I love you! can't wait to see you on Friday for yours. There is so much I could say, but you already know it all.I love all the nick names that we give random people and our weird conversations! xoxo
Shruti: You are the sane one of us! lets make plans to take over the world in about 20 years... We will work out details in our secret meeting place!
Swetha: Don't get mad that I listed Shurti before you lol! I cant wait to visit you this summer! you have amazing taste in fashion I can understand your fashion sense more than Mahlets...
Its weird to know someone for half of their lives! I feel like I'm cheating putting you three on the list because you have become my sisters!
Jane: OMG! I love how you KNOW what I'm talking about even when everyone thinks I'm crazy! xxo hoot!
Paige: I love our skype conversations! I really want to go to Cali and visit you! we still need to record a song for our band!
All five of you are like family to me and I KNOW for a fact that we will be friends forever! Thanks for sticking with me, you all know my crazy personality and accept it as normal...
To my kato crew:
Sola: Thank you for everything. Thanks for being my best friend, it means so much to me you will never know... xoxo
Ruby: LIB! your honesty has helped me become more confident in myself! The days of step were amazing and I look forward to rollerblading with you!
Katie: I remember I first meet you in step and we were collecting cans for homecoming and then we bumped into Ruby and Salem!We were always on a mission! Glad you could make it here! You are so focused!
Salem: Always creative! remember those late nights? or when Mildred thought we had incense in your room? hmmmmm..... lol
I'm glad that all of us made it! it seams like yesterday we were sitting six in the back of a two door car.. xoxo
Sagel: Crazy and sane at the same time! I love our talks on the phone; or taking those poli sci classes online!
Winta: I LOVE YOU! thanks for keeping me sane this whole year! Love our random talks. You are so calm it is something that I strive to achieve! Hope we can hangout more this summer!

To my ASA family:
Thank you all for making this year a success! there are so many people who helped out. who made a difference and who grew! I love the dedication that some members put in! Thanks so much! and while I cannot thank everyone who ever came to the meetings! I would like to thank my board members from last year and this year!

Wendiinko: Mister connections! merci pour tous! tu m'as aide quand je le plus besoin... merci!
David: ahh baby dd look how much you have grown! Thanks for sticking with me! now you know what
perfection looks like! lol Congratulations on everything you are doing; I know you will go beyond the stars!
MoMo: Ill do this one in English! lol! thanks for helping me calm down when I just didn't want to! You taught me so much! I'm glad that we stayed in contact even after ASA! keep in touch and congrats!
Sheka: Thanks for helping me those random times. stay strong and focused and don't forget the people who supported you!
Milki: I'm glad that you didn't think I was too crazy during our board meetings! always calm, It helped us all relax, thanks!
Eji:It was fun showing those men who we really are! great ideas, thanks for a great year!
Kadia: I never felt bad being so honest, because I knew that you were too!
Tenneyson: Mister VP! we put Liberia on the map this year! thanks for your help and honest opinions! being the only women was tough but i did it with your help!

ISA Family
All in! lol It would take FOREVER to type this to all the people. But you know who you are! Lets stay strong together this summer! And remember our family budget! I still have to do a kitchen for everyone, if you are around this summer I def. will. We have GROWN so much, from the beginning of the retreat, to our spring break now to graduation! All of our cooking and discussions, talking and fun times! Wanna be dj's and poker faces! ISA 2010-2011 is an experience that can never be repeated; only we know how much it really means to us!
freaky fourth floor:
I never thought I would ever write about how much I loved the girls on my floor; but you really made my job sooo easy! All of you are crazy amazing! I love the late night talks and attempting to clean up my room! good luck next year and hopefully you'll be able to use your study bucks! lol.

Once again thanks! to everyone else: you know you you are! You are amazing and from the bottom of my heart you have made this journey so better!

Vitamins 101

2011-04-18T23:28:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to have a healthy diet and now I am looking into vitamin supplements. This topic is very controversial because many people swear by vitamins while others see no use for them. Today I will try to help you with this topic!

Do you need vitamins?
Some people say that they don't need any vitamins and that they rather "eat" their way to a healthy living. That is a fair thing to say, however we must look at how many people are able to eat a balanced diet. According to the Mayo Clinic, while some may be able to obtain the daily recommended servings of nutrition's others may need help. People who are recommended to take vitamins (in general) are:

-Pregnant women
-Those who do not eat a balanced diet.
- Vegan/vegetarians
-Those with medical reasons.

source

If you chose not to take vitamins, watch what you eat. Many foods lose their nutritional value after being cooked or processed. The Mayo clinic suggests eating Whole foods. These are more expensive but worth the price. I live in a town where there are no whole food stores (that I can find). When I am at home however, I can find stores like Whole foods and Trader Joe's who cater to organic living.
Whole foods contain many vitamins in one and are worth investigating if you want some. During spring and summer months you may be able to check out your local farmers market.

Should you take natural or syntheticc?
This part of my vitamin journey is what intrigued me the most. Many may wonder what the difference between the two, so here is a little breakdown:

Natural: Contain known and unknown Micro Nutrients (nutrients needed only in small amounts, and help the body function. ) According to the world health organization, not having them in your diet is very bad. Vitamin B is a great example of this. Before 1925 many of the Vitamin B we have today were not discovered. If you had taken a vitamin B synthetic supplement, you would have been missing out own that other "natural" vitamin B that were already in natural foods, but humans had failed to find.
Synthetic: Lack micro nutrients. Some say may work just as well as natural vitamins. Some work against "natural" vitamins. Vitamin E is an example of this. The synthetic version stops the production of any "real" Vitamin E that may come in. They are more cheaper then Natural vitamins because of the chemicals they use to make it. They last longer because of the coloring and preservatives put in them. However, these colorings sometimes works against your body and stop the absorption of vitamins.

For the most part I support Natural vitamins. I want my body to get the healthiest things possible, and I feel that taking Synthetic vitamins is counter productive to that. How can you tell which vitamin is natural or synthetic? Something simple I do is google all the ingredients. You can quickly see if its man made or natural. Something more easier than that is simply seeing if you know the ingredients. If you are taking calcium pills, why would yellow number 5 be something natural? if you are taking omega 3, you should see ingredients like fish oil in your ingredients list. Knowing where your vitamins come from is simple and makes a big difference in your health.

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What/ how much should I take?

Look for products that have the USP labels on them. This makes sure that the vitamins are pure and meet certain standards that are upheld by the United States Pharmacopoeia. You must however be careful: many vitamins are not approved by the FDA either. If this scares you talk to a doctor. And even If they are approved, Many vitamins that say that they are natural only need to be 10 percent natural. Likewise, those that claim to be organic don't have to be natural at all. They simply need to have one carbon atom. As mentioned before, reading the ingredients list will help you a a great deal when deciding weather or not to take certain pills.

Once you have found the right vitamin make sure to check when it expires. This would be bad to be ingesting things not meant for intake for your body. In addition, get something balanced. Unless otherwise noted don't take something that has 500% of one vitamin and only 50% of another. Take something that has an overall health. It should be noted however that taking too many vitamins is not only dangerous but unnecessary. For some vitamins, body only uses what it needs and gets rid of the rest through you peeing. This is why some say that vitamins are just expensive pee. Many people feel that they need to take more then needed and they will have "super strength." This is not the case. for a precise accurate amount of how many vitamins you need and how many you have in your body has, see your doctor.

Women: While many doctors encourage taking multivitamins to avoid overdose, some doctors according to live strong make two exceptions : calcium and Vitamin D. This applies heavily to women who are more prone to bone disease.

*vitamins not required to take: there are many vitamins and minerals that have not been approved by the FDA but many people find helpful. For Example MSM has been noted to strengthen joints in many and help relieve pain. While the daily amount has not been set it is good to talk to a specialist if you feel that you may benefit from these.

Hope this helps everyone! As always your comments are helpful!

Rant: The world is not ending, just breaking badly

2011-03-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

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2012, Earthquake in Haiti, flood in Pakistan, huge earthquake in Japan. Illuminati. Now the world is ending.
Come on really? let's be honest with ourselves here people. I'm not saying that the world isn't ending, but I am saying that maybe Global warming is more of an accurate cause for these events. The Illuminati thing? The Da Vinci Code. .. Add a little bit of globalization and pop culture and there you have it.

The thing that annoys me most about this is that these statements come from people who hear about natural disasters through Facebook and never do research on their own. Sure they might watch CNN every once in a while, but that's the extent to it. Being a Christian myself I feel that I can only critique the claims of those from my religion.

source

1. If you are religious, you should always be prepared for the "end times."
2. If your knowledge of the news and global happenings only extends to what you see on the television, you should not apply this to how the world is ending. The news we see needless to say is so skewed, there are MANY things that happen that we never get to hear on our news source. Find some sources from over time that include those out of the United States, and out of the mainstream media before you start using it to prove the end of days.
3. You are not God, God is. He is the only one who knows when the world is ending. I am not religious as I believe I should be, and statements like this are probably why: People are always trying to use the Bible for their own cause. .. Look at World War two, wouldn't the world have been over then? Or the Second Congo War?? how many of you even KNOW what that is? Please people before you quit your jobs, remember this Bible verse: Matthew 24:36... EVERY generation thinks the world is over during their time.

Like I said before, I didn't say that the world isn't ending, and it's not like I wouldn't care if it was, I just HATE it when people try to predict when it is. We shouldn't wait for anyone, anything or any sign to start saving our planet and making a better world for ourselves. Don't play God. Just wait for the world to be over and donate some money to Japan in the mean time. Predicting the end of the world will just give you a headache.

Amen.

Fitness: Mobola Sulaiman's workout

2011-03-08T14:52:00.000-08:00

Hello my dear readers! I must apologise for my late post. With personal matters and school, I had no time or mental strength to blog. As you know, if I put on a blog, it must be the best blog out there.
With that being said, I am back! And just in time for spring break! Whether yours has already passed, or just around the corner, this blog is just in time to get ready for the warm weather.

Since my freshen year, I have trying to stay in shape. There are other people however who are way better at this then me. I was privileged enough to meet someone who is serious about her workout routine. We were in step together also, and she is an amazing dancer! If you don't already know who I am talking about, Mobola Sulaiman (Mo) a toxicology major, is someone that I am pleased to interview! Below are the questions and her answers!

Many of us are afraid to go to work out or go to the weight room. Mo never shies away from this, "I love to be in the weight room with all the boys. It gives me motivation to be stronger and to show them I am not just a girlie girl." Working out seriously for two years seriously now, she hits the gym 5 or 6 days a week. In high school she was made fun of for her size. " I didn't really get into sports until 10th grade. That's when I was at my highest weight, and it didn't prioritize itself through my body evenly, so I decided to join the dance team to get more active, and because I love to dance and move my body." Inspired by Venus and Serena Williams, Mo joined the tennis team. Finally, her senior year, she joined the track team because of her friend Jennifer. "She has an amazing body, and I wanted that as well."I just wanted to dabble in different things non academically, so I just tried whatever seemed to have the lowest risk of injury."
Mo's motivation to stay healthy didn't just start from high school. She explains that that she loves the fact that she is expanding her lifespan." Everyone in my family is obese, and I don't want to end up on that route. I would like to help them live healthier lifestyles as well, but it is kind of hard being far away." After training for a while, Mo has decided to Join the NPC athlete (National Physique Committee)."I will be competing in my first bikini competition in March. I'm going in trying to have fun and see if I like it, after that I am hoping to be a certified trainer. During the competition, Mo's goal will be to win the bikini competitions for March and April.

Mo found out about the NPC contest through her trainer Dave Meyers last summer as he was preparing for a contest of his own (the national guard), and his girlfriend was also preparing for one as well. " She was participating in the bikini division. I wanted to train, but didn't want to get too bulky like Ms. Olympia, but I wanted to have a strong and healthy body. I also missed being on stage (due to not stepping anymore) so I needed a way to have my stage time."

"It's nice now to know that I am the opposite of my classmates, I don't drink or smoke..." But Mo admits that doing this is not so easy. When asked if she found it hard living her healthy life as a college student, she responded, "I do find it difficult.
#1. The food is expensive, because I want the best fuel for my body.
#2. There are so many temptations everywhere. Taco Bell, etc. I stick to the sushi on campus, because it is the healthiest.
#3. There is a time demand on my schedule with eating, and classes, etc. But I like that I have to be structured to fit everything in. I have learned to be more organized and disciplined.
#4. Friends, family, and significant others are the biggest obstacle I think. Bodybuilding is a selfish sport in itself. The ones closest to you have to be your biggest supporters on your team, especially as time gets closer to stage time. Many relationships can be torn apart due to the sport. You just have to ask yourself "will it be worth it in the end?" and the answer is of course it will!!!! If it is something you love and enjoy, then it is definitely worth it.

With all these things that distract her from her from achieving her goals, many of you are asking how does she do it? what motivates her to keep on track. Here, she explains that they come from a variety of places. magazines like Oxygen, Fitness Rx, Muscle&Fitness Hers, are just a few that help her out. she also pulls through with online sources such as bodybuilding.com, which is a social networking site for those interested in fitness. of course facebook, because of the support that she gets from her friends and looking at the progress through pictures is helpful as well.
With anything a person does, a personal drive has to be in there. Mo sees this all the way."Bodybuilding is a psychological sport, and when I feel like I don't want to anymore, I envision myself on stage strutting my stuff and all eyes on me, and damn do I look good. LOL!" last but not least, Mo gets support from others. My support system is pretty strong, even though I have a few downers, I do have strong supporters on my team, and they make sure I am on track." Its very important that whatever you are doing, you need to keep your head strong from all those who try to bring you down. It was amazing that Mo has found a system to continue her goals, despite struggles negativity school etc.

I posted a blog on workout tips, but Mo has a few more for you here:
1. If you have any health issues consult your doctor first before starting any type of exercise program.
2. Go with a friend. Working out with a friend is fun, and keeps the motivation level up.
3. Don't be afraid to lift weights. That is the only way to get a sexy sleek physique.
4. Working out and dieting go hand in hand, there isn't one without the other to attain that super model physique.
5. Stay motivated and properly informed. There are plenty sites and books to get you started. bodybuilding.com got me started and I am still a member on the site. I love it, everyone is soooo supportive and motivating.
6. Stay properly nourished and hydrated.

Mo's, her upcoming competitions are the NPC Upper Midwest Championship in Fargo, ND (NDSU) March 26th, followed by the Gopher State Classic in Eden Prairie, MN (Eden Prairie High School) on April 2nd.
Visit www.mnnpc.com for more info on the competitions if interested about competing, show tickets, or general information.
for those who want more contact information you can reach her on facebook
or email: mobolasulaiman@gmail.com

Thanks for staying in the know! xoxo until next time

forever

2011-01-25T18:45:00.001-08:00

Memories last forever
A soul transcends time.

African Week!

2011-01-24T00:53:00.000-08:00

2:35 am. my day just got done.

I am so excited for african night to arrive! but before that, we have African week! We will be showing movies artwork and dancing in the CSU. ASA will be put on the map this year and everyone will know who we are.

i am so happy! But like mentioned before, It's trying. I just have to keep remembering that it will all pay off. I know that many people want me to fail and I don't strive off of that! I strive off of those who come to EVERY practice, those who performed last year, and are continuing to perform again. Those students who JUST got here this semester and are already heavily involved. I strive off of success, positive energy and happiness. This repels any negativity that could ever come my way. I strive off of the outcome I know will come! For those of you who want to see us fail I say this: You will be truly sorry. nothing can tear apart a nation or a group. We are stronger then ever this year.

ASA has taught me to have tough skin, but it has made me realize who I am. Most importantly, I know now that not everyone will like me, and most of them will not have a good reason for that. I am goofy, weird, crazy and shy at times. I like to make jokes, I like to make connections, and I like for people to get involved. Of those many things many feel that they are weaknesses or childlike features. But you know what? you only live once. I'm not going to waist my life or any second of it trying to please a person or two because they don't like how I act and my personality! My friends love who I am, my family loves who I am and that's what matters.

tired!

With all this said, I cannot wait for African week to come! Monday starts off the event with an art gallery in the CSU ballroom!

African Night: Holding on to Traditions

2011-01-23T13:54:00.000-08:00

Since I have been to MNSU I have gone to African Night. If someone would have told me that I would be president of this organization I would have thought they were lying. Now our biggest event is coming up and I can't wait for it to start.

Holding on to traditions

We always want to have a continuation of last years theme, and this year, Holding on to Traditions was voted in. Simple yet bold, this theme says it all; We are here now, and we still have our African culture and would love to share that. Holding on to traditions also shows how African culture has become "main stream" in those African and non African alike. Jazz is a common example I can think of. This night will amaze you: We will show off African Culture and talent as well as African dance through many and different ways.

Like last year we will be donating part of the ticket sales to our charity, last year it was only $1, this year its $2, because we are raising money for two charities.

I am very interested to see the outcome, and by no means am I saying that this is going to be flawless yet. Only hard work and time can tell that. I must say this however: With all the hard work our coordinators are putting in, I have a good feeling that things will run smoothly. Thank you to those who are helping me out, you know you are!

Sell yourself on facebook

2011-01-18T08:10:00.000-08:00

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Social networking can have its advantages and disadvantages. For those of you in college, my advice is this: This is the time where our facebook/twitter and other social networking devices must be updated and changing with us to a more business setting. I know that I have to do this. I know many who have gotten tired with facebook and other social networking sites because they feel that it has no use for them. For those of you who are sticking it out, here are some simple benefits I have found useful from facebook.
1. It Makes you Noticed. If you are in the type of job market that you know your employers will be looking at your facebook, then make it the best facebook around! sell yourself! If you want to be a model, put up damn good pictures. If you want to be a writer, have damn good notes, or if you want to work with business, promote products and sell your things there! These networking sites can be the gateway for the rest of your life. While you may not be famous over night, you will at least find those alike and create networking.
2. If facebook is some place that you don't think your job will look at, or if you think they will look at it to weed you out, then you might be in luck. But remember this; many people feel that your social networking is an extension of you; how much of yourself would you show to a new friend, or a new job? I always think, what if my parents had facebook?
3. Watch what you post. This is so easy to say, but people post some weird things! If you are young, don't post yourself doing illegal things. know how you look in your pictures, know what you are wearing, and don't let people take pictures of you if you don't know them. I'm lucky to have had good friends who agreed with me. Of course I'm not going to say that every picture that I put on facebook is amazing, But I think if a job is looking at them, I would be able to justify them :)
remember these simple tips and you will be great!

Social Issues: MLK

2011-01-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

"Let no man pull you low enough to hate him."

[source]

In a percent world MLK, day would not be one of those holidays that no one cares about, which I feel like it is. Only last year did I change my facebook profile pic for his day. When I was younger, this day was like a precursor to black history month, and everyone in class would stare at me like I knew him or something.

If you don't know the history of MLK, even wikipedia has basic information on the man, the legend.

All I want to say is this: maybe 50 years from now, people won't use his name and his good deeds as an EXCUSE to get things unequally, rather think of his memory and use it to further themselves. I hope 50 years from now, it won't be the holiday only kids like because it gets them out of school, or only during an election of a black man that we say, hmm it's MLK day. I know that I have been victim to this, but when you actually THINK about what this man did,

it inspires me.

Hair Questions

2011-01-16T13:43:00.000-08:00

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I never wanted to do a blog just about hair, but after the "success" of my hair post, I think I will try it again. here, I will address some questions that were brought up from my blog.
1. I thought you were going natural? There are a lot of things implied in that statements. I dyed my hair red a while ago so for some Im not "natural" anymore. The only thing I'm "going to" is school :) what I'm doing with my hair is this: I cut it a while back, and now I'm not going to relax it. Bbraids? maybe but it always cuts my hair. Weave? maybe for graduation but it gives me a headache and I can never take care of mine. Straightening it? well that requires heat which is not good for your hair. Wig? I don't think so, maybe for fun!
2. Can you give me any tips on my hair?: No, not really, I'm "experimenting" with mine. Sorry. I'm not an expert, but I can lead you to here here and here for some great sources. (especially the last two. Love them!)
3. So what is your opinion on... hair?: Simple answer is I don't have one. I like My hair to be heathy, I don't really care about what your hair is (natural, nappy, fake, real) it's yours if you bought it, and if you feel good then I think that is what really matters.

[source]

4. What are you going to do with your hair?: Right now winter makes my hair difficult. So this weekend, I might do some cornrows or some two twists. thing about two twists for me is that it shrinks up the next day, so I think i'm going to braid them for a week, and then switch up to two twists the other week (I'll have someone do them for me).

Grace Jones <3

5. What are some hairstyles you love?: Everything I put on this blog plus more. I think a good hairstyle goes with a great outfit.

Health:roadblock

2011-01-15T21:20:00.000-08:00

So I went to the gym today and I felt so disappointed in myself. It's not that I didn't do anything, I just didn't have the "drive" that I did yesterday. I blame this on several things:

1. Not stretching. Or not enough. I usually stretch at home and at the gym before working out, yesterday, I didn't stretch at home.

2. Lack of motivation. Because I didn't stretch as much I felt soar, and it quickly left me feeling useless. I usually love to "feel the pain," it feels really good to me, like I know that it's working, but today I just couldn't.

My advice to those of you who are feeling this slump is to take it easy. Instead of just leaving the gym, I decided to make this a "cool-down day" instead. Of course, I made myself push through the abs workout, but spent the rest of the time in the weight room. Usually that's where i end my workout, but I decided to let that be my whole workout. I also felt like walking around the track.

Here's a quick post hope you can get a bit more insight on how to get over your slump!

Fitness: Working out

2011-01-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! As the new year proceeds, many of us set goals for ourselves, today, I will be talking about one of then and how to achieve it.

The biggest thing about being healthy is eating right and exercising more I will focus on working out; especially if your goal is to lose weight, However many of us get caught up in where to begin. Alas, here are a few tips to help you out!

1. Find a partner and push each other. It is very easy to think you have done enough when your alone. This way, you can keep taps on each other, and help each other stay on course.

2. Break down your goal so that you have check points. For example: if you are trying to lose 50 pounds total, set a goal to lose 5 pounds each month, and have specific weigh ins. This leaves you with two months to maintain your goal wight.

3. Set a schedule. This is something you must do for any goal you make. Time management is very important and if you are like me, you have to plan for things or you will be unorganized quickly. You should first pick days you want to go to the gym, and that fit in you schedule. Next, pick times and stick to it. Once you plan out when you want to go to the gym, plan out what you are going to do and for how long.

4. find a personal trainer. For the college student, this might be a bit hard because of finical constraints. but you could take a fitness class instead. What I have written are only tips; I am no professional, so always seek that help. This leads me to my 5th point,

5. See a doctor. Many people think that the only time you go to a doctor is when you are sick but a doctor is there for your health and well being. If you are tyring to lose a few pounds, see a doctor to make sure that you are doing it in a healthy way. they can give you more specific health tips and signs designed for your body type. its important to get the low down form someone professional.

Hope this helps all of you! Happy New year

WOMEN

2010-12-12T12:20:00.000-08:00

"When I am assertive, I'm a bitch, but when a man is assertive he's a boss."-Nicki Minaj

There have been countless of blogs that I have written, but have not finished. The blog that I want to write right now is one that has been haunting me forever, something that I really want you all to know, but I want it to be perfect; as I am typing it, my thoughts are racing about all the things I want to say. It's so simple yet so complicated at the same time; everyone feels misunderstood at some time in life, the key is moving on from it, but how can you when the people you work with do not support you or believe in you?

I never really understood what people thought about the double standard in women before I came to Mankato, and especially before last year, I never understood what people meant about racism and discrimination still being alive; I grew up all over the cities, and while my life was not hard, I can say that I had my own personal demons. But the problems I delt with coming to college were ones totally different.

Why do people feel like I cannot succeed? Why do people not understand that the things they see me doing is only half of what I do?

I am not an actor, I do not pretend to be something that I am not, maybe this is the reason taht people find me annoying, growing up, this is something that was hailed as a strength, and now I come to mankato, and after the year that i have had last year and this year, it is looked on as a weakness.

I leave you with this readers: my total and utter frustration. I want you to know I don't think its fair that I am supposed to be looked at as "dainty." I hate that there is more pressure on me to finish a task, I hate that there are people who just sit there, hope that I fail, and criticize me, and when I succeed, they complain, but lick their fingers and benefit from my hard work. I hate that.

Im complaining, and I know that.

I think this is part of some "process" or something. I already feel better writing this out. While simply complaining wont do anything, action will. I just want to continue being a hard worker, and even if I have to work 10 times as hard as the person next to me, I know I'll get where I want to be. Without complaining. :)

Now you know a little more about the inside workings of me:)

five amazing artiest

2010-10-26T16:43:00.000-07:00

I love music. it keeps my heart beating. so I have decided to have a list my dear readers of artiest that I am listing to extra hard this week. below are the top five. this does not mean, however, that it is a top five for best vocals or top five of all time, it's just top five of the week that I think you should know about and listen to as well. enjoy!

Obvious disclaimer that I do not own any of these songs :)

5. Madonna.

The idol. The Legend. The women. Madonna is amazing and is still going strong. This women deserves' to be on this list for reasons that I don't need to speak for. Her body of work speaks for herself. The Madonna that I like to listen to however is one of the past. Old songs such as "Like a prayer" or "Like a virgin" are the ones that got her to where she is today, and still ring a bell with those young and old. Below is a video to her song, "papa dont preach, and a rendition that Kelly Osbourne did.

2. Sweet honey in the rock.

An amazing women group. If you have never heard of them then I am truly sorry,but never fear, your life will get a little bit better after this article. African american group accepella group started in the 70's. One of my favorite songs by them below, makes me want to smile and cry at the same time. Listen and be amazed

4. Hope.

The one thing good about myspace, or the one thing good that i discovered through it were amazing artists. Some already well known, some not, and some on the way to it. This artist Hope, is one of them. She has done some gigs since my days at myspace, but the song that lead me to her was, "Rain don't last." listen below.:

3.Lady gaga.

I know may of you were thinking that she would be my number one! but, as good as she might be, no one can beat the vocals of x tina and Adele. However, gaga has fought her way rightfully in this spot. For those who know me, they know that I am an eclectic person; and I can remember the first day i heard gaga: it was during a miss world pageant and I was texting one of my friends, " I like the singer, she's cool" and she (my friend) was responded, " lol she's weird." The rest is history. I like gaga because she is eclectic like me but has the courage to do what she what she wants and has a passion for, and better yet, do it full time. Rather than show a music video, I will show one of my favorite interviews of her. Below is part one of 5. Eight minutes into the interview she says, I wasn't famous when i wrote this record, I was eating shit in the industry."

2. Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera, x tina, or what you will will be a legend. I knew that once I heard her voice the very fist time. In those days new artists were type casted by their producers, and Christina did not want to put out genie in a bottle first, but something more soulful. But those faithful fans like me, could tell that from the beginning, even through this "pop song," she had amazing soul. I could write a blog about just her, or her music, style, how, and how she, has way for new comers including my fav, lady gaga, look at her out their styles, her whole album stripped, her song dirty, her campaigns, etc. but I'll let her music speak for itself. listen to her acoustic version of come on over. Amazing!

1. Adell

This amazing Britt has a voice of an angel and a fiery personality. Her first album 19 was pure gold, and moved my soul. one of my favorite songs by her is home town glory. Even though she is talking about her home town, it makes me proud of everyplace I am from, and think about those memories and the events that shaped me!

This is not an exhaustive list my dear readers. I Just wanted you to know a little bit more about some amazing artiest and songs that i personally love from them. Hope you enjoy!

Annoying

2010-09-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

Annoying!!!!!

There are several things that annoy the hell out of me. I could make a list that is so long explaining what they are, and I have decided that I will. Why? In hopes that someone who commits these annoying crimes will STOP. Or, if you see them being done you can tell the person to stop. Here it goes my fellow readers:

1o. being alternative for the sake of being alternative

I don’t feel like I need to do anything else than this: people pretend to do things just to be different. These people do this to brake away from the “social norm,” however, they if anything add to it. My advice to those who want to be different for the sake of being different: be yourself! Nothing is worse than being something that you are not.

9. Hanging up with not saying goodbye

I don’t think I need to say any more about this. It’s annoying and stupid. Especially if you hear me say buy and you just hang up. It’s so weird. It makes it weirder if I don’t say buy and you hang up. And its’ not like “ I’ll talk you later.” It’s like, “ I got to go.” Then I hear the click of the phone.

8. Religion vs. science

This annoys me on several levels. Mostly my peers who are atheist or agnostic bashing those who believe in God. Many times they say things that are false about religion, and many times, people do it to be “cool.” The other part is those who are religious who do the same thing, and bash the others by saying negative things about those who do not believe in the same thing as them. For both of these, it annoys me how it seams that you have to choose one or the other, which is not true. I feel that these groups should not be “enemies,” I feel that religion and science compliments each other, if anything. I will write extensively about this topic in my next blog.

7. Dirty bathrooms

I think this is disrespectful and hideous. Especially when there is hair in the bathroom from the previous person. Please clean up after yourself. I feel that if the place that you want to clean yourself is not clean, then you will not be clean yourself. To me it’s a bit sad to see someone shower (wanting to get clean) in an unclean environment.

6. Bystander effect.

I recently was at an altercation where I felt that I was a victim, and the thing that surprised me at the end was that no one there tried to help me. The next day however, those who saw me in distress had the nerve to ask what happened. The first thing that came to my mind was how do these people have the nerve to ask when they already know? This upset me to no other, because they only wanted to gossip. As a psychology major, I immediately thought of the bystander effect, which can be defined as, “a social psychological phenomenon that refers to cases where individuals do not offer help in an emergency situation when other people are present. The probability of help has in the past been thought to be inversely proportional to the number of bystanders; in other words, the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any one of them will help.” To me this was surprising because I never thought It would happen to me. Especially because the people that surrounded me I knew. The only person (besides my boyfriend) who even thought to come up and say what’s going on was someone whom I knew, but we did not talk on the regular. Looking back, I can never thank this person enough for this kindness, you know who you are, and I am forever in your debt.

5. Woe is me

This is annoying because it annoys me to no end when they start listing off all the things wrong with their life, or all the problems that they encounter. Sure everyone does that, but when you try to tell him or her that life will be ok, they tell you that its not and try to explain something else. They want to make you feel that their situation is the worst. A word of advice to these people: everyone has their demons, and personal problems that is hard for them to deal with, don’t sit there and complain and list off your horrible life just for people to feel sorry for you. If you want attention, this is not the way to go.

4. Calling me Waka flocka.

This is annoying because if you were someone I knew, and respected as a friend, you would understand that I don’t like that. Friends respect others, and when someone calls me something other than my name without my permission, I know it may seam funny, gut its soo annoying you have no idea. The more you call me something that I don’t approve of, the more you lose my respect.

3. Annoying newsfeeds on facebook

this one annoys the hell out of me because in my mind I’m thinking, if your grandma’s dying, why the HELL are you telling us? Go to the hospital. Or when people do things like “happy fathers day dad.” WHY are you telling us? Your dad is not your friend, he is your fucking parent, don’t tell us, and lets hope you are not telling him through facebook. And if you are, send it in a FUCKING message. Not everyone needs to know your personal business.

2. People telling me what I can and cannot do.

Don’t limit me. Not even to the sky. I am the person who makes the decision in my life so don’t be all over me.

1. Liars

This is the ultimate form of disrespect. If you cannot respect yourself enough to tell the truth, you are someone who I do not want to be with. To me, a person that lies is the ultimate form of disrespect, especially when they get caught in their lie, and continue to lie. I feel that there are many forms of lying, and its any form of dishonesty. If you are dishonest to someone about something, you are a liar, if you do something that puts someone at a disadvantage that they would normally not be in. Manipulating others to get something that another person should justly get, or have is a form of lying. I know lots of liars, and many times they think that they are discrete, which is a lie.

That is all my fellow readers! Now you know what annoys me, hopefully next time you see me, you'll know to stop :) stay tuned for my next blog coming up soon!

questions about France part 2

2010-08-21T22:06:00.000-07:00

The long awaited part two of my blog is finally here! these are the rest of the answers to the questions that were asked of me! enjoy!

How do French people dress: French people dress simple. One thing I noticed as a style was dressing like your grandma. The style hasn’t hit America yet, but there are small things that are yet to come.

These shoes are a great example of what I mean. Simple yet stylish, this would be paired with a knee high skirt and a slightly baggy shirt tucked in. It's very grandma.

The same thing goes for men. Grandpa is in. fitted, NOT tight jeans are what most guys have; specifically Ones that can be roiled up easily. Slightly baggy shirts that may be v necks, and Loafers, converse, and simple “Mr. Rodgers” shoes and sweater is in as well ( these shoes also work for girls). If you want to look stylish, just think of the Mr. Rodgers style. And of course, Ray Ban glasses are a must have.

Another style that I see creeping in is the African inspired look. I see the patterns sneaking up in stores, the outfits are coming in with a western twist as well.

The next question will lead into the next one about the economy of France as well so pay close attention :)

“Are French people skinny?:” yes and this IS because of their small McDonald's.

French people (or at least those in La Rochelle) eat very healthy food and local as well. They try to avoid fast food, and every evening meal is like a feast. BUT I must say this: I feel as though French people are skinny because it is to expensive in Europe.

A a large McDonald's is our small but COSTS THE SAME AS OUR LARGE. A coffee literately comes in something the size of a Dixie cup, and you pay at least 3 euros for it. If you eat in the restaurant (no matter what it is) you pay extra. All the close stores are robbing you of your money ( in Paris) and therefor, its better to go to the supermarche and get your things, where there, every store looks like an aldi’s, or go to the outside marche, where the food is fresh and local. t

As mentioned before, everything is expensive in France. Going to the laundry mat in Paris was an ordeal. It costs 4 euro to wash my cloths, and then .80 centime to dry for 8 min! in the states I freak out about having to pay 2.50! very different! Also, since water is very expensive, showers must be taken quickly, and one must wet themselves with the water, soap, then rinse off. I think that this is a good practice to keep water.

How are the theaters and the attractions?: amazing! I feel as though I have been to every castle and church that there is in Paris. My favorite was Le Louvre, because I found some African art section and took amazing pictures that I will print out for the ASA art exhibit! I cannot wait. Part of me was mad however to see those things in France, and not in their respective countries. The Eiffel tower was amazing as well, when we were bord, we just went there to hang out. There were moments that I felt so everjoyed, and really took in the moment as to what I was doing: being bord, and just deciding to hang out at the effile tower! What a chance that I have! I'm so glad that I could expirence it. The majority of the sites are packed, but one has to know what times to go. Early in the morning works amazing for most things, and as for the Eiffel tower, we saw it in the evening and it was fine, as to which I was surprised.

What are you doing there?: Great question! Taking a French class while living with a French family. There are two schools that came with us, and some random people who came alone form other countries. I usually go to the beach after school.

There is so much about France that I could say, this expirence was something of a lifetime! thanks for all your questions. I feel that when I came back, I was somehow different, in a good way, and I made lifetime friends! I cannot wait to go back there again!

Questions about France. Partie 1

2010-07-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

Hello my fellow readers. It has been a long time yes, but ne vous vous inquiétez pas (don’t worry in French) , I have not forgotten about you all! In fact, I have so much to say I don’t even know where to start.

After leaving Paris, we arrived in La Rochelle. It is very different in a good way. There are, of course things that I miss about Paris: the ease of getting around with the metro, the nightlife, the simplicity of talking and meeting people. But la Rochelle is different and amazing as well: the constant presence of the beach, the picturesque presence of the town, the music, festivals, and the calm atmosphere of a small town. I know that there are questions that you are dying to know, and there are things that I am dying to tell you, I just don’t know how! Or where to start! So I decided to answer a few posed to me from my inbox.

“ Is it true what they say about the French women? How are they different than Americans?”:

This came from a male. And the biggest difference is that the beach are topless, BUT many people wear their bikinis, unless they are laying down tanning, or unless you are an old grandma (which then looks like old leather)

Another question was posed to me about the French men, and all I can say for that is that they do wear Speedos when going to la plage, (the beach in French) and it is not appealing. They are a bit forceful though- I was slapped in Paris by one ( yes I slapped him back twice, I would have fought him if I was not pulled back;) and come off a bit strong when they want to go with you. This guy at a sandwich place wanted me to go to his place later on at night! He thought after a couple winks that he could get me! One guy at the Eiffel tower asked to do the same. I didn’t understand him at first, but he kept saying “amour.” I told him yes but not now because my friends were there and to give me another Eiffel tower chain please ( he was selling them) and that I would come back tomorrow. He in fact gave me two chains. I never returned.

All in all I can say that the French men and women are very open, for the women it takes a while to break them in, (perhaps why the men are so blunt) and they are not looking for foreigners like the men are. If you are at a good club, you will be sure to find a girl willing to dance with you and have a good time. If you’re a girl looking for someone to take care you that will happen with a French guy I think, but it might take some time, if your looking for someone for a short ride, then you’ll have fun!

Until next time! Partie 2 is in the editing process! More questions? Either reply or faceook me! xxx

my stay so far.

2010-06-22T11:31:00.000-07:00

My trip to France, even though it has not really started, has been amazing so far. I have seen all the monuments I feel like one wants to see when coming here. However I would like to give a visual explanation of my stay. So here I will try to blog about my experiences and adventures.

La Sainte-Chapple, (Sainte-Chapelle Chapel) is a beautiful and large church. Build in the 13th century, this great work of architecture was the first site that we saw.

The line to get in was amazing, But it was well worth it.

This Church is very important because it is the home to many relics that deal with the death of Christ. The lower level, used to be just for the commoners.

Above: the ceiling of the lower floor. notice the colors

above: a statue. notice the stain glass windows

above: une photo de moi

the palatine chapel

this second level of the church was used for the personal use of the king. several if not all of the original work however has been destroyed. because it was built in a time when many people could not read, the use of stain glass windows as used. you read them left to right in an S shape. the ones taht we saw went from the beginning to the end of the bible through pictures. one cannot help but notice the beautiful artwork as well.

above: the second part of the church. notice the construction and restoration going on

above: the winding stairway. we had to use this to go up and go down. these were used in the past for servants to serve the king

above: some floor work.

once we left the building we saw this door, beautiful decoration:

after leaving the church, we went to the former. this place used to be connected to the upper part of the church so that the king would not have to leave to walk outside, and thus keeping his privicy. I will show you the other part, however this in another blog my fellow readers! any questions pls feel free to ask! i still have to show you:

-Notre-Dame

-Madeline Church

-the Opera

-the trenite church

-the vendome square

-the tuileries gardens

-the concorde square

-les Champs-Elyses,

-L'arch de Triumph

Paris

2010-06-20T10:38:00.000-07:00

My long awaited trip from France is finally here. Upon my short stay, and trip from the United states, I learned a few things quickly: they are as follows:

1. The Humphrey terminal is very small and does not have enough things for me to choose from to eat.

2. I like the icelander stewardess. I like how they dress, look and smile. They have good costumer service.

3. I should be sure of myself next time I want to do anything, I should have had my headphones with me so I could avoid the crying baby.

4. The Iceland airport is sleek and clean. It is quiet, and reminded me of a movie. I loved the open doors, and I could tell that I wasn't in the States because alcohol by the bottles were being sold everywhere.

5. I've learned that the stereotype about Minnesota nice is not a stereotype, but a fact. Going into the French airport, and even the Iceland one, people were less likely to help and assist others. simple things such as excuse me, or being cut off when walking is the norm.

6. CDG airport is all that you heard. it looks very high-scale and fancy. It was beautiful ( as all of France is).

6. I learned that the French are bad drivers for real. I heard a lot about this, but actually seeing it first hand makes me nervous. There are no rules, that are followed. So be CAREFUL when crossing the street.

7. I can have a French conversation with a native French person who does not know me, or speak english in France! I did this a few times today, and I feel happy. (Well it was only once, when asking for the internet code, but I felt proud of myself. )

8. There are A LOT OF Mercedes Benz in France! That should not be surprising because they are from a European country, but in the States, these cars are seen as a luxury, where as here, the postal delivery truck is one. with my love for these cars, I found myself loving this city even more

9. There is a lot of diversity in the place that I am living. Around us are many different nationalities, including my AFRICANS! Seeing the first lappa and headtie made me feel like home.

10. I learned that me and my family are actually closer than I thought. I was the only one to have my whole family there to see me off, and to me that seamed like the natural thing to do. I also called my whole family the whole time. I thought that this part was interesting.

tomorrow:

la sainte-chapelle, la conciergerie et notre dame

goals:

talk more french

speak to the locals

dress like a French person

that is all for now, I have major jet lag. pictures to come!

Mean Girls; my analysis of teenage gangs

2010-04-11T18:43:00.001-07:00

below: the cast of the show gossip girl. this show is based on drama and lies,

another perfect example of mean girls in action

Mean Girls.

I could leave this blog at that and have a million girls, teenagers and women know what i'm talking about.

I don't know if guys notice this type of behavior in girls or not, or if some girls notice it in themselves. I myself can honestly say that in high school, I was lucky enough to have a group of friends that was not into drama, or maybe we were not cool enough to be into it. Here are some things that I have noticed in mean girls:

1.Chasing "drama." Websters online dictionary defines drama as, "A state, situation, or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict of forces." For whatever reason, girls like to be a part of this. I feel that it gives them some sort of mental high. They are happy when they are mad, it makes them feel in power because girls are supposed to be dainty. This is a way that they can show their assertiveness in this way, maintaining their "girliness," but satisfying that need for power and aggression.

2. Attract attention. I feel that they have a need for attention in any sense. A girl could even fake what she is doing, acting or feeling so that others may notice her. She feels good when people talk about her, and her alone. She may take things that are little and blow them out of proportion, and skew the truth to others so that she looks like the victim. She may do things that are negative towards others, and let others know, so that the public realizes that she shows no fear. etc. Girls will do many things for attention, and to be talked about. For those girls who are not in the "it crowd," they may want to do something to get attention so that people will notice them in hopes of getting in with the "it crowd".

3. Mean girls may not know that they are doing these things. I feel that most mean girls are caught up in these actions of deliberately sabotage others that they never think about what they are actually doing, as stated before, it is like a high that they are in, or a trance, they are dazed, their rational thinking is confused. They do these things they feel like because it's the "right thing to do" or the thing to to for their benefit. These girls may be a part of a clique and feel so good from that sense of belonging, and never question what the leader is making them do. All they know is that from past experiences, this type of behavior feels good.

above: this generic pic portrays girls being mean to another one. they aren't doing anything,

but any girl who sees this pic knows that something nasty is going on

4. The meanest girls know what they are doing. These are the ones that you have to watch out for. These girls are not under the impression of following others, rather they are the leaders. They may be doing this because:

a. They like to be followed by other girls

b. They love the power

c. They are making up for something that is missing in their life.

These girls are rarely happy in the notion that you and I know it. They gain happiness through the pain and suffering that others feel because of them. They have blocked emotion and feeling bad for those of their sufferers. They will test the loyalty of those who are their followers, just for fun.

Does that sound familiar?

To me, cliques are like gangs. I know people may think that this may be the extreme, but they have all the same characteristics. Loyalty, a leader who is never questioned, one carry outs missions to feel the praise of others, as well as to feel a closer bonding of a group, many people are "hazed" through this process. Not all teenage cliques are this extreme, or violent, but at one point in time, they portrayed some sort of aggression/ "meanness" towards another group of people or person.

lets take a look from the movie trailer of mean girls.

This clip sums up the school semester of a teenage girl. Regina is the queen bee, and threatened by Cady, who is honest. Towards the middle, Cady understands what it takes to be a part of the group, and what it takes for her to maintain her "status" she even plays dumb, for a boy (lowering herself for a boy, she must play the innocent female who is being saved by a boy) the two girls never fight, or even get in an argument, but we all know that these girls do not like each other. Frenemies in the truest form.

This behavior isn't just something that is seen in little girls and hormonal teenagers, adults do it too. This makes me think that people being "high school" is a state of being, and not a phase of school. Watch this clip from the bad girls club.

You will get more analysis if you watch the show. However, this small clip and what the girl comment about how natalie always sys she runs LA, who is she trying to convince? us or her? This is an interesting line, because it poses the thought, maybe Natalie is just an insecure person who needs to show and act out in aggression. Through out the season, these girls act out the same way as the characters do in mean girls, reinforcing the notion of "high school" is something that continues way after.

I feel like this type of behavior is in girls because of gender stereotypes. Girls are not supposed to be physical or loud. They are supposed to be dainty. As a result of this, they let out their agression in different ways. Men do it physically, women do it mentally. They play mind games with each other, which in my perspective is more hurtful than anyother kind of pain. A girl will play and twist the mind of another girl, and teachers may not notice. Friends may know whats going, on but be so caught up in the drama that they might not care.

But maybe im just saying that because I don't want to be definied as a mean girl, or someone who was a "bitch". But I feel like I can honestly say that I wasn't. however it is something that I will never know.

I can say this however, since entering college, I can definitely say that I have expirenced more rumores, hurtfulness and "mean girl syndrome" then i can ever remember having in my life. I don't understand why this is. but having had this expirence finally in my life, and seen girls be mean to other girls, i feel that now, I am able to comment on how women are.

above: Hidi form the hills. not a mean girl. She is a wanna be mean girl. She would be the girl that is mean.

I suspect she acts the way she does because of how girls treated her in the past. she would fit into number 3

So what does this all mean? what do we do with this information? For me, I just want you to know, how some girls are. How they act and behave. Perhaps this will stop the cycle of meanness that this society has towards each other. Also, being a victim of meanness, I want to say that it hurts really bad, and sometimes people may not intend to be that mean, but I think as a general rule, just don't do it. Kidding around is one thing, if you know the person, but there is a fine line between that and being mean.

Do I think that girls will stop? No. But maybe we can start a diologe about it. I feel that this is really the only way to solve the problem for girls. Because of the fact that it is more of a mental thing and a psychological fight more then anything else, that is the way it can be countered. It will take a slow process of course, but I feel strongly that one of the ways to diffuse this is by breaking down gender steryotypes.

Signing off for now, hope you are more in the know ->kime p

Spotlight: The Loony Goons, Future Super Stars

2010-04-09T20:25:00.000-07:00

below: Terron (right) and Mark (left) the duo that make up the Loony Goons

When going to MSU, I was surprised to find a growing local hip hop artist around. This was something that I was exposed to a bit in high school, but not at this level or vigor. The first people of the Hip hop seen that I ever meet were the Loony Goones, a group comprising of two rappers, Terron and Mark. These guys were down to earth, real personable, and wrote about things they knew. Their name is catchy, and it makes you want to know a little bit more.

The Loony Goons are hard working individuals. As any local band or artist knows, it takes a while to know how to do the things that famous people pay others to do. The mark of an artist, or any famous person is the drive and determination of getting noticed. For example, they have had concerts on campus in the CSU ballroom several times, and have performed with Mike Jones. In fact, this Friday, they will be in Kosota performing again. They manage to do this and go to school and make money with jobs that support their craft.

There is so much I could say about them, but I think that the music should speak for themselves. Here is their latest song called Ima Beast. Listen carefully to the tunes and the music transitions, as well as the main beat.

Think about this: if this is the qualitly music that college students are making now, imigine when they hit the big scene. This is just a sample of their work. The Loony Goons are true artist in the since that they are able to free style on a minutes notice. I have sat with them several times just hanging out, and seen the guys begin to rap about any and everything around them. This is not a fabricated music band, or just for show, but something that comes from both of them. This rap duo didn't just want to be rappers to be cool, but they realized that this was a great way to compose their craft, and share with others their thoughts, feelings, and just have fun.

Above. Mark (left) and Terron (right) up stage for the Mike Jones concert. This pic was taken in the moment. Notice their Dedication.

This group also knows how to network. In a place such as Mankato, one would think it would be hard for those to have a chance to show off their artistic works to those of the outside. But these two have made it seem effort less with tall the gigs they have. The fact that they have performed in the cities as well as other areas around Mankato, shows their dedication. Many college students cannot say that they have been able to release an album mixtape.

They realize their fan base, and stay true to their roots.

If you like thier music, or want to know more information, long on and check out their facebook page
here