News Media

I think the news media has a lot of problems. They've been compromised by money. They want to retain viewers so they resort to simplistic shock tactics, sensationalizing non-news in attempt to garner the biggest immediate response. Or they get pundits that are clearly there just to be inflammatory and pretty much grossly misrepresent information to their viewers in the process. There is a minority, of private news companies that have integrity, and reporters who care about information first and foremost, and would rather honor their viewers than advertisers.

Politics

As the second-wave feminist saying goes- the personal is political. I don't understand people who view politics as some far off arena that doesn't affect our daily lives- every aspect of our living is dictated by politics, micro and macro. That is why I am a political science major, planning on minoring in gender studies starting next semester. I think there is a lot of fear and ignorance in politics, which leads to inaction or marginalization and I want to break through it to make the biggest difference I can as a person.

Books

I don't read nearly as much as I'd like to. Well, proper books that is. I'm always reading things on the internet. But as far as long narratives go, my attention span always proves to be too short. Whenever I'm in a down period of inspiration, I read either a novel or a book of poetry and it usually stimulates my creativity. My favorite book is The Autobiography of Malcolm X, it is consistently motivating and moving. I think my favorite series is the Harry Potter series as books, I also am a burgeoning fan of Cormac McCarthy (I've been trying to finish Blood Meridian since the beginning of first semester).

jobs

The closest thing I've had to an assembly line job is working at Gallery 37's photography program. It was the summer session of 2009. We had to go out and take pictures of Chicago, for some committee we knew nothing about and knew nothing about us. From obvious things like the lions in front of the Field Museum to trying to find the right neighborhood shots that brought the city to life. The committee's preferences seemed to be always frustratingly vague.

After taking the pictures, we developed them in an old fashioned darkroom, a fairly painstaking process full of trail and error. It could take an hour day's work to attempt to develop one picture properly. Then at the end of the year, we chose from hundreds of photos to a few dozen.

American dream

The American Dream is something that at times seems wonderful, yet elusive, and other times horribly coercive- a fake set of ideals that were never realized and perhaps never will be. Personally, I assume it is starting your own business, having a family, and having money to put them through college. For the country, the Dream is economic, gender, race, sexual, age, and physical equality that would allow any and everybody to get that business and support that family.

Oftentimes, politicians (and those who tumble underneath them) are quick to allude to some mythical Golden Age that no one has ever actually known. There was always discrimination against women and minorities and homosexuals and the disabled (still is), so this golden age only refers to white male farmers or business owners? Because the 70s had Nixon. The 80s had crack and Reagan. But it sure is great rhetoric that works on a lot of people thirsty to wrap their hands around something.

Movies

Ever since moving out into Dekalb, my consumption of new movies has slowed considerably. The only movie I can think of that I've gone to see are Alice in Wonderland and Precious, both with my friend Sasha, both during breaks back home in Chicago, and neither of which I had any intention on seeing until perhaps the day the idea came about.

all the moves I've wanted to see- Kick Ass, Avatar, Greenberg, Where the Wild Things Are, Death at a Funeral, Shutter Island (which I later watched on the computer), I haven't seen. It makes me feel out of touch- I haven't watched more than two minutes of the Oscars this year (Ben Stiller's painful Avatar spoof), because I hadn't seen any of the films except Precious. I haven't been that out of touch, literally, since perhaps 7th grade. Maybe not even then. Oh well. I'll just have to become more vigilant about watching movies on the internet. I mean...going to pay to see them.

Tv shows

I generally stopped watching television a couple of years ago. An older kid I thought was really cool sent me a facebook invite to Turn Off Your TV Week to take a stand against advertising and consumerist culture. So I did (besides that weeks episode of Lost), and never really went back.

I still spend time on the internet, at least six hours a day is a conservative estimate. During this time, I'm aware that I am bombared by way more ads than I would be if I were watching television but still- I simply don't enjoy television anymore.
Besides LOST, which is my favorite show, and is nearing the end of its final season. That is incredibly emotional for me! I will do anything for my LOST. I still have a wealth of knowledge concerning South Park, The Simpsons, the first five seasons of 24...and not much else. Oh! and the Adult Swim block on Cartoon Network. That was my haven for the first few years of high school, without a doubt.

atheltics

I grew up in an athletic family. My father played basketball throughout most of his life, as did two of my three brothers (one of which is in the NBA right now). I was on the baseball team as a kid, and played basketball throughout elementary school. I stopped applying myself as much in that area when it came time for high school, but I've always had good hand-eye coordination and the build of an athlete.

I think it's a marvelous thing. Every once in a while, I get bewildered by the fact that, say, Michael Jordan's body and mind would have been created to make him the best basketball player in the world. What if we had never concocted a game where you bounce a ball, and throw it in a hoop? What else could MJ have been the best at?

One could argue that, in fact, the kind of skills and physical prowess someone like Michael Jordan (or Pete Sampras) possess would be much better put to use doing something economically astute like chopping lumber. But who knows? We all deserve leisure time, it gives us the space to find happiness and then it will motivate us to participate in the work force/economy. So thinking it through, the NBA is just as much of a driving factor in productivity and forward-progress as anything else. Though, what we are progressing towards, is a whole other question. WHOAAAA

love map

I do not possess a specific type of person that I am attracted to. Physically, at least, there's way too wide a field of possible descriptors.

As far as personality goes, I like girls who are open-minded, and motivated. Girls with good senses of humor, and who are interested in art (music, film, literature, etc.), and cognizant of social issues. Women who are aware sexually and emotionally and diverse in their backgrounds and aspirations. I seem to gravitate toward women who are talented; writing together immediately forms a strong connection that can hardly ever be undone.

I usually do not pursue gentlemen as prospective dates, but I am generally attracted to men as friends who possess these characteristics. It's just a general blueprint for my affections.

gelirion

This is really difficult for me to write. I don't really adhere to any specific religion or denomination. I lean towards Christianity, but I am pretty sure it's mostly because my mother raised me in the church. I am sure that if I was born somewhere else, I wouldn't be nearly as receptive to the idea of Jesus as I am. I think religion has proven itself to be mostly constructed culturally.

I think it has been used to motivate people to do awful things, and also amazing things. I don't really understand why people err to either side. I think people seem like they should be (or are) aware of the problems with being extreme in almost any situation, yet continue to do it. Perhaps because it's easiest, because you can be most sure of yourself. Ambiguity is a painful, painful thing. It leaves you wondering, anxious.