Exposure in the 21st Century

Exposure, right off the bat, is the act of revealing, unmasking, or presenting oneself or rather something. However, the term exposure can mean different things from different aspects. The term has changed drastically in many senses. First, in a biology sense, it refers to “poor health, results from lack of protection over a prolonged period,” as stated by wikipedia.org. In ancient time, people did not that live long, therefore, dieases and disorders that is common today were not seen. However, today, the life span of an average person and the number of dieases have increased. People are "exposed" to many more disorders and dieases such as STDs to disorders such as Panic Attack Disorder. Could this increase in different sicknesses be due to our exposure to harmful chemicals created by humans? Or could it be that these disorders have long existed but were not acknowledge? Or rather, these sicknesses were seen as being possessed by devils or a looked at as a form of punishment by god?

Exposure in a photography sense means something totally different. It is the “Total amount of light allowed to fall on the sensor during the process of taking a photograph,” is another definition written on Wikipedia. But exposure in this sense makes me think of the creation of web cameras, digital cameras, and most importantly the camera phones that many of us cannot live without. A form of exposure in the 21st century in a photography sense can very well be expressed through convenient mobile cameras. About twenty years ago, it was very common to see tourists as well as regular individuals carrying around huge bulky cameras. I remember my dad used to carry one around in a bag that consist of an adapter, a foldable tripod, and some wires you have to attach to the camera in order for it to function. On top of that, we have to wait for days to see the images. It was heavy and inconvenient. Fast forward to today with advanced technology, we are blessed to fit our cameras inside a small bag or wear it around our wrist. Some cell phones also come with a camera function that allows people to snap quick photos and then share them with family and friends instantly. Maybe in another 20 years, our species can come up with another type of camera that is even more convenient. Say, contact lenses that acts as a camera so we are able to keep a copy of images we see with our own eyes. Now that's what I call convenient.

Exposure in entertainment specifies the practice of revealing yourself publicly designed to rouse public interest. I remember watching VH1 on the history of "Playboy" and how it came about. Decades ago, images of nude women on magazine covers were starting to become a trend. More and more magazines started to adopt the popular selling images of sexy "exposed" women. However, it was very uncommon to see regular everyday women taking nude or sexy pictures of themselves and publicizing them. It seemed more appropriate for models or famous superstars to engage in these photo shoots than for common people. But living in today’s world, it "seems" that more and more women are exposing their bodies and there are many ways to to do this. One very popular way to maximize presentation of an exposed self would be a form of visual exposure. Images are common and many online networks such as Myspace and Facebook encourages people to pose their pictures online. It has become the trend that if you have sexually explicit visual images on your profile, people are more likely to want to be your friends, as in the case with uprising celebrity Tila Tequila. She started out with a Myspace page posting very implicit images of herself in bikinis and other almost nude photos. She quickly became the number one person on myspace with the most friends. From this online fame, she was able to earn a reality show and that sparked her career in the entertainment business. This may be a reason why more females are posting revealing photos of themselves. In addition, a site called, "Ratemypix.com" seem to encourage others to rate how attractive a person look on a scale of one to ten. Many people who seek attention or want to be view as "sexy" or "attractive" and to earn a ten will want to expose themselves to get the attention they crave for. A female who pose a bikini photo of herself is more likely to earn a ten than a female who pose a headshot image or one without showing any skin.

On a lawful point relating to indecent exposure, it is the “display of unclothed parts of the human body against local custom and law.” This statement seems to apply to past generations because obviously in today’s society, you don’t see teenage girls getting arrested for posting nearly nude photos of themselves online or see people at nude beaches getting fined. Nudity, to a certain extent, has shifted from being unlawful to a form of tolerable public attention even if it is considered immoral or distasteful by many. I mean if people were to run around in public naked, they would still get fine but the point is, nudity isn’t as an extreme problem in our society anymore, rather it seems more embraced and encouraged by the media and particularly the entertainment world as stated above. Our history of body exposure has changed from seeing mainly celebrities baring skin to seeing the average person baring it all. Moreover, would it be alarming if it became a trend or even the norm to see naked bodies everywhere in the future? But maybe the future of this trend is actually going backward in time to continue what used to be the norm, at least for cavemen. They did not wear much clothes and did not mind exposing their bodies. So maybe it wouldn't be that alarming since we were once that way. Maybe when we are exposing ourselves through explicit images, we can say that we are actually connecting with our roots? So any takers to continue an old trend?

Reflections on Blogging

Like many of us, I feel that this class is truly different yet this difference is very unique and it allowed me a chance to truly express my writing in terms of my personality. To be honest, I did dread this class at the beginning. This is supposed to be one of my two last classes here at UC Davis and so I thought to myself, “Just suck it up and B.S all the way.” I felt this way because many of my writing classes in the past have all been the same boring experience. I never felt like I could learn anything new. I want to be able to walk away from a class and feel like I have grown wiser by picking up something useful.

But this has not been the case. Even when I go to Dutton Hall to get my papers revised, they all seem to only focus on the same thing and that is to correct little grammatical mistakes and make sure you fulfilled all the requirements to get a decent grade. This requirement of most typical papers limits my writing potential and also in a way unmotivated me to write good papers, at least I believe so. This type of writing style in a “container” does not suit well with me. I mean sure, it’s supposed to “help” a person develop an appropriate and a professional paper. But shouldn’t a writing class also enhance and embrace a student’s style at the same time? I would think that at a university level, writing classes should motivate students to write, not make them dread writing classes, like how some of us may feel.Blogging enables more control of my thoughts and allows me to feel like I am an adult who can write about anything intelligently rather than write as an obedient child. Blogging helps me to incorporate all that I’ve learned in the past, including all basic rules such as grammar and sentence structure, but also expresses my own personal style and the flexibility to think analytically.

Another part of this class that I really enjoyed was the daily discussions that take place. Although I’m not very talkative in class, I found many points rose in class to be very interesting and that also helped me to incorporate my critical thinking views and express them in my blogs. In addition, this class allows me to think in ways I have never before, at least to be able to put it in writing. I always thought my views on certain matters and thinking will place a blemish on my writing, but I found this to be an opposite effect in this class. I feel that my best writings come from subjects that really mattered to me.

Recently, I had a discussion with my boyfriend about this class and my writing style in particular. I remember him telling me a few years ago that he was very surprised from reading my emails because he thought they were very good writing. However, from reading my traditional English papers, he thought my writing totally sucked. From this, I realized that my writings are better through a subject I feel passionately about. It takes a lot for me to write a paper with a boring topic because all I really want to do is b.s without the guarantee of it being an “A” paper, yet with a topic I feel strongly about, I can go on and on. Therefore, I really think that blogging can bring out my best writing and helps me rediscover the passion for writing that I used to have. It was lost somewhere along the way during college. But thanks to this class, I have found that passion again and maybe I will take up the suggestion made by Christ on blogging about my dreams again.

Taking mobility for granted?

Mobility has been one of our popular topics in class and has taken us into many discussions and numerous blogs. Recently, it has been a trend to revisit older posts and reply to it. So here I am, recollecting my thoughts and putting them into a blog. Bernie's blog demonstrates that many of us take mobility for granted. I agree that many of us do take mobility, in this case, laptops, for granted. Laptops are so convenient and light weighted that we are able to take them outside our homes. Therefore, people become very dependent on it, using it almost as much as a cell phone, if not even more. I know I simply cannot live without my laptop. Well, okay maybe I can, it's just that I can do many things very easily on my laptop, and the thought of being laptop free is very scary. I used to carry my laptop everywhere on campus, and the days when I do not, I find myself face to face with a computer in one of the computer labs on campus. So yes, I guess I am one of the many millions of people who are very reliant on a laptop just because it makes my life a little easier but I'm not sure if I do take it for granted. I mean I still have a life outside my laptop because the only things that I really do on it is check emails, blog, manage my accounts, etc. Things that I can easily do at home without going anywhere else. Just like Bernis said in his post about blogging at home rather than driving to school to do it; it's mere convenience. Laptops are designed to make our lives easier, that's the way I see it. I believe and hope that many of us do not just sit and stare at the laptop all day everyday, making it our primary focus, maybe that's what you call taking it for granted? I'm not even sure, how you would go about measuring if a person is taking mobility for granted or not. Where do you draw the line? Moreover, it was mentioned that "There are people who have fatalities, from amputated limbs to permanent, life-threatening disabilities, while others simply cannot afford other types of mobility." He stated that people should appreciate what they have instead of worrying about what we don't have. I feel that many of us at some point in our lives feel this way when a tragedy happens to us or to our loved ones. Sometimes we tell ourselves not to take life for granted, but that thought just doesn't stay in our minds afresh every minute. Therefore, it's very difficult to realize that we do take technology or mobility for granted. But even after we realized that we do take it for granted, most of us are not willing to abandon to prove to people that we do not take mobility for granted. The truth of the matter is that laptops help us in more ways than harm us, so why even care if we take them for granted? As for those who simply cannot afford these mobilities, I feel that if they were able to, they could be one of many, who would take it for granted at one point or another. Simply put, we are a species that depend on technology whether we use it sometimes, use it all the time, or take it for granted. This is, after all, a fast paced world and people learn to adapt to an advanced world by taking mobility for granted, all to make our lives a little easier. And Kudos to "Still, immobility sucks!" I agree!

Perspectives on one photograph

This picture was taken at the end of June this summer. Yes so I cheated. I just feel that this picture captures the innocence and natural expression of two children who were having fun that I can’t possibly duplicate in the exact same sense. They are brother and sister, and they happen to be my boyfriend’s little cousins. You can instantly look at this picture and see that the four of us were unaware of the camera so that encapsulates the naturalistic part of the photograph. Looking at the picture as a whole, one can say that the four of us belong in the same story. Given that we were at the same location and not far from each other and simply put, we were all enjoying ourselves at this wonderful wedding. But when you disassemble the image, you can conclude that everyone is in their own space. Look a little harder and you can see that my boyfriend is in his own world, probably playing games on his phone as he seems to fade away from our perspective. Once he’s out of the picture, the two kids and I dominate the view. Then you can break the picture down even further as you look more carefully. You can simply eliminate my existence as well because I was just watching the children interact with one another. If I remember correctly, I was probably deep in thought as to how much of a pain it was to be there while the weather was a torture. It was over 105 degree Fahrenheit outside and everyone was sweating including me. But you can’t really tell it was that hot by just looking at this picture. So going back to the content of this image, and from my perspective, I view these two adorable kids as the product of one image rather than the four of us as from the photographer’s view. And if my boyfriend happens to look up at us in between his game breaks, he may incorporate my existence in addition to the two kids in his view as well. But then again, a picture can be view from many different perspectives and that’s why I feel that it’s great to just sit back and examine one photo while many stories unravel. Besides, I think that anyone who looks at this picture can come up with their own view and story about us and that is why this assignment is so different and fun. Apparently my story from my perspective will be a little different from my boyfriend and from that of the photographer. In conclusion, I wouldn’t mind hearing other people’s perspective on this particular photograph and what kind of story they can come up with.

What If History is Made Believe

One particular post caught my interest. After reading his post, I decided to take a hit at it to express my point of view on history. According to Warren Tan’s post about “Mystory,” he mentioned, “we can really only know for a fact what we see through our own experience.” But I feel that even if you do experience something, how can you really conclude if that something is a fact? I mean nothing is definite. For instance, I’ve taken an Abnormal Psychology course, and have learned many disorders that gives people illusions and wild imaginations that only they experience. In this case, can we say that people with disorders experience things that are real or factual? Also, certain drugs can alter people’s state of mind. So what if during the time of writing history or actually experiencing certain events in history, people are on drugs? Wouldn’t that change their perspective on things and in turn give false information that could have been added to our history? How can one really say what people see or hear or experience is indeed a fact? On the other hand, I agree that people tend to believe in things that they want to hear rather than things they do not. Most people would believe in things that they find interesting or curious about. Personally, I wouldn’t believe in something at first, but then at the same time, I would feel like, “hey you never know, anything is possible and start to think it may be true and thus start to believe in it. It’s like my curiosity takes over and then self fulfilling prophecy happens.

In addition, it is sad that we can only base our information on science with forming theories and then testing it or disproving it. It would be more convenient if we can get our information on history from another source. Maybe a higher power or even a really smart computer that can answer just about anything. But since those things do not exist or so we believe, we would have to stick to science and try to disprove theories. But even if we can disprove something, it doesn’t mean it is true because we cannot prove if things are true. This is what I learned in some psychology courses, that we cannot prove things; we only can disprove them. Thus, can one really say that the sun rises every morning and sets at night? There is no way to prove that this is true. Most of us just assume this is true because it seems to happen that way since the existence of humans. However, one cannot say that it is true simply because it had happened in the past. What happens in the future is another thing. What if one day, the sun does not rise and set like it normally does? So we can’t really conclude on that because we would not live long enough to find out. But then again, that reminds me of a phenomenon called, "the Midnight sun," (also see above image) where the sun does not rise and set everyday. But again, even in the midnight sun's phenomenon, we cannot conclude that this event happens all the time. However, we can say that it does happen. While the scientific method seems to be reliable, we cannot prove if something is in fact true. Would there ever be an alternative way in finding out the facts of history that would give us 100% accuracy? Conversely, wouldn’t it be amazing if there was some sort of higher power we can turn to for answers about our history? And what if that higher power really exist and is controlling our history and making us believe in certain things? But that would just be scary!

Moreover, another point in the post discussed, “buying a used car and not knowing if the facts written about the car is true or not,” reminded me of the movie, “Matilda.” This movie is about a little girl with powers and her dad is a mechanic, fixes old cars and is also a salesman who resells them with a really high price. The interesting thing is that he turns back the mileage on the cars and thus increases the value instantly. This particular scene in the movie made me think and question the real value of used cars. I mean it is a movie, but there are people who deceive others and disclose false information on used cars in order to sell. This made me shiver and wonder if there is a trusting place to buy a used car? Sometimes, it is scary to not know the “facts” about the things that we end up purchasing.

Nevertheless, I really enjoy reading this post because it makes me think, “what if everything in history is not true? Then what? It’s kind of crazy to really think about this and the effect it would really have on many people. I mean if everything recorded in history is false, then the majority of us would really start to freak out and wonder if the world we are living in is a safe and trusty place to live in. But then again you never know because anything is possible! Our history can be all true or it can be merely made believe. But that is something we may never find the answer to.

Dragon fruit for at least $1000

Since the primitive time of our first ancestors, food was very important to us. Food to us is like adding gasoline to a car. Without food, humans would perish, just like a dead car without gas. Thus, humans in general eat to survive. At least that is from a biological point and it is true.

However, fast forward a few thousand years to our modern time, and we have discovered that we, as a human race, not only eat in order to survive, but we eat because we enjoy good food. Well at least the majority of us who can afford it. I guess we have now altered our biological purpose a little bit. We don’t just buy any kind of food to satisfy our hunger, but we choose the food that we love. We would even go out of our way and go that extra mile in obtaining the desire food of our hearts. Heck, we would even pay more just so we can taste it and just to satisfy our hunger for delicious food. I certainly am one of those people who would pay $1000 worth of airfare to go back to Vietnam just so I can eat great food. I'm really picky with the foods that I eat so I wouldn't mind spending the money if I have it. On the other hand, it doesn't have to cost a lot, it just have to agree with my taste buds.

I remember my trip to Vietnam eight years ago. It was a hot summer and all I remember about the trip was the numerous authentic dishes and the many exotic fruits that I found unforgettable. The fruits, particularly, looked interesting and were very scrumptious. I have a weakness for fruits and when I was presented with a plate full of weird, exotic, and heavenly looking fruits, my eyes lit up. Each and every one of the fruits assembled on the patterned plate was seductive in its own way and looked rather inviting. However, my eyes lingered on one particular fruit; it is called the dragon fruit which tastes oh so wonderful. It does, in a way, look sort of like a dragon with fusia like skin color with many fin-like leaves attached to its body and they sort of resembled fish fins to me. Anyhow, with just the first bite, I was seduced by it’s sweetness but there was something else. I started to search for its distinct flavor. As my tongue bonded with the partly smooth and partly rough flesh of the dragon fruit, I was amazed. It was sweet, yet sour, but then again kind of milky, and oh I mustn’t forget about the juicy and thirst quenching part of it. The dragon fruit did not have a distinct flavor rather it is a combination of flavors working together to please every single one of my taste buds. The flavors left my taste buds begging for more. Needless to say, I fell in love with it and ate to my heart’s content. I even skipped a few main courses and dive right into the other exotic fruits that captured my attention. Not only were they mouthwatering but they were also exquisitely beautiful. I ended up going back there two years later just to please my taste buds once more. But that isn’t enough; I’m planning to save up enough money for another trip this year. Oh the things I would do for these fruits.

Start Walking, it is Good for You

“Mobility” is a term that shifted my thoughts from the movie, “Hancock” to “walking.” I had just finished viewing “Hancock” at Union City Theater and I think it would be really fun and convenient to just stomp my feet, damage some concrete, and fly with magnificent speed to wherever I want to be. Will Smith, who played Hancock, used flying as his primary or secondary form of mobility. Yes, not a car, but flying. Who says you can’t substitute driving with flying? The way I see it, if you are able to fly, and no not in a jet or an airplane, then I say go for it. As long as the alternative type of mobile isn't hard to obtain and is more affordable than gas, then it is advantageous and a great substitute for driving. But let’s face it, we’re not Hancock, and our lives aren’t scripted. Therefore, flying isn’t an option for us, but walking is. Not only will walking save us money, it also comes with many other great advantages. First of all, we can spend our saved money from gasoline on other things. Things that we wished we had extra money for. Things such as a new dvd player, a great new laptop with a build in web camera, or even a new pair of jeans that's totally out of our budget. Most people would prefer to pay $50-100 a week on gasoline but a little walking here and there can save us some of that hard earn money and use it towards something else. I mean you're not require to walk everywhere, just whenever it is possible and in the right weather. A little money save here and there may go a long way since everything in today’s economy is increasing. Not only that, but walking is a great form of exercise. Walking can improve our well being by helping us burn fat, improve our heart rate, and help with blood circulations. Moreover, we can tone our calves, arms, and legs just by walking short distances everyday. Also, a person can lose a few calories easily. (Ask our professor, he walks a lot!) In addition, taking walks in this town called Davis can help improve moods. There are many trees, flowers, and other nature influenced scenery that imitates mother nature itself. I learned in my Health Psychology course that being able to see images of nature will help improve mood. Just by exposing yourself to the great weather, the natural Davis environment, and exploring the town a bit may put a smile on your face. Therefore it is a good idea to just take a moment in this fast pace world to notice the beautiful and natural scenary around you. Go ahead, put that foot mobility to good use and take that nice summer walk with a good friend. Let the warm summer breeze ruffle through your mane and lighten your mood. For a change, let your feet do some work rather than your gas padle for a change.

Humans or Animals?

I remembered very clearly my experience at Six Flags Marine World about 30 minutes from Davis on my 22nd birthday. A group of friends, my siblings, and I, the infamous birthday girl decided to enjoy and celebrate "my holiday" at the theme park. During the ride on the freeway, there was already light traffic and being a frequent speeder, I wished I could somehow drive on the shoulder which is the lane to the left of the carpool. But doing that will probably result in a ticket and just the thought of that demolished my devious plan. I wasn't surprise because once we got there, a line had already form for parking. As my boyfriend's car slowly inched its way up to the parking booth to pay for parking, I thought, "What a way to start off my day, just waiting for everything to be done." But it was my birthday so a little waiting is alright. Next, after we all found parking, we had to form yet another ridiculous line to pay for our entrance fees. It was a hot day and I can still feel the hot rays beaming down on my fair skin while it burns slowly. Even thought I was drenched in sunblock, I still felt as though I was being baked in an oven. It had only been about an hour and I was already getting irritated waiting in the hot sun while sweating and feeling smothered and squished by those in the same line. I then thought about just cutting all these people and going straight to the front to pay, but that would stir up a lot of commotion and the chance of getting kicked out. So I stood my ground and waited impatiently like everyone else. Furthermore, after finally getting inside the park and past the security checkpoint, I breathed a sign of relief as I watched everyone dispersed. I looked around and took in the beautiful sight of many happy people laughing and heard many cameras going off as people freeze for a pose. Our group too, took some time and posed happily for the many cameras pointed at us. In addition, we were all very eager to fill our stomach with oily fast food and forced ourselves to get in one of many lines. Munching down my last piece of pizza topped with mouth watering pepperoni, pineapple, bell peppers, and a thin crust, I was finally full. Finishing off with a final gulp of cold and refreshing coca cola, I was ready to continue my adventurous yet annoying journey of getting into more lines that can last for hours, yet, just to experience about a minute of gut flipping and organ spilling ride. Furthermore, being somewhat of an impatient being, I also found that to be the case with the majority of the people there. However, what puzzles me most is that people still form lines for everything even though it leaves them anxious and frustrated. In my special case, I have an excuse because it was my holiday so it was worth the wait. Okay so maybe we all have to go through these hectic times of forming lines and what not to get where we want to be. I guess it also pays off in the end because we get what we want. Maybe that is what makes us human because we have a system of order. Or on the flip side, we can just be animals and avoid the anger and frustration by breaking into lines, cutting people off in the parking lot, and zooming past red lights thus breaking order and with the possibility of ending up in jail.

A Disappointing Fourth

The fourth of July may be a pleasant day for many this year, but it is a rather hectic and annoying experience for me. The gloomy weather and busy traffic both contributed to this unpleasant day.

In the past few years, the weather has been pleasant on every Fourth of July. The skies were usually clear enough to see the fireworks, and it was never really too cold or too windy to stand in the open air. However, tonight was a different story. The day started out just fine, with enough sun and clear skies, another great holiday was expected. After an hour of driving, we spotted the exit to Treasure Island. Even though the skies started to form thick gray clouds we still found parking and waited 90 minutes to see the infamous Fourth of July’s fireworks. As it approached 9:30 p.m fireworks struck the sky, but like lightning, none was spotted. Five minutes went by, then ten minutes. The clouds were persistent, “we’re not going anywhere,” they seemed to be saying. Everyone seemed to be standing under the cloud filled sky expecting the clouds to disappear. Also, it was a given that every one was hoping the weather would clear up, but it never did. The dumb weather disappointed everyone, especially the ones that were at Treasure Island.

Not only did the clouds cover all the beautiful fireworks, but the traffic to go home was horrible. Some people including our group left as soon as we realized there was no way to see fireworks. The thought of leaving early meant that traffic could be avoided. But that did not live up to our expectations. We were stuck in the parking lot for about 45 minutes and without moving that much. It was very hectic and frustrating to hear people cursing and honking at one another. The Fourth of July is supposed to reflect our unison in gaining our independence right? We are supposed to stick together and support one another right? Well at least as a country. But no, many people just use this holiday as an excuse to stay home from work, discover dark patches of cloud in place of vibrant fireworks, and being rude to our fellow Americans. What a way to start off the month of July.

Parents may be the reason for increased violence

Violence and aggression in children seems to be more common in today’s modern society. Many factors are and can be reasons why youth engage in crimes such as robbing, fighting, and killing. These factors consisted of peer pressure and the need to fit in, media’s portrayal of violence in award winning movies, and linking our favorite celebrities, such as Angelina Jolie, with crime worthy roles. However, it was not until last week did I realized that parental negligence seemed to be a more powerful reason in youth aggression.

Last weekend, I went to go see “Wanted” starring Angelina Jolie. As always, this seductive woman played a bold and bad ass role that involved guns, other weapons, and of course blood. But that was expected, it was after all an action flick. However, what struck me as a complete surprise was sitting next to a very young boy of about seven or eight years old. His eyes were glued to the enormous screen while Wesley, the main character, was being stabbed and punched until he was drenched in blood. I glanced over to the boy’s right and realized an older woman, who seemed to be his mother, was sitting there with her eyes stuck to the screen as well. That was when I started to have second thoughts. Is it really media that indirectly influences children to behave aggressively? Or could it be merely the reason that parents are exposing their own children to these acts of violence? I don’t think that some parents, like the mother I briefly described earlier, are aware of their contributions to their children’s aggressive behaviors. Many still blame T.V and other sources for today’s increased violence.

Many factors surely contribute to the never ending violence we have seen thus far. However, one source is controllable and that is the parents. Parents need to realize that they have control over what their kids watch. They can prevent young children from being exposed to violence too soon by simply monitoring certain channels at home and discouraging their children from seeing anything rated R at the theater. When they have done all that they can to shield their children from violence, then they can blame the media as the reason for today’s crimes in youth. Until then, it isn’t fair for parents to blame only the media because they too are the culprits.

The "Purpose" of our " Wants"

Is there really a fine line between wants and needs? This topic was the center of attention and stirred up individual thoughts and feelings of many classmates. What fascinated me the most was the idea of the hierarchy of basic human needs. The three basic ingredients that sustained the human race consisted of food, water, and shelter. In order to survive, humans must satisfy those basics in order to reproduce and to stay alive. However, when those needs are fulfilled, what must we do with our time in order to avoid being bored to death and repeating everyday’s typical routines.

We must change things up a little to make life more exciting and worth living, therefore, we have to have a purpose. For example, ancient people started trading excess food and material goods with their neighbors when food was no longer a scarcity factor. In addition, people started building bigger and more sophisticated shelters such as houses with more than one door or houses with ceiling windows. Once they got that system down, humans became bored and wanted to do something else to entertain them and at the same time to give them a purpose to continue living. This is where development of the government system and waging wars with other countries come into play. Since we have everything that we needed, we want to dominate the world next by first taking over other people’s land and countries since we have nothing better to do. Centuries later, after we have successfully become well off and have dominated the world, we moved into building technology to amuse ourselves and at the same time keep us occupied. We are a race that is constantly searching for something else that we can do to kill time and to create a purpose. Moreover, why did our ancestors suddenly want more out of life? Simply because they got bored and needed reasons, goals, and purposes to feel motivated to live.

Regardless of whether we are after material goods to satisfy our wants or needs, or even after political power to rule; our desires rightfully serve as a purpose for human kind to advance. Our wants also pushes us to work harder in order to obtain the things we want in life, and that is a purpose to live and thrive. Without those feelings of wants and needs, there is no point in having a meaningful life. Therefore everyone ought to go out there and spend their hard earned cash on something they have always wanted. Or better yet, they should go out there and do something they have always want to do. Try skydiving, tak or invent something cool. What is the point in living life without pushing yourself to live life to the fullest? What is the point in living life without having wants or needs? Do yourself a favor and create a purpose in life; whether it is to become the richest person in the world, or to become the president of the United States, or even to marry your favorite celebrities. Thus, keep working on your goals and life will be more exciting and purposeful.

Appreciate those who are still here

Violence, gunshots, and death, these words scare me. Growing up in a town called Oakland seems very uncertin, living day to day not knowing who will be a victim next. However, it came as a shock to me when my sister called me on Monday to tell me the tragic news. Good friends of my parents recently lost their son to gang related violence. He was only 20 and died on Saturday June 21st. Two days later, my parents’ friends decided to watch the news and became very interested because the clip showed a young man being shot at and immediately died. He was surrounded by a mob of passersby who immediately called the police. The parents thought to themselves, “Poor guy, his parents would be devastated to know their son had just died.” That was when it hit them; their son has not been home for a few days. He was always out for a few days, then came home for a day and then continued to disappear. They quickly called the police and reported him missing. Immediately the police told them that their son was involved in a shooting and was shot to death on Saturday. Tears started to pour down their faces and their hearts were both destroyed at that moment. You hear of people dying all the time, but when it’s a loved one, it’s extremely difficult and emotionally heartbreaking. I know An and I know that he’s young and just uncertain. He’s not a bad kid and it breaks my heart to hear how lost both his parents are after his death. They have cried a river and can no longer shed any more tears. My sympathy goes out to his family; they are really sweet people and I wish I can undo the pain. What saddens me the most is that violence seems to be out of control since I have graduated from high school. One by one, the people I know slowly become victims of violence. An is the sixth person and I hope is the last. I do not understand why people have to kill one another just to prove they are more supreme and better than the rest. Does taking a life make a person seem more invincible and hardcore? Or does it make the world a scarier place? Does having the ability to make someone else suffer necessarily mean one is powerful and almighty? Life is a precious thing and no one in this world has the right to take that away, at least not to violence and hatred. I urge each and everyone of you to live each day without regrets and make sure your loved ones know you love them with the purest of heart. You never know who may be the next victim, whether it is to violence or an accident, because life is indeed very uncertain and too short. Rest in peace An, you will be missed.

Old theory vs. new theory

Throughout my academic schooling, I’ve heard the term “theory” tens of thousands of times. Whether it is in a textbook or verbally from a teacher, it sounds so familiar, yet so distant and foreign. The word “theory” triggers my memory of many wonderful and innocent experiences during elementary school. I can still see clusters of children running around during recess playing tag or jumprope. I can also still smell the scent of old crayons and hear the mutterings of talkative children as if it was yesterday. The musical notes playing from a piano reminded me of a typical day of music lessons. But none of that memory can vanquish this one particular incident. I remembered in the third grade, my teacher Ms. Wilson wanted all of us to get into pairs to engage in food science. I don’t quite remember too clearly what we had to do; however, I do remember the food we used were leftover sausages my teacher and her family had for dinner. After we were done, Ms. Wilson stated that we can throw the sausages away or even eat it if we please. Yeah right, like who would eat that stuff right? Wrong! One of the boys in my class actually munched down his portion and had a smile on his sausage smeared face. And that was the day I developed my theory of him and that consisted of three words: Disgusting, cooties, and gross. Needless to say, from that day on, I was never once nice to him, all the way till Junior High. It was not until High school when I became more girly and more tolerable of disgusting boys that I saw him again. We spoke for awhile and this time I remembered to be nice and courteous. I also developed a new theory of him and it also consisted of three words: a manly hunk!

Do we have the time?

“Time is such a simple word and yet it is also very complex for it carries different meanings and experiences; time is very important to the human race. Indeed there are many definitions of time but listing their mere definitions is just plain boring so I am going to tell you what I think of time, but in a history sense of course because that’s what I’m supposed to do. When I think of time, I think of history and how that shapes our world today. Time in a history sense is related to past events that have already happen and usually in an ordered sequence. From the first discovered cave paintings to the development of the constitution to today’s hottest topic of skyrocketing gas prices that leave everyone broke and angry at the government, these events reflects the power of time. Without time, there will be no history and without time and history, we would not even know if gas prices increase or decrease.
“Time” also contributes to evolution and when I think of evolution I think of how the human race has evolved to very advanced creatures that can invent just about anything. If we can think it, we can create it. From the first beings with very limited knowledge of the world to modern man dominating the world with a government system to keep order is just fascinating. Without evolution and time, we wouldn’t be able to learn from past mistakes as well as accomplishments of our people and cannot better ourselves and improve our future. Take a few minutes to think how we have come such a long way to obtain superb technologies and how much brain power we have exerted to be where we are today. Such devices like an ipod or even something as simple as a calculator takes time and history to build and create. Inventions of these things take time and it seems we have a limitless amount of time to continue to build history. With bundles of time we can also invent more advanced and useful things. But have you ever wondered what would happen if time is taken from us? What would happen if time ended? What would happen to us then? How would this world look like in absence of time? Just a scary thought to ponder whenever you have nothing better to do.

Obtaining the book

As class ended, I walked out and thought to myself, "should I get the book first or grab something to eat?" I definitely was hungry and my tummy had growled a few times during class. It must be angry at me for not feeding it. Ha! Whatever, I am just happy that this writing class is different and will make my summer session way more interesting. Blogging instead of traditional essays? How cool is that? I'm not saying it will be easy, just different and in a good way. It will help me be more open minded to new ideas and writing styles that I have yet to explore and master. I then decided to be nice to my stomach and headed to Carl's Jr. After a fulfilling meal, I headed to the bookstore outside of campus to begin my journey of text book hunting. As I entered the store, the girl who worked there said I had to leave my bag in a cubby. What bothered me was the fact that there wasn't many people around and with four employees watching your every move, what can you possibly take? Besides, my handbag wasn't even big enough to carry my small notebook and wallet like alone store books. Another thing that was weird was that the cubbies do not have locks so people can just take your things without you knowing. But whatever I guess, I just need to buy the darn book and start my new adventure of UWP of blogging. So I strolled over to the UWP section and was pissed that they did not seem to carry it. I looked up and down and walked to other aisles in case it might be located in a different section. But no luck and I was very disappointed. Cursing at myself thinking, "I should've stopped at the bookstore on campus instead of trying to save a couple bucks and coming here." I decided to leave, but instead headed over to the counter and asked for help. Ha! Turned out that there were two copies left and so i paid twenty five bucks for it used. So can anyone tell me if I got a bargain? lolz. Oh and I had to walk back to the cubby, get my bag, and then go back to the counter to pay! >_<