Epiphanies of the Nerd Nation

Bye Bye Best Friend.

noreply@blogger.com (stay happy!) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 03:56:00 +0000

My best friend Jessica is leaving for Japan on Thursday.

She's only going to be gone for a 3 week vacation.

But I'll still miss her nonetheless.

Insight, from the shower <33

** picture provided by: Icecubed17 on deviantART [ click ].

Crying at School.

noreply@blogger.com (stay happy!) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:53:00 +0000

Isn't crying at school suppose to end around the 8th grade?

In the 8th grade there was a US history class that I was in. I did well in the course itself, but what made me hate that class so much were the people. A few kids from the popular crowd were in my class and they use to tease me. Snicker behind my back; call me stupid names. Even when I knew they weren't talking about me, they were whispering among themselves, and I was paranoid. I would come out of that class a few times with a tear or two; small enough that I could quickly wipe them away before meeting my friend Virginia who was in the math class next door. But there was this one day-- and I don't even remember what happened-- when I came out of that class bursting with tears.

Four years later. I'm a senior in high school. 2nd period Psychology. It was one of my favorite classes. I enjoyed the subject, the teacher was awesome, and I had a few friends in the class too. But there were three people in that class that made me so angry at times, I felt like shoving their head in a blender. I never met them, never knew they existed, until I took that class. I don't regret being in it, but at the same time I wished they would drop out. Plus it didn't really help that more than half the class of 2008 liked them. But this blog post is about crying in school, not so much about their social ranking.

There were only 2 legit times I cried while in high school.

[ o n e ] Sophomore year. The "Every 15 Minutes" exercise. The principal-- on the loudspeaker-- would announce a few names of students, teachers, and staff and declare that they have either died or are critically injured due to an accident, in order to stimulate the pain and impact drinking while under the influence can have on a person. One of the names they called was a girl named Claudia who was in my math class the year before. We were just acquaintances, but it really hit me because she was a senior that year. She was suppose to graduate in a month and go off to do amazing things in life. Of course it was only a stimulation, and Claudia didn't really die (I hope she's doing well these days). But after hearing her name on that loudspeaker... I broke down.

[ t w o ] Junior year. The unfortunate loss of a great person. I've known Mike since freshman year and I'd like to say we were close acquaintances. We didn't hang out outside of school, and we weren't exactly in the same pool of friends, but if we saw each other in the halls we'd say hi. Or ask about each other's weekend during class. He left for Heaven on a Saturday night, and I remember the Friday before I had wished him a good weekend. I came to school the Monday right after the accident and went to my first period class. Algebra 2. I noticed the empty desk behind mine. It was Mike's. I broke down.

I don't really like crying in public, because if you knew me in real life you'd know that I'm naturally a happy and spunky type of person. Two of friends, Megan and Joe, had claimed on two different occasions that if I'm sad, everyone's sad. Which looking back on it, makes me realize the reason why I don't like crying (or being sad in general) in public: because if I make other people happy with my happiness, then it's not worth to see them worry about me or wonder what's wrong.

But there was one occasion during one day in that 2nd period Psychology class when I wanted to not just cry, but to scream! It was almost like an everyday routine for them to say rude and obnoxious comments about things I'd say or do. They would indirectly belittle me by questioning the way I thought, or the things I liked. Teens will be teens, I get it. But there is a line of tolerance, and it's different for everyone. For me, the tolerance level is high. If you want to be mean, or talk smack about me: go ahead! It's not like I'm going to do anything about it, but to shrug it off. There is a breaking point as well, and it can be one little or one big thing that sets it off. For me however, it was an accumulation of all their little things, plus one too many.

So the question is: did I cry? No. I held it in, and saved it for that night's shower. In the midst of the warm water, I cried. And while I thought about how much I disliked them, and how much I wanted to tell them off, I had a spark of insight that was lost in my head until now.

They had no idea how much of an influence they had over others. And when you don't know the kind of affect you have on other people, how the fuck are you going to change if the affect you have is not good? To some people, they were amazing friends. To to others, they were absolute douche bags! I don't hate them, and I don't wish them any harm. They're probably having a great college life, but if I were them, I would hate to be the cause of someone's tears.

"Know you're affect,

And don't be blind.

Don't be the cause,

Just be kind."

Insight, from the shower <33

** picture provided by studiosetsuna at deviantART [ click ]

The Long-Awaited Kiss has been Filmed.

noreply@blogger.com (stay happy!) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:05:00 +0000

Last week on Thursday, June 4th, 2009, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, who are known for their roles as Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in the book-adapted films, have filmed the long-awaited, and fan-hyped kiss for the 7th installment of the Potter series. "Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows" will be released in two parts, the first being on November 19th, 2010 and the second on July 15th, 2011 (dates subject to change). The 6th Potter film entitled, "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" is set to be released this summer on Wednesday, July 15th, 2009, two days earlier than its previous release date of July 17th, 2009.

Oh snap! I can't wait to see it in theaters! I am a total Hermione-Ron shipper and the 7th book was one of my favorites, so I am quite excited to see this in theaters!!

Insight, from the shower <33

SOURCES: MuggleNet, The London Paper, Emma Watson [dot] Net (pictures) & IMDB

Update on Flight 447.

noreply@blogger.com (stay happy!) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:53:00 +0000

16 bodies have been recovered and part of the plane's tail. The black box has yet to be found and unless it can be located, the reasoning behind the crash will remain unknown.

"What caused the Airbus A330 to crash May 31 with 228 people on board will remain a mystery unless searchers can locate the plane's black box flight data and voice recorders, likely buried deep in the middle of the ocean."

Insight, from the shower <33

SOURCES: Yahoo News

You see there's this guy... <3

noreply@blogger.com (stay happy!) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:10:00 +0000

"...and he doesn't even know what he does to me..."

So there's this guy that I've known since my Senior year of high school. His name is Josh and I had fallen hard-- head over heels for him. I'm not exactly sure when it hit me, but all I can remember is the feeling of utter happiness every time he was around me. Just thinking about him and writing about him, still makes me smile and giggle like a pre-teen. He has a lot of good qualities. He's kind, considerate, funny, and he's genuinely a good guy. He would never intentionally hurt a girl, and when it comes to their feelings, he's delicate. Josh can be the alpha-male, but he's sensitive too. He's laid back and goes with the flow. He has drive, especially when he's determined to reach a specific goal. He can be protective, not just of his girl, but of his friends, sisters, and sometimes... over someone like me.

Josh and I had two classes senior year and even though one of the subjects weren't so enjoyable-- he made me look forward to it. We were friends, and he even once called me a good friend. It seems so small now, but back then I felt like doing back flips. But with that title of being a "good friend," came with a price: to actually BE a good friend. I knew what being a good friend meant. To be there for him; to encourage and cheer him on; to make him smile when he's feeling down; and to listen to him... Listen.

Listen to him talk about her. Listen to him talk about how she was so great, and how he really wanted to be with her. Listen to him talk about how he'd be good to her. Listen to him rant about that other boy who wanted her too. Listen to him compare himself to that other boy. Listen to him in all his happiness after he finally had her. Listen to him in all his broken heartedness after loosing her. Listen to him talk about trying to get her back. Listen to his desolation, after he lost her to the other boy. Listen to him talk, and talk, and talk, his voice louder than the rhythm my heart was beating for him...

Even though it hurt, at least I listened.

Insight, from the shower <33

** photo provided by michexist on deviantART [ click ].

Another Victory for the Lakers.

noreply@blogger.com (stay happy!) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:25:00 +0000

Game 2.

Sunday, June 7th, 2009.

Staples Center. Lakers vs. Magic.

The Los Angeles Lakers defeat Orlando Magic 101 to 96.

Game 3 is on Tuesday, June 9th, 2009 in Orlando.

Insight, from the shower <33

SOURCES: Yahoo Sports

Harry Potter Should Have Died.

noreply@blogger.com (stay happy!) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:30:00 +0000

From the innovative minds that brought you

"What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7"

now brings you...

In stores now!

"J. K. Rowling not only told a wonderful story of a boy wizard; she also created an endless, magical world filled with millions of what-ifs. Whether the reader is a ten-year-old in the school lunchroom or an adult posting on one of the countless Potter fansites, debating what ifs is the love of millions of Harry Potter fans. Now Mugglenet.com's Unofficial, Unauthorized and Unequaled Harry Potter Debates brings the original and entertaining views of the experts behind Mugglenet.com to 100 of the most interesting and contentious debate topics in the Potter world. Digging into every reference in all seven books, the authors apply the same unmatched insight that allowed them to be so incredibly accurate with their predictions in Mugglenet.com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7. Readers find plenty to ponder as they consider whether Snape or Dumbledore is a better wizard, whether it would be better to own Harry's invisibility cloak or his flying broomstick, and many more magical conundrums."

I have yet to get my copy, but I hope to asap! Being that I am a totall Harry Potter nerd, this book (along with "Harry, A History" written by Melissa Anelli) is a total must to add to my repertoire of Potter paraphernalia. Stay Happy!!

Insight, from the shower <33

SOURCES: Barnes and Noble

2009 MTV Movie Awards: WTF?!

noreply@blogger.com (stay happy!) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:07:00 +0000

"What was MTV thinking?"

The 18th annual MTV Movie Awards was broadcasted across America on Sunday, May 31st, 2009. Through out the years the MTV movie awards has been known to be one of the greatest anticipated awards show due to its ability to justify the phrase, "go big or go home." It seemed like every year MTV would find new and innovated ways to present awards, decorate the stage, and create film parodies to open the show. However, for the past few years the MTV movie awards have been slipping in its content and trademark flair to provide the viewers with something great to watch. And this past award show was no exception!

The award show was hosted by Andy Samberg a.k.a. that guy on the boat. Although he did do a good job of entertaining the audience, in all honesty WTF was MTV thinking? What did Mr. Samberg contribute to the film industry? Sure he played a homeless guy in "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" and a gay brother in "I Love You, Man" but did his roles do anything to create an impact in today's generation? Did he create anything for films that could be considered sublime? I think Samberg's talents could be of better use for something else. Despite MTV's choice for choosing Samberg as the host, this was least of my concern because as we've all noticed, MTV has changed so much! It went from being MUSIC television, to a network overflowing with meaningless shows like "The Hills" and "My Super Sweet 16." I will admit, I do get a taste of the shows every once in a while but every time I turn on MTV it's another stupid series instead of a playlist of music videos!

Something that REALLY bothered me was effing "Twilight" winning everything! That's BULL. No offense to Twi-hards, I'm sure you're happy and I'm happy that you're happy. But are you for real?! It's ironic how "Slumdog Millionaire" won 8 freakin` Oscars but didn't take home one single MTV Movie Award, and I think I know why. Because the dang teenies & tweens went on a "vote for Twilight" rampage because "Robert Pattinson is soooo dreamy!" Twilight wasn't even that great of a film. Granted, there were parts in the movie that I really loved, and I'm sure it would've been my favorite if it came out when I was 13 but damn! Really?! Best film?! I'm sorry, but did you see the crappy effect of Edward's shimmering body? And wasn't it kinda annoying how Kristen Stewart portrayed Bella as a super unlively person? It's all skittles now. They already won, and there's nothing I can do about it. I will say I am excited for New Moon, as it was one of my favorites out of the 4 book saga, and the trailer MTV played was amazing (it looks like K. Stewart does better in playing Bella). Though the CGI for Jacob's transformation into a wolf sucked!! If they can make an effing Hippogriff look like an actual existing creature, then making a wolf shouldn't be too big of a problem.

Something else that I didn't appreciate during the MTV movie awards was all the profanity. The MTV movie awards is suppose to be about celebrating the movies and the deeper meaning behind the film itself; the minds behind the story line, and the effect it has on the audience. Movies these days have become a travesty in what film making use to be about, and the award show has become complete farce! I know the economy is not great, and there are other important things to be concerned with, but seriously?! Is the economy the reason why nothing is ever artistically stimulating anymore? And WTF was with the WTF Award?! Is this the result of trying to please this sex-driven-hormone-raging-raunchy-mouthed generation?? What's worse is that it's partly true. All anything is ever about these days is sex, drugs, money and glamour!

It's up to nerds like us, with innovative minds and passion to bring back what the industry has taken away. I can only hope that some day we'll be able to use our nerdi-licious predisposition to make films with impact and to put real meaning back into Hollywood. Until next time, stay happy!

Insight, from the shower <33

SOURCES: Wikipedia & Yahoo Movies

A Week in Review.

noreply@blogger.com (stay happy!) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:44:00 +0000

"Sunday morning rain is falling..."

Every Sunday I will try to do a "week in review" blog post where I'll quickly go through top news stories in not just entertainment, but also in politics, sports, society, personal etc... I'll try to keep my opinions to a minimum, and if I do have major thoughts (or if I want to rant about a particular news story) I'll write it in a separate post. In the broadcasting class I took last semester, we had to look up media current events and present them at every class. That exercise was a good way to always be in the know. Especially for those, myself included, who wants to be part of the media someday. So I'll just call these "a week in review" blog posts as a continuation (to the next level) of what we did in the broadcasting course. Please do comment and leave me feedback, or simply just tell me what you think about a specific news story. I would love to read what your thoughts are on this, or on that. So onto the stories...

MTV Movie Awards

On Sunday, May 31st, 2009, the 18th annual MTV Movie awards was broadcasted across the nation. The award show was hosted by Andy Samberg a.k.a. that guy on the boat, and was located at the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City. Performers included Eminem, Kings of Leon and a "Lonely Island" medley by LeAnn Rimes, Chris Issak and Forest Whitaker. There were sneak peaks of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and also featured the new trailer for New Moon. To much controversy, the Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat) and Eminem (Rapper) incident (click to read about it) was indeed a set up. Kristen Stewart (Twilight) dropped her popcorn trophy after accepting the award for Best Female Performance, however played it off nicely by returning to the mic and declaring "[she] was as awkward as [we] thought [she] was gonna be." Other winners included Zac Efron for Best Male Performance, Performance, Heath Ledger (RIP) for Best Villain and Amy Poehler for the Best WTF Moment in "Baby Mama" when her character peed in the sink. "Twilight" took the award for Best Movie, beating out "The Dark Night", "Slumdog Millionaire", "Iron Man", and "High School Musical 3."

SOURCES: VH1 News, Wikipedia

Flight 447 Disappears

On June 1st, 2009 Air France Flight 447 crashed off the coast of Brazil with 228 passengers on board. The cause of the crash is still unknown, however the top theory in speculation is reliability of the Airbus 330 speed sensors. Airbus recommended Air France to upgrade its speed sensor to a version that would be less vulnerable to ice. Accorded to Bloomberg, "flight 447 gave inconsistent readings on its speed before plunging into the Atlantic..." Through out the week, search ships found debris from the crash and among the pieces of the plane, they also recovered a few bodies as well. My heart goes to the families and friends of the victims whose life was prematurely taken away.

SOURCES: Yahoo News, Wikipedia, Bloomberg

"Kung Fu" Star Found Dead

David Carradine was found hanging by a rope in his hotel room closet on June 4th, 2009. He was 72 years old. Carradine's most notable role was Kwai Chang Caine in the 1970's television series, "Kung Fu." There is much speculation on whether it was suicide, or an accidental hanging, due to Carradine's taste in "sexual kinks." A photo from the forensics lab was leaked into a Thai tabloid and legal action will take place. At this time, the family requests privacy. I give my condolences to the family and friends. I am sorry for the loss of not just an amazing entertainer, but one of the world's greatest kung fu staple.

SOURCES: Daily News, CNN News, Star Tribune, David Carradine [dot] Com

Lakers Win by 25 Points

June 4th, 2009. Game One. Los Angeles Lakers versus Orlando Magic. The Lakers, on their home turf, demolished Orlando with a score of 100 to 75. Tonight is game two in Los Angeles, 8:00 PM.

SOURCES: Yahoo Sports, ESPN, LA Times

Insight, from the shower <33

** a week in review banner picture provided by widjita on deviantArt [ click ].

Welcome to the Nerd Nation.

noreply@blogger.com (stay happy!) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 05:29:00 +0000

"It's time for our voice to be heard..."

Do you know what it's like to go to school where the second you step in, your self-esteem decreases to ridiculously low levels? Where you suddenly feel unappreciated and worthless? I do. Do you know what it's like to go to school where every girl seems to shine with such grace and beauty that it's hard to keep your head up? Where those girls were not only pretty, but smart and confident? Where no matter how hard you try to redeem yourself, those girls were always there to one-up you? I do. Do you know what it's like to go to school where the majority of your peers could care less about what you think, or what you have to say? Where the 14 years of voice you've accumulated have suddenly dissipated, leaving you without the power to barely utter a sound? I do.

Starting high school is hard enough, but moving from one state to another makes the transition much more difficult. Leaving one state where it's all about the effort and work you put in, to a state where most people tend to "grow up" at rapid speeds, is like being thrown into a whirlwind you can't control. I went from not caring about outter beauty, to having it be my number one priority. Just one day of being a freshman in high school changed my whole outlook on life. I was intrigued. I was disgusted. I was curious..... I was ugly, at least that's how I felt. And that was just one day! One stinking day in August of 2004. I had four more years to go. Four more years of unknown content. I didn't think I would be able to survive.

But I did. Through out my four years of high school I have gained so much knowledge. Not just in the academic sense, but in a more philisophical way. I've attained insight through out the years on an array of topics. Insight that could possibly, even if it's in the most subtle way, help someone out. Each year I've collected pieces of this, and pieces of that, then saved them for a rainy day-- or in this case, a shower. If you don't know yet I do my best thinking when I'm in the shower. I know it sounds a little odd, but I guess it could be a metaphor for letting the water wash away the bad emotions and the bad thoughts. Then in a healthy (and hygienic) way express myself with a cleaner mind. Think of it this way: why give someone dirty wisdom? Why give reason when it's been tainted with unclean, shallow-minded soot. That's just being sleezy, like a used car salesman.

If you're wondering if I gained any insight while I was in high school, the answer is yes. But did I ever get the chance to voice the new found knowledge? The answer is no. Those pretty girls I described in the beginning of this blog post, were the darkest clouds to ever overshadow not just me, but many of my peers as well. We were the freaks, the geeks, the nerds, and the quirks. The band geeks, the Anime fanatics, the Zombie fighters, the self-proclaimed Potter nerds, the Twi-hards etc... We didn't fit into their puzzle, or their norm. But damn! I couldn't be anymore proud of being a high school dork. Back then it sucked at times, but a year and many showers later, I've come to realize that I wouldn't have had it any other way!!!

Calling all citizens of the NERD NATION! This blog is more than just about my epiphanic rants. This blog is using my words, and the power of our voice to fuel the sound machine to concoct one badass nerdy-licious harmony! I was sick and tired all through high school of not being able to say what I wanted to say for the fear of being made fun of. And I don't want anyone else to have to wait till high school is over to say what they want to say. We hold more skill and power than what anyone may percieve, and it's time for our power, our voice to be heard!! Until next time, stay happy!

Insight, from the shower <33

** image provided by: bayat on deviantART. [ click ]