Gym Time Gone Wrong

I feel like going off on a rant today for some reason. I chose to talk about the gym because there are just too many things I see that really get me in a ranting kind of mood. NUMBER ONE. I hate it when I see girls get all dressed up for the gym and then will do anything in their power to not workout. Like, if you want to find a place to socialize, then go to the mall or grab a cup of coffee. Don't come to the gym and stand there like an idiot continuously talking to a person who most likely just wants to workout. NUMBER TWO. Gentlemen, we all know you want to show off your guns but enough is enough. It is not cute when you stand there and literally watch yourself lift weights. All it does is make you look cocky which is not attractive. NUMBER THREE. This is just something I saw once and I hope to never see again. A girl was sitting on a machine literally taking pictures of herself. Really? I believe my point has been made. NB

Virginia School District Wants to Ban Kids From 'Cross-Gender Dressing'

 The Suffolk school board is considering passing a new law that bans students from cross-gender dressing. The new law is meant to prevent bullying and harassment in schools by trying to control what type of clothing is appropriate. They also believe it "causes a disruption and/or distracts others from the education process or poses a health or safety concern." My question is, where do you draw the line between what's cross-gender dressing? What if a boy wears a pink shirt.. is that considered to be cross-gendered dressing? Or what if a girl comes to school in baggy jeans and a baggy t-shirt.. still cross-gendered dressing? Also, what ever happened to self-expression? Students should be able to wake up in the morning and throw on whatever they please. If they feel most comfortable in clothing of the opposite gender, then need be! Laws like these are what force students to conform to social norms. Of course, some may argue that this law is needed in order to protect children from the bullying going on in schools, but what makes it okay to punish the targets by making them act like someone they're not? The real problem here are the bullies. It would be more logical to make more anti-harassment policies rather than targeting victims. Just a thought. NB 
 

Taylor Swift: America's Sweetheart.

Who has the ability to win six Grammy awards by the age of 22, sell over one million copies of an album within its first week, has sold out concerts throughout the globe, all while writing her own songs and keeping the same down-to-earth personality? That's right, Taylor Swift. It all started when Swift was just 10 years old, singing at various local events including the Philadelphia 76ers game. At the age of 12, Swift decided that it was time for her to learn how to play the guitar and write her own songs. Swift was different from all the kids and associated herself as an outsider. Instead of playing outside after school, Swift would run home and think of more songs to write. Swift has always said that listening to her songs is like reading her diary, because everything is about her personal life. At age 14, Swift begged her parents to move to Nashville, Tennessee where all the country stars were. Her parents noted her dedication and unwillingness to give up so the Swift family packed their things and started a new life in Nashville, Tennessee. In just a matter of time, Swift signed a record deal with Big Machine Records where she then released her first single "Tim McGraw" in 2006. It appeared in her self-titled debut album, which was certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry, selling more than 2.5 million copies.

                                                       Taylor Swift's self-titled debut album released in 2006. 

Her first album quickly caught the attention of many teenage girls across the world. Songs like "Fifteen" that related to the struggles a freshman girl in high school goes through, or "Tied Together With A Smile" that talks about that one friend you have who struggles with body image issues but doesn't realize she's still beautiful were the kind of songs that her fans would listen to while having a bad day. Swift released her next album in 2008 called Fearless.

                                                    Taylor Swift's second album released in 2008 called Fearless

Taylor chose the name of the album Fearless for many reasons. In the back of her album, she wrote a quote:
“To me, Fearless is not the absense of fear. It's not being completely unafraid. To me, Fearless is having fears. Fearless is having doubts. Lots of them. To me, Fearless is living in spite of those things that scare you to death.” Fearless stayed at the top of both the country and pop charts for 11 weeks straight. By the end of 2008, Swift had become the highest-selling country artist of the year. Swift has earned many awards through Fearless including "Album Of The Year"  and "Best Country Album" at the Grammy Awards. Once again, Swift's fan base grew even larger after this album because her songs could relate to pretty much any age group. In one of her songs, she talks about a day that she spent with her mom and how her mom had the ability to make her forget about all the terrible things her peers had said to her just by window shopping. Swift's songs weren't mainstream or based on what the record deal wanted her to produce. Her music was raw and from the heart, carrying true meaning about the daily struggles that most teenage girls have to go through everyday. Aspects like these are what made Swift to be so likeable by almost everyone.

                                                     Taylor Swift's third album, Speak Now, released in 2010.
Swift's third album, Speak Now, deals with love, heartbreak, and romance. Swift was especially proud of this album because she wrote the whole thing entirely on her own. She'd get her best ideas for a song at 3:00 AM while just sitting on her tour bus. The significance of the title means exactly what it sounds like. Swift believes that you should never hold back on what you have to say when you're in the moment. Whether it's a fight with your boyfriend, an apology, or saying 'I love you,' you should always say what you're feeling when the time comes until it is too late.

So there you have it. The amazing, talented, and beautiful Taylor Swift. Swift isn't one of those celebrities who strips down to their underwear while performing on stage or who spends all their time partying and drinking while trying to set an example for fans. Swift is original and has a genuine personality. Her music offers something fresh and new to her fans; something you can listen to while having a bad day, or when you just want to jump up and down on your bed while singing at the top of your lungs into a hair brush. Her songs have touched the hearts of so many young girls around the world and I don't see that fading away anytime soon. NB

Uggs = Sorority Slut?

I was reading The Commonwealth Times when I came across an article about Uggs, unisex sheepskin boots. The article talks about a quote that was said by one of the magazine contributors named Britt Sebastian. He states:

“These boots are designed with a small amount of whoredom in mind. The pathetically uncreative styling of this boot was specifically designed by Ugg to match a pair of black spandex, a North Face fleece jacket and a shirt with some Greek symbols on it. Ugg originally intended to call these boots ‘Open for Business,’ but they eventually settled for the less egregious name, ‘Sorority Slut.' If you have recently been with a girl that wears anything off the list above, save the trip to the doctor’s office; you have chlamydia." 


So basically this guy is saying that if you wear either Ugg boots, a North Face, a shirt with Greek letters on it, or black spandex (mostly known as leggings), you most likely have chlamydia. Really? The number one thing I was worried about while joining a sorority myself, was the perceptions people would have just because I'm in one. Automatically people assume that you will change and become a slut just because you're joining a sorority. Anyways, I kind of went off track there but back to the Uggs. Personally, I'm not a big fan of Uggs. I think they are overpriced and you shouldn't pay $150 just for a famous logo. However, I would never judge anyone for wearing them and I especially would not assume they have an STD because they wear a certain pair of shoes. NB

America's Changing Face

 So here I am sitting in my Human Societies and Globalization class when the professor plays this video clip:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp6EYasU_nM

This video talks about how the number of Hispanics, African Americans, and Asians are rapidly increasing in the United States. The debate is set between three men including James, who is strongly against this change. James argues that these "illegal alien invasions" will turn us into a third world country. First of all, Martin made a great point in stating that these people James was referring to are still Americans.They inherit the same rights as each an every one of us and believe in the same constitution. He also stated that James is a racist, which I can agree with. There is nothing anyone can really say that would change James' opinion on this issue, but the fact that he classifies these people as minorities is somewhat ignorant, seeing how he was once a minority himself.


An issue that caught my eye was the idea of assimilating, adopting a new culture and leaving the old one behind. James claims how he is worried that not many of these 'illegal immigrants' are willing to learn how to read which may lead us into a third world country. I think if someone has the ability and the opportunity to go to school and get an education, then they should not let that chance pass them by. After all, this diverse population is increasing for the American Dream which is clearly defined as the opportunity for prosperity and success.
Paul Reyes stressed the idea that most Hispanics are different from every other ethnic group because instead of assimilating, they acculturate (adopting a new culture while still retaining your old one.)
At the end of the day, these are all just opinions and there is nothing anyone can say or do that would change that. Everyone has their right to an opinion. NB

Facebook VS. Twitter

By now, almost everyone you know has a facebook account. Facebook started out for a website just meant for college kids but turned viral after myspace went downhill. It's a great place to stay connected with the people in your life, share photos, and update people on your life. So why are a lot of people now moving to twitter?

I am personally starting to like Twitter a lot more than facebook for numerous reasons that many people would probably agree with. Number one, facebook has gotten a lot more boring over the past year. It also has gotten a lot of span lately which makes it even more annoying. Twitter is much more live and the updates can be more interesting than the ones you see on facebook. It can also be entertaining because you can choose to follow your favorite celebrities, comedians, and all your friends! However, I still don't think twitter will be the more popular social networking site because people will most likely stick to the place where all there friends are.

Things To do Around Fairfax!

I'm sure many people can agree with me when I say that 'NoVa is a very boring place to be.' After living in a city for a couple of months where there is always something to do, it's hard to have to come back into the suburban town. However, during this break I found some pretty cool hangout spots right in the heart of Fairfax.

Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt
I never even knew this place existed until a couple of weeks ago. Their frozen yogurt is absolutely to die for and...it's healthy! Can you say yummy? It's a self-serve kind of thing where you can pick your own flavors--anything from Nutella and cheescake--and then choose whichever toppings you want, then weigh and pay! Find the most convenient location for you at www.tfyogurt.com and enjoy! :)

Malick's Kabob & Restaurant 
This place has the best kabob I've ever tasted! It's a small little family-owned business that brings in a lot of the Islam culture. Many people go there on a Friday or Saturday night, smoke some hookah, and just hang out with friends. After 11:00, the music gets louder and it becomes a very chill spot. Here's their website: www.malikskabob.com

Fairfax Ice Arena
What better fun than to go ice skating!? Instead of always going to the movies or to the mall, ice skating can be a great way to do something different and that almost everyone can enjoy. (That's if they know how to ice skate) There's a great place right in Fairfax, this is their website: www.fairfaxicearena.com/ NB