What has our youth come to?

Two 8 year-old boys and a 9 year-old somehow managed to "rape" an 11 year-old girl. How does this happen? Now the boys are being tried in juvenille court. The court doesn't even know how to prosecute this case because there is no precedent for this kind of case.

Why do Americans love Reality TV?

Remember the days when all shows on TV were either soaps, or sitcoms or movies? Now it is hard to even find a good sitcom that doesn't have a reality spin on it. Lets see, I guess it started with Real World on MTV and that just gave way to a whole new culture defined by reality TV. Now there is 8th & Ocean, A Model life with Petra, Amazing Race, Americas Got Talent, Americas Next Top Model (which I unfortunately like), obviously there’s American Idol, The Apprentice, Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader, The Bachelor(ette) (which someone has 11 seasons--how?), Big Brother, The Biggest Loser, Celebrity Fit Club, The Contender (Stallone needs to give it up), Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, Dancing with the Stars, Deal or No Deal, Extreme Home Makeover (one the only ones that does something good each week), Flavor Flav (of Love), For Love or Money, Hell's Kitchen, Hey Paula (how that made it past the pilot I don’t know), Laguna Beach, Last Comic Standing, Project Runway, Real Desperate Housewives of OC, Real World, Road Rules, Survivor, etc etc etc. Now let me just name a few obscure shows that I, a TV fanatic, have never heard of; National Bingo Night, Married by America, Have Fork Will Travel, Invasion Iowa, Surf Girls, Taquita & Kaui??? Anyways, I believe there are approximately 4,000, many having to do with love or money and if you could choose between the two-what would it be. Four thousand reality TV shows. Absolutely INSANE. And I will admit I watch a few myself, but Project Runway is too good to give up.
Aside from about half having to do with extreme moral values (1 million dollars or the supposed love of your life-and most choose money), the other half are about Top this top that..Top Model, Top Chef, Top Interior designer, Best singer, Best dancer, Best talent, Best outdoorsman, Greatest businessman, Smartest Adult, Smartest Model (?)....America is obsessed with being the best in every part of life, and it has now consumed the media.
Now ask yourself how many reality shows you watch and why are you drawn to them? What makes you just want to turn to that channel, or watch the marathon of seasons 1 & 2 all day Saturday? We might never know the answer to that, but as long as we American keep tuning in to these crazy shows, more will keep popping up and who knows what American TV will become. I guess we will have to wait and find out.

Finding Love through Banana Republic

Date: September 27, 2006: My first day working at Banana Republic in Westport, CT. This was my first foray into clothes selling (I used to work at a shoe store). So I go about my training for about two weeks; I train in women's clothing, women's shoes, and finally men's clothing. As I get to know my new co-workers, I begin to see who I like and who I don't. About three weeks into my new job, I noticed this very handsome man that had an arrogant air about him. I kept eyeing him whenever we worked together and soon started chatting and folding my shirts on the men's side of the store. We innocently flirted while we closed down the store, and before I knew it I was checking his schedule to see when we worked together next. This handsome, somewhat aloof man asked me to go bowling with him and I agreed in a childish way only love-stricken women can do. If someone had told me that I would fall in love with the man of my dreams; I would have told them they were crazy for this man was not my type.
Anyways, we started going out together after work and one night at a bar (November 13, 06), he bit my check like a school boy and before I knew it, I was in his car making out with him. When I saw him the next time we worked together, I smiled across the store only a smile that a smitten girl could smile. He gave me a smile back that said he cared but couldn't make it look like he cared (for he was too manly). As time went on, we began seeing more and more of each other and I remember the shock on my mothers face on Thanksgiving morning when she saw Parish escape from my room (I still lived at home since I was going to night school). Later that day I got the talk of disappointment and discourage, but that did not deter me from pursuing the man of my dreams (although I dont know why he qualifies for the man of my dreams, but then again, you cant choose the one you love). Little did I know that my beautiful lover Parish was just getting out of a serious relationship and he wasnt quite reading for another serious girlfriend (and he did not make this apparent until about 4 months later). So when I got close to him, he pushed me away for fear of being hurt like he was before. I even knew he was still talking to his ex in ways that are inappropriate when you are dating someone else yet I kept strong. And maybe this was dumb of me and maybe I was blind sighted by my love, but I had faith in Parish and I and knew we were meant to be. We overcame his ex together and by May or June (finally; who knew it takes a man so long to get over a woman), we were on the same page.
I remember laying in bed with Parish one night and saying "you don't know what its like to feel something and know that no one understands or appreciates your feeling," and he turned my head towards him and said, "I love you baby." Of course that made my cry right then and there but it meant so much to me that he understood my language and that I had someone who picked the perfect time to say I love you. From that point on we were inseparable. We did everything together, we loved all sports and I think we went to 4 football games, 4 baseball, 2 basketball, 1 boxing match and 1 Formula 1 race. A lot of those included traveling, like to Indiana for the F1 race and a surprise trip to Dallas (my hometown) to see the Cowboys beat the shit out of the Giants for their opening game this year. I think he is quite lucky to find a girl that loves sports just as much as he does, and isn't ignorant about the sport. I challenge anyone to a trivia about the Cowboys or F1 or any rules and regulations for any sports. Point is, we love all the same things and get to share that with each other and surprise each other with exciting games.
Much more to tell, look for next post.

A day in the life of an architecture student

Well depending on the day and what projects are due next, it could range from a 16hr work day or 48hr or 60hr work day; pick your poison. I am a freshman at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn,NY, one of the more challenging architecture schools. So I usually start the day between 7-9, get up and make tea then get ready and head out the door. Walk 10 mintues to the G (one of the worst lines in Brooklyn), wait 5-35 minutes for my train. Get off at Clinton-Washington and walk 5 minutes to school. I'll do my design work unil class at 2pm, which lasts until 6 (although last Thursday it lasted till 830). I usually dont eat during that time period, since a crappy turkey and mustard sandwich is $5.99 in the cafe in my building. I refuse to pay for bad, bland food. So sometimes I go to one of the other 3 amazing choices, pizza, the 24hr deli, or the way over-priced tasty food market. Anyways, design takes forever, and depending on the day it takes from 4 hrs or 24hrs, if we have a review the next day. Well for midterm, design work lasted for 4 days with about 6 hrs of sleep over those 4 days. I think I slept for 20hrs straight after my midterm. And these midterms aren't like usually tests. We build models, have to draw those models 4 different ways which takes about 5 days just to draw. We have to present to the jury, which is a panel of about 4-8 critics, who are other professors at the school or other architects from around NY. All very very intimidating. So we present our work to the jury who questions your every move. "Why did you do this? Did you really think that was the best way to do that? Why does that look like that? Was that intentional, because it shouldn't have been. I dont follow your point of view. If you just said that why did you do this because you contradicted yourself, why whould you do that?" etc, etc. Any criticism under the sun. It can make a strong man weak, and it often does. So you get the drift. A whole lot of time and effort (and no sleep and no good food) just to get your ideas run over by a mack truck at the end of the day. And I have another review in just 2 weeks. So excited! Hopefully all this blood, sweat and tears will be worth it in the end.