Movies I am looking forward to in 2011

1. The Green Lantern

This is definitely the movie I am most excited for. Ryan Reynolds at his peak WOOT!

2. Cowboys & Aliens

The first time I saw this trailer was at the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. The entire theater started laughing when we saw the name at the end but up until that moment we were riveted. It seems a little silly, but I'm still gonna watch it. Aliens + Daniel Craig? Hell yes!

3. Thor

A hot guy with an accent and a great body? Oh my! I'll have him to go thanks.You know my history with Scandinavians...also the actor who plays Thor is none other than Chris Hemsworth aka older brother of Miley's ex-boyfriend Liam which means HE'S AUSSIE! *swoon*. Hmmm I also have a history with guys named Chris...

4.Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Johnny Depp. nuff said.

5.Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
I put this movie at the end because I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand: HARRY POTTER YAY! But then this is the end of the franchise. I grew up along with the characters in the books and the movies and to be forced to admit that it's coming to an end is hard for me. All the same, I shall be there at midnight with my ticket at the ready. I'll miss you old chap.

Merry Christmas/Feliz Navidad/Buon Natale/Glædelig jul/Frohe Weihnachten/Joyeux Noel

I already told you I was Basshunter obsessed. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas.
I'll be leaving soon to head over to New Jersey to consume a most wondrous feast. I love Christmas :)

Happee Berfday Jesus.

Ivy League doesn't necessarily mean good quality

I've already talked about this in some of my previous "rants" but I feel like I still need to clarify a few things. I am not a man-hater or a man-eater for that matter (although I do love Nelly Furtado's song called "Maneater") but quite frankly I am fed-up with the quality of men I have had the misfortune of running across. My friends back home in the civilization known as New York City think that I have quite the selection of desirable future spouses up here in Nowhere's Land. Unfortunately for me, that is completely and utterly FALSE!

During my time here in chilly Ithaca, I have learned so much about the opposite sex and yet I feel like all of what I have learned is completely useless. The biggest problem plaguing our fair campus is the "Hook-up Culture." For the few non-college age folks who read this blog, "hooking up" refers to making out or having sex with someone NSA (no strings attached). This means that relationships aren't exactly a top priority around here. Guys are mostly interested in a "Wham.Bam.Thank you Ma'am" approach towards girls. Essentially men are only interested in the physical aspect of relationships. Sex and not much else. It's frustrating!!! I mean it's not like I walked in here expecting to find the love of my life right off the bat but the summer before coming to college older folks kept telling me "Awww college. That's where I met my husband/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend." So naturally I expected college to be filled with guys with whom I could possibly make some kind of connection with. So far my greatest guy related connections have been with my Best Guy Friend For Life (BGFF) Josh...who is proudly gay. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE Josh. He's honest and gets my complete craziness. If I were religious I would be constantly thanking God for him. And then there's Dan but he's a friend. Summary: No boy toys for Allie.

Back to the straighter end of things. In my year and a half at Cornell, I have learned not to trust men and that is superbly bad because I have enough trust issues as it is. So whenever I see a couple happily strolling around campus holding hands it leaves me wondering "How did they do it?" It's quite a mystery to me and my friends. A mystery we do still think is worth deciphering.

Yes I am currently BassHunter obsessed

If only my Saturday's were like this...

Dear Rachel,

I love that you read (stalk) my blog so much. I promise I'll try to update my blog faithfully because I know that you'll read (and understand) my silliness. Much love for ya my fellow Oreo! I have so much to learn from you yet.

Love, Allie.
PS Good luck with finals.

What do ya do when you just hate a class?

Especially if you can't get out of it. Grin and bear it maybe? All I know is that this semester French has been a constant thorn in my side. I wish I had taken German, maybe I would be far more excited about learning another language if it were one that I've actually liked for a while. If only I had listened to m instincts, maybe I wouldn't be in this pickle. -Siggghhhh- I hate this class but I have one more day of this hell (tomorrow is the last day of classes for the semester) and then a final to get through. It's not just me complaining. You know it's bad when the ENTIRE class has issues with the course. We all have bonded over our mutual hatred of the class. We've had French "reunions" just to sit and vent about how horrible this class is. Whole lunches have been dedicated to the sport we call "French bashing." Enough is enough. With that said, tomorrow morning I shall gladly bid French 1230 "Adieu."

No Rant but an Awesome Guilty Pleasure

City Girls Gone Wild

What's a girl to do when she's been hunkered down for weeks with nothing but exams and textbooks to keep her company? Oh it's quite simple go home and go wild with your best friends. That's exactly what I did this past week during my Thanksgiving break (when I say "break" i mean a brief respite from the hell that is Cornell). First order of business, GET HOME! Unfortunately for me this meant taking the bus back to civilization aka New York City.

A bus ride that normally takes 7-8 hours max, turned into a 9 hour hell-ride. My bus drivers were not as friendly as I remembered them -sigh- ah well at least they were doing their jobs and getting me home right? I left campus at 12pm in the afternoon, skipping my only class of the day (Apparently I missed a rather excellent lecture. Mah bad PKatz) and walked through my front door at 9:17pm exactly. Like I said that was roughly 9 hours from campus to my front door. It took me approximately 10 seconds to walk up the stairs to my room and tear off my travel clothes (long sleeve shirt, jeans and sneakers) and switch into comfy PJs (t-shirt with the name of a random college emblazoned across the front and stripey pants...I love stripes). I then proceeded to the kitchen and consumed everything within sight (Steamed salmon with white rice, delicious Caribbean biscuits, cereal...I hadn't eaten since 1 am the night before so yea I was starving). When all was said and done, my cupboards were bare (yay my stomach! It has amazing stretching capabilities). My final act of the night was to collapse into my GIGANTIC Queen sized bed, switch on the TV in my room (aren't I lucky?) and watch a marathon of Mythbusters before falling into an absolutely amazing and restful sleep.

The next day, I ran errands with my mom (buying last minute preparations for the next day's enormous meal) and little else. Napping was at the top of my agenda. It was a successful day.

Thursday- Turkey Day/Comatose Americans Day. Much food was consumed and much laughter was...laughed? Yea well nothing beats seeing the look on my aunt's face when I introduced her to my favorite music genre, HEAVY METAL!!!! WOOT! Hey it's her fault she asked...
The song that I showed her was the following...



Thank you Norway for this little gem, but Sweden is still my favorite ;)

But going back to the going wild part. The day after Thanksgiving, also known as the Day of Recovery and Rest, alternatively called Black Friday (for the shopaholics among us), a couple of friends and I decided to have a sleepover. My best friend of 5 years P. hosted the event at her house, supplying lots of food and refreshments for me and our guy friend A. I should have known that with these two nothing but craziness would happen. We started off the festivities with a trip to our local movie theater to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I (their first time and my second since I went to the midnight premiere. It was still awesome the second time around). We then made a trip to the nearest mall to view some purchasing options (so.many.people!). I didn't buy anything but that didn't stop P. and I from having a fashion photo shoot in the dressing room of Macy's. Fun times, man, fun times. Then we went back to her house to consume delicious Thanksgiving leftovers. What followed was Dutty Wining (youtube Tony Matterhorn's Dutty Wine if you don't get what this means), crazy dance moves and Barney-grinding. Yea that's right Barney-grinding, where you find the nearest stuffed Barney and grind on it...that was P. not me but I was attacked with said Barney. We didn't go to bed until 3 am and every minute was priceless.

Overall, taking a break from classes and chaos was just what I needed. I was stressed out beyond belief and I desperately needed to blow off some steam. Thanks to P. and A. for the good times. I hope to have a repeat very soon.

This song is stuck in my head. I love it!!!

Never mind that I don't speak Swedish, this song is awesome!

Gossip Addict

Most of you who read this blog know exactly what CollegeACB is. For others this is the first time you've even seen it mentioned. For the latter group let me explain. CollegeACB is a website dedicated to anonymous collegiate gossiping. It's the newest Juicy Campus. And above all else, it is completely and annoyingly addictive. Thankfully I have never had my name mentioned anywhere on that site but I've had friends who have been completely devastated by some horrific lies told about them on it. Last semester for some reason, CollegeACB took our campus by storm. At first the posts were semi-innocuous things like "Where are all the parties tonight?" or "Which frat has the hottest guys?" but then whole threads about people started appearing, "Jane Doe is such a whore/bitch/slut/toad." These posts were the most brutal. I had friends called horrible names and had such ridiculous but hurtful lies told about them. And despite all of the lies, we all got sucked in. A major conversation starter was "Did you see that thing on ACB last night?" It was the internet's version of crack. You knew it was bad and could only lead to pain, and you knew that you should stop going back to it but you just couldn't stop.

I would just like to go on the record here by saying that I have never posted anything bad about anyone on that site. I have posted on it but most of the time I was trying to defend my friends. Other times I just wanted to know if a certain party was worth going to. I will admit that I read the posts and the lies about people whom I have never (and probably will never) met. I was a gossip addict. The only thing that stopped my addiction to that site was the summer. I made a commitment to myself to stay off CollegeACB for the summer and focus on getting some quality Vitamin D (yay sunshine) and hanging out with friends. My ACB addiction released its hold on me but like every other addict, my struggle goes on. I sometimes slip up and go on (like I did last night) and read through the latest post. It isn't as big of a craze as it was last semester but it's still there. The struggle continues...

Dear World, Black Princesses DO Exist

Read this article here to learn about Black royals that the media doesn't talk about. While I am not one of those girls who wishes to be a princess (and have my entire life planned out down to the minute? NO THANKS!), I still consider myself a kind of a royal watcher.
Side note: I don't necessarily approve of this latest royal marriage. Sorry Kate I don't know much about you to make a proper assessment but from what I can tell me no likey.

Dear Men,

please give me a sign. you confuse me. but avoid the hitting part (I'll hit back).
Sincerely a girl who loves britney spears songs.

The Art of Lying to Yourself

I've had a pretty rough weekend. Even though I spent most of it as an emotional wreck, I learned some very valuable lessons about myself and people around me.
First, the story.
I joined this sorority group on campus mainly because I was already friends with a few of the girls and I was hoping to expand my horizons. With that in mind I coughed up $61 to go to the group's formal this past Saturday night. As a broke college kid, $61 is a large sum of money for me but I thought "Hey I'll be hanging out with friends and we'll dance and eat good food and have tons and tons of fun." I was wrong. I danced to some 90s classics (Barbie Girl anyone?), and I ate great food because the Statler is a four star hotel so their food is most definitely on point. The problem arose with the "fun." Initially I had fun. But as the night wore on I realized that I felt so out of place there. On top of that I was being continuously reminded of moments in my life which I would rather forget permanently. When it was all said and done, I was in a gorgeous dress, with my hair and makeup done beautifully (thanks Rachel) sitting in the corner of the room crying my pretty little brown eyes out. The worst part was that everyone else was so wrapped up in themselves and their dates that it took a while for anyone to notice. And when someone did notice it was only one person. The rest of my so-called "sisters" were nowhere to be found. At the end of the night I asked our president to cool it with the drama. This resulted in me getting yelled at in front of the waiters, the DJ and some of the girls and their dates. I was humiliated after semi-recovering from a meltdown.

Essentially I rethought my place in the organization and determined that I didn't belong there anymore. I learned that I can't force myself to fit into a group and I should stop lying to myself and sugar coating stuff. It's time I learned exactly what I expect from myself instead of trying to fit into what other people expect from me. That might sound like a common sense type of thing but for me I've spent most of my life pleasing one person or another and I lost myself somewhere in the mix. Now I need to learn how to be me, and in some ways that's the hardest thing to learn.

Never Again?

Humanity can be evil. We have done things to each other that leave us mystified later on. Genocide, rape, murders, war, abuse etc. We often make excuses for what we do...it's for the good of the people, it's a necessary evil...the excuses go on and on. We sometimes accept the excuses we are given perhaps in a desperate bid to fool ourselves into believing that nothing bad is happening. This is what happened in Nazi Germany. Hitler and the Nazi party convinced the German public that the mistreatment and deportation of Jews was for the good of the state and the public believed them and ate up the excuses like they were delicious cupcakes. The point is we do things to each other that for the most part make no sense, but we, the human race, are skilled masters of self-deception. We make ourselves believe that everything bad that happens will somehow lead to something better. So what do we do about this problem? Here's the scary part, collectively...we have no idea. We continually make promises of "Never again." After the Holocaust we said "Never again" but then Cambodia happened and then we said "Never again" and then Rwanda happened and we said "Never again" then Bosnia happened and we said "Never again."
The cycle continues.
Fear is not the answer but what is?
What will happen after the next promise of "Never again?"

The Things We Say Wrong

I feel bad(ly) about how horribly I have butchered this language. However, this video makes me laugh.

New York, New York

The New York City subway system in a nutshell

The Truth Behind the Headlines (thanks to Rukmani for finding this)

Guilty Pleasure Song of the Week + Rant

Is it a crime to be happy in this world now? Why is it every time something that allows me to be happy is always overshadowed by something that makes me just as upset? And why is it that every time I get excited about something, like say a concert, I end up not being able to go or seemingly ten billion obstacles pop up to prevent my happiness. This isn't so much a rant as it is a declaration of annoyance and being fed-up. This declaration is the result of numerous moments of excitement suddenly eclipsed by moments of frustration and sadness. The point is I'm sick and tired of it all -sigh-

Now for the song (which will hopefully cheer all of us up)


Okay, Henry Fitzroy plus a catchy tune makes Allie very very very happy. Henry is so much better than Edward Cullen.

Frat Party Blues

This past Saturday I went to my first frat party in weeks. In those few hours spent milling about in the radiant heat of 50+ people dancing/grinding on the dance floor I remembered all the reasons why I love going out on a Saturday. At the same time I remembered exactly why I prefer house parties or private parties to frat parties. While dancing I went through my list of pros and cons and came to the conclusion that it was probably best to limit my exposure to the frat party scene at least for the time being.

 Pros - I love going out with my friends. It's always great to hang out with the people who make you laugh even when school makes you wanna cry. Letting loose with your best buds is the best de-stresser after a week filled with projects, presentations, homework, prelims and midterms. Saturday night dancing with Lauren, Anthony, Elise, Andrea, Fiona and Maja among others was absolutely fun. It was also great to be the sober ones watching the drunken madness happening around you. In one case a drunken girl rammed her dance partner against the wall and proceeded to jump on him and wrap her legs around him. He seemed surprised but very very happy to have such an, um, aggressive partner.

The insanity that happens at frat parties doesn't stop there. For some reason someone thought it would be a good idea to bring their parents to a frat party. I kid you not folks, there was a mama and a papa chilling on the dance floor. The old guy seemed to have a great time though, since he was being cheered on by scantily clad co-eds (he'll never admit it to his wife though haha). But with every pro there are cons.

Cons - I really don't go to frat parties to dance with boys, but when someone comes over to ask (and hopefully they do ask first) for a dance, it's flattering. Sometimes I find myself thinking "Oh wow someone wants to dance with me?" But then I remember that these guys are probably just hoping to get laid that night, because all guys have one thing on their minds and that thing is

SEX

That's it, That's all. Girls stop thinking that you can find the love of your life at ZBTahiti or Cat in the Frat or whatever other themed party frats can come up with. All those guys just wanna get in your pants.

In addition to the sexual overdrive of the male species, women also have to deal with the constant ego busters (not boosters) that a frat party provides.
Oh look there's a cute guy who seems to be single...oh no wait there's his girlfriend...ugh her dress is so short...that slut. That's what we say/think but behind all that subconsciously we are actually thinking "I wish I looked like/was her.
Another scenario- "Ohhh look he's definitely single. Maybe he'll ask me to dance." (five minutes later) "He's dancing with her?! But she's so dumb!"
But she's the sluttiest girl there so of course he'll dance with her. So is the answer to this problem "Become that slut?" NO! Boys are idiots and think with something other than their brains. Their hearts? Nope think lower...no lower that's it...PENIS! <-- that's the word of the day (Thanks Lauren [:)
heheheheheheh (that was Lauren she likes to interject while I write)
Anyhoo continuing with the idea of ego busters I'd like to address something that was brought up in the haven of all things slutty/sex-related...that's right we're talking Jersey Shore. JS introduced us to the term "grenade" and that's been pretty much the only valuable contribution that show has given us (besides continuous punch lines). The grenade is a constant threat imposed upon us at frat parties. I had never had to "take a grenade" before this semester (once again I'd like to thank Lauren for introducing me to grenades...Thanks Lauren *sarcasm*).
For those who aren't aware, a grenade is the ugly friend of a hottie with whom you would like to dance/hook up with. Lauren has handed off two grenades to me this semester alone, although she really didn't mean to, yet I still give her the um, blame? yes the blame. >.< <----frustrated asian face (That was Lauren again I swear) (<--- false!)(<---no not really it was her)
So fyi having your friend dance with a hottie or super-hottie, whatever the case may be, while you are forced to entertain the um, grenade, is NOT (repeat:NOT!) fun at all. )': (thank you Lauren for your informative emoticons). Yes this comes off as selfish and/or conceited but it remains the truth. I do not apologize for any perceived conceitedness this post might reveal.
Now you understand why I am now recovering from my "Frat Party Blues."

PS my hair was not enjoying the party either. I spent three hours on Sunday morning fixing my Saturday-night hair (aka the hot mess on top of my head).

Spirit Day (Wear Purple)

Today I am wearing purple. So should you. Over the past few months we have witnessed five lives lost because of intolerance and hopelessness. The most famous of these deaths was that of Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi. All five of these boys died unnecessarily, and that makes me angry. It makes me sad. It makes me want to do something about it. I can never ever bring back all the lives lost due to bullying and intolerance by others but I can do my best to make sure it never happens again. I am proud to call myself an ally of the LGBTQ community and I have been blessed with friends who have taught me so much about what it is like to be a proud member of this community.

I have this message for anyone who happens to stumble across this blog:
Love of any kind is natural, whether you are gay, straight, bisexual, transsexual, or unsure. Being gay is not a crime, nor is it something to be afraid or ashamed of. Be proud of who you are (the degree to which you express your pride is all up to you). If you ever need someone to talk to, know that there are always people out there who care about you and want the very best for you. Whatever pain and hopelessness you are feeling now will pass. If you do not feel loved, then know I love you.

Important Resources:
Articles for Gay Teens
 http://gaylife.about.com/od/gayteens/Gay_Teenagers_Help.htm

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

HopeLine
1(800)SUICIDE

Blog Action Day: The Importance of Water

Last week 42,000 people died from unclean water and living conditions. Depressing huh? I think it's time we stopped moping about this and actually do something. Let me repeat that DO SOMETHING! We are the product of the 21st century, by all accounts the best century to be alive in. We've got the technology and we've got the ability. So why haven't we fixed this problem? That question usually does not have a straight forward answer. Sometimes the population of a village/town/city/country don't have clean water because of poor sewage treatment, poor economy or just plain corruption. I'm not going to go into too much detail about the reasons for the lack of clean water around the world, I am more concerned with what we can do about it.  Clean water technologies do exist and are ready to combat the water crisis around the world. I'll list a few here.
1. Ultraviolet and Ultra-filtration water purification systems
2. Slow sand filtration systems
3. Reverse osmosis
4. Distillation
5. Purification powder - Sadly I do not know as much about this form of water purification as I should. What I do know is that a special powder is poured into a water source. This powder then condenses the impurities in the water and the impurities sink to the bottom and clean water is left on the top available for drinking.

In addition to these technological advances there are numerous charities involved in providing clean water to those who really need it. I had the privilege of hearing a presentation from the founder and CEO of charity:water last year. It was a presentation that opened my eyes to what could be done to help those in need of clean water. Learning more about what is available and possible routes of action is the first step to bringing the very real possibility of clean water for all to life.

To learn more visit
 http://blogactionday.change.org/
 http://www.charitywater.org/

what happens after a few too many hours in the library

One needs a ginger around to be silly with

Andy Warhol would love me

You talkin' to me?

Daydreaming about Paris again -le sigh-

Yep this is what happens when you're in a confined space (the library) for waaayyyyy too long (4 hours) and need something else to do other than study (play with computers? definitely).
A special thanks to Kroch Library (but no thanks for screwing with my phone signal), Lauren (mah ginger right-hand gal aka partner in crime), and Psychology, French, Nutrition and of course Government without whom I would never have traveled to the wonderland of the library (what I really want to say concerning this subjects would require expletives...those shall remain in the safety of my mind). An even greater thanks to my MacBook and iPhoto for providing entertainment during those dark hours.
Fall Break in two days!!!!! JOY!

For Lauren (but really this is for C.M.)

Hell yes I like pouty lips! Why should I not? I especially love it if those pouty lips say "Eh?" in that ever wonderful Canadian accent. I also love it when the owner of said pouty lips can rock sweats like there's no tomorrow. Gimme a set of duck lips any day. Just make sure they're used properly ;). Dammit pour me some maple syrup over those pancakes with a side of Canadian bacon and play me some Celine Dion while watching the Maple Leafs vs the Canadiens and screaming "Knock 'em out and about" in that gorgeous way only Canadians can. I WANT ME SOME POUTY LIPS!

O Canada!

Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

The Rebel in me

Another of my wonderful lists. You know you love them. This one is all about the things that make me somewhat of a rebel in modern day society. I'm sure you could identify with some of these things

1. I don't like Disney
Disney has single-handedly ruined my teenage and adult life. When I was younger I thought all redheads were actually undercover mermaids...sadly this isn't so. Now I keep expecting a Prince Eric to come along and save me. But then I read Hans Christian Andersen's real story and the horrible truth was revealed to me. DAMN YOU DISNEY!

2. I don't get offended at black jokes
-GASP- what a shocker, a black chick who doesn't mind a racial joke or two. I've been called a "n*gger" etc. but honestly every single time that has happened (I haven't bothered to count) my automatic response is laughter. Why? Because why should I care? It isn't my job to change the minds of racists so then why should I stress about it? As long as there is no violence there is an element of comedy to the whole thing. Sometimes you just can't let these things bring you down. Maybe it's because I'm not American...

3. I'm a black girl who has never liked a black guy
Again this comes as a bit of a shocker to some of my black friends. It's not that I'm racist (as some have claimed) or that I'll never date a black guy, I just haven't come across one I could bring myself to be in a relationship with. Who knows what the future could bring (Hopefully a hot German footballer...oh hai Arne Friedrich!)

C'mon who wouldn't love that?

I headbang, therefore I am

Headbanging is a type of dance which involves violently shaking the head in time with music, most commonly rock music and heavy metal music.
                            --courtesy of Wikipedia
I love rock music and heavy metal so it makes sense that I headbang right? Well I do and I'm proud of my headbanging status. I'm married to it. Headbang away!!!!! Hopefully I'll be headbanging to Rammstein very very soon.

Guilty Pleasure Song of the Week + a Rant

I think I'll make this a regular series on here. It seems to be quite popular with my friends.
Here we go.
Guys, mixed signals are supposed to be exclusively the domain of girls. Our time honored tradition of cat and mouse doesn't work if we are both playing the mouse. Traditionally, girls have played hard to get while guys have chased. WE LIKE THE STATUS QUO so please don't change it on us. So when a guy's face "lights up like a Christmas tree" upon seeing you then says "Wow, you look amazing in that dress" while smiling like the freaking Cheshire Cat, it confuses the shizz out of you if you've spent three months thinking he doesn't give two cents about you. I'm speaking from personal (painful) experience. Maybe I'm just overreacting (something else we girls can do quite well if trained properly) but I really think that Generation Y guys should understand that the rules are the rules for a reason...they work (generally speaking), and when you don't follow them confusion abounds. Everyone expects girls to be coy but when guys decide it's time to play shy, it's just plain confusing. This is one time I'll promote the benefits of stereotypes.

And now why you bothered reading all of the above. The Guilty Pleasure Song of the Week...

Guilty Pleasure Song of the Week + a Rant

Before I introduce my guilty pleasure song of the week I have a rant to deliver. I've attended my fair share of college frat parties as well as house parties and I usually have fun but I have one pet peeve. I'm not sure if this is just at my college but I feel like college boys all dance the same. No idea what I'm talking about?

The Scenario: Hot and sweaty dance floor at a mid-tier frat house. The party's banging and everyone is having a pretty damn good time. You and your best friend are dancing together (it's all about the buddy system) when a guy and his friend come over to join you. You do a quick analysis, you approve and send his friend over to your friend (after completing a grenade check of course). You then commence with said proposed dancing...except it's not so much dancing as it is the two of you swaying side to side in time with the beat.

The Problem: WHERE IS THE CREATIVITY FELLAS?! No I'm not talking about singing the lyrics into my ear (that's actually quite creepy and sometimes painful). Some variety once in a while would be awesome. Utilize those arms (above the waistline please) and make it worth our while.

And now my guilty pleasure of the week. Enjoy.

It'll make you go blind too...

Last night, Christine O'Donnell won the GOP primary in Delaware to become the Republican party's nominee for the senate seat in Delaware during the upcoming fall elections. So, meet Christine...

My Cockamamie Plan

I have decided to go through with what I discussed in my previous post Odd Fascinations.
My plan (rough draft)
Step 1-Discuss race relations with both blacks and whites (as well as people representing various races) and ask both moderates, liberals, and those considered 'radical' by the mainstream why they believe racism exists.
Step 2-Try to locate people who could be classified as 'racist' and ask why they feel this way and how they have been able to hold on to their feelings during a time when racism is such a huge taboo.
Step 3- Try to determine the deciding factors of racism in America.

The Challenges
1) My skin color = HUGE problem
2) the fact that I'm an immigrant may or may not go over so well
3) People who are opposed to a certain race may not find it in their best interests to talk to a curious college sophomore, just because "I feel like finding out."
4) My mom. She already thinks I'm nuts. I'm sure after she finds out about this she'll have me committed, straitjacket and all. That's what I get for having a nurse for a mother.

The Disclaimer
This isn't a study or an experiment. I am just so damn curious and I feel like I can't rely on the mainstream media to tell me on its own. This is purely for the heck of it, as well as to finally and absolutely extinguish the curiosity within me. I will in no way put myself in harm's way. I'm a scaredy-cat to begin with (The other night as I was walking home by myself, I jumped when I saw my shadow. Seriously, I did!) so I won't be going to extreme lengths like reporters in Afghanistan...or in Alabama in the 1960s. I haven't fully lost it...yet.

Back with a BANG!

I know I haven't updated this in over a month. I would like to say that was because I was off having tons of fun, but alas this is not the case indeed. I just had no idea what to write about. But now, finally, I have a topic.

I am a proud New Yorker. I have lived in this beautiful city for over 8 years. I arrived here the summer after the September 11th attacks. During my time here I have found a city full of life and culture and peace. I honestly could not think of living anywhere else in the United States. I absolutely positively LOVE this city. Unfortunately a dark cloud has appeared on the horizon and has begun to cast it's ugly shadow over NYC. Ok enough with the melodrama. I'm referring to the controversy surrounding the proposed mosque near Ground Zero.

My opinion- last time I checked this country was built on religious freedom. I am a supporter of the Constitution and under that great document I believe that the mosque should be allowed to be built

The opposition's opinion- Building a mosque so close to the site of a tragedy that was caused by Muslims is insensitive and will promote the cause of extremist Muslims. It would be seen by terrorists as a victory of sorts (a proxy victory if you will).

But as I stated before i believe that this mosque has the right to be built at the site and I think that this matter has been blown far out of proportion.
First of all, this was never a political matter but an issue of zoning and city laws. Apparently some people forget that states and cities operate independently, within the boundaries set up by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and can therefore conduct local business without constant interference by the federal government.
But given all of this the more important second point is mid-term elections. This fall, millions of Americans will be voting on their new representatives in Congress and some of those up for election or reelection are looking to "save face" with their constituents. Bringing up thoughts of 9/11 and planting the seeds of fear are a damned good way to win votes under the premise "Sen. Blahblahblah will stop the terrorists from killing more innocent Americans." The truth is always buried or skewed during times like this. It's unfortunate but it is a fact of life.

Odd Fascinations

I am aware of my perceived oddness (as seen through the eyes of others) and I, unlike too many others, embrace my oddities with very little fear of the consequences of doing so.
For instance, I am enthralled with the neo-Nazi and skinhead movements, particularly in the United States and Russia. I am fascinated with finding out the exact reasons behind the growth of racist elements in the societies of both of these countries.
In the United States it is easy to pawn off such growth as the leftovers of the cruel times of slavery but I think that there is a lot more to the hold of Nazi culture over some Americans. I'm even considering writing a paper (purely for my own curiosity rather than for public knowledge) about the circumstances in which racism thrives. I would also love to get an in-depth view on racists by actually talking to one or a few of them. This part would be the most difficult of course considering I am black and just recently found out that I have strong Jewish ancestry. That's right folks! I'm a Black Jew, and that wouldn't go over very well with neo-Nazis and skinheads at all.

Maybe I should treat this like salsa, that is by starting off mild and then gradually working my way up to the spiciest kind. Sooo all I have to do now is find a "mild" racist. Maybe one that only dislikes Hispanics. Who's up for a road trip to Arizona?!
Brain Blast: Maybe I should start with reverse racism. I have a lot more access to blacks who dislike whites than the other way around (which, if you know me, is very ironic considering that I'm the "whitest" black girl you will ever know).
Hang on folks, this could be very interesting. I'll keep you updated if I actually go through with this cockamamie plan.

Teenage girls are

Backstabbers
Liars
Heartbreakers
Fakers
Chronic Daters
Haters
Traitors
Gossipers
Criers
Buyers
Fighters

the preceding list was written in a moment of frustration regarding a particularly odd friendship.

On this most special day

Happy Fourth of July everyone!!! And by everyone I mean the five or six possibly the seven people that read this blog.  On a lucky week I get ten people. But even though my readership is quite low (almost as low as the New York Post lol) I strive on for the American dream...to be noticed by other people. That's my dream anyway hahahaha. But I digress. As the highly illegal and highly dangerous (hence the illegal part) fireworks explode outside my window, I wish Americans everywhere a happy Independence Day.

Now go and get shwasted my minions!!! Your Sam Adams is calling.

Tony went for a sail...

...and added fuel to the fire. A few weeks back BP CEO Tony Hayward, decided to take a break from the hectic world of oil spills to sail in the waters off his native land of England. This sparked a storm of protest from oil soaked Americans from coast to coast (take note that most oil soaked Americans live on the Gulf Coast...and Alaska. DRILL BABY DRILL!!!!). How very dare he folks? How dare Tony Hayward take a vacation on his yacht that he paid for with the money he rightly earned as the CEO of a successful company. Ok enough of the beating around the bush nonsense. Here's my point.

My point: It's his yacht. Why should we care what he does with his yacht. Sure it was insensitive of him to go sailing in the middle of this crisis but this is by no means a reason for us to practically crucify the man. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this America? This is the same country where it's ok for a man to work hard to get to the top and show off about it, right? So what if he went sailing in his super cool looking yacht (I like boats), it is still HIS boat. The man can do whatever he wants with HIS boat. Why, you ask?

well because...

Facebook takes over.

My dear reader,
We are getting closer and closer to the day when SkyNet will become self aware. Sorry I had to get a Terminator joke in. But in all seriousness folks, social networking sites like Facebook have taken over our lives in the last few years. It all started with Myspace way back when and then Facebook popped up and became a huge hit.
I love Facebook. I love it a lot. It's a great way of keeping up with friends and family. But folks, Facebook use has become quite ridiculous. Let me explain. Today as I was checking my Newsfeed on my Home page and noticed that my underaged friend had posted and tagged herself in pictures that clearly showed her taking shots of what I suspect to be vodka. I thought she was smart. Clearly I was wrong. Of course I don't think she was deliberately attempting to make herself look stupid, but these days it seems that our desire to show the world what we are doing overpowers our brains. Somewhere along the line Facebook shut down our brain's natural filters. My fellow Internet users this kind of idiotic behavior must end. In a time when employers routinely check Facebook profiles as part of a background check, such behavior should not happen. One image could ruin your life forever. Don't be fooled by Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian. Their sex tapes helped them but do you really want to be a card carrying member of the People Who are Only Famous for Sex Tapes Club? Nope I didn't think so.

Being a teenager is great. I love every second of it but for the potential of our generation please stop putting every second of your life on Facebook. I really don't need to know. Nor does the rest of the world.

I'm gonna write a book and then I'll be famous

I've always played with the idea of being an author. I have even gone so far as to write a few chapters of a book. I deleted everything in a moment of frustration. I still regret that now. Anyway, I've come up with a great idea for a book. I think I'll get my friends Rachel and Katelyn to help me out (they happen to be my go-to girls on a topic like this). They have great experiences that would help out. So I'll go ahead and pitch the book and I could use some feedback.

Possible Title- The Girl's Guide to Living (the ultimate handbook for surviving girl world)
- it's a little long but books with long names seem to do well on the bestseller list

Format- Each chapter will introduce one of those unspoken rules of girl world and give examples in the form of true short stories. Includes do's and don'ts of girl society and what to do if you violate one of the rules.

So that's just a quick review of what's going through my mind. Who knows it could happen or maybe instead of a book I could just start another blog. I'll keep you posted.

Day 3

World Cup fever. There's no right way to explain it. It's that feeling you get when you see your favorite team win, or watch your favorite striker bury a goal in the corner of the net just out of the reach of the goalkeeper. It's intense and sometimes completely overwhelming to the senses. You may support one team or multiple, but either way there is always a moment that takes you in and makes you a part of the game. You become the game. It sounds silly but to us the football faithful that is our life.
World Cup fever is contagious, and it's the best kind of fever to have. Feel it. Cherish it. Then get it all over again four years from now. To be fair, it'll never really go away. A year from now you'll still be talking about that amazing goal or that surprising upset. The memories are there. They'll last until the next time 'round.

There is no cure. I wouldn't want one.

Oh Scandinavia!

As previously mentioned I happen to have quite a love affair with all things Scandinavian.
This affair began almost three years ago when I met a group of fabulous people from Denmark. I learned so much from these people and my fascination with the region of Scandinavia began. Following is one of my famous lists of five of the things I love that happen to be Scandinavian.

Dear Scandinavia, you make my heart flutter:
1) Alexander Skarsgard- tall, blonde and blue-eyed. those traits alone make me somewhat weak in the knees, but throw in a talented actor who has starred in some of my favorite television shows and we've got a full blown crush. As Eric Northman, a bad ass vampire, on the HBO Original series True Blood and Lt. Brad Colbert in HBO's Generation Kill, Alex has managed to steal my heart and sanity away.

2) IKEA - yes that is very stereotypical but their furniture is amazing. It's just my style.

3) Hans Christian Andersen - Andersen's crazy fairytales (made less so by the influence of Disney) expose a part of humanity that we often try to hide from. While his work is not something I would recommend for young children, I still say that the influence and unique style of his writings are an important part of our world today, or at least my world.

4) Allan Hyde - this Danish actor completely stole the show during his brief appearance as Godric in HBOs True Blood. Cast as Eric's maker, Hyde played the part of a sympathetic and ultimately suicidal vampire with skill and made us all want him to stay for a little while longer.

5) Language- the languages of the Global North are truly beautiful and have left me with a desire to learn them all. However, as stated in a previous entry I have decided to start with Swedish. Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Icelandic, and even Faroese, sound wonderful to me and I just want to somehow be able to speak with the beauty that native speakers have to offer. Icelandic may be one language that I will never conquer. It is considered one of the hardest languages to learn in the world. And I don't even know where to find someone to teach me Faroese. But Swedish is a start.

The Question of Monogamy

I have blogged about many tales of infidelity involving one famous person or another. I always chastise the men involved in these tales but I have never actually made it clear as to my position on the topic of cheating. My posts would make it seem that I am absolutely pro-monogamy but my position is actually more complex than that.

At my young age I think it would be too much to ask for monogamy. Unless I have very strong feelings for a person, I believe that being a teenager or a young adult is not conducive to monogamy. I have seen friends and their boyfriends go through the mess that occurs when one or the other has moved on emotionally from the current relationship and seeks comfort or excitement from someone else. Sure it's sad but it does happen a lot. In this post I will attempt to relay my personal opinions on the matter of monogamy and faithfulness. 

In a recent discussion with my very good friend Divya, who happens to be one of the smartest people I have ever had the privilege to befriend, I realized that not everyone actually expects their current or future partner to be forever faithful. I know it's not exactly a shocking revelation but for me, a girl raised in a traditional setting in terms of marriage, it's quite a shock. It's enough of a shock for me to see the world from a new point of view. 

Personally,  I have not yet reached the point in my life where i am ready for a committed relationship. I have my own intimacy and abandonment issues to deal with first before I can even expect a man to deal with me and my large load of baggage. I have seen enough in my life to make me a skeptic on the subject of monogamy. All I want is someone who will love me. And at this point in my life I do not associate love with monogamy. 

Exception: When two people take a vow to remain faithful to each other for the rest of their lives, as in marriage, then it is the duty of both people in this contract to fulfill the terms of the contract. In my mind both people made the choice to become bound in this way and therefore there should be no excuse for cheating. 

In any relationship cheating indicates a problem, such as a breakdown in communication or perhaps something mental (sex addiction?). 

My point: I don't believe that at my age it is conceivable to assume that all couples should remain completely monogamous and as such each partner should prepare themselves for the possibility of cheating. I think it would also be prudent for each partner to tell the other what (s)he expects from the relationship, including faithfulness. 

These are the musings of my eighteen year old, single self. I have never had a boyfriend so when that happens I'll let you know if any of this changes. Until next time...

Sandy makes her choice

It must have been a tough decision for her to make but she made it. Sandra Bullock has decided to file for divorce from her husband, Jesse James

Now this is not a gossip blog but I think that we can take a few lessons from this sad story. 

1) Love is not always enough. A divorce or any kind of break up does not mean that you never care for the person and never will again. You can absolutely love that person but it just isn't what's right for the two of you anymore. It's a sad situation to find yourself in.

2) The end of a relationship is hard to admit to. This only applies to a real heartbreaker of a relationship. If you didn't care then it doesn't matter. But Sandra took her time in telling the world. Of course her privacy came first but I suspect that part of the reason she didn't say anything for a while was due to the fact that this really hit her hard. I really don't wanna use a pun here but here we go...she was honestly blindsided by all this. I really think she didn't see this coming. this brings me to number 3.

3) Women (and men) don't always see it coming. Sure there are some times when you just know, you suspect but you dare not say it out loud. You don't want it to be true but you know it is. But with some it's so out of your line of sight that you just don't see it until it's right in front of you and can't be avoided. Maybe something similar to a deer in front of a car. It jumps out at you and you can't turn and you just crash into it (morbid I know. Don't call the ASPCA on me).

4) It can happen to anyone. It happened to my parents and it happens to famous people all the time. No one is immune.

Why are boys so stupid?

Yes I am asking that as a serious question. Why? In between the stories of politicians and celebrities cheating on their wives and beating up their girlfriends, I also have to deal with guy-drama everyday. Whether it comes from the stories my friends tell me or I experience it for myself, it's always there, that one question. I'm not saying that all guys are stupid. I just want to know why I always come across the dumb ones, or the creepers or the complete psychopaths (this guy I'll label BW). Now I shall list my experiences with these guys and you just read along. Comment if you like.

Allie's Weird Experiences with Guys:
1) The infamous BW. A friend of mine met a guy. Normal enough. Then he started asking repeatedly "Can I have your number?" Her answer every time was "No." Unfortunately I don't think she was very forceful with her tone because he didn't stop and still hasn't. Their first encounter was last semester (around November i think). It's the end of April...it's been a while. Now all three of us are in an organization together. It's hard to avoid him.

2) Another friend met a guy. Again quite normal. This guy liked her and she liked him back. Still normal. Then he says "I like you too much so we have to break up." Ummmmmmmm. Doesn't it usually go the other way?

3) I met a guy. I liked him. I have no idea if he likes me the way I like him. We talk because we are after all friends first. Then I notice he's started to act really strange. I wave he doesn't. I say "hey what's up?" He doesn't respond. I comment on facebook, but all I hear are virtual crickets. *sigh* That's what I get for liking a guy huh?

4) Another friend likes a guy. They haven't talked in a while but they still nod whenever they see each other. Last week, I decided to hang out with her. He's sitting a table over. He sees us, moves over a seat . Looks over again and switches sides so that he now has a direct view of her. WHAAA?!!!! If you're gonna do that at least say hi when she does!

5) Yet another friend (shut up I'm popular!) likes a guy. We suspect he likes her too. He won't say anything to her when his friends are around but on facebook chat it's like he's a different person. He's always liking her stuff (then unliking it. IT STILL TELLS HER YOU LIKED IT BUDDY!) and talking to her on fb chat saying ridiculous but funny things. In person he's a clam. Oh boy...

6) A friend of a friend has a stalker. He likes following her everywhere. i don't know if it's a good or bad thing that she's such a good, kind-hearted person. I don't like this...

That's my awesome list of creepers and stupidity. So does anyone have an answer to my question? Here it is again, Why are boys so stupid, and annoying, and creepy and weird?

Anyone?

The Newest Member of the Famous Cheaters Club

Jesse James. Yes the bike guy. He's our newest member hoping to grab a spot on the Wall of Shame Fame, reserved only for the most famous shameful moments. He's pretty much got a lock on the top spot at this point seeing as he allegedly cheated on America's Sweetheart Sandra Bullock. Really Jesse?! You cheated on her?! Why?! There are so many men, good and decent ones too, that would love to be in your shoes, and by that I mean married to one of the most beautiful women in the country. She's funny, smart and sweet. Plus she has an amazing body. I'm a straight girl but I can appreciate the feminine physique, thank you.

I understand the need to diversify once in a while, but that certainly does not mean cheat on her. If you don't wanna be with her all the time then grab some of the boys and head to Vegas for some gambling fun. As long as you don't gamble away the mortgage and the trust funds for the kiddies and keep it IN YOUR PANTS, then I can foresee no problems. C'mon guys, most women don't mind a little weekend getaway with the guys once in a while, when you're stressed. As long as it doesn't turn into an every other day kind of a deal then I'm pretty sure you're fine. Um, just make sure you tell your wife/girlfriend first though. If you just say "Honey I'll be gone for the weekend," I can almost guarantee that she may flip out.

Back to Jesse and Sandy. REALLY JESSE?! What is wrong with you?! What is these days? This is absolutely nuts. Sandy my thoughts are with you. Let's hope this can be worked out. I'm not really an advocate for divorce.

Happy 100th!

So this is my 100th post on this lovely blog of mine. It's a milestone for sure. I know I haven't been good about updating but forgive me folks I do happen to be a college freshman and dealing with classes, prelims and french tests (ugh) means that I can't really keep up with this masterpiece (I am so modest). But I promise I'll try to do more to keep this site up to date. So much has happened since I last posted so here comes one of my famous lists.

Allie's Super Awesome Updates:
1) Guess who got a Mac! Yes I folded like any good college student would and forced my mother to buy me a Mac for my birthday earlier this month. Which brings me to number 2

2) Guess who's finally 18! Yup that's right I am finally the big 1-8. It's an amazing feeing...no that's a lie. I feel the same. But now I can go clubbing with friends! (My mom just had a heart attack...metaphorically of course). April babies are awesome.

3) I had some friend drama but THANKFULLY it's been worked out now and we are super awesome buddies again. Honestly I don't know what got into us. It was a bit childish but we've learned from that. Lesson 1- communication is key. Lesson 2- you can't live your life without an awesome redhead to share it with. Lesson 3- A friendship is so much like dating but without the making out and all that other stuff.

4) I got my first exec. board position in college. GO ME! yup you're looking at the words of the Director of Recruitment for a super awesome club on campus. Excited? You should be because I am gonna rock this town.

5) I have no idea what's going on in the political world. This feels unnatural to me. But I get enough campus politics here so I think I'm ok.

6) It's cold...I understand April rain but April snow? not ok

7) I have such awesome professors. My political philosophy professor is truly a great thinker of our time (it's just too bad that I am slacking off right now in his class. I'm writing this during lecture. I am such a bad student.) My classics professor never fails to make me laugh every Tuesday and Thursday.

8) My interactions with guys = super complicated. Boys are stupid.

9) I've managed to not fail out so far

10) I've decided to take Swedish in sophomore year. Why Swedish? Simply because it is truly an awesome language. Have I  not told you I am fully in love with all things Scandinavian? I'll write about that at a later date.

Off to pay attention in lecture now. Wait class is almost over? Oh...whoops

formspring.me

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/AllieAnne

Guess who finally caught up with technology (kinda)

This afternoon...actually seeing as its after midnight now, yesterday afternoon I bought a webcam. Yaaaaaayyyyy. Ok the story is the laptop I currently own is a really basic model. It was my mom's Christmas present to me over two years ago and at the time I didn't have much use for a webcam or any other fancy piece of equipment. A computer was exciting enough. But now as a college student I realize that a webcam has become quite useful in today's high tech world. So I broke down and bought one for $30. Oh yea and I needed it for class, go figure. So from now on look for video posts and hopefully those will be interesting,

I can't believe I'm about to say this but...

...a Fox News newscaster is now a hero of mine

Could it finally be happening?

Excerpt taken from the New York Times published January 31, 2010

   On Tuesday, in the first Congressional hearing on the issue in 17 years, Mr. Gates and Admiral Mullen will unveil the Pentagon’s initial plans for carrying out a repeal, which requires an act of Congress. Gay rights leaders say they expect Mr. Gates to announce in the interim that the Defense Department will not take action to discharge service members whose sexual orientation is revealed by third parties or jilted partners, one of the most onerous aspects of the law. Pentagon officials had no comment.

The infamous "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Law may be about to see it's last year as law. My enthusiasm could be totally uncalled for but I emphatically believe that this law is one of the dumbest enacted by the Congress of these United States. How it has been upheld all these years (it has been around since 1993) is a mystery to me. But of course the Party of No has some issues *sigh*. The following is taken from the same article cited above;

                       But Republicans are already signaling that they are not eager to take up the issue.

“In the middle of two wars and in the middle of this giant security threat,” Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader, said Sunday on “Meet the Press” on NBC, “why would we want to get into this debate?” 

Here we go again. Simple truth? In the middle of two wars and in the middle of this giant security threat now is most definitely the time to get into this debate. Good service men and women (totalling 13,000 since 1993) have been forced out of the military for no other reason beyond their sexual orientation. What utter foolishness. Ladies and gents I say it's time to abandon this stupid law. Do this Obama and you will regain my respect.

Article cited: Bumiller, Elizabeth. " Forces Pushing Obama on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'." published Jan. 31,2010. New York Times.

RIP JD Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye was and remains one of my favorite books of all time. It spoke to me in ways that few other books ever have. JD Salinger brought the beauty and torture of life alive with this book, a book I will surely re-read constantly. Thank you.

To read JD Salinger's obituary in the New York Times go here

John Edwards...I Done Told Ya!

Now here's a shocker folks, John Edwards admitted to fathering Rielle Hunter's baby girl, Frances Quinn...as if we didn't know already. *sigh* Johnnie boy let's get something straight, America knew all of this already. You really didn't need to tell us because we can totally do the math for ourselves. Simple Formula ---
Baby's birthday - 9 or 10 months = you're totally the father!

To Elizabeth Edwards- I would feel sorry for you but I feel that you are a bad role-model for women everywhere. You taught women it was better to play dumb and ignore whatever wrong husbands did and instead pretend nothing ever happened. I dare not say you deserved it (because no woman or man does) but you saw this coming. Plus I don't believe you are as saintly as you want us to believe. I have a feeling that more secrets are about to come out...stay tuned folks.

Happy New Year!

Ok so it's February already but still it counts.
Happy New Year to all who read this and may it bring you peace and happiness...and riches...that's what I'm hoping for =)

What I've Been Up To

1. Went back to my high school to visit...I actually miss it (*disbelief*)
2. Caught up on Maury Show Baby Momma Drama
3. Went home to sunny Jamaica! ('twas an awesome week)
4. Ignored politics for a while
5. Came off my political hiatus just in time for John Edwards drama (I'll get to that soon enough)
6. Texted my friends constantly
7. Gawked at hot Scandinavians (my weakness!)
8. Dealt with friend drama
9. Got annoyed at people
10. Got annoyed at the fact that I'm a year younger than most of my friends
11. Tried my best to have some fun

Interesting few weeks no?

Introducing Apple's New iPad

I know I haven't been on for over a month but I bring a treat for you all. I present an brief introduction to Apple's newest invention the iPad. Enjoy!




Let's face it Apple should've seen that oe coming from a mile away. Don't women work there?