tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22462834428847111582024-03-04T23:46:14.374-05:00pa(i)gewithwordspaigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-23791071668055295762009-08-19T12:09:00.002-04:002009-08-19T12:13:23.679-04:00I have been doing a lot of work with audiocandy+radio.<br /><br />So much that pa(i)gewithwords has kind of fallen on the wayside.<br /><br />But I haven't forgotten about you all.<br /><br />I was browsing my friends' tweets this morning on twitter and I came across this excellent youtube of why social media matters. It is a great explanation why word of mouth teams are necessary, and why I want to be part of one.<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sIFYPQjYhv8&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sIFYPQjYhv8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br />If you want to check out more about audiocandy+radio, visit the blog at <a href="http://audiocandyradio.blogspot.com">audiocandyradio.blogspot.com</a>. The new blog & server launch should happen before the end of September so keep your eyes peeled for that.paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-4266805124622656552009-07-28T01:26:00.001-04:002009-07-28T01:26:51.919-04:00Re-tweet if you love me:<br /><br /><span class="status-body"><span class="entry-content">RT @audiocandyradio love <a href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23music" title="#music" class="hashtag">#music</a>? want to be a part of an <a href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23indie" title="#indie" class="hashtag">#indie</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23radio" title="#radio" class="hashtag">#radio</a> project? become an audiocandy+ dj! more info on the blog: <a href="http://bit.ly/K3NGJ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/K3NGJ</a> please RT!</span></span>paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-4326120021153044942009-07-27T19:08:00.003-04:002009-07-27T19:12:00.068-04:00so clever<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKACAWeBZQETPZUT_D_azN1PujMvT95ojSQlPa_2syEHPAsYt36s6TQ_fMpLb7cRutTJAtnOz5StwGfgADiFMx8mRToJyOLaiMtPni5ucta9LIYy9DUCzljnwdd6545OqsWXX8SjZuFWM/s1600-h/oldschoolgoogle.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 532px; height: 377px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKACAWeBZQETPZUT_D_azN1PujMvT95ojSQlPa_2syEHPAsYt36s6TQ_fMpLb7cRutTJAtnOz5StwGfgADiFMx8mRToJyOLaiMtPni5ucta9LIYy9DUCzljnwdd6545OqsWXX8SjZuFWM/s400/oldschoolgoogle.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363280899325200434" border="0" /></a>paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-82651408389226877192009-07-27T19:04:00.004-04:002009-07-27T19:07:36.094-04:00spare 5 minutes?<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6IgtnjzJao2UlrktKqLaxzfK-XT3wRP_Vk0NnY9mg6zo51hEITi9dvbSnNlDHdu0AZWlxnPWoIw-koeHuY1WcOpxomA_5y_cNFQb6xvs_dDRtX3j4LiKVl7F14P1NwzF1jpwS4hO7Fo/s1600-h/freezerhead.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 370px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6IgtnjzJao2UlrktKqLaxzfK-XT3wRP_Vk0NnY9mg6zo51hEITi9dvbSnNlDHdu0AZWlxnPWoIw-koeHuY1WcOpxomA_5y_cNFQb6xvs_dDRtX3j4LiKVl7F14P1NwzF1jpwS4hO7Fo/s400/freezerhead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363279832964286146" border="0" /></a><br />I just searched "241543903" in google and there were 7,080 found images.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">p.s. I promise I'll actually write a blog soon. I just keep coming across so many cool videos & photos!</span></span><br /></div>paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-69622930523152885182009-07-27T15:04:00.000-04:002009-07-27T15:05:32.017-04:00where it all beganSo excited. August 28.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7Iq8z2WDbKo&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7Iq8z2WDbKo&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-45709375675228559812009-07-22T01:05:00.003-04:002009-07-27T19:12:48.607-04:00new dance epidemicWhen Tinkerbell fell weak in Mary Martin's <span style="font-style: italic;">Peter Pan</span>, I would have to clap to bring her back to life.<br /><br />The YES dance is the next sensation equipped with such revitalizing powers.<br /><br />See for yourself.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FVuvAYzsLoM&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FVuvAYzsLoM&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-85396321249121320092009-07-07T17:46:00.007-04:002009-07-07T19:07:00.054-04:00MJ in my lifeI always used look through the stacks of cds my parents had by the stereo in the living room.<br /><br />Plopped down, kneeling in front of the hundreds of cases, I'd take out a handful and marvel at the cover artwork. I specifically always being intrigued by one particular album, <span style="font-style: italic;">Dangerous</span>.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAE0OD_ldTxaBxSwK31u1r7NfnlJU4zNFLuAKiYmg_CWyVOaTHW4FJ8dsQObC9U8FrDEEj5SqPlhvnDW6simXlug0PflJj8oS9Rdx3Q3lDrsXH-xtUjsiNJ1P23-guVTvnjqIowoU4sA4/s1600-h/michael-jackson-dangerous-album-cover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAE0OD_ldTxaBxSwK31u1r7NfnlJU4zNFLuAKiYmg_CWyVOaTHW4FJ8dsQObC9U8FrDEEj5SqPlhvnDW6simXlug0PflJj8oS9Rdx3Q3lDrsXH-xtUjsiNJ1P23-guVTvnjqIowoU4sA4/s320/michael-jackson-dangerous-album-cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355839572897089906" border="0" /></a>It was one of those covers where one simple glance did not cut it. There was so much to the picture, so many pieces that drew you in closer for extended investigation of detail and portrait.<br /><br />His music was just as enticing.<br /><br />I had plenty of cassettes with "Rockin Robin" and "ABC" as a kid, which made for the perfect youngster sing-a-long dance party. As a tween, Michael's music sneaked his way into the movies I watched (<span style="font-style: italic;">Free Willy</span>'s "Will You Be There") and soft rock radio waves I listened to while in the car with my parents ("Black or White").<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_x3PQ5QhMJs&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_x3PQ5QhMJs&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />As a teenager, it was just common place to know all about MJ, from his early hits with as lead of the Jackson 5 to the "Thriller" dance. If you did not know how to moonwalk, you envied anyone would could, and you wish you could learn. It was not as easy as Michael made it seem.<br /><br />And Michael still has a presence in my present life today. There is always a new song out that uses a MJ sample or draws upon inspiration from MJ's dancing or music videos. I think I am safe to say that a Michael Jackson song played at every single dance, party and bar that I go to.<br /><br />Today the Michael Jackson memorial was held at the Staples Center. I was able to watch most of it, breaking away from the TV for about 20 minutes to run errands for my parents. Luckily, radio stations were broadcasting a live feed too.<br /><br />I thought the whole thing was well done, which great speeches and performances that highlighted the greatness of Michael Jackson, his contribution to the world and unparalleled talent.<br /><br />I thought Brooke Shield and Reverend Al Sharpton's speeches really showcased that, as much as Michael may have been misrepresented in the media, he was a loving, caring and extremely compassionate musical entertainer at his core.<br /><br />"I want his children to know there was nothing strange about your daddy, it was strange what your daddy had to deal with," Sharpton said.<br /><br />And so true. After Jackson's death, it came to light that all the accusations against Jackson of abuse were <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-14537-Albany-CPS-and-Family-Court-Examiner%7Ey2009m6d26-Michael-Jacksons-fight-against-false-allegations-of-child-abuse-gives-hope-to-others">in fact false</a>. It is heartbreaking to think that Michael's reputation was so wrongfully tainted. I have to admit that my image of Jackson definitely waivered in the past decade, with all of his odd behavior plastered across the media.<br /><br />I found it sad that even today I saw plenty of people still bashing Michael on twitter. If you do not like him or do not think he is as influential as others believe he was, that is fine. I guess I am just blown that there are still so many haters out there despite how obvious it is that MJ had a huge and positive impact on the world.<br /><br />But thanks to the BET awards and today's memorial, I once again remember the Michael Jackson that made me smile, made us all smile. The MJ that had the power to bring together everyone, regardless of race, religion or difference. And above all, the MJ that was a true gift to this world, creating music that brightens our day within the first few notes and his first few lyrics.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nW_-4rLaHM8&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nW_-4rLaHM8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ly_hvXA8QX8&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ly_hvXA8QX8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Rest in peace, Michael. You will be missed.paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-72048044516955551742009-07-05T00:11:00.004-04:002009-07-05T00:12:48.025-04:00On the other handNow, everything I love, in one video.<br /><br />Soccer, German, ginger, humor.<br /><br /><object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KbobZx-pciQ&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KbobZx-pciQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></embed></object>paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-45821086865508337592009-06-22T23:17:00.001-04:002009-06-22T23:19:11.673-04:00I'm pretty sure the Devil had a hand in thisAll that I despise in life, in one video:<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.todaysbigthing.com/betamax/betamax.swf?item_id=1754&fullscreen=1" width="480" height="360"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="movie" quality="best" value="http://www.todaysbigthing.com/betamax/betamax.swf?item_id=1754&fullscreen=1"> </object><div style="'padding:5px">See more <a href="'http://www.todaysbigthing.com/'">funny videos</a> and <a href="'http://www.todaysbigthing.com/'">TBT Videos</a> at <a href="'http://www.todaysbigthing.com/'">Today's Big Thing</a>.</div>paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-67284818004894793972009-06-02T00:37:00.004-04:002009-06-02T00:54:59.997-04:00I don't know why, but..My stride was careful as I walked down Broadway with Chelsea.<br /><br />"Chels, have I ever told you my absurd fear that I'm going to randomly fall in such an awkward way that my bones will just snap?"<br /><br />It's true. I usually walk with caution anytime I'm in a pair of heels, but lately I have this luring fear that I'm going to fall in such a way that would cause my ankle/knee/whole leg to snap in half.<br /><br />I have never seen this actually happen and I have never broken a bone in my body (knock on wood), so I am not sure what has generated this gruesome phobia.<br /><br />And apparently, I am not alone.<br /><br />"Well, I don't know why and don't judge me but I have this terrifying fear that someone is going to throw acid in my face," Chelsea said.<br /><br />My god. I thought my bone-breaking fear was bad, but Chelsea's living nightmare was much more delibitating, and hopefully unlikely to happen.<br /><br />Phobias form based on three factors: genetics, culture and experience, according to <a href="http://phobias.about.com/od/causesanddevelopment/f/phobiacauses.htm">About.com</a>. Genetics can be hit or miss, sometimes affecting twins but not always affecting family members in the same bloodline.<br /><br />I think Chelsea and I have phobias that have been shaped by culture. I have seen people break bones on TV and Chelsea said she read about acid attacks in a magazine. I wonder what ignited within us to bring these random stories to be legitimate fears that rest in our subconscious.<br /><br />What are your odd phobias?paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-90550218338379684752009-05-27T16:24:00.002-04:002009-05-28T11:24:31.453-04:00Sizzle or fizzle?I randomly have the urge to do a hot and not list. This is so SocrGirl circa 1999.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Hot</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bourbon Street in NYC</span><br />This is my second time visiting Chelsea and she took me to this fantastic bar/restaurant last night on the upper westside called <a href="http://bourbonstreetnyc.com/">Bourbon Street</a> (Amsterdam & 97th). The decor is fantastic, with chandeliers and deep colors to make you feel like you're in New Orleans. Tuesdays are Chubby Tuesdays (like "Fat Tuesday" I presume) and there was a live band that played some upbeat jazz (Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man") but with some cajun flavor. $5 Hurricanes. Fleet week. It was a good night.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzxHF5YJGYmwGiBZPJF09AC4DexVSMR8BMqpjSFtSS0HnK0m4RIoMJk7r_YycC6yQ7iHWmLr2qxjIrbh67BIjzwBMsfu8Engl-ynmS7Zf7aCZ_8_z2SI7FOhlDmCNd2PF1VelP54gxg0/s1600-h/gossip-girl-219-chace-crawford-nate-grandfather.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzxHF5YJGYmwGiBZPJF09AC4DexVSMR8BMqpjSFtSS0HnK0m4RIoMJk7r_YycC6yQ7iHWmLr2qxjIrbh67BIjzwBMsfu8Engl-ynmS7Zf7aCZ_8_z2SI7FOhlDmCNd2PF1VelP54gxg0/s400/gossip-girl-219-chace-crawford-nate-grandfather.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340609302147738450" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Billy Reid</span><br />Southern charm meets city fashion via <a href="http://www.billyreid.com/">Billy Reid</a>. His line is primarily for men, but there is a small collection of women's digs (mostly menswear style, but with softer fabrics). He has a shop in NoHo (54 Bond Street) decked out to make you feel like you're an urban cowboy, think saloon & Western meets kitch & trendy youth.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Not</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Celebrifeed</span><br />A lot of people do not get why Twitter is so popular or useful. I think it's a great tool for sharing interesting content, real-time coverage and short glimpses into places/events. But there are a lot of people who clog the tweetline with nonsense. I guess MSN's Wonderwall wanted to make an example by collecting all the useless and pretentious twitter users out there and streaming their tweets in <a href="http://wonderwall.msn.com/#wallState=0__/movies/celebrifeed">one page</a>. And so Celebrifeed was created; a one-stop shop to read about all the posh parties you'll never get to go to (and they're AWESOME. her tweets says so), how fantastic he or she looked on their guest appearance and random and out of context @replies to random fans/people/stalkers. HOORAY!<br /><br />I'm trying to think of another not but things are great right now and I can't think of anything else that's crucially negative. Mean people suck, but that's pretty standard and not worth ranting about. Maybe I wish there were more hours in the day? <span style="font-weight: bold;">What do you think is "not" right now?</span>paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-61267235564529141732009-05-21T21:47:00.002-04:002009-05-21T22:18:56.831-04:00hello sweet summerMy fello Marylander <a href="http://strottiesays.blogspot.com/">Leland</a> blogged about her summer plans, so I thought I'd do somewhat of the same since I have reached some what of a writer's block in blog topics.<br /><ul><li>Start audiocandy+. I've already got the blog registered (http://audiocandyradio.blogspot.com), so it's only a matter of figuring out NiceCast. Anyone know how to set it up? I think I'm going to buy the full version soon.</li><li><a href="http://www.myspace.com/grizzlybear">Grizzly Bear</a> in Philly! I've never been to Philly or seen Grizzly Bear, both things I've always wanted to do. Plus, Tuan is going/hosting! It should be a fun little short road trip. I was pure chance that I was scheduled off on the needed days!<br />ps babies dancing to "two weeks" is the cutest thing ever.<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Wijg8cGqO44&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Wijg8cGqO44&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> that's how you know it's truly good music.<br /></li><li><a href="http://bonnaroo.com/">Bonnaroooooo</a>! Second time going, first as a volunteer. Heading down with Kitcat, Michael B. & tuaniffer! Ready for Tennessee sunshine, live music & meeting cool people.</li><li>Visiting Chelsea in New York City. I'm trying for at least once a month. I'd love to do it more, while she's there for the summer. Bolt bus is so easy/fast/cheap. Plus I'd love to go dancing with Mariel, see Julio & everyone else in the Tri-State area.</li><li><a href="http://wildwoodultimate.com/">Wildwood Beach ultimate tournment</a>. I'm hoping Katie and Chip can be on our team. It's a co-ed 4vs4 ultimate frisbee tournmanet in late July, where you can either play 3 men & 1 girl or 2 men & 2 girls. I think we'll go with the former, just because I think me and Katie will be the only girls on our team. But let me know if anyone is interested! I think some doomers and Maryland friends are going to be on the team!</li></ul>So those are some plans. I'll be sure to blog about each of them as they come up. I'd love take more road trips, see cool things, so comment any suggestions!paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-58485838178333455862009-05-15T19:12:00.005-04:002009-05-15T19:42:12.830-04:00Hey WorldI am ashamed at how much I have neglected to update pa(i)gewithwords. My deepest apologizes to those who frequent my blog.<br /><br />The last few weeks have been a whirlwind: losing my internet service thanks to the boys who lived in the apartment below Katie and me, getting an iPhone for graduation (but at the price of being without cellphone service for about three days when goodbyes were being exchanged), graduating Syracuse University, packing up my entire apartment/life while still dedicating ample time to hanging out with my best friends, making the trek back to Maryland, unpacking, job interviewing, soaking up all the memories and making plans for new ones in the near future (NYC, Brendan's birthday, Bonnaroo).<br /><br />I am still in the process of unpacking all of my things, but I oddly do not feel overwhelmed.<br /><br />Maybe a rarity among the class of 2009, I have been glowing with optimism ever since graduation.<br /><br />I feel like my life is really starting, and all the things that I have so longed to do, I can. I am so fortunate to have a well-paying job at Nordstrom, with benefits, that affords me the opportunity to shop around for a job until I find the perfect one to begin my career track. I also have the chance to take hobbies to the next level and see if I can cultivate them into something.<br /><br />I thought for so long that I would be freaking out right now after graduation because I would not have a path to follow, like I had been doing for the past 16 years. There has always an assumed progression of life, from elementary school to middle school to high school to college. Sure, some was left to chance--what I would participate in after-school, who I'd meet in classes, what I'd choose to focus on both in and out of the classroom-- but there was always some form of certainty of what I would be doing and where I would be.<br /><br />Now, there is nothing but the open road. Maybe not even a road; that is too direct and formulated. More like the open sea, an open pasture.<br /><br />I finally have that piece of paper--a college degree--that can prove, and legitimize, to the world what I have known for so long: I am ready to do something of value, and I can.<br /><br />I have a lot of projects I want to work on, a lot of growing to do, a lot of passion to invest.<br /><br />But, I am young. I have ideas. I want to meet people. I want to live life to the fullest.<br /><br />And I am planning to do just that.paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-3681527417680085032009-05-04T16:26:00.002-04:002009-05-04T16:29:29.722-04:00Auf Wiedersehen!It is only courteous to say goodbye at the end of a conversation, whether you are bidding a friend farewell at a party or ending an impromptu run-in a friendly stranger.<br /><br />But other than that, there is no real reason for them.<br /><br />Call me romantic or naïve, but I think that goodbyes are unnecessary on a long-term timeline and should only be reserved for when casual dialog require them.<br /><br />As I near the end of college, I am flooded with people’s requests to meet to say goodbye, which will be unavoidably the most awkward encounter ever. Seniority cannot even escape this.<br /><br />You would think after high school and summer internships and trips abroad, we would have some idea of how to go about a send-off. But of course, there still is no real protocol.<br /><br />I have begun to avoid goodbyes. I do not want my last memory or interaction with people I like or will miss to be some weird, small-talk-fueled, short-lived meeting.<br /><br />People might look forward to saying goodbye to a crush, it being one of the few acceptable (and less creepy) times to share an extended hug or sneak in a kiss on the cheek. But even in this situation, things would be better if the goodbye was all-together avoided. The absence of that person in your life would not be suddenly felt, being reminded of the impending void with each footstep taken away. Plus, the replaying memory of him or her will not be the retreating blob barely seen through your tear-filled eyes, but of happier times. Hopefully.<br /><br />The funniest thing is that the most pressure to deliver a serious college good-bye comes from the people you actually hold near and dear to your heart. They are the people you will most-likely see within the year, making a long-winded, heart-stricken farewell obsolete. <br /><br />Then you also have those situations when you have to give a college good-bye to someone you would not even issue a “ta-ta” to under normal circumstances. Just think of it as an official kick-off to your future without him or her.<br /><br />It is not to say I, or we, should not have closure in our lives. I just prefer the open-ended kind. No dramatic "OMG. We're graduating. I LOVE YOU. I'm going to miss you sooooo much, but the off-the-cuff “see you soon.”<br /><br />Because I probably will, thanks to our planning or Fate.paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-35337125835785834842009-04-27T02:10:00.003-04:002009-04-27T02:19:33.268-04:00Drunk HistoryBeing a political science major, I'm a little too acquainted with the Founding Fathers.<br /><br />I have been lectured on the structure and functions of the Federal government. I have read about election of 1801, Continental Congress and branches of government until my eyes have burned.<br /><br />I was delighted with the John Adams series from last summer, seeing the stories I had so long read and heard about come to life on-screen.<br /><br />I stumbled upon this small YouTube series this evening and thought it could be enjoyed my the Adam series' fans as well as anyone looking to hear some "alternative" stories of colonial America.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YjZR1Rjj_p0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YjZR1Rjj_p0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />There's five webisodes in all, many that feature stars from recent blockbuster comedies.<br /><br />Check them all out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/DrunkHistory">here</a>. They're all relatively short, and are good for a few laughs.paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-71304229284735917262009-04-26T23:18:00.005-04:002009-04-27T01:04:41.860-04:00Oo that smellIt's that smell that escapes your room, as if you had just opened it for the first time after a long summer break. It is not a bad scent, perhaps it's the best smelling musk possible, while still being categorized as one.<br /><br />Had it been the end of fall or mid-February, I might be weary that I had waited too long to clean my apartment or that the air had grown far too stale and I needed a fan.<br /><br />But it's nearing the end of college. And I purposely breathe in deep.<br /><br />This smell is sweet; if nostalgia was a perfume, this would be the college edition. This is the smell of moving into your freshman dorm room and all the accompanying excitement and glory of beginning a new chapter in life.<br /><br />I am not sure my exact motivation for my celebration for the return of that smell. Maybe I hope that my freshman feelings of full-fledged ambition will once again flow through my veins and envelop my mood. Maybe I have been waiting since the first snow of the year for it to be warm again and spend my days comfortably outside. Maybe I know that this smell means change.<br /><br />I should not be so surprised that I find myself once again greeted with this smell at the end of my time at Syracuse University.<br /><br />I feel like these last few weeks are, and will be, very strange.<br /><br />None of us seniors are living in the present. We are either reflecting on our past-- the last four years on the Hill-- or anticipating the future--packing and planning respectfully. Majority of our plans or meetings are made to either celebrate the achievements we have made in undergrad or to make closure to places or people that might not be here when we visit again in 10 years.<br /><br />I do not think I will wake up once on the next fourteen days and live it as an ordinary one. People will ask what my plans are for post-grad, or invite me to their last party. Friends will invite me to get dinner downtown for the last time or insist we go to Chuck's because we only have so much time.<br /><br />Nostalgia is defined as "<span class="sense_content">a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition," which is inherently backwards-looking. But I think it can be something relating to the present, but only within a unique, unparalleled span of time</span>: two weeks leading up to graduation. It is now that we have that foresight to know that these moments are the ones we are going to remember vividly and wish we could go back to; nostalgia is in our presence.<br /><br />So for the next 14 days, let's stop thinking about the past and stop worrying the future; let's live in the now. We are going to wish we had.paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-82446302251968120552009-04-20T21:26:00.004-04:002009-04-21T02:45:57.877-04:00Unfathomable & unforgetable"If you were to take 10 seconds of what I actually saw, you would not be able to sleep. You'd be scarred for life."<br /><br />Brian, a SU grad student, came to answer our questions about the <a href="http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/rwanda.htm">genocide in Rwanda</a>. He had escaped death barely as a mixed 13-year-old in the south of Rwanda. Most of his aunts and uncles, as well as other family members, had been murdered, exterminated because of their Tutsi status.<br /><br />Brian explained that Hutus profiled Tutsis as being tall with thin noses, even though there were many Tutsis, and Hutus, that challenged the mold.<br /><br />"During school, we thought that if you could fit your three fingers up one nostril, you could pass, or be, Hutu. You'd see all the kids with their fingers up their noses during breaks," he laughed.<br /><br />I was awe-struck by all of his experiences.<br /><br />Most of all, I was most surprised by his summary of the whole Rwanda situation.<br /><br />"People ask me every time what went on in Rwanda," he said. "To be honest, I still do not know. It is that complicated. It does not make sense to me."<br /><br />Brian appeared to be an intelligent man. He had lived through the civil war and massacres. He had seen the bodies, the rampages, the sights no human being should ever be forced to witness.<br /><br />And in the end, he still did not know why the whole thing happened.<br /><br />I think that's a testament to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocide">genocide</a>. It doesn't make sense. To think a people can wipe out a whole group of people, as if they were animals, is not a rational thought.<br /><br />I asked Brian if he had seen <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395169/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Hotel Rwanda</span></a>, which we had just watched in class, and what he thought of it. He said he saw it when he was in Georgia with his girlfriend at time, and he could not stop laughing.<br /><br />"The whole theater was crying and I was just laughing," he said.<br /><br />He said that it was not that it was a funny portrayal, but that it was clearly a mixture of a bunch of different narratives, plus some exaggeration to make it "Hollywood" and profitable.<br /><br />The violence was on par for what it could be, he said. The producers probably only embodied about 10 percent of the reality of the situation and massacre; understandable, since not many viewers would be able to handle it or would want to, he said.<br /><br />I feel like there's so many levels of understanding in anything you come across. You can read a book and gain a little more understand on a situation, maybe gaining some internal perspective or scene setting. You can watch a movie based on that book and see what you had envisioned come to life, maybe in a more realistic way or just different--for better or worse--portrayal. You can hear someone share their story, who lived through that situation portrayed in the movie and in the book, putting a face, a person, a human connection to that story.<br /><br />I feel like it is so hard to truly understand, feel, the horrors Brian encountered. I know I do not want to experience them or even be involved in some kind of re-enactment scenario, but I wonder if it takes that, or some similar or equally traumatizing situation, to feel the full weight of an issue like Brian's.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you think common ground has to be shared for you to fully understand something? Isn't that the whole reason why experience is so much more important than education in some instances?</span><br /><br />Thanks Brian for coming to class today.<br /><br />R.I.P. for all those whom lost their lives in the Rwandan genocide.paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-4004997012643805922009-04-18T16:08:00.004-04:002009-04-18T16:20:14.784-04:00FIfty People, One QuestionI just came across this project this afternoon on ModernFeed, where I watch all my television programs online.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.vimeo.com/deltree">Benjamin Reece</a>'s idea is really charming: ask 50 random people the same question and record their answers, all on camera.<br /><br />It's amazing how one question can tell so much about a person.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">If one thing could happen by the end of the day, what would that be?</span><br /><br /><object height="225" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2161980&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2161980&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="225" width="400"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/2161980">Fifty People, One Question: New Orleans</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/askyourself">Fifty People, One Question</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br /><br />My answer:<span style="font-style: italic;"> to feel completely comfortable in my own skin once again.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Where would you like to wake up tomorrow morning?</span><br /><br /><object height="225" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2164626&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2164626&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="225" width="400"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/2164626">Fifty People, One Question: New York</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/askyourself">Fifty People, One Question</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br /><br /><object height="225" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2540216&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2540216&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="225" width="400"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/2540216">Fifty People, One Question: Brooklyn</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/askyourself">Fifty People, One Question</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br /><br /><object height="225" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2834087&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2834087&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="225" width="400"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/2834087">Fifty People, One Question: London</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/askyourself">Fifty People, One Question</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br /><br />My answer: <span style="font-style: italic;">well-rested to the smell of fresh-brewed coffee in a German cottage with my family on a warm summer morning</span><br /><br />Some of the answers really make you appreciate your life, health and love. The one girl's answer about waking up in a world where you can travel via closets and have breakfast with their owner's made me smile. The stories about colon cancer and wanting to wake up in the graveyard at his father's tombstone really tugged at my heartstrings.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How would you answer? Which answers did you enjoy the most? Comment your responses. </span>paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-48094780682254361372009-04-06T18:23:00.000-04:002009-04-06T18:24:39.886-04:00i'm in a funk & this is what i need to remember<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghk_OrwAx8rHrfOxWOch2fFfy5YXfyitc4XG01vTmqELrNjpcjg-fOtQQRTQdt87GNDruzvTugMTmVedWtOovulO_YJam3-6TEU01PaSAi3pFmYuOqua85jcfY25ysH2dfNI6mrbLDr3w/s1600-h/wisewords.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 370px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghk_OrwAx8rHrfOxWOch2fFfy5YXfyitc4XG01vTmqELrNjpcjg-fOtQQRTQdt87GNDruzvTugMTmVedWtOovulO_YJam3-6TEU01PaSAi3pFmYuOqua85jcfY25ysH2dfNI6mrbLDr3w/s400/wisewords.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321707746241372754" border="0" /></a>paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-15114282230207744312009-04-01T23:44:00.009-04:002009-04-02T08:50:49.192-04:00"Sorry, not tonight dear. I am on deadline.""Feels like your pilgrimage to Mecca, huh?" my dad asked.<br /><br />I am not Muslim. But he was on to something.<br /><br />This past weekend I went home. It was not my <a href="http://paigewithwords.blogspot.com/2009/03/spring-newsbreak-09.html">Spring Break</a>, nor did I have a job interview.<br /><br />I went home to take care of some long overdue work. I went home to finally go to the<a href="http://www.newseum.org/"> Newseum</a>.<br /><br />I have known since I was 13 that I wanted to be a journalist. The details were hazy, but I knew I loved to write. The Newseum opened in Rosslyn, Va. around that same time (1997) but for whatever reason I never managed to head downtown and visit it. (note: The Newseum moved to its current location on Pennsylvania Avenue a year ago.)<br /><br />So my trip Sunday was a long-time coming.<br /><br />I went with my parents and sister Chelsea, whom have a basic interest in news. Nothing extraordinary. They read the news, each with a varying interest and publication loyalty.<br /><br />I should have known that I would be holding up the group.<br /><br />I seriously felt as if I was a child in a candy store. Granted, I had learned the basic history of communication in a few of my Newhouse courses (COM107, COM505), but some of the coverage and artifacts the museum had were incredible.<br /><br />One section had actual pieces of the Berlin wall. One section had the radio antennae that was on the top of the World Trade Center and was recovered from ground zero. One section had a various newspaper A1s from important world events.<br /><br />I felt most inspired the the individual stories of fearless or accomplished journalists. Their documentary videos or exhibits illustrated their passion for reporting and championship of journalism--real reality checks and reminders of why I love journalism so much.<br /><br />The fam and I also got to hear Newsweek editor<a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/138611"> Evan Thomas</a>' involvement in campaign coverage, specifically his time spent on Obama. Three things I came away with? If you do not want to ask hard questions, journalism is not and will never be for you. Competence is not sexy. Reporters were not the ones with a huge crush on Obama; it was their editors.<br /><br />I am going to have to go back and spend literally the entire day. I probably was able to really take in about 40% of the entire place. Luckily, I only live a hop, skip and a jump from it. I could even move in to the apartments attached to it. That might be a little too much..<br /><br />Fun things I bought: a t-shirt that says, "Sorry, not tonight dear. I am on deadline." and a pen that says, "Trust me. I am a reporter."<br /><br />Josh said that there will only be about 20 people who will appreciate them. And those are the handful of people I want to meet and befriend.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EkrE7tgCwbg&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EkrE7tgCwbg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-14247502076495120452009-03-25T13:56:00.009-04:002009-03-25T14:34:15.176-04:00discovery health never failsAs I was reading the assigned pages in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mama-Day-Gloria-Naylor/dp/0679721819"><span style="font-style: italic;">Mama Day</span></a> for the afternoon class, I came across a passage that described the August butterflies in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Willow</span> Springs.<br /><br />And I randomly thought about mermaid girl.<br /><br />My mind shot back to the night before Spring Break when I was laying on Catherine's couch, with a glass of Riesling, watching the Discovery Health channel. Catherine was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">blow drying</span> her hair and preparing to turn in early in anticipation of the 4 am wake-up that would awake her a mere five hours later.<br /><br />I had just been flipping <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">through</span> the channel, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">perusing</span> the variety of new shows just beginning on the hour. Then I was caught off guard: a show on a real-life mermaid girl. How could I tune away, and be stuck suffering through another bad reality show on VH1?<br /><br />And so I was introduced to <a href="http://shilohbenefit.com/">Shiloh</a>, one of three survivors worldwide that live with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirenomelia">sirenomelia</a>--aka Mermaid syndrome . She was no different from a normal adolescent girl who absolutely loves butterflies. Well, except for the whole two-legs-together-and-no-genitalia-or-rectum.<br /><br />Her story is interesting on so many levels, from the fact that she has undergone hundreds of surgeries to preserve her life to her parents' struggle to plan for her future and maintain the faith that Shiloh find a man that will love and appreciate her for the bubbly, happy-go-lucky girl that she is.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsmQnGxOFTskfnLR6Yrx9mVjuC_ZYM_hLYbVlgqTM4kD1LkTk5yexXbJ8F77oJJw6Q_tqDFpHGgYUJnJMvzVYqYwVopOzYmTc6kCtavDJVIpmziRWM4pUcr7FIv2qaGKGMMMSV6Vf6Bo/s1600-h/shiloh-pepin-mermaid-girl.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsmQnGxOFTskfnLR6Yrx9mVjuC_ZYM_hLYbVlgqTM4kD1LkTk5yexXbJ8F77oJJw6Q_tqDFpHGgYUJnJMvzVYqYwVopOzYmTc6kCtavDJVIpmziRWM4pUcr7FIv2qaGKGMMMSV6Vf6Bo/s400/shiloh-pepin-mermaid-girl.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317194028062973938" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The hour-long documentary teaches viewers about sirenomelia as well as follows Shiloh and her parents through their hardships dealing with medicial complications, diet issues and learning new things (like swimming!).<br /><br />I really recommend people watch the <a href="http://health.discovery.com/tv-schedules/special.html?paid=62.15500.124380.0.0">next airing(s)</a>, April 5 at 1 pm and 5 pm.paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-83561882540381134842009-03-24T11:37:00.005-04:002009-03-24T12:16:58.457-04:00Elementary, my dear word-lover."We'll finagle it, Yof," I said.<br /><br />"We'll bagel what," questioned Yofred.<br /><br />I have used "finagle" in more than one conversation with my friend Yofred and he is always perplexed by it. I am not sure exactly where or when I added it to my vernacular, but it is there.<br /><br />I tried to explain to Yofred the definition of "finagle" in the clearest way possible. I must have not done a good job; he still asks me what it means every time it slips out into a sentence.<br /><br />After the third confusion-ridden, "finagle" instance, I made a mental note to at some point find out where this word came from.<br /><br />This morning I was surfing online and I came across "<a href="http://www.word-detective.com/">The Word Detective</a>." Could it be true! The perfect synthesis of my two obsessions: Nancy Drew and words? Maybe a place where I can find out more about "finagle!"<br /><br />Linguist/columnist Evan Morris has been answering word questions since 1995 and conveniently has them archived on this handy website. There is no search option (downer) but there is an alphabetical list of previous columns. You can buy a paid subscription to get a bi-weekly e-mail, showcasing those weeks' columns.<br /><br />"Finagle" had been addressed! Morris says:<br /><blockquote>But while the element of outright dishonesty is definitely sometimes part of “finagling,” I would suggest that the usual use of the word carries the implication of bending, perhaps twisting, but not breaking the rules. Crooked stockbrokers may “finagle” with schemes that pauperize their clients, but your average “finagler” is just looking for an angle, an insider’s discount on storm windows or use of the company truck after work. “Finagle” to me is about clever persuasion, not vulgar fraud.</blockquote>So, yofred, does that make sense; he put it much better than my frazzled explanation.<br /><br />I love Morris' site. He even reminds readers to "<span><span style="color:gray;"><b>Semper Ubi Sub Ubi</b></span></span>," which was featured in one of the Nancy Drew computer games! Coincidence ? Too weird.<br /><br />Bookmark the site as a go-to reference for all your diction dilemmas, or maybe to find new words to play during <a href="http://www.bananagrams-intl.com/checkcountry.asp?page=index.asp">bananagrams</a>!paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-44001662216579180112009-03-18T21:15:00.007-04:002009-03-18T22:21:11.327-04:00spring (news)break 09I have been trying to think of an engaging way to recount my spring break experience, highlighting the points that stick out to me (and probably majority of the trip's participants) in a way that it does not read like a laundry list of inside jokes.<br /><br />I figure I'll just start rambling and an adequate blog entry will develop itself. Better yet, I'll structure it kind of like a news story (but not really); bear with me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Basics</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who: </span>a group of 20 Syracuse University undergrads; Catherine--one of my best girlfriends, 1 former freshman whom I had peer advised, 1 girl who I never really met before but is a good friend's best friend, a trio of frat boys, 1 awkward freshman whom wants to kill cops for fun, 4 sophomore girls, 2 ESFers, Becky--whom is roommates with another of my best girlfriends--Calyn, 1 really tall guy, 1 guy who is Greek but also looks Cuban to me, 2 juniors with an insatiable desire to rage, and 1 girl with a lot of questions.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What:</span> a week-long call to service in Palm Beach, Florida, working on the Jupiter Gardens Habitat for Humanity site<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">When: </span>for spring break, driving 25 hours down at 5 am on Saturday (staying over in Columbia, S.C.) and coming back Saturday (staying halfway in Concord, N.C.)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Where:</span> Florida; working on 27-house build from 8 am to 3 pm Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; beaching every afternoon at various beaches (Juno, Jupiter); staying in cabins at JD State Park<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why: </span>I have always wanted to volunteer, especially for H4H and I thought my time would be better spent giving back than just binge drinking on a tropical cruise; plus it would be so fun and I'd meet great people!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Quote</span>: "CLOTHING OPTIONAL!"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Background: </span>Catherine made it a point early on in the trip that "clothing optional" would be a well-established catch phrase by the end of our week. It spread (and caught on) like wildfire, thanks to our hardcore creeping. We initially took baby steps, suggesting our boys disrobe in our car and cabin, but then we took it to the house, asking a waiter at a bar if we could get naked to which "clothing optional" was then announced over the loud speaker. Success was ours.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Quote: </span>"Does Paige like boys?"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Background:</span> Much like Catherine, I too had my own mission to accomplish during our spring break trip; I wanted someone to at some point to secretly pull me aside and inappropriately ask my sexual orientation. Catherine and I are quite close, like most best friends, but sometimes our interactions reach a sexually-confusing level (stroking, grabbing). I wanted someone to be so baffled by our loving relationship vs my obvious sexual fetish with ginger men to approach me and ask which team did I exactly bat for; that way they could get some answers and stop wasting countless hours of sleep pondering the situation.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Quote: </span>"You may not molest the animals."<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Background: </span>We stayed in four cabins in a state park. They weren't your typical wooden cabins; these things were nice! Air conditioned, beds, kitchen, big shower. It reminded me of a small beach house you could rent cheap. I personally loved it, with bonfires in the evening and the space to throw discs and a football. Staying in the woods does run different risks than if we were staying at a church, like some of the other trips. There were animals right outside your door! And not just little ones. I saw a raccoon, but other people saw an armadillo and even A WILD BOAR! The park pamphlet warned not to molest the animals. I'll for sure be molesting an animal if it gets anywhere near me, or attacks someone.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Quote: </span>::silence::<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Background</span>: There wasn't much silence through out the trip, between Scott and the sweet sound of power tools in the morning, but I unfortunately lost my voice for majority of the trip (about four days). Josh Shaw saw my tweet that had detailed how my voice was completely lost and he said it was probably for the benefit of everyone. Hardy har har. But honestly, it was frustrating! Roland, the site manager, got a kick out of the fact I could not speak. I would occasionally try and muster out a sentence, but I would just end up sounding like a dying man. I finally got it back (kind of) on the ride home.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Quote: </span>"LET'S GO"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Background</span>: Oh Scott, I will never forget your rallying call. Never did I know "LET'S GO" could (1.) provide intense rejuvenation of the mind, body and soul and (2.) be applicable in so many situations. Scott was a true master of the phrase and used it well, amidst cheering for our Orange in the Big East tourney and joking around/getting ready to rage.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Quote: </span>"What did she just call me?"<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Background</span>: So, I really only knew Catherine before the trip, and she was the only one who truly knew me. So once I started referring to people as "booface" or "hunnybunny," mass confusion spread amongst the other habitaters. I distinctly remember at the baseball game we went to on Monday night, I called to Paul a few stadium seats behind me, "Thanks booface." He looks to Dimitri and says, "Wait, what did she just call me?" I then explained and he learned to accept it as an appropriate reference (as well as love it). This situation happened probably 15 times over the course of the break. I can say with confidence, I think some kids are going to keep "booface" in their vocabulary forever.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Quote: </span>"I am going to put you in a graveyard."<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Background</span>: A rather morbid sentiment to communicate, but an actual threat to Dave's life, given by Johnathan (John, Johnny, John-o), nonetheless. Johnny brought life to our car. It might have been at a seemingly pain-strickened slow pace, but his historical references to wars and Chinese government as well as intense disdain for law enforcement officials made him a true gem. I am pretty sure he does not like me, or maybe he thinks I hate him, but Johnny, I don't. You might be a little interesting, but just know I'm just an impatient girl that appreciates a good torture technique like the best of them.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Background:</span> I fully appreciated the entire group's love of games. Botticelli, Say Anything, Bananagrams: you name it, they wanted in. We also played the 46 things game where you choose a universal topic and everyone goes around suggesting an answer, and once 46 things have been named, you go by every couple and answers and players identify which answer trumps the other. On the way down we played "What will be the best thing we do on this trip?" [winning answer: 'blaze with dolphins'](?). On the way back, we played "What was your favorite thing about our trip?" Catherine, Scott, Dave, Hogie and Johnny made up Cabin 7, and we all agreed.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Quote: </span>"I am going to have to pick 'cabin 7 love.'paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-29838066992413877232009-03-04T21:11:00.008-05:002009-03-19T00:31:42.788-04:00American girlThere are a handful of "milestones" that our society suggests girls will experience during their teenage years: her first kiss, her first boyfriend, her first job, her first car.<br /><br />It is through all of those events that she will ease into responsible, with her family and long-established friends there to pick her up when she makes mistakes<br /><br />And she will better for it in the future, with all the lessons learn from her experiences. She will be forced to learn more about herself (and what boys to avoid), how to be more independent (and aware of the true value of money) and how she could gain parents trust (so her curfew could be a little later).<br /><br />But, this time line of typical teenage lessons seems a little too good to be true.<br /><br />And it is.<br /><br />Some people surmise it is the result of puberty, while others believe it is because of American pop culture.<br /><br />Either way, it is during a girl's teenage years, and sometimes even earlier, that she begins to question her body image.<br /><br />And it is hard to blame her;<a href="http://www.prothinspo.com/thinspo.html"> magazines, television and movies all feed girls images of extremely thin models and women</a>, labeling them as the norm and standard of beauty. A girl's perception of her body changes, focusing on areas that culture tells her defines her self and societal worth (i.e. flat stomach, busty chest).<br /><br />It is the repetition of these images that begin to breakdown self-confidence. Size-2 becomes the norm, and the constant bombardment of actresses and models whom fit that mold acts as a constant reminder of how she is not that size and that she need to do something if she ever wants to be truly happy and successful, especially in love.<br /><br />And for a lot of girls, size-2 is not even an option; their bodies anatomically will never fit into a pair of size-2 jeans, even if they were to starve themselves to death. Some girls find out the hard way.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDireRezkY2LGBqllKWqEIinVmu-qIa_KKTjXD4Yr7vTzmVOdhz9_ulg_NmvaW0NLfYsqRHUnib9WiUqZhAi-HR7GV1KoHq2pcNs9qMTxyIfV3Ksa1IJWjzgPYOQCdqTzSoJmo36l3DAI/s1600-h/lohan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 291px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDireRezkY2LGBqllKWqEIinVmu-qIa_KKTjXD4Yr7vTzmVOdhz9_ulg_NmvaW0NLfYsqRHUnib9WiUqZhAi-HR7GV1KoHq2pcNs9qMTxyIfV3Ksa1IJWjzgPYOQCdqTzSoJmo36l3DAI/s400/lohan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309537888329779730" border="0" /></a>It is a common misconception that skinny equals healthy. Many of the thin girls on the screen or on magazine spreads do not achieve that physique by healthy practices, but by fasting, purging and extreme diets.<br /><br />That is not to say all lean girls starve themselves; some girls naturally have fast metabolisms. But the dangerous skinny ideal portrayed in entertainment (i.e. skeletal) is not attained by healthy eating habits.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I think distorted body image has just <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>become another standard to a teenage girl's life. It is not to suggest a girl is weaker or has lower self-worth because she falls victim to it. I think body image issues are a side effect of living in our American society and being exposed to American pop culture.<br /></div><br />Unfortunately, it takes a lot more time for girls to learn, break-away, from body image issues, if ever, compared to the lessons learned from a girl's first boy, car or job.<br /><br />Maybe it just takes a little more mind over matter. And a little more help from intimate world around women.<br /><br />Here's a little refresher of what real women, and men, look like:<br /><div style="text-align: center;">click the picture to open the site<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.naked-people.de/024.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 363px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUGHyMJylsH3_Y9RBahyphenhyphen0y93TZ-679om53CzHPFLF5hyX_aLZAQ622GN-OLPYbk_ZfZOtWN2seQtz1ejZtz15IUqKNh8MfsOBUAYAfQF9v42NbKbCRj_ltHVgpO3U5lrxshobiAFwvpJU/s200/Picture+2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309536021552123106" border="0" /></a>Of course, it's a german website.paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2246283442884711158.post-74445438962578615962009-03-02T20:05:00.004-05:002009-03-02T21:37:54.371-05:00predator percentage"If there was no way you could ever be caught, there would be no punishment and no one would ever know, would you ever rape a woman?"<br /><br />That was the last question at the end of a survey given by Malamuth and Check to college males in the early 1980s.<br /><br />Forty percent said they would.<br /><br />It does not end there.<br /><br />The same pool of men underwent an additional test that measured their arousal during two hypothetical audio recordings-- one portraying a rape where a woman adamantly refuses the sex through out the entire act and one portraying the "rape myth," where a woman refuses sex initially and repeatedly but eventually climaxes.<br /><br />The men that said they would never rape a woman under any circumstances recorded no arousal during both segments. However, the men that admitted that they might rape a woman given total immunity from all consequences reported no arousal during the rape sound byte but extreme arousal during the "rape myth."<br /><br />Researchers Malamuth and Check reasoned that some men enjoy a mixture of sex and violence, especially those whom are exposed to steady amounts of pornography as well as depictions of the rape myth. To them, the rape myth equates to what may appear to be rape-- rough, aggressive sex with an unwilling participant-- but is actually just a woman whom was too embarrased to admit her desire for sex and eventually "comes clean" via an orgasm.<br /><br />But the rape myth is just that: a myth. Women do not say "no" to mask their true sexual desires. They are not playing hard to get or shy. No means no. Period.<br /><br />The more men are exposed to the rape myth--probably while watching porn--the more likely they are to believe that it is true. Those men might be misled to believe that constant refusal of sex is a common game played by women whom actually want to get laid.<br /><br />They are then more likely to make repeated sexual advances, ignorant to a woman's constant refusal, as well as be convinced that rape might actually be pleasurable to the woman in the end; he just has to push her to that point.<br /><br />So, of the forty percent who confessed they would rape a woman if given the anonymous chance, those same men registered as being more turned-on by violent sex and under the impression that the rape myth is actually true (this is shown by the difference in arousal response of the rape vs myth rape recordings).<br /><br />I do not want to make generalizations about men or scare women. It was one study, which also said that sixty percent of men would not rape a woman given any circumstance. It is alarming that any percentage of men--particularly such a high percentage--confessed they would rape a woman if given immunity.<br /><br />I think only way to eliminate or compress these predator inclinations is to enlighten men that the rape myth is not true. As seen with the study, those potential-rapist men were not aroused by the rape recording; it was only when they believed that women enjoyed the rape at the very end that they were aroused.<br /><br />All men need to believe that when a woman says no, she really means no, regardless of the situation, whether she led you on to believe there was going to be more action or whether she did want more but then decided against it.<br /><br />It is a shame that girls sometimes feel obligated to do sexual things, pressured more so by social norms than men.<br /><br />Regardless of where the pressure comes from, it is the girl's responsibitiy to speak up when she does not want to do something; men cannot read minds, but they can take "no" for an answer.paigedearinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420813269218633112noreply@blogger.com1