The US Election
I waited a while to post this because I didn't want this post to get caught up in the post-election madness and anger that seemed to consume everyone for a while. However, I would still like to say some stuff about this election and I do hope that you read to the end and not stop midway in anger or disgust and hear what I have to say until the end. If you feel a need to engage me in a conversation about the topics I discuss here because you dis/agree with my opinions, I am always open for such talks.
Fist of all, I would like to say that I was not surprised the winner of this year's presidential election is Donald Trump. There have been a lot of things happening not just in the US, but around the world that have been adding up to this moment. Now, before you get your pitchforks and fire, I would like to disclose that I was and am with her.
I was not with her, however, because I wanted a female president or because I was a left-winged liberal, it was because I thought she really deserved it. She had been working toward this for two decades. That's 20 years. She's been in the politics world for a long time, and I would trust her with continuing the course of this country. I agreed with most of her political platform and the things she promoted. Breaking the glass ceiling and having a female president and all that would've just been a bonus.
I live in a blue state, and after the election happened, at 1 in the morning, the entire state became chaos. Everyone took to the streets and rioted and continued this behavior for several days.
I am not against protesting. In fact, I encourage it. However, some of the things they did rendered the movement a riot and not a protest. That is where I draw the line. There is never an okay time to burn the American flag or break shops that are the livelihood of one or several families, or beating up "white people" because you assumed they were all racist bigots that believed they were so high up a pedestal "other people" didn't matter.
A friend of mine didn't go out of her house for a few days after the election because everywhere on social media, people were making threats at "white people" and she was legitimately scared for her life.
StraightshooterIf I may ask, because I myself live in a blue state (Maryland), what state do you live in?
Straightshooteri must say as a conservative who did vote for Mr . Trump, I found yoir article very insightful and pleasant to read. While there were a few things I disagree with you on, such as saying you wanted her to win not because she was a women but because you felt she deserved it being in the political world for so long, and saying that Ronald Reagans only accomplish was being a former movie star (he was actually a really good Govenor of California and President).
But the part that I really REALLY like was how you spoke of the electoral college and its importance because it gives voice to the minority and not just the 51%. It was originally created by Thomas Jefferson (im 90% sure it was him) after studying Pletos in ancient greek who was also concerned that a nation where the 51% ruled would end up surprising the 49%. Thats why our founders made us a democratically elected Republic and not a democratically elected democracy. Thats alos how we got the two branches of congress. The house of Representatives where each state has representation by their population and the senate where every state gets an equal say. Its very fascinating stuff.
Day6-Letting Go
The level of sadness I have for this music video is beyond words. Like omg. Look at those SIX happy boys. This is what fan-craziness has reduced this newly-successful-not-even-been-on-the-scene-for-a-year-band to. Can you even imagine? I, for one, will not be letting this go.
Idk, but the fact that they chose this song as the single speaks volumes. LOOK AT THAT EMPTY KEYBOARD ON THE LEFT. If this isn't a tribute to a wrongly lost colleague, I don't know what is. I mean, they kinda tried to hide it with all the other unattended musical equipment, but the placement and everything is very blatantly obvious. This single is for Joonhyuk. It is definitely extremely unfortunate something like this happened, but eh. Korea. Us with our "Western" mindset wouldn't understand the very repressed lives they live as Korean musicians.
Sorry for the rant. On to the actual song.
Day6 has again delivered greatly with their impeccable taste in music, albeit the missing keyboardist. It retains all the qualities of their style of music, and they aren't holding anything back vocally. This band is an extremely talented group of people, (though cannot be compared to FTIsland etc) and I'm extremely excited for their fan meet in the US (even though I can't go because $$$$$$).
Plus, have you seen how the drummer grew into this physique? I think yes honey.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Gah I love this book so, so much. It's such a cute romance story, and if you've read my book reviews before, you know I got somethin' going for John Green (like omfg). Not to mention, David Levithan's the coauthor (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, anyone?) talk about a match made in the heaven of the heavens.
Warning: contains LGBTQIA (but adorable af) material (as well as good ol' fashioned guy-girl romance) and plot points dealing with depression (whoops spoilers?)
The story is told alternatively from the two Graysons' views, who meet unexpectedly one night in Chicago, and their lives after the encounter. Connecting the two even more, is Will Grayson's best friend, Tiny, self-proclaimed gay and sparkly playwright.
Each Grayson is dealing with his own demons and trying to figure out life, and here's Tiny, writing a musical of all musicals to knock them out of their orbit and face life. It's a moderately heavy book (not weight wise, uhm... emotion wise..?? you know what I mean. I hope).
There's so much emotion in this book, thought, and the angsty-ness of the characters really get to me because no matter what anyone says, we've all been there before. Feeling like the world is against us and hating every second of it. Yet, there's always hope that it gets better, knowing that it gets better, and accepting that it doesn't have to be better because now is actually pretty nice too.
You probably won't find your universal truth in this story, and it probably wouldn't even be that significant a book to you other than "that was a helluva good story." But like most John Green and David Levithan books, I think it really does leave a significant impression on a person.
The Hajj- Snapchat
I am an avid user of Snapchat. When I realized my system was out of date and incompatible with the newest version of snapchat, I deleted all these other apps and updated my phone just to keep my newest version-snapchat. Am I addicted? More than likely. Even though I don't really even use it that much, just the thought of it being on my phone comforts me.
Imagine my surprise, on one of the few occasions I remember to open the app, when I see an entire Snapchat live feed dedicated to the Hajj. It was interesting, to say the least, seeing all these snaps with Arabic captions and oceans of people in white. I'd say it was a pretty educational experience. (Who would've thought... Snapchat?)
Anyway, while watching these snaps, I realized, like, all of these snaps were by men. I did see one snap with 2 women in there, but even then, they tried to keep themselves out of the camera as much as they can, and of course, they were covered in traditional wear.
Not trying to get all political or human-rights or anything, I just thought it was interesting (more power to the girls who choose to live this lifestyle and don't write something about it unless it's to agree with me because I will shut. you. down. please).
Of course, there may be things I'm missing, because I only saw the snaps from the second day of the Hajj, so there may have been more female posts I didn't see. (I also don't read Arabic, so that also limits some of my comprehension).
By the way, I am also aware of the stampede that happened that killed like 700 people. However, this post is not for that event. It was a horrible thing to happen to these devout people from all over the world gathering together for a single, pure purpose of paying respects to their God, but no. I am here to just talk about Snapchat and this phenomenon of people Snapchatting their holy journey to Mecca and the implications of this.
The Kite Runner
I hate the author who wrote this book. I cried so hard while reading this book, I hate him for having the galls to write a novel like this. Three, in fact. Ugh. There are so many tear stains in this stupid, worn, beat-up, 10th anniversary edition, paperback book, I don't even know how the words show up anymore.
For the people who weren't forced to read this book in high school (or were, but just sparknoted it because who actually read high school assigned books?), read it. It will change your life. It will not change your life like how Twilight or even Harry Potter changes your life, it will change your life like How to Kill a Mockingbird changes your life.
This novel is about two boys, Amir and Hassan, who grew up in Afghanistan, their relationship, what happens to Hassan, and Amir's eventual redemption after years of hiding away.
This book deals a lot with redemption and the overcoming of social classes and the different kinds of love. However, for me, personally, I still did not like the main character after he redeemed himself at the end of the book, supposedly. He changed continually in the novel, but I still never liked him. I guess in that way, that makes him more human than anything else.
This story also deals with the many issues that plague Afghanistan, as in Khaled Hosseini's other novels, but this novel was his first.
This novel was his first success as a wrencher of hearts, crusher of hopes, evoker of severe tears, and illustrator of the Middle Eastern refugee crises.
Day6- The Day for Congratulations
I love this band. Really.
I don't even usually bother to memorize bands with more than 5 members and be able to match faces to names, but I bothered this time. Took me a while, but I got it.
I usually try not to keep up with K-pop too much because it's really time consuming, but I stumbled upon them while I was procrastinating on some work and decided to watch a live interview JunCurryAhn did on Facebook. He mentioned them, I searched them up on Youtube, and boy, do I regret it.
Their music is great, they're an actual band, and did I mention, their music is great?
I fell in love with their Congratulations MV, and while I have not memorized any K-pop songs even though I am an avid lover of several K-pop groups, I am halfway done memorizing the lyrics to Congratulations.
The music video was art, the self-deprecating smile of the actor as his flashbacks continued and watched the loving couple in front of him that is his ex-girlfriend gave me the chills. I was shaking with excitement as I watched the video, and there is no satisfactory level of gratitude I can give to JYP for producing this band.
Bio
Reader, Writer, Onlooker, Doer, Liver, Participator, Listener, Passerby.
