Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Line dancing!



I told you all a while back that I wanted to go line dancing. Well, I finally did it! Last thursday while my best friend was in town, I dragged him to my good friend Hannah More's apartment so we could get a crash course on line dancing. Hannah and I had planned to do this for quite a while, and we had a pretty large group of about 10 gathered.


Now for those of you who don't know, I loath country music. I prefer nails on chalk boards to the steel guitar and twangy sound of country. But I'll tell you somethings I do like: Daisy Dukes, Midriff, cowboy attire (on girls only, I look silly in it), and of course DANCING! So the pros for line dancing outweighed the cons.


When we arrived at the 18 and up club, I was immediately stamped as "underage" and banned from getting a drink (38 days till I'm 21). When we opened the doors and entered the club the sounds of country music assaulted my ears as my eyes got really large because it was too much to take in. First of all EVERYONE on the dance floor was facing us the moment we walked in which was intimidating to say the least. Second of all, I couldn't believe all the pretty girls that were getting their groove on. I knew right there and then that I was in! All in!

My friends however, (all over 21) quickly scampered over to the bar and let the liquid courage take its marvelous effect. I sat on the side of the sober with my hands in my pockets waiting for the rest of our group to arrive. I hate being poor at anything. I always want to be the best and I look down on the fools at the bottom. Unfortunately the way things work in this world is that you start from the bottom and work your way to the top. I am most definitely at the bottom of the food chain with line dancing. And were it not for the most patient and delightful dance partner: Hannah More, I would be trapped forever as an amateur. Hannah coached me for a good hour and a half in at least 10 different dances. She endured a 187 pound gorilla's size 13 feet as they stomped all over her dainty little ones in the two step, she survived (barely) as that same unnamed gorilla backed into her during the electric slide, and she somehow managed to keep that delightful smile of hers plastered eternally to her face. I am very fortunate to have such wonderful friends.

So line dancing has become my most recent addition to a plethora of hobbies that are dear to me. I intend to get good--really good-- so that I can charm all the fetching ladies in their cowboy couture. Tomorrow I go line dancing for the second time! Wish me luck.

One of my favorite dances of the night:

Trend



Here's a trend I have spotted. I hope it becomes the next big thing. The Spiderman kiss is so yesterday. This kind of reminds me of when I was a kid and I loved to wear large shirts because when I wanted a place to hide I would just sit down and tuck my knees, head, and arms inside my shirt. Instant hide-out! It was great because it afforded me the privacy a 5 year old needs when he wants to disappear for a while. This new kiss can't decide if it's first or second base, but whichever the players decide, I would play baseball if it was as exciting as this looks. I'm adding this to my bucket list.

Aliens


I've got a random (but not that random) thought for the day. How would you respond if an alien showed up on your doorstep. Now just to clarify, we're talking E.T. not illegal alien. I know I would probably respond with a mix of violence and hospitality. I would invite the bastard in for tea and cut him to bits. My best friend and I disagree on whether there is life outside of our own lovely planet. He thinks that there is a strong probability that we are not alone in this universe, I on the other hand rather enjoy feeling as though we're the only show in town (granted, we are a shit show, but still).

I do feel as though most of my negative reaction to the thought of aliens is due to how hollywood portrays them. Green slimy buggers (kind of like boogers) that have giant heads, funky looking eyes, double barrelled shotgun noses, and bad attitudes. Now given that description I feel it necessary to point out that I've met a few humans who have two or so of those very same characteristics. I guess my biggest complaint with the idea of aliens is the fact that if we aren't alone in this universe then we are just a part of a bigger picture, one that includes those who are foreign in ways our science fiction writers love to dream up. I choose to believe that we here on earth are strange enough and we don't need anyone vying for the attention with their bug eyes and goofy heads.


Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Who am I writing to?


It struck me the other day while browsing my past posts on this blog that I write primarily to the female reader. I was pondering this for a while and wondering why I seem to be constantly talking to women on here. The theories I came up with were as follows:

#1
I am in a field of study that has a strong majority of women.




#2
Largely due to reason #1, I have a TON of close female friends at Cal Poly.

#3
I find a lot more in common with the women my age than I do the "men." There are a plethora of reasons for this, but I'm sure I'll delve into those again at a later time.

#4
I know far more women that read for fun then I do men. This upsets me greatly, but once again, more on that later.


#5
I secretly hope that I will say all the right things on here and miss wonderful will pop out of the oblivion and say, "You're amazing, let's run away together and live on a tropical island where we can play soccer and a non-PG sport all day."



So in review, I have been writing primarily to women. I like what I've been doing, I'm not changing. However, I will try to write a bit more on topics that might interest both sexes.

Song of the day: Angel on my shoulder-Kaskade

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Nutrition Now!



Ok, so for those of my readers who are not aware, I am a Kinesiology major. As a Kinesiology major there are certain things that fascinate me (or I wouldn't be studying Kinesiology). I personally find everything to do with the human body riveting. I am considering getting a tattoo that says "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made" because the more I learn about the body, the more I am convinced of the truth of Psalm 139:14. The disciplines relating to the body that most interest me are psychology, nutrition, exercise physiology and obviously anatomy/physiology. I am going to start a new segment in this blog centered entirely on nutrition.

Not long after I came to Cal Poly I discovered the human performance lab. I quickly joined the student run organization named PolyFit and was thrown headlong into a professional setting where I as a student was trained in how to conduct fitness, body composition, and flexibility tests on paying clients (Stuff just like the woman in the video below was doing with the skin calipers). I have been involved in PolyFit every quarter since I first tried it out and I enjoy it as much now as when I started. I have been a group leader for the last four quarters, which means I am responsible for the four to six students in my group. It is my responsibility to train them in the proper techniques necessary to conduct our battery of tests (more on those later) and also manage them as they do so every week of the quarter. As a group leader I am CPR and First Aid certified and were anything to go wrong, I am responsible for resuscitating the client. I have greatly benefited from this experience that Cal Poly has offered me and I can't wait to work in a simular environment in the not so distant future!

Nutrition/Exercise video. I agree with most of what's said here!

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Thursday, May 20, 2010

Fun video

Ever wondered how those models get changed so fast. Well, this video might shed some light on exactly how they do it!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Cancer sucks




All but one of my grandparents were taken from me in the coarse of one year when I was in elementary school. The one grandparent that wasn't taken that year had already been stolen by the same thief: Cancer. My very first friend was taken too, he wasn't even in first grade. If cancer were a person we'd have serious beef. But since it is an amorphous evil I am left with a huge amount of anger and no real place to put it. But wait! NO, that can't be legal. Or is it? Streaking for cancer? You can't be serious!

Friday is Cal Poly's fourth annual Streak Hathaway event (Hathaway is a raucous party street near campus). An event marked by drunken debauchery and voyeurism but also somehow decidedly philanthropic. You see, Streak Hathaway is a fundraiser for cancer. The leaders of this event sell t-shirts and this year for the first time they will be selling pasties. All profits from the sales of the t-shirts and pasties go to breast cancer research. In the past over $2400 dollars has been raised for breast cancer research. I think this is a noble and fantastic way to come together as a community and fight cancer and even have some fun doing it! This year for the first time ever, I will be streaking, and I couldn't think of a better way to scratch "Go Streaking" off my bucket list.

Here is a video from the inaugural event. Obviously it didn't start out as organized as it is now.


And who could go streaking without remembering "Frank the Tank"

Friday, May 14, 2010

Artist of the day: Terry Richardson




His work is raw, fleshy, bright and uncensored. I can never decide whether I love or loathe his work. But whichever decision I come to, there is no circumventing the respect I have for the man who has photographed Obama, Lil Wayne, Jessica Alba, Pamela Anderson, Pharrell and so many others. Armed with a camera and a bevy of famous people willing to pose in posh to pornagraphic photoshoots Terry Richardson has an impressive portfolio. Here are some of his pictures:















Poetry contest



Yesterday I was in a mad rush to edit, print, and find the office where I could turn in my poetry submission for the Academy of American Poets Contest at Cal Poly. I turned in two poems, here is one of them.

Chelsea King


Gifts of God
corroding his frayed soul.

Acidic thoughts of forbidden bliss,
arrayed out splendidly

next to the fuchsia orchids
swaying gently in the wind.

Figure of fatal fashion,
hair swept beautifully apart

her delicate face.
Frozen forever in death’s caress.

Given to him
and taken too.

That exquisite pearl of
timeless charm.

A flash of life,
like the picture in the frame

surrounded by flowers
next to her urn.

Too soon,
far too soon.

Spring begets winter,
birth begets death.

Summer only comes to the
privileged majority.


Blind though they are
to the life within.

We are all more alive,
once we’ve been dead.

Or at least glimpsed that
archaic fiend,

sickle in one hand,
our lover in the other.

Off to the realm of shadows,
with what we just now consider most dear.

A salty rain fell on that hollow
patch of ground.

Hidden by Armani, Chanel, and Prada
clouds—

Lightning flashes of wrath
towards the one who

gave her hand—unwillingly—to him:
archaic fiend.


By Jesse Madera

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Dressed to kill #1



Tonight's style that will help you dress to kill: Tiered dresses. They are one of my favorite looks and I feel strongly that they are under appreciated. If you are a woman and you read this blog (or if you're a guy, who am I to cramp your style) please incorporate one of these in your wardrobe. This style is classy and classic two "C's" that are always in vogue--whether on the red carpet or elsewhere.



Sunday, May 9, 2010

Feature Designer: Cecilia Cassini

This girl is my hero. She makes me feel lame for not having my own fashion company. Once again, being Italian means fashion is in your blood.

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Saturday, May 8, 2010

A few things "fashionable" that I hate

A little known thing about me: I love fashion. In high school two girls who were friends of mine told me they wanted to marry me because my last name sounded like it would be a great designer brand. Their joke prompted a brainstorm in me, and a closet fascination with fashion. I read constantly about it and I critique so many little things I see on a daily basis. So I think I'll start putting some of my thoughts here. So without further ado; a few fashionable things I hate:


#1 glasses that cover half of your face. Bug eyes aren't attractive on bugs, why would they be on you? Wear these if you are ugly as a bug:


#2 Gladiator Sandals
Not cute at all, go back to 500B.C. Greece. Wear these if you want a starring role in the second 300 movie.



#3 massive curving nails
I don't think I have to explain this one. Don't wear nails that extend past your finger longer than half the distance from your nail-bed to tip of finger. French manicure=good look. Whatever the F#$@ this is=terrible


#4 Giant Handbag/purses
Do you want to seem like a bitch? You hold on to one of these and you certainly will.



#5 Fringe bags (with one exception: Prada Napa Fringe Hobo, the original)
Cousin It called, he wants his bag back. Lose it. Burn it. Shred it. Unless you wan't to look like some modern day American Indian who recycled big-foot's moccasins and made a purse.


#6 Headbands/Hairbands. Now before you get irate and throw a brick through my window, let me distinguish between a cute headband and a ugly one. Cute headbands are not bulky or obtrusive, they do not hide your hair or make your forehead manifest itself in a garage door sort of way (now you see me, now you don't). Something is to be said for how a headband is worn too. Don't wear it in such a way as to pull all your hair out of your face and make the shape of your skull immediately evident. Or worse still, wear it in such a way that your hair balloons out around it giving your head a misshapen appearance. A headband should be subtle, sexy, and soft.

Cute headband (however, see #1):


Ugly headbands:



There are so many other things I hate but I need some sleep so here are a few to avoid for now.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Feature Artist: Dev



In addition to being very cute, Dev's music has that undeniable sound that penetrates your mind and stays there on repeat. I love the use of synthesizers in her music and her beats are so good I'm tempted to ask if they come from Shrute farm (the office anyone). Dev is an edgier, more current and less discovered Uffie. But, I don't expect you to take my word for it, listen yourself: