The Last One

Writing these blogs week after week has finally come to an end, and I can't say how stoked I am that it is over. While I enjoyed the POLS 100W class and writing the blogs every single week, it is about time that this experience come to an end. So the only thing left to do is write this last blog, but what do I write it on? Originally I had intended to do a "drunken princess" with this last blog, but now that I think about it I am going to pass on that idea. There is no creativity in that at all. Why would I want to copy someone's mistake? That is not a very good idea. For this last blog, I think I will just reflect on what is going on my life in general. Not a very creative idea, and it might not be that entertaining, but I'm feeling pretty reflective on this Saturday afternoon. The first thing I think I need to write about is my new job. Working as a bartender is not the easiest thing I have ever done. Sure I am pretty damn good at it, but I am unsure about my skills behind the bar. For so long I have been confident in anything I do, but when it comes to bartending I have become insecure. That is definitely something I need to work on. Next, my social life is something I need to address. Right now, there is not much of one going on. I personally think having solid relationships will do a lot for my life, but I am not doing anything about it. Looks-wise I know I can get anyone I want, but I am not puling the trigger. Adjustments needed. Finally, I need to stop being such a perfectionist. I am not happy unless everything is absolutely perfect. Whether it is school, work, or my looks, I am not satisfied unless there are no flaws. How will I become content with myself unless I back off. On the other hand, being a perfectionist makes me want to be the best at everything, which is not a bad thing in life. Ugh, I am so conflicted on this and have no idea what I am going to do.


Vocab Words

-Gamut- the entire scale or range.

-Askance- with suspicion, distrust, or disapproval.

The Stripclub Experience

Alright so before I start getting deep into this blog, I just want to say that this topic was inspired by overhearing a conversation in our class. After hearing what these people talking about their strip club experiences, I could not help but blog about it. So first and foremost, I just want to say that I have only been to a strip club one time and this blog will examine the interesting dynamic that I experienced while there. I was not one of those guys that went to the strip club right on his eighteenth birthday, actually the only time I went was last December when I was twenty. When I walked into the Kit Kat Club in Sunnyvale, I took tried to take in everything that was going on all at once. The stage is right in front when you walk in with the naked ladies doing their thing, the rather fat bouncers sitting by the dressing room trying to look all physically imposing, and the creeperish looking guys sitting around the stage with their bills in hand. Not gonna lie, I kinda felt like a loser and creeper by being there. One of the most interesting things I saw was the different kinds of people that frequent a strip club. For the most part you have your ugly Asian guys who probably don't speak English, to go along with the stereotypical old man who is the regular there. God when I am old I hope I am not that guy. So eventually I got up the nerve to sit around the stage with my one dollar bills in hand, and damn that is an awkward experience. The lady starts stripping in front of you, trying to be all hot and everything, also trying to whisper sexy things in the process. She told me I should smile more, but in all honesty I didn't really get anything out of it and I really felt sorry for her. To support themselves, these girls have to degrade themselves in front of people on a nightly basis. So my cousin decided to buy me a lap dance, and damn I got absolutely nothing out of it. It is essentially a dry hump. Woopty f***ing do. In no way did a dry hump give me any sense of arousal at all. I got nothing. Forty dollars for feeling as damn awkward as can be. Well I guess the strip club is an interesting experience as a one time event, but I do not understand anyone who enjoys going on a regular basis.

Vocab Words

Abet- to encourage, support, or countenance by aid or approval.

Ennui- a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from satiety or lack of interest.

Massacre at Fort Hood

I had planned for this week's blog to be my chance to do a "drunken princess," but I think there are more important things for me to talk about. On November 5, 2009, Major Nidal Malik Hasan opened fired on his fellow servicemen in the Soldier Readiness Center at Fort Hood, killing thirteen people and wounding thirty others. On November 12, Major Hasan was charged with thirteen counts of premeditated murder, and may face additional charges for court martial. Hasan was a U.S. Army Psychiatrist, and practicing Muslim. Now that I have gone over some of the facts of the case I am just going to spill all the frustration I have built up for this incident. These types of events are always heartbreaking for the American people, but the circumstances in which this massacre occurred is a bit ridiculous and infuriating to me. How the hell does a member of our own military get away with doing something like this? We had the signs that this guy had ties to Jihad extremists. The military is currently investigating Major Hasan's involvement with radical Muslims, and all the warning signs that an events like this could occur. Why the hell was this guy still allowed to be in the military? With all the problems this country has had with radical Muslims, it is extremely important that we investigate Muslims more closely. I am not trying to be racist or discriminate against a large part of society, but history shows that we should be careful. Radical Jihadists have a long history of hating everything that America stands for, and acts of terrorism have been a result of this hatred. Whether President Obama wants to admit this was an act of terrorism means nothing to me, because that is exactly what this massacre was. It is finally time we start cracking down on the people who are liable to commit acts of terrorism, regardless of discrimination.

Vocab Words

Gainsay- to deny, dispute, or contradict.

Misogyny- hatred, dislike, or distrust of women.

Tim Lincecum and the 420

Last week I could not think of anything to blog about, so I just spewed out random thoughts to fill up space. While last week had no eventful moments, this week was the complete opposite. Some of the things I thought of harping on were the three hikers getting detained in Iran for espionage (which is a joke), or the 49ers losing their 4th straight. These subjects were interesting, and could have made a great blog, but I decided to write about Tim Lincecum getting arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Not gonna lie, this absolutely cracked me up (no pun intended). The Giants ace was arrested at 8 in the morning going 75 MPH in a 60, and the cop smelled weed on his breath and in his car. Timmy, were you craving the bud that much that you were forced to speed as fast as you could to get it? Not only did Lincecum go out and get it early in the morning, but he could not even wait till he got home to blaze it up. What a dumb thing to do. Lincecum is a guy that is up for arbitration this year, and could get a raise up to about 10 million per year, and now may not get that much. It is almost a certainty that the Giants will use this as a bargaining chip to not have to pay him so much money. It is no lie that baseball players have a long history of enjoying drugs of all kind. The steroid epidemic ran throughout baseball for about 25 years, and players today probably still use Human Growth Hormone to get an advantage. Players still take "greenies" on a daily basis, and these are amphetamines that give players a boost during the course of a game. Vida Blue was notorious throughout the game for doing cocaine before and after his starts. In no other sport to players need a drug fix so much. Timmy, I have a little advice for you: if you want to get high then go for it, but just wait till you get home to pull out the little baggie of 420 and get high as the sky.

Vocab Words

-Nadir- the lowest point; point of greatest adversity or despair

-Impugn- to challenge as false.

The Beauty of Halloween

Halloween is one of those advantages that gets taken for granted every single time it comes around. People just think that Halloween is one of the holidays that is just normal, and is definitely not as cool as Christmas or Thanksgiving. Well I have news for all the Halloween haters: If you don't like Halloween or don't think you have to take it seriously then don't come out and be a kill joy. Personally, I think that Halloween is one of those holidays that takes a lot of creativity and effort. One of the things that I think about Halloween is that costumes is a reflection of the personality of the person wearing it. Whatever state of mind you are in each year is directly represented in your costume. Let me take myself as an example. Last year I dressed up as Michael Phelps. Well my costume basically consisted of a swimming cap, fake gold medals, and a speedo. This costume says that I want to get drunk enough to not care about wearing a speedo in public, and that I want the ladies to see the "bod." So this year I was Iceman from Top Gun. BTW Top Gun is one of the greatest movies of all time and anyone who hates has no clue what they are talking about. So my Iceman outfit says that I don't mind being put in an uncomfortable flight suit because I want to look smooth and cool. Another aspect of my costume was my aviator sunglasses. For so long I wanted to be the person that wore sunglasses at night, and finally I was able to do it. I love Halloween for many reasons, and one of the main ones is that it is the one night that girls can dress as promiscuously as they want. As a 21 year old guy, I don't really mind that aspect. Well the one message I want to get across about Halloween is that people need to take it seriously and try to look awesome.

Vocab Words

-cruciverbalism- art of crossword compilation or being a fan of crossword puzzles.

-galimaufrey- large helping of hodgepodge consisting of leftovers, remnants, or simply scraps from the larder.

What to Blog About?

After being able to come up with different subjects to blog about week after week, I have definitely hit a wall this week. For the last hour I have been sitting here just thinking about what I want to write about, but nothing is coming to me. So instead of continuing to sit here, frustrated, because I cannot come up with a topic, I am just going to harp on some random issues that are decently prevalent today. First of all, I do not understand the fascination with this Twilight movie series. Personally, all I see is relatively good-looking people (not the girl) with too much make who are overacting. Vampires are supposed to be violent creatures who suck the blood out of their victims, but these movies are romantic. What the hell? And people who think this series will be as successful as the Harry Potter series are just morons. This type of person needs to get punched in the face. The next thing I am thinking about this morning is U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. All the major news organizations are debating whether President Obama will send more troops to fight that guerrilla war. If it were up to me, there would be more troops over there ASAP. We do not need another Vietnam on our hands, and it is imperative we do not give these terrorists the satisfaction of "beating" us. Finally, I am a huge Friends fan and I can't express how gorgeous Jennifer Aniston is. Ever since I started watching this show religiously, I have essentially been in love with her. What is the exact reason? Could it be the sense of humor she shows in the series? That may be. Could it be how she has dated younger men ever since she divorced Brad Pitt? That could also be the truth. Honestly, it's probably how damn hot she is. Just check out the recent cover she has for GQ. Well, that's all I want to harp on today, and maybe I can come up with something specific next time.

Vocab Words

-Voluble- characterized by a ready and continuous flow of words.

-Iconoclast- a person who attacks cherished beliefs.

Alex Rodriguez and his Playoff Struggles

Alright, so Alex Rodriguez is my favorite baseball player in today's age, and I always get hated on all over the place for liking this guy. So many people give me so much shit on being an A-Rod fan, and damn do they get to me sometimes. People say, "You are a front runner," or, "You only like him because he makes the most money," or, "He's just a pretty boy," or even, "He's only good because he used steroids." However, the one people rag me about is how A-Rod has always "shat the bed" in the playoffs. This is definitely a subject that gets to me every single time that someone brings it up. You know what, I'm not going to deny that he has sucked in the playoffs, because he has been god-awful. Back in 2004, he tried to knock the ball out of the first baseman's glove by slapping in away. When he did that I was like, "Dude what are you doing? Do you even know what sport you are playing?" Better yet, in 2007, he was dropped down to the eighth spot in the batting order because he was crapping all over himself every time he got into the box. This is a guy who may go down in history as the the greatest home run hitter of all time. Now, after all these playoff struggles A-Rod has finally told his doubters to go screw themselves after carrying the Yankees so far. Through his first five games this playoff season, A-Rod has hit for a .358 BA, with three home runs, and eight RBIS. The way he has turned himself around this postseason is almost miraculous, after all the drama that has gone on the last few years. This is a guy that has terrible moments in the late innings when the game matters most, and this October it is the total opposite. When things have mattered most, A-Rod has dropped bombs over the fence to tie games in the ninth innings against All-Star closers, Joe Nathan, and Brian Fuentes. People are still going to hate on this guy because he simply better than other players, but I am finally proud to say that I am an Alex Rodriguez fan.

Vocab Words

Rife- of common or frequent occurrence; prevalent; in widespread existence, activity, or use

Ebb- a flowing backward or away; decline or decay